Book Lovers Con 2023– Friday: The Game and a Faery Ball

BookLovers Con was amazing for several different reasons. One of the best things about it was being able to meet and really talk to readers from everywhere. I got to talkOn Friday a lot to all the Libations readers who attended that (about 21 total) and I got to meet and get comfortable with a lot of them.

On Friday, one of the game events I got to attend had the same goal, to have a fun time and to meet and talk to the various readers. To this end, we played a game called “Left, Right, Center”, a dice game where usually you can win a lot of money, but in our version people ended up getting a lot of books.

Two authors started at one table (there were like 25 tables so I ended up with no author partner) and everyone played the game until time was called (about 10-12 minutes) and then no matter where you were in the game, the authors rotated to a new table and play continued. When someone rolled dice that said left or right, a token (we used pieces of candy) was handed to the person to the left or right of you. If you rolled a star, you put a token in the center, and if you rolled a circle, you kept a piece. When only one person at the table had tokens, they were the winner and won two books from the pile of books brought by the authors.

As authors sat down to each table, they got to talk to the readers as the play continued. Whenever someone had to put a token in the the center, I asked them to tell a fun fact about themselves or ask me a fun fact about me. This game was a lot of fun, I met a lot of readers, readers took away all 20 of my books (all authors brought those as prizes), and I got to tell readers some fun stuff about me and my books.

That night was the big sit-down dinner called the Faery Fantasy Gathering Dinner: When Dragons Ruled. Because of my dietary restrictions (gluten-free and dairy-free) it took me a minute to get my food straight–which gave me a minute to take some great photos of the dragon decor!

Tomorrow is the Book Bash!

BookLovers Con 2023–Thursday: Libations of the Regency

I’ve just returned home from BookLover’s Con in San Diego–unfortunately the final one, according to the event coordinator, JoCarol Jones, but we are hoping for a restart of it after she takes a breather.

Anyway, this reader conference was fabulous! I know I was supposed to take pictures of the Libations of the Regency Lottery Event I helped Ella Quinn with, but we were all trying to keep everything going, and somehow no pictures got taken. This is me before the event, however. I don’t think I looked quite so composed afterwards!

I poured the claret–a red wine from the Bordeaux region of France. It was a blend of grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is said to be smooth on the palate, but I have to admit I thought it didn’t have much taste.

I also poured the Sherry, and this one I found delightful! It’s a fortified wine (which means it’s mixed with brandy) and is one of the world’s oldest wines, being influenced by most of the great empires of history, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors, Spanish, and British. Sherry coms in dry, medium-dry, and cream (a sweet sherry). The first two were avaialble during the Regency (cream sherry came much later). Sherry was enjoyed as an apertif by both ladies and gentlemen. Most of the readers who tasted the sherry liked it.  Ours was a medium-dry sherry and it was delightful! I must admit I drank three little cups of it.

Needless to say, everyone had a great time. Lots of laughing, especially as the afternoon wore on. Many of the readers said the libations were too strong for them, and I agree. It gives me a lot more respect for what Regency men went through when it came to drinking once you’ve tasted port and cognac!

So that was Thursday. Tomorrow I’ll tell you about some of the workshops and the big Faerie costume ball Friday night!

 

Lavender Monday

Welcome to Lavender Monday 

Lavender is one of my favorite scents and has been my signature fragrance ever since I wrote Time Enough to Love, my medieval romance set in 1348.

 

 

Lavender is from the mint family of plants and has quite a few medicinal properties. One of these is to help reduce stress. You can affect these benefits by inhaling the sccent of the flowers (which smells just divine) or you can (as I did for the first time recently) drink a lavender tea. My daughter and I went to a lavender festival a couple of years ago and bought some lavender tea. A week or so ago I decided to try it.

It’s actually Lavender Earl Grey tea, and it’s fabulous. Next, I’ll try the lavender sugar in my regular tea and see how that turns out!

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 06/04/2023 ~ A Countess Never Tells ~ “Have You Been in Hiding?”

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !

This week I’m changing gears and posting snippets from my upcoming Georgian novel, A Countess Never Tells, Book 3 of my Captivating Countesses series. The book releases on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 and is currently up on pre-order for .99. 

 

This book is brings back the characters from A Countess of Convenience, particularly Judith and John (Lord and Lady Haxby), as Kitty Tate, the heroine is John’s younger sister and Judith’s childhood friend and now sister-in-law. 

BLURB:

They say rakes make the best husbands…but do they?

