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Showing posts with label Valentine romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentine romance. Show all posts

Thursday, February 13, 2020

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM AUTHOR GINNY B. NESCOTT

Author Ginny B. Nescott loves to read. She’s especially a sucker for laughter, mystery, romance, a wonderful kiss, warm hugs, flowers and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. Learn more about her and her books at her website.

Love doesn’t have to be neat and candy coated. It wasn’t for Native American businessman Michael, or Southern-born Paige and especially for her divorced aunt, or even a lovesick barista. Adopting a twitchy rescue cat added to their confusion. Love just needs to breathe and blossom.
  
Starting with Ground Hog day, my holiday novels weave to Valentine’s and St. Patrick’s Day. I fell in love with the characters and wintry setting in this series, so much so that my husband took me to stay in a Victorian B&B in the same mountain area from the books. That weekend at he was my own personal Groundhog Man and the only “fleeing” I did was to explore the snow-covered parklands. My health has been a struggle since then, but I have those images from a loving man. I’m lucky. We all are, partnered or no. 

The truth is love comes in so many forms: the kind smile of caring teacher, the squeezing hug of a happy child, the frail hand brushing over a creased photo of an old friend, and the pulse of a heart thrilled to be near another. Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day with more than chocolate and flowers. Let’s celebrate it with a laugh and with appreciation of all those around us.

Happy Valentine’s Day to each and every one of you!

A Paige in Cupid’s Book: A Valentine’s Day Romance
Paige Holiday, Book 2

“His touch could melt the snow surrounding her...

After leaving her life in Atlanta, Amelia Paige Myers landed on the doorstep of her aunt’s inherited farmhouse in the dead of a Pennsylvania winter. Instead of a quick fix, Paige’s temporary home was hoarded to the rafters and needed serious work. Her new-found love “interest” is there to help but distracts her with his sizzling touch. She's not sure if Michael Yotahala Lukas is a rebound or the real thing. Their budding romance and a fast approaching Valentine's Day inspire Paige to do a little matchmaking for her aunt.

Clocks, a cat, roses, and a cranky aunt who doesn't believe in love—things never go according to planned, and time is running out. Paige could sure use a page from Cupid's book.”

Monday, January 25, 2016

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY

Tomorrow is National Chocolate Cake Day. To celebrate, I’m featuring a yummy brownie recipe, compliments of author Susan Lohrer. The recipe first appeared in Bake, Love, Write: 105 Authors Share Dessert Recipes and Advice on Love and Writing. Now some may argue that brownies are not technically cake but a category all its own, but I chose to feature this particular chocolate recipe from the cookbook because Susan is also the author of a Valentine romance, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

Grandma’s Homemade Brownies

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup cool water
1/2 cup (or more) chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place all ingredients in bowl in order given and beat on low speed until just mixed. Pour batter into prepared 9” x13” pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in brownies comes out clean.

Note: For a lower-calorie version, you can substitute applesauce for half the cooking oil, but I suggest simply cutting the brownies into tiny portions.

Wooing Cupid
Welcome to Cupid's Hollow, where fantasy and reality collide.

In this first book in the Wooing the Gods holiday romance series a meddling retired deity shoots the wrong kind of arrow from Cupid's bow and turns Valentine Arciere's world on its head...

Valentine doesn't approve of big business, especially when a huge corporation is taking over her beloved hometown. So when a billionaire businessman comes along and tries to get her to sell out her sports shop, she digs in her heels and refuses his offer. But the other shop owners have sold out, and her refusal to compromise her values is preventing a huge business deal and causing financial hardship for everyone in town. She almost gives in...until she learns she's a goddess and her soul is attached to the deed to her property.

Vittorio Fulminare, king of the Roman gods, is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is the land occupied by Valentine's store. But he's not the only one trying to get her to sell, he's just the only honest one. Now, under the influence of Cupid's magic, he'll do anything to win Valentine's trust and help her keep her soul.

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Bake, Love, Write: 105 Authors Share Dessert Recipes and Advice on Love and Writing
What do most authors have in common, no matter what genre they write? They love desserts. Sweets sustain them through pending deadlines and take the sting out of crushing rejection letters and nasty reviews. They also often celebrate their successes—selling a book, winning a writing award, making a bestseller list, or receiving a fabulous review—with decadent indulgences. And when authors chat with each other, they often talk about their writing and their lives. Recipes. Writing. Relationships. In this cookbook 105 authors not only share their favorite recipes for fabulous cakes, pies, cookies, candy, and more, they also share the best advice they’ve ever received on writing and relationships.

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Monday, February 23, 2015

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR SUSAN R. HUGHES & CHICKEN BISCUIT PIE

Susan R. Hughes writes contemporary and historical romance novels set mainly in Canada. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

In my newest release, Forever Your Valentine, divorced mother Faith Kinley meets former hockey pro Cole McKenna on Valentine’s Day, and sparks fly. He repairs her broken oven, and in gratitude she offers to make him her famous chicken biscuit pie. Little does he know how super easy it is to make! My mom got this recipe from her friend Wyldeen’s mother in 1955 and has been making it for 60 years! I have warm memories of this dish when I was growing up. I loved the biscuit topper soaked with cream of mushroom soup (and tolerated the vegetables.) It’s a delicious way to use up leftover chicken.

Chicken Biscuit Pie
Ingredients
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup water     
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 cup cooked peas
2 tbsp. chopped pimentos
mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery (optional)
baking powder biscuit dough (Bisquick)

Blend all ingredients (except Bisquick) in a bowl. Turn into greased baking dish.

