I’m happy to welcome back author Amber Daulton. Today, Amber shares ten memorable moments from Rubén Lozano, the protagonist of her new release,
Lost in His Spiderwebs.

Here’s Rubén!

Hola, Joanne. Thank you for inviting me to your blog today. I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to come. With Lost in His Spiderwebs now released, my life has been more chaotic than usual. Drina—that’s my woman—has conspired against me with our author, Amber. Those ladies have nagged me nearly to death, demanding I help promote the book with guest articles and bullshiii—ah, stuff—like that. They also don’t want me to curse, but a few words might slip in. That’s your warning. So, in the spirit of civility, here I am.

Your Power of 10 series sounded interesting, so I’ve compiled a list of my 10 most memorable moments in chronological order. Some are good moments, others downright awful. Let’s get started.

1. My mother’s death. – She was sleeping around on my father, so when he caught her with her lovers, he killed all three of them. I was furious and devastated over her loss, and by the brutality of it. Once her coffin hit the dirt, I made the decision to stop trying to please Papá. He was a bloodthirsty tyrant, something I’ve never wanted to be.

2. Meeting the love of my life. – A few years later, I met Drina Cabrera when she was working as a barista to put herself through school. I never should’ve asked her out, but one look at her, and I knew I had to have her. The last thing I expected was to fall head over heels for her. She was everything I didn’t deserve—smart, fiery, trusting. Best of all, she had no idea who I was or that I was connected to the most powerful family in Hermosillo. I could just be a normal man around her. It was freeing, despite my stress in trying to keep her in the dark.

3. Losing the love of my life. – All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes. Drina found out the truth, that I was second in line to rule the Lozano Cartel, after my father and older brother. She was as anti-cartel as you could get. Angry and heartbroken, she fled the city. I never thought I would see her again.

4. My sister vanished. – Carmen escaped her abusive prick of a husband and disappeared off the damn map. I searched for her with no luck, but in truth, I didn’t want to find her. Finding her meant she had to return to her husband, and I would rather she be free and out of my life than trapped another day in that sham of a marriage. If you want to learn more about Carmen and the American fugitive she falls in love with, read Dark Hearts Aflame. It’s the first book in the Lozano Cartel series.

5. My marriages. – Remember how I mentioned some of these memories are awful? Well, we’re not done yet. My father, Ovidio, coerced me into an unwanted marriage alliance, just as he did my brother and two younger sisters. The arrangement strengthened the cartel’s hold over our rival’s turf, but I didn’t love my wife. How could I? Drina had stolen my heart. My wife later died in childbirth, and I had to marry again. Then my second wife died. It seemed I was cursed when it came to women.

6. The death of my son. – Aries was stillborn. Losing him was the hardest loss of all. An innocent baby who never had the chance to take a single breath. Life isn’t fair, as I’ve well learned over the years.

7. Taking command of the family business. – All right, now for some better memories. Papá died last year, and my brother died a few years before. If you knew them as I did, you would celebrate their passing, too. As the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, I’m implementing changes and leading my people in a new direction.

8. Drina returns. – I was in the middle of peace negotiations with a rival cartel when I found her at their distribution center. She was their captive, being used as forced labor to package drugs. I couldn’t leave her there, so I did the only thing I could. I bought her. And I kept her.

9. Rebuilding our relationship. – Drina was no longer the starry-eyed innocent girl I once knew. She was stronger now, braver. After the hell she’d endured, she had to be strong, or she wouldn’t have survived. The rekindling of our relationship was filled with tension, mistrust, lots of sex, and the elephant in the room—our past. But I wasn’t about to lose her a second time. I never stopped loving her, as much as I tried.

10. My new family. – Even though Drina fell under my spell, she longed to go home. To her daughter, Sera. If there’s one thing I pride myself on, it’s that I don’t involve children in the business. But I need an heir, a son to raise in my image, and I’m determined Drina will give him to me. So now I have a stepdaughter to care for. I’m going to protect Sera at all costs—for Drina’s sake, and because this girl is much more than what she appears.

All right, I think I’ve given you enough spoilers. Joanne, you and your readers are lucky you’ve caught me on a good day. I’m not usually so forthcoming with information. These memories—these raw, brutal moments—have shaped me into the man I am today. Believe it or not, I like who I am. To some people, I’m a monster. To others, I’m the monster who protects them. No one would ever call me a hero. And that’s fine with me.

Blurb

Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?

Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.

After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.

When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen?

– Book two in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.

– Scenes featuring drug distribution, violence, kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault may be uncomfortable for some readers.

– No cheating. HEA guaranteed!

Tagline: The cartel king has finally found his queen.

Excerpt (PG)

(Background Info on Scene: Rubén is hosting a fundraising gala at his home. He’s waiting for Drina to appear, who’s running late.)

Rubén’s words cut off as Manuel whistled. Drina stepped into the room with a confident, fluid grace that masked the uneasiness and tension narrowing her eyes—but he saw it. Her soul was his to bear free.

The chatter dimmed. Heads turned her way.

Dios mío. He couldn’t blame the men for ogling. Her emerald-green satin gown clung to her curves and pushed up her generous cleavage past the heart-shaped neckline. The cap sleeves flared out with sharp, stiff, brocaded wingtips that only a powerful woman could pull off. She did it in spades. From her diamond earrings and black velvet choker to her hair pinned up on one side with jeweled clips and flowing loose on the other, she was sex incarnate. A goddess. Male pride surged right to his core.

Drina strode toward him without gifting her admirers a glance. “I’m sorry I’m late.” She shifted her gaze from Rubén to Enrique and back again. “I had the hardest time deciding if I should wear this. Is it too much?” She slid her hands down the bodice of her gown.

As Enrique laughed, Rubén choked and swallowed hard to find his voice. “No, no. It’s perfect. You look like a queen.” My queen. “The only thing missing is your crown.”

“Thank you for the jewelry. I didn’t see the box until I sat at the vanity to do my makeup.” She fingered her teardrop diamond necklace, then patted her blemished cheek. Foundation and rouge smoothed out the pinkish-brown discoloration. “My scar isn’t fully covered. You’re welcome.”

Sassy woman. What he wouldn’t do to take her upstairs, bury himself between her thighs, and banish his regret for hurting her days earlier? Patience—he needed patience. Once she healed, he would treasure her body so thoroughly he’d wipe their last encounter from her mind.

“Incoming,” Enrique murmured as Manuel, Gerardo, Ferrer, and the others drew near.

Rubén placed his hand on the small of Drina’s back. “Gentlemen, this is Drina Cabrera.” As he rattled off the men’s names and designations, he glared at each of them, silently warning them to behave.

The board members bobbed their heads in greeting, respectful as always.

Gerardo’s gaze dipped to her chest before he jerked it back to her face.

Manuel openly gawked at her and flashed Rubén a lewd grin. “You lucky bastard. How did you get this beauty on your arm?”

“Remember who you’re talking to,” Rubén bit out.

The man’s smile faltered. He grabbed a flute from a waiter’s tray and gulped it down.

Rubén snatched one for Drina and handed it over. “Excuse us while we make our rounds,” he said to the group. Clasping Drina’s arm, he guided her around pockets of his guests to the foyer. “You’re doing well,” he whispered to her. “Keep your head up and back straight. Before the night is over, everyone will know I’ve taken a new woman.”

She pursed her red lips. “Wonderful. What number am I in this long line of mistresses and whores?”

“Third.” He rounded on her and backed her gently against the side of the staircase. “After Ramona and Fay. You’re special, Drina. Everyone will see that.”

Her throat bobbed, the diamond teardrop swaying. “I see. That’s all right, then.”

Buy Links

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About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

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I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Chris Redding. Today, Chris shares her new release, Dogged Determination.

Blurb

A vegetarian veterinarian needs cash for a no-kill shelter, which is her life’s passion. But her efforts to fundraise have been stymied, because she doesn’t know anyone rich.

The heir to a hot dog fortune must give away money before he gains his inheritance. Having been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, he doesn’t know anyone needy enough.

Sounds like a match made in Heaven, but when a stray mutt brings them together, will they recognize what the other can provide?

Exclusive Excerpt

Despite not showing the dog much affection, the man did care about Spike. Maybe Paul wasn’t a demonstrative person. Who was Daria to judge? At least he’d brought the animal in to be seen. They stood in her green-painted exam room. As she studied the walls, she wondered if she could have chosen a better color.

Shaking herself, she went back to her perusal of Spike’s owner. Daria didn’t trust anyone who didn’t like animals. Samuel, at least, had a cat. He just never appreciated her animals, taking her away. “I have to send the results out to a lab. I can pull some strings to get the test done first thing.”

He frowned. “There isn’t someplace to do the test tonight?”

She had to admire his concern for the dog. An attractive guy who loved animals couldn’t be all bad. He probably wasn’t rich either. That was a plus in her book. “No, no one’s open.” She dropped the test tube into a mailer. She missed.

The man caught the vial before the glass tube could shatter on the floor.

She took it and then placed the tube into the mailer. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s get some dinner.”

The rumble from her stomach could have awakened the dead. “I don’t think so.”

He cocked his head. “You’re hungry. I’m hungry. I made you miss your dinner.”

Her mouth dropped open. Even though the event had been on her mind all week, she hadn’t remembered the benefit. Something about this man made her mind go blank. What was distracting about him? Was she distracted by the way he gave her his whole attention? She’d missed a great opportunity to network with rich people. “Trust me, we will bill you.”

Author Bio and Links

Chris Redding has been writing romance and suspense for more than two decades. She’d written more than 60 novels and novellas over her career as a ghostwriter.

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Giveaway

Chris Redding will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Chris on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Jane Loeb Rubin. Today, Jane shares the novels in The Gilded City Trilogy: In the Hands of Women, Threadbare, and Over There.

Blurb

In the Hands of Women, (June 2023) takes the reader on an electrifying ride through the dawn of the 20th century, delving into the restrictive state of women’s rights, backroom abortions, the plight of immigrants to the Lower East Side of NYC and the prison system at Blackwell’s Island, all through the voice of a young OB/Gyn, Tillie’s younger sister, Hannah.

Threadbare, (June 2024) is a historical novel written as a tribute to Jane Rubin’s great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who died from a ‘woman’s disease’ in the early years of the twentieth century. It explores the ultra-conservative late Victorian era through a Jewish female character living among the poor, struggling to build a garment company and pushing back against antisemitic and misogynistic values dominating the time. She acquired wealth, only to have life upended by a cruel, unexpected challenge.

Over There (June 2025) brings four family members of Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, all doctors and nurses, into The Great War, each facing down authentic challenges of the period. Meticulously researched and crafted on four stages, the reader experiences the jarring reality of trench warfare, magnificent rise of the American Hospital in Paris, unimagined medical innovations owed to the dedication of healthcare workers, and the universal, frightening impact war has on children.

Excerpt – Threadbare

His eyes burst with astonishment. “What do your husbands think about you ladies starting a business venture? It’s unheard of. Don’t you have children at home to tend?”

Abe’s advice came to mind as my blood heated to a boil. Keep discussing the sale. Don’t let the customer bait you. I filled my chest with air, hoping my irritation didn’t show. “Mr. Kraft, our husbands are in the button and fabric businesses. Our products are interconnected, and in the end, it helps grow their businesses, too. Just as our kits will grow Butterfield’s pattern sales.”

Mr. Kraft nodded cautiously. “Hmm. I’ll run the idea by Mr. Peters, my boss, and let you know what he decides. But he’ll want to meet your husbands.” He fell silent, then added, “I expect the idea may pan out in some way.”

Excitement rose within me, but I kept my expression still. I was learning the art of poker, too. “Please let him know our factory is ready to fill orders immediately.”

He stood. “Could you kindly leave one of your kits, as you call them, with me? Let’s arrange a meeting next week. Please project costs and pricing for one thousand units, and then we can talk business.” Before leaving the room, he faced us and added, “But next time, bring your husbands.”

Author Bio and Links

Author, Jane Loeb Rubin has won numerous awards including the Historical Novel Society’s First Chapters short list for Over There, released May, 2025 by Level Best Books. She will be speaking at numerous Florida events as listed on her website.

