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Archive for the ‘Excerpt’ Category

Heidenroslein By Christopher Whittaker ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 13, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Historical
Tags: giveaway, historical fiction

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Heidenroslein organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Christopher Whittaker will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Heindenroslein

By Christopher Whittaker

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Two men. Two worlds.

One war that will remake them both.

Peter Schiller, a disciplined officer from privilege, is trained to lead—but not for what war truly demands.

Günther Klein, a working-class recruit, is thrown into the trenches and forced to learn fast or die.

In the mud and ruin of the Great War, rank and class begin to dissolve. Orders blur into instinct. Honour bends under necessity. What remains is survival—and the thin, unspoken bond forged between two men who should never have met.

But war does not end when the guns fall silent.

Heidenröslein is a powerful, unflinching story of war, brotherhood, and the quiet, irreversible cost of becoming what the battlefield demands.

Enjoy this peek inside:

1914

The kitchen was small, but it carried the quiet dignity of people who owned little and cared for everything.

Against one wall stood a heavy sideboard of dark timber, polished by years of careful hands rather than luxury. Fine China sat arranged behind glass doors, each piece positioned with deliberate precision. The plates were reserved for Sundays, feast days, or visits important enough to justify the risk of using something fragile. Crystal wine glasses hung above them, catching the weak morning light and holding it in muted amber reflections.

Nothing in the room was fashionable.

Everything in it was treasured.

In the center stood a small round table worn smooth at the edges where elbows, plates, and years of conversation had rubbed away the varnish. The stove and icebox stood side by side beneath the far wall, black iron beside chipped white enamel, both old enough to have become part of the family itself. Beneath the kitchen window ran a long washing trough, damp to the touch, carrying the faint scent of soap, starch, and boiled cabbage that seemed to linger permanently in the wood.

At it stood Frau Klein.

She held a cup beneath the water, slowly moving the cloth around its rim although it had already been cleaned twice over. Her hands worked from instinct now, broad and reddened from years of labour, fingers thickened from kneading dough, wringing cloth, hauling water, carrying coal, and doing every invisible task required to keep a household alive.

She had once been handsome in the soft, rosy-cheeked way of country girls.

Now life had settled heavily upon her.

About Author Christopher Whittaker:

Chris lives in Perth, Western Australia with his wife Dianne.

Amazon

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Reed Lavender Series By Ashley Capes ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 13, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy
Tags: giveaway, mystery, urban fantasy

If you love snarky heroes, twisty mysteries and plenty of
magic,

delve into this urban fantasy series set in Melbourne, Australia!

Graves Robbed,

Heirlooms Returned

Reed Lavender Book 1

by Ashley Capes

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery

He can speak to the dead. But will giving them justice get him killed?

Reed Lavender lives two lives—one as a detective and another as a reaper.
Hearing the last words of the dead is a handy skill in his line of work, but
magic can’t solve all his problems. While investigating the case of a teen
runaway, he learns his cousin is missing. Racing against the clock, Reed soon
finds himself trapped in a vast conspiracy.

A cult is capturing reapers to siphon their powers and his current case is
somehow connected. But the deeper he digs, the more dangerous and convoluted
the trail becomes. As his two lives get tangled, Reed realizes if he can’t
solve the case and save his cousin, the man who listens to the dead will end up
joining them.

Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned is the first thrilling urban
fantasy novel in the Reed Lavender series. If you love snarky
heroes, twisty mysteries and plenty of magic, delve into Graves Robbed,
Heirlooms Returned!

**Get it FREE!**

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

Graves Robbed, Heirlooms
Returned (Reed Lavender: 1)

Chapter 1

In the bright moonlight, Reed Lavender inserted his best
crowbar into the pine box where the top met the sides and wrenched the steel
down. Wood squeaked and he shuddered. Worse
than fingernails on a blackboard. He lifted the lid free, resting it
against the freshly turned earth – which, unlike the sound of an opening coffin
– was an almost pleasant thing. A pungent scent, but real. Honest. Worms and
bugs, minerals and secrets lived in the earth; when you got right down to it,
grave dirt wasn’t really any different to regular dirt.

And he was certainly down to it now, about to be elbow-deep in a coffin.

Again.

But for what they’d given Elise, the word ‘coffin’ was a stretch. A pine box wasn’t
much of a final resting place – dignity hardly came cheap in Rikerton’s funeral
home and unclaimed bodies were lucky to avoid the incinerator. Or maybe that
would have been better. Dust to dust and
all that.

“But then you’d be out of work,” he told himself.

Elise the runaway – that’s what the police thought she was – lay in her dirty jeans
and the same faded Pink Floyd t-shirt she wore when she walked into the cafe
two days back. Her arms lay at her sides, cuts on her palms mostly hidden. Her
face had been covered… by a used napkin. “Jesus, Jennings, that the best you
could do?” Reed growled. At least the napkin was in one piece; the undertaker
had been known to be far more slipshod at times.

