Tuesday Teaser & Intro: I Love You More

August 21, 2018August 11, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders2 Comments

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Synopsis ~ I Love You More

One man, three wives, the perfect murder. A scintillating novel of betrayal and conspiracy.

Picasso Lane is twelve years old when her father, Oliver, is murdered at their summer beach house. Her mother, Diana, is the primary suspect—until the police discover his second wife, and then his third. The women say they have never met—but Picasso knows otherwise. Picasso remembers the morning beautiful Jewels showed up at their house, carrying the same purse as her mother, and a family portrait featuring her father with two strange boys. Picasso remembers lifting the phone, listening to late night calls with Bert, a woman heavily pregnant with Oliver’s fourth child. As the police circle and a detective named Kyle Kennedy becomes a regular fixture in their home, Picasso tries to make sense of her father’s death, the depth of his deceit, and the secrets that bind these three women. Cunningly paced and plotted, I Love You More is a riveting novel of misplaced loyalty, jealousy, and revenge.

Part One – Rumors

(The Events Surrounding the Murder)

PICASSO

The rumors started before my daddy’s body got cold. I’d made my peace with the liest by then – lies I’ve learned are a necessary evil-and, being from the South, I’m used to cloying (that means sickeningly sweet) smiles, but I hadn’t figured on the sideways glances, hushed talk, loud silence. Feigned ignorance. I mean someone’s dying had always made the front page of the Hollyville Herald. Even Mrs. Morgan’s twenty-year-old cat got a paragraph, but not my daddy.

Teasers

It all started three years ago when the first lady showed up at our house. I was ten years old at the time….I figured she was selling religion.

Sociopaths are expert chameleons.

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros was created by Bibliophile By The Sea and is now hosted by Vicki @ I’d Rather Be At The Beach. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you’re reading or thinking about reading soon. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: Spring in Sweetwater County

August 14, 2018August 11, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders5 Comments

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Synopsis ~ Spring in Sweetwater County

Forty years after the death of her true love, Judy Gaylord discovers he’s alive. With the guilt of her falling into the arms of his cousin to console her grief, she now must face the man she betrayed.

Dr. James Benjamin has dedicated his life to helping people deal with their post-traumatic stress disorder in hopes of forgetting about his own trauma. Not wanting to risk the safety of others, he’s spent decades alone, but when he sees the woman he never forgot from before the war, his heart awakens.

When circumstances force Judy and James to work together, they soon discover old feelings never faded. Judy must forgive herself and James will have to face his fear or they will miss their second chance.

Chapter 1

James Benjamin climbed out of the car, scanning his childhood home. Gravel crunched beneath his feet, the only other noise in the quiet countryside besides Eric Gaylord’s idling vehicle. He clutched the door, steadying himself as he took in the peeling paint, broken shutters, and overgrown front lawn. Only the spring floral scent and specks of purple wildflowers in the pasture looked familiar.

Teasers

“After all these years, I once again have to prove I’m alive instead of buried somewhere back in Nam.”

“She’s madder than a mule chewing on bumblebees.”

“After that, you can tell me why the hell you decided to come back here after swearing me to secrecy all these years.”

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: My Lady Governess

July 31, 2018July 23, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders7 Comments

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Synopsis ~ My Lady Governess

One knight, one runaway heiress, one rollicking romance: A breath of fresh air in Regency romance!

Proud and haughty, Lord de Waare is almost as medieval as his castle…until he accidentally abducts a governess, who turns out not to be a governess at all, and who shows this knight that his heart is not as armoured as he thought.

A girl with a dangerous past, Marina would happily disappear again, but since de Waare won’t let that happen, then the least he can do is help her clear her name. But moving back into society is dangerous for her and for the stern man she’s coming to love. She knows the rules of honour and society, and she won’t allow de Waare to compromise the principles that define him.

But de Waare didn’t become the Crusader by accepting defeat. Faint heart never won a fair lady, and de Waares always win.

Chapter 1

Marina Frome, governess to Lady Kemp’s three daughters, was a great fan of Jane Austen, but whilst she agreed about the young man in want of a wife, she thought that at present there were other universally acknowledged truths that were rather more important. Such as, a single man in possession of a good fortune must face unbelievable sycophancy wherever he went. Or that the marriage mart was a singularly cut-throat business. Or, most strongly of all, that were was nobody as blind as an ambitious mama – as was being shown to her right this minute in the drawing room where she sat in the corner, one beady eye on her charges.

