Author: Marsha

Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns

Posted July 28, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Animal portrait painter Mia Chambers and architect Ben Thomas have volunteered at the High Grove Animal Shelter for years, and they share a complicated history. Ben has secretly loved Mia all this time, but she was married to his best friend. Now she’s newly widowed, with a young son, and Ben doesn’t know how to tell her what’s in his heart. All he can do is stay close, help her as much as she’ll let him, and watch for the right moment to bare his soul.

When a dozen adorable border collies get dumped in St. Louis’ biggest park, everyone at the shelter mobilizes for a large-scale rescue. Rushing to the park to round up the frisky collies, Ben and Mia unexpectedly plunge into a new phase of their entangled lives. Who knew that opening their hearts and homes—to animals in need and to each other—would lead to so many upheavals…and new beginnings…?

Titles in the Rescue Me series include — A New Leash on Love – Sit, Stay, Love – My Forever Home – Love at First Bark –

Lone Wolf Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Posted July 28, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Modern Western Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Will Gold Valley’s most reclusive cowboy finally find a reason to heal?

As a former EMT and a wildland firefighter, there’s no one Jacob Dalton can’t rescue–except himself. Since his best friend’s tragic death, Jacob has isolated himself…until Vanessa Logan returns to Gold Valley. He saved her life during a medical call years ago, and he’s never forgotten her. The instant jolt of heat between them takes him by surprise, but he knows that giving in to it would only end in disaster.

For Vanessa, returning home was about healing, not about exploring her attraction with Jacob. He is the guardian angel from her past–with strong, capable hands and an irresistible mouth. A temptation she knows she can’t afford. Until the chemistry between them explodes and unites them in a way they could never have imagined.

Titles in the Gold Valley series include — Cowboy Christmas Blues (#0.5) – Smooth-Talking Cowboy – Mail-Order Cowboy (#1.5) – Untamed Cowboy – Hard Riding Cowboy (#2.5) – Good Time Cowboy – Snowed in with the Cowboy (#3.5) – A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas – Unbroken Cowboy – Cowboy to the Core – Lone Wolf Cowboy – Cowboy Christmas Redemption

Mrs. Morris and the Ghost by Traci Wilton

Posted July 27, 2019 by Marsha in Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Series / 0 Comments

Charlene Morris knew Salem, Massachusetts had a spooky reputation. But when she decided to open her B&B there, she expected guests–not ghosts…

A grieving young widow, Charlene needed a new start–so she bought a historic mansion, sight unseen, and drove from Chicago to New England to start turning it into a bed-and-breakfast.

On her first night in the house, she awakens to find a handsome man with startling blue eyes in her bedroom. Terror turns to utter disbelief when he politely introduces himself as Jack Strathmore–and explains that he used to live here–when he was alive. He firmly believes that someone pushed him down the stairs three years ago, and he won’t be able to leave until someone figures out who.

If Charlene wants to get her business up and running in time for the Halloween tourist rush and get this haunting houseguest out of the way, she’ll have to investigate. Though the truth be told, this ghost is starting to grow on her.

Titles in the A Salem B & B Mystery series include — Mrs. Morris and the Ghost – Mrs. Morris and the Witch –

Cold Heart, Warm Cowboy by Caitlin Crews

Posted July 27, 2019 by Marsha in Modern Western Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Ty Everett ran off to the rodeo when he turned eighteen and has been riding bulls ever since…until his last fall causes partial amnesia and he must return to Cold River Ranch to figure out what comes next. But how can he pick his next move when he can’t remember how he got here in the first place–much less the beautiful woman who appears at the ranch, claims she knows him and warms his cold heart for the first time since he woke up in the hospital?

Rodeo Queen Hannah Monroe gave up her crown for Ty Everett and her innocence. What she wants from Ty now is a divorce. But Ty can’t remember her–or their secret wedding, or even the son she never meant to hide from him–and Hannah is torn. How can she leave the man she can’t forget and still loves despite herself? And even if she’s willing to start over, what will happen when the truth comes out?

Titles in the Cold River Ranch series include — A True Cowboy Christmas – Cold Heart, Warm Cowboy – The Last Real Cowboy (January 2020) –

The Duke Is But a Dream by Anna Bennett

Posted July 27, 2019 by Marsha in Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Series / 0 Comments

She’s a secret sensation.
Miss Lily Hartley is the anonymous mastermind behind the ton’s latest obsession: The Debutante’s Revenge, a tell-all advice column for young ladies. To keep her identity hidden, Lily delivers her columns disguised as a boy—which is well and good, until she lands in the middle of a tavern brawl. As luck would have it, a devastatingly handsome duke sweeps in to rescue her.

He has no idea who she is.
Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge, discovers there’s a beautiful woman hiding beneath a lad’s cap, and, before long, he’s falling for the delightfully clever stranger recuperating in his house. He vows to help her find her home, even though he’s reluctant to part with her. There’s only one problem.

Neither does she.
Lily has no idea who she is. She could be a duchess or maid. Betrothed or married. There’s only one thing she does know—that her attraction to Nash is more than skin-deep, and it grows stronger every day. While Lily and Nash search to find her true identity, they just might lose their hearts to each other.

Titles in the Debutante Diaries include — First Earl I See Tonight – The Duke Is But A Dream – When You Wish Upon A Rogue

Congratulation to the 2019 RITA Award Winners!

Posted July 27, 2019 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

The 2019 RITA Award recipients will make July 26, 2019, a day to remember in Romance writing acknowledgment history. This year Authors of Color, Authors of Diversity were acknowledged with top honors – and it’s a long, long overdue celebration.

As a reader and a blogger, this is one ceremony that I wish I could attend in person, but I’m content to watch the live streams and read the Twitter updates as the conference moves through the days leading up to award night.

Many of the authors who took home awards are long-time favorite authors or authors that I’ve read a few of their books. So many more are new-to-me, and I’ll be frank and tell you that I headed over to Amazon to pick up titles by the winners. When a book receives a RITA, then I should be reading it. It’s just that simple. And I will be going over the finalists and the mentions as well to pick up even more titles.

So, my congratulations to every single winner whether it’s the first statue received or the latest – all are amazing talents yet it’s their hard work, perseverance, stubbornness, blood, sweat, tears, and love of the written word – and belief in themselves – that brought every single person on that stage to where they stand today as an RWA RITA Award winner.

I don’t know any of these talented people personally — but I am so happy for every author there.

Here are the RITA Award winners for 2019. Each book title is linked back to GoodReads should you like to check them out a bit more.

Lone Star Defender by Jennie Jones

Posted July 26, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Nine days to build a future…

Pepper Mackillop is no soft touch – but try telling her townspeople that. She’s only been home a week and is facing so many problems she’s numbered them to keep track. Her goal is to help rejuvenate her economically rundown hometown of Reckless in Calamity Valley, Texas, but between the town’s unrealistic expectations and the underhanded developers snooping around, she’s challenged every which way. Then Jack Shepperd comes home.

Prodigal son Jack is forced to return home to his family ranch when his uncle decides to retire. He has nine days to close down the ranch and pay a debt to Pepper’s grandmother. A debt that will keep him all but glued to Pepper’s side. Pep is the most captivating, spirited, headstrong woman he’s ever met. Years ago, she broke his heart. What are the chances of a clean getaway this time around?

Titles in the Calamity Valley series include — Lone Star Hero – Lone Star Protector – Lone Star Defender

Bound: A Doyle Witch Cozy Mystery by Kirsten Weiss

Posted July 25, 2019 by Marsha in Cozy Mystery, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Paranormal Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Bound by magic, bound by love, bound by murder…

The Bonheim triplets live seemingly ordinary lives, hiding their magic from their neighbors in the small, mountain town of Doyle, California. But then a body is found in flighty, big sister Jayce’s coffee shop. Confronted by a sheriff with a grudge, a sister in denial, and a sexy lawyer with an agenda of his own, no-nonsense Karin must prove her sister innocent.

But as Karin works to unravel the murder, the knottier the mystery of her small mountain town becomes. Why are hikers vanishing in the nearby woods? Why are some people cursed with bad luck and others with good? And what is Jayce’s lawyer hiding?

With her sister’s fate hanging by a thread, Karin struggles to untangle the truth, and death stalks ever closer.