With an extensive healthcare background Ms. Rubin began writing in 2009 after a serious cancer diagnosis. She now has a four-book deal with Level Best Books (Threadbare-2024, In the Hands of Women-2023, Over There-2025, The Hat Trick-2026), following the fictional life of her great-grandmother’s family.

In the Hands of Women, (June 2023) takes the reader on an electrifying ride through the dawn of the 20th century, delving into the restrictive state of women’s rights, backroom abortions, the plight of immigrants to the Lower East Side of NYC and the prison system at Blackwell’s Island, all through the voice of a young OB/Gyn, Tillie’s younger sister, Hannah.

Threadbare, (June 2024) is a historical novel written as a tribute to Jane Rubin’s great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who died from a ‘woman’s disease’ in the early years of the twentieth century. It explores the ultra-conservative late Victorian era through a Jewish female character living among the poor, struggling to build a garment company and pushing back against antisemitic and misogynistic values dominating the time. She acquired wealth, only to have life upended by a cruel, unexpected challenge.

Over There (June 2025) brings four family members of Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, all doctors and nurses, into The Great War, each facing down authentic challenges of the period. Meticulously researched and crafted on four stages, the reader experiences the jarring reality of trench warfare, magnificent rise of the American Hospital in Paris, unimagined medical innovations owed to the dedication of healthcare workers, and the universal, frightening impact war has on children.

The Hat Trick, Ms. Rubin’s work in process (May 2026) transports her family characters into the mid-1920’s in the years before the Borscht Belt in Sullivan County, NY.

Ms. Rubin, a graduate of the University of Michigan (BS, MS) and Washington University (MBA), retired from a 30-year career as a healthcare executive to begin writing full-time. She lives with her husband, David, an attorney, in Northern New Jersey. Between them, they have five adult children and seven grandchildren. Ms. Rubin’s work is available at all on-line retailers, Indigo Books, select Barnes and Noble Book stores and upon request from Level Best Books.

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Giveaway

Jane Loeb Rubin will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Jane on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Helen Gillespie. Today, Helen shares her creative journey and debut novel, The Goodbyes.

Interview

What was your inspiration for this book?

The short answer is, the town of Marshfield, Missouri inspired me. I lived there for a very time. I must have picked up a ghost while there because almost immediately I wanted to write something about the town. It took a personal traumatic event and a job where I was underutilized while having access to a computer to begin writing the story. When I was activated to go to Iraq as part of the U.S. Army Reserves, the story lay barren during my deployment and many years afterward. It took another personal trauma to get myself back to a computer and listen to the ghost that had been with me all those years. The ghost was quick to reveal everything but the ending. After some struggle, the ending was revealed.

Describe your writing space.

I have a cluttered desk. Or it could be described as a “desk with plenty of inspiration.” I’m very fortunate to have a secluded office with a sliding door leading to a beautifully treed backyard with a spinner and a birdhouse that has never been occupied. I do wish three things would change about my writing environment: trees are overgrown, and the dogs keep wanting to go in and out my door.

What is your favorite quote?

A seventh-grade science teacher constantly said, “Things aren’t as they seem to be.” I use that as a guide in my writing. I loved that class!

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

I love wind band and old time (1930s/1940s) music. For many years I loved playing tuba and upright bass. Now I just let my fingers make music on my computer keyboard. I don’t listen to music while I write because I’m too analytical and it sends me off into a daydream. In this way I’m very much like my character, Dianne.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Yes. Write. Read. Do both because you enjoy doing each, not because you plan on becoming the next great writer. There’s too much pressure in that.

What are you working on next?

I’m working on a sequel, of course! I previously mentioned “Things are as they seem to be.” The sequel will reveal this very thing. Oh, something else the science teacher often said, “Pay attention.”

Blurb

Struggling with becoming an adult in a small mid-western town, Dianne has to confront family secrets, deception, and discovery during her last year of college. As she cares for her ailing mother, her world begins to unravel and she is challenged to navigate through lies, friendships, love…and murder. Meeting the wrong person makes it possible for her to recognize the right ones and to find the strength she needs to survive. Suddenly realizing that she is responsible for her own destiny, she learns that to say hello to a new life, she must first say goodbye.

