Review - Ghost of a Promise by Kelly Moran

A paranormal category romance from Entangled's Covet imprint...

It might be love…but will they survive the night?

The ghosts of her family's estate on the coast of Maine never troubled Ava Trumble. When she finally inherits the historic mansion, however, there's a small string attached: Ava has exactly one year to solve a 200-year-old mystery of a missing girl, or lose her family's home...

The lead investigator for paranormal TV show Phantoms, Jackson Granger, is prepared for any metaphysical encounter—until now. It's not just the uncanny sense of "coming home" or even his reaction to the fiery redhead who seems to consume his every waking thought. No, it's that the ghosts are using Jackson and Ava's attraction to play out a centuries-old tragedy. Heartbreak. Loss. Overwhelming passion. Now Jackson and Ava must determine if they're sharing something real...or if they've been possessed by a love that never died.

*I was given an ARC of this book by the Publisher for an honest review*

Kelly Moran can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. This is the third book of hers I've read and she has become a firm favourite of mine. Her writing is flawless and effortlessly sucks you into the story from the very first page. What she absolutely excels at in this novel is the creating of the spooky energy a paranormal novel needs that will have you wanting to leave the light on late at night. Some of the scenes in this book just about made my hair stand on end!

The sexual tension between Ava and Jackson is incredibly hot, but more than that - you get the feeling that the two characters actually like each other (not a common enough occurrence in romance novels I've read lately). The plot is well thought out and crafted and I loved being introduced to the secondary characters throughout the book, making me eager to read the following stories in this series.

I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a good mystery with a great cast of characters.

Amazon U.S.: http://amzn.to/1tgdCJa
Amazon CAN: http://tinyurl.com/ktv66fr
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/kdrq3pk
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ojh7hyh
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/k4zcj6n
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/l2glmxk

The Worst Blogger in the WORLD!

Hello!! Long time, no post, which is why I completely and utterly deserve the above ribbon :) Its kind of pretty don't you think?

Its been a crazy couple of months for me. I've had both good and bad things happen which has knocked me off my feet - literally.

You may have heard me mention the fact that I play social netball with other like-minded mums of small children. Its a great occasion to get out, have fun with the girls and get a bit of fitness in at the same time. I played centre which basically means leaping like a gazelle (in my head anyway!) to intercept, making sure the ball keeps away from the opposition's end of the court. It's preferable the ball spends the majority of time in our end and gets to our shooters as quickly and as often as possible.

You might note I used the word, played. That's because a year ago, I leaped for a beautiful intercept, but landed with a straight leg and my knee didn't like it one bit. It popped both ways, tearing the ligament and leaving me in agony. Here in New Zealand, we're lucky that we have a Government Agency called ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) which looks after people after they've injured themselves, pays for their surgeries, partial physio costs and helps get them back to full fitness. So, I finally had my surgery last month and am now in recovery-mode, which is going well. One thing being so incapacitated has taught me - I will never take having a well-functioning body for granted ever again!

But - I've had some wonderful news too. My third and first full-length book had come out early on Amazon. I'm so excited to see it there and for it finding it's way into reader's hands for the first time.

Just look at it! It's been a lot of hard work to get it to this point, and many times I thought the story would never be told, so to see it in all it's gorgeousness thrills me beyond measure! Now I'm on countdown until I get to hold the paperback in my hands! 

Here is the blurb and a little teaser for you....

He’s immersed in shadows—can she help him fight his way to the light?

Constable Kelly Appleton’s life turns upside down when her partner—the man she secretly loves—is shot. The lines between work and pleasure blur as she helps him recuperate, but frighteningly, his hold on reality loosens too.

After his brush with death, Nathaniel O’Leary questions everything—his life, his relationships, even his recent capture of a serial killer. When ghosts and an ominous shadow come calling, Nate struggles to stay grounded. Suddenly, keeping his hands off his sexy partner is the least of his problems.

As Kelly and Nathaniel work together to right a possible miscarriage of justice, they realize the shadow is a portent of death directly related to the serial killer. Terror strikes when the shadow reveals Kelly is the next target.

With evil closing in, can their love banish the shadows forever?

EXCERPT:

Temper sharpened her gaze. “Are you even listening to me?”

“You might want to back off,” he warned in a strained voice.

“Oh, might I? And why would that be?”

