Friday 30 December 2016

Book Tour: Lady Claire is all That by Maya Rodale + Giveaway


The one thing neither of them counted on is love . . .


LADY CLAIRE IS ALL THAT
Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #3
Maya Rodale
Releasing Dec 27th, 2016
Avon Books


Her Brains

Claire Cavendish is in search of a duke, but not for the usual reasons. The man she seeks is a mathematician; the man she unwittingly finds is Lord Fox: dynamic, athletic, and as bored by the equations Claire adores as she is by the social whirl upon which he thrives. As attractive as Fox is, he’s of no use to Claire . . . or is he?

Plus His Brawn

Fox’s male pride has been bruised ever since his fiancĂ©e jilted him. One way to recover: win a bet that he can transform Lady Claire, Society’s roughest diamond, into its most prized jewel. But Claire has other ideas—shockingly steamy ones. . .

Equals A Study In Seduction

By Claire’s calculations, Fox is the perfect man to satisfy her sensual curiosity. In Fox’s estimation, Claire is the perfect woman to prove his mastery of the ton. But the one thing neither of them counted on is love . . .


Make sure to "Keep Up" with the Cavendishes!


London, 1824
Lord and Lady Chesham’s ballroom
It was a truth universally acknowledged that Maximilian Frederick DeVere, Lord Fox, was God’s gift to the ladies of London. He was taller and brawnier than his peers and in possession of the sort of chiseled good looks—above and below the neck—that were more often found in works of classical art. By all accounts he was charming and universally liked by men and women alike, though for different reasons, of course. He won at two things, always: women and sport.
Fox strolled through the ballroom as if he owned the place. He nodded at friends and acquaintances—Carlyle, with whom he occasionally fenced, Fitzwalter, who he had soundly thrashed at boxing last week, and Willoughby, who was always game for a curricle race.
Fox flashed his famous grin as he heard the ladies’ usual comments when he strolled past.
“I think he just smiled at me.”
“I think I’m going to swoon.”
“God, Arabella Vaughn is one lucky woman.”
“Was,” someone corrected. “Didn’t you see the report in The London Weekly this morning?”
Fox’s grin faltered.
That was when Mr. Rupert Wright and Lord Mowbray found him. Their friendship stretched all the way back to their early days at Eton.
“We heard the news, Fox,” Rupert said grimly, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“I daresay everyone has heard the news,” Fox replied dryly.
It didn’t escape his notice that the guests nearby had fallen silent. It was the first time he’d appeared in public since the news broke in the paper this morning, though Arabella had so kindly left him a note the day prior. Everyone was watching him to see how he would react, what he would say, if he would cry.
“Who would have thought we’d see this day?” Mowbray mused. “Miss Arabella Vaughn, darling of the haute ton, running off with an actor.”
“That alone would be scandalous,” Rupert said, adding, “Never mind that she has ditched Fox. Who is, apparently, considered a catch. What with his lofty title, wealth, and not hideous face.”
Fox’s Male Pride bristled. It’d been bristling and seething and enraged ever since the news broke that his beautiful, popular betrothed had left him to elope with some plebian actor.
Not just any actor, either, but Lucien Kemble. Yes, he was the current sensation among the haute ton, lighting up the stage each night in his role as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. Covent Garden theater was sold out for the rest of the season. The gossip columns loved him, given his flair for dramatics both onstage and off—everything from tantrums to torrid love affairs to fits over his artistry. Women adored him; they may have sighed and swooned over Lucien Kemble as much as Fox.
To lose a woman to any other man was insupportable—and, until recently, not something that ever happened to him—but to lose her to someone who made his living prancing around onstage in tights? It was intolerable.
“Just who does she think she is?” Fox wondered aloud.
“She’s Arabella Vaughn. Beautiful. Popular. Enviable. Every young lady here aspires to be her. Every man here would like a shot with her,” Mowbray answered.
“She’s you, but in petticoats,” Rupert said, laughing.
It was true. He and Arabella were perfect together.
Like most men, he’d fallen for her at first sight after catching a glimpse of her across a crowded ballroom. She was beautiful in every possible way: a tall, lithe figure with full breasts; a mouth made for kissing and other things that gentlemen didn’t mention in polite company; blue eyes fringed in dark lashes; honey gold hair that fell in waves; a complexion that begged comparisons to cream and milk and moonlight.
Fox had taken one look at her and thought: mine.
They were a perfect match in beauty, wealth, social standing, all that. They both enjoyed taking the ton by storm. He remembered the pride he felt as they strolled through a ballroom arm in arm and the feeling of everyone’s eyes on them as they waltzed so elegantly.
They were great together.
They belonged together.
Fox also remembered the more private moments—so many stolen kisses, the intimacy of gently pushing aside a wayward strand of her golden hair, promises for their future as man and wife. They would have perfect children, and entertain the best of society, and generally live a life of wealth and pleasure and perfection, together.
Fox remembered his heart racing—nerves!—when he proposed because this beautiful girl he adored was going to be his.
And then she had eloped. With an actor.

