Category: Romance

Year of the Fledgling by Linda Kage

The Book CountessLeave a comment

Year of the Fledgling
Linda Kage
Publication date: July 29th 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Theron, the Eradicator, has one job: to protect the people of Starcast by killing the deadly creatures that attack them. That’s it.

Being an Eradicator comes with a heavy price, however, for he’s strictly prohibited from having any kind of personal contact with the villagers.

But one night, he sneaks into the town’s harvest festival, anyway, and meets the lovely, young healer’s apprentice.

As Theron grows close to her, it becomes harder to tell what’s more dangerous: risking a fatal injury while battling dark ones or risking fatal punishment by beginning a secret dalliance with a forbidden girl.

In either case, doom seems to be the only outcome, and tension mounts as love and danger blur across the reach of this fantastical, seaside landscape.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

She pounded on the thick door as hard and loudly as she could.

When it began to open and she had her first look at his face again—his features a mask of puzzled bewilderment—the terrible pressure in her chest finally released in a flood, and it all seemed to spill right out of her mouth.

“Wha…?” he started to ask.

But the flood had already hit her.

“I am beyond vexed with you,” she seethed, flinging off her hood so he could see the full extent of her rage before she pushed past him to enter the watchtower.

Theron glanced out into the darkening evening as if to make sure she didn’t have anyone else with her, then he shut the door and turned, lifting his eyebrows sternly. “Please tell me you did not walk up here by yourself.”

Ignoring his question, she demanded, “Honestly, how could you do this to me?”

“Are you absolutely mad?” he challenged right back, just as upset as she, and stormed forward. “What were you thinking? If someone had seen you—”

“They would’ve shrugged me off as you! But no one saw me. And I was thinking about how mad I am,” she railed, lifting her chin to meet his swirling, livid gaze.

Theron scoffed. “Yes, I can tell you’re unhappy, but that gives you no right to put your very livelihood at stake to come up here and tell me thus.”

“It’s my livelihood to worry about, and my right to risk it as I please.”

“And you are one of two people left in this entire, bleeding world that I’m allowed to still talk to. So I refuse to let you be so frivolous with your—”

“Argh!” she shrieked, lifting her hands and curling her fingers as if to display her claws at him. “You are so maddening.”

One of his eyebrows arched, then he burst out grinning. “But am I maddening enough for you to want to kiss me senseless again? Please say yes.”

She snorted. “Hardly. You’re certainly maddening enough to make me want to wring your fool neck as hard as I can, though.”

Lifting his chin to put his neck on full display, Theron countered, “Well, take your best shot, little healer-in-training. But first, would you at least tell me what I did wrong this time that made you so mad? A fellow appreciates at least knowing why he’s being strangled.”

Xia sucked in an irate breath. Then her chin trembled. And finally, the tears that she’d been holding back all the way from Norbin’s pig pen came gushing down her cheeks.

“You made me care for you!” she accused, weeping so soundly that her entire body shuddered and she had to cover her mouth with both hands to contain it.

Author Bio:

Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelors in Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.

Now she lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.

Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor…or Hulk (can’t decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.

Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Twitter


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

—

The Rose of Florence by Angela M. Sims

The Book Countess2 Comments

The Rose of Florence
Angela M. Sims
Publication date: March 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Prologue (1460):
Gianetta is born in a farmhouse in Fiesole. Her mother dies in childbirth. The unnamed father is distraught but leaves her in the care of her grandmother and returns home.

The Story (1478):
Gianetta grows up and moves to Florence, where she is in service to a wealthy family of textile merchants – the Rosini. They are friends to and supporters of the powerful Medici clan. In the small, tight-knit group of staff, we meet Eleonora (cook), Luigi (Signor Francesco Rosini’s private assistant), Antonio and Lucia and our hero, Matteo. Gianetta and Matteo are in love and have a happy, peaceful life with the kind and generous Rosini family. They enjoy entertaining at Palazzo Rosini, where the Medici and Botticelli are frequent visitors.

Following the suspected poisoning of Lorenzo de’ Medici and near death of Giuliano de’ Medici, both within the Rosini family home, there is suspicion that there is a traitor in the house and speculation as to who it might be.

