Friday, December 2, 2016

Release Day Blitz: The Winter Wishes Collection Box Set

Title: The Wishes Collection
Authors: EM Denning, Ella Medler, Holly Barbo
Regina Morris, Michele E Gwynn, Julie Elizabeth Powell
TJ Chapman, MB Feeney, SM Phillips, Jess Mountifield
Kendra Hale, Marty Wilcox, Suzy Stewart Dubot, Patti Roberts
Genre: Christmas Holiday Romances
Release Date: November 29, 2016

**Currently 99cents**
Summary:
Christmas Heartwarming Stories Box Set — Complete Books Anthology — Hot New Release — Vacation Reading Package — Perfect Holiday Gift Idea

15 COMPLETE NOVELS AND NOVELLAS FROM YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS

THE WINTER WISHES COLLECTION is an outstanding collection of heartwarming, inspiring and uplifting stories, each of them hand-picked for your enjoyment. 15 winter adventures, 15 heroes to root for, 15 moving tales of winter wonder to warm your soul on cold winter nights. The perfect companion for late nights on the sofa, the perfect gift to those who enjoy a good read. Add it to your favorite kindle with one click now.

This box set includes a mix of already released and totally new novels and novellas, all complete works. Those books which are part of a series can be enjoyed fully without the need to read the complete series (though there is a chance you might develop story-addiction issues—for that, we apologize).

Stories Included:
All I want for Christmas by EM Denning
When Nash discovers that his co-worker, Aubrey, is about to spend Christmas alone, he invites her to spend the holiday with him and his family. The arrangement is mutually beneficial; she gets a real holiday, and Nash, a buffer from his mother’s relentless match-making. When Nash introduces Aubrey to his parents, she does more than provide him with a buffer. She provides him with a girlfriend—herself. Nash is surprised but he figures it’s only for a few days. Once Christmas is over and they’re back home, they can break up and everything will go back to normal. At least that's the plan. Will they be able to pull it off?

Frozen Heart by Ella Medler
Quiet and listless, the glass heart sat hidden under layers of unremarkable clutter, its secret safe. The human hands had touched it often through the strata of debris, but until now, had never uncovered it fully. At last, the yellow duster cut through the grime, and the heart began to shift. It would most likely have frozen over again, up on its high shelf, if the cat’s careless pouncing hadn’t made if fall into a box full of tinsel. This is how the history of time and place began to change – with the story of the frozen heart.


Treasured Legacy by Holly Barbo
With dwindling time, Leone uses the last of her strength to share important family history with her only living relative: her grandson David. Despite her final request to not sell the family heirlooms, David and Anne look into it because of their desperate need for money. But the pieces have secrets, and the young couple finds themselves in unexpected danger.


Taking Chances by Regina Morris
Heartwarming, sweet romantic short story about a soldier wounded in battle who finds love where he least expects it. Amputee Corporal Tommy Johnson is rehabbing in a VA hospital near his small hometown in Texas and hiding from everyone, but a nice surprise of events helps him to have his happily ever after.


Sophie's Wish by Michele E Gwynn
A child of destiny, Sophie Fairchild’s origins were a mystery to her parents, Nanette and Charles. Unable to conceive on their own, Nanette had prayed to God every day at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre located on the Rue du Chevalier-de-Barre in Paris that He would bless her and her husband with a child. Found on their doorstep one winter morning tucked away in a wicker basket, surrounded by two fat cats and several doves, Sophie was the answer to their prayers. Five years later, the Fairchild’s find themselves once again wondering from where and whom Sophie came. 


After bringing home countless animals from stray cats to injured birds, she has now befriended a homeless girl with no family of her own. Dogged by tragedy, the young girl experiences heartbreaking loss. Stalked by darkness, she enters the Basilica seeking change to buy bread, but ‘borrowing’ from the donation box turns disastrous. Sophie watches as a child with sticky fingers runs out of the church as if the very devil himself was in hot pursuit. Concerned, she takes off after her, finding her hiding in a dark alley. Still, Sophie knows she has nothing to fear, and once again, she brings home a homeless stray determined to help, unaware that darkness follows. With Christmas fast approaching, Sophie seeks a way to give her new friend, Cecilia, a very special gift…with the help of an angel or three. But will she be safe from the prophesy that her kind act has put into play?

