Tara’s string of bad luck has her convinced nothing good will ever happen to her again. When a hurricane hits the island, she gets stranded with the town’s sexy, new judge. Maybe her luck isn’t so bad after all... Readers who love Kennedy Ryan and Nicole Snow will love KISS OF LIFE by Louise Lennox, a forced proximity, small town romance.

Blurb

The Carolina Lowcountry is sexier, because the beautiful Kiawah Kisses rule the Sea Islands with strength, spice, and sass. This summer, each friend will reconnect with a Gullah hometown hero and learn to love again. This is Tara’s story…

When hurricane Maria hits Kiawah Island, newly divorced single mom Tara Kent braces to add another pearl, on her string of bad luck. Between an ex-husband who won’t go away, a mother acting like a child, and a stagnant career; she’s convinced nothing good will ever happen again.

But when she steps inside the courtroom of the Sea Islands’ new sexy dreadlocked motorcycle riding judge; she’s tempted to think things can change. But will they?

Judge Cameron Sinclair is new in town. When the beautiful but battered Tara sheds tears in his courtroom, he makes it his business to get her what she deserves. And when he’s stranded with her in the eye of a deadly storm, he realizes what she really deserves is love. But he isn’t the man to give it to her. Or is he?

Kiss of Life, book 2 in the Kiawah Kisses Series, is a steamy, small town, contemporary romance featuring a strong, smart heroine and the compassionate, sexy judge who redeems her heart. Download it today and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite book boyfriend.

Add to Goodreads Here! 

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Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

Amazon→ https://amzn.to/3zuCVLJ

Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 @Louise Lennox

When I pull up to Tara’s home, I’m both displeased and impressed. On one hand, It’s a big beautiful white farmhouse with a wraparound porch. It looks timeless and unique. Much like Tara herself. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she picked this home for herself. But it’s very far off the road and isolated on about twenty acres of farmland. A single mother and her kids shouldn’t be out here all by themselves. And tonight, she’s solo. If she caught me checking on her, there’s no way I could play it cool like I was in the neighborhood.

There is no neighborhood.

By the time I gradually drive up her private gravel road, I’m soaked to the core. As I get closer, I can barely make out anything in front of me, but I see her slight frame sitting on the steps with her head in her hands. She’s sitting on a porch in the eye of an oncoming storm. My bike has a loud purr, but she doesn’t even look up.

Her environmental awareness is shit. We’ll have to work on that.

I turn off the engine and hit the kickstand. Taking my helmet off, I approach. She’s shuddering…crying.

Only when I call her name does she look up.

“Tara, what’s wrong?” I force myself to calm down; I can’t spook her.

When she looks at me and I’m not prepared for what I see. I expected shock and even some anger. I thought she might wonder how the hell I got to her home. I thought she’d accuse me of stalking her and order me away. Instead, she looks wrecked. Her eyes are weak from crying. Her beautiful skin is red, raw from her tears. And her lips are trembling. The entire scene is a knife straight to my heart.

“What happened,” I growl, losing tolerance for this entire scene.

She sniffles. “Jason… he… he…” That’s as far as she gets before her body crumbles into itself, tormented with fresh tears. I get out of the rain and join her on the porch. Sitting next to her, I pull her into my arms. She crawls into my lap and sobs on my chest for a good five minutes. I stroke her hair and soothe her with firm circles to her back, placing soft kisses in her wet hair.

“Shh Angel. It’s going to be alright. No one is going to hurt you. But you’ve got to tell me what happened. Did Jason hurt you? Can we go inside and talk about it?”

She lifts and looks at me with a defeated gaze. “

No. That’s just it. I can’t get inside. Jason had the locks changed while I was at work tonight. I can’t even get into my house!”

The tree branches are swaying, and the wind grows fierce. We have to get out of here soon.

“Angel, listen to me. You can tell me all the details later, and I promise I will help you get back into your house. But this storm is picking up and no locksmith will come by in this weather tonight. Is there anywhere I can take you? You need shelter. What about your mother’s? or Symone’s?”

She grabs on to my leather cut with a frantic look. “No! Please. It’s too embarrassing. My mother has enough to deal with, she doesn’t need to know I’m homeless too. At least not tonight. And I don’t want the kids to find out. Symone and Rhue have done so much for me already. I just can’t ask them for another thing.”

Her pride is admirable, but silly given the circumstances.

“Then come home with me.” I say it on impulse, but I’m certain it’s what I want.

“What?! No, I can’t impose. That wouldn’t be proper.”

I chuckle. “Angel, if we don’t get inside soon, this storm will scatter our proper bodies across the marsh. It is going to be a level two within the hour. I have a four-bedroom home on Kiawah. You will have your own room and bed, and you can take tonight to think through your options and rest. I promise you my intentions are honorable.”