It burned, that. Ever since he’d heard the news, Fox had stormed around in high dudgeon. He was not accustomed to losing.
“Take away her flattering gowns and face paint and she’s just like any other woman here,” Fox said, wanting it to be true so he wouldn’t feel the loss so keenly. “Look at her, for example.”
Rupert and Mowbray both glanced at the woman he pointed out—a short, frumpy young lady nervously sipping lemonade. She spilled some down the front of her bodice when she caught three men staring at her.
“If one were to offer her guidance on supportive undergarments and current fashions and get a maid to properly style her coiffure, why, she could be the reigning queen of the haute ton,” Fox pointed out.
Both men stared at him, slack jawed.
“You’ve never been known for being the sharpest tool in the shed, Fox, but now I think you’re really cracked,” Mowbray said. “You cannot just give a girl a new dress and make her popular.”
“Well, Mowbray, maybe you couldn’t. But I could.”
“Gentlemen . . .” Rupert cut in. “I don’t care for the direction of this conversation.”
“You honestly think you can do it,” Mowbray said, awed.
He turned to face Mowbray and drew himself up to his full height, something he did when he wanted to be imposing. His Male Pride had been wounded and his competitive spirit—always used to winning—was spoiling for an opportunity to triumph.
“I know I can,” Fox said with the confidence of a man who won pretty much everything he put his mind to—as long as it involved sport, or women. Arabella had been his first, his only, loss. A fluke, surely.
“Well, that calls for a wager,” Mowbray said.
The two gentlemen stood eye to eye, the tension thick. Rupert groaned.
“Name your terms,” Fox said.
“I pick the girl.”
“Fine.”
“This is a terrible idea,” Rupert said. He was probably right, but he was definitely ignored.
“Let me see . . . who shall I pick?” Mowbray made a dramatic show of looking around the ballroom at all the ladies nearby. There were at least a dozen of varying degrees of pretty and pretty hopeless.
Then Mowbray’s attentions fixed on one particular woman. Fox followed his gaze, and when he saw who his friend had in mind, his stomach dropped.
“No.”
“Yes,” Mowbray said, a cocky grin stretching across his features.
“Unfortunately dressed I can handle. Shy, stuttering English miss who at least knows the rules of society? Sure. But one of the Americans?”
Fox let the question hang there. The Cavendish family had A Reputation the minute the news broke that the new Duke of Durham was none other than a lowly horse trainer from the former colonies. He and his sisters were scandalous before they even set foot in London. Since their debut in society, they hadn’t exactly managed to win over the haute ton, either, to put it politely.
“Now, they’re not all bad,” Rupert said. “I quite like Lady Bridget . . .”
But Fox was still in shock and Mowbray was enjoying it too much to pay any mind to Rupert’s defense of the Americans.
“The bluestocking?”
That was the thing: Mowbray hadn’t picked just any American, but the one who already had a reputation for being insufferably intelligent, without style or charm to make herself more appealing to the gentlemen of the ton. She was known to bore a gentleman to tears by discussing not the weather, or hair ribbons, or gossip of mutual acquaintances, but math.
Lady Claire Cavendish seemed destined to be a hopeless spinster and social pariah.
Even the legendary Duchess of Durham, aunt to the new duke and his sisters, hadn’t yet been able to successfully launch them into society and she’d already had weeks to prepare them! It seemed insane that Fox should succeed where the duchess failed.
But Fox and his Male Pride had never, not once, backed away from a challenge, especially not when the stakes had never been higher. He knew two truths about himself: he won at women and he won at sport.
He was a winner.
And he was not in the mood for soul searching or crafting a new identity when the old one suited him quite well. Given this nonsense with Arabella, he had to redeem himself in the eyes of the ton, not to mention his own. It was an impossible task, but one that Fox would simply have to win.
“Her family is hosting a ball in a fortnight,” Mowbray said. “I expect you to be there—with Lady Claire on your arm as the most desirable and popular woman in London.”




Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and it wasn’t long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.



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Cover Reveal Sign Up: Yes, Boss by Juliana Conners


Yes, Boss
Juliana Conners
Publication Date: 5th January 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance. Bad Boy, Steamy Romance, Office Romance,


TBD











The Cover Reveal:


I am organizing a cover reveal for Yes, Boss by Juliana Conner. The reveal is scheduled for Sunday, January 1st, 2017 (after 12.01am EST).


Book Blitz: Complex Kisses by Kim Bailey

Complex Kisses

by Kim Bailey
Publication Date: December 29, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

  complex-kisses_ecover

Read for FREE in KindleUnlimited: Amazon

When lost and living in the moment … … can you be found with just a kiss? Jamie Hartley ran away, leaving grief and heartache behind. Lost on her own. Raising a child. Her plan is simple. Make it through. Find her path. Survive. Eric Anderson walked away, abandoning plans and expectations. Living day to day. Waiting for miracles. His goal is complicated. Make it through. Find a way. Endure. In stolen moments of passion and pleasure, Jamie and Eric find reprieve from their complex lives. Together, they eases the burdens. Together, they soothe the pain. But can they recognize the future when it finds them? Here and now.

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About Kim Bailey

Kim Bailey is a Canadian author. She’s a born procrastinator and sarcasm junkie. She gets her motivation from coffee, the fact that her teenage children haven’t disowned her, and the smile on her husband’s face when she tells him “maybe”. When she was young and naĂŻve, Kim dreamed of being a documentary filmmaker, and script writer. But when real life happened, she went to a job that actually paid her. Now she’s a customer support specialist by day and romance writer by night. Writing is something she’s always done – she has about 20 million half-started story ideas. She may also be a slight exaggerator. Kim promised herself to set her fears aside and make the dream real. She’s working on that, one day at a time.




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Friday 23 December 2016

Book Tour: Skirting the Ice by Jennie Marts + Giveaway


"The Bannister Brothers series has everything I love...
hockey, humor, and heart!" 


SKIRTING THE ICE
Bannister Brothers #3
Jennie Marts
Releasing Dec 8th, 2016



"The Bannister Brothers series has everything I love...hockey, humor, and heart!" - Kristin Miller- New York Times Bestselling author 

Buttoned-up accountant Jack Bannister lives an uncomplicated life until his teenage crush moves back into the house next door…all grown up and sexy as hell. Murphy Ryan is still wild and reckless, and danger has followed her to Colorado.  Jack will do whatever it takes to protect her, even it means letting her go…again.

Murphy Ryan is focused on building a new NHL women’s hockey team. But staying on her game is hard with the distraction, and the memories, of the hot nerd in the house next door. Jack Bannister had been her first kiss, and she wants him to be her last. With his dry humor and sexy glasses, being smart never looked so good.

Jack’s been given a chance to win back the one that got away, but worries this gorgeous hockey player is still out of his league. He’s kept his heart on ice, but now that Murphy’s back, she might be the one to finally thaw it.



