Sherry Ewing's Blog

Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. Any day I can have my friend Jude Knight showcase another one of her new releases is a great day. Today, Jude has an excerpt that is close to a first kiss scene from her novel The Secret Word that releases tomorrow, September 6th. Wishing Jude success on her latest book baby! Happy reading, my lovelies, and take it away Jude!

When I went looking for a first kiss scene, I couldn’t find one! Clem remembers how wonderful his kisses have been when she is fretting about their wedding night, so I must assume Chris managed to separate her from her chaperone for long enough to give her a taste of things to come, but I don’t put that on the page.

Here, though, is the start of their wedding night. Since things get rather specific very quickly, and this is a family-friendly blog, I’ve only covered the beginning.

Excerpt:

It was only a short drive to the house they had rented.  Chris was mindful that what was to come was new to Clem. Thanks to the efforts of Aunt Fern, their embraces so far had been nearly chaste—certainly far more chaste than Chris would have preferred.

Even so, he could control the urge to leap on her as soon as the carriage door was shut.  He would have to, for he would not want to frighten her, nor did he want her to be embarrassed in front of her new servants when they arrived at their new house looking as if he had tumbled her in the carriage. 

Instead, he took the seat beside her, took her gloved hand in his, and lost himself in thinking about the bedding to come. Not for the first time, he wondered what she had been told. 

She was curious, he knew that. And she listened to the servants, so she knew a little. Had anyone thought to explain the details? Was she frightened? She didn’t appear nervous, though. Was she glaring at him?

“Is something wrong, my love?”

Clem blushed. “I was just thinking…”

She broke off, and Chris made what he hoped was an encouraging sound.

“Martha said you would want to kiss me as soon as we were alone, and—” her blush deepened— “other things.”

“Other things?” Chris was intrigued to know exactly what the knowledgeable maid may have disclosed.

“You know, Chris. Embraces and such.” She leaned closer to him and hushed her voice, as if afraid that the driver might hear. “Touching me with your hands. In… places. She said men like it?” Clem sounded uncertain.

“This man likes it,” Chris assured her. “Very much, when it is my hands and your body. And I hope you will like touching me, too. I did not want to start something in the carriage that would leave you rumpled and uncomfortable when you arrived at our house, for if I once start, beloved, I am not certain how much control I will have. I want you. Very much.”

“Oh.” Clem thought about that. “I’m not sure exactly what ‘want’ means, but…Will I like it, Chris?”

“You will like it very much,” he assured her. He would make certain of that. “In fact, you can tell me what you like most about it, and I will do more of that, and if there happens to be anything you don’t like, tell me, and I won’t do it. But not here in the carriage. Not for your first time.”

“Oh,” she said, her face clearing by the moment, and her second, “Oh,” sounded much more cheerful. “Not until this evening, then.”

“Here we are,” Chris commented, as they drew up at their own front steps. This evening? He could wait until this evening if she insisted, but he hoped she didn’t.

By the time he had helped her from the carriage, the front door was open and the servants were lined up in the little entry hall, ready to greet their new employers.

Clem went down the line, greeting the cook-housekeeper, the parlor maid, the kitchen maid, the footman (who was going to provide any valet services that Chris needed), and the boot boy, and presenting them all to their new master. She had met them all when she interviewed them for their positions, and from what Chris could see, she had done well. 

Martha was there, too. Chris greeted her. He’d be keeping an eye on this one. When Clem had said she planned to keep the maid, Chris had questioned her choice. “What if her loyalties are still with your father?” he asked.

“That could be true of anyone we employ,” Clem said. “Since she and I made our bargain, she has been an excellent maid—loyal, as far as I know, and competent. She knows how I like things done. I’d like to keep her, Chris.”

She was Clem’s maid, so it was over to her. And Clem was right, of course. Any of the servants could be reporting to Wright, to Billy O’Hara, even to Chris’s grandfather. Time would tell, Chris supposed. He’d be careful not to leave anything that should be confidential where one of the servants could see it.

Meanwhile, he had a wife to kiss, and “embraces and stuff.” She had seemed disappointed that he had not started in the carriage, and he hated disappointing his wife.

Clem was dismissing the staff. How did one ask a lady if they were open to the idea of moving the consummation from the evening program to the afternoon? Especially since Martha and the footman had not left with the rest.

“Clem, would you like Martha to help you into something more comfortable?” he asked.

“I am quite com… Oh. Now? You mean this afternoon?” Fortunately for Chris, she sounded more intrigued than scandalized. 

“Yes, why not?” Please, Clem. Please.

Martha gave him an approving nod, and Clem smiled. “Yes. Martha, come along,” she said. “Give me half an hour, Chris.”

“Half an hour,” he agreed, with an internal sigh. He used the time to order a tray of tea from the kitchen to be sent up immediately, and another with food and more tea in three hours. 

Then he went up to the bed chamber they had agreed would be his dressing room—they planned to sleep in the same bed. He stripped out of his wedding finery, washed thoroughly, and put on a banyan—one that he’d bought only that week, since the robe he’d had for the past ten years was not fit for other people to see. 

Ready, ready, more than ready he knocked on the door to their shared bed chamber and

When Christopher Satterthwaite rescues Clementine Wright from would-be kidnappers, he is offered an opportunity he can’t refuse. Clem’s father, a wealthy coal magnate, has been looking for a husband for his only child. Someone with aristocratic bloodlines and no family—someone who can give him the blue-blooded heir he craves, without the interference of noble relatives.

Chris figures he and Clem can work together to keep Wright from controlling their every move. As their partnership develops, they fall in love. Wright doesn’t stand a chance against them. Or does he? 