In Botticelli’s workshop (where Matteo worked previously), there is discussion about unrest in Florence with rumours in the city that Medici days in power are numbered, and there may be trouble at Easter.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Setting the scene: Matteo is a manservant in Palazzo Rosini, and Cesare Conti is a guest at the family banquet that night, but clearly, they have come across each other before…

Matteo remained behind to make sure that all the guests’ cloaks were hanging neatly and away from the fire, so that they didn’t smell of smoke by the end of the evening. He hadn’t noticed a figure standing quietly behind him until he heard a slight cough. Turning round, he almost bumped straight into Cesare Conti. He had been half expecting this but had hoped to avoid a direct conversation with him.

“Signor Conti,” he said, with a small bow. “Can I help you?”

“Oh, I think you have already helped me enough, don’t you?” The young man’s piercing green eyes looked directly at Matteo. Then, as if the sun had come out, Cesare broke into a beaming smile and put his arm around Matteo.

“I just wanted to thank you…for last week. What a coincidence that you should be passing, just as I was leaving that place.”

“I have to pass it occasionally when I am running errands for Eleonora. What goes on there is no concern of mine, ser.” Matteo was uncomfortable and hoped that was the end of the conversation. He made to move towards the stairs, but Cesare’s grip tightened.

“We are grown men…er…”

“Matteo, ser.”

“We are grown men, Matteo. Women serve a purpose from time to time. Indeed, some are very beautiful, but some of us also have other needs, which must be satisfied. Sadly, the city looks on some of those needs as vices, the “Florentine vice”, I believe some call it.” He shook his head, sadly. “Whatever the rights or wrongs of the situation, I could have been arrested that day. You could have turned me in to the guard, and the life I have now would have been over. But you didn’t, and I wondered why.”

“It’s none of my business, ser. As I said, I pass that place often, and who I see going in or coming out is no concern of mine.”

Cesare raised an eyebrow. “I suspect you hold many secrets, Matteo.” He paused, as if deciding his next words carefully. Then he shone his beaming smile at Matteo. “Thank you, Matteo. Your discretion is noted and appreciated. I…” He paused, “…won’t forget it.” With a last glance, Cesare turned on his heel and bounded up the stairs to the dining room.

Author Bio:

The Rose of Florence is my first novel, borne of a love for the history, art and city of Florence, grown over many years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it.

My background is in healthcare, and I have been a University lecturer since 2010. My writing experience was limited to a Masters dissertation, purely academic, but the research skills I learned during that process were soon put to use in researching my favourite topic, the Italian Renaissance. It didn’t take long before the seeds of a story began to germinate, and The Rose of Florence blossomed.

I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) and the New Writers’ Scheme (NWS) in 2020 and found the encouragement and resources available taught me so much about the process and skills needed to write fiction. I have been lucky enough to have the support of the same NWS reviewer since joining, and her advice and guidance has proven invaluable, and I am now a contender for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2023 for debut authors.

I am also a member of the Society of Authors.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

—

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I love the Italian Renaissance. The historical period is so vivid with its plethora of art, architecture, and literature. And one cannot fail to mention the big names, the larger-than-life artists, bankers, politicians, and religious figures. There’s so much packed into a short era. I was drawn to this book because of those famous names that I have read about over and over in nonfiction, such as the Medici (in Florence, for a time, you could hardly get any bigger than the Medici), and artists like Botticelli just call to me on a personal level. I didn’t know what to expect, but I just loved this book. The history is so rich and alive, woven seamlessly into the fictional bits that make the parts made up seem real and possible. Because I have a historical background, I liked dissecting the history and comparing the events in the book to real instances throughout this dramatic period. I definitely recommend this to history lovers who want a good read, some sweet romance, a great mystery, and lots of beautiful descriptions that do justice to one of the most lovely periods of history.

The Lady of the Mirrored Lake by Jennifer Ivy Walker

The Book Countess4 Comments

THE LADY IN THE MIRRORED LAKE

by Jennifer Ivy Walker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Paranormal Medieval Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Hunted by the Black Widow Queen, Issylte–a healer with the verdant magic of the forest–must flee Avalon with the two finest knights in the Celtic realm, both wrongly accused of treason. The trio travels to Bretagne, where Issylte heals a critically injured wolf and obtains fiercely loyal, shapeshifting allies.

In mystical Brocéliande, Issylte becomes a warrior priestess of the Tribe of Dana and otherworldly mate of the Blue Knight of Cornwall, discovering with Tristan a passion that transcends all bounds. When she becomes the Lady of the Mirrored Lake, sworn to defend the sacred waters of the Goddess, Issylte must undertake a perilous quest to discover what priceless object lies hidden in its murky depths.

