Monday, November 25, 2013

November Entangled Giveaway



Giveaway:

Grand Prize: Kindle Fire

Second Place: $50 Victoria Secret Gift Card

Third Place: $25 Amazon/B&N Gift Card








Conned

by: Chloe Cole





Human sexuality professor Cricket Malloy typically likes bad boys, but when buttoned-up

science teacher Tucker Lamb needs help with an experiment on aphrodisiacs, she goes

the extra mile to help him out. After all, what could go wrong? He’s totally harmless…

Tucker Lamb was born into a life of a grifter. He used to pride himself on his fast fingers

and quicksilver tongue, but ever since being placed in the witness protection program,

he’s been on the up and up. Still, something about Cricket Malloy makes him ache to

see if his tongue is as fast as it used to be.






Cowboy’s Way

by: Cathryn Fox



Sports medicine doctor and weekend cowboy, Chase Cooper, is ready to settle down,

and he’s beginning to wonder if his best friend from high school, Mari Blair, could be

the one that got away. Coop and his buddies have come up with a plan, but he never

imagined it would be Mari’s sister, Julia—the girl who was always off-limits—, who would

When lawyer, Julia Blair, finds herself on a dude ranch half way across the country, only

to discover the invitation was meant for her vivacious twin sister, she knows she has two

choices—go home alone or walk a day in her sister’s shoes. When she sets eyes on

sexy cowboy Chase Cooper, the choice becomes easy. She's determined to stay and

have some carefree fun while at the ranch.

Coop can’t believe the mix up, but when he discovers Julia wants to play, then play they

will. When things get steamy and playtime becomes so much more, he’s determined to

prove she’s the girl for him. And he’s not above using a few tricks of the trade to get his






Falling for the CEO

by: Audra North



Finance genius Meredith Klaus prefers numbers to people, especially around the

holidays. At least the large sum of money that’s mysteriously vanished from the

company accounts will distract her from the ghosts of Christmases past. Until her sexy

boss asks her to be his last-minute date to a fundraiser gala, that is, and the promise of

a special evening calls to something long-buried in her.

Andrew Stanton, Manhattan’s best-known philanthropist, has worked hard building his

reputation in the industry. He offers to work closely with Meredith to fix his company’s

financial crisis, but the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to look at

A beautiful dress. A handsome man on her arm. A challenge she can’t refuse. Can they

find the missing money and fulfill their holiday wishes, or will Meredith be unable to

overcome the demons of her past and lose her chance at happiness?






If You Dare

by: Jessica Lemmon





Lily McIntire is tired of losing every office wager to her overly cocky—and yeah,

devilishly handsome—coworker, Marcus Black. After a few too many tequila shots, and

a taunt from Marcus that she's a wuss, Lily lays down a bet he can't refuse: One night

in the abandoned and spooky Willow Mansion alone for his recent office win, a trip to

There's only one thing Marcus wants more than his upcoming vacation to Hawaii, it's

to take his sexy coworker on a real date. Every time he's tried to get close to her, she's

shut him down cold. Too bad the sexual tension just keeps climbing the charts. Now,

he'll have to scare her out of the mansion if he has any chance of going out on a real

But in between trying to scare Lily out of her pants and get his hands into them, Marcus

realizes there’s more to Willow Mansion than either of them counted on. Suddenly, it’s

not just he and Lily that are going "bump in the night". If they manage to survive the

night and escape the mansion unscathed, can they survive each other in the light of

day? Or will what happens at Willow Mansion stay at Willow Mansion?






Playing Doctor

by: Jan Meredith





When a fellow RN jokingly predicts that Beth Roberts will meet a tall, ripped and totally

lick-o-licious stranger who will fulfill her deepest desires, it’s supposed to be from across

a crowded room, not giving CPR to a wedding guest. Given her tragic love life, Beth has

no desire to become involved again, but who could have predicted the ponytailed doctor

with the mischievous smile would break through her defenses?

Dr. Gabriel North blamed himself for his wife’s death. Now, after two years of battling

guilt and meaningless hookups, he’s ready to move on. When he sees the sexy brunette

at his friend’s wedding, his attraction is swift and strong, and he wastes no time in

pressing his advantage. One night with the woman who makes him feel alive again isn’t

enough, but gaining her trust as a man was going to take more than medical school had






Take a Chance series bundle

by: Diane Alberts




What happens in Vegas...can lead to romance.It took one wild night for Sergeant

Jeremy Addison to realize that Vegas? Was a bad idea.Bloody. Bruised. Dehydrated.

