Happy New Year's Eve!

I hope you are celebrating YOU as we start this new year---everything you've survived and accomplished in 2019 and all you have to look forward to in 2020!

In the Non-Fiction Corner: The Best Gifts

In The Non-Fiction Corner With Lauren

First of all, I just wanted to say that not only is Zachary Hutchins a great writer, but he is a great person. I have met him and I know how he has worked to perfect his writing. And he succeeded! 

In his book, he discusses what spiritual gifts mean, how to use them, and examples from the Book of Mormon on how others have used their spiritual gifts. This scholarly read is truly eye-opening if you are searching for a way to understand the meaning of spiritual gifts better.

He begins his book with a quote from Russell M. Nelson, where he asks each of us to learn about spiritual gifts and says it is one of the most important things we can do in this life. I had never had that thought, but it would make sense that as we learn about our own spiritual gifts, we will be more in tune with our Heavenly Father and more able to accomplish our mission here on earth. I loved the author's examples from his own life, as well as the quotes he chose and the examples from the scriptures. I particularly enjoyed the section where he compared our day with early church history. He pointed out that we may not see the same, large scale miracles and visitations, but as we learn about our own spiritual gifts we see that miracles have not ceased, they are just shown differently.

This is a wonderful book that has made me want to further my study on spiritual gifts, because those are truly the best gifts of all.

Get your copy here

Here's the back copy: 

The spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost are available to all those who love the Lord and seek after righteousness. But what are these gifts, and how can their power be harnessed? Discover answers in The Best Gifts: Seeking Earnestly for Spiritual Power, an inspiring guide to recognizing, appreciating, and developing spiritual gifts in our lives. Besides drawing upon scriptural references and prophetic council, author Zachary M. Hutchins also incorporates a wealth of modern-day examples to lend contemporary applicability to gospel principles. From the psychology behind our ability to “always remember Him” to scriptural case studies of those who successfully developed spiritual gifts, this book breathes new life into eternally significant concepts. Cultivate a renewed determination to seek the gifts of the Spirit in your journey along the covenant path by coming to recognize the God-given power available to all who will follow Him.

Friday Freebie for Regency Fans!

I haven't read any Sally Britton books, but several people have recommended her to me and her regency romance, Rescuing Lord Inglewood, is free today! It looks like the perfect weekend read.

You can download your free copy here

Here's the back copy:

All he wants is someone he can trust. All she wants is to belong. But when compromising circumstances force them together, do they have a chance at finding love?

Silas Riley, Earl of Inglewood, is known among his peers in Parliament as the man made of stone. As a wealthy peer, there are few he trusts with his friendship. He guards his heart and his honor with vigilance, and when an accident nearly takes his life, he’s faced with a situation which threatens his standing in society.

Growing up in the shadow of her older brother, Esther Fox’s acceptance in his circle has been indifferent at best. So when she ends up in a compromising situation as she saves the life of her brother’s dearest friend, the Earl of Inglewood, she is forced to marry him to save her own reputation. Once again, she finds herself accepted only because of the situation, and not because she is truly wanted.

Neither are prepared for a loss which further complicates their new relationship. With such a difficult beginning, can they ever hope to understand one another, let alone find love?

My 2019 Keeper List---Do You Need Some Book Ideas For Your Gift Cards?

Isn't that meme adorable? I love Baby Yoda.

Did Santa bring you some books for Christmas? Or gift cards? I'm so excited to use mine!

If you need book suggestions, I was looking over the clean romance books I loved this year and thought I'd give you some of the books that topped my keeper list in 2019! 

In no particular order:

1. The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah Eden

2. Moonstruck by Sariah Wilson

3. Charlotte's Promise by Jennifer Moore

4. For Love or Honor by Sarah Eden

5.  My Not-So-Wicked Ex-Fiance by Jennifer Peel

6.  The Lady in the Coppergate Tower by Nancy Campbell Allen

7.  The Heart of a Vicar by Sarah Eden

8. Daisies and Devotion by Josi Kilpack

9. Love at Lakewood Med by TJ Amberson

10.  Wager for a Wife by Karen Tuft

11. Finding Anne de Bourgh by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

12. Deborah by H.B. Moore

13. Girl in Gray by Annette Lyon

14.  My Not-So-Wicked Stepbrother by Jennifer Peel

15. Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey

Merry Christmas!

I hope you're having a wonderful, love-filled day today! Thank you for being such wonderful friends and fans. Merry Christmas!

Happy Christmas Eve! Tomorrow is the Big Day!

I'm so excited for tomorrow. I had a few books on my Christmas list that I'm hoping to get. But mostly I can't wait to share the day with my family! We have some Christmas traditions of games and fun that we'll be doing tonight with extended family, then a few at home with just us.

What about you? Do you have traditions for Christmas Eve?

One More Christmas Giveaway!

The big day is almost here! I'm going to do one more giveaway of a $5.00 Amazon gift card so you can buy yourself an ebook this week. All you have to do to enter is tell me what you're most looking forward to on Christmas day! (The winner will be randomly chosen and notified tomorrow.) For me, I can't wait to see my kids opening their presents. What about you?

