Women of Courage Series
Historical Romance / Women's Fiction
Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing
DESPITE THE DANGER
At a time when most people in American have never flown in an airplane, spunky Mandy McCabe test-pilots repaired war planes as part of the Women Air Force Service Pilots. If the Army Air Corp shuts down the WASP program, she must return to life in her hard-scrabble home and face her past.
DESPITE THE OPPOSITION
Army Air Corp Major Harvey Applegate lost his WASP wife test-piloting planes and doesn’t want any more women killed on his watch. He fights to close the WASP program. Women aren’t designed to fight wars. Men fight to protect women freedom, and the American way of life.
DESPITE THE RAGING WAR
This World War II romance shows Steel Magnolias meeting Band of Brothers. Can Mandy escape from her past? Can a man burdened with memories of death agree to added danger for the new woman in his life? Will their new love survive the test of opposing desires and the pain and separation of war?
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
“She’s late! Where is she?” Insides churning like pistons, Major Harvey Applegate stared hard at the tiny blonde standing in front of him, her hands clenched behind her back.
Her chin trembled. She looked so young he wanted to pat her on the back and send her to the hangar for a hot chocolate, but majors didn’t do that. So he gritted his teeth. He was supposed to show respect for the WASPs invading his air base. That was asking a lot. They were young and unpredictable. Men fought wars to protect American women. Men died in wars. Not women. He restrained his impulse to pound the metal side of the wet hangar and slapped his thigh with his cap instead.
“I can’t lose another WASP on my watch. Not two in as many days.” He plowed his hand through his short, dripping hair, frowned, and reminded himself not to get his underwear wrapped around an axle.
“She’s only half an hour late, sir.” Doreen’s lower lip quivered.
“Didn’t that pilot get the word this morning?” Harvey wrung his cap. He wouldn’t take his temper out on this innocent blonde.
“No, sir. Corporal Jones ran up to tell me we were grounded twenty minutes after she was in the air.”
Above the wail of the wind, Harvey picked up the faint lilting song of a Merlin engine running slightly rough. He gazed toward the windsock blowing straight out and pivoted toward the landing strip. A P-51 came in fast and low, circled the field, made a perfect three-point landing, and taxied to a halt.
He snapped his cap onto his head. He didn’t have many men who could land in a crosswind that well. Even he would have had trouble. Boots splashing water, he dashed across the tarmac and reached the craft before the propeller stopped spinning. The canopy of the single-seater flew open. A slight figure, clad in a man’s too-large flight suit, climbed out onto the rain-slick wing. He stretched up his arms and grabbed her waist to lower her to the ground. Even with the weight of her boots, flight jacket, and gear, this one felt light in his arms.
The pilot glanced at his insignia. If she’d actually been military, she’d have had to salute. But she wasn’t, and she didn’t. The minute her feet touched ground, the slender woman pulled off her goggles and gazed up at him. Wide blue eyes circled with goggle marks.
Another starry-eyed angel. Harvey swallowed hard. His chest hurt. She looked so vulnerable. He scowled, picturing that slender nose smashed and those winsome lips closed forever. He couldn’t face seeing another woman killed. He wanted these women off his air base. Wanted no more sleep lost over these young ladies. Wanted no more sending them into danger. Wanted no more funerals that tore him apart. He slapped the cowl of the plane so hard she jumped. No more charred women in downed planes. Trista took on a man’s job, and look how that turned out. Agony pierced his chest. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the memory.
“I’ll see you grounded!” Harvey thundered. “You were due back half an hour ago. Can’t you women obey rules?”
Ruby lips rounded into an O of surprise. Her sapphire eyes widened. Her dark brows arched. “What?”
“Women pilots!” He slammed his fist into his palm. “I’ll shut down this program.”
Her brows furrowed. Her chin poked out. Her hands flew to her hips. She looked ready to jump all over him. As long as she was alive and safe, he didn’t care. He could handle her. “You head-in-the-clouds dreamers think you’re on your own private missions. This base is no place for a woman!”
“You men have such a high opinion of yourselves. Women could fly in combat, but you keep us home.” Flames tinted her wet cheeks. “You won’t admit our country desperately needs us to fly these planes.” She stressed each word passionately.
Harvey could tell she wanted to say more, but she clamped her lips. He glared.
She glowered back.
Tough if she thought he had an inflated opinion of himself. Better that than for her to guess he had a soft spot for these female pilots. “I don’t want any more dead women.”
She cringed. Her face crumpled.
Why hadn’t he kept his trap shut? Even on a base this big, she probably knew the missing WASP pilot. But he’d wanted to scare her into obeying the rules. Obedience gave the women pilots some semblance of safety.
She recovered from her first reaction and blazed. “Connie’s alive. I know it. And rumor patrol says it’s just a couple of you big shots who want to shut us down. Most fellas like us testing repaired planes and towing targets. They want to be free to fly combat.”
He shrugged. She was right. And he couldn’t dredge up a comeback.
She stomped stiff-legged toward the open hangar door, parachute bumping her backside, rain blurring his view.
“Feisty pilot, you’re the kind gets yourself killed,” he yelled just as she reached the hangar door.
About the Author
Anne Greene lives in the quaint antiquing town of McKinney, Texas, a few miles north of Dallas. Her husband is a retired Colonel, Army Special Forces. Her little brown and white Shih Tzu, Lily Valentine, shares her writing space, curled at her feet.
Besides her first love, writing, she enjoys family, friends, travel, reading, and way too many other things to mention. Life is good. Jesus said, “I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.”
Anne’s an award-winning author of twenty-three books. She loves writing about alpha heroes who aren’t afraid to fall on their knees in prayer, and about gutsy heroines. She hopes her stories transport you to awesome new worlds and touch your heart.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
0 Comments
Title: Tears of Glass
Author: Anna Bloom
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2019
Hosted by: Lady Amberâs PR
Blurb:
She had one rule: never sleep with someone twice.
Then Faith Hitchin met Elijah Fairclough and the baronessâ son with the heart of an artist scorched her rule out of existence.
Until he shattered her heart.
Burned and hurting Faith battles to regain control of the protective barriers she keeps around her heart. But when two souls meet with the passion and Fire of artist and muse, walking away may not be an option.
When Faithâs last rule smashes and takes them both down with it, there may be tears of glass neither of them can survive.
Buy Links:
Tears of Ink: https://amzn.to/2SN25jp
Tears of Glass: https://amzn.to/2RjHJAD
A book hoarder and coffee addict by heart Anna Bloom loves to write extraordinary stories about real love. Based south of London with her husband, three children and a dog with a beard, Anna likes to connect with readers, fan girl over her favourite authors and binge watch Supernatural while drinking lots of wine.
Author Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DpWN8Y
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaBloomBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annabloombooks
Buy Links:
Tears of Ink: https://amzn.to/2SN25jp
Tears of Glass: https://amzn.to/2RjHJAD
The Best Man
by
Callie Vegas
Sex. Lies. Secrets never to be told!For bride-to-be Joss Ford, what happens in Vegas definitely does not stay in Vegas.
Whilst celebrating her last days of freedom with her best friends at her bachelorette party in Vegas, Joss shares some deep secrets with them and she’s convinced to truly let go for once in her life. When she meets a handsome stranger she embarks on her first and last one-night stand.
Simple. Meet someone. Sleep with them. Walk away in the morning. Never see them again. Easy!!
Wrong again!
Saul Harrison is lost. Rugged, and handsome, he has many notches on his bedpost and when he meets a beautiful stranger one night, he is delighted to add another one. After an incredible night Saul wakes looking forward to morning sex and much more, but is disappointed when the woman of his dreams walks out of his life. Never to be seen again!
Never say never!
Joss and Saul's lives become entangled in ways they could never imagine. A life full of secrets and lies.
Can true love conquer all...or will their lives be shattered irrevocably?
Grab your copy today and find out what did happen in Vegas!
Callie’s Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/CallieVegasAuthor/
Callie’s Crazies Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/calliescrazies/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://goo.gl/forms/vKPs9xBtJHg0C3PP2
Callie's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Callie-Vegas/e/B07F79C523/
This promotion is brought to you by #KikiReaderPAServices.
Title: Broken Glass
Author: J.M. Sullivan
Genre: A/ Dark Fantasy / Fairy Tale Retelling
Cover Designer: Westerfield Creative
Publication Date: January 15th, 2019
Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing
Hosted by: Lady Amberâs PR
Blurb:The scariest thing about Wanderland isnât death--itâs the momerath.
And now Dinah is one of them.
***
Alice Carroll has spent the better part of her life avoiding Wanderland--and the momerath--at all costs. But now with her sister gone, Alice has only one place to go.
Back to Wanderland.
Armed with only her blade and a raging vendetta against the traitorous Red Queen, Alice storms the undead wasteland to find Dinah and atone for her mistakes. But with relentless momerath and a ruthless Queen encroaching, will Aliceâs determination be enough? Or will she fall down a new rabbit hole searching for revenge?
Buy Link:
Alice: https://amzn.to/2VScax7
Broken Glass: https://amzn.to/2ROiI0t
Teacher by day, award-winning author by night, J.M. Sullivan is a fairy tale fanatic who loves taking classic stories and turning them on their head. When sheâs not buried in her laptop, you can find her watching scary movies with her husband, playing with her kids, or lost inside a good book. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee. If you would like to connect with J.M., you can find her on social media at @jmsullivanbooks-- sheâd love to hear from you.
Author Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SS5c9t
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@jmsullivanbooks
Buy Link:
Alice: https://amzn.to/2VScax7
Broken Glass: https://amzn.to/2ROiI0t
She killed another Joker today.
Excuse me. I mean, âGuardsman.â
Ha.
Thatâs the real joke. The Red Queen cares about the Marked as much as a cat does a dirty litter box. Sheâll use them if she must, but otherwise theyâre disposable.
Except for me.
She watches me.
I donât think she knows what to do with me. Not that I blame her. I donât know what to do with myself. Sometimes I feel like everything is normal, and other times, wellâthen, at least, the voices tell me that everything is fine.
I donât quite believe them.
It would be easier if the memories stopped. Of life before. Itâs muddled, but there are fragments of purpose and joy, all tied to a quiet, blonde girl. She is strong, stronger than she knowsâI know this because I know her better than myself. And yet, I donât remember her.
I am empty.
The memories are not mineâthey belong to someone else. I am a traitor in this body, an unwelcome host. And yet, the longer I stay grey, the more this body calls to me. Like the other Marked.
We understand each other.
They tell me things. Secrets the Queen will never know. I can read them in their eyes. I can feel them in my bones. Words unspoken, but always heard. Whispers, desperate songs, pleading for salvation. And all the while, they watch me. Waiting. Haunted stares as she kills our brothers and sisters. Their pain is palpable, heavy in the air and on my shoulders while they call to me on an undiscovered frequency.
I hear them laughing.
I hear them crying.
I hear them . . .
I hear . . .
Them.
Title: Wicked Origins
Author: Paula Black
Genre: Reverse Harem Fantasy
Cover Designer: Logan Keys of Cover of Darkness
Publication Date: December 10th, 2018
Hosted by: Lady Amberâs PR
Blurb:I have no idea whatâs happening to me.
When a tornado dropped my car in a land of short, wild people, I was shocked. With no way to get home, no idea where I was and no clue how to communicate with the muchkins, I was completely out of luck. Then I found out that my car had landed on someone and killed them. Supposedly she was the Wicked Witch of the East.
If that wasnât bad enough, now her ruby slippers magically appear on my feet, and slowly, Iâm becoming her.
Now I need to get to Emerald City and see the Wizard if I want to stop the transformation and return home. But the yellow brick road is no cake-walk, and I donât know what Iâll find at the end of this journey. Luckily, I have three brothers I meet along the way to help me on my journey. Each of them is vying for my affection, as if it doesnât matter that my skin is turning green.
