Today's Special - - Tracy Solheim

After years of writing reports and testimony for Congress, Tracy Solheim decided to put her fiction writing talents to better use.  Since her debut novel in 2013, her books have been bestsellers both here in the U.S. and abroad. Tracy is also a regular contributed to USA Today’s Happy Ever After Blog where she writes about—what else—sports and romance. She lives in the heart of SEC country, also known as the suburbs of Atlanta, with her husband, their two works-in-progress, a Labrador retriever who thinks she's a cat and horse named after her first novel.   When she’s not at the barn with her daughter or working out with friends (i.e. lifting heavy bottles of wine), she’s writing.  Except for when she’s reading, but according to her, that’s just necessary research.  See what’s she up to at www.tracysolheim.com.

Hi, Tracy! I’m excited about your new contemporary romance, SMOLDER. Please tell our readers a bit about this story.

Thanks so much for hosting me on the dish today, PJ! It’s always a pleasure to chat with your readers.

SMOLDER is the story of former army ranger, Sam Gaskill. He’s just relocated to Montana to take over a squad of smoke jumpers based in the small town of Glacier Creek.  Sam has his work cut out for him trying to fill the shoes of the much loved captain who was killed in a freak accident months earlier. He’s also saddled (pardon the pun, but I couldn’t resist!) with his late wife’s prize reining horse. Sam can’t seem to let the last piece of his wife go. He ends up boarding the horse at the Whispering Wind ranch where he meets Laurel Keenan.

Laurel was Glacier Creek’s “it girl” for most of her life—a champion horsewoman, the mayor’s daughter, and wildly popular. Her chief goal, however, was to escape the town that defined her. But when she finally breaks free from her Montana roots, her plans are derailed by an unplanned pregnancy that sends her back home with her tail between her legs. She’s spent the last six years trying to live under the radar with her young son. Unfortunately, that’s hard to do in a small town.

Sam’s heart is closely guarded and Laurel can’t afford to get involved with another adrenaline junkie, but sparks fly anyway. It is a romance novel, after all!

SMOLDER is the first book in a new multi-author series from Tule Publishing. How many books will be in the series? What other authors are involved? Do you know when the other books will be released?

There are five books in this series and a planned second series that takes place in Australia.  Writing can be a solitary business, so it was fun actually working on a project where it was more than just me coming up with ideas. I had to wait to start writing this first book, hoever, until the other authors were well into the planning stages for their novellas so that I could incorporate details of their characters’ backstories into SMOLDER. It was a lot like putting together a puzzle.

The second book in the series is called SCORCH and it was written by Dani Collin. Dani lives in Canada where wildfires have been raging this spring. She is donating a percentage of her books pre-sale profits to the Red Cross to help the victims of the fires. Nicole Helm wrote the third installment, IGNITE, and Karen Foley penned HEAT. Australian author Victoria Purman wrote the final installment, FLAME. The hero from her book lives on the ranch next door to Whispering Wind so readers will get to revisit familiar places and characters just as if the books were written by a single author. Best of all, they will be released on per week beginning this week with SMOLDER. Look for each book in the series to release on Tuesdays through the first week in July.  They’re all novellas, so they’re perfect for an afternoon by the pool, lake or beach.

Laurel, our heroine, has grown up with horses and it’s apparent from this book that you have more than a passing acquaintance with them as well. What is your background with horses? Are you a rider?

Haha! I’ve become familiar with horses these past several years, but my experience is limited to holding the reins for my daughter who is an accomplished equestrian. Oh, and writing the checks for her “habit”. Her horse is actually named after my first novel, GAME ON. I spend a lot of time at the farm with the two of them. It’s my happy place. There is something poetic and serene about the way the horses move that brings me peace. I’ve often considered setting a story at a barn, so when the folks at Tule wanted this series to take place in Montana, I figured here was my chance!

It takes a certain type of courage to jump from an airplane into either a war zone or a forest

fire. Your hero, Sam has done both. What’s the scariest thing you’ve done that tested your courage?

The scariest thing I’ve ever done was spend the day in an underground nuclear reactor. I was working for Congress at the time and we were investigating the safety measures and security procedures within the facility. I knew I was a bit wary of tight spaces, but it wasn’t until I had to descend a bunch of dark tunnels and shafts that I realized my claustrophobia was more than just “a bit”.  Let’s just say that I had to be coaxed through the rest of the tour by my co-workers who didn’t let me forget it!

Your description of Lake MacDonald has me wanting to explore the wide open spaces of Montana (especially if they’re filled with hot smoke jumpers like the ones in SMOLDER). If you had unlimited time and money to get away from it all, where would you like to go?

Doesn’t Montana sound wonderful? When I was researching the book, I spent half the time planning out a family vacation to Glacier National Park. We’ve been to many of the parks in this country, but not that one. It’s now on my bucket list for 2017! Of course, if money wasn’t an object, I’d go to Bora Bora and write from one of those grass huts that sit out in the ocean. Or maybe a trip Down Under to see the wonderful places I love reading about in other author’s books.

Would you share a short excerpt with us?