At the age of twenty-four, vivacious Kitty Tate is having the time of her life in her first London season—such a good time in fact, she’s caught the eye of Lord Ashwood, the ton’s most notorious rake. And he’s caught hers.

She’s instantly taken with the handsome lord and finding out he’s a scoundrel doesn’t deter her one bit. Which is why her brother has forbidden her to see him. Unfortunately for him, Kitty has a mind of her own and the willpower to fight for what she wants.

Ash plans to be a dedicated rake until he’s old and gray, but at the moment he’s determined to seduce the delicious Miss Tate despite her brother’s objections. She’s such a blend of innocence and siren he cannot wait to welcome her into his bed. When he finds Kitty eager to be seduced, Ash’s desire burns brighter still.

But a dastardly wager surfaces, and Ash discovers a truly despicable man is determined to beat him to Kitty’s bed. Forbidden to marry her, Ash must now find another way to protect the woman he’s come to love before she’s ruined by another man.

I’ve been at BookLovers Con since Wednesday, having a blast meeting readers, handing out swag, and signing books. Today, at the book signing, I wore my Regency gown that did come in yesterday. Do I look a proper Regency lady? 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I’m starting from chapter 1, from the very beginning of the novel. Miss Kitty Tate is at a ball, dancing with a gentleman she’s just met. Enjoy!

EXCERPT:

“Are you enjoying the ball tonight, Miss Tate?”

Lord Ashbrook wasn’t a sparkling conversationalist perhaps, but Kitty Tate thought him the most handsome gentleman she’d met all Season. Handsome enough that lack of brilliant repartee might be excused. “Yes, my lord. As I love to dance, all balls give me the most enjoyment allowed.”

The young man, whose brilliant blue eyes and fashionably coiffed dark blonde hair thrilled Kitty each time she looked at him, smiled broadly as they took hands and chasséd down the line. “You do look as though you are having a fine time. Your cheeks are very pink.”

“I have danced every dance this evening, my lord. I should think they would be apple red by now.”

And a little more for good measure. . . 

Kitty laughed as they chasséd back, turned in place, then passed to the left.

This was the fourth set at Lady Sutherland’s ball. She’d been hurriedly introduced to Lord Ashbrook—it was Ashbrook, wasn’t it?—because the set had just been making up. She’d not met him before tonight, never even seen him at any other entertainment this Season. With his good looks she’d certainly have remembered if she’d seen him before. “Have you danced much this evening, my lord?”

“This is only my second set I fear, Miss Tate. I’ve not danced at all until this evening, so I’m getting my dancing legs back, so to speak.”

“I don’t recall seeing you at any of the entertainments this Season before tonight, my lord. Have you been in hiding?”

A rather normal evening at a ball, right? Maybe not. You’ll find out more next week!

 

A Countess Never Tells is now up for pre-order, set to release on August 29th! Here’s the link if you want to grab this “bad boy” for .99!

 

I’m also part of an anthology for Dragonblade that’s part of their Lyons Den shared world called Night of Lyons. My novella is called The Lyons’ Wager and is the pre-quel to the Welwyn Marriage Wager series. Night of Lyons is available on pre-order on Amazon for .99! 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There are some fantastic snippets to be read.

Captivating Countesses series

 

 

Release Day! Until I’m Safe in Your Arms

RELEASE DAY!

UNTIL I’M SAFE IN YOUR ARMS

At last, the first book in the Welwyn Marriage Wager series is released! This this is the first book of my first series for Dragonblade publishing, and I’m thrilled to be working with this marvelous publisher again and for some time to come.

To celebrate, I’ve got a Book Blast Blog Tour going on today. If you click this link, it will take you to a previous post that shows you all the blogs celebrating with me today. There’s a prize for a random commenter on all the blogs, so if you want to hop around to several hosts, please have a blast!

This series is dear to my heart because I’ve tied it closely with my family. Each of the heroes is named for my father or one of his brothers using their middle names. The Duke of Welwyn, who sets the marriage wager in motion, is named Charles, after my grandfather. And the hero and heroine of the first book, Alexander Bancroft and Emma Washer, are named after my great-grandparents, Robert Alexander and Emma Washer Jackson. None of the characters are modeled on my relations, but still I wanted to honor them and this seemed a special way to do that.

BLURB:

Can a wager to find a wife turn into a true love match?

Entered into a wager that he can wed within a week, Captain Alex Bancroft pursues the first pretty woman he meets: Miss Emma Washer. Their courtship proceeds at a furious pace, including a dalliance that might ruin them both. Before it can, Alex proposes and is stunned when Emma agrees to marry him. Alex desperately tries to keep word of the wager from his new wife, not knowing Emma has secrets of her own to keep.

