Inspirational thought from Kathleen -
Kathleen
believes a friend is kind to another’s dreams. Everyone struggles,
and a friend who tries to understand is priceless. When things go
well, a friend shares the joy.
Blurb,
Unholy Alliance:
The
worst happened. Her cousin is still missing. Just released from jail
for a murder she didn’t commit, thanks to attorney, Grady Fletcher.
Tori has no clues. No destination. Just fear for the cousin she
believes is held captive by an Irish mob boss, Seamus McGinn.
What
if Tori were to park a food truck in the seedy waterfront
neighborhood where the mob operates and hunt for this sadistic
killer? Grady must protect the strong woman he’s come to adore.
With emotions on a knife edge, Tori runs on instinct, on the
desperation of affection between cousins. With adrenaline pumping,
this is it. Tori identifies an island hideout, but Grady warns her to
anticipate who her cousin is now.
Excerpt
for Unholy Alliance-- takes place when her attorney, Grady, visits
Tori’s food truck, Deep
Fried to Taste,
for the first time.
She’d
walked out of the Gladstone Prison a decade before she’d walked in.
After ten years she was free. Free because of Grady. The effects of
imprisonment scarred her but also strengthened her resolve. Her heart
swelled with gratitude for freedom.
She
had a home in her food truck and proved in one day she could make
money. She had friends who worked within two blocks of the lot. Her
former cellmate embalmed at a funeral home. Down the street, Grady
appealed cases of the wrongly accused, and his detective, Maeve, not
only found evidence to support his efforts, but she also wanted to
know if her cousin was living in terror or dead and at peace. Earlier
from her office desk Maeve texted her the link for
MissingWomen25to30.com. Friends Amy and Finn were a phone call away.
Her parents disappeared on the day of her conviction and bought a
house in Carlow, Ireland. She trusted they longed for her as she did
them. She mourned the loss of her brother but worried nonstop over
Vivienne.
A
gaping hole in her heart ached to find her. When she did, she’d
take a full breath. Her search began where it left off. Seamus
McGinn, the thug who’d framed her.
What
did Viv look like now? Was she using the new last name, Valentine?
Fairy tale beautiful with waves of blonde hair and a rosebud mouth,
her flair for adventure sometimes led to trouble with wild boys.
Grady
double-arm waved at her. It was as if he were a two-dimensional
character in a dream. Handsome. As upstanding as any man could be.
Her legs gave way. The figure in the distance did that, and she
grabbed the counter. Dizzy and short of breath, she chastised herself
for holding on to the romantic notions she fantasized about a hundred
times a day. She stuck her head out the window. “I’m coming out.”
Grady
met her on the stairs and offered a hand. The closer he got, the
harder it was to concentrate on stepping down. His killer smile
showed off two sexy dimples when he said, “It’s noon.”
“Good
noon to you.” She gulped. Readying herself for conversation, she
took his hand, rose on her toes, and sniffed. “Hmmm, what is that?
Shaving lