When Hannah’s house is burgled, she gains as much as she loses: she meets Jan, her reserved Dutch neighbour and successful antiques dealer, and Callum, the detective in charge of the case, then finds some hidden letters to her dead grandmother that take her on an emotional journey of discovery.
As Hannah juggles the attentions of the two men now firmly in her life, she works to uncover the secrets of the past, only to find these encroach on the present in unexpected ways.
And then there are the two men in her life, both vying for her attention, both hiding things from her and each other. What does Callum really know about Jan? What is Jan hiding from everyone? And what did her grandmother—whose house it once was—hide from the world?
As if Hannah doesn’t have enough mysteries to solve, her best friend Rachel enlists her help in solving her marital crisis, while her pleasure-seeking mother seems intent on finding her a husband.
With so many skeletons rattling the door of Hannah’s house, can she unravel these mysterious threads and reveal the truth, changing her life forever?
“Have you seen any more of your Good Samaritan neighbour?”
I caught the hint of sarcasm in his tone.
“No, but then, as you no doubt established, he probably has a better view of my house from his balcony than I do of his apartment.”
He raised an eyebrow and I’m sure I detected a fleeting spark of amusement in his light brown eyes. “The reason I ask is that I understand his auction house has a substantial art deco collection catalogued in the next public auction. If I’m right, that’s scheduled for next Wednesday. I thought he might have told you, in case you wanted to replace some of your stolen items.”
The sting hit like a double whammy. In the first place, hearing this from him, rather than Jan hurt, and the second pain—a more prolonged ache—was the guilt at not protecting my grandmother’s treasures better. I felt I’d lost a part of her that I wish I could have preserved. Replacing her material legacy was not high on my agenda, but no one seemed to understand that. The house felt that bit emptier without them, but replacing them with similar items would not make that any better. I needed the original items back, not copies. And that’s when it struck me.
Grandma’s stolen pieces were not the sort of items that were going to be melted down and made into a different form. They weren’t great works of art, but they were genuine collectors’ items that had value to someone in the art world. My grandmother had left them to us, to my mother, my sister and me with love. They belonged here, in Grandma’s house and that’s exactly where they should be returned. Now I had a mission, to hunt down my grandmother’s legacy item by item, and return everything to its rightful place.
*****
I sat back in my seat, gave my upper lip a surreptitious swipe with my finger to make sure there was no froth on it, and looked into his friendly eyes.
“Perhaps I never really felt a sense of ownership to my grandmother’s belongings. The burglars didn’t take anything of mine—not that I have that much that would interest them anyway, or anything to which I have any great attachment. As you pointed out, they left a fairly valuable ring behind, so all they wanted was Grandma Elouise’s stuff. She had some lovely antiques and art deco pieces. I might never have bought them myself, but she left them in my custody when she left me her house, so it’s like I’ve let her down by allowing them to be stolen. And that’s what makes me angry. Does that make any sense to you at all?”
He sat watching me for quite a while, before picking up his cup and taking another swig of coffee. At last, he nodded. “Yes, I think so. But I also think a burglary invokes a kind of grieving process, and you’re still very much in the early stages of it.”
That made me laugh out loud. “I’m familiar with the stages of grieving. I deal with grief a lot in my line of work, remember. I’m not grieving; I’m just furious that some low-life broke into my house and stole my grandmother’s treasures. And I want to get them back. That’s all there is to it.” I knew anger was the second stage of the grieving process, but so what?
He smiled, not in the least offended by my outburst and asked in what sounded like a teasing voice, “And do you have an M.O.?”
I shrugged again. That’s not a habit I want to develop, since I've always considered it looks uncouth. “Not a definitive one, as yet. But I have a mother with the nose of a bloodhound, a friend who deals in antiques, another friend with contacts in the seedy criminal underbelly and a loss adjuster’s absolute best friend, the Internet.”
When he laughed, I couldn’t help noticing his good teeth. Nice and white and even. “So I’m your friendly neighbourhood copper now, am I?” he asked.
“Hmm… maybe. I’m working on it, anyway.”
Author Bio:
A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, often involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. She claims 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller and 'Unworkers' a modern ghost story/women's fiction are her personal favourites to date. Her latest release 'The Nightclub' is a romance packed with suspense. You can find more details of her novels on her website.