As passion erupts between the newly wed pair, the circumstances of Emma’s past threaten to tear them asunder. Alex’s regiment is directed to sail to a place Emma dares not go.

She refuses to accompany him, leaving Alex with a devastating choice: leave England to fulfill duty to Queen and country or stay and revel in his newfound love for his wife?

EXCERPT:

Trembling with anticipation, Emma swayed closer to him. “And what are your desires, Captain?” Her words, throaty and breathless, came out a bare whisper.

His lips now hovered scarcely above hers. “To kiss you, of course.”

“Then our desires are indeed in accord.” Her words, throaty and breathless, came out a bare whisper. She held her breath as he plunged his lips onto hers.

Emma had never kissed a man before, hadn’t been completely certain she’d be able to entice the captain to do it. Her only experience with the intimate act had been secondhand, surreptitiously watching a couple kissing onboard the Scotia on her return trip to England. Miss Mills and Mr. Huckabee had been extremely enthusiastic and had seemed to enjoy their encounter so much Emma had secretly longed to have that experience as well.

The fervor of his kiss caught her by surprise, however. Never had she imagined it would feel like this. The pressure of his mouth against hers—lips both soft and firm at the same time—sent a fiery jolt throughout her body. Her cheeks heated until her head felt as though an inferno raged there. Suddenly, her knees seemed weak as water, threatening to collapse her to the ground. She put a hand on his chest to steady herself, eager to continue even though her head began to spin. He must have thought she meant to push him away, for he leaned backward, trying to break the kiss.

Emma would have none of that. This sensation of warmth, of comfort, of safety was too good to lose. She grasped his jacket and pulled him back to her. That action must have convinced him, for he cradled her head in his hands, turning her face until their lips fit together perfectly. She relaxed in his arms, determined to enjoy every second of the kiss: their incredible closeness, the scent of citrus he wore, the flutter of butterflies all through her stomach that made her wish to never stop.

Aroused by these heady sensations, Emma could have stood there kissing Captain Bancroft forever, except now there seemed to be a new sort of pressure on her mouth. The captain was pressing something against the seam of her closed lips. Glorying in the moment, Emma couldn’t think what he was trying to do. She felt so incredibly safe and warm and happy she could only press back against his lips, wishing to convey her joy in their closeness. She’d been attracted to the captain from the first, but she’d never imagined she’d feel this rush of happiness, especially toward a man who was almost a stranger. If only it would never end.

He pushed a little harder at her lips and she started to open her mouth, wondering if that was what he wanted her to do. But when she gave in that tiny bit, with an audible groan, he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

Shocked to her core, Emma emitted a shriek and jerked backward, pulling her body and mouth away from him. She clamped her hand over her lips, not at all certain what had just happened. When she could think again, she glared up at Captain Bancroft, who stood trying not to smile at her. “What did you think you were doing, sir?”

“I thought I was kissing a very willing young lady, Miss Washer. You assured me you were before we began.” The wretch didn’t even try to sound repentant.

Until I’m Safe in Your Arms is now available, set to release on TODAY ! Here’s the link if you want to order it for .99!

 

 

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 05/28/2023 ~ Until I’m Safe in Your Arms ~ “You’ve Never Been Kissed?”

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !

This is the last snippet from my upcoming release, Until I’m Safe in Your Arms, from Dragonblade Publishing. The book releases on Tuesday, May 30!!! So I’ll switch to another WIP that’s up for pre-order: A C0untess Never Tells.

It’s the first book in the Welwyn Marriage Wager series, in which the Duke of Welwyn wagers with six of his grandsons that they can all marry within a year. The family is known for its propensity to wager on just about anything, so they are all in (some more enthusiastically than others). The eldest cousin, Captain Alexander Bancroft, makes a further wager: he’ll meet and marry a young lady by the end of the month–a mere ten days away.  To that end, he attends a weekend house party given by his uncle and aunt.

BLURB:

All’s fair in love and wagers…

Entered into a wager that he can wed within a week, Captain Alex Bancroft pursues the first pretty woman he meets: Miss Emma Washer. Their courtship proceeds at a furious pace, including a dalliance that might ruin them both. Before it can, Alex proposes and is stunned when Emma agrees to marry him. Alex desperately tries to keep word of the wager from his new wife, not knowing Emma has secrets of her own to keep.