Her eyes drifted over her shoulder to Russ’ solitary parachute. Sam was about to do what Russ had done—leap out of an airplane with nothing but the hope his jump cord wouldn’t malfunction. Or that an errant wind wouldn’t catch him and toss his defenseless body into the jagged limb of a tree.

A shiver of apprehension rocked through Laurel as she forced her gaze back into the office where it collided with Sam’s own hard stare. He’d finished with his backpack. Now he waited silently with his hip propped against his desk and his arms crossed over his chest. This time Laurel’s shiver was brought on by the hungry look in his eyes.

“Hi,” she said feebly.

A terse nod and a quirk of an eyebrow were all she got in response.

“Umm, Miranda says you’re going out on a jump?”

He nodded again. His arrogant silence was really beginning to get on Laurel’s nerves.

“Well, were you even going to let someone know?” she demanded.

There was a painful pause before he finally spoke. “Someone being who exactly?”

Laurel huffed in annoyance. “Someone being Tabitha, perhaps?”

A corner of his mouth turned up at the idiocy of her words, and that made Laurel even more annoyed.

“What’s she going to think when you don’t show up tonight, hmm?”

A slow grin spread across his face, revealing a mesmerizing dimple on the right side of his mouth. The potency of his unexpected smile had Laurel reaching for the doorframe to keep her balance.

“I mean, you should let one of us know when you leave so if something should happen to Tabitha. . .well, we’d. . .” Her voice trailed off when he gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist and tugged her further into the office. Before she could react, the door was closed and her back was pressed against it while his mouth laid claim to hers.

He kissed her slowly this time, as though he was taking her as a prize for some victory. Laurel wanted to be offended, but the feel of his tongue sliding suggestively against hers had rendered any arguments mute. Her fingers had somehow found their way into his short, wavy hair, surprisingly soft between her fingertips. His hands slid underneath her cotton sweater where he let his palms skim over her skin, leaving a trail of arousing heat in their wake.

“Say what you really came here to say, Laurel,” he murmured against her lips. “Admit that you wanted me to come upstairs and finish what we started the other night.”

“Did not!” Laurel’s protest might have sounded more convincing had her hands not been exploring Sam’s ass.

He grinned again. This time it had a bit of a ruthless edge to it, making Laurel’s insides somersault. Her body quickly made a liar out of her when Sam took possession of her lips one more time. She was sure he could feel the wild jolt within her as his mouth crushed hers. Her hips rolled restlessly at his, and she all but conceded defeat.

“It doesn’t matter what I want.” She practically wailed when his lips cruised to the spot near her ear that always made her knees buckle. “We can’t do this.”

“Mmm,” he murmured against her skin. “I have to go on a jump in forty minutes. The rest is going to have to wait until I get back.”

Laurel tapped her head against the back of the door in the hope of knocking some sense into her woozy brain. “No. That’s why we can’t do this. Now or ever.”

His face was hard again as he pulled away and Laurel’s body screamed at her in protest. She pressed her palms to the cool wood of the door to keep from digging her fingers into his T-shirt and pulling his body back against hers.

“That’s what I came to tell you,” she whispered.

“Do you ever say what you really mean?”

She hated that he had a point. “I have a little problem with impulsive behavior. But I’m working on it.”

“And what, I’m too impulsive for you?” he drawled, angrily. “Or not impulsive enough?”

Laurel pointed to the jump pack sitting ominously in the corner of the room. “Too risky. Your job is too risky, which makes you too risky.”

There was a brief flash of anguish in his eyes before he shuttered them behind the hard mask he’d likely perfected in the army. Laurel felt a spasm of guilt for having brought him any pain. But she had two hearts to protect—hers and Tyson’s.

“Yeah,” he said stoically. “It seems I’m destined to attract women who feel that way.” He reached behind her and pulled open the door. “We should be back on Friday sometime. Tell Tabitha not to worry.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks! What can we expect from you next?

I’ve got a few books in the planning stages, including a new football series featuring a new team. Readers will find some familiar faces from the Baltimore Blaze, but this team will be based in Milwaukee.  And, they have a Scottish place kicker who might have some issues with his immigration status. Think “The Proposal” meets “Outlander”.   And since I’m spending the good part of the summer in the town that inspired my Second Chances series, I’m working on a Christmas novella featuring the character from BACK TO BEFORE that readers wanted to see again—Diesel Gold. Keep checking my website for updates on these projects.

Thank you for visiting with us, Tracy! Would you like to ask the readers a question?

