Review: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with a fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.

THE BLONDE IDENTITY by ALLY CARTER

Series: Unknown

Publication date: August 8, 2023

Published by: Avon

Genre: rom-com, romantic suspense

 

SYNOPSIS

It’s the middle of the night in the middle of Paris and a woman just woke up with no memory.

She only knows three things for certain:

1. She has a splitting headache.

2. The hottest guy she has (probably) ever seen is standing over her, telling her to run.

And oh yeah…

3. People keep trying to kill her.

She doesn’t know who. Or why. But when she sees footage of herself fighting off a dozen men there’s only one explanation: obviously. . . she’s a spy!

Except, according to Mr. Hot Guy, she’s not. She’s a spy’s identical twin sister.

Too bad the only person who knows she’s not the woman they’re looking for is this very grouchy, very sexy, very secret agent who (reluctantly) agrees to help her disappear. Which is easier said than done when a criminal organization wants you dead and every intelligence service in the world wants you caught.

Luckily, no one is looking for a pair of lovesick newlyweds on their honeymoon. And soon they’re lying their way across Europe—dodging bullets and faking kisses as they race to unravel a deadly conspiracy and clear her sister’s name.

But with every secret they uncover, the truth shifts, until she no longer knows who to trust: the twin she can’t remember or the mysterious man she can’t let herself forget…

Purchase your copy now!

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Praise for The Blonde Identity:

“Ally Carter wrote a unique, delightful, hilarious, unputdownable romance! I didn’t know I needed an adventure romcom about grumpy/sunshine spies with amazing chemistry and a dash of amnesia, but it was exactly what was missing in my life. I’m wonderstruck by The Blonde Identity! (Also, this book needs to be a movie!)” 

— Ali Hazelwood, New York Times Bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis 

"Spies! Amnesia! And banter that’ll make you chant “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” No one writes an action rom-com quite like Ally Carter." — Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs

“A delightful, delicious joy ride of a romp!"  — Susan Elizabeth Phillips, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When Stars Collide

"The Blonde Identity was everything I wanted in rom-com and more! Full of brilliant banter, clever humor, and so many swoon worthy scenes, this was a perfect book. I hope Ally Carter writes more stories in this world, because every second of this unexpected adventure made me smile. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book.” — Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Curse for True Love 

“Completely captivating—funny, fresh and deliciously swoon-worthy, The Blonde Identity had me smiling over every action packed page. I loved it.” — Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer

"The Blonde Identity is hands-down the cutest, most fast-paced wild ride of a rom-com I’ve ever read. Utterly impossible to put down!" — Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Wager

"The Blonde Identity is explosively funny and jam-packed with chemistry! I couldn’t have loved this hilarious romcom more. The story is full of humor, action, romance, and emotions that tug on your heartstrings. Ally is a romcom genius!"  — Sarah Adams, author of The Cheat Sheet

“I absolutely adored The Blonde Identity! I loved the humor, Zoe and Sawyer were perfection, and the chemistry… I couldn’t put it down.”   — Lorraine Heath, New York Times bestselling author

"I am a Gallagher Girls fan, and The Blonde Identity satisfied ALL of my GG cravings! Carter has that magic formula of the perfect amount of brilliance, fun, and sizzling banter down pat!"  — Jesse Q Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties and Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ally Carter writes books about sneaky people and movies about Christmas. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series for teens as well as WINTERBORNE HOME FOR VENGEANCE AND VALOR for younger readers. Her books have been published all over the world, in over twenty languages. 

Follow her:

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REVIEW

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When I read the synopsis for the book, my interest was piqued immediately for several reasons. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut reading the same authors and genres over and over, and I need something new and refreshing. I have read romantic suspense in the past and enjoyed it, but it is not a genre I read very often. I usually do not read the grumpy-sunshine trope either, which Sawyer and Zoe represented perfectly. Another draw was that this seemed to be like a rom-com suspense which I have not experimented in reading before. Ally Carter is new-to-me, but she has an established fanbase for her popular Gallagher Girls YA books. All of these factors appealed to me and I hoped would satisfy my appetite for something outside my typical box.