And what about the other men who are showing an interest in the child who is soon on the way? Chris’s reprobate grandfather is hanging around like a bad smell, and clearly has a scheme in mind. Chris’s more respectable relatives have not disowned him after all, and are eager to shower the as-yet unborn child with every advantage—because they regret not helping Chris as a child? Or for purposes of their own?

And then there is Ramping Billy O’Hara, the most sinister of them all, and Chris’s patron. 

Some are villains. Some are on the side of the couple and their child. Only time will tell which is which. 

Buy Link or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FM8R25VP

Jude always wanted to be a novelist. She started in her teens, but life kept getting in the way. Years passed, and with them dozens of unfinished manuscripts. The fear grew. What if she tried, failed, and lost the dream forever? The years since 2014 have brought 17 novels, 16 novella, 6 volumes of short stories, a number of awards, and hundreds of positive reviews. The dream is alive.

Website and blog: http://judeknightauthor.com/

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Hello, lovely readers, and welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. I’m happy to have my friend and returning author Alina K. Field who has an excerpt from her upcoming novel Her Impeccable Scoundrel. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

“It smells delightful in here.”

Blythe jumped and dropped the spoon she’d been holding. Graeme was not supposed to return until the morning.

She bent to find the spoon in the shadows and saw his buckskin clad legs as he reached for the dropped utensil. He picked it up first, and when she took it from him their hands touched, sending her heart into a gallop.

His gaze swept over her, his eyes widening at her deshabille.

“Apologies for startling you.” He glanced at the table where the first batch of pasties were cooling. “Those look delicious. Oughtn’t you to be in bed?”

She waved the spoon. “There are dishes in that cabinet over there. Help yourself and then take yourself off to bed. I can sleep in the carriage tomorrow, but you’ll need your rest if you’re planning to ride all the way to London.”

She turned back to her task, picked up an apple and her knife, and heard the clatter of a plate and a bench drawing back.

“May I sit?” he asked. “This reminds me of the time I visited you here. Mrs. Davies insisted we have cakes where she was working and could keep an eye on us.”

Graeme had been one of the younger lads coming around every once in a while. She’d had her eye on another lad—until of course, Archie. How different might her life have been if she’d made a life with one of the boys she’d grown up with.

Wiping her hands on her apron, she went to draw a mug of ale and plopped it down in front of him.

“Thank you.” His hand shot out and took hers. “A countess who can cook. I had no idea.”

She pulled away and went back to her dough, her thoughts all a jumble. In the shadowy kitchen he looked like the young man who’d visited her, so young then, and now, so very virile as he devoured the pasty with gusto.

“It is not a criticism,” he said. “I think it is admirable that you can make something so delicious. In point of fact, I’m very hungry. I was too busy at Risley Manor to have much of a dinner. Stockwell and I put our heads together to arrange the post riders and horses. Lady Hermione and your maid and my valet will be here before dawn.”

“And Mr. Jarrow?”

“Yes, him as well.”

A shiver went down her spine. Graeme had spoken those words directly into her ear, the warmth of his breath tickling her.

“Can I help you?” he whispered.

Her hand slipped, the knife pricked her finger, and she dropped it.

He took her hand and produced a handkerchief, pressing it against the wound and bending to examine the spot of blood.

“It’s nothing.” She tried to tug her hand away.

“You’re right,” he said. “It’s nothing. But I’ll hold this to it a bit longer, and then maybe you’ll let me slice the apples. Are we making apple pie? Wasn’t it apple pie that Mrs. Davies served us that day?”

“We are making nothing. You are going to get some rest. And it was rhubarb pie she served.”

“Ah,” he said on a long sigh. “You remember that day in as much detail as I do.” He touched her waist and turned her to face him. “Blythe,” he said, leaning closer. “Blythe.”

His lips touching hers, he pulled her close until her breasts pressed against his broad chest, their hearts beating together. A soft nibble, a gentle press, and then he angled his head and took the kiss deeper, bending her back against the counter. Heat flared and spread through her, wings of desire fluttering inside her. The kiss was gentle and seductive and then firmly inviting, his mouth opening and coaxing, and she shook off his handkerchief and threaded her fingers through the hair at the back of his head.

She wanted to fly away on that kiss, to submerge herself in sheer pleasure; the sheer pleasure of kissing a man who, if she was honest, she’d been wanting to kiss since he’d walked into the drawing room four days ago. Or had it been five days?

Cool air touched her shoulder and she looked down. He’d loosened her apron and robe and was touching her breast through the cotton of her nightgown, gently, each stroke sparking rivers of molten desire straight to her nether regions.

She leaned back and covered her gasps with one hand and pressed the other flat against his chest. She must stop him.

But maybe not yet. It had been so long, so very, very long since she’d felt anything like desire.

Blythe Blatchfield, widowed Countess of Chilcombe, has emerged from her year of mourning still battling the dark legacy of her husband, who left a new will disinheriting her and a reputation in shambles. Vowing to fight this injustice, she has launched a campaign to restore her place in society and claim the inheritance that should be hers from the man whose interference years earlier led to her unhappy marriage, the new Earl of Chilcombe.

Called back to England to take up his late cousin’s title, diplomat Graeme Blatchfield is eager to see his late cousin’s widow and learn for himself whether the rumors about the woman he once held a childish infatuation for are true. Having plunged into marriage with the last earl—Graeme’s fault for revealing their tryst—she’s been tainted by her husband’s decadence. Rumors swirl in the men’s clubs about the new widow. Rumors that may or may not be true. Forced by matters of the estate to spend time together, he soon discovers the vulnerable and lonely woman underneath the society mask. Can he get her to forgive him—and more?  

