Showing posts with label Livia Quinn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Livia Quinn. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Sunday, December 2, 2018
A Double Treat!
Christmas Wishes and Christmas Vows
My tagline is “Love happens when you least expect.” But for the holiday season it should be: Love (and all kinds of other stuff) happens when you least expect it in Rainbow Bayou (especially at Christmas).
Momentous things happen around Christmas in Rainbow Bayou. Years ago, Ridge and Buffy, the first Calloway couple in the series were married at the Calloway Farm. Last Christmas there was a Christmas miracle, an engagement, and the reunion of two high school sweethearts.
This year is no different. The Calloways are expecting a new baby, the December reunion of family members from far and wide, and the marriage of two siblings in a special double wedding. But the desperate actions of a veteran threaten everything.
Not simply Christmas stories these two books Christmas Wishes and Christmas Vows are books 4 and 7 respectively. Currently you can still get Christmas Vows for $0.99 while it’s on preorder for release on December 4th and Christmas Wishes is $0.99 for today only.
Now lest you think a double wedding is just fiction, here’s a picture I dug up of my mom and dad’s wedding in Washington, D.C. Notice the twins in the center? That’s my mother and her identical twin. Cool, huh?
The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou is a feel-good smalltown romance series about a sprawling family of former military heroes and heroines. They are standalones but the secondary characters’ stories progress through the series so you may better enjoy reading them in order.
Christmas Wisheshttps://book2read.com/christmaswish
Excerpt:
“Samantha?” came a voice on the other side of the powder room door.
She looked at the ceiling. Great. “Yes, Jed…”
“Are you okay?”
“Jed, you’re becoming kind of a mother hen. I’m just using the john,” she said in her best Captain Larue tone. There was a long silence while she continued to look for the lever and wondered if he’d left. Then she heard his foot scrape against the door. “Jed. Are you still out there?”
“Do you need me?” He asked quickly.
“No, but…” she thought of what might make him go. “You’re kind of cramping my style.”
“Did you say you’re cramping?” He asked a little louder.
“Sshh, you’ll have every one— OO… Oh.!” The pain hit so suddenly that she doubled over. She would have if she hadn’t had a fifty-pound baby in her lap. It hit again, and this time, she moaned.
“Samantha, open this door.” His voice was too loud. She knew what that was going to mean. The Horde.
Sam grit her teeth. “Go away, Jed.”
“I’m not leaving until you open this door, and I see you’re okay.”
Breathing rapidly to quell the spasms, Sam said, “Can’t you leave me alone? Get Buffy or mom if you want to be helpful.”
She could almost hear him thinking on the other side of the wooden barrier. “If you need your mother, you need me. I’m trained in this. No one else here is. Unlock the door before I bust in.”
“There’s no room to bust in, Stern. Me and this kid are taking up the entire bathroom.” She sighed and scooted to the edge of the toilet. “Hold on, hold on, don’t go causing a ruckus. I wouldn’t put it past The Horde to try to fit into this one-person bathroom. Horde was the affectionate name Sam and her brother Luc gave the rest of the family, except for their father. She twisted the button on the knob and the door swung out.
A frowning and obviously concerned Jed immediately knelt in front of her, squeezing his wide shoulders in between her and the sink. His brilliant brown eyes bore into hers looking for clues, just like a detective. “Okay. Be honest with me, Samantha. Are you having contractions?”
“No! At least…. I don’t…I don’t think so. I just couldn’t find the lever to flush the toilet.”
Jed frowned in irritation. “That’s all? You couldn’t flush?” He made a face and said, “What have you been eating?”
She glared at him even though she caught the sparkle in his eyes. “Jalapenos and banana pudding… and some other stuff.”
He chuckled and made the same search she had while she sat there taking shallow breaths so he wouldn’t notice. If she took a deep breath she would take in his manly scent. He worked out a lot and had probably come straight from the gym. The smell was intoxicating, mesmerizing— damn these hormones. She shook herself. He was still tinkering with something over her left shoulder, then the sound and vibration of the toilet flushing gave her a small sense of relief. She looked up at him as he straightened. “Where was it?”
