Ready for a Galactic Defender? Jessica E. Subject Shares a Sci-Fi Romance @jsubject #sfr

Please welcome back my friend Jessica Subject. Jess and I met online through a writers' support group called Authors Helping Authors (AHA). We bonded over our mutual love of science fiction romance and the Stratford Festival, near London, Ontario, Canada. Hubs and I went each summer to see fantastic plays and musicals. Although we haven't been since we moved farther away, we plan to return soon.

Jessica has a new book, second in the Galactic Defenders series. I just finished the first book, Bryce, and now I'm ready to read the second, Jager. Jess has been featuring snippets from Jager on Weekend Writing Warriors. I was intrigued from the start. Here's more about . . .

JAGER

Galactic Defenders #2

by Jessica E. Subject

Release date: March 27, 2017

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Action & Adventure

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-988428-05-5

Print ISBN: 978-1-988428-04-8

Editor: Kate Richards

Cover artist: Fantasia Frog Designs

# of pages: 128 ebook, 168 print

# of words: 34,500

BLURB:

Jager's new squad of Defenders has completed training, but the spoiled princess who has grated on his nerves since her first day of training is called back to Hemera for a yearly celebration. When Princess Katrina doesn't show up, Jager must find her and drag her home, where he wishes she would stay.

Katrina is a Defender, not a princess. And there is no way she wants to return to a planet she hates for some stupid ceremony. Not when she could be out killing Erebus with her squad.

But when a new enemy threatens both their lives, they must work together to survive.

EBOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XF4GKVH/

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XF4GKVH/

Amazon Canada – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XF4GKVH/

Nook – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jager-jessica-e-subject/1125895457

Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jessica_E_Subject_Jager?id=4rhCDgAAQBAJ

iBooks – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/jager/id1212084285?mt=11

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/jager-10

PRINT BUY LINKS:

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Jager-Galactic-Defenders-Jessica-Subject/dp/1988428041/

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jager-Galactic-Defenders-Jessica-Subject/dp/1988428041/

Amazon Canada – https://www.amazon.ca/Jager-Jessica-E-Subject/dp/1988428041/

CreateSpace - https://www.createspace.com/6983546

Add to Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34463255-jager

EXCERPT

Jager squeezed his eyes shut, his head pounding. He gasped when the body attached to the head resting on his arm moved. The person rolled toward him, and a thin arm draped across his chest. But that wasn’t the only part of the being he felt pressed against him. Cosmos, had he drunk too much redip in the Defender lounge? That would explain the headache and why there was a naked woman beside him.

Katrina. The memories flooded his mind. They were locked up together, naked. And the lights had gone out. She’d screamed, and when he’d crossed the prison cell to get to her, something had knocked him away and beat on him until they’d finished torturing his squad member.

After he’d finally reached her, he’d pulled Katrina to the middle of the cell. It would be harder to reach them there. If she was in his arms, he could protect her from those who’d decided to lock them up. But he still didn’t know who they were, what they wanted, and what they’d done to the Erebus.

Katrina clung to him, one leg draped over his thigh. When she started to shiver, he held her tight. They only had two blankets, one separating them from the floor, and another over them. Very little to keep them warm aside from their own body heat. Not a problem for him, at least not until that moment when his body forgot she had a boyfriend, and wanted her for itself.

He had considered pursuing his junior squad member, especially after she’d arrived at the door wearing nothing but her undergarments the day they met. But, she’d grown close to Jace instead, and now spent most of her time with the leader of Zulu squad. So much time, she might as well train with them. But then, he wouldn’t have her in his arms as he did now. Even if it wouldn’t last, he had this moment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to go to fitness class and walk her Great Pyrenees/Retriever her family adopted from the local animal shelter.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website - http://jessicasubject.com

Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/eX1Zw

Twitter - http://twitter.com/jsubject

Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jessicasubject/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jessicaesubject/

Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/100079570422204018357/

Amazon Author Page - http://amazon.com/author/jessicasubject

Goodreads Page - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject

Authorgraph - http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/jsubject

Bryce, the first book in the Galactic Defenders series, is 99¢ until April 19.