Sweet Romance Spotlight and a $50 Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Meet the members of Oregon Mountain Search and Rescue and watch them fall in love in Hood Hamlet with a little help from Christmas magic.

In His Christmas Wish, Jake Porter is burdened by guilt, believing he could have saved two friends during a climbing accident and kept Carly Bishop from the heart-wrenching loss of her fiancé and brother. When she arrives in town for the holidays, Jake wants to make amends so they can both move forward with their lives. As he helps Carly experience the magic of Christmas, will he also be able to open her heart to…love?

In Her Christmas Secret, Sean Hughes asks snowboarder Zoe Flynn to pose as his girlfriend at Thanksgiving dinner, which will take the pressure off him from his meddling family, who enjoy matchmaking. But when an injury occurs, the two are forced to continue their one-night ruse until the line between make-believe and reality blurs. Zoe, however, has a secret…a big one. Is their new relationship strong enough to withstand the truth?

In Her Christmas Kiss, Leanne Thomas works hard to be “one of the boys” at the fire station and on the mountain. After she rescues gorgeous, rookie firefighter Christian Welton, he glimpses a softer, more vulnerable side to her tough-as-nails personality and he’s intrigued. A surprise kiss under the mistletoe sparks a three-alarm fire, but something is holding her back. Will Christian’s kisses break through Leanne’s tough exterior and melt her heart? 

In His Christmas Family, Bill Paulson invites two wayward travelers into his home. Something about Grace Wilcox, a widow, and her young son touches Bill’s heart, so he decides to give them a special Christmas. When attraction flares between Grace and Bill, she won’t gamble her heart on a hero and Bill doesn’t consider himself husband material. Can a little Christmas magic show them love and a family are worth the risks?

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Other Retailers

Excerpt from His Christmas Wish

The door cracked open.

“Welcome back, Carly,” a male voice greeted her warmly.

She’d expected to see Hannah’s husband of two years, Garrett Willingham, but the man standing in the doorway looked nothing like the clean-cut, non-risk-taking, business-suit-wearing certified public accountant. This guy was too rugged, too fit, too…familiar.

“Jacob Porter.”

Over six feet tall with brown hair that fell past his collar, he still had piercing blue eyes, a killer smile, and a hot, hard body that made the girls, herself included, swoon back in high school. Those features had only improved with age.

Her pulse kicked up a notch. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.” His grin widened, the same way it had whenever he and Nick teased her. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry…” Simply thinking the word left a bitter taste in her mouth. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. “Season’s greetings. Where’s Hannah?”

“At a doctor’s appointment,” Jacob explained. “Garrett drove her. She didn’t know if they’d be home by the time you arrived or before the school bus dropped off Kendall and Austin, so they asked me to come over.”

Carly noticed Jacob’s clothes—a light blue button-down oxford shirt, khaki pants, and brown leather shoes. A bit more stylish than the T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers she remembered him wearing. He must have come from work.

“Thank you.” Though she wasn’t surprised. Jacob had always gone out of his way for them, a surrogate everything to what remained of the Bishop family. He’d found her the job in Philadelphia. He’d taught Nick’s two kids to ski and fish. He’d even introduced Hannah to Garrett.

“Come inside before you get too cold.” Jacob reached for Carly’s suitcase. His hand—big, callused, and warm—brushed hers. The accidental contact startled her, and she jerked away. “You city girls aren’t used to the temperatures up here.”

Forget the cold. She wasn’t used to her response to his touch. That was unusual for her. “Philadelphia gets cold, too.”

As she stepped inside, heat surrounded Carly, cocooning her with the inviting comforts of home. The homey touches—a fleece blanket on a chair, throw pillows, candles, and framed photos—were ones missing from her apartment.

His gaze ran the length of her. “You look the same.”

He looked better. “So does this place.”

And that somehow made everything…worse.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Melissa McClone has written over forty-five sweet contemporary romance novels. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Freebie for Small Town Romance Fans!

Shannon Guymon's small town romance, My Sweetheart, is free today! It looks like the perfect weekend read.

Download your free copy here

Here's the back copy:

Is Jane obsessed with Fircrest’s hottest police officer? Or is this actually love? 

Jane Kendall loves her new life. She loves baking. She loves working with her sisters. And, oh yeah, she loves Tate Matafeo most of all. Which would be great if he loved her back. Jane refuses to let heartbreak rule her life though, so she turns to Google and finds 10 easy steps on How To Fall Out Of Love. As helpful as Google is, Tate Matafeo is a hard habit to break, especially after seeing him do the Haka at a rugby game. And even though Alex Foster is willing to take her mind off of Tate, Jane knows trouble when she sees it, and ends up getting a restraining order. Between Kit’s wedding, Tate’s mixed signals, Alex’s obsession and her father’s rehab, Jane wonders if she’ll ever get her happy ending.

Can Jane convince Tate that she’s his sweetheart, or will Tate push away the one woman who would love him forever? Come to Fircrest where love is in the air and friendship surrounds you with strength and fun.

Huge Historical Romance Sale!

