Feast Your Mind on Science Fiction Romance—The SFR Brigade Presents: Summer Cafe #sfrbp

Welcome to the Summer Cafe presented by the SFR Brigade.

Our theme this year is like a seven course meal, something for anyone whether you like the appetizers best or prefer to start with dessert. Whatever you're hungry for, the Brigade has a treat for you.

Readers: Get ready for some tasty morsels in the form of wonderful excerpts from talented authors. We've also got prizes, enough to fill a space port's food court.

Authors: Sprinkle some space dust on your best work and serve it up to the galaxy. This is the supernova hot portion of our dinner, so steamy stories are in the mix here.

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A Little about ML Skye

My fascination with science fiction and life among the stars started at an early age, watching reruns of Star Trek with my dad when he got home from work. The romance came later, thanks to my mom and her wild, wacky reading group. The gaggle of women kept me supplied with romances throughout junior high and high school and I'll be forever thankful to each and every one of those ladies.

When the writing bug bit down hard and wouldn't let go, I found a natural drift toward romance mixed with science fiction. I enjoy reading about love under or out among the stars, why not write about it? After taking the plunge, I haven't looked back and I love to throw in some different themes, what life on a different planet or in the future might be like, or how humans formed a colony somewhere else, but still have many of the same traditions and responsibilities of their ancestors.

My current titles all have a tie-in with deep space, the home of millions of stars. Whether it's the last known station at the end of the universe, a first year celebration in a city on another planet, pilots flying together on a space cruiser, or a couple who are separated by an entire galaxy, the recipe for love and disaster are in equal portions.

For my newest release, Dress for Dinner, book three of the Top Dog Pilots series, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper are in a great place after getting through hell week in Surviving the Trap and dealing with a huge change brought on by tragedy in Bucking Convention. However… the recipe for keeping their relationship a happy one is tested by a big secret Maggie is forced to share followed by a whole buffet of sour grapes during a dinner party from hell.

Here's an excerpt:

Once everyone got seated for dinner, Cutter almost broke his promise to be nothing but well-mannered and affable. Not five minutes into the first course, after draining a glass of wine, Celine planted her stocking-clad foot in his lap. Even with Maggie's warning, the action took him by surprise. He swallowed the bisque too quickly and sputtered when it went down wrong. Reaching for his water glass, he used the motion to cover a fast but firm removal of the offending appendage.

Celine didn't take the hint. Oh no. The second course arrived and she upped the stakes.

Lifting her goblet, she nodded. "Major, another glass, please." She held his gaze.

Cutter leaned forward and poured, his eyes narrowing when she sent a wink in his direction.

Her foot found its way back to his lap, this time resting snugly against his cock with just enough pressure to show she meant business. If he tried the previous maneuver to get rid of her, it would cost him. Possibly a future generation.

She raised her glass and smirked.

Fine. He'd ignore the blatant seduction she obviously thought she'd accomplish. Gut instinct told him she wanted to get back at Maggie. Yeah, not gonna happen. He managed to carry on a decent conversation with Essex and the admiral, until Celine asked for her third refill of the table red.

Cutter frowned, but poured. "There you are, Mrs. Rockwell Harper." He settled back and picked up his fork.

Celine gave him a catlike smile. "Thank you, Major." Her toes moved nimbly over his crotch.

Max dropped his utensil and made a garbled choking sound. Essex shot him a warning glance and Cutter shifted a little under the scrutiny. He couldn't exactly blurt out the admiral's wife had a target lock on his dick and tried her hardest to make him go off. Glaring in Celine's direction, he moved his ass as far back in the seat as possible.

Available on Amazon ~ $1.99

~*~

Tagline: A formal dinner with an admiral challenges Cutter's ability to play nice.

Blurb: Max and Maggie are training up and coming pilots and life is great. But when Maggie's uncle, a retired admiral, brings his new and much younger bride to the ship for their honeymoon, Maggie takes one look at the woman and sees disaster. An emergency makes her miss the full dress dinner, leaving Max alone to deal with the hot simpering mess.

~*~

Contest Giveaway!

Now for the really fun part of the blog hop—lots of prizes!

The SFR Brigade is offering a galactic giveaway.

Details below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author Giveaway!

I'll be offering three lucky participants the first two titles in the Top Dog Pilots Series.

Please leave a comment with your favorite recipe for a good book.

A tall glass of iced tea, a shady umbrella, and a hot story?

A fruity cocktail, sandy beach, and steamy romance?

Let me know what you love for your summer reading pleasure.

SURVIVING THE TRAP

A week of hell pushes Maggie into risking her friendship with Max by sleeping with him.

Available on Amazon ~ $1.49

Take one week of extreme training, stir in two top guns, and mix up a healthy dose of unresolved sexual tension and discover two pilots pushed to their limits, looking for a way to get through the hellish experience and possibly into each other's arms.

BUCKING CONVENTION

A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

Available on Amazon ~ $2.99

Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Max's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Buy link

~*~

Please take a look at the other awesome entries on the blog tour and stuff yourself with great reads.

Thank you for reading!

Please visit my website for more information.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Boyfriend's Brother #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm featuring a current release, Boyfriend's Brother, a novella where my hero and heroine are facing big decisions. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Chloe and Jason.

This week, we see Jason help Chloe out of a tough spot.

Book Tagline: Chloe mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother—a heady combination or dangerous concoction.

~*~

Chloe ducked and looked up in Jason's direction. "Little help here?" She stood back up, and Max's fist connected with her jaw, her head smacking back against the wall.

Stars burst behind her eyelids, but she shook it off. Jason sucked in a breath and winced.

He kept his tone light. "Thought you'd never ask."

He stepped into the fray, grabbing one of the guys and spinning him around to meet his fist. The guy went down, but Jason got grabbed by the arm and Max got a solid punch in, splitting Jason's lip in the process. Jason landed his own jab and knocked Max backward to land on a pool table. Max didn't get back up, and Jason's face showed more than a little satisfaction with laying the guy out.

He made his way over to Chloe, and with their backs together, they slowly made their way out of the bar. Only two of Max's friends made an attempt to follow, but the crowd more or less swallowed them up when Jason and Chloe stumbled out the door.

Once outside, Chloe leaned up against the exterior, slowly sliding down until she crouched close to the sidewalk. Still seeing stars, she figured she hit her head harder than she thought. Looking over toward Jason, two of him hovered in her line of sight, but she attributed that to the alcohol. She let out a chuckle that ended on a groan.

Jason sucked in the cool night air, then turned to check on her. Her cheek burned, and she'd lay odds she'd have a big purple bruise along her cheekbone. Bet that would look really lovely tomorrow.

He used his thumb to wipe the blood off his lip. "Well, that was fun."

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Chloe Timmons and Jason McIvey are each at a crossroads.

On what may be her last weekend as 'just a girlfriend', Chloe quells her restlessness by hitting the town and runs into her boyfriend's brother, Jason, a fellow pilot in the area for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together.

Chloe thinks her boyfriend Marc may propose, and she's not sure she's ready for marriage. Jason McIvey has to decide if he's staying in the military or going civilian. When Chloe and Jason spend the night together, it doesn't make either decision easier.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Smokin' Hot—Hot Kiss: Bucking Convention

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Greetings!

This week we're tasked with sharing a hot kiss, whether it's slow, eager, passionate, a kiss can be many things. *sigh* Check out the smokin' smooches and enjoy! :D

For my feature, I'm posting a scene from a current release, Bucking Convention, book two of the Top Dog Pilots series.

For a little background, here are the taglines for the book and the series:

Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

Bring on the steamy smooches…

Max hauled Maggie to him, clamped his mouth over hers and welcomed the heat. He lifted her, leaving the tangle of clothing behind and relished the feel of her skin against his.

Dropping down to the edge of the bunk, Maggie straddling his lap, he whispered in between kisses. "Missed you."

Her fingers dug into his shoulders. "Missed you, too." She met his lips again and he lost himself in the kiss, content to let Maggie set the pace.

She smoothed one hand down his back and braced the other one on the smooth surface of the bunk enclosure. Her back arched to expose her breasts to his lips, teeth, and tongue. He took advantage of the access and let her responses guide him. The flat of his tongue swiped over a taut peak and her growling moan spurred him to continue.

His hands grasped her hips, urging them up and then forward to sink down over his rigid length. He groaned, mouth ghosting over her skin raising goose bumps along the way. A contrast to the warmth that enveloped and surrounded him when her ass settled back on his thighs.

