Thank you, Delilah for having me! I brought along a special Scottish prize, too!

So what do you get when you combine a secret agency dedicated to changing history back to the way it was, and an agent who has the ability to calm people along with the power to travel through time, and a medieval Highland laird?

On Highland Time, of course!

Authors get their inspiration from many places and for me it has always started with classic literature. In this case, it was Sir Walter Scott’s narrative poem, The Lady of the Lake. Though the poem takes place later than my story, it gave me the idea to have someone infiltrate a clan in disguise, since the King in Scott’s poem does just that only to fall for the lady.

After that a number of “what ifs” occurred such as what if the person disguised was a lady who falls for the laird, and what if she was a time traveler, and what if she was there to change history back to the way it was when the laird had died, and…you get the picture. It’s just the way my mind works.

Of course, since I write romance, there had to be a relationship and a happily ever after, but it wasn’t easy with this story. There were a lot of forces at play against that happening. I do enjoy time travel stories, but I like my heroines to have control. Diana Montgomery can control her time travel, but she still has to make a brutal decision — save mankind’s future or save the man she loves. Not quite the decision the Lady of the Lake had to make, but close.

On Highland Time

For fans of sexy Scottish Highlanders who know how to treat a woman like a lady.

When someone changes history, affecting the future, Diana Montgomery, the most experienced agent of Time Weavers, Inc., travels back to 1306 Scotland to change it back. Her mission, to find the culprit and ensure a minor clan chief dies in battle as he originally had.

Diana is well-prepared to infiltrate the small MacPherson clan. What she’s not prepared for is Torr MacPherson, the ruggedly handsome warrior with a kind heart and a steadfast loyalty—the Laird she’s supposed to ensure dies.

On Highland Time Buy Links:
Amazon|Barnes & Noble| iBooks| Kobo

Excerpt:

Torr appeared to grow larger before her eyes. He straightened to his full height and looked down at her, his eyes hard. “I was protecting my king and what is mine.”

She swallowed, his stare clearly indicating he considered her his. She broke eye contact and looked past him to find the two men, Beth, Braigh, and Mairi watching them. Once again, she was the center of attention. Not the right place for a TWI agent.

Medieval. She needed to think like a medieval woman. What would Mairi do in this case? Actually, the poor woman might very well faint.

Though it rubbed her all ways but the right way, she kept her gaze lowered. “I’m sorry that helping Ian angered you. I will refrain from doing so again.”

She heard Torr sigh. “That is not what upset me.”

Daring to look at him, she hoped her gaze wasn’t too direct. “Then why were you angry?”

He folded his arms across his chest, usually a common defensive gesture, but one she had begun to believe was his thinking stance. “I did not like seeing ye in the arms of another.”

That was blunt and to the point. “But aren’t you in the arms of another woman every few nights?”

He looked away and dropped his arms before quickly changing the subject. “I believe food awaits us.”

“So it does.” She let her irritation spill into her tone of voice. His double standard grated on her nerves, but that was according to her own time. She had to stop letting him get to her. Crouching down, she picked up her shoes and walked barefoot to the blanket, completely ignoring the hulk strolling beside her.

When she sat on the blanket, Douglas caught her eye and shook his head.

Oh, go have dinner with Medusa! She took a deep breath to regain some balance.

Torr lowered his large body next to her. Holding out his hand, he offered her a chunk of bread and a square of cheese. Reluctantly, she accepted it. Crossing her legs beneath her, she took a bite. The sharp cheese woke her taste buds and refocused her thoughts.

He didn’t say a word as he ate his mutton and bread.

She appreciated the silence and the food, casting furtive glances at him. The man would definitely be considered “eye candy” in her age. Broad shoulders with large muscles in his arms, developed pectorals, and abs women sighed over. While she had only seen a glimpse of his thighs, she could tell by the bulge of his calves that they, too, would be solid strength. He was no cover model with his crooked nose, red-tinged hair, and pure maleness, but he was striking in his own way. Even more than his giant build, there was a purpose to him that forewarned he was a force to be reckoned with. She just couldn’t see him dying in battle.

“Here.” Torr held out a wooden cup.

She tentatively took a sip to find it was water. It enhanced the aftertaste of the cheese, one of the few food items she found palatable. She handed the cup back. “Thank you.”

His large hand covered hers but didn’t let go. She looked up at him. His deep blue eyes crinkled at the corners. “Ye have no need to fear me, lass.”

Maybe not physically, but definitely emotionally. She liked this big, kind-hearted man, far too much. His feelings for her, though only interest and lust, were not good. Better to keep him at arm’s length. She grinned. “I know.”

His brow rose and arrogance revealed itself once again. “Ye do? Well then, ye also know my bed is waiting for you.”