Yes, I’d love to follow up on your question to me, PJ. What is the craziest/scariest thing you’ve ever done? And, would you do it again!  Any skydivers out there?  I’ve got three digital copies of SMOLDER up for grabs. The prize is open to international readers. J

Buy links for SMOLDER:

AMAZON- http://amzn.to/1sHK7Rf
B&N - http://bit.ly/1Z9cUZp
iBooks -http://apple.co/1Y0b6nk 
Kobo - http://bit.ly/27ZBdiu

Review - - When We Were Sisters

When We Were Sisters

By Emilie Richards

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Release Date: May 31, 2016

  
 

Robin Lenhart appears to be an ordinary, upper middle-class, suburban homemaker. She lives with her husband Kris, a partner in an upscale law firm, and their twelve-year-old son Nik and ten-year-old daughter Petra in a remodeled farmhouse just outside Leesburg, Virginia. But appearances are deceiving. Robin’s background is not ordinary, and the dissatisfaction that is eroding her marriage of thirteen years feels unique to her. Kris, focused on the next level in his career, spends so much time at work that his role in the family has dwindled to little more than breadwinner. Her children are older and need her less. Robin is yearning for change when two events combine to give her impetus to do more than yearn. Returning from an evening out with women friends from the neighborhood, Robin is injured when another vehicle plows into the vehicle in which the women are riding. Her next-door neighbor and closest friend is killed. A last-minute switch in seating put the neighbor in the front passenger seat that Robin should have occupied. In addition to grief for her friend and survivor’s guilt, Robin is struck powerfully with a reminder of the brevity of life. She is barely out of the hospital when she is offered an unexpected career opportunity, one that will require her extended absence from home.

Cecilia is a celebrated singer-songwriter so famous that she is known by a single name. She divides her non-touring time between four homes: a Manhattan brownstone, a high-rise Nashville condo, a contemporary base in Pacific Palisades, and an island sanctuary in Florida. With a brief, unsuccessful marriage in her past, she is single and, despite knowing many people, she trusts very few. A breakdown a few months ago as she was wrapping up a lengthy world tour in Australia forced her to spend two weeks in a Sydney hospital and to give some thought to changes she wants to make in her life.

Robin and CeCe are sisters although they are not blood kin. They met in a foster home when CeCe was thirteen and Robin was nine. Assigned to a therapeutic home because of CeCe’s reputation as a troublemaker and Robin’s selective mutism, the two girls bonded. CeCe became Robin’s voice until the younger girl chose to speak again. It was she who gave Robin her name, a name Robin made legal when she turned eighteen. The sisterhood they formed during those years has not been weakened by time or by their very different lifestyles. Although Kris and CeCe dislike one another, Robin and their children think of CeCe as family. When CeCe learns of Robin’s accident, she immediately rushes to her. It is CeCe who offers the understanding and care Robin sorely needs. She also offers Robin a job.

Two years ago, an award-winning documentarian approached CeCe about working with him on a documentary about the foster care system.  His plan was that CeCe would narrate the film and her story would be a primary focus. She rejected his proposal then, but she has reconsidered and is now deeply involved in the project. She wants Robin, who was a promising photojournalist who earned national exposure before her marriage, to serve as production stills photographer for the documentary and to be there as CeCe explores devastating experiences from her past. Robin sees the offer as a means of claiming a life for herself, one that allows her to use her talents, and as a way to force Kris to become involved in the lives of his children. As the documentary takes shape, bonds are tested, secrets are revealed, and in a ripple effect, the lives of all those involved are changed forever.

Emilie Richards excels at giving her readers a multi-faceted view of women’s lives in all their complexities. She does so again in this book that explores the past and the present of two very different women who are connected by a fierce love and loyalty as intense as any blood tie. Robin describes CeCe as her “anchor” in the opening chapter, and CeCe displays the maternal protector role that is often part of the older sister role when she rushes from Arizona to the Virginia hospital where Robin is and uses her clout to see that Robin gets what she needs. The novel encompasses their relationships with the men in their lives and the role of mother as part of their identity, but the focus is on sisterhood.

In the book’s opening sentence, Robin says, “The stories of our lives can be told in so many ways, but no one account, no matter how carefully rendered, is completely true.” The structure of the book with alternating narrators and multiple perspectives supports that initial claim. The first-person accounts provide a sense of immediacy and an intimate connection with the central characters. Richards is wise to include Kris’s point of view. Thus, a character who in the hands of a less gifted writer could have been just another self-absorbed jerk becomes a flawed and fascinating character with layers to his personality.

Although While We Were Sisters is women’s fiction rather than contemporary romance, Richards is still at heart a writer of love stories, and the love includes romance as well as love’s other faces. The relationship between Robin and Kris and between CeCe and her manager Donny will satisfy readers who need romance, and other relationships expand the view of a woman’s world. I found Nik and Pet interesting and realistic, and I particularly appreciated the inclusion of Kris’s family. Credibly imperfect, they, in their love for one another, provide needed balance to the grimness of the families of Robin and CeCe.

If you like stories of women’s journeys and their connections to those who share their journey, you will appreciate this book. Readers who complain about the dominance of series will be pleased that it is a standalone. For those who enjoy playlists for novels, Richards has provided an eclectic mix that fits the story beautifully. (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq0zJhK566JrggP6nVa3smy0fSdMWPGYB)

Emilie Richards has long had a place on my favorite-authors list. I’m adding While We Were Sisters to my collection of keepers by this author, a collection with books that date back to the 80s when she was writing small gems in category romance. And I eagerly await her next book.

