10 Great Songs

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Addie Jo Ryleigh to the Power of 10 series. Today, Addie Jo shares ten great songs and her latest release, The Duke’s Temptation.

Here’s Addie Jo!

Addie Jo Ryleigh (2)I’m always listening to music. When I’m writing. When I’m driving. When I’m working. And just for the heck of it. I often find some great music from movies. Even as a kid I watched a wide range of films and often purchased the soundtrack shortly after watching. A list of ten will never hit on a fraction of the music that fills my iTunes account but I’m happy to share a few.

1. Runaway Train – Soul Asylum – This has been a long time favorite of mine. It could almost win out as my favorite. It is my go-to song when I’m having a bad day. I don’t use the song to lift my spirits, more to let my emotions out.

2. Fancy – Reba McEntire – As much as I love a huge variety of music today, I grew up on country and I don’t think there is a Reba song I don’t like. But nothing will ever beat Fancy.

3. The Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace – I was sixteen when became hooked on the unique sound of this song. Today my boys and I often crank it up on the radio as we are driving.

4. Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen – It is such a beautiful song. It is impossible to resist.

5. Pocketful of Rainbows – Elvis – I’m hooked on Elvis movies and as a result, I love so many Elvis songs from his movies. This is just one of my favorites.

6. Horses – Rickie Lee Jones – As I write this list, I go back and listen to the songs and I’m reminded of how moving music can be.

7. You Gotta Be – Des’ree – A great message.

8. Someone Like You – Shawn Colvin – She has such an amazing sound and I could have added so many more of her songs.

9. If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher – Wow. Cher. How can she not make a list of ten?

10. The Trouble With Love Is – Kelly Clarkson – If my list was longer, I would have included more recent ones because just like books, there are amazing songs being released every day. This is the most current on my list and I love the soulful sound to it.

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Blurb

A Duke. A Runner. An Earl.

Three men, each born into different circumstances. Each fighting to overcome their own adversity.

All striving to change their past.

Gabriel St. James, Duke of Wesbrook, desires any birthright other than being the son of a hideous man. Unfortunately, Gabe knows the exact moment he became like his father—a night that has haunted him for seven years. Resigned to his future, he is unprepared when his illegitimate—and more importantly unbeknown—young daughter appears on his London doorstep. With no one to care for her but him.

Lady Elizabeth Blakely has loved only one man—her brother’s longtime friend, Gabe St. James. Not even his rakish and, oftentimes, wicked behavior dissuades her. Yet it all seems hopeless as he continues to overlook the woman she has become.

When Elizabeth learns Gabe is in need of assistance with his daughter, she seizes the opportunity. Gabe, less than thrilled with the situation—mostly due to his fierce desire for his best friend’s sister—has no option but to concede. Besides, a more sinister threat lurks; someone is blackmailing Gabe with his darkest secret. Through it all, Gabe vows to resist Elizabeth, no matter how tempting.

Sometimes it’s better to surrender . . .

Excerpt

Chapter 1

LONDON, ENGLAND

JULY 1816

Gabriel St. James, the sixth Duke of Wesbrook, locked his gaze on the lady—if one could even call her that. Having never dealt with this particular kind of lady before, he was not acquainted with the proper protocol.

Truth be told, he shouldn’t be so taken aback by the situation. He was, after all, his father’s son, and therefore destined to live the same debauched life. It still burned that after years of struggling against it, in the end, he’d had no choice but to grudgingly accept his place within the family line of scoundrels. His father had made sure there was no alternative.

He narrowed his eyes on the vision before him. To have his debauchery presented in such a fashion was something else entirely. Something he wasn’t certain he could withstand. He couldn’t deny that he gambled more often than not, consumed his fair share of liquor, and was a rake of the first order, but there were some lines he refused to cross. He’d vowed to never fully become his father.

That obviously failed. Not even he could dispute the proof standing there. The very evidence that confirmed he was more like the previous duke than he thought.

As much as he desired it, he could no longer ignore her—all thirty-six inches of her. Despite his confusion, there was no doubt the pixie-faced, three-year-old standing before him was his daughter. His illegitimate daughter.

There, he’d done it. He finally found a word to describe her. Daughter.

Fury pumped through his veins and caused his hand to tighten on the all-too-brief letter that had arrived with her. How the hell could he not have known he’d fathered a child three years ago? Denial might have been his gut reaction but in actuality there wasn’t a need for him to validate the information. He knew it was true. Her features might be feminine, but almost every scrap of her proclaimed she was a Wesbrook. From her wavy ebony hair that gave a hint of unruliness, to the way she raised her tiny chin under his scrutiny.

If that wasn’t enough to give credence to the girl’s lineage, her eyes said the rest. Penetrating blue eyes—a blue so rich it reminded him of the field of cornflowers growing wild on his estate—surrounded by lashes as dark as the night. Only one person had eyes like that.

Cecilia Fairchild, the child’s mother . . . the woman he’d almost married.

buynow

Bio

Addie Jo lives in the same cold winter and hot summer area of Minnesota where she was born and raised. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her very understanding husband that so graciously enables her to fulfill her dream of writing. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side.

Addie Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting. When not writing, she can most likely be found reading anything that has a great romance involved. When she ventures from behind a book, she enjoys photography and spending time with her family.

Where to find Addie Jo…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Central


10 responses to “10 Great Songs

  1. Hey Ladies…I borrowed my teenage daughter’s flannel shirt yesterday…it is so in!
    Love the book, Addie Jo! Love the blog post—top ten songs—Joanne! Have a great weekend and bundle up in the flannel:)

    • I would love to hear your list 🙂 I was driving yesterday and had the iPod on shuffle when a Michael Buble song came on and I realized I left his song Home off the list. It is one of my all-time favorites. And Billie Holiday’s God Bless the Child. A list of 10 is never enough.
      Thanks for stopping in and have a great weekend!!

  2. Joanne, thank you for inviting me today and allowing me to share some great music and THE DUKE’S TEMPTATION. It was rather difficult narrowing it down to a list of ten. Even after I was done, I thought of some great ones. Oh well, next time 😉

  3. Thanks for the reference to Soul Asylum – taking me back to my angsty youth when I felt flannel was not just a fashion statement, but the defining fabric of a generation. What was wrong with me? Best of sales – I just went over to Amazon and picked up my copy!

    • Thank you Jessica for stopping by and the support!!! Soul Asylum helped get me through my teenage years 🙂 And there was plenty of flannel in my wardrobe at the time so you were not alone. Thanks again. Have a great day!

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