Once Upon A Summer
A Contemporary Romance Anthology
With Stories By:
Brooke Moss, Liz Ashlee, Clara Winter, Tammy Mannersly, Sarah Vance
Tompkins, Kitsy Clare, Mark Love, Melissa Kay Clarke
Tompkins, Kitsy Clare, Mark Love, Melissa Kay Clarke
Beaches, boyfriends and danger…summer is certainly hot! Grab a hold tight as
these eight authors wow you with stories from sweet to sizzling!
After all, every day can have some summer fun!
these eight authors wow you with stories from sweet to sizzling!
After all, every day can have some summer fun!
Breaking Girl Code by Brooke Moss
Aubrey is having the perfect evening out, with the perfect guy, on a perfect
summer night. The problem is… Preston’s not her date. His real
date is her B.F.F., and she’s passed out in the backseat.
summer night. The problem is… Preston’s not her date. His real
date is her B.F.F., and she’s passed out in the backseat.
Wishing on Water by Liz Ashlee
After watching everyone’s else’s lives hit huge milestones, all Hope
wants is to escape to her boring, unchanging, single life. So,
where’s the one logical place to escape to? A retirement home.
wants is to escape to her boring, unchanging, single life. So,
where’s the one logical place to escape to? A retirement home.
Art with a Pulse by Clara Winter
Artist Alice finds herself rescuing a seal on the sands of Laguna Beach with
screenwriter Elijah. Can Alice put her past behind her and give
Elijah the chance he deserves?
screenwriter Elijah. Can Alice put her past behind her and give
Elijah the chance he deserves?
A Natural Passion by Tammy Mannersly
How will marine biologist, Dylan O'Day, solve the illegal poaching
problem threatening the ecosystem he loves and protects when the
gorgeous, new intern, Kyra Shine, is occupying his every thought?
problem threatening the ecosystem he loves and protects when the
gorgeous, new intern, Kyra Shine, is occupying his every thought?
You Had Me at Aloha by Sarah Vance Tompkins
Social media guru Vivienne Parker's dream trip to Hawaii turns into a
nightmare when her roommate in the luxurious surf shack is the hot
Olympic athlete who just got her fired.
nightmare when her roommate in the luxurious surf shack is the hot
Olympic athlete who just got her fired.
More Than Puppy Love by Kitsy Clare
Fireworks spark when Arianna, a city girl with an elite pet portrait business
is in a wreck and asks Dave a country auto mechanic for help, but can
these two beagle owners from different worlds see eye to eye?
is in a wreck and asks Dave a country auto mechanic for help, but can
these two beagle owners from different worlds see eye to eye?
Stealing Haven by Mark Love
Sand, sun, romance and a mystery to solve. Sounds like a perfect vacation for Jamie.
Harmony in the Key of Murder by Melissa Kay Clarke
Summer in the South can mean a different type of heat when a newly appointed
investigator and a mechanical genius cross paths leading to murder and love.
investigator and a mechanical genius cross paths leading to murder and love.
Goodreads * Amazon
Stealing Haven Excerpt
“You like my smile? I always thought
it was kind of lopsided.”
I took his face in both hands and
turned it toward me. “Maybe a little crooked. But that’s part of the appeal.”
Now I initiated a kiss. His hands slid through my hair, then softly ran his
fingers down my neck. Shivers of excitement coursed through me. A horn sounded
nearby. He broke the kiss and turned to check the water. Another boat passed in
the opposite direction. A man and woman were at the helm, mirroring our positions caught in the moment and sensuality
of being on the water. I bit down on my bottom lip in frustration. I longed for
more than kisses but safety came first.
“We don’t want to run into some
sailboat out here,” Randy said with a grin.
I scooted back onto the bench. Maybe a little distance was in order? It
might help my racing hormones. “How fast are we going?”
“About thirty. Want to go faster?”