~Janga

Today's Special - - Nancy Herkness

I'm delighted to welcome two-time RITA® nominee Nancy Herkness back to the Romance Dish today. Nancy has won many awards for her books, including the Golden Leaf, the Maggie and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. After graduating from Princeton University, Nancy worked in a variety of jobs including retail management and buying and computer systems sales and marketing before turning her focus to romance writing. 

Nancy recently answered a few questions for me about her Wager of Hearts series and her newest book, The All-Star Antes Up. For the record, I loved it! 

Hi Nancy! Welcome back! I’m having so much fun reading your Wager of Hearts books. Please tell our readers about the premise of this series.

It’s so great to be back here on the Romance Dish, one of my favorite blogs!

A CEO, a quarterback, and a writer walk into a bar…I have one of my heroes comment that it sounds like the setup for a bad joke, but these men aren’t laughing. When my three lonely billionaires find themselves drinking alone one night at the exclusive Bellwether Club, they realize they have a lot in common—humble backgrounds, impressive wealth, and a lack of love in their lives. Tired of being pursued for their money, they make a wager: to find women who love them for who they are.

Book One, The CEO Buys In was terrific but I enjoyed your new book, The All-Star Antes Up even more. What can readers expect from this story?

I love hearing that you liked The All-Star Antes Up even more than The CEO Buys In because I am always challenging myself to write a better book each time. Knowing that I’ve accomplished that in your eyes is a great satisfaction to me. Thank you!

The All-Star Antes Up is about Luke Archer, the legendary quarterback for the New York Empire. When his best friend retires from playing football, Luke realizes his time is coming soon, and he faces that prospect with despair. To reach the pinnacle of success required a single-minded focus on the game that has left no room for anything else in Luke’s life. Add to that problems with his brother and Luke is facing a bleak future.

When he is temporarily sidelined due to injury, Luke decides he should begin to broaden his horizons, so he hires his luxury building’s concierge to give him a cultural tour of New York City.  It’s amazing how passionate great art can make two people feel.  LOL!

Being a life-long football fan, and a small town girl, you tapped into many of my youthful fantasies with this story. Are you a fan? Were you inspired by any real-life players while creating Luke? Have you ever been in a NFL VIP box?

I am a football fan by association: my husband loves sports of all kinds, so I have absorbed the game

by osmosis. What really turned me into an enthusiastic spectator was Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ marvelous novel It Had to Be You, which lives on my keeper shelf and gets re-read on a regular basis. When I watch a real football game, I keep looking for Susan’s hero Dan Calebow pacing the sidelines. And am disappointed when he isn’t there. Now, of course, I search for Luke’s #9 on the field.

Confession time: Luke Archer was originally a hockey goalie. I’m a huge hockey fan and particularly admire the career of Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils (since I’m a Jersey girl now). I wrote a book starring a future Hall of Fame hockey goalie facing the end of his career (sound familiar?), but no publisher wanted it. So I recast my goalie as a quarterback and Luke Archer was born.

PJ, interrupting to say I've been an enthusiastic hockey fan since I was a sprout and my college boyfriend was a star on our university's hockey team. I so would have bought that book!

Once I settled on Luke being a quarterback, I combined the careers of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, although I made sure that Luke has one more Super Bowl ring than Brady.  Of course, Luke would never cheat either.

Many, many years ago, before the new stadium was built here in the New Jersey Meadowlands, I was lucky enough to spend a game in a VIP box. It wasn’t nearly as nice as the new ones, but I remember the massive amount of food on offer.

Miranda is a terrific concierge and tour guide. (I found myself taking notes while reading the book) What are the top five experiences she would recommend for someone visiting New York City?

Being the talented concierge she is, Miranda would tailor her tour of New York to her visitor’s interests. However, we’re book people here, so let’s go with that.

The Morgan Library. THREE Gutenberg bibles, with one always on display! That alone is enough to get a book lover there. The building itself is spectacular, a library to die for. You never know what marvelous manuscripts will be on display in the various galleries, but I guarantee you, they will be fascinating.  Miranda and Luke dine in the restaurant that was originally the Morgan family dining room, so she would recommend that.

      The New York Public Library. Say hello to the lions Patience and Fortitude who guard the entrance. Visit the glorious Rose Main Reading Room. There are also rotating exhibitions there.

     See Something Rotten! on Broadway. If you love Shakespeare and/or Broadway musicals, you will laugh until your sides hurt. My favorite number: “It’s Hard to Be the Bard.”

     The Empire State Building’s Observation Deck. Yes, it’s touristy, but there is nothing like seeing New York City spread out below you in all directions. And it evokes two wonderful movies: An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle.

     
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, for so many reasons. Miranda and Luke begin at the Temple of Dendur and progress from there. Remember that in The Age of Innocence, Ellen Olenska and Newland Archer (note the last name!) meet at the museum, so it’s a place for literary lovers.

I fell hard for Luke; going all fan-girl at some points and at others, wanting to wrap my arms around him and give him a hug. What do you want readers to understand about this billionaire athlete who seems to have the world at his feet?

