Monthly Archives: February 2019

Author Berni Stevens is #SharingTheLove

Book Review, Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am pleased to welcome Berni Stevens, with an extract from her novel,  Revenge is Sweet. Berni kindly sent over two extracts for this post, allowing my YA daughter, who is a HUGE fan, to choose which was posted. Amelia delighted in selecting this one, saying, “I love this bit!” And I can see why …

Revenge is Sweet

“Will

Elinor came towards me like an exquisite dream. Tonight she is absolutely breath-taking, not that vampires have breath to take, although the sentiment remains the same.

The ivory dress clung to her tiny frame, only to flare out near her ankles in tiers of flimsy material. Her slim shoulders were bare, and the diamond pendant I had given her for a wedding present sparkled with cold blue fire against her creamy skin.

Someone had curled her glorious waist-length hair, and twined dark red rosebuds amongst the bright copper curls, to match the roses she carried. Tonight she even wore make-up, and her eyes shone like sapphire stars when she looked up at me from beneath darkened eyelashes. Truly, I have never seen her look more beautiful, or more enchanting. She could ask me for anything in the world at this moment and I would do everything in my power to get it.

Luke took Elinor’s left hand from his arm, and placed it in mine. Her hand felt so tiny, so fragile, and it trembled a little. She is so precious to me, I am forever thankful the fates made our paths cross.”

Ellie

Leaning down to whisper in my ear, Will said, ‘I think Vivienne is safe from the refund demand.’

I smiled, and he continued, ‘You look so enchantingly beautiful, I am speechless.

‘Doesn’t sound like it, Mr Spooky,’ I whispered back.

‘Still being cheeky, soon-to-be Mrs Spooky.’

A small laugh burst from me, and the tension immediately left my body. The registrar peered at me over the top of his half-moon glasses with a surprised look.

Anyone who has ever attended a civil ceremony as opposed to a more formal ceremony in church, will know how short the civil one is. One moment you’re single, the next you’re married. It all seemed a bit of a blur actually. I could only think about Will, and how incredibly handsome he looked.

He always looked good enough to eat, no matter what he wore, but tonight he had dressed in a black tux, dazzling white wing-collared shirt, and black silk bow-tie. The only colour about him was the vivid green of his amazing eyes.

When we came to the moment where we had to exchange rings, Stevie handed my ring to Will, who slipped it on my finger, and then raised my hand to his lips.

‘Ti amerò per l’éternità,’ he said softly. ‘I will love you for eternity.’”

Thank you for #SharingTheLove Berni, and for the fact my mum kudos goes up just by knowing you! Amelia’s guest review of Berni’s Immortals of London series can be found here.

Discover more about Revenge is Sweet (Book 2 in the Immortals of London Series): 

Hell hath no fury like a vampire seeking revenge …

Life hasn’t been exactly normal for Ellie since she became a vampire. Although joining the legion of the undead was always going to take some getting used to, even if you are the partner of Will Austen, the Elder of London.

But when Daniel, a fifteen-year-old fledgling vampire, unexpectedly turns up at Ellie’s and Will’s Highgate home, things start getting very strange – and more than a little scary.

Events take a devastating turn as a mystery troublemaker leaves behind a trail of carnage – and it soon becomes clear they will stop at nothing to get the Elder’s attention, even if it involves hurting the person he cherishes the most …

But when it comes to Ellie, Will Austen is the wrong vampire to mess with.

Genre: Fantasy / Vampires
Publisher: Choc Lit
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Berni Stevens lives in a 400-year-old cottage with her husband, black cat, four goldfish who think they’re piranha, and occasionally her son when he comes back for some TLC. She trained in graphic design, and has worked as a book cover designer for over twenty years.

Her love of paranormal fiction began at school when she first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and she’s been a fan of the fanged ever since. She is on the committee and the book panel of The Dracula Society – a literary society for fans of gothic literature and film.

Dance Until Dawn, a paranormal romance, was Berni’s UK debut with Choc Lit, published 7th April 2014. Revenge is Sweet, the sequel, was published in eBook format on 12th July 2016. Now the third novel in the trilogy is well under way, with a story that centres on a lovelorn werewolf!

Berni has several short stories published in various anthologies; romantic, gothic and sometimes just plain fantasy!

