Aubrey Wynne's Blog, page 8

Wallflower Games: Lady Be Vengeful
by Dawn Brower
Revenge of the Wallflowers #38

Miss Emma Collins hates being a wallflower and never understood how she’d been relegated to the unnoticeable ranks of the ton. Her family was wealthy, she was reasonably attractive, and, she thought, a catch for any worthy gentleman. She decides that if the ton doesn’t want her, then they don’t deserve her. She would have her fun, and they could all be damned. What better time to do it than at Christmas? If they wished to play games with her life, then they would find themselves at the receiving end of her own. Some gifts are only meant to be experienced after all… She convinces her brother, and his new wife to have a house party and she adds some guests to the list that will be her priority over the two weeks.

Blake Spencer, Marquess of Ardmore, decides to attend a Christmastide house party out of sheer boredom. A friend persuades him that it might prove a good diversion. He is uncertain, until he realizes that a seemingly insignificant wallflower harbors Machiavellian plans that make it all worthwhile. Her games intrigue him, and before he realizes it, she has ensnared him in a trap he never anticipated.

Some games are well worth playing, particularly when, in the end, love is the true victor.

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Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

Read an Excerpt

“I don’t know who hit him. The car never slowed or stopped. They’re looking for it. And the driver.”

But they wouldn’t find either. Mr. Alexandar’s angst told me as much. Whoever did this didn’t plan simply to kill my father, they also planned to escape. The same way my father planned for this moment and afterward. I stared at the envelope that held Papa’s will I couldn’t believe he had.

“I’m sorry.” Clifton Alexandar truly was sorry. He didn’t like the task of verbally removing Papa from my life. He probably didn’t realize he had taken my mother as well. The one person I longed to know but never did. Papa, my sole source of information about the woman he loved, was suddenly gone.

Mr. Alexandar stared through the screen while I suffered a vast implosion of my soul. No Papa. No more tidbits about my mother. I became an orphan in a moment. A seventeen-year-old girl with a house, this farm…and Guy. He had never asked for my hand, but he would. Especially now.

About the Author:

Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.

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Snowbound With the Scoundrel
by Courtney McCaskill
Revenge of the Wallflowers

First, he jilted her. Then, he humiliated her…

The Weatherby Wallflowers received their unfortunate nickname when Rupert Dupree, the second son of the Earl of Rottenbury, jilted Clarissa, then decamped for the Continent. When a gossip sheet published Rupert’s letter forcefully rejecting their proposed union, all four Weatherby sisters became laughingstocks. Clarissa hadn’t much been looking forward to marrying a stranger, but she has hated ‘Rotten Rupert’ ever since.

But you can’t keep a Weatherby Wallflower down…

Now the consummate wallflower, Clarissa finds her true purpose: gathering information for the Home Office. It’s the one advantage of blending into the wallpaper—nobody even notices that Clarissa is in the room, much less that she is surreptitiously listening to everyone’s secrets.

Snowbound with the Scoundrel…

Clarissa’s contact at the Home Office gives her the most important assignment of her career: to infiltrate the Countess of Helmsley’s Christmas house party and protect a prominent Member of Parliament who has been subject to repeated assassination attempts. Nothing will stop Clarissa from reaching this house party, not even the snowstorm gathering over the Yorkshire moors. She manages to book passage on the last carriage leaving York.

But that’s when Clarissa’s luck runs out. Because it turns out there’s one other passenger crazy enough to brave the moors in a blizzard.

And it happens to be Rupert Dupree…

Snowbound with the Scoundrel is a steamy, comedic Regency Romance. It is Book 37 in the multi-author series Revenge of the Wallflowers and also Book 2 in The Weatherby Wallflowers Quartet. Look for Eleanor Weatherby’s story, A Wallflower Never Surrenders, and for Kate and Pippa’s stories, which are coming in 2025!

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More titles releasing in November

The Scoundrel Had It Coming
by Amy Quinton
Revenge of the Wallflowers

He was known by many names: Spyder, Viscount Sharpe, the Puppet Master…Villian. Officially, he was Lord Rhodri Owain Perce Bewlyn Glyndŵr and though he rarely acknowledged it, the Duke of Powys. But to me, he was first and foremost: a scoundrel. One who thrived on knowledge for knowledge meant power; a truth he’d built a ludicrously successful life upon.

