This is just a reminder in case you missed it! Book #4 in the Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT series it out! And so far, readers are embracing it! I think you’ll get a kick out if it, but don’t listen to me, read what other readers are saying…

“Chase and Rhonda’s story is as close to the fairy tale as you can get.”

“This book was absolutely fantastic and I was absolutely hooked from the beginning until the end.”

“It’s fast-moving with takedowns, babysitting, break-ins, and a film crew shadowing the bounty hunters. The action is also hot and sexy between the sheets when Chase and Rhonda finally get together…”

“…fast-paced love that will last a lifetime with a passel of kids, hopefully…”

“Chase: He was the perfect addition to the team. He levels them all.”

You’ll love Rhonda and Chase, but you’ll also get a glimpse of a new bounty hunter hero—Cowboy!

That’s it. All I had to say today. I hope you’re all caught up with the bounty hunters… Or get your copy of CHASE here!

Open Contests & Giveaways

1. Vamps do go bump in the night! (FREE Read) — This one’s FREE in KU now!
2. I’ve gone all Apple, almost… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. EMBRACE YOUR GEEKNESS DAY! (FREE READ) — This one’s FREE for everyone!
4. Cindy Tanner: Fear of Failure (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Rhonda Carver: Brothers of Dove Grey (FREE Read & Excerpt) — Download your FREE read!
6. Help me with my summer reading list! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Happy Saturday! (Puzzle-Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Diana Cosby: Nature – The Beauty of Summer Refills My Muse! (Contest) — Win a SIGNED book!

All Cowboy & Charm

What happens at a fertility clinic stays at a fertility clinic…unless there’s an accidental switch-a-roo…

Successful author Melanie Jane decided after a very public divorce that she would prove to the world, especially her critiques, that she didn’t need a man to make her dreams come true. So, she wrote a best seller and used a fertility clinic to get pregnant. An accidental switch-a-roo left Melanie curious…who was the father of her baby?

Coop Dawson was still grieving the loss of his twin brother when some lady showed up at the family ranch and announced that she was pregnant by Cade, impossible since he’d been gone for over a year. Coop didn’t have the patience for scam artists. He told her exactly how he felt then made her hit the road. Yet, after reading a letter from a fertility clinic, he realized she’d been telling the truth. Now he needed to turn things around fast before he lost the chance at knowing Cade’s child.

Sometimes tragedy can bring a family closer…and bring unexpected gifts.

Coop needed to step up for the first time in his life and do the right thing for everyone. He promised his brother in a late-night prayer that he’d take care of the child—but what Coop didn’t realize he was already falling for Melanie and he couldn’t imagine life without her. Will she learn to trust him? Or will he screw up every chance he’d been given?

All Cowboy & Charm (Book 1) PERMA FREE!!  https://books2read.com/allcowboyandcharm

All Cowboy & Rough Rider

Forbidden love with an ex-fiancé’s brother will have townsfolk of Dove Grey talking. But she either went rogue or lost her heart again.

It had been two years since Cade Dawson passed away from leukemia, but his presence remained strong in small town Dove Grey, Texas. Coming home was probably too soon for many folks, but Annika Tinder hoped people could put the rumors and assumptions aside so that she could open her dream spa in her childhood home. She’d grown a lot since she first left—had a thicker skin now, and she’d need it. So what if people thought she had a sex-capade with the sexiest Dawson brother? She was willing to face the fire to get what she wanted.

Cross Dawson had a plan.

He’d steer clear of Annika so that townsfolk wouldn’t target her with their harsh speculations, and he wouldn’t be tempted by those old feelings he thought he’d buried. The task proved harder than he anticipated. He’d lost himself once—twice, three times—with her, but he couldn’t do it again, not when he had to honor his late brother’s memory. That was the respectable thing to do, right? So then why did every path and sign lead back to her?

Will Annika’s desire for an old flame, and new start, keep her in town? Or will she be chased off a second time? The sexy Dawson brothers and their wild romances keep the townsfolk of Dove Grey, Texas talking. From secret babies, forbidden love, to broken hearts…they’ll keep readers talking too.

