Books
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May 1, 2021
A Quarter Past Love
Censored Time Book I
Rainie Todd was a hot mess, the poster child for dysfunction; however, from the outside, she appeared beautiful, successful, and together. The last thing she wanted was a relationship. She’d been there and done that, and it didn’t end well. Dr. Michael Landry was a nice guy, someone to date as a friend for great dinners and the occasional cocktail party. He didn’t give off vibes that ignited her sexually, but he was a good friend–that was–until the night of his company party when he turned up the heat, revealing a side of him she’d never seen, and she lusted with intrigue. Not only did Michael light flames of desire, but he was perhaps the most sexually stimulating man she’d ever met. The icing on the cake–he was in love with her.
Their relationship hinged on the truths behind their dark secrets. Rainie opened up to Michael about her ex-husband’s wanton affairs and how it had pushed her off the rails onto a twisted path of drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, and reckless behavior. One wrong decision after the other landed her in the midst of a cartel drug operation, endangering all those she loved. Of all her secrets, the one she held closest to her heart was Rand—her deceased twin who still lived on in Rainie’s life. Michael opened his heart, embraced her past challenges, and confided his need for ultimate control and a past predilection for BDSM. Once they revealed their pasts, the doors opened for steamy interludes and a deep, forever kind of love. It was well overdue at A QUARTER PAST LOVE.
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August 10, 2021
Half Past Hate
Censored Time Book II
…Rainie and Michael’s burning love escalates to greater heights in Half Past Hate, the second sizzling romance story in the Censored Time Trilogy. It kicks off with an apprehensive Rainie stalling for the final “I do,” as her parents, his parents, and the guests wait on edge. Will she accept Michael’s love or deny herself a forever kind of happiness?
The touch of Michael’s hand to hers caresses a soft seal to her vows as she utters, “I do.” The happy couple prepares for a magical honeymoon aboard a sailing schooner in the crystal waters of the Caribbean. Rainie and Michael’s love abounds, making it impossible not to fall deeper into their fun, heartwarming, and sensually titillating love story.
But, back in New Orleans, the cartel is alive and well and has taken on the appearance of legitimacy inside the law offices of Tolbert, Thibeaux, Smith, and Todd. Tom Todd, Rainie’s ex-husband, is the newest partner in the firm. A position he acquired in exchange for his silence after stumbling upon questionable business practices involving bundles of cash. Little did he know how treacherous this misstep would be and the consequences to follow.
Where will all this lead? What kind of impact will it have on Rainie and Michael? Danger, danger everywhere! Join in the wicked tale that can only be described as HALF PAST HATE.
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November 22, 2021
A Strike Past Time
Censored Time Book III
Hot to the touch, this sexy New Orleans romance, A Strike Past Time surprises the readers with a totally unexpected twist...so, hold on!
The Cartagena cartel has a mole inside the New Orleans Police Department. Detective Rick Marse from A Quarter Past Love and Half Past Hate is investigating the disappearance of Randy Tolbert, the law partner that abducted Rainie in Half Past Hate. On a gut feeling, he suspects Rainie knows something she’s not telling about the oddity of the whole law firm debauchery and suspected embezzlement. Was it Tolbert that kidnapped her, and, if so, why?
Mateo Moreno, head of the Cartagena cartel, and Michael develop an unusual alliance adding to the suspense and intrigue. He needs Michael’s skills to consummate his business dealings. How does Michael feel about this? How does Rainie deal with it? What is the temperature between them? Hm...food for thought.
Rainie and Michael continue to bask in their sizzling passion and undying love. Their journey leads to a spellbinding twist that will blindside the reader, but it is a romance, so no question, they live happily ever after, but not until the hold-your-breath mystery gets resolved.
As the story winds down, all questions are answered, the puzzle is complete, the bad guys get their comeuppance, the adventure gets tied with the perfect bow, and the Censored Time Trilogy closes at A Strike Past Time.
