Posts Tagged ‘contemporary’

Jodi Thomas takes us Just Down the Road

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

by Jodi Thomas

On April 3, 2012, my new story JUST DOWN THE ROAD was released.  I was walking the floor waiting for the birth of this book because I feel like it’s the best I’ve ever written.  A friend of mine commented that, over the last 36 books, I’ve said that a few times before, and I probably have, but I work to make each one better and this one shines.

For those readers who love stories that wrap around your heart, you’ll love this one.  It’s about the people of a small town who, though they think they live private lives also interact and change those around them.  I’ve really never thought of the people in my books as characters, for me they are people, as real in my mind as my neighbors.  They are wise and foolish, and loving…and unforgettable.

I think I fell in love with Tinch Turner when I first met him sitting outside the emergency room waiting to make sure all the guys he just beat up were going home with little more than bruised egos.  He’s the kind of guy Addison Spencer, the new town doctor, sees as tall, lean, walking trouble.  She thinks she wants nothing to do with him until she catches a glimpse of Tinch through his four year old nephew’s eyes.

JUST DOWN THE ROAD is about letting go of the past and stepping into new beginnings. It’s about learning to recognize what’s important in life. What lies closest to your heart. The stories in this little town blend together as the people touch each others’ lives and I think when the reader finishes, they’ll be surprised how much my characters have grown to matter to them.


When Tinch Turner lost his wife, he gave up on living. Now he spends his nights brooding, boozing and brawl-ing. When one of his escapades lands him in the ER, he finds himself staring up at the beautiful new doctor in town. For the first time in years, he feels a spark, but Addison Spencer wants nothing to do with the unruly rancher—or any man for that matter. She’s only in Harmony four months, long enough for the trouble she left behind to be over. But then a vulnerable little boy barrels into both of their lives, forcing them out of the past —and into a future where love is just down the road…

JUST DOWN THE ROAD
Sell date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0425246924
Retail price: USA $ 7.99

I hope everyone will walk into Harmony with me, stop off at the diner and stay a while.  You might just feel right at home.

Enjoy my newest story, 

Jodi Thomas

Comment and enter to win an autographed copy!
**U.S. Residents only

jodithomas.com
facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor
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And the winners are…

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
winners

ANTICIPATION – ANY KINDLE MMPB BOOK

LAURA HARMS

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IF I FALL by Kate Noble

RHIANNON ROWLAND

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9 BOOKS, 3 WINNERS, 3 BOOKS EACH

DEANNA SCHULTZ

AURORA

KAREN H IN NC

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Congratulations, ladies! Please email your snail mail address to me at contests at theseasonforromance dot com and don’t forget to include the title you won. You have one week to collect your prize. For the 3 winners, it’s first to respond, first gets to choose. 

Giveaway: 9 Books, 3 Winners, 3 Books Each

Monday, April 9th, 2012

Comment to enter 3 of the 9 books featured below. Click on the covers for book details.

And the winners are…

Thursday, April 5th, 2012
winners

BETRAYAL by Christina Dodd

LIZ Q.

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SWEET ENEMY by Heather Snow

SHANNON

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FILE M FOR MURDER by Miranda James

MEL K.

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HUNTER’S RISE by Shiloh Walker

MARIA D.

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SWEET STUFF by Donna Kauffman

SANDRA LYNNE

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MASTER OF SIN by Maggie Robinson

TIFFANY WAHLE

Congratulations, ladies! Please email your snail mail address to me at contests at theseasonforromance dot com and don’t forget to include the title you won. You have one week to collect your prize.

Giveaway: A Little Bit of Sweet Relief!

Friday, March 30th, 2012

So today is the first day I’m coming up for air. It’s been a very long time since that’s happened. In January I began in earnest working every day on AN HEIR OF DECEPTION and yesterday I finally got it off to the editor. So I can breathe for a little bit – till I get it back – and get some of the things done I’ve been putting off until this book was done (which is a lot).

So to celebrate this momentous occasion – and yes it is that – I’m doing a GENRE GIVEAWAY where I’m giving away a book from each genre covered by this blog and the site. Click the covers below to get the whole scoop on the books – there is a corresponding page for each book on the website.

Speaking of which, starting next month, book features and/or reviews will go back to the website. I’ve managed to snag some unsuspecting victim, er, person to help me with the site. I have to say I missed the site as I spent the last few months away from it, so it’ll be back in full force and I’m looking for reviewers for all genres but specifically paranormal, inspirational, contemporary (category) and mainstream fiction. If you’re a polished writer, you have the ability to read digital books, you’d like to read books before they hit the stands and you’re interested in reviewing, please contact me at contact at theseasonforromance dot com. Please include some sort of writing sample.