All Cowboy & Rough Rider (Book 2) https://tinyurl.com/uktvnmra

Excerpt for All Cowboy & Rough Rider…

“Wrong? Nothing. Why?”

She smiled. “I can’t decide if the sour face is because I make you nervous or my food gave you indigestion.”

He dug his spoon into dessert but didn’t feel much up to eating anything more. “The food was delicious.”

“Ah, so I’m making you nervous?” She rolled her tongue along the plump center of her bottom lip.

Yeah, that didn’t help matters in the southern region of his belt. “No. Yes. Hell, I don’t know.”

Her eyes widened and again he couldn’t get past how bright her eyes were. She ran her finger through the condensation on her bottle. “It’s me and I get it.” The higher octave in her tone told him she enjoyed teasing him.

“I just have a lot on my mind I suppose,” he admitted. He couldn’t admit that she was nine-tenths of the trouble occupying his mind. He watched her slender fingers pick up a berry and pop it into her mouth, not taking her eyes off him for one second.

“It’s because I made it clear how I feel. I thought men liked when women were aggressive and made it clear what they wanted.”

“Aggressive?”

“You know, earlier. I feel like we’re denying the truth blasting like a neon sign. We’re sexually attracted to each other.”

Good thing he was sitting because she’d have knocked him right off his boots. He needed to tread carefully down the path where this conversation was headed. He didn’t want to lie to her but telling her the truth could land them both smack dab in a world of distress.

Truth was, they were sexually attracted to each other. But it was more than just a need for sex. He liked her company. He found himself searching for her while he worked, which meant he was behind. Cross didn’t like being behind.

It was mostly her fault. She’d done nothing but flirt with him since he’d started work that morning. He wasn’t the smartest when it came to women and their feminine, magical ways, but there was nothing subtle in the way she looked at him like she wanted to suck the sin right out of his bone marrow. Sucking was always a good thing.

It was a big problem while he was having to keep up with renovations though.

“Annika…”

“Yes, Cross?” She batted her lashes. She wasn’t about to make this easy.

“I didn’t come in here expecting…shit.” He blew out a long, agonizing breath.

“You didn’t come in here expecting shit?” She lifted a brow quizzically.

He’d never had a woman turn him inside out so easily. “Annika—”

“Yes, we’ve established that my name is Annika.” Her wicked smile hit him in his gut.

“My communication stinks, so don’t make this harder than it is already.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Look—”

“Oh no. Any sentence that starts with ‘look’ never ends well.” She plucked a strawberry from her bowl and bit into it.

“I think you’re enjoying this,” he said with meaning.

“You just seem…well, hot. Do you need a fan?”

“No.”

She stood and sashayed over to him, crawling into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Let’s not fight this any longer. I’m all in. How about you?”

God, what was wrong with him? His dick was hard and he was having trouble swallowing. He’d never been this affected by any woman.

“You’re sweating profusely,” she said with a smile.

“I need to say something,” he croaked.

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Things are a bit…hard.”

“Oh? Am I too close?”

“I’m burning up.” He tugged at the neckline of his shirt.

“Fine. Say what you have to say and I’ll listen.” She stood and a frown developed over her sweet mouth.

He stood too, mainly because sitting became too unbearable. Cross wanted to say “screw it”, grab her up into his arms, and whisk her upstairs. Unfortunately, why did he feel like he’d be betraying his family? Betraying Cade? Could he trust Annika? What if he gave in to his feelings and she left again?

Cross stopped near the edge of the flower bed, debating his next words. When he finally had his head in order, he turned and snapped his mouth shut. How the hell had she managed to get near him so fast? She was now only a few feet from him.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“A lot.”

“Are you okay?” She pressed her hand against his forehead. “You’re sweating even more and you feel a little warm.”

“I’m fine.”

“You look a little swollen.” Concern covered her expression.

Why did his throat feel sore and his lips tingle?

