Sneak Peek Sunday … It Had to Be You

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

I’m so excited to be re-joining the Sneak Peek Sunday blog hop as I celebrate the release of my new 1920s romantic mystery It Had to Be You on April 7th… tomorrow!!

Just a few bits of news before we plunge in.

I was thrilled this past week to find It Had to Be You listed on the “Not-Your-Usual-Historicals” list for April at Heroes and Heartbreakers.  If you enjoy historical romance, check out their list of  new releases.

Also, for anyone who’s out and about this week, I’ll be a guest blogger on Tuesday, April 8th at the Carina Press blog.  I’ll be talking about—what else?—classic movies and how they inspired the setting and characters in It Had to Be You. Pop in and leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

And now, on to Sneak Peek Sunday!

Welcome to the Roaring 20s!

New York City, 1924
Determined to pursue her dream of becoming a crime reporter, heiress Trixie Frank believes she’s off to a running start when she lands a job at the most successful tabloid in Manhattan. Unfortunately, her high hopes fade fast when she’s assigned to the rewrite desk.

Sean Costigan is a demoted homicide detective on the commissioner’s blacklist. The last thing he needs complicating his life is a perky debutante with delusions of becoming the next great American journalist. Too bad she happens to hold one of the keys to solving his latest case, the Central Park murder of a notorious gangster. The other key? Sean’s childhood sweetheart, the victim’s widow, who has gone missing.

Sean soon has more trouble with dames than any good man deserves. But that’s the least of his worries. When he suspects deadly corruption within his own department, it’s not just his and Trixie’s careers that depend on finding the killer. It’s their lives.

*

In today’s peek, Trixie Frank is having a bad morning. She overslept and she’s late for work. But her dismal career prospects just may be about to take an interesting turn…

Detective Sean Costigan is coming off an all-night murder investigation with no sleep, but he’s got one more witness to talk to, a hungry young tabloid reporter who once earned her byline at the expense of his Brooklyn brothers in blue…

*

As telephone bells jangled over the chatter of newspaper staff and the clacking of typewriter keys, Sean followed the girl reporter past rows of occupied desks in the bright, busy city room of the New York Morning Examiner.

Trixie Frank wasn’t what Sean had expected. Not that he’d known precisely what to expect. She was the daughter of Wilhelm Frank, who, along with his brother, owned the Frank Brothers Five and Dimes, a chain of about ninety stores across the country. What was the daughter of a multi-millionaire doing working for the sleaziest jazz sheet in town? She couldn’t be serious. This had to be the passing fancy of a bored debutante. Right?

He caught himself sizing her up from behind, taking measure of slim calves and trim ankles below the hem of her light wool coat. Nice gams, he thought and scowled at himself for noticing. He was beat. Otherwise, he’d know better than to look. This dame was as uptown as a dame could get. Not his type.

Trixie led Sean to a small desk in a remote corner. She took off her coat, hung it on a rack and smiled. She was more than just a pretty girl. She was stunning, with pristine white teeth and wide blue Clara Bow eyes that seemed to say, “Gee whiz, who, me?” But Sean wasn’t fooled. She was hoping to get something out of him.

Well, that was copacetic because he intended to get something out of her too.

“Be it ever so humble,” she said, tossing her purse down next to a Remington typewriter. “Pull up a chair.”

*

So, what do you think? Could this be the beginning of a beautiful relationship? 🙂

For more fun sneak peeks, be sure to hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!

IT HAD TO BE YOU
BUY LINKS:

Amazon  *   Barnes & Noble  *   iBooks  *  Google Play  *  Kobo

Carina Press

*

Text Copyright © 2014 by Delynn Royer.

Permission to reproduce this text was granted by Harlequin Enterprises Limited

It Had to Be You – Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited

Cover Art and Cover Copy Text used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

 

 

 

Sneak Peek Sunday … New Clashes and Old Hurts

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

This past couple weeks, we’ve been enjoying a particularly pleasant turn of the season from summer to fall. Most days, we wake up to blessedly cool, crisp mornings and dew on the grass, but the afternoon temps climb into the sunny 70s and 80s. I’ll take this weather for as long as we can get it.

One thing I did this summer was dig into my TBR pile, and several fun reads were by authors I found right here on Sneak Peek Sunday. For readers of contemporary paranormal romance, I highly recommend Karen Michelle Nutt’s MAGIC OF THE LOCH, in which readers are introduced to the real  story behind the Legend of Loch Ness.  (And should I mention the sexy Scottish brothers who… ahem, you’ll find no spoilers here.) Check it out. ;).

A childhood promise bound them together.
A war and a secret tore them apart.

And now on to today’s peek. This is from ALWAYS, a heartwarming friends-to-lovers romance set in post Civil War Pennsylvania.

June 1865.
After four war-torn years away, Emily Winters returns to her home town determined to face down old rumors and do whatever it takes to resurrect her late father’s printing business.

Last week, Emily had just stepped off the train from Baltimore, where she’d been living with a maiden aunt. It took the news of her father’s sudden death to bring her home. On her way through town, she was shocked to run into her childhood best friend, Ross Gallagher, who had been reported killed during the war.