Was
he talking about the boat, or the two of us? Randy shifted. His right hand had dropped to the
controls, his left lightly holding the steering
wheel. He watched
me, his lopsided grin worked its magic.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stepping
out of the jeep at the rescue, my flip-flop snagged on the gas pedal and I lost
my grip on my scorching hot tea latte. The plastic top came loose, and the tea
spilled down the front of my top. Leaping out of the car, I managed to knock
most of the liquid off before it scalded my stomach. My flesh was saved, but my
vintage tee was likely ruined. I stared, sadly, down at the four-dollar puddle
on the floorboard. After grabbing some napkins out of the side pocket of the
driver’s side door, I bent over to wipe up my mess. The London Fog was easily
soaked up, thanks to the plastic floor mats.
“Having
problems?” asked a familiar voice, behind me.
My
stomach did a somersault, but I wasn’t ready to turn around. That is, until I
realized my rear end was on prominent display. I stood bolt upright, adjusting
my tee the best I could. Nothing was going to help this disaster, so I may as
well own it.
“Actually,
several. Flip flops, jeeps, and hot beverages do not make good bedfellows.” I
met Elijah’s sparkling, emerald-green eyes.
He
chuckled, producing a half grin. I hated to admit how good he looked. Elijah
was probably the only person on the planet who could look pulled together in
athletic gear. I wasn’t a fan of the trend, but he looked great in long running
shorts and a close fitting, breathable shirt. Although these were the only
types of clothes I had seen him in, I was sure he looked amazing in anything.
“Let
me take that. I assume we’re here for the same thing.” He reached for my empty
coffee cup and wet napkins. Was he the last gentleman on earth? Or was Jude
right and I was just bitter?
I
thanked him, and he jogged over to a trashcan, then back to where I stood. Now
I felt more of a heel. I wasn’t willing to claim any miracles, but I did at
least owe him an apology.
“I’m
sorry for snapping at you, yesterday. You were trying to be nice, and I was…”
“I
know what you were feeling, don’t worry about it,” he interrupted. “The morning
was stressful, enough. Then to find out your stuff was stolen. I got it.”
Suspicious,
my eyes narrowed, a little. I couldn’t help it; this guy was too good to be
true.
“Are
you from California?” I asked, thinking I had found the answer. Elijah must
have hailed from a mid-western state; a place which produced corn, cows, and
people who looked out for one another. Somewhere like the place my grandparents
hailed from. This would also explain the milk-ad appeal of his handsome, good looks.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Brooke Moss writes complex, character-driven stories about kismet, reunited
lovers, first love, and the kind of romance that we should all have
the chance at finding. She prefers her stories laced with some humor
just for fun, and enough drama to keep her readers flipping the
pages, and begging for more!
lovers, first love, and the kind of romance that we should all have
the chance at finding. She prefers her stories laced with some humor
just for fun, and enough drama to keep her readers flipping the
pages, and begging for more!
When Brooke isn't spinning tales, she spends her time drawing/cartooning,
reading, watching movies then comparing them to books, and, of
course, wrangling five kids, mugging on her hubby she lovingly refers
to as her "nerd", and attempting to conquer the Mount
Everest of laundry that is the bane of her existence.
reading, watching movies then comparing them to books, and, of
course, wrangling five kids, mugging on her hubby she lovingly refers
to as her "nerd", and attempting to conquer the Mount
Everest of laundry that is the bane of her existence.
University her B.A. in English and B.S. in Library Informatics. She has been published in Loch
Norse Magazine and The Pentangle, and has won the Miller Award for Outstanding Fiction Writing. She currently lives in Independence, Kentucky, with her family and dog-daughter, Hero
Amy Rugg grew up reading Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, and
Alice in Wonderland, while watching Buck Rogers, Star Trek, and
Doctor Who. Writing her own stories naturally ensued. She is a wife,
mother, and former school counselor, with a Master’s Degree in
Counseling. Amy is from Colorado Springs, Co and currently resides in
Mission Viejo, Ca.
Alice in Wonderland, while watching Buck Rogers, Star Trek, and
Doctor Who. Writing her own stories naturally ensued. She is a wife,
mother, and former school counselor, with a Master’s Degree in
Counseling. Amy is from Colorado Springs, Co and currently resides in
Mission Viejo, Ca.
Tammy Mannersly is an Australian author based in Brisbane, Queensland.
