Posts Tagged ‘historical’

Letters Take The Lady By Anna Valleria ~ Exclusive Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 9, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, historical romance
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Letters Take The Lady organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Anna Valleria will be awarding a $15 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.

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Letters Take The Lady

By Anna Valleria

 

 

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

Antigone Sprague, the spirited daughter of a gentleman scholar, has no patience for arrogant lords. So when she meets the reserved and bitingly clever Lord Michael Northram, she’s immediately put off by his condescending manner. She has no idea that he is utterly captivated.

Tongue-tied and overwhelmed by a passion he doesn’t understand, Michael can only confess his feelings in secret poems never meant to see the light of day. But when Antigone begins receiving those very poems from a charming and ambitious suitor, she believes she’s found the man who understands her soul. Believing he has lost her forever, a heartbroken Michael accepts a diplomatic mission to America, unaware that the woman he loves has actually fallen for his words.

Years later, his return to England ignites a shocking reunion and an undeniable spark. But their second chance is built on a foundation of lies. When the truth of the letters emerges, it exposes a scheme of shocking deception, and her spurned suitor reveals a desperate and dangerous side, threatening her very freedom. To win her trust, Michael must finally bridge the gap between the poet on the page and the man by her side, proving he is the hero she’s always deserved.

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Enjoy this exclusive peek inside:

As he lay in bed that night, the restlessness became almost unbearable. He rose, hearing the faint stirring of the household just waking up, and he guessed that it must be some time in the early morning. He glanced out the window, and saw a muted sky, just on the cusp of dawn. All the stars were gone, all but one, shining dimly, blinking, but refusing to go. He found himself almost smiling at that star, feeling a tenderness for it he could not quite explain. He suddenly knew what the urge was, and he used the oncoming dawn to light his writing, as he composed with his left hand:

I shall not compare thee to a summer’s day.

For thou art far more enduring than she.

Much more like the morning star,

The last beacon of the weary traveler

Who is journeying into daybreak

The star that shines the brightest

Against the long dark night

The heavenly body one may count on

In those hateful hours of loneliness

To light the toil of the worker at dawn

Or the poet who sleep will not bless

In those early morning moments

Before the reprieve of daylight.

Yet I do not compare you to the sun,

For your light shines brightest in the dark

And will return, night after night,

No matter the petty squabbles of man

Nor the insignificant news of the day

Your light will shine on, enduring

On the unknowing earth below

He had never written anything like it before. He reread it slowly. While it had some truth to it, he feared it was sentimental drivel. He had given no real thought to the meter or the rhyming scheme. He counted the syllables. No, it was completely off. What had he been thinking? He supposed, like all the stories he composed, it was an outlet, a way to process his feelings in a way he was not able to do in life. Thank goodness no one would recognize it, for his ready defense of his handwriting was still true. If he was ever found out, if he did not first perish of mortification over a one-sided attraction, he would certainly die of shame for his bad poetry.

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About Author Anna Valleria:

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Anna Valleria writes historical romance that is sweet with steam. Her stories have been praised for their rich, realistic tone and aching romanticism, reminiscent of classic romance novels. She crafts deeply layered characters, like the honorable heroes and resilient heroines in her Victorian Historical Rogues Fall First series, that will remind you why you fell in love with romance in the first place. Anna was also a runner-up in Dragonblade Publishing’s 2024 “Write Track” Writing Contest, soon to be seen in the Tales of Timeless Love Vol. 4.

 A lifelong lover of coffee and writing in cafes, she finds inspiration in the historic city that she lives in.

 

Visit her website to sign up for her newsletter for exclusive updates and sneak peeks.

Website / Facebook / Pinterest 

Buy Link: Amazon

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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.

 

Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery By Kate Parker

Posted: September 6, 2025 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Historical
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Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery
(The Deadly Series)
by Kate Parker


Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery
13th in Series
Setting –  Cotswold village of Chipping Ford
Publisher ‏ : ‎ JDP Press
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2025
Number of Pages ~300
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8992015249
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FJGJMGQZ

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In a village steeped in secrets, one woman’s past is the key to solving a murder.

Olivia Redmond thought she’d left danger behind in blitzed-out London. But the quiet Cotswold village of Chipping Ford offers little refuge–especially when a local gossip turns up dead. With a baby to care for and the villagers turning frosty, Olivia’s only ally is a young bobby overwhelmed by his first murder case.

As a former newspaper reporter and covert asset for Britain’s intelligence chief, Olivia knows how to uncover the truth. The deeper she digs, the uglier it gets: blackmail, betrayal, and decades of whispered sins. And as the village closes ranks, Olivia must choose–keep the peace or expose the secrets that could shatter everything.

Perfect for readers of historical mysteries with sharp heroines and tangled moral landscapes, Deadly Village is the exciting thirteenth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like research based history and clean reads, then you’ll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker’s page-turning mystery.

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About Kate Parker

Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she’s fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.

Author Links: Website / Facebook

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Apple – Kobo 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 2 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

September 2 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 2 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

September 3 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

September 3 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 4 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

September 4 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 4 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

September 5 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 5 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

September 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 6 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

September 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 7 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 8 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT

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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.