He was beginning to believe that maybe he wasn’t okay.

“Cross, are you having an allergic reaction?”

“I’m not having an allergic reaction.” His stomach ached and his skin itched.

“I know a reaction when I see one.”

“I’m okay. I just want to talk to you about…” Then he felt a tingle in his tongue that quickly spread. He saw her squint and then her eyes rounded in shock.

“Are you feeling prickly and flushed?”

“Yes, but we need to talk. I have something I need to get off my chest.” Ah hell. “Why is it so damn hot?”

Small Town Romance

For those who don’t know me, I’m Rhonda Lee Carver. I’m a bestselling author of contemporary western and romantic suspense, but love to write other genres too. I enjoy stories that keep readers laughing, crying, gripping the edge of their seats, and screaming all in one book…like riding a virtual roller coaster. Whether creating sexy cowboys or tough guys, or sassy, independent heroines, readers are sure to find strong, powerful, memorable characters that are relatable.

By day, I tap into my creative, fictional world but at some point, I transition back into reality where I’m a volleyball-stands cheerleader, homework virtuoso (at least, I think so), amateur nurse to skinned knees, a mediocre chef with some awesome microwave skills, pet-guru (all the strays show up at our house), and a Jackie of all trades for my kids who are the loves of my life. Yoga and chocolate keep me sane. Hallmark movies require cuddling up with tissues because I can be emotional. I add a sprinkle of my own real-life adventures in each story I spin because a little truth never hurt anyone. I wouldn’t give up one thing in my crazy, chaotic, ever-amusing life, except, except I might do magic tricks for the bungalow on the beach I’ve had my eye on (GOALS).

Writing for me is like falling in love and finding a new best friend over and over again. My characters will find a place inside your heart too.

On Inspiration…

I’m asked a lot where I get the ideas for stories. Finding ideas has never been a problem. I have a storage bank inside of my head overflowing with storylines. I do, however, find hurdles when I’m creating unique characters. After writing one hundred books, I seem to gravitate toward clone characters. They have similar physical and behavioral traits. So, I’ve had to work to make each one exceptional and relatable. I like to create characters from real-life people. Those who triumph when they could easily give up. Like the man with a disability who walks each day on the highway. I’ll see him pushing his cart or carrying a bag of groceries. Sometimes in the rain. Other times in the sweltering heat. He refuses any help. Also, the homeless man and his dog who I see frequently wandering the streets of a nearby town. He has a story to tell—a tragic story of drug abuse and a childhood marked with neglect. A friend of a friend had passed away from Leukemia. He didn’t have children because of chemotherapy. His wife says that her one regret was not having a child with him while he was well. I have intermingled their true stories with the fictional lives of my characters in The Brothers of Dove Grey, and another story I’m currently working on. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll check out my books. With love, Rhonda Lee.

Connect with Rhonda Lee Carver
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UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
*~*~*

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Tanner/e/B0746RHQ9N

Lately, I have been giving thought to the concept of fear and how that drives my actions. I have been writing stories since elementary school, but it wasn’t until years later that I gave any thought to publishing anything. Even then, the fear of failing was enough to keep me happy writing for me, alone. It wasn’t until my dad passed away that I got the courage to self-publish because things I feared changed drastically with his death. Suddenly, no one enjoying my books wasn’t so scary. If I failed, I could try again. So, I did. I have made many mistakes along the way but have learned from them. I have found readers that love my voice and others that don’t. It’s okay. The sun still rises.

This past year, my definition of what I fear was challenged and changed again. My mother experienced a small electrical fire and came to live with us for several months. She hadn’t been home, and she had been incredibly lucky. Loved ones were lost during quarantine, the distance broke some relationships, and the farm I had grown up on was getting divided and sold. All of this during a pandemic that brings its own worries and frustrations.

Finding the silver lining when the bad news kept piling on wasn’t easy, but I realized how much I feared change. What have I learned? The sun is still going to rise and set whether or not I accept the changes happening around me. I spent a lot of time in the last eighteen months feeling helpless, frustrated, and powerless. Now I see change as a chance for something new, not just an end. There is a tremendous amount of power in accepting change and deciding how to receive it.