This is a family drama that follows a woman’s struggles with her mother’s death, a murder and how she deals with all of this and learns how to say goodbye to all that she has known in her life.

Excerpt

All living creatures hold secrets for basic survival. Humans keep secrets to preserve their image, hide their misjudgments, or protect those they care about. Only in the safest conditions, absolute trust or vulnerability, can humans feel safe divulging their secrets, laying bare their hidden selves.

Katrina England and her husband did not keep secrets from Dianne or indulge in the usual childhood fantasies of princesses or fairy godmothers with her daughter. Even Santa Claus was introduced from a historical perspective rather than as a magical elf. The Englands were doting parents who disciplined their daughter when necessary and answered her questions honestly, only withholding information that surpassed Dianne’s maturity. Yet, despite this philosophy, Katrina did hold a few secrets, one very close.

As Dianne approached adulthood, Katrina began to share these secrets. By then, Dianne’s father had died, leaving the two women to navigate life together as a family with no other relatives living close by. Katrina often grappled with the lifelong weight of a childhood secret and her secret of late, a terminal cancer diagnosis. Both became weightier as her cancer took hold. When Dianne began dating the MegaMart store manager, Katrina’s concern of her daughter’s future turned to worry.

Dianne, nearing graduation while dealing with her mother’s illness, found herself facing unexpected challenges. When Michael D. Glossen entered her life, her challenges became problems. Oddly, she met “Michael D” when a cream rinse emergency arose.

Author Bio and Links

Throughout grammar school and college, Helen Gillespie loved developing story sketches or full stories but kept them hidden within herself. That creative spark proved valuable in unexpected places, first on assignment as a musician in the US Army, and after leaving the Army, when she earned a degree in elementary education. After reentering the Army in 1981, she put pen to paper, or rather, “fingers to an Olivetti.” She officially learned the art of journalism to serve the Army, but it quickly became a personal passion. Interviewing fellow soldiers, exploring their jobs and personalities, and publishing useful information for the military community formed the basis of her skill and enjoyment. Those years of thought, training, education, and experience laid the foundation for crafting her first novel, The Goodbyes.

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Giveaway

Helen Gillespie will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Helen on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Colleen L. Donnelly. Today, Colleen shares her new release I Have a Story.

Blurb

Jim Turner writes crime but doesn’t live it. He respects his grandfather’s tales of heroes but doesn’t believe them. When his failing grandfather sends him to a remote peninsula to write the end of his own heroic love story, Jim includes a war criminal interview to maintain his edge.

Chastity is an anomaly, a misfit in pre-WWII culture as well as in Jim’s life. Her spritely charm and endearing features turn Jim’s world upside down, especially when she reveals his grandfather’s peninsula as the site of her upcoming wedding.

Do good journalists flee when their interviewee is murdered? Do heroes write fiancés out of another’s story and themselves in? “The End” become the hardest words for Jim to write.

Excerpt

Author’s Note: Boy meets Girl. A commitment that lasts forever.

“I want you there with me.” She gazed down.

“I would love to stand up there with you,” I said with far too much honesty in my voice. “If I can’t be the groom, I can at least be a brides-man instead of a bridesmaid.”

Warmth shone in her eyes when she looked up. “You will always be my brides-man, Jim. Always and forever.” She squeezed my hands.

We both stared at our clasped hands, her naked ring finger amidst her other heavily ringed ones almost shouting, “I am waiting for Dwayne, for his promise—I am keeping myself for him only.”

I touched the empty place where a diamond should be. If Chastity was my girl, she would be sporting a rock so big guys like me would stay away from her.

“No wedding or engagement rings,” Chastity said. “I assume that is what you are wondering. Dwane suggested we get tattoos. I will have a D on my ring finger, and he is having a C tattooed onto his.”

“You’re what?” I practically bellowed, fascinated and horrified at the same time. “You can’t do that. I mean, are you sure?” What would her parents think?

Her cheeks tinged pink as she stared at her stark finger.

