THE PASSENGER by Joie Lesin #Historical #Fantasy #Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joie Lesin will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She’s a 1940s ghost whisperer.

Burdened with her empathic gift, Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of it and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of an old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home.

He’s the son of a ghost.

Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who abandoned him as a child. To help the father pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction.

Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her?

The Passenger, a 1940s ghost story set in the California wine country, tells a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found.

Read an Excerpt

Elizabeth’s stomach churned in nervous knots. She squirmed on the cloth seat, and her foot twitched. If he heard her erratic heartbeat, he’d realize how frantic she was—and hot. Perspiration built up on her forehead. Grabbing the metal handle, she rolled down the squeaking window, and inhaled the pure air. The fragrances of the forest filled her senses—the resinous scent of pine, the earthiness of soil, and damp detritus of fallen branches and decaying leaves. The surrounding land was alive, vibrant, and something more she couldn’t quite identify. Somehow, the vehicle they drove in and the path it traveled seemed out of place.

Gravel on the uneven road crunched and ground under the truck’s tires. Elizabeth sat straight in her seat and stole stiff, awkward glimpses at Giovanni. A frown marked his lips. His lean, well-defined face held soulful eyes bringing to her mind images of the sad little boy he must have been.

A thin red scar stretched down his right cheek and she itched to run a finger along the faded edges. She’d caress his stubble-shadowed chin and tell him how terribly his father missed him.

Instead, she stared out the truck window.

About the Author:

Award-winning, Minnesota-based author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and poet. She is most recently the author of The Passenger (The Wild Rose Press, 2024) and her work is also featured in Scribeworth Magazine. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including mermaids and ghosts. Joie writes character-driven, emotional, atmospheric tales about heartache and hope.

Website: https://www.jlesin.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/joielesin.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoielesin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoieLesin
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joie.lesin
Goodreads BookPage: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214564853-the-passenger

The Wild Rose Press Book Page: https://wildrosepress.com/product/the-passenger/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6WBVJB9
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-passenger/id6504288982
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-passenger-joie-lesin/1008401528?ean=2940185717905
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-passenger-48

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The Seer by Raquel Y. Levitt #Historical #Paranormal #Fiction

 

Historical Fiction/Paranormal Fiction

Date Published: March 11th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

In 1890s Missouri, secrets are a matter of survival.

Clairvoyant Sarah Richardson screams as her older sister Katherine is forced into a straightjacket and thrust into a carriage bound for the St. Louis City Lunatic Asylum. She is devastated to learn Katherine has been blamed for her inadvertent role in an abused woman’s murder. Now, too frightened to speak up, she hides the truth that it should have been her in that carriage. 

Sarah’s mounting guilt becomes too much, and she heads to St. Louis, determined to regain her sister’s confidence and prove herself worthy of forgiveness.

While working to heal their relationship, Sarah meets a timid housewife who tries to hide her bruises. When troubling psychic visions of the woman begin to affect her, she sees an opportunity to atone for her past mistakes. Desperate to do whatever it takes to make things right, Sarah embarks on a perilous journey that may cost her everything—including her own life.

About the Author

Award-winning author Raquel Y. Levitt holds an MFA in creative writing and a master’s degree in English. Her short stories have been published in various anthologies and literary journals and reflect her passion for writing about strong women finding their voice and their power. She is a world traveler, an amateur nature photographer, and a collector of cool rocks. Raquel and her husband live, work, and play in the Texas Hill Country and Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. The Seer is her debut novel.

 

Contact Links

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Facebook

Goodreads

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WHERE THE STARS CROSS by Dottie Sines #Historical #Romance #Giveawy

 

BLURB:

 

In the depths of the Great Depression, Ellie suffers another crash—that of her marriage. She’s left struggling to restore her shattered life, feeling as damaged as the stained-glass panels she refurbishes for Chicago’s historic structures. While visiting her aunt in Marietta, Ohio, a charming river town, Ellie encounters towboat captain Wyatt and feels a searing attraction to him. But thanks to past and subsequent wounds, her attempts at opening herself to love seem futile. Her hope for love and her determination to find the place she belongs are further complicated by her tendency to make impulsive decisions. In her journey, Ellie draws on an unrealized level of courage and learns she must identify her brightest passions in charting her course.