We’re all human, no matter how rich or successful we are. Luke loves his family, which makes him vulnerable to the same pain we all feel when those nearest us are unkind. His brother makes him feel both guilty and angry, emotions we can relate to.

Not to mention that in order to reach the top of his field, Luke had to focus on one thing: football. He missed out on many of the things we take for granted: going out for a pizza (he’s always in training), learning something just for the fun of it (he took classes around his practice schedule), traveling to sight-see (his trips were to football stadiums), or making an occasional mistake without the press pouncing on it (cell phone cameras are everywhere).

Miranda left the farm behind to pursue a life surrounded by theaters, museums, and the vibrancy of the big city – her happy place. Where is your happy place? What makes it special?

I have more than one happy place, which makes me a lucky person. One is in my office, sitting in front of my computer and writing my next book. I love my job!

The second is exploring a new place. I love to travel. My husband and I often talk about going back to one of the places we’ve visited and loved, but we never do because there’s always someplace we haven’t been to, calling our names.

The third is on the back of a horse (although nowadays my muscles complain about it.) I often go horseback riding when I’m traveling, which makes me doubly happy.

The more I see of Gavin (billionaire #3), the more intrigued I become. Are you able to share anything about his story? When will it be released into the wild?

Ah, Gavin. Everyone is interested in him…which puts a lot of pressure on me to make his book great. LOL! Honestly, I’m almost finished with the first draft of his story and it’s been pure pleasure to write it. I am particularly good at torturing Gavin because he’s a writer and I know all of a writer’s worst fears. In fact, I gave him the most awful problem a writer can have: writer’s block. I’m so mean!

But I also took pity on him and gave him Allie Nichols, a down-to-earth physical therapist (who just happens to hail from Sanctuary, West Virginia).* Allie has enough sass to handle Gavin’s snark, but she’s also a healer. And he needs a lot of healing.

Gavin’s book should be released next spring. My publisher hasn’t given me a date quite yet.

*Sanctuary, West Virginia is the setting of Nancy's award-winning Whisper Horse series.

Where can readers connect with you online?

I’m always happy to “meet” up with readers on Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/nancyherkness

I have a Pinterest board for each of my more recent books here: http://www.pinterest.com/nancyherkness/

Sign up for my New Book Alert so you never miss a release…and you might win a prize or get a free novella: http://bit.ly/1SDu5jp

Will you be attending any events this summer where readers will have the opportunity to meet you in person?

I will be at the Romance Writers of America conference in San Diego in July. While I am not participating in the big public signing, conference attendees can find me at the Montlake Romance signing on Thursday, July 14th, from 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.

Thank you for visiting with us today, Nancy. Would you like to ask our readers a question?

PJ, it is always a great pleasure to be here on the Romance Dish with you and your fabulous readers. I’m so grateful to be invited!

I’m already thinking about the Christmas novella I’m planning to write. So here’s my question for readers: What is the maximum age you would find acceptable for the heroine of a romance novel?

Two randomly chosen people who leave a comment on today's post will receive an autographed print copy of The CEO Buys In. 

Wild Man's Curse Winner

The randomly chosen winner of a print copy of

Wild Man's Curse by Susannah Sandlin is:

petite

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Please include "Wild Man's Curse Winner" in your message.

Laura Trentham Winner

The randomly selected winner of a signed copy of

Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham is:

Martha Lawson

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Please include "Laura Trentham Winner" in your message.

Kat Martin Winner

The randomly selected winner of a copy of

Into the Fury by Kat Martin is:

Chrisbails

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Please include "Kat Martin Winner" in your message.

Review - - LOVE, ALABAMA

LOVE, ALABAMA
By Susan Sands
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Release Date: February 24, 2016

In the mood for a small town Southern romance complete with fried pickles and beauty pageants?

Have I got the book for you!

Emma Laroux has a past, a past not even she can account for but for which she's been paying ever since stepping down as Miss Alabama nearly a decade ago. All she can say is love isn't an option for a scandalized beauty queen from Ministry, Alabama.

But then Matthew Pope moves to town from New York to direct her sister's cooking show. He's gorgeous and doesn't push her too much. Yet there's something about him Emma can't quite put a finger on...

Matthew knows being sent to small-town Alabama is one of the worst things that could have happened to him, not just for his career, but because, since being from a town so similar and close to Ministry, the panic attacks he's had since his deployment seem to be occurring with more frequency. But then he sees the infamous Emma Laroux with whom he shares a past secret...a secret about which she, herself, doesn't seem aware. If he tells her, will it ruin the budding relationship between them? On the other hand, will his new-found feelings for her allow him to keep such a thing to himself? If only small towns, and everything to do with them weren't so complicated.

LOVE, ALABAMA is a solid sophomore offering from Susan Sands mainly because the South is lovingly venerated in very capable hands. There is something to be said about authors with such a keen sense of setting that it becomes as important to the story line as its hero and heroine. Sands does that for Ministry, Alabama. And whether Ministry truly exists on the map or not, it exists in readers' minds because it is so vibrant on the page. In fact, so integral is it to Sands' story that it not only provides the flavor to everything from food, small town politics, and manners, but also for the main conflict. Both the characters are from small town Alabama yet only one of them is letting on. Why? I can't say. Don't want to ruin the story for you. But every description of place is worth the read to find out. 