In my writing, I have been pushing boundaries. Ideas I had but thought I couldn’t write, I have been writing. Letting go of the expectations I was putting on myself and what I had to write. One of these stories will be part of the upcoming anthology Boys Behaving Badly: Cowboys.

Failure is an opportunity for growth. Change is an opportunity for something new. For the chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card comment and tell me a fear you have managed or would like to. 

Pirates, Puritans, propaganda, and princes—pieces of the puzzle in the whirlwind romance between a beautiful jelly maker and a mysterious castaway.

Up until my thirties, I traveled a great deal, living in many countries with amenities that many would consider below standard. So it wasn’t until I married and settled down in an old farmhouse with an acre of land that I could indulge my fantasy of growing my own food. We planted apple, plum, peach, fig, hazelnut, and cherry trees; gooseberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries; all kinds of vegetables, including an ill-fated attempt to grow artichokes; and finally, lots and lots of herbs. I built a formal herb garden and planted thyme, lovage, rosemary, chives, tarragon, sage, and lemon balm. The one thing I couldn’t get to grow was mint. Yes, the gardeners among you will scoff, but it took me years to get a plot to flourish. When it did, I had to do something or it would take over the entire acre.

So I called upon my sister-in-law, to whom Whirlwind Romance is dedicated. She directed me to an old recipe for mint jelly. Once the mint invasion was under control and I’d mastered the technique, I spent whole summers working up recipes for herb jellies. It was great fun. Despite the fact that I’m not really fond of jelly, they made excellent Christmas gifts.

When I started writing Whirlwind Romance, I thought about what my heroine, Lacey Delahaye, would do for a living. She lives alone in Florida, her one grown son. What could she do? I thought of the innumerable ecosystems in Florida, from pine uplands, to coastal plains, to palm hammocks—all of which are host to many wild fruits, most of which can be made into jelly. Ah hah! She’d be a jelly maker.

For fun, I added the recipes to each chapter. I hope you enjoy them as much as you do Lacey and Armand’s love story.

Whirlwind Romance

In the aftermath of a hurricane, Lacey Delahaye finds herself marooned on an island off the Florida coast with a mysterious man. Before he can confess his identity, they are kidnapped and taken to a tiny island in the western Caribbean. In a story laced with adventure and romance, Lacey encounters pirates, power-mad ideologues, and palace intrigue, not to mention the advances of three men, only one of whom she loves.

One of Lacey’s Recipes: Passionfruit Jelly

Passionfruit is a woody vine with strange, yet beautiful flowers. It grows in humid tropical lowlands. Ripening in the fall, the round fruit about the size of a plum is either golden or dark purple.

Passionfruit Jelly

5 lbs passionfruit for 2 cups juice
2 oz. water

Halve the fruits and scoop out filling. In a blender, quick pulse for a couple of seconds. Strain the juice. Repeat procedure 2-3 times, thinning with water if necessary, until juice is clear.
2 cups juice

1 ¾ cups water
7 ½ cups sugar
6 oz. (2 packets) liquid pectin

Combine juice, water and sugar in a large pot.  Bring to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Add liquid pectin.  Remove from the heat, skim off any foam and pour into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch space between the jelly and rim of the jar. Upend jars and leave 5 minutes, then turn right side up and tighten lids.

Makes 4 pints.

Excerpt from Whirlwind Romance: Slipping Briskly

The full moon shone through the window, illuminating Lacey’s nodding head. Armand touched her cheek. “I think it’s your bedtime.”

Stung, she shot back, “I’m taking care of you, remember?”

He held up a hand. “Sorry! I’d forgotten.” After a moment, he asked, his tone diffident, “Can you help me up?”

Lacey put an arm around his back and together they limped to Crispin’s room. She took his pants and shirt off and folded them neatly. As she turned to leave, he touched her arm. “Stay a minute?”