He scratched his head looking surprised. “Against the wall. The toilet was installed backwards.”
“That’s crazy,” she said as her mother and older sister Chaz appeared in the doorway.
“What’s wrong?” asked Chaz.
“Samantha are you in labor?” her mother, the Colonel, demanded.
She rolled her eyes. “No, I just came to use the restroom and “ahhh.” The cry was ripped from her throat.
Jed wasted no time asking for permission. He leaned down and helped her get to her feet then scooped her into his arms. “Jed,” she protested.
He angled her feet through the door and said, “Damn, you’re heavy.”
Sam met his eyes and glared. “It’s the shoes. And thank you darling, you’re such a charmer. Just what I love about you.”
Their eyes met and it seemed that time ticked one second for every ten. Had she just said that? “Or hate. Please put me down.”
“No chance, Doc.” He made it out of the bathroom carefully angling her legs so she wouldn’t hit the sink, the door or… the crowd of spectators in the hall—
Sam groaned. “Oh, God. Kill me now.”
Christmas Vowshttps://books2read.com/christmasvows
Excerpt:
"I love you, Luc Larue. God, how I love you. The house, the view, the rose beds, it's all so perfect." She kissed him again. "Thank you."
It flustered him but his eyes were glowing. "I wanted to give you a backyard full of beautiful blooming roses but after I talked to Grandma Eme's contact at LSU—"
"You found out this was the proper way to plant new beds in the winter." Delilah grinned.
"Yeah, kind of disappointing. I mean what's better—a dozen roses or a half dozen rose bushes blooming. So I settled for the bed of bluebonnets which is how I've thought of your eyes since the day I met you."
* * *
He remembered it as if it was yesterday. He'd been lying on the floor of that convenience store, the lady cop's foot on his back. Hers and Jed's initial response to the scene with him holding a gun had been to follow procedure. They'd had no choice until they assessed who the real perp was.
Then Delilah had bent over him, her blonde ponytail swung forward and her clear blue eyes, like Texas bluebonnets, had sealed the deal. He'd known then with his face smashed to the grimy linoleum floor that she would be his—if he could convince her to give him a chance. It hadn't been the most impressive first meeting—but it was very memorable.
He held her face between his hands and searched her eyes, his expression soft. "I love you, Delilah. All I want to do is make you happy so if anything isn't right—"
She put her fingers to his lips then laid her head against his chest. He closed his eyes for a minute and just soaked up the feel of her against him, the view, and how right everything was at this moment. He couldn't imagine anything but her in his future, a family right here in this house.
Del gave him a mischievous look. "Can we take another look at that master bedroom?"
Luc smiled, "Why sure, darlin', anything your heart desires."
She grinned, "Maybe you should lock the front door in case we have unexpected guests while we give ourselves a house warming present."
At that, Luc made quick work of the locks and followed her to the bedroom where he found his fiancé in only her pretty lingerie in the center of the big king size bed. It was a good day to be in love.
Christmas Wishes on sale until December 3. Christmas Vows 0.99 until release day 12.4.18
I've been told I look like my mom. . .💓💓💓💓
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Joy of Research #weddings #newrelease by Livia Quinn
November 13, 2018
It’s easy to get lost in research whether it’s military minutia or the details of amnesia. I’ve had to do both. In my Calloways of Rainbow Bayou series with its big southern family I’ve often remarked how many facets of my characters’ lives I had to learn from research – the subjects above, pregnancy, childbirth, labor, and this time…wedding planning and toddler toys.
In It Had to Be You, Samantha and Jed’s book, the ladies all go to New Orleans to La Belle Couture on a wedding dress shopping trip. I thought it would be fun to choose wedding dresses for each of my female heroines. Though they all get their happy ever-after, they don’t always get a written wedding. All told, I’ve probably spent ten hours looking at wedding dresses, and drooling.