Some of my very favorite clean historical romance books are on sale right now for only $2.99 until Dec. 26th. Perfect for snuggling up with for your holiday reading! You won't want to miss these:

Becoming Lady Lockwood by Jennifer Moore


The Earl's Betrothal by Karen Tuft


As You Are by Sarah M. Eden


The Roses of Feldstone by Esther Hatch


Heart of the West by Carolyn Twede Frank


Within the Dark Hills by Sian Ann Bessey


The Nobleman's Daughter by Jen Geigle Johnson


Willowkeep by Julie Daines


Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

More Sweet Romance & A $50 Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Santa Cam

(A MyHeartChanel Romance)

By Maria Hoagland

Sweet Contemporary Romance

Hardcover & ebook, 206 Pages 

October 28th 2019 by Red Leaves Press

♥♥ The one behind the camera could be his best match yet. ♥♥

All professional soccer player Camden Sharpe wants for Christmas is to get home to Cobble Creek, Wyoming, for snow and family time. But when a brawl video surfaces online, Cam is forced to stay in Texas to clean up the public relations mess if he ever wants to get off the fans’ Naughty List. His manager-imposed community service lands Camden in a Santa suit surrounded by little kids with long lists of demands, but his attention is on his pretty elf assistant. He’s sure he’s seen her somewhere before, and he’s not convinced it was all that good.

Talia Thomas hopes Santa doesn’t recognize her. A lot of things in her life have changed since they butted heads a while back—including the trajectory of her career—and he has no idea he was the one who changed everything. Once a network reporter, Talia now runs MyHeartChannel Talia’s Truth Cam, but views are falling, advertisers are disappearing, and Talia’s excitement for her stories has frozen over. She’s tired of depressing news and shattered hearts, but it’s her job to tell the truth.

As Talia and Cam set out on a mission to convince the other the see the good in the world around them, they soon discover that only looking for the good sometimes means missing the truth that was right in front of them. Can Camden and Talia ever trust each other enough to move on from the mistakes of their past?

♥ If you love Hallmark channel Christmas movies, this full-length sweet romance novel will brighten your day any time of year! Always clean and wholesome, Maria Hoagland's books can be read as standalone, but often have character cameos from other books. Don't miss any of her uplifting collections of hears, homes, and happily ever afters! ♥♥

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Excerpt

Pulling back the curtain, he watched thick flakes swirl through the light of the streetlamp in front of his house. At least a couple of inches had accumulated—not bad for a place where he hadn’t expected to ever see snow. He itched to go out in it, but it wouldn’t be fun alone.

He found the number in his contacts and called, hoping Talia had her phone on do not disturb if it was too late for him to be calling. She answered on the second ring.

“Are you afraid of the little storm, Cam?” she crooned before he could say hello.

Point for her. Her spunkiness was exactly why he liked spending time with her. “Do you have an early morning?”

“No . . .” She drew it out, slowly enunciating the word. “Why?” she followed up quickly.

He ignored her question. “How adventurous are you feeling?”

“Why?” This time she asked with more suspicion. While she didn’t exactly answer, at least this time she sounded a little more eager.

“Put on your snow boots and parka. I’m coming over.” He was going to make an order, but decided he ought not to leave it there. “Okay?”

“But it’s snowing . . .”

The unspoken sentiment was that she was worried about him driving and getting in an accident. He’d grown up driving in this kind of weather. “That’s the whole point. And why I suggested boots and a coat.” If that was her only objection, he wasn’t going to let that keep him from coming. “I’ll see you in a few.”

Getting out the door took more work than he’d planned. First, Cam had to dig through a few boxes to locate the appropriate winter attire. While looking, he ran back and forth to the stove, throwing together a thermos-ful of his mom’s hot chocolate. As long as he didn’t scald it while scrounging for matching gloves, it would be a nice addition to the evening he had planned.

Dressed in normal winter clothes but with a Santa cap on his head, Cam knocked on Talia’s door just before midnight. She opened to him, pulling on her knit cap and stepping outside.

She rushed to the balcony railing and put gloved hands in the puff of accumulated precipitation to look over it. “It’s so beauti—”

He didn’t let her finish her statement before he blasted her in the back with a snowball he’d had behind his back. It exploded like a bombshell, the white of the snow stark against her black coat, and she laughed, scooping snow from the railing for a retaliatory snowball. She wound up and let loose, and the ball hit him square in the chest, tiny ice shards ricocheting onto his face.

“I was going to thank you for driving over here in this.” Her tone teasingly insinuated she no longer felt that way. She scooted farther down the landing, capturing more snow but never taking her eyes off Camden. “But I know why you came now.”

“Is that right?” He tossed a handful of snow in her general direction, but it didn’t go higher than their waists and then floated like pixie dust onto her boots.

They sparred down three flights of stairs, and only once did he need to reach out to keep her from slipping down several steps. They made their way across the first-floor walkway, tossing half-formed snowballs at each other and trying to keep quiet so they wouldn’t wake anyone in the apartments. When they made it into the open lawn, however, she slammed him with a good one at the base of his neck, and snow fell down the back of his coat.

“Just for that . . .” He lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her around. If there’d been more than the inch or two, he would have dragged her to the ground, but as it was, everywhere they scraped snow away left soggy mud.

