UPDATE: The winner is…Toni Whitmire!

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Do you love reunion stories? I do. Especially when the couple faces great odds to get back together. It could be family issues, different backgrounds, or the infamous “We were on a break!” line that Ross kept spouting on Friends, much to Rachel’s chagrin (until the very end). But whatever it is, when two people that have allowed their soul to trust another human being on the deepest level find the courage and the strength to make their way back to that original realization despite genuinely tough times – I’m a mess. A happy, story-fulfilled, blubbering mess.

And with that, I introduce you to Dare and Abby from Real Deep, the second book of my REAL MEN series. These two have been through a lot! Abby’s from Money (with a capital M), Dare isn’t. Yet he’s the only one who’s ever ‘seen’ her. And for his part, no one’s ever been there for Dare before, either. So in the backstory, when they break up, it’s a tragedy.

But there’s something about being stuck on a practically deserted tropical island that strips away the rest and brings out only the gold…

If you like reunion stories, I’m betting you’ll want to take the journey with Dare and Abby, two of my very favourite characters.

And as an added benefit, Real Deep is another exciting installment of the Real Men series. This series introduces readers to the brotherhood of a group of men who have bonded through serving as army reservists in various location. They’re connect to the fictional town of Jack’s Bay in northern Ontario as well as the fictional town of Golden, British Columbia.

Today, I’m giving away one copy of Real Deep to a randomly chosen commenter below! All you need to do is:
Follow me on Amazon and…take your pick of: signing up for my newsletter or following me on the social media of your choice.  Let me know in the comments what you chose. Giveaway ends on Sunday at midnight, so let all your friends know!

See you August 7th, folks! And I should have more information about a new, special, summer of 2017 release!

Real Deep

Real Men #2

Deserted tropical island, hunky male models. Sole female photographer. Everything is on track for Abby Haines to please her sleazy boss and win the make-or-break photography contest of the year so she can prove herself to the wealthy parents who’ve disowned her, keep the career she loves, and oh yeah. Eat.

That is, until the past love of her life shows up. The scumbag.

Part-time solider and handyman extraordinaire Dare Logan gets things done. But life just ratcheted up a few degrees for the guy from the wrong side of the track. If he doesn’t kowtow to the creepy shoot director, he can’t save his fledgling renovation business and take care of his mom and sister. And now he’s got to deal with Abby—the woman who broke his heart, proving that what he could provide for her wasn’t enough. Super.

But when they’re sent on a dangerous trek across the island and fate plays with their deeply-entrenched principles and worse, their hearts, choices will have to be made, and the stakes are no longer simple.

Amazon
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Real Men

A new, small town military romance series. Featuring full-length stories and meet-cutes.
Read the entire series to fall in love with the men of Jack’s Bay!

About Susan

Susan Saxx writes sexy, unexpected, heartwarming romances. Her REAL MEN series focuses on a band of Canadian military reservists and the strong women they fall in love with. Meet the cowboy, the ex-hockey player and more at her website, and join her mailing list for exclusive teaser stories and release updates!

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As I’m writing this blog, I’m not writing my book MONTANA SEAL DADDY. I know, I know. I need to finish it by the end of this week, and I will. But I also need to let you know what’s coming up. Next Tuesday is the rerelease of MACK’S WITNESS.  This book first came out under my Myla Jackson pen name, but it didn’t sell worth a crap because it was really an Elle James book. All about romantic suspense, adventure and military heroes. My Myla Jackson books are usually based around the Ugly Stick Saloon, fun, funny and sexy. Yeah, I confused my readers and they weren’t buying it from Myla. Now that I have the rights back from Samhain, I know you’ll love MACK’S WITNESS. I loved writing this book because I got to put a lot of my trip to Ireland in this story. From running into Irish Gypsies (called Travelers) to staying in a castle bed and breakfast with its sassy proprietress.  I hope to start writing book #3 soon, Ronin’s Return. I’m setting it in Venice, another place I visited and loved.

If you haven’t preordered your copy of MACK’S WITNESS, hurry! It comes out next Tuesday!

Passion leads to danger on the Emerald Isle…

Tired of eating sand and dodging bullets, Marine Captain Mack Magnus is ready to relax and enjoy his brother’s Dublin wedding. A few pints in a quaint Irish pub and the company of a pretty Irish lass, all the better. Instead he winds up getting ordered around by the cousin of the bride. Fed up with her mouthy attitude, he kisses her to shut her up. Now he has a new mission: get into the sexy redhead’s panties.

Busy international model Deirdre Darcy knows the six-foot-four Marine’s type: hit-and-run sex and off to the next port. Fall into bed with an arrogant bastard like Mack? No thanks. When she stumbles upon a couple of Irish gypsies leaving a murder scene, she must go into hiding or become their next victim.