Universal preorder link:  https://books2read.com/HerImpeccableScoundrel

Author Bio and links:

USA Today bestselling author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature but prefers the happier world of romance fiction. Her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., but after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California where she shares a midcentury home with a golden-eyed terrier and a feisty chihuahua and only occasionally misses snow. 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://alinakfield.com/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKY

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I’m so thrilled to be able to share this gorgeous cover with you and to let you know that Enchanted by the Lyon is now available for preorder (or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited). Read on to learn more about my story in the Lyon’s Den Connected World!

She’s fallen in love and wants marriage, something he’s unwilling to give.

Lucius Ford, Earl of Blackthorn is content in his bachelor lifestyle, though the only lady to catch his attention this Season is looking for marriage. This lady of the Wicked Widow’s Club intrigues him.

Mrs. Cassandra Vaughn was widowed at a young age. After years of hardship, she seeks more than a superficial relationship. But the man who has enchanted her only wants her in his bed.

Who will change whose mind is still in question when Lucius loses a bet at the Lyon’s Den. To pay his debt, he must right a wrong done to none other than Cassandra Vaughn. Amidst societal expectations and personal histories, their lives entangle, challenging their beliefs about love and relationships.When past enemies endanger her life, Lucius will risk everything to protect her.

Tropes you’ll love:

 Widow Heroine
 Rake / Bachelor Hero
 Marriage vs. Affair Conflict
 The Wicked Widow’s Club
 The Lyon’s Den Connection
 Debt of Honor
 Protective Hero
 Opposites in Desire
 Second Chances at Love

Buy Links or Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon US | Amazon AU |  Amazon BR |  Amazon CA |  Amazon DE |  Amazon ES |  Amazon IN | Amazon IT |  Amazon JP |  Amazon MX |  Amazon NL |  Amazon UK

Thanks for joining me for another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is Christina Phillips who has an excerpt for you from her novel Deceived by the Highlander. Isn’t this cover just gorgeous? We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene and happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Alasdair waited in the courtyard while Freyja said her farewells to her grandfather. Clyde, the warrior she’d spoken of earlier, eyed him from the door to the stronghold, his face an impassive mask. He was a great hulk of a man, and it was clear no one would attack Freyja with such an intimidating guard.

It was a relief, although he wasn’t sure why. She had said herself, she was safe on the Isles, but that had more to do with her status as a MacDonald of Sgur rather than the inhabitants being more law-abiding than those from the mainland. Still, at least she had a man to navigate the boat between the Isles, and that was something.

Finally, she emerged with her dog, as always, at her heels, and he strode over to her. “I’ll accompany ye to the boat.”

She fell into step beside him, and after shooting him a dark glare, Clyde marched ahead of them.

“When ye leave Rum, do feel free to visit us on yer way back to the mainland.” She smiled at him, and he once again had the overwhelming need to kiss those irresistible lips. Except this time, unlike when they’d been on the beach, they weren’t alone, and he was certain Clyde would relish breaking his nose for taking such a liberty.

To hell with it. He threaded his fingers through hers, and she gave a soft gasp but didn’t pull away. Who knew the gentle caress of a palm against his could be so arousing?

But then, this was Freyja, and it seemed anything she did had the power to fire his blood.

“I’ll be sure to take ye up on yer kind offer,” he promised. One way or another, he was determined to make her his bride, whatever happened here on Rum with her grandfather. Because if he was sure of one thing, it was that the earl would claim Kilvenie by whatever means he could. And Alasdair intended to support him, even if it entailed wedding Freyja while her grandfather was still alive.

They reached the sheltered cove, where her boat had been pulled up onto the sand beside a rocky outcrop. The sea was calm and Eigg, with its dramatic ridge that towered over the Isle, looked deceptively close.

As Clyde dragged the boat to the water, as though it weighed no more than a satchel of feathers, Alasdair grasped Freyja’s free hand and swung her around to face him.

“I mean it,” he said. “Watch out for me, Lady Freyja.”

She gave a silent laugh, but her fingers tightened around his. “I shan’t be standing on the beach waiting for ye, Alasdair, if that’s what ye’re meaning. But make yer way to Sgur Castle, and I’ll see ye soon enough.”

“Ye may count on it.” Before he could think better of it, he brushed her lips in a fleeting kiss, and her elusive scent of roses and rain tormented him. Lust roared through him, and it was hell to pull back, but somehow he managed it. For an eternal moment her blue gaze ensnared him, as the erratic thud of his heart blotted out the sound of the gulls’ crying overhead. He dragged in a harsh breath, forcing himself back to reality while he still could. “And now the promise is sealed with a kiss.”

His mission: To wed Freyja MacDonald – by any means possible

Alasdair Campbell, unacknowledged bastard son of the late earl, is driven by two things: Loyalty to his half-brother, the current earl, and a burning ambition to rise through the ranks of Clan Campbell. He’ll do whatever it takes to leave his tortured past behind him, and to climb closer to his coveted barony. If that means seducing a woman he’s never met into marriage so the earl can claim her land in the Western Isles, it’s a small price to pay.

And then he meets her, and his world is turned upside down…

He’s the most honorable man she’s ever met

Freyja MacDonald isn’t easily swayed by a handsome face or honeyed tongue, but Alasdair Campbell fairly sweeps her off her feet with his down-to-earth charm. What’s more, he respects her work as a healer, something she knows to her cost not all men do.

Straight-talking and practical, she appreciates how Alasdair understands her commitment for the unvarnished truth rather than pretty lies, and their stolen kisses have her imagining a future together. Not that it’s possible, for she is bound to her land through an ancient prophecy of her foremothers and Alasdair must soon return to his grand castle in the Highlands. Yet she can’t deny the longing to be with him wherever that might be.