Poets In Hell By Janet Morris ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: August 31, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Historical
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In the underworlds,
injustice always reigns: Join us and our damnedest poets for the crookedest
poetry festival in perdition where language comes to die and no rhyme goes
unpunished.

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Poets in Hell

A Heroes in Hell Anthology

Compiled by Janet Morris

Genre: Dark Epic Historical Fantasy

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The best, the worst, and ugliest bards in perdition vie for
Satan’s favor as poets slam one another, Satan’s Fallen Angels smirk up their
sleeves, and the illiterati have their day. Find out why the damned deserve
their fates as Hell’s hacks sink to new poetical depths!

The first Bible writer drafts a deal with the Devil.

Attila the Hun learns his punishment’s just begun.

Mary Shelley and Victor Frankenstein make a monstrous
mistake.

Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp get their unjust deserts.

Hell’s Undertaker goes on holiday.

The Damned Poets Society slams away.

A nameless soul shows Dorothy Parker that fame is a bitch.

 In the underworlds,
injustice always reigns:

Join us and our damnedest poets for the crookedest poetry
festival in perdition where language comes to die and no rhyme goes unpunished.

Stories inside:

Words – Chris Morris

Seven Against Hell – Janet Morris and Chris Morris

Reunion – Nancy Asire

Hell-hounds – Bruce Durham

The Kid with No Name
– Jack William Finley

All Hell to Pay – Deborah Koren

Poetic Injustice – Larry Atchley, Jr.

When You Gaze Into an
Abyss – Matthew Kirshenblatt

Pride and Penance – Tom Barczak

Grand Slam – pdmac

Undertaker’s Holiday
– Joe Bonadonna and Shebat Legion

Red Tail’s Corner – Yelle Hughes

Faust III – Richard Groller

Tapestry of Sorrows
and Sighs – Bill Snider

Haiku d’État – Beth W. Patterson

A Mother’s Heart – Bill Barnhill

We the Furious – Joe Bonadonna

Damned Poets Society
– Michael H. Hanson

All We Need of Hell –
Michael A. Armstrong

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**On Sale until the end of the month!**

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* Goodreads

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Words by Chris Morris

 

In the beginning was the Logos, the Word. In the beginning come always the words. Words are the mortar of the mind.

“Look, you!” J the Yahwist, first author of the Old Testament, exhorted empty air, waving her hands about her on a blasted heath encircled by dark and cold.

As in ancient times, this command brings light out of darkness, souls out of nowhere. All the heath fills with them, the detritus of the damned, singing and keening and rhyming aloud at the top of their lungs, each trying to outshout the other: the prolix, the wordy damned of perdition. Here are the teeming illiterati, the poor poets of pride and ignorance, angry and bleating like sheep at the altar, romancers of death, hoping for slaughter, dreaming of surcease.

J would give them peace if she could, but she couldn’t: peace was oblivion, oblivion was escape, and escape was unattainable in hell. Death could be had, and cheap, but never lasted long: no sinning soul could win its way to heaven’s grace.

J’s god reigned as a jealous god, tempestuous; unfair, equivocal. As her skin glowed caramel, neither white nor yellow, brown or black, so her eyes were inconclusively hazel, flecking every color in creation. Like her god on high, set up from eternity before the earth was made, she belonged nowhere in damnation, not to this New Hell nor any other. She was only visiting here. Or so she thought; so she hoped.

“Look, you,” J called a second time aloud, and a thousand heads turned her way; a thousand mouths clamped shut as she began to tell her tale to their minds’ eyes.

Invariably, these words are her signal to infernity that she is ready to begin. Inevitably, those words summon not only story, but the Deceiver, a lord of hell himself.

Sensing joy, incensed by pleasure, now comes Satan, white- winged and glorious, amid his host of fallen angels, circling to land, streaming intolerance and wrath on all the fools below, who howl the more.

At times like these, J misses Solomon. That wise warrior-king (her fellow writer of words worth hearing) would enjoin even such rabble as this to vie with the lords of hell themselves, if she’d but ask him.

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What is something unique/quirky about you?

 

Together we breed Morgan horses. We consult with Morgan breeders to help them choose crosses to their stock to achieve a desired result.

We are also musicians; Janet plays bass guitar, Chris sings and plays guitar. We have an album on MCA records. Look for Christopher Crosby Morris on Soundcloud or N1M.com

 

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

 

Janet wrote her first novel, High Couch of Silistra in 1975; a friend sent it to an agent who chose to represent her; she had already written the second book in the Silistra Quartet and her agent told her not to disclose that until they finalized the contract for the first one. When the publisher learned of the others, Bantam Books bought the succeeding three. When the fourth book was published, the series already had four million copies in print. Suddenly Janet was a novelist specializing in environmental, gender, historical and political subjects. In the process, Chris started as her editor and ultimately a co-writer. Since then, she and Chris have co-authored many books.

 

Who is your hero and why?