How could she admit she had to get out of there quickly or she wouldn’t be able to go at all? His handsome face—the strong chin covered with stubble, the pearly teeth contrasting with his tan skin, not to mention the long, graceful fingers he held out to her—all conspired to lure her closer. Her heart led the way, propelling her to his side. She sat down. “What is it?”

“Lacey…um.”

Her body tensed as desire fought to get out, and she fought just as hard to keep it in. I have to go. I have to…go. “What?”

His words came out in a rush. “Lacey, the other day—the first night—when you rescued me. When we…we…”

Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Christ.

“I…uh…want you to know I don’t do that on a regular basis.”

His air of shy ambivalence gave her courage. “I see. You don’t have sex on a regular basis?”

“No, no, it’s not that.” He stopped, flustered. “Er, I mean… I don’t sleep with women indiscriminately.”

Should she let him off the hook? Nah. “But you do sleep with a lot of women?”

“No! Lacey, you’re being difficult on purpose. I meant, that I didn’t mean to…you know. It just happened. Forgive me?”

“I—”

Armand interrupted her. “Not that it wasn’t enjoyable.” He seemed distracted, running a finger down her arm. “Wonderful. Fantastic. Too short.” He peered at her. “Lacey, you must know how beautiful you are. You have the most perfect cheekbones I’ve ever seen.”

“Cheekbones?” What the hell is he talking about?

“I’m an amateur photographer. Those cheekbones could belong to a supermodel. Perfectly sculpted. And your nose…” He tapped the tip. “A little pixie nose. It even turns up slightly. Your long, fine hair is the russet-gold of burnished copper pots I once saw piled high in a shop on Martinique. Your eyes…” He closed his. “Your eyes are the blue-green of a freshly mowed cricket field, of the emeralds that grow deep in the mountains, of the lagoon near my home on a blustery day.” He touched her hand. “Then there’s your body—as I remember it—a soft, comfortable, pillowy—”

“Hey!” Lacey shook her head to break the spell. “I think you’ve said enough. Get some sleep.”

She tried to rise, but he slipped his arms around her and drew her close. She wanted to struggle. She tried to struggle. It was no use. The long kiss filled her with a warmth that matched a fire on a cold night, a cup of cocoa, or a hot bath. When he lay back, the warmth turned to blazing passion. The power of it frightened her. I’ve got to go. She ran out of the room before he could stop her.

Buy links:
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About the Author

Librarian, anthropologist, Congressional aide, speechwriter—M. S. Spencer has traveled the globe. She has published fourteen romantic suspense or murder mystery novels, with two more on the way. She has two fabulous grown children and an incredible granddaughter. She divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Social Media Links:

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UPDATE: The winners are…Michelle, Arlene Miklovic, and Courtney Kinder!
*~*~*

The Montana Bounty Hunters series located in Bear Lodge is complete. I am four books into the spinoff series, Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT,and I’m working on #5. I loved writing the original series, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in writing many more of these heavy-duty, gritty guys in the near future. Have you seen the cover for Cowboy, which will release in October, if not sooner? Yeah. Some of the guys you love from the original series will continue to pop up here and there in Dead Horse—after all, they all work for Fetch Winter. Someday, he’ll get his happy-ever-after, too!

Cochise

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

Former Marine “Wolf” Patterson is working with a team of MBH bounty hunters in the densely forested Kootenai Forest to bring in one Reese Tobin, a man wanted for arson, who escaped from jail just before his trial. When Wolf catches up to him, Tobin draws a gun, telling Wolf he can’t return to lock-up or he’s a dead man. Just as one of his teammates is about to lunge toward Tobin to take him down, a shot rings out, and Reese is dead.

Former Army Military Police Officer, now Deputy, Meg Henry, was the officer who arrested Tobin, and nothing about that night sat right since. After hearing he was killed, she heads to Kootenai, hoping to talk to the men who were with him last, hoping Tobin told them something that might help her figure out the mystery surrounding him. Because handsome bounty hunter, Wolf, was the last to talk to Tobin, Meg offers Wolf a ride back to the sheriff’s department. They barely begin their conversation when they find themselves running for their lives. Meg doesn’t know who to trust, but she instinctively trusts the tall, intensely attractive Wolf. Together, they work to unravel the mystery while staying one step ahead of someone who wants them both dead.

