Blog Tour Review - - Enter the Nightmare

Enter the Nightmare

by Jayne Ann Krentz

writing as Jayne Castle

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 30, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Alice Radstone should have known not to return. Her life before the Hotel of Dreams had been one of a perfectly cloistered teacher at the Ballantine Academy. When the death of her mentor forced her out, she was left to reinvent herself in the big city. Since then, things have not gone well. Ten months ago, after her first trip to the hotel, she woke up in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane and was informed that she had murdered her husband on their wedding night. She has no memory of the husband or the wedding, but after she escapes from the asylum, one thing is certain: She is never going back.

Unfortunately, Alice’s second reinvented life is also deteriorating rapidly, which is why she finds herself once more at the Hotel of Dreams—this time hiding in the shadows of her room with a dead body in the shower and two men wearing masks creeping toward the bed to kidnap her. Again.

When the enigmatic and decidedly dangerous Owen March shows up and claims he’s there to rescue her, she has no choice but to accept his offer—and hope that he doesn’t also intend to kidnap her.

With Alice and now Owen in the killer’s sights, time is running out. They must trust each other and the electric passion between them if they are to make it out of this hotel alive.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jayne Ann Krentz's imagination is a strange and wondrous place to visit. This newest novel set in her fictional, futuristic world of Harmony threw me into the action from the first few pages and kept me on the the edge of my seat until the final sentence. 

Krentz has the ability to create a psychic paranormal world that, while I know is completely fictional, feels believable and real. She immerses me into the various setting of Harmony, making me feel as if I am actually walking the dark and misty streets of the Shadow Zone, overdosing on the glitz and glamour of the Illusion Town casinos, outrunning bad guys through the psy-rich tunnels of the Underground, and racing against time in the hotel where Alice's life first went off the rails and now is in danger of ending.

Interspersed among the action, danger, and suspense of this book is Krentz's trademark humor, sarcastic wit, snappy banter, and romance. It made me gasp on one page and sigh on the next while feeling like I was experiencing every emotion right along with Owen and Alice. 

Of course, a Harmony novel would not be complete without a mischievous dust bunny and Sebastian more than lives up to the DB standard set by his predecessors from earlier books. I adored him!

Don't be intimidated by the fact that this is the eighteenth book set on Harmony. Every book stands on its own and Krentz includes a brief Harmony history in each book that brings new readers up to date. Readers new to Harmony will be fine jumping in with Enter the Nightmare or at any point along the way. 

~~~~~~~~

Jayne Castle, the author of People in Glass Houses, Sweetwater and the Witch, Guild Boss, Illusion Town, Siren's Call, The Hot Zone, Deception Cove, and more, is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She writes contemporary romantic suspense novels under the Krentz name, as well as historical novels under the pseudonym Amanda Quick. Photo credit: Chandra Wicke Photography

~~~~~~~~~~

ENTER THE NIGHTMARE EXCERPT

 

The thing you had to remember about the Hotel of Dreams was that the nightmares were real.

I ought to know, Alice thought. This was the second time she had checked in. The first occasion had been her wedding night. The following morning, she had awakened in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane and been informed that she had murdered her husband.

The amenities and the service had not improved. Tonight she was hiding in the bathroom of Room 205, a flamer in one hand, a sleeked-out, poised-to-attack dust bunny crouched at her feet, and a dead man in the shower behind her.

She watched through the crack in the partially open door as a figure in a medical mask crept toward the bed.

She had only herself to blame. She had not simply reached for the bait that had been dangled in front of her-she had lunged for it. In doing so, she had violated Core Principle Number One of the Ballantine Method for Achieving the Harmonic Life: Do not mistake impulse for true intuition.

She stayed very still in the deep shadows and tried to will away the shivers. Shivering was not good, because she was clutching a flamer. It was set to stun, but she had only rezzed it a couple of times and her aim was still problematic due to lack of practice. Setting the bed on fire by accident would not be helpful.

She did not like having to resort to the weapon-it went against all her training-but she had learned the hard way that a woman alone in the world had to take personal security into her own hands. It was either the flamer or the dark side of her talent.