Follow directions on the Bisquick package to make the “topper.” Roll out and shape the dough (about ½” thick) to fit your baking dish and place over mixture. If you have leftover dough, shape them into individual biscuits and bake alongside the pie. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Forever Your Valentine
Faith Kinley would rather forget all about Valentine’s Day. Last February 14th, she caught her husband with another woman. This Valentine’s Day takes a turn for the better when Faith runs into dead-sexy Cole McKenna. Attraction crackles between them, but Cole’s a confirmed bachelor whose career as a hockey scout keeps him on the road most of the year. With her heart still mending from her divorce, Faith resolves to keep her relationship with Cole strictly platonic—a pledge that becomes harder to keep as they grow closer. Will one night together ruin their friendship, or could they be falling in love?

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

COUNTDOWN TO VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine’s Day is only ten days away. What better time to remind our readers of Love, Valentine Style, a very special holiday anthology of novellas by six bestselling and award-winning authors. Whether you’re sharing the day with someone special or still in search of that special someone, take a break and lose yourself for a few hours in Love, Valentine Style. You won’t be disappointed.

Stories include:

Finding Mr. Right by Lois Winston

In this mini-sequel to the award-winning Hooking Mr. Right by Lois Winston (writing as Emma Carlyle,) editor Grace Wainwright, has taken over the role of bestselling author and romance guru Dr. Trulee Lovejoy. Thea Chandler, the original Trulee, is now married to her Mr. Right and is a successful cookbook author. She and Grace host the top-rated Love Recipes cooking show. When producer Becket Delaney announces the first two shows in February will have a Valentine’s Day theme, Grace freaks out. The worst day of her life occurred on Valentine’s Day ten years ago, and she wants no reminders of it.

Beck has his own reasons for hating the holiday, but the show must go on, and he absolutely refuses to deal with an uncooperative prima donna. When a citywide blackout traps him and Grace in his thirty-fourth floor office, their adversarial relationship really begins to heat up.

Be My Other Valentine by Jasmine Haynes

Grace is a baker and Sugar & Spice Bakery is her life. Five years ago she was given a sacred duty to perform by a mother dying of cancer: Every Valentine's Day, Grace must deliver one of her beautiful cake creations to a little girl named Valentine, and it must be addressed from the girl's mother up in heaven. But this Valentine's Day, Grace's delivery truck might finally give up the ghost before she drops off her precious cargo.

Brian lost his wife five years ago, and their little girl Valentine is all he has left of her. But what Brian has forgotten is that very special gift Valentine receives every year on Valentine's Day, and he's moved his daughter to a new house with no way to contact the mysterious baker who has followed his wife's wishes all these years.

In their quest to fulfill a dying woman's last request, can Grace and Brian find their own Valentine?

Hotel Amore by Pamela Fryer

After being jilted at the altar by her fiancé, Virginia Montgomery quit her job and moved a thousand miles away to manage Hotel Amore on Little West Cay, hoping she’d never see that no-good coward Thomas Bennet again. But Fate and Mother Nature conspire together and whip up a little Valentine’s Day magic to bring Virginia and Thomas back together.

You know what they say; Fate doesn’t take no for an answer, and it isn’t nice to mess with Mother Nature.

Civil War Valentine by Haley Whitehall

Recently divorced museum curator Charlie Bristol comes to Seattle to set up a display at the Fine Art museum chronicling the history of Valentine’s Day. The director of the museum surprises her with a package of Civil War valentines from an anonymous donor. She reads the heartfelt messages and is touched by his words. Does such powerful love still exist?

During a nap she dreams she’s alive during the Civil War and meets Elliot Lowery, the author of the valentines who mistakes her for his fiancée Charlotte. She and Elliot negotiate the murky waters of wartime romance. When she wakes she’s still under the dream's spell and Valentine’s Day love is in the air, but Charlotte has no reason to celebrate. The man she loves died 150 years ago. Unless love works some miracle even time and death cannot overcome.

Forever My Valentine by Raine English

She left him... He loves her... A snowy Valentine's gives them a second chance.

Returning home after a disastrous job relocation, Miranda is determined to avoid the man she left behind—and whose heart she broke. Until she finds a hidden treasure in a music box. An engagement ring engraved with a decades’ old date. And the only man who can help reunite the precious ring with its owner is the last man she wanted to see.

When Ian sees Miranda walk into his antique shop, his defenses go up. She walked away from him once without a backward glance. Since then he’s given up on love. But when their eyes meet and sparks fly, he wonders if maybe there’s a Valentine’s Day miracle in store for them.

A snowy night’s journey to bring the ring to its elderly owner turns into a second chance at romance for Miranda and Ian. But as the frost melts from around their hearts, it exposes old hurts and deceptions. This Valentine’s Day could be the start of something wonderful. Or the proof that their love was never meant to be.

Valentine Rules by Mel Curtis

What started out as an innocent assignment for work –accompanying a popular actress fresh out of rehab on shopping trips – has gained Gemma Kent regular makeovers by said actress and a sidebar photo on People magazine’s cover!  All the attention would be flattering, except she’s become famous as a mystery woman with the Twitter handle: GlitterfrostGem.  Everyone, even the local gossip column, is speculating about her identity.  In real life, Gemma wears combat boots, poindexter glasses, and a prickly attitude.  Now Randy Farrell, the man she can’t get out of her head, wants a date with Glitterfrost Gem!  Which would be great if he realized that invisible Gemma Kent and Glitterfrost Gem were one and the same.