 

Heraclitus of Ephesus, a pre-socratic philosopher, whose Cosmic Fragments foreshadow our knowledge of reality and how to perceive it. Among his precepts is the statement that change alone is unchanging. We’ve worked Heraclitus’ fragments in here and there throughout our books.

 

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

 

All of them. We write cinematically, our books are vivid adventures we undertake without knowing the destination.  I, the Sun, The Sacred Band, and Outpassage are particularly suited to film. The Threshold Series is a feast of opportunities for today’s special effects creators.

 

What inspired you, to create Poets in Hell?

 

If you are watching the news these days, it’s hard to tell the difference between what we thought of as normal and something a lot worse. Hellish, you might say. We even think of the Hell series as comic relief from our troubled world. We hope you agree.

 

Advice to writers?

 

As for advice to writers, here is all we know: write the story you want to read. Start at the beginning, go to the end, and stop. Seriously. From start to finish you must inhabit the construct in a manner that makes the reader choose to continue; if we as writers can’t feel what it’s like being there, our readers can’t either. Close your eyes, look at your feet where they are standing on the story’s ground; tell us what you see. Tell us what you hear. Ask at the end of each paragraph ‘what happens next?’. If you lose touch with it wait until you’re back inside it. Tell the story that comes to you, and from you, to us.

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Best selling author Janet
Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels,
many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Most of her fiction
work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also
written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or
edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles
on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and
national security topics.

Christopher Crosby
Morris (born 1946) is an American author of fiction and non-fiction, as
well as a lyricist, musical composer, and singer-songwriter. He is married to
author Janet Morris. He is a defense policy and strategy analyst and a
principal in M2 Technologies, Inc. He writes primarily as Chris Morris, but
occasionally uses pseudonyms.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Bookbub

 Amazon * Amazon *  Goodreads * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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.

Legacy Of Honor By Larry Freeland ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: August 5, 2025 in giveaways, Guest Post, Historical
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​ LEGACY OF HONOR: THE DESCENDANTS by Larry A. Freeland
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  401 pages
Genre: Historical Military Fiction
Publisher: Publish Authority
Release date:  February 2025
Content Rating: PG + M: My book is a story of sacrifice, integrity, courage (moral and physical), love, family and war.​

Book Description:

In The Descendants: A Legacy of Valor, the McCormick family saga continues, plunging readers into the heart of 20th-century warfare. This gripping historical military fiction, written in three parts, follows Sean McCormick’s three sons—Alan, Lee, and Scott—as they confront the harsh realities of war and sacrifice.
In Part 1, Alan, the eldest, leads an Infantry Company with the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. Amid brutal jungle battles, he faces the relentless toll of command.
Part 2 follows Lee, a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, as he navigates daring missions and personal struggles, eventually participating in the First Gulf War.
In Part 3, Scott, the youngest, is drafted into the Army during the Vietnam era, stationed in South Korea, and later recruited by the CIA, where he undertakes covert missions across the Middle East.
From the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of the Middle East, The Descendants—the powerful conclusion to The Legacy of Honor trilogy—explores the courage, brotherhood, and sacrifices of the McCormick brothers. Their intertwined journeys reveal the true cost of duty, family, and legacy.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to Goodreads
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Check Out The Entire Legacy of Honor Series:

 

Praise for Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch
“Freeland weaves together an exciting, action-packed, and historically accurate tale of war and romance during and after World War 1.” – James Harvey, author of Grayton Beach Affair
“Freeland writes in nearly encyclopedic fashion as he includes background information about the World War I trenches, the history of the nursing corps, the big increase of cigarette use among American military personnel, the history of “Reveille,” and the meaning of “buying the farm,” among many other things. He also takes the reader on a 30,000-foot overview of a battle about to take place before dropping us down into the action. Freeland’s aim is for his trilogy to explore how this country treats its warriors and veterans during and after our wars. With Book One, The Patriarch, he’s off to a good start.” – Bill McCloud – Vietnam Veterans of America


“Crawl through the trenches of France with American infantrymen and experience the horrendous brutality of WWI warfare … reminiscent of the carnage in Civil War battle scenes in The Red Badge of Courage. Then follow the “doughboys” as they assimilate back into American society, often with heartbreaking and unforgettable outcomes.” – Jameson Gregg, Benjamin Franklin Award Winner and Georgia Author of the Year
In his hometown in Wellington Ohio, Sam McCormick is on a path to follow in his father’s footsteps, leading a life of hard work as a factory manager. But in 1915, Sam loses his parents when the Lusitania is sunk by a U-boat. Soon after, Sam is called up during World War I as an infantryman with the Army’s American Expeditionary Forces and the first division to be sent to France to battle the very forces that killed his loved ones.
Now Sam’s aim is to seek vengeance for his parents’ death. He must survive brutal gas attacks, rapid machine gun fire, and relentless artillery strikes. As he and his troops repeatedly cross into “no man’s land” to take over German trenches, he will cross paths with notable leaders such as General Pershing, General Douglas MacArthur, Colonel George Patton, and Sergeant York, one of the most highly decorated American soldiers of WWI.
But Sam’s attitude changes as the war drags on, and the body count rises. Now Sam just wants the killing to stop. When he is wounded, he finds hope again to rebuild a life with his bride Marie, a witty and intelligent French nurse. But when he returns home, the United States that he loved as a civilian looks far different after the war as a veteran.
Sam McCormick must become The Patriarch. His family and way of life depend on it.
A tale of courage, sacrifice, love and honor, this 20th Century historical fiction saga addresses the horrors of WW1 and the challenges that military men faced upon returning including mental trauma, and physical illness in addition to the hardships of the Great Depression as well as other historical events before WWII, including the Bonus Army March of 1932 and the Little Steel Strikes of 1937.

(more…)

Spotlight And Giveaway ~ The Conall Series By David H. Millar

Posted: July 24, 2025 in Fantasy, giveaways, Historical, Trailer
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Heroes and villains from myth, legend,
and history converge in this saga set in the vast ancient forests, treacherous
bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious lochs of Scotland some four hundred
years before the birth of Christ.

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The Place of Blood – Rinn-Iru

Conall Book I

by David H. Millar

Genre: Historical Fantasy

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Over four
hundred years before the birth of Christ, the island of Ériu is a patchwork of
feuding kingdoms, vast plains, and frozen bogs. Battle, intrigue, betrayals,
and courage are part of life for the Celts who call Ériu home.

At the same time, from their underground halls, the mysterious demi-goddesses
of the Aes Sídhe seduce brave warriors, turning men into kings
and binding them with fearsome geis.

Conall Mac Gabhann is content with his apprenticeship with the
local blacksmith. Content, that is, until he finds his family slaughtered in
their home. Two men share responsibility for the massacre: a mad Irish king and
a dissolute Roman. Conall will have his vengeance or die in the attempt.

Accompanied by his childhood love—the beautiful but dark-spirited—Mórrígan,
and the veteran warrior Fearghal, Conall’s quest takes him
northward through unfriendly kingdoms to a confrontation beyond the ancient
earthworks of the Black Pig’s Dyke.

Along the way, Conall and Mórrígan will gather an army and come under the
influence of the Aes Sídhe. If Conall desires, an apprentice blacksmith will
become a king. Who knows what Mórrígan will become?

The Conall Series contains scenes of sex and violence and language
appropriate to the period (400 B.C.) it is set in. It is not recommended for
those under 14 without parental consent.

 

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The Raven’s Flight – Eitilt an Fhiagh Dhuibh

Conall Book II

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Conall II:
The Raven’s Flight continues to chronicle the story of Conall and Mórrígan and
the epic journey of the warriors from Ériu (Ireland).

Conall and his brooding queen, Mórrígan, lead over two thousand warriors with
their followers across the narrow sea separating Ériu
from Albu (Britain). Their quest: the capture of Cassius Fabius
Scaeva, the dissolute Roman held responsible for the slaughter of their
families.

The Ériu encounter human, natural, and supernatural foes and friends. At the
mercy of the Aes Sídhe, a race of demi-goddesses who demand that he
fulfil his geis, Conall is named the Hand of the Goddess and given
the instrument that will crush the Na Daoine Tùrsach—a tribe of fanatical,
blood-lusting priests.

They battle fierce northern tribes: the Forest People’s one-eyed king, Drostan
Ruadh, opposes their presence, as do the Na Mèadaidh, led by the sly
Finnean Mac Sèitheach. Yet, not all are enemies. The Raven People offer their
support, although it too comes at a price.

Heroes and villains from myth, legend, and history converge in this saga set in
the vast ancient forests, frozen bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious
lochs of Scotland some four hundred years before the birth of Christ.

 

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The Sisters – Na Deirfiúracha

Conall Book III

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It is 406
B.C. The Gaels tramp battle through the vast forests of Northern Albu and cross
the brooding moors and marshes to reach the grain fields of Southern Albu. The
majestic stone brochs, crannags and dùin of the north give way to the great
hillforts of the South.

The Sisters is the third book of the series. In this tale,
the fearsome women surrounding Conall take centre stage.

A malevolent queen bent on conquering Northern Albu launches an invasion and
kidnaps the twin daughters of Conall and Mórrígan. The king’s and
queen’s blood oath promises no mercy until the young twins are returned.

A merciless assassin stalks the community, and Tadhg is given
the unenviable task of tracking the killer down. His mission worsens when the
signs point to one of the women close to Conall, and he becomes the target.

Which partners are loyal to their hand-fasting oaths, and who will betray them?
Will honour be redeemed on the battlefield?

Amid the battles, betrayals and intrigue, Mòrag, a tall beauty and fearsome
warrior, desires Conall at any cost. A clash with Conall’s queen, also known
as The Dark Huntress, is inevitable.

  

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A Brace of Eagles – Snaidhm Iolar

Conall Book IV

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“Butter-gold
and cruelly hooked, the beak ripped a ragged gash across the newborn’s throat.”