She swallowed the thrill of excitement that ran through her chest and instead focused on her modern irritation over his lifestyle. Though she tempered it, she wasn’t above a little sarcasm. “Which night?”

He scowled, his face taking on harsh lines.

Holy Hamlet, he looked mean when he did that.

“Lass, you test my patience.”

“Laird, you test mine.” She raised her chin just a fraction.

He scowled harder. Then his face relaxed, and he chuckled. “I think ye will fit into this clan very well.”

The idea of being a welcome part of the clan scared the hell out of her. Since her parents’ death, she’d created her own clan, so to speak. She couldn’t become attached to another, especially not in 1306. She needed to put distance between herself and this laird.

About the Author

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she’s read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi’s first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. From hot paranormals to sizzling cowboys to hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her cat in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you will never see her without a hat.

Website
Lexi Post Updates
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Amazon Author Page
BookBub
D2D
Goodreads
Instagram
Blog
Pinterest
Email

Who loves smoking hot menage romance? I do! Poly relationships are complicated, and there are as many opinions on them as there are possible combinations, but the Marks-Davidson clan, of the Triple Passion Play series, has their own rulebook. Number one on the list is the intimate relationship is between just those three, Trisha, Tommy and Ken, but a close second is the disallowance of jealousy between the trio. Realistic? I say yes, but the rule requires constant self-awareness and reflection.

The latest installment, Baby Makes Four, is now available on Amazon and should drop on other major retailers within the week! The series asks the question: Is it truly possible for three people to love each other equally? Throughout books one and two, the answer was yes, yes, and yes!

Jealousy and insecurity can be the death knell of a poly relationship, and changing dynamics can stoke those unwanted fires. Ken fought through his insecurity when Tommy and Trisha were legally married for tax purposes in book two, but will Tommy be as strong now that Trisha is pregnant with Ken’s baby? While both men are adamant about their love and commitment, for Trisha, the baby and each other, the two of them still haven’t sealed the deal sexually. What will it take for them to put their egos aside and give in to their desires?

If you love sizzling MMF menage, you can’t miss Baby Makes Four! It’s slam packed with erotic lovemaking and romantic tension. Even if you haven’t read books one and two, Baby Makes Four can be enjoyed as a stand-alone romance.

Buy your copy of Baby Makes Four at Amazon now.

Or get the entire three book series.

About the Author

Sierra Brave is a multi-published author of smoking hot romance. She writes across genres, dabbling in a little bit of everything, including ménage and BDSM.  Her love of erotic fiction started in her last year of high school when she first read the sensual classic, Fanny Hill. She felt so naughty yet liberated with her copy tucked away in her book bag and hopes her work will have the same delicious effect on her readers. Please visit Sierra’s website: http://sierrabrave.rocks/

Sign up for Sierra’s Newsletter here, and she’ll send you a free ebook.

I don’t know about most of you, but I’m really picky when it comes to what kind of journal I like to use. I’ve bought or been given some lovely and expensive notebooks and one of three things inevitably happens to them:

1. I use them once or twice and end up ripping out the pages and tossing the journal away.
2. I give them to my SIL
3. I sell them at a yard sale

I think I’m intimidated by fancy journals. Problem is, the kind that I like are getting more difficult to find.

I use the Moleskine Volant notebooks that come in a set of two. Used to be able to get various sizes and colors, but I’ve noticed in the last year it’s getting harder to find them. So, I recently bought 2 packs at the bookstore, which gives me four in total. With the ones I am currently using, and the one new one I had tucked away, I’ll be good for probably a couple of years…maybe.

I’m hoping the company will keep producing these notebooks. The 8 12/ X 5 inch size is the one I use the most. I love the colors and the fact the notebook lies flat. It also slips easily into my purse so I always have a notebook on me, just in case I get an idea or a snippet of dialogue I need to remember. They make a smaller size too, which is also a great size for jotting notes.

I’m also picky about my pen. I use a fine purple Pilot pen for writing.

What about you? What kind of notebook or journal do you prefer? Do you care?

Wolf of her Own

Salvation Pack, Book 9

Mikhail Matheson may be an outsider in Salvation, but he stays with the pack to be close to his sister. It has nothing to with the fact that Elise—the most fascinating woman he’s ever laid eyes on—is part of the pack. Mikhail has wanted Elise for years, but being with her could cost him his life. Soon he’ll have to decide if he’s going to leave the pack or risk it all to pursue a place at her side.

After escaping her abusive mate, Elise LaForge has made a home in Salvation with her sons. She never expected to have her emotions stirred up by the always serious and seriously handsome Mikhail. But can she finally put her past behind her and dare to move on?