I don’t want to spoil the surprise for Christmas Vows, the next book which releases on 12/1/2018 but I can show you a few of the gorgeous dresses I found on The Knot. Except for the last dress which is a Hailey Paigefrom the JLM Couture site. I know which one belongs to which heroine but you might like to guess if you’ve read the series which dress is Buffy’s, Samantha’s, Delilah’s, Maddie’s and even Commander Victoria Larue’s. I’ll update next month.
I had a blast with it. The wedding happens December 27th in Christmas Vows.
Preorder Christmas Vows here.
If you were choosing a wedding dress for yourself or your daughter today which would you choose?
1 this Boho style dress.
2. this spectacular Hailey Paige
3 &4 these two by Martin Thornburg
6 or this lovely Too
As I found out there are more dresses out there than there are personalities. Visit one of the many wedding galleries to explore for yourself.
Thenthere was the research I had to do on children’s toys… I enjoyed creating a scene with this lovely little princess tent for Sam’s daughter, Nina. There’s an especially poignant scene in the book I hope you enjoy as much as I did writing it.
Blurb:
Love happens when you least expect it. . .even when you resist.
Jed Summers has had a change of heart.
When he and Samantha Larue started dating he’d known she was pregnant and still he found her wildly attractive. But when their relationship turned more serious, Jed ended it, telling her he’d sworn off marriage and kids years ago after an abusive childhood. After following her around for six months, as if he still cared, he delivered Sam’s baby and now, every time he sees her and little Nina, he wonders if he made the biggest mistake of his life.
New developments from Jed’s past turn his long-held ideas upside down then Sam is threatened and her secret is exposed, leaving her feeling vulnerable. Can he convince her to give him a second chance?
Excerpt:
On a hot humid early morning in August, Officer Jed Stern's favorite place to run was the parade route around downtown Larue, especially when he ended his six-mile trek at the Main Street dock. The only thing between the town and the Rainbow Bayou harbor were the storefronts along the brick walkway and the grassy park where early bird locals and tourists gathered to buy beignets and cafe au lait from a kiosk at the center of the promenade.
As proprietors prepared to open for business and a colorful tour boat coasted by in the calm waters, Jed paid a lanky teenager for a bottle of water and downed it in several swallows.
. . . As he turned, a scene nearby had him ducking behind a big sycamore tree, his heart suddenly running faster than it had in weeks, even during his intense workouts.
But it wasn’t the discovery of a most wanted criminal or a crime in progress that had his heart pounding.
The woman on the other side of the expanse of well-manicured grass was tall and curvy, with long dark hair and, Jed knew, eyes so green you lost your train of thought when she turned them on an unsuspecting member of the opposite sex. Jed had personal experience with those eyes.
Sam tossed her head attempting to flip her thick mane out of her face as she bent over to clasp her little girl’s tiny hands between her fingers, helping her lift herself up into a standing position. Jed smiled at the baby’s happy gurgle and as if his feet had a mind of their own, he left the shelter of the tree and sauntered toward the pair.
Nina saw him first. Her eyes lit up and she lifted one foot as if to walk toward him, then wobbled back and forth. When she rolled back on her heels Sam let her fall onto her padded butt probably just to show her falling wasn’t failure. That was his Sam—wrong, not his Samantha any longer. He’d fixed that, hadn’t he? It had been several weeks since they’d spoken, just the two of them, but surely they could carry on normally regardless.
Instead of trying to stand again, Nina proved she was as determined as her mother when she got something in her head. Off she went crawling on hands and knees for all she was worth in Jed’s direction. He laughed at the speed at which she outdistanced Sam, catching her off guard. Then he watched as Sam's gaze shifted from quizzical at Nina to frowning at him. So much for normal.
“Zhe, Zhe!” Nina cried, raising her chubby little arms up in the air toward him. He laughed. With a sigh, he admitted his pleasure that his mother’s namesake wanted his attention over her mother’s. He didn’t see Nina often, but there was a definite connection between them, as if she remembered his hands were the ones that caught her when she came into the world last Christmas Eve.
