Book & Author Details: Ain’t She Sweet by Whitney Dineen (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers #2) Publication date: December 15th 2020 Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance Synopsis: Tara Heinz began her modeling career at the tender age of twelve. After spending fifteen years drooling over forbidden foods, she does the unthinkable. She enrolls in culinary school and becomes a pastry chef. After a nasty breakup with her rock star boyfriend that leads to tabloid war, Tara takes a job at a rural lodge in Oregon to escape the spotlight she no longer desires. James Cavanaugh is a farmer in Oregon. His days are spent building his business and his nights are spent sleeping, so he can get up at four in the morning. Ruby Cavanaugh has plans for her son that involve her new pastry chef. Of course, neither James nor Tara know what’s going on until it’s too late. Goodreads Purchase Link Amazon AUTHOR BIO: Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order. Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables. Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017. Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016. Finalist RONE Awards, 2016. Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017. Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017 Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017 Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook #Blog Tour #Book Review#Her Marine Next Door by Aliyah Burke @Entangled Publishing @IndieSagePR15/12/2020
Today is my stop on the blog tour for Aliyah Burke's new gorgeous romance Her Marine Next Door!
Book Details and Synopsis:HER MARINE NEXT DOOR Author: Aliyah Burke Publication Date: December 14, 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Publisher: Entangled: Brazen My next door neighbor Parker Jax is not my type. He’s covered in tats, rides a motorcycle, and his parties keep me up all night. The fact he’s sexy as sin doesn’t change the fact we are oil and water. I’m a quiet artist. He’s a rowdy marine. I’ve got a broken heart. I’m convinced he doesn’t have a heart at all. Thankfully, my bad-boy neighbor is on leave from the Marines for only thirty days. But then the jerk has to go and show me that he has a soft side beneath all those hard muscles. He actually leaves his own party to help me, and he didn’t even have to. Fantastic. Now I owe him. I’m not worried, though. What are the chances he’ll need me to do anything before the month is up? But when a woman shows up with a kid at her side, knocking on Parker’s door, it turns out those chances are pretty good… BUY LINKS: Amazon / iTunes /B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon AUS/ Goodreads
My thoughts:
The cover is just gorgeous and smoking-hot, so I really couldn't resist requesting this new romance from Aliyah Burke. Who doesn't love a story featuring an alpha-male marine with a job description that says 'Be ready to lay your life to protect'? The blurb was stubbornly pointing me in the direction of the bad boy-good girl trope, but, to be honest, my associations with marines are more along the lines of strong, disciplined, and loyal. 'Semper Fidelis'. As promised by the blurb, Parker is swoon-worthy sexy, and does know how to talk to women to make them melt from desire. Once you get to know him a bit better, he isn't that far from what I had expected him to be. Skylar has survived one of the most tragic things that can ever happen to a woman, so if she is a bit cautious about starting something new (short-tem, long-term,or just a one-night-long-super-short-term, noone can blame her. Then Parker's tormented ex shows up with a three year old child who is supposedly Parker's son, and Parker asks her to play the role of his fake fiancee. All these tropes are well-tried and well-loved for a reason. The course of true love is never easy, and everybody needs to define what kind of partner they want in life. Aliyah Burke does know how to write heated scenes, but she also tugged on my heart strings with Skylar's devotion to Cullen, Parker's little son. It is clear that both Skylar and Parker needed to move on from their past, which they have outgrown, but were almost stuck in, while Cullen deserved a loving stable family and parents who'd always put his needs first. The ending was beautiful. So, to expand on my first question: who doesn't love a book featuring an alpha male marine that discovers the true meaning of home with a loving woman? good old happily-ever-after never gets too old. Thank you to NetGalley, IndieSagePR and Entangled Publishing LCC for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. ABOUT ALIYAH BURKE: A USA Today Bestselling author, Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached http://aliyah-burke.com/blog/contact/ Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or via email. She is married to a career military man, and they are owned by 4 Borzoi. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training/showing. CONNECT WITH ALIYAH: Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Instagram Twitter / Bookbub / Goodreads / Amazon Profile / Entangled GIVEAWAY!!!! #Blog Tour #Book Review #Find me in the snow by Pamela Q. Fernandes #Giveaway @IndieSage PR14/12/2020