The book starts out with the heroine waking up on the ground on a snowy night in Paris. She has no idea how she got there, but before she can even start to try to comprehend what's going on, a strange man shows up and starts yelling at her to run. Obviously, anyone would be scared out of their mind, but Zoe decides to worry about her apparent amnesia at a more convenient time. Getting shot at kind of puts things into perspective. It isn't until much later that she comes to the conclusion that she's in a very precarious situation, and the only person who seems to remotely be an ally is Jake Sawyer. A man who doesn't seem to like her very much, and may not be altogether trustworthy.

   Alex was looking at herself. But she was 

also looking at a stranger. And the tiny 

smidge of hope that she’d been carrying 

for the past two hours faded away, 

because her memory didn’t 

come back with her reflection.

Alex is Zoe's twin sister-the root of all of her current problems. She and Sawyer are both operatives, and she has gone "rogue", disappearing with a flash drive full of information that criminals and every alphabet agency in existence want to get their hands on. For a short time, Zoe believes she actually is Alex, but thankfully Sawyer puts it together that there has been a case of mistaken identity. Turns out, a mistaken identity and a forgotten identity is a very bad combination.

I honestly don't think I've read a book before where the protagonist has amnesia during the entire book, right from page one. For me, it created my biggest issue with the book: it created a barrier in getting to know and understand the character I was reading about. If the character doesn't know anything about her history or who she is as a person, how will the reader know? How do I, as the reader, connect to that person and understand them? Well, it was hard. I do give the author credit, because she added things to Zoe's dialogue that slipped out unconsciously that hinted at her profession. I guessed that pretty early. She seemed to be naive and didn't like swearing, and that was the extent of her personality.

   The good thing about being an amnesiac 

is that when your life flashes before 

your eyes it doesn’t take very long.

Although Zoe was completely unprepared for the danger she was thrown into, she managed to hold her own. She probably gave Sawyer an ulcer and a few grey hairs, but at least she didn't let an impossible situation defeat her. The two of them are complete opposites-a severe, blunt, curmudgeon and a flighty, wide-eyed innocent. He would bark orders and she'd correct his language and tease him to lighten the mood. Their differences played off of each other, and very quickly she started to melt his hardened heart.

Once Zoe and Sawyer got onto the boat, they had some down time where they could have some more personal interactions. I couldn't exactly say they got to know one another as one was an amnesiac and the other was filled with secrets and uncommunicative, but they did start to grow an attachment towards one another. Sawyer starts to yearn for a normal life where he isn't trading his self-respect and safety for the government. He's seen the trade-off that his father made, and he doesn't ever expect to have a happy and fulfilling life with a family of his own. The solitary existence he lives is a lonely one filled with regrets and trauma. There is no one he can lean on to help heal his battered heart. For the first time he begins to imagine what that might feel like the more time he spends with Zoe.

   I just . . . I just want you to know that in this business . . . 

in this life . . . people like Alex—and me—

we don’t get a happy ending.” 

She looked at him with more pity and compassion 

than he’d seen in decades. 

“Then what do you get?” 

Not you, he thought. I’ll never get you.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I did have a bit of difficulty getting into the story because of my lack of connection to Zoe, but she grew on me in the second half. The plot was powered by the action scenes rather than any romantic emotional development, so the feelings that came about between the protagonists did feel abrupt rather than organic. Having said that, I did think they were cute together and just based on the few scenes with Zoe's sister Alex, I would probably read her upcoming book as well. If you like the grumpy-sunshine trope, and rom-coms, this could be the right fit for you. Even though it wasn't a five star enthusiastic read, I'm glad I decided to try this author's new series out.

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Blog Tour: Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz

The final installment in the chilling Fogg Lake trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR by JAYNE ANN KRENTZ

Series: Fogg Lake #3

Publication date: January 18, 2022

Published by: Berkley

Genre: romantic thriller

  

SYNOPSIS

Olivia LeClair's experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she's the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.

This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn't have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There's just one problem—no one knows Harlan's real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There's a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance. 

For now, however, it's a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.

Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project's most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

Praise for Lightning in a Mirror:

“Bestseller Krentz wraps up her Fogg Lake trilogy in dazzling fashion with this paranormal tour de force…Krentz delivers a first-rate set of characters while masterfully ratcheting up the tension on the way to a powerhouse finale. Readers will devour this smart, sexy story.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Best-selling Krentz expertly wraps up her Fogg Lake trilogy by smartly leaning into her preferred literary wheelhouse of paranormal-tinged danger, sizzling desire, and zippy dialogue. All these elements are expertly distilled into a fast-paced plot that includes some fun references to other books in the Jayneverse delivered to readers in lively writing imbued with a generous dose of bracing wit.”—Booklist, starred review

Purchase your copy now!

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EXCERPT:

 “If I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?” Olivia asked.

She did not look up from her phone. She wasn’t supposed to be on it. The rules of the speed dating event were quite specific about that. All phones, watches and assorted tech were to be powered down for the evening. But she had concluded the event was a waste of time, so she had palmed her phone from her handbag. She was now holding it under the edge of the cocktail table, where the event coordinator could not see it.

The knee-length burnt orange wool coat she was examining was stunning, but, sadly, the color was over-the-top for Seattle. Most of the outerwear on the city’s streets came in shades of gray, black, navy and forest green. If she were to stroll down Pine Street in a burnt orange coat, she might as well carry a sign that shouted tourist.

The man who had just sat down on the other side of the small, round table did not respond to the question. With a sigh, she looked up. It was obvious from his uncertain expression that he thought she was texting.

“I said, if I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?” she said.

“Excuse me?” He looked around and then leaned forward. He lowered his voice. “I think they said that we should turn off our phones.”

“Sorry.” She dropped the phone into her large handbag, wedging it between her turmeric-yellow wallet and the vintage camera. She took a closer look at her new date. The name tag stuck on his shirt identified him as Nathan.

“Hi, Nathan. I’m Olivia,” she said, going for bright and sparkly. “I’ll repeat my question. If I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into hell to find me?”

“Uh.” Nathan got a deer-in-the-headlights look.

She recognized the expression. Nathan was rapidly coming to the conclusion that she was weird. Within the next thirty seconds he would do what the previous dates had done—excuse himself and take off to find the restroom, where he would hide out until the bell rang.

It was not Nathan’s fault she had signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the speed dating agency. So far most of the people she had met had been nice. A bit boring—but nice. The experiment had been a disaster for her, however.

She had purchased the package because it was 20 percent off. The first event had been a washout, but she had told herself to be optimistic. You couldn’t expect immediate success. But now she was midway through the second event and the prospects were looking even more dismal.

“I’m not sure exactly what you mean,” Nathan said.

He did a quick, furtive glance around the room. It didn’t take any psychic talent to know he was searching for the restrooms.

She gave him another shiny smile. “The matchmaker said we are supposed to ask each other questions. That’s my question.”

“Oh.” Nathan cleared his throat. “Well, uh, I guess it would, you know, depend.”

At least Nathan was considering his answer, not running for the restroom. That was promising.

“What would it depend on?” she asked.

“How well I knew you. Whether or not you and I were, you know, close.”

“And if we were close?” she pressed. “Then would you walk into hell to find me?”

Panic sparked in Nathan’s eyes. He glanced at the table where the event coordinator sat. When he realized there was no salvation coming from that direction, he made a heroic effort to move forward.

“My turn,” he said, bubbling with artificial enthusiasm. “My question is, where do you like to go on vacation?”

“Hawaii. My turn. If I went missing would you walk into—”

“I guess I’d call your friends first,” Nathan said. He sat back in the booth, putting a little more distance between them. “See if they knew where you were. Then, uh, maybe call the cops. Hey, I like Hawaii, too. Do you snorkel?”

“No.” She leaned forward, closing the space he had just made. “How hard would you look for me?”

“Well, uh, I’m not an expert when it comes to search and rescue work. Don’t you need a dog for that?” Nathan shot to his feet. “Excuse me. Gotta hit the restroom. Be right back.”

And another one bites the dust. No, that wasn’t right, Olivia thought. I’m the one who just bit the dust. Again. She realized she didn’t care. The speed dating experiment was a failure. If she hadn’t bought the Four Event Success Guaranteed package she would leave right now. But she had made an investment, and the fine print was firm—no refunds.

From LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Jayne Ann Krentz.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo credit: Marc von Borstel

The author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print. 

She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.

Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington. 

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Spotlight with Excerpt: The Runaway Heiress by Meg Tilly

A brave woman on the run from her vindictive husband faces a dangerous path in the thrilling new romantic suspense novel from Oscar-nominated actress Meg Tilly.