Abandoned in the desert, and left to stagger down the road. The only way this leave

could get worse was if his savior was his ex-best friend's sister...and the girl he'd loved

The last person Erica expected to find on the roadside was her high school crush. She

hadn't seen Jeremy in seven years—ever since the night he said he loved her, and

she ran away. Losing him then had been a mistake, but wanting him now could be

catastrophic if he discovered the secret that chased every other man from her life. But

with a tall, tattooed Marine determined to prove he's always been faithful, can Erica

resist his advances...or will she surrender ground and give love a try?

Thomas Jones has come to Vegas to win yet another account for his marketing

company. But when he sits across from beautiful and sensual Brianna Falk to deliver

his pitch, his desire to leave Vegas as quickly as possible is replaced by the need to

get closer to her. Yet she resists his charm.Brianna knows a date with Thomas could

jeopardize her job, but he’s so maddening and insistent, she has a hard time denying

him just one date. But that’s all it can be: one date. Because she has to protect her job

and her secrets, even if it means giving up a chance at a life she never thought she’d

Even the best-laid plans can go awry. Single-mom Kiersten Worth knows a bottle of champagne

and night of hot, no-strings-attached sex is the perfect solution to her jilted bride blues…and

Garrett Kelly, long-time friend and her teenaged son’s sexy basketball coach, is just the stud

for the job. Garrett wants more from the elusive temptress than a casual affair, but he never

expects it to come in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. When he proposes an unorthodox

solution—move in and raise their baby together—Kiersten has to decide whether to let down

her guard and open her heart to the man who secretly loved her for years, or risk losing his

Married in the morning…Professional heartbreaker Mike Worth thrived on the chase—

and dancer Morgan Collins represented the ultimate prize. But there was no way he

was going to throw away his single-man status…not even for an elusive redhead with

sparkling eyes and mile-long legs. So how did he let one drunken Vegas night end with I

Morgan’s life revolved around her career and she had no intention of letting a man

interfere—even if Mike made her question all her rules about love. At his urging, she

reluctantly agreed to give their spur-of–moment marriage a chance. But once their trial-
honeymoon ended, would she choose to follow the dance and leave her unforgettable





Monday, November 18, 2013

'Tis the Season to Get Lucky by Heidi Rice

'Tis the Season to Get Lucky'Tis the Season to Get Lucky by Heidi Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a sweet, romantic, and easy read. Sometimes we get too wound up in the lives we believe are meant to be for us that we lose sight on what we really need. This is how it was for Ryder and Kate. Ryder is a playboy, of sorts, the owner's son. As far as Kate can tell, he doesn't care about the business, which is the complete opposite of Kate. She would rather spend time at work on Christmas than alone at home. One snowstorm later has Kate reevaluating Ryder and both of them looking at their own lives differently.

View all my reviews

'Tis the Season to be Kissed by Amy Andrews~novella

'Tis the Season to be Kissed'Tis the Season to be Kissed by Amy Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novella was very hot. I'm just saying. The fireplace definitely was not the only place that had a roaring fire. Picture a 30-something single female on New Year's Eve hiding out in her friend's family cabin. Tamara doesn't want to spend New Year's Eve with all the other couple's kissing at midnight surrounding her, reminding her that she is just a poor lonely Kindergarten teacher. No thank you, instead she will drink the wonderful egg nog her friend left for her at the cabin. In fact, she may have to drink it all before noon as the cabin is freezing and it seems to be the only thing helping keep her warm since she ran out of clothes to layer and can't find matches to light the fireplace.

Luke has just arrived from another tour of duty in Afghanistan. He wants to hang out at his family's cabin and then surprise his sister for her birthday. No one knows he is coming, especially not Tamara.

This novella was a satisfying read, but I could definitely see how it could be expanded if Amy Andrews chooses to do a series related to these characters. An outstanding Christmas read!

View all my reviews

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

"Tis The Season to Kiss Santa by Kate Hardy ~Part of A Baby it's Cold Outside Anthology

'Tis the Season to Kiss Santa'Tis the Season to Kiss Santa by Kate Hardy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an absolutely adorable, yet hot novella. it is hard for me to write reviews for novellas without giving it all away. Let's just say that although we know who will get together, the true joy in this story is how they get together and all the descriptive words used in the process. This novella spoke to me because so many times we are too busy during the Christmas season and stressed out. Because of a snowstorm, two individuals must stop and find themselves even if it means opening up to someone they've only known for a few hours.