There were significant reasons not to go full-rez with her psychic senses for the purpose of self-defense. The results of using the negative side of her talent could be unpredictable. She did not want to take the risk of sending a potential informant into a waking coma. It would make it difficult or even impossible to get the answers she desperately needed. Besides, she hated having to brush up against someone else's dreamlight for even the few seconds it took to unlock the nightmares. She had enough bad dreams of her own.

And then there was the inconvenience of having to spend who knew how many hours in the demanding mental and physical practices needed to restore her inner harmonic balance. She did not have the time to spare. She was too busy trying to survive. Priorities.

The shivering was caused by adrenaline, not panic, she decided, opting for positive self-talk. She had been doing a lot of positive self-talk in the past ten months. But what if returning to the opening scene of her own personal nightmare was causing her to lose control? What if she was hallucinating? Undergoing a psychic break? Maybe she was imagining the dead man in the shower and the figure stalking toward the bed.

Sebastian pressed against her lower leg and looked up at her, all four eyes-the baby blues and the amber pair he used for hunting-wide open. It was as if he knew she was questioning what they were both seeing in the other room.

She wasn't imagining things. The dust bunny was ready to roll in hot. Now that he was not fluffed up and looking like a large wad of dryer lint, you could see all six paws and his sharp little teeth. He had even left his beloved sunglasses on the floor of the bathroom in preparation for battle. As far as he was concerned, the danger was real. That was good enough for her. Reassured, she tightened her grip on the flamer.

The masked figure reached the bed and looked down at the bundled shape beneath the quilt. In a horrifyingly swift, efficient motion, he yanked back the covers. He raised his other hand in preparation for plunging a small weapon of some kind into what he assumed was a sleeping woman.

Moonlight sparked briefly on the syringe. At least it wasn't a knife. Maybe murder wasn't the goal. Of course, you could kill a person quite easily with the injection of a lethal drug. Nevertheless, it was starting to look like someone wanted to abduct her-not kill her-again.

 

She jerked open the bathroom door, clutched the flamer in both hands, and tried for a firm, authoritative voice. Attitude was crucial in situations like this. She could not let the incipient panic show.

"Stop or I'll fire," she said.

 

Excerpted from Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle Copyright © 2026 by Jayne Castle. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Tour Review - - Archangel's Eternity

Archangel's Eternity

by Nalini Singh

Guild Hunter - Book 18

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Reviewed by Nancy 

 A thousand years.  

It’s been a millennium since Elena’s fateful first meeting with Archangel Raphael. She has survived war and loss, experienced beauty and cruelty. But no matter what, she has always held on to her mortal heart, as she and Raphael have held on to each other. Passionate and vibrant, they’ve built a life that has stood the test of time, growing ever stronger with each turn of the sun.

But change is coming—of a magnitude they could have never imagined—and it will forever alter the trajectory of their existence. 

Even as they grapple with the cataclysmic shift in their personal lives, the Cadre of Ten, which has maintained a hard-won peace for centuries, begins to simmer with dangerous fault lines. The specter of madness looms in one archangel, the promise of war burns between two others, and in darkness far from mortal and immortal eyes stirs an ancient, slumbering power.

Suddenly, the future is terrifyingly uncertain . . . at the very moment that Elena and her archangel need to protect a treasure infinitely more precious than eternity.

 

Nancy’s Thoughts: 

Nalini Singh has announced that Archangel’s Eternity is the final book in her long-running, popular Guild Hunter series. Her letter to readers at the end confirms this, as does the structure of the book. It is very much a farewell to the series world and its characters, and it reads like a book written for fans, not as one designed to attract new readers. 

The focus of this book is the characters and their relationships, especially Elena and Raphael. The theme is the importance of family, both blood-linked and found. Unlike the other books in this series, there is no overarching, threatening plot. There’s not much adventurous action and little about the politics of the Cadre, the group of archangels who rule the world. 

Readers who love the action and adventure that were such a part of this series may miss that and thus may find the pace a little slow. Others may find that focusing on the relationships and character interactions is a fair trade-off. 