THE RUNAWAY HEIRESS 

by MEG TILLY

Series: Standalone

Publication date: July 27, 2021

Published by: Berkley

Genre: romantic suspense

 

SYNOPSIS

Sarah Rainsford has been on the run for more than three years. She's changed identities yet again in hopes of throwing her violent estranged husband, a police lieutenant, off her trail. Since she's still legally married to him, and he is willing to bend any laws to get his hands on her inheritance, he'll stop at nothing to locate her.

With a new name and fake ID papers, she lands a job as a personal assistant to none other than Hollywood's golden boy director Mick Talford. He's a difficult client but she senses hidden depths to him. Once Mick and Sarah combine forces in a desperate attempt to keep Sarah out of harm's way, they build a strong bond . . . but with danger trailing them, is it enough to keep them both alive?

Purchase your copy now!

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Excerpt

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

THE RUNAWAY HEIRESS by Meg Tilly

Berkley | On sale July 27th, 2021

"Rachel . . ." The woman at the employment agency glanced down at the form on her clipboard. 

"Jones?"

Sarah got to her feet. "Yes," she said. "That would be me."

"I'm Ellen Davis. This way, please."

Sarah followed the woman into her office, mouth dry.

Ms. Davis flipped to the next page on her clipboard. Sarah could see over her shoulder that the woman was now reading the fake CV and reference letters Sarah had typed and printed at the public library that morning.

"Have a seat." Ms. Davis gestured to a chair in front of her desk as she rounded it and sat down.

As Sarah sat, she surreptitiously slid her palms down along her thighs so the black dress pants could erase the slight dampness before clasping her hands in her lap.

The woman flipped to the last page, scanned it, then placed the clipboard on the desk in front of her. "Everything seems in order," she said. "Your scores on the technical skills test were quite impressive. I don't foresee a problem getting you placed. What sort of hours are you interested in working?"

"I'm pretty flexible. And it doesn't have to be office work. Basically, I'll take whatever job you have available."

"Nights? Weekends? Long hours okay?"

"Sure."

"Huh . . . Interesting. Actually-" Ms. Davis's fingers rapped a quick staccato on the desk as if she were playing descending scales on the piano.

"But I'm not interested in stripping or escort work or anything like that," Sarah hastily added. 

This was Hollywood after all. Best to make sure the woman hadn't gotten the wrong idea.

Ms. Davis didn't look up, her fingers flying over her keyboard. "Of course. Not to worry. We don't handle that kind of 'work placement.'" Then she swiveled slightly in her chair, eyes narrowing as she leaned forward, focused on her computer screen. "Ah! Here we go." A huff of air that could have been laughter escaped her lips. "Well . . . it's worth a try," she murmured. 

"Lord knows, he's burned his way through all my other options." Her birdlike gaze moved away from the screen to settle on Sarah's face, taking in the dark-rimmed glasses. Luckily, the woman's perusal didn't linger on the mousy brown hair Sarah had re-dyed in the bathroom sink of the motel room last night.

Sarah looked back, keeping her expression a blank, calm canvas, a polite smile on her face, determined not to let her nerves peek through.

"Plain. Practical. No-nonsense. Might be just what the doctor ordered." Ms. Davis nodded as her gaze traveled down the conservative cream blouse Sarah had steamed in the shower. She took in the black slacks, the sensible black pumps; then her gaze slid back up to Sarah's face. "This position requires gumption, backbone, plenty of grit. No running for the hills just because the client has a few rough edges."

"No, ma'am." Sarah forced her hands to lie still in her lap. "I understand."

The woman's fingers rapped on the desk again. "Most of the specifications fit." Her unblinking eyes narrowed to a laser-like focus. Suddenly she shrugged and then relaxed in her chair. "The job pays twenty-four dollars an hour. It's live-in. Is that a problem?"

A problem? A heaven-sent gift from God was more like it. Sarah's mind flashed to handing over her last hundred-dollar bill to pay for the motel last night. The eleven o'clock checkout meant returning to the motel after her visit to the library and packing all her belongings in the trunk of her car. She would have preferred for Charlie to have the run of the motel room, as he was not a fan of car travel. It wasn't ideal, but she'd had to leave him in the car with the windows cracked open during this interview, yowling in his carrier bag as if he were being murdered. Didn't have enough to cover another night, $56.95 to her name. "Live-in is fine. Preferable, actually."

"Wonderful. When can you start?"