Blacksmith’s son, Conall Mac Gabhann’s only desire was to follow in
his father’s footsteps and enjoy a long life with his childhood love, Mórrígan.
The slaughter of their parents dashed those dreams. Fuelled by vengeance, both
embark on the dark path of retribution.

From the ancient forest, two great eagles take wing. With amber-gold
eyes, Fate and the Goddess watch, ready to
guide and meddle in human lives.

Conall, now Clann Ui Flaithimh’s ‘king over kings’, must complete
his geis—at any cost. He takes another stride closer to Rome and a
reckoning with Marcus Fabius Ambustus. Flat-bottomed biremes carry
Conall’s army across the Muir nIocht to crash on the shingle
beaches of Northwestern Gaul.
New enemies and uneasy alliances flourish. Assassins, treason, and betrayal
thrive.

Above all, Conall values loyalty. Thus, treason within the tribe sours his
belly. Mercy will have no part in his response.

The fourth novel in the Conall series, Conall IV: A Brace of Eagles,
is a rousing epic of Celtic heroes and villains, bloody battles, political
intrigue, honour, betrayal, tragedy and forbidden love.

 

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Retribution – Díoltas

Conall Book V

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“Witch!”
Tullus gasped.
“You are not that fortunate, Roman,” came the menacing reply.”

Blood has purchased a fragile peace for Conall and Mórrígan and
the close circle of friends they call family. However, allies and enemies alike
wonder if the king and queen have lost the thirst for vengeance on those who
slaughtered their families. Alarmed, gods, kings, and despots conspire to poke
the slumbering fire.

Brennus of the Senones smarts at his defeat at Conall’s hands and
covets his lands and wealth. Will a bruised ego and hubris overrule the Gaulish
king’s typical pragmatism?

The Gaiscedach want revenge for the defeat and execution of
their queen. In the dead of night, like cockroaches, they scuttle over the
walls of Lugudunon.

Marcus Fabius Ambustus tolerates no challenge to his plan to be the
Dictator of Rome. But has arrogance blinded him to the enemy he has
nurtured?

The gates of Rome and retribution draw closer. But Conall needs his enemies as
much as his friends. Still, who are enemies and who are friends? It is a time
of schisms and rebuilding, of loved ones endangered, and assassins and spies
revealed.

Yet, there has always been one constant: only the foolish doubt that Conall and
Mórrígan will show mercy to those who threaten their family.

Conall V: Retribution is the final novel in the Conall
series.

The Conall Series contains scenes of sex, violence, and language appropriate
to the period (400 B.C.) in which it is set. It is not recommended for those
under 14 without parental consent.

 

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Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, internationally
published and award-winning author David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and
author-in-residence of A Wee Publishing Company—a business formed to promote
Celtic authors and literature.

David is the author of the five-volume, ancient
Celtic-based Conall series and the spin-offs The Dog Roses, The
Dog Roses: Resolution, The Blood Queen and Brianag: A Blood Queen
Novel.

David resides in Houston, Texas, with his family and
two recent family members, tuxedos Beau and Stiletto.

Facebook
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $50 giveaway!
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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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.

Not Lucille By Mike Steele ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: July 22, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, Historical, middle grade
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Not Lucille organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Mike Steele 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.

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Not Lucille

By Mike Steele

 

 

Genre: Middle Grade Historical

Synopsis

Ten-year-old Lucy Contento can’t help but be seen and heard. And she’s always in trouble for it. She talks too much. She’s impulsive. She writes with the wrong hand. Her parents would be mad enough knowing she routinely earns afterschool detentions. They’d be furious if they found out she’s been sneaking onto the campus of the nearby Trenton Academy for the Deaf. But there, Lucy has met Florence, a lonely and profoundly deaf girl her own age. Florence doesn’t mind Lucy’s flaws. Though Florence can’t speak, she has a unique way of communicating. If Lucy can figure out how to learn Florence’s special language, the two could be friends.

Lucy devises a plan, but it’s going to cost a whopping $7.98-more money than she’s got. She can’t tell her parents why she wants the funds without revealing she’s been visiting Florence. Besides, her parents don’t have a penny to spare. Her father has been out of work for months. And nobody else in the Contento family has an income. Or do they …? Lucy soon discovers she’s not the only member of her family hiding something. Can she get the money she needs while keeping everyone’s secrets? Or will her scheming land her in the biggest trouble of her life?

In this story of friendship and belonging, a young girl navigates prejudice, punishment, and identity while establishing her voice in a world that often tries to keep her silent.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Lucy inched her head farther inside and felt her heart starting to beat faster. She was close enough to make out that one of the books was a pale gray pad. The blonde girl was sketching some sort of landscape inside, copying an illustration from the other book. The sketch was good. The blonde girl was talented.

“Wow,” Lucy whispered, worrying for a moment that her lapse of judgment would give her away. She quickly remembered she was at the Deefies. The blonde girl probably couldn’t hear her.

Couldn’t hear her but could certainly see her. That’s what happened not a full minute later when the blonde girl glanced up from her work.

Caught.