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February 14, 2022
Friends Always
It is a story of two remarkable gay men and the steps it took coming out in the 1970s as teenagers facing a world of discrimination, how they survived and conquered to live a life filled with love and commitment, despite the forces trying to keep them apart. First, foremost, and above all else, they were FRIENDS ALWAYS.
On the annual family trek to visit relatives in a small town outside of New York City, young Bradley Stedman met his cousins’ new neighbor, Berit Jensen. For the houseful of girls, the new neighbor was an instant heartthrob. Bradley, age sixteen, having nothing but another vacation of sheer boredom and endless games of Scrabble with his grandmother, was allowed to cycle the neighborhood. Several doors down, he met the new neighbor. Berit was older than Bradley, but the two hit it off from the beginning.
Bradley, a lanky Southern boy, had never fit in anywhere, not in school and barely in his own neighborhood. While over six feet three inches tall, athletics was not his forte. He loved riding and showing his horse, Trumpet. He had always been an unpopular, nothing kind of kid, so he thought.
Berit was handsome with dazzling eyes and had a smile fit for a toothpaste commercial but was lonesome and missed his home in Amsterdam; it wasn’t the whole story. While easy on the eyes, Berit didn’t fit in, didn’t want to socialize, and felt betrayed by the world. Heartbroken, being pulled from his home, he couldn’t make friends and spent all his time re-building the engine of his car or hiking alone. School to home, no life.
They were two lonely boys, each with their own issues; when put together made all the sense in the world. For the first time in his life, Bradley found a real friend, not only a friend, but one who was the coolest kid on the planet, and Berit, appearing to have it all, found someone he could trust. The family vacation was only ten days, but the boys developed a relationship and bond to last a lifetime, and they were to be...FRIENDS ALWAYS.
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May 4, 2022
A Seat at the Table
A SEAT AT THE TABLE sizzles with scandal and mystery. The story immediately grabs the reader's attention, thrusting them into a catastrophic fiery downtown blaze heightened by the discovery of a body. Identification of the victim opens an array of suspects and inspires a most intriguing set of subplots. From the pounding excitement of the first chapter, the reader is dramatically swept into drama at the patriarchal funeral. Carefully the depiction of family dynamics is spun, culminating in a powerful accusatory outburst. The accusation arouses curiosity, and the sordid truth then begins its reveal. The fluidity and detailed description allow the reader to navigate the twists and turns of the investigation.
The journey delves into each character's intimate thoughts, memories, and dark secrets. This exploration allows the reader to identify with each personality's strengths and frailties, giving the characters dimension and depth. As the plot pivots and new characters are introduced, the playing field expands, and the door opens to romance and intimacy. Demented threats and another cold-blooded murder intensify the drama. The final twist comes as voodoo couples with law enforcement for the ultimate punishment. A SEAT AT THE TABLE is a whirlwind of emotion, from heartfelt sadness and bounding joy to gut-wrenching pangs of anger and the sweet taste of revenge.
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August 16, 2022
Price To Pay
Eli Rosen was a sensible man. If there were one word to describe his world, it would have been dependable—until that one night, when she fell literally into his life—nothing would ever be the same.
Half dead and beaten within inches of her life, she collapsed on the hotel loading dock just as he was calling it a night. Instinct kicked in; he ran to her rescue, and for one brief moment, she opened her eyes, locking not only to his but to his very soul, stirring the long-slumbered passion of his being. Little did he know the ride was just beginning.
New Orleans was his home; he knew it like the back of his hand, or so he thought. Eli was soon to plunge into the other side. Desiree’s New Orleans, a side he’d never seen or maybe never wanted to see.Desiree’s world wasn’t captured in the magical nuance of horse-drawn carriages, magnolias, and moonlight. Her world played more like a never-ending nightmare of deceit, greed, and betrayal, and his obsession with her would take him on a spiraling journey for a close look at the other side and the price she had to pay.