As for the characters, it is a subtle chemistry between the main characters Sands has crafted. And in a world of in-your-face romantic play, LOVE, ALABAMA is a refreshing change. That said, many readers may find it too subtle for their tastes. 

In terms of the pacing, I found a good portion of the book much like swinging on a porch swing...that is until it kicks up in the last section so that you're nearly breathless from speed reading. 

Personally, I think Sands has a lovely career ahead of her. Pick up LOVE, ALABAMA. If you've never lived in the South you could almost say you had after reading this book. 

What is your favorite thing about the South? As a Northerner myself, I'm a fried pickle and southern manners convert.

You?

~J Perry Stone

  

Review - - Wild Man's Curse

Wild Man's Curse
Wilds of the Bayou - Book 1
By Susannah Sandlin
Publisher: Montlake 
Release Date: April 5, 2016

  

The bones said death was comin’, and the bones never lied.

While on an early morning patrol in the swamps of Whiskey Bayou, Louisiana wildlife agent Gentry Broussard spots a man leaving the home of voodoo priestess Eva Savoie—a man who bears a startling resemblance to his brother, whom Gentry thought he had killed during a drug raid three years earlier. Shaken, the agent enters Eva’s cabin and makes a bloody discovery: the old woman has been brutally murdered.

With no jurisdiction over the case, he’s forced to leave the investigation to the local sheriff, until Eva’s beautiful heir, Celestine, receives a series of gruesome threats. As Gentry’s involvement deepens and more victims turn up, can he untangle the secrets behind Eva’s murder and protect Celestine from the same fate? Or will an old family curse finally have its way?

Celestine "Ceelie" Savoie left Louisiana as soon as she could, heading to Nashville to seek a career as a singer/songwriter. Unfortunately, that hasn't exactly gone as she'd hoped. She's unemployed, broke, and about to be homeless when she receives word that her great-aunt has been murdered and Ceelie is her only living relative. Whiskey Bayou is one place she thought she'd never see again but, once there, she begins to remember how much she loved spending time there as a child and the lessons she learned at Eva Savoie's knee. Life on the Bayou begins to cast its spell over her once again but someone wants her out of Eva's cabin and it appears that person will go to any lengths to make it happen...even murder.

Gentry Broussard is one of the good guys. He lives on the right side of the law which, unfortunately, put him in the position of having to make a split decision that tore his family apart. It haunts him still. He discovers Eva's body but, as a Wildlife officer, isn't officially attached to the case. However, what he witnesses at the scene has him wondering if he's seen a ghost and when Ceelie is threatened, he can't stay away. The more time they spend together, the closer they grow but Gentry is a man whose entire life in on the Bayou, Ceelie is a woman who only wanted to escape, and somewhere out there another person lurks who wants to see both of them dead.

Wild Man's Curse is the first book by Susannah Sandlin that I've read. I'm here to tell you, it will not be the last. Wow, what a ride! I wanted to read it slowly, savoring each word; absorbing the steamy, mystical, sometimes sensual, sometimes sinister life on the Bayou while at the same time, racing through the pages to discover what awaited around the next turn. Sandlin paints a vivid picture of life on the Bayou and the people who call it home. I could feel the cloying heat and humidity, hear the lapping of the water, the buzzing of insects, and the soft whir of trolling motors as the good guys - and the bad - navigate the waterways. She brings her characters to life as well; developing them with a deft hand and allowing readers to come to know them gradually, as one would in real life. Sexual tension sizzles between Gentry and Ceelie but the romance develops slowly, realistically, in a believable and emotional way that I enjoyed and appreciated. The secondary characters are also well developed, actively contributing to the story and setting the stage for future books in the series. And the villain? Well, let's just say I did not sleep easily after turning the final page of this book long after my bedtime. 

I highly recommend Susannah Sandlin's Wild Man's Curse and am anticipating future books in this series with great enthusiasm. I've already pre-ordered the next book, Black Diamond, scheduled for an October 2016 release.  

~PJ

Tell me about the last book that kept you up long past your bedtime.

I have a print copy of Wild Man's Curse for one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on today's post. (US only) 

Today's Special - - Laura Trentham

I'm so excited to host Laura Trentham today! I fell in love with Laura's writing while reading her Falcon Football series and the first book in her new Cottonbloom series has made me love her books even more. Her stories are filled with humor, sizzle, and a whole lot of heart in a small town setting. Laura knows a lot about small towns, having grown up in one in Northwest Tennessee. She loved reading and English in high school but pursued a Chemical Engineering degree in college, spending many years working in a hard hat and steel-toed boots. These days, she's busy raising a family and creating wonderful stories in Regency England and small, southern, American towns. 

Please give her a warm welcome! 

Hi, Laura! Congratulations on the release of your first mass market paperback, Kiss Me That Way!  What should readers expect from this book?

They should expect to laugh, get little teary eyed in places, and breathe a huge sigh of happiness at the end!