As a nascent evil emerges in a fetid cave, Issylte and Tristan must face a diabolical trio that threatens their lives, their love, and their kingdoms.

Enchanted. Enflamed. Entwined. Can their passion and power prevail?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS

Becoming a Warrior Priestess of the Tribe of Dana

“When a new priestess is inducted, a warrior is selected to worship the Goddess within her.” Laudine nodded to Tristan, who rose to his feet, all the while staring expectantly at Issylte, his intense eyes aflame. Issylte’s legs trembled under her gown.  Laudine announced to Issylte, her golden eyes glowing in the firelight, “Tristan will complete the final step in your induction into our Tribe.” 

Holding her gaze with his mesmerizing blue eyes, Tristan strode confidently up to Issylte. The warrior who would welcome her into the Tribe of Dana.  Issylte’s mouth went dry, her legs quivering at his approach.  Power emanated from him, a magnetic aura that beckoned with promise. And made her magic sing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.

Her debut novel, “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven”–the first of a trilogy– is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of “Tristan et Yseult”, interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldly elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

Website:  https://jenniferivywalker.com/

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-by-jennifer-ivy-walker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

Series Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9QFJX94

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly chosen winner.


Enter to win 1 of 2 $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book has a splash of many things I love in a good book: adventure, intrigue, magic, strange creatures, betrayal, and romance. This is book two in a series, and it picks off immediately where the previous ends with Issylte fleeing from the Black Widow Queen. Sprinkled throughout are some Arthurian legends that many of us know and love, which are delightful little additions to the plot that gives it charm. And then there is the developing love between Issylte and Tristain to break up the drama and adventure. Because now and then, you need to be able to live passionately and vicariously through the characters of an immersive book. The language and descriptions are lovely, bright, and vivid, so the book was also quite beautiful to read, plot aside. This is an excellent addition to the fantasy romance genre.

So Comes the Darkness by Arabella Holmes

The Book CountessLeave a comment



Title: So Comes the Darkness
Author: Arabella Holmes
Genre: Dark Monster Romance
Tropes: Erotic Horror/BDSM
Release Date: May 5, 2023


BLURB

Vanessa Evans hates her dad’s new girlfriend, Lisa. She thinks Lisa is evil and longs for the day her father realises what a huge mistake he’s made. When circumstances force Lisa to move into Vanessa’s home, she isn’t prepared for the unimaginable events that follow. Lisa unleashes a secret weapon: her scorching-hot son, Shay.

The moment Vanessa meets him, the attraction between them is undeniable. She tries to fight her feelings but cannot help being drawn to him. When he moves into the bedroom down the hall, Vanessa knows she’s in trouble. How will she cope having him so close?

Soon, Shay begins to pursue her, and it becomes clear he will not rest until she has submitted to his carnal S&M lust. Will Vanessa escape the clutches of her gorgeous house guest? Does she want to? And what will she do when he finally reveals his deep dark secret?

So Comes the Darkness is a standalone monster romance with elements of erotic horror, for those who like their spice on the dark side.

Warning: Contains triggers. Please read the author’s note carefully for further details. For readers over 18 only.







PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





    
TRAILER




AUTHOR BIO

Arabella Holmes grew up in Wandsworth, south London. From a young age she developed a great love of horror films and gothic romances. Her favourite director is Paul Verhoeven and her favourite authors include Charlotte Bronte, Jim Thompson, Mark Edwards and Sarah Waters. Her favourite movie genre is Film Noir and includes classics such as Double Indemnity, Body Heat and Jagged Edge. When she isn’t writing, Arabella enjoys directing short films for the festival circuit and looking after her cat. An avid tea drinker, Arabella can be found hanging out in cosy London cafes in search of new brews to tease her taste buds.




Rating: 3 out of 5.

