Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish everybody (especially those I can't send Christmas cards to) a very Merry Christmas. And I hope that 2018 brings you better and brighter things than 2017.


I am certainly hoping for this. I don't really do resolutions, but I am going to work on me next year. I need to make myself stronger physically and mentally. I need to build my self-esteem so that I don't fall into the same trap again in a relationship. (More on that on another blog post maybe?)


Yesterday the boys helped with the baking. I made a Christmas cake (with photos to follow once I've decorated it.)

Kieran helped make the mince pies and Ben thoroughly enjoyed building the gingerbread house.

They may be older, and so the magic of Santa has disappeared. But as they say, as one door closes another opens. It was lovely all working in the kitchen together yesterday.

Merry Christmas, everyone,

from the Morgans x x x

Sun Chara's Recluse Millionaire, Reluctant Bride Publication Day

Recluse Millionaire, Reluctant Bride

Is his reluctant bride a business risk or a personal necessity?

Stan Rogers, recluse millionaire, must negotiate a risky deal with Stella Ryan, the exotic beauty from his past, to gain custody of his son. But how can he close the deal with her, the one and only woman who flips his switches and pegs him as the enemy?

Martial artist Stella knows she should steer clear of Stan, the man who had shattered her heart and could still destroy her. Four years have passed since their hostile business deal, and now, the American financier is proposing holy matrimony…but she’s the reluctant bride wondering, what’s he up to?

Purchase Link - hyperurl.co/6c1lte

Author Bio – Sun Chara, an Amazon top 100 bestseller, writes sexy, hip ‘n fun contemporary romance for Harper Impulse. JABBIC winner, Manhattan Millionaire's Cinderella launched her writing career, spinning the 'global millionaire’s series'. She makes her home in southern California, and has appeared on stage/film to rave reviews in How the Other Half Loves, General Hospital, and McGee and Me. With a Master’s Degree in Education, and membership in SAG/AFTRA and Romance Writers of America, she enjoys sipping designer Frappuccinos topped with whipped cream/sprinkles, and dancing on the beach…making everyday a celebration!

Sun loves to hear from her readers at:
https://facebook.com/suncharaauthorpage
https://twitter.com/sunchara3                                                                                    

Recluse Millionaire, Reluctant Bride – Extract 4

Chapter 1

# # #

"You’re not a prisoner here, Ms. Ryan," he said, tone cool.  "You’re an invited guest with whom I wish to discuss business.”

          "Why didn't you call or e-mail or drop by my studio to discuss your... er...business?”

          “In a sense, I did.”

          “Stop talking in riddles.”

          He shrugged.

          And that had her hackles rising. 

"This charade is utter nonsense.”  She moved another few steps closer, the table a barrier between them.  “I don’t like being manhandled."

          The deep sound of his laughter ricocheted off the walls.  "Heard it was the other way around."  He saluted her with his drink.

          Stella shook her head, pointing her finger at him.  "Look here, I have   a business to run.  Right now, my students are at the dojo waiting for me.”

          Stan set the empty glass on the gleaming countertop and rubbed his palms together.  "Took care of it.”

          "I demand to be relea—” She gaped at him.  “What does that mean?" she

demanded.  "You know you could be arrested.”

          "My men—”

          “Thugs.”

          “—left a memo at your studio explaining your absence."

          "Disappearance."

He shuttered his eyes to blue slits, considering her veiled warning.  "Ms. Ryan, I’m offering you my hospitality as my guest.”

          “I’m not your guest.”  She tossed her head.  “And don’t need nor want anything from you.”

          He hiked a brow, and she swallowed a lump in her throat.  Of course, he had control of her core asset and—

          "You’re on a publicity tour…Tokyo, Toronto…family demands,” he

explained, his words saturated with meaning.  “You’d be returning soon.”

          “You dared to—” A tremor vibrated from her head to her toes, shivers

prancing on her spine.

          He shrugged.  "A risk worth taking." 