When danger creeps into the pack, both she and Mikhail have to be willing to sacrifice everything to have a chance at love.

*TEASER*

Elise set her mug down on the table and stood, curling her bare toes against the cold wood. She was going to get dressed, grab her camera, and try to capture the essence of the morning. She’d taken one step toward the door when she realized she wasn’t alone.

He was out there.

She always knew when Mikhail was close by. Every cell in her body hummed in a way that made her both hot and uncomfortable. She seriously thought about pretending she didn’t know he was there, but that smacked of weakness. And after so many years of being browbeaten by her former mate, she was through being a coward.

“Come out,” she demanded. Heart pounding and hands damp, she waited. Her breath quickened when he coalesced out of the morning mist. He was a big and powerfully built wolf. His fur was dark brown with glints of red and some streaks of gray on the top of his head. His green eyes shone with intelligence and something else she really didn’t want to acknowledge.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWQ4PK1/
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/wolf-of-her-own.html
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wolf-of-her-own-n-j-walters/1128615958?ean=9781640630826
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wolf-of-her-own/id1381437118
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wolf-of-her-own

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Group: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/awakeningdesires/info
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Three Day Special! Coupon expires Friday, May 25

Hi Delilah Fans! Here’s an offer you can’t refuse. Book I, Hers to Choose, is already FREE at all retail outlets. Now, exclusive to Delilah’s blog, you can get Book II, Tangled in Two, FREE with coupon code YH27V.

Bryn McClure has put the Cannon men behind her. Or so she thought. Then Alex reappears with a plan that will save her farm and set her up for life. Overwhelmed, she would love to express her affection. But instead of reciprocating, he keeps her at arm’s length.

Then Dan shows up and there’s really no question about what happens next. She can’t get enough of the dirty discipline he dishes out. When he holds her in his arms, her world is complete.

But nothing is ever so simple as choosing one man or the other. Nightmares unfold as she and her beloved Ozarks farm come under attack by unknown enemies. Bryn quickly realizes—she needs them both.

Excerpt:

Before Bryn had a chance to protest, Dan pulled her up, turned her toward him, and lowered his mouth to hers, brushing over her lips.

What was this? Should she resist? Was he going through the motions in order to prove something? Torment her? His hands made their way down her sides and over her buttocks before pulling her tight against his lower body. An erection pressed through his slacks and against her belly. Did he think he could do whatever he wanted?

Her nipples squeezed to pebble hardness and her clit stiffened. An internal war broke out. Push him away?

His big hands began massaging her buttocks, and she wanted him immediately. His lips continued brushing over her mouth, her cheeks, down her neck. Her nostrils flared and her legs shivered.

“Has anyone serviced your needs recently?” he whispered against her neck. “Are you distracted from your business, Miss McClure?”

“No, I….I’m, yes, I’m distracted.”

Should she do this? Could she refuse? Whatever she did with Dan wouldn’t fill the hole left by Alex. Her desire for Dan fit an entirely separate part of her. But maybe it was all she could ever get. And it would help her forget her disappointment with Alex.

Rationalization? Justification? So what? She didn’t owe Alex anything.

Whatever Dan wanted her to say, she would say it. If he wanted her submission, she would happily give it. Any time she came under his control would feel like relief from the loneliness and regret she carried around every day. His arms held her in an iron grip. Heat blazed up her chest.

“Distracted is not acceptable, Miss McClure.” He stepped back. “Lucky for us, I anticipated this might be the case.”

Dan walked to his things at the couch and returned with a small bag. “You’ll find your garments in here. Get dressed and let me see you.”

Bryn’s mind went blank. It was an absurdly familiar and thrilling moment, his demands, the full realization of what might come next. One singular truth became clear—Dan was her dom.

Maybe Dan didn’t twist her heart the same as Alex, but it was better this way. Sex without commitment, without demoralizing emotional baggage. She glanced up at him. A sly smile curled his mouth but didn’t extend up to those calculating pale eyes, watching her, demanding.

Beyond that was the absolute certainty that he would take care of her.

In the bedroom, she shook out the bag and surveyed the contents. After discarding her clothes, she slid into an abbreviated white blouse with little cap sleeves and a shirttail tie that fastened under her breasts. A red plaid skirt with wide pleats, also quite small, fit low on her hips if she pulled it down far enough to barely cover her buttocks. White hosiery included elastic bands that held them at mid-thigh. She added a pair of her white thong panties then stared at herself in the mirror.

Gooseflesh rippled down her body as she studied her image. She hardly recognized herself, some trollop in a super trashy outfit. This had nothing to do with Wade. The outfit reeked of Dan.