Can you tell us a little about your book? Skirting the Ice is the story of a buttoned-up accountant and a wildcat hockey player. Jack lives an uncomplicated life until his teenage crush moves back into the house next door--all grown up and sexy as hell. Murphy Ryan is still wild and reckless, and danger has followed her to Colorado. Jack will do whatever it takes to protect her, even it means letting her go...again. 
Murphy is focused on building a new NHL women's hockey team. But staying on her game is hard with the distraction, and the memories, of the hot nerd in the house next door. Jack Bannister had been her first kiss, and she wants him to be her last. With his dry humor and sexy glasses, being smart never looked so good. 
Jack's been given a chance to win back the one that got away, but worries this gorgeous hockey player is still out of his league. He's kept his heart on ice, but now that Murphy's back, she might be the one to finally thaw it.

What are you favorite types of stories to read? I love to read women’s fiction and romantic suspense. I love stories set in small town with quirky characters and I love when the story has at least an element of suspense. Some of my favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Nora Roberts, Fannie Flagg, Lianne Moriarty, and Janet Evanovich. And of course, I adore all of the Harry Potter books.

What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part? The part that I like best is creating great stories that elicit laughter and heart-felt moments from readers. And hearing from a reader about how my story touched them or helped them through a hard time by giving them something to laugh about is an incredible feeling and makes it all worth it. The most challenging part is the fact that everything about writing books takes a long time. It takes a long time to write a book and to publish one and to wait for publishers. And my writing career is now a business and that means that I am constantly working on all parts of it, not just the writing. I still have to do my own promotion, and create ads, and do blog posts, and write newsletters, and make graphics. And I love doing those things, especially when it gives me a chance to connect with readers, but all of those things take away from time spent writing. The whole thing is challenging, but writing books is my true passion and what has me excited to get up every morning. And I wouldn’t go through all of this if I didn’t love it so very much!

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? The Bannister Brothers Books have all been such fun because hockey has been such a big part of my family’s life. My husband played growing up then coached our sons when they played growing up. I was a die-hard hockey mom and we are huge fans of the Colorado Avalanche. Lots of the hockey parts from the books are from personal experience. And one fun thing about this book is that it has two Sheltie dogs in it that look alike and get mistaken for each other and one of them is based on our own Sheltie, Maggie. I even named one of them after her.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? A writing career is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes a long time to write a book, to create a fan base, to turn your writing into a career. Keep writing. And learn everything you can. Take Classes, go to conferences, join a local writing group, and find a tribe of writers that you can offer and accept support from. Enjoy the ride. And be nice to everyone.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? Thank you and I adore you for reading and loving my books! I couldn’t do this without you and I’m working so hard to bring you more of your favorite books and to create new amazing, wonderful book boyfriends for you to fall in love with. 

