Kathleen Rowland Shares Her #RomanticIdea

DEADLY ALLIANCE

by Kathleen Rowland

Kathleen Rowland is participating in the Romantic Idea blog trade this summer. Welcome, Kathleen! Here is her romantic idea, and a little info about her latest book, DEADLY ALLIANCE.

Here is Kathleen Rowland’s summertime #RomanticIdea to win any guy over:   Choose an activity that gets you into his element.  How about sailing or kayaking? Let him show you how it’s done! Beach the craft and pull him in close.  The experience of being out and about in public makes it hard for him to wait for the trip home… to have you.

Blurb for Deadly Alliance, romantic suspense

Finbar Donahue, former Army Ranger, walked on the wild side in Iraq, but now he lives in the shadows. After his evasive partner, Les, was shot in a random drive-by, Finn discovers cash is siphoned monthly. He fights to keep his investment company afloat. When the late partner’s girlfriend, Amy Kintyre, applies for his bookkeeping job, Finn suspects she knows about his company drain and hires her.

Amy needs a nine-to-five with free evenings and weekends to get her fashion design business back on track. She unearths Les’ s secret bank account and alerts Finn. Freezing of the money laundering account sets off havoc within an Irish gang. Amy witnesses a gang fight between a brutal ISIS fundraising organization and the Irish. Desperate to escape a stalker’s crosshairs, she seeks refuge with Finn. As danger heats up, sparks fly hotter.

Interview—Finn and Amy

Let’s interview the hero of Deadly Alliance,  Finbar Donahue.

1. Nickname:  Finn. My full name is Finbar Michael Donahue.

2. Job: I own my own investment company, but who’s the chickenshit stealing money from me?  My goal is to find the thief.

3. Level of schooling:  B.A. in finance, former Army Ranger. That was when I targeted a known enemy.  Believe me, it’s harder now.

I’ve got a few questions for the heroine, Amy Kintyre.

1.      What’s your dream job? I want to get my sportswear design business back on track.  A few days ago a buyer phoned me and gave me an opportunity to present my line.  I need a nine-to-five with evenings and weekends off to sew mockups. 

2.      Is that why you applied for Finbar Donahue’s bookkeeping job?  Yes, but I have a huge problem.   Last night I found a sketchy bank account belonging to my late boyfriend, Les.  He and Finn were partners.

3.      Would you enjoy working for Finn?  No, but there aren’t many job openings in Lake Arrowhead.

Short excerpt-- Amy’s first day working for Finn

Hours later, Finn straightened his spine as he listened to his new bookkeeper order Rosenberg around with the authority of an Army lieutenant. She spoke with confidence from her chair and waited for answers with intensity. Somehow she came across larger than her delicate self.

“Brad,” his pretty war buddy said, “I’ll need your password to access activity-to-date.” Her attitude wasn’t for show. Her curiosity propelled her to the depths of the drain. Heaven help those who lurked there.

“Sure thing.” Brad blew out a breath and scribbled his password on a sticky note. Handing it to her, he bent to her level.

She said, “I apologize for causing chaos.”

“No apology necessary.” Brad asked, “What are you working on?”

Jumping in, Finn said, “Comparisons, Rosenberg, that’s what she’s working on.” Unholy as she’d undoubtedly turn out to be, at the moment they were forged in combat. “Give her your full support.”

“Absolutely. Consider me your scaffold,” Rosenberg said, accepting his fate. “Excuse me, won’t you? I’m running payroll.”

Finn liked his head accountant. He was solid. Dependable. Not creative, but his easy-going manner was soothing. “Payroll. You’re a masochist.”

Amy smiled, and her crystal-green gaze sought his. She found his comment amusing. Her professional attire included a gray satin blouse tucked into a herringbone skirt. When she moved, her layered, dark-blonde hair settled into a sleek flip over her shoulders.

Amy’s bending and reaching, as she took control of her four-by-four cubicle, was damn compelling. She found a rhythm with a handy notepad beside her computer. Using Brad’s password, she turned sideways to open files. Attractive summed up her symmetrical profile and creamy complexion.

For a long while, getting hot and heavy had not been on his mind. Her envelope gave him concrete evidence to bring to the sheriff and eased his tension. As she brushed tresses off her face, he wanted to nibble on her ear.

