Addicted to Writing Presents Romance Sunday: Highland Honor by Christine Young

Highland Honor

Christine Young

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 3

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Scotland November 1512:

A heavy frost sat on the frozen earth, and a full moon shone clearly between the heavy clouds dotting the sky. Lady Callie Whitcomb looked over her shoulder as she raced through the deepening gloom toward the lighted tavern ahead. Every shadow, every mournful sigh of the wind sweeping through the trees, every chilling animal sound filled her with terror. Fear for her life drove her to put all thoughts of danger aside. He would follow her, find her, and drag her home.

Home.

"Don't think of that now," she reminded herself fiercely, even while tears stung in the back of her throat and fear made her limbs tremble. "Don't ye dare think of home. It no longer exists." Nothing and no one could coax her back or make her believe there was naught but terror in the home where she'd been born.

"I will never marry Lord Huntington. Never!" she whispered fiercely, the chill night air solemnly echoing her words.

Her stepbrother, Archibald Covington III, made sure she could never return.

"There ye be, lass! I've been waiting for you."

The voice rose from nowhere and surprised her. Her heart froze, lurched, then began an erratic beat, while raw nerves snapped, sending a myriad of sensations racing down her spine.

"Archibald--" she whispered, panic sweeping through her. "He's found me." All she could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears.

Before she could reach her destination, before she could find safe refuge from him, his men had found her. No! Not now. Not when she thought she had eluded them all.

A wave of fear sweeping through her reminded her, that if caught, she would be taken back to Archibald and forced to marry Lord Huntington.

"I'll help you down, lass."

"No."

Before she could react and spur her horse forward, callous, rough hands centered on her waist then pulled her from her mount.

"No!" She cried out to no avail. Regaining her wits, she beat fiercely upon the man's broad chest, tearing at his face and his thick beard with her fingers.

"Ach, lass! Hold still! I mean ye no harm. Stop this--" His voice was gruff and impatient.

Fear for her life had spurred her haste. Terror she might see Huntington or Archibald with each turn of the road haunted every hour of her journey. Archibald had retainers everywhere. Messages would have been sent. A highlander could be bought.

"Ruffian! Unhand me! Ye barbarous Scotsman."

If Archibald had guessed what path she followed...

"Verra well, ne'er let it be said that I dinna do a lass' bidding." Just as suddenly as he'd grabbed her, his hold upon her vanished. She stumbled backward.

Instantly, she found herself sitting on the frozen earth. The man towering above her watched her with concerned dark eyes. Despite the scar stretching from forehead to chin, his mouth quirked upward in a humorous slant.

"Ye be a handful, lass."

Mary of A Romance Review says, "Overall I liked the story and can recommend it as a worthwhile read. The author has a lot of talent and the plot and tension of the story are well handled."

Addicted to Writing Presents Sci/fi Fantasy Saturday: Stealing Fire by Angela Castle

Stealing Fire by Angela Castle

Excerpt Heat Level: 2

Book Heat Level: 5

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon: :  http://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Fire-Angela-Castle-ebook/dp/B005895RWO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385941011&sr=1-1&keywords=Stealing+Fire+by+Angela+Castle

Buy at Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stealing-fire-angela-castle/1104143481?ean=2940012822550

BLURB:

     Sequel to Blue Fire: In the land of the Kell, Tuthal and Tamara are content in their new relationship, until Tuthal uses Tamara as bait to steal back the soul he sold long ago.

     Adalardo, King of Kell, has found his queen in Penny, an abused housewife from Earth. Adalardo must challenge Penny’s husband in order to claim her as his queen.

     The soul demon, who is angered over the betrayal of Tuthal, seeks revenge, targeting not only Tuthal but all those around him.

     When the demon strikes a blow right into the heart of both men, they must join forces in hope of defeating the evil that has taken their women.

EXCERPT:

Tamara's feet dangled above the precipice. No matter how she tried to calm her racing pulse and rapid breathing, she felt the panic rising.

How had four weeks with the most gorgeous magical man she had ever met, turn into this? Tuthal, sorcerer of Kell had shown her the wonders of his alien land, brought her pleasures that left her weak, sated, and never wanting to leave his side. He had stolen her heart in a matter of days, yet she sensed there was a hell of a lot more to her magical sorcerer than he chose to reveal.