She strained against him for half a second, but when he loosened his grasp, she grabbed him around the arms, pinning them to his sides, and jostled him back and forth as he had her. Her mischievous smile was inches from his, and without thinking, he leaned forward until her lips were under his.

He hadn’t actually planned this, had not come with this intent in mind, but there she was, laughing and happy and oh so beautiful in the moonlight.

About the Author

Maria Hoagland writes about hearts, homes, and happily ever afters. Known for her fun and flirty sweet romance and women's fiction, Maria's novels make great book club choices. She's published over a dozen books including two Whitney Award finalists, and has no plans to stop writing any time soon. She is a member of the Storymakers Guild and Indie Author Hub, and is currently serving as the Chair for the Storymakers board of directors.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Hawaii Five-0 Recap & Review: The One With Mrs. Fat

We start out with previouslies of who Wo Fat was to Steve and then a bit about Adam's descent into the Yakuza world. Oh Adam. *shakes head*

Then we start off with Adam walking into HQ where Duke and Steve are waiting for him. Uh oh. They show him the watch and in case he's going to deny that it's his, they mention that Kono inscribed the back. (Well, how interesting that he wears something Kono gave to him to commit crimes.) Steve is telling Adam they found the watch at a robbery crime scene from a Filipino gang beefing with the Yakuza. Adam just looks sort of guilty, then takes off his badge and gun and puts it on Steve's desk. He says he's sorry, then walks out. Steve follows, but Adam ignores him until Steve shouts, "I'm talking to you!" Then Adam turns around. Steve points out that he's had Adam's back from day one with the FBI who wanted him for murder and the whole mess with Noriko, so show him the courtesy and tell him what's going on. Adam can only say that Steve deserves the truth, but he can't give him that. Then he walks away. Sigh. Poor dumb Adam.

Cue music

When we come back we're in Steve's office and he's telling Danny what happened with Adam. Danny is trying to find excuses for why Adam would do that since usually he comes to them when he's in trouble. (I bet Kono would dispute that claim!) Anyway, Danny wants to talk to Adam himself and they'll just keep the mess to themselves for the time being. Meanwhile, Steve sees Danny's bags on the floor and apparently Danny has a sewage backup at his place. So, the mold wasn't real, but the sewage issue is. Danny's bonsai tree that he uses for therapeutic purposes is also among the baggage and Steve is glad he has a hobby that doesn't involve annoying him. Ha! Steve says Danny can stay at his house for a couple of weeks, but Danny says it will be more like six to eight. Steve just looks resigned, says whatever, and takes a phone call. Poor Steve. It's like he's running a hostel.

On to the COW! Tani and Lou are on a beach where a helicopter was in the middle of a scenic flyover, when it exploded and all six passengers and the pilot were killed. It's weird because the chopper was inspected a week ago and everything was fine, and the in flight recording doesn't show any alarm or indication that pilot knew there was something wrong. Then, Junior finds a piece of the chopper with a hole in it and it was hit by a rocket launcher. Shot right out of the sky!

Cut to Tamiko who is telling her aunt about her father's death the night before. Adam is comforting her and what makes his performance so believable for me is all his little touches and facial expressions that really make me believe he cares for her. He reminds her she was kidnapped yesterday, too and is so tender with her! She's glad he's there, but thinks it's odd because it won't be long before the people he works with find out her father's gone. Adam's all, um, about that . . . I spoke to Steve and there's something you should know. (Like, I'm betraying all my friends for you? Hmm...)

Lou gets MANPADs explained to him by Junior (They're Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and that's what hit the chopper. Luckily the cove they're in had a camera on the beach and they find footage of the helicopter being hit. The shot came from a nearby ridge at 8:42 a.m. So they have seven dead people with nothing in common. But one of the passengers, Ellison Jones, was a successful hedge fund manager who withdrew $50,000 as soon as he landed on Oahu. He is unmarried and alone, but booked two hotel rooms, oddly. Junior calls in to say he found the launcher and has the serial number, so now they can reach out to the DOD to trace it. Danny and Tani are heading over to hotel to find out why Ellison needed two rooms.

At the airport, an older woman gets out of a taxi and goes up a stairway to her room. When she's in the bathroom, she takes off her face makeup, latex mask, and wig, and she's really a younger woman. She burns her mask and creepily watches it. Dun, dun, dun.

Well, it's Masuda's funeral already (they pulled that together so fast!) and Tamiko is hugging the mourners. Kenji approaches her to tell her he's sorry, but the man who killed her father didn't make it out of the jungle that night, so hey, maybe that will bring some comfort. Adam is watching Kenji with an odd look on his face and follows him outside. (He looks might fine in his suit, too) Adam tells Kenji that was quite a performance, but Kenji is annoyed and comes back with, that wasn't a performance, I loved Masuda! But Adam once again accuses him of killing Masuda. Oh, and the leverage Kenji had on him is gone since he quite Five-0, so there! Only Kenji says, that leaves him more exposed since Five-0 are going to look into Masuda's final hours and what if they learn Adam brought a bound and gagged man to the house who never left? And maybe his men will say Adam pulled the trigger. Poor dumb Adam shouldn't have any vulnerabilities but he has many and Kenji turns to look at Tamiko. (I guess he learned nothing from his years with Kono and the same sort of problems with Five-0 and Yakuza business.) 