Maggie let go of him, reached up and grabbed hold of the bar that held the curtains for the berth areas. She pressed down and rocked her hips back and forth, using the slow grind that always kicked up the heat between them.

Her head tilted back and Cutter took advantage, burning a trail of kisses along her throat, over her chin until his lips met with hers. He wanted more, but Maggie had other ideas. She pulled back from the kiss and gave him a shove. Cutter went back without protest and let Maggie have her way.

After all, she wanted his indulgence.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Max's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Long Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

Series Blurb: Follow the adventures of Max 'Ripper' Cutter and Maggie 'Magpie' Harper, two ace pilots at the top of their game. Whether it's surviving Hell Week, exploring uncharted space, or dealing with a unique family situation, Cutter and Maggie rise to the challenge.

Two ace pilots at the top of their game, Max and Maggie traverse space and navigate a relationship at the same time. Follow their adventures through the crazy insanity of requalifying for flight status in book one, an unexpected tragedy in book two, and a nightmare dinner party in book three, all with steamy results.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Boyfriend's Brother #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm featuring a current release, Boyfriend's Brother, a novella where my hero and heroine are facing big decisions. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Chloe and Jason.

This week, we meet Jason.

Book Tagline: Chloe mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother—a heady combination or dangerous concoction.

~*~

Jason McIvey stretched and buried his head under the pillow on the bed. Five more minutes, then he'd get up, grab a shower, and meet the guys in his squadron for breakfast before boarding their transport.

Until then, he could pretend he didn't have a huge decision to make and that he enjoyed the sometimes stupid and lame tripe that went along with flying—because he'd always love being in a cockpit.

A cool hand settled on his hip, and his eyes blinked open. Shit. Last night's 'hangar' hadn't left yet. He winced at the crude name his fellow test pilots gave the bevy of females that always came cleared for action—ready, willing, and able to accommodate any of the guys—especially if the men looked hard and hot. The names and faces might change, but the women never failed to appear whenever a civilian air show rolled through their towns.

Bitta… Bitsy… hell, he couldn't remember the woman's name, probably wanted a repeat performance from the previous night. Her fingers trailed up and down Jason's thigh, and he scrambled for an excuse to make a quick exit. Would she believe he'd choose grabbing something to eat over sex? Did he care if she didn't?

Not really, no. A harsh reality he'd been avoiding for the past couple of months.

The fact Jason never lacked for a companion didn't mean he couldn't be lonely. Not one of the women he'd met recently ever stayed around long after the sun came up—unless they wanted another round. And none of them were interested in more than getting down to business as soon as possible. He almost craved making a connection on a deeper level with someone.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Chloe Timmons and Jason McIvey are each at a crossroads.

On what may be her last weekend as 'just a girlfriend', Chloe quells her restlessness by hitting the town and runs into her boyfriend's brother, Jason, a fellow pilot in the area for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together.

Chloe thinks her boyfriend Marc may propose, and she's not sure she's ready for marriage. Jason McIvey has to decide if he's staying in the military or going civilian. When Chloe and Jason spend the night together, it doesn't make either decision easier.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Bucking Convention #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting a current release, Bucking Convention, book two of the Top Dog Pilots series. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Max and Maggie.

This week, we meet Max who isn't handling a loss all that well.

Book Tagline: A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

~*~

He knew her well.

Maggie stood quietly, feeling the room sway a bit. Stars above, she had kinks on top of kinks. As much as she wanted to stretch them out, she'd wait until the scalding blast of water could work on them first.

Biting back a groan, she turned to exit quarters. "I'd ask you to join me… but something tells me Top Hat is already hogging the hot water."

Max grinned. "Some other time then." He followed her to the hatch and pushed it open. "I'll look forward to it." When his voice dropped to low tones, it always sent delicious little shivers down her spine.

Maggie turned her head and bussed his lips. "Me too." She stepped over the threshold but stopped. "Any chance you can have something hot and stiff ready for me when I get back? And I'm not talking body parts… although that'll be nice, too."

Technically against regs to keep alcohol in their quarters, most of the pilots had a stash somewhere. There were times when hitting the rec room just didn't appeal. And the pilots policed themselves. If anyone developed a problem, it would be handled. Quickly and efficiently.