As passion erupts between the newly wed pair, the circumstances of Emma’s past threaten to tear them asunder. Alex’s regiment is directed to sail to a place Emma dares not go. She refuses to accompany him, leaving Alex with a devastating choice: leave England to fulfil duty to Queen and country or stay and revel in his newfound love for his wife?

I’ve spent the past week typing my longhand first draft into the computer and getting ready for my trek to BookLover’s Con in Houston. I leave on Wednesday morning (waaaay early) and return on Sunday. It was a real blast last year, so I hope this year will be even better.

 

(I’ll be on the road all day Sunday, driving down to South Carolina to pick up my Regency dresses for the conference, so I won’t be visiting you all until Monday. But have a good Memorial Day weekend, and stay safe!)

Today I’m continuing on from where we left off last week. It is after dinner that night. Alex and Emma have just gone out onto the verandah alone and he kisses her. But when he tries to deepen the kiss…well, Emma has a problem. Enjoy!

EXCERPT:

“Oh, I assure you, it was.” He cocked his head, looking curious. “No gentleman has ever deepened a kiss with you before?”

Emma gave thanks for the thick shadows on the veranda as her cheeks must be absolutely scarlet at the moment. “No, they haven’t, Captain Bancroft.” She hesitated, then plunged on. “That was the first time a gentleman has kissed me.”

His brows shot up and his eyes first widened then narrowed. “You’ve never been kissed? In truth?”

And a little more for good measure. . . 

Hanging her head, Emma nodded. “I told you, I’ve not been out in Society but a little while. I don’t know many gentlemen. And…I wouldn’t have wanted to kiss them if I had known them.”

“But you wanted to kiss me.” His voice sounded so stern.

“Yes,” she whispered, wondering how the evening had taken such a horrible turn. Oh, she’d known proper young ladies didn’t go about kissing every man they met. She wouldn’t do that either. But she’d wanted to kiss Captain Bancroft, whose very presence made her feel safe and secure. She’d no idea it would make him angry. She started for the door. “Perhaps we should go back in the house.”

“In a moment.” Gently, he lifted her chin until their gazes met. “Why did you want to kiss me?”

His question made her want to squirm like a worm on a hook. She couldn’t tell him the truth, that she wanted to kiss him so he’d want to marry her. From what she’d heard, gentlemen didn’t like to think themselves trapped into marriage. Not that she wanted to trap Captain Bancroft. But she did want to marry him, now more than ever. “Because I like you.”

If that wasn’t the whole truth, it was at least partly true.

“I am flattered, Miss Washer.” His words were kind but sounded cool. “I like you as well. I simply find it difficult to believe, having kissed you, that I am the first man to do so.”

So Alex has doubts as to Emma’s actual innocence. Will that deter him from marrying her, even with more than one wager in the balance? And does Emma know more than she’s letting on? Grab your copy of Until I’m Safe in Your Arms to find out!

 

Until I’m Safe in Your Arms is now up for pre-order, set to release on May 30! Here’s the link if you want to pre-order it for .99!

A Countess Never Tells is now up on pre-0rder as well on Amazon, also for just .99! It releases on August 29, 2023. So go grab this “bad boy” today! 

I’m also part of an anthology for Dragonblade that’s part of their Lyons Den shared world called Night of Lyons. My novella is called The Lyons’ Wager and is the pre-quel to the Welwyn Marriage Wager series. Night of Lyons is available on pre-order on Amazon for .99! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There are some fantastic snippets to be read.

JENNA JAXON BOOKS CURRENTLY ON PRE-ORDER

Book Blast Book Tour for Until I’m Safe in Your Arms

As you may already know, my upcoming historical romance, Until I’m Safe in Your Arms, released this coming Tuesday.

To kick off the release, I’ve gotten a Book Blast Promo Tour for the book from GoddessFish Promotions and I’ve just received the 30+ blogs the book will be on. Thought I’d let you know so you can follow it around or check it out if any of the blogs intrigue you.

There is a gift card prize for a random commenter at the end of the day, so you might want to hop around a bit and see if your comment’s the lucky one.

I’ll be visiting all the blogs throoughouot the day, so come on by and say hello! And if you want to grab a copy of the book, it’s on pre-order on Amazon for just .99! Click the link here.