Nate looked down. The top of her dress stretched tight over her heaving chest, the position affording him a glorious view of cleavage. The peaks of her breasts were so close, if he took a deep breath, they’d brush against him. It took everything in him to take shallow breaths even as his tongue salivated at the thought of exploring the lush valley under the material. And who knew what he’d do then. She followed his gaze, and he heard her stifle a gasp. When she didn’t move away, his body hardened to the point of pain.

She lifted her head and another rush of blood went straight to his cock. Her pupils had dilated, her eyes darkened to midnight blue and a slow, feline smile stretched her generous mouth. “Why would I do that?” she repeated in a soft drawl.

“Because you might not like my reaction,” he growled, mindful to keep his breathing shallow.

Slowly, she lowered her head and allowed her body to drop closer until they were just a sliver apart. “But what if I do?”

Need ripped through him and without further thought, he shifted his knees wider, bringing her flush against his length. She groaned softly and his control snapped. Reaching out with graceless fingers, he snagged her hair, his fingers pulling on the tie holding it back. Blonde silk cascaded forward, the fragrant tresses shielding them from outside distractions. His hands bunched in the cool strands, delighting in the warmth of her scalp under his palm, and he tugged her towards him, the movement impatient.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-the-Shadows-ebook/dp/B00E51L2PC/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374733950&sr=1-2&keywords=beyond+the+shadows

Wowzers!

COVER REVEAL!!!!

I'm so thrilled to show off my beautiful new cover, for Beyond the Shadows, coming soon from The Wild Rose Press. Arial Burnz is the cover artist (she also did Affinity)and I'm blown away by how perfectly she has captured the essence of the story. I even had a friend point out to me the shadow hand on Kelly's (our heroine) shoulder! Details like the small cross Kelly wears made me want to cry. It is amazing. I can't say enough about this incredible cover artist. I'm definitely going to employ her services when I can afford some swanky new digs on the internet! If you need any graphics done, I highly recommend going to visit her here - Mystical Press.

Super Book Blast - Memories of Murder

I love taking part in Book Blasts. I find some incredible stories I may not have heard of otherwise and get to share them with you! Check out the blurb and excerpt of Memories of Murder below. Author, Lara Nance, is making it available on Amazon Kindle for only .99c from 4-8th March. Thanks, Lara!

Lara is also giving away some very generous prizes during her tour. At each stop, Lara will award a signed cover flat; and a $50 Amazon gift card will be awarded to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Check out her other stops to increase your chances of winning! Good luck!

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-super-book-blast-memories-of.html

 

BLURB:

When Maeve McKenna renounces her witch powers and accepts a low-key nurse practitioner position at a Virginia retirement community, the last thing she expects is a suicide her first day on the job.

     

As the town's sexy sheriff, Paul Sutton, starts looking into the tragic death of his father's friend, Maeve can't help but get involved--with both the case and him. Their informal investigation unveils an old journal that connects the ruins of a nearby asylum and long-forgotten cemetery with the shiny new retirement community's memory unit--and Maeve's Alzheimer's patients.

     

Maeve senses a sinister presence in the old asylum, calling to the patients, but in order to stop it from killing again, she must first conquer some demons of her own and reclaim the magic she's denied herself.

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

EXCERPT:

She imagined the thoughts that must be running through his head. She had to tell him everything now. If she didn’t, he would be dead in the next few days. He needed protection.

She stood up. “Want a glass of wine? This is going to be a long conversation.”

“Since I was just nearly killed, how about some whisky?” He fell back against the sofa. Liadan put her paws on his chest and licked his face.

Maeve went into the kitchen, trying to figure out how she’d gotten her powers back. It dawned on her that the morning after the Gems had arrived, her tea was not in its regular spot on the counter. She’d assumed her mother had only been cleaning, but apparently she’d also switched the contents of the jar to non-spelled tea.

She reached into the cabinet for the tea container and looked at it, shaking her head, then laughed. Never had she been so glad for the Gems meddling in her life. She threw it in the trash and returned to the living room with glasses, red wine, and a small bottle of George Dickel missing a few sips. “Here you go.”

He took the whiskey and tossed back a shot, then poured another glass, which he held between his hands. “So, what is it that tried to kill me and my father today?”

“You’re not going to believe me at first, but if you’ll hear me out, I think I have a pretty good case.”

He gestured with one hand for her to begin.