View all my reviews

Monday, November 4, 2013

Entangled Teen November Releases!

Today we're celebrating the release of Entangled Teen's November books! Read about them and enter to win the giveaway below! 


Infinity (The Chronicles of Nerissette, #3)

Infinity (The Chronicles of Nerissette #3)
by Andria Buchanan 
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen

Although she’s still stuck in the magical world of Nerissette, Queen Allie is finally ready to build a relationship with the half hottie, half dragon next door, Winston. But all isn’t really fair in love and war.

Unrest is quickly forming at the borders and soon Allie realizes that the Fate Maker wasn’t the only one who wanted her crown. When her trusted aunt Bavasama sends her troops into Nerissette on a campaign of murder and mass destruction, Allie has a tough decision to make.

She can’t take the chance of letting more people die or letting those she’s lost disappear from memory, but there is more at stake than even she knows. Still, Allie has to do something. And in the process she’ll discover what she’s truly made of when faced with a series of options…each more horrible than the last.






In the Blood

In the Blood 
by Sara Hantz
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen

For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.

His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.

In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…






Spring Moon (Indiana Teller)
by HRH Princess Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 

Amid the expansive plains of Montana, the Lykos Ranch stretches for miles. The inhabitants who live in near isolation from the outside world are members of the most powerful clan of werewolves in North America. Among them lives just one human: Indiana Teller.

Grandson of the clan’s leader and offspring of a werewolf father and a mysterious yet human mother, Indiana is rejected by his peers and heads to the University of Montana to find a normal life. Despite warnings from his grandparents, he falls in love with a beautiful human, Katerina.

Before too long, he is the victim of an accident that would have killed him had he not miraculously vanished at the moment of impact. Are these strange occurrences just chance or the machinations of a hidden enemy out to destroy him? Facing his destiny, Indiana will have to choose who to believe, and who to love.





Olivia Twisted

Olivia Twisted
by Vivi Barnes
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 

Olivia
He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.
At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z
I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.
It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.
Except that she’s not.
Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.






To celebrate the launch of these books, Entangled Teen is giving away three ebooks. Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway down below for more information!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren

Glittering Promises (Grand Tour Series, #3)Glittering Promises by Lisa Tawn Bergren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lisa Bergren never ceases to amaze me. Glittering Promises was everything I expected and more. I couldn’t wait to turn the pages.
Cora and the rest of her group are faced with so many challenges during this final leg of their journey. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but in a good way. With each tragedy and crisis they face, it made me look deeper at my own life. We take so many things for granted these days. Life is not like it was back in Cora’s time. We are free to love, vote, work, and wear what we wish. Miss Kensington had to fight all of these issues. She not only had to find her own place in the world as a woman, but she had to constantly prove herself, not only to those reading the papers and her family, but also to herself. Throughout this series, Cora had to face the harsh realities of life and accept who she really is.
I found myself very satisfied at the end of this installment, yet very sad that Cora’s story is over. I wouldn’t mind if Lisa decided to expand this series (hint hint)


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Monday, October 14, 2013

Release Day Launch~Seven Day Fiancé by Rachel Harris

Rachel Harris' SEVEN DAY FIANCE is finally here! 


You can get it in your hands (well, on your ereader) right now! You don't want to miss this fantastic Contemporary Romance from Rachel Harris. Book 2 in the Love and Game Series, SEVEN DAY FIANCE can be read as a standalone. Check out all of the information regarding this fantastic novel and Rachel Harris below! Then, celebrate Rachel's Book Birthday by entering the giveaway for an ecopy of Book 1, TASTE THE HEAT!


Isn't that cover pretty?? Read on and find out everything you need to know below! 


SEVEN DAY FIANCE Synopsis:

Angelle Prejean is in a pickle. Her family is expecting her to come home with a fiancĂ©—a fiancĂ© who doesn’t exist. Well, he exists, but he definitely has no idea Angelle told her mama they were engaged. Tattooed, muscled, and hotter than sin, Cane can reduce Angelle to a hot mess with one look—and leave her heart a mess if she falls for him. But when she ends up winning Cane at a charity bachelor auction, she knows just how to solve her fiancĂ© problem.