Excerpt 

 

Once the world creaked back to a tentative rotation and time again began ticking away, Ellie salvaged the remnants of herself and hobbled to her feet. She shoved her hair from her face and brushed away the bits of grass pasted to her arms. How long had she lain there, on this deserted patch of ground? Long enough for the world to have revolved away from the sun. Long enough, apparently, for Earth’s gravity to pull the life from her, because the only thing she felt or thought or knew was the faint echo of a crippled heartbeat.

 

Ellie hugged her arms and looked to the darkening sky. She’d fallen asleep, obviously, but for all this time? Even amid all the darkness, the stars still twinkled. Damned stars. She’d taken Aunt Lillian’s little fable about finding one’s place according to where their three stars crossed too seriously. It had been intended simply as inspiration. Wyatt was gone, so he obviously hadn’t been some fairytale second star. And she never had figured out what her would-be third star was.

 

Time to get her heart out of the stars and her head out of her behind. She’d been selfish. What about all the other people suffering in the wake of the devastating flood? What about all those who had it much worse than she during this never-ending Depression? Those were the people she needed to look to the stars for, not her own self-serving wants, so she closed her eyes and made a wish for everyone but herself.

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Dottie scratched out her first fiction as a little kid transfixed by the books she read all those lazy summer days on the front porch swing. Two of her short stories have been published in The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park’s literary journal, Hemingway Shorts, having placed among the top ten entries in its annual short story contests.

 

Where the Stars Cross, Dottie’s first novel, is available for purchase at:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Stars-Cross-Dottie-Sines/dp/1509257373/ref=sr_1_1

(where it’s on the Hot New Releases list for 20th century historical romance!)

 

Website: https://www.dottiesines.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555443236996

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dottie_sines_author/

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER 

 

The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. 

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Echoes of Fortune by David R. Leng #Historical #Thriller

 

The Search for Braddock's Lost Gold

Historical Thriller, Historical Fiction

Date Published: August 31, 2024

 

 

In 1755, British Major General Braddock led an army of 2,400 soldiers, including a young Colonel George Washington and Daniel Boone, to retake Fort Duquesne from the French and seize control of the American Frontier—The French & Indian War. Yet, carried by this formidable force was a treasure—gold to be used as payroll for troops and gifts to win over native allies. Its protection throughout the perilous journey, through steep mountains and dense wilderness, weighed heavily on the General’s mind.

Ever since The Battle of the Monongahela, where the French ambushed Braddock’s forces and mortally wounded him, Braddock’s puzzling orders for a hasty, complete retreat from an inferior force have driven rumors he desperately sought to recover the treasure he hid for its protection, but instead, took its location to his grave.

Over the centuries, legends swirled around Braddock’s lost gold, worth a fortune today. The tales of its hiding place, stretching the length of Braddock’s tedious and precarious march from Western Maryland to Southwestern Pennsylvania, have persisted.

Fast forward to today—Join Jack Sullivan and his companions in a heart-pounding quest as they decipher cryptic clues, brave treacherous traps, race against time, and battle aggressive adversaries. Will Jack’s bonds with his friends withstand the ultimate test, or will their pursuit of wealth cost them everything, including their lives?

About the Author

David R. Leng, known for his expertise in risk management and insurance, now ventures into the world of fiction with his latest historical thriller, Echoes of Fortune. With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, David is the author of International #1 Best Sellers including "Insured to Fail" and "The 10 Laws of Insurance Attraction," and has saved clients over $42 million in premiums and overcharges. As Executive Vice President and Partner of the Duncan Financial Group, David is celebrated for his innovative Risk Profile Improvement Process and has earned numerous accolades, including Advisor of the Year by the Institute of WorkComp Professionals. An avid contributor to industry publications, David’s passion extends beyond his professional achievements to include boating, skiing, woodworking, and supporting his local high school’s musical productions. His foray into historical thrillers reflects his deep storytelling skills and a lifelong commitment to engaging and captivating audiences.