“Everything I’ve seen and heard, all the information in the journal, points to the presence of an evil spirit. I believe it’s the spirit of Dr. Colton Carterage.”

Paul stared at her for several moments. “You’re serious.”

“Completely.” She poured herself a glass of red wine from the freshly opened bottle, and sat in the chair across from him. A tingle of energy floated in the air. She recognized a witch cat at work. She tried desperately not to laugh at Liadan working her little cat magic on him, licking his face, nuzzling his chest, pushing her paws against his arm. He didn’t know what was happening, but darling LiLi was removing the mists of doubt from Paul’s eyes. 

Maeve explained about patients in the dementia unit seeing ghosts of people described in the book. She told him about the white deer and why the limb had fallen. When she came to the part she dreaded most, she looked at LiLi and the cat complied. She curled up in his lap, purring, increasing the intensity of her witchy magic to ease his believing.

“There’s one more thing you need to know. My mother, my aunts…and me…we’re witches.”

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

 AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lara Nance grew up and lived in many cities throughout the South. She loves to write in a variety of genres within the scope of women’s fiction. But the basis of all her stories is a tale that will entertain and intrigue.

If you want to escape and lose yourself in a novel, you’ve come to the right place. Choose your genre and settle in to be entertained. From thrilling mysteries and steampunk tales, to paranormal romance and adventure, Lara’s willing to explore a variety of compelling stories full of danger and suspense, with a touch of romance.

Having been on the fencing team in college and now living on a sailboat convinces her that she was a pirate in another life, or possibly kin to Errol Flynn… However, due to the unfortunate demise of the romantic pirates of the past, she lives out her fantasies, thrills and adventures in her stories.

Currently docked in Norfolk, Virginia (until the wind changes) Lara enjoys living on her sailboat and spends time reading, of course writing, indulging a variety of artistic endeavors, cooking and sailing with her husband, Joe and their Yorkie, Rio.

WEBSITE:  http://www.laranance.com

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/Lara_Nance

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lara-Nance-Author/164262596944196?ref=hl

BUY LINK:

http://www.amazon.com/Memories-Murder-paranormal-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00AVKAFE0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358027204&sr=8-2&keywords=memories+of+murder+lara+nance

Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Book Tour Stop - Whisper of a Witch

Please help me welcome Suza Kates to her first visit to Novel Natterings. Its a pleasure to have you stop by on your busy tour - I hope you find New Zealand to your liking :)

Suza will award signed cover flats and pens to a commenter at every stop, a total of five $15 Amazon/BN GCs to randomly drawn commenters during this tour and her Name Before the Masses tour, and gift basket to one commentator from both this tour and her Name Before the Masses tour, as well as a randomly drawn host prize TBA. Who wouldn't want that?! The more you comment, the better your chances are, so bring them on!

The tour dates can be found here: http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/08/virtual-book-blast-whisper-of-witch-by.

 

Without further ado, lets here about Suza's latest release!

 

 

Biologist Shauni Miller, a beautiful as she is compassionate, harbors a secret that could alter her life forever. If she chooses to share it. Dr. Michael Black helps Shauni in her time of need, but sees more in the raven-haired temptress than she ever meant to reveal. He knows she’s hiding something, but then, so is he. Both Shauni and Michael have a role to play and decisions to make as a centuries-old prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Only the fates know if they are meant to be together. Or if one of them has to die.

 

 

EXCERPT

“Oh, no you don’t,” she said with a shake of her finger. “I’m not being derailed again.”

“What?” His gaze lingered on her shoulders and the curve of her neck. He wasn’t halfway finished with her, yet. “Yeah. You were going to tell me something.”

“Now you’re catching on. And you were going to tell me how you found me out in those woods.” She looked at the large, golden lump of dog snoring in the foyer. “And don’t tell me it was all him.” 

Michael felt his previous mellow aura zipping up tight. She’d relaxed him to the point of pre-catatonia then after one look at her, he’d been aroused again and gunning for round two.

Now he felt neither level of satisfaction. He was back to agonizing over how she would react to his dirty little secret. Hell, she might consider it a breach of privacy, the way he perceived what people were feeling, especially his ability to tune in to her so well. It was like he had a direct line to channel Shauni. All day. All night.

So he did what any fearless man would do. “You go first.”