Max leaned down and pounded on the small section underneath his duty locker. The panel popped free. He reached inside the access area and pulled out a tray holding fixings for her requested drink. "Count on it." He leaned out the door and gave her a thorough kiss.

The man might be too damn good to her.

With more bounce in her step than before, Maggie made her way to the head.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Follow the adventures of Max 'Ripper' Cutter and Maggie 'Magpie' Harper, two ace pilots at the top of their game. Whether it's surviving Hell Week, exploring uncharted space, or dealing with a unique family situation, Cutter and Maggie rise to the challenge.

Book Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Smokin' Hot—Hot and Swoon-Worthy: Boyfriend's Brother

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Whew! Considering it's the beginning of March in Ohio and we've got snow on the ground, hot and swoon-worthy reading is welcome indeed.

This week we're tasked with posting a piece of dialog where our hero gets to take center stage and deliver a swoon-worthy line to the heroine. I can't wait to read some smooth moves from our heroes.

For my feature, I'm posting one of my favorite bits from a current release, Boyfriend's Brother.

For a little background, here's the tagline:

Chloe mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother—a heady combination or dangerous concoction.

And the swoon-worthy dialog… (from Jason's point of view)

He nodded. "Believe me, Chloe, I pretty much hate myself, too. But here's the thing. I can't stop thinking about you. And yeah, I'm shit for a brother, but Marc is the one who sent me here. To make things right." He lifted a hand and placed it on the wall above her shoulder. "I can't do that if you refuse to listen or give me, no us, a chance." His other hand settled against the wall, bracketing her.

He paused and held her gaze, gauging her reaction. Her breathing went shallow, and her mouth opened, her tongue darting out to wet her bottom lip. She didn't move or try to duck away. If she had, he would've backed off.

Instead, he laid it out straight. "Here's exactly what I think is going to happen." He leaned in close, his mouth hovering over hers. "I'm gonna kiss you and see where that goes."

~*~

Needless to say, Chloe can't resist seeing where the kiss leads. J

Available on Amazon

~*~

Blurb: Chloe Timmons and Jason McIvey are each at a crossroads.

On what may be her last weekend as 'just a girlfriend', Chloe quells her restlessness by hitting the town and runs into her boyfriend's brother, Jason, a fellow pilot in the area for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together.

Chloe thinks her boyfriend Marc may propose, and she's not sure she's ready for marriage. Jason McIvey has to decide if he's staying in the military or going civilian. When Chloe and Jason spend the night together, it doesn't make either decision easier.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Showcase: Boyfriend's Brother #sfrbp

Welcome to the Science Fiction Romance Brigade Presents, a weekly sneak peek sampler hosted by the SFR Brigade.

Readers: enjoy brief glimpses of currently available, soon to be released books, or works in progress. Authors are sharing short excerpts for your enjoyment. Please have fun and spread the joy.

~*~

Since my birthday falls on the first day of the showcase, I'm sharing a bit from my release, Boyfriend's Brother. I have a soft spot for this manuscript. J Jason and Chloe face some hard truths about themselves.

Book Tagline: Chloe mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother—a heady combination or dangerous concoction.

~*~

He cleared his throat. "So… married." He turned toward her, shifting his position so he lay mainly on his side. "It's a big step." He'd figure out a way to be happy for his little brother if he did propose to Chloe.

He'd be happy for her, too.

Chloe kept her gaze on Jason a moment longer, then nodded. "Tell me about it."

They'd talked once, briefly, about relationships. Chloe never thought anyone would want her 'forever'. Didn't think she'd ever be worthy.

She worried her lower lip between her teeth. "I'm scared."

She looked terrified.

Jason's eyes grew wide. "Of Marc?" She couldn't be scared of his brother—the guy worshipped her.

Chloe shook her head back and forth. "Of myself… of screwing it up…" She sighed deeply. "I don't know if I can do forever. Hell, I'm still attracted to other guys." She swung a sultry gaze toward him.

Jason didn't know what to say… so he said nothing.

Chloe moved forward until an inch separated her face from his. "I'm attracted to you." Her eyes were intent on his.

And there he had it… out in the open.

The air became charged.

~*~

Blurb: Chloe Timmons and Jason McIvey are each at a crossroads.

On what may be her last weekend as 'just a girlfriend', Chloe quells her restlessness by hitting the town and runs into her boyfriend's brother, Jason, a fellow pilot in the area for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together.