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January 4, 2023
The Presence Between
Do the walls truly hear and see all?
Ian Hurstall jumped at the chance to further his career and moved his family from Chelsea, London, to a beautiful historic mansion on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. Little did he, his wife, Laura, or their eight-year-old daughter, Devon, know there was already a resident in the home and had been for over a hundred and fifty years. Sebastian watched as the new family took up residence. They weren’t the usual ho-hum owners this time. Much to his surprise, Devon captured his heart with her sassy, precocious, and adorable ways. Finding great delight in her feisty disposition and unyielding opinions, he was drawn closer day by day into the lives of the new occupants.
Devon was exquisite with long mahogany locks, sparkling violet, and a rosy smile that turned up like a bow. Her preposterous antics and determined ideas sparked a sense of life into the eternally bound predicament of his essence. There hadn’t been a soul to gather his attention before the curious Miss Devon Hurstall. The years spun on the clock, and before he knew it, the once entertaining child had blossomed into an exceptionally beautiful young woman.
Sebastian observed as life threw slings and arrows, piercing his treasure’s heart. Compelled to soothe her sadness, he penned a letter to her, thus beginning a breach between life and death. His sweet adoration slowly developed into an unholy obsession. Upon a freak accident, Devon became aware of his essence, turning the tide of things to come and opening doors that should have remained closed, creating The Presence Between.
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July 15, 2023
The Innocence Lie
Fit the Crime Book 1
It was his responsibility to fight for those who could not fight, punish those that needed punishing, and righting the world of all the wrongs-to Captain Vicarelli, that was his mission even out of the corps. Once separated from the Marines, he took his mission to his home, New Orleans, rife with murder, rape, and crime. The corps had trained him and trained him well. He was a skillful killing machine of unusual propensity.
There was nothing average about the man; he stood six-five and was a wall of powerful, rippling muscle. Honorably discharged, with unwritten speculation of PTSD from the psych community, the Marine pursued the life of a civilian. It wasn't his fault that there was crime around every corner, but he took his mission to heart, protecting, punishing, and eliminating the threats.
Trinity was his one weakness. His entire essence craved her tight little body full of sexy energy. Her caramel-colored skin, waist-length black hair, and cat-like ebony eyes lit an unquenchable fire in his body and soul. If fate were a friend, she would be his woman one day. Night after night, he took his seat at the end of Louie's Tap mahogany bar, sipping on his two-finger pour of Glenlivet and watching as she swayed to the background music while mixing libations for the clientele.
Spring break hit the city, and with it came hoards of college students. He was there when the Ole Miss group arrived at Louie's and observed as the young men strut like peacocks trying to allure the naïve young women. He took note of Jessica Lambert; she was different than the rest of the girls. She didn't flirt or appreciate the unnecessary pawing of the boys. Vicarelli admired her refreshing innocence. Appearances were not always as they seemed, even to the well-trained observant eyes of the Marine Raider.
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August 2, 2023
The Identity Lie
Fit the Crime Book 2
He was as badass as it got, a six-foot-five machine of rippled strength, uncanny senses, and combat-readiness in the warzone or city streets-his weakness, Trinity Noelle, the sexy bartender from Louie's Tap.
A man from the past entered Louie's; Tim Faraday had saved his ass on many occasions when he scrambled through hostile conditions in Afghanistan, and now he wanted his help. Turnabout was fair play; therefore, the Marine felt an unspoken obligation to assist the helo pilot. Little did he know the Hell that one decision would make. There was little way out until an unlikely source salvaged the situation.
Maybe his awareness needed sharpening, or he'd gotten too comfortable with civilian life. Taking himself to task meant submerging into the world of his demons and nightmares, meeting face-to-face his horrifying memories.
One near miss after another roused his curiosity. Maybe his awareness needed sharpening, or he'd gotten too comfortable with civilian life. Delusions paranoia, or was someone trying to kill him? It turned into a fight for his life and a chance to return to his woman.