Brenda Margriet
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It's the Little Things - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

11/8/2022

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​Sometimes it’s the little things. That simple step or thought that makes life easier to handle. That’s what we’re talking about this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop.

What's your favourite DIY or life hack?

Mine is pretty darn simple. And maybe it won’t make your life better in the grand scheme of things, but it certainly does make me happy.

Put a chunk of bread in with your brown sugar to keep it from hardening into granite.

I use my brown sugar only a few times a year, and replace the bread whenever I do. But it never fails to keep the sugar easy to scoop. And if you’ve ever had to chisel brown sugar, you know that’s a win!

Be sure to hop over to Leslie Hachtel for another life hack!

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It's almost here! The​
NEVER TOO BUSY Anthology releases November 16!
 
Enjoy sultry, sexy stories featuring strong female leads and their determined partners in this brand-new collection!
 
Are you too busy for love?
 
Pre Order on Amazon, Kobo, Google, Apple, and Nook before the price goes up after release!

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Nick Jordan acquires failing restaurants, then makes them prosperous. But when Lily Mercer calls him for help, he didn't count on falling in love. Or that someone wants to kill her.
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And with so many obstacles and threats, can she survive? Can their love?

Read it now!


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Staying in the Zone - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

11/1/2022

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​Did you have a spooky Halloween? We had the grandbabies come trick-or-treat with us. They are still too young to understand it all, but they are so cute it doesn't matter.

The reason I mention this is that some of the costumes I saw yesterday were so creative! And that’s what we’re talking about this week on the Blog Hop:

How do you stay creative? How do you feed your muse? What tips and tricks do you recommend to stay in the creative zone?

You know the saying “a change is a good as a rest?” Well, changing things up is a great way for me to stay creative. When the weather is warm, I love to write outside instead of at the formality of my desk. When it cools down, I take my laptop to our sitting room and work there.

Another way I stay in the zone is to be creative in ways other than writing. I never thought I’d say this (because I am not a crafty person at all) but I love crocheting. Certain stitches are mindful and relaxing and other patterns require fierce concentration (on my part, at least). Using different parts of my brain seems to help with the words.

One of the ways I’ve been feeding my muse lately is by not being creative with words. I’ve been taking a break from writing since I finished a short story in early August. Until last week, that is, when I wrote the blurb for the fourth book in the Silverberry Seduction series.

And can I just say – it felt so good to be writing again!

I really needed the break, though. I’ve been writing pretty constantly for almost three years, with only short intermissions between projects. I still need to write the fifth book in the Silverberry series, and I was really struggling to build the enthusiasm for it. But in the last few days the ideas have started flowing and I can see the book now. It’s right there, laid out all shiny and sparkling, and I can’t wait to get started. However, I am not going to jump right in. I’ve learned that starting a book is easy. It’s keeping on to the end that’s hard. But I think by this time next week I might be ready to get going on it, and I’m so excited for it!

How do you stay creative – in whatever way you define creative? I’d love to hear from you. Then hop over to Andie Fenichel (who has had an amazingly prolific year of publishing, by the way) and see how she keeps the words flowing.


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Pre Order Now for only $2.99 (also available in Print)

Turn the Next Page
Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series, Book 3
(can be read as a standalone. Aubrey 52, Phillip 53)
 
High school sweethearts, their marriage was shattered by tragedy. Thirty years later, a startling confession reignites long banked embers.
 
On the outside, politician Aubrey Windt is assured and assertive. On the inside, she’s a confused tangle of nerves and regrets. A lost election is the perfect opportunity to reset her life, and she’s going to take it, no matter what anyone says. This time, she means it.
 
Everything’s fine with Philip Church. Just fine. His second divorce was amicable, his twin sons are grown, and his landscape business runs itself. The fineness is driving him crazy. But reconnecting with his first love provokes an upheaval more potent than he’s ever imagined.
 
When Aubrey and Phillip learn a startling fact that will forever link their lives, they set out to find the brother Aubrey didn’t know she had. To do so, they must forge a new path, unexpectedly abetted by a stray cat and the eclectic members of a unique book club.

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Now Available!

Dragon Of My Dreams
Monster Between the Sheets Series
 
Diego
 
Being a dragon in a town filled with monsters isn’t so bad. A bunch of scales and wings isn’t the worst affliction to hit this town’s residents. However, I don’t like being alone or having people run away when they see me. And with more humans moving to town, that happens more and more. Most of the time, I keep to myself or with a select group of good friends who are also monsters. I sell my jewelry and rent space in my art gallery. It’s a dreary but acceptable way to live.
The moment Scarlett walks into my jewelry shop, she changes everything. Becomes my everything. I can tell that she’s hiding something, and I’m almost certain someone in her past hurt her. As a man and a dragon, that’s not something I can live with. Now that she’s entered my dragon’s lair, I’ll do anything to protect her. 
 
Scarlett
 
I stumbled upon Screamer Woods by accident. The unique residents make it the perfect place to hide out from my ex. He may find me anyway—he has before—but this place is so far off the beaten path, it may take a while. In the meantime, I can sell some artwork and refill my coffers before I have to run again.
Seeing a vampire or a fairy doesn’t scare me. I know what a real monster is and does. Meeting Diego is an unexpected bonus. Too bad I’ll have to bolt soon. I could get used to the way Diego looks at me. The way he makes me feel. If only the monster in my past would stay away and let me live happily ever after with the dragon of my dreams.

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Fridge Mysteries - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

10/25/2022

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This week on the RWW Blog Hop…

Time to get random. What's in your fridge right now? No cheating!

To prove I’m not cheating, here’s a photo LOL! To be honest, my fridge is kind of boring, although it is very full! We had Chinese food for dinner last night, so there are leftovers. Also, I baked spaghetti squash on Saturday and we haven’t eaten that yet. Then there’s a couple of pancakes remaining from our “breakfast for dinner” last Thursday.

Other than leftovers, there is wine, red pepper paste (homemade by me) , several jars of jam and relish (homemade but not by me) and a couple of tomatoes that are getting a little squishy.

Once when I was a child, I opened the fridge to discover an entire cow’s tongue laid out on a plate inside. Now that would have made for an interesting blog post!

Maybe you’ll see something more exciting in Leslie Hachtel’s fridge!


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Get the first two books in the series for only 99 cents for a limited time

Praise for SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
“A heartwarming story with wonderful characters that feel so real, they could be your friends!”
​

“A wonderful story of friendship turned love through second chances.


Compliments for LOVING BETWEEN THE LINES
“Very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. This book is action-packed from page one and the chemistry between Lynn and Benjamin is smoking hot.”

“An entertaining and compelling page turner.”
Several surprises await Beth Abbott when she returns to her small town. As a detective, she expects very little in the way of interesting crime. But victims of a female serial killer change that. And then, there's Tom. Another detective with the local force, he wants to capture not only the perpetrator but also Beth's heart.

Add to your TBR pile now!

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3 Things You Didn't Know - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

10/18/2022

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It’s time to get to know each other better on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop.

Let's share about ourselves! What are three things most people don't know about you or your books?
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  1. Not everyone knows my very first published book, MOUNTAIN FIRE, took me more than ten years to write! Ten years! Of course, I didn’t work on it every day during that time—in fact, months and years went by between sessions—but I stuck with it and finally finished the damn thing!
  2. I have never broken a bone (knock on wood).
  3. I won a short story contest in 1984. The prize was a trip by rail to Jasper (which is 375 kilometres east of where I live) and two nights accommodation. Though I was only 16 at the time, my parents let me and a friend go on our own! I still can’t believe it, really. I don’t think I would have let either of my daughters do that.

​What about you? What are three things most people don’t know about you? I’d love to read your comments. Then be sure to hop over to PG Forte to learn more about her! 


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What's that saying? Never too busy for love?
 
The characters in this limited-edition anthology have been—until they come across the Never Too Busy Dating app.  It caters to professionals thirty-years of age and older and promises to match them with the person  of their dreams. After all, workaholics deserve a happily ever after, too.
  
Pre Order on Amazon, Kobo, Google, Apple, and Nook before it goes into Kindle Unlimited (and the price goes up) after release.

Reserve your copy now!
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If you think it's too soon to get on Santa's naughty list...think again.
 
Let’s Get Naughty is the perfect anthology for you to binge this holiday season. 36 romance authors have teamed up to bring you a delicious holiday treat. So, grab a blanket, and get started on finding your next favorite author today.
 
Pre Order Here!
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What's Up?  -  Romance Writers Weekly  -  #lovechatwrite

9/27/2022

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In a lot of ways, September feels more like the start of a new year than January. I’m sure it has to do with the decades of years either going to school or shepherding my children off to their new classrooms. Even without kids at home, though, the end of summer and the start of cooler nights signals a “back to normal” vibe that hasn’t faded.

Which is what makes this week’s topic on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop rather appropriate, I thought, since the beginning of a new year often means setting goals and resolutions.

What are your goals for the next six or even 12 months? What books are you working on? What's next for you?

At first, I thought I’d have only a couple things to mention in answer to this question. I’m not currently writing anything, which is where I usually focus my goals. But while my brain seems to have declared it is taking a writing sabbatical, I’ve realized I still have a lot on the go for the next several months. Here the (not comprehensive, because I’m sure I’ve forgotten something) list…
  1. Confirm whether a short story I submitted to an anthology is accepted. If it isn’t, get it ready to share with my NL subscribers. (Are you on my email list? If not, you can sign up here!)
  2. Step up promoting the anthology Never Too Busy, which releases November 16. My offering in it, Margin of Risk, is a companion short story to Loving Between the Lines.
  3. I can’t forget about Turn the Next Page, either! Book Three in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series comes on December 1. (It’s available for pre order in both ebook and print here.)
  4. Work with my cover designer to finalize the cover for Book Four in the Silverberry Series, Strictly by the Book, which is set to release April 15, 2023.
  5. Speaking of which, I am waiting for my critique partners to get back to me with comments and suggestions on Strictly in order to get it ready for that release date!
  6. Also in regard to my newsletter, I want to update the look and restructure my onboarding sequence (tech talk for welcome emails, LOL!)
  7. And somewhere in there, I really need to get writing again!
What about you? Do you have things you want to accomplish in the next six months? I’d love to hear what’s going on in your life. Comment below! 
​
Then hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she has lined up in her future!


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Coming November 16th in the NEVER TOO BUSY anthology...

Margin of Risk
(a companion short story to Loving Between the Lines)
 
His heart isn’t ready to heal. Her soul isn’t ready to trust. Neither is ready for a fake wedding date to restore their fractured spirits.
Memories Never Die

A serial killer in her small town in Florida has Detective Liza Boone challenged. Luckily, FBI agent Nash Corelli is on medical leave and living across the street. He cannot help her with the nightmares about the night her sister was assaulted and left brain damaged. But when Liza is terrorized, can Nash stop the threat?
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Fall Flash Fiction - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

9/20/2022

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Sorry I’ve been MIA in September. This is my first blog of the month. To be honest, I’ve lost a little bit of my writing mojo, so I’m hoping this week’s challenge will kickstart me. It’s Flash Fiction time! A.S. Fenichel says…

Let's celebrate the equinox. Write a scene set in autumn using the words leaf, water, and coffee. Try to keep it to 500 words.

Here we go…

Fog draped the golds and oranges of the birches in the park across the street. She stood at the window and sipped her coffee. The quiet of the house still rang with the echoes of the kids banging and bickering their way out the door as her husband shepherded them to the van. He would drop them off at school on his way to work. As much as she enjoyed the unstructured, spontaneous days of summer, getting back to regular routines in September was its own delight.

Despite the misty morning, the sun was supposed to shine this afternoon and the temperatures reach an unseasonable high. Many of the baskets and containers she’d planted in the spring had already been composted, but a few were clinging to life, and she should water them if she wanted the enjoy their blooms a little while longer. It seemed pointless, though. Hard frosts weren’t far off, and the first snowflakes would appear soon after.

With a sigh, she headed to her home office. She always felt a little melancholy in the autumn. In the spring, the lengthening days held the promise of summer wonders. In the fall, the dark drew in earlier and earlier, mourning the end of yet another year. Maybe not by the calendar, but by the rhythm of her life.

At her desk, she pushed aside her laptop. She didn’t feel up to staring at a fierce white screen and blinking cursor this morning. Instead, she opened her journal and turned a leaf over to a new page. After a few moments chewing on the end of her pen, she set the nib to paper, and began to write.

“The fog draped the golds and oranges…”

***


I’d love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment below. Then hop over to Jill Haymaker to see what she wrote about fall.


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Margin of Risk
My next short story will be available in the
Never Too Busy Anthology. ​Pre Order now!

His heart isn’t ready to heal. Her soul isn’t ready to trust. Neither is ready for a fake wedding date to restore their fractured spirits.
 
Cynthie Neal mixed love and business once—and got scorched. Now she plays it safe with a plus-one-with-benefits arrangement. When he unexpectedly transfers out of town, a dating app seems the quickest way to find someone else to bring to a friend’s wedding.
 
Evan McElvie is certain he’ll never love again. Then his identical twin insists Evan pretend to be him on a date with Cynthie Neal—the very woman who could obstruct the biggest business deal of his career.
 
Neither is prepared for the sparks that sizzle the instant they meet. But when the truth behind their date is revealed, all bets are off.
Christmas Stocking of Love
Now available for pre-order here!
This holiday romance features characters in their 60's.


When widow Charlotte Heber moves to a small town high in the Rocky Mountains, she has high hopes of meeting a handsome cowboy and starting a new life. But months pass, and the only cowboy she’s met doesn’t seem interested.
 

Boone Skinner has avoided marriage for almost seventy years. A confirmed bachelor, he’s content to run his horse ranch by himself.

They both underestimate the matchmaking determination of café owner Violet Crandall. 

Can a special Christmas stocking bring them together?

​ Rediscover Romance in Aspen Ridge, a small town with an open heart.
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I Said No!  -  Romance Writers Weekly  -  #lovechatwrite

8/30/2022

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​Ugh. This isn’t a pleasant topic this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, though it is timely for me.

How do you handle it when your work is rejected?

I have submitted different manuscripts at different times to different publishers and agents, and been told no every time. Those rejections, while disappointing, are to be expected in the grand scheme of things. I often think it is as likely as being struck by lightning as to have a manuscript picked up by a publisher when there are so many stories being submitted every day.

I’ve been lucky not too have too many “bad” reviews. Sure, not everyone loves my stories, and I’m okay with that. But in the last couple of months I’ve had more two- and one-star reviews on my recent releases than I was expecting. I tell myself that is the downside to getting my stories into more hands. The more people that read them, the greater likelihood one will not resonate with a reader and cause them to leave a negative review.

The only thing to do is shrug it off and keep going. After all, the alternative is to quit entirely, and I’m not there yet LOL! There are plenty of books that I did not enjoy reading, and while I would never leave a public review for one of those, absolute strangers who read my books are under no obligation to protect my feelings.

What about you? Do you get rejected in your line of work? How do you handle it? Let me know, and then hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see how she handles rejection.


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Start the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series for FREE with SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.

LOVING BETWEEN THE LINES
A one-night stand neither will forget.
She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.

TURN THE NEXT PAGE

High school sweethearts, their marriage was shattered by tragedy. Thirty years later, a startling confession reignites long banked embers.

Freed from Morocco
 
Lady Olivia has been kidnapped and taken to Morocco to serve the Sultan. Tristan, the man she loves, disguises himself as an English ambassador in order to rescue her, but he is betrayed. Now, she must find a way to help him. Are they doomed or will love help them survive?
 
 

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Scent Memories - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

8/23/2022

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​Smell is an extremely evocative sense. I need to remember to use it more often in my writing. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, here’s our topic:

Tell us about your favorite scent and what it evokes for you.

I have so many that I don’t think I can pick a favourite. But here are several. Which of them resonates with you? I’d love to read your comments.

Coconut and pineapple remind me of hot summer days and tropical vacations. It was the scent of the suntan lotion my mother used to buy.

Mothballs and damp earth take me back to my grandparent’s cellar, which was dark and spooky but had a small bedroom tucked away in one corner that held shelves and shelves of books.

Crayons are the scent of when my kids were young.

Burnt sugar and turkey are Christmas. It seems inevitable that a pie will bubble over as it is being baked in the oven, and the sugar scent lingers while the turkey is being roasted.

I’m also a big fan of lavender, especially in body lotion and soap. It doesn’t have as many memories associated with it, though. I just like it. 😊

Now, hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she has to say!


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SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
(Helen and Nathan are both 55)

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.

Start the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series for FREE!
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TIED TO MOROCCO
 
Lady Catherine fell in love with Tazim in Morocco after she had been kidnapped. But Tazim disappears and she believes him dead. She manages to escape and finds her way home to England.. But Tazim is not dead. Believing Catherine betrayed him, he has vowed to find her and exact revenge.