Writing a detailed review of Archangel’s Eternity  would require spoiling something that has been carefully kept close by Singh and by Berkley. Rather than do that, I’ll just say that characters we haven’t seen lately—some of them, not in a very long time—reappear and have a moment with Elena and Raphael. I didn’t remember who some of them were, which isn’t surprising with a series this long, but the text includes reminders. It’s likely that some of those I didn’t recall are favorites of other readers, who will enjoy those bits all the more for having a deeper appreciation of the relationships. 

As the blurb promises, Elena and Raphael’s life is about to change, and that change runs through the story. It’s also the reason for many of the reunions in the book. 

Singh has always written emotion beautifully, and this book is no exception. I don’t generally cry at books or movies, but I got a little choked up several times and had to blink back tears at one reunion. 

Archangel’s Eternity is a moving and fitting end to this series. While reading the last of something I’ve enjoyed is bittersweet, I applaud Singh for closing the series on a high note rather than keeping it going past its prime. 

If you’re a fan of the Guild Hunter series, you’ll love this book. If you’re not already a fan, go back and read from the beginning, Angels’ Blood. You won’t be disappointed.

 

~ Nancy

 

 

Blog Tour Review - - This Book Made Me Think of You

***********UPDATED 5 February 2026***********

This Book Made Me Think of You

by Libby Page

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 3, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago....

When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own.

PJ's Thoughts:

What a lovely, tender, transformative story. As one who knows first hand how difficult the first year following the death of a loved one can be, I started this book with mixed feelings. Would it be weighted down by unimaginable grief? Would it be a total sob fest? Or, would it be a gradual awakening, a reminder of love that never leaves the heart but the realization that the living heart goes on beating. 

With the help of her late husband's gift, the thoughtful bookseller who is waging his own battle with grief, twelve carefully curated books, and twelve beautifully and lovingly written letters from her late husband, Tilly slowly begins to reimagine her future. Her emotional journey resonated deeply with me. Page does a superb job of laying it out, with realistic stops and starts along the way. I wanted to wrap her in a warm hug while also encouraging her to venture out of her small, but understandable, comfort zone. I loved the part books play in her transformation, how each month's selection, and each visit to Alfie's bookshop, seem to bring her exactly what she needs to move one more step forward. 

Alfie is a true beta hero: thoughtful, caring, dealing with his own loss, and unaware of the lasting impact he has on his customers, family, friends...and Tilly. I wanted to hug him too. He puts himself last - always - and I so wanted someone to put him first. He deserves healing. He deserves love. And, he deserves to live life - the life he chooses - to the fullest. Page skillfully guides him through the various stages of his journey and I couldn't help but cheer him on the entire way. 

If you enjoy tender, transformative stories about starting over, reclaiming joy, and moving forward with the healing help of loving letters, thoughtfully selected books, new friends, family, and an endearing bookseller and grieving widow who may not be perfect but could be perfect for one another, give This Book Made Me Think of You a try. I highly recommend it. 

Have books ever helped you through a difficult time in your life? 

Do you have a favorite bookshop that lifts your spirits each time you visit?

What are you currently reading?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 8 will receive a hard cover copy of This Book Made Me Think of You. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Tour Review & Giveaway - - Marrying Off Morgan McBride

Marrying Off Morgan McBride

by Amy Barry

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 30, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

As the oldest of the McBride siblings, Morgan had to be protector and shepherd since Ma died and Pa ran off. It hasn't always been easy, especially when his heart longs to roam on the trail. But now that his brother Kit is married and settled, the time is right for Morgan to leave Buck's Creek. Little does he know that his hellcat of a little sister Junebug is dead set on keeping him at home and getting more help around the house – all with one honest advertisement in The Matrimonial News.
 
Epiphany Hopgood has always had a gift for doing the exact wrong thing. She’s too tall, too loud, too opinionated, and too contrary for her family and community. Staring down the barrel of spinsterhood, she and her grandmother answer a seemingly straightforward ad for a bride.
 