Here’s the list of paarticicpating blogs:

1: Beyond Romance
2: Celticlady’s Reviews
3: D.S.Dehel.com
4: Fabulous and Brunette
5: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
6: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
7: It’s Raining Books
8: Kenyan Poet
9: Literary Gold
10: Locks, Hooks and Books
11: Sea’s Nod
12: Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm
13: Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
14: Sandra’s Book Club
15: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’
16: The Avid Reader
17: The Faerie Review
18: Travel the ages
19: Two Ends of the Pen
20: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
21: Hope. Dreams. Life… Love
22: Long and Short Reviews
23: Our Town Book Reviews
24: Straight from the Library
25: The Pen and Muse Book Reviews
26: Tina Donahue Books – Heat with Heart
27: Welcome to My World of Dreams
28: Wendi Zwaduk – Romance to Make Your Heart Race
29: Author C.A.Milson
30: Coffee and Wander Book Reviews
31: Dawn’s Reading Nook
32: Girl with Pen
33: Let me tell you a story
34: Moonlight Compass Books
35: Sapphyria’s Books

Hope to see you there!

Lavender Monday

Welcome to Lavender Monday

Lavender is one of my favorite scents and has been my signature fragrance ever since I wrote Time Enough to Love, my medieval romance set in 1348.

The heroine, Alyce de Courcy always smells of lavender as her clothes are stored with lavender flowers “for her health” her mother told her. And that’s true, lavender has many useful properties.

One of which is to repel fleas, a good idea during the time of the bubonic plague when fleas carried the disease.

Your mother was correct, Alyce.

And the tie-in of lavender to Alyce is why I now have little lavender sachets as my signature swag at conventions and book signings. I’ll have them with me at BookLovers Con June 1-4. If you’re attending, stop by my table and pick up a sachet–for your health!

Time Enough to Love is available on Amazon, Smashwords, B & N, Apple, and Kobo.

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 05/21/2023 ~ Until I’m Safe in Your Arms ~ “What Are You Doing?”

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !

This week I’m continuing with snippets from my upcoming release, Until I’m Safe in Your Arms, from Dragonblade Publishing. The book releases on May 30!!!

It’s the first book in the Welwyn Marriage Wager series, in which the Duke of Welwyn wagers with six of his grandsons that they can all marry within a year. The family is known for its propensity to wager on just about anything, so they are all in (some more enthusiastically than others). The eldest cousin, Captain Alexander Bancroft, makes a further wager: he’ll meet and marry a young lady by the end of the month–a mere ten days away.  To that end, he attends a weekend house party given by his uncle and aunt.

BLURB:

All’s fair in love and wagers…

Entered into a wager that he can wed within a week, Captain Alex Bancroft pursues the first pretty woman he meets: Miss Emma Washer. Their courtship proceeds at a furious pace, including a dalliance that might ruin them both. Before it can, Alex proposes and is stunned when Emma agrees to marry him. Alex desperately tries to keep word of the wager from his new wife, not knowing Emma has secrets of her own to keep.

As passion erupts between the newly wed pair, the circumstances of Emma’s past threaten to tear them asunder. Alex’s regiment is directed to sail to a place Emma dares not go. She refuses to accompany him, leaving Alex with a devastating choice: leave England to fulfil duty to Queen and country or stay and revel in his newfound love for his wife?

I’ve spent the past week coming back to the real world after the wonderful focus of the writing retreat. As a result, I’ve written not a lot, but I’ve begun the second draft of A Countess Never Tells, typing my hand-written draft into the computer. Deciphering some of these words, written in the heat of creation, has been a challenge!

 

Today I’m continuing on from where we left off last week. It is after dinner that night. Alex and Emma have just gone out onto the verandah alone and he kisses her. Enjoy!

EXCERPT:

Aroused by these heady sensations, Emma could have stood there kissing Captain Bancroft forever, except now there seemed to be a new sort of pressure on her mouth. The captain was pressing something against the seam of her closed lips. Glorying in the moment, Emma couldn’t think what he was trying to do. She felt so incredibly safe and warm and happy she could only press back against his lips, wishing to convey her joy in their closeness. She’d been attracted to the captain from the first, but she’d never imagined she’d feel this rush of happiness, especially toward a man who was almost a stranger. If only it would never end.

He pushed a little harder at her lips and she started to open her mouth, wondering if that was what he wanted her to do. But when she gave in that tiny bit, with an audible groan, he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

And a little more for good measure. . . 

Shocked to her core, Emma emitted a shriek and jerked backward, pulling her body and mouth away from him. She clamped her hand over her lips, not at all certain what had just happened. When she could think again, she glared up at Captain Bancroft, who stood trying not to smile at her. “What did you think you were doing, sir?”

“I thought I was kissing a very willing young lady, Miss Washer. You assured me you were before we began.” The wretch didn’t even try to sound repentant.