Contest

Are you all caught up reading the Montana Bounty Hunters?

For a chance to win a download of one of the stories you may have missed
(I’ll pick three winners!), tell me this:
Where else, other than Montana, would you like a Bounty Hunter book set?

Here are all the Bear Lodge Montana Bounty Hunters!

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Bear Lodge, MT
Authentic Men… Real Adventures…
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Dagger: https://amzn.to/2zo6Dav
Reaper’s Ride: https://amzn.to/2KKkisI
Cochise: https://amzn.to/2zq4avV
Hook: https://amzn.to/2UrpyYh
Wolf: https://amzn.to/2yUTjr5
Animal: https://amzn.to/2H4Roob
Big Sky Wedding: https://amzn.to/33GprwK
Quincy: https://amzn.to/2QlleM8
Brian: https://amzn.to/2ZV8m2G

Excerpt from Wolf

Once she arrived home, Meg checked her windows and the locks on every door. Not that she was paranoid, but given what she’d been through, she wasn’t going to be careless. Plus, her house was isolated and five minutes from Amity. While most days, she liked the fact she had no neighbors close by, times like this kept her on edge. When she finished her rounds, she showered and changed, keeping her service pistol always within reach.

She’d hoped standing under the hot spray would relax her, but when she’d dressed again, this time in jeans and a soft tee, she felt restless, so she made herself a cup of coffee and carried her laptop into the living room. With it resting on her lap, she thought maybe she should write her mom a short email, just to tell her she was okay and thinking about her. Instead, she paused, her fingers hovering over the keys.

She opened her browser and typed in a search, inputting the address of the warehouse, and then hit enter.

The first item in the list that appeared was a link to an article in the local newspaper about the fire and Reese Tobin’s arrest. She read the article, but there was nothing there she didn’t already know.

She hit the back key and began searching the other items in the list. She came to one that listed the owner of the warehouse, Bear Claw Industries. She clicked on the blue, underlined company name, and that link took her to an ad in the yellow pages. Bear Claw Industries was a shipping company and a sole proprietor company owned by “Red” Barton, a state congressman.

Not sure where this was leading, if anywhere at all, she typed in “Red Barton, Amity MT”. The list included articles, and one by one she immersed herself in the congressman’s history.

Red Barton was a member of the Methodist church, had a pretty wife, had run for mayor and lost, but won when he ran unopposed for the state congress. He was a supporter of states’ rights and the second amendment. And he’d gotten some flack in the editorial section of the newspaper over the fact he’d spoken at a gathering for a local militia, where he’d given a speech about gun rights and the limited sovereignty of the government. Another link led her to a description of the rest of the agenda for that meeting and a list of those who’d attended. When she read the names, a sick feeling lodged in the pit of her stomach. Reese Tobin and Bennie Jacobs had both been there. They had both been members of the Free Montana Militia.

There was the connection. She quickly scanned the other names, and thankfully, found no deputies among them, but she didn’t know the rest of the men. She sent the agenda with the list of names to her printer, and then remembered her coffee, which had cooled.

She set aside her laptop and bent toward the coffee table to pick up her cup when the silence was disturbed by glass shattering and the dull thud of something hitting the wall behind her.

Meg threw herself to the floor, reached onto the coffee table for her service Glock, and crawled toward the kitchen. There she slid upward to the junction box and turned off the electricity.

Darkness fell around her, and she suddenly realized she’d left her cellphone on her dresser in her bedroom. She was on her own.

In the distance, she heard the deep, rattling hum of a motorcycle engine, but she was more concerned about any sounds she could detect nearer, like the rattling of a doorknob or the shattering of more glass should an intruder try to get inside.