Vanessa returns from boarding school for a school break and discovers her dad shacked up with frumpy, shady nurse Lisa. The two are in love, which Vanessa rejects because parents aren’t allowed to think about themselves. Granted, Lisa is shady. But, she does have a super hot son, Shay, whom Vanessa instantly likes. Though it doesn’t seem so at first, the two have a mutual attraction. When Lisa and Shay come to live with them, the simmering attraction between them hits a boiling point. Shay is no mere man, after all. He is a monster with a monstrous appetite for blood and BDSM. This doesn’t frighten Vanessa away, and she overcomes her fear of him to fall genuinely in love. And, he loves her too. She only has to navigate her father’s complicated love life as Lisa is more than she seems, as well, and might have some very dangerous designs for her father. So she must save her father, get rid of Lisa, and satiate the sadistic sexual needs of her partner, all which she does. Watching Vanessa and Shay fall in love was sweet and I did enjoy how she handled being both terrified and turned on at the same time. Though, Vanessa is terribly immature. Her maturity level honestly feels like she has to be 14, though she is much older, so at times it felt like a teen girl shacking up with an adult man because that’s how she acted and I had to constantly remind myself that she is an adult. Vanessa wasn’t a terribly sympathetic character because she is very selfish and doesn’t think about her family and friends often, just how she can get what she wants and Shay. The girl has a lot of growing up to do. Once the plot took off, it moved along at a fast pace, and it didn’t drag on unnecessarily. There was a good balance between indulgent sex scenes and plot.

Entwined Within the Darkness by Charley Black

The Book CountessLeave a comment

Entwined Within the Darkness
Within the Darkness Trilogy
Book One 
Charley Black

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Charley Black 
Date of Publication: September 4, 2022
ISBN: 979-8986887708
ASIN:B0BD577QKC
Number of pages: 310
Word Count: 95, 963
Cover Artist: MiblArt

Book Description: 

A wild evening goes demonically wrong…

Patience craves answers. Half a century after appearing on the steps of the witch academy, she was still no closer to recovering her lost memories and identity. Tormented nightly by visions of red eyes and burdened by dreams that, although connected, remain unclear. Patience, to distract herself, decides to defy the rules and enter the vampire club, Moarte, an act strictly forbidden for witches. Never expecting her best friend, Michael, to begin his transition into a full demon, Patience, desperate to save him, binds him to his vampiric lover.

To make matters worse, Lucius, the domineering brother of the vampire, whom Michael is now bound to, harbors a deep resentment for witches and especially for Patience. Even so, they must now work together to find a soul gem that will untether the bond before her best friend completely consumes his brother’s soul. As their unlikely alliance takes form and their attraction grows, Lucius’ presence draws out long-forgotten memories deep from within Patience. He may just be the key to unlocking her past—but will she be able to convince him that he needs her far more than he needs to kill her? Rediscovering her past and how it binds her to Lucius may just prove to be far more dangerous than either of them imagined.

Entwined, the first book in the Within the Darkness Trilogy, will leave readers in suspense. This enemies-to-lovers story will be filled with plenty of action, humor, and steam. So, prepare yourself, as the end of this novel leaves us with a cliffhanger, but not for long! Intended for 18+ readers, stay tuned to find out what lies ahead in this captivating trilogy.

Amazon      BN      Kobo       Google Play       Smashwords  

Excerpt 1:

A tremendous gust of wind came out of nowhere, blowing the umbrella out of her hands. She debated whether she should run the rest of the way home or chase after it when there was a sudden pull at her core in the direction her umbrella went. The sensation was strange, but her legs strode of their own accord toward the umbrella. She would usually fight this kind of enchantment, but her curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to know where it was leading her. It had to be an Allure of Soul’s charm, similar to the one found on the website, except this felt different. The pull was stronger than any charm she had experienced before.

She let the compelling force at her core lead her to the front of the double doors of an old industrial building. It looked like it was a nightclub. Picking up her umbrella, she saw a sign above the doors that read: Moarte.

Interesting. So this is Moarte. Club Death. Typical of vampires to name their club “Death.”

Strange creatures.

Realizing it had stopped raining, she folded up the umbrella. She must have become swept up in the enchantment because of the storm. Magic had a mind of its own sometimes. The weather constantly messed with enchantments, especially with lure charms.

Turning to walk away since the allure had done its job and got her here, she found her feet wouldn’t leave.

“What the hell?” She struggled to leave, thinking it was a fluke. She tried moving toward the door instead of away, and it worked. Then she tried to turn away again. Her feet wouldn’t move forward.

Fighting the enchantment became harder the longer she stood, so she gave in. Stepping up to the doors, she touched the handle. An image flashed through her mind.

It was too quick for her to see. A warm, familiar sensation washed over her, pulling at her memory. It ran through her body, brushing against her soul, then vanished as quickly as it came. She pulled on the door. It wouldn’t budge. She could unlock it, but there was a magical ward, and she didn’t want to risk drawing attention to herself by blasting off the door to a vampire club.

Vampires and witches were still mortal enemies. Even with the law outlawing the killing of witches in place, vampires were to be avoided.