Cane Robicheaux is no one’s prince. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t fall in love. When sweet, sultry-voiced Angelle propositions him, he hopes their little game can finally get her out of his head. He doesn’t expect her to break through all his barriers. But even as Angelle burrows deeper into his heart, he knows once their seven days are up, so is their ruse.

Rachel Harris Bio:

Rachel Harris grew up in New Orleans, where she watched soap operas with her grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading her mama’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up way too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, she homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches reality television with her amazing husband. Taste The Heat is her adult romance debut. She’s the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. She loves hearing from readers! Find her at www.RachelHarrisWrites.com.

Buy Links:


Links:


And now for the Giveaway! Go enter to win! 





My rating


Ahhhhh. What can I say about this book other than absolutely breathtaking! I'm worried about giving too much away in this review and trust me, you want to read it for yourself! Angelle and Cane's story is full of anticipation and surprises. Not only does it have the romance factor, Rachel also deeply develops each character. Both Cane and Angelle have emotional pasts. Pasts that neither thought they could ever overcome. The things that set them apart from each other might just be the things that draw them together, if they can just give it a chance.

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Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Ink Slinger for this review copy.




Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Review~Written in the Stars by Patricia Rosemoor & Sherrill Bodine

Written in the Stars



Written in the Stars by Patricia Rosemoor and Sherill Bodine





Book Blurb


In 1601, Lady Elizabeth York's star-shaped birthmark proclaims her a 
child of magic. When she arrives at Dunham Castle to marry Carlyle, 

heir to the Duke of Lennox, she finds enchantment in the eyes and 
touch of Will Grey, the Duke's bastard son. Bewitched by Elizabeth, 
Will defies all for their love, and his jilted half-brother places a 
curse on them both.

Searching for a treasure ship sunk long ago, present-day marine 
archeologist Cordelia Ward is pursued romantically by both salvager 
Innis Foley and treasure hunter Morgan Murphy. She is haunted by a 
murderous nightmare where one man is the killer and the other the 
victim. But which man is her enemy--which one her soul mate? Can a 
journal that belonged to her ancestress, Lady Elizabeth York show her 
the answers...in time to save her true love?

Chased by evil, two women discover their own magic to fight a 

villain's curse on the Posey rings that draw them to the men they are 
destined to love. 


My Review: 4.5 Stars

Historical fiction is one of my absolute favorite genres. This particular work also excellently wove together historical fiction, romance, mysticism, suspense, and love. I absolutely adored the characters and didn’t have any trouble relating to the characters or the time
shift.
I found the story and characters easy to identify with. Lady Elizabeth, approached Dunham Castle, ready to accept her fate as Carlyle’s bride, without ever meeting him. She is pleasantly surprised to immediately feel something for the first man she sees. Her stomach flips, first from happiness, then to disappointment as she soon finds out that the man she made a connection with was not Carlyle, but Will, the bastard son of the Duke. Can she accept her place as Carlyle’s wife when she had such a connection with Will? And, Will, well he feels the same as Elizabeth. But does he dare speak of it? He knows the consequences of being a bastard son. Will he risk everything to profess his desires?
Cordelia Ward has two suitors. She must decide for herself if her visions of one being a murderer and the other a victim are true. And if they are, who is who? Can she save them all from this horrible vision she foretells? Maybe the answer lies within the mysterious journal she finds that once belonged to her ancestress, Lady Elizabeth. Can Elizabeth help Cordelia find out the truth? And will she figure out who is who before her true love perishes?

This is an amazing story of two extraordinary women trying to realize their true worth in their own time of troubles. Can they depend on their hearts to show them the right way? Is the future they foresee changeable?
Strong story lines, excellent time shifts, along with the romance and strong female characters have made it easy for me to give this story 4.5 stars!


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Review~The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James







Book Blurb:
Florist Claire Holbrook has always played by the rules her entire life, but breaks them to spend one night with sexy lone wolf Jake Manning, a man she's adored since she was a teenager. Six weeks later, things get complicated when she discovers they created a bond that will last a lifetime

Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook's daughter pregnant wasn't part of any life plan, but he won't run from his responsibilities. He'll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn't have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close, because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn't with anyone--the truth and his heart.



Find Victoria James




My Review

The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I normally do not finish books in one day. What can I say? This was an exception. I received this as an ARC and had not read the first in the series. I was concerned that perhaps I shouldn't dive into a book that is a sequel, but this is a stand alone story. Each book plays on the other, but each one is a different brother's story and are chronological in nature.