Reed lifted the napkin… and ground his teeth.

She’d been beaten blue. Deep bruises swam across her cheeks, one eye swollen shut and
the other just as blackened, torn skin at her temple. Jennings had cleaned her
face up well enough but there were still leaf fragments and dried blood in her
hair. The pallor of death had washed out Elise’s freckles, mere suggestions
crossing her bent nose. God, what is she,
fifteen? She looks so small.

Reed tossed the napkin aside and unwound his scarf, folded it and placed it over her
face, standing still a moment, shaking as he blinked. The night air ran chill
fingers across his now-exposed throat and the back of his neck. Finally, he
took a breath and leant over the coffin, where he lifted her arm. “Sorry,
sweetheart,” he said softly, twisting her silver bracelet up to the moon. Only the
letters ‘Elise’ engraved there. Really, there was little he could learn from a
perfunctory glance at her clothing and jewellery that the police wouldn’t have
already catalogued. He’d check that later, of course – but Elise deserved more.

No, he’d have to wake her up – sort of.

Her last words would maybe be enough of a clue. Most folks didn’t have much to say,
right before the end. Sometimes it was a scream or a grunt if he was unlucky.
Other times, they addressed their killer. Or a loved one, perhaps, if the death
was peaceful. Not that I’ve heard a lot
of those in my time.

There’d been a man out west, he couldn’t recall where – so many cities and towns
blended together – whose last words had been an apology for burnt toast. After
that, the poor guy hadn’t said a thing before being t-boned at an intersection
by a bus an hour later, two blocks from his office.

But sometimes, a person’s last sentence held a clue.

“Come on, Elise, tell me something I can use.”

If she didn’t, he had no other supernatural tricks up his sleeve either, since he
couldn’t simply call upon her spirit. It would have made things much easier and allowed him to stop violating peoples’ graves but sadly, he wasn’t that lucky.

Reed removed the scarf a moment, took her cold hands and closed his eyes, sending
his awareness down through her mute fingertips, pushing his way along quiet
veins until he reached her chest, still echoing with the memory of a million
heartbeats, then at last up the throat to the tongue; the tongue which
remembered everything.

But it would move only once more.

“In the name of Mors, speak any that you might,” he whispered. “I’ll help you if
you can.”

Her body resisted.

Not unusual. It meant reliving the pain and shock – why wouldn’t her body want to
fight that? It was at rest now, if not at peace. But he had to know. Reed
pushed harder, pouring both his hope and anger into the request. “Please,
Elise.”

A flicker, a tiny sound as her jaw shifted.

He opened his eyes and leant close. Would it be a scream? A clue? Nonsense? Her
voice was little more than a rasping whisper, such as might easily be mistaken
for a breeze, but he caught the words.

“Wow, what a beautiful view. This is some place; you can see half the city from
here.”

Then silence.

“Shit.”
Poor girl, she probably never saw it coming.

Reed lowered Elise’s hands. Half the city.
That hardly narrowed things down – there were only hundreds of such high points available. But it probably put the owner in a certain tax bracket at least. He shook his head. No assumptions. It was his first rule.
And that went for murder too – maybe it was an accident. Still, something happened to bring Elise’s life
to an unjust end.

He had to find out; no-one else was looking and Elise’s grandmother deserved
answers. Even unpleasant ones, he supposed.

Reed placed the scarf back over the girl’s face and reached for his shovel.

The Radiant King

Reed Lavender Book 2

Things aren’t exactly
getting easier for Reed Lavender.

Old obligations and new cases are piling up but in the aftermath of Feronia’s
defeat, answers are still too thin on the ground. But one clue – his father’s
knucklebone – might just lead to something big.

To learn the truth about his parents’ disappearance, Reed
will have to take the fight to whoever is behind the growing turmoil in his
city. And if the rising number of Spirit-Worms, needy Gods, vindictive lawmen
and only somewhat-helpful cousins don’t stop Reed, then his sense of duty might
do what the others cannot.

Because Reed now finds himself caught between two goals –
solving the murder of Elise or chasing down whoever stole the Goddess’ hand, an
unfathomable thief who might hold answers about his parents…

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

Summer in the City

Reed Lavender Book 3

Reed is about to snap
– and this time, nothing is going to stand in his way when it comes to getting
answers for Elise, not even a supposedly long-vanished Sumerian God.

Or so Reed thinks.

But summer in the city isn’t going to be like the others.
The city itself isn’t quite the same either, and even if you’re lucky (or
cursed) enough to count the children of Gods among your friends, nothing is
ever simple…

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

Ashley is a poet, novelist and ex-teacher living in
Australia.

He taught English, Media and Music Production, he ‘sang’ in
a metal band, worked in an art gallery and for a few years, slaved away at
music retail. (For a few years, he was also a legal secretary).

