Candy Hearts – I’M SURE by Beverly Breton

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Charlotte Copper

Blurb
During the day, Megan surrounds herself with water lilies and goldfish in the ponds she creates. At night, memories of her lying ex-boyfriend are a reminder she can never again trust a man.
Jason embraces his career as paramedic firefighter, even though ugly experience declares his profession a greedy mistress. During quiet nights at the station, he wonders if this bachelor existence is all he’ll ever know.
Then Jason meets Megan and sparks fly, chased by flashes of anger when Jason, battling a raging apartment fire, stands up Megan on their first date. Is St. Valentine powerful enough to bring these two strong-willed people together?

Excerpt
Jason reaches over the table and takes my hand in his.

Much as I try scrubbing at the dirt, my nails are almost never 100% clean, and I’ve got a long scratch across my knuckles. And anyhow, in the middle of a work day, that’s part of who I am.

He turns my hand palm up and runs his finger across the calluses.

My heart skitters a beat at the feel of his hands cradling mine. His touch exudes caring. Imagining him tending a person in distress is easy.

Need I say it? I like the feel of him touching me. The world is charmingly in order right here, right now. But what is he doing? “Is something wrong with my hand?”

“Every time I see you, you’re in the water. And you’re the odd duck. I was just seeing”—he turns his head to examine my palm, his carved cheeks in profile, “if there’s a web between your fingers…”

Bemusement laces his tone. “Like a Labrador retriever?” I retort, stifling the urge to flex my fingers; I don’t want him to let my hand go.

He laughs and releases my hand. “My favorite animal. But a dog? No. That’s not what you bring to mind.”

His grin is so open, so easy, I decide to divulge something I’ve never told anyone. “I did wish for scales when I was younger. I thought it would be cool to be a mermaid.” He takes me in for a beat, his gaze deep.

“I can see that.”

His voice is low and velvety. I draw in a ragged breath.

Buy Links:
AMAZON
THE WILD ROSE PRESS

About the Author:
Beverly Breton is an eternal fan of the happy ending, and a sucker for any book that grabs the reader through characterization and emotion. A career non-fiction writer and editor, Beverly has written articles and personal essays for newspapers and magazines across the country, and has taught college writing at the undergraduate and graduate level. She now writes romantic short stories, and has garnered such awards as Night Owl Reviews Top Pick and You Gotta Read Reviews highest rating You Gotta ReadFive Stars. She is also a professional floral designer, and her garden nursery experience and love of plants is fondly woven into her latest short story I’m Sure featuring a pond garden designer and the emergency responder who falls for this fiery-haired near-mermaid when he discovers her up to her thighs in water one February morning.

http://www.beverlybreton.com

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Candy Hearts – GOT LOVE by Angela Hayes

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Charlotte Copper

BLURB
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, gorse fairy, Flora Hawthorne is up to her neck in flowers, chocolate, and all things romance. She has no time for love, until she comes face to face with her own personal Cupid and the sparks fly!
Looking to settle down, Cupid Tharin Terize wants fairy Flora Hawthorne to be his valentine, not just for one night, but for the rest of time. Now, all he has to do is convince her.

EXCERPT

Tucking a few extra napkins in her coat pocket, Flora picked up her coffee, only to spin around and smash right into a cashmere-clad brick wall.

“Aw, snapdragons!” She exclaimed over a chorus of stunned gasps and excited squeals, the contents of her cup now soaking the shirt in front of her. Thinking quickly she dropped the near empty cup, pulled her scarf from around her neck, and used it to blot at the spreading coffee stain. “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s my fault, I was too close.”

Flora looked up. All rational thought fled her mind. This was no elf, fairy, or nymph in front of her. Oh, no, this was a cupid! Gorgeous beyond description with tempting chocolate eyes a fae-kin could get lost in for days, he had a neatly-trimmed beard that framed a perfect white smile and dark shoulder-length hair that accented a face obviously carved by The Mother, Cailleach Bheur herself.

“Wow, you are ripped under there, aren’t you?” She admired without thinking, only to blush when she realized what she’d said. The man was in possession of a clearly well-muscled chest and the requisite washboard abs that went with it. “Not that I’m trying to cop a feel or anything,” she confessed. “But that’s nice. Kudos on the hard work by the way.” Shaking her head, Flora mentally chided herself. This was not going well.

BUY LINK:
THE WILD ROSE PRESS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A married mother of two, I split my time between bringing characters to life by computer, and yarn to life with needle and hook. You can find me at http://www.authorangelahayes.blogspot.com where I help connect readers and the authors they love.

Other places you can find Angela:
http://www.facebook.com/imahayes
https://twitter.com/imahayes
http://www.pinterest.com/imahayes
http://www.manicreaders.com/AngelaHayes/
http://www.amazon.com/author/angelahayes
https://www.goodreads.com/author_angelahayes

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Candy Hearts – MARRY ME by Heidi Wessman Kneale

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Charlotte Copper

Blurb:

In 1905 New York City, affluent Millie Moore wants to be outspoken like the suffragettes she admires. She also wants to rid herself of an annoying and controlling suitor. For a well-brought up young lady whose mother fears her impending spinsterhood, speaking her mind is an uphill battle.

When Raymond Wilson sees Millie at a rally, it’s love at first sight. Not wanting his stutter to ruin his chances, he enchants a little candy heart to do his talking for him.

For Millie, Raymond is a breath of fresh air. And maybe, just maybe, someone she could love. But for her social-climbing suitor Guy Elliot, he’s a threat to his plans. And Raymond isn’t the only one who knows something about magic. Now the ante has been upped and Millie is the prize…

Excerpt:

A giggle rose up inside Millie. “Do you always carry around candy?”
“A g-g-ood uncle is a-a-a-always p-prepared.”
Raymond patted down his pockets. His hand rested over his heart for a moment. A coy little smile played his lips. Then he reached into another pocket and brought out a rumpled white bag from Smith’s. He pulled out a heart.
“I—I been s-s-aving th-th-these in c-c-ase I f-found you ag-g-gain.” From the inside of his jacket he produced a pencil. He wrote a tiny message on the heart before he gave it to her.
“Eat me!” it squeaked.
How adorable.
Her laughter bubbled up unrestrained. “Is it safe?”
He nodded.
She looked at the heart, hesitated, and then held it up to his lips. “You first.”
He opened his mouth and accepted the heart from her delicate fingers. He sucked on it and closed his eyes in delight. “Mmmm…” He leaned back against the iron railing and gave himself over to the joys of a little conversation heart.
Millie let out a breath. “Are you teasing me?”
He lifted a single eyelid. “Yep.”
Extracting another heart, he wrote, “Sweet Lips.”
He held it up for her. “Y-your t-turn.”

Buy Links:
THE WILD ROSE PRESS
AMAZON

About the Author:

Heidi Kneale is an Australian author of moderate repute best known for her escapist fiction–especially Fantasy and Romance. She lives in Western Australia, near the ocean. Like most humans, she’s got a family. She also associates with the World’s Most Boring Cat. When not writing novels, she composes music and stares at the stars.