Timeless Escapes: A Collection of Summer StoriesRuth A. Casie, Lita Harris, Emma Kaye, Nicole S. Patrick, Julie Rowe
Introduction by Roxanne St. Claire
Genre: Contemporary, Time Travel, Military, Medical Romances
Publisher: Timeless Scribes Publishing
Date of Publication: May 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9910520-2-8
Number of pages: 280
Word Count: 68,000
Cover Artist: Julie Schroeder Designs
Book Description: Escape to the Virgin Islands where the bonds of marriage are renewed, friends become lovers, and new love is given a chance to thrive.
Ruth A. Casie ~ Second Chance by the Sea Married for ten years, she and her husband have grown apart. When they go back to the Virgin Islands for a family funeral, they find their marriage was never registered. Will an impending disaster be the final straw that breaks them up or will it rekindle their love and send them back to the altar for a second chance?
Lita Harris ~ Chasing Fireflies Soured on love by a recent breakup, a travel agent with a fear of flying and open water takes a trip to the U.S Virgin Islands. She meets a boat captain who challenges her fears. Will she survive her breakup and find happiness in the arms of another man?
Emma Kaye ~ In Her Dreams When an author escapes to the Virgin Islands to work on her latest book, she’s swept back in time to Regency England and must decide whether the love she finds with an English lord is real or only in her dreams.
Nicole S. Patrick ~ Poseidon’s Strength A beloved hero’s death leads his sister and his best friend, who have never seen eye-to-eye, to discover that helping family can be their happy medium, and possibly lead them to uncover a love that's meant to be.
Julie Rowe ~ A Pirate’s Vacation A doctor grieving the death of her husband, buys a B&B in the Virgin Islands in need of a lot of fixing. Her old flame arrives to help with repairs, but will she let him heal her shattered heart?
Second Chance by the Sea
Ruth A. Casie
Married for ten years, a couple at odds find their marriage was never registered. Will an impending disaster be the final straw that breaks them up or will it rekindle their love and send them back to the altar for a second chance?
Back Cover Copy:
Alan and Eloise Stuart are a power couple. Alan’s company, Stuart Associates, is on the brink of releasing new software that will make his company the pre-eminent financial software provider.
Eloise has worked hard for the North Star Project, the not-for-profit agency against human trafficking. She’s their executive director and is responsible for the agency’s outstanding growth in both public recognition and financial contributions.
Over the course of their ten year marriage, Alan and Eloise, focused on their careers, have put off having a family and have grown a part.
Life takes a drastic turn when Eloise finds out she’s pregnant. She’s certain a baby is not in Alan’s plans but for her it is a happy surprise. They travel to the Virgin Islands Aunt Lil’s funeral. Aunt Lil’s home was the venue of their destination wedding. While going through Aunt Lil’s papers they find that their marriage was never registered. Will an impending natural disaster be the final straw that breaks them up or will it rekindle their love and send them back to the altar for a second chance?
Excerpt:
She sat in her nightgown on the veranda, hugging her knees. In the distance she stared at the channel. She didn’t want to be near him while he packed. She closed her eyes and thought about the comfort of drifting in the water and about the elation she’d felt when she conquered it.
She woke with a start at the sound of a car door closing. She must have fallen asleep. The dawning sky brightened. She heard more than saw the car going down the gravel driveway, kicking up stones. He hadn’t said good-bye.
The final thump was the sound of her heart sinking.
About Ruth A. Casie:
A seasoned professional with more than twenty-five years of writing experience in communications and marketing for a large financial institution, she gave way to her inner muse and began writing a series of historical fantasy romance and contemporary romance novels. Ruth is published by Carina Press and Harlequin Books.
When not writing you can find her home in Teaneck, New Jersey, reading, cooking, doing Sudoku and counted cross-stitch. Together with her husband, Paul, they enjoy ballroom dancing and going to the theater. Ruth and Paul have three grown children and two grandchildren. They all thrive on spending time together. It’s certainly a lively dinner table and they wouldn’t change it for the world.