She loves writing romance, has a fondness for animals, is crazy about
movies and enjoys a great Happily Ever After. Her passion for writing
started from a very young age and led her to complete a Bachelor
Degree in Creative Industries majoring in Creative Writing at
Queensland University of Technology.
She loves writing romance, has a fondness for animals, is crazy about
movies and enjoys a great Happily Ever After. Her passion for writing
started from a very young age and led her to complete a Bachelor
Degree in Creative Industries majoring in Creative Writing at
Queensland University of Technology.
spent every summer exploring the sugar sand beaches near Sleeping
Bear National Park. She left her heart behind when she moved to Los
Angeles to attend the University of Southern California. She received
an MFA in Film Production and went on to work in feature film
development in Hollywood. She has worked as a reporter for a weekly
entertainment trade publication, and been paid to write obituaries,
press releases, the directions for use on personal lubricant bottles,
and breathless descriptions of engagement rings for an online jewelry
store. She lives in a small town north of Los Angeles with her husband and three cats.
at heart, she loves to write about the sexy intrigue of the city, and
particularly of the art world. She knows it well, having shown her
paintings here before turning to writing. Model Position, her new
adult novella is about artist Sienna and her friends. Living in a
Bookworld says: “Beautifully written! We get to learn things about
art & painting, which is refreshing. A colorful story from a
promising new adult author.” The next in her Art of Love series,
Private Internship launches in September with Inkspell.
Kitsy loves to travel, draw, read romance, speculative fiction and teach
writing workshops. She also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her
futuristic thriller, Ruby’s Fire was a YA finalist in the Next
Generation Indie book awards. Fireseed One, its companion novel, was
a finalist in YA and Sci-Fi in the USA News International Book
Awards, and an Indie Reader notable. Her YA horror, Dorianna,
launches fall 2014 with Evernight Teen. She’s a member of SFWA, RWA and SCBWI.
writing workshops. She also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her
futuristic thriller, Ruby’s Fire was a YA finalist in the Next
Generation Indie book awards. Fireseed One, its companion novel, was
a finalist in YA and Sci-Fi in the USA News International Book
Awards, and an Indie Reader notable. Her YA horror, Dorianna,
launches fall 2014 with Evernight Teen. She’s a member of SFWA, RWA and SCBWI.
Mark Love
I am a Michigan native, who up until recently lived in the Metro
Detroit area, where crime and corruption always seem to be at the top
of everyone's news. So there's always the chance to find something
that can trigger a story idea and enough interesting characters to
jump start your imagination.
Detroit area, where crime and corruption always seem to be at the top
of everyone's news. So there's always the chance to find something
that can trigger a story idea and enough interesting characters to
jump start your imagination.
While I have worked in many industries and career paths over the years, one
of my passions has always been writing. I was even able to parlay
that passion for a while, working as a freelance reporter for a
couple of newspapers in the Detroit area. Writing features and hard
news helped me hone my talents. But while newspaper work was
interesting and paid a few bills, it was a far cry from the fiction
writing that I enjoy the most.
I've always been drawn to mysteries and thrillers, the kind of stories
that have a fast pace, that keep you moving and keep you guessing as
to what's going to take place next. Mix those in with some elements
of crime, perhaps a glimpse of the seedier side and you've got me. So
it's always been one of my goals to write stories like that.
town forty-five minutes southwest down the famous Natchez Trace. She
found a love of reading very early and quickly devoured everything
she could. Told repeatedly that she had a wonderful imagination, she
turned to scribbling her musings and wrote her first novel while in
college. It was never published and has since vanished. The death of
a close friend who aspired to become an author reawakened her own
desire resulting in penning her first book, Shattered Dreams, published in 2013.
Melissa now resides in Meridian, Mississippi with her supportive family –
husband, Robert and daughter Rebecca, two cats, and two dogs. When
she isn't writing, she spends way too much time with her online
friends and feeding her ravenous appetite for the written word.
husband, Robert and daughter Rebecca, two cats, and two dogs. When
she isn't writing, she spends way too much time with her online
friends and feeding her ravenous appetite for the written word.
It's always a great day when we find great books to read. Congrats on the tour and thanks so much for the opportunity to win and another great post.
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