But the truth never stays buried forever…

Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon Canada  /  Amazon Australia

About the Author:

Christina grew up in England and spent her childhood visiting ruined castles and Roman remains and daydreaming about Medieval princesses and gallant knights. When she wasn’t lost in the past, she was searching for magical worlds in the backs of wardrobes and watching old Hammer Horrors from the safety of behind the sofa. She now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their two cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinaphillips.author/

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Welcome to my blog and another First Kiss Friday excerpt! Today I have my friend Cerise DeLand as my guest who has a scene from Lie Down with a Lyon. You can never go wrong with any story in the Lyon’s Den Connected World. We hope you enjoy this first kiss excerpt. Happy reading, my lovelies!

He stepped around her, his height and breadth a barrier between her and the wind. He lifted her chin. His tormented gaze deepened to a river of regret as the gathering clouds blocked out the sun. Catching her wrists, he pressed the palms of her hands to the flat of his chest. Beneath her flesh, his own pounded. “If I could, I would marry one woman.”

Excerpt:

She could not bear to ask if that lady was her. Oh, but she could hope. “What deters you?”

“She and I are star-crossed.”

“Can that chasm not be bridged?”

He brought her hands up to his lips, and the journey they took began with the press of his lips to one wrist, then the other. “No,” he rasped. “She is not mine to have.”

“How…how do you know?” 

He opened one palm and licked the skin. She trembled at his ardor. 

“She wants, she deserves, more than I can give her.” 

“Sometimes,” she ventured, caught between desire and propriety, “love can grant more to a relationship than circumstances provide.” She had no knowledge of that, no understanding. She had heard it whispered among her childhood friends in Crawford’s school, or read of it in books that were in essence fairytales for adults. 

He hooded his eyes as he bent and nipped the pad of one thumb, then the other. His lips stirred fresh, hot hunger in her blood. 

She threw back her head, her eyes squeezed shut. “Please stop.”

He circled her waist with both arms and pulled her against him. His lips in her hair, he whispered, “I can’t.”

’Twas then she threw all caution to the windy afternoon, reached up, and caught his cheeks. Sliding up against the bulwark of his fabulous body, she put her lips to his. 

No man had she ever kissed. She knew not how, exactly. But in that moment, instinct was her guide and she took his lips, parted from him, and took them again. He groaned and crushed his mouth on hers. Heaven, at once, appeared before her. 

He was fierce in his claim. Ravenous. His arms were iron, his lips a brand, his tongue a fierce probe she met with a cry of delight. He’d said he was not married. He was gentle, persuasive—an animal who took and gave. He’d said he could not marry because the one he desired was so different. But in the command of his kiss, the claim of his tongue, the groan from his throat, he declared how he wanted her.

She believed him. His fierce possession of her. His words. 

And she let him have her. All of her. Her lips, her teeth, her heart. How could he not want to claim her? She wanted all of him!

He broke their kiss. 

She gasped for air and marveled at the look on his face.

He was enchanted—torn and furious. He cupped her shoulders. His voice a rasp, he said, “I must go.”

Dazed, she let him steady her on her feet. Insulted, heartbroken, she fought for sanity. He would leave her? After this? Was he a fool?

Lie Down with a Lyon
By Cerise DeLand

He loved her from the moment he saw her… but she was his enemy’s daughter.

Dáire O’Neill never expected to fall in love—especially not with the daughter of the man who ruined his family. But one chance encounter with Blanche changes everything. Her kindness, her laughter, her strength… He’s utterly smitten.

Yet, bound by honor and pride, Dáire refuses to court her. Their friendship is the most he can allow himself.

Blanche Lyon has worked tirelessly to distance herself from her father’s sordid legacy. With a thriving business and a spotless reputation, she dreams of a future filled with stability—and maybe even love. When the man she secretly hoped would offer for her stays silent, she turns to Mrs. Dove-Lyon to find a husband.

But Blanche’s father has other plans—and the man he’s chosen will ruin everything she’s built.

Dáire knows he can’t have Blanche… but he also can’t let her be sacrificed to a future she doesn’t deserve. To save her, he must break his own heart—and perhaps hers.

 He’ll never possess her, but he’ll set her free from everything she despises. Even him.

BUY LINK or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/43zXI25

About the Author:

Cerise DeLand is an old hand at this historical romance business! She’s been at it since she was first published in 1990. She likes to tell a tale with drama, humor and a sound basis on historical facts!

Follow me please:

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog with today’s guest Ruth A. Casie. Ruth has an excerpt from her new release A Redemption for the Baron. Isn’t the cover just stunning? We hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading, my lovelies!

A Redemption for the Baron – Book Three of Barrington’s Brigade

Redemption isn’t given. It’s earned through truth, trust, and love.

Lady Bridget McConnell is drawn into a dangerous mystery at Alastair Court and into the path of Captain Thomas Grenville, the type of man she swore to avoid. When a cryptic journal reveals a hidden legacy tied to a centuries-old conspiracy, they must set aside their past to uncover the truth.

But as passion ignites and secrets unravel, Bridget and Thomas discover that some legacies demand more than answers. They demand courage, forgiveness, and redemption, which neither of them knew they needed.

Setup

In A Redemption for the Baron, Bridget McConnell is a fiercely independent Scottish woman thrust into the dangerous legacy left behind by her late cousin, Alastair. With her clan’s future hanging in the balance, she’s determined to uncover the truth behind his death even if it means working alongside the guarded and ever-watchful Captain Thomas Grenville.

Thomas has seen war, betrayal, and the high cost of misplaced trust. What he doesn’t expect is Bridget. She is intelligent, fearless, and utterly impossible to ignore. As they follow a trail of secrets hidden in ancient texts and torn pages, their mutual respect gives way to something far more dangerous: desire.