When Hannah’s house is burgled, she gains as much as she loses: she meets Jan, her reserved Dutch neighbour and successful antiques dealer, and Callum, the detective in charge of the case, then finds some hidden letters to her dead grandmother that take her on an emotional journey of discovery.
As Hannah juggles the attentions of the two men now firmly in her life, she works to uncover the secrets of the past, only to find these encroach on the present in unexpected ways.
And then there are the two men in her life, both vying for her attention, both hiding things from her and each other. What does Callum really know about Jan? What is Jan hiding from everyone? And what did her grandmother—whose house it once was—hide from the world?
As if Hannah doesn’t have enough mysteries to solve, her best friend Rachel enlists her help in solving her marital crisis, while her pleasure-seeking mother seems intent on finding her a husband.
With so many skeletons rattling the door of Hannah’s house, can she unravel these mysterious threads and reveal the truth, changing her life forever?
The shock when I arrived home to find my front door kicked in left me reeling, too stunned to move. Before I found the courage to enter the house, Jan appeared at my side, his face a picture of concern and sympathy.
"I've been watching for you. I spotted the damage from my balcony when I came home from work and called the police. They only left ten minutes ago. Let’s go inside and see what has happened."
I began to shake violently. I've never been burgled before, but seen the effect on so many people in the course of my work. It leaves you feeling violated and scared. I doubted I could even cross my own threshold unaided. What would I find inside—or not find? I was still too shocked for tears, just cold, dumb incomprehension. Me… burgled! This is such a safe house, tucked away behind the big apartment block, minding its own little business, not encouraging anyone to trespass and break in. It’s not visible from the road and even sat navs can’t find it—I suffered endless difficulties with deliveries and have fallen out with several courier firms. I’ve stopped ordering from most online stores, because nothing ever arrives without endless emails or phone calls.
Who would rob me anyway, and why? Had I been targeted or did someone just happen upon the house? The questions rampaged my stunned brain as I peered into the house, reluctant to enter.
Author Bio:
A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, often involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. She claims 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller and 'Unworkers' a modern ghost story/women's fiction are her personal favourites to date. Her latest release 'The Nightclub' is a romance packed with suspense. You can find more details of her novels on her website.
When Hannah’s house is burgled, she gains as much as she loses: she meets Jan, her reserved Dutch neighbour and successful antiques dealer, and Callum, the detective in charge of the case, then finds some hidden letters to her dead grandmother that take her on an emotional journey of discovery.
As Hannah juggles the attentions of the two men now firmly in her life, she works to uncover the secrets of the past, only to find these encroach on the present in unexpected ways.
And then there are the two men in her life, both vying for her attention, both hiding things from her and each other. What does Callum really know about Jan? What is Jan hiding from everyone? And what did her grandmother—whose house it once was—hide from the world?
As if Hannah doesn’t have enough mysteries to solve, her best friend Rachel enlists her help in solving her marital crisis, while her pleasure-seeking mother seems intent on finding her a husband.
With so many skeletons rattling the door of Hannah’s house, can she unravel these mysterious threads and reveal the truth, changing her life forever?
"Are you stealing our junk mail?"
Voice accusing, mocking even, with a hint of an accent; masculine, unfamiliar and unexpected—so much so it made me lose my precarious balance and topple sideways, cracking my knee on the marble floor and putting me at an even greater disadvantage. I bit back my sarcastic retort, realising I must appear pretty suspicious, crouching in front of the mailboxes in a building in which I didn't even live.
"Well, strictly speaking, no, I'm not. I mean, some of this is mine," I said, pushing myself into a more dignified kneeling position. He moved a step closer, making it even more difficult to see the face at the top of the rather long, charcoal grey-suited body without me aping Quasimodo. He surveyed the neat pile of mail, mainly junk I must confess, on the floor beside me.
"You care about it that much?" He sounded mystified.
"Yes. I mean no. I imagine it must look odd, but I can explain," I told him, pushing myself upright and using the mailboxes to my left to haul myself up. He didn't offer a helping hand, which was perhaps just as well. I pride myself on my self-sufficiency. "You see, I live in the little house just around the side of your building and since this new block opened, the postman has been leaving a lot of my mail here—too lazy to walk around the corner, I suspect."