His protective instincts kicking into high gear, Mack whisks Deirdre away to a small town where it’s easier to keep her safe. Except there’s no escape from their growing attraction—or from the one thing neither of them thought they wanted. Love.

Get your copy here!

I’ll be in Orlando when MACK’S WITNESS comes out at the Romance Writers of America National Convention. In fact, I’ll be listening to an Air Force Parajumper talk about how they rescue downed pilots. More fodder for more stories!  And on Wednesday, LOVE & WAR releases! Again, I’ll be busy in workshops and meeting with editors and other authors. It’ll be a busy week in Orlando. I look forward the party Harlequin always has where I’ll be recognized for my 50^th Harlequin book. When I get home on Sunday, I’ll have 2 days to repack and jump on plane to Ottawa, Canada for the Romancing the Capital conference with Eve Langlais. I’ll be there from 2-6 August and then my husband will join me for some sightseeing in Canada until the 15^th. Holy smokes! I’m so excited. I also hope to tour Harlequin’s headquarters in Toronto on that trip.  Watch my FB. I’ll post pictures of my adventures!

UPDATE: The winners are Colleen and Tamara!

* * * * *

Sometimes, I peruse photo sites without any particular purpose in mind. I find photos for projects I’m working on that I think might be used for covers. Then there are photos like the one below that I just can’t resist, because I know there’s a story waiting to be written.

While I go through old blog posts and find winners to contests I have to close out, let’s start a new one!

Tell me a story! Doesn’t have to long. Doesn’t have to be good. Have fun with it! And I’ll choose one winner to get a copy of Two Wild for Teacher, which comes out the 28th of this month!

Hated enemies.  Trapped together.  Fight one another?  Or fight together and maybe survive?  Or maybe die…

Aliyana Montero will do anything to rescue her sister from the ruthless kidnappers who took her from outside the school where she works. Even if that means accepting help from Ram Torres, the most infuriating—and sexy—man Ali has ever met. She and Ram first met on a mission in Afghanistan and they clashed instantly. Ram accused her of being hotheaded and impulsive. She thought he was cold and arrogant. Both refused to acknowledge the heat that flared between them. Now, as her sister’s life hangs in the balance, Ali will have to swallow her pride and once again work with the man who has secretly haunted her dreams.

Read the opening of Trapped…

Sergeant Ali Montero had to admit it—she was worried as hell. She tried to force the snakes roiling around in her belly to stop, but her gut was tight. Worry plagued her as her combat boots thudded down the dirty ply-board floor that was in desperate need of a good sweeping. She knew what was coming: Chief Wyatt Lockwood, the leader of Bravo SEAL team here in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, had requested a private meeting with her. Now, she reluctantly dragged herself toward his office, wishing the reprimand—or whatever he had in mind—was over.

For sure, these meetings were never a good sign. The SEALs she worked with called them “woodshed moments,” meaning you were probably in deep shit and Lockwood was going to let you know it. She’d been with Bravo team for over three months, and now, in June, her number had come up and the shit was probably going to hit the fan.

What had she done wrong? She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out why he’d be calling her, of all people, in for a roasting. Like her fellow SEALs, Ali wore a tan t-shirt and desert camo trousers. Unlike the others, she wore her long black hair back in a ponytail most of the time.

J-bad, in their cramped, one-story brick compound behind the wire, everyone wore a sidearm. They knew their base was a major target for the Taliban, given the SEAL teams’ talent for decimating the enemy. Ali was part of a snatch-and-grab team aimed at killing high-level Taliban commanders or capturing the bastards alive, then handing them over to the CIA for interrogation.

Actually, she suspected she knew what had brought on this meeting. Ever since arriving in J-bad on special assignment to the SEAL team, one guy had put her in his sights: Petty Officer Two, Ram Torres, a Mexican-American born in Nogales, Arizona. For some reason, he seemed to hate her on sight. He’d never accepted her as a part of their all-male team, even after Ali had tried to warm up their frosty relationship. The SEAL would have none of it, constantly turning his back on her efforts to be pleasant.

She wished she could avoid him, but they were a small team and inevitably found themselves thrown together at times they would have preferred never to see each other again. Ever!

Ali slowed down as she approached Lockwood’s office, pausing at his door hanging slightly askew on its hinges. There was nothing perfect about the SEAL group’s housing. The Navy Seabees hadn’t made up this hodge-podge of three-quarter inch ply-board. Rather, the first SEAL units had cobbled it together hastily within the grey cement structure. It wasn’t great carpentry, nor was it an engineering feat to brag about. But it kept them out of the elements and dry, and that was all that mattered.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up and down the quiet passageway. Lockwood had told her to arrive at 0800. To Ali’s relief, the area was empty. She didn’t want her teammates knowing about this—although she was sure word would get back to the guys sooner or later. She knocked firmly on the door, and from the other side, she heard the reply in a heavy Texas drawl, “Mosey on in, Montero.”

LINKS:

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Trapped-Delos-Book-Lindsay-McKenna-ebook/dp/B071NMJT18/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494340722&sr=1-1&keywords=Trapped+by+Lindsay+McKenna

KOBO.com
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/trapped-131

BN.com
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trapped-lindsay-mckenna/1126323626?ean=2940157541019

iBooks/Apple
https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/en-us/details/1232470113?country=us&mediaType=books&term=Trapped+by+Lindsay+McKenna

Most people have their super crush. The waiflike model, the handsome and alluring actor or the cutest member of the boy band who makes you squeal every time he picks up his guitar. They are the stuff dreams are made of…the accidental meeting where they fall instantly, irrevocably in love, whisk us off to their mansion to live happily ever after.

I’m game! Let me just check with my husband first.

There is a lot of good advice on the internet about how to date a supermodel. To bag a female, you need to be yourself. Don’t be scared to ask. Don’t assume she’d stupid. In other words, be bold and natural and the astute beauty will give you a chance. Said husband will be pleased he’s in with a shot.

Unfortunately the news is not so flattering when it comes to pursuing my dream man. The most prevalent advice given is ‘DON’T’. Apparently, dating a man prettier than you are should be avoided at all costs. The reasons? You won’t be able to wear their shirt the morning after…because it won’t fit you. You will get jealous of seeing your super-stud cozying up to other beautiful people for photoshoots or movie scenes, people you will never be able to complete with. And get this. They will go to lots of parties, which they may or may not invite you too—but if you go, be aware you are likely to be the ugly duckling.

Whaaaa? Talk about double standards. Do females—the same ones who understand how a female supermodel will give anyone a chance if they are true to themselves—in the next breath say females won’t cope with a little healthy competition.

I, for one, don’t believe it. And I will not give up on Max Riemelt, just because I can’t fit into his morning after shirt! Cole Langford got his beauty in The Rebound and he wasn’t nearly as nice about it as I would be. So, leave a comment and share the details of your super crush. What would you be willing to give up to get them?

THE REBOUND 

One Night Stand Series

One bite is never enough…

Madison St James’s life was a glittering fairy tale, until her Prince Charming turns out to be Prince Cheating. With the help of a sexy stranger, Madison lets loose her inhibitions for one night of no-holds-barred sex.

It’s hot. It’s sensual. And so real that Madison doesn’t know if she can return to her superficial life, except her mother isn’t going to make her escape easy.

Cole Langford has one of the most powerful names in Maryland, but none of the money and prestige that goes with it. But he knows first-hand about getting knocked down by power-wielding megalomaniacs.

Lately, Cole’s libido’s is MIA, until he finds the very trouble he’s been trying to stay away from in Madison St James. But Madison is like decadent candy, and Cole can’t resist one more bite.

Get your copy here!

About the Author

Toni J Strawn is the author of the super-spicy contemporary One Night Stand novels, which include His Rules, The Rebound and Her Release, with His redemption coming soon. These can be read on their own, or as a trilogy.

Toni loves everything romance. Hot, bad, crazy, out-of-control romance. In the One Night Stand series the characters are set up for ultimate one night stand, before turning it into happily ever after—no matter how much they have been through. Because everyone deserves to find love. Right?

While not locked away in her Romansion—a tiny writing shed at the bottom of the garden—Toni can be found with super-hubby Chris and the kids, or feeding her addiction to reading…you guessed it…romance ©

UPDATE: The winners are: Confused, Brenda Gremli and Michelle!

* * * * *

Today marked the end of my weeklong writer’s retreat with Cynthia D’Alba, Parker Kincade, and my sister, Elle James. 🙁 We’ve had a terrific, productive time! Thanks, ladies, for including me!

I didn’t make huge word counts on anything. But I did make progress on some things I probably wouldn’t have tackled…um, this year…or maybe ever. We’ll see how those “things” pan out.

In the meantime, I hope you noticed that I re-released Four-Gone Conclusion. Yes, I know, we all NEED more cowboy-brothers who love to gang-bang the love of their lives stories, right? I hope I met your kinkiness requirement. There are three more refurbed stories to release.  When I’m done, be sure to let me know if you want more new stories. If you’re silent, I’ll move on to something else you might love. I take requests, you know. Why else am I writing stepbrother SEAL installments?

As I settle back into my office, do my laundry, visit with the kids, I’m gearing up to finish the first of the Montana Bounty Hunters stories. I loved introducing the agency in my two recent Uncharted stories, Big Sky SEAL and Head Over SEAL—same couple featured, by the way! (Love those covers! Thanks, sis!)

I see bounty hunter stories everywhere. I’m like that. I get stuck on a theme, and I can’t let go! Here’s hoping you get stuck on my bounty hunters, too!