Aside from reading and writing, Ashley loves (indoor)
volleyball, Studio Ghibli and Magnum PI.

Website * X
* Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads

Follow the blitz HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Reed Lavender Series Giveaway Here

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ The Ties That Bind By James Rosenberg

Posted: August 13, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, thriller
Tags: giveaway, thriller

The Ties that Bind

By James Rosenberg

(The Legacy of Lies Legal Thriller, #1)
Publication date: July 27th 2026
Genres: Adult, Thriller

Some families build empires. Others bury secrets beneath them.

Bill Simon thought marrying Sharon Green meant entering a powerful legal dynasty and finally proving he belonged. Fresh from his honeymoon and eager to succeed at his new firm, Green & DeWitt, Bill is handed a complex real estate transaction tied to the influential Green family empire.

What begins as routine due diligence quickly spirals into something far more dangerous.

Hidden behind layers of shell companies, offshore accounts, and falsified property records, Bill uncovers connections to cartel money, political corruption, and a network of powerful men determined to keep their secrets buried. The deeper he digs, the more he realizes the conspiracy may reach directly into his father-in-law’s inner circle—and possibly into his own marriage.

As Bill digs deeper, Sharon Green fights to protect her family’s public image while uncovering other sinister connections between her family and the drug cartel. As others question the legitimacy of her father’s enterprises, she tries to find answers about the empire she was born into.

As they uncover disturbing connections between her father and the Mexican drug lord,Sharon and Bill are trapped between loyalty and truth, ambition and survival.

And in a world where power protects its own, exposing the truth could cost them everything.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

The heat wafted above the scrubland. Three trucks waited in line, engines idling low in the darkness.

Each truck had a driver and one passenger, and together their primary responsibility was to get the trucks over the border less than thirty miles away.

Rafa Medina kicked at the dried ground as he waited for confirmation to move. They were still on schedule, but barely.

Luis Cortes sat in the passenger seat of the second truck, window cracked. A folded manifest lay on his lap. Medina tapped his window twice. Luis glanced over and gave a short nod.

The third truck’s driver shifted in his seat. Medina caught the movement and shook his head once. He could accept fear. Panic only caused mistakes.

Medina felt the vibration in his pocket. The signal, at last. He raised his hand.

As the trucks shifted into gear, the whine of their engines intensified. The first truck rolled forward, followed by the second, and then the third. They stayed in tight formation as they turned onto the paved road heading north.

Medina jogged to his Jeep, climbed in, and maneuvered his vehicle in behind them.

He considered moving to the front of the line to take control, but before he could decide, gunfire echoed from the brush to his right. The lead truck swerved, glass spraying off to its side.

The truck regained its footing, tires screaming, as it came out of its fishtail.

The second shot came from the opposite side of the road, from cover behind a grouping of bushes.

The muzzle flashes were sequenced and controlled. Now was not the time for panic. He knew immediately it was a rival crew, one that had studied the route and wanted it.

The first truck accelerated, pushing past the shots.

When a new round of shots burst from the right, the second truck was directly in front of it and caught a barrage of automatic fire in the passenger side door.

As the bullets tore through the truck, Luis jerked sideways, his body snapping against the window as glass exploded outward. The driver screamed and hit the gas. The truck lurched forward, out of the danger zone.

As the trucks moved ahead, Medina pulled out his Glock and aimed toward the brush where he had spotted the muzzle flashes. From his slightly elevated position, he fired twice, forcing the shooters back. They withdrew, retreating into the darkness.

Their message had been delivered.

Medina didn’t chase. The trucks came first.

He ran to the second truck. Blood was everywhere.

The driver was shaking, hands locked on the wheel, eyes wide. Medina yanked the door open and pulled him out.

“We have ten minutes. Your truck won’t make it to the border. Transfer the cargo. I’ll take care of Luis.”

The driver nodded.

Medina climbed into the cab. Luis’s eyes were open, unfocused. He checked for a pulse. There was none. This simplified matters.

Medina scampered to the other side of the truck and grabbed Luis under the arms, dragging him from the cab.

Ten minutes. That was all they had.

He pulled the body into the brush. He worked with his hands and a tire iron he grabbed from the back of the truck, digging quickly, ignoring the ache in his shoulders.

Medina lowered the body into the ground, then shoveled dirt to cover it. The land closed over the shape easily, swallowing it. He didn’t mark the grave and offered no words.

He crossed himself and then wiped his hands on his pants.

The damaged truck was next. Medina drove it behind a clump of bushes. No one would notice it for months. No one would care.

This was no man’s land.

The other trucks waited.

Medina jogged back to the road and waved the trucks forward. They didn’t hesitate. The second truck’s payload had already been transferred.

Medina climbed back into his vehicle and pulled in behind them.

The convoy moved north, engines steady.

Dust flew from their tires and then settled behind them.

About Author James Rosenberg:

James Rosenberg is a 3rd generation trial attorney with plenty of stories to tell.