In a sudden inspiration, she pulled down her ponytail, quickly dividing her hair and weaving it into two loose braids on either side of her head. If schoolgirl was what he had in mind, she could give it. With a deep breath, she walked out of the bedroom.

He waited near the wood stove. He had closed the window curtains against the arrival of evening. Another martini had been mixed and poured into their glasses. He lifted his glass toward her as she appeared at the bedroom door.

“Well, now,” he said in a husky voice. “You look ready for school.”

She clasped her hands behind her back. “Yes, master.”

His intense gaze lingered over her body. He remained fully clothed with his white shirt sleeves rolled against his tanned forearms and his thighs tugging against the dark slacks. He drained his glass and set it on the table before walking to her.

“You’re quite a handful, so easily distracted from your studies.” His hands grazed her tingling breasts, thumbing the rigid nipples before trailing down past the skirt and finding the panties.
He snapped the thong’s elastic band. “Can you not follow even the simplest instruction?” He yanked the panties to her knees and let them fall to the floor around her ankles.

She licked her lips. “I…need correction,” she murmured as his hands slid back up her thighs.

His fingers traced through her slick crease, lightly stroking her erect clit.

“Severe correction. Sir,” she added.

“Yes, I can see that.” He led her to the table then tied one of her wrists to a chair back. In moments he had fastened the ankle and wrist of her left side to one chair and the other ankle and wrist to another chair. With the chairs on either side of her, she remained upright as he again fondled her.

“The problem about your discipline,” he said, plying her breasts with his free hand, “is that there’s no secret you enjoy it. Now if I could manage to truly punish you,” he said with a hard pinch on her nipple, “so that you learned to stop making the same mistakes.” He pinched the other nipple. “Then perhaps you wouldn’t need so much correction.” He slapped her buttocks. Hard.

He walked away and took another drink of his martini before bringing her glass and holding it so that she had to gulp half the liquid. Then he opened his briefcase and took out a familiar wooden paddle.

“I gave this a lot of thought, Miss McClure,” he continued, striking the paddle against his hand in a loud slapping noise.

Her thighs clenched. She was soaked, sliding into complete submission. It felt glorious.

*~*~*

Don’t miss the rest of the Cannon Cousins series!

Book III – Payback Blues
Dan’s abrupt meeting with Riley Montgomery blossoms into intense feelings, not what he wants or needs. Does it hurt to sidetrack into a little spanking of her best friend?
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/791854
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1985580977

Book IV – His to Lose
Riley’s courage falters after she pursues her fantasy domination of Dan. Unexpected attacks on Cannon Company complicate the situation. Did she go too far?
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377220
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492797162

Thanks for reading!

Lizzie Ashworth

My newest release, Forbidden Monsieur, takes the reader to wine country in the South of France and eventually to Paris and features a character from the series, Chelsea Bright, who has done some not mature things against her sister and a man she thought she’d marry when she was twenty-two and fresh out of college. Her sister sent her to Paris for a year to let her mature on her own, and when she returned to Avce, Chelsea slowly accepted her fate.

Once her nephew is born though, Chelsea realizes it would be nice to have a family and not just marry. However, she doesn’t feel she has much of a choice. Her father gambles and puts the family in debt, again. Her mother is a shopaholic who expects Chelsea to marry a rich noble. And unlike her sister, she has no best friend who was an earl and rich to fall in love with. Chelsea checks out all the available nobles and doesn’t see anyone she’d ever want to marry. However, her mother claims to have met the perfect match for Chelsea in Paris. So she agrees to go and impress this Duc.

However her car crashes on a vineyard, and the sexy, Frenchman, Alexandre Travers, who grows wine for a living. He’s not rich or titled, but he lives and believes that anyone can be whatever they want to be. He even believes she should follow her art and not her parents’ wishes. She’s never kissed anyone like him. If she really had a choice, she’d choose Alex.

If you can help me spread the news about my newest release you might win a kindle! The link to the giveaway is on my page or at the end of the page.

Where to buy:
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/g0o60d
Barnes and Noble: http://smarturl.it/4cfh4e
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/89ehbt
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/oyzs3l
Google Play: http://smarturl.it/gg7v1f
Victoria Pinder Website with giveaway and special offers: https://victoriapinder.com/forbidden-monsieur-giveaway

First Kiss Excerpt:

He nodded and twirled her in beat with the song. He let out a sigh. “Chelsea, you’re different than what I thought. I’m sorry your father is sick.”

And she was sorry she couldn’t forget everything and stay right here, with him, forever. She could imagine herself painting outside, setting up a small store to sell arts and crafts to travelers, and perhaps even help Alex find more people to contract his wine with. She shrugged off the fantasy. “You didn’t bet him.”