She looks at me for a long moment with a partially opened mouth and I’m sure she’ll say no. But then she closes it to bite her bottom lip and my dick rouses to attention.

Down, boy.

I can’t touch her. She doesn’t need that right now. Finally, she purses her lips in a little determined grimace and nods yes. “Ok, Cameron. Thank you.”

I smile. “Great. But we can’t ride my bike in this weather. I was taking a chance driving it over here, but that’s a chance I was taking on myself alone. Can we take your truck?”

She stands and sticks out her hand to help me up. I laugh at the gesture. She’s sweet, but I have at least 100 pounds on her. Still, I take her hand.

“You can park your bike here. No one should bother with it.” She looks down at the floor of her porch and crosses her arms in front of her. “I’m so sorry Cameron, this is crazy. Are you sure it’s OK for me to impose on you like this? I can get a hotel room or something. I was so shocked, I kind of just fell and landed here.”

I pinch her chin and raise her eyes to mine.

“Tara, you are never an imposition. You are a privilege. How often does one get to host an angel?”

She finally smiles, and I pull her in close to whisper alongside the shell of her ear.

“I’m going to take excellent care of you, for as long as you allow it. Let’s Go.”

We turn toward the car and dash out into the storm, hand in hand.

Hopefully, by tomorrow all will be clear.

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About Louise Lennox 

Contemporary romance Author Louise Lennox is a hopeful romantic writing steamy romances full of heart and healing.

A Spelman College and Georgetown University graduate, Louise provides women with diverse and meaningful representation in romance novel pages. Not seeing enough women like herself headlining positive love stories, she launched #HappyBlackRomance; a community of readers and writers committed to the creation and sharing of positive romance stories featuring Black heroines.

Louise Lennox plots highlight the joys of Black relationships across the diaspora; pushing readers from all cultural backgrounds to admire them for their strength and downright sexiness. In her novels sparks always fly; the sex amazes; and the characters always leave the world better than they found it through their love.

When she’s not writing, Louise is enjoying her work as a school leader, wife, and mother of the two cutest dragons to ever walk the earth!

To learn more about #HappyBlackRomance and to score a free book or two, check out her website www.lovelouiselennox.com.

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This promotional event is brought to you by The Indie Pen PR

Tara’s string of bad luck has her convinced nothing good will ever happen to her again. When a hurricane hits the island, she gets stranded with the town’s sexy, new judge. Maybe her luck isn’t so bad after all... Readers who love Kennedy Ryan and Nicole Snow will love KISS OF LIFE by Louise Lennox, a forced proximity, small town romance.

Blurb

The Carolina Lowcountry is sexier, because the beautiful Kiawah Kisses rule the Sea Islands with strength, spice, and sass. This summer, each friend will reconnect with a Gullah hometown hero and learn to love again. This is Tara’s story…

When hurricane Maria hits Kiawah Island, newly divorced single mom Tara Kent braces to add another pearl, on her string of bad luck. Between an ex-husband who won’t go away, a mother acting like a child, and a stagnant career; she’s convinced nothing good will ever happen again.

But when she steps inside the courtroom of the Sea Islands’ new sexy dreadlocked motorcycle riding judge; she’s tempted to think things can change. But will they?

Judge Cameron Sinclair is new in town. When the beautiful but battered Tara sheds tears in his courtroom, he makes it his business to get her what she deserves. And when he’s stranded with her in the eye of a deadly storm, he realizes what she really deserves is love. But he isn’t the man to give it to her. Or is he?

Kiss of Life, book 2 in the Kiawah Kisses Series, is a steamy, small town, contemporary romance featuring a strong, smart heroine and the compassionate, sexy judge who redeems her heart. Download it today and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite book boyfriend.

Add to Goodreads Here! 

Goodreads → https://bit.ly/3gl3FqG

Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

Amazon→ https://amzn.to/3zuCVLJ

Excerpt:

Copyright 2021 @Louise Lennox

“All Rise! The honorable Judge Cameron Sinclair is presiding.”

I look up and every molecule in my body rises.

Fuck! 

Mr., I have an important job, is my judge? This has to be bad juju. There’s no other way to explain the coincidence. 

I cursed this man all the way out and then ruined his clothes. Now he’s going to decide whether my children and I get what we deserve? This can’t be good.

Keisha gives me a sidelong glance, but my attention is fully on the man standing behind the bench. Lately, desire is a foreign feeling. Since Jason, I largely ignore my vagina and any pleasure it may bring. But this man carries an energy that makes me want to wake my girl out of hibernation and do all the things another woman won’t do.

But I won’t.

That’s partly why I snapped on him in the coffee shop. The man is seriously fuckable. He is easily over six feet tall and the color of a cinnamon stick. His dreadlocks are pulled back into a fishtail, accented by a beard and goatee so perfect, the lines look painted on. He’s in his robes, but I can tell he is in incredible shape. His shoulders are broad, and his hands are huge-I see them from here. When he opens his mouth to speak, his deep timbre commands the room but calms my anxiety at the same time. I didn’t get those vibes at the coffee shop. There, his voice made me want to fight.

“I’ve reviewed the evidence presented in discovery, and I don’t know why we are here. Dr. Kent, since you have forgone council, I will be direct. You have the means to pay your child support but have refused to do so. However, in the spirit of fairness and the law this courtroom observes, I will allow you to speak and provide me with a reason I should grant this reduction in support.”

Jason stands and moves to the dais to speak. He’s representing himself today because he actually thinks he can-idiot. He didn’t know Keisha was in town. He looks back at his silly fiancée and winks at me before clearing his voice to speak.

I hate him. But God, how I used to love him. His very presence used to make me weak in the knees, and it poised me to do anything for a ray of his sunshine to fall my way. I thought the family we were building together was all I’d ever need in life. He was my first lover, the first man I ever called friend, and the person who made me feel needed the most. And I wanted to be needed. That all changed once he became Dr. Jason Kent.

“Your honor. This is not about my ability to pay. It is about the fairness of the judgement. Mrs. Kent has received a promotion to Vice Principal of her school. Her raise calls for a reduction in my contribution.”

This motherfucker.

The judge stares right through him before speaking.

“Do I look like a fool to you, Dr. Kent? Because I assure you, the only fool here is you.”

I snort under my breath and quickly cover my mouth. Jason holds on to the dais so tightly his knuckles bulge. He hates being talked down to. Hopefully, he knows better than to talk crazy to a judge.

“No, your honor, you are not a fool... and neither am I.”

Mr. Hot as fuck Judge crosses his arms and leans back a bit, looming over Jason. He’s making him wait. His extra theatrics are not lost upon me, and I smile to myself. The big dick energy is powerful with this one.

“Then don’t talk to me like one. We both know your ex-wife did not receive a promotion but is rather covering for her vice-principal during summer school. Her boost in pay is temporary. To be regarded as a bonus, not an increase in salary.”

Jason scoffs. “I don’t see why that matters, a raise is a raise and money is money. I am tired of Tara draining my household dry while she spends her money on whatever she wants.”

That’s it.

I won’t sit here and let him talk about me like I’m not here. Keisha tries to hold me down, but I snap to my feet and speak. “Objection your honor.”

Jason rolls his eyes, and Judge Sinclair looks into mine like he just realized who I am...and he’s pleased. I didn’t expect that. His eyes sparkle. What color are they...blue? How can a black man have such blue-green eyes? They are mesmerizing. I’m shaken out of my thoughts when his firm tone addresses me.

“Mrs. Kent, what exactly is the nature of your objection?”

Jason snickers. “Yeah, maybe you should leave the talking to your lawyer. Someone who knows what she is doing.”

“Fuck You!” The words fly from my mouth before my mind registers where we are.

Judge Sinclair bangs his gavel three times and points it at Jason. 

“You, sir, are on thin ice. One more outburst from you and I’ll hold you in contempt. Is that clear?”

Judge Sinclair cuts his eyes at me. A warning. Before turning back to Jason, expecting an answer.

Jason bites his tongue. “Yes, your honor.”

Judge Sexy... I mean Sinclair turns back to me. 

“Now Ms. Kent. You would like to address the court?”

I want to approach your bench.

Buy Now!

Amazon→ https://amzn.to/3zuCVLJ

About Louise Lennox 

Contemporary romance Author Louise Lennox is a hopeful romantic writing steamy romances full of heart and healing.

A Spelman College and Georgetown University graduate, Louise provides women with diverse and meaningful representation in romance novel pages. Not seeing enough women like herself headlining positive love stories, she launched #HappyBlackRomance; a community of readers and writers committed to the creation and sharing of positive romance stories featuring Black heroines.

Louise Lennox plots highlight the joys of Black relationships across the diaspora; pushing readers from all cultural backgrounds to admire them for their strength and downright sexiness. In her novels sparks always fly; the sex amazes; and the characters always leave the world better than they found it through their love.

When she’s not writing, Louise is enjoying her work as a school leader, wife, and mother of the two cutest dragons to ever walk the earth!

To learn more about #HappyBlackRomance and to score a free book or two, check out her website www.lovelouiselennox.com.