Inspired not only by the courtroom stories his father and grandfather used to tell

him when he was a child, but also by the wild adventures he’s encountered through

his own experience as a lawyer. James is fascinated by the intricate, interpersonal

dynamics of every trial he’s endured. Whether it’s the raw emotion on display in

court, the tension in the air that builds until someone wins, or the impact that a

case’s decision has on the parties involved, James is always paying attention and

keeping tabs on what’s happening.

In his debut novel, “Legal Reserves”, James flexes his creative muscle outside of the

courtroom to share his stories, with a fictional twist, through the eyes of archetypes

he knows well.

A native of Pittsburgh and a graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School and the

University of Pittsburgh School of Law, James has been a trial attorney in Pittsburgh

for almost 30 years. He started writing legal thrillers as a stress reducer and finds

this creative outlet to be a fun and meaningful diversion from his day job.

When he’s not trying cases, he’s either dreaming up his next book idea, spending

time with his wife and three kids, or both.

To contact James email Rosenberg@marcus-shapira.com or follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RosenbergWrites/

Check out his website: www.JamesRosenbergAuthor.com

Please become part of my email list and get updates about my latest launches. https://subscribepage.io/fcVT4h

GIVEAWAY

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The Ties that Bind Blitz

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Memory Of Rivers By Shelley Odendahl ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 12, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Romance
Tags: giveaway, time travel romance

A Past Life Love Story

Time Travel Romance

Date Published: 09-09-2019

Publisher: Flyway Press LLC

Three Lifetimes, One Love – A Time Travel Romance

Vivid sensations and images from Diana’s dreams stream into her
conscious mind. Are the dreams memories of her past lives?

As Kari, in prehistoric times, she dances in a coming-of-age ceremony in an
ancient cave, with wild animals painted on the walls. Captivated by flute
player, Lor, they promise to love each other forever, but dangers threaten
their plans.

As Rachel, isolated in gold rush era Deadwood, she is mistreated by her
drinking, gambling husband but finds comfort with Civil War veteran Sam. His
harmonica music enchants Rachel as they draw together to soothe their lonely
souls.

Now, in her life in 1972 Minnesota, Diana is drawn to singer-songwriter Eric.
His songs and her memories, along with a deep longing for love, connects her
soul with his. Is he the man from her dreams? Will they find happiness
together at last?

“In an age of brief encounters and ‘friends with benefits,’
lasting love is a rare commodity. But you’ll find it here in Shelley
Odendahl’s Memory of Rivers. Enjoy.” – Faith Sullivan,
author of nine novels including the latest, Ruby and Roland.

Enjoy this peek inside:

As Eric continued to sing, I stared into his soul. Somehow then, I knew
for certain that he was the man I loved, since my earliest memories, since
pre-history. We met in a cave, and I danced to his music. Immersed in the
past, I felt the dense smokiness of the cave’s enclosed space as the
flute player captured my body and spirit. We were alone. Together.

With a slight shake of my head, I pulled myself back to the present, into the
enclosed space of a bar, where the smoke of cigarettes hung in the air. My
face and neck had grown prickly and hot, as if a mild electrical charge played
on the surface of my skin. I focused on Eric, every bit of him, especially his
eyes. I inhaled a quick breath when he stared back at me, as if my spirit had
summoned his. Still singing, his voice was sensuous, velvet, as it caressed my
body and settled into my being.

If, from the other we are ever lost,

Draw me in with your force of life

Somewhere inside, the truth resides,

My elusive woman of the wilds.

Our fates are entwined now and forever,

My dancer, my muse, my river nymph,

My elusive woman of the wilds.

His voice quietly held the last note of the song, as his fingers picked the
final chord. We maintained eye contact, sharing a moment that began with our
encounter at the cave ceremony, and traveled the spectrum of time and place,
bringing our emotions into the present. Right now. We were seeing all of each
other without ever before having met in this lifetime.

Eric broke eye contact and looked down at his guitar.

“I’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” he told the crowd, as he
put the guitar in its rack and stood up. He made his way toward the people at
his table up front and sat down with them.

My hands trembled as I dug in my purse for a tissue, using it to dab my
tear-filled eyes. What had just happened here? My heart over-flowed,
incredulous that I had met my love. I still didn’t know what it all
meant to my life today. Would he remember me, from our lives so long ago? What
if he didn’t?

About Author Shelley Odendahl

Shelley Odendahl is the author of Serendipity and Other Travel
Adventures – stories that cover forty years of touring the world with
her husband Cliff.

This book brings readers along as they travel across the USA by motorcycle,
and to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Bali, and Patagonia, experiencing
breathtaking highs, and lows that challenged the couple to create solutions
along the way.

Shelley also wrote an inspirational book, Realize Your Dreams – Create
an Action Plan for Life Transformation, and a time travel novel: Memory of
Rivers – A Past Life Love Story.