This kiss doesn’t happen under moonlight or by accident. It erupts in the heat of discovery, when truth and danger collide. Bridget is incandescent with certainty. Thomas, for the first time in years, wants more than duty. The moment is earned. It’s raw, breath-stealing, and, for both of them, inevitable.

Excerpt

Bridget ran her fingers over the worn parchment. “This is the book Miss Gray read Friday evening. She said it was disturbing.”

Together, they paged through the book. The script was painstakingly written, archaic in style, the meaning just out of reach. Then they stopped. Several pages had been violently torn from the binding, leaving ragged edges where words had once been recorded.

Bridget inhaled sharply. “Whatever he found in here,” she murmured, “he believed it was worth risking everything.”

Grenville studied the missing pages, his brow furrowed. “And whoever wants it back will kill again if necessary.”

Bridget let out a sharp breath. A sound that carried shock, fury, and wild exhilaration. “We were right,” she said, her eyes blazing. “We bloody well—” She struck the desk with her open palm, her energy sparking into motion. “He left a trail, and we found it. We did.”

Her voice rose with conviction, and Grenville turned toward her, staring not at the parchment now, but at her.

It wasn’t just the Order. It wasn’t just danger. It was the way she stood before him, fierce and unyielding, her voice still ringing in his ears. It was the way she believed. The way she knew.

She was the fire that made the storm make sense. And suddenly, Grenville didn’t want sense at all. He wanted her.

The Order. The threat. The choice Alastair had made and what it had cost him. But also, Bridget.

Her voice. Her fire. Her belief in this moment. In him.

Grenville’s control, so carefully kept, broke. Not violently. Not wildly. But with absolute clarity.

He reached for her, one hand catching her waist, the other rising to her cheek. His lips captured hers in a kiss. It was fierce and breath-stealing, born of too many held-back thoughts and the pounding rush of truth finally seen. Her breath caught, then melted into his, her fingers gripping the front of his coat.

When they broke apart, just long enough for air, Grenville saw her, truly saw her. Flushed. Her green eyes were wide, flickering from surprise to something deeper. Certain. She reached for him, fingers fisting his coat, and kissed him back.

This time it was slower. Richer. A question asked and answered without a word.

When they finally parted again, the silence that followed was no longer heavy. It vibrated with something new. Something neither of them had dared name until now.

The room hadn’t changed. But everything had.

Bridget drew in a shaky breath, and Grenville watched her chest rise, the color still high in her cheeks. Her fingers had curled slightly at her sides, as if part of her wasn’t ready to let go.

Neither was he.

His thoughts reeled, but one truth shone through like firelight. He hadn’t meant to kiss her. Not yet. Not now. But holding back had become impossible.

The heat of her lingered on his lips, and behind his ribs, something kicked to life, something too unruly to name. Not just desire. Not just relief. But recognition. As if something in him had been waiting for this, for her, without realizing it until that very moment.

She stood before him, flushed, breath unsteady, and utterly unafraid. And Grenville felt… undone. Not weakened. Not distracted. Just… honest, in a way he hadn’t been in years.

He opened his mouth, searching for the words that might make sense of what they’d just done. But there were none.

“I didn’t plan—” he started. Then stopped. His voice wasn’t steady enough.

Bridget’s lips curved into the barest smile, soft and knowing. “I know.”

The silence that followed held no regret. But he recognized it was something new, something fragile, just born.

Without thinking, he reached for her hand. Not to pull her close again. Just… to feel her warmth, the proof that she was real, and so was their kiss.

Bridget didn’t flinch. She didn’t step away. Her fingers curved around his, not tightly, not possessively, but deliberately. As if anchoring them both.

It lasted only a second. Then the moment shifted, and the room came back into focus with the books, the torn pages, and the truth still waiting in the shadows.

But Grenville would remember that second. The way her hand felt in his. The fire behind her eyes. The kiss that had stopped time.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/BB-Redemption
Available on Kindle Unlimited and in paperback wherever books are sold.

Barrington’s Brigade

Barrington’s Brigade follows six war-forged officers who return to England as titled gentlemen, only to find themselves embroiled in a secret society’s dangerous legacy. Bound by loyalty and haunted by the past, each must navigate peril, politics, and passion in pursuit of truth and love.

Book 4, A Vow for the Viscount, is scheduled to release in October 2025.

About the Author:

Ruth A Casie writes historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. Her stories embrace strong woman and the men who deserve them. Within the pages you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat suspense, mind boggling drama, and heart melting emotions. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join her heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. Ruth hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!

Learn more about Ruth at:

Website: www.RuthACasie.com
Email: Ruth@RuthACasie.com

Happy First Kiss Friday! I’m so happy to have you here with me on my blog. Today I’m welcoming back authors Sara Adrien and Tanya Wilde who have a first kiss scene from their upcoming novel How to Lose a Prince This Summer. It releases on July 15th and you can preorder it now for only $0.99! We hope you enjoy this excerpt and happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Something surged within Alex, and it was stronger than ever before: the need to claim her. So beautiful and so precious. Draci, did she even know how he was clinging to her? 

He was never the first son, the tallest, the best, but he was the only one here now and Sera was undoubtedly the most beautiful and intelligent woman he’d ever met. 

Could she be mine? Wholely? Forever?

Alex swallowed hard and took her hand in his. “I just don’t want this day to end.” He wanted to hold onto this moment, to find a way to make their time together last. How could he freeze time? The idea of losing her was unbearable. His hand tightened around hers searching for the right words to describe his feelings, to tell her how much she meant to him.

“Then don’t let it.”

“It’s not in my power to keep the sun from setting. Everything will be different tomorrow.”