      

   

Comment to enter to win any of the 5 books above. Please indicate in the comment which book or books you’d like to win.

**Continental U.S. Residents Only

And the winners are…

Friday, March 23rd, 2012
winners

The Fallen: WARRIOR by Kristina Douglas

MARIEE
MARLENE BREAKFIELD
LINDSEY HUTCHINSON

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THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE by Lori Wilde

MARY DOHERTY

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THE RACHEL GIBSON DIGITAL BONANZA!

CARLY M.
JULIE
LISA B.
MARJANA
JULIANA
KAREN C.
MOLLY

Congratulations, ladies! Please email your snail mail address to me at contests at theseasonforromance dot com and don’t forget to include the title you won. You have one week to collect your prize. For the winners of Rachel Gibson’s ebooks, it’s first come first to choose, ladies!!

 

It’s a Rachel Gibson Digital Bonanza!!

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Above is just a partial of the iBooks in my iBookstore library. Yesterday was a Rachel Gibson bonanza day. At least half of her back list became available in digital for $3.99. Her books are sexy, smart, well-written, emotional and authentic. Her heroes are just about as yummy as they come–I mean seriously yummy. If you’re a fan with an ereader or iPad, this is a great time to purchase her back list. If you’ve never read any of Rachel’s books, this is the PERFECT time to try her out. Below is the list.

$3.99

*SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
*SEE JANE SCORE
*TRULY MADLY YOURS
*THE TROUBLE WITH VALENTINE’S DAY
IT MUST BE LOVE
DAISY’S BACK IN TOWN

$4.99

ANY MAN OF MINE

$5.99

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
TRUE CONFESSIONS
LOLA CARLYLE REVEALS ALL
*SEX, LIES, AND ONLINE DATING
*TANGLED UP IN YOU
TRUE LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS
I’M IN NO MOOD FOR LOVE
*NOT ANOTHER BAD DATE

I’m giving away a Kindle copy of all the books marked with an asterisk (or a star on the cover). Comment to enter to win!!

Review & Giveaway: The Cowboy Takes a Bride by Lori Wilde

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

The Cowboy Takes a Bride

Author: Lori Wilde
Publisher: HarperCollins/Avon
Pub. Date: March 27, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0062047755
Pages: 384
Digital Price: $4.99
Print Retail Price: $7.99
Amazon ~ B&N ~ iBookstore

Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn’t quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he’s wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes.

When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots . . .

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REVIEW

Wedding Planner Mariah Callahan is down and out of luck. When she loses her prestige wedding planning job in Chicago, she struggles to find work but is immediately blacklisted by her former boss. When a strange man calls to inform her that her estranged father is dead and left her his property, she immediately heads to Jubilee, Texas where she finds a naked cowboy in a horse trough.

Joe Daniels doesn’t remember much about the night before but he is startled to wake up naked in horse trough with a woman who reminds him of his deceased wife. Once he learns her identity, he quickly plots to send her packing back to the city but every time he is near her, he can’t help fight the attraction.

Life in Jubilee is a far stretch from Chicago. The folks are friendly and idolized her father, a concept Mariah can’t fathom. To say that she and Dutch didn’t have the best relationship is an understatement. The guilt of not being able to understand his lifestyle and forgive him for leaving her family starts to play on Mariah. The handsome naked cowboy is not helping by constantly hovering around making her feel things  she doesn’t want to feel.

The story is funny. I liked the humor and sexual chemistry between Joe and Mariah. I found myself rooting for them but the small cheesy parts tore at me. First, I didn’t like the comparison of Mariah to Joe’s dead wife. It became a sore point for me in the story. Also, he seems to be a bit love struck and cynical. The author could have done a better job at showing Joe’s transformation and not telling us that he’s changed and in love with Maria.

The secondary story with Ila and Cordy felt forced and strange. Ila is Joe’s sister-in-law who has always loved him except he has never returned her feelings. Instead, Cordy has been trying to get Ila’s attention but with no success. Ila’s character is very unlikeable and the storyline does not explain it in great detail. I didn’t buy that she magically loved Cordy by the end.

The story is one that has been told before. The sweet romance and quirky humor makes for an entertaining read.

Rating: 4 (Very Good – Highly Recommend)

Heat-Level: 3 (Sensual)

Reviewed by Samantha

Comment and enter to win your own copy of THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE

And the winners are…

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
winners

AFTERGLOW by Cherry Adair

PAM R.
GLITTERGIRL
JULIE COMINS

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THE IDEAL WIFE by Jacquelin  Thomas

LISA HUTSON
PAT L.