Titles in The Witches of Doyle Paranormal Cozy Mystery series include — Bound – Ground – Down – Witch

Montana Daughter by Juanita Kees

Posted July 24, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Trinity Calhoun is a name everyone knows on the race circuit, but her days in the hot seat are numbered. She’s tired of the limelight, meaningless relationships and long hours behind the wheel. When her father calls her and her sister home, she’s ready. She slips right back into the family business, finishing off the custom car projects her father has lined up. But racing is in her blood and she’s lured back to risking her life on the hot rod drag strips outside of town. It’s there she meets paramedic and volunteer firefighter, Reece Balmain, who has her re-thinking the road her life is taking.

Reece Balmain arrives in Big Fork a broken man. He’s lived and breathed through horror accidents, haunted by the faces of the people he’s cut from vehicles. He knows one thing–speed kills. He’s hoping not to see too much of it in small-town Montana until he hears about the drag races taking place outside of town. He knows Trinity Calhoun. He’s watched her race, seen her win, held his breath when her car somersaulted into barriers in Daytona Beach. He doesn’t like what she does, but he can’t stay away from the woman who’s claiming his heart.

Titles in The Calhouns of Montana series include — Montana Baby – Montana Daughter – Montana Son

Rock Chick Rescue by Kristen Ashley

Posted July 24, 2019 by Marsha in Connection to another series, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Series / 0 Comments

Jet McAlister has a secret. Eddie Chavez has the hots for Jet (not to mention Eddie’s just plain hot). Jet has too many problems to realize that Eddie’s interested. Eddie loses patience when Jet ends her waitressing shift at a strip club with a knife at her throat. Since Eddie’s a cop, he figures he can help. Since Jet’s used to solving everyone’s problems, she doesn’t want Eddie’s help.

Throw in a Dolly Parton look-alike, a gruff but lovable strip club owner, Jet’s ne’er do well father, his ne’er do well friend, Bear, Bear’s long-suffering, chain-smoking wife Lavonne and the crew from Rock Chick and you’ve got Rock Chick Rescue.

Rock Chick Rescue takes you on a wild ride with Jet, Eddie and the gang as they wrestle bad guys in a bagel shop, hit Denver’s backstreet poker tables (with big hair), and help the strippers at Smithie’s take down a would-be murderer.

Through this, Jet’s got to learn that even when life made you give up your dreams, you can still end up with the (hot) guy. Eddie’s got to rescue Jet from a bad man (so he can do better things with her) and teach her that some dreams can come true.

Titles in the Rock Chick series include — Rock Chick – Rock Chick Rescue – Rock Chick Redemption – Rock Chick Renegade – Rock Chick Revenge – Rock Chick Reckoning – Rock Chick Regret – Rock Chick Revolution – Rock Chick Reawakening (1001 Dark Nights) – Rock Chick Reborn –

Information about Ms. Ashley’s titles that have been reviewed here at Keeper Bookshelf (and links to the review posts) can be found on the Kristen Ashley page.

All Roads Lead to You by Jennifer Probst

Posted July 24, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Happily single, Harper Bishop trusts in only one passion—her rescue farm and healing her thoroughbred, Phoenix. Her dream is to lead him to the Triple Crown. But how unreachable is it without experience or help? A handsome new guest at her family’s B&B has what it takes to make it come true. And with his irresistible brogue, warm smile, and soothing touch, he’s a major distraction.

After a bitter betrayal, horse trainer Aidan O’Connor has fled Ireland for a vacation in New York’s Hudson Valley. When he sees the horse with the fighting spirit, he’s inspired with a new goal: to train Phoenix to win. He’s also facing an unexpected new challenge: his feelings for Harper.

How can she dare to open her heart to a man who’ll be there only long enough to break it?

So Harper and Aidan agree: try to keep it professional and focus only on Phoenix and the finish line. But along the way, they could also learn a few lessons in love, trust, and taking chances. And, as painful as it promises to be, saying goodbye.

Titles in the Stay series include — The Start of Something Good – A Brand New Ending – All Roads Lead to You – Something Just Like This (1001 Dark Nights Stay Novella – Nov. 2019) –