Amy packed her lithe frame with succulent curves. He enjoyed observing her ample bust which required high-performance support. He’d like to see those globes running free. He’d never considered her as dating material. Timing was off. When she started dating Les, he was hooking up with Miss California. Now it was too late. She worked for him. Hands off. Finn liked women—lots of women, all women, in all shapes and sizes and ethnicities as long as they met the enthusiasm requirement. He hadn’t tested this, but she was off-limits for another reason. He didn’t intend to put her through another relationship leading to nowhere.

Finn kept things loose. A woman in his bed but not in his life was what he often said. There hadn’t been that either.  Why was she looking at him like that?

Purchase links for Deadly Alliance:

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deadly-Alliance-Kathleen-Rowland-ebook/dp/B019EE5OP8/

Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deadly-alliance-kathleen-rowland/1123141145?ean=2940152523393

Amazon US
http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Alliance-Kathleen-Rowland-ebook/dp/B019EE5OP8/

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28225810-deadly-alliance?from_search=true&search_version=service

Bio and author links:

Bio and Links—Kathleen Rowland

Book Buyers Best finalist Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts.  Kathleen used to write computer programs but now writes novels.   She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes there were lightning bugs in California.

Kathleen exists happily with her witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s poolside retreat in Southern California where she adores time spent with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one bunny, and noisy neighbors.  While proud of their five children who’ve flown the coop, she appreciates the luxury of time to write while listening to demanding character voices in her head.

http://www.kathleenrowland.com/

https://twitter.com/rowlandkathleen

https://kathleenrowland.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.rowland.50

http://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Rowland/e/B007RYMF7S/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1462406582&sr=1-2-ent

Tina Gayle Shares Her #RomanticIdea

Blurb for Summer’s Growth.

In the spirit-haunted Winston estate in Ohio, rooted in time and occupied by the lingering ghosts of a great family, the torch is about to pass...

Mattie Winston, sober, sensible, and steady, has served as Keeper to the family for decades. Amber Harrison, hovering on the edge of flunking out of college, unsure what she wants out of life, has barely even heard of the Winston estate. The family, however, has decided that it's time for the changing of the guard. These two exceptional women soon find themselves dealing with violence, murder attempts, and old family mysteries while each finding the love of her life. Two romances and a growing friendship, all twined around a brooding family tragedy, make for an outstanding paranormal mystery offering depth and charm beyond the commonplace. The growing love of Amber and Carter and of Mattie and Quincy offer readers a tender and engaging first novel in a winning new paranormal series.

Excerpt:

Was she insane? Why agree to spend time at a place she’d never been before with people she didn’t know?

Fear and eagerness warred in her stomach. Breathing rapidly, she inhaled the scent of her peppermint gum. The crisp fragrance reminded her of her grandfather’s breath mints, and she took another deep breath to calm her shaky nerves.

Past the point of no return, even if the adventure ended up to be a free trip to nowhere. Whatever happened she’d see it through.

The soft leather seat cooled her skin. Tired from her long trip to Ohio, she leaned her head on the plush headrest. She used the relaxing motion of the car to recover some of her energy and turned her head to view the landscape outside the car.

Different from Southern California, no lollypop trees or car-packed freeways met her gaze. The road supported only a few cars moving along at a steady pace. Calm pastureland lined the highway with wildflowers dancing in the wind. Large limbs darting in every possible direction, small leaves announced spring to the world with their bright green foliage. No structures marred the view or broke the serene pleasure of the unencumbered land.

Yet, they’d only left the airport a few minutes ago.

Her mind wandered to the place where they were headed. She shot her silent driver a quick glance. She’d questioned the portly old gentleman about Winston Manor when she’d first arrived. He’d said they needed to get going and refused to comment beyond that.

Once in the car, she’d tried again. Her blue eyes caught his in the rear view mirror, and he assessed her value before glancing away.

Amber brushed her long, blonde hair back off her shoulder and tugged on her cotton tee shirt to straighten out the wrinkles.

“How long until we arrive at Winston Manor?” she asked.

He didn’t respond, almost as if he hadn’t heard. Unwilling to be rude, she decided to settle back in her seat.

The answers would come once she arrived at Winston Manor.

