Seňora of the Superstitions

[from back cover ] Can Jowanna McFarland survive in the sinister mountains long enough to find her missing father, solve the mystery of his buried treasure and stake a claim to the elusive heart of Kane Landry?

***

    The old house stands in the desert, ringed in the distance by the ominous Superstition Mountains. In the night, winds whisper through the salt cedars, while somewhere in the dark, a puma screams a cry of death.

              From up the narrow, shadowy staircase come noises no one is supposed to hear, the ghostly figure of a woman at the top of the stairway, and the pervasive, faint smell of perfume. Could it be the tragic ghost of the Seňora of the Superstitions, a legend that has lived for a hundred years?

            When Jowanna meets Kane, she is inexplicably drawn to this rough-hewn rancher but senses he holds secrets that could mean life or death to her.

Saga of Sourdough Red

[about the book] Jennifer Kileen, an Ohio farm girl, journeys to Alaska toward the end of the gold rush to search for her twin brother, Jeremy. He’d sent a torn map and a plea for help to their father, unaware that both parents had perished during an influenza epidemic. Jenny takes her kid brother with her, but to travel more freely she is disguised as a young man, hiding her one vanity, her long red hair, under a hat. Jenny and David start their journey surviving a storm at sea, make a harrowing trip up the dreaded Valdez Glacier, and are pursued by an unknown but relentless villain throughout their journey. Two men fall in love with her — Captain Mitch, a dashing, handsome ship’s captain, and Neal Erickson, a doctor who gave up his profession to do survey work in the wilderness. Will Jenny choose the right man? Does she find her long-lost brother?  

[an excerpt from the book] “Shush, Jennifer!, don’t get upset. I’m not complete, I tell you. I’ve nothing to offer. You deserve better.”

“You’re probably right.” Her voice quaked just a bit with the struggle to maintain her dignity. Had she told him she loved him when they were in the midst of passion? It was hard to remember, but maybe he didn’t remember, either.

He got to his feet and walked a short way to peer over the rail. When he looked at her, his face was in the shadows, his expression unreadable.

“You’re a strong-minded woman, but also you’re soft and romantic and mischievous. Everything a man should find exciting in a mate. And you’ll find the right man soon, sweet Jenny. The wonder is that it hasn’t happened before this. When you do, you’ll thank me for being honest with you.” He turned and walked away.

Jenny sat for a long time, even after the air was so cold that she began to shiver. She’d offered herself to this man, and he’d spurned her. Tears crowded into her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Boo crept out from behind the chair and nudged his head under her hand, as if wanting to comfort her. She was beyond comfort, and it wasn’t only the cold that made her numb. How could she face him for the rest of the journey and pretend there was no distance between them?

Later, lying in her bunk with her hands behind her head, she stared up at the ceiling. Where did she go wrong? She accepted the fact that the miners saw her as one of them, a robust, sturdy survivor. Maybe not Ivar, but she didn’t love Ivar. Same as Neal didn’t love her.

Jenny listened to the sound of the ship plowing through the water toward Fairbanks.

Tasmanian Rainbow

[ from back cover ] The road they traveled on meandered through the mountains and down into valleys filled with lush, green ferns. When they finally arrived, she found herself wishing they were still whizzing along the highway. It had been so warm and comfortable. 

Once they’d finished hauling stuff out of the vehicle and set up their tents, they sat around the campfire. “We’ll just have a bite of something cold ’n’ turn in early.  Tomorrow Tim ’n’ I will catch a bucket-load of fish.”

The boy smiled, a shy, tentative curl of lip. “Yes!”

A lump rose up in her throat. A month ago he would never have spoken out with such enthusiasm without a trace of self-consciousness.

The wind didn’t intrude much into the site Marshall had picked out to peg their tents, yet it was chilly sitting around the campfire. She looked forward to the warmth of her sleeping bag. Timmy must have felt the same, for he said his goodnights and went into his little tent.

Flynn stood up and stretched. “Guess I’ll call it a day, too, if you don’t mind.” As she turned toward her tent, Marshall stepped in front of her, blocking her departure. She looked up in surprise.

“An’ here I was, thinking you’d want to bunk with me.” His husky voice was pitched just above a whisper. “To keep warm, I mean.”

“I don’t think so.”

His mouth settled on hers with natural ease, his lips moving beneath hers, his tongue searching. She permitted herself the luxury of enjoying the kiss for a little while before she spread her hands gently against his chest.

He slid his cheek down against hers, pushing away her hair at the nape of her neck, and then began to nibble gently, sending sparks shooting through her body.

“You smell good.” His breath was hot against her skin.

He did, too. Back on the farm in the early morning, she used to stand with her door slightly ajar to inhale the scent of his early morning aftershave.

“Is this the reason you brought me?” She had to put the brakes on her own emotions, as well as his.

She felt his body stiffen before he dropped his hands and looked at her with dangerous calm. Then he turned on his heel and entered his tent.

The silence he left behind was more intense than anything he could have said to her.

Herr Schnoodle & McBee

[ http://www.sleuthedit.com ] What do you get when you mix a beautiful gossip reporter, a bag lady with a dangerously mysterious past, a cranky, bumbling private investigator with phobias for germs, animals and most people and an abandoned, rescued dog who ends up solving most of McBee’s cases for him? You get a whimsical, fun to read mystery the whole family can enjoy.

Treasure of the Amazon

[ http://www.wewriteromance.com ] 2 out of 4 for sensual and 3 out of 4 for “liking the book very much and would recommend it.” The reviewer said Treasure of the Amazon “painted a vivid picture of jungle life. The plot was interesting and held my attention through the entire book. The love story was sweet and slow, and I kept wanting to find out what would happen next. This was a book I really enjoyed reading.”

[ http://www.coffeetimeromance.com ] They gave the book 4 cups and said Treasure of the Amazon is “a great escape novel, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in a madcap adventure ranging from tense to hilarious. As this is the latest of the author’s offerings, I will definitely be checking her backlist. She handles both adventure and romance with a deft touch and makes the far-fetched feel believable. I found the book to be just plain, pure fun.”

[ http://www.bookpleasures.com ] The reviewer said Treasure of the Amazon was “a perfect book to take to the beach. Beach reads need to have an easy style, a fluid yet streamlined plot, interesting characters, and an element of fantasy. A beach read should not be complex, overly thought-provoking, pessimistic, or in any way cause the reader to evaluate her life. Treasure of the Amazon was, indeed, a beach reading treasure.”

[ http://www.romancereviewstoday.com ] The reviewer said, “personally I’m not a fan of jungle adventure romances, but surprisingly Treasure of the Amazon not only caught me hook, line and sinker, it was a quick read from beginning to end. Mostly plot-driven, Marisa and Scott’s dangerous journey not only intrigues but doesn’t slow down as they encounter many threats along the way. Treasure of the Amazon is a page-turner that I highly recommend.”