Sarah released the breath she'd been holding. "Whenever," she said, as if she wasn't in dire financial straits and planning on sleeping in her car tonight. "I could start today if you like?"

"Even better." Ms. Davis scribbled something on a slip of paper. "Here's the name and address. Mick Talford. Hopefully, Rachel, you'll last longer than the previous assistants I've sent."

Rachel? For a split second Sarah's mind blanked. Oh yes! Rachel.

"I'll do my best." Sarah smiled in a reassuring manner even though her heart had skipped a beat.

Ms. Davis stood, rounded the desk, and handed the paper to Sarah. "The client is a talented director. Good luck," she said, shaking Sarah's hand. "You'll need it."

Praise for The Runaway Heiress:

“You'll stay up long past your bedtime to finish this fast-paced thrill ride where a couple runs up against the dark side of human nature and an enemy who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meg Tilly may be best known for her acclaimed Golden Globe-winning lead performance in the movie Agnes of God. Other screen credits include The Big Chill, Valmont, and more recently, Bomb Girls, and Netflix's movie War Machine, starring Brad Pitt. After publishing six standout young adult and literary women's fiction novels, the award-winning author/actress decided to write the kind of books she loves to read--romance novels. Tilly has three grown children and resides with her husband in the Pacific Northwest. She is currently at work writing the next Solace Island novel.

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Blog Tour with Giveaway: Beyond Power by Connie Mann

If you dare venture beyond Disney’s magic and Miami’s high-rises, you’ll find yourself in Florida’s untamed wilderness…

BEYOND POWER by CONNIE MANN

Series: Florida Wildlife Warriors #2

Publication Date: September 1, 2020 

Genre: romantic suspense
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Purchase:
 Amazon | B&N | Google Play | Apple | BAM | Kobo

 

Synopsis

When your heart's involved...

If you dare venture beyond Disney's magic and Miami's high-rises, you'll find yourself in Florida's untamed wilderness. A bush pilot and officer for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Josh Tanner is one of the tough cops needed to manage these rugged areas. And the minute he finds Delilah Atwood deep in the woods without a good explanation, he knows something is very wrong...

All the stakes are raised...

Delilah barely escaped her ultra-fundamental militia family years ago. Now she's back to save her sixteen-year-old sister, and no government man is going to stop her. Josh isn't going to stand by and watch Delilah risk her life, but unless he can get her to trust him, she may end up being the next victim.

Praise for Beyond Risk (Florida Wildlife Warriors #1):

"Enthralling suspense...an intriguing tale."—Long and Short Reviews

"Great suspense...a real page-turner."—Harlequin Junkie

"Charming, exciting, and thoughtful...a strong sense of place and thrilling action."—Publishers Weekly

"Nonstop action and heart-pounding excitement."—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber for Angel Falls

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT

I think I’m nearby. Shine a flashlight, call my name, I’ll find you.

Josh’s text sent a surge of relief through Delilah, and she sagged against the tree, eyes closed. “Oh thank God.” Seconds later, panic hit. Worried he would give up and leave before he found her, she scrambled to her feet, wincing as she accidentally put weight on her left foot. One hand braced against the tree trunk, she shouted his name, waving her flashlight over her head like a shipwreck survivor who’d finally spotted a Coast Guard vessel.

     When he raced into the clearing, Delilah launched herself into his arms. He stumbled back a few steps before he caught his balance, wrapping her tightly in his arms, murmuring, “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

She pulled back to see his face, and suddenly, her lips met his—or his met hers, she couldn’t tell which—and they were kissing with the kind of desperation reserved for real shipwreck survivors. The kiss went on and on, sensations rushing over her faster than she could sort them out. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer still, nuzzling his neck, sighing as he murmured in her hair and placed soft kisses along her jaw. His grip shifted, and she realized her legs were wrapped around his waist after she’d climbed him like a tree. His hands cupped her bottom, and when she crossed her ankles to get closer still, she winced in pain.

     The moment shattered, and he slowly pulled back. She blinked, dazed and not at all sure she wanted the kiss to end. His eyes said he felt the same, but even so, reason had reasserted itself. He brushed her lips once more, then steadied her as she unwrapped her legs and lowered them to the ground. She winced again when her injured ankle touched down. His grip on her waist tightened. “Easy. Go slow.”