Danny gets to look at the dumpy room Ellison had and uses his "boomer" lingo to describe it as a boiler room. Tani gets to look at the penthouse suit full of women's clothing. Someone comes in and she pulls her gun. They question her and she was Ellison's vendame, cash master, or money mistress. Danny looks confused so she demonstrates by burning the $20 bill he gave her. Ha! Some rich men who never hear the word "no" enjoy being controlled where it hurts the most. She is shocked to find out Ellison was killed on the helicopter tour because she was the one who was supposed to be on it. She'd booked a tour three days ago, but the pilot cancelled so he could get his helicopter's mechanical issues fixed and when she got around to re-booking, today was the only day available and she was busy so Ellison took it. (Although earlier, they do say Ellison booked the tour for himself, but whatever.) Tani has a little sidebar with Danny that the helo was inspected and cleared a week ago so someone is lying. They call Lou to have him look closer at the pilot, but Lou is already way ahead of them. HPD went over to the guy's house and he had a security system, a German shepherd, padlocks, and a stockpile of ammo that he'd recently acquired. So he probably knew the attack was coming, but he didn't know how it would go down. (All that preparation for nothing!)

Back to the Chatting Table. There weren't any fingerprints on the MANPAD, but the DOD traced the rocket. It was part of a larger shipment stolen from a Soviet manufacturer in Russia years ago. Investigators never made any arrests, but believed it ended up  in the hands of a well known arms trader Wo Fat. (Pause for effect.) Steve is downplaying it, that the weapon could have changed hands multiple times and it doesn't necessarily mean anything. (Uh huh.) Well, they looked into Jordan the pilot. He's been a pilot for thirty-five years and has no criminal record, then all of the sudden he gets paranoid and beefs up security three days ago---the same time he cancelled his entire day of tours! And that cancellation cost him $6500 so he must have had a better offer! Tani is going to see if he had a transponder in the chopper that they can pull flight records from and see where he went three days ago, since that's probably the reason he was blown out of the sky.

We get two car scenes. First, Junior is pumping gas and the young lady who was disguised as an old one earlier, chats him up about his car and taking care of it because he'll miss it one day. She's with a large man with braids in his hair and Junior watches them leave. We also get a scene of Adam paying cash for some guy to fix all the bullets in his car and not do any paperwork on it. He gets a call from Danny which he ignores.

Tani finds the transponder records and shows Steve and Danny the route PilotJordan took. He turned off the transponder for nine minutes while he flew over a no-fly zone, a protected habitat for Nene geese, before he turned it back on and returned to the heli-port so Steve and Danny are going to borrow a helo and go see what's what! Danny is trying to call Adam from the helicopter and gives up. He gets out some binoculars and is looking around wondering if Steve thinks Adam lost his mind and started killing gangsters. Steve calmly says with Adam's Yakuza ties, it's possible something happened to pull him back in. (He read the situation like a book!) Danny sees a body on the ground by an estate so they land and go in, guns drawn. All the security people are dead, probably killed last night since the bodies are in rigor. None of them even pulled their weapon! The guys find security footage of an empty weapons room that once held full gun racks, MANPADs and ordnance. Enough firepower to start a war! Uh oh.

Adam is trying to comfort Tamiko who is rambling on about how she didn't think she could feel more pain after losing her fiance on her wedding day. Adam assures her it's different with a parent because they're the first ones to know us and love us and no matter our differences, it's like losing a safety net that was always there. She tells him she didn't have differences with her dad, she just hated his way of life. (That's a pretty big difference, but whatever.) She says that when Kenji mentioned the comfort he got from vengeance, she wanted to be Yakuza, because wouldn't that be easier? And she did feel better knowing the man who killed her father was dead. Adam looks really uneasy and asks her how well she knows her father's men. (Is he going to challenge Kenji? Hmm...)

The dead security team is being zipped into body bags and the ATF is on its way to the estate. Tani found a chain link fence cut from top to bottom and Steve is impressed that from infil to exfil this was an extremely well orchestrated op. Not one shot was fired in defense and no alarms raised. They used PilotJordan to recon the grounds, get the layout of terrain, and see how many security personnel there were and their locations. Then PilotJordan realized what he was involved in and beefed up security since that crew was probably going to come after him. But it wasn't enough! Poor PilotJordan. The homeowner was John Tang, a known associate of Wo Fat's, and a guy the ATF couldn't catch, but they did know he inherited Wo Fat's arsenal. Danny shows Steve some footage of men loading up the crates (I guess they left the extras in the basement to be found?) And one guy takes off his mask for a smoke and it's the Braids Guy from the gas station! Junior recognizes him and now they really want to know who he is.

Adam goes to get a Japanese whisky and gets a gun in his bag, too. (He always looks so guilty when he does stuff like that!) He pays with a wad of cash. Back to the gas station footage, where Junior is telling them he talked abut cars with the lady, that's it! Interpol doesn't have anything on Braids, but the lady has an Interpol red notice. Her name is Diyu Mei who escaped a Chinese prison while serving time for trafficking illegal weapons and her file is classified. So why did she want to talk to Junior? We cut to Diyu Mei in a warehouse where Braids tells her their Interpol friend says that Five-0 requested her records. So there's no room for error from now on!

Steve is doing the day-to-day stuff bringing the governor up to speed (who isn't thrilled about the situation) Interpol hasn't sent the file, but they have a BOLO out. And if they weren't busy enough, Duke shows up to tell them that Masuda's dead of a supposed stroke AND Adam was seen coming and going from the house. Danny pipes up that Adam's girlfriends is Masuda's daughter, so that's explainable. And maybe after she lost her father, she got nervous since their job is dangerous and asked Adam to quit! Problem solved. But why didn't he just tell them the old man is dead?

Adam is drinking the whisky he bought, tell Tamiko how he once told her father that he'd arrest him someday and Masuda laughed and said he wasn't fooling him wearing that badge, that Adam couldn't escape where he came from and who he is. And he was right! Tamiko asks him if he's sure he wants to do this and Adam lifts his glass to Masuda's picture, takes a drink and stands up when a guy comes to get him. "They're" ready for him. They walk slowly down a hallway and Adam goes into a room and sits at the head of a table while Tamiko watches anxiously.

Interpol finally gives up the file and Diyu Mei had four aliases and one of them has an address from Florida that connects to a storage building on the island . . . where you could store weapons! They all head over there with air support and the whole works. They pull up and go in, but it's empty. Steve sees a bunch of cameras and comments on the amount of surveillance for an empty warehouse, but now she knows they're on to her. Which is why she kept her name on the building and wanted Junior to see her face. She's been one step ahead of them the whole time! She's one smart lady.

Well, Diyu Mei has a buyer who comes in with the money and she demonstrates the M4 for him. It can fire 950 rounds a minute and so she starts shooting. She kills everyone but one guy who isn't quite dead. She tells him she'll call an ambulance for him if he does her a favor. When they arrive, tell the policeman there's a message for Steve McGarrett. "My name is Diyu Mei and he may not know me, but he'll be familiar with my late husband, Wo Fat. Tell him I look forward to meeting him soon." And then she walks away.

I'm really excited to see where this storyline goes! Is she as ruthless as Wo Fat? Will she have any more answers about Steve's past? And what is Adam planning? To take over the Yakuza? We'll have to wait until Jan. 3rd to find out!

Did you watch? What did you think?

Sweet Romance Spotlight & Giveaway!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Robin & Marian

(Adventurous Romantics #2)

By Stephanie Fowers

Adult Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

August 11th 2019 

Robin King lives up to the legendary name of Robin Hood more than he should—a bigshot billionaire and successor of King enterprises, a Prince of Mischief and a rogue who steals hearts ... and maybe even a few kisses. He never thought he’d follow the storyline so closely, until the day he gets in trouble with the law and pays the price—all for protecting his younger sister Scarlett.

Taken in by an Outlaw

Marian is a hard-hitting reporter … or would be if the New England Chronicle would stop assigning her puff pieces. Now she has the chance to prove herself, but it could prove her undoing—since the story of a lifetime might just be Robin King, a ruthless scoundrel, who she swore would never break her heart again.

Making New England Olde again

Together, they must overcome their differences to save their hometown from thieves and corruption. And they’d better do it before someone gets killed. As danger lurks closer, legend becomes life, and Robin’s feelings for Marian deepen as he struggles with sharing the secrets that could clear his name and ruin his sister.

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Excerpt

The door ripped open and she came face to face with Robin. Same laughing eyes, same devilish look under hawk-like brows. His dirty-brown hair had curled up in a stylish mess. He’d come straight from her memories—though older and more dashing, like he’d stepped through the glossy covers of those gossip magazines she despised. He was tall and strong, with broad shoulders and an athletic build—a modern day Robin Hood in black t-shirt and faded jeans. And she hated it!

His almond-shaped eyes turned appreciative when he saw her. “Are you new?”

Clearly he hadn’t recognized her. It wasn’t too surprising really—she’d hidden in the back room when the “infamous playboy” had come to visit his sister when they’d been roommates, but before she could explain, he was approaching her. “If it’s all the same to you, Mrs. Koch can’t know what we’re up to.” Marian recognized the name of their housekeeper. Clearly Robin was up to no good if he was hiding his latest mischief from her—never mind that he owned the place now. “I’m so sorry to mix you up in this,” he said, “but we need help cleaning this up.”

And then his hands were on hers. Was this how he treated his staff? Wait. The thought gave her pause. He thought she was the help? Scarlett had compared her to a little French maid. How galling. She was so caught up in her angry thoughts that she’d allowed him to pull her into the entertainment room where she saw the remains of a poker game. Smashed plates and glasses had tumbled from an immense—and broken—china cabinet.

“It’s not as bad as it looks…” Robin’s hand dropped from hers as he attempted to clean up the mess. He looked up at her under heavy lashes. “Honestly, if I’d known how pretty you were, I’d have smashed these sooner.”

She gasped as he winked at her. Robin! Was this really a case of mistaken identity or was he teasing her? “I have half a mind to get Mrs. Koch myself,” she threatened.