BRYCE BUY LINKS:

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/BRYCE-Galactic-Defenders-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01HDPTNKM/

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/BRYCE-Galactic-Defenders-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01HDPTNKM/

Amazon Canada – https://www.amazon.ca/BRYCE-Galactic-Defenders-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01HDPTNKM/

Nook – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1123964868

Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jessica_E_Subject_BRYCE?id=OyV4DAAAQBAJ

iBooks – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/bryce/id1126636567?mt=11

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/bryce-4

The Case of the Meddling Mama - Pre-Order #Sale

If you visited my blog over the past few weekends, you've already read snippets from the latest Alex O'Hara PI mysteries. The manuscript is with my editor, who says she's excited to read it. That's what an author loves to hear. 😊 

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon and Kobo at the special price of $1.99. After release, it will go to its regular price of $3.99. 

Alex is up to her usual antics, the ones that always get her into trouble. Nick is back, of course, but he comes and goes in the story--off saving the world. A new addition is his mother. If you read The Case of the Fabulous Fiance, you know she's left Nick's dad and is bunking in with Alex. Not good for Alex and Nick's relationship. Todd, the teenager she rescued from his abusive stepfather, plays a key role in two cases. 

In The Case of the Meddling Mama, I got to explore an issue that's a hot topic on the news--opioid addiction. Alex learns more than she wants to know about teens and drugs. And another issue that's pivotal in the story is online dating. Sometimes, it works out great (my son and his wife met at an online matching site). And sometimes it doesn't.

Get ready for some adventure, humor, and fright as Alex solves two easy-peasy cases. If you believe that, I have some beachfront property in Arizona you might be interested in.

Blurb:

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

In other news:

I'm up to my eyeballs in paperwork, preparing for taxes. So, if I don't respond right away, you know that I'm trying to crawl out from under the avalanche. When will I ever learn not to wait until the last minute?

On top of taxes, it's a busy week for me. I'm visiting Ally Shields for a Coffee Chat on Wednesday. On Thursday, while my good friend Jessica Subject visits here, it's my regular posting day at The Roses of Prose. 

On Saturday, I'm participating in Alicia Dean's Fool Me Once--April Fool's Day Party on Facebooks. Alicia and several of us authors are offering some great gifts, including a Kindle Fire (for the most active participant) and a Grand Prize that includes gift cards, books, and many other gifts. My scheduled time is 2:30 - 3:00, but I'll pop in and out all during the party. It should be a lot of fun. Consider this your invitation to join us.

Have a great week. Spring is here--finally. The grass is greening up, the ducks are back in the pond, and the geese, our "alarm clock" each morning, can fly up to Canada any time.

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday: Meddling Mama

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hops for everyone who loves to read and write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

My snippet is from my upcoming release, THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA, an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Along with some creative punctuation, it hasn't been edited yet, so suggestions are welcome.

This snippet comes immediately after last week's. The ending of which said Nick had disappeared on their wedding night.

When Nick showed up two and a half months later, I had second thoughts about being married to him. If his job took him away at the drop of a hat, he could leave any time, even if he did come back. But when a guy leaves you on your wedding night with no warning, no word for nearly three months, wouldn’t you have reservations?

We were just starting to hash things out when his mother showed up last week, declaring she’d left his father and was bunking in with me until she found an apartment. What could I say, no? I don’t think so.

I was still in a state of shock, so was Nick, who’d moved into the B&B owned by the biggest blabbermouth in the county because I wouldn’t sleep with him while his mother slept in the next room. Two days later, his agency sent him off on another mission—typical. We needed to talk, but how could we if he wasn’t around? See what I mean about reservations?

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at the special price of $1.99.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Be sure to check out the other authors. 

Why Cara Bristol Writes About Aliens

Why I Write About Aliens

By Cara Bristol

Once word got out about Alien Mate, I was asked why I chose to write about aliens. I hope readers realize that I’ve been writing about aliens all along. The Breeder trilogy has alien main characters, and even though cyborgs are the leading men of the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance series, there are alien secondary characters, villains, and even two alien heroines.

Romance in all its subgenres offers readers escape and vicarious wish fulfilment. All heroes are handsome, powerful, funny, sexy, rich, and in sci-fi romance (as well as fantasy and paranormal), the male leads can be all of that and more.  They can have special powers or superhuman abilities. For an author, writing about aliens offers flexibility in story and character development. Aliens can be whatever you want them to be.