Tuthal's tower, and the place he called home, remarkably resembled a lighthouse. It was positioned by a bay inlet along the eastern side of the Kell coastline. Tamara was curled up on a soft couch by a blazing crystal fire. She glanced up at him as Tuthal had come down the steps from the upper room.

"It is time, my Tamara."

"Time for what?" She gave him a seductive smile; there was always time for some hot sweaty sex with her hunky alien sorcerer.

"There is someone I wish you to meet."

"Okay, cool." She jumped up, trustingly putting her hand into his. Tamara had seen the glint of his sword as the robes he wore parted slightly then he turned and waved his staff to open a red glowing portal; portals being a source of magical transport between worlds, and only Sorcerers like Tuthal were able to open them.

"Remember when the time comes, my beauty, I need you to scream for me." Before she could question what on earth he had meant, Tuthal had tugged her though the red swirling portal.

Tuthal did not allow her time to think or react. He gripped her wrists, lifted her off her feet, and shackled her wrists either side of her head between two poles.

"Tuthal, what the hell are you doing?" She was trying to stay calm, hoping this was some kind of kinky game he wanted to play. Tuthal's expression was passive, giving nothing away behind his miss-matched eyes.

"I need you to be my sacrifice to the soul demon, Tamara; you are the one I have needed for a very long time. Trust me Tamara, all will be well." She watched as he had opened another portal and stepped through, leaving her alone in the darkness of what could only be described as hell.

"Stay calm, it'll be alright, stay calm, stay calm." Tamara repeated like a mantra trying to believe the words she spoke. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy always had the best advice in situations like these; 'Don't panic.' But that was easier said than done.

Stealing Fire has everything you could ever want in a fantasy romance! I absolutely LOVED it!

Regina
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More  5 Cups

Addicted to Writing Presents: Friday's Featured Title: Challenging the Legacy by Genie Gabriel

Challenging the Legacy

Genie Gabriel

genene@genenevalleau.com

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:

Buy at Barnes & Noble:

BLURB:

Super-mom Tallie O'Shea took on eight adopted children and built a legacy of compassionate justice with her policeman husband. When he is gunned down, she doesn't think it's an accident. Then a former lover shows up and the lies from her past start unraveling. As dangers explode around her, can Tallie set things right before everything she loves is destroyed?

EXCERPT

The pressure of Pierce's fingers on hers surprised Tallie. She knew speculation about the two of them had been raging through town since Pierce showed up the night Halo exploded. Fitting, it seemed, since his arrival and the news he was Marly's biological father had rocked the foundation of her world.

Events continued to unfold at a rapid pace, including the whirlwind courtship and marriage of her oldest son, Collin, and local café owner, Beth Boulanger. Tallie already loved Beth like a daughter, though she had questioned Collin about the haste of their wedding.

However, Beth glowed with innocent love as she walked down the aisle toward Collin. And Tallie had never seen her oldest son as happy as when he took Beth's hand and tucked it under his arm, then turned to face his brother, Patrick, who was performing the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved..."

What a difference the packed church was to the intimate setting when Tallie had married Bernie. Just the minister, his wife, and Bernie's uncle, along with Collin and Patrick, who were still wary little boys not believing they might actually have a loving home of their own.

Collin is so handsome. Just like Bernie was.

Tallie dabbed at her tears with a tissue. Bernie had worn a navy blue suit and starched white shirt. Tallie wore the new dress he insisted on buying for her and carried a bouquet of flowers--real ones--from the florist fifty miles away. The two boys were self-consciously silent in their borrowed suits and slicked-down hair.

 "This will be a real marriage." Bernie had told her when he proposed a union so the boys would have both an adoptive father and mother. "You decide when you're ready to be physically intimate. But I'll always be faithful to you."

Tallie touched the wedding ring still circling the third finger of her left hand. A ring that had belonged to Bernie's grandmother.

When they married, Bernie spoke his vows clearly and looked directly at her. In all their years of marriage, Tallie knew without a doubt Bernie had indeed been true to her. He never gave her reason to think anything else.

You would be so proud of your children, Bernie.

As she dabbed at her tears again, Pierce took Tallie's hand and smiled at her. What would her life have been if she had married Pierce? She would have missed out on all her children, as well as the courage that came with being part of Bernie's legacy. She might have become as bitter as Portia Stratford.

She had loved Pierce with a deep physical passion--in a different way than she loved Bernie. She and Bernie were partners, with a love that grew from shared respect and purpose. No matter the past and whatever the future might hold, Tallie was grateful she had her marriage with Bernie and the blessings of all her children.