He smirked at that. “If you could find a broom first…”

So she could crack it over his head? Not knowing what to do, Marian caught sight of Scarlett’s fiancé. The ends of Alan’s auburn hair fell over a soulful eye as he stared down at a record he had saved from the mess. He’d recognize Marian if he saw her, but he was too caught up in reading the record label. It was a vintage Louis Armstrong vinyl. He turned it over in his sensitive hands.

“Robin, your stepmother is going to kill you,” a deeper voice boomed. “That’s her prized Russian collection.” Turning, Marian saw a giant of a man. She’d know John anywhere, even a decade later. His skin was rich brown, the color of the earth after a storm; his head was buzzed—his facial hair was different from when they were kids, of course—but he’d towered over them back then and now was no different. He was one of those who’d earned his nickname in Robin’s merry band, although no one could get away with calling him “Little John” to his face. 

“My nephew is trying to teach me how to make a bull’s eye!” a young voice piped up.

Marian caught sight of a smaller boy of about five years of age. He had a bow in his hand. His small finger pointed to an ugly painting against the wall with several arrows shot through it. They’d been using this room for target practice? How little they thought of the furniture… or of money. 

“This is my Uncle Midge,” Robin introduced the child. “Also my godchild.” Yes, Marian remembered hearing about him. The young boy clearly looked up to Robin; he was a miniature of him, actually, with freckles, almond-shaped eyes, and a pointed chin. Robin’s grandfather had remarried a much younger woman, and Midge was the result of their union… before she’d run off with an artist. Come to think of it, was this one of the man’s ugly paintings Scarlett had talked about? She peered at it, but the torn flaps obscured the signature.

Robin ruffled the boy’s hair. “He was not supposed to actually let the arrow go. So there’s that.”

“And who would be the one who gave him the arrow, pray tell?” The final member of Alan’s bachelor party drew forward with dark, sullen looks. He was clean-shaven with black, heavy brows, and his hair was tied up in a hipster topknot. He wore a suit jacket with matching pants and a casual knit shirt. It took Marian a little longer to name him, but then she felt a wave of recognition run through her at his British accent. “But sure,” he said in his haughty tone, “blame the child.”

Ah yes, this was Robin’s cousin, Guy. He’d grown up in England with his mother. She had refused to play along with what she dubbed Richard’s “childish obsession,” and in so doing, unknowingly named him after one of Robin Hood’s greatest villains. It was a source of great teasing amongst his cousins. Just like the others, Marian hadn’t seen him for years.

Yet when he saw her, he hurried to pick up her hand and kiss it. His brown eyes were full of meaning. “What are you doing here with us vile men, Marian? Isn’t Scarlett’s party interesting enough for you?”

Finally, someone hadn’t seen her as the servant. She felt a smile tug at her lips. Guy’s British charm had always been hard to resist. When they’d been younger, her parents had teased the two that they’d arrange their marriage. She was ashamed to admit that that kind of talk had ended after Guy’s parents had lost their fortunes in poor investments.

Looking over at Robin, she shrugged. “Robin always did try to get me into trouble.” She cast him what she hoped was a teasing glance. “Just like old times.” Robin’s shoulders stiffened as he turned to actually look at her. His beautiful hazel eyes took her all in. Marian felt too amused to be angry. His astonished expression made everything worth it.

“Marian?” Robin stretched to his feet to retrieve her hand from Guy. “Why didn’t you say anything?” His gaze swept over her again, including that hateful apron. “My own little Maid Marian?”

Other Books in the Series

In the Pursuit of Eden
(Adventurous Romantics #1)

By Stephanie Fowers

Adult Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 390 Pages

April 1st 2019

Everyone wants to find Eden’s Paradise. Except Ivy.

Ivy is a city girl through and through. So when she follows her twin brother into the forests of the Uintas to make a documentary about looking for a treasure that’s plagued her family for generations, she’s a little out of her element. It's the same treasure that ended her father's life. Add to that her run-ins with the dashing, but infuriating Aiden Hunter. The Southern hottie has rescued her so many times that it’s getting embarrassing. Of course, she’d be more grateful if she didn’t suspect him of putting her in danger in the first place—a danger that keeps growing the closer they get to the truth.

Forced to be allies, the two are thrown into each other’s paths, and she realizes that she has more in common with him than she thought. While Ivy searches for clues in the journal of a wayward saloon girl, Eden, to discover a life that mirrors her own, Hunter fights the demons in a past that seems tangled up in hers. His secrets are hers. The only way to get at the truth is to find an uneasy truce… and maybe something more because Hunter may not be the enemy. In fact, he may be the one who needs rescuing. Now, Ivy has to figure out who she wants by her side, and what she’s willing to give up for love.

After all, Paradise was never meant to be found alone.

(Affiliate link included.)

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About the Author

Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film. She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., Jane Austen. Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Another Sweet Christmas Romance for You and a $50 Giveaway!

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Her Country Christmas Date

(Love in Little River #2)

By Raneé S. Clark

Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella

Paperback & ebook, 98 Pages

December 1st 2019 by Sweetly Us

Is ten days, twelve dates, and a little Christmas magic enough for happily ever after?