You can read more about Ruth online at HYPERLINK "http://www.RuthACasie.com" http://www.RuthACasie.com on Twitter at HYPERLINK "http://www.twitter.com/RuthACasie" twitter.com/RuthACasie , or on Facebook at HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie" www.facebook.com/RuthACasie
Chasing Fireflies
Lita Harris
Soured on love by a recent breakup, a travel agent with a fear of flying and open water takes a trip to the U.S Virgin Islands. She meets a boat captain who challenges her fears. Will she survive her breakup and find happiness in the arms of another man?
Back Cover Copy:
Marnie Shaw is a travel agent whose fear of flying has kept her safe within the confines of New York City. As the top agent for her firm, she wins an all-expense paid trip for two to the U.S. Virgin Islands. She decides to confront her fear and take the trip alone when she is dumped by her live-in boyfriend.
Her plans of losing herself while relaxing in the beauty of the island is disrupted when Captain Jack, a handsome, scraggly bearded, boat captain, shows up at her bungalow unannounced and refuses to leave.
Will a night on the beach with Jack open her eyes to realize there's more to life than what she has, if only she would let go of her expectations and take a risk? Or when her ex shows up begging for forgiveness, will she settle for the safety of her quiet, risk-free life?
Excerpt: from Chasing Fireflies:
The boat bounced against the dock nearly knocking her off her feet. A suitcase saved her from falling over the side of the boat. She momentarily thought about leaving her luggage behind fearing it would sink them. No, she would hold onto it. She had seen Titanic—the suitcase could come in handy.
"Captain Jack?"
No answer.
"Hello. Is Captain Jack here?" she called out louder.
He stepped out of the cabin and with one hand skillfully tossed a rope up onto the dock to secure the boat. His face was covered with a scruffy day old beard and his scraggly hair, sun-kissed at the tips, briefly covered his eyes. From the side she could see that too much sun contributed to crow’s feet. He tossed his head back and she gasped. His eyes! A gorgeous blue she’d never seen. She sucked in a breath and dropped her luggage. She reminded herself to breath as he came closer to her.
"You going to Celestial Harbor?" He wiped a screwdriver with a tattered, oily rag then brushed his hair out of his eyes with the back of his forearm. His clothes were rumpled and old. He didn’t look much like a boat captain to her. Where was his uniform like she had seen in movies? He looked like a car mechanic after tearing an engine apart.
She nodded. The sunlight bouncing off the ocean made her squint but she held his gaze. If he was her means to get to the island, so be it. She shoved her luggage to the edge of the dock with her foot and waited for him to help.
And waited.
About Lita Harris:
Lita Harris spends her time between New Jersey and the Endless Mountains region of Pennsylvania, where she writes most of her books. She also lived in Alaska for a short time just for fun. An avid crafter, unused supplies clutter her basement and attempts at making pottery, jewelry, and stained glass are proudly displayed in her house, usually behind a picture or holding a door open. She also makes candles and homemade soap. With enough books to stock a small library she may need to construct a building to store her literary obsessions.
She writes in multiple genres, including women’s fiction, contemporary romance, paranormal, and cozy mysteries. For more information about Lita, please visit her website at HYPERLINK "http://www.litaharris.com/" \t "_blank" www.LitaHarris.com or at HYPERLINK "https://twitter.com/litaharris" \t "_blank" twitter.com/litaharris and HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/litaharrisauthor" facebook.com/litaharrisauthor .
In Her Dreams
Emma Kaye
When an author escapes to the Virgin Islands to work on her latest book, she’s swept back in time to Regency England and must decide whether the love she finds with an English lord is real or only in her dreams.
Back Cover Copy:
Author Winnie Boyle finds more in the Virgin Islands than the inspiration she sought for her latest novel. When she reads from an old journal she finds on the beach, she’s transported to another time and place—literally. She assumes it’s all just a dream when she finds herself in regency England. Surely the gorgeous Viscount Bastian Caulfield and his sweetly innocent sister couldn’t be real.
The dream quickly turns to a nightmare when she can’t wake up and realizes something sinister is at work. Someone’s trying to kill Bastian and Winnie’s been brought back in time to save him. How? She has no idea. But time’s running out.
Can she escape this crazy dream with her mind and body intact, or is it already too late for her heart?
Excerpts from In Her Dreams:
"That’s not possible, Bastian." Jane’s smile was shaky as she patted Winnie’s hand and watched her brother. "We need her."