 

Woot!! I want more! Good luck everyone :)

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

SUZA'S BIO AND LINKS

Suza Kates can’t remember a time when she didn’t love books, but two particular memories stay with her. “As a young girl I picked up Little Women, read it straight through, and promptly turned to page one to start all over again. The next book I did that with was Mind Hunter by John Douglas, tales about profiling serial killers.”

Thus a twisted romantic was born.  

Throughout her teenage and young adult years, she read everything from horror to historical romance yet never imagined writing anything of her own.

It was during a long, cold winter in a tiny apartment in Germany that Suza picked up a pen and notebook to entertain herself. “The apartment was so tiny, my bed also served as my living room couch. Plus, I shared it with three cats.”

Missing the warmth, the hospitality, and the food of the South, she wrote about those things with a huge dose of family thrown in. She says she still has a sweet spot in her heart for her first book, Southern Moon, but to date, she hasn’t revisited it for submission to her publisher.  

Suza followed her heart to Savannah, Georgia, and it was the gorgeous city with its moss-covered oaks and secrets of history that inspired her to consider paranormal romance. “I had an idea about sisters and magic, so I went to work on the first book of The Savannah Coven Series, Whisper of a Witch. The series is still going strong, and I am grateful every day that I took a chance on paranormal romance, a genre I wasn’t very familiar with and had never actually read before writing it.”

Suza has since joined RWA and can’t say enough about this organization. “The education and support are unparalleled. I am so grateful to all of my fellow writers who have offered advice.”

Suza still resides in Savannah and is currently working on her next book. She considers it a perfect day when she can sit at the keyboard with coffee in her cup and one of her cats purring in her lap. 

www.suzakates.com

http://www.facebook.com/authorsuzakates

Silver Lake and Giveaway!

Hi Everyone! I feel very privileged to be hosting exciting debut author, Kathryn Knight. Kathryn has kindly offered an e-copy of Silver Lake to one lucky commenter. Don't forget to leave your email address so you're easy to find if you're the lucky one!

 

Hi Kathryn. Thanks for visiting! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sure, but first off, I’d like to say thank you for having me today!  I’m the mom of two boys, and my wonderful husband has been my biggest supporter throughout this journey into writing.  My educational background is actually in business, and I went as far as earning an MBA in an attempt to steer myself into a “practical” career!  Most mornings I teach fitness classes, which is a great part time job that I enjoy immensely.

What a great job that would be – and it would fit so well into a writing schedule too! When did you first consider yourself a writer?

It took me 2 ½ years to write Silver Lake, but I honestly didn’t consider myself a writer until I got that publishing contract on a Friday morning in December.  Having a publisher willing to back my work made it real for me.

Do you remember what inspired you to write your first book?

I had developed almost the entire plot for Silver Lake years before I even typed one word.  My husband is the one who convinced me to write the story down.  I think the original idea came from my genuine love for ghost stories mixed with romance.  For me, a mysterious and spooky paranormal element combined with a tension-filled romantic relationship is the perfect recipe for an exciting read. 

 

It sounds like this book was ‘the book of your heart’. I can’t wait to read it! I love call stories. Can you tell us about yours and your reaction?

On a chilly morning in December 2011, I opened my emails to see one waiting for me from the editor I’d submitted to at my publisher.  The subject line was only the title of my book, so I wasn’t sure what would be waiting inside.  When I opened it, heart pounding, I saw the line, “Attached please find your author contract.”  I ran around the kitchen, jumping up and down, and my youngest son, who had not yet left for school, was hugging me and jumping around with me.

 

That is such a gorgeous picture! How great to have such a special person to share your moment with! What drew you to write your chosen genre?

When I was in second grade, my father brought home the usual weekly stack of chapter books the local librarian had recommended for me.  Generally, the books revolved around horses, my main interest as an 8-year-old girl.  But sometimes other subject matter found its way into the pile, and this time, there was a book entitled Jane-Emily, by Patricia Clapp.  The tag line read “A ghost story…and a love story”.  My first paranormal romance—I was hooked.  I read that book over and over again throughout my childhood.  I’ve read it to my children.  When I see a looking glass ball in someone’s yard, the young ghost of the fictional Emily is still the first thing that jumps into my thoughts.

What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you?

I’m a perfectionist, so that’s a big challenge.  It becomes painful when it’s time for the final proof read of the Galley copy, when I know it’s my last chance to make a change or fix an error.  I drive myself crazy!