Dru North has far more substance than the party-boy reputation given to him by the media, which is why a quiet Christmas in Little is just what he needs. From the moment he meets Amber Miller, who’s staying across the hall, sparks fly, and a magical Christmas party leads to an impulsive kiss.

While Dru is eager to get to know Amber during the quiet vacation, she’s wary of his reputation and his riches. She challenges him to take her on twelve dates before she’ll consider their relationship anything more than a holiday fling—a feat given the fact that she’s only in town for ten days.

Amidst the big family holiday Dru has always dreamed of having, Amber finds herself trusting with every “date” that Dru isn’t the bad-boy she thought him to be. But his insistence that this can be more than a holiday fling has Amber worried about the future. Dru’s a famous country star with money to burn, and she’s just a teacher. Are their worlds too far apart for a happily ever after when the Christmas magic is over?

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Excerpt

She laughed. The way her laughter sometimes escaped her, like it was a surprise, tickled his insides with more warmth. It could be zero degrees out here, and he could stand next to her and not feel it. He glanced back at the window, catching a few people watching them, and shifted into the darkness on the other side of the fire. He glanced around them.

“What is it?” she asked in a whisper.

He looked down at her, turning so that he faced her, blocking them both from anyone determined to find them. “Looking for mistletoe,” he teased.

She put her warm hands on the sides of his neck, then slid her fingers up into the short hairs there. “Ummm, not really necessary.”

He tilted his head down toward her, stilling as he neared her lips. He’d just met this woman an hour before, but the pull to her was magnetic. He couldn’t avoid it if he tried. She didn’t even give him time to think about it before she leaned into him, finishing off the distance between them and pressing her lips to his.

The fire behind them seemed to jump from the pit and explode around him. He wrapped his arms around her back, shifting her backward to lean against the side of the house. Her fingers slid up farther, pulling his head down to her. He let the magic of the night take over for several seconds, or maybe minutes, while he kissed her.

She pulled away and stared at him, her fingers slowly trailing back down the back of his neck, gripping his shoulders. “That was ... um ... wow.”

He drew in a long breath, loosening his arms around her, but not enough to let her go. Not yet. “Yeah.”

“I don’t think I should have done that.” Her voice trembled with a light laugh. A fake one.

“Because you hardly know me?”

“You’re Dru North.” She blew out a breath.

Usually the insinuation didn’t bother him. The women he’d dated in the past had figured out quickly enough what was hype and what was him. And there was a lot of hype. But he tensed anyway. He liked Amber. Really liked her, and it hurt to be judged so quickly.

Then he shook it off, deciding that was unfair. She’d known him all of an hour or so. Enough time for him to be charming. Not enough time for her to separate an image from the real guy.

“You’re Amber... ,” he started to tease and then broke off when he realized he didn’t know her last name. Classy, North. If there was ever a reason to believe that he was the womanizing bad boy, he’d just given it to her.

“Miller,” she supplied. She gave him a see what I mean look.

He would not have tried to convince her to go upstairs with him, no matter how long they’d spent together tonight, but that’s not what his image said. He’d just have to show her. “I want to get to know you,” he said, taking her hands in his and kissing her knuckles. She relaxed a little.

“This is crazy,” she whispered.

He spread her fingers out in his and then began kissing the tips. “Please.”

“I’m only here for ten days.”

“Plenty of time.” Let me prove to you who I am.

She tapped her fingers against his chest, watching him as she considered. “Okay. But you can’t do that again.” He raised his eyebrows in question. “Kissing me. It messes with my head.”

“That’s an unacceptable deal. It doesn’t have to be on the first date, but I am going to need to kiss you again.” He loosened his arms some more, making sure she understood she could walk away at any moment. She was irresistible, but he was standing out here in the cold, in the dark, purposefully out of view of the other guests at the party. He didn’t want to scare her.

“Twelve dates,” she said.

Dru scowled. “What?”

“You can kiss me again after twelve dates.” She punctuated this by sliding her hands inside his jacket, her hands cold against his chest.

“You’re only here ten days.”

She pulled up one shoulder, mock grimacing at him. “Well, either you’ll rise to the challenge or ... you won’t.”

Other Books in the Series

Roxy's Song

(Love in Little River #1)

By Raneé S. Clark

Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella

Paperback & ebook, 133 Pages

September 8th 2019 by Sweetly Us

The night Tag Turner claimed he loved Roxy Adams and begged her to follow him to Nashville to live his dream, she sent him packing since she knew it couldn't be real. Even if he did insist he’d been singing his love to her for years.

Eight years later, Tag, now a famous country star, rolls back into small town Little River hoping for one more shot at winning his high school crush. But Roxy loves her quiet, country life on her family’s ranch—a life that doesn’t have room for someone who can’t buy coffee without national media attention.

Not ready to give up, Tag stays in Little River to work on his next album and convince the woman he loves to give him a chance. Will Roxy ever trust his feelings are real and not just lyrics in a song?

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author

During her early years of reading, Raneé S. Clark devoured fantasy books, which continued into her adulthood—since she often believes that a well-written romance novel is a delightful fantasy. Though raising three boys can sometimes hamper both romance with her own Prince Charming and her writing, she tries to get a little of both in every day. And most of the time she succeeds.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE