Hunker down by the hearth, pour a glass of cider, and fall into Autumn’s warm embrace by reading these five forced-proximity, spicy romances.
An Autumn Embrace
A First Coast Romance Writers's Anthology #5
Genre: Mixed Romance Anthology
with stories by
Lia Davis, Melody Johnson, Leah Miles, M.J. Gates, CS Bennett
Second chances, friends to lovers, and forbidden romance spark in this collection of steamy short stories. Brimming with magic and mystery, these five forced-proximity romances range from sensual to spicy, the perfect companion to keep your heart toasty in sweater weather. Hunker down by the hearth, pour a glass of cider, and fall into Autumn’s warm embrace by reading…
The Mating Hex, by Lia Davis: Kitchen witch Pepper meets her mate and hexes him at the same time. Talk about first impressions. While searching for a way to break the spell, she discovers a secret her mother took to her grave. And lucky her, secrets run in the family. The father she thought died long ago is back, and he's got dark plans of his own.
Ghostly Intentions, by Melody Johnson: Nannette doesn’t mind seeing dead people; it’s the living people she can’t trust. But when Colton invites her to a Halloween party in his family’s cemetery, communing with the spirits of the oldest and darkest bloodline in their witches coven is an opportunity for power that Nannette can’t resist, no matter the risk to her person … or her heart.
A Barking Chance, by Leah Miles: Forced to work together to evaluate his late uncle’s dog training center, Zane and Beth find more than memories in the office files. Whoever cooked the books is willing to destroy their lives as well as the paperwork to cover the evidence of their crimes. With the business and her dogs on the line, can Beth and Zane forgive the mistakes of their past to save their future together?
Love in Three Parts, by M.J. Gates: Elizabeth loved Gabe, but any chance of them becoming more than friends is ruined when her roommate seduces him. A decade later, she’s a successful doctor, and he’s a decorated Army veteran. When unlikely circumstances force them back together, will he find the courage to bare his heart and give their relationship the chance it never had?
The Essence of Cinnamon, by CS Bennett: In this whirlwind period tale set in 1919, in Huntsville, Alabama, an artist's passion for his work collides with the love he discovers with an unlikely model. Their relationship defies convention, but when a jealous suitor threatens everything they hold dear, their carefree autumn becomes more like the Fourth of July, summer heat, fireworks and all.
Proceeds benefit the First Coast Romance Writers, an independent non-profit organization helping writers hone their craft and expand their knowledge of the publishing industry.
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Excerpt from Love in Three Parts by M.J. Gates
“You’ll make someone a good husband someday.” The words left her mouth before she could think to stop them. She could also see that they had produced the effect she had unintentionally sought.
“Why don’t we just finish eating? Then we can talk.”
“Talk? Yes, let’s talk. Let’s talk about this thing we have, Gabe. We’ve been playing house for a year now. I’m leaving in a month. Where do we go from here, Gabe?”
“We have talked about that. We agreed a long time ago not to mix our friendship with anything else.”
“I did that a long time ago because I knew how hurt and confused you were after Kinsley. Do you still have feelings for her?
“Of course not. You know that.”
“Then why are we where we’re at?”
“Because that is what you said you wanted. You said you wanted us to stay friends. That you needed me to be your friend. You said moving our relationship forward sexually would ruin what we had, so I agreed, and that is what I have done.”
“Always the Boy Scout. Do you always do what you’re told?”
“Is that what you want? Do you want us to have sex?”
She could tell that her goading was getting him as angry as she was, but there was no turning back now.
“If I want sex, I can get that anytime. I don’t need you for that.”
“Then what do you want, Belle?”
“Nothing. I want nothing from you. I’m done with whatever this has become.”
She stood up from the table, finished the rest of her wine in a single swallow, and walked upstairs to her bedroom. Before falling asleep, she heard Gabe cleaning up. When she came downstairs in the morning, he was gone.
Ghostly Intentions Author Interview: Melody Johnson
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in your story?
Colton Maine, the hero in my story Ghostly Intentions, is a witch afraid to use his magic. He descends from seven generations of dark practitioners who abused their power, so he’s torn between familial loyalty and accepting the villainy of his heritage. Where Colton is a brooding beta hero, my heroine is quite the opposite. Genuine, warm, and caring, Nannette attends Colton’s Halloween Party in the hopes of tapping into some of his dark magic for her own purposes. Nannette is blind, but she has the unique and coveted ability to see beyond the mortal plane; she can see ghosts.
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
I absolutely love the moment when all the cards are finally on the table: Colton reveals his true purpose for inviting Nannette to his party, Nannette confesses her true motivation for attending, and this unlikely pair attempts to combine the dark and light sides of their magic to achieve both their goals. Colton, having spent a lifetime resisting the evil lure of his power, realizes through his connection with Nannette that there’s more to magic than pain and sacrifice.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
Yes! My Witchy Business series is a collection of short romances featured in various anthologies. They can be read in any order, and the heroes and heroines often appear as side characters in earlier stories. For example, Nannette and Colton are mentioned in Til’ Death Don’t Us Part (Witchy Business, 4). Dan and Phin, the hero and heroine of Til’ Death Don’t Us Part, attend the costume party in Fated By Fire (Witchy Business, 3). And Jenavieve St. Clair, the heroine of Fated by Fire, has a sister, Mona St. Clair, the heroine of Mirror Justice (Witchy Business, 2). All the characters are tied together by their membership in one of two covens in their little southern coastal town of Thornton, Georgia.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always been a storyteller. From a young age, I enjoyed drawing my own picture books. In high school, I began writing short stories about damsels slaying dragons and falling in love along the journey. I even majored in creative writing in college, but I didn’t finish my first full-length novel until my senior year. Previous to that, I would hit the 100-page mark, be inspired by a new idea, and abandon my current project to chase that new concept, leaving dozens of stories without endings in the wake of my enthusiasm. Completing that first manuscript was such a huge milestone for me in my writing life, and that’s when I seriously began my pursuit to becoming published. That moment is when I first considered myself a true writer.
The five authors participating in this anthology are members of First Coast Romance Writers (FCRW), and proceeds from this anthology benefit their organization. FCRW is a non-profit that welcomes both published and unpublished authors, as well as any individuals involved in writing and publishing. The chapter is dedicated to promoting excellence in romantic fiction through monthly meetings and workshops in a comfortable forum. They strive to help writers establish careers by providing innovative programs, networking opportunities and pertinent information on effective marketing techniques. Romancing the Tropics is the fourth installment in the group’s anthology series. Learn more about FCRW online at https://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com
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This sounds like a good anthology. I would enjoy reading it.
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