Wishing Cotton by Elizabeth M. Lawrence
Description:
Throw a penny in a well, wish on a star, find a four-leaf clover... No matter which rituals people follow, none ever seem to work. But what if there were a way to make wishes come true? For best friends Olive Alexander and Blair Adams, a beach holiday provides the perfect opportunity to see if they can find the secret. Could fellow vacationer Peter Keyes hold the key to solving this puzzle? EXCERPT:
Pulling a piece of cotton candy from its cone, Olive rolled it around in her fingers, letting it get sticky and matted. She glowered down at the mess she was making without really seeing it and thought, “All I want is a man who will love me for who I am. Someone I can talk to and laugh with and be friends with. I just wish I could fall in love and know that it was real and true and forever. A man I can grow old with and go exploring with and just . . .”
“Hello.”
Olive jumped about half a foot. The unexpected greeting came from her left, where a man of about thirty sat grinning at her. She was certain he had not been there a minute ago. Even in her funk, she would have noticed the kind, dark brown eyes, expressive eyebrows, and generous lower lip that gave her some rather interesting ideas about potential nibbling. His hair looked almost as though he had been electrocuted, sticking up in all directions in a way that should have been a disaster, but he managed to pull it off somehow. It suited him.
She attempted to regain her composure, but her heart was still hammering in a rather determined manner. “Um . . . Hi.” Brilliant. Someone should give her the Pulitzer.
“So,” her new acquaintance continued in a smooth British accent, “are you having some sort of existential crisis, or are you just not a fan of funfairs in general? You looked quite cross when I sat down.”
“I suppose I did,” she agreed, not really wanting to tell this man that she’d been indulging in a bit of a pity party.
About the author:
Elizabeth M. Lawrence is the author of both contemporary and period romances. Each book incorporates its own unique blend of humor and reverence, the paranormal and the mundane, innocence and insanity. In addition to her novels, Elizabeth serves as Editor-in-Chief for Renaissance Romance Publishing. A lifelong writer and former paralegal, Elizabeth divides her free time between her husband and two sons, her three cats, her collection of cozy murder mysteries, her slight Doctor Who obsession, and her mildly severe caffeine addiction. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Elizabeth now works from her home in Cleveland, Ohio.
Under the Sune by Jude Ourvard
Description
EXCERPT:
It might have been my imagination, but when our eyes met, I felt something stirring inside me. I stared at her, wondering what had just happened, and I could still feel the tingling warmth on my skin. There was something between us, but I didn’t know quite what. Everything felt right, like we were supposed to be together.
Tracey looked away, breaking our connection. “Do you need help with anything?”
“Nope. Everything's ready.” Even though I could have stared at her all night, I didn’t want to ruin the evening. So I turned my attention to our dinner and got the bruschetta and the garlic bread on the table.
“Mmm, it looks delicious, chef.” Tracey laughed. She had quite the spirit, and unlike so many women, she didn’t appear to be complicated. When I placed the shrimp Alfredo linguini on the table, Tracey literally licked her lips. “I think I might join you for dinner every night. It smells so good.”
“I would love that,” I replied. “The company would be nice.”
About the author:Jude lives in Montreal, Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful four year old son, and has spent the last twelve years with her partner, Cedric. French is her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language, English. Besides working full time for a title insurance company and being a mother, Jude has a passion for books, both reading and writing them.
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Peeking Through Wooden Blinds by Jane Reinhart
Description:
Paige Henderson and Joey Novak are planning their wedding. But a devastating and mysterious phone call leads Paige onto a path of self-destruction and into the arms of the wrong man. Her ensuing marriage to Nick Bruska becomes a nightmare and she struggles to regain self-worth. Joey has never forgotten Paige. Will he ever see her again? Only then could they discover the terrible mistake that changed the course of their lives.
EXCERPT:
The invitation list included Bob and Maura, a couple who also grew up with Nick. While Paige was mingling with guests in the living room, Nick and Maura were in the basement playroom watching television. Bob walked downstairs to inform his wife it was time to go. All of a sudden, the irate husband came storming upstairs to confront Paige.
"Do you know what your husband is doing?" Bob screamed.
Paige was dazed and uncertain.
"He is lying on the couch with my wife, and he has his arms wrapped around her!"
While Paige was trying to create a suitable excuse for Nick's behavior, Maura ran upstairs to explain her innocence. After a brief scolding from her husband, she directed her comments to Paige.
"Don't listen to Bob," Maura said. "He has a bad temper. You know Nick and I have been close for a long time, and he wasn't doing anything wrong."
Bob and Maura left while the other guests were still trying to close their mouths.
Paige knew Maura spoke the truth. Nick took all aspects of his personality to the limit, especially his affectionate nature, but she gave him an impending warning.
"NIck," she started, "one day your over-friendless is going to get you into a lot of trouble."
Nick agreed, but didn't absorb her warning.
Insisting that it was "nice to be nice," the sociable husband assured his wife that he knew where to draw the line. For instance, Nick confessed that, once, when a young woman offered him her phone number after an evening of pinball challenge, he declined and told the girl he was married. With a gallant air, he shared the story now to prove his fidelity. Paige reminded him that if he spent hours cavorting with female competitors, he was already straddling the fence. Furthermore, she argued that women on the prowl always checked a man's hand to see if he was sporting a wedding ring. That was something Nick refused to do; explaining that, since he was a tradesman, wearing one presented the dangerous risk of getting the ring caught in machinery. He added that when he retired, he would wear the band of gold with pride.
Trust regained its stronghold, and another obvious wave of the red flag was ignored.
About the author:Jane Reinhart, author and poet, resides in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and three dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and cooking.
They all sound nice, especially on this hot weather...
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