Today is my stop on the blog tour for Find Me in the Snow. I just loved the book and would like to recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fast-moving romantic thriller. Synopsis When Althea meets Morgan Hunter at Muldoon’s pub for the first time, she thinks he’s a handsome, ego tripping, prissy-pants executive. She quickly rebuffs him only to find him thundering at her in the operation theater, the very next day. He’s dogged in his censure of her, but not immune to her allure. Through a snowy December Morgan courts Althea and wins her heart but not her trust. When she travels with him at his request for Christmas to his home in Finesse, a tumble in the snow leads to the discovery of Morgan’s missing ex-girlfriend. Dead. Morgan pushes Althea away and she doesn’t understand his reasons. Althea returns to build the new rural clinic in Finesse. She discovers the truth about Morgan’s heritage, the murdered ex-girlfriend and the secrets about the Hunter clan. Can she save the man she loved from going to prison? Purchase Links Amazon / Print / Smashwords / Kobo
My thoughts:
This book kept me up reading until small hours...it was utterly gripping, twisty and fast-moving, and I know my mum and my romance-crazy friends are going to love it when they get their own copies. The story grabbed my attention straightaway. Dr Althea Paes is hard-working, humble, generous with her time and money, honest, professional- basically she is your archetypal good girl who happens to be unlucky in love. Her cheating fiance left her just two days before the wedding and saddled her with tons of debt. Whatever she does and however hard she tries, it is never going to be good enough for her parents who will always prefer her brother to Althea. Perhaps, moving to New York from Portugal was good for her professional career, but definitely not so great for her personal life. Althea is too smart and too caring, and she doesn't want a relationship with an expiry date. When a goodlooking, well-dressed stranger offers to buy her a drink in a bar and would like to know if she works in St.Mary's hospital, Althea is quick to refuse. When it turns out that he is a member of her hospital's executive board and a rich and powerful donor, the last thing Althea expects is Dr Morgan Hunter courting her, but that's exactly what he does. Morgan knows he has to make her trust him, because she is one of a kind. He even asks her come and meet his family at Christmas. Little does she know what she is going to go against and how dramatic her discoveries are going to turn out. This book has everything: medical drama (let's face it- we. romance junkies, love our hospital TV shows), a feisty heroine, a crazy potential future mother-in-law (well, this just taps into every girl's biggest fear), a couple of exes one could happily never hear about or from, a murder mystery, and a flawed male protagonist who appears to be strong and protective, but may need a bit of rescuing himself. You see why I just couldn't put the book down until I got to its very satisfying ending? There is a large cast of characters- friends, co-workers, patients, neighbours, exes, siblings, cousins-no man is an island and we all have our own networks that aren't always easy to fit in whenever we start a new romantic relationship. My life is very different from Althea's, but I quickly related and began rooting for her. Sometimes you just have to be tenacious and fight for the love of your life. Recommended to all romantics who might have been disappointed in love once or twice, but never lost their sunny smile, or just anyone who enjoys a fast-moving romantic thriller. Thank you to IndieSage PR and the author for the review copy. Alll opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. About the Author Pamela Q. Fernandes is a doctor, author, and medical writer. She hosts The Christian Circle Podcast and plays the piano. When she's not writing or practicing medicine, she's baking or traveling the world. She started as an author with Seoul-Mates and since then has written many romances & other short stories. You can find out more about her https://www.pamelaqfernandes.com website / facebook /twitter / pinterest / bookbub / amazon GIVEAWAY Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this magic Christmas read! Christmas at the Marshmallow Café When downtrodden checkout assistant Bonnie Green receives a letter from a mysterious uncle, she can hardly believe her eyes. Gifted a hundred-year lease on a famous cafe situated in the middle of a mythical theme park, Bonnie sets off with her best friend Debbie on an adventure to a hidden valley in the Lake District where they will find new friendship, love, and happiness, all set against the magic of Christmas ... and more marshmallows than they can possibly eat.... Purchase link Only 99p/c until 20th December! My thoughts: Absolutely magical! One of those books that immediately puts you in a festive mood and makes you wish Christmas was all year round. I am quietly humming Jingle Bells, while I am writing this...just can't help myself, sorry! Fifty-year-old Bonnie is a checkout assistant at a supermarket. Her husband left her for another woman, her grown-up children don't want to do anything with her, convinced that it was her fault, all her savings are gone together with her player of a husband...the only thing she has is a mortgage on her tiny house and an unusual best friend. Debbie is young enough to be her daughter, has a penchant for wearing black leather, looking like a Goth and falling in love with unsuitable guys. She is also kind, enthusiastic, and great with the Internet. When Bonnie gets a letter from a solicitor informing her of her uncle Mervin's death, Debbie is immediately transported to the only time she remembers meeting him. She was twelve and had just lost her father, who used to tell her marvellous stories about a wonderful place caled Christmas Land. Well, Bonnie gets a