"For what?" he asked. He shook the book in Jane’s direction. "It is apparent you missed some facet of Mother’s magick. What possible use could we have for a half naked woman?"
Winnie raised her eyebrows.
There came that adorable blush and semi-smile. He cleared his throat again. "What I meant was, how are you supposed to keep me from this terrible danger my sister believes our father poses? She would have been better served purchasing a new puppy."
"A puppy!" Screw that. Winnie sprang up, hands on hips, heart pumping. "Are you comparing me to a dog? You think a dog would be better company than me?"
Bastian held his hands out in front of him. He chewed on that lip again and then stammered, "N—No. That’s not what I meant at all. You are beyond lovely. I couldn’t possibly… I only meant a dog would be better capable of guarding me. Not that I’m in any danger, of course." He shot a helpless glance at Jane, who rose to the occasion.
"Bastian meant no offense, dear Winnie." Jane glared at him. "He is awkward at best when speaking with a lady. His compliments are dreadful and generally misunderstood as insults." She forced Winnie to turn around, so her back was to Bastian and whispered in her ear, "We must get you into something more appropriate. I believe your lack of attire has deprived my dear brother of his wits."
About Emma Kaye:
Emma Kaye is married to her high school sweetheart and has two beautiful kids that she spends an insane amount of time driving around central New Jersey. Before ballet classes and tennis entered her life, she decided to try writing one of those romances she loved to read and discovered a new passion. She has been writing ever since. Add in a playful puppy and an extremely patient cat and she’s living her own happily ever after while making her characters work hard to reach theirs.
For more information on Emma, please visit her online at HYPERLINK "http://www.emma-kaye.com" www.emma-kaye.com , on Facebook at HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/emmakayewrites" www.facebook.com/emmakayewrites , or on Twitter at HYPERLINK "http://www.twitter.com/emmakayewrites" www.twitter.com/emmakayewrites .
Poseidon’s Strength
Nicole S. Patrick
A beloved hero’s death leads his sister and his best friend, who have never seen eye-to-eye, to discover that helping family can be their happy medium, and possibly lead them to uncover a love that's meant to be.
Back Cover Copy:
Former Marine, Ryan Masterson is building a successful business, trying to be a supportive big brother to his now widowed sister, Jenna, and finding the strength to overcome the grief of losing his best friend Sam, who was killed in combat. But something is missing from his busy life. When he heads to the US Virgin Islands to help his very-pregnant sister fix up her resort, he finds more than he bargained for—Faith Reagan. Sam’s sister may be beautiful, but they’ve never quite gelled. However, Ryan may find what he’s looking for at a place, and with a woman he least expects.
Faith Reagan is trying to dust herself off and pull herself together. First her brother’s death, then a tragedy strikes in her professional life. When she escapes to the US Virgin Islands to help her sister-in-law, she thinks she’s finally found peace. Can she keep the delicate balance she’s trying so desperately to maintain in her life when the man she’s secretly had a crush on for years—Ryan Masterson, a bad boy and a player comes to town?
When Jenna’s baby arrives early, Ryan and Faith must work together and discover that strength is found in many different ways, and love blooms in unexpected places.
Excerpt: from Poseidon’s Strength:
"Hello, Ryan."
He swung around. "Well, that explains things," he mumbled under his breath.
Five foot-eight inches of long legs, blond hair, and the smallest bikini he’d ever laid eyes on walked into the room and the oxygen was sucked out.
Faith Reagan.
Sam’s sister was a beautiful as ever. She gave him a cool stare and walked into the kitchen. And apparently just as warm and fuzzy too. So much for a little R&R.
He shot a glance at Jenna, who pretended to study the condensation on her iced tea glass like it was a pirate’s treasure map.
"Earthy-crunchy girl" was the name he’d made up to tease Faith with when he was young and stupid. He felt bad about that. A little.
However, Faith had no problem expressing what she thought of him—a shallow, animal-eating, fast-car-loving-mucking-up-the-environment jerk.
Ah, the memories came tumbling back.
About Nicole S. Patrick:
Nicole S. Patrick has always loved to read, and in her teenage years, she "borrowed" her mom’s books to sneak away and become lost in the world of romance. After more than ten years in the corporate world of tech recruiting and HR management, she decided to stay home and raise children. But with so many romantic stories and characters floating around in her head, when the kids napped, she was compelled to put those words on a page and pursue this crazy dream of becoming published. Nicole writes romantic suspense and her heroes are those alpha males in uniform. She lives in New Jersey with her real-life hero, her husband, and her two sons.