This time, when she turned to leave, nothing stopped her. Her feet moved forward without incident.

Her thoughts traveled in a million different directions.

The first being, what the hell kind of enchantment was that if it wasn’t a lure charm? There were other enchantments that vampires used specifically to lure their victims into their clubs. It shouldn’t have affected her, at least not this strongly. She could blame it on the rain. Another possibility was something else was leading her there.

Following clues to her past wasn’t always easy. She went into many of her leads blind and knowing she would come out with disappointment. She always told herself she had at least had to try. Her instincts were telling her there was a clue in the club.

Walking up the stairs to her apartment, she knew they would go to Moarte tonight.

No… I couldn’t let that happen. She had followed too many clues already. Tonight was going to be about fun and doing something different. Remember: new energy in the air.

Though this differed from her dreams and nightmares, she had never seen a glimpse of memory before or that warm sensation. It never happened when she was awake before.

No, she wouldn’t think about it. Tomorrow was another day. She would chase it tomorrow.

She did this to herself all the time. All it did was add to her stress.

She promised herself she wouldn’t go anywhere near the club tonight


About the Author:

Charley Black is an up-and-coming writer and author who has been creating stories since she was twelve years old. Her early short stories dabbled in different genres, but her passion for romance novels — paranormal romance in particular — always shone through. Charley currently resides in Rhode Island, with her family and works at a local university. Debuting in September, Entwined will be the first of three novels set in the Within the Darkness universe.










a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Undertaking Love by Megan Montgomery

The Book Countess1 Comment

Undertaking Love
Megan Montgomery
Publication date: April 1st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Bethany West upgraded her lucrative career as a sex worker for her dream job as a death worker when she partnered at Smythe & Co. Mortuary. She expected her eco-friendly innovations and death positive attitude to blow the roof off the Victorian-era relic. But that was seven months ago, and during that time, she’s only managed to piss off her embittered business partner, George Smythe, a man dead set on maintaining the status quo and driving Bethany out of his namesake business.

When the pair reluctantly travel together to a mortuary conference in New Orleans—and compete in dueling embalming demonstrations—George finally recognizes the value of Bethany’s business model for the first time. He’s also starting to recognize a growing attraction to his blonde bombshell business partner. Meanwhile, Bethany learns the truth behind George’s cold contempt, and it’s much worse than she thought, stemming not from a single incident, but from the constant on-call status, the compassion fatigue, and the overwhelming stress of the job.

Bethany has 4 days to crack open his tough outer shell to reveal the compassionate man she knows is inside, and she has a plan, but unless George learns to open his heart and lean on her, at the risk of succumbing to their cremation-level attraction in a dangerous way, he’ll jeopardize both the business and their hearts by refusing the true partnership they both need.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Bethany

My body was broken.

I blinked hard to lubricate my eyes, struggling to stay awake behind the wheel. The vent blasted tepid air into my face, trying its damnedest to desiccate my skin and sabotage the efforts of my latest hyaluronic acid injections.

My stomach churned from too much coffee and too little sleep.

A sweat broke out under my arms and boobs.

Great. Now I could smell all that coffee excreting from my pores and ruining my favorite silk blouse.

I glanced at the man in the passenger seat.

George’s pores were looking perfectly dry, as usual. He wouldn’t think of sweating, even from the most strenuous effort.

I’d seen him pull a rotund, decomposing man out of that impossible space between the toilet and the bathtub and plop him on a mortuary cot in an un-air-conditioned, third-floor apartment in the middle of August without breaking a sweat.

The man never had a hair out of place, was never not freshly shaven, and he never forgot to button his suit jacket when he stood, or unbutton it when he sat.

And he was a consummate professional—as long as you didn’t work with him.

And as long as your name wasn’t Bethany West.

I breathed in a lungful of stale air. Even now, in the mortuary van, George managed to smell fresh, yet intensely masculine. The faintest notes of sandalwood and citrus wafted toward me as he fiddled with his ear, pushing his earbud deeper in.

I suspected he wasn’t listening to anything producing actual sound; the earbuds were just a tactic to try to keep me from making “unnecessary” conversation.

I was almost too tired to care.

I stifled a yawn, hoping he wouldn’t catch it.

He did, of course.

I saw the tick of his jaw from the corner of my eye. Glaring at the screen of the laptop balanced on his crossed legs, his flexed fingers hovering over the keyboard, a ballpoint pen clutched in his teeth.