I devoured the story of Jake and Claire. From the prologue I was sucked in. I had to make myself not jump to the end of each page because I was anxious to see what happened next. Buy this story! You will not regret it!

Claire has a one night stand with the man of her dreams and wakes up to find him gone. Ok, so her heart was broken, but she can recover right? Wrong! She discovers she is pregnant and must tell her crush from high school that he is going to be a father. Claire owns her own business and her own home. Pregnancy was not in the cards for her at this time. She is a planner and this is unfamiliar territory.

Jake, to the casual observer, is a bad boy. He isn't one to settle down and runs from confrontations. Take the one night stand with Claire, for example. He had wanted her for quite some time, but she was too good for him. A one night stand should not have happened. She deserved better and her father certainly wouldn't approve. Jake tries to shake his desires for Claire by leaving town on business and not contacting her. Little did he know that the night they shared would change his life.

Jake must prove to Claire that his feelings for her are not because of the baby. But before they can move forward, they both must confront their own problems. Their story is one of past trials, self discovery, and love.

View all my reviews






Tuesday, August 6, 2013

5 Stars A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

A Tale of Two Centuries (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, #2)A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If one was to look up sixteenth century girls in an encyclopedia, (oh wait do they still have those? Maybe Google images then) you would most likely see someone like Alessandra. On the outside, she is like any other 16 year old from that era. She is willing and exited to be united in marriage to a man many years older than herself. Less is the picture of perfect bliss. She is proper and dutiful, but there is an adventurous side just waiting to get out. That side of her escapes when her dream of a perfect future is destroyed by the very man who inspired it. Alessandra needs an escape from her reality, and quick. If only her cousin, Cat, were here. She could help her make sense of all this. But alas, Cat had returned home to her own time in the future 2 years prior.

Enter Reyna. That quirky, always there at just the right time, riddle giving gypsy. Just as Alessandra felt as if she was as lost as could be, she is given an opportunity of a lifetime. Reyna sends her to stay with Cat, in the future, but is clear that she can only stay until the 3 riddles she has given her have come to pass.

Cat is absolutely shocked to see her sixteenth century cousin at her doorstep, in trousers none the less. For her, it has only been 2 months since she had arrived back from her own adventure, not two years as Less suggests. She immediately sets forth explaining dress, slang, and boys to Less. Now it is Cat's turn to help Less and she is going at it full throttle. She even gets Less enrolled as a foreign exchange student from Italy in her high school for the semester. Should be an educational experience. I mean, what can happen? Less is only here for a short time.

Surprises are just that, a surprise. Cat could not have imagined that in just one day, Less would be flabbergasted over a boy. Well, not just any boy, Austin! From the first time he tapped his fingers on the desk, Less was hooked, even though she didn't know it herself. What was happening to her? Austin was all wrong. He was trouble! He was also, all she could think about.

A Tale of Two Centuries is an imaginative, butterflies in your stomach, leaving you wanting more, read. I easily give it 5 stars and can't wait for my daughter to get just a bit older to read it herself. Rachel, you've done it again, girl! What talent! Congratulations!

WANT SOME FREEBIES?

Anyone who orders a copy of A Tale of Two Centuries this week and forwards a receipt to Rachelharris1 at gmail dot com will receive exclusive swag including an Austin trading card, a ticket to Alessandra's play, and a signed bookplate. And yes, ebook orders count!






Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?