Chloe thinks her boyfriend Marc may propose, and she's not sure she's ready for marriage. Jason McIvey has to decide if he's staying in the military or going civilian. When Chloe and Jason spend the night together, it doesn't make either decision easier.

Available on Amazon

Please visit my website

~*~

Thank you for reading!

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

Visit the other participating authors

Smokin' Hot—Hot and Bothered: Lover's Day

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Greetings!

This week we're tasked with sharing a scene with sexual tension to leave us hot and bothered. Nice! Especially if you live in a cold climate… like Ohio in February. LOL

For my feature, I'm posting a scene from my upcoming Fireborn Publishing release, Lover's Day.

For a little background, here's the tagline:

On Lover's Day, an exchange of favors puts Maxie and Nate back on the right track.

Bring on the tension…

He'd draped his tee over his shoulder while he downed half the contents of a water bottle. When she approached, he held the bottle in her direction, silently offering her the rest. Maxie let her fingers stay on his longer than necessary when she took the container. Then she tilted her head back to drain the remaining fluid.

Maxie grinned when Nate appeared to be transfixed on her actions. "You know, I'm gonna start getting ideas if you keep doing that."  Wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she tossed the bottle in the recycling bin.

Looking a little sheepish, Nate responded, "I would apologize if I didn't think I was doing exactly what you wanted." He slowly closed the short distance between them. "Am I wrong? Wanna fill me in on what's going on in that head of yours?"

Do I ever. And Nate's curiosity pushed her momentum up a notch, thank the cosmic alignment of the universe.

Maxie flashed a quick smile. "Noooo…you're not wrong." She leaned in close, pitching her voice low. "I've got my last six favors all picked out. I just needed to know if you'd be…" Her gaze dropped for a moment, the tip of her tongue wetting her top lip. "Um, up for them." Her stare lingered on his groin.

Nate's held tilted back in understanding. "Ah, I see." He returned her bold perusal. "I'm pretty sure I can be 'up' for anything." Invading her personal space, his head lowered, his lips just a whisper away from hers. "What's the first favor, Maxie?"

His raspy tone, sinful and sexy, sent a blaze of need coursing through her.

~*~

Coming February 13

Fireborn Publishing

~*~

Book Blurb: Nate Northampton and Maxie Yearns are pilots on the Apus and have been dealing with the loss of their best friend, Martin Comico, who died in a crash due to a technical flaw. After Martin's death, the dynamic changes between Nate and Maxie. Nate pulls back, a little lost without Martin to act as a sounding board. Maxie notices the distance and feels like she's lost two friends instead of one.

Maxie becomes a woman on a mission. She wants things with Nate to go back to normal—and beyond—but without Martin to act as their buffer, she's not sure how to proceed. With Lover's Day fast approaching, and a lucky draw at the card table, Maxie has just the plan to test the waters with Nate.

Nate struggles with the new signals Maxie throws his way, but he goes with the flow, something Martin always recommended. Nate can't go wrong if he heeds his friend's advice and the reward may see his wildest dream become reality.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Smokin' Hot—Book Girlfriend Celebrity Lookalike: An Idyllic Affair

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

We already got to know our book boyfriend celebrity lookalike. For this week's entry, we get to cast our book girlfriend celebrity lookalike.

FUN!!!

As mentioned in my boyfriend casting post, I almost always have an actor or actress serve as inspiration when I'm writing. It's great to have visual imagery as a point of reference when creating characters.

I'd love to share my vision of loveliness for An Idyllic Affair, available now from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

So… without further ado…

Please meet the truly gorgeous inspiration for Linnea Jensen.

Katee Sackhoff

Katee's work embodies the traits I've given Linnea. Her characters tend to be snarky and no-nonsense. She first came to my attention as the character of Starbuck when I got sucked into Battlestar Galactica. Like her costar, Jamie Bamber, the woman has chemistry with everyone and everything. Not hard to cast her as the inspiration for Linnea.

Book Tagline: Escape to Insula Ara, an island sanctuary that provides refuge… but it comes with a price.

Linnea moved slowly, her steps dragging when time seemed to slow down. "Care to tell me where the hell we're going? It doesn't even look like it's in this galaxy."

Geoff raised a single eyebrow. "It's not. That's the beauty of it."