Oh, yes *nodding vigorously in agreement* That final check before hitting ‘send’ can be terrifying! Has anything coincidental happened in the real world while writing one of your books in terms of the characters, scenes or world you’ve created?

One thing I did not have figured out when I began writing Silver Lake was the location. I knew I needed certain requirements for the story to work, and after researching options, I chose the wealthy area of Fairfield County, Connecticut, and the nearby vacation area surrounding Candlewood Lake. Once I had made the decision, I knew I had to plan a visit—but since it was at least a 4-hour drive, I couldn’t do it in a day trip. In the next few days, we received a notification from my son’s AAA baseball team that we would need to make plans to travel to a tournament—which turned out to be right where I set my novel!

How cool is that?! It just goes to show this book was meant to be written J What are you working on right now?

I have a third novel on the backburner while I focus on edits for my second novel.

Latest news?

Last month, I received a contract for my second paranormal romance, Gull Harbor. We just finished perfecting the blurb and I hope to get a spring release date. 

Congratulations Kathryn! Now, who wants to learn more about Kathryn's book? I do too! Here is the blurb and a short excerpt. Don't forget to make a comment and leave your email address in case you're the lucky winner of the Silver Lake giveaway!

 

BLURB:

Rain Anderson can't decide which is more unsettling—encountering the ghost of her missing friend, or reuniting with the man whose love she foolishly rejected. But one thing is certain: the past has come back to haunt her, quite literally.

Five years ago, Rain's tight-knit group of high school friends unraveled when one vanished during their senior year. Now, a parent's deathbed request has reunited the friends at Silver Lake, including Jason Lansing, the man Rain discarded. Rain and Jason discover the powerful attraction between them has survived, but though Jason is willing to forgive, he can't let himself forget. The possibility of falling for Rain again is too risky.

Slamming doors, crashing objects, flaring fires—clearly the ghost has a message to share. As Rain and Jason struggle to unravel the truth, they must face a desperate spirit in need of help…and a burning passion that refuses to die.

 

EXCERPT:

 

“I saw...a figure. A figure with dark hair, and I think it was Brandy.” She shuddered and put her forehead back on his chest.

Reluctantly, he moved their bodies apart a bit and scanned her face. He held on to her shoulders and asked calmly, “You saw Brandy? Brandy is here?”

She shook her head. “No, I saw… like… an image of Brandy. I woke up, because it was cold, and I saw something moving. It was Brandy, I’m sure of it, although I didn’t see her face clearly. And then she, um, disappeared.”

“An image of Brandy? Are you saying you saw a ghost, Rain?” He was pretty sure she’d had another nightmare, but the way she had flown out of her room gave him the impression it had been an extremely vivid one.

“I know, it sounds ridiculous. But that’s what I saw. And she sort of, well, went through the wall. I’m sure you don’t believe me,” she added miserably, lifting her stormy eyes to his.

He pulled her back into a hug before he could stop himself. “I absolutely believe you. Whether you were awake or asleep, you saw Brandy and that’s scary. I don’t think we can deny that weird things are happening here.”

Jason smoothed her hair and waited patiently for her trembling to subside. If a ghost really was lurking in her bedroom, there wasn’t a whole heck of a lot he could do about that. A rare sense of powerlessness caused his jaw to clench in frustration.

He stopped watching the door and instead focused on the gorgeous woman in his arms. She clung to him, and his body responded to hers with a familiar ache. He knew he was losing the battle to keep his feelings platonic.

 

Author Bio:

As a child, Kathryn Knight kept her parents on a constant quest to find enough reading material to last her through each week. An early fondness for books about horses later gave way to a lasting preference for both love stories and ghost stories; as a writer, the paranormal romance genre is a perfect fit. Silver Lake is Kathryn's first novel; her second novel, Gull Harbor, has also received a contract from The Wild Rose Press and will be released in 2013. She lives in New England with her husband, her sons, and a number of rescued animals. Please visit her at www.kathrynknightbooks.com or on Facebook at Kathryn Knight books.

 

TWRP Buy Link http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4973

 Amazon Buy Link http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Lake-Kathryn-Knight/dp/1612173853/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345749376&sr=1-1&keywords=Silver+Lake+Kathryn+Knight

I love to hear from readers– please see the links below for more info!

Website - http://www.kathrynknightbooks.com/

FB - https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kathryn-Knight-books/305788679454063

Twitter - https://twitter.com/k_knightbooks