But when Pip shows up to Buck’s Creek, she finds that Morgan McBride is not the husband she expected. In fact, he doesn’t even want to be a husband. But maybe there’s a way to make everyone happy out on the Montana frontier…

PJ's Thoughts:

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of my favorite musicals. As I was reading Marrying Off Morgan McBride it was hard to miss those wonderful Seven Brothers vibes. Then, after writing this review, I went back to see what Hellie had to say about book one in the series, Kit McBride Gets a Wife (read Hellie's review). No surprise, those same vibes came through loud and clear for her too. 

First, I have to talk about Junebug McBride, Morgan's "hellcat of a little sister," as described in the book's blurb. She's a wily one, our Junebug. She may be the youngest of the family but as the only surviving sister she's been relegated to the duties she rightfully figures should belong to a wife. Plus, she knows Morgan is itching to hit the dusty trail again and the only way she knows to keep him home is to do the same thing she did with Kit: find him a wife. Things don't go quite according to Junebug's plan...

Man, did I ever feel for Pip, a woman nobody in Nebraska appreciated, including her family. Well, everyone except her spitfire of a grandmother. That woman knew Pip's worth...and her own worth as well. Pip's self-worth has been beaten into the ground so many times she has no idea she has so much to offer. I loved watching her take charge of her future, slowly begin to realize she has "the goods" to bring the boys to the yard, and finally stand up for herself, refusing to settle. 

Morgan may be stubborn, blunt, and prone to talking rather than listening but his prickly exterior hides a well of deep emotions. He's convinced himself he needs to leave Montana to break free of the grief that's dogged him since his mother died and left him to raise his younger siblings. But maybe what he really needs is a straight-talking woman with stubbornness to match his own, the ability to cook melt-in-your-mouth meals, and a body that brings him to his knees. But, once he realizes Pip is the whole package he didn't know he needed - or wanted - what does he do? He runs in the opposite direction! ::Sigh:: Nobody said this was going to be easy.

I loved this book! It's exactly the type of laugh-out-loud story that keeps me grinning from beginning to end. It's light and breezy, with snappy banter, well-developed main characters, richly entertaining secondary characters, and enough emotional depth to keep it from being all fluff. Not that there's anything wrong with fluff. I just like a nice balance of the two and Marrying Off Morgan McBride has it. 

I don't know if Barry has plans to write stories for all of the McBrides, but I'm hoping she will. The brothers all deserve happy endings, I have my fingers crossed that missing brother Charlie will return home, and I am beyond giddy to discover what will happen when Cupid's arrow finally finds Junebug. 

If you're looking for a humorous, feel-good, western historical romance that will have you laughing uproariously and possibly wiping away a heartfelt tear or two, pick up a copy of Marrying Off Morgan McBride. It's a fun ride.

Do you enjoy western historical romances?

Have you read Kit McBride Gets a Wife or Marrying Off Morgan McBride?

What recent books have had you laughing out loud?

Do you enjoy musicals? What's your favorite?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, June 1 will receive a print copy of Marrying Off Morgan McBride.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Tour Review - - An Unexpected Distraction

An Unexpected Distraction

by Catherine Bybee

Richter - Book 3

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: November 30, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

 

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon knows how to expose secrets: she’s a skilled operative with MacBain Security and Solutions. When Jax hears her parents are divorcing, she races to London to find out why. She’s determined to learn the truth, especially when her investigation uncovers why her parents sent her to Richter, the German military school that made her a fighter.

Andrew Craig collects Jax at Heathrow Airport as a favor. He’s heard she’s a handful, but he didn’t know she’s dangerously gorgeous too. His instant attraction could change his life…or end it.

Jax doesn’t want to fall for Andrew, but soon he’s worming his way into her life. Together, they infiltrate Richter to discover if it has returned to its covert purpose: training children to be spies and assassins and blackmailing parents to look the other way. As the attraction between the two intensifies, so do the secrets exploding all around them. How deadly are those secrets—and who will survive?

PJ's Thoughts:

Catherine Bybee hits it out of the park with another heart-tugging, breath-stealing story that kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. From the early meet cute to the explosive conclusion, I was so deeply immersed in the lives of these characters that I completely lost track of time.