Wicked Origins is a modern YA Reverse-Harem Fantasy Retelling of L. Frank Baumâs original Oz tales.
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LCh2BL
Author Links:
Newsletter: http://subscribepage.com/paulablack
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaulaBlackReaders/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SqpvKU
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LCh2BL
There are days when I feel like the whole world is pressing down on me, keeping me pinned where I am. But right now, itâs a manâs weight that pins me to the bed of his pick-up truck while I search the night sky, looking for a way out of this emptiness in my chest. Heâs kissing my neck, and his hands are inching up my waist, pulling my shirt up, exposing my hot skin to the cool night air. Finally, his thumbs play along the bottom edge of my bra and he hesitates, wondering if Iâll stop him. I consider it. Iâm really not feeling anything for him. Iâve let him kiss me until my lips are sore and swollen. Weâve swapped saliva, and heâs trailed more of his own down my neck as his fingers explored my waist and lower back. Itâs been a great escape. Itâs made me feel something⦠but barely anything more than soreness and pressure and heat. At least his body is keeping me warm on this chilly night in April. And my mind wanders again.
âWill you go to prom with me?â Charlie lifts his brown eyes, and they meet mine in the pale light of the silvery moon.
I blink at him. Iâd almost forgotten he was there. Iâd hardly noticed that heâd stopped at my bra without me even telling him to. Slowly I push myself up to a sitting position and pull my shirt back down. I meet eyes with the boy Iâve been making out with for the past half-hour. Heâd asked me out and Iâd accepted, but when he said heâd wanted to go to a movie and get dinner, I suggested we come out to the cow fields and make out instead. Of course, heâd agreed. Boys always did. The cows have begun mooing in the distance. The wind picks up and brings with it the scent of the cattle from several hundred yards away. Unpleasant. But again. At least it gave me a feeling, even if it was a bit of revulsion.
Iâd played this dangerous game of inviting dates to the cow pasture to make out four times and hadnât been burned yet. I still managed to stop them from moving past second base. But this was the first time Iâd come alone. Usually it was a double date or a group thing. At least Charlie was gentlemanly enough to stop himself. I blink at him. I should reward him for being gentlemanly. âSure. We can do prom.â
A smile spreads across his lips, and he moves in for an awkward kiss. Our teeth clack together, and he stops, a blush filling his cheeks. I have geometry with Charlie. I donât even think I know his last name. Itâs my senior year, and Iâd had yet to go to a homecoming or any dance for that matter. I guess I should at least try to go to the prom.
âDo you want to continue what we started?â Charlie asked, gesturing toward the blanket.
I frown. âItâs getting late. I really ought to head home.â
His brow scrunches. âItâs only nine-thirty.â
âI forgot I have homework. I need to read Beowulf.â I stand and dust off the back of my black, slim-fit jeans. The cows have drawn closer, and the smell becomes more pungent. And the starry sky darkens in the west where storm clouds gather.
He nods and gathers up the blanket he had spread out in the bed of the truck. His shoulders are drooping a bit, and I know Iâve disappointed him.
I grab hold of the side of the truck and leap over, sticking the landing on my feet after the vault, like I used to do in gymnastics as a child. That was back when my adoptive father abused me. Back when I hadnât yet shut off my feelings toward men, school, even most of life in general. I step up to the passenger side door just as Charlie gets there and opens it for me. I lean in and kiss him on the cheek. His eyes light up in the glow from the interior of the car. At least Iâm able to boost his spirits somehow. He deserves it. Heâs super sweet
Title: Crazy, Stupid, Lazy Cupid
Author: Andie M. Long
Genre: Paranormal romantic comedy
Cover Designer: Tammy Clarke at The Graphics Shed
Publication Date: February 14th, 2019
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Reviews & PR
Blurb:
Cupidâs have targets other than heartsâ¦
After cheating on her monthly figures, Samara finds herself sent back to Cupid training school by the big boss himself. If sheâs to pass her probation, sheâll have to prove she is capable of creating genuine love matches.
But things donât get off to a great start when she finds out that pets arenât allowed in school. Difficult when your husband has been turned into a Whippet until youâve proven yourself.
Someone should have known that the crazy, stupid, lazy, cupid would try to find a short cut. Itâs a walk in the park to create new romances, and she can exercise Johnny at the same time.
But not everyone wants Samara to succeed. Someone is waiting to take the leadâ¦
Buy Links:
Universal: http://geni.us/cupidincbook1
She lives in Sheffield with her son and long-suffering partner.
When not being partner, mother, writer, or book editor, she can usually be found on Facebook or walking her whippet, Bella.
Author Links:
Andieâs Halo and Horns Reader Hangout: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1462270007406687/
Mailing List: (get a free ebook of DATING SUCKS on sign-up): http://www.subscribepage.com/f8v2u5
FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/andiemlongwriter
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AndieMichelle
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2FuPY6r
Buy Links:
Universal: http://geni.us/cupidincbook1
Samara
âOkay so itâs time to introduce the person to your left. They should have told you enough about themselves right now.â Martine, the uber-happy, bouncy pony-tailed teacher instructed us.
I was not uber-happy, or bouncy. I was super pissed off.
âSamara, could you introduce the person to your left?â
Yeah, pick on me first why donât you?
Sighing and blowing air above my top lip, I pointed to the woman next to me. âThis is Janet.â
She shook her head. âNo, no. Jeanette.â
I rolled my eyes. âThis is Jeanette. Sheâs been sent back to Cupid classes because she did something dumb.â I didnât know what it was but if she hadnât she wouldnât be here.
âWell, letâs not use the word âdumbâ shall we. Jeanette just-â
âFucked up?â I stated trying to be helpful.
âLetâs move along. Max, could you please introduce Samara?â
Max beamed like the goody-goody twat he was. From now on I was calling him Vax, due to his sucking skills and being full of crap.
âSamara is here because she set up Taylor Swift with Tom Hiddleston and we all know what a car crash that turned out to be.â He elbowed me. âI knew that wasnât real. Did you give him the t-shirt? It looked like it could fit you?â
Martineâs face clouded over. Yeah she wasnât so happy now was she?
âSamara did not set up Tom and Taylor. That is an outright lie.â
I folded my arms over my chest. âWell someone must have done it. Seriously ruined Tom for a lot of women she did.â
Martine stomped out of the carefully constructed circle of chairs sheâd made us put together and grabbed a thick file from her table. Then she stomped back in.
âHere we go. Samara Leighton. Reasons for being back at Cupid Inc. Training Headquarters.
Samaraâs behaviour towards her local colleagues resulted in one colleague being ridiculed and having to seek counselling. I quote. âWhat kind of person draws attention to an unfortunate mishap of another? Samara is crazyâ.â
âCrazy is not waxing your vagina and then sitting with your legs apart in a spa.â I informed everyone.
âSamara engineered a speed dating event prior to the opening of the dating agency in Withernsea and we believe saw a man she liked there herself. She then âaccidentallyâ turned up on his date. This man is now her husband. Now, fortunately the date she ruined wasnât fated anyway, but what she did that day was stupid.â
âWeâre madly in love. The best match ever.â I looked at the other faces sat around. âWell we were. Now my husband is in kennels. KENNELS. They turned him into a dog.â
Martine carried on. âSamaraâs monthly inputted figures included those pairings from Withernsea Dating Agency, run by Shelley Landry, with no actual input from Samara at all.
âIt says pairings for the month. It doesnât specifically say my pairings. Thatâs on Cupid Inc. They should be more specific.â I complained.
âItâs lazy, Samara.â
âSo Iâm Samara. Iâm crazy, stupid, and lazy. Thatâs how you need to announce me to all the others, Vax.â
âMax.â
âWhat-ev-er. My introduction is complete.â
|
Welcome!Your one stop spot for delicious food and books you’ll devour! Reading Now
|