Read First Chapter of "Summer's Growth"

Purchase ebook at: Amazon |

Bio:

Tina Gayle grew up a dreamer and loved to escape into the world of books. After a number of different jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing. Her romantic novels touch the heart and explore the heartaches of falling in love and being a woman.

Married thirty years, she and her husband love to travel and play golf.  If you’d like to read the 1st chapter of her books visit her website.

Find Tina Gayle everywhere

Home - www.tinagayle.net
Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle


Romantic Idea –

Buy your lover a balloons instead of flowers and give them as a special gift.

HEART SPELL

HEART SPELL, my contemporary romance anthology, is due to be released on June 21. But if you pre-order it at Amazon, you can get your copy for only 99 cents! What a bargain!

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Spell-Anthology-Elizabeth-Delisi-ebook/dp/B01EYXDJSS

You can also visit HEART SPELL at Tirgearr Publishing: http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Delisi_Elizabeth/heart-spell.htm and check out my other books while you're there.

Here are the blurbs for the three stories in HEART SPELL:


A CUP OF CHRISTMAS CHARM

Chloe Lange’s heart somersaults when Zack Martin walks into her New Age store, “Chloe’s Charming Gems.” He’s looking for the perfect Christmas gift for his sister, and she’s only too happy to help. But when he asks her out on a date, she gets cold feet. After all, she’s a single mother raising her four year old daughter, Amanda, and she has the store to run. Besides, all men are untrustworthy—she learned that when Amanda’s father took off as soon as he discovered Chloe was pregnant.

Zack Martin wants a woman in his life, and Chloe Lange fits the bill perfectly. But when she turns down his offer of dinner, he figures it’s for the best. Every minute he’s not at work he spends with his sister, Hope. She was born handicapped, and since the death of their parents, she’s his responsibility. Not that she’s a burden—Hope’s sunny smile and optimistic personality make life with her a joy. But the last thing he needs is to get hung up on a woman only to find she can’t accept Hope as part of the equation.

Can the spirit of Christmas, with the help of Hope and Chloe’s eccentric Aunt Saidie, bring together two hearts aching to be filled?

LOVE'S REDEMPTION

Mara Parker’s heart is bleak as Christmas approaches. Her husband, Stephen, was killed in an automobile accident and now will never see his unborn child. Mara has retreated into her shell in the cabin on the mountains she and Stephen shared. Then Doub Swanson, a camper in need of a roof over his head during a snowstorm, shows up at her door. He brings joy into her life, makes her smile, gives her a feeling of security. But is Doug who he seems—or is he after something more than shelter from the storm?

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

When Brett Newman accompanies his brother Bryan into Violet Webber’s wedding shop, The Cupid Connection, Violet figures Brett’s the best-looking man she’s seen in a long time. But she knows his type: the hunk with all the women hanging off him, who uses women and discards them as if they were tissues. Violet’s amazed to find he’s just as cynical about love and romance as she is. She’s even more astonished to find herself falling in love with him, despite her best intentions. Can Cupid remove the blinders from Violet’s and Brett’s eyes and the padlocks from their hearts?

#RomanticIdea from Author Victoria Pinder

Check out the latest books from guest author Victoria Pinder. Then scroll down to see her list of favorite Romantic Ideas for this summer!

Author Name: Victoria Pinder

Book Title: Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush

Date Published:  Rereleased April 30, 2016

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Purchase Link: Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SrKB7I

Synopsis:

Penny moves back to Miami to start her new job. She must start on Monday, so she has a list of things to accomplish.

A: Find a place to live.

B: Avoid her mother.

C: Reconnect with old high school friends. There was her best friend, Sandra, the dramatic Eva, the dark Michael, her half-brother Wyatt, and her old high school crush Jay.

Jay had never looked twice at her except as a partner in math league, but at least these people respected her.

Jay spots Penny immediately and sets a plan in action. He needs her to pretend to be his date this week. She’s practical minded and stable, which is what he needs his investors to see in him.

Penny’s caught in a whirlwind of plots. Her gold digging mother, Jay’s, Jay’s mother whose out to stop him, and her own plans are being thrown off course. Worst of it is that she’s falling for Jay, all over again.

Contact Information

Website: http://www.victoriapinder.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriapinder1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/victoriapinder

Author Bio:

Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, after passing many tests proving how easy Math came to her. Then hating her life at the age of twenty four, she decided to go to law school. Four years later, after passing the bar and practicing very little, she realized that she hates the practice of law. She refused to one day turn 50 and realize she had nothing but her career and hours at a desk. After realizing she needed change, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is rewarding, but writing is a passion.