“Neither did you.” As if that reminder was supposed to help? They stayed moving when the song ended waiting until the next began. The people around them changed places but all she saw was him. “If you didn’t have to marry this Duc, what would you do for yourself?”

Paint. Maybe be brave enough to take Sheena, her old friend from college, up on that offer to show her paintings at local shows in Paris or wherever she wanted. Chelsea stayed in the dance, accepting that her wants were trumped by need. “Doesn’t matter. I have to marry. Thinking about what if doesn’t help.”

He motioned up to the moon and spun her, so she’d get a better view of the bright orb in the sky. “Under the moonlight you can admit your secret dreams. Would you paint?”

A smile graced her lips. Nobody before now had ever seen into her heart and the headiness made her laugh. She ignored how her pulse raced. “I’d love to paint but that’s not happening. I had a chance to have my own showing in Paris next month, but I said no.”

Alex’s expression seemed caring, but that was impossible. How could he? The tone in his voice made her believe in the impossible as he said, “Because of your father?”

Right. Dancing under the moonlight was but a dream. “Because I am going to take care of my family and not talk about this to my sister.”

His gaze narrowed. “Why not? If I had a brother or sister-”

“You don’t get it,” she interrupted. Clarity returned to her mind. “I let Cassidy pay for college and my life until now. She should be done with taking care of any of us. It’s time I step up and do my part. I will ensure my parents are fine and that I’m financially secure without my sister’s money.”

His calloused hands on hers made her more aware of him, even after her declaration. He leaned close. “I wish I could help you.”

Her heart sped up. Alex’s presence made her feel…different. She glanced up at him again and stumbled into him. “Just hold me. Tonight, for once, my problems seem far away and don’t matter. Let’s just have that feeling drive.”

He closed his eyes, going with the flow of the song. The rough of his skin against her made her ache and she went up on her tiptoes.

Then his lips met hers and she was launched into heaven itself. Maybe it was the moonlight or his strong embrace or just his kiss itself, but something inside her set off and she longed to stay just like this, forever.

Contest

Rafflecopter link:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ER nurse Sonnet Mendoza’s new housemate Griffith Parker proves there is more to a man than meets the eye, and shows her there’s more to life than just her career.

Sonnet Coupled

Sheltered and cosseted, Sonnet Mendoza abided by her papi’s wishes her whole life: no boys, studies first and always. Now an ER nurse in a busy Chicago hospital, medical school is so close Sonnet can taste it. Just like her father always wanted. Just like she can taste all the things she wants—like Griffith Parker, the man of her dreams and her new housemate.

Working “graves” in a large hospital as a security guard while attending the police academy during the day doesn’t leave ex-Marine Griffith Parker any personal time, but after meeting the beautiful Sonnet Mendoza, business as usual is anything but. Sassy, smart…and interested in him, too? Except, she’s made an art of keeping her distance, and she’s been clear that her plans don’t include him. But the heart wants what the heart wants. His wants Sonnet. He’ll put it on the line to win her.

Buy Links for Sonnet Coupled:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sonnet-Coupled-Roxanne-D-Howard-ebook/dp/B071RCN2NX/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sonnet-coupled-roxanne-d-howard/1126254545?ean=2940154129517
Boroughs Publishing: http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/sonnet-coupled
CreateSpace (paperback): https://www.createspace.com/7095055
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sonnet-coupled
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/719258

Excerpt
Sonnet put water in the K-Carafe and listened to the hiss and gurgle of the brew as she got some organic eggs and soy milk out to scramble. She decided to make Griffith breakfast, too, even if it had to wait for him in the fridge. It was nice to have someone to look after again.

Hell, after yesterday, he deserved it. She knew she shouldn’t entertain starting something with him with medical school on the horizon, but after spending time with him, a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she was ready to start fresh and tackle her workweek. She sang a little, opened the fridge, and bent to retrieve the bacon from the bottom shelf. A sharp intake of breath filled the silence from a few feet away.

From under her arm she saw Griff, half naked in black sweat bottoms with the Police Academy logo. Her eyes drifted to the hard planes of his abs, a sculpted eight pack most men would give their left nut for. His stacked chest rose and fell, and his fists clenched. Like a current in the air, she could feel him trying to keep it together.

Her gaze trailed past his ribs and flat stomach, down the sharp V of his hip flexors, to the promise of what lay beneath.

Finally, her brain kicked in and she realized her bikini thong was on display with the globes of her ass cheeks parted and raised in the air, like she was waiting for him to grab hold and ride. Her hair chose the wrong moment to slide over her shoulder and into her face, and he let out a strangled moan.

Oh, God.

She stood and yanked the hem of her shirt down. “Jeez, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you were up. I was just about to make breakfast before I got changed.”