I’d never seen the man smile except for a wince-like approximation of the real thing, and he saved that stingy expression for our clients.

After an entire life spent in the trenches of the funeral business, his handsome face was permanently etched into a show of bland sympathy—except when he scowled in contempt.

That expression was reserved exclusively for me.


Author Bio:

Megan Montgomery writes romance. Sometimes they’re funny. Sometimes they’re morbid, but all her characters have cool jobs. She and her husband, Johnathon Olavarria co-host Forced Proximity podcast, a weekly romance book and movie club.

Her debut novel, Well . . . THAT Was Awkward was inspired by her homesickness for southern Maryland. She now lives halfway across the US on the prairie with her husband, son, and mom.

When she’s not writing, reading, lifting weights, or cooking dinners her son won’t eat, you’ll find her toiling in the garden or brewing potions from her medicinal herbs.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

—

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sometimes you want to read a book that isn’t extensively plot-heavy but is just light and fun. Undertaking Love can fill that void. Former pin-up and OnlyFans star Bethany and jaded-by-love George are co-workers in a funeral home, forced to be equal partners when Bethany purchased a share of the family business from his father. And George begrudgingly accepts her, but it isn’t without heavy doses of loathing, disagreement, and criticism. Except, it’s pretty evident that the two of them are hot for each other because they– at least Bethany– are very candid. When presented with the opportunity to go to New Orleans to attend a professional conference together, things start to heat up as they begin to work together and discover they are more than the caricatures that they made each other out to be. That’s it. That’s the plot. It’s pretty much just them lusting after each other, doubting their feelings, and working out their awkward emotions. It’s very light-hearted and you sincerely want the two of them to get the love that they need from each other. I went along a cute little journey and enjoyed the characters and their blossoming love. It’s a great easy read.

The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker

The Book Countess5 Comments

THE WILD ROSE AND THE SEA RAVEN

by Jennifer Ivy Walker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Paranormal Medievel Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom.

Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or lose everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks.

Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Healing the Wounded Warrior

With all her verdant magic as a forest fairy, the Emerald Princess poured her spirit as a guérisseuse celtique into healing the wounded warrior from Cornwall.

Finally, on the fourth day, when the morning sun glistened in the sparkling waters of the fountain, Tristan’s eyelids fluttered. Issylte leaned over him, his brow cool now that the fever had broken. He opened the brilliant blue eyes that she’d seen in the vision.

As she gazed into them, the earth tilted. Her heart raced; her bearings were lost. In the depths of his eyes, she glimpsed a fountain in a forest. The turquoise waters of the ocean. An underground well encased by sacred stones. She, the forest fairy, was immersed in the blue waters of the warrior’s eyes, the waves emanating from him flowing through her, cleansing her. Beckoning her.

In Tristan’s eyes, Issylte glimpsed a black bird—a sea raven—soaring over an open sea, hovering now before her. A small dove fluttered in her breast, called forth from her soul. White wings unfurled as she took flight, rising into the azure sky alongside the black seabird—-floating together through the diaphanous clouds scattered over the vast ocean.

In the breadth of an instant, Issylte was bound to this warrior, the Blue Knight of Cornwall, as if fate had indeed entwined them. Through the windows of his eyes, she peered into his soul, her own blending with his, as if they were the forest and the ocean, encircled now within the three layers of protective stones, the holy trinity of sacred elements of the Goddess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.

Her debut novel, “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven”–the first of a trilogy– is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of “Tristan et Yseult”, interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldly elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

Website:  https://jenniferivywalker.com/

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-by-jennifer-ivy-walker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

Series Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9QFJX94

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly chosen winner.
Enter to win 1 of 2 $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Set in an Arthurian world, this story has so many of the key features of the historical genre. You have kings and queens, magic, fate, evil intentions, sword fighting, true love, and betrayal. It is based a little loosely on the tale of Tristan and Isolde. Issylte is an Irish princess whose father remarries, and unfortunately for Tristan and Issylte, her stepmother is an evil woman who sees her as a threat to her power and schemes to have her killed. The teen girl is spared and sent to live with a witch where she learns the ways of healing, herbs, and magic. Then, later, to the very Court of Camelot where the young man, Tristin, trains with the Knight of Knights, Sir Lancelot himself. What follows is a lovely and lavish story of love as the two of them are utterly enraptured with each other. Issylte is a strong-willed woman, and Tristin is loyal and dutiful. The two of them just can’t shake the losses and trauma that follow them around, but they do find a beautiful thing in their love for each other. If you like fantasy novels, give this one a try. There’s a lot more “realism” to it than other fantasy novels, though this one is packed with lore and creatures. Ultimately, it is a sweet story of love overcoming pain, and two wounded people finding refuge in each other.