Lucky for me, he’d overlooked the greatest source of knowledge across the ballrooms of Mayfair: the Wallflower, and I, Lady Imogen Beatrix Smythe, vowed the oversight would be his undoing for the scoundrel definitely had it coming, and I meant to collect…

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More titles coming in October

Never Besmirch a Wallflower
by Alyssa Drake
Revenge of the Wallflowers book 36

Never back a wallflower into a corner.

Shunted aside, Eveline watched her younger sisters find love and marry. Disheartened by her situation, she relocates, inventing a new persona and snagging the attention of Levi Overton, Duke of Lennox, whose amorous pursuit leaves her head spinning. However, Eveline’s past followed her to Wiltshire…and it wants revenge.

With the truth of her identity hovering on the tongue of a woman who lost three suitors to Eveline’s sisters, Eveline struggles to maintain her silence while the lady unleashes a barrage of rumors designed to destroy Eveline’s reputation.

Faced with revealing her past or fading into the shadows as a permanent spinster, Eveline must determine if she’s courageous enough to allow Levi to love her true self. That is, if he forgives her for lying…

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Guest Review by Reads2Love – Nicole:

5 Stars: This was a thrilling ride! Eveline learns the hard way that you can’t run from your problems. She’s rented a house away from her jilted fiancée, but when his sister finds her hiding spot, the intrigue of wondering if she’ll rat out Eveline keeps you on the edge of your seat. Levi is a hero to love. He’s determined not to lose a bet his friends have on if they will all find love. But the chemistry with Eveline is undeniable. You just hope that when he discovers that she’s been using a false identity, he will forgive her so they can give in to the sparks that have been flying from the moment they met. Eveline may have made herself a wallflower in hopes of staying hidden, but she’s a great character that you want to see thrive. The surrounding cast of characters also helps build a world to fall into. I don’t think I’ve read this author before, but I would happily continue. The story was engaging and interesting and a perfect addition to the Revenge of the Wallflowers’ world.

A Wallflower’s Wassail Punch
by Aubrey Wynne
Revenge of the Wallflowers Book 35
Once Upon A Widow

Lady Annette Page is twenty-four and ready to climb onto the shelf. Her first Season was a disaster after a duke’s son pinched her by the punchbowl, and she walloped him in the nose. And broke it. After five years, she has yet to live down the scandal. Her father hopes to remarry, but his betrothed will not agree until Lady Annette is gone. With an enormous dowry offered for her hand, the earl hosts a house party at Christmastide. The men arrive, hoping to claim her fortune, while the ladies continue to dredge up the past.

Lord Weston has been a widow for twenty years. Now that his daughter is betrothed, he is ready to consider taking another wife. Invited to a house party by an old friend, he arrives to find the earl’s daughter is the guest of honor, and the week of revelry is a ploy to marry her off. Weston is surprised the other gentlemen view her as a quiet, awkward female. The viscount, seeing a striking, intelligent woman with a dry wit only he seems to appreciate, comes to her rescue.

When the two become allies, their partnership soon goes beyond friendship. But will Lady Annette’s age and the viscount’s interfering daughter keep them from a happy ending under the mistletoe?

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Excerpt

It had been years since he’d been here. A strapping lad of eighteen? The large entrance hall held the same large mirror, tapestry, and portraits on the wall. There was a drawing room on the right, and past that began the large circular staircase that led to a balcony. As he gazed up, he saw a woman with deep-brown hair and brilliant emerald eyes watching him.

His heart thumped a little harder when their eyes met, and she smiled. Lovely. No, more than lovely. She was stunning, and his heart thumped again. A rusty, odd feeling in his chest. Attraction? Possibly. Nerves because he’d been thinking of taking another wife?

“Hello,” she said in a rich, honied tone, interrupting his thoughts. “You must be here for the party.”

“Yes, this is Lord Weston,” informed the butler just as the door opened again and footmen came in carrying a trunk and a traveling bag. He turned back to Andrew. “This is Lady Annette.”

That sounded familiar. Annette, Annette—

An invisible pitcher of icy water doused him, and he blinked. Demmit, she was Beecham’s daughter? He needed to get hold of himself, then, because he was no lecherous old man. But she was deuced lovely.

“Which room, Mr. Gibbs?”

“The green room, my lady.”

“I’ll show him the way.” With a smile, she beckoned him to join her.

Without hesitation, he took the stairs and bowed when he stood before her. A day dress of light-rose muslin clung to her curves and showed off her ivory skin. He deliberately avoided her neckline as she held out a hand. A bare hand. His lips brushed the top. Yet a vaguely familiar heat sizzled through him.