Well, she wasn’t sitting there waiting for trouble. No matter how hard it was to keep her breaths even.

With her weapon held in front of her, she moved out of the kitchen and back toward the living room. She had to be sure that what she’d heard had been a gunshot. Crouching low, she moved toward the window across from the sofa and nudged aside the sheer panel. In the moonlight, she could see the tear in the fabric and noted the round, splintered circle in the glass.

She had to make the call. Alert the sheriff. Then warn Wolf that someone wasn’t leaving them alone. As she moved toward the hallway, a whoosh sounded, like the slide of a window moving upward. But she’d locked them all, hadn’t she? Swallowing hard, she moved toward the sound. It had come from her bedroom.

With her heart pounding in her chest, she felt that rush she always had in combat, when everything around her slowed down and her mind focused on the mission, the goal—the intruder in her house. She set her back to the hallway wall and moved slowly sideways, listening for footsteps, the creak of a floorboard. But there was only silence.

Beside the door, she drew a slow, quiet breath, drew her courage around her like a cloak, and moved inside, again, keeping her back to the wall. She crouched beside the dresser and glanced toward the window. The curtain billowed inward on a gust of wind.

The shadows inside the room were hard to distinguish, but then she saw a movement. One large dark shape moving from beside the window. She held still, not breathing, until the large frame passed her. Then she rose, coming up behind the man who stood in the doorframe, his head cocked.

She pressed the muzzle of her weapon against his ribs.

“Meg.”

At his whisper, she drew a sharper breath. “Wolf?” She held her weapon away and leaned against his back as she struggled not to shiver. “What are you doing here?” she whispered harshly.

“Let’s not talk about it now. Two men, I think the same ones who disabled your car, are right outside your house.”

Hi everyone, my name is Kennedi Darling and I write contemporary MC Romance. I live in sunny Arizona with my wonderful husband of almost 14 years, our two boys, aged eight and four years, a super laid-back dog named Roxie, an ornery turtle named Gloria, and two fish that have lived forever, yet remain unnamed. I spend my days as a full-time stay-at-home mom to my boys, as well as a full-time caregiver to my ten-month-old niece. My nights are a different story. I use the little free time I have to research, plot, and write.

My journey as an author started a little less than a year ago, though I have always enjoyed writing. I woke up from a dream, and in that dream, I’d written a book. At the time I didn’t have any idea what the book was about, nor could I remember any other details of the dream. For the next few days, every time I slept, I’d awaken with another piece of the puzzle, until one day a week later, I had the whole picture.

I’d dreamed of a series and the characters within it. From that very moment on, it was as if an entire world developed before my eyes. My characters started coming forward, slipping details to me like a love note written in class. Their names and what they did, all formed this brilliant image in my mind’s eye until I couldn’t think of anything else.

I started carrying a notebook with me wherever I went because I never knew when one of these characters would breathe life into their existence and leave me scrambling to jot down what they told me.

Honestly, when I sat down to begin writing, my husband thought I was nuts. “You’re going to do what now?” he said to me. “A book, like for other people to read?” I understood his confusion. Never in our sixteen years together had I ever mentioned wanting to write a book and now, all of a sudden, I was embarking on this journey I dove into headfirst. Well, I set out to write something that I thought people would love and relate to and be able to feel with every fiber of their being, and I hope I’ve done just that.

I’d always had a love for books. There’s just something peaceful and utterly amazing about the ability to bring something to life with one’s mind. I am absolutely thrilled to share my first book with everyone, and I hope you’ll take a chance on me.

If you’ve ever read the MC romance genre before, you’ve probably heard of the SAA (sergeant at arms) position and what it entails. For those that haven’t, the SAA’s job is to maintain the security of the club. That includes the members, their families, and all their property. My debut novel features a decorated former Army Ranger who now holds the SAA seat at the officer’s table for the Tattered Souls MC.

Follow Dagger’s journey along an emotional rollercoaster, battling a loss he wasn’t prepared for, treading water in a sea of misconception, and finally getting his hard-earned HEA. This book of trials, heartache, and undying love will leave you with a book hangover of epic proportions, but don’t worry. More is to come from the TSMC.