Knowing Jack by Julie Elizabeth Powell
Twelve-year-old Jack knows they shouldn’t go, but is unable to persuade his parents not to take the planned trip to the Lake District, England. Something was going to happen, but what? The weird feelings he had were always so fuzzy and they didn’t always make sense. Maybe it was just because he’d have to spend time with his pampered cousin, Rosie? Anyway, it was nearly Christmas and what could go wrong with just staying in some cabin in the woods? He was being stupid…all he had to do was ignore the way his belly churned and his head pounded. He might be wrong after all. This mystery adventure tale will drag you into the depths of an icy landscape where you may be afraid to breathe.


One Small Voice by TJ Chapman
While on a much-needed vacation, Sophie discovers that it's not easy to leave work behind... and that this time, she doesn't really mind. An endearing tale of trust, growth and love... all because of one special little girl and one little word.


While You Were Asleep by MB Feeney
When Jared Keating is admitted into hospital after being beaten up and left for dead, his family and friends wait for him to wake up. In the hopes he can hear them, they all spend a little time with him, recalling memories of good times with him, letting him know that they can’t live without him in their lives.


Anger and sadness overwhelm them when they come face to face with the reason Jared is in a coma, but they soon understand that no one is to blame other than his ruthless attackers.

Will he wake up? Will he still be ‘Jared’ if he does?

Christmas Down Under by SM Phillips

The Slave Who'd Never Been Kissed by Jess Mountifield
Dylan's crew is coming together and he's adjusting to his role as their Ship Captain, but he's still a few hands down from a full compliment. He knows he needs more recruits and to encourage his current members to bond, but can he stoop so low as to buy slaves? And how will his crew respond if he does?


Ever since her parents died, life has been tough for Auraylia, and she knows it won't be long before she's sold into a rich man's harem. Can she persuade a United Federations Captain that she is worth buying and fulfil her dream of going into space?


Wishing Upon a Christmas Star by Kendra Hale
For Saskia and Neil Kingswell, their five children and partners, and numerous grandchildren, the Christmas season has always been the happiest time of the year. The season of family, love, harmony, and wedding anniversaries. When what should have been yet another joyous Christmas is cruelly shattered by the spiteful incitement of their son-in-law, Frank Booker, the whole family falls apart. All except Frank struggle to come to terms with what happened.


The family’s guiding light is the constant reminder of the love they share. And thus, they cautiously and slowly commence to rebuild destroyed bridges, and forgive each other and themselves, too. While the family slowly reunites, the dreadful secret which Marjory, Frank’s wife, had been forced to suffer for years, comes to light. And she, too, together with her children, starts the process of healing, and rebirth.

As another Christmas season dawns, the family brimming with hope and love, gathers at Oak-on-the-Hill, the Kingswell family home… to discover that their fondest dreams were granted when they wished upon a Christmas star.

Winter's Spark by Marty Wilcox
From the heartbreaking tragedy that claimed her husband to the stunning news she’s pregnant, Mary Shelley tries to put her broken life back together and prepare for the new life she carries inside her. It all goes well on her New England farm until a brutal nor’easter hits the area. 


Dreams of her husband and something unknown plague her sleep until the storm sends her a stranger who appears mysteriously just as she needs him.

Is Brent Novak her savior or is there something else brewing in the storm? Only time and the spring thaw will tell.


Hope in Winter by Suzy Stewart Dubot
Disfigured veteran from the Napoleonic Wars, Duncan MacGregor is luckier than most ex-soldiers. He works as an estate manager for an absentee owner - except, owner and family aren’t going to be absentee any longer. Christmas is coming and so are they! What will it take to thaw a cold heart?


About Three Authors: Whoever Said Love was Easy by Pattie Roberts
"WHOEVER SAID LOVE WAS EASY?" Not Becky Jensen!


BECKY JENSEN'S FACEBOOK STATUS UPDATE: I hate cancer! I hate my cheating boyfriend! I hate my best friend! I Hate Christmas! 

When Becky’s mother died on Christmas Eve a year ago, Becky stopped believing in Christmas. 

When Becky’s father remarried four weeks ago, Becky stopped believing in family. 

An hour ago, when Becky caught her boyfriend kissing her best friend, Becky stopped believing in love. 
Heartbroken, Becky makes a wish that changes her life forever… The very next day, she is boarding a plane at Heathrow airport and flying halfway across the world to interview three authors. The authors, all friends since their twenties, are now in their fifties. 

