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Lilly Gayle Romance

Lilly Gayle Romance

Tag Archives: Donna Steele

Life at Warp Speed

27 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by lillygayle in Uncategorized

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Babies, Donna Steele, family, Laura Browning, Megan Hart, Reading, Reading Writing, romance, writing

Dear Lord, where does the time go? My last post was back in April? April? Really? What did I do all spring, summer, and half of the fall? Publish a book?

No. Sadly, I will not get a book out this year. I did, however, complete a time travel that is now sitting in the hands of an agent. So, fingers crossed there. I also started the third book in my Western Hearts Series. This book will be Brett Henderson’s story. Brett was the ranch owner readers met in Wilder Hearts.

Reading? Yes. I’ve done a bit of reading this summer and can recommend a few books. There was a political spoof I read back in April. I don’t remember the name or the author, but it held my interest, despite reminding me how much I’ve come to detest politics and the media’s reporting on everything ugly in politics.

I also read a couple of romance novels and a romantic drama. Those I remember and can recommend. So, here goes:

Small Changes by Donna Steele

Blurd:

Melanie Daniels is back home, reconnecting with friends and taking over the family business. She’s content even if there isn’t that one special person in her life. Then she sees the man of her dreams stalking toward her.

Jonah Sanders and his daughter have been on the run for nearly two years. It’s time to regroup and rest. He doesn’t know what has drawn him to this small town but he’s learned to live by his instincts. So why does the woman next door override his instincts and cause him to think of a life he can’t chance?

My thoughts:

I’ve read several Steele stories, but I think this one is my favorite. It reminds me of an early Dean Koontz novel but with more romance, and there is a child in the story with special abilities secondary to genetic manipulation instead of a golden retriever. The hero, Jonah, is strong but vulnerable, and Melanie is self reliant and brave without being over the top.

It’s a good story with strong characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like romance with a dash of paranormal in the style of Dean Koontz’s early works, you’ll enjoy this one.

Next on my summer reading list was Laura Browning’s Healing Touch-

Blurb:

A Place to Call Home…

It’s exactly what widowed father Luke Allred is looking for when he brings his son and daughter back to his hometown of Mountain Meadow, Virginia. Luke knows he needs to be a better daddy for his troubled kids, but his work as a veterinarian made it difficult in the past. He’s vowed to change, but he needs help while he settles into his new position with the local animal hospital.
Rachel Hastings is a woman with a healing touch. She takes in injured and orphaned animals, so helping out with two new-to-town children shouldn’t be tough. What she hasn’t counted on is their sexy father, her secret crush from back in their high school days.
Their attraction is immediate, but so many obstacles stand in the way. Luke and his family still grapple with the shock of the accident that killed his wife. Rachel carries baggage from her own failed marriage. Worst of all, Luke’s children hide a secret that is tearing them apart and may destroy any chance Luke and Rachel have of building a future together.

My thoughts:

This was my first book by this author, and I wasn’t disappointed. I love stories set in the south, and I love romantic suspense. This story fit the bill perfectly.There was good character development, especially with the son, Jared. He came across as obnoxious while still being likable and sympathetic at the same time.

The hero, Luke is a jerk in several places, but the motivation is believable as is his behavior…just like real men. Both Luke and the heroine, Rachel, are wonderfully flawed and quite believable, and I fell in love with them both.

Browning’s writing style is reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks, only her stories are set in the mountains of Virginia instead of coastal NC. Hers has a guaranteed happy ending though. So, I can’t wait to read the second book in this series.

Last but not least, I read my first Megan Hart Novel, All the Lies We Tell, first in the Quarry Road Series.

This sexy romantic drama from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Hart explores the tangled lives—and loves—of childhood friends.

My thoughts:

It was definitely a drama with very strong romantic elements. The sex was off the chart hot, and the characters were flawed to the point that I wanted to slap Nikolai and Alicia a couple of times over. But I still liked them both. They were sympathetic and likable with all the flaws of real people.

There were good supporting characters, and the author managed to redeem Alicia’s ex-husband toward the end so he wasn’t a total tool. There was also several hints within the book that a particular death might have been a murder. Or maybe that was just my interpretation. At any rate, I hope the lingering questions surrounding the death of Alicia’s sister are addressed in the second book.

So, what else have I been doing since April? Everything and nothing. Life has just been crazy chaotic.

My oldest daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter came up from Mississippi and joined my youngest daughter, her husband, their dad and me at the beach for a long weekend back in June. If you’ve never squeezed 7 people into a camper before, I don’t recommend it unless you’re a really close knit family. We managed not to kill one another and actually had an awesome time.

We spent time at the beach, ate out, walked on the pier, and squeezed an entire summer of fun into 4 days and 3 nights of cramped, family fun.

We spent very little time around the pool this year and didn’t make it to the beach much after that great weekend. And the times we did go, we spent repairing water damage to the camper and installing a new air conditioner.

We remodeled the kitchen, which looks fabulous, but some unforeseen circumstances led to some financial issues we weren’t expecting. In September, my oldest and her family made a second trip to NC to attend my youngest daughter’s baby shower, so that was another hectic, family-filled week.

Family was a big priority for me this year. My dad’s in failing health and made 3 trips to the hospital since April with COPD and congestive heart failure. He’s made some improvements and thank God, he’s still kicking, just not as high or as often.