Teasers

Lord de Waare swung on his heel, managing not to reel too much, everyone still frozen. Then he swung back. He swung back and pushed his face close o hers, snarling, “Nobody talks to me like that,” and the next moment Marina left the ground and was being taken at speed down the passage over a very broad shoulder.

Never trust a woman whom no other woman can stand.

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: Cactus Rose

July 24, 2018July 23, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders3 Comments

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Synopsis ~ Cactus Rose

Rosie Saladay needs to get married—fast. The young widow needs help to protect her late husband’s ranch, but no decent woman can live alone with a hired hand. With the wealthy Wesley Morris making a play for her land, Rosie needs a husband or she risks losing everything. So she hangs a sign at the local saloon: “Husband wanted. Apply inside. No conjugal rights.”

Delmar Grant is a sucker for a damsel in distress, and even with Rosie’s restrictions on “boots under her bed” stated firmly in black and white, something about the lovely widow’s plea leaves him unable to turn away her proposal of marriage.

Though neither planned on falling in love, passion ignites between the unlikely couple. But their buried secrets—and enemies with both greed and a grudge—threaten to tear them apart. They’ll discover this marriage of convenience may cost them more than they could have ever bargained for.

Chapter 1

Diablo Rock, Arizona Territory

1871

Rosie Saladay drove her rickety buckboard wagon into town like a woman gone mad. Tawny dust billowed in furious clouds as she reined in front of Diablo Rock’s finest saloon, a crumbling adobe structure with a leaning porch shaded by a thatch of mesquite branches.

Teasers

“She’s gone plumb crazy, I say. She knows there ain’t a man in town that’ll have her. Excepting maybe Milt there. He been a widower long enough he’d take on any kind of female what ate cactus three times a day.”

Sometimes it felt like she had been dying since the very day she arrived in Arizona Territory.

“You seem awfully dedicated to your shack and cactus farm.”

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: Unmasking Juliet

July 17, 2018July 11, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders2 Comments

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Synopsis ~ Unmasking Juliet

Ever since she was a little girl learning to make decadent truffles in her family’s chocolate shop, Juliet Arabella has been aware of the bitter feud between the Arabellas and the Mezzanottes. With their rival chocolate boutiques on the same street in Napa Valley, these families never mix. Until one night, when Juliet anonymously attends the annual masquerade ball. In a moonlit vineyard, she finds herself falling for a gorgeous stranger, a man who reminds her what passion is like outside of the kitchen. But her bliss is short-lived when she discovers her masked prince is actually Leo Mezzanotte, newly returned from Paris and the heir to her archenemy’s confection dynasty.

With her mind in a whirl, Juliet leaves for Italy to represent the Arabellas in a prestigious chocolate competition. The prize money will help her family’s struggling business, and Juliet figures it’s a perfect opportunity to forget Leo…only to find him alr

Chapter 1

Thus with a kiss, she lived…

Midway through the Tenth Annual Mezzanotte Masquerade Ball, Juliet Arabella had the irrepressible urge to flee. The more she thought about what had transpired during the limo ride to the party, the more difficult it became to breathe. What was she even doing here? She didn’t belong in this room, with these people.

Teasers

As soon as the lips of the mysterious young woman touched his, he knew that she acted impulsively, contrary to his habits. He should have strayed away, take his hand off his tie and, as a perfect gentleman, spread his excuses. Of course, she liked him terribly, she attracted him as the most beautiful of flowers; but behaving like that, really… He could not. His body acted independently of his reason. How to resist this passionate kiss, lavished by a beautiful stranger, in the moonlight, in the midst of fragrant vines? It was so crazy… and so good!

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: A Devil in Scotland

March 20, 2018March 6, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders3 Comments

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Synopsis ~ A Devil in Scotland

1806, Scotland: Wild, reckless Callum MacCreath is in no hurry to become someone’s husband. But when his responsible, steady older brother Ian announces his engagement to their childhood friend Rebecca, Callum makes a startling discovery: he wants the lovely young lass for himself. But it’s too late, and when Ian banishes him for his duplicity, he’s only too happy to leave Scotland forever.