“That was not kissing…not that last part at the end.” Miss Mills and Mr. Huckabee had not looked as though they were doing anything at all like that.

Until I’m Safe in Your Arms is now up for pre-order, set to release on May 30! Here’s the link if you want to pre-order it for .99!

 

A Countess Never Tells is now up on pre-0rder as well on Amazon, also for just .99! It releases on August 29, 2023. So go grab this “bad boy” today! 

I’m also part of an anthology for Dragonblade that’s part of their Lyons Den shared world called Night of Lyons. My novella is called The Lyons’ Wager and is the pre-quel to the Welwyn Marriage Wager series. Night of Lyons is available on pre-order on Amazon for .99! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There are some fantastic snippets to be read.

JENNA JAXON BOOKS CURRENTLY ON PRE-ORDER

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 05/14/2023 ~ Until I’m Safe in Your Arms ~ “Never Been Kissed”

 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !

This week I’m continuing with snippets from my upcoming release, Until I’m Safe in Your Arms, from Dragonblade Publishing. The book releases on May 30!!!

It’s the first book in the Welwyn Marriage Wager series, in which the Duke of Welwyn wagers with six of his grandsons that they can all marry within a year. The family is known for its propensity to wager on just about anything, so they are all in (some more enthusiastically than others). The eldest cousin, Captain Alexander Bancroft, makes a further wager: he’ll meet and marry a young lady by the end of the month–a mere ten days away.  To that end, he attends a weekend house party given by his uncle and aunt.

BLURB:

All’s fair in love and wagers…

Entered into a wager that he can wed within a week, Captain Alex Bancroft pursues the first pretty woman he meets: Miss Emma Washer. Their courtship proceeds at a furious pace, including a dalliance that might ruin them both. Before it can, Alex proposes and is stunned when Emma agrees to marry him. Alex desperately tries to keep word of the wager from his new wife, not knowing Emma has secrets of her own to keep.

As passion erupts between the newly wed pair, the circumstances of Emma’s past threaten to tear them asunder. Alex’s regiment is directed to sail to a place Emma dares not go. She refuses to accompany him, leaving Alex with a devastating choice: leave England to fulfil duty to Queen and country or stay and revel in his newfound love for his wife?

This past week I spent at a writers’ retreat down in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, culminating in a book signing at the Island Bookstore in Duck. Not a huge amount of foot traffic, but it is before the real season starts. I’ll be going back in July when I’m on vacation there.

Today I’m continuing on from where we left off last week. It is after dinner that night. Alex and Emma have just gone out onto the verandah alone and he kisses her. Enjoy!

EXCERPT:

Emma had never kissed a man before, hadn’t been completely certain she’d be able to entice the captain to do it. Her only experience with the intimate act had been secondhand, surreptitiously watching a couple kissing onboard the Scotia on her return trip to England. Miss Mills and Mr. Huckabee had been extremely enthusiastic and had seemed to enjoy their encounter so much Emma had secretly longed to have that experience as well.

The fervor of his kiss caught her by surprise, however. Never had she imagined it would feel like this. The pressure of his mouth against hers—lips both soft and firm at the same time—sent a fiery jolt throughout her body. Her cheeks heated until her head felt as though an inferno raged there. Suddenly, her knees seemed weak as water, threatening to collapse her to the ground. She put a hand on his chest to steady herself, eager to continue even though her head began to spin. He must have thought she meant to push him away, for he leaned backward, trying to break the kiss.

And a little more for good measure. . . 

Emma would have none of that. This sensation of warmth, of comfort, of safety was too good to lose. She grasped his jacket and pulled him back to her. That action must have convinced him, for he cradled her head in his hands, turning her face until their lips fit together perfectly. She relaxed in his arms, determined to enjoy every second of the kiss: their incredible closeness, the scent of citrus he wore, the flutter of butterflies all through her stomach that made her wish to never stop.

Until I’m Safe in Your Arms is now up for pre-order, set to release on May 30! Here’s the link if you want to pre-order it for .99!

And just this week, at the retreat, I put A Countess Never Tells up on pre-0rder on Amazon for just .99! It releases on August 29, 2023. So go grab this “bad boy” today! 

I’m also part of an anthology for Dragonblade that’s part of their Lyons Den shared world called Night of Lyons. My novella is called The Lyons’ Wager and is the pre-quel to the Welwyn Marriage Wager series. Night of Lyons is available on pre-order on Amazon for .99! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There are some fantastic snippets to be read.