~Special Flirt Squad Excerpt~


After several hours and rejecting more than, as Cat would say, a bazillion selections, we finally make our way home, bags brimming with a half dozen dresses and an array of ankle length skirts. And though our quest to find items that actually cover both my calves and elbows did prove time consuming, that was not really the reason for our extended excursion…it was my complete and utter awe over the vast display of readymade clothing! Modern women no longer have a need to select fabrics and patterns and hire a tailor—they merely step inside a store, choose an item off a rack, and bring it home. Marvelous.
I step inside Cat’s comfortably cool home and slurp the final remains of my creamy beverage. My cousin insisted she needed a ‘sugar fix’ on the way home, so Vivian stopped at a building with bright yellow arches filled with delectable delicacies. A chill seeps down my throat and I close my eyes at the blissful sensation, before recognizing the uncomfortable, full one tightening my stomach.
Wonderful, yet another experience in which to amuse my cousin. Since arriving, I seem to do little else. And though it is quite improper to discuss such topics, I have no other choice but to continue the entertainment now.
I turn to her, my cheeks burning with the ever-present annoying blush, and ask, “Pardon, but may I inquire where your garderobe is located?”
Cat grins in reply—as I expected—and I hang my head, following wordlessly in her wake back to the chamber she called a bathroom. She turns the knob on an interior door, steps inside, and lifts the lid on a bright white object.
“This, my time-traveling ancestor, is a toilet. Much cooler than your stinky garderobe business. See this?” She places her hand on a silver lever located near the top. “This means we have central plumbing.”
She lowers the lever and the toilet goes wild. A loud gurgling, much like the sound of a waterfall, erupts from the basin and I jump back and grip Cat’s arm with a muted squeal. The water pooled inside begins to bubble and fresh water cascades down from the rim above. The rumbling noise recedes to a gentler hiss but just when I think the excitement is over, the basin makes one last hurrah, twirling and whirling the water down the hole at the bottom with a final booming glug.
I slap my hand over my mouth then promptly remove it. “Do it again!”
Cat smiles and rolls her eyes, then pulls me into the tiny alcove. “Yeah, I don’t think so. You can do that when you’re done…using the facilities.”
The need to know where the contents go once they disappear is nearly overwhelming but I refrain from asking, having had quite enough of playing the simpleton cousin for at least one afternoon. But unfortunately, my role as entertaining time traveler plays on, as I do need to clarify matters a bit more. “So I sit on this toilet and, um, use it to…err…. relieve myself?”
My voice rising to a high-pitched squeak at the end does not help the situation.
Pushing my hair from behind my ear and ducking my head to hide my face, I clamp my eyes shut and will this moment over. Oh, why must every new discovery be such an embarrassing revelation?
My cousin, bless her, must take pity on me because I feel her brush past, pausing to give my arm a gentle squeeze. “Yep, nothing to it.” She pauses, and I hear her tap the frame of the door behind me. “So…I’m just gonna be in my room. Er,” she snaps her fingers together, “take your time.”
The door clicks closed and I shake my head. Suddenly, all of Cat’s humorous missteps from when she traveled to my time flash in my mind along with all my resulting merriment and I look to the heavens with a begrudging grin.
Yes, my present embarrassment is an apt form of divine justice.
When my head lowers, my gaze centers again on the silver lever and it is as if my insatiable curiosity is a living, breathing creature inside the alcove with me. I bounce on my toes, gnaw on my lip, and finally give in, shooting my hand out to depress the cool metal. The wondrous performance begins again, and my laughter echoes off the sage colored walls. 






About the Author

As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.

When she's not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, you can find her homeschooling her two beautiful princesses, hanging out with her amazing husband, or taking a hot bubble bath…next to a pile of chocolate. A Tale of Two Centuries is her second novel.




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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Who am I?

This week's themed blog post for the soon to be released A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

"What is your passion?"

See if you can figure out what my passion is with the following collages. :)





My passion is my life! I have many labels; teacher, friend, supporter, Christian, community service leader, event coordinator, mom, wife, daughter, charity volunteer, and avid book lover, just to name a few. Your passion defines you. So tell me, what is yours?

Monday, July 15, 2013

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander (Outlander, #1)Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Words cannot express my love for this series. I read this the first time back in High School over 20 years ago. It conjures so many emotions when read. Some may call it a chic flick, but I'm telling you it is not. I'm having the hubby read/listen to it now. Years ago we would listen to parts of it together, but I was too impatient to wait on him, therefore, he never finished it.

This is first and foremost historical fiction and involves time travel. Yes, there is strong romance, but it is fueled by History. That being said, those of you who do not care about Scottish History, will not be bored by the story at all. Diana Gabaldon is an extraordinary author. This is a series you will read and reread for years to come.

This book is an adult book or maybe mature teen. There is sex involved, which is part of married life, so don't be surprised by this. Also, one has to remember that women were treated differently in these times. Do not compare today's woman with either of Claire's time frames.

One name... James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser. Yes, that is all one has to say about this book. It will make you cry, laugh, and face your deepest inner emotions. Come join us on this amazing Outlander experience. Book one will not be enough. Trust me.

And for those of you thinking you do not wish to read anything like this, know this...Starz has just announced they will be airing 16 episodes based on Diana Gabaldon's Outlander in the Spring 2014. There are FB pages and Twitter groups galore. Don't you want to be a part of this adventure? I know I do!

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