As a third son, he may have a title and responsibilities but hardly any political sway. He had no way to fight his future unless he rebelled outright.

Turn a true rogue. 

Except that nobody had taught him how to not follow rules. Uphold honor, laws, even draft and pass new ones—yes. But his heart led him another way now.

“But you can control what happens right here, right now,” she said, shifting her body closer to him. 

“Sera, surely you don’t mean—” his sentence cut off when he caught the glint in her eyes. But then she gently kissed the tip of his nose and lingered. It would have been the most innocent show of affection if she didn’t linger so close to his mouth. A reflection of his own longing. Alex knew he had to do something, anything, to bridge the gap that the dawn would bring.

His future had been pre-written for him and signed with ink on paper. But how could anything matter if he was there in the moment with the beauty that plucked on the strings of his heart as though she owned them?

The breeze swept into the alcove carrying the scent of the ocean—a scent of freedom and he’d only ever experienced with Sera.

Draci! If he didn’t kiss her now, he might perish!

Alex leaned in slowly, his lips touching hers with a feather-light contact that sent a jolt of sparks through his. 

This only ever happens with you.

Sera’s lips parted to welcome him. Her fingers found their way to the nape of his neck, threading through his hair. The heat of her body enveloped him, a flicker of fire amidst the cool air. The sound of the waves faded, leaving only the thunderous beat of his heart and the soft sigh that escaped her. He pulled her onto his lap. If he could have drawn her body into his, he would have. 

“Alex,” she mumbled onto his mouth.

“I never want this to end, Sera,” he repeated once more, this time with more conviction.

“Just don’t let it.” She stared up at him and every point of contact between them thrummed with a startling energy. 

The idea of her absence left a hollow ache he couldn’t ignore. The realization filled him with determination so profound it seemed to echo across the walls of the cave. She was his, and he was irrevocably hers. 

All he had to do was move the heavens, the mountains, and the oceans if he acted on it.

Alex’s resolve to take a gentle goodbye from Sera faded. It just wasn’t enough. It was time to tip his royal world upside down. 

Consequences be damned.

They’re destined for duty. But will an impossible love on the Cornish Coast rewrite their fate?

Lady Seraphina Lyndon treasures the wild beauty of her summers on the Cornish Coast. But this year is bittersweet—it’s her last taste of freedom before an arranged marriage to a foreign prince. Her father’s business depends on this union, but Sera’s heart is drawn to someone else. A handsome and mysterious stranger on the beach has stolen her breath with his tender kisses and unforgettable charm. Now, she’s desperate to find a way to lose the prince she’s promised to and stay with the man who makes her feel truly alive. And how can she do this before the end of the summer?

Prince Alexander von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is a man of honor. Bound by duty, he knows he must head to London to complete his engagement to a woman he’s never met. But lingering on the Cornish sands is a captivating beauty who stirs his soul. Drawn to Sera like the tide to the shore, Alex gives his heart away, despite its forbidden risk. She believes him to be a simple man, and he’d rather keep his identity hidden than lose that treasure. He doesn’t want her to discover that he’s already promised to another. Not until he can break off his engagement. But even then, if she finds out all he’s been keeping from her… It might shatter the fragile bond they’ve built. So, how can he be with the woman he loves as just Alex and not Prince Alex?

Bound by an arranged marriage and separated by hidden identities, Sera and Alex face a web of secrets and a scheming villain. Can love prevail over duty, or will fate keep them apart forever?

Tropes/Themes:
 Arranged Marriage
 Hidden Identity
 Forbidden Love
 Summer Romance
 Love at First Sight
 Secret Royal / Royal in Disguise
 One Last Taste of Freedom
 Hero Falls First
 Scheming Villain
 Beachside Kisses
 Duty vs. Desire
 Swoony Prince
 Star-Crossed Lovers

Don’t miss this summer’s most romantic adventure! The perfect beach read now in Kindle Unlimited!

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.

Wedding Fever Series
Book 1: Dare to Tempt an Earl This Spring
Book 2: How to Lose A Prince This Summer
Book 3: How To Seduce A Duke This Autumn
Book 4: Ways To Kiss A Marquess This Winter

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCNGHDMZ

Free Companion Scrapbook Download: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4mrzm42ill

About the Authors:

Bestselling author Sara Adrien writes hot and heart-melting Regency romance with a Jewish twist. As a law professor-turned-author, she writes about clandestine identities, whims of fate, and sizzling seduction. If you like unique and intelligent characters, deliciously sexy scenes, and the nostalgia of afternoon tea, then you’ll adore Sara Adrien’s tender tear-jerkers. For more information and exclusive sneak peeks, new releases, and more books, sign up for Sara Adrien’s newsletter at www.SaraAdrien.com

Award-Winning and International Bestselling author Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper soon followed, after she devoured all their historical romance books! When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or pondering names for her imaginary big, white greyhound, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa. You can read a bit more about her at www.authortanyawilde.com

Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to my First Kiss Friday Blog! Today’s guest is my friend Anna St. Claire who has an excerpt from her upcoming novel Tempting the Lonely Lord that releases July 27th. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

“I… I want to apologize for my outburst the other day,” Bella said. “I had no right to say what I did.”

“You said nothing that my valet didn’t tell me five minutes later,” William said with a sheepish grin. “I smelled terrible. “What did you call it… An illicit rendezvous?” He chuckled. “I rectified the situation of my questionable scent. But I need to explain what I was doing.”

“N-no, you don’t have to explain yourself to me—”

“Yes, I do,” he interrupted. “I want to explain. The truth is… I met a colleague, someone I knew when I was working for the Crown, and he wanted to meet at a tavern in town, for anonymity purposes. In my line of work, in the past, meetings in such places offered greater protection. I know it sounds strange, but one can blend in easily in a dark tavern. But there was no tawdry perfume… at least not on purpose. Our discussion took longer than anticipated. But there was nothing illicit. I promise.”

She believed him—at least the part about the perfume—which she was sure meant there was no woman. She had to wonder about this friend of his, though. Was William still working for the Crown? If so, was he engaged in something dangerous? She hoped not. She could not bear to think of him in peril. 

“So, you forgive me?” he said with a charmingly crooked grin.

Bella felt her cheeks heat with a blush, and she glanced down at the carpet. “There is nothing to forgive, William,” she said softly. “It is I who must apologize for what I said. It was rude and unlike me. I’m not sure why I spoke that way to you.” She glanced up. “Please forgive me?”

“Of course,” he said in a low voice. 

“We’re friends, still?” she blurted. Lordy, I sound like a silly girl.

“Yes. Of course we are.” 

She nodded, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. She was feeling like a silly girl, too.

“Good! Because Baron Darkmoor’s ball is in a week, and if I attend, I want to be certain I can count on a dance.”

Her face heated. “O-of course. Yes. I would enjoy that very much. We are friends… are we not?”

“Yes. Yes, we are.” He paused and then said, “Would I be out of line to ask what you had wanted to speak with me about?” 

She was silent for a moment. Finally, she looked up and said, “I’ve thought a lot about what Michael said. He’s very wise.”

“Yes, he is rather insightful, especially with animals.”

“Well, perhaps you… I mean, I wanted to ask you if you would ride with me. I haven’t ridden Winterborne in such a long time, I’ve developed a…”

“Fear? I would think that is normal. I saw men go through the same type of thing during the war. Considering how your father died… I’ve been wondering, was there an investigation?”

Bella thought about it. “They ruled it accidental, but I don’t recall any type of official investigation, other than the magistrate taking a look around where my father fell.” 

“I believe Michael is right. It would do Winterborne a world of good for you to ride him.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you still have your father’s saddle and tack from that day?”

She wrinkled her brow and thought for a moment. “I heard a groom ask Uncle Stephen where to put it, but I never heard what he said. He was so distraught over my father’s death—we all were—that it was more than any of us could handle. I suppose it was eventually forgotten. We were fortunate that Winterborne had no more than a simple sprain. Why do you ask?” 

“I suppose I am merely being overly thorough. Just the hazards of many years working for the Crown. But would you mind if I examined it? Perhaps there is something that the magistrate may have overlooked. Or perhaps there was some logical reason for the horse to rear up as he did,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “That horse loves you—as I’m sure he loved your father. And if I can do anything to reassure you, before you take Winterborne out for a ride, that is what I would like to do for you.”

“That is most kind of you, William. And yes, of course, you may look over the saddle and tack.” She smiled. “So… is that a yes? You’ll ride with me?” 

“Yes. I would love to ride with you. But right now, I would like to do this,” he said, pulling her close. He covered her lips with his. It was a slow and unhurried kiss, as if they had all the time in the world. Bella felt a sudden release of the tension that had coiled through her over the past few days, to be replaced by a rush of warmth. 

Her senses were filled with the scent of him, sandalwood, citrus, and leather mingled together, and she relaxed into him, her arms curled around the back of his head, fingering his golden curls. 

William’s hands slid to her waist, steadying her, while the other lifted a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. The world fell away as he kissed her again.

How many times had she dreamed of this moment? And now she was living it. William was kissing her. Her very first kiss. And it was glorious.

A determined viscount…

William Dudley never expected to inherit the title of Viscount—or the neglected estate in Kent that came with it. But duty is something he has never shied away from. Now responsible for his spirited young brother, William is juggling guardianship, estate matters, and his ongoing secret work for the Crown. Though he has officially resigned as an agent, he still deciphers coded messages and remains relentless in his pursuit of a criminal smuggling ring wreaking havoc along the coast. Marriage is the last thing on his mind—until fate quite literally drops into his arms.

A fateful fall…

Lady Bella Conolly’s search for her mischievous dog, Lacey, leads her to the newly inhabited neighboring estate. But when her chase ends with a misstep down an embankment, she finds herself swept into the arms of a stranger. A golden-haired Adonis with striking blue eyes, a devilish grin, and the kind of effortless charm that could make any woman weak in the knees.

Yet beneath his easy smile and godlike beauty, there’s something else—something elusive. A quiet intensity that speaks of secrets carefully guarded. Bella should know better than to be drawn in by mystery and charm alone, yet she cannot deny the pull of curiosity… or attraction.

A dangerous dilemma…

Yet Bella’s troubles are far from over. Her uncle is determined to marry her off to a ruthless earl with sinister motives and a chilling hold over her family. As danger tightens its grip, Bella must decide whether she can trust the debonair and dashing viscount who has unexpectedly entered her world. Together, they must navigate secrets, schemes, and the undeniable pull of a love neither of them expected.

Can William unravel the web of deceit before it’s too late? Or will Bella be lost to the shadows of a perilous plot?

Preorder for $0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Lonely-Lord-Regency-Historical-ebook/dp/B0F9R5GBX8

About the Author:

Who knew I’d become an author? Not me. But when the opportunity knocked, I answered the door and welcomed it in. I approach life with as much positivity as I can—celebrating the hits and laughing at the misses. Nothing worthwhile is easy, and that includes everything in my life. But I have much to smile about—my lovely mother, a beautiful daughter, two precious granddaughters, my adorable dogs, and my sweet husband of over thirty years. He has always supported me—including uprooting to move to the other side of Charlotte, N.C. for a life change, just when we thought we were settled.

If settled means not going after my dreams, then I never want to be settled. I give my all to things I enjoy—and that includes writing. In 2021, I hit the USA Today Bestselling Author list, and recently, two of my books were named RONE Finalists! 

I love to express myself to the point that my daughter avoids going to the movies with me because I’m that woman in the row in front of you who gleefully munches her popcorn and laughs at every hilarious scene. Loudly. Besides my family, I love chocolate, popcorn, laughter, and animals. I love animals so much that I frequently sprinkle them in my stories as secondary characters. They usually steal the show! British and American history have always interested me, so writing historical romances set in the U.K. and the US is where my passion is. 

When I was barely three years old, my parents divorced, and my mom moved my sister and me from New York to South Carolina to live near her parents. Juggling a full-time job and full-time school, my mother became my first genuine hero—she never waved the white flag when things were tough. And things quickly got tough. My grandmother, who helped care for my sister and me while my mother worked, became ill with cancer, and didn’t survive the surgery, dying before I was seven. Losing Grandma devastated me. She read to me and taught me to read before I started first grade. I credit her for inspiring my love of reading, and I credit my mother for encouraging me to turn my ideas into stories.

When I was ten, my neighbor gave me her book club copy of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and it remains one of my favorite books. But it was Kathleen Woodiwiss’ Shanna and Ashes in the Wind, that hooked me on historical romance and sparked my dream of becoming a published author.

While I primarily write Regency Romance, I enjoy almost any period in American and British history. 

I love hearing from readers. To get in touch, email me at annastclaireauthor@gmail.com.

To keep up to date on my new releases, special promotions, contests, giveaways, and more, sign up for my newsletter by clicking here.

You can also follow me on BookBub, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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It’s a busy day today when you have a new release along with a FREE book blast from RomanceBookWorms.com! But I had to take a brief minute to welcome my newest book baby, The Dukes Secret Wager, out into the world in the Dragonblade Publishing boxset Dukes All Summer Long. Read on to learn more about the my contribution and the set!

He expects to win the wager. He does not expect to fall in love.

When Laurence Palmer, Duke of Stonehaven accepts his friend’s wager, it seems like an opportunity too great to refuse and too easy to win. Though he’s tired of attention from women who only see him as a title and a fortune, all he has to do is accept an invitation to yet another house party full of marriage-minded misses—and steal of kiss from his host’s daughter, the elusive Lady Georgina. Except this lady isn’t like the others, and she isn’t supposed to win his heart.

Is the man she’s meant to love the man she’s sure to loath?

Lady Georgina Norwood realized long ago that suitors were only interested in her fortune. Her parents see it differently. They’re holding a house party with the goal of choosing a husband for her if she doesn’t choose one on her own. She’s certain none of the men invited pique her interest or fill her requirements to love her and to treat her as an equal–the rakish Duke of Stonehaven least of all.

All bets are off when their kiss becomes more than a chance to win a bet. Can one secret wager change both their lives for the better or will they lose their chance at love?

All it takes is one wagering duke, one stubborn lady, and a chance encounter at a lake.

Excerpt:

Georgina thought back to that moment. Even now her stomach twisted at the memory. She’d been so foolish, with a head full of girlish dreams, completely unaware that most men—all men, really—saw her as a means to great wealth and nothing more. She’d never make that mistake again. And she never had. Instead, she believed, she’d become adept at spotting those who angled for her fortune and nothing more. She hoped that her parents had the same skill, since if she wasn’t able to choose any of these men, they would make the choice for her.

She turned to look at the castle beyond; thoughts of Wymar and Ceridwen occurred to her once more. Why couldn’t finding love happen for both of them the way it had for her ancestors? “You’d think our future husbands would know where to find us,” she said. “Like a handsome knight coming to our rescue as in days of old.”

“As appealing as that thought is, it’s unlikely to happen. Instead, you’d best get your head out of the clouds, dearest Gina, and find a man you could come to love from those who will attend your parent’s house party so that your father doesn’t find one for you. That’s as close to a knight in shining armor as you’re going to get, I’m afraid.” Honoria stood and shook her parasol open. “We should go in before we’re missed.”

Georgina stood to follow her and they began to walk the garden paths toward the castle. Her gaze fell on the stranger, who’d stopped to smell one of the budding roses. His tawny-colored hair fell forward, covering his cheek, but when he returned to his full—rather impressiveheight, he turned and their eyes met.

If Georgina’s arm wasn’t linked with Honoria’s she was certain her knees would have buckled. Her stomach somersaulted as his gaze captured hers. Georgina was overcome by the desire to push that rakish lock of hair from his forehead. He swept it back into place with his fingertips before giving her a brief nod. He then turned back to his companion as they walked away as though something monumental hadn’t just occurred.

Never before had she ever had such an experience in her life. Her head reeling, she could only continue to wonder who this gentleman was and why he had had such an astonishing effect on her from first sight.

Welcome to Dukes All Summer Long…

One of the most epic Historical Romance collections yet!

Enemies to Lovers – grumpy sunshine – wallflowers vs. rakes – and more!

Over a thousand pages of Regency Romance adventure with never-before published stories.

What are dukes good for? Romance all summer long. Be a fly on the wall for a romantic adventure, or peer into a ballroom as the dancers choose their partners. Enjoy this delectably romantic summer collection with your favorite Historical Romance authors because summer lovin’ has never been so passionate!

Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

A super fabulous one day sale of over 1,600 FREE eBooks ready to be filled on your eReader. You’ll find my novel Knight of Darkness: The Knights of the Anarchy (Book One) there along with authors who will bring you a new book boyfriend to love.

Just head over to Romance Bookworms to find your next great read! https://www.romancebookworms.com