Dear Reader,
What do you get when you cross summer with lots of beach time, and long hours of traveling? An executive editor who’s too busy to write the Dear Reader letter, but has time for reading. I find both the beach and the plane are excellent places to read, and thanks to plenty of time spent on both this summer (I went to Australia! And New Zealand!) I’m able to tell you with confidence: our fall lineup of books is outstanding.
We kick off the fall season with seven romantic suspense titles, during our Romantic Suspense celebration the first week of September. We’re pleased to offer novella Fatal Destiny by Marie Force as a free download to get you started with the romantic suspense offerings. Also in September, fans of Eleri Stone’s sexy, hot paranormal romance debut novel, Mercy, can look forward to her follow-up story, Redemption, set in the same world of the Lost City Shifters.
Looking to dive into a new erotic romance? We have a sizzling trilogy for you. In October, look for Christine D’Abo’s Long Shot trilogy featuring three siblings who share ownership of a coffee shop, and each of whom discover steamy passion within the walls of a local sex club. Christine’s trilogy kicks off with Double Shot.
In addition to a variety of frontlist titles in historical, paranormal, contemporary, steampunk and erotic romance, we’re also pleased to present two authors releasing backlist titles with us. In October, we’ll re-release four science fiction romance titles from the backlist of CJ Barry, and in November four Western romance titles from the backlist of Susan Edwards.
Also in November, we’re thrilled to offer our first two chick lit titles from three debut authors, Liar’s Guide to True Love by Wendy Chen and Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz. I hope you’ll check out these fun, sometimes laugh-out-loud novels.
Whether you’re on the beach, on a plane, or sitting in your favorite recliner at home, Carina Press can offer you a diverting read to take you away on your next great adventure this fall!
We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.
Happy reading!
~Angela James
Executive Editor, Carina Press
www.carinapress.com
www.twitter.com/carinapress
www.facebook.com/carinapress
Dedication
This one is for everyone who believes in the magic of Christmas and the power of love.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my husband for being my biggest fan and for encouraging me to stretch myself as a writer. I wouldn’t be on this amazing journey if it weren’t for you.
Thank you to all my readers who continue to allow me to do what I love to do—write stories.
And thank you to Deborah for your suggestions and insights.
Chapter One
“How long have we been friends?”
Adam Lancaster studied the half-inch scar just below his left thumb. It was faint, but it was there. His best buddy, Rob McKeith, had a matching one. They’d cut themselves with Rob’s pocketknife when they were only eight years old and pledged to be friends forever. “A long time.”
He didn’t look at Rob, who was kicked back in one of the two comfortable brown leather club chairs flanking the natural stone fireplace. The flames, which had been crackling loudly when he’d arrived a half hour ago, were now a low flicker. Adam was seated in the matching chair.
He knew Rob would be studying him with his vivid indigo eyes, the worried frown on his face creating several deep lines between his brows. His shoulder-length silky black hair was pulled back and contained by a leather tie, which only served to emphasize his features. Rob could have been a model, if he’d chosen, instead of an architect. His face was all angles and planes, harsh in some light. His lips could thin when he was angry. They smiled just as easily.
Rob