Not only does Becky learn about the lives of these three incredible women, she also learns a lot about herself. 

Becky also discovers that all families have their secrets, and hers is no exception.

Christmas Past by Julie Elizabeth Powell
What was Christmas? How did it start? And why was it now banned? Why had the Elders decided it would only cause trouble, that its roots were based on something that only caused wars...those that had destroyed the Old Earth?


Some disagree, and maybe can change things before it’s too late for humankind.

Or maybe it’s already too late.





Author Bios:
EM Denning
E. M. Denning is a writer from British Columbia. She loves her family and her animals and anything cute and fuzzy. She was born a hopeless romantic and when she’s not writing romance, she’s probably reading it. She loves love.

Ella Medler
Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor. She writes fiction in many genres in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven, and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.

Holly Barbo
Holly's world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the natural world and an irrepressible creative drive. She has always been curious and sees life through questions. These four characteristics color her writing voice. Holly's stories are mostly in non-urban settings and usually have some focus on nature, building discordant themes inside a seemingly peaceful refrain.

My motto: Weaving Alternative Worlds with Threads From Today.

Regina Morris
Regina Morris I am the author of the sensual paranormal romances that make up the COLONY series where a covert team of sexy vampires protect the President.

I love paranormal romances featuring vampires, but my personal taste is light-hearted and humorous – not horrific and gory.

I live in Austin, Texas with my husband and two children. I enjoy meeting with my monthly critique writing groups and meeting other writers in the Austin area through the WLT events.

I have lived in many different parts of the world. I graduated high school in Germany and I attended the University of Texas at Austin where I received a degree in Computer Science with a minor in math.

Besides writing, I am an amateur portrait and sports photographer. After enjoying a career in the software engineering business, I discovered that writing is in my blood, and had to put pen to paper!

Michele E Gwynn
Michele E. Gwynn is an Amazon Bestselling Multigenre Author of Crime/Detective books, Sci-Fi/Horror books, and Paranormal/Supernatural books in San Antonio. She previously wrote for newspapers, magazines, and online websites like Examiner.com (under the categories of Film, Animal Rights, and Sex and Relationships), Alwayz Therro Magazine, FashionErotica Digital, and more. As a journalist, she's covered news and events, and conducted countless celebrity interviews.

She has three series currently with several stand-alones, and more books coming! As if that weren't enough, she has published adult short stories under the pen name Xaviera Snow.

She resides in the small town of Schertz, Texas on the northeast side of San Antonio with her four felines who so graciously allow her to reside in their home. 

Julie Elizabeth Powell
I cannot ignore my dreams, so many of them, with names and places and ideas that spark my imagination and compel me to write; to create stories, whether fantasy or horror, or mystery or psychological thriller or murder or even humour and adventure. So, my garden is sown, flourishing, with all manner of growth, and still the dreams come.

Julie Elizabeth Powell, my soul lingering within my imagination; maybe you’ll join me?

MB Feeney
M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog. Currently at university studying for her BA (Hons) in primary teaching, she procrastinates on her assignments by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open. She is also a serious doodler and chocoholic. Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.

Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has multiple projects under way whilst Honour, a compilation of her own military based shorts, was released in November 2013 and her short novel, The One That Got Away was released February 2015. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.

Her main reason for writing is to not only give her readers enjoyment, but also to create a story and characters that stay with readers long after the book is finished, and possibly make someone stop and think “what if...”

SM Phillips
S.M Phillips is a fun loving mum from Manchester. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll most likely find her head buried deep inside her kindle with a cup of coffee in hand. Talk to her when she’s reading and things could get pretty colourful, pretty fast, just ask her Hubby.

She is a lover of chocolate, especially if it has peanut butter inside and loves a good cocktail or two. She often wonders if she should spend more time buying shoes, but then she remembers her never ending TBR list and realises that money can be spent on more important things… Books.

Jess Mountifield
Jess was born in the quaint village of Woodbridge in the Uk, has spent some of her childhood in the States and now resides in the beautiful Roman city of Bath. She lives with her husband Phil and her very dapsy cat, Pleaides. Jess can often be found either in a cafe, grinning behind a large mug of hot chocolate, at her desk, getting annoyed with her cat for sitting on her keyboard, or on her comfy corner sofa with friends, enjoying her high definition tv and surround sound system.