He straightened, and she smiled again. A brilliance of white filled the shadowy hall. Her eyes sparkled, making him smile in return. Now that he was closer, he noted the tiny creases around those green orbs and realized she wasn’t quite as young as he’d assumed. Perhaps she was even married already.

“You have your father’s eyes,” he said, attempting a sane conversation.

“So I’ve been told.” She glanced over her shoulder, leading him farther down the hall. They climbed another flight of stairs, stopping at the second room on the right with a green door and a tiny brass knocker. “Here we are.” Lady Annette turned the knob and stepped aside.

The green room was true to its name. Wool carpet the color of a dark forest covered most of the floor with matching drapes on the tall windows, opened to let in the dim winter light. Several landscapes showing off the Beecham estate hung on the oak paneling. To the left, a small fireplace was flanked by a side table with a pitcher and bowl and a dark walnut wardrobe. On the marble mantel was a miniature grandfather’s clock, its delicate weights and pendulum intricately carved with a design he couldn’t discern from the doorway. The four-poster canopied bed took up the right side of the room. A counterpane and canopy with the same lighter, brighter green and gold print that matched the two wingback chairs before the hearth.

“It’s one of the more masculine rooms, so we thought you’d feel more at home here.”

Andrew moved past her into the room, feeling the plush carpet beneath his boots. The scent of jasmine tickled his nose and made him think of warmer weather. Lady Annette lingered at the door. He could feel her eyes studying him as he walked to the windows and pulled back a sheer curtain. He knew the path below. It led to the stable.

“I haven’t been here since I graduated from university,” he mumbled, turning away from the window.

“Then your last visit was fairly recent?” she asked with a grin.

He chuckled. “If you are appealing to my vanity, you have succeeded.”

“Good. Let’s see how your memory holds up. Do you remember where the library is?”

Impertinent, adorable chit. “I believe I do. First floor, end of the hall.” He smirked. “Not bad for an old man.”

She snorted. He laughed. “I don’t believe you are old. Nothing about you shows the wear of years like I’ve seen on other men. Either you are exaggerating your age, or you’ve never had a care in the world.”

Andrew shook his head. “You are wrong on both counts, my dear, though such observations make me feel years younger.”

“Hmm,” she mused over her shoulder, turning to leave. “Challenge accepted.”

His mind buzzed as he breathed in the lingering scent of jasmine, wondering what challenge he had just issued. Watch your step, old boy. She’s a temptation that could lead to trouble.

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More titles released in October:

Let’s Not and Sleigh We Did
J.P. Sterling
(Christmas Shenanigans)
Publication date: October 25th 2024
Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Oh, oh, the mistletoe, hung where I did NOT see.
My brother’s friend waits for me and gets down on one knee—What is happening?

Somebody stop it, please!
Oh, those dreamy blue eyes batting at me, and all the words he dares to say.
This is bad.
Like really, really bad.
We’re now planning a wedding day.
But it’s all for a good reason, not love.
Oh, cough, cough, let’s not bust out the L-word.
It’s purely business.
It is a solid plan until it isn’t.
So maybe I love him, but we agreed not to do that . . . whoops!

Let’s Not and Sleigh We Did is a fake marriage of convenience, brother’s best friend, just-kisses-but-all-the-swoons romcom. Oh, yeah, there’s a fluffy cow too!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

A ring.

Not just any ring, a rose gold band.

“What are you doing?” I whisper, a little harshly, the ring pulsating in my peripheral vision.

“We talked about this, remember?” Luke’s voice drops, rasping.

“We talked about marriage.” I tilt my head to one side, as if I’m physically dividing this argument in half., “But not this, and not in front of them.”

“You’re being modest.” He laughs, tossing a look back at his parents. “I thought it would be nice to share this moment with them.”

“You did?” my voice squeaks, as I’m totally blindsided and wishing I had at least a heads- up. The arrangement had sounded so much more business casual than what’s going on right now. A proposal on one knee is not business casual. This is my heart in my throat, and I’m about to throw up. “Where did you get a ring?” I hiss.

“I bought it today.”

“Today?” I grapple for my throat, praying something gives before I pass out.

“Yeah, today when I was thinking about you.”

Doing a hard pause on the word, you, he’s still holding the ring awkwardly in his hand. I frantically search his face for signs of a prank, but he doesn’t have an ounce of humor curved into a smile.

He’s one-hundred-percent serious.

Quakes rumble against my rib cage. This is an act. I’m clearly about to blow our cover as I’m acting so confused, but this whole thing is blowing my mind. “This is happening so fast.”

