My Book Got A Crowned Heart For Excellence!

My new novel, The Captain, was reviewed in InD'Tale Magazine today. Not only did it get five stars, but it also was awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence. I am so excited!

Here was my favorite part from the review:

"Julie Coulter Bellon takes the reader on a magnificent journey filled with all the sights and sounds of the Middle East . . . a riveting story filled with excitement, intrigue, and love."

It feels good to have that sort of validation for my work. 

You can read the full review here

Here's the back copy of the book:

Captain Colt Mitchell is part of the elite Griffin Force team hunting down terrorist Nazer al-Raimi. After an attack on the Canadian Parliament buildings, the team gets good intel on Nazer’s whereabouts. They plan to grab him, but when the mission goes wrong, Colt is captured and dragged away. Bruised, restrained, and disoriented, Colt is stunned to see Brenna Wilson, the Canadian intelligence officer who broke his heart years ago, standing next to Nazer. But how deep is she in the operation and can she help Colt escape?

After the devastating attack on Canadian soil, Brenna is recruited to go undercover to find out what Nazer is planning next. She’s close to her goal until her former flame Colt Mitchell is taken hostage. Walking away from him has always been her biggest regret and she knows she has to save him, even if it blows her mission. Taking matters into her own hands, she pulls off a daring escape, but Colt and Brenna must learn to trust each other again if they want to stay alive. With their hearts and their lives on the line can they survive long enough to stop Nazer from ravaging another country’s sense of security?

You can buy your copy here

Freebie Friday

Today's Freebie Friday is a novella by Heather B. Moore called Lost Then Found. I loved the Aliso Creek series and if you love sweet romance, you will, too.

Here's the back copy:

Welcome to the Aliso Creek Novella Series:

Liz, Gemma, Arie, Jess, and Drew have been best friends since creating “the Five” at Aliso Creek High School. But that was over ten years ago, and each is still trying to find that perfect someone… if perfect is even possible.

Arie, at the top of her career as VP of an established real estate company, discovers that her professional success has led to a less-than-successful dating life. But she may have just met the ideal man in workaholic film producer Dustin Jacobs. When Arie discovers that Dustin’s life is more complicated than she thought, she wonders if there is room for her in it after all or if she should add him to her long list of disaster relationships.

Download your free Kindle copy here

That Time I Was Escorted Out By Security

I'm a basketball mom. I go to all my kids' games and cheer for them, which means I go to a lot of games. This past week, I have been attending the Big Mountain Jam basketball tournament with my son. If you don't know what that is, it's held in an Expo center and there are around 33 basketball courts in one room. Here's a small idea of what it was like:

Yeah, super loud and tons of people.

With a lot of area to cover every day, there was a far door near the parking lot that I'd been going in to get to all the different courts. The second to the last day of the tournament I went through that same door and didn't think a thing of it. 

I should have, apparently.

As my son and I were making our way to his next game, I was stopped by two security guards. These men told me I couldn't be there. I explained I was his mother, had been attending the tournament all week. The man in front of me informed me that the first few days of the tournament are free for spectators, but on the weekend, everyone, even parents, must pay $12.50 to watch. (They must have made a killing with so many people that were there to watch!) The security guard behind him was nodding his head and watching me warily, like he thought I was going to bolt or something. It was a little surreal as I realized what was going on. 

Since I didn't have a wristband that proved I paid, the security guards escorted me out so I could buy one.  Yep, two security guards, one in front and one in back, frog-marching me to the lobby. It was strange to me that they needed both security guards for me. Did they think a basketball mom wouldn't go quietly? Maybe I look stronger than I think? Since I've never been in this sort of trouble before, it was my first personal brush with the "law" and very memorable for this mom. 

Never fear, though, I paid the fee, got the wristband and my "escorts" let me back in to watch my boy play. At least I got a great journal entry out of it and I can definitely use this experience in my next book. Ahhh, the joy of being an author . . .

What I'm Reading Wednesday--O'er the River Liffey

I have been reading O'er the River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth, and am really enjoying this charming historical romance. It is an installment of the Power of the Matchmaker series and I have to say I have enjoyed every book in the series!

In this story, we meet Caroline Fulton who is on her way to a house party with her father and best friend Fiona in tow. The baron who is throwing the party is wanting to marry again and Caroline's father wants her to have a title. Once Caroline gets to the baron's home, however, she realizes they will not suit. The baron does have a tutor for his younger brothers named Niall Doherty and he catches Caroline's eye, but her father would never approve. Niall is impoverished, but has a talent for telling stories that enthrall his audience. He is drawn to Miss Fulton, but knowing he could never rise to her station, he smothers his growing feelings. Will they both pass up the chance for true love?

I have really enjoyed this romance so far! The author does a great job of transporting the reader back to the time period and also showcasing the tensions between English and Irish society. The Irish stories that Niall tells add another perspective to the romance that has really kept me turning pages. I love the witty encounters between Niall and Caroline and I can't wait to see how it all turns out! I know I will be up late reading tonight to make sure we get our happy ending. I'll let you know what I think!