There have been a lot of ups and downs this year from my dad’s health to job losses and career redirection to family weddings, and my mother-in-laws worsening dementia. For every up, there’s been a down, but the ups are still higher.

On October 19, my youngest daughter gave birth to our second grandchild–an adorable baby girl. Isn’t she just perfect?

So, as life moves ahead at warp speed and I feel as if I’m getting lost in the ups and downs of late middle age, I take some pride in the fact that I have an amazing family and some pretty good friends.

My day job may not be going in the direction I’d like, and my writing career may not be where I’d like it to be, but I’m still counting my blessings, and life is pretty amazing.

 

 

 

Another Time: A Unique Time Travel Romance From Donna Steele

24 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by lillygayle in Uncategorized

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Tags

Donna Steele, eco romance, paranormal romance, Soul Mate Publishing, time travel romance

I love time travels. Usually, either the hero or the heroine goes back in time or travels forward in time. But in Donna Steele’s Another Time, both the hero and heroine travel back in time. This allows for more interaction and less introspection so they come to the realization that time travel is real much sooner. Naturally, they have their moments of doubt, but rather than read what the character is thinking, Dee and Dusty discuss what’s happened to them and we get to see how they respond to the situation as well as how they respond to one another.

Another Time is a spicy romance with an eco message that doesn’t bash you on the head but instead, makes you reflect on how the world might have turned out differently.

What if the big oil companies had never gained footing in America? What if there’d been more exploration into solar, wind, and water power? What if we’d never invented one use products but instead, had invested time and energy into renewable resources?

Filled with humor and bits of interesting historic and scientific details, this is one of the most unique and fun time travel romances I’ve ever read. I’m looking forward to the next book in The Guardians of Now series.

Blurb:

When Dusty Williams walks into a strange bar to contemplate the ruination of his career, the last thing he expects to find is a compelling woman. He’s not even in the mood for a one-night stand. He just wants to escape from all humanity.

Dee Stevens can’t believe she’s in a bar at all. She’s just lost two patients due to drunk driving. Whatever could have drawn her into a strange bar tonight, of all times?

When the two meet, and they feel an odd vibration that seems to pull them together, they have no idea what’s ahead, or behind, them . . . and what it can mean for mankind.

Excerpt:

Her eyebrow rose but she didn’t push away his hand as his finger traced the
stitching of her jeans along her outer thigh.
“Tell me about this trip.” She glanced over at him.
“I’d rather talk about when I get back.”
“We can do that too. Tell me what kind of meeting you’re attending.”
“We have a contract with a firm in Denver for a solar farm. It’s experimental and I’ve
incorporated some new designs. They can’t seem to follow my directions. My supervisor is going along to ensure I don’t call them morons to their faces and screw up the deal.”
“Would you do that?”
“Not on purpose, but my feelings might leak out the side.”
“You don’t accept mediocrity.”
He shrugged. “I never thought about it that way. I mean, the designs are written out.
If they follow the directions . . .”
“Is the information in words of one syllable? Maybe they don’t have anyone as good
as you at their end.”
The discomfort the topic had started vanished. “Thanks. Like I told you last night,
I’m not good with people. Leave me alone to work and I do great.”
“Last night with me was on the great side.”
“You’re the exception proving the rule. Besides, no one else gives me the buzz you
do.”
She laughed out loud. “What is that, anyway? You’re right. I’ve never felt anything
like it before.”
“No clue, but I’m damn grateful. I haven’t been this non-stressed since I can
remember.”
“Don’t tell me you aren’t good with people. That didn’t even sound like a line.”
“Because it wasn’t. Intellectually I’m aware I don’t know you, yet . . .”
She nodded, her eyes on the road. “I agree.”
That’s when the world turned upside down.

Purchase Another Time on Amazon!

About the Author:

Donna Steele writes science fiction, paranormal romance novels, and small
town romance novels, often with an eco-twist.  You can visit her on her blog.

 

My Review of Donna Steele’s Contemporary Romance, Before You

09 Friday Sep 2016

Posted by lillygayle in Uncategorized

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Tags

Contemporary Romance, Donna Steele, mystery, paranormal romance

Blurb:

When Jocelyn decides to take a two-week vacation away from the chaos of the city and work, she expects to just relax and enjoy. Instead, after taking an impromptu exit off the highway the car quits and she’s stuck in some Podunk town in nowhere North Carolina. But the scenery is great – especially the guy who tows in her car.

Noah is helping his cousin out for the afternoon at the garage and is more than pleasantly surprised when the city girl shows up needing help.

Neither can foresee what drew her to that exit or what they will uncover trying to discover what has frightened her so. But they will do it, together.

“Mystery and romance collide in this fast-paced read filled with wonderful secondary characters and a touch of the paranormal. One of Steele’s best.”

I had the pleasure of reading a rough draft of this novel and fell in love with the characters and the story. The published version, which I purchased on Amazon, is even better. The characters are fully developed, and the secondary characters add depth without taking over. Although, I must confess, I’d love to see Moe get his own story.

As with any story, there is a backstory, and Steele flawlessly tells it without narration or dumping the info on the reader all at once. As the mystery unfolds, the reader learns the truth along with Noah and Jocelyn, and there’s just enough of the paranormal to cause goose bumps.

Before You is available through Amazon and most on-line retailers.

About the Author:

 

Donna Steele is an author of science fiction and paranormal romance novels and small town romance novels, often with an eco-twist.

You can get to know more about her and her wonderful stories by visiting her at Steele Stories.

 

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