I really enjoyed Andrew. I loved his personality, his playfulness, and his absolute respect for all the facets of who Jax is. The chemistry between these two sizzles, as does the banter. Their scenes in Germany show how great a couple they are, in all situations. 

Jax is a very complex character. It was fun to peel back the layers and watch her evolve both personally and professionally. I enjoyed the multi-layered relationships within her family and how that all played out, especially her changing relationship with her mother.  

The suspense portion of the book is well plotted, with plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. There's a suspense sub-plot that is concluded within this book but also an overlying one that will continue to play out in future book(s). I am fully invested in the outcome and will be buying all future books in this series. She has me hooked!

This is the third book of a series with a romantic thread that stands on its own and offers a happy ending in this book. The suspense thread, however, is part of an arc that continues throughout the series and, while the portion pertaining to Jax and Andrew is concluded in this story, there were times when I felt I was missing critical information that would have deepened my understanding of the overall mystery. For that reason, and also to better understand some secondary characters whose stories have already been told, I would suggest reading the books within the series in order. I have already downloaded book one, Changing the Rules, and book two, A Thin Disguise, and will be reading them soon. All three are available for purchase or in Kindle Unlimited. 

 

EXCERPT ONE

Andrew stood aside, put his beverage down. “I’ll walk you out.”

Outside the bar, the cold, damp London air snapped her spine straight.

“Where is your car?”

Jax pointed across the street and up toward her brother’s place. “I’m capable of getting there on my own.”

“I would suspect anyone who jumps out of airplanes and plays on America’s military bases is capable of more than crossing the street.”

“Then why are you out here?”

The light turned green and they started walking.

“I want to help.”

“Help with what?”

“Your investigation. That’s why Harry asked you to come, isn’t it?”

“Is that what he told you?”

“He told me he needed family reinforcements to get his dad to move out of his flat.”

That sounded like the words her brother would use.

“I have a feeling my father is going to be just as helpful putting this to rest as my mother.”

“He didn’t seem excited to see you.”

“Thank you for pointing that out.”

Andrew paused his step. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive.”

She stopped, turned to look at him. “I’m pretty sure I remember telling you my family was cold. Back when I thought you were a driver who didn’t know them personally.”

“Right. I’m sorry about that, too.”

Jax started walking again. “I tipped you.”

He followed. “I’ll pay you back.”

They crossed another intersection, and she slowed her pace as the rental car came into view.

She wondered if there was a way for Andrew to help her. “Do you work with my dad?”

He shook his head. “No. I’m in finance, but with the private sector. Hedge funds have no appeal to me.”

“There’s more money in it.” Jax stopped at the car.

“And less quality of life. Look at your brother, he doesn’t have any hair left.”

“True.”

Andrew reached out his hand.

She looked at it.

He wiggled his fingers as if asking for something. “Your phone. In case you need backup.”

“There’s an entire team here in London.”

He pointed to his chest. “But only one of me.”

That sounded like a line. But she handed him her phone anyway.

He pressed a button to power it on, then turned it toward her so it would open.

A sly smile sat on his lips as he put in his phone number.

When his phone buzzed, he silenced it quickly, obviously pleased with himself.

“Was this about me getting ahold of you, or you getting ahold of me?”

“Yes.”

Jax narrowed her gaze, saw the same attraction she had the night they’d met. “I’m not here for that.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His eyes twitched. His smile grew.

Instead of calling him out, she reached for her keys.

He opened the door and waited for her to get behind the wheel “Petrol,” he said.

Jax looked up at him, confused. “What?”

“My last credit card transaction was at the petrol station.”

It was hard not to smile. “You’re an interesting man, Andrew.”

He leaned down with a knowing smile. “You have beautiful legs, Jax.”

She was blushing . . . she could feel the heat in her cheeks.

He closed the door and stepped back.

Jax drove away without saying goodbye, knowing full well she’d see him again.