And because I’m back home, catching up on mail, laundry, playing with my cat and babies, and getting pruny in the pool, because I’ve missed it so much, I want to run a contest. It’s simple. All you have to do is comment below and tell me what you’re most wanting to see me write. Have fun with it. You can suggest silly things or serious things. I don’t care. I just love your input and our interactions. Have a great weekend! ~ DD

First off, I’d like to thank Delilah for inviting me and all these hot cowboys to join you today.

How many of you love cowboys? What is it that makes rodeo cowboys so attractive to you? Is it their old fashioned values, or their love of animals? Or is it their rugged good looks? How about all of these? In my opinion when you combine these qualities, you have the perfect romance hero.

My contribution to the anthology Catching A Cowboy: Roped into Love is Radio Rose. It’s filled with quirky characters, a small town that needs help and two people who are perfect for each other whether they realize it or not.

Radio Rose knows Martians aren’t real. As a DJ for a late night talk show about aliens, Rose Wasnowski could never admit to being a non-believer. Talking to crazies all night isn’t the perfect job for most people, but she’s happy with her solitary life. Until a middle of the night car crash and a blow to the head has her mistaking a reclusive rodeo cowboy for a real life extra-terrestrial.

Adam Cameron, raised by his narcissistic grandfather for most of his childhood, made his escape from Tullyville, Colorado the day he turned eighteen. He became a rodeo cowboy because he knew it would drive his domineering grandfather crazy. Forced to return ten years late for the reading of his grandfather’s will, he’s about to be pulled into a contest for a vast fortune and the future of a town he’d just as soon forget.

Relationships aren’t one of Rose’s strong points. Hell, she mistook the hot cowboy for an alien the first time they met, but Adam needs help and she’s the woman to help him—maybe.

In a town filled with new-found friends, Rose has to decide how far she’s willing to go to trust the loner.

Excerpt:

Still in shock, Rose shook her head. What a mistake! Glass shards of pain sliced into her brain. She slammed her eyes shut and sucked in a breath.

The alien-repellant helmet slipped to the side, and the being gently lifted it off her head. Pressing it into her hands, he waited for her to open her eyes.

She peeked at her helmet and saw half the lights had burned out. “Damn, piece of shit helmet. This piece of crap is guaranteed for ten years. How am I going to make good on the guarantee if I’m abducted? Answer me that.”
“Are you dizzy?” he asked. “Can you walk?”
As she lifted her gaze to his eyes, firefly sparkles flashed across her vision. She’d forgotten he was there.

I must be out of my mind. Abducted by aliens, and I’m worrying about this piece of junk.

As she tried to answer, the words froze into little clumps of ice and melted back down her throat.

“How many fingers do you see?” he asked, holding up one hand.

“Hold them still so I can count.”

“How many?” he asked again, impatience riding on each word.

It seemed a stupid question for an alien to ask, but now was not the time to question these guys on their mathematical skills. Focusing her eyes, she counted the fingers slowly, twice then told the truth. “Seven.”

“You need to sit down while I try to get you out of here.” He carried her to a vehicle, opened the door and placed her on the seat.

“Don’t take me with you. Please, I’m not a normal human. I wouldn’t make a good specimen,” Rose pleaded as she stuffed her trembling hands between her knees to hide the shaking. “Really, I’ll skew your results.”
She focused her vision and concentrated on his features. Nothing was making sense. He looked like a human, a darn nice one, but her callers had told her aliens could change form at will.

He placed her helmet in her lap. Only a light, here and there, was blinking now. Forty-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents down the drain when she didn’t have money to spare. If she disappeared into outer space to be experimented on money would be the least of her worries.

She didn’t have the energy to fight him when he lifted her legs, put them in the spaceship and dug around until he found the straps to tie her down. He reached across her, belted her in and shut the door. Now she was trapped. Running her fingers over the door, she tried to find the handle. Before she could make her move, she felt the spaceship lifting off.

Here are the blurbs from the other five books in Catching A Cowboy.

The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir- Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl?

Burst of Courage by Deb Julienne- Fixing your own mistakes can be the hardest to correct.

119 Days by RaeAnne Hadley- Divorced for five years, Celeste Howard was happy with her life. The only thing she missed was a man’s touch. Sean Mison fit her ideal of a perfect one-night stand, but what began as a simple stress reliever grew into more than what Celeste signed on for.

Promise Me Eden by D’Ann Lindun- She’s buried in grief. He doesn’t know how to help. Can they find their way back together before it’s too late?

Cowboy in Waiting by Leslie P. Garcia- She’d buried a hero. She wasn’t looking for another. But her cowboy in waiting was far from a hero…

Climb on board for the ride of your life!

Amazon buy link: Catching A Cowboy