Lucy had to get out of there. She clumsily scooted backward through the frame and pulled herself up, turning to run for the fence only a few feet away. She reached the hedges as fast as her short legs could get her to them. She was about to push through.

“Stop!”

Lucy stopped.

She turned.

The blonde girl stood at the open window. “Stop,” she commanded again. At least that’s what Lucy thought the girl had said. She couldn’t be sure. The blonde girl seemed to have some sort of accent.

Lucy crept toward the open window and crouched down until she was face to face with the blonde girl. “You can talk?”

The blonde girl raised her hand and formed it into a fist. She pinched her thumb and index finger together. It looked like the gesture Lucy had seen people use to indicate the phrase, a little bit.

“Can you hear me?”

The blonde girl shook her head.

A large raindrop landed in Lucy’s curls and dripped down her face.

Both girls turned their heads to the sky, from which enormous droplet after enormous droplet began tumbling.

“I’ll come back tomorrow,” Lucy said, still looking up.

The blonde girl reached through the window and pulled Lucy’s face toward her own. Her grip was firm, her hands compelling.

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About Author Mike Steele:

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Mike Steele is an elementary school librarian and former fourth and fifth grade classroom teacher. He has eight plays that are published and licensed for production in the school play market. Not Lucille is his debut middle-grade novel. Whether writing plays or novels, he enjoys creating characters and situations that make kids laugh. In his spare time, he likes to attend plays and musicals, create mixed-media artwork, and win prizes from claw machines. He lives at the Jersey Shore with his rescue tabby cats, Karen and Sox. If you spot him in the wild, he usually has a bubble tea in one of his hands.

 

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ The Forged Empire By Samantha Gillespie

Posted: July 16, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, historical romance
Tags: , , ,
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The Forged Empire

by Samantha Gillespie

 

 

(The Kingdom Within, #3)
Publication date: July 15th 2025
Genres: Historical Romance, Young Adult

She married a prince. She loved a soldier.
Now she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save them all.

As the specter of war looms, Meredith Ethan, and Connor are thrust into a final, desperate struggle for freedom. With Stonefall reclaimed and the plague’s grip finally broken, they must now race to forge new alliances before Theros-the ruthless King of Talos-brings his twisted vision of an empire to life.

But Theros’s ambitions run deeper than conquest-and Meredith is at the heart of his plans.

As betrayals mount and loyalties are tested, she finds herself caught between the prince she married and the soldier she never forgot.

And beneath the weight of destiny, Meredith must decide who she truly is:
a queen who must learn to believe in her own strength… or a pawn in a game she can no longer control.

In a war where survival means sacrifice, the price of freedom may be everything.

The final battle is here. And only one legacy will endure.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

A tremor starts in my hands again, subtle but insistent. I clench my fists, willing it to stop.

“My lady?” Anabella appears near the foot of the staircase, her wide eyes fixed on me, worry plain in her gaze.

My pulse pounds harder in my ears, and the air feels thick, suffocating. A bead of sweat traces a line down my temple, and I lift a trembling hand to brush it away. The motion betrays me. My uncle’s eyes narrow, alarm darkening his expression.

“You’re quite pale,” he remarks, his voice softer now but no less authoritative. “Sit down before you fall.”

“I’m fine,” I say, gritting my teeth. “It’s just a dizzy spell—”

The room wavers, and a sharp pain lances through my temple. I dig my nails into the carved wood of a nearby table, struggling to stay upright. Voices fade into a muffled roar behind the pounding in my ears. My legs threaten to buckle, yet I take a step forward . . . feeling as if the crown itself is dragging me down.

“Meredith!” Anabella cries out, her fear breaking through decorum. She rushes forward, but someone stops her—a hand grabbing her arm, likely my uncle’s.

“No one is to approach her!” The command explodes from my uncle’s throat like a war cry, freezing everyone mid-step. “She was inoculated this morning—she could be infected!”

Infected.

Understanding dawns like poison spreading through my veins. They think the inoculation failed. They think I’m a walking plague, a vector of death.

Am I?

My knees buckle as the implications cascade through my mind. The room warps and tilts, faces stretching into grotesque masks of fear and revulsion.

“Please, let me help her!” Anabella’s voice cracks with desperation, cutting through the growing pandemonium. “She’s fainting—she needs—”

My uncle stops her. “Stay where you are, woman, or I’ll have you restrained!”

I struggle to form reassurances, denials, anything. But my tongue lies thick and useless in my mouth. The marble floor begins its inexorable rise to meet me, my legs folding like paper beneath my weight. Colors bleed together, the world smearing into an impressionist nightmare.

“Get the physician! Now!” My uncle’s bellow seems to come from very far away, echoing down a tunnel of gathering darkness.

I’m falling—but suddenly strong arms encircle me, crushing me against a chest that thunders with someone else’s racing heartbeat. The scent of leather and pine fills my fading senses, achingly familiar.

“Get away from her!” the duke roars. “You fool—you’re putting yourself at risk! Guards, pull him back!”

“Try it.” Connor’s voice is a low growl. “See what happens.”