Author Bio:
A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, often involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. She claims 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller and 'Unworkers' a modern ghost story/women's fiction are her personal favourites to date. Her latest release 'The Nightclub' is a romance packed with suspense. You can find more details of her novels on her website.
Authors: Amber Daulton, Jennifer Conner, Kae Elle Wheeler
Rebekah R. Garniere, Lisa Scott, Stacy Juba, Caroline Clemmons
Joan Reeves, Ines Johnson, PJ Sharon, Sharon Kleve
Angela Ford, Melissa McClone, Rochelle Weber and Lynette Sofras
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 1, 2016
Summary:
Will Cinderella make it to the ball? She did in the fairy tale, but in these fresh takes on the original, just about anything can happen--and usually does. Fifteen romance authors have served up delicious samples of their Cinderella-themed stories, along with a feast of tasty treats and glitzy party ideas. Tap into your inner princess and indulge in excerpts sparkling with dream-come-true romance, nail-biting suspense, haunting magic, bubbly chick lit humor and tear-jerking heartaches. Please note that these are excerpts, not complete stories. After sampling our tasty morsels, you'll find a treasure-trove of recipes and ideas to inspire your next party.
Let the Glass Slipper Sisters style your regal table to perfection, thanks to the gorgeous, but quick and inexpensive adornments and easy-to-prepare scrumptious delights. You'll even find a few party games that can be adapted for your royal guests whatever their age.
Sample Story Excerpts Included(Click title for Amazon Link): Cinderella’s Enchanted Night by Amber Daulton
Annalise wanted just one night with Elijah, but will an antique locket and a bit of Cinderella magic fulfill her every dream? Cinderella had it Easy by Jennifer Conner
Cami only has 24 hours in her Cinderella body. Will she keep hiding or can she learn how to live life? Cinderella Series – The Collectionby Kae Elle Wheeler
Said the fairy godmother,”True sisters will always find their way, no matter.” Cinder the Fae by Rebekah R Garniere
When Prince Rome’s father initiates a contest to win him a wife, Cinder finds herself having to fight sixty other females for his heart while trying to keep the evil vying for the crown from destroying them all.
Fairy Tale Flirts by Lisa Scott
She’s an unappreciated housekeeper with an eye for designer goodies. Can Cindi get her dream shoes and her dream guy? A sweet, funny modern take on Cinderella.
Fooling Around with Cinderella by Stacy Juba
What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella’s toes? When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer.
Home Sweet Texas by Caroline Clemmons
This modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine.
Nobody’s Cinderella by Joan Reeves
A lie and a wish on a Christmas star…uh oh! This Cinderella should have been careful what she wished for!
Pumpkin: A Cindermama Story by Ines Johnson
Having given up on fairytales after falling for her toad of an ex, Pumpkin is afraid to take a chance on town royalty Manny who believes she may be his soulmate.
Savage Cinderellaby PJ Sharon
Kidnapped and left for dead, Brinn Hathaway survives for years in the wild, only to be drawn out of hiding by a young nature photographer who steals her heart. Now, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her.
Second Chance Cinderella by Sharon Kleve
Raven St. James only has 24 hours in her Cinderella body. What will she do with it? Will she become the confident, strong, flirty girl she wants to be? Will she get the guy she has always wanted?
Spellbound Cinderella by Angela Ford
If you had your dream body for only 24 hours… What would you do? One magical pendant gives Tess one wish to use before the clock strikes twelve.
The Cinderella Princess by Melissa McClone
A scandal-ridden prince must marry a royal if he doesn’t want to be disowned, but he falls for the American sent to find him a princess bride.
The Thin Person Inside by Rochelle Weber
Kristen Jensen never expected to fall in love when she finally decided to address her morbid obesity by seeking addictions treatment—let alone with a rock star.
Wishful Thinking by Lynette Sofras
A struggling single mother and a pop-icon turned Hollywood star meet in unusual circumstances. Fate drew them together, but the intrigue and trappings of stardom threaten to unravel love’s ties.
