Thursday, August 17, 2017

Romance with Heart blog features Once Upon a Lady by Addie Jo Ryleigh





The Soul Mate Tree
Once Upon a Lady
By Addie Jo Ryleigh


My new release, Once Upon a Lady, is book eight of The Soul Mate Tree Series and I couldn’t be prouder to share in a venture that showcases the talents of so many amazing romance authors across a variety of genres. When I was first approached by Char Chaffin asking if I’d be interested in joining the project, my first thought was ‘I’ve never written a novella before.’ **gulp** After convincing myself that I could indeed capture an entire story in the length of a novella, I jumped on board. Taking a break from my debut Regency series, Men of Circumstance, I started to toss around ideas and quickly stumbled upon Kate and Jackson.

Lost in duty, if there was anyone needing the assistance of the mystical Soul Mate Tree, it was Kate. And who better to help her discover her destiny than Jackson, a man equally adrift. As soon as I saw the beautiful cover created by Wren Taylor, I knew I had my story.

Their path, navigated by the poetic legend created by Char and Cheryl Yeko, was filled with plenty of obstacles but once they embraced the gift granted by the tree, not even Kate’s ducal father could stand in their way.

 The Legend of the Soul Mate Tree:

I am old, I am ancient, my purpose is clear
To give those who are needy a treasure so dear.
They who come to my roots, touch my bark, stroke my leaves
Find the soul of their lives if they but believe.
When I call and you listen, your prize will be great
If your heart remains open and you don’t hesitate.
Do you yearn? Be you lonely? Is your time yet at hand?
Reach for me and I’ll give to you. I’m yours to command.
For your trust, for your faith, keep my secrets untold
And I’ll gift you forever, to have and to hold.


The Soul Mate Tree Series Trailer: https://youtu.be/VjxyyD3TVoA
Once Upon a Lady Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/9dTCinBMS3k?list=PLjitsNVe3r5rkYdJ0yNZJqR_vrvhZAm_t

An ancient legend spanning eras, continents, and worlds. To some, it’s nothing more than a dream. To others, a pretty fairy tale handed down through the generations.

For those in critical need of their own happy ending, a gift.

Respectable Lady Katherine Baxton, striving to meet the requirements of her station, has become the ultimate dutiful daughter. And now, the Duke of Blackthorn’s betrothed. Far from a love match, Kate is nevertheless determined to do as expected and marry.
That all changes the night she panics at her impending future and runs, stumbling upon a private grove, a mysterious tree. . . and a half-naked man.
The youngest son of a viscount widely thought to have purchased his title, Jackson Cooper demonstrates his disdain for the aristocracy by affording himself every luxury available—drinking, wenching, and gambling—while eschewing anything representing the ton. Jackson has little care for his reputation and no desire to marry. His escape from London is all but complete.
Until fate—in the form of a beautiful, mysterious lady—interrupts his plans, enticing him with the very thing he never wanted.

Short Excerpt:

Kate felt his approach before she saw him. Which wasn’t all that surprising since her body had remained mindful of his presence. Fighting the impulse proved fruitless.
When his tall frame blocked the sun and cast her in shadow, she knew besides giving him a direct cut, she had no escape. If only she hadn’t ventured from her sister’s side. At the time, abandoning Helena had been her singular option since their slow stroll through the gathering had traveled too close to the very man standing beside her. She’d been delaying the inevitable.
Kate was now alone, as she tried to keep her attention on the lawn activities before her, hoping no one would witness what was about to happen.
“Aren’t sprites confined to the trees?” His deep voice washed over her.
She didn’t turn to acknowledge him. “How nice to see you properly dressed for once.”
His chuckle warmed her. “Are you following me?”
An unladylike snort refused to be repressed. “Hardly. You are rather difficult to overlook, being the only unknown face here.”
“That’s not true. You’ve seen my face . . . as well as other, more interesting parts.”
Kate wished she’d listened to her sister and worn a bonnet. Anything to mask the heat flaring in her cheeks.
Thankfully he remained at her side and hadn’t a clear view of her face. “We have not been introduced. I can’t be seen speaking to you.”
“Then let us go where we can't be seen.”
Her heart raced at his boldness. Why was this man so tempting? She was spoken for, though still unofficially. Proper ladies didn’t follow strange men to private locations, regardless of their marital status. “Absolutely not.”
“Even if I have something of yours?”
Blast! Her ring. Given her luck lately, she would have lost it in the grove of all places. Her aunt would toss in her grave knowing Kate had misplaced her gift.
“A true gentleman would return it.”
            His deep laugh caused her pulse to flutter. “I'm no gentleman. Or haven't you heard?”

Bio:

Addie Jo Ryleigh writes historical regency romances that feature rakish heroes and strong feisty heroines.

Addie Jo has lived in the same cold-winter-hot-summer area of Minnesota her entire life. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her very understanding husband who endured being dubbed “The Duke” by his co-workers. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side. And recently the newest addition to their family, a black lab named Max.

Addie Jo has always had a love and passion for romance books and became engrossed in historical romance (particularly Regency) soon after graduating from Lurlene McDaniel’s young adult books. Currently, Addie Jo reads any genre that has a great emotional story that keeps her reading into the early hours of the morning.

Addie Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting and is a financial coordinator when not playing chauffeur for her hockey-playing boys, cuddled up with a good book, or writing her next story.


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Friday, August 4, 2017

Romance with Heart blog features mystery crime novel, Mayaki's Doll


Title: Mayaki’s Doll
ISBN: 978-1-62420-357-2
Author: Francis Benedict

Genre: Mystery/Crime
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

TAGLINE

Had they known that the scar on her foot would give them away, they would have set the car ablaze before pushing it over…

BLURB

Mayaki is reportedly dead, with her car having been discovered to have fallen over Tariaah, the sacred hill, and making front-page on the morning daily.
Gloria Reginald rushes to Lohada to verify and arrange for her friend to be brought home for burial but, shockingly, the body in the morgue has a matted face under a roll of bandages and looks nothing like her, raising questions that beg for answers. The police can’t be trusted and the doctors seem suspect. To the natives of Lohada, Mayaki is merely another victim of the anger of the god of the hill.
But when Mayaki’s wooly red doll providentially turns up in the outcrops, Gloria’s intuition quickly leads her closer to uncovering an ingenious plot hidden behind her best friend’s mysterious disappearance. With the conviction that her friend is still alive, Gloria must take charge of matter if she hopes to get to the root of the goings-on.
Soon the puzzle unravels and she finds herself locked in a dire struggle to save her friend from the hold of a dreadful and powerful drug-running organization that demands just one thing that only Gloria can provide in exchange for Mayaki.

EXCERPT

The helicopter blew to smithereens, a huge ball of fire in the sky. The flaming debris cascaded down on the forest in a massive shower of fireworks and the resultant effect of the explosion created a momentary tremor in the earth underneath us that I actually shifted on my feet. Then came a sudden uproar of jubilation; the entire village of Rihuku was agog. A tremendous victory for them.
There wasn't a moment to waste, and Chief Mahiri again began issuing new orders. At his command, the women and children began disappearing back into the huts. I followed him back to the clearing. Able-bodied young men amounting to sixteen in number had assembled themselves before him. Dabilu was evidently the leader of the pack.
Chief Mahiri's voice was fierce as he bellowed words to the men. Like soldiers heading out to war, they listened raptly. When he was through speaking, the men turned and followed Dabilu away from the clearing. Then one after the other, all disappeared through one of the dark crevices between the huts.
"Chief, what are you proposing to do now?" I asked.
He turned his face to me. "I'm leading the men out to Inua's. It has been ordained that he dies today!"
"Are you talking about an ambush—a surprise attack then?"
"If we don't move fast, he will send his men out here to hunt for you. Already the helicopter is late in returning, though unknown to him it has met with a fate far greater than he can ever imagine."
"But Chief," I said, "my friends are there at the villa. They can easily be mistaken for Inua's thugs. They are innocent. If your people should…"
He looked at me innocuously. "It can't be helped, I'm sorry. This is war. In a war, lives are sacrificed. Inua has to be taken out, and to achieve this anything will be compromised."
"Including the lives of my loved ones? Your war is with Inua and not them. Your men are not trained in the requisite military maneuvers required in a situation like this. Look, Chief, it can be helped. You can get Inua, and at the same time save the lives of my friends trapped there. If you order your men to—"
It was hopeless; the chief was inattentive. Mahiri's soldiers were re-emerging, all fully armed with a variety of modern assault weapons: automatic rifles, and a couple with mortar guns. They looked like savages—which was actually what they were at the time. Without pausing for a moment, they walked with heavy feet past us, marching their way into the waiting jungle, and disappearing one after the other through the curtain of tall grasses.
"Chief Mahiri, please!" I pleaded, clutching at his arm. "Please, you must halt this madness!"
In a single jerk of his hand, he loosened himself from my grip. He stared at me, all the sanctity gone from his face. He was now somebody different: a warrior—leading his men out to an unpredictable war.
"Madness, you say?" he spat out in anger. The bulging veins in his neck were budding as though they were being fed compressed air. "I am the chief of this village; it is my duty to look after my people. Already, in whispers they speak that I am weak. Is it madness to avenge the lives of those Inua has killed? My daughter? We have consulted with the oracle, and even now that we go, four from our party will not return. It pleases my heart if I should be the only one. The guilt of my daughter's death weighs heavily on my conscience." Then again turning his face toward the huts he barked, "Kaila!"


Keywords: Mystery, Crime, Drug Runners, Murder

Twitter: @efbenedict9













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