Surely, I could come up with a word less discourteous than “outrageous.” Some writer I was. “It’s just that a tattoo is pretty bold.” Unless you were a sailor. “If something happens to Dwayne, you will have to wear gloves the rest of your life.” My dark and slimy side didn’t have to suggest that I buy her a pair as a wedding gift. White gloves with a tiny pearl button at the wrist. It was purely my idea, and even if I carried the wrapped gloves with me the rest of my life, I would buy them.

Buy Links

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Author Bio and Links

Colleen L Donnelly put her science education to use for years and then put it behind her to pursue other passions. Her first love is writing and her second is hunting—hunting for that next good story, hunting for relics and antiques, hunting for the next good author to read. An avid believer in work hard/play hard, Colleen splits her time between indoors and out, always busy at something.

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Giveaway

Colleen L Donnelly will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Colleen on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Helene Matheson. Today, Helene shares her new release, The Rebellious Countess.

Blurb

Society may be run by the men of the ton, but six scandalous sisters are determined to take it by storm one gentleman at a time.

Máira Blair married for love, her honeymoon trip with the Earl of Dorset is a dream come true—until reality turns it into a nightmare. Máira wakes up to discover her husband isn’t an earl, but the captain of a pirate ship and what was supposed to be her honeymoon, is a voyage bound for war-torn France. If that isn’t enough to disparage her husband’s character, he abandons her in the middle of a French port where she must find a way to survive as she defends her virtue and her life. Just when she’s convinced of what kind of rogue she married, the pirate transforms into a hero on a quest to save her and the missing Earl of Astley.

Sir Elias Drake married for convenience, he needed a Scottish bride to complete his mission. He can resist his desire for his beautiful wife, especially after she discovers his true identity. Except Máira Blair was more than he bargained for. He needs her skills, cherishes her compassion, and is tormented by her passion, which only makes him want her and the life their marriage represents more.

It will require both of their talents to rescue the Earl of Astley, and it will take more than a war to defeat their hard-won love—if they can escape.

Excerpt

Her Scottish blood began to simmer. The mettle of her ancestors wronged by backstabbing, licentious English bastards was rising to a call so deeply ingrained in her soul, she wanted to fight. It didn’t matter her mother was English, she was a Scottish bastard through and through as far as the ton was concerned. One of the scandalous sisters. Even Iseabail’s marriage to a duke hadn’t been able to stop the label from spreading. Máira’s good-for-nothing husband had just added to her family’s ruination by making her a walking, talking scandal of the worst kind.

It was Ellison. There was no doubt. It didn’t matter that he wore clothes she didn’t recognize, or that a hat sat low over his brow hiding most of his features. It didn’t matter that the sun was going down and the only light in town was coming from the windows of The Happy Hag. It didn’t matter that she’d somehow slept the night and day away probably due to the bump on her head.

She knew it was Ellison by the tune he whistled and poetical way he performed it. He’d whistled that same tune the night of their wedding. How she remembered that she wasn’t certain, but it was him, of that there was no doubt. He could whistle like no one she’d ever heard in her life. Melodic, and sorrowful, his song spoke of love found and lost. It spoke to her soul, and she wanted to punch those sinful lips for making her feel anything but hatred.

Buy Links

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Author Bio and Links

Helene Matheson writes steamy Regency historical romance novels with intelligent, unstoppable heroines who don’t require an alpha male to save them—having one in their bed is another story.

Helene moved south for fun in the sun after she retired from public service and began pursuing her life-long dream of writing. She wrote the Amazon best-selling mystery series The Book Barn Mysteries for Lyrical Press and has written multiple award-winning romantic suspense novels under Kym Roberts.

In her spare time she can be found woodcarving by the pool or blogging for The Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction. To contact her on social media, you can find her under KymRoberts911 on FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Her books can also be found on her websites: HeleneMatheson.com or KymRoberts.com

Giveaway

Helene Matheson will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Helene on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Joie Lesin. Today, Joie shares her new release, The Passenger.

Blurb

She’s a 1940s ghost whisperer.

Burdened with her empathic gift, Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of it and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of an old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home.

He’s the son of a ghost.

Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who abandoned him as a child. To help the father pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction.

Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her?

The Passenger, a 1940s ghost story set in the California wine country, tells a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found.