1816: Marrying Ian was the practical, logical thing for Becca to do. But once Callum sailed away to America, she missed his rakish charm and lust for life. Now, ten years later, Becca is a widow when a much-changed Callum returns to his Scottish homeland. Will he remember their spirited, fiery connection, or does he blame her for his brother’s unexpected death? This time neither of them can deny their scorching attraction, but will their hearts be burned in the blazing heat of scandal?

Prologue

1806, Inverness, Scotland

Becca would me in the morning room, most likely, because she didn’t like fights. Callum MacCreath slammed the drawing room door in his brother’s face and stomped down the straight-angled stairs to go find the one sane guest – and the one female – in MacCreath House tonight. Let the quartet of devils upstairs make their bargains and plan how to spend their riches. He wanted no part of it. None. Not when it involved choosing blunt over damned common sense.

Chapter 1

Kentucky, 1816

The bushes on the far side of the ravine rustled again. Sinking lower into his crouch, Callum MacCreath slowly unslung the rifle from his shoulder. A light breeze touched his ace, moving his scent behind him, away from the steep, crumbling bank. Readying the rifle, he put his fingers to his mouth and gave a low, two-toned whistle.

Teasers

That was nothing new. Aside from his heard-earned reputation for directness, he supposed it was, like most male MacCreaths he boasted a green left eye and a blue right eye. Ian had the same oddity, as had their father. Not so long ago several of his ancestors had been burned as both witches and demons because of precisely that peculiarity. These days, though, lasses seemed to find his two-colored eyes attractive, thank Lucifer. [Loc 247]

“May I wear a kilt?”

On his other side Rebecca burst out laughing. “No, you may not wear a kilt, Lady Mags. Kilts are for Highlands men. And ladies do not show their knees or their ankles.”

The six-year-old sighed. “Is Grandmama spinning in her grave again?”

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: Wallflower Most Wanted

March 13, 2018February 25, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders2 Comments

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Synopsis ~ Wallflower Most Wanted

A dedicated painter, Miss Sophia Hastings is far more concerned with finding the right slant of light than in finding Mr. Right. But when an overhead conversation hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Even it means accepting help from an impossibly good-looking vicar who insists on joining her investigation—and threatens to capture her heart…

Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress. But he won’t allow her to venture into peril alone, either. . .especially since he finds Sophia’s curious, free-spirited nature so alluring. But protecting her from harm is becoming more difficult than the vicar could have expected as he and Sophia confront their fiery mutual passion. Who could have known that the art of love would prove so irresistible?

Chapter 1

Consumed by the need to capture the scene in front of her before the light changed, Miss Sophia Hastings didn’t notice the newcomers until it was too late.

She’d struck out early that morning – an unusual occurrence for her – carrying her own equipment to her favorite spot at the edge of the Beauchamp House property, atop the chalk cliff overlooking the sea.

Teasers

He was also a man of God. And she and God weren’t precisely on good terms.

“You’ll regret this, vicar,” he said with a scowl. “I am an influential man in these parts. And I have friends in the church. When the Archbishop of Canterbury hears about this, you will find yourself in a much less convivial post.”

Since the archbishop was his mother’s first cousin, Ben had no worries on that score.

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: The Rogue is Back in Town

March 6, 2018February 18, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders3 Comments

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Synopsis ~ The Rogue is Back in Town

Equal parts scoundrel and seducer, he’s returned to London determined to mend the rift with his older brother. All Sam must do is take possession of a tumbledown town house. A seemingly simple task, except the house is occupied—by an infuriating, whip-smart beauty who refuses to do his bidding.

Miss Juliette Lacey’s wallflower days are over. She has a plan to turn her eccentric family into the toast of the ton—but the devilishly handsome rake trying to oust them from their home thwarts her at every turn. How can one man be so vexing andmake her simmer with desire?

As her attraction to Sam deepens, Julie’s problems grow—she may have, once upon a time, secretly shared a kiss with his honorable older brother. Suddenly, Julie’s caught between a rogue and a marquess, between passion and respectability. Torn between two brothers, what’s a girl to do?

Chapter 1

London, Fall 1818

“His lordship requests your presence in his study.”