surprise of her life when she finds out that this place really exists and this is where her uncle Mervin's shop is located. The shop which she has inherited. Only she can't sell it as it is a 100-year lease, and it is in the Lake District which means she won't be able to move there and keep her supermarket job...Luckily, Debbie doesn't think that far, she simply suggests checking it out, a few days off aren't going to hurt anyone and Bonnie needs to reconnect with her childhood memories. What happens next is so full of adventure and wonderful discoveries, that I really don't want to spoil the pleasure of reading this book. Like lots of other people I adore marshmallows, so finding out that they don't always come straight from a packet, but can be home-made was such a treat! The location is beautiful and there is such a great cast of characters. The best thing for me is that Bonnie goes through an amazing transformation in this book and we all need a gentle reminder that life is wonderful and full of possibilities whatever our age or status is. Wholeheartedly recommended. Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and curl up with this joy of a book. Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Author Bio – CP Ward is an author from Cornwall in the UK. Social Media Links https://www.facebook.com/groups/510678469409835 Thank you for reading this post! Have a great Monday!
#Blog Tour #Book Review of Blood Brothers by Heather Atkinson @rararesources @Boldwood Books13/12/2020
Bloood brothers When you’re running the streets, loyalty is everything… Gangs rule the streets of the rough Gallowburn Estate in Glasgow, but the deepest rivalry of all is between Jamie Gray and his friends, known as the Blood Brothers, and their enemies, the Lawsons. The two gangs clash frequently, but when a phone containing incriminating evidence disappears after a particularly brutal run-in, the stakes are higher than ever. Jamie’s mother Jackie is as hard as nails and is not going to let anyone hurt her boy – even if she has to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in. What she wants more than anything though, is to see Jamie turn his back on the street life. And when he meets spoilt rich-girl Allegra, who has a penchant for shoplifting, Jackie thinks she could be Jamie’s way out. But with the Lawsons closing in, and everyone taking sides, there is only one way out for Jamie, and to triumph he must take out his biggest enemy… If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, and Jessie Keane, you’ll love Heather Atkinson. Discover the bestselling author Heather Atkinson, her crackling plots, unforgettable characters and page-turning pace and you'll never look back... Purchase link Amazon My thoughts: If you are a fan of gangland thrillers, you are going to enjoy this first instalment in Heather Atkinson's new series, based on lives of four friends, four Blood Brothers from a fictional scheme/ housing estate on the outskirts of Glasgow. Jamie Gray's life has never been easy- he lives in one of the poorest areas imaginable. His Dad left their family when Jamie's little brother was just two. Guess what, their close-knit family of three, Jamie, Charlie, and their awesome mother Jackie have actually been better off without the abusive alcoholic of their father. Jackie has instilled a great sense of loyalty in Jamie and a few other important values e.g. treating women with respect. Jamie's also grateful for his best friends- Logan, Gary and Digger. They are well-known and feared locally, because their undisputed control of the northern part of their scheme has been won in violent fights. Their archenemies, the Lawsons, may give them hassle from time to time, but the Blood Brothers won't let them take over what they see as their rightful territory. Well, Jackie keeps reminding Jamie that he shouldn't be getting in al these fights, but secretly she knows the only way to survive n these streets is to hold your own. One day Jamie meets a well-dressed, feisty, clearly rich girl who likes shoplifting and dangerous driving and seems to be inexplicably attracted to him. Their love story is intense and full of dangerous twists and turns, because Allegra's father is notoriously powerful Cameron Abernethy who does think himself above the law. There is a lot of action and violence, something that I guess comes with the territory if you choose to read this genre. There is also young love, fierce loyalty and friendship. My favourite character is probably Jackie with her formidable weapon of a frying pan. Just proves that there is nothing that will stop a loving and dedicated mother from coming to rescue her cubs, and if this mother's temper is on a short side, beware: somebody is going to get seriously hurt. Although this is my first book by Heather Atkinson, she has many loyal fans, who undoubtfully will be waiting impatiently to find out what happens with the rest of Blood Brothers- Gary, Digger, and Logan, who already proved to be unique characters in this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Author Bio Heather Atkinson is the author of over fifty books - predominantly in the crime fiction genre. Although Lancashire born and bred she now lives with her family, including twin teenage daughters, on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. Her new gangland series for Boldwood, set on the fictional Gallowburn estate in Glasgow begins with Blood Brothers which will be published in December 2020. Social Media Links Facebook / website / twitter / instagram / bookbub Thank you for reading this post ! Have a great Sunday!