Her Dark Enchantments by Rosalyn Briar

The Book Countess2 Comments

Her Dark Enchantments

by Rosalyn Briar

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance, Fairytale Retelling

The Wicked Fairy. The Mistress of All Evil. The villain of Sleeping Beauty goes by many names, but where did she come from?

Myravelle Spinner grew up in a tower with only spiders, spindles, and stone walls for friends while her mother spun gold for the king. She wondered why her mother refused to teach her fairy magic until one fateful mistake led Myravelle to become the healer in the king’s Sleepy Wood Company.

Drained from years of waking soldiers from a cursed sleep, Myravelle must now choose a new canvas–a man whose life she drains with a dagger to fuel her healing powers. A ritual binds her to Byzarien Dumont, who loathes fairies for the fires that left his family impoverished and his body riddled with scars. His burning hatred causes Myravelle’s enchantments to wilt, leading the king to threaten her mother’s life.

Byzarien can only see Myravelle as a beautiful spider who strings men along her web, while Myravelle considers love a weakness for the king to exploit. With their families in danger and soldiers rotting in a death-like sleep, the pair must learn to trust one another before the dark magic spinning in Myravelle’s soul unravels once and for all.

The Wicked Fairy never asked to become a monster…

Sharp and sexy, Her Dark Enchantments is a deliciously dark romance that will plunge you deep into the fairy woods, proving every villain is the hero of their own story. Majestic with her blades and blood magic, Myravelle is the goth queen I would be proud to serve. Lyrical and richly atmospheric, if you love underdog heroes and sensual slow burns, look no further for your next favourite read.

—Lily Rooke, author of The Dying Light

Amazon * Apple * Kobo * Smashwords * Quill&Crow Publishing

Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

**PreOrder Her Dark Enchantments and you can enter for a chance to win lots of goodies from the author!**

Everyone who enters the giveaway will receive digital copies of both Her Dark & Enchanting Poetry and Her Dark & Enchanting Spellbook. These are lovely companion pieces to the novel.

Head to the author’s website with proof of preorder and ENTER HERE!

Rosalyn Briar is a former teacher, a mother of two fearless daughters, and a wife to her soul mate. She loves reading, traveling, and playing board games. More importantly, she believes in fairy tales. When she is not reading or writing, you might find her playing dress-up or gleaning through the woods for wildflowers with her princesses.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Her Dark Enchantments Swag Box,

$20 Amazon giftcard,

1 winner each!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings, and this one is pretty obvious from the get-go about the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Except, of course, this is a villain origin story. The character of Myravelle is none other than the very Queen of villainy herself, Maleficent. There’s also the slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance between Myravelle and Byzarian to enjoy as he really does hate her and her kind. And Myravelle isn’t a bad soul to start with, which makes her descent into darkness that much more interesting to witness. As Myravelle gradually becomes the evil sorceress of Sleeping Beauty fame, you can’t help but feel sorry for her and wish that fate dealt her a better hand. There’s no happily ever after in the future for her. The writing is beautiful and florid, setting such a magical atmosphere to make the book truly come to life.

Vampires and Violins by CEE BEE

The Book Countess2 Comments

Violins and Vampires
CEE BEE
(Vampires of the Daemonverse, #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: August 25th 202
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Lexa Kozlov must pay her family’s massive debt to the mob… all while raising even more money to save her little sister. The result? Lexa’s trapped in a never-ending (and incredibly illegal) stakeout for the Bratva. She barely has time for sleep, let alone find love.

Enter Caelin Vass, the handsome Scotsman who runs Empire Investments. Caelin offers Lexa a new job with dollars galore, as well as a hot bod (that would be his own) to contemplate every workday. Even so, Lexa isn’t sure she should take the gig. Freaky things keep happening whenever Lexa and Caelin are together. Simply put, the energy between them is magical, sensual, and way overwhelming. Lexa faces a big question: is she leaving her old prison just to enter a worse one… or is Caelin Vass all he seems and more?