In today’s peek, Ross walks Emily home along the same country road they took as school children, and it’s not long before they fall back into the easy warm banter of their youth. That is, until Emily asks Ross what he’s doing for a living. Ross knows she won’t like his answer. He’s a reporter for the rival newspaper that helped drive Emily’s father out of business…

*

Silence. Ross turned to meet her hard stare. The afternoon breeze loosened a wisp of dark hair from her chignon to stray across her face. She batted it away, not taking her eyes from him. “The Herald. You’re working for that vile Malcolm Davenport. Again.”

And so there it was, hanging in the air between them. As damning as if no time had passed at all. Betrayal. “He offered me a job,” Ross said evenly. “Your father wasn’t in a position to do that.”

“You didn’t have to take it.”

Ross felt his own anger stirring. “What was I supposed to do? Starve on principle?”

“That wouldn’t have been a bad start. Many writers do.”

“Your father understood my position, Emily. Why can’t you?”

“I’m not my father.”

*

It looks like time might not have healed all wounds.  The war has taught Ross that life can be short and fate can be cruel. A man must take opportunities when they’re offered.  But will Emily be able to put past hurts behind them?

For more sneak peeks, hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!

 

Sneak Peek Sunday … Always

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

It’s great to be back from a busy summer. What did you do to pass the days? Work? Play? Travel? One thing I look forward to each summer is vacationing by the sea, where we can walk on the beach, lounge by the pool, and take a day trip or two. Oh, and eat. A lot. Of seafood. 🙂

It was also the perfect time to indulge in the TBR pile. I’ll post here in coming weeks some SPS titles, but the first mention goes to Sara Walter Ellwood’s GAMBLING ON A SECRET. I absolutely loved this sexy contemporary western romance with an ex-military hero, a spirited heroine with a secret, and enough compelling emotion to keep the pages turning. I can’t wait to start the second book in this series!

A childhood promise bound them together.
A war and a secret tore them apart.

And now for today’s peek. This is the first excerpt from ALWAYS, a book that departs a bit from my usual M.O.  It’s a small town, friends-to-lovers romance set in post Civil War Pennsylvania.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 1865
After four war-torn years away, Emily Winters returns to her home town determined to face down old rumors and do whatever it takes to resurrect her late father’s printing business. Unfortunately, what it will take is help from Ross Gallagher, the only man she’s ever loved and the last man she wants to turn to.

Ross has survived the war and returned to rebuild the life he left behind. He’s a successful reporter and set to marry his boss’s daughter. Until Emily steps off the train. Ross made a promise to Emily when they were children. It’s a promise he means to keep, but Emily guards a secret that stands between them.

*

In today’s peek, Emily has just arrived from Baltimore. It’s taken the news of her father’s death to bring her home. As she walks through town, she’s stung when she comes face to face with the cold reality of her loss. Her father’s weekly newspaper and print shop is shuttered. A “For Rent” sign appears in the window.

What Emily doesn’t expect when she stops to peer through the window of the deserted shop is to hear a familiar voice speak up from behind. It’s a voice she never thought she’d hear again…

*

“Em? Emily?”

Her hands fell to her sides, her heart skipped a dreadful beat. She recognized that voice, but of course, it couldn’t be him. Her imagination was playing cruel tricks. She’d been nervous about returning home, and naturally she’d been thinking of him, and—

“Emily Winters! I’ll be damned! It is you, isn’t it?”

Emily didn’t turn around. She couldn’t. Her disbelieving gaze fixed on a blurred image in the window glass, the reflection of a young man standing behind her on the street. It couldn’t be…  She forced herself to turn, slowly, as if in a dream, half expecting him not to be there, half expecting that the hazy, distorted image in the glass was the whole of him, the essence of a ghost long since dead.

But he was there. He had changed over the years. Gone was the boy she had known. His youthful features had been replaced by the rugged, hard-angled face of a man. And those shadows beneath his eyes. Could they be testimony to the suffering and tragedy he had witnessed in war?

“Emily! How long has it been?” He looked at her, too, as if she were some sort of mirage, as if he could scarcely believe his eyes.

*

There’s a very good reason Emily is stunned to find her childhood best friend, Ross Gallagher, standing before her alive and well. Can you guess what it is?

For more sneak peeks, hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!

Sneak Peek Sunday … Will she or won’t she?

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

It’s hard to believe it’s been weeks since my last peek, but it’s been a busy summer. Much going on with the day job and family (all good, thank you) and I’m happily at work on edits on the first book in my 1920s romantic mystery series. (There will be more news on that to come.)

What have you been up to during these dog days of summer?

In a race to find Excalibur . . .
Who knew they’d find love?

Today, I’m taking a break from edits to offer one last peek from SEARCH FOR CAMELOT, a romantic comedy about a wisecracking American college student and a cool-mannered British bluestocking who find love when they join together to search for the fabled sword Excalibur.

Philadelphia, London, Glastonbury. June 1892.
On the eve of his college graduation, Arthur Pierce comes into an unusual inheritance, a 16th century parchment that contains a clue to the location of King Arthur’s sword. Is it for real? Or a hoax?

To find out, Arthur joins with his arch nemesis from the classroom, the scholarly Chelsea Delafield. It’s Chelsea who holds the key to deciphering the ancient clue and following its trail, which begins in her home town of London.

In previous peeks, Chelsea and Arthur posed as bickering newlyweds aboard a steamship to London, where they confirmed that, not only is the parchment authentic, but King Arthur too is more than legend. He was a mysterious fifth century military leader who once walked the earth in a place called Glastonbury.

In today’s peek, Arthur is leaving for Glastonbury, but Chelsea’s role is done. London is her home, and now that she’s finished college, her loving but conservative family has perfectly reasonable expectations for her to meet. Those expectations don’t include running off with a handsome, totally unsuitable American on a madcap treasure hunt.

Chelsea can’t risk ruining her reputation and scandalizing her dear parents just for the sake of one last fling at adventure, love and passion… Can she?

*

Arthur didn’t answer her. Instead, he studied her face, and Chelsea suddenly felt as transparent as window glass. “Chelsea,” he began, taking a deep breath.

“You should go. You’ll miss your train.”

After a moment of awkward silence, he nodded, then turned and started to walk away. Chelsea squeezed her hands into fists as he took a few more steps, then slowed, then stopped, then swung back around to face her. “Oh hell, why don’t you come with me?”

“What?”

“Come with me.”

Chelsea’s heart thumped. All it would take was one word from her. Yes. Her feet almost moved. Almost. Her heels rose off the ground for one indecisive second. Yes! a voice urged in her mind. But she couldn’t. “I can’t,” she said numbly.

“Why not?” He dropped his suitcase to the ground and then suddenly had her by the shoulders, his fingers burning through the material of her blouse, his mesmerizing blue eyes threatening to make mincemeat of her newfound resolve. “Why not?”

*

What do you think? Has this crazy magical quest come to an end for Chelsea? Is it time for her to grow up and forget childish dreams of adventure and romance?

SEARCH FOR CAMELOT is available at ITUNES, AMAZON, and SMASH WORDS.

For more fun sneak peeks, hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!

Sneak Peek Sunday … where magic and reality meet

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

I was recently reminded by one of my fellow Sneak Peek authors, the talented Karen Michelle Nutt, that one of the best parts of participating in Sneak Peek Sunday is getting the opportunity to sample excerpts from authors I might not have found otherwise. Whenever I go hopping among this group, I’m always delighted and entertained.

As a result, I’ve added several titles to my summer TBR list, beginning with Karen’s Magic of the Loch, a fun contemporary paranormal romance spun from the intriguing legend of the Loch Ness monster. Be sure to check out Karen’s peeks HERE

In keeping with a magical theme, today’s peek is from SEARCH FOR CAMELOT, a romantic comedy about a wisecracking American college student and a cool-mannered British bluestocking who find love when they join together to search for the fabled sword Excalibur.

Philadelphia and London. June 1892.
On the eve of his college graduation, Arthur Pierce comes into an unusual inheritance, a 16th century parchment that contains a clue to the location of King Arthur’s sword. Is it for real? Or a hoax?

To find out, Arthur joins with his arch nemesis from the classroom, the scholarly Chelsea Delafield. It’s Chelsea who holds the key to deciphering the ancient clue and following its trail, which begins in her hometown of London.

In today’s peek, Chelsea and Arthur arrive in London to consult with an expert from Oxford. The parchment is indeed authentic, and Arthur is surprised to learn that King Arthur, too, is more than a legend. He was a mysterious fifth century military leader who may have once walked the earth in a place called Glastonbury.

*

“What was Glastonbury Abbey famous for?” Arthur asked.

Professor Doyle smiled. “The tomb of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, of course.”

Arthur was surprised. Before becoming involved with this crazy quest, he had always assumed King Arthur and his Round Table were the stuff of fairy tales. Even now, to think that the man had walked upon the earth was hard to fathom. “I never realized—I mean, did they really find King Arthur’s body?”

“So they claimed. The remains, along with a leaden cross identifying the body, were unearthed in the monks’ graveyard in 1191, however many historians believe the find was staged to enhance the prestige of the abbey.”

Arthur was unwilling now to let this go. “But isn’t there some way to determine if the cross they found is authentic sixth century?”

“The tomb itself disappeared after the Dissolution, and, as for the cross, it mysteriously vanished sometime in the last century. As it stands now, we may speculate all we wish, but, without the remains or the cross, we can never know the truth.”

Maybe not, Arthur thought. But what if the remains were real, and what if the monks found more than just a leaden cross buried with the dead king?

*

After this, Arthur must dash off to Glastonbury if he’s to find more clues that will lead him to Excalibur’s hiding place. Will Chelsea go with him? Stay tuned!

They say Glastonbury is one of those rare places on earth where the spirit meets the physical, magic meets reality. Glastonbury Tor is associated with faerie legends and the Holy Grail. It was reputed in ancient times to be the mystical Isle of Avalon.

So, what do you think? Do magical places really exist? Have you ever visited one?

For more fun sneak peeks, be sure to hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!