With infinite care, he maneuvered her down against the tree, then crouched beside her. He ran his flashlight over her with crisp efficiency before he set it off to the side so it wouldn’t blind them. His touch was gentle as he tipped her head up so he could see her face. “Are you okay? Which ankle?”

     She met his concerned gaze. “Left one. And I’m fine. Nothing much injured except my pride.” She couldn’t believe she’d launched herself at him. “Sorry I, ah, overreacted.”

     One side of his mouth curved upward. “The forest can be unsettling at night.” Then his grin widened.         “But feel free to overreact anytime you want.”

     They grinned at each other like idiots for a minute before she remembered she had to keep her distance. But dang, the man could kiss. He removed her boot, and the sharp pain jerked her back to the present. He ran his big hands from her calf all the way to her toes, then carefully rotated her ankle, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. When he was done, he gently slid her foot back into the boot, tucking the laces inside rather than tying them, since it was already starting to swell.

     “The good news is I don’t think it’s broken.” He sent her the lopsided smile that turned her insides to mush. “The bad news is that I don’t think you’re going to be able to walk on it.”

     “How far away is your truck?” she asked.

     “Not too far if you have two good legs.” He stood and held out his hands to help her to her feet. The moment she was upright, he pulled her into his arms and wrapped her securely against his hard chest again. “I’m so glad you weren’t hurt worse.”

     He kissed her again, gently this time, and Delilah slid into the kiss like a warm bath. She absorbed the strength of his arms around her and the beat of his heart thundering against her chest, feeling cherished and protected in a way she never had before. Slowly, reluctantly, she pulled back, and their eyes met and held, awareness buzzing between them like an electrical current. The heat in his eyes sent a low hum through her body. It buzzed through her a split second before he slapped at a mosquito on her cheek. She yelped in surprise, and he grinned. “Sorry. Bloodthirsty little buggers. Let’s get out of here.”

Keeping one of her hands in his, he turned his back and crouched. “Climb on. I’ll carry you back to my truck.”

     Delilah was shaking her head no before he finished speaking. “You can’t carry me. I’m way too heavy.”

     He raised an eyebrow. “Are you doubting my manly strength?”

     The absurdity surprised a laugh out of her. “I would never doubt your manly strength, Officer Tanner.”

     “Then climb on, and let’s get out of here already.” He crouched lower. “And stop calling me Officer Tanner.”

     Since she didn’t have much choice at this point, Delilah gingerly climbed on. He scooped her up, piggyback style, and set off into the forest. He spun her around a few times as he walked, singing an off-key version of the seven dwarves song. “Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s through the woods we go,” then he whistled the rest, making up words here and there.

     Delilah laughed and attempted, badly, to sing along, appreciating his attempt to distract her from her throbbing ankle. She took her cue from him and decided to enjoy the ride, the feel of her arms wrapped around his neck, his rock-hard arms supporting her as he strolled through the forest as though she weighed nothing. She was used to thinking her way through life, but with Josh, she was learning to simply enjoy the moment.

***

Excerpted from Beyond Power by Connie Mann. © 2020 by Connie Mann. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Connie Mann is a licensed boat captain and loves writing romantic suspense stories set in Florida’s small towns and unspoiled wilderness. She is the author of the Florida Wildlife Warriors series (Beyond Risk, Beyond Power), the Safe Harbor series (Tangled Lies, Hidden Threat, Deadly Melody), as well as Angel Falls and Trapped! She has lived in seven different states but this weather wimp has happily called the Ocala area home for more than twenty years.

When she’s not dreaming up plotlines, you’ll find “Captain Connie” on the Silver River, introducing boats full of schoolchildren to their first alligator. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle and build a better future for themselves and their families. Besides boating, she and her husband enjoy hanging out with their grown children and extended family and planning their next adventure.

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Spotlight: Nowhere to Hide by Leslie A. Kelly

A cold case is suddenly too hot to handle in the second installment of the Winchester Brothers romantic suspense series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Leslie A. Kelly.

NOWHERE TO HIDE by LESLIE A. KELLY

Series: Hollywood Heat #2

Publication date: August 25, 2020

Genre: romantic suspense

Publisher: Forever

 

SYNOPSIS

Police officer Rowan Winchester wants nothing to do with his celebrity family's legacy. Working with the LAPD is his way of atoning for the Winchesters' dark and secretive past. And, right now, the last thing Rowan needs is true-crime novelist Evie Fleming nosing around the most notorious deaths in Los Angeles -- including the ones that haunt his own family. To make things worse, he's torn between wanting the wickedly smart writer out of his city . . . and just plain wanting her.