***12,000 word novella, previously published on Kindle Vella as Blood Slave***

Vampires of the Daemonverse Series
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Add to Goodreads / Purchase


Author Bio:

Author Christina “CEE BEE” Bauer has sold more than 1M copies across her 45+ epic fantasy books for young adults. She’s recorded (and narrated) eight of her books into audiobooks, as well as led the translation of her novels into four different languages. USA Today has called her work “must-read paranormal fantasy.” Bauer is an autism advocate and quirky loudmouth whose writing style really isn’t for everyone. But if you like stories with complex worlds inhabited by chicks who kick ass and take names, then read on!

Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube / TikTok / LinkedIn


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

We are brought into the novel in medieval times and introduced to a world of vampires and other supernatural creatures living alongside humans in our familiar world. There are two separate threads there to connect: King Caelin and his hope to save the women of his people, and Lexa, who only knows her true identity in dreams, and hasn’t the slightest clue just how important she is. Add to the mix some illegal dealings, billionaires, and dangerous blood mutations, and you have an action-packed story with lots of twists and adventure. Lexa is in a dangerous business, working for a vampire, though she doesn’t believe in such things, and she has made a lot of enemies in her past. Enemies who remember more of her past than she does. I really liked Lexa’s character– she was a boss without being too extra. There’s a fine line. And man was the chemistry between her and Caelin spicy and hot. The more they interacted, the hotter they got, and I was so frustrated to see the tension between them only growing with no resolution. But, I know that such things pay off in the end. So, I am being patient until the next book, which I will certainly be purchasing when it is released. This is part of a trilogy, so don’t expect to have all loose ends tight and clean by the end. This book will leave you wanting more.

Prophecy of a Vampire by Tania Gold

The Book CountessLeave a comment


Prophecy of a Vampire
Tania Gold

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: March 29 2023
ISBN: 978-1509248247
ASIN: ‎ B0BS4JXXSS
Number of pages: 254
Word Count:66572
Cover Artist: Diana Carlile

Tagline: One prophecy, a thirst for blood, and a tangled web of lies…

Book Description:
 
It’s been almost a century since Zachary Philips was turned into a creature of the night. A brooding man with a thirst for freedom and for blood. When he hears of the prophesied Vampire Queen being reborn, he hatches a plan to gain his freedom. Soon, their lives collide and although they are opposites, their sizzling sexual chemistry binds them together.

It doesn’t take too long before Ivy Litt finds herself ensnared by Zachary. She also realizes she can’t stay away from him. If only she knew about the web of lies he was spinning.

Will Zachary’s past and cry for freedom ruin his one chance of happiness, or will Ivy’s thread of humanity change the course of what could be something special?

Amazon      BN      Dymocks     AngusRobertson

 

Excerpt:

“Ivy, there is nothing you can do about it anymore. You might think that what you did was bad, but you protected yourself and it also happened to be in the natural way, for a vampire, that is. Which you are now, so you must learn to understand, and live with the knowledge that this will be a part of your future. You will get angry, you will get thirsty, and that thirst will be to kill whoever stands in your way. In this case, the mutts were advancing on you, and you did the natural thing and retaliated with fangs.”

 I give her another light squeeze, which then turns into my thumb, rubbing circles on her shoulder, just as I have done in the past. I feel her loosen up a little and all the anxiety and distress fleeing her body.



About the Author: 

Growing up with a passion for writing, Tania Gold, a wife and mother of two from Sydney, Australia, has always enjoyed delivering exciting stories to an audience. An avid reader of Fantasy and Romance novels, she had dreamed of creating her own world full of exciting and loveable characters.










a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Zachary believes himself the prophesized Vampire King, fated to bring in a new age with the birth of the Vampire Queen. Naturally, the two are not born at the same age, so it is a waiting game. The problem is, there is a lot Zachary doesn’t know. First, Connor, the Vampire King, insists that it simply is not Zachary. Second, Connor will claim the Vampire Queen– Ivy– when she is born into darkness. The Vampire King and Vampire Queen share strange beginnings as it is said that they will both be born of human parents. There’s not much world-building besides what is necessary for the plot. Like, the origins of vampires are unknown or unstated, as is the method of making vampires since, in most books, all vampires are born to humans because they are human themselves until bit and turned. So I suppose we are to assume that the vampires of this world are all born to each other in their vampire ways. These are also sun-walking vampires, not just creatures of darkness. There are also other supernatural inhabiting the world such as witches and werewolves. The romantic tension between Zachary and Ivy is well-written. The ending is a cliffhanger, so you’ll have to wait for me to see what happens in the dramatic affair of the Vampire King, Prince Zachary, and the Vampire Queen.