Get it here!
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Summer Sweets - Romance Writers Weekly - lovechatwrite

8/9/2022

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After two weeks of hot, hot weather, we’ve had three or four of rain and cloud. It was rather refreshing, but I am so glad the sun is again shining in a cloudless blue sky as I write this. I am not ready for summer to be over yet!

That’s what make this week’s blog topic so yummy. We’re sharing our favourite recipes for hot summer days. It can be a drink, a dessert, a meal...anything!

When I was deciding what to share for this post, I came across a recipe I haven’t made in years but really enjoyed. I think I’m going to have to whip this up soon!

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Strawberry Margarita Pie
Crust:
20 Oreo cookies, crushed.
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Mix together and press into pie plate.
(Or, you could buy a pre-made crust, of course!)
Filling:
Blend in mixer:
20 oz. frozen strawberries
¾ c. sugar
1/8 c. tequila
1/8 c. triple sec
1 tbsp. lime juice
Add
1 c. whipped cream
Spread 2 cups of mixture onto crust. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours.
Add remaining mixture and freeze three hours more before serving.
Garnish with whipped cream if you like!

If you have a favourite summer recipe, feel free to share below! Then hop over to PG Forte and see what recipe she has shared.


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Secrets Under the Covers, the first in the Silverberry Seduction series, will soon be available as a single title! 

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.

Read an excerpt here!
The LA Love Lessons series is re-releasing with all new covers!

An aspiring actress searches for her leading man; an amnesiac heiress seeks clues to her true identity; and a tarnished movie star finds love and acceptance in the last place she ever expected. Love like this could only happen in LA.

​
​Discover them all here!
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Memories - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

8/2/2022

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​We’re going back…waaaaayyy back…on the Romance Weekly Blog Hop today! Our challenge:

Describe your earliest memory.

My earliest memories are snippets of scenes, and who knows how valid they are. For example, I “remember” sitting in front of our television watching a tiny, battered capsule fall into the ocean. I would have been less than two at the time of the Apollo 11 mission, so it was more likely a splashdown from a later trip, but I like to think it was the very first one. I also remember staying in hospital where I ate at a tiny table in the hallway and slept in a plastic tent with moist air blowing in with such force I pretended it was an elephant’s trunk. My parents say I had croup often as a very young child but I’ve never asked them if I had to be hospitalized for it.

I can date few of my most vivid early memories until I started school. One that may have taken place before kindergarten is sitting on our front porch eating popcorn while watching a terrific thunderstorm. Another is when Santa Claus came to visit our house and I couldn’t believe he was really there—not because I didn’t believe in Santa Claus, but because how could he be in my house!!

What about you? What is your earliest memory? Then hop over to Leslie Hachtel to learn about hers!

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Get it in print and ebook here!
​

A one-night stand neither will forget.

She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.
​After a childhood being dragged around the continent by her musician parents, Lynn Kolmyn has stretched her roots deep into her chosen hometown. When her absconding fiancé screws up her careful plans, she decides to become a mother at almost forty, realizing the only person she can rely on is herself.
 
Benjamin Whitestone was the hometown hockey hero until a spectacular mistake led to failure and condemnation. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to make it up to his parents, his teammates, or his fans. In a final bid to prove himself, he accepts a job coaching the junior team where he used to be a star, determined to rewrite history.
 
When Lynn and Benjamin collide—literally—they are both shocked to see the stranger from a single sensual night two years ago. Now the past tangles with the future…a future neither of them was expecting.

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Available Now

Evelyn Smith, a nurse, has just escaped from an abusive husband and bought a small cottage in Florida. It is in shambles and the previous owner, the handsome Donovan Hawkins, feels guilty and offers to help with repairs. Evelyn slowly begins to trust again and even love.


Evelyn discovers there is something about the house itself that feels welcoming. Through conversations, she finds that another woman in a similar situation lived there during the Civil War.

The woman from the past was Rebecca Faber, a healer who stumbles on a Yankee soldier who had been injured in a battle. Taking care of him leads to love, but he must flee before he is captured. Rebecca is forced to marry a terrible man who has killed her father. She is even made to leave her beloved dog behind. Even running away from him doesn’t protect her.
​

Parallel lives, more than a century apart, unite these women as they navigate danger and must take risks to survive. And find true love.
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