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AT YOUR PLEASURE by Meredith Duran

BETH MAST
SUSAN BAGANZ
SEAGRACE

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WICKED AS THEY COME by Delilah S. Dawson

THROUTHEHAZE
SUSAN IN AZ
J9

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CLAIMING THE HEART by Sara Luck

MOLLY
JOANNE B.
SHANNON

~*~*~

WHEN PASSION RULES by Johanna Lindsey

JENNIFER L.
STACIED
LEXI

~*~*~

BROKEN by Patricia Haley

JT
ROBIN C.

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TWISTED by Laura Griffin

BETHP
KAREN C.
LISA BINION

Congratulations, ladies! Please email your snail mail address to me at contests at theseasonforromance dot com and don’t forget to include the title you won. You have one week to collect your prize.

Pocket Book Giveaway Extravaganza!

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Pocket Books has generously offered to give away 3 (three) copies each of their new and upcoming releases. Simply comment to enter to win. Please indicate in your comment which books you’d like to win.

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 Title: The Ideal Wife

Author: Jacquelin Thomas

ISBN: 97814516473.65

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 3/27/12

Marrying handsome, wealthy lawyer Lawrence Collins and living in his luxurious Hollywood Hills mansion is a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, Jana knows men like Lawrence don’t come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion—the ideal wife—to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price?

From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she’s not . . . and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation. Now Jana—the modest, smart, and strong woman who knows what she stands for—must put her trust in God and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship.

Click here to order your copy today!

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 Title: Afterglow

Author: Cherry Adair

ISBN: 9781439153833

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 3/20/12

Pleasure with a price.

A high-profile celebrity wedding in Monaco is the kind of A-list event security specialist Rand Maguire excels at. Everything goes like clockwork, until guests start inexplicably losing all their inhibitions. . . .

 Painful secrets from the past.

Rand is no stranger to the effects of Rapture. His chemist father’s attempt at a cure for depression caused Rand’s mother’s death years ago, and put his father away for her murder. Now someone is circulating Rapture in a campaign of terror, intending to manufacture and sell it on a global scale. But with no leads, Rand feels the heat.

Passion with no limits.

Sexy Lodestone agent Dakota North is sent to help Rand kick-start his search, armed only with her uncanny sixth sense. But what they discover in their race across Europe is more far-reaching and lethal than an erotic street drug. From a Barcelona bank heist to a million-dollar arms deal in Paris, Dakota and Rand give in to an insatiable craving for each other in nights of pure carnal delight, no senses left untouched. No Rapture necessary.

Click here to order your copy today!

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 Title: At Your Pleasure

Author: Meredith Duran

ISBN: 9781451606959

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 3/27/12

BY CANDLELIGHT, SHE LURES HIM . . .

Glittering court socialites and underworld cutpurses alike know that Adrian Ferrers, Earl of Rivenham, is the most dangerous man in London. Rivenham will let nothing—not the deepening shadow of war, nor the growing darkness within him—interfere with his ambition to restore his family to its former glory. But when tasked by the king to uncover a traitor, he discovers instead a conspiracy—and a woman whose courage awakens terrible temptations. To save her is to risk everything. To love her might cost his life.

 AT SWORDPOINT SHE DEFIES HIM . . .

Lady Leonora knows that Rivenham is the devil in beautiful disguise—and that the irresistible tension between them is as unpredictable as the dilemma in which Nora finds herself: held hostage on her own estate by Rivenham and the king’s men. But when war breaks out, Nora has no choice but to place her trust in her dearest enemy—and pray that love does not become the weapon that destroys them both. . . .

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: Wicked as They Come

Author: Delilah Dawson

ISBN: 9781451657883

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 3/27/12

Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.)

 Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that’s part paranormal, part steampunk . . . and completely irresistible.

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: When Passion Rules

Author: Johanna Lindsey

ISBN: 9781451633269

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 4/17/12

In this “magical” (Library Journal) tale from #1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey, a stolen princess discovers her true destiny—in royal duty and in love.

On the eve of her debut into London society, Alana Farmer learns the shocking secret of her birthright. Can it be true? Is she really the lost princess of the European kingdom of Lubinia? Returning to the homeland she and her guardian fled when she was an infant to escape Napoleon’s rampaging army, Alana attempts to quell a bloody revolt in this isolated, mountainous country whose customs strike her as medieval! Suspicious that this beautiful newcomer is a wily imposter or a spy scheming to depose the king, Christoph Becker, the captain of the palace guards, arrests Alana and vows to draw the truth from his alluring prisoner, even if he must lay his life on the line to protect her from harm. Now, as a fiery passion flares between Alana and the man who has wrongly imprisoned her, the fate of a nation rests in their hands and on their hearts.

