Excerpt – Neurosurgeon’s Christmas to Remember

Hi All!

Halloween is still two weeks away here in the US, but my next release comes out November 1st and is part of the Royal Christmas at Seattle General holiday continuity this year! Stay tuned because we’ll have much more on this amazing four-book series over the next several weeks, but…

To whet your appetite, I thought I’d share an exclusive excerpt from my book with you today, because yeah. It’s 2020 and who can’t use a bit more holiday magic in their lives right now, eh?

(Oh, and if you’d like to pick up a copy, it’s available for pre-order at the link below.)

Enjoy…

Max and Ayanna

Excerpt:

Excerpt (Ayanna’s just finished giving Max a tour of her childhood home after Thanksgiving dinner):

“That’s basically it, I’m afraid.” They went back out to the loft and sat on the loveseat against the wall. It was cozy nook, far enough back from the railing that it couldn’t be seen from below. Ayanna toed off her shoes and tucked one stockinged foot beneath her, resting her elbow against the back cushion to face him. “There’s a deck out back, but since it’s raining now, we should probably wait on that.”

“Agreed.” He stifled a yawn. Between all the food he’d eaten and the ease of being around Ayanna and her family today, he felt sleepy. After pushing himself non-stop for the past two years since his wife’s death, it was a welcome, unexpected relief. “Thank you for the tour.”

“Thank you for coming.” She’d gone with jeans and a sweater, the same as him, though hers was a light pink color and fuzzy. He wondered if it felt as soft as it looked and damn if that didn’t set the blood singing in his veins again. Guard down and unable to resist, he reached over and took her hand, the way he’d been wanting to for what felt like forever. Her dark eyes widened and her lips parted slightly as he leaned in once more until her warm breath fanned his face. Max wasn’t sure what he was doing, only that it felt necessary, like if he didn’t kiss her right then, he’d be missing out on something precious. All the guilt, all the anger, all the darkness that had haunted him disappeared in that moment until there was only now, only them, only this kiss.

He half expected her to pull away again, but this time she didn’t. Time seemed to slow. Then his lips brushed hers and the rest of the world fell away. Her breath caught and he pulled back. A dull voice in the back of his head warned him to be careful, to slow down, this was all too much too soon. But then Max saw those soft lips of hers parted and ready and he was lost.

His mouth brushed hers again and Ayanna groaned low in her throat. Her hand slid into the hair at the nape of his neck, holding him close, pulling him tighter against her as if she felt the same rush, the same urgency. She gasped and he took advantage, sweeping his tongue inside to taste her—cinnamon from the sweet potatoes and decadent temptation—and he couldn’t get enough. It had been too long since he’d held someone close, since he’d felt their heart race alongside his, since he’d heard their tiny mewls of need, since…

The sound of a clearing throat had them springing apart fast.

Release Date: 11/1/2020
Publisher: Harlequin/Mills & Boon Medical Romance
Tropes: Opposites attract, Forced proximity, Holiday Romance
Blurb:
Christmastime with a stranger—

A lifetime together?

Neurosurgeon Maxwell is determined to atone for the one life he couldn’t save…his late wife’s. Set to perform delicate surgery on a king, Max finds himself shadowed by PR director Ayanna. They must work together to keep the king’s case a secret. But when Ayanna temporarily moves in to Max’s apartment, they face a very different type of tension—their undeniable attraction!

“Don’t miss out on this sweet,funny, passionate romance that will have you feeling all warm and cozy.” ~ Clara A., Goodreads

GET YOUR COPY HERE!

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Traci 🙂

Medicals on Sale-Get Yours Now!

by Susan Carlisle

Because this sale is such a wonderful chance for all readers to get a chance to read all their favorite medical writers I wanted to make this announcement. I, for one, will be buying up a number of books to enjoy over the holidays. Don’t miss out on this great deal!

 

Under Construction

by Susan Carlisle

A new year brings new beginnings and at my house it’s no different. I hope you read Kate Hardy‘s blog on Monday. If you did you have to be impressed by her sticking to her new year’s resolution and her personal changes. My changes, not that I don’t need personal ones too, are to my house. After putting off home repairs and needs while sending three kids through college for the past twelve years (yes, your read that correctly) the last one will graduate in May. We’ve also married off two with the last one getting married this coming June. So you can see where our financial focus has been.

Now it is time to repair and update our house. I’ve learned during thirty-two years of marriage that every seven years I need to have a bridal shower so that I can replace my worn out sheets and towels. I also found out that every ten years or so something major has to be done to my house.

Due to some previous problems our master bath was in great need of help. I spent two weeks during the Christmas holidays with my brother coming each day to do foundation work under the bath. It was nice to see my brother but I cooked lunch for him and his helpers which turned out to be work for me.

With that project finished in comes Brett and his three man crew to demolish my bath. I originally planned for Brett to re-tile the floor. I asked him a few questions and the next thing I knew I was getting an entire remodel. Excellent salesman.

His list of to-dos at my house is longer than mine. Besides the bath, he will be putting down a new floor in my office, repairing a door and the list goes on.

Brett is an extra nice fellow so I enjoy having him around. I’ve known him for years. In fact, I was his substitute teacher a number of times when he was in high school. He  hasn’t yet turned thirty. Brett was a nice kid then and has turn into a super man. I will miss him when he is gone.

When that happens I’ll have a new bathroom with a beautifully tiled shower, a new floor and repaired house but Brett will also leave behind dust. Enough that it will take me months to clean the entire house from top to bottom. While I do that, I’ll look forward to a hot shower. There will even be a bench so I can stay a long time.

This there anything under construction in your life?

Welcoming New Medical Author Lucy Rider

I would like to introduce you to Lucy Rider who has joined the Medical authors. She has agreed to share a little about herself so be sure and say hello. Welcome Lucy.

I discovered Medical Romance when:  

I was at boarding school.  I’d been punished for some offense or other—I was a bit of wild child rebel—and had been excluded from a movie outing.  One of the older girls gave me a medical romance to read to keep me busy as I was the only kid in the hostel at the time.  Do you know how creepy those places are at night?

I wrote my first story when:

As soon as I could write.  I’ve always had an active imagination and used to spend hours in my head with fantasy characters and plotting all kinds of wild improbable adventures.

Where do you live?

I live in South Africa with my two human daughters and one canine daughter.

My best trait is:

My sense of humor.  I keep my colleagues in stitches but often get into trouble from people who don’t know me because they don’t understand my humor.  It’s pretty irreverent so I can understand if I offend people occasionally. That’s okay too because some people are easily offended by anything.  My teenage daughters sometimes think I’m ‘random’ – whatever that is.

 My worst trait is:

I’m HUGELY impatient with stupidity. I can’t take it in any form—especially people on the road.  I’m pretty vocal about idiots on the road.

 Five things on your bucket list:

I want to take my daughters to see the Aurora Borealis.

Stay at home and write full time.

Meet Janet Evanovich.

Spend an entire summer on a Caribbean island.

Buy a dishwasher – don’t know where I’ll put it but I’m sick of doing dishes.

  Resisting Her Rebel Hero will be released on April 1.

God’s Summer Bounty

By Susan Carlisle

In my part of the world it’s the dog days of summer which means that the gardens are producing at full force. I don’t have a garden but myy son-in-law plants one for me. He plants, I pick. A pretty good deal for both of us. He eats very little of what he grows and I eat it all.

This is just what I harvested yesterday. Nothing is better than fresh tomatoes. A slice on a BLT, salsa, or a slice on a piece of cheese toast. My personal favorite and I have it almost every morning in the summertime. This year my son-in-law grew a German variety of tomato that is as smooth as silk when cut. They are the best tomatoes I’ve ever eaten. I’ve already requested them for next year.

The okra I cut and freeze to pull out in the cold of winter to remember the warm days.

There are few things as pretty as a bowl of peppers or as hot when eaten. I use these in fresh salsa and freeze the rest to use later.

My son-in-law also has a huge grape vine. I was late getting grapes off it this year. I won’t be next year. The vine has the sweetest grapes I’ve eaten. I made what I could into jelly. There is something satisfying about seeing the beautiful rose colored juice in jars. The jelly is not bad on a buttered biscuit either. It’s also a good gift to have on hand for unexpected guest.

Do you put up anything from the garden? Like fresh vegetables?

New York City Angels Continuity

By Susan Carlisle

Today I’m doing to do a little horn tooting and tell ya’ll about the NYC Angels Medical continuity that is out now.  I think you will want to read them all.

An eight book Harlequin Mills and Boon Medical Romance continuity

The Angel Mendez Children’s Hospital (aka NYC Angels) set in New York City

***Available in March, April, May and June 2013

Looking out over Central Park, NY Children’s Hospital is famed throughout the US for its talented staff and its welcoming, supportive environment – with everyone dedicated to making hospital visits as fun as possible, their little patients often don’t want to leave! And in the city that never sleeps these life-saving docs also find the time for some sizzling after-hours romance too…

NYC Angels Children’s doctors who work hard and love even harder…

 

 

Authors include: Carol Maninelli, Janice Lynn, Laura Iding, Wendy S. Marcus, Lynne Marshall and Alison Roberts, and me.

My own book in the continuity is out this month.

The Wallflower’s Secret

Some secrets are best shared…
Since making the ultimate emotional sacrifice for her
sister, counselor Lucy Edwards has kept her feelings
buried and her heart on lockdown. Enter neurosurgeon
Ryan O’Doherty, complete with piercing blue eyes and
roguish charm. Working with him on an emotive case
brings all of Lucy’s painful memories to the surface…
and even closer to Ryan. Lucy’s finally tempted to let
someone in—but will their fragile relationship survive
her most difficult revelation?