For more information about Nicole on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Nicole S. Patrick, www.twitter.com/NicoleSPatrick, or please visit her website at HYPERLINK "http://www.nicolespatrick.com/" www.nicolespatrick.com
A Pirate’s Vacation
Julie Rowe
A doctor grieving the death of her husband, buys a B&B in the Virgin Islands in need of a lot of fixing. Her old flame arrives to help with repairs, but will she let him heal her shattered heart?
Back Cover Blurb
A year ago, Emergency Room doctor Josie Zizzo lost her husband to the violence in war-torn Syria. Watching him die while bullets rained down on their makeshift hospital, left her suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress disorder. Returning to work in the ER proved impossible, the PTSD throwing her back in time to the awful day her husband died. In an effort to heal, Josie buys a B&B in the US Virgin Islands, but the property needs more repairs than she anticipated. Her best friend promises to come help, but it’s her best friend’s brother who steps off the plane, firefighter Mark Durant. Mark is the last man she dated before meeting her husband, a man she loved, a man who walked away from her when she asked for more than a causal relationship.
Mark has come to help Josie because he’s suffering his own PTSD nightmare and hopes the sun, sand and time spent with the most giving woman he’s ever met will help him heal. It isn’t until he steps off the plane and sees Josie’s shocked face that he realizes his sister has set them both up. Now he’s sharing a house with a woman he wants more than his next breath, who’s also fighting her own terrifying memories. It isn’t until a storm hits the island that they’re forced to face their pasts and all the ghosts that haunt them. Can love survive nature’s wrath and their personal demons?
Excerpt from A Pirate’s Vacation:
It was a good day to be a pirate.
Not a cloud in the sky, the winds were fair and from the east. The late morning heat was enough to put even the most athletically inclined person into a doze. The perfect time to land on the sand and hunt down some treasure—or in this case, fix it up, make it all shiny, and hope the tourists showed up.
At least, that’s what Josie Zizzo hoped.
Then again, nothing had gone the way she’d hoped for the last year.
Oh, who was she kidding? Her life had virtually ended when her husband died in front of her eyes.
Both of them were emergency room physicians, though at different Boston hospitals. They’d signed onto a medical mercy mission in Syria. One week into the mission, their makeshift hospital had come under fire by two different groups. Her husband, Adler, had been hit in the chest. Unable to move because of constant gunfire, she’d watched, every second a stab to her gut, a slash to her heart, as he bled out.
It had taken her a week to get home to Boston with her husband’s body. Another week before his service and burial, then twelve weeks to realize she’d never be able to go back to life as she knew it again.
Her first shift back in the ER had made her new reality clear. The noise, the people, the blood—suddenly she was back in Syria watching Adler die. Again.
She’d screamed herself hoarse.
About Julie Rowe:
Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the Northwest Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, "No one would believe them!" In addition to writing contemporary and historical medical romance, and fun romantic suspense for Entangled Publishing and Carina Press, Julie has a short story in The Mammoth Book of ER Romance (September 2013). Her book Saving the Rifleman (book one of the War Girls series) won the novella category of the 2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Her writing has also appeared in several magazines such as Today’s Parent, Reader’s Digest (Canada), Canadian Living, and Romantic Times Magazine.
For more information about Julie, please visit her online at HYPERLINK "http://www.julieroweauthor.com/" www.julieroweauthor.com , on Twitter @julieroweauthor, or at her Facebook page: HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor" www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor .
Timeless Escapes: A Collection of Summer Stories by Ruth A. CasieMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Timeless Escapes: A Collection of Summer Stories by- Ruth A. Casie, Lita Harris, Emma Kaye, Nicole S. Patrick and Julie Howe is a 2014 Timeless Scribes Publishing release. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The first story in this collection is : Second Chance by the Sea written by Ruth A. Casie
What would you do if your marriage was unhappy and you found out that your marriage certificate was never registered? Would you use this chance to break things off or would you just continue on as before?