The sound of a screen door banged behind him, and he heard a woman’s voice shout, “What the hell do you think you’re doing with my dog?”
He froze, his chest contracting as he lost his breath.
He knew that voice.
But it couldn’t be.
He turned around, facing the back porch of the house and the tall angry blond standing on it. Her long hair was pulled up in a ponytail, she held a baseball bat in her hands, and her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and fear.
He may not have seen her in years, but he knew it was her.
She looked different, older, but he recognized that tight set of her mouth, the flash of annoyance in her narrowed eyes, the way she held her shoulders in a posture of pride mixed with attitude.
“Murphy?”
She took a step closer, her eyes widening as her expression changed from anger to surprise. “Jack, is that you?”
He couldn’t believe it—couldn’t believe she was standing in front of him. He’d dreamed of this moment so many times, imagined running into her on the street or in a crowded airport. But he’d never imagined he’d see her again while he was standing amidst a yard full of weeds, shirtless and sweaty, his arms full of his squirming dog.
Although this was exactly where he should see her—in the same spot he’d stood when he’d first met her all those years before.
A stray hockey puck had flown into John’s yard, and he’d hopped the fence to get it. She’d come out on the porch then too, with the same prideful stance, a huge chip evident on her shoulder, and looking just as gorgeous as she did now.
Except she was a girl then.
She was a woman now, in a pair of black shorts and a snug white T-shirt, her body a mix of hard and soft. Her legs were toned hard with muscle, but the thin cotton T-shirt clung to soft curves that she didn’t have when she was a teenager. 
His lungs tightened, and he struggled to wheeze in a breath. He couldn’t breathe.
No, seriously, he couldn’t breathe.
Shifting the dog under his arm, he used his free hand to pull his inhaler from his pocket as he fought to get enough air. Inhaling as he took a puff, the spray filled his lungs, opening his airway.
“Jack! It is you!” She dropped the bat and ran down the steps of the porch. The bat rolled off the porch as she crossed the yard then stopped short, as if unsure if she should hug him or shake his hand.
A happy grin covered her face, lighting her eyes, and sending a swirl of butterflies careening around his stomach. “Jack Bannister. What are you doing here? Besides trying to steal my dog?”
He shook his head, still stunned to see her.
Murphy Ryan.
“Um, I’m not, I mean…” he stuttered, falling back into the role of the shy teenager that he’d been when he’d last seen her. “I’m not stealing your dog. This is my dog.”
She smirked and gestured to the fence behind him. “Yeah? Then whose dog is that?”
He turned to see another Sheltie standing on the other side of the chain link.
His sheltie.
Shit.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, handing her the dog in his arms. A dart of heat raced down his spine as her fingers brushed against the skin of his bare chest. “I saw her running around in the yard, and I just thought she was mine.”
Murphy took the dog then set it on the ground to run over to greet the other sheltie. “Except she is actually a he. But I can see why you made a mistake. They do look a lot alike. Almost identical.”
He took off his glasses and cleaned them with the end of his shorts. “My dog’s always breaking out of our yard, and my glasses were foggy, and I just assumed it was my dog. I usually wear contacts, but tore one this morning.” He didn’t know why he felt like he had to explain why he was wearing his glasses. Or why he felt like he was babbling.
He should just stop talking now. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.
He couldn’t stop staring at her. She looked amazing. He scrambled for something to say—anything that might sound halfway intelligent.
“Holy crap—your dog is peeing on my shoe.”





Jennie Marts is the USA Today Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”

She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.


Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances. 



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Book Blitz: Sinful Torment by Tia Lewis & Penelope Marshall

Sinful Torment
Tia Lewis & Penelope Marshall
Published by: Salted Pen Publications
Publication Date: 23rd December 2016
Cover Designer: RBA Designs
Genres: Romantic Suspense


Jessica Harris isn’t looking for love the night her friends take her to a BDSM club in New York. After divorcing her abusive husband, another relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when she meets Ethan McKnight, the club’s owner, the spark between them is immediate.

Ethan can’t get enough of Jessica’s curves and sensual submission. With each encounter, their connection deepens, until they can’t imagine being apart.

But Jessica’s ex is as jealous and possessive as he is corrupt. He’s willing to destroy them both to prevent their happiness. As his tactics escalate and the danger mounts, Jessica and Ethan must work together to defeat him… or lose everything.

Sinful Torment is a steamy standalone romantic suspense novel. It's only recommended for audiences 18+. No cheating. No cliffhangers. HEA.
Author Bio:

Tia Lewis is a romance author from the Midwest who writes about smart, sexy, sassy women and hot, possessive alpha males. Her favorite bad boys to write about include sports players, mafia, bikers, billionaires and the bad-ass next door. You can find her cooking, reading, or traveling when she’s not busy working on her next release.

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text LEWIS to 31996! 



Author Bio:


Penelope Marshall picked up writing in early 2016 and instantly fell in love with the craft. A good plot twist is what drives her stories, striving for that jaw dropping moment at the end of each book.