Excerpt

Elizabeth’s stomach churned in nervous knots. She squirmed on the cloth seat, and her foot twitched. If he heard her erratic heartbeat, he’d realize how frantic she was—and hot. Perspiration built up on her forehead. Grabbing the metal handle, she rolled down the squeaking window, and inhaled the pure air. The fragrances of the forest filled her senses—the resinous scent of pine, the earthiness of soil, and damp detritus of fallen branches and decaying leaves. The surrounding land was alive, vibrant, and something more she couldn’t quite identify. Somehow, the vehicle they drove in and the path it traveled seemed out of place.

Gravel on the uneven road crunched and ground under the truck’s tires. Elizabeth sat straight in her seat and stole stiff, awkward glimpses at Giovanni. A frown marked his lips. His lean, well-defined face held soulful eyes bringing to her mind images of the sad little boy he must have been.

A thin red scar stretched down his right cheek and she itched to run a finger along the faded edges. She’d caress his stubble-shadowed chin and tell him how terribly his father missed him.

Instead, she stared out the truck window.

Buy Links

The Wild Rose Press Book Page | Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Author Bio and Links

Award-winning, Minnesota-based author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and poet. She is most recently the author of The Passenger (The Wild Rose Press, 2024) and her work is also featured in Scribeworth Magazine. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including mermaids and ghosts. Joie writes character-driven, emotional, atmospheric tales about heartache and hope.

Website | Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Goodreads Book Page

Giveaway

Joie Lesin will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Joie on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Lori Matsourani. Today, Lori shares her new release, Ghosted.

Blurb

When her fiancé’s infidelity prompts Bethany Hendren to map out a new path forward, her plans are disrupted by an unexpected encounter with Nick Dorsey, who convinces her to help search for the remains of a troubled eighteenth-century ghost. Nick is the handsome summer boyfriend who ghosted her years ago, and now he wants to rekindle their relationship.

Despite her reluctance to trust him, Bethany discovers he’s still the funny, caring person who captured her heart as a teen, but giving him a second chance is risky—it could lead to love and happiness or result in another devastating heartache.

Although Bethany wants a happily ever after with Nick, does she have the courage to trust him with her future?

Excerpt

The fountain that night was magical. Spotlights positioned at the edges of the narrow brick patio lit the cast-iron maiden as she filled her goblet from an urn with a never-ending flow of water.

Nick stopped and retrieved his dime. Bethany fished a penny out of her pocket, and they counted to three before flinging their coins into the pool.

After settling on a nearby bench, he drew her into his arms. Was this it? The moment she’d wondered about, waited for? She looked up into his eyes and inhaled, filling her lungs with the scent of sunscreen and salty air. His scent. Then he leaned down, touched her cheek with his index finger, and brushed his mouth against hers. His lips, spiced with traces of red pepper flakes, were softer than she had imagined. Without thinking, she lifted her face to his, hungrily snatching more kisses until she’d spent her last breath.

“My wish came true,” he’d murmured, tightening his arms around her as his mouth rested on hers.

She’d whispered back, “So did mine.”

The memory dredged up the old ache, now muted by time. Nick thought they were still friends, although he’d been the one who ended their relationship. Was it possible he still thought about her, and his heart still pounded with the chemistry that had pulled them together so long ago?

Buy Links

Books2Read | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | WildRosePress

Author Bio and Links

Author Lori Matsourani is a romance addict. Give her stories with a touch of heartbreak and a spark of joy, and she’s happy. Throw in characters with a huge helping of heart and soul, and she’s up reading all night in romance heaven! While currently a Texas resident, Lori grew up near Baltimore and often draws on the historical flavor of Annapolis and Maryland’s Eastern Shore to inspire her story settings. She authored her first fiction story at twelve and has been hooked on writing ever since. Early on, her writing career focused on articles for magazines and newspapers before shifting to her first writing love—fiction. For Lori, connecting words to tell a story is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, and she loves the challenge of creating every piece.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Bluesky | Threads | X | TikTok

*Win a copy of the book at this Goodreads Giveaway. *

Giveaway

Lori Matsourani will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Lori on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.