“It’s okay. Better than okay.” He takes my hand in his, holding it in front of him. “Ten years ago, you kissed me on a dare. You didn’t know it at the time, but I was already falling in love with you. You were my first kiss, but I knew in that moment, I wanted you to be my last.”

I blink. Everything about his proposal sounds genuine.

My gaze floats to his mom; her hands clasp together in front of her, but her gaze is piercing in my direction. Luke’s dad has a that’s-my-boy grin laced on his lips.

And Luke!

Luke’s winning an Oscar for his acting. His gaze dials right into mine, like it’s boring a trail through my eyes right to my heart. I can’t even tell it’s a fake proposal, and I one-thousand- percent know it’s fake.

It is fake . . . right?

Author Bio:

J.P. Sterling grew up watching old reruns of Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore and fell in love with wholesome entertainment and slapstick comedy. She loves leaning into the over-the-top humor and full circle moments, especially if it means the underdog gets to shine.

Aside from writing, she’s also a wife and homeschooling mom, a holistic dietitian, a former college professor and lover of all things dark chocolate.

*No swears. Just kisses. No Blasphemies.*

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The past looks over your shoulder…
The Earl of Karmaughton cares about two things in life: power and his wife, Ellie. He’s not oblivious to the suffering caused by his investment decisions. But the innocent are expendable, and as Percy’s father always said, “It’s business.”

Lady Karmaughton will never convince her husband to listen to his conscience. Instead, she quietly works behind Percy’s back to atone for the damage. When their lives abruptly end in a horrific carriage accident, Ellie finally has the opportunity to save her husband’s soul.

While Karma bides its time…
The callous nobleman learns that for every action there is a consequence. To avoid his punishment in Hell, he must spend his time in Purgatory—a strange place that resembles an abandoned circus. His task: helping other souls repent or find their way to eternal damnation.

With Ellie’s help, Lord Karma’s Karnival becomes an eerie last stop for those who need to discover their humanity…or suffer in perpetuity.

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Love and horror

C.M. Forest

I write scary stories. My end goal, when I sit in front of my keyboard, is to create a world full of dark, terrifying things. Spooky scenarios that will have readers afraid to go to sleep. As such, I fill my tales with creatures, creaking houses, dark corners, eerie sounds, deranged killers, and…love. Yes, like all genres, horror benefits from the addition of romance.

Let me explain. Most of us have been in a relationship. I ask you, what is more frightening than navigating the complicated waters of love? Even if it’s a good, healthy relationship, there will always be moments of tension. Days of hardship. And that’s saying nothing of the anxiety that comes with the early days of dating. The nervous, gut-clenching sensation of talking to somebody that you find attractive for the first time. These are the very specific elements of romance that I look to mine. If used right, a solid romance subplot can add greatly to the horror.

In the story What the Storm Brought In (found in my new collection The Roots Run Deep), a man and woman spend a romantic day at the beach. Using the setting, the love and attraction they have for each other, I can add that much more weight to the horror when it arrives. It raises the stakes.

Another example would be in my novel Infested. The main character’s relationship with her husband fuels most of the events of the book. Her need to pursue a romance that may be dead, causes her to do things that, without the love-interest, she would not do.

I would never try my hand at a full romance (I know my limitations!), but it has become an integral part of my writing. And, when trying to scare people, you need to exploit every weapon in your arsenal.

THE ROOTS RUN DEEP

C.M. Forest

GENRE:  Horror Short Story Collection

BLURB:

Dug from the twisted mind of C.M. Forest, the acclaimed author of Infested, comes a collection of 15 horror stories that will drag you into the abyss of fear and despair.

A fast-food playland with a nightmarish secret, a greenhouse with a bug problem, a busload of kids lost in the woods, a trip through the solar system to investigate a strange comet, and many more.

Brace yourself for an unrelenting journey through a world where evil knows no bounds, and darkness consumes all.

Excerpt:

The truck door swung open with a painful groan. Gordon kept his gaze locked on the barn as he climbed out. A cool breeze wafted across the field to grab and tussle his long, unkempt hair. Ahead, the barn door swayed as if in anticipation.

In the bed of the truck were two gas cans. The fuel sloshed as he pulled the red, plastic containers free. The weight of the cans felt comforting as he approached the structure.

He caught the barn door with his foot and kicked it open enough to enter. He thought he might feel a twinge of nostalgia, or maybe even horror, at returning to the old building, but the truth was, it looked just like every other barn he had ever been in. Spinning the caps off one of the cans, he began dumping the gasoline.