The threat hangs in the air, electric with promise. Even through my fading consciousness, I feel the tension ratchet higher, guards hesitating at the challenge in his tone.

Through the narrow slits of my barely-open eyes, I see Connor’s face swimming above me, those midnight-blue eyes fierce with determination. His jaw is set in stone, daring anyone to test him. His lips move urgently, forming words that reach me only as distant whispers, lost in the roaring tide of unconsciousness.

The last thing I register is his arms tightening around me, unyielding as iron, before the darkness swallows me whole.

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About Author Samantha Gillespie:

Samantha Gillespie writes the kind of romantasy novels she loves to read: stories packed with forbidden love, slow-burn tension, and just enough angst to keep you up way past your bedtime.

She lives in Houston with her husband and their ever-expanding menagerie—cats who’ve crowned themselves royalty, a dog with strong opinions about the weather, and chickens whose sole mission is acquiring treats and destroying the yard. When she’s not breaking hearts through fiction, she thrives on copious amounts of coffee, sharp wit, and the delicious tears of her devoted readers.

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Winter’s Season By R.J. Koreto ~ Cover Reveal And Giveaway

Posted: July 8, 2025 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, Historical, Mystery
Tags: , ,
2

 

Winter's Season by R.J. Koreto Banner

WINTER’S SEASON
by R.J. Koreto
July 8, 2025 Cover Reveal

 

 

Synopsis:
In 1817 London, Before the Police, There Was Captain Winter.

London, 1817. A city teeming with life, yet lacking a professional police force. When a wealthy young woman is brutally murdered in an alley frequented by prostitutes, a shadowy government bureau in Whitehall dispatches its “special emissary”―Captain Winter. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars and a gentleman forged by chance and conflict, Winter is uniquely equipped to navigate the treacherous currents of London society, from aristocratic drawing rooms to the city’s grimmest taverns. Without an army of officers or the aid of forensic science, Winter must rely on his wits and a network of unconventional allies. His childhood friend, a nobleman, opens doors in high society, while a wise Jewish physician uncovers secrets the dead cannot hide.

But Winter’s most intriguing, and potentially dangerous, asset is Barbara Lightwood. Shrewd, beautiful, and operating as a discreet intermediary among the elite, Barbara shares a past with Winter from the war years. Their rekindled affair is fraught with wariness; she offers intimate information crucial to his investigation, but guards her own secrets fiercely. Like Winter, she is both cunning and capable of danger.

From grand houses to dimly lit streets, death stalks Captain Winter. He must tread carefully to unmask a killer, navigate a web of secrets and lies, and perhaps, in the process, save his own soul.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery

Published by: Histria Books Planned Publication Date: January 20, 2026 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 978-1592116898

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

 

About Author R.J. Koreto:

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R.J. Koreto

R.J. Koreto is the author of the Historic Home mystery series, set in modern New York City; the Lady Frances Ffolkes mystery series, set in Edwardian England; and the Alice Roosevelt mystery series, set in turn-of-the-century New York. His short stories have been published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, as well as various anthologies. Most recently, he is the author of “Winter’s Season,” which takes place on the dark streets and glittering ballrooms of Regency-era London.

In his day job, he works as a business and financial journalist. Over the years, he’s been a magazine writer and editor, website manager, PR consultant, book author, and seaman in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Like his heroine, Lady Frances Ffolkes, he’s a graduate of Vassar College.

He and his wife have two grown daughters, and divide their time between Paris and Martha’s Vineyard.

Catch Up With R.J. Koreto:

www.RJKoreto.com Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub Instagram – @rjkoreto Threads – @rjkoreto Facebook – @rjkoreto

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour! Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for R.J. Koreto. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Keeping The Countess By Lille Moore ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: June 24, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, Historical, Romance
Tags: , ,
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Keeping the Countess

by Lille Moore

 

Publication date: June 24th 2025
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

In this first installation of the DAMSELS IN DISGUISE series, a passionate clergyman on a mission to steal an earl’s secrets finds himself captivated by a cunning and courageous countess.

Charismatic curate Jonah Sinclair survived the deadly streets of south London with two well-trained fists and divine intervention. He will let nothing—not his vocation, nor his yearning to find love—stop him from pursuing the criminals who killed his father. When he learns the notorious Earl of Rochford could hold the key to retribution for his family, he seizes on the chance to become tutor to the earl’s young ward. But the only trace of Rochford he discovers at the mysterious Ravenglass Hall is his abandoned countess, a woman whose fierce strength stirs a forbidden temptation.

Faith Trenton, Countess of Rochford, is on the brink of ruin. Betrayed and abandoned by her husband, she disguises herself as a man to defend her estate from an embezzling steward. Jonah’s arrival threatens her carefully constructed masquerade, and despite the irresistible spark between them, she must send him packing, or risk having him expose the dangerous secrets she keeps hidden. But when a succession of attacks threatens everything that Faith has fought to protect, she’s forced to place her trust in Jonah, and pray he won’t unravel the truth, or her heart.