Only time would tell if her relationship with Pierce would become more than being parents to Marly. Today, Tallie simply cherished this beautiful time of her oldest son marrying the woman he now gazed at with total devotion and love.

Rogue Phoenix Press Presents: Highland Sunrise by Christine Young

Title: Highland Sunrise

Author: Christine Young

Email: achristay@aol.com

Genre: Women's Fiction

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 4

Buy at: Rogue Phoenix Press;

Amazon;

Barnes and Noble

REVIEW:

Highland Sunrise by Christine Young
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (174 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dandelion

I loved the rapport between the two main characters. Although at times they both struggled to find the right words to explain their feelings for each other, somehow they managed. They both loved the other and so over time it became easier. Both were also very independent and that caused a little friction between them. However, Ryder would typically just shake his head and go with the flow. There were a huge number of sex scenes, and I think this story would have stood alone quite well without so many (there were times they did nothing to forward the plot, but seemed added just to have a sex scene), but they didn’t detract from the plot either.

There were so many other fascinating and fun characters in the story: her sister, her cousins, their husbands, her aunt, the Duchess. Reading about all the things they attempted and succeeded in doing was really fun. They were not the typical regency “tonnish” people of the days. This made this story much more fun.

And of course, although there was a lot of fighting, terror, murder and mayhem, the story has a very satisfying ending.

He Made Her An Offer...

Life has thrown Christel McClellan some experiences that could have devastated a less determined woman. Beautiful, self-assured and fiercely independent, she is trying to forget the loss of her stillborn child. But is the child alive?

She Couldn’t Deny...

Life is carefree for Ryder MacLaren who loves to see what is on the other side of the sunrise. Laird of Clan MacLaren, he is wealthy, handsome and happily unencumbered...until stunning Christel McClellan enters his life. When he hears her story, he believes the child she thought dead has been sold to a wealthy buyer.

EXCERPT

But Christel pushed away from him and pointing, "There, do you see her. She is sitting on the wall."

Ryder strained to see the apparition Christel pointed toward but he saw nothing. "No, but I think I hear her."

"Yes, she is crying, not weeping as usual. Do you know anything about her story?" Christel turned to him, hope shining in her soft blue eyes.

"I've heard her lover died. But that was a long time ago."

"How?"

Ryder pulled her back into his embrace, not ever wanting her to leave. He would hold fast to her for as long as she would allow him. "At war... I don't recall which one. The clans seem to have always been at war with someone, especially the English."

He felt the nod of her head against his chest. "Does anyone know the legend? I would seek them out."

Her breathing was slow and she seemed relaxed. But Ryder feared for her. If she started asking questions, would this ghost come to harm her? He didn't know anything about apparitions. But he also knew he would have to give her a chance to discover the truth. "Only if you let me go with you. I would be honored. There is a woman, older than time. She wanders the castle grounds. Most see her in the late evening and early morning."

"Old as time, no older?"

A shimmering silver light hung over the castle and floated above the turrets. Ryder pointed toward the light. "Is that her?"

"She's a bit reclusive." Christel turned in Ryder's arms. "Yes, that's her."

"One might say that about her." His hands rested at the small of Christel's back. He wanted to kiss her but didn't want to frighten her again. Maybe a lazy gentle kiss would be accepted. The thought made him grin.

He traced her neck with the tip of his finger, hoping she would find his attentions acceptable then bent close to her. "I want to kiss you. Will you let me?" She shivered in his arms but turned her face up to him.

"Yes." She breathed softly. Her words gentle yet hesitant.

Her reticence bothered him. What had happened in her past? His thoughts shot to Lord Rathen and her hasty departure from London. Every part of him tightened with disgust. He would discover the truth and make the despicable rake pay for any injustice committed against Christel.

Watching her eyes for signs of fear, Ryder lowered his mouth to hers. He touched her gently, molded his lips against her, thrilled to hear the sigh of pleasure emanate from her. He ran one hand up her back, pulling her closer, reveling in the feel of her softness against his hard planes. Her breasts pushed against him. The need to feel every inch of her pulsed through him but he didn't dare.

He moved back and once again looking into her eyes. She lowered her lashes then returned his gaze.

"Don't think, little one, just feel and know that I would never hurt you. I want more but I won't rush you."

She touched his cheek with one slender fingertip. "Kiss me again."