With villains and/or secondary characters in particular, an author has tremendous creative freedom because they don’t have to be humanoid. In the Breeder series, I created an alien whose skin exuded a caustic substance that burned on contact. In the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance cyborg series, I introduced the reading world to the Arcanians, the pickpockets of the future who have six eyes and “sticky fingers.”

The heroes and heroines of sci-fi romance still need to be humanoid to appeal to human readers, but an author can still have fun and create interesting characters with unusual traits, habits, customs, and abilities. Alien Mate is a “mail order bride” romance in which Earth exiles its female felons and sentences them to become the mates of aliens. The men are tall, dark, handsome, muscular, strong—and horned. There’s a scene in the book where the heroine finds out about the horns. “Dakonians” have never seen blue-eyed blondes, so when they see the heroine for the first time, they think she’s very alien looking and “unnatural.”

Writing about aliens also makes me look at my own world in a more questioning way. What is normal? What things do I take for granted? How would my Earth culture be viewed by someone not of this world?   

  An excerpt from Alien Mate
“Any idea what the aliens look like?” I’d kept to myself, but I’d heard rumors our intended “mates” were scaly blue with long tails. Only recently had Terra One World made contact with Dakon. I’d been told the aliens “looked like us,” but I had little confidence in my government to tell the truth.

“I did a little ’net research before they transported me to the shuttle,” Andrea explained. “They are humanoid, genetically compatible with us, but they’re taller, much more muscular, and bigger.” She held her hands about a meter apart.

“Are you talking about their penises or their bodies in general?” Tessa asked.

Shit, I hoped Andrea was referring to their bodies. I eyed the span between her palms.

Andrea rolled her eyes. “Their bodies in general. I did not research their junk.”

“It would be proportionate, though, wouldn’t you think?” Tessa persisted. You could take the girl out of the escort business, but you couldn’t take the escort business out of the girl.

Andrea placed her index fingers to her forehead so they stuck up. “And they have—”

“Antenna?” My jaw dropped.

“More like horns.”

“That’s worse!”

“Vestigial horns. Mostly hidden by their hair.”

“So we’re the court-ordered brides of horned aliens who may or may not have big dicks,” I said.

“That’s the size of it.” Andrea snickered.

I got up and moved to the observation window. Without the filtering effects of a planetary atmosphere, stars in space didn’t twinkle. They appeared as solid points of light. We’d traveled far enough none of the constellations were familiar anymore.

“Dakon must be very far away.” We’d been on the ship for two months with thirty days left to go.

“It’s hyper speed compared to the three-year round trip the first contact took. Thanks to the illuvian ore, we’ll do it in three months,” Andrea said. “The Dakonians have been waiting a long time for their mates. After the first contact ship returned to Earth, it took a year to set up the program and recruit the first group of women.”

Tessa giggled. “They’re going to be really horny by now. In more ways than one.”

Alien Mate blurb

Falsely convicted of murder, I'm sentenced to life as a mail-order bride to an alien.

I'm Starr Elizabeth Connor. Earth's government falsely convicted me of a crime, packed me on a ship with other female felons, and sent us to Dakon, a primitive, frozen wasteland of a planet. Why? Earth needs minerals, and Dakon is desperate for females.

But I'm no barbarian’s 'mail order bride,' even if he is super tall, muscular, and the chief of his tribe. He doesn’t want a BBW blonde, either--it's written all over his chiseled face. He'll be truly angry if he ever learns what my 'crime' was.

I am Torg. I have waited 34 rotations for a mate of my own. With this shipment, I was sure to get a fine, sturdy mate who'll bear me many daughters. Instead, I receive a small, curvy, pale-haired female who looks at me with anger and fear.

It is only when we 'kiss' that I believe things may work out between us. But I'm hearing rumors that Starr and her shipmates are law-breakers. To survive, Dakonians must obey all laws … or be exiled into the frozen wasteland.  Just when I have found her, will I have to send my mate to die?

Alien Mate will be released April 10. Don't miss this sexy, suspenseful sci-fi romance--preorder your copy of Alien Mate today!

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPTS6W2

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPTS6W2

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B06XPTS6W2

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XPTS6W2

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1216239742

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/alien-mate-8

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alien-mate-cara-bristol/1125991880

Meet the characters of Alien Mate. Download a free three chapter sampler: http://dl.bookfunnel.com/k5dew3u7eu

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol writes steamy science fiction romance with an emphasis on the characters and their romance, with a little danger and adventure added for fun. She likes to say that she writes science fiction for readers who don’t like sci-fi.  Cara lives in Missouri with her alpha hero, her husband.