Here's the back copy:

Irish heiress Caroline Fulton knows this house party, ostensibly celebrating the victory of Waterloo, is really an audition: will she make a suitable wife? Her host, an English lord, has already won over her father, who’s determined to buy a title with Caroline’s dowry. She is far from taken with the baron, however, especially once she meets Niall Doherty, the impoverished, perceptive tutor to her host’s younger brothers. He shares her love of Irish fairy tales and seems to guard a troubled past…but neither quality will earn Caroline’s father’s approval.

You can buy your copy here

Book Review

Today's book review is Summer House Party by Regina Scott, Donna Hatch, and Sarah Eden. Since historical romance is my favorite genre, I was really looking forward to reading this one!

Regina Scott is a new author to me and her novella, An Engagement of Convenience, is first up in the anthology. Kitty Chapworth has been relegated to being her cousin's chaperone and successfully diverts a fortune hunter suitor from stealing her cousin away in the night. At the same moment, however, their neighbor, Quentin Adair returns from Jamaica and steals Kitty's breath away. When he proposes a pretend betrothal, she agrees, but they have a difficult history to overcome. Will Kitty ever find true love for herself?

I really enjoyed this one and thought the characters were well-drawn. I wish there had been a little bit more depth, but for a novella, the writing style and plot drew me in. I will definitely look for full-length novels from this author.

The second story was A Perfect Match by Donna Hatch. I don't think I've read any other books by Donna Hatch, but her name is familiar to me. In her story Genevieve's friend has fallen desperately in love with Christian Amesbury and invited him to her summer house party. Genevieve wants to be supportive of her friend's grand romance, but the more she is around Christian, the more her feelings for him grow. Genevieve is in an impossible situation, wanting her friend's happiness, but can she set aside her own?

This story had a wonderful plot and I enjoyed Christian as an artistic hero. Somehow, however, the pacing seemed off. I did find out this is a prequel novella, so maybe that's why, since it's part of a larger story. I will definitely have to look it up to find out more of Genevieve and Christian!

The last story was The Pauper's House Party by Sarah Eden. Sarah is one of my favorite authors and she does not disappoint. Edward and his brother Tom have been invited to a house party where the estate an an income is up for grabs. Everyone on the guest list is in distressed circumstances and they are all vying for the chance to have such a prize. Edward meets Agatha at the party and they are both appalled at the manner in which the "winner" will be chosen. Their mutual distaste brings them together in a strange way, but what if one of them wins the game? Will it change things for them?

I loved the witty repartee between these two and how Agatha's dialogue made me laugh out loud. Their growing feelings for each other put a wrench into the house party plans, but this story is a wonderful way to end the anthology and shouldn't be missed!

You can buy your copy here

Here's the back copy:

Join three bestselling Regency Romance authors, Regina Scott, Donna Hatch, and Sarah M. Eden, for three new novellas in SUMMER HOUSE PARTY.

AN ENGAGEMENT OF CONVENIENCE by Regina Scott: Kitty Chapworth is nearly a spinster, and an orphan living on the charity of her uncle, with nothing to recommend her for the marriage mart. Her primary purpose is relegated to acting chaperone for her cousins until she can see them successfully married. Kitty remains focused on her duty even though she knows her future is bleak. When Quentin Adair returns from a long ten years working in Jamaica and proposes a wild charade to Kitty, she agrees, although the plan might reawaken her old feelings for Quentin. Can a reformed rake convince the perfect chaperone to overlook propriety for love?

A PERFECT MATCH by Donna Hatch: Genevieve attends a summer house party hosted by her best friend who can't wait to introduce her to a gentleman she wants to marry, Christian Amesbury. After meeting him, Genevieve determines Christian is perfect . . . for her. Torn between loyalty to her best friend and the yearnings of her heart, Genevieve must first escape the attention of a powerful lord who's obsessed with her and who tries to rob her of any hope for a happily ever after.

THE PAUPERS’ HOUSE PARTY by Sarah M. Eden: It’s a rare event that Edward Downy and his brother are invited to a house party by a member of the ton. But when they arrive, Edward quickly realizes this house party is different than any other. All invited guests are quite destitute, fallen members of Society barely hanging onto their homes. The hosts of the house party, the Warricks, then make a stunning announcement—they intend to gift all their properties to one fortunate guest. As the guests race to impress the Warricks, Edward finds a fast friend in Agatha Holmwood, who shares his same aversion to the horrible expectations. But their growing fondness for each other only makes the game more painful.

Happy Independence Day!

I hope you all got to spend this Independence Day with the people you love and lots of good food. I know I took a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that were made to make this country free and I'm so grateful for those men and women. Some of my very own ancestors were among those who fought for freedom and I'm proud of them.

So, Happy Independence Day! 

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!

I'm breaking out all my Canadian treats and getting ready to celebrate with some fireworks!