Contact Links

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Purchase Link

Amazon

New /release: BRAZEN by @carol_burnside #westernromance

 

Blurb

Because of a secret not hers to tell, spinster Rachel must marry quickly, and Angus is the first man who comes to mind. He’s a hard worker and strong. She’s seen him eyeing her and senses hunger in his gaze. Rachel goes to Angus, the local blacksmith, alone at night and asks him to marry her.

Although eager to accept her brazen offer, Angus is suspicious, thinking it's some kind of prank and she's been put up to this to embarrass him. After all, what would a lady like Rachel want with the likes of him? His work is hot and dirty, and his lineage doesn’t exactly have the pedigree ladies look for.

When he realizes she’s sincere, his heart won’t let him refuse her, but even the road to a quick, convenient marriage isn’t smooth. Angus keeps his feelings for Rachel hidden. After the ceremony, Rachel finds a distance she can't bridge…until tragedy strikes.

Will they ever find the courage to declare their love, or will their stubborn need to protect their hearts prevail?

Shorter blurb:

Harboring a family secret, spinster Rachel seeks out Angus, the blacksmith, alone at night and requests he marry her. Despite suspicions regarding her motives, he’s lonely and admires Rachel. He agrees to a quick wedding, but the road to happiness is marred by more secrets. Then tragedy strikes. Will they find the courage to bridge the distance between them in time to save their marriage?

UBL:  https://books2read.com/Brazen-MBN1

Excerpt

Angus had finished washing the last of his supper dishes when he heard a soft knock at his back door. Who the devil could that be?

He opened it cautiously, seeing the hem of a fancy lace-and-lemon dress in the slice of light from his doorway, quite similar to the one he’d seen Miss Dunn wearing tonight. Of course, it wouldn’t be her.

“Who’s there, Miss? Show yourself.”

“It’s Rachel Dunn, Mr. Brody.” Her voice held a slight tremor, but she made no move to obey him. “May I speak with you?”

His heart thumped faster upon hearing her soft reply. Rachel here? “And John? Is he with you?”

“I come unchaperoned with a matter of some importance.”

She risked her reputation to speak with him? “I see.”

But he didn’t see, couldn’t fathom why she would seek him out. The fact that he was this close to her, alone and having a conversation, stunned him.

“Might I gain entrance before someone happens along and sees me, Mr. Bro—”

“Angus. My name is Angus.” His breath hitched at the thought of hearing his given name pass her lips. Calling himself all kinds of a fool, he stood aside. Rachel rushed past him like a flash of sunshine, and he shut out the night.

Her gaze darted around the room much like a rabbit seeking the nearest escape route. Angus stifled a sigh and moved from between her and the door. His size frightened most women.

The oil lamp he’d placed on the bedside table threw a dim glow around the room. He turned up the wick, enough that he could see color had risen high in her cheeks.

“Oh, dear! This is your…”

“Uh, yes.” He grabbed the lamp and gestured to the doorway on the opposite wall. “The kitchen is through there. I’m sorry. This is a shotgun house. I built my room at the back, as far away from the heat of the smithy as I could get.”

And he was running off at the mouth. Not his finest hour.

She turned to him with a tight smile. “Not your fault I turned up unannounced at the back door.”

Damn, but she was a pretty thing with her large, upturned eyes and high cheekbones. Not a short bit of fluff that hit him mid-chest like most, but willowy. Sturdy and soft at the same time.

“Nice place you have here, Mr. Bro—” She pressed her lips together. He held his breath. “Angus.”

“Thank you.” He praised whatever had sent her to his door.

 

 

Author bio & web/social media links:

Carol Burnside is an award-winning author of "Sizzling romance with heart and humor." Her personal second-chance-at-love story resulted in an enduring marriage to her high school sweetheart. They reside in the Texas hill country, where Carol enjoys visiting wildlife from her covered back porch. Like any true southerner, she drinks tea in some form year-round. Carol's novel length manuscripts have placed in numerous contests and won several, including the prestigious Maggie Award for Excellence. She also writes as Annie Rayburn.

Amazon reviews say Carol's books are:

"Highly captivating!" "intriguing and a wonderful read" "Emotional and heartwarming" "Engaging!" and "Great reading!"

 

Carol blogs on her website at www.CarolBurnside.com. Connect with her via Facebook / Newsletter / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest / Google+ / Threads / IG