Now, as he watched her race toward him, he shook his head. What was he supposed to do? He reached down as always, hooked her under the arms with his hands and launched her into the air, eliciting a squeal of delight from her and a gasp from Samantha. Catching her firmly he brought her face down to his and let her smack him open mouthed on the lips. Her legs kicked furiously and Jed wondered if he set her down right then if she would take off across the grassy lawn
“Hey, baby girl,” he crooned. “You’re about ready to run your first toddler race aren’t ya?”
Sam looked like she didn’t know what to say. She just stood there, her hands fiddling with the zipper of her thin jacket. Jed held Nina in the crook of one elbow while he waited for her to say something.
Finally, she said, “What are you doing in the park?”
Just as he said, “You girls having a morning run?”
She shook her head and smiled. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? She's not old enough but she seems to think all it takes is determination and it will happen.”
Sounds like her mother, Jed thought, and Sam eyed him as if she expected him to say that aloud. He shrugged. It was that silent communication that had been a part of their relationship from that first day he’d been introduced to her at the station. He didn't want to ruin his good mood at this impromptu meeting by thinking about the reasons why they hadn’t lasted. But somehow the reasons intruded.
Their breakup hadn't been Sam's fault though come to think of it she hadn't put up much of a fight. As a young man Jed had made a decision, swearing off alcohol and kids, long before he'd known he would meet someone like Sam and this sweet little girl
"I guess I'd better get Nina on over to mother's and get to work," Sam said, her eyes on her daughter, not on him.
With Nina wiggling in his arms blowing bubbly kisses at him, her eyes sparkling with love, damned if he could figure out how to fix it.
"Okay." He kissed the baby and handed her back to her mother. They were careful not to accidentally make contact with each other. He attempted a smile but knew he didn’t pull it off and lifting his hand in a failed attempt to seem casual, he said, "See you around."
Get the book on all your favorite eBook stores and in paperback
Books 2 Read https://books2read.com/ithadtobe
Amazon US https://amazon.com/dp/B07H9PW76N
Amazon CA https://amazon.ca/dp/B07H9PW76N
Amazon UK https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H9PW76N
Amazon AU https://amazon.com.au/dp/B07H9PW76N
Apple Books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1436190726
Will also available on Walmart.com https://www.walmart.com/cp/5632020
Saturday, November 3, 2018
At Long Last Love, A true love waits story #smalltown #romance
The sixth book in the Calloways of Rainbow Bayou is out as well. Get It Had to Be You here You meet Jed and Sam in Christmas Wishes and again in At Long Last Love.
The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou is the newest release in the series. Readers have been asking for Beau and Maddie’s story since Christmas Wishes when Beau returned home after several years in Hollywood.
Beau has loved Maddie all his life but he couldn’t bring himself to saddle her with someone with no future. After his dream of entering the service like many of his family members including the women who inspired him the most, his Aunt Victoria, Beau leaves home to prove himself as a stunt man and action hero.
When a stunt goes wrong and Beau is forced to return home, Maddie makes a sacrifice in the hopes that he will get a second chance. Thus begins a journey for these two who have suffered so much to find their happiness.
Answering the question, “Who’s your favorite couple?” is like asking a mom who her favorite child is but I can say these two never fail to move me. I hope you enjoy their story.
The books are standalone but you will enjoy them more fully if you read them in order as other couples’ experiences are intertwined throughout the series.
Excerpt
Inside the helicopter, Beau Larue drifted in and out of consciousness, the pain bringing him back each time as he remembered the accident.
He'd pushed the lever forward and watched as the larger craft turned to the right. As planned, Beau turned his boat hard in the opposite direction supposedly in the driver's blind spot and as choreographed the larger boat was suddenly facing Beau's boat.
As scripted, he'd raised his gun, aimed at the pilot of the other boat and fired. The boat kept coming. That wasn't right. The actor was supposed to veer sharply as if dodging the gunfire. With a flash of sudden clarity, Beau realized his long-held opinion that he wouldn't live to see thirty-five, was about to come true but not for the reason he'd expected.