A low, creaking sound pulled him away from his work. He stared around the darkened structure, trying damn hard to convince himself it was just the wind, but failing. Despite his darkest imaginings, he could not wrap his head around what could be living within the old, warped walls of the barn. What malevolent force was animating the ancient boards and struts?

When nothing materialized from the gloom, he returned to his business.

With both cans empty, Gordon stood in the door and fished around in his pocket for his lighter. As soon as it was free, he began thumbing the flint wheel. A few angry sparks jumped from the end, but the flame was stubbornly absent. Once again, he heard the creaking. This time, it seemed to come from everywhere all at once. With his lighter forgotten, Gordon stared ahead as something started moving, opening, along the floor. A spike of cold fear chilled him to the bone. He turned to run.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

C.M. Forest, also known as Christian Laforet, is the author of the novel Infested, the novella We All Fall Before the Harvest, the short story collection The Space Between Houses, as well as the co-author of the short-story collection No Light Tomorrow. His short fiction has been featured in several anthologies across multiple genres. A self-proclaimed horror movie expert, he spent an embarrassing amount of his youth watching scary movies. When not writing, he lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife, kids, three cats and a pandemic dog named Sully who has an ongoing love affair with a blanket.

Website: http://www.ChristianLaforet.com

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

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How to Solve a Murder with a Grump
Laura Pauling
Publication date: October 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance

Barrie:

I am determined to make my best friend’s wedding weekend perfect. That includes editing the best man’s speech and making sure he doesn’t drink too much.
Except, he’s the worst kind of grump with a capital G.
Not only that but when this perfect wedding unravels, I find myself the object of his wrath.
He blames me.
So I run.
And I’m wearing the wedding dress. (Don’t ask.)
As I hide out in a small town, following my dreams, I stumble upon a decades-old murder mystery.
Turns out texting the grump might be my only lifeline. And I’m definitely not flirt-texting. Nope. Not me.
Because falling for a grump can only lead to a broken heart.
Right?

Miles:

For the record, I am not a grump.
It’s not me. It’s them.
It’s women.
I’m looking forward to the wedding this weekend. My best friend is getting married.
And the maid of honor texts me.
Not just once.
Oh, no, because that would be much too sensible. Nope. Try a dozen. It felt like a hundred.
I can tell by a glance at the texts that she’s one of those micro-managing, in your business, thinks-she-knows-everything type of woman.
Forget it.
I don’t want her number. I don’t want coffee. I don’t want a date.
I don’t want a single conversation.
Okay, fine. I’m a grump.
But can you blame me?

How to Solve a Murder with a Grump is a full-length hilarious romantic mystery with a swoony, heart-thumping, happily-ever-after kind of ending complete with glitter bombs, snapping turtles (imaginary or not), a decades-old murder, and grand romantic gestures.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I take one look at him. Oh yeah, he’s a grump.

Definitely.

But I don’t have time for grumps right now.

You see, I’m running late and the elevator is taking forever to get to the bottom floor. My best friend is getting married in two days, and I’m the maid of honor. I’m trying to compose a text to the best man so we can talk about the speeches. I should’ve reached out to him ages ago, but this weekend came fast. It snuck up on me.

Then, a man near me clears his throat, like he’s trying to send me a message. I take one look at him.

No doubt in my mind he’s a Mr. Grumpy Pants, because I can pick them out a mile away. They’re easy to spot once you know the signs.

Of course, sometimes you’ll get lucky. You’ll make a quick exit. Or he’ll spill his coffee. Someone else will grab his attention.

But there will be times you have to interact with this particular species of men.

Just so you know, there are many ways to deal with a grump. I could write a book on it.

First, don’t be fooled by those flashing white teeth and sexy smirks. Don’t be fooled by a blue shirt, almost the color of tropical ocean water that offsets the gray of his eyes. Don’t be fooled by the rippling muscles underneath the blue shirt.

Nope.

Sexy grumps are the most dangerous, because they’ll steal your heart then stomp all over it.

Author Bio:

I write about spies, murder, and mystery. I love a lot of things about writing and reading stories that have mystery and romance. I love the puzzle of a whodunnit and witty banter between characters who love to hate each other. Especially, when they don’t know they are falling in love.

There are about a gazillion books in the wilds of Amazon and maybe half of them are mysteries. If you want to make sure you know when I have a new release in a current series or the start of a new series then visit www.laurapauling.com and sign up for my newsletter.

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