          Stella paled, their one and only meeting zooming to the forefront of her mind.

          "Something wrong, Ms. Ryan?"  Casually, he slid his hands in his pockets,

confident he’d cornered her.

Stella groped for the back of a chair, the wood smooth and hard beneath her fingertips.

Like the man—unbreakable.   

"Do you often take such risks?" she tested, her voice brittle. 

          "Occasion—"

"Why?"

          "High stakes."

          "How lofty are they this time?"  She tightened her grip on the chair, her heart pounding a warning.

          "Riskiest bet of my life," he admitted.

          She wouldn’t be bridled.  “Must be, to ditch your life of the rich and

famous for that of a recluse.”

He laughed, a dark, ominous sound.  “It is.”  A shadow swept across

his eyes, and a nerve pinched his jaw.  He shrugged and didn’t elaborate.

          Tenderness pierced through her frustration.  She must be mistaken, or nuts.  Nuts to feel anything but contempt for the ogre.  She shoved the pinch of feeling away.  She didn't care, couldn't care, refused to care. 

"I don't play cat and mouse games, Mr. R."

          "You do remember."

          The gray at his temples and his beard had thrown her at first.  His

electrifying blues and commanding tone, capped off with his baiting remarks, cued her a second time in as many hours, how well he knew the game of finance and how well he wielded the rules for his benefit.  Yes, she remembered him.  He was not a man she could easily forget or how ruthless he could be.

          "How do I fit into your scheme of things this time?" Stella asked, her voice crackling with ice.     

          "Predominantly."

Proud Mum To A Teenager!

Ben in my favourite sleepsuit! 

My first born, Benjamin James (Ben) is thirteen today!

When he was first born, I saw him as my miracle baby. I only had one Fallopian tube and had doubted whether I would get pregnant naturally. And I remember, after my long laborious labour (I should have taken that as a sign, he'd take his time entering this world, he'd take his time and be laid back about everything from then on in life) that I was grateful and happy to have a healthy baby boy - weighing a whopping 9lb 4oz. If I couldn't have any more, at least I'd been given the gift of at least one baby. And I know some don't even get that, so I was filled with joy.

One memory I have, while I was still in hospital, adjusting to motherhood and breastfeeding; I'd left him in the nursery - the only place you could leave the babies unattended - so I could shower. I came back to his cot to find him gone and a brief moment of panic hit me, fearing someone had stolen my boy. I turned around and midwife held him, showing another midwife/nurse on the ward my baby, saying, 'look how handsome this baby is.' My heart filled with so much pride. (He was incredibly handsome as a baby - but I thought I was biased as his mother).



As he grows older, you can see he's the spitting image of me. And now he has glasses, we are even more similar. Even though he drives me mad, because he is pretty much away with the fairies, in his laid back state, I love him more than words can truly describe. He is laid back, quietly confident, clever (Mathematician of The Year!) and fairly mature - when not bickering with his brother. And though he'll do things that make me cross, he does so much that makes me proud, too.





Not sure where he gets being so chilled out from. My dad (Granddad Ron) and I laugh about it quite regularly. It's certainly not from me. But he loves cake and chocolate - which he does get from me! I love that he loves reading! And I've recently got this boy into Red Dwarf. He is my buddy - when I don't have to be 'Mum' and nag him.

Happy 13th birthday, Ben. May you continue to grow into a great, wonderful, mature man.

Fourteen Weeks...

It's been three months now, and still nothing. It's as if you never existed.

I suppose, if you ever did truly love me, one day you'll miss what we had and you'll get in touch. If you don't, well, I know you lied and deceived me.

Although I do hold some fond memories of our 14 months together, (and they make me miss you) they are sadly tarred by the way things ended, and my love has turned to an anger and rage that makes me think 'what were those 14 months about?'