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: Claiming the Heart

Author: Sara Luck

ISBN: 9781451652246

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 4/24/12

 

As the Texas and Pacific Railroad expands across the wide open frontier, a spirited young woman finds a triumphant love amidst the tracks and tumult.

History in the making . . .

July 1876: Building a railroad that reaches Fort Worth city limits by a midnight deadline is an all-consuming obsession for track supervisor Gabriel Corrigan—while his socialite wife, Marthalee, daughter of a powerful Louisiana politician, heads home to arrange a marriage annulment. But when Gabe crosses paths with Josie Laclede, a vivacious businesswoman from St. Louis, he sees a sassy lady bold enough to stake her claim in the wild Texas plains—yet soft and sweet enough to win his heart.

Love for the keeping . . .

Though her past is a mystery—Josie was a foundling, raised by a kind widower who now runs a shop and hotel with her—Gabe dreams of a bright future with Josie by his side. Tantalized by his gentle kisses, and swept up in the thrilling track-laying race that has all of Fort Worth pitching in, Josie is tempted to fall hard for Gabe. But Marthalee returns, vying for the T&P fortune he stands to make. And when her father offers Gabe a senate seat and a chance to get back into his wellconnected family, a heartbroken Josie vanishes with the prairie breeze. Will their dream of a once-in-a-lifetime love go up in smoke?

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: Broken

Author: Patricia Haley

ISBN: 9781416580935

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 4/24/12

#1 Essence bestselling author Patricia Haley takes sibling rivalry to a shocking new level as one man tries to heal his broken family in this compelling series based on popular biblical stories.

Don Mitchell is certain the Lord has a plan for him to reconcile his family when his younger half-brother, Joel, suddenly resigns as CEO of their father’s company. Joel nearly sent the enterprise into bankruptcy, and Don’s first order of business is to bring his estranged older sister home to help clean up the mess.

Tamara has been running for years. But now she plans to claim her rightful place in the multimillion-dollar family ministry— no matter what it takes or who gets hurt. Joel, meanwhile, isn’t letting go easily. Waist-deep in a corporate and family meltdown, Don is also caught between his complicated friendship with a former lover and a budding long-distance romance. Just as he begins to realize that forgiving and forgetting may be his greatest weapon, a terrifying ordeal rocks the family to its core, and they must turn to God and to one another for the answers.

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: Twisted

Author: Laura Griffin

ISBN: 9781451617375

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 4/17/12

ALLISON DOYLE’S NEW CASE WILL MAKE HER CAREER . . . IF SHE LIVES TO SOLVE IT.

Motive, opportunity, and no alibi—rookie detective Allison Doyle knows it’s as close to a slam dunk as most investigations get. But even though her small-town Texas police department has identified a prime suspect in a young woman’s vicious murder, she can’t rest easy. And when legendary FBI profiler Mark Wolfe shows up with a startling new theory, all her doubts are amplified. If Wolfe is correct, the real killer is an elusive psychopath who has left a trail of bodies behind him. And he’s just days away from his next kill. . . .

Allison was supposed to be Wolfe’s way into the case, nothing more. But she’s ambitious, stubborn, and far too tempting. With the help of her contacts at the Delphi Center crime lab, Wolfe is within striking distance of the monster he’s pursued for ten years. Except the closer Allison and Wolfe get, the more reason there is to fear. Because with a predator this brutal, every thread of evidence can make a difference between hunting a madman—and becoming hunted yourself.

Click here to order your copy today!

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Title: The Fallen: Warrior

Author: Laura Griffin

ISBN: 9781451655919

Price: $7.99/$9.99

On Sale: 4/24/12

A born warrior, archangel Michael is dedicated to the Fallen’s survival. But only one woman understands the seductive hunger that he cannot forsake.

 There comes a time in every angel’s life . . .

Every little girl imagines, now and then, that she’s a princess held captive in a tower. But Victoria Bellona is almost twenty-five. And that whole fairy-tale scenario? That’s her real life. The drop-dead gorgeous man who rescues her is no Prince Charming. He’s the gruff archangel Michael, and he insists that Tory is the Fallen’s only hope for ending Uriel’s vicious rule. She insists he’s crazy.

. . . to show his brethren what he’s made of.

According to the prophecy, Michael must marry this frustrating, fascinating creature, bed her, and drink her blood. But their fate is a double-edged sword. If they give in to their urgently growing desires, Tory will die in battle. If they refuse, she will die anyway, and with her, all of mankind. Michael is determined to find another solution when a traitorous kidnapper forces him into a deadly confrontation. Even if he can save Tory from Uriel’s ruthless clutches, will they ever really be together? Or is her fatal destiny—and the world’s—written in stone?

Click here to order your copy today!

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