Like a movie of his own life, scenes flashed in his head as he jerked his hand on the wheel—Grandpa Earl telling him he was proud of him during a day on the bayou behind the old farmhouse in Louisiana; his Aunt Vic (Commander Larue to everyone else) hugging him as he left home for Hollywood; the high school seniors he'd spoken yesterday dressed as Navy Seal Ian Stone about a military career. And Maddie…his lovely Maddie.
As her face filled his vision he thought he'd successfully avoided the other craft, but then, surprised, he saw the problem. The other actor, an experienced stuntman as well, was slumped across the wheel of his boat, then the long bow slammed into the starboard hull of Beau's and pain and the grinding of metal and fiberglass was the last thing he heard.
There were noises after a time, helicopter rotors, boat engines, people shouting, someone splashing in the water nearby. He couldn't make out the words. He was floating or lying atop the waves, something keeping him afloat. Shut up, his mind screamed. What were they yelling about? Didn't they know he was ready to go? He'd known this was going to happen all his life. Just let me rest. A strong arm grabbed him from behind and pain exploded in his leg. He screamed.
A steady voice in his ear said, "Easy, I've got you. We'll have you taken care of shortly, sir." Beau opened his eyes to see a young man's face in an orange helmet and wet suit looking down at him. His fuzzy thoughts couldn't connect the man's presence with what was happening around him. He smelled smoke and something coppery and nearly gagged on the strong gas fumes that permeated the air.
A shout reached his ears, "We found the other man! He's alive, for now."
Someone else had called, "Keep an eye out—"
Beau couldn't make sense of any of it. It was just too damn hard to stay awake and he was so cold. "C-ccold," he whispered but no one came.
As he closed his eyes he heard gears grinding smoothly overhead and felt a swaying movement as several hands landed on him. Someone cursed and another booming voice made him want to put his hands over his ears, "Keep searching for that boot!" Beau winced.
Another voice. "Jesus, this is bad."
Well, hell, he'd been right.
Buy link for all stores: https://books2read.com/atlonglast
The first book in this series, When the Right One Comes Along is $0.99 https://books2read.com/whentheright1
Amazon US https://amazon.com/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon CA https://amazon.ca/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon UK https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon AU https://amazon.com.au/dp/B07H9M33TB
Apple Books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1436189314
Also available on Walmart.com https://www.walmart.com/cp/5632020
Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41962625
Monday, October 29, 2018
Have a Howling Good Time #Spooktacular #BlogHop #Win prizes
If you love heat like we do, you'll love the fantastic romantic fiction that can be found on the blogs of this hop.
From sweet to downright sizzling, you'll be sure to find something that you will fall in love with!
After you read the blurb and excerpt beside to enter the Halloween giveaway, It's Spooktacular
Books2read https://books2read.com/BloodMoon1
As a djinn River Pomeroy should have been healed after he nearly died at the hands of his kidnappers but something still wasn’t right. A sense of doom he can’t escape and a meeting with a hooded man confirms his worst fear, he’s enthralled by a wish his sister Tempe exchanged for a new genie bottle. That decision could have devastating consequences for his family and the rest of the Paramortals.
A violet-eyed sword-toting warrior walks into the supernatural tavern where River takes refuge. In her presence he feels a temporary lifting of his despair but it doesn’t last. She declares her mission—to kill a dragonhunter and accuses River of being in league with her target. She’s partly correct.
“Taking the villain’s head” would have worked for River earlier, effectively severing their bond and eliminating the threat to his family but that was before he knew the identity of the being who owned his soul—his long-lost brother. This “brother” aimed to use River to destroy their family.
With the kidnapping of Tempe and the dragon sheriff, River and the fae warrior join forces and suddenly the Paramortal family dynamic is rampant with conflicts and secrets. What is with the attraction he feels to this fae and what is the mysterious connection that goes back to the beginning of the Paramortals’ pact? Can they forgive the atrocities of the past to defeat their common enemy or will ancient family secrets tear the Paramortals apart forever?
Check out the excerpt below:
Enter the Spooktacular Giveaway here: or click the link.
https://app.viralsweep.com/sweeps/full/c5f5aa-43063&framed=1
Buy Links.