Cara’s Website:  http://carabristol.com/
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Cara-Bristol/e/B004D8KZTQ/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cara.bristol.3
Author Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/9aRJj

Twitter: @CaraBristol https://twitter.com/CaraBristol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carabristol/

Why Aurora Springer Wrote Comet Tales

Why I Wrote Comet Tales.

Comet Tales is a compilation of four short stories and a novella written over two and a half years. The common theme is light-hearted romance in a science fiction setting. Several of these stories have been published separately.

The short stories were written to celebrate different holidays. Most are too short to be viable as separate publications.

Gifts of Jangalore was published in December, 2014, to celebrate the winter festival of lights as a nonsectarian celebration in the far future, or possibly an alternate universe. It is set on the jungle planet of Jangalore. This story belongs in the Grand Masters’ Galaxy and helps draw readers to the series.

Empath Rosa Spruce and Psi Master Varan seek an ancient site within an alien jungle.

Stranded on Illumina was written for Valentine’s Day, 2017, and offered to my newsletter subscribers.

Jacie’s plan to meet her boyfriend on the Planet Illumina is scuttled when he skips their date.

Lonely Hearts on Mars was published in 2015 for Valentine’s Day. In future, I may write a series set in our solar system.

Love blossoms from disaster in this science fiction short story set in the near future.

Super Christmas is obvious. I offered this microstory in the Secret Supers series to my newsletter subscribers in December, 2016. This series is set in contemporary Earth with an alien twist, including genetic engineering and super animals.  

A glimpse into the lives of the Secret Supers.

Captured by the Hawk, the novella starring an Irish spy and a space pirate was written and published in 2014. This adventure pairs two stubborn protagonists in a fun and fast-paced space operetta. The setting is the whole galaxy. Readers enjoy this story and some have asked for a sequel.

Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk.

Comet Tales - Four short stories and a novella. Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3WWYF2

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/comet-tales/id1206589852

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/comet-tales

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/comet-tales-aurora-springer/1125795181

Excerpt from Captured by the Hawk

Kat grinned. She had unlocked the first door, and they were inside the scouter. With luck, the ship would be empty at night while it was under repair. They tiptoed to the far end of the hold, and climbed the narrow metal stairs to the upper level. The door to the personnel area had a standard lock. Hawk pushed Kat aside and bent over the lock, his body concealing his actions. She heard a metallic crunch and the door creaked open. She guessed his steel fingers had snapped the bolt.

Hawk glanced back at Kat. A quick jerk of his head signaled his intention to proceed, and she followed his dark figure further inside the ship. He seemed familiar with the interior layout of the scouter, since he led the way without hesitation along the corridors. Finally, they ascended narrow steps, and opened the door to the bridge of the ship. 

A handful of lights shone on the control panels, and several were red. Kat glided over to the central com and lowered herself into the seat. Treading quietly behind, the Hawk rested his hands on the back of the seat and peered over her shoulders.

“Shall I open the panel?” he whispered.

“No. I’ll try breaking into the com first.” Kat activated the screen and hit keys. The screen lit up, but nothing else happened. She input the first sequence of the secret code, and waited a few seconds for a response, leaning back and propping her neck on her hands. If the com did not activate, she would try another tactic to break in.

Kat bent forward to begin a new sequence. Abruptly, a loud hiss came from below the panel. She felt a gush of air. No, it wasn’t air. It smelled wrong.

Instantly, she sprung out of the seat, yelling, “Gas!” and dashed for the door.

She heard the crunch of metal on metal, as if the Hawk was trying to seal off the spouting gas. Then, he was at her back and shouted, “Get out. It’s a trap.”

More hisses of gas escaped from beneath other panels.

They leaped down the stairs and raced back toward the cargo hold. Faint buzzing sounds suggested the gas was seeping into the corridors. Kat felt weird, groggy. Her legs wobbled. She stumbled, trembling uncontrollably.

“I can’t go on!” she mumbled, tottering on legs too shaky to support her body.

Black Hawk hauled her upright, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. Seizing her arms, he half carried, half dragged her towards the cargo exit. The dim lights around the door to the cargo hold were only a few feet ahead. But, her head was spinning and Kat was too dizzy to see straight.