He gulped. Her eyes flicked to the hardened bulge of his cock, which tented against his sweats. He looked like he wanted to devour her. “I…need to use the bathroom,” he growled tightly, then marched down the hall and slammed the bathroom door.

She looked at the exposed bottom half of her panties, and rolled her eyes. “Great, Sonnet. Just great.” She turned off the stove, abandoned the breakfast food, and made her way to her bedroom. A stifled moan escaped from behind the closed bathroom door as she passed, and stopped her in her tracks.

In any other circumstance she wouldn’t give it a second thought—people moaned all the time because they were tired or relieved—but she listened. It was a certain kind of moan, one she made the first night she’d met him when she touched herself.

She heard a distinctive rhythmic thwacking of flesh upon flesh, a series of muffled pants, a grunt, and soft thud against the wall, and her pussy throbbed. She clenched her thighs together and put her palm over her mouth.

Contest

Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25.00 Amazon/Barnes and Noble gift card)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Also, she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Social Media Links (for Roxanne):
Website: www.roxannedhoward.com
Newsletter: http://roxannedhoward.com/subscribe/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoxanneDHoward
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxanneDHowardAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxanned.howard/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15019190.Roxanne_D_Howard

I love secondary characters. They can provide comic relief or be the villain of the story. They are trusted friends, someone the main character can confide in and use as a sounding board. They can do or say outrageous things that the main characters may not be able to.

And they are necessary to the story. I believe secondary characters help give color and depth to a story. Just as in real life, our fictional main characters don’t want to live in the world alone. They too have family and friends they love and depend on.

I recently released my Love at Solace Lake series about three sisters who inherit their grandfather’s decaying fishing lodge in Minnesota. They work together to try to bring it back to life. There are several secondary characters in the three books; some appear in all three books and some in only one. Here are three of my favorite characters.

Abby Hanson first appears in LIES AND SOLACE, book 1 of the series. She’s also an important character in book 2 (SECRETS AND SOLACE) and book 3 (TRUTH AND SOLACE). Abby was best friends with the Lindquist sisters’ deceased mother, and she’s always been someone the sisters have trusted and confided in. But Abby has secrets. She knows things, things she’s kept from Harper, Scarlet and Maggie. When she finally divulges her secrets, she’ll shake their world.

The kitchen was sunny and warm, though not terribly big. While Abby put the kettle on to boil, Harper took off her jacket and hung it over the back of her chair.

“What made you and Reese decide to come back to Minnewasta?”

Abby placed a couple of teabags into a pot. “It was time to come home. This is where we belong.”

Harper blinked at her enigmatic answer. What did ‘it was time’ mean? Time for what?

Tessa Hainstock also appears in all three books, but we learn a lot about her and her relationship with her father in book 2, SECRETS AND SOLACE. Tessa is the five-year-old daughter of Cameron Hainstock, the hero of book 2. Tessa is sunny and bright, and Cameron would do anything for her. Through her, we discover that tough-guy Cameron has a big, kind heart, even when some of the things he says might make us, and Scarlet, think otherwise. Tessa is also important in showing Scarlet that she really could love a child and be a mother, something she never thought possible.

He scooped Tessa into his arms and held her securely against his shoulder with one arm. She woke, her eyes at half-mast. “Love you, Daddy. To the moon and back.”

He kissed her forehead and repeated the mantra they used every night she spent with him. “To the moon and back, pumpkin.”

She went back to sleep, once more as limp as a ragdoll.

Phyllis Carlsson was a hoot to write. She appears only in book 3, TRUTH AND SOLACE, Maggie Lindquist and Luke Carlsson’s story. She’s Luke Carlsson’s grandmother and Abby Hanson’s mother. She can come out with funny, sometimes irreverent things that make Luke want to laugh. Or cry. Phyllis has been Luke’s rock since childhood and she continues to support him through the difficult times he’s facing now. But Phyllis is no pushover; if she thinks Luke needs to do better, you can believe she’ll let him know.

“Your mother says you haven’t been to see her in a couple of days.”

The wrench slipped and clanked against the copper pipe. Luke had no answer for her. The truth was he’d been hiding, either at the lodge or with chores at his grandmother’s house. He couldn’t make himself go to her.

“I know it hurts. I know you feel powerless because I feel that way myself. And I’m angry, angrier than I’ve ever been in my life. I’m so angry that Abby is leaving me that I want to spit. I want to hit someone. I want to break something. It’s not supposed to be this way.”

Luke’s heart thumped painfully in his chest. He didn’t want to hear about his grandmother’s pain. His own grief tore at him like a wild animal, consuming him piece by piece. He couldn’t deal with her grief as well. He fitted the wrench carefully on the pipe once more.

“But you know what, Luke? Every day I put on my big girl panties, and I suck it up to walk the two blocks to my daughter’s house. I help her wash her hair or take a bath, and I make tea and chat. Whatever she needs. But I always make sure I share a laugh with her. Because right now, it’s not about me and my suffering. It’s about Abby.”

Secondary characters are a necessary part of romance fiction. They add color and life, provide reality checks for the main characters, and offer a shoulder to lean on. And they are definitely fun to write. Who are some of your favorite secondary characters from favorite books and movies?

Love at Solace Lake Series

Love is worth the risk…

When their grandfather dies, the Lindquist sisters, Harper, Scarlet and Maggie, inherit the northern Minnesota fishing lodge that had been in their family for three generations. The inheritance is bittersweet. They were raised at the lodge by their grandparents. The natural beauty of the place hasn’t changed, but the building itself is crumbling and desperately in need of repair. The lodge also reminds them of what they lost.

Twenty-two years previously, their parents died there in what was ruled a murder/suicide.
As the sisters struggle to breathe new life into the failing lodge, old fears and questions rise to the surface even as new love presents itself. Why did their father murder their mother? What truths did their grandparents keep from them? The sisters must fight to keep the wounds of the past from putting their futures, and their fledgling relationships, in jeopardy.

Book 1 – Lies and Solace

Buy Links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TDDSY4
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079TDDSY4
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B079TDDSY4
AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B079TDDSY4

She can’t live with one more lie. He can’t tell the truth.

Harper Lindquist is convinced she’s found the answer to her financial prayers. Unless she pours cash into crumbling Solace Lake Lodge, she’ll lose her family’s legacy. Her would-be savior arrives in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard and she’s determined to prove to her reluctant, and trapped, financier the lodge is a sound investment. But Harper isn’t completely honest with him. And she has no idea the lake is hiding secrets of its own.

Ethan James is a liar, but his money is very real. He isn’t convinced a broken-down inn is a smart investment opportunity. But the more he understands Harper’s dreams and desires, the more he wants to be the man to make them come true. The trauma in both their pasts means neither can fully trust the other. They must find the courage to love, to trust, and to accept, or yesterday’s sorrows will keep them apart.

Excerpt, Lies and Solace:

As she stared into his dark eyes she realized how much she trusted him, and relied on him. That was something rare for her. The only people she trusted as much were her sisters.

I’m in love with him.

The thought blasted through her brain with the force of a tsunami. The tension of the last few weeks, the insecurity, the mistrust, the fear, slipped easily from her shoulders. For the first time, her mind was clear. She was in love with Ethan and she didn’t want to wait anymore. She wanted him. She wanted him to be her first, her last.

Finding courage she didn’t know she possessed, Harper slid off the stool and walked around the island. She plucked the wine glass from his hand and set it on the counter, then placed his hand on her breast. “Make love with me, Ethan.”

A fire lit in his eyes, telling her he wanted her, too. But there was a question there, a hesitation. “Are you sure?”

She’d never been more sure of anything in her life. “Yes.”

“Harper—”

“Shhh. Let’s not talk anymore.” She placed one finger over his lips, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

Ethan’s reaction was lightning swift. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her close, his mouth descending on hers in a wild, warm kiss. Their tongues tangled, slid over each other. She’d missed his touch, his taste. She moaned, and in the sound she heard thirty-two years of longing.

For this. For him.

Book 2 – Secrets and Solace

Buy Links:
US: http://www.amzn.com/B079WGSNWD
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079WGSNWD
CA: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079WGSNWD
AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B079WGSNWD

No matter how deeply buried, secrets rise to the surface.

Scarlet Lindquist has agreed to help her sisters rebuild the dilapidated fishing lodge in Minnesota they inherited from their grandparents. Although the lengthy restoration is bringing the three sisters closer together, Scarlet’s support is temporary. Her leave of absence from her job in Chicago is temporary and she has no intention of staying at Solace Lake Lodge, where the lake holds dark secrets. When frightening childhood memories resurface, they are tempered by her fascination with an irritating contractor. If only she could trust her feelings for him. If only he could trust her.

Cameron Hainstock meets Scarlet at his brother’s wedding to her sister and their attraction is instantaneous. But Cam avoids the beautiful marketing executive. All his efforts are aimed at battling for custody of his only child. When the unimaginable happens and Cam faces the biggest challenge of his life, he’s reluctant to accept help to halt his downward spiral. Can they learn to trust each other and fight for a future together or will they go their separate ways?

Excerpt, Secrets and Solace:

The shock on Scarlet’s face, the disbelief and grief, made him wish he’d kept his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted was to inflict her with the same hell he was going through. He turned away from her, pushing her hand from his arm. “Go home, Scarlet.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” She grabbed his arm again, preventing him from picking up the axe, the tool he’d used to keep himself from reaching for a bottle. “I won’t leave you alone.”

Ignoring the sweat and dirt, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly, resting her head against his chest. His body stirred to life at her touch, disgusting him. His world was crumbling around him and all he could think was that he wanted to bury himself inside her until she screamed his name.

“Go,” he said roughly. If she was smart, she’d run away and never look back. He was a bad-tempered, recovering alcoholic with nothing to offer her. He wasn’t worth the risk.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes clear and steady. “No. I won’t leave you.”

He pushed her up against the wall of the workshop, not sure if he was trying scare her away or make her stay. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She shook her head. “You won’t.”

Cam closed his eyes and groaned. He wrapped his arms around her in a vice-like grip, unable to resist her any longer.

God, he needed her.

He lowered his head and kissed her. There was no subtlety in the kiss, no gentleness or finesse. Only passion and raw need. But she stayed with him, returning his passion, giving solace. He greedily lapped it up, taking everything she had to give.

But he wanted, needed more. He lifted her and she wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist. He buried his face against her soft, sweet-smelling neck, inhaling her clean, floral scent. At the same time, he snaked his hand up her thigh and began to pull down her panties.

“Tell me to stop,” he rasped. “Tell me now while I still can.”

Book 3 – Truth and Solace

Buy Links:
US: http://www.amzn.com/B079WFZXV2
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079WFZXV2
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B079WFZXV2
Au: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B079WFZXV2

The truth could destroy them. Or set them free.

Maggie Lindquist left Solace Lake determined never to return. Circumstances have pulled her back and she’s helping to restore her family’s dilapidated fishing lodge. When she agreed to the plan she didn’t expect to have to work side by side with the man who abandoned her ten years earlier. She didn’t expect to like him, or want him ever again. But can she trust him as she once did?

Luke Carlsson rushes home to tend to his ailing mother. Her lengthy illness means he needs to stay, at least temporarily. And to stay, he needs to work. Solace Lake Lodge offers him a job and an opportunity to work with the woman he’s never stopped loving. But the restoration is unleashing secrets hidden for decades and no one is left unscathed. Especially not Maggie and Luke, whose love needs to be resilient enough to forgive, and strong enough to build a future together.

Excerpt, Truth and Solace:

“Luke?” Maggie’s voice was husky with sleep.

“It’s all right, baby. Go back to sleep.”

The sheets rustled and the bedside lamp snapped on, creating a small pool of light that illuminated her tense face. “You’re leaving?”

He heard the disappointment in her voice, saw it in her dark eyes, even in the dim light.

“If I don’t leave now, my grandmother will know I’ve been with you all night. Harper and Ethan will see my truck here in the morning, and they’ll know we slept together.”

“Harper and Ethan are staying in Minneapolis tonight, but even if they were home, it wouldn’t matter. I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks, not even my family. We’re grownups now. We don’t have to sneak around to be together like we did when we were kids.” She lowered her gaze, her hands clutching the sheet to her breasts. “Unless you don’t want anyone to know. Unless you’d rather not be here.”

“Maggie—”

“It’s okay, really.” She looked away and shrugged a small shoulder. “It’s no big deal.”

He couldn’t leave her like this. He sat on the bed beside her and stroked her hair. “It’s a big deal to me. There’s nothing I want more than to stay, but it wouldn’t be fair to you.”

Her eyes flashed in disbelief. “Wouldn’t be fair to me? What are you talking about?”

“In a few weeks, after my mother is…gone, I’ll go back to my job in California. And you’ll be here.”

“And never the twain shall meet?”

“It’s not what I want, but it’s reality.”

“What about what I want, right here, right now? Maybe we don’t have forever. Nobody does. If I’ve learned anything from your mother’s illness, it’s that we can’t take anything for granted. We can’t let uncertainty and fear stop us. If we only have a short time together, so be it. At least, we’ll have had that time. I won’t regret it.”

She was amazing. She was still the strong, forthright, vibrant girl he’d fallen in love with that summer.

And he had loved her. Deeply. They’d been far too young to sustain a lasting relationship. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t loved her.

I still love her. I never stopped.

The sudden insight rocked him.

About Jana Richards

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist. In 2015 “Always a Bridesmaid” was nominated for a Rone Award in the Steamy Contemporary category, and though it didn’t make the finals, it was an honor to be nominated. “Always a Bridesmaid” did, however, receive Best Opening Hook from Trans Canada Writers in their Maple Leaf Awards.

In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with an elderly Pug/Terrier cross named Lou. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
Google+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/100820406211390323245
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards