Aloha to Sabrina Jeffries and THE SECRET OF FLIRTING (Sinful Suitors No. 5)

What to do after shoveling the spring snow?  Cozy up to a great book.  Enter Sabrina Jeffries and THE SECRET OF FLIRTING:

The moment spymaster Baron Fulkham meets the stunning Princess Anne of Chanay, he's positive her royal persona is a ruse and that she's actually Monique Servais, the mysterious actress he met three years before in Dieppe. But as he pursues his suspicions, he uncovers a plot of attempted assassination and betrayal that could very well destroy his career, expose his own secrets...and ruin the woman he's rapidly coming to love.

The Secret of Flirting is a sizzling historical romance filled with fast-paced storytelling, an enchanting heroine, and a sexy hero, perfect for fans of Regency romance.

Sigh. Let the adventure begin! THE SECRET OF FLIRTING is available Tuesday, March 27, 2018 from Pocket Books. Order you book from Sabrina's website at this link.

Sabrina Jeffries is the NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze of dreams and madness is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music. With over 9 million books in print in 20 different languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world. 

She always dreams big.

Thank you, Sabrina, for dreaming big.  You've taken readers to new heights in romance reading!   

I am giving away "dream big" swag to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment about Sabrina's passions - jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music.  

Do you have a favorite puzzle?  Nothing like surfboards to tempt me!

How about chocolate?  I need a daily chocolate fix, preferably for chocolate chip cookies and Heath Bars.

Music? 80s hair bands for me!

Comments are open through Sunday, April 1.  I'll post the winner on Monday, April 2.  

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Being Thankful - Sharing Romance with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

During the RWA Annual Conference back in July, I attended several publishers' signings.  I asked the authors to sign books as "Thanks for your service."  I have donated these books (plus books from other conferences) to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to distribute to the staff, patients, and families. 

 Avon Romance

Berkley Romance

Forever Romance

Harlequin Romance

Kensington Romance

Pocket Books

St. Martin's Press 

Sourcebooks

Mahalo, authors and publishers, for your donations!

For November, I continue to giveaway RWA swag to four randomly selected winners from all the comments posted. Plus a bonus prize - a leather bookmark for each winner from one of Scotland's castles in honor of St. Andrew's Day on November 30.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Do you have any family or friends who are veterans? I know I have asked this question several times, but we can never thank them enough times. 

2. Comments are open through Thursday, November 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Friday, December 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Mariah Stewart and THE CHESAPEAKE BRIDE

This weekend marks the end of summer.  For Marylanders, that means a trip to the Cheasapeak Bay.  Enter Mariah Stewart with a new chapter in her celebrated Chesapeake Diaries series .... 

Architect Cassidy Logan has sworn off good-looking adventurers. Newly divorced, she’s focused on building ecologically friendly, historically accurate homes on the Chesapeake Bay for her father’s construction company. Traveling to Cannonball Island—where there has been no new construction in nearly one hundred years—Cass is sensitive to the heritage of the island, and has come up with plans so perfect she’s determined to buy a home for herself. Even the fact that Owen Parker—a local who she dismisses as a lightweight and a player—seems to be everywhere isn’t enough to deter her from building her dream house.

Owen Parker is and always has been sinfully handsome and wickedly clever, a magnet for mischief as well as girls. He’s a rolling stone, going and doing whatever appeals to him, from flying a mail plane in Alaska, to working on a cattle ranch in Australia, a shrimp boat in Louisiana, and surfing and diving in Costa Rica. When an old friend offers him a job salvaging a sunken ship on the Chesapeake Bay, Owen gladly accepts. Something’s been telling him it was time to head home to Cannonball Island, and a job is as good an excuse as any. And he’s totally smitten by the pretty architect on the scene, but it seems he’s finally met a woman who’s immune to his charms. Sooner or later, Owen will have to face the reason why he always runs, because this time, leaving just might be harder than staying.

Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas and short stories. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and two rambunctious rescue dogs amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors country life and tends her gardens. Visit her website at mariahstewart.com, like her on Facebook at AuthorMariahStewart, and follow her on Instagram at mariah_stewart_books.

Chester County, Pennsylvania
pennsylvania-vacations-guide.com

I am giving away a swag pack from RWA17 to four randomly selected commenters from my posts published in the month of September.  To enter the giveaway,

1. What do you know about Pennsylvania - the Keystone State?

I recently drove up for the day to Philadelphia with college friends - we walked around the historic downtown, soaking up our democracy in action.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, September 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 1. 

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Harper Sloan and KISS MY BOOTS - spotlight with giveaway

Hang on to your Stetsons this summer, because you’re in for one wild ride! Get lost in the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Harper Sloan’s Coming Home series, KISS MY BOOTS. In the second installment, the wildest Davis of them all is looking for love…maybe.

Quinn Davis prefers to live her life quietly. She’s the stereotypical tomboy with two overprotective big brothers who have always looked out for her. Of course, it doesn’t help that her heart has already been hardened when it comes to devilishly handsome cowboys with silver tongues. That is, until Tate Montgomery comes riding back into town. Their first meeting, however, is far from something out of a fairy tale and only further convinces Quinn that men aren’t worth her time.

Growing up, the one time Tate ever truly felt at home was during the long, sweltering summer months he spent at his gram and paw’s farm in Pine Oak, Texas. Now, Tate has returned to his childhood sanctuary seeking a fresh start—but if he’s being entirely honest, he’s not just back for the Wranglers and Stetsons. During those summers, Quinn was a friend turned young love who Tate lost when life threw him a curveball and he cut all ties to his past, but all it takes is one glance at the raven-haired beauty, who he did his best to forget, for him to realize just how much he’s been missing…

Can two people who have stopped believing in love take a chance to find it in each other again? Or will the pain of the past prove too great a hurdle to conquer?

KISS MY BOOTS is the second go-round in this Texas-set series filled with sizzle, heart, and plenty of cowboys!

Harper Sloan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Corps Security and Hope Town series. She started writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night. Harper lives in Georgia with her family. 

AuthorHarperSloan.com 
Facebook.com/HarperSloanBooks

Pocket Books is giving a copy of LOST RIDER, Book 1 in the series, to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about boots - what kind do you have in your closet?  My family has combat boots ... which we use for snow shoveling when necessary. 

2. Comments are open through Sunday, July 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, July 31.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Coming in December 2017

Aloha to Lauren Layne and TO HAVE AND TO HOLD (The Wedding Belles, Volume 1)

 

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for July at this link.

Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true…but their own.

Discovering her fiancé is an international conman just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Burke’s business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet, if slightly spoiled, hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse springs.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister’s fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

Lauren lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart--cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian.

Five years ago, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan. She writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush, and in her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

When not bringing The Sexy, she likes to blog about her Instagram addiction, and why mean girls are the worst.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

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Aloha to Monica McCarty and THE GHOST (Highland Guard No. 12) - New Release Spotlight

Reminder - I have a special giveaway to celebrate June at this link.

Joan Comyn swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce the day she witnessed England’s barbarous king torturing her famous mother, Scot patriot Bella MacDuff. Now the mysterious beauty slips into men’s hearts like a specter and entices England’s most illustrious barons to unwittingly divulge their secrets, then shares them with her king. Known only as the Ghost even among her Highland Guard brethren, Joan has become the most wanted spy in England.

The man determined to uncover her identity poses her biggest threat yet. Alex Seton once stood with Bruce but now fights for the enemy. Though Joan knows she must avoid the handsome warrior or risk discovery, his knightly chivalry touches a place in her long since buried. When his suspicions grow apparent, Joan realizes she must do everything in her power to stop Alex from revealing her mission and convince the powerful fighter to join forces with the Highland Guard once more. But as the ultimate battle in the great war approaches, will Alex chose love or honor?

Monica McCarty is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty Scottish Historical romances and two Regency romances. Monica's interest in the Scottish clan system began in the most unlikely of places: a comparative legal history course at Stanford Law School. After a short, but enjoyable, stint practicing law, she realized that mixing a legal career with her husband's transitory career as a professional baseball player was not exactly a match made in heaven. So she "traded" in her legal briefs for Historical Romances with sexy alpha heroes. When not trekking across the moors and rocky seascapes of Scotland and England, Monica can be found in Northern California with her husband and two children.

Learn more about Monica and her books at monicamccarty.com.

I am giving away a print copy of THE GHOST to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. In honor of Monica's role as a baseball spouse, who is your favorite team? I root for the home team, Baltimore Orioles, although I do not actively follow baseball. 

2. Comments are open through Saturday, June 4, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 5.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Laura Griffin and DEEP DARK

Reminder: I have a special giveaway for Military Appreciation Month at this link.

A gripping new romantic thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin ...

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author LAURA GRIFFIN started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. She is a two-time RITA Award winner as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award. Laura currently lives in Austin, where she is working on her next book.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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Laura offers an excerpt from DEEP DARK ... 

Reed watched her, and she had that frustrated look in her eyes again. Every time she started to open up to him, he did something to tick her off. She shook her head and glanced away.

“Laney?”

“What?”

“I’m a detective. It’s my job to ask questions. To push.”

She looked at him again and her expression softened. “No, you’re right.” She glanced down at her beer bottle and picked at the label. “I’m glad she has you.”

“Who has me?”

“April. You seem--” She paused, like she was searching for the right word. “--committed.”

He didn’t answer. It wasn’t really a question, but the way she looked at him gave him the feeling she wanted a response.

She drained her beer and plunked down the bottle. “I should get home.” She stood up.

Reed stood, too. He left a tip on the table and followed her through the throng of people. The bar was packed, and the music had gotten louder since they’d first walked in.

They stepped into the warm, muggy air. It was dusk now, and a neon Lone Star Light sign cast a blue-and-red glow over the sidewalk. As they walked in silence, he thought of what she’d said about her job being meaningful. It was refreshing. Maybe he’d been a cop too long, but he didn’t know anyone who talked about things being meaningful anymore. If they thought about work in those terms, they kept it to themselves.

Maybe he was jaded.

No, he definitely was jaded. But it had more to do with his failed marriage than anything he’d seen on the job.

Reed spotted her little white car and felt a twinge of regret. He’d enjoyed talking to her, enjoyed being near her. And he couldn’t remember the last time that had happened with a woman. Having a beer with Laney had been the highlight of his crap week. Hell, the highlight of his month.

She looked around. “Where are you parked?”

“Around back.”

She gazed up at him. He couldn’t read her expression.

“Thanks for the drink,” she said.

“You bought it.”

He couldn’t read her tone either. The thrum of music seeped through the thin walls of the bar as they stood there in the light of the beer sign.

She stepped closer, and a jolt of heat went through him. She looked up at him with those bottomless brown eyes, and he knew he was in trouble. It was a bad idea to involve this girl in his investigation. Whatever useful info she might have was outweighed by the fact that she was young, and edgy, and he wanted her. And she must have seen something in his face because her eyes sparked.

She went up on tiptoes and kissed him.

Copyright 2016 Laura Griffin

Goddess of Liberty on the Texas State Capitol  in Austen
Public Domain (link)

Aloha to Cindy Gerard and TAKING FIRE (One Eyed Jacks, Book 4)

The most explosively sexy One-Eyed Jacks adventure yet from the RITA Award-winning, New York Times bestselling romance author whose name is “synonymous with high stakes and high action” (RT Book Reviews)!

Betrayal. Retribution. Redemption?

Six years ago, tough-as-nails military contractor Bobby Taggart met the woman of his dreams in war-torn Kabul—a sexy, whip-smart war correspondent who approached him at a local bar, took him to bed, made him fall in love…and then mysteriously disappeared. In her wake, the terrorist leader he’d been mining for valuable intel was assassinated—then Bobby discovered his phone had been bugged. And he’s pretty damn sure he’s been played for a fool.

Now, a covert security mission for the U.S. Embassy in Oman unexpectedly reunites him with Talia Levine, the woman who betrayed him and broke his heart. And there’s one more secret she hasn’t told him—one that will change his world. But as the heat of anger mixes with a still-simmering passion, dangerous forces close in, their sights set on Talia. Trust is the only way they will survive—but with their lives in the balance, can Bobby risk trusting her again?

The only thing Cindy had in mind when she started writing her first book was finishing it. The issue of actually selling it came much later. Only after she made that life-altering first sale did she realize that one book would never be enough. Now, over 20 books and numerous awards later, Cindy laughingly admits that she can barely remember life before...well, was there life before writing?

Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. "Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines."

Cindy's career has taught her much about the human condition, its frailties, its strengths, and its spirit. The evocative emotions that pour from the pages of her books are a reflection of some of her work experiences. Her writing celebrates life's richness and trials, offering a wide range of emotions — hope and elation, anger and indecision, laughter and, of course, love. And, according to her readers, her powerful love scenes run the gamut from steamy to tender to lusty to just plain fun.

Learn more about Cindy and her books at cindygerard.com.

Pella, Iowa

I am giving away a print coy of TAKING FIRE to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about Cindy's home state of Iowa, the Hawkeye State.  My inlaws stopped by Pella, Iowa, founded by Dutch immigrants (we previously lived in the Netherlands). Check out Pella on my travel blog at this link.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, February 27, 10 pm in Baltiimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 28.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

More books in the series ...

Aloha to Kate Noble and THE LIE AND THE LADY

Santa probably brought this heroine a set of buttons ....

Following The Game and the Governess comes the second novel in the witty, sexy Winner Takes All series of Regency romances from Kate Noble, the writer behind the wildly popular, award-winning web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Clerk John Turner thought only of winning a bet when he switched places with his friend, Lord Edward Granville, at a country house party. But while posing as a lord, he fell for a lady—the Countess Letitia! Now she's learned the truth, and he must win her back as plain John Turner. He'd better hope that love truly conquers all...

Lady Letty was publicly humiliated when it came out that she had fallen for the man, not the master. When she meets him again, she's determined to avoid him, but some things are too intoxicating to be denied. Letty knows what choice she must make to survive, but if she turns her back on her dashing rogue—again—will she lose her chance at love forever?

Kate Noble is the national bestselling, RITA-nominated author of historical romances, including the acclaimed Blue Raven series and the Winner Takes All series. Her books have earned her numerous accolades, including comparisons to Jane Austen, which just makes her giddy. 

In her other life as Kate Rorick, she is an Emmy-award winning writer of television and web series, having written for NBC, FOX, and TNT, as well as the international hit YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Kate lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son, and is hard at work on her next book.

Learn more about Kate and her books at katenoble.com.

Maryland's country house - Monpelier Mansion (link)

I am giving away "house party" swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about a house party - what would you enjoy most:  lawn croquet, card game, or a walk in the park?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 2, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City