During all this time, she always wrote stories to entertain herself or calm down. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, and Victoria spent too many years living other people’s dreams, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious. The middle school year book when someone wrote in it that one day she’d be a writer made sense when she turned thirty.

She’s always been determined. She is amazing, adventurous and assured on a regular basis. Her website is  www.victoriapinder.com.

Member of Florida Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance, Celtic Hearts and Savvy Authors.

For a free novella of Returning for Valentine’s Please Click here: http://victoriapinder.com/returningforvalentineshorttimeoffer

Excerpt:

“Home, sweet, err…coffee.”

Getting out of her car, Penelope brushed her worn jeans to get out a small wrinkle. Not that it mattered. She smelled the coffee drawing her to the door. The delicious aroma of freshly brewed java that could wake her up waited inside. Gainesville had coffee shops, but nothing that held her heart like this place. In high school, this place was her mecca. Her stomach grumbled for the familiar drink.

The coffee shop looked almost the same as it had years ago, except for the aluminum tables and wooden chairs with red cushions. She remembered the plaid chairs and brown tables, but the place still calmed her, like she was coming home.

She stepped up to the counter. “I’ll have a cinnamon dulce nonfat latte, please.”

Leaving Gainesville after college had always been the plan. Just never back to Miami, but she’d changed. She could live here now.

She checked her lip gloss while she waited for the latte at the counter.

When she accepted the promotion from part-time to full-time, she knew she would have to face her mother and the catch of the month, Lars, her mother’s plastic surgeon. What that woman would do for a free tummy tuck.

The job she’d accepted had offered to triple her salary, provided she moved to the Coral Gables office. Somehow, she’d avoid her mother until necessary. What was the man’s name with money this week? Penny ignored that last call, knowing the man with the largest wallet always took precedence over whatever Penelope needed. She watched the barista get the nonfat milk and finish her latte. She’d succeed here, now. She had to.

She’d call Sandra, Eva, John, and Michael later. Wyatt, her half-brother, was stationed overseas, so she’d wait for his weekly call. These people were her real family.

The man handed her the latte. The first sip gave her the strength to do this. The tightness of the ride dissipated while she tasted her liquid savior. Sighing, she tasted heaven, the wake-up to her day.

“Penelope.”

Though the unmistakable voice was deeper, she knew who it was without even turning. Her high school crush, who never noticed her beyond her brain. Pulling at her pink tank top, she wished she’d worn better clothes. “John Jay.”

His steely blue eyes and sandy blond hair were the same color, but his build had grown more muscular. The leanness of his youth had given way to broad shoulders and hard, muscular arms. He had a straight, faded scar on his left cheek that was new—probably a bar fight. Rich boy wore his fancy, perfectly fitted polo and jeans, and was definitely hotter with age. His million-dollar smile and devastating dimples sparked a warm flush that sped through her all the way to the tips of her toes.

“I’m going by Jay these days. It’s less formal.” He winked at her, turning off his tablet and pointing her to his table.

“It’s a good name, but I still prefer Dimples,” she teased. “It’s what I called you on online whenever I needed you.”

His rich, deep laugh sent that familiar spark through her.

Damn. Rich boy knew his effect on women, including her. He could manipulate her when she went quiet, but she’d learned a lot in college. She’d not let him weaken her. 

* * *

Romantic Ideas to spend this spring with your favorite guy…

1. Visit an art museum
2. Walk on the beach (I know cheesy but it’s what my husband likes to do when we’re bored)
3. Go food shopping together and pick out something for each other to add to the cart
4. Plan a vacation or a cruise for a year away and talk about what you want to see or do (sometimes the planning is the fun part.)
5. Watch a movie together while snuggling
6. Take a dance class and use a Groupon coupon
7. Visit a winery or local agriculture (perhaps apple picking)
8. Rent a boat or a canoe or kayak and hit the water (Or water ski if you’re adventurous)
9. Picnic in a local park somewhere
10. Go online to one of those places where you get coupons, like Groupon, and pick something together that you’ve both never done… in Florida they have everything from helicopter rides to hot air balloons.