Jess likes playing massively multiplayer on-line games and has written fan fiction for Entropia. Her choose your own adventure story, written under the penname Marie Woodell, covers a romance about two in game characters. She also runs Flight Productions, a film production company, with a fellow writer. Jess' role is managing script writing and she's involved with a science fiction twitter project, a television fantasy drama and a feature film. She also has a clothing company where she produces her own original designs in a gothic style.

Kendra Hale
For Kendra, who has lived in Canada, the USA and on the European Continent, Great Britain, or the UK, will always be home. Her love for the UK is apparent in The Snow Crystals, and her other/future books, which are all set here. Kendra’s knowledge and life-long interest in the world of antiques, collectibles and such, finds its way into her writing. She writes fiction in different genres.

Marty Wilcox
Marty Wilcox Hello and welcome to my world of writing, herding cats and trying to work a few hours a week to support my cat "habit". I was born and raised in Anderson Indiana. Where is that, you may ask? Once home to the headquarters of Guide Lamp and Delco Remy. Still home to the fastest quarter mile track in the country!

Suzy Stewart Dubot
An Anglo/American who has lived in France for over 30 years, she discovered her real desire to write in 2010. It is a passion that has had her writing ever since.  From October 2012 to March 2014, she lived with family in London, England. Writing, not unlike singing, follows her wherever she lives.

Before retiring, a variety of jobs have filled her time. Some of the more interesting have been : Art & Crafts teacher, Bartender, Marketing Assistant for N° 1 World Yacht Charterers (Moorings), Beaux Arts Model, Secretary to the French Haflinger Association...

With her daughters, she is a vegetarian and a supporter of animal rights! She is also an admirer of William Wilberforce. (If you should read her book 'The Viscount's Midsummer Mistress' you will see that she has devoted some paragraphs to the subject in Regency times.)

Patti Roberts
Patti Roberts was born in Brisbane, Australia, but soon moved to Darwin in the Northern Territory with her parents and two sisters. Her son Luke was born in Darwin in 1980. Although Patti now lives in Cairns, Queensland, she still considers Darwin her hometown. When Patti is not writing, she is busy pursuing her other passion, which is designing book covers and formatting for other authors.


EM Denning
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
B&N  /  GOOGLE+  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Ella Medler
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Holly Barbo
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NEWSLETTER  /  PINTEREST  /  KOBO
B&N  /  iTUNES  /  SOCIETY6  /  SCRIBD

Regina Morris
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Michele E Gwynn
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INSTAGRAM  /  BOOKBUB  /  B&N
TUMBLR  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Julie Elizabeth Powell
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MB Feeney
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KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  AMAZON  /  GOODERADS

SM Phillips
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Jess Mountifield
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Kendra Hale
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Marty Wilcox

Suzy Stewart Dubot
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Patti Roberts
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE



**Currently 99cents**

Brought to you by:

Frontline Angel by Genevieve Jordayne

Title: Frontline Angel
Author: Genevieve Jordayne
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Release Date: October 13, 2016
Summary:
Frontline Angel takes its readers from 1940s Wisconsin to the Philippine Islands just prior to World War 2 and through the Japanese occupation and liberation. It tells the tale of Eliza-a small-town Midwestern girl with dreams of travel and adventure who enlists with the United States Army Nurse Corps despite her parents’ protests. Eliza will find the fun and adventure she desired as well as an unexpected romance with a handsome soldier. Yet all changes overnight as war destroys her tropical paradise. Our heroine must quickly adapt in order to survive the harsh, unforgiving jungle climate, and become a skilled combat nurse on the frontline. The story will take you from the fall of the islands through the terrible conditions endured by those placed in internment camps and their struggle for liberation. Can Eliza find the strength and courage needed to survive such horror and still emerge with her spirit unbroken?


It was a short, restless sleep for Eliza. When she awoke, she quickly freshened up and ran to the hospital to find out if there was any news. She was informed that their worst nightmares were now reality: The Japanese had arrived to destroy her paradise.

That morning, the first bombs had fallen at Camp John Hay near Baguio, the town where Eliza and Reese had shared their romantic weekend together. Baguio was a perfect target because it was the most important military and commercial center in Northern Luzon. The Japanese bombers then arrived at the main base of the Army Air Corps in the Western Pacific, Clark Air Field, and Fort Stotsenberg.