Author Bios:
Amber Dalton
My mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he's down. I read, write and enjoy contemporary, paranormal and historical novels alike. I just can't get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Writing takes up most of my time, aside from my tedious day job in the retail industry, and I probably wouldn't be too sane without my computer and notebooks. After all, what's a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it's hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works.
When I'm not busy toiling away on my computer, I acknowledge the fact that I do, indeed, live in reality and then I remember that I'm married with five adorable kitties. *Wink wink* My wonderful, punk-rocker husband supports me in my career (cough cough--obsession) and always lends a pair of eyes to my manuscripts.
Jennifer Connor
Best-selling Northwest author who has over sixty short stories and books in ebook, print, and audiobooks. She writes in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, and Erotica.
She lives in a hundred year old house that she grew up in. Her semi-small town holds an interesting mix of resident hillbillies, yuppies and Navy Seals. And of course Seattle, only a few miles away, is the birthplace of Starbucks so coffee is always on the check list. She blows glass beads with a blow torch, (which relieves a lot of stress and people don't bother you) and is a huge fan of musicals.
Kathy L Wheeler
(a.k.a Kae Elle Wheeler) graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems that includes a Vocal Minor. She is an avid theater buff (holds season tickets to Broadway Series in OKC), loves the NFL and NBA (also holds season tickets to Thunder Basketball in OKC), loves travel, people and karaoke.
Kathy/Kae lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter who recently had a baby, and one bossy cat!
Rebekah R Ganiere
She grew up on both the east and west coasts and currently lives in the Los Angeles area. From the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein to The Stand by Stephen King, Rebekah immersed herself in other people's made up worlds. She began writing in junior high and then found she liked pretending to be other people's characters in high school. Lettering in drama she went on to study theater in college as well. After college she continued acting till becoming a mom. Ultimately, she ended up going back to writing her characters down instead of acting them out, so she could stay at home with her kids.
Rebekah is an Award Winning Bestselling Author. Her novel Dead Awakenings, debuted in January 2014. Red the Were Hunter, the first in her Fairelle Series won the Paranormal Romance Guild's Fantasy Book of the year 2014. The second book Snow the Vampire Slayer was released in September. And the Series itself won Best Fantasy Series of the year. And her trilogy The Society was released with Kensington Lyrical Press.
Lisa Scott
A former TV news anchor who now enjoys making up stories instead of sticking to the facts. She's worked in Bangor, ME, Rochester, NY and Buffalo, NY. She lives in upstate NY with her husband, two children, dog, cat, and koi fish. When not writing, she works as a voice actor.
She writes romance (Flirts! short story collections, and The Willowdale Romance Series) along with middle grade fiction for children.
Her debut middle grade novel, School of Charm, will be released by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, in early 2014.
Stacy Juba
She loves to write about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. Her goals are to entertain readers of all ages as well as inspire them through her mystery, romance and contemporary fiction books for adults, teens and children. She has written about ice hockey, sibling rivalry and sportsmanship, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths solving mysteries. Her latest novel is Fooling Around With Cinderella, the first in the Storybook Valley chick lit sweet romance series. Stacy is always happy to hear from readers.
Caroline Clemmons
Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is GABE KINCAID, book four of her popular Kincaid series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. Prior to writing full time, her jobs included stay-at-home mom (her favorite), secretary, newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, bookkeeper for the local tax assessor and--for a short and fun time--an antique dealer. When she's not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, getting together with friends, and enjoying watching the birds, butterflies, and squirrels wandering through her back yard. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Joan Reeves
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. She began her career with New York traditional publishers. When the Amazon Kindle came along, she happily embraced a new career path as an independent author/publisher.
Joan lives her happily ever after with her hero, her huband, in the Lone Star State. They have four kids who think they are adults and a ghost dog--all the ingredients for a life full of love and warmed by laughter. She lives the philosophy that is the premise of all of her romance novels: "It's never too late to live happily ever after."
Ines Johnson
She writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandolous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you'll love her books!
Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she's contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.
Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.
PJ Sharon
Award winning author of young adult books, including PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN is for HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and Holt Medallion winner SAVAGE CINDERELLA, PJ Sharon loves writing for teens and teens at heart. Her latest work, HEALING WATERS, completes The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, a YA dystopian trilogy that RT Book Reviews calls "An action-packed read with a strong female lead." For more info on PJ's books and updates on new releases, sign up for her newsletter or visit her website.