Dagger

Sienna:
I promised him forever, only one mistake became never.
My body was no longer my lover’s temple, but a madman’s canvas.
Instead of quivering with pleasure, I shuddered in pain.
Now I’m back, a shell of a woman with a shattered mind and a tattered soul.
There’s no way Dagger would see me for the woman I was.
And the loneliness is going to kill me.

Dagger:
I promised her forever, only one call became never.
Dreams of the future were no longer peaceful, but shattered by nightmares.
The woman who held the key to my soul was gone, though I never moved on.
Now she’s back, though tattered and broken.
She’ll never believe she still owns my heart.
But I’m determined to avenge her.

Dagger is the first book in the Tattered Souls MC. This story includes a HEA, no cliffhanger, and no cheating.

Adult Content Warning: This book contains explicit language, sexual scenes, and violence.

**Trigger Warnings**
This book contains instances of past torture, the recounting of past mental and physical abuse, as well as an instance of suicidal thoughts and a stopped attempt. If any of these subjects affect you negatively, this book may not be suitable for you.

Book Link:
Dagger (Tattered Souls MC: Book 1) is available on KU and on Amazon here:
https://mybook.to/DaggerTSMC

My Links

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I know we’ve all had that one crush in high school. That guy/girl that looked right through you, while you scribbled their name in your notebook. Fantasized about them day and night. And watch from afar as they date other people, wishing it were you. It’s a major blow to your self-esteem and you even find yourself wondering what’s wrong with you? Why doesn’t he/she see me? Well, in my current release, Zoe has just about had it with Rafe Montgomery. Waiting for him to notice her. Waiting for him to make the first move. This is the twenty-first century, right? Women don’t sit around hoping a guy will toss them a crumb. Not anymore. We go after what we want. The question is, will Rafe take what Zoe’s offering or will she be left to nurse a broken heart?

Rafe: A Men of Silverlake Novella

This year is sure to be her hottest Christmas yet…

Rafe Montgomery has one goal. Get the hell out of Silverlake before the annual Christmas bash. Everyone in town shows up to celebrate the festive holiday, including Zoe VanBurn. Rafe has fantasized about the cute brunette one too many times. But there’s a very clear hands-off vibe—thanks to Zoe’s big brother Ace. Still, the innocent smiles and teasing remarks she tosses his way are getting harder to ignore. Escaping to sunny Florida is Rafe’s only hope. So when Zoe shows up on the beach wearing a sexy red bikini, Rafe goes down like a sinking ship. Having Zoe in the tropical paradise away from big brother’s watchful eye? Yeah, that’s sure to spell trouble.

A twenty-four-year-old virgin and in love with a man who looks right through her. That’s Zoe VanBurn’s reality. In high school, she sat back and watched as Rafe flirted with other girls. Still, Zoe has kept hope alive because deep down she knows that Rafe belongs to her. They aren’t in high school anymore and Zoe isn’t the same shy girl she used to be. He might be running scared, but Zoe knows exactly what she wants for Christmas…and she’ll use every trick in the book to get him!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B095T2QYYK/

About the Author

Bestselling author Anne Rainey, “wastes no time getting right to the erotic heart” (Publishers Weekly). She is published by Kensington and Entangled Publishing. Her books have won numerous awards and have been translated into Italian and German. In addition, Anne has dipped her toes into self-publishing with her exciting paranormal series: The Zenarians. Anne is from the Midwest and has had a variety of odd careers, including sales associate, nail technician, chiropractic assistant, and restaurant hostess. Her love of books has opened her up to a thrilling career as a romance author. Her stories are filled with passion, love, and the sometimes-exasperating bonds of family.

Find Anne:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annerainey
Rainey’s Readers Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/785284435328066/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annerainey49/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annerainey15
Website: https://www.annerainey.com/ –download the first chapter *free* of all my books!

Happy reading,
Anne Rainey