Just Because ... by Josie Riviera

Here we are in the dog days of summer. The heat, humidity, and mosquitoes are here in full force.  

I hope you're enjoying summer with a vacation, or have had the opportunity to slow down and relax.

Did you know that August 27th is the national day for doing things ... just because? Joseph J. Goodwin created the day in the 1950s for his family.

What can we do ... just because ... to make someone else's day brighter? 

Here are some suggestions:

*Invite a friend for a chat and a treat ... just because!

*Pay for the order of a person in line at the store ... just because!

*Gift someone a card telling them how much you appreciate them ... just because!

*Smile and wave a friendly hello to everyone you meet ... just because!

What can you do to make someone's day better ... just because?  Please leave your comments below:

Love cruises and dream about going to Hawaii?  Pick up your copy today of my sweet contemporary holiday romance, Aloha To Love.

(U.S. Residents only)

Goodbye has never been this hard. Especially when love is saying hello.

Available in ebook, Paperback, Large Print Paperback, Audiobook, and Hardcover.

Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable shih tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

Sign up for her newsletter and get a FREE ebook on her website: http://josieriviera.com/

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Remember to join our Sweet Romance Reads Cafe.

Romance at Any Age... by Christine Bush

 Yesterday I had the joy of attending a meeting of senior citizens at their center in my small town.  All vaccinated, all well, they have been excited to have the opportunity to get together, socially distanced.

It was an ice cream social, and it was clear that ice cream is a favorite of all ages!  The whole group was very enthusiastic.

Guess what else they were enthusiastic about?  A big topic was romance novels, and especially sweet ones.  I was thrilled to hear their comments, and I thought I’d pass them on.

Most had read romances all of their lives.  Which is a really, really long time for some!

Pearl is 100!

Evelyn is 104!

The ages of the rest ranged from 70+ to 96.  Lots of experiences here.  And lots of books.

They loved Mary Stewart, Jane Austen, early Nora Roberts, and Francine Rivers.  One like more “spicy stories” and revered Kathleen Woodiwiss.  One read often outside the romance field, and sang the praises of James Patterson.

Most were fans of the sweeter Harlequin lines (and remember Silhouette?). 

They all preferred a “Paper book”. Most had never had an ebook reader.

What did they like about the books they chose?  They loved happy endings, sassy heroines, and kindly men.  They like small town settings, and a few were in love with stories set in Ireland.  They loved a “good story with a pet or two.”

Earlier in life, many had belonged to the month book clubs, looking forward to their romances coming in the mail.  Today, they cherish trips to the library. And have books on their Christmas lists, And of course, they garner bags of books for a cheap price at yard sales and used book stores.

Their late life gleaning doesn’t really bring us royalties, but I have to admit, having these readers gave me great joy.

I left them each with a gift book, and a list of our sweet romance authors to put on their next gift list, and to check out at the library.

 We’re always excited about finding “new readers” in our world.  It was very cool to see that “old readers” are still benefitting from our wholesome stories.

Write on!

Do you have “older readers” in your circles?  What are they reading?  I’d love to hear!

 

Christine Bush is a USA Today Bestselling author of romance, romantic mystery, and suspense.  She can be found living in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania with her husband and 2 lazy cats, and spending time with her 14 grandchildren.   When she’s not writing, she’s teaching Psychology at a local college, and working with clients in her private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She loves to hear from readers and writers!

 www.ChristineBush.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Bush-Author/213919128638762
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Bush/e/B001KHSLRG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1392688497&sr=1-2-ent

Check out my sweet romance novella, "Christmas with the Carmichaels!" Senior citizens fall in love!

Christmas with the Carmichaels - Kindle edition by Bush, Christine. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

 

 

Moving On…by Kristin Wallace

“I love moving,” said no one ever, I’m sure. 

In fact, moving is one of the most anxiety-driven, exhausting things you can do, as I realized this past month. After 16 years in my apartment, my roommate and I got the bright idea to look for a new place. For one thing, the apartment was getting old and many things needed to be fixed that would be hard to do with us living there. Then there’s my dog. The apartment doesn’t really allow pets. 

Since our lease was up at the end of July, we started looking in early June. You should know that the rental market is VERY tight right now in the US, as is the residential housing market. There weren’t a lot of available places and the ones that did show up were quickly snatched away. We found one promising townhouse, but with multiple bids on the place, we lost out. 

Finally, a realtor friend agreed to help. Just when we were both ready to give up and stay in our apartment another year, a listing came back on the market. It was in the right area and around the same rental price. Turned out to be a condo complex and we’d be renting from the owner. The place was older, but bigger than our current apartment and very well maintained.

 As a bonus it’s gated, with security, two pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, and a clubhouse. We even loved the owner, who seems like a decent, funny guy.

We put in a bid and it was accepted! 

 

Unfortunately, once all the paperwork was processed, we only had a week to get packed up and move! You ever tried to move that fast? It’s crazy! 

 

Still, we love the new place, and we’re very happy.

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today Bestselling author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with Love, Laughter, and a Leap of Faith. She has three best-selling series: Covington Falls Chronicles, Shellwater Key Tales, and Palm Cove Tales. Look for CHRISTMAS CHARADE, a brand-new Covington Falls Chronicles book as part of the Holiday Fake-Out box set. 

Christmas Charade - Covington Falls Chronicles

The story revolves around Magnolia (Maggie) Lewis. She left Covington Falls over a family rift and the desire to follow her dream as an artist and sculptor. Now, she has to return for her cousin's Christmas wedding. She can't go back alone, however, because everyone thinks she has a boyfriend. (It was just a tiny lie.) A non-boyfriend who has no idea he's about to get dragged into her family drama. 

Convincing Liam Sullivan to be her fake date to the wedding is only the first challenge. She needs to make sure she doesn't fall in love with him for real.

   

 

AMAZON  /  ITUNES  /  BARNES & NOBLE   /  KOBO 

 

Class Reunion Anyone? ~ Jean C. Gordon

By the time you're reading this, I'll be either on my way across New YorkState to or at my class reunion--a big one. I'll be seeing people I haven't seen in years. Many years. My two closest high school friends aren't going. But a couple of my junior high school friends I've renewed contact with on Facebook will be, and our class was small compared to many schools. We graduated about about 120 students, we we sort of knew everyone. Still I'm a little nervous. Will I recognize people? Will they recognize me?

What do you think? Have you ever gone to a class reunion?

99-cents for a Limited Time Only

Two popular Indigo Bay Novels in one ebook.

Sweet Entanglement
Is Three the Charm? Lauren Cooper is on her way to her life’s dream. She’s financed and finished college and law school all on her own. And she’s up for partner at the largest law firm in Indigo Bay. There’s nothing to stop her from concentrating everything on achieving that goal. Until Jesse Brewster, the man who broke her heart twice, shows up sleeping off the night before on the beach, and she’s called in to serve as his public defender.

Looking to make a new start after the racing accident that ended his lucrative motocross career and sent him spiraling into darkness, the former champion had envisioned an entirely different scenario if he ever saw Lauren again. That vision was more along the lines of the successful businessman he’d be once he rehabbed the seaside mansion he’s inherited from his uncle and sold it to open a custom bike shop.

Sparks fly between them, and Jesse vows to fan those sparks once he’s got the project successfully underway. But someone starts sabotaging it, putting Jesse behind on the deadline he has to meet to get the property off the Indigo Bay Planning Board’s condemned property list. And Lauren has a sick suspicion that her bosses are somehow involved.

Jesse and Lauren had once promised they’d wait for each other while they pursued their career dreams. Despite that broken promise, neither can deny the love that’s still between them. But now that they are on the cusp of reaching those dreams, are they willing to risk everything to renew that love?

Sweet Horizons
There’s nothing like a wedding to bring people together. But family dynamics can be complicated, especially newly blended ones.  

Sonja Cooper is thrilled that her daughter Lauren is marrying Jesse Brewster and giving her a ready-made granddaughter in the irrepressible 3-year old Shelley. The fact that Jesse is also Sonja’s business partner in the launching of the Morrison Mansion B&B is just a bonus.

Custom bike shop owner Jeff Brewster is also delighted that his son Jesse is marrying Lauren and building a new family. The one awkward aspect is the unexpected attraction he feels towards Sonja. For although Sonja feels the same spark, having been burned in her divorce from Lauren’s father, she’s determined never to be dependent on a man again.

Then the Indigo Bay Business Association pits Sonja and Jeff against each other by having their businesses compete for the coveted “New Business of the Year Award.” All’s fair in love and war, but hearts don’t always listen!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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ONE MORE KISS....and a gift card drawing!

 August at last, and am I ever looking forward to autumn!  Not just for cooler weather, but for the September 10th release of my third book in the Northern Pines series, ONE MORE KISS.

Humor, romance...and a mystery!  It's up for pre-order now.  CLICK HERE to order or find more information. 

Here's a quick preview:

In One More Kiss, a disillusioned lawyer searching for a quiet life in a small town inadvertently ends up sharing his elderly aunt’s vacant house with a woman who has secrets to hide from her troubled past, a young daughter, and a menagerie of epic proportions. But there's also danger lurking in this small town...

I loved writing this book. It was just so much fun, because--as many who follow my blog might know--I've been an animal lover all my life and there aren't many types of pets I haven't had at one time or another. 

And when the kids were growing up, oh my! Cockatiels, bunnies, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, tarantulas, fish, and all manner of lizards and pet snakes were added to the mix. 

Now we have just the more standard variety (two golden retrievers, eight very friendly, lazy barn cats that follow me everywhere, three horses, and a peacock who occasionally stops in for extended stays. 😀

Do you have any pets at your house? Or when you were growing up?  Leave a comment and be entered in a drawing for a $10.00 Amazon gift card  or an e-copy of ONE MORE WISH  (two winners)

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful end to your summer! 

Roxanne

7 Items People Forget to Pack for a Trip to the Beach

It’s August! In my neck of the woods, that means hot, sunny days at the beach. Can you imagine that 40% of the people who were asked when they pack for their trip to the beach answered “the night before”?  The night before! That last-minute scramble to toss thing into a suitcase means there are always stuff that’s forgotten. Here’s a list of the top 7 items people forget to pack for a trip to the beach.

7. An Extra Bag for Souvenirs. Do yourself a favor and pack an extra tote for to carry home your souvenirs—t-shirts, sweat shirts, beach towels, salt water taffy, delicious fudge, buttery caramel popcorn. Believe me, you’ll need an extra tote!

6. A Book to Enjoy. Relaxing on the beach is the very best place to enjoy a beach read. Hardback, paperback, or e-book; it doesn’t really matter. There is nothing like turning those pages while digging your toes in the sand.

5. Comfortable Walking Shoes. Taking a long walk on the beach can wreak havoc on the soles of your feet. Blisters are not fun. Pack an old pair of comfortable walking shoes and enjoy that stretch of sand.

4. Beach Umbrella. Sitting in the blaring sun starts off kinda nice. But after an hour or so, the shade of a beach umbrella will be a great relief.

3. Sunglasses. Protect your eyes! The sun’s rays are stronger near the water and sand due to reflection. Grab a pair of sunglasses and protect yourself from those UV rays.

2. Toothpaste. It sounds crazy, but people brush before leaving the house and forget their toothpaste. Keep a couple of travel-size tubes ready for any trips you might take.

And the most forgotten item???

1. SUNSCREEN. Yikes! Sunscreen comes in a wide variety of SPFs. When planning your trip to the beach, choose the sunscreen that’s right for you and toss it into your suitcase. Your skin will thank you!

Have I got a Beach Read for you!

ROMANCE BEACH BUNDLE 1 is on sale for just 99¢! You save $7 off the regular price of this 3-book bundle. Here’s what readers have to say about the sweet, clean bundle of books:

“I enjoyed all three. The characters were funny romantic and delightful. I would read this author again.” ~Rosemary, Kindle Reader

“I really enjoyed reading each of these books. Each had excellent story lines and drew me in from the first page.” ~Ruby B, Kindle Reader

Click here to get ROMANCEBEACH BUNDLE 1 for just 99¢

About the author:

Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. Learn more about her at her website. Sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's true. Today is my birthday. I won't be doing much celebrating though because I'm recovering from hand surgery that I had nine days ago, but that's okay. I've been recovering and watching the Olympics. 

I have a special for you in honor of my birthday. This is the first time that Gabriel's Atonement (ebook) has been for sale for just 99 cents! It's normally $4.99. Now your chance to read this exciting book that features the first Oklahoma land run, as well as a sweet romance with drama, humor, and a snarky little sister that causes lots of trouble. Free on KU.

Gabriel's Atonement

Land Rush Dreams Book 1

All Gabriel Coulter ever wanted was to live a comfortable life as a successful gambler, but a confrontation with a disgruntled cowboy who’d just lost his monthly pay to Gabe leads to a family man dying in his arms. Even though it was self-defense, the only way Gabe knows to get rid of his guilt is to return the money he won to the man’s wife.

Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him--not even the much-needed money he's offered her. But as she struggles to provide for her family and makes plans to claim property in the upcoming Oklahoma land rush in hopes of finally having a permanent home, she wonders if God might have sent the meddling man to help.

Get the ebook for only 99 cents here

Free on KU

Other Books in the Series:

Joline's Redemption

Land Rush Dreams Book 2

Joline had lofty dreams of love and luxury, but after her husband leaves her and she makes a series of fateful decisions, Jo has fallen as far as any woman can. Bereft of all hope and with the threat of losing her son, Jo seeks refuge at her sister’s home. Jo has a long list of secrets to keep and has to look over her shoulder, as the man she’s running from may show up anywhere, anytime. Is it possible that God can redeem Jo, and give her hope for a happy future? Find out in Joline’s Redemption—book 2 in Vickie McDonough’s Land Rush Dreams trilogy.

$4.99 /  Free on KU

Purchase Joline's Redemption here

Free on KU

Sarah's Surrender

Land Rush Dreams Book 3

When Sarah Worley rejects Luke McNeil’s marriage proposal to pursue property in the Oklahoma Territory land lottery in 1901, the ranch hand pulls up stakes and goes after her. But he’s the last person she wants to see. The land lottery gives Sarah the chance to realize her dream of independence and a home of her own. But with it comes challenges she never considered. When her dream becomes a nightmare, she must decide whether to stay on her land or give up and return to the life she left.

Luke hopes that by winning a claim, he can give Sarah the home she’s always wanted. How can he prove his love and show the stubborn woman that he’s the right man for her?

$4.99 / Free on KU

Purchase Sarah's Surrender here

Free on KU

These are long books, friends, and you can buy the whole series for just $10.97!