When she's not writing, or spreading the love through her practice, she can be found kayaking in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, and renovating an old farmhouse with the love of her life.
Sharon Kleve
She was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband. Sharon is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. Sharon gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve--with a few bumps and bruises along the way.
One of her favorite things to do is pick-up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors inspired her.
When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.
Angela Ford
Angela Ford originates from Nova Scotia…Canada’s Ocean Playground!
Her love of the ocean and sunsets are always in her heart and give her inspiration. Her love for words keeps her turning the page. She is never without a book, whether she’s reading or writing. Now residing in Ontario, Angela works in Finance – numbers by day – words by night. Her dedication to volunteer and involvement with cyber safety seminars gave her an Award of Distinction and sparked the idea for her first book Closure – suspense with a dash of romance that hit the best- selling Action/Adventure and Women’s Fiction. Angela continued this FBI suspense with Forbidden and will deliver the final of the series in 2015. She also writes contemporary romance, sometimes sweet…sometimes spicy and sometimes with a dash of suspense. Unforgettable Kiss delivers a spicy romance with a dash of suspense. Blind Tasting of The Love List series and The Christmas Wreath of the Forever Christmas series are sweet reads. 2015 kicked off with a new Romantic Suspense Surrender .
Between two jobs, being a mom with a home always filled with young adults and rather interesting stories; she is lucky to have one very patient and understanding man. But it is the furry family members who rule the house – a Puggle (Pug/Beagle), a new Chug puppy (Pug/Chihuahua) and two loveable cats. Every possible quiet moment she finds, she treasures and just writes about the moments to come. Angela is an avid reader of romance, a member of the RWA, KOD (Kiss of Death – Suspense Chapter) and Mississauga Writers Group. You can follow her at BTGN or visit her website/blog Romantic Escapes click below to connect with her on her social network sites. She loves to hear from her readers – they keep her smiling!
Melissa McClone
USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America's RITA® award. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn't compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. Her first full-time writing endeavor was her first sale when she was pregnant with her first child! When she isn't writing, you can usually find her driving her minivan to/from her children's swim practices and other activities. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, two goldfish and a few cats who think they rule the house. They do!
Rochelle Weber
Navy veteran and holds a BA in Communications from Columbia College in Chicago with an emphasis on Creative Writing. Her novels Rock Bound and Rock Crazy are available in both e-book and print. Her third book, The Thin Person Inside, will be coming out from MuseItUp Publishing, Inc. early in 2015. Ms. Weber edits for Jupiter Gardens Press, The Author's Secret, and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Marketing for Romance Writers Newsletter, winner of the 2013 Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll for Best Writers' Resource. She also started Roses & Thorns Reviews and now has three partners.
Ms. Weber battles bi-polar disorder, quipping, "You haven't lived until you've been the only woman on the locked ward at the VA." Her song, "It's Not My Fault," won a gold medal in the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. She has lost about 130 pounds and kept it off for almost three years. She lives in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, and has two married daughters, four grandchildren, three step-grandkids, and one step-great-grandchild. Two cats allow her to live with them and cater to their every whim.
Lynette Sofras
A former teacher, Lynette gave up her career in education a few years ago in order to focus on her writing and thus fulfil her childhood dream. She writes contemporary women's fiction, often involving romance with suspense or a supernatural twist. She claims 'Killing Jenna Crane', a romantic thriller and 'Unworkers' a modern ghost story/women's fiction are her personal favourites to date. Her latest release 'The Nightclub' is a romance packed with suspense. You can find more details of her novels on her website: http://www.lynettesofras.com
“Perhaps I never really felt a sense of ownership to my grandmother’s belongings. The burglars didn’t take anything of mine—not that I have that much that would interest them anyway, or anything to which I have any great attachment. As you pointed out, they left a fairly valuable ring behind, so all they wanted was Grandma Elouise’s stuff. She had some lovely antiques and art deco pieces. I might never have bought them myself, but she left them in my custody when she left me her house, so it’s like I’ve let her down by allowing them to be stolen. And that’s what makes me angry. Does that make any sense to you at all?”