She lives in Minnesota, USA, with her husband Cliff, where 10,000+ lakes,
scenic rivers, majestic white pines, wildflowers, swans, and eagles nurture
her spirit.

Her passions are traveling and writing about traveling, creating watercolors,
appreciating art of all kinds, and baking her own Sourdough bread from a
starter she created over 5 years ago. She enjoys hiking in National Parks,
going to musical performances, and being on a lake in a boat.

Shelley is happiest when in the company of her husband, family and friends,
with perhaps some food and wine involved.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Art Of Almost Losing It By Alina Jacobs ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 12, 2026 in comedy, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: comedy, giveaway, romance

The Art of Almost Losing It

By Alina Jacobs

(The Richmond Brothers, #3)
Publication date: August 4th 2026
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

There comes a time in every almost-thirty-year-old woman’s life when getting kidnapped off the street is preferable to admitting that the hot, rich boyfriend you’ve been bragging about for months does not, in fact, exist.

Yes, it’s terrifying being stuffed in the trunk of a Mercedes, but I would rather be locked in a stranger’s penthouse than sleeping on the floor of my parents’ apartment like the loser daughter I am.

Honestly?
It’s nice to get some alone time. And my own bathroom.

He bribes me with money not to call the police.

I scream at him for forcing me to go to brunch as his prisoner at the hottest restaurant in New York.

Now everyone in my parents’ aggressively posh Manhattan neighborhood thinks we’re dating.

Buckle up, buddy.
I have a full wedding itinerary to attend, and congratulations—you’re my fake boyfriend.

Unfortunately, my kidnapper is the worst fake boyfriend in the history of fake boyfriends.

He’s mean.
Aloof.
Emotionally unavailable.
And deeply offended by how much time I spend on my phone.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to ignore how yummy he smells, all muscular and tall as he fumes next to me in bed, furious because I asked him when the sexy portion of the kidnapping is going to happen.

It’s a fair question, though, right?!? I thought kidnapping came with benefits!

Guess my kidnapper didn’t want me that much after all.

Men lying about their desire for a relationship. Story of my life.

Now I’m trapped.
He’s miserable.

And somehow, this is starting to feel dangerously like a relationship.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

The one time a hot guy shows interest in me… and he’s a violent kidnapper.

My screams cut off as he tosses in my laptop case. It lands on my ribs, knocking the breath out of me. He shoves my legs fully into the trunk, then tosses in the barking Lulu, then slams the door.

I assume it’s a mistake.

The expensive German car. The bespoke suit. The cologne that smells like money and expensive scotch—Men like him don’t grab women like me.

So why did he just shove me, in all my pizza-sauce-stained, Costco-clothes glory, into the trunk?

I needed a boyfriend, sure, but I did not expect him to arrive via a felony crime.

The engine purrs.

Wait.

Am I really being kidnapped?

Like… for real?

Sleet rattles against the roof as the realization hits.

Oh.

Oh no.

I’m trapped in the trunk of a stranger’s car. A dangerous man. Being driven God knows where.

Sure, he’s attractive—but that is deeply unhelpful information right now.

I’ll never see my family again. Never eat a dollar slice of pizza again—

Wait.

I squint.

Window.

This isn’t a sedan. This is an SUV.

I’m not trapped.

I haul myself up and pop my head over the back seat.

“You’re a crappy kidnapper!” I scream.

“Shit!” he yells—and nearly plows into a parked truck. “You—!”

The car jerks to a stop at a stop sign. He throws it into park and starts climbing over the seats toward me.

“You can’t kidnap me,” I say, panic creeping in. “You don’t want me. I’m not a girl anyone kidnaps.”

My dog barks.

Emerald-green eyes catch the light.

“Sit down,” he commands.

“My mom is going to be really upset if I don’t come home tonight,” I blurt. “Let me go.”

The doors lock.

I fumble in my purse. Find my pepper spray.

“Yes!” I whisper. “I’m a strong, independent —”

I spray… myself.

“Water,” I gasp, coughing, wheezing, blind.

I suck in a lungful of peppery air and yank at the door handle, begging it to open.

Too late.

“Stupid fucking girl,” he snarls, grabbing my jacket and dragging me forward.

“You didn’t even handcuff me!” I wheeze.

He pauses. “You really don’t know when to shut up, do you?”

He loosens his tie.

I gulp.

“I cannot believe,” he sneers, “that I kidnapped the most unattractive woman in Manhattan.”

Oh.

So… not the future love of my life after all.

About Author Alina Jacobs:

I write the kind of books I love—romantic comedies featuring snarly guys with hearts of gold, kick-ass heroines, and a swoon-worthy happily ever after! Also wine. And cupcakes.

When I’m not writing I can be found drinking tea, surrounded by my massive to-be-read pile! So many books…

You can connect with me on social media or find information on my books at my website.