Order Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0935WJJ21?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_2&storeType=ebooks

BN:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-unexpected-distraction-catherine-bybee/1139384392?ean=9781542029568

BAM:  https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Unexpected-Distraction/Catherine-Bybee/9781542029568?id=7850591409347

Book Depo:  https://www.bookdepository.com/Unexpected-Distraction-Catherine-Bybee/9781542029568?ref=grid-view&qid=1621540771597&sr=1-3

Blog Tour Guest Post / Excerpt / Giveaway - - It Takes Heart by Tif Marcelo

Tif Marcelo joins us today to talk about her new book, It Takes Heart. Set at a fictional heart-shaped resort in the North Carolina Outer Banks, this contemporary romance about taking a second chance on love is one that definitely has a place on my summer reading list. Be sure to read to the bottom of the page for Tif's post, an excerpt from It Takes Heart, and a terrific giveaway. 

It Takes Heart

by Tif Marcelo

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: August 10, 2021

Heart Resort, a private resort in the Outer Banks, is a romantic getaway for couples but a hotbed of family drama for its proprietors, the Puso family. Brandon Puso, the youngest of the four siblings, prefers life on his own as a licensed contractor in DC after a falling-out with his eldest brother.

After a hurricane plows through the Outer Banks, Brandon has a change of heart. He returns to the resort to help with the grand reopening but encounters his big sister’s best friend, designer Geneva Harris, who’s there to do the same thing. But Geneva and Brandon have a secret. Years ago, they had a secret romance that ended in heartbreak.

With the resort’s future at stake, Brandon and Geneva decide to put the past aside and to keep peace with the family. But as their mutual attraction heats up, they have to decide if history will repeat itself—or if this time, love gets a second chance.

A Heart Shaped Romance with Author Tif Marcelo

 

It was at the Romance Writers of America conference in 2019 when I came up with the idea for the Heart Resort series. Though I was under contract for a third contemporary fiction book (which would become my sixth novel), my first three books were romance novels, and an escapist series tugged at my shirt sleeves. My initial idea: interconnected destination romance novels with the setting as relaxing and lush as it could be, despite the romantic angst and family drama I knew my characters would be placed in.

 

Then came COVID-19. I had released my second contemporary fiction, ONCE UPON A SUNSET, and was in edits for IN A BOOK CLUB FAR AWAY, and I was no longer under contract for future books. My need to escape heightened during the fear of lockdown. So, I dove headlong into the proposal of the Heart Resort series. At first, I thought of setting this book on an island in the Pacific Ocean but I could not make myself write it knowing that the borders were closed to travel due to the virus. Though I tried not to put COVID into my novels, still I needed to be realistic for the times.

 

Then the location dawned on me: our family’s most favorite vacation spot: the Outer Banks, or OBX. And especially south of 12: Nags Head, Rodanthe, Hatteras. On a printed map, I drew what would be the Heart Resort peninsula, connected to highway 12 via a land bridge.

 

Heart Resort is serendipitously heart-shaped. In the epicenter is the headquarters and the apartments of the four Puso siblings. Puso, which means “heart” in Tagalog—of course it does! Chris, Gil, Bea, and Brandon, the four Puso siblings, live and work on this resort. They are the heart, they make the resort and peninsula “go.” Though, we come to find out that they each have their own secrets and matters of the heart to contend with.

 

Everything on this peninsula is specific and special. Each home is named. Every employee is family. The view from every window is spectacular. And though they promise their clients their own version of the HEA, or the happily ever after, the Puso siblings clamor for theirs.

 

IT TAKES HEART, the first in the series, introduces Brandon Puso and Geneva Harris, former lovers reunited in their common mission to help rebuild the resort after a tropical storm. Neither knew the other was going to be there, and their first instinct is to run. But both are loyal to a fault, and soon they find themselves growing closer despite their best intentions. Surrounding them are a cast of characters, all with their stories to tell, all while trying make the resort successful despite throes of competition with another resort.