BLOOD MOON
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BW68FTH
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BW68FTH
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BW68FTH
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BW68FTH
Apple Books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1407042664
SOCIAL MEDIA
Books2read author page https://www.books2read.com/ap/x2gD7R/Livia-Quinn
Website: http://liviaquinn.com
Blog https:liviaquinnwrites.blogspot.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/liviaquinnwrites
Twitter http://twitter.com/liviaquinn
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/liviaquinn
Goodreads http://bit.ly/22VXuev
Amazon Author page http://amazon.com/author/liviaquinn
Google+ http://bit.ly/2guNZn9
Instagram http://instagram.com/liviaquinnauthor
Livia Quinn Readers Group http://bit.ly/2gBFQ12
Destiny. Excerpts here
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Too Good to Be True #review @NNP_Light
The following review was posted on https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com where you can see reviews of all genres.
Too Good to Be True is book 2 in the series. Book 5 released this week
At Long Last Love. Get it now for #99cents https://books2read.com/atlonglast
There's More to Luc Than Muscles but is He. . . Too Good to be True
October 16, 2018
Title: Too Good to be True (The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou, Book 2)
Author: Livia Quinn
Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Family Romance Series (with suspense elements)
Book Blurb:
Love happens when, where and with whom you least expect it.
Police officer Delilah Burke is no pushover. She prides herself on her instincts but when she arrives at the scene of a convenience store robbery she finds herself unwillingly intrigued by the tall dark and handsome perp dressed in a mercenary uniform and armed with fake weapons. Which begs the question - what else about him is fake?
He seems too good to be true but Luc’s huge, surprising family embraces her and when he’s threatened they join in Delilah's efforts to protect him. Del is falling hard for this hero but can she keep him safe so they can have a future together?
Police officer Delilah Burke is no pushover. She prides herself on her instincts but when she arrives at the scene of a convenience store robbery she finds herself unwillingly intrigued by the tall dark and handsome perp dressed in a mercenary uniform and armed with fake weapons. Which begs the question - what else about him is fake?
He seems too good to be true but Luc’s huge, surprising family embraces her and when he’s threatened they join in Delilah's efforts to protect him. Del is falling hard for this hero but can she keep him safe so they can have a future together?
My Review:
Retired Navy Officer Luc Larue is hero all the way but hard-nosed cop Delilah Burke isn’t convinced when she shows up at a robbery scene. Sure, he’s sexy in his fatigues but she can’t have a mercenary running around working her beat. But there’s more to Luc than big muscles and his “day” job as a cover model.
Luc knows the instant their eyes meet, he wants to have Del in his life. She’s beautiful, intelligent and keeps him on his toes. The more he’s around her, the more he falls for her. But when strange things start happening to him and the evidence points to a stalker, will Del believe him or is he only imagining it?
I loved this book for many reasons: two strong characters who are independent yet when they fall in love heat up the pages, a baddie who’s not your typical stalker, behind-the-scenes peek into the world of cover models, spotlight on military life, a full support of secondary characters (especially the Larue clan), suspense, romance and making amends.
While both Del and Luc are highly-developed characters, what made this one of my favorite books of the year was the twist on the whole stalker part of the story. Women are usually the victims of stalkers and Livia Quinn takes it in a different direction. Livia built the tension and suspense beautifully, not to mention the feeling of vulnerability on Luc’s part.
Livia Quinn is a strong supporter of the military and military families. My hat goes off to her for her dedication and for incorporating these brave men and women in her series.
Favorite Character/Quote: Luc. Every scene he was in, from the cover shoots to helping the kids, made me smile and swoon just a bit. He’s a military hero with a loving family, a heart of gold and sexy to boot. When he realizes he has a stalker, his reaction is realistic and honest. He’s every woman’s dream and every man’s best friend. The perfect hero and I hope Livia writes more about him.
My Rating: 5+ stars. (Woohoo!)
Buy it now:
Books 2 Read https://books2read.com/toogood
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GMVTQP8
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GMVTQP8
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.com.uk/dp/B07GMVTQP8
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07GMVTQP8
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