While researching her latest book, Evie suspects that a dangerous new killer is prowling the City of Angels. Now she just has to convince the devastatingly handsome cop that she's right. Soon Evie and Rowan are working together to try to find the killer, even as their attraction ignites. But when the killer hones in on Evie, she and Rowan realize they'll have to solve this case fast if they want to stay alive.

Previously published as Wanting You

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leslie A. Kelly is a New York Times Bestselling author of more than fifty novels in various genres. She writes contemporary romances--usually funny and sexy--as Leslie Kelly. The middle initial--A.--means a thrilling, dark suspense novel, like one of her Black CATs or Veronica Sloan titles.

She lives in Maryland with her husband and their daughters.

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Blog Tour: Say No More by Karen Rose

Mercy Callahan thought she'd escaped the cult decades ago, but its long fingers are reaching out for her again in this electrifying novel in the Sacramento series...

SAY NO MORE by KAREN ROSE

Series: The Sacramento series #24

Publication Date: August 11, 2020 

Genre: romantic suspense
Publisher: Penguin/Berkley

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Synopsis

Seventeen years ago. That was the last time Mercy Callahan saw Ephraim Burton, the leader of the twisted Eden cult where she was raised. But even though she escaped the abuse and terror, they continue to haunt her.

When her brother Gideon discovers new evidence of the cult's—and their victims'—whereabouts, Mercy goes to Sacramento to reconnect with him. There, she meets Gideon's closest friend—homicide detective Rafe Sokolov. From Rafe, she receives an offer she never knew she needed: to track down Ephraim and make him pay for everything.

But Ephraim, who had thought Mercy long dead, discovers she is in fact alive and that she is digging around for the cult's secrets. And now he'll do anything to take her back to Eden—dead or alive.

Praise for Say No More:

“A pulse-pounding mix of romance and terror.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“There’s lethal, heart-tripping danger, but the tender love story and powerful friendships provide a positive emotional core to this exciting thriller.”—BookPage

Listen to the Audio Sample!

PRH Audio · Say No More by Karen Rose, read by Joel Froomkin

About the Author

Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”

Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.

Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!

Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.

A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.

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Blog Tour with Giveaway: After Sundown by Linda Howard and Linda Jones

Danger brings together two guarded hearts in a battle for survival in this irresistible story from New York Times bestselling authors Linda Howard and Linda Jones.

Sela Gordon, the shy owner of a Tennessee general store, finds safety in solitude. But if anyone can pierce her protective shell it’s the handsome, mysterious ex-military man living alone in the wilds of Cove Mountain. For two years, he’s kept his distance—until the day he appears to warn her that a catastrophic solar storm capable of taking down the power grid is coming. Now, Sela must find the courage to become the leader Wears Valley needs.

Bitter experience has taught Ben Jernigan it’s best to look out for number one. For two years the former soldier has lived in a self-imposed exile, using a top-notch security system to keep people away. But he had to let Sela know about the impending threat—and now the quiet and undeniably sexy woman is making it too easy for him to lower his guard.

As panic spreads, Sela and Ben discover that in the dark, cut off from the outside world, there’s no more playing it safe—in life or in love.

About the Book

AFTER SUNDOWN by LINDA HOWARD AND LINDA JONES

Series: standalone

Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: March 31, 2020

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Tour Wide Giveaway

To celebrate the release of AFTER SUNDOWN by Linda Howard and Linda Jones, we're giving away a paperback copy of The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard to two lucky winners!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open internationally. Two winners will receive a paperback copy of After Sundown by Linda Howard and Linda Jones. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of HarperCollins.  Giveaway ends 4/30/2020 @ 11:59pm EST.

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About Linda Howard

LINDA HOWARD is the award-winning author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Up Close and Dangerous, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Cover of Night, Killing Time, To Die For, Kiss Me While I Sleep, Cry No More, and Dying to Please. She lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband and a golden retriever.

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About Linda Jones

LINDA JONES is the acclaimed USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy novels, including Untouchable, 22 Nights, and Bride by Command. She lives in Huntsville, Alabama.

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