Sign up for my newsletter so that you can get information about new releases, giveaways, and more!

http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram / Bookbub

GIVEAWAY

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The Art of Almost Losing It Blitz

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Sinister Remnants ~ A Tori Winters Mystery By Anita Dickason

Posted: August 12, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: cozy mystery, giveaway

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Sinister Remnants: (A Tori Winters Mystery)
by Anita Dickason

Sinister Remnants: (A Tori Winters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Texas
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mystic Circle Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 380 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1958464139
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464137
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1958464120
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464120
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464144
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H4X16L1M

The Past Leaves Traces! Some Turn Deadly!

Ambushed during a press tour of the new Red Door Inn, Tori Winters is blindsided by an accusation that she doesn’t own the mansion.

The Metro reporter’s vicious rumor soon proves to be more than tabloid fodder. An attorney has the proof.

Ensnared in a ruthless legal battle, Tori’s desperate search for answers uncovers a chilling truth. Some things were never meant to be dug up. But someone had.

A remnant, long forgotten in the shadows of her inheritance, ignites a danger far deadlier than a courtroom fight.

One murder was only the beginning.

Who is the next victim?

Tori gestured toward her team. “On behalf of all of us, thank you for coming. We hope you enjoyed the tour.”

Tori moved to the foyer, while Tina distributed the packets.

Holding the front door open, she smiled and thanked each reporter as they filed out.

Polaski, the last to leave, shot her a smug little look. “Too bad you went to all this effort for nothing.”

Tori kept her expression steady, but the words hit like a blow as she closed the door. A knot of unease tightened in her chest. She turned.

“For cripes’ sake! What was that all about?”

About Author Anita Dickason

Anita Dickason is a twenty-two-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. Anita served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, and Dallas SWAT tactical officer and first female sniper. Her law enforcement experience and knowledge provide an endless source of inspiration for her characters and plots.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Pinterest / LinkedIn / Goodreads

An Author’s World YouTube

The Book Cinema Channel

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

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GIVEAWAY

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Rhino Horn Underground By Deven Greene ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 11, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, thriller
Tags: eco-thriller, giveaway

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RHINO HORN UNDERGROUND

by Deven Greene

August 10 – September 4, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Struggling journalist Paige Remington leaves San Francisco for South Africa, determined to revive her failing career with a hard-hitting exposé on rhino poaching. Danger strikes almost immediately when poachers ambush Paige’s tour group. She survives only because she is rescued by Spencer, a man who claims to work for the FBI. He says he wants to save the rhinos and offers to help her with her story, but as he exposes her to a world she would never see on her own, she becomes embroiled in the brutal underworld of the rhino horn trade herself. Paige discovers that Spencer is not who he claims to be, and suspects he’s in the rhino poaching business himself. Caught between her ambition and her survival, Paige must decide whether to continue learning about the world of rhino poaching from Spencer and risk becoming the next casualty, or leave for home while she still can.

Praise for Rhino Horn Underground:

“Well, that was one heck of a wild ride! . . . Readers who love international crime thrillers and wildlife fiction will adore this book. Very highly recommended.” ~ Readers’ Favorite “Rhino Horn Underground is a bristling, brainy thriller that asks whether doing the right thing still counts when the path to it runs through the shadows.” ~ Literary Titan “A fascinating look at an ethically fraught topic, Rhino Horn Underground underscores the collision of traditional beliefs and modern realities…an action-packed thriller!” ~ Indies Today

Book Details:

Genre: Eco-Thriller

Published by: Panthera Publishing Publication Date: August 25, 2026 Number of Pages: 307 ISBN: 9781964620107 (ISBN10: 1964620104)

Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Goodreads | BookBub

Enjoy this peek inside:

Chapter 1

With the hot sun blazing above, I strain my eyes as hard as I can to look downward, but the blade pressed against my throat remains out of sight. My pulse is racing, and my breathing is so fast I can only gasp. Is that a trickle of blood I sense slowly making its way down my neck, or is it my imagination? Below and to my right, a hand holds a well-worn machete handle. That hand is attached to the muscular forearm of the man standing behind me, ready to end my life any moment. I don’t know what he looks like—it all happened so quickly—but I know he’s a Black man with a thick African accent. He’s telling me to hold still. As if I would do anything other than that right now. I clutch the cell phone in my hand, wondering if I caught anything useful on the video I’d been shooting moments before. Is the camera still running? If my phone were found, the identity of the man holding me would be revealed to the authorities who were sure to investigate later—too late to save me. Our guide and four others on the tour of the wildlife reserve lie dead on the bare earth ten feet away, each in a pool of their own blood. As I take in the scene, a second Black man holding a rifle shoots the veterinarian who had been speaking to us. Now with a large hole in his chest, the veterinarian, armed only with a vial containing an animal tranquilizer, staggers and falls. I think of my husband, Quinn, thousands of miles away from this South African wildlife reserve—probably asleep, oblivious to the fact that he is about to become a widower. The two attackers yell back and forth. They seem to be having a disagreement, but I don’t understand their language. The man with the rifle raises it. I wince and brace myself for impact, but instead of aiming at me, he fires at the rhinoceros in a nearby pen. Blood and tissue—hide, bone, and brain, I suppose—spray from the back of the animal’s head. I watch in shock as the massive creature emits a haunting wail and falls. A fraction of a second later, another shot rings out, this one quieter. I freeze as the man standing behind me collapses. His machete nicks my arm before he hits the ground. A second shot is fired, and the man who just murdered the rhino falls. Who did that? Am I safe? I’m shaking as I slowly turn, just as Ethan, the only other surviving member of our group, grabs my arm and yells, “Let’s go!” With no time to think, I struggle to keep up as I let him drag me. I check my arm where the machete cut it—it’s only a superficial wound oozing a small amount of blood. Ethan tucks the large pistol he’s holding into his waistband while racing toward the dead rhino. My heart is already pounding when loud voices—African voices—approach from heavy brush close by. Ethan stops and appears to think for a moment, as my heart revs so hard I feel my chest will burst. After the brief pause, he pulls me along again, but in a different direction, now heading towards the body of the dead man who shot the rhino. He drops my hand to search the killer’s pants pockets, pulls out a set of keys, then snatches the rifle lying in the dust nearby. Motioning me to follow, he dashes to the small parking lot and jumps into the driver’s seat of an open, doorless jeep that wasn’t there when we arrived. I don’t know this man, but I scramble into the passenger side as fast as I can. Ethan guns the engine and heads out of the park. My mind is speeding as I struggle to fasten my seat belt, hoping I don’t fall out the side of the vehicle before I get it secured. Who is this guy I met this morning and know only as Ethan? All I know is what I can observe—he’s an average-looking middle-aged White man with a dark tan and thick black glasses, dressed in gray cargo pants. His belly is covered by a dull gray, loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirt with breast pockets and front snaps, hiding the paunch underneath. His gray bucket hat hides his hair, if he has any. He told our group his name as we left Richards Bay that morning for the two-hour drive to the wildlife reserve in the eastern part of South Africa, where we would see several rhinos and witness the horns being sawed off of one. While the other travelers and our guide were lively conversationalists as we traveled the dusty roads, Ethan remained silent, seemingly uninterested in the scenery. I had written off this milquetoast of a man as someone who was there only because he wanted to take pictures to show people back home, hoping to convince them that he was an interesting person. Now I’m wondering: Who carries a gun under his shirt when on vacation to view wildlife? And who would be able to fire it so accurately, so swiftly? I finally snap my seat belt and study him. He stares ahead as he removes a device from his shirt pocket and places it on the dash. “What’s that?” I ask. “GPS device.” Moments later, he veers off the main road. Small trees and bushes snap under the jeep. Not sure what to do, I ask, “What about those people? And the rhino?” Stupid, I know. “They’re all dead. No time to waste. More were getting close to us.” “More what?” “More poachers.” “How do you know?” I ask. He glances at me as if I’m an idiot. “I just know.” “Were you going to take the horns of that rhino?” I know it’s a crime, and I don’t want to sound accusatory, but I can’t imagine any other reason he would start to run toward the deceased animal. His face tightens and his eyes narrow. “What if I was?” Now I’ve gotten him mad. I need to change the subject. “Where are we going?” “I’m getting us to a safe place.” “I really appreciate what you’ve done, but wouldn’t it be best to head back to Richards Bay?” “It’s not safe. There’s more where they came from.” “How can you be so sure?” Ethan reaches into his right breast pocket and pulls out a leather case a little larger than a credit card. He throws it my way, and it lands on my lap. I gasp as I lift the front flap and see his identification. His name isn’t Ethan, but his picture is on the plastic ID. The man sitting next to me is Spencer Crenshaw, and he’s an FBI special agent. *** Excerpt from Rhino Horn Underground by Deven Greene. Copyright 2026 by Deven Greene. Reproduced with permission from Deven Greene. All rights reserved.

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About Author Deven Greene:

Deven Greene lives in Northern California near San Francisco. She has a PhD in biochemistry, a medical degree, and spent over twenty years practicing pathology. She uses her education and background to craft realistic novels, primarily thrillers, grounded in science and/or medicine. Many are high concept, and some can be considered hard science fiction. Her published novels include The Erica Rosen MD Trilogy (Unnatural, Unwitting, and Unforeseen), Ties That Kill, The Organ Broker, and Happy Sun Farm.

