Archive for December 17, 2022

 

Wrapped Around My Heart

by Kelly Collins

 

Publication date: October 16th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Mark Cantwell has a life most men can only dream of—he’s rich, respected, and ripped. There’s only one thing he wants—to regain control of his grandfather’s company. When the chance finally pops up, he jumps at it even though it means ruining Christmas for his executive assistant, Jess Stone.

Jess Stone will do anything for her handsome boss. He’s everything she wants in a man so when he needs her during her family’s annual Colorado Christmas celebration, she doesn’t hesitate to adjust her plans.

What should have been a simple flight and a quick meeting turns into a road trip from hell, leaving the pair stranded in a motel room together in the middle of a snowstorm.

Will Mark take the first chance he can to just get on with his business, or will he realize all he wants for Christmas is Jess?

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

He lifted his head for the briefest of moments and gave me a slip of a smile. I loved this little power exchange we had going. He’d demand, and I’d push back. Not a lot, just enough to get him to smile.

“Is this a hostile takeover?” It was a valid question since the man gobbled up companies like I did chocolate candies.

Mark laughed. “No, it’s something new.” He brought a pen to his mouth and chewed on the end, then laid it on the desk‐ top. “It’s a partnership.”

I was tempted to snatch the pen he’d been chewing on but let that thought go. Instead, I leaned in like I would if I were to tell him a secret.

“Can I be candid with you?”

He leaned in like every word I uttered was important. “I always want you to be honest with me, Jess.”

I lifted my head so we were eye to eye. “Forgive me for saying, but you don’t come across as the kind of man who plays nicely with others.”

He looked up at me with eyes the same color as a smog-free California sky. “Oh, I’m really quite good at playing, Ms. Stone.”

He only used my last name when he was making a point he didn’t want me to forget, but what was his point? His words seemed naughty in nature. Combined with his sly smile, and I was certain he was teasing me.

“I’d love to see that, Mr. Cantwell.” I made a note to get him the report within the hour. “But in all honesty, you don’t seem the type of man who likes to share, and a partnership implies sharing.”

He sat back and folded his arms across his broad chest. The smooth fabric of his custom suit gripped his muscles. “We’re talking about two different things. I can play all day and never have to share.” He took the last bite of his muffin and watched me for a second. “I never share. Once something is mine, it’s mine forever.”

A shiver ran down my spine. He was probably talking about money or possessions, but when he looked at me and said those words, my heart beat wildly. What would it be like to be Mark Cantwell’s woman for a minute—a day—forever?

 

Author Kelly Collins:

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International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers’ Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.

You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.

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Death Checked Out

A Larkspur Library Mystery

by Leah Dobrinska

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Death Checked Out: A Larkspur Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Level Best Books (December 6, 2022)
Number of Pages ~300
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BHJJ1QRT

She’s used to checking out books. A death? Not so much.

 

Greta Plank, resident librarian in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. Ever since a family tragedy landed her in Larkspur, she’s kept a happy-or-bust outlook. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she finds the town recluse dead at the base of the stairs leading from his deck to the lake. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, new-to-town Detective Mark McHenry cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

 

To clear her name and return to life as she knew it before the murder, Greta decides to do some clue cataloging of her own. After all, she’s got her master’s degree in library science with an emphasis in research methodology…how hard could a criminal investigation be? With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta begins checking out the pages of the murder, uncovering details about the recluse’s rare book collection and Larkspur’s real estate market as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

 

But with friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross-reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.

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Character Interview

Hello! Welcome to Larkspur Community Library. I’m Greta Plank, the director here. I’m so glad you stopped by. I’m just finishing up our Monday Morning Storytime. We host a reading hour for our youngest and most wiggly patrons each week, and it’s one of my favorite library events.

Unlike large branches with designated youth services and children’s librarians, I split the duties with my two co-librarians, Iris and Josie. Maybe someday we’ll hire someone who specializes in this area, but it’s not in the budget right now.

I suppose it’ll be my job to try to figure out our capacity for hiring and future guest services. To be honest, I’m still working to figure out exactly how to navigate my role as director. I’ve only been in the position for four months. I’ve been well received, for the most part, but there are some members of the Library Board with whom I don’t see eye-to-eye.

At this point, I’m choosing my moments so I don’t ruffle any feathers.

I do love spending time in the children’s corner of the library. With the colorful, kid-curated art adorning the walls, the wooden toy train table that’s tarnished with use, and the bin of cheerful stuffed animal puppets over there in the corner, it’s one of the happiest spots in the whole building.

And, as usual, I’m choosing joy this morning. If I’m being completely honest, I needed the children’s story time today more than usual. My dear friend, Franklin, died tragically on Friday. I stumbled upon his body. It’s awful, and I’ll be grieving his loss for a long time.

But this morning, I gladly buried myself in my duties and in the whimsical words of Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. It’s a crowd favorite, and the kids are currently milling about with the dried leaves I handed out after we finished our reading.

Oh dear. Why is Detective McHenry here? How am I just seeing him now? He’s new to town, too. Newer than me, even. And he was first on the scene of Franklin’s death, after me. I can’t argue with the fact that the man is rock solid in a crisis, but I’d rather not be reminded of all that right now. His presence is totally bursting the bubble of happiness I had built up around myself this morning.

Shoot. He’s coming this way. Everyone is staring. No doubt they’re all taking in the badge the detective is wearing on his hip and thinking that I, the woman who appears to be a sweet and innocent librarian, have somehow found myself on the wrong side of the law. Rest assured, I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for why Detective McHenry is gracing me with his presence while I’m at work.

If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have to go and figure this out.

Feel free to make yourself at home in the library. We’ve got something for everyone, and my co-librarians, Josie and Iris, can help you out if I get tied up with the detective. Wish me luck!

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About Leah Dobrinska

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Leah Dobrinska is the author of the Larkspur Library Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and the Mapleton novels, a series of standalone small town romances. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison and has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. As a kid, she hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet. Now, she fulfills that dream by writing mysteries and love stories. Death Checked Out is her debut cozy mystery.

A sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new—Leah lives out her very own happily ever after in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, handing out snacks, or visiting local parks, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her newsletter community, and connect with her through her website, leahdobrinska.com.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

December 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT

December 12 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

December 12 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

December 13 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

December 13 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

December 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW  

December 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 15 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

December 15 – Elza Reads – REVIEW

December 16 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

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December 17 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

December 18 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

December 18 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

December 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

December 19 – Jane Reads – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 20 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 20 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

December 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

December 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

December 22 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

December 22 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 23 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

December 23 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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