Often when life takes on a mind of it's own, bonds that hold relationships together can unravel and it doesn't take long for a gap to widen into a canyon. Alan's work and business is very important to him and Eloise has gotten left behind as he works 24/7 . Does he love his business more than he loves his wife? Eloise thinks so and with the legal bind broken she thinks maybe this is the perfect time to set Alan free. The only real problem though is the couple just doesn't communicate. Alan has to learn the hard way relationships are more important that business. His heart was in the right place but he failed to explain to Eloise why he was working so hard. Thankfully, this is an easy fix and the couple will have lots to celebrate in the future! I enjoyed this story because it addressed a common problem in marriages today. Many people have lived through times like Alan and Eloise and can relate to this sort of dilemma. This one gets 4 stars
Book two:
Chasing Fire Flies by Lita Harris
A flight attendant with a fear of flying? Yes, Marnie suffers from a fear of flying and is determined to fight it. A vacation in the beautiful Virgin Islands should do the trick. Besides, Marnie has other issues to work out such as the possibility that her apartments could be turned into Condos which could force to make a decision she would rather not have to make. Then there is Nick. Nick “just wasn't feeling it” as he put it. So, Marnie is using her vacation time to relax and put things into perspective. Then she meets Captain Jack, the man who will shuttle her over to her resort. Marnie can't help but notice how different he is from Nick and how nice that is. This vacation could be more fun than she thought.. but then Nick shows up out of the blue! So, will Marnie be won over by Nick's apologies or will she find Captain Jack is the right guy for her?? Captain Jack stole the show for me! This one is a 3.5
Book three:
In her Dreams by Emma Kaye
This is wonderful fantasy/time travel romance.
An author visiting the Virgin Islands trying to get some work done find herself back in regency period times and falling in love. But, is it all just a dream? A fantasy?
Winnie encounters Jane on the beach and suddenly under a spell which sends her back in time to protect Bastian. This is nearly an epic fail as Winnie attempts to learn the rules of polite society and Bastian is her constant critic. They have to deal with Jane and Bastian's boorish father and hateful step-mother along the way. When Bastian decides it isn't safe for Winnie to stay in his time he tries to convince her it's for the best if she returned home. But, Winnie has fallen in love with Bastian.
If you like Time Travel Romance like I do, you will find this one very enjoyable. This one is gets 4 stars
Book four:
Posesidon's Strength by Nicole S. Patrick
When Ryan's good friend and brother-in-law, Sam, is killed in combat, Ryan is summoned to be with his very pregnant sister, Jenna. He also finds that Sam's younger sister Faith is also there and acting as Jenna's midwife.
For some reason Faith just doesn't like Ryan. He finally gets an answer why and he then begins to understand Faith a little more. The two of them become very close and bond over Sam and Jenna and the impending arrival of the baby. Finally, they will be able to act on the attraction that has been between them for so long.
This was the sweetest story of the group and is very touching. Faith and Ryan seem to be made for each other but Faith needs to move past her impression of Ryan's reputation of being a ladies man. It seems that maybe the couple had a little help with their romance and they know that they have Sam's blessing to begin a life together.
Emotional and feel good story! This one is a 4.5
The last story in the book is : A Pirate's Vacation by Julie Howe
Josie is starting life over without her husband, Adler who was killed in combat right in front of her. A home in the Virgin Islands that is in dire need of repair is where Julie starts putting her life back together again. When an old boyfriend shows up offering his help with the house, Josie can't find it within herself to turn him away.
Mark is also suffering from his own brand of PTSD. With his stressful job he is trained to deal with many tragic situations, but several months ago the tragedy touched Mark personally. Now , Josie and Mark are alone and helping each other learn to live the nightmares.
This story is also emotional and it's hard to imagine the horrors this couple witnessed. We can't cope with something that large without the help of good friends and family. Thankfully, Mark and Josie had someone that knew putting these two together would be a great idea.
This one is a 4.
The book as a whole:
Overall this is a wonderful collection of short stories that would be just perfect for a poolside or beach read. Captain Jack is almost a magical character and you will hear his name on several occasions. The last story was the steamiest one in the group so when you finish the book you might want to take a dip in the pool to cool down! But these stories are also great for lunch or break time. I recommend this book to contemporary romance and chick lit fans. So, I will give the collection a strong 4 star rating.
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