I did all three! 

There’s more than where they grew up standing between Cade and Monroe. What is it about these two characters that convinced you they were destined to be together?

Although their paths are vastly different, they had to face terrible things too young and each has tried to conquer their fears. In the other person, they found someone they can trust and who truly understands them.

Kiss Me That Way kicks off your new Cottonbloom series. How many books will be in this series? Will each book stand on its own or do you recommend reading them in order?

This series is a perfect beach read! There are three books in this story arc, taking place over one summer: Kiss Me That Way in June, Then He Kissed Me in July, and Till I Kissed You in August. They are standalones, but I recommend reading them in order because of the secondary storylines that connect them. Plus it’s more fun that way.

Starting summer 2017 will be another three-book series set in Cottonbloom! Different family, different story arc, but I’m sure some favorite characters will make an appearance. First up is Turn the Night On!

And one last project that connects my Falcon Football series and the Cottonbloom series is a Christmas novella featuring Jeremy Whitehurst (aka Whitey) and Kayla Redmond, who is a secondary character in Kiss Me That Way. It’s coming to e-readers everywhere this October!

Marking my calendar for all of the above! I have to tell you how excited I am to hear you've written a story for Jeremy/Whitey. I was so intrigued by his character in your Falcon Football series. 

You have a gift for creating a vivid sense of place. I felt it while reading your Falcon Football series (which I highly recommend, readers!) and again during Kiss Me That Way. Have you spent time in Louisiana or Mississippi? You sure brought it to life in this story.

Except for passing through both states and spending time in New Orleans, I haven’t! Cottonbloom is entirely of my imagination. But, I have spent lots of time in Alabama and Tennessee and know the flavor of towns like Cottonbloom. I also loved the idea of a town divided over a state line.

I love the small towns that you've created. What is about small town settings that appeals to you as a writer?

I grew in a small town in Tennessee, and every day finds me more and more nostalgic for my childhood. It was such a great place (still is!) and yes, you knew everyone. The kids I went to kindergarten with were the same ones I graduated high school with. Unfortunately, that’s not the experience my son will have. The world is changing. Small towns are disappearing or losing that sense of place all over the country, and my goal is to recapture it for the reader. As an aside, my hometown was the basis for Falcon, Alabama, down to the layout of the library.

Growing up in a small town, I remember well how residents are identified by what dish they bring to the church potluck or town festival, as in this encounter from Kiss Me That Way where Cade is introduced to Ms. Effie, an elderly resident of Cottonbloom:

“I was acquainted with your parents. Your mama made the best deviled eggs in Cottonbloom. People loved to see her coming at the church potluck.” Cade’s smile came easy and natural. It felt strange. “I remember. She was like the pied piper of deviled eggs.” 

What is your go-to potluck dish? Or, if you don’t cook, which dish do you make a beeline for

first?

I make a killer broccoli salad! You know the one with the bacon and raisins and sunflower seeds and sugared mayo dressing…Sounds totally weird, but it is heaven on earth which is why it’s perfect for a church potluck! (You can find the recipe on my website.) But, I will stake out the deviled eggs if available, because it’s something I don’t normally make yet love.

Ah, yes. I know that broccoli salad well. It's a favorite! Readers, you can find the recipe here. 

Our recent warm weather here in North Carolina has me anticipating summer. What’s your favorite season? What sets it apart from the others?

Fall is actually my favorite season because…FOOTBALL! I’m a huge Tennessee Volunteer football fan.

A kindred spirit! The day after the college football championship, I start counting down the days to kickoff game for the next season. ;-) 

Will you be attending any book signings this year where readers can meet you?

I will be in San Diego at the RWA Literacy Signing July 13^th! My very first signing and I would absolutely love to meet some readers.

Where can readers find you online?

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraTrentham

Website: http://www.lauratrentham.com/

Cade’s brother’s and sister’s books will be out in July and August. Will you tell us a bit about what we can expect from their stories?

Nash and Tally were best friends growing up but were ripped apart by tragedy. Then He Kissed Me is a really sweet friends to lovers book.

Regan and Sawyer’s book (Till I Kissed You) might be my favorite. It’s enemies to lovers with a little second chance love thrown in. These two have some explosive chemistry, plus they made me laugh.

Thanks for visiting with us today, Laura! Would you like to ask our readers a question?

Talking about food made me hungry…What’s your favorite potluck take-along dish?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment will receive a signed copy of Kiss Me That Way. (US only) If the chosen winner lives outside the United States, a $10 Amazon gift card will be substituted for the book.

 A river divides Cottonbloom in two: the upscale enclave on the Mississippi side and the rundown, rough and tumble side in Louisiana. They’re worlds apart—but nothing can build a bridge like love…

Cade Fournette never had it easy Cottonbloom. He stuck around long enough to raise his orphaned siblings and then hightailed it out West—and never looked back. Even though he’s made a success of himself in Seattle, Cade never lost the toughness and the angry edge that helped him survive down South. His only weak spot: the girl he left behind…

Monroe Kirby came from the wealthy side of town, but that didn’t protect her from her mother’s drinking—or her mother’s boyfriend. It was Cade who did that, on a long-ago hot September night, before he disappeared…along with a piece of her heart. Now Monroe is a physical therapist who can fight for herself, and it’s Cade who could use some conditioning when he makes an unexpected return back home. Will he and Monroe pick up where they left off and finally explore their mutual passion—or will the scars and secrets of the past divide them once more?