 

Love, loyalty, and business all in one peninsula located at one of the most gorgeous locations in the United States. Heart Resort is truly a place to read about to get your heart pumping.

~~~~~

It Takes Heart

Excerpt

Brandon tripped over his own feet as his sister leapt from her chair. 

“Now it’s my turn to surprise you.” Beatrice wrapped her hands around his bicep and pulled him toward the round table. She was laughing, enthused. 

But Brandon, simultaneously exhausted from a fitful sleep and amped from laborious work that morning, could not grapple with what was before him. He was seeing a ghost. Or, rather, he was seeing the living, breathing apparition of the woman who had all but ghosted him. 

He shut his eyes for a beat to clear his vision, but when he opened them and refocused, she was still there. 

“Geneva,” he breathed out. 

The Geneva Harris he’d fallen for four years ago after a stunning three weeks together. The same Geneva Harris who, after an argument, had left him to wake alone the next morning with her side of the bed all tucked back into place as if she’d never been there. Like she had been a vivid dream. 

The memory yanked Brandon’s heart out of his chest, leaving a cavernous space. He’d had a myriad of feelings over the years after their breakup: loss, anger, sadness. Now, all he felt was nothing—was this shock? No, shock was the brick wall he couldn’t get around when his parents died. This felt like . . . emptiness. 

He was dumbfounded even as he got close enough to reacquaint himself with the details of her face: her high cheekbones, which even without makeup carried a muted shade of pink; the one tiny mole next to her nose; and what he now knew was a forced smile because it was this exact same smile she had placated him with the night before she had taken off. 

“Hi,” Geneva said. 

Beatrice dragged him down to sit in the chair across from Geneva, then took the third seat at the table. “You remember Geneva, right?” 

The cue threw him off his running thoughts. Time had passed. They were not in Las Vegas, but in Heart Resort. His family didn’t know about them. “Oh, yeah. Hey. Sorry, I’m just a little . . .” He stuck a hand out. 

What looked like relief played across Geneva’s features. She shook his hand. “It’s okay. It’s the ocean air. Nice to see you again.” 

Was it nice to see him? Had she hoped to see him? Did she know he’d be here?

“How long has it been for the both of you? Since we left for school?” Beatrice asked. 

Four years, actually. 

“Four years.” Geneva echoed his thoughts, eyes leaving his sister’s face, then down to her drink. “Chris and Eden’s wedding.” 

“How could I forget.” Beatrice bumped her forehead with a palm. “I take that back. Of course I forgot—I planned that event and was probably stressed to high heavens. Now that was a whirlwind.” Then, to Brandon, in a change of subject only Beatrice could manage, gestured to their surroundings. “Did you want me to order? I assume that you’re here for lunch. Chef Castillo pivoted to feed us even if our restaurant’s closed. Oh, just as an FYI, our new Friday dinners are now at Chef Castillo’s and her sister’s eatery, south on 12.” 

That took his attention for a beat. “A Filipino restaurant, down here?” 

“Yep. So keep your Friday night free, both of you. It’s required.” She grinned. “So, what’s your poison.” 

“Actually, I’m good.” Whatever appetite he’d had disappeared. “I spotted your golf cart and thought I would stop to say hi before my first meeting with the team.” 

“Perfect timing! I was telling Geneva about your demo sesh this morning. You might have been exactly where Geneva’s was. She’s in Ligaya.” 

Brandon had found it clever that the family had decided to assign a Tagalog word for each of the cabins, the yoga studio, and restaurant. It had been Gil’s idea, though taken right out their parents’ playbook of hammering their wooden sign at every residence. 

“Ah . . . I was definitely next door, at Habang-buhay.” Brandon snorted at the irony, that he’d demoed a beach house that was named forever, and all that morning, she had been just beyond his reach in a cabin whose name meant joy. 

She had been his joy, once.

~~~~~

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Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse who holds a BS in nursing and a master’s in public administration. She believes in and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, and the beauty of heartfelt romance—and she’s inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts the Stories to Love podcast, and she is also the USA Today bestselling author of In a Book Club Far Away, Once Upon a Sunset, The Key to Happily Ever After, and the Journey to the Heart series. Sign up for her newsletter at www.TifMarcelo.com.

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Have you read Tif Marcelo yet? I love the Outer Banks setting for It Takes Heart. What are your favorite settings for romance novels? Do you have a dream location that you have yet to read in a romance?