Helping Faith could sabotage Jonah’s mission. Loving her might cost him everything.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Jonah marched out of the tavern, his vexation blinding him to any semblance of the direction where he headed. It did not take long to realize he was absolutely stranded, alone in a country wilderness.

In the disorienting shadows of the soaking evening, a seed of regret at his impulsivity sprouted. As he contemplated swallowing his pride and turning back to the tavern, a preternatural cry sounded on the moor.

The ground shook, heralding a beast rising out of the fog.

Jonah wouldn’t have dared called the creature a horse; that was far too earthly a comparison. It sped toward him as if it had escaped straight from the ninth circle of hell.

Unholy thoughts clouded his brain. Unholier curses tumbled from his lips. He was pleased to discover the passage of time and years of service in Her Majesty’s Church had not scrubbed them from his memory.

The shriek of the wind rose over the roar of approaching hooves. This was the exact reason Jonah avoided Gothic novels like vermin; he preferred interacting with the supernatural in the controlled boundaries of the King James Bible.

Through the sheets of rain, he spotted a slight figure mounted on top of the enormous steed. Was the rider attempting to bring the monster under control? Or did he urge it on, hoping he might flatten a weary traveler to the ground?

A shrill cry sounded from the rider. Was it a warning? An apology? A prayer?

“MOVE OUT OF THE BLEEDING WAY, YOU DAFT FOOL!”

With a screeching whinny, the beast reared up before him, a black wall of menacing horseflesh. As lightning flashed around them, Jonah braced his arms over his head and curled himself into a protective crouch, precisely as the hell-beast tossed its rider from the saddle.

A moment of raw stillness followed.

The rain relented, revealing where the rider lay motionless on the path.

Jonah staggered across the short distance toward the body. With a deep breath and a short prayer, he kneeled down to examine the fallen man.

The crash of two thick skulls meeting each other upended his balance. He slipped on the drenched ground, falling on top of the rider, who protested wildly by snarling in a manner more feral than a quayside cat. The body entwined with his was as scrappy and slim as one. He had to be a young lad.

“Get off of me!”

“I’m trying!” Jonah protested as they tussled in the mud. Muck worked its way beneath the collar he’d starched himself, to make a good impression for the toffs who’d forgotten him. The potential embarrassment he’d face if he ever arrived at his destination burned energy into his limbs.

An instinct he thought he’d long retired kicked in and he rolled, quickly pinning the rider’s shoulders by pressing his own weight into the lad’s chest.

And therein, he discovered a very distinct set of curves that most decidedly did not belong to a young man.

The body beneath him hissed.

Jonah scrambled away and staggered to his feet. With his last remaining ounce of sense, he extended his hand to the rider.

The woman he’d just groped in the darkness.

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About Author Lille Moore:

Lille Moore writes romance with a twist on time-honored tropes and tales. Her first career in public diplomacy and strategic communications took her across five continents and six of the Seven Seas and spurred a lifelong love affair with uncovering new worlds through storytelling. She lives with her spouse in Texas

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Ever Since The Ball By Kate Ellington – Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: June 20, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, historical romance
Tags: , ,
107

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Ever Since The Ball organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 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.

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Ever Since The Ball

By Kate Ellington

 

 

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

Miranda Harlake’s only chance to escape the detestable match her parents are arranging is a sham betrothal to her best friend, Peter, who proposes solely to save her from a loveless marriage. She gratefully accepts, though both know they’ll never wed.

Piqued by her parents’ scheming, Miranda secretly attends a masked ball and dances with a fascinating stranger all night. Upon discovering her partner was the insufferable George Rockford, she tries to forget the romantic evening they shared.

George, lonely despite his popularity and roguish ways, is intrigued by Miranda but she’s apparently immune to his charms.

Miranda must listen to her heart and find courage to be honest with everyone—especially herself—if for once she’s going to fulfill her own dreams.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Miranda fidgeted with her fan as she and Peter made their slow way up the Rockfords’ torchlit drive. Ahead, costumed guests climbed the stairs and disappeared into the elegant manor.

When they at last came to a halt, Peter opened the door and helped Miranda out.

“I’ll meet you inside after I settle the horses,” he said.

Miranda clutched his arm. “No, we’re supposed to go in together.”

“I need to see to the carriage. I forgot about that when I devised this plan.”

“But—”

“You’ll be fine. Arriving alone will give you an even greater air of mystery.”

Not seeing any other option, she reluctantly let go of his sleeve. “Don’t be long.”

“I won’t.” He jumped into the driver’s seat and gave her a wave before driving away.

Miranda hesitated at the foot of the long staircase, debating about whether or not to just step onto the lawn to wait for Peter. But then she realized she was blocking the way for people behind her. Mustering her nerve, she climbed the stairs with the chattering crowd.

Once inside, she looked for a place to wait for Peter. Miranda didn’t want to go too far into the house, as it would be easy to miss each other in the throng. She found an alcove off to the side of the front doors with a window affording a good view of the drive.

Miranda had just turned to look out the window again when she felt someone step into the alcove behind her.

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About Author Kate Ellington:

Kate Ellington grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

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