#30 on All Romance Best Seller!

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I’m still on the list, and I moved up a little bit! To celebrate, I’m keeping Thankful Hearts on sale for $1.00 through Thanksgiving! AND as a bonus I discounted Masked Hearts down to $1.00 as well! Tell your friends the Holiday Cafe is serving handcrafted discounts at All Romance!

In other great news, Love Serially reviewed Thankful Hearts! Here’s a taste:

Evelyn Aster has clearly spent some time researching and thinking about soldiers returning from home. In fact, her opening notes thank a veteran for reading the novel, which I think is awesome. This is not an easy romance. It bounces back and forth, much the way I imagine the thoughts and emotions of a veteran suffering from PTSD.

Be sure to read the whole review!

AND Enter my giveaway for a Kindle Fire!!!

An Apology and a Review!

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I’m sorry I’ve been totally neglecting The Beautician and the Billionaire. I’ve been focussed on Thankful Hearts and the surprises I have planned for Veterans Day. I promise by Friday it will be all Beautician and the Billionaire all the time 🙂

Today has been one of those days I’ve dreamed of having for a long time. My sales are way up, the first customer review for Thankful Hearts is up at Amazon (Thanks Blueduck516!) and Romance Novels for the Beach posted a review of Thankful Hearts!

Please, please please read her whole review. Here’s just a snippet:

Aster can definitely describe a sex scene in amazing detail, but when it comes to those scenes where Hudson is transported back to the battle field in his mind, shaking and sweating with anxiety? They are so gripping that I found myself holding my breath, and even bouncing my leg in anticipation.

I spent so much time trying to get Hudson just right that those words were really gratifying to read.

So read the review; buy the Book.

And check back Wednesday for some fun!

Wow!

What a great opening day I had! Please keep the sales coming and make this a great opening weekend too!

I have some surprises coming next week that I’m working on as a thank you. I can’t wait!

Here are all the links for Thankful Hearts. Please pass them on to a friend!

It’s live on Amazon now!! http://www.amazon.com/Thankful-Hearts-Holiday-Cafe-Book-ebook/dp/B017OA0S46/

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thankfulhearts-1921896-149.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/590880

And a new one, Coffee Time Romance! http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/pubs_product_book_info/thankful-hearts-p-14338#.Vj5GpLerTIU

Thankful Heart FOR WEB

Hudson sat up straight but didn’t see the motel room. Instead, he saw a shithole apartment he’d crashed in for weeks in Afghanistan protecting convoys. He heard a steady thumping against the wall. What the fuck? This place was supposed to be deserted. He jumped out of bed, and for the first time he saw Stacy lying there. Why was Stacy in Afghanistan? Why was there pounding on the wall? He wanted to grab her and run, but the memory of her grinding against him burst through his head. He glanced around, and his breathing slowed—he was just in a shitty motel in Albuquerque.

The noise stopped. He realized sweat was running down his face despite being naked in a freezing room. He needed to get the fuck out of here. He should wake Stacy up, and they could take off on his motorcycle. He didn’t know why he needed to leave, he just knew he did—and he wanted Stacy with him.

Before he had made a move, he heard a woman’s voice from the other side of the wall. “Give me my fucking money, asshole!” There was maybe laughter, followed by a smack. He stepped to the nightstand. The lamp still shone, reminding him of the erotic ways Stacy had moved her body when they made love. The thought made him pause with the drawer open. Stacy didn’t want to call it lovemaking, but his emotions for a woman had never been so intense.

The sound of glass breaking startled him into action. He pulled his Smith & Wesson Model 64 revolver out of the drawer and ran toward the window. A loud bang made him cautious as he looked between the blinds. In his peripheral vision he saw Stacy sit up. She was going to think he was crazy. He’d been determined not to have PTSD, but right now it sure as shit seemed like he did. He couldn’t endanger Stacy like this. He should leave sooner than Sunday.

Update!

Thanks for the love for Thankful Hearts at All Romance! It’s my best opening day there for a paid book! It’s on sale for a buck until Veterans Day. You can get it in Kindle, epub and pdf formats.

Amazon is still reviewing it, but it’s also up at Smashwords! You can get it there in even more formats:  epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html.

I have a new vendor I’m working with. Hopefully I’ll get that going today and then back to The Beautician in and the Billionaire!

In the meantime, here’s another tasting of Thankful Hearts:

Thankful Heart FOR WEB

Gratitude and amazement welled up inside him. He reached out to her and pulled her back to his body. She didn’t even flinch. Her hands clasped together behind his neck, and he kissed her, forcing her lips apart and their tongues together in an aggressive dance where both partners tried to lead. He gripped her back with his fingertips. He needed to get her back to his motel room. It was kind of a long drive from here, but he was sure he’d stay hard the whole way.

They kept making out like they were there to watch the end of the world. Her hands trailed down his chest, over his hips and to his ass. She pushed his hardness against her belly, drawing out a moan from deep inside his throat. Maybe he wouldn’t last all the way back to the motel. He kept one hand on the small of her back and brought the other around underneath her blouse to cup her breast. It was her turn to moan.

She closed her mouth against his and kissed his cheek to his ear. “Maybe we should delay dinner,” she whispered.

He withdrew his hands from underneath her shirt and pulled away, leaving his hands on her hips. “I was just thinking about taking you back to my motel, but I’m happy to do dinner first.” He wasn’t really, but it seemed like the gentlemanly thing to say, though they seemed way past that at this point.

She burst out laughing, catching him off guard. “You must think I’m such a slut.”

He’d never seen someone appear so happy and embarrassed at the same time. He pulled her to him, needing to hug her tightly. “I’m actually not doing much thinking, which is a nice change. I don’t see why it’s so bad for a woman to want to jump into bed as much as a guy does. I’m just happy you do.” He kissed her tenderly, hoping she didn’t suddenly decide she needed to be coy or play hard to get. All the nerves in his body wanted to drown in her touch—her lips.

Release Day!

Thankful Hearts is up on All Romance!!! The book is regularly $3.99 but today through next Tuesday it’s only $1.00! I’ll be releasing it on other sites too and let you know as they go up. At All Romance, you can get Thankful Hearts as a pdf, mobi (for Kindle) and epub. Buy it Today!

Thankful Heart FOR WEB

Desire surged throughout his body. He moved his hands up beneath her business jacket and along her back, untucking her blouse and itching to undo her bra, but he’d save that for later. Her hands slid up his chest and underneath his leather jacket. He was so into her body beneath his hands and her scent in his nose that he’d forgotten about his gun. Her fingers ran into the tip of the holster, and her whole body froze.

He released her lips and body and stepped back. Her eyes were wide, but he couldn’t really read her expression. They stared at each other in silence, which seemed to make the situation worse. He felt guilty and inexplicably scared for her. She was up in the mountains with a total stranger who had a gun. He fumbled over his words, trying to ease her fears. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it. I wasn’t expecting–” he broke off his sentence realizing anything he said might be taken the wrong way.

She stared at him a long moment and then finished his sentence. “For me to throw myself at you?”

He expelled his breath and combed his fingers through his hair. This woman couldn’t be for real. “I’ve got no complaints, but you’re up here with a complete stranger who’s carrying a gun he didn’t tell you about. I appreciate that you’re not screaming your head off.”

She rolled her lips together. The moonlight showed a vulnerability in her eyes, but her words were spoken with confidence. “I assume you’re waiting to kill me until after we’ve had sex, but the sex will make you forget your evil plan.”

By the way, Stacy and Hudson meet in the story on the first Thursday of November, Which is today!

B&B Episode 3: The Third Ship Scene 1b

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Charisse dropped into the closest chair at a sink. She’d lost all sense of balance and feared falling flat on her butt. “I didn’t think you were interested in him anymore. I know you were embarrassed by all the roses he sent to the salon, and I tried to cover that up for you. I explained to my lady luvs later that they were because he was taking over Daddy’s partnership. But he and I were alone, and I didn’t think–” Continue reading →

Cover: Thankful Hearts!

I’m so excited about the release of Thankful Hearts next week!!!

Enjoy the cover by Hang Le and a sneak preview of the story:

Thankful Heart FOR WEB

Hudson felt her resistance in her muscles and wondered what had happened to his own hesitations. He’d just decided to leave before Sunday and then turned around and told her he wanted to stay longer. She’d been so calm about the gun, so soothing to his nerves. She was the antidote to his weariness. His lips traveled up to her ear, and he whispered, “I’m ready to go back to bed now.”

For one moment she relaxed her body into his. But then she said, “We should just leave. This is no place for us.”

He liked the us, but he didn’t want to bother with getting dressed or shoving stuff into his pack. He wanted her again. His shaft hardened against her skin, and he moved his hand up and around so his thumb could tease her nipple. “The police are outside now. We probably can’t even get out of our parking spots. And I can’t stop touching your body.”

She drew in a slow breath. He pressed against the small of her back and felt the tension leave her muscles.

“Come on,” he pleaded. “When the cops leave we’ll go get something to eat and find a new motel.”

He felt her body vibrate with a laugh. “You sure know how to make a woman feel like she’s in college again.”

Masked Hearts Chapter 5

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Only $0.99 until Novemebr 1!

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5 | The Decision

The washing machine chugged through its cycles with a driving rhythm as Sienna tended her orchids by her front window, ignoring the phone still in her purse in the living room. She should’ve stuffed it under a couch cushion or something because she could still hear the damn phone when it rang—so far, Glen had called a half dozen times.

She allowed a drizzle of water to fall from the can as she recalled Mark’s kiss—his body toned and powerful, his lips tender yet lustful. Glen’s kisses had been more forced than passionate and a little bit slobbery.

Her phone chimed a text notification. She cut off the stream of water and scooted on her knees to the next orchid. When it chimed again to remind her that she had a message waiting, she set down the watering can and pulled herself up off her knees. She walked to her phone and clicked it on: Mark’s address as promised. Time to decide.

She dropped the phone and walked to the bathroom, looking in the mirror at her boring clothes and plain Jane appearance. Even if she went for the movie date, she’d have to spice herself up. It was hard to believe he’d chosen her over Mia; Mia seemed much more his type with her beauty and, judging by her Audi and designer clothes, money.

But she was the one with Mark’s address on her phone. Visions of snuggling close to him on the couch while a movie played filled her mind. Maybe he’d have some wine out, and he’d said something about roses…

The washing machine buzzed the end of the load, smashing her picturesque date.

She turned from the mirror and headed to the coat closet. Not much of a selection there either except—she pulled some coats away from the corner and saw the black leather jacket that she’d bought fresh out of college. Maybe with some heels…

Masked Hearts Chapter 4b

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Mark felt her body yield against him and begin to shiver. God, it’d been too long since he’d fucked. So long that restraint was near impossible, and he pressed himself fully against her with his cock showing his craving.

He broke off the kiss and whispered words that he hoped made sense through his haze of desire. “I would love to take you out on dates and slowly fall in love with you over coffee and bouquets of roses. But it’s been two years since I’ve had sex, and if all you want is a physical relationship, I’ll take it.”

He kissed her neck while he waited for her answer. When his lips nuzzled her below her ear she quivered again, and her hands slid up his back, drawing him even closer. Unfortunately, her words were contrary to her actions. “I can’t do that with a parent of one of my students. It’s unprofessional.”

His lips had strayed down to the base of her neck. He wanted to tug her shirt off her shoulder so he could kiss more of her, but he managed a modicum of restraint. He lifted his lips back to her ear and murmured, “I’ll pretend there’s nothing between us when I pick up Tyler. I’ll be like every other parent.” Even though the thought of unattached sex fired his drive, he didn’t want to give up on being her boyfriend. “And if we dated, I’d pretend nothing was going on until you were ready. I’m alone Friday to Sunday. We could date on those nights far away from school.”

Her body stiffened. “I don’t want to date.”

He drew back a little and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “I think you’re making that decision because you just saw someone who hurt you badly. I’ll text you my address. If you want to watch a movie and eat popcorn like a normal date, come over dressed like this. If you just want sex, wear a coat with nothing underneath.”

He must be out of his mind—what a stupid thing to say. He waited for the slap, but instead, she wrapped one of her legs around his and drew him in for another kiss. He wished they weren’t in a parking lot in the middle of the day.

She broke off the kiss and gently pushed him away.

Without a word, she turned, grabbed her folders, got into her car and waited for him to step back before she drove off.

He watched her going, wondering if she’d take him up on the movie date. He told himself that’s what he wanted. But two years was a long, long time to go without sex.

***