Coming Attractions

June is upon us and with the new month comes graduations, vacations, and a whole lot of terrific books. Here's what we have planned for the month of June at The Romance Dish.

Laura Trentham joins me for a Q&A on Thursday, June 2. Laura's new Cottonbloom contemporary romance series (her first time in paperback!) kicks off this month with Kiss Me That Way. If you enjoy character-driven, small-town romances set in the American south, I highly recommend you give Laura's books a try.












Monday, June 6 brings Nancy Herkness back for a Q&A about her newest Wager of Hearts book, The All-Star Antes Up. I fell hard for her newest hero, Luke, the billionaire NFL quarterback with a heart of gold.

Tracy Solheim blogs with us on Wednesday, June 8th. Tracy heads west with her newest novel, Smolder, first in the multi-author Firefighters of Montana series from Tule Publishing. Count me in!













Rose Lerner stops by Thursday, June 9th to blog about her newest project, Gambled Away: A Historical Romance Anthology. With authors like Rose, Joanna Bourne, Isabel Cooper, Jeannie Lin, and Molly O'Keefe, this is a book that should be on everybody's radar!

Wednesday, June 15 brings another On Second Thought review from Janga.









Debbie Mason's Happy Ever After in Christmas blog tour joins us on Wednesday, June 22. I've waited a long time to see if Deputy Sheriff Jill and Retired Hockey Star/Christmas Bar Owner Sawyer finally figure out they're meant for each other!

Friday, June 24 brings historical romance author Lecia Cornwall's blog tour to the Dish. Lecia's newest book, Beauty and the Highland Beast:A Highland Fairy Tale releases June 21 and I can't wait to dive in!














Rounding out the month on Tuesday, June 28 is the Alissa Johnson A Gift for Guile book tour. The second book in Johnson's late Victorian romance series, A Gift for Guile will be released July 5th.












I hope you'll join us for these events and more during the month of June! 

Review - - Love of the Game

Love of the Game

By Lori Wilde

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Axel Richmond is a pitcher for the Dallas Gunslingers, an expansion team. He is vital to the team’s success, and his record with the Gunslingers is vital to Axel’s realizing his dream of pitching for the New York Yankees. His dream is threatened by a potentially career-ending shoulder injury. Not even the most intense efforts of the driven pitcher and his team have produced the healing for which they all are hoping. In fact, the damage to his shoulder has worsened. The time has come to make a difficult decision.

Kasha Carlyle is two weeks into the three-month probationary period as physical therapist with the Gunslingers. Even though she was recommended by Rowdy Blanton, field manager of the team and husband of Kasha’s sister Breeanne, she still has to prove herself. Success is important because the job comes with a higher salary and improved insurance coverage, both necessities since Kasha plans to assume legal guardianship of Emma, her recently-discovered half-sister, who has Down Syndrome. Still, Kasha can’t keep silent when her professional opinion is at odds with that of the team physician and others who want Axel to undergo radical surgery that has had mixed results. She also disapproves of Axel’s own rigorous approach. If her less invasive, gentler methods fail, she could lose her job before the probationary period ends.

The attraction between the pitcher and the physical therapist is explosive, but both Axel and Kasha have heavy baggage that makes them leery of emotional involvement. Axel’s boyhood dream of playing for the Yankees became obsessive after the death of his young son. It is the thought of accomplishing the goal in memory of Dylan that drives Axel past the pain and discouragement. Kasha’s defenses are more entrenched. Although she was adopted by loving parents when she was seven, the horror she endured before then has shaped her into the person she is, a woman who makes calmness and peace priorities and fears the consequences of passion.  Thus, in addition to the ethical concerns of involvement with a patient, Kasha has compelling personal reasons to resist the powerful feelings she has for Axel. Can Axel persuade her to open herself to the passionate love he offers?

This is the third book in Wilde’s Stardust, Texas series, following Back in the Game and Rules of the Game. There is much to like in this book. The lead characters, particularly Kasha, are interesting, layered, and sympathetic. The relationship between Kasha and Emma is tender and moving, and yet Wilde also shows the reality of assuming responsibility for a child in an adult’s body. Axel is definitely an alpha, as befits his status as a major league pitcher, but readers know from early in the book that this alpha has heart. Readers who enjoyed the earlier books will be pleased to see Kasha’s adoptive family in secondary roles.  

However, the insta-lust is so heavy and hits so soon (in the opening pages) that I was turned off the book before I finished the first chapter. Although I give full marks to the author for a complex, emotional story, had I not been reading the novel for review, I probably would not have read far enough to appreciate the merits of the story. I do understand that some readers will see the early chapters as a plus, but I can give the book only a qualified recommendation.

~Janga