Sign up for her bad boy newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/cjdRuP






Book Tour: A Kick in the Pants & Will Never Fade by Jenna Sutton + Giveaway


Two All New, Sexy Riley O'Brien & Co. Novellas


A KICK IN THE PANTS
A Riley O'Brien & Co. Novella
Jenna Sutton
Released Nov 15th, 2016



Jake Lilliard has always been a gambling man. So far, all the risks he’s taken — like moving to San Francisco and joining Riley O’Brien & Co. — have paid off. Now he’s ready to take the biggest risk of all: acting on his feelings for Kyla Andrews. As a trainee in his department, she’s off limits. But as soon as Kyla moves on to another job, he is going to make her his. He’s waited long enough…

When tragedy struck Kyla’s family years ago, she started playing it safe. She doesn’t take risks with her job or her heart, and she refuses to be a clichĂ© – the foolish woman who falls for her sexy boss. Yet Jake is everything she has ever wanted, and it’s impossible to resist him and his enticing kisses.

Just when it seems that the gamble they took will pay off, Jake’s past threatens his future with Kyla. He knows lady luck is fickle, but she’s always had a soft spot for him. He’s hoping she won’t turn her back on him when he needs her the most…



WILL NEVER FADE
A Riley O'Brien & Co. Novella
Jenna Sutton
Releasing Dec 13th, 2016


For Phoebe Werner, the management trainee program at Riley O’Brien & Co. represents a new beginning. She’s finally healthy, and she is trying to enjoy life while she can. She never expects to run into Garrett Gale at a New Year’s Eve party. The handsome hotelier is the only man she wants… and a reminder of what she can never have.

Years ago, Garrett enjoyed one memorable night with Phoebe after months of fantasizing about her. And then, she disappeared. She ignored his efforts to contact her, and he did his best to forget her. Now fate has brought her back into his life and his bed. But who knows how long she’ll stay there?

With Phoebe's fears threatening to ruin their chance at happiness, Garrett must convince her that they're meant to be. He can't let Phoebe walk away with his heart again.


Will Never Fade

Garrett picked up his fork, but instead of eating off his own plate, he stabbed a piece of chicken off hers. As he brought it to his mouth, she kicked him under the table, not hard, just a tap. 
“If you wanted chicken tagine,” she groused, “you should have ordered it.”
Although his mouth was busy chewing, she could tell he wanted to smile. This was their old routine—him eating off her plate, her chastising him, and him offering little tidbits of his meal to repay her.  
Switching his fork for a spoon, he scooped some stew from the orange bowl in front of him and held it up to her mouth. She opened with no hesitation, the whole situation as comfortable and familiar as her favorite flannel nightgown.
He spooned the food into her mouth. As she chewed the flavorful combination of tender beef, kalamata olives, raisins, and garbanzo beans, she got hints of cinnamon and cumin and a little kick of lemon.
“Oh, that’s good,” she murmured, licking her lips. “Give me another bite.”
He didn’t give her what she wanted. Instead, his eyes dropped to her mouth and stayed there for several heartbeats. She watched as his pupils expanded and his irises darkened from bright turquoise to deep teal.
She had seen that look in his eyes before, but she hadn’t recognized it for what it was. She did now. 
Suddenly the situation was no longer comfortable. And neither was the ache between her thighs. Feeling a syrupy trickle of arousal into her panties, she silently cursed herself and shifted on the banquette seat. 
She’d known it would be impossible for them to go back to the way things used to be. They had opened Pandora’s Box that night. Or, to be more accurate, they had opened Phoebe’s box.
They’d released a powerful force into their friendship—desire. And that desire simmered beneath the surface like a dormant volcano just waiting to erupt. 



Jenna Sutton is a former award-winning journalist who traded fact for fiction when she began writing novels. Surprisingly, the research she conducted for her articles provided a lot of inspiration for her books.

Jenna is the author of the Riley O’Brien & Co. romances. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.

Jenna and her husband live in Texas in a 105-year-old house affectionately known as “The Money Pit”. You can find out more about her and her books by visiting www.jennasutton.com