Follow Berni Stevens and discover more about her work here: Twitter | Facebook

Don’t miss author Sue McDonagh #SharingTheLove on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Angela Britnell is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am delighted to welcome Angela Britnell, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, Here Comes the Best Man  … over to you Angela!

Here Comes the Best Man

“‘Sorry the transport’s not fancy.’ Josh opened the truck door. ‘I didn’t expect to be ferrying any ladies around on this trip.’

‘You mean you’ve managed to entice other women into your luxurious vehicle?’ Louise joked in an effort to allay her nervousness. Lingering memories of last night’s rendezvous in the park made her body hum. ‘It suits you.’

‘Battered around the edges, in need of a paint job and a little rusty around the undercarriage?’

‘You said it, not me. My thoughts ran more on the lines of unpretentious and hard-working.’

A wide grin creased his face. ‘Hop in and we’ll see if she’ll start.’

‘I hope we’re still talking about the truck?’

‘You are trouble.’

‘Have you only now worked that one out, Mr Robertson?’

‘Sweetheart, I knew you were a threat to my sanity the day I set eyes on you.’ His delicious, low drawl made her skin suddenly too tight for her body.”

OO I loved this extract, Angela. Thank you for sharing, I have Here Comes the Best Man on my kindle and look forward to reading it, soon. 

Discover more about Here Comes the Best Man:

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow. But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day. Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Angela Britnell grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Twitter |  Facebook | website | Instagram |

Don’t miss author Berni Stevens #SharingTheLove with an extract from Revenge is Sweet, on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Jackie Ladbury is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

To kick us off I am delighted to welcome Jackie Ladbury who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, The Magic Of Stars … over to you Jackie!

The Magic Of Stars

“Their eyes locked as she looked up into his face.

‘Seatbelt?’ he asked, his voice unusually husky.

His fingers tightened their grip on her upper arms and she shivered at his touch. She’d never heard the word seatbelt sound so inviting.

‘Seatbelt,’ she repeated. The single word hitched in her throat as if she had run a marathon. ‘Right,’ she said, staying exactly as she was, pressed into Marco’s warm chest. Her shivering increased, but she didn’t think it was because of the cold. The urge to stay snuggled up to him was overwhelming, his touch sending vibes of tingling awareness radiating through her body.

Damn it, the breathiness was still there. Something shifted between them as she held his gaze. It was no more than a look, but it was enough to set Sapphire’s heart pitter-pattering.

Marco picked at a lock of wet hair that was sticking to her cheek and held it between his fingers for a second before tucking it behind her ear. Realising that he had behaved slightly inappropriately, he pushed himself forward to address the driver. ‘To the Caledonian, please.’”

Thank you for sharing your wonderful extract Jackie, I think my heart is pitter-pattering now too!

Discover more about The Magic of Stars:

Sapphire Montrose always felt like a loser in the struggle of life, but when she becomes the airline manager of a run-down airline she starts to believe she is a winner – until she unwittingly propositions her new boss and all her hard work is undone.

In a moment of recklessness air stewardess, Sapphire Montrose throws caution and her dress to the wind by propositioning a handsome stranger in a hotel in Florence, only to find herself waking up alone and embarrassed in her hotel room.

Unfortunately for Sapphire, it turns out that her new boss, Marco Cavarelli, is the man she failed to seduce and she is now fighting for her job and her self-respect when he tells her there is no place in his revamped airline for an alcoholic woman with lascivious tendencies. To make matters worse she is increasingly attracted to him and he seems to be giving out the same vibes. Or is he simply testing her? One wrong move could be the end of her career. But what if he really is offering love – and is he worth the risk?

Shortlisted in the Harper Collins Flirty Fiction competition!

Genre: Romantic comedy
Buy the book Amazon Uk | Amazon.com |

About the author:

Jackie Ladbury writes heart-warming contemporary and historical women’s fiction that is always guaranteed a happy ever after. From spending many years as an air-stewardess and seeing that it really is love that makes the world go around, she determined to put the same sparkle and emotion into her stories. Her life is no longer as exotic (or chaotic) as it was in those heady days of flying as she now lives a quiet life in Hertfordshire with her family and two cats, spending her days making up stories and finding excuses not to go to the gym.

You can follow Jackie, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter | website | Amazon

Don’t miss author Angela Britnell #SharingTheLove on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.