A summons at this ungodly hour? Holy hell. Lord Samuel Travis moaned and pretended he still slept.

A brief pause. “At once.”

Sam cracked open burning eyes and scowled at his valet. “Go away, Ralph.” He threw an arm across his face to ward off the menacing rays of the sunlight that streamed between the curtains. Dam it, he’d passed out in the library.

Teasers

Dear Jesus. The rumors about Wiltmore being mad were true. And Sam was going to be spending several hours a day with him, which meant he’d soon be ready for Bedlam too.

Sam was never going to be respectable enough or gentleman enough or worthy enough. Not in his brother’s eyes – and not in his own.

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: A Wedding at Two Love Lane

February 27, 2018February 18, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders2 Comments

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Synopsis ~ A Wedding at Two Love Lane

Greer Jones has made a real name for herself at the elegant matchmaking agency Two Love Lane. For a lot of reasons–including a past engagement she broke off–practical tech expert Greer is more interested in the business of love than the experience of it, but she can’t help but covet a gorgeous wedding gown that’s the prize in an upcoming cocktail-party contest. In a moment of brazen inspiration, Greer asks a handsome Brit she’s only just met to accompany her to the party. He agrees–and Greer believes her date is a starving artist. Little does she know the truth. . .

Ford Smith, as he calls himself, is actually Stanford Elliott Wentworth Smythe, the Eighth Baron of Wickshire. Fresh off a breakup with a money-grubbing siren who deceived him all the way to the altar, Ford has no desire to fall in love–especially with Greer who, like the desired wedding gown, is beautiful but only skin-deep. But soon Ford realizes that there’s more to Greer than meets the eye. Her professionalism is matched only by her passion for life and love. . .and, best of all, she has no idea that he’s to the manor born. Could it be that true love is priceless after all?

Chapter 1

Greer Jones had just closed the iron gate with the heart and lovers’ initials wrought into it in front of the two-hundred-year-old house at Two Love Lane. “He wan’t the man for me, Mom,” she said into her phone. Behind her the house stood tall and proud beneath a canopy of oak and pecan trees. Its windows – three stories of them – sparkled in the sunlight. Love is everywhere, it seemed to say. Come in and we’ll help you find it.

Teasers

She couldn’t tell her best friends that she’d wondered if there was something inherently wrong with her, like a chip missing in her heart.

“I’d like to work on this project instead. If I do, however, it will require you to stop being such a greedy little bastard.”

“Henny.” His eyes narrowed. “You can’t call me that.”

“Just watch me,” she said dryly. “You lose me as a friend and you really don’t have anyone to deliver a eulogy at your funeral one day. Let’s be real about this.”

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.

Tuesday Teaser & Intro: Five Days, Five Kisses

February 20, 2018February 18, 2018 SissyBear @ Girl of 1000 Wonders3 Comments

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Synopsis ~ Five Days, Five Kisses

What could be more awkward than getting dumped at graduation….kissing five strangers to get over it! Nikola Jensen hates endings, like when her parents told her they were splitting up, or when she was forced to leave her first love and idyllic lake home to move to the barren desert of Arizona. So, two years later when her high school boyfriend Sam, publicly breaks her heart, Nikola can’t seem to let go. To help her move on Nikola’s best friends, Liberty and Maya create the absurd Five Days, Five Kisses plan. All she has to do is kiss a new guy every day for five days and Sam will be a distant memory. Five Days, kissing five strangers. What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter 1

Nikola

Black graduation caps filled the air. With them came a cheer that resonated off the cement bleachers and drifted over the high school graduates down on the field.

Like a snapshot, I captured the experience in my memory. Click, click, click…I took in the detail. It was perfect. The sun was setting. A light breeze blew and my gorgeous boyfriends sat in the first row looking stunning despite wearing a hideous black graduation gown.

Teasers

Liberty always drove like her butt was on fire. She was the only person I knew who could be in a hurry to be in a hurry, and I expected tonight to be the same.

Maya was the only person who could snort and make it sound classy. She was like a Brazilian goddess. If she wasn’t my best friend, I’d be insanely jealous of her perfect figure and hair that never gets messed up.

Would you keep reading?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you’re reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too. Link up HERE.