If you would like to see what other bloggers thought of Blood Brothers,here is the full blog tour schedule: Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting to participate in this blog tour. Target Age: YA / NA / Adult Genre: Fiction - Drama / Sci-Fi Tour Dates: 11th - 15th December 2020 Chroma When Riley watched Chroma, the latest movie by Armani Manora, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. Riley's parents, Jean and Paul, are currently getting divorced, and they have managed to keep the situation hidden from Riley, until now. They were unaware of the effects this was having on Riley's emotional and mental well-being, and as tensions rose at school and at home, he was visited by a voice in his bedroom. Before too long, he began a journey that was not only dangerous, but eye opening. Chroma explores the rapidly changing family dynamic throughout divorce, and how a child's imagination can take them to unknown places. It is emotional, insightful and a moving story which not only teaches us how to be an adult, but how to be a child. Purchase Links UK / US My thoughts: Chroma by Oscar Wenman-Hyde is one of those books that is really difficult to characterise in terms of genre or even target age category. It is an interesting mix of thriller, mystery, sci-fi, middle grade and literary fiction all blended into a very visual, cinematographic experience. The protagonist of the book, eight-year-old Riley, knows that something has changed in his parents' relationship and these changes are both scary and confusing. In fact, Jean and Paul are going through divorce, but would like to keep it secret from Riley. They need to work out how to move forward and build up a new life without sacrificing Riley's emotional well-being and sense of security. Riley is a fan of Armani Manora's sci-fi films and can't wait to see his latest release Chroma. Exhausted Jean knows some of her parental choices might be debatable, including that of allowing Riley see films intended for much older audience. She intends to supervise watching the film and cover Riley's eyes should any scenes become too scary or violent, but...she falls asleep and lets Chroma work its powers on her sensitive and imaginative child. Surprisingly few books deal with the topic of divorce from the perspective of a child. Riley is propelled into this new reality and has to find a way to understand and cope with the changes. We also get Jean and Paul's points of view, which make it even more evident that Riley (as any child in this kind of situation) has to operate with very little knowledge of what is going on and has to fill in the gaps by using his imagination. I really liked the title evocative of the purity and complexity of the protagonists' emotions, but also reminding us that every family is different and every divorce is different and there are myriads of factors to take into account. Would I go to see the film this book should definitely be made into? Of course! The topic, the characters and their feelings are all highly relatable. Even if you are one of those lucky people whose life hasn't been touched by divorce, we all have the universal experience of childhood as the time of great discoveries and intense feelings. Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Author Bio – Oscar Wenman-Hyde is a writer living in Gloucester, UK. Born and raised in the quiet towns of North Devon, Oscar would spend the majority of his time as a child writing and directing short films with his brother and neighbours. From here, Oscar’s passion led him to explore all aspects of his creativity, by graduating with a BA Hons in Songwriting at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. He now finds joy in all mediums of writing and although he has worked and trained in many areas, he is always inspired by film and remains grounded in storytelling. Social Media Links –
Thank you for reading the post! If you would like to find out what other bloggers thought of Chroma, here is the full blog tour schedule:
Book & Author Details: The Collectors by Greg Jolley Publication date: December 15th 2020 Genres: Adult, Suspense, Thriller Synopsis: Pierce Danser’s soon-to-be ex-wife, the glamorous actress Pauline Place, has disappeared. She’s been kidnapped by a very dangerous man, intent on adding her to his bizarre and twisted collection. But Pierce is determined to find and rescue her, no matter the obstacles, even if it means the loss of his own life. The clock is ticking, his resources are slim, and he’s up against a sick man with a twisted, cruel vision. Goodreads Pre-order: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play AUTHOR BIO: Greg Jolley (also published under Gregory French) earned a master of art in writing from the University of San Francisco. He is the author of sixteen novels and one collection about the fictional, film industry-based Danser family. He currently lives in the Very Small town of Ormond Beach, Florida Author links: https://thedansers.com/ https://www.facebook.com/greg.jolley.581 https://www.instagram.com/gfjolle/ https://twitter.com/Gfjolle https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8261931.Greg_Jolley Today we have the release day blitz of Cassie Cross’s The Lucky Ones! Check out this gorgeous new romance and be sure to get your copy today! Title: The Lucky Ones Author: Cassie Cross Genre: Contemporary Romance About The Lucky Ones: Kendall Moore’s professional life has never been better. She’s an in-demand video editor who’s just started her own business, and that business is booming. She rarely has a moment to relax and has completely thrown herself into her work, which is just the way that she likes it. There’s just one tiny issue in her pursuit of professional and personal happiness: she’s getting burned out. Of course, it doesn’t help that she’s hopelessly and secretly in love with her totally off-limits business partner, Jordan. Jordan Murphy is an aspiring filmmaker with a past that he’s desperate to put behind him. When an opportunity arises to go to Vegas and film for a project he’s working on, he gets Kendall to agree to come along with him. After he makes a lucky bet that leads to a weekend full of fun, unexpected confessions, and a visit to a wedding chapel that neither one of them can remember, Kendall and Jordan head home wondering if what happened in Vegas should stay in Vegas… Order Your Copy! Catch up on the Series: The Sweet Spot Let’s Get Physical The Plus-One Proposal The Breakup Bucket List Exclusive Excerpt: “I have an idea.” He says it slowly, like he’s trying to reason with a small, frightened animal and doesn’t want to scare it away. “I’m not gonna like this, am I?” He laughs. “I’m hoping that you will if you hear me out.” I take a deep breath. “Okay, I’m listening.” There may be a nervous ringing in my ears, but I can hear him over that. “You know that film I’ve been working on forever?” A Robin Hood-esque heist movie that’s been his creative baby for almost as long as I’ve known him? “Yes.” “I have the chance to get some arial shots for it this weekend,” he explains. “You know my friend, Danny? The one with the helicopter business in Vegas?” I nod. “Yeah.” “He has a slot open on Friday night, and he offered to take me up so I can film. I’m flying to Vegas Friday morning so I can take him up on the offer.” “That’s great,” I say, squeezing his hand. “But how does it involve me?” The question hangs in the air as he stares at me meaningfully. “I want you to come with me.” “No,” I say reflexively. “Why not?” “I’m not going to Vegas.” “That’s not an answer. You’ll be done with the commercial by then, and our next project doesn’t start until next week. You haven’t been out of LA in a hundred years, Ken. It’s time.” I playfully kick him in the shin. “It’s only been, like, a year. Maybe two.” Yeah, okay. Still not great. “It’ll be fun,” he says, really putting on the full-court press to sell me on this. “We’ll fly in and spend the night, have dinner and gamble a little. I’ll pay for the plane ticket.” I love a night of debauchery as much as anyone, and I’m having a harder time saying no than I thought I would. “Jordan…” “You have an editor’s eye,” he argues. “It’ll be nice to have someone there to tell me what to shoot so I’ll have the best final product.” Yes, this much is true. “Please,” he says. He’s gone full puppy-dog eyes and I can never say no to those. “No,” I reply, but it’s weak. A slight breeze could knock it over. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out those dice. “You roll an odd, you come home with me. Even? You can edit all weekend and I won’t say a thing.” I grab a die and inspect it to make sure it actually has evens and odds. I’ve never let dice make a decision for me. The prospect is oddly freeing. I start to roll, but he gently grabs my wrist and pulls my hand to his mouth, giving it a quick kiss. “For good luck,” he says with a playful wink. I roll my eyes, trying not to think too hard about how soft his lips are. “Good luck for you or good luck for me?” A full-on grin. “For me, of course.” I toss the die on the hood of the car. I come up with a three. “Better start packing,” he says, looking like he just hit the jackpot. About Cassie Cross:
Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80’s sitcoms. Connect with Cassie: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Book & Author Details: A Shattering Glimpse by Nicole Putter Publication date: December 10th 2020 Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller Synopsis: The dreams: For years, Claire Baxter has been haunted by ceaseless dreams of an FBI Agent. The dilemma: She has no idea who he is or if he even exists. The death: Right before she’s set to graduate from college, a dream reveals him dying in a brutal explosion. One touch and not-so-normal Portland girl, Claire Baxter, can get a glimpse of your nearby future. She considers nothing about her clairvoyance a gift, it’s a curse, to say the least. Her parents raised her with the rule that she is to keep the secret at all cost, leaving little room for relationships of any kind. As if the burden isn’t enough, FBI agent Byron Black becomes the phantom of a series of sinister dreams. The night before her final college exam, she has another dream, except in this one, he dies in a nuclear explosion. Does he exist? Will she find him? If so, can she save the countless lives affected by a blast that can crush steel like it’s a piece of paper, or… is this something her lost, psychic mind conjured up? AUTHOR BIO: Nicole Putter is the author of the Shattering Series and several short stories. She completed four creative writing and journalism courses with honours between a successful career in finance. When she’s not writing fiction, she blogs about her passion for books and writing. She’s also happily married, and a proud mom of one son and a Jack Russel Terrier named Striker. You can connect with Nicole on: Author links: https://twitter.com/NjpWriter https://nicoleputter.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nicoleputterbooks https://nicoleputter.com/signup/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20767066.Nicole_Putter GIVEAWAY (ends December 17th) Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
rafflecopter Exclusive Excerpt:
Claire had no sooner ended the call than the fleeting nightmare returned, as tangible as the test she would take in an hour. Her hands started to shake, causing her phone to drop to the floor. Sweat striped the back of her neck. Her phantom was in danger. As she raked her trembling fingers through her blonde curls, she experienced a sense of déjà vu from her 14-year-old self. 30 March 2014 Claire woke in a pool of cold sweat. That was a first. She had always been able to predict the future of those with whom she came into physical contact. Never before had she seen someone without touching them, let alone not knowing them at all. Her visions were subjective. If she warned the receiver of her touch, it could change, though she would never tell. Only her parents and best friend, Brent Lee, knew about her unique gift. They called it a gift, Claire often considered it a damn curse. The man from her vivid dream was tall, not buff, but rather lean and toned. He was at the beach with his friends: Tanned with dark, ruffled hair and deep, brown eyes above a sharp jawline. A deep scar puckered his left cheekbone. Attempting to impress some girl, he meandered deeper and deeper into the ocean. Later, he was laboring for breath as the wild rollers clutched at him and the desperate torrent sucked him further and further from the shore. It was a battle of arms, legs, and waves. He coughed and gasped, splashed and jolted, doing everything in his power to stay alive until a coastguard came to his rescue. Once they reached the safety of the beach, she learnt his name as everyone bustled around to ensure he was okay. He was alive, smiling and called Byron. That night Claire had met Special Agent Black of the FBI for the first time. He had been the centerpiece of her dreams for the next eight years. Okay, perhaps centerpiece was overdoing it, but he did feature often. Not every night, but at least once a month. Maybe less. Definitely less. The dreams changed. Sometimes they reflected significant instances in his life, like graduation and his sister’s wedding. Other times, she merely saw his face. No sound, just him. She knew a lot about the man of her dreams. Nope, the man from her dreams. Now she even knew how he would die. If he even existed. I can’t let this happen. She squeezed her eyes shut and flopped back down on to her black-and-white mess of a bed. I must warn him. |
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