Have I actually benefited from them in anyway? Except the expensive gifts...? I still can not fathom what they were about, other than your way to secure my love for you, while you were obsessed and infatuated with me. I have a feeling it meant nothing, because you told me how you didn't regret spending similarly on the woman before me. Maybe if money means nothing to you, the expensive gifts meant nothing too...

I was like a conquest, wasn't I? "She must be mine! I'll do everything in my power to convince her I love her and that she needs to love me, and then when I'm done, I'll just cast her aside... because she means nothing truly to me."

So no, I look back with resentment over those 14 months, my time wasted on a man who didn't deserve my attention, for he hasn't furthered my life or enhanced it. (In fact he's now led me to the last few months feeling utterly miserable - for which those 14 months certainly weren't worth it).

Like I've said before, it's like I've woken up and it's June 2016 again. I'm back, where I was in June 2016 FFS! But in a worse place mentally.

I resent you. Why? I'm looking for someone to grow old and grey with, and those 14 months could have been used to find that man, instead of wasting them on you, who I thought I was building a solid relationship with. YOU who led me to believe you were the one to be with. Then, you end it? No consideration, no lets maybe work at this... No, because you'd had your fun, you'd won me over, and now part of your game, was to just toss me aside.

Counselling has really opened my eyes. Now, I need to set to work on my self-esteem, because I've been set back 14 months, and my trust has been truly destroyed. Thank you for that.

Fake Friday With Rachel Brimble

Today, I have Rachel Brimble on my blog talking about her latest book If I Want You. Rachel and I have known each other for a few years now, as she organises our RNA Chapters in Lacock. I always value her advice as a fellow author, she's so lovely! So let's get on with the interview! 

What was the inspiration behind the story of If I Want You?

I was watching a news piece where a missing little girl had been safely found and reunited with her parents. As a mum of two daughters, the story terrified and moved me. Very soon, my emotions and ‘what if’ questions came surging to the surface.

It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted to write a story about a missing little girl and how her disappearance was in some way connected to the heroine’s past. The rest followed quickly, and I absolutely loved writing this book.

If your book, If I Want You, was turned into a movie, who would you like to play the hero and heroine?

That’s an easy question for me! I start every book by trawling the internet for pics of my hero, heroine and villain (if I have one). Mark Bolton (the hero) would be played by Harry Tressler and Tori Peterson (the heroine) would be played by Darby Stanchfield.

Who is your favourite minor character in your book?

That would have to be Principal White – she is one of the suspects in the case, and I loved writing her scenes with both the hero and heroine. She turned out to be quite a complex character that I could give both serious and humourous scenes.

What's next on the horizon for Rachel Brimble?

My next release comes out in January 2018 – A Stranger In The Cove is the eighth and final instalment in my Harlequin Templeton Cove series (all the books can be read stand-alone). I had so much fun writing this book and although the series has come to an end, I will love the characters in the series forever. They mean the world to me.

As for works in progress, I currently have an Edwardian romance and a romantic suspense under publisher consideration as well as writing another historical. Busy, busy!

Blurb: 

When local journalist, Tori Peterson, fails to prevent a child abduction outside her niece’s school, her horror and guilt sparks a vow to do whatever it takes to get little Abby Brady home to her parents.

While Tori battles the vile memories of her own kidnapping as a child, she accepts the help of widowed father, Mark Bolton. As he and Tori join forces with the local police, their attraction and intimacy grows…along with their fears for Abby.

Links are uncovered between Abby’s disappearance and Tori’s kidnapping, and Tori is forced to accept the monster who held her captive is back. But this time, Tori is all grown up, and there is no way she will let him hurt another little girl.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.eu/190CYmx
Amazon US: http://a.co/c5O5R7s
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-i-want-you-rachel-brimble/1127157672?ean=2940158911118
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/if-i-want-you

Bio: 

Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had seven books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and an eighth coming in Jan 2018. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Links:

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Facebook Street Team - Rachel's Readers

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Brimble/e/B007829ZRM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490948101&sr=8-1

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806411.Rachel_Brimble