Follow:

Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon | Website | Newsletter

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/authorlouiselennox

Facebook Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/303624204004824

Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/louiselennox4

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/authorlouiselennox

Goodreads → https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20558059.Louise_Lennox

Bookbub → https://www.bookbub.com/books/savannah-s-salvation-by-louise-lennox

Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08DMY4JHK

Website → https://www.lovelouiselennox.com

Newsletter → https://www.lovelouiselennox.com/stayconnected

This promotional event is brought to you by The Indie Pen PR

This is a well-researched and engagingly written group biography of four sisters, daughters of a duke and great-granddaughters of King Charles II of England and one of his mistresses. Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox all wrote to each other (and third parties) constantly, leaving a trove of correspondence that the author used as material for this book. Tillyard brings the four of them – and the people and places around them – to life with vivid descriptions, and seems to have a strong handle on the personalities and psychologies of each of the sisters. She also includes a lot of background information on their world where it enhances the story: from everyday details about the dozens of departments involved in the running of an aristocratic household, to background on the Irish Rebellion of 1798, in which Emily’s son Edward Fitzgerald was a leader.

It is a well-told story and makes for much quicker reading that Tillyard’s A Royal Affair, splitting its attention between human feelings and relationships on the one hand, and history on the other. While none of the sisters seem to have contributed much to history in their own right or really stepped out of the roles of wives/mothers/lovers, they did have pretty interesting love lives: one eloped and was temporarily estranged from the family; one began an affair with her children’s tutor and later married him across class lines after her first husband’s death; one was George III’s crush, before hastily getting into an unhappy marriage followed by a public divorce. In her preface, Tillyard emphasizes the intimacy of the sisters’ letters, allowing modern readers to connect with them even across a great gap in time, and this is certainly true.

The subtitle is a little misleading as to the time period, though. About 80% of the book focuses on the period from the 1740s through 1770s; in my edition, it’s not until page 397 out of 426 that we hit the 19th century. A couple of other better publishing decisions might have been made, in that the chapters are way too long and might have been broken up for easier reading, and there’s no family tree, which becomes especially confusing when talking about Emily’s life with her 22 children. Even a list of everyone’s kids with birth and death dates would have been extremely helpful.

I’m also never happy to see a nonfiction author who doesn’t cite the sources of specific facts. I understand that this is original research and the author does list her sources generally in the back, including mostly archival sources. Still.

In the end, I enjoyed reading this book and found it quite interesting, but never found myself with much to say about it. Maybe it’s because it’s largely a domestic history, not too different from stories that could be told about many other families; its four subjects were ultra-wealthy and privileged, but in the end we are reading their story rather than someone else’s simply because they happened to leave more writings behind. Maybe it’s because Tillyard did such a good job bringing her subjects’ personalities to life that, while I enjoyed reading about the sisters’ complex personalities and admired each of them at various points, I ultimately didn’t like them very much; they all come across as rather self-satisfied and entitled in the end. So I didn’t love the book, but I did like it, and it has a lot to recommend it whether your interest is anthropological or escapist.

@_GayRomReviews, @Archaeolibrary, #MM, #Contemporary, #Romance, 5 out of 5 (exceptional)

Virgin Flyer is a standalone novel by the amazing Lucy Lennox. I found her through her Made Marion series and have never looked back. I love her writing style, the characters, the warmth and depth of the stories... I could go on but I won't. Instead, I will curb my enthusiasm and try to tell you in an orderly fashion just why I enjoyed this book so much.

First things first. Chris is a jerk. He starts off a jerk and *spoiler* he remains one throughout. He has his moments but trust me when I say they are few and far between. Secondly, Teo is sweet! We're talking super-saccharine, jaw-achingly sweet. But the best part is - you love him that way!!! I can't (and don't want to) imagine him any other way. And Jack. Oh, Jack! Now here's someone who could fly me to the moon (if I was the opposite gender, he wasn't with Teo, OH, and if he wasn't also an imaginary character!) The perfect fit for Teo, they just have to see it.

Now - what about the story? It's good. Like, really good. Teo has been pining over Chris for years and just can't see him as the person others see. When Teo eventually decides enough is enough, he puts an ad out there for all to see and is lucky enough to entice Jack. Jack is curious about the ad and, to start with, is more than happy to go along with the requirements. It is months after that they both meet again and then we really fly. There is nothing in this story that is superfluous. Everything moves either the story or the character along and I loved every word of it.

The world-building is certainly clear for all to see, with familial ties playing a big part of the story. The characters behave as you would expect, no 'funny' turns where they act in a way you wouldn't believe. The pacing is smooth and the words themselves will keep you turning the pages without any hesitation.

As an aside, I loved it when Frankfurt and Wiesbaden were mentioned as they are only just down the road from where I live! A one-sit read for me and highly recommended.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

My latest podcast is up on the New Books Network website! In it, I interview Susan Carlile about her recent biography of the 18th century author Charlotte Lennox (which I reviewed here). Enjoy!