In some sort of failed communication, the Americans had been grossly unprepared and were caught completely unaware. Most were enjoying lunch when the Japanese were able to arrive undetected and launch a deadly and destructive attack. Scores of American fighter and bomber aircrafts were lined up wingtip to wingtip. The planes were fully armed but completely unmanned. Bomb after bomb was dropped. Some of the soldiers tried to make it to their planes. Others were shooting at the Japanese aircraft with old, antiquated firearms that were useless against the skilled, sleek attacker. In the end there were only seven planes that had not been destroyed. The once beautiful area was a burning mess of mangled, twisted aircraft.

Eliza and the other nurses at Sternberg Hospital couldn’t believe the horror stories flooding in. People began to speculate about whether Manila would be attacked as well. Of course, some had tried to reassure that the capital would be safe although no one seemed to be very confident in their assurances.

Shortly thereafter, a messenger came in and said that an invasion force under the command of General Masaharu Homma had been spotted and they were planning to launch a ground attack. The entire group was issued helmets and gas masks, as the Japanese were known for using a variety of poison gases in combat. Eliza was handed a pamphlet to accompany her gas mask that detailed ways to detect poisonous gasses and how to care for patients exposed to them. The group of nurses was told that a decontamination area was being set up in one of the wards.  Eliza’s eyes widened at the thought of poison mustard gas. If it weren’t so very real she would almost laugh at the expectation to learn how to detect these gasses and care for exposed patients from a simple brochure. I guess this is war now; time to think on the fly.

An hour or so later, a young Filipino boy approached Eliza with a note that informed her that Reese and Jimmy were going to be transported to Clark Air Field along with several other soldiers. They were headed straight into the war zone! Eliza stared at the words on the note and looked down at the strange contraption in her hands, feeling the cold stab of fear go through her.  Is this really happening?

That afternoon, the entire group of 35 doctors and 37 nurses stationed at Sternberg Hospital were called to meet with their commanding officers. They were informed that the attack at Fort Stotsenberg had been a complete disaster for the Americans. In the wake of the attack, there were dead and wounded soldiers and civilians everywhere. The medical staff at Fort Stotsenberg was so overwhelmed they had put in an urgent call to Sternberg to send help.

A commanding officer stated that the medical staff in Stotsenberg was in desperate need for those with any surgical experience. He and Miss Davis had decided to send 5 Army nurses to Stotsenberg, and they wondered if there were any volunteers. The room went silent.  The thought of all those people that lost their lives made Eliza queasy but she knew there were scores of people needing help, too many for the doctors and nurses to care for without reinforcements. She could be closer to Reese in Stotsenberg than she would staying in Manila.

Eliza knew what she had to do. She raised her hand to volunteer with much more gusto than she was actually feeling. The next thing she knew she was packing up her helmet and gas mask and shuttled into the group of soldiers waiting for their transportation. She was able to find Reese and Jimmy and together they walked up the steps of the bus that was going to take them to war.

What Others Are Saying:
“I was amazed as I read this book , it was excellently written.” - Reader Review

“Such an awesome unheard story.”  - Reader Review

“This is a fantastic book about heroes from WWII that are often ignored.” - Reader Review

Author Bio:
Genevieve Jordayne has proudly worked in the field of nursing for nearly a decade.  In addition to writing her novels, she is a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner and nursing history aficionado. Genevieve lives in rural Minnesota with her husband, three little boys, and two rambunctious boxers.

Jordayne is currently working on her second novel.









Brought to you by: 

A Matter of Trust by Jill Blake

Title: A Matter of Trust
Author: Jill Blake
Series: Silicone Beach Trilogy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance Suspense
Release Date: November 7, 2016
Summary:
Venture capitalist Vlad Snezhinsky excels at two things: making money and being a dad. Still struggling to get over a disastrous marriage, he has zero interest in starting a new relationship. That is, until he meets Klara Lazarev.

Klara’s done living in her older sister’s shadow. Determined to forge her own path, she completes a prestigious fellowship program before returning to college. Now scrambling to fulfill her graduation requirements, Klara has no time for distractions like Vlad and his daughter. Especially after an unfortunate first encounter leaves Klara doubting Vlad’s integrity.

But when a shocking murder throws their world into chaos, can they trust each other enough to uncover the truth and embrace the possibility of love?