Abruptly, the Hawk groaned and slumped to the ground, dragging Kat down with him. The light caught in his eyes as he lay beside her. “Sorry!” he gasped.

She tumbled into a speckled greyness, which darkened to black nothingness.

Aurora Springer’s Published Stories are listed HERE

Author Bio

Aurora Springer is a scientist morphing into a novelist. She has a PhD in molecular biophysics and discovers science facts in her day job. She has invented adventures in weird worlds for as long as she can remember. In 2014, Aurora achieved her life-long ambition to publish her stories. Her works are character-driven adventures and romances set in weird worlds and described with a sprinkle of humor. Some of the stories were composed thirty years ago. She was born in the UK and lives in Atlanta with her husband, a dog and two cats to sit on the keyboard. Her hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like gardening, watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.

Media links:

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Google+  Blog

What Do Teens and the Elderly Have in Common?

While writing The Case of the Meddling Mama (which is with my editor, btw), I touched on the topic of teens and drugs. A recent public service announcement on TV hit me harder than "This is your brain on drugs" with the fried egg from the 1980s.

Credit: The Partnership at Drugfree.org

I used the information in this video for a teacher in my story to explain to Alex one of the ways teens get hooked on drugs. Todd, a teen who trusts her, is worried that his buddy might be taking drugs. Here's the excerpt:

“I have a question, Steve. It’s about drugs at the high school.”

For a moment, he looked startled, then his countenance turned dark. “You’d think in a small town like this we could keep out drugs and the dealers.” He cocked his head. “Have you heard something?”

Not wanting to betray Todd’s confidence, I hedged. “Just what was in the paper about the girl dying of an overdose.”

“Yeah, that was bad. The parents are in denial, of course. Considering what I know of Julie, I think it was accidental. She might have flirted with the drug then discovered the hard way she couldn’t tolerate it.” He shrugged. “When will kids realize they aren’t danger-proof?”

Laraine leaned over and patted his arm. “Weren’t we like that back then? Nothing could hurt us. We were invincible.”

“Is this some new kind of drug?” I asked. “Or is it same-old, same-old? Like marijuana.”

“We’re seeing an increase in opioid addiction,” Steve said. “A parent, or grandparent, is prescribed an opioid for pain, and the kid sneaks a couple just to try it out. Likes the feeling and wants more. So they seek out other kids whose parents still have the meds, but aren’t taking them anymore. When that's not enough, they find a dealer.”

 The reason the video hit me hard is that I take prescription drugs for chronic back pain, and I have grandchildren who visit often. Granted they're still young, but it's a warning to me and anyone who has prescription pain killers to be careful.

My physical therapist gave me more disturbing news. The age group with the largest growing number of heroin addicts are the elderly. Doctors prescribe opioids for chronic pain. They also restrict the number of pills prescribed. The body becomes used to the amount of opioids and needs more to ease the pain. When the doctor won’t prescribe more, they turn to street drugs, and heroin is cheaper than oxycontin or morphine sulfate.

So, it isn't just teens who get hooked on drugs. But one thing we can all do is be careful where we keep our medicines.

#WeWriWa #8Sunday: Secret Marriage? The Case of the Meddling Mama

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hops for everyone who loves to read and write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

My snippet is from my upcoming release, THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA, an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Along with some creative punctuation, it hasn't been edited yet, so suggestions are welcome.

This snippet comes immediately after last week's. The ending of which said Maria Palzetti didn't know she was Alex's mother-in-law. Here's the explanation.

It’s like this—last fall, her son Nick returned to Far Haven. Dumb me, I thought he came to either A) take my business away from me, or B) see me. Wrong on both fronts. Seems he wasn’t a pencil pusher for the State Department, like I’d always thought. Nope, he was a spy for some agency that didn’t exist—well, it did, but you know what I mean. And he’d come home on a mission, which of course he hadn’t shared with me.

Once it was over, he declared he loved me. Me, the girl he’d grown up with, who’d had the biggest teenage crush on him, who’d given up on him ever seeing her as a woman, not like a kid sister. Not only that, we were so crazy in love—or was it lust?—that we “got married in a fever” as the song goes.

My dad and Nick’s folks had been on an Australian cruise of a lifetime, so they still didn’t know about the wedding. See, Nick disappeared on our wedding night.

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Be sure to check out the other authors.