She felt like the deck dropped out from under her. "Captain. Geoff… where, exactly, are you taking us?"

He directed his gaze back to the holograph. "Old Earth."

If she'd started floating in suspended animation, she wouldn't have been surprised.

She couldn't have heard him right.

Old Earth?

Well, hell. Did he really think they could find sanctuary on some crazy island that might or might not exist? The one he loved to tell stories about?

Everything stopped for a second then snapped back to real time.

Linnea didn't know if the queasy feeling in her stomach came from the jump or finding out they'd left the galaxy.

Both, she decided.

"Captain, are you sure this is a good idea?" Linnea slid her gaze toward the man, making sure to keep one eye on the monitor in front of her.

Geoff raised an eyebrow in question. "You doubt me, XO?" He picked up his excited pacing, striding back and forth across the command deck of the Charming Lady.

Linnea snorted. They wouldn't be sanctioned smugglers if any of the crew doubted him. "It's not about that. Facts are facts. I never doubt them."

And Geoff knew it. He'd chosen her as his executive officer and second-in-command for that very reason.

"I do, however, question myth and legend… and that's all you've got." She sometimes envied the fact he only needed those.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Legend tells of a mysterious island called Sanctuary, inhabited by people who have been to hell and back—and lived to tell the tale.

It goes on to say, that if someone needs help, if they are truly without hope, island will come to them in their darkest hour and help them find the way.

But the assistance comes with a price. Their heart and soul may be lost to the island in the process.

Book Blurb: Privateers by trade, Geoff MacLeod and Linnea Jensen find sanctuary on Insula Ara, a mysterious island full of wonder and a tinge of darkness. When Geoff and Linnea embark on a quest to retrieve a badly needed part for their ship, they find their deep attraction for each other hard to resist, and under the spell of the island, they have to tread carefully or succumb to the swirling undercurrents.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to stop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Showcase: Midwinter Crises #sfrbp

Welcome to the Science Fiction Romance Brigade Presents, a weekly sneak peek sampler hosted by the SFR Brigade.

Readers: enjoy brief glimpses of currently available, soon to be released books, or works in progress. Authors are sharing short excerpts for your enjoyment. Please have fun and spread the joy.

~*~

Since the holiday season is upon us, I'm revisiting my themed release, Midwinter Crises. Holiday traditions play a big role in our house throughout the season and my post this month reflects how they play a part in Murph and Jess's story.

Series Tagline: High stakes adrenaline and hot romance are an explosive combination.

Book Tagline: When a madman wants to blow up the city during the Midwinter holiday, it's just another day on the job for Ben and Jess.

~*~

Midwinter.

Ben had actually put the holiday out of his mind. He had a ticket to a sunny spot in another nation tucked away in his desk. He had zero intention of being in Capital City for the festivities.

Last year would be hard to top.

After a leisurely dinner with his father on Midwinter's Eve, he and Jess went home and opened presents. Nothing extravagant, but a few nice things. An antique wooden box for Jess's collection, a first edition book for him and a gorgeous carpet they'd picked out together for in front of the fireplace.

He cleared away the wrapping paper debris and Jess lowered the lights, lit the fire. He relaxed on the sofa, feet propped on an oversized ottoman while Jess excused herself 'for just a moment'.

She didn't take long to return.

"You still have one last gift to open." Her voice had gone all husky and soft.

He looked up and almost swallowed his tongue. God, she was beautiful. She walked to stand in front of the fire, wearing a gorgeous red and white confection that skimmed her thighs and hugged her curves. Jess rarely wore lingerie and he found it a treat to see her in it when she did. She'd capped off her holiday themed gift with a silky, gold bow loosely tied around her throat.

She beckoned him over, lifted his hand and placed it on the ribbon's tail. He gave it a gentle tug and the silky materiel unwound to cascade down to the floor. She stepped into his kiss and they melted against each other, her hands slowly peeling off his layers of clothing. She knelt on the new, plush area rug and tugged him down in front of her. Her lips traveled over his body and by the time they made love in front of the fire, she hadn't missed an inch.

~*~

Blurb: Mixing the holidays with a guy who wants to blow up the city is just another day on the job for Ben Murphy and Jessa Muldoon.

Seeing each other in a tense situation six months after breaking up is not.

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