Catch Up With Deven Greene:

www.DevenGreene.com Subscribe to Deven’s Newsletter Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub – @Deven_G1 Instagram – @devengreeneauthor Facebook – @DevenGreeneFiction

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Who Will Carry The Fire? By Darrell J. Pedersen ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 11, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Memoir
Tags: giveaway, memoir

More Reflections from a North Woods Lake

Memoir

Date Published: 04-07-2025

Publisher: RiverPlace Press

Who Will Carry the Fire? More Reflections from a North Woods Lake by
Darrell J. Pedersen thoughtfully examines the value of human history,
traditions, memories, and relationships and reiterates the importance of
preserving and faithfully passing these along to the next generation. Through
a collection of essays and the retellings of his early days as a son, brother,
husband, and father, Pedersen shows readers that we all have been gifted these
irreplaceable stories by those who came before us. These remembered stories
will work to keep the thread of storytelling alive while passing down the
life-giving flames of laughter, human community, and hope to our children and
future generations. Using a blend of wisdom, humor, reflection, and life
stories in Minnesota, Pedersen expertly weaves a book that is both a
memoir/collection of essays and a celebration of life.

Enjoy this peek inside:

Five Young Men And Christmas 2020

A hairy arm, plaid flannel sleeve rolled up, extended out of the pickup window
and held high a fist with middle finger raised. A week before Christmas, at
the end of the tumultuous year 2020, I was headed for the dump. Driving where
four lane transitions to two, loud rumbling acceleration of an engine caught
my attention. There he is, up ahead of me in the right lane, a big pickup.
Speeding up, he slid in front of a small car. That’s when I spotted his
obscene gesture. What, I wondered, did that other driver do to earn that
reaction? Drawing close behind the little car, I spotted the offense. This
little old lady had made the mistake of sporting a small presidential campaign
sticker in her back window. I guessed giving her the finger was a victory for
him.

Witnessing this attack on humanity by a bearded young man in a big pickup
caused me to reflect on his place in our society and world. I thought about
the large number of bearded young men I had lately witnessed in televised
protests, a few packing assault rifles. Some, recently, shouted obscenities at
me and others for standing in silent support of Black Lives Matter. I
wondered, has this whole generation been lost? But then I recalled, my own son
is bearded and drives a noisy, old jeep, and he’s currently using his
vocational skills to put together a virtual Christmas Eve service for his
church.

That was Friday. Today, Monday, my wife and I pulled into a long line outside
Burger King. I immediately took notice of the young man ahead of us in the
row. He was driving an old pickup, paint peeling off and rusty jagged holes in
its fenders. Seeing him watching us in his mirror, I wondered if he was
another of these young ruffians.

Behind us, a brand new, red Jeep slipped into line. In my mirror I saw another
young man driving. I noted huge tires, winch, fancy mirrors, decals, all the
options. Lots of money for that one, I thought. I wonder what kind of a job he
has? I never had money to buy something like that when I was his age. I
don’t have money to buy something like that even at age 68.

A long wait; we were one car back now. The young driver in the rusty pickup
carried on an extended conversation with the window person whose hand held the
outstretched plastic tub awaiting payment. Is he hassling that poor cashier?
Finally, he put his credit card in the tub, received his food, and drove away.
Our turn. The twenty-something man in the window, masked, said, “Your
meal has already been paid for. The fellow ahead of you took care of your
bill.”

“What?”

He repeated. Bill paid. Young man in the pickup truck. $17.84.

“Well, can I pay for the people behind me?”

“Yes, if you want to.”

“Yes, please, let me pay for their bill.” His bill. I remembered;
it was the young fellow in the expensive Jeep. I handed the cashier my credit
card and he rang it up.

“How much was it?”

“Just over three bucks.”

“Well, can I pay for the next car too?”

“Sure.”

“How much is that one?”

“That one is $24.95.”

“Okay, thanks, that will be just fine.”

Bill paid. Food delivered. Credit card returned. Ready to coast away, I looked
my young fellow in the eye and offered, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas and God bless you,” he replied.

“And God bless you too,” I said to one of my new young friends at
Burger King.

Five young men just before Christmas in 2020. Pandemic, political strife,
racism. So much trouble all around. Five young men and an old guy. Maybe
there’s still hope.

About Author Darrell J. Pedersen

ABOUT THE “LITTLE DICKENS”

Darrell J. Pedersen was raised in the 1950-60s, on a little lake in
Minnesota’s North Woods. He grew up and moved away, but his heart has
never left that place. His family, the lake, woods, and critters that embraced
his young life taught him to appreciate today and to be hopeful for tomorrow.
He learned to care for the creation and the neighbor. To leave the world a
little better place than he found it.

Since retirement, he has published his first memoir/collection of essays,
Campfire in the Basement: Reflections from a North Woods Lake. One year later,
Who Will Carry the Fire? More Reflections from a North Woods Lake is now in
your hands. Both books include real life stories of everyday people living one
day at a time in a challenging, yet amazing world. Hard work, laughter, tears,
wins and losses. He believes you will find your story here too. Darrell and
his wife, Jennifer, live in Baxter, Minnesota.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

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Twilight Tactics By Lynette Eason ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 10, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Romance, suspense
Tags: giveaway, romantic suspense, trailer