**Content warning: For mature audience only. Rated 18+ for occasional profanity and explicit sex scenes. Also includes off-stage murder (though no graphic description of violence).**


Vlad Snezhinsky paused mid-sentence as the newest member of the Talbot household let out a wail.

“Sorry,” Ethan said. “Maya’s teething. Go on.”

Vlad watched as the man draped a fresh burp cloth over his shoulder, adjusted his hold on his six-month-old daughter, and patted the baby’s back.

In the year since Vlad joined the Talbot Fund, he’d been to Ethan Talbot’s home office twice. For a venture capitalist, Ethan did a remarkable job keeping his business life from encroaching on family time. Today’s meeting proved the rare exception. Not that Vlad blamed him. The allure of first-mover advantage was hard to resist.

“The market’s at least $500 million,” Vlad said, picking up where he left off. “They want six million, in exchange for sixty percent of the company—”

A peremptory knock cut him off. The door swung open, and a dark-haired woman popped her head inside. “Sorry, Ethan. Anna needs you. The Pack ’n Play won’t fold, and she’s wigging out.”

Vlad set aside his laptop and rose from the visitors’ chair.

The woman glanced his way. A flicker of something—recognition? awareness?—crossed her face, but before he could interpret it, her expression smoothed into polite disinterest. She turned back to Ethan. “If you want, I can watch Maya while you go fix things.”

Ethan got up and rounded the desk, transferring his daughter into the woman’s care. “She may need a diaper change.”

The baby cooed and kicked her legs. The woman laughed—a smooth, husky sound that trickled like warmed oil down Vlad’s spine.

He forced himself to remain still, knees locked, fingers digging into his palms.

Ethan, apparently unaffected, removed the burp cloth from his shoulder and offered Vlad an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Our first big trip with Maya. You know how it is.”

Vlad nodded.

“Anyway,” Ethan said, “let’s do the due diligence, and if everything pans out, we’ll set up a preliminary meeting. I’m available by phone if you need me.”

The door closed. Silence descended.

Vlad waited to see what the woman would do next.

“Pee-yew.” She wrinkled her nose and headed for a brightly decorated corner equipped with an array of baby paraphernalia. “Your daddy’s right, kiddo. You do smell like you need a diaper change.”

She placed Maya atop the padded changing table and rummaged through the top drawer with one hand, while keeping the other on the squirming infant.

“Looks like we’re in business, kid.” She cleaned, re-diapered, and dressed Maya in a fresh outfit. “Now what?”

Vlad cleared his throat, and the woman jumped, as if she’d forgotten he was still in the room.

“There are toys,” he said. “In the cupboard to your right.”

At least that’s where they’d been the last time he was here, shortly after Maya was born.

“Yeah, I know,” she said. Her eyes—green, with flecks of brown and gold—widened at Vlad’s approach. Her lips parted, and he nearly groaned.

Damn, what was he doing?

“Sorry.” He stopped a couple feet away. “I don’t think we’ve met. Vladislav Snezhinsky. My friends call me Vlad.”

Maya chose that moment to grab a handful of the woman’s hair and pull.

“Oww.” She winced and turned her attention to disentangling her curls from the baby’s fist. “Let’s see about those toys, shall we?”

In the few minutes it took to settle Maya on a brightly colored floor mat with an assortment of plush musical toys and rattles, Vlad studied the woman’s profile. She was tall—maybe half a head shorter than him—and dressed for comfort in an oversized T-shirt and faded jeans. When she leaned down and reached across the mat to grab a toy, Vlad got a glimpse of what her loose clothing concealed: a narrow waist, generous hips, and a rounded bottom that made his mouth water and his fingers itch.

Hoping to disguise his body’s reaction, Vlad hunkered down at the edge of the mat. “Okay, let’s try this again,” he said, stretching out his hand. “My name is Vlad. And you are…?”

“Klara. Anna’s sister.” She withdrew her fingers as quickly as possible, but not before he felt the slight tremor.

Nerves? Attraction? She averted her eyes, focusing on the baby. The pulse at the base of her neck fluttered.

He swallowed a smile. “So, Klara. Why haven’t we met before?”

That got her attention. And not in a good way. Her brows drew together and she narrowed her eyes. “We have. A couple years ago, at your brother’s wedding.”

“Oh.” He blinked away the unpleasant memories that threatened to swamp him. It was unfortunate that he’d forever associate his brother’s wedding with the beginning of the end. That’s when Vlad and Oksana started on a long downward spiral, culminating in an acrimonious divorce that was still dragging on today.

He studied Klara more closely. Something stirred at the back of his mind.

A brief impression of thick black curls swept up in an elegant twist, the body poured into some barely-there excuse for a dress, the lips smiling at him. And then—

Oh, God.

The red lipstick smeared, the eyes dripping mascara-tinged tears, his cheek stinging from the impression of her hand.

And then—nothing…until he woke up the next morning, head pounding like an entire battalion of jackhammers doing demolition work.




What Others Are Saying:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟New Jill Blake's book by OB_reviews
Wow. Just wow. I love Jill Blake's stuff, and this book is her best yet! It's more than a simple romance. There's layers of mystery, including a murder that happened prior to the start of the book and doesn't get fully resolved until the end, as well as the main murder which happens about half-way through the book and occurs at a pivotal point in Klara and Vlad's relationship. (No spoilers here, Blake mentions this in the blurb, but to find out the who, what, and why, you'll just have to read the book.)

I loved how Blake interweaves the lives of her previous characters from the series into the plot of this one. Klara's sister plays a supporting role here, and both the tension and love between the two are nicely played out. If you haven't read any of the previous books, don't worry, this book can totally stand on its own. But it's like potato chips. You can't eat just one. Same with Jill Blake's books. Can't read just one. I can't wait to see what the next book will be about...

🌟🌟🌟🌟Engaging Read! by LJT
Jill Blake's A Matter of Trust is an fine read; replete with engaging characters, an affecting plot, and a lustful love story. Although I am not a fan of the suspense genre, Ms. Blake's interpretation is exciting and smoothly executed.

Klara Lazarev is a smart woman on the cusp of figuring out what she wants to do with her life after she completes her senior thesis. Graduate school or starting a company to market the children's educational software she developed, are only two of the opportunities up for grabs. Meeting venture capitalist Vlad Snezhinsky for a second time, causes her to rethink her options. Vlad is a good-looking man with a young daughter. He and Klara have an amazing chemistry and their attraction is very hot. Vlad's soon to be ex-wife, in addition to his link to his father's death, create some obstacles that they have to overcome in order to form a family together.

This is the final book from Ms. Blake's Silicon Beach Trilogy and it can be enjoyed as a standalone. However, in order to truly experience this well conceived series, I recommend reading all the books in order. Some of the characters crossover, which adds a nice familiarity and background to the storyline. Overall, this book and the series should definitely be added to your TBR list.

Beyond the Ivory Tower #1
Summary:
2016 IAN Book of the Year Award Finalist

If there’s one thing math professor Anna Lazarev believes in, it’s the value of higher education. So when her younger sister announces she’s dropping out of college, Anna places the blame squarely on the man who inspired her sister’s rebellion.

Venture capitalist Ethan Talbot claims the US academic system is broken. His solution? Pay top students to “opt out” and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams without wasting time and money on a university degree.

In a passionate battle for the hearts and minds of a new generation, Anna will do whatever it takes to prove Ethan wrong. But when his demands take a more personal turn, will she sacrifice her principles to come out on top?



Sweet Indulgence #2
Summary:
2016 East Texas Writers Guild Book Award, Romance Category Finalist

Becca Markham spent the last six years trying to please everyone but herself. So when she ditches her cheating boyfriend and quits her high-stress job as a software engineer, she decides it’s time to pursue her own dreams. At the top of her list? Transforming her life-long love of baking from a part-time hobby into a full-time business.

Leo Kogan spent years scrambling to escape a life of poverty—first in Russia, then in the U.S. Now a successful surgeon, he needs just one thing to complete his American dream: the perfect woman. But making the leap from casual friends to lovers proves harder than he expects.

Despite a sizzling attraction, Becca and Leo disagree on important things—like love and money. She’s looking for sex without strings; he wants a partner for life. She stakes her future on a risky new business; he’s obsessed with financial security.

Can love bring two headstrong people together…or will their differences end up tearing them apart?

Author Bio:
Jill Blake loves chocolate, leisurely walks where she doesn’t break a sweat, and books with a guaranteed happy ending. A native of Philadelphia, Jill now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. During the day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. At night, she pens steamy romances.


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A Matter of Trust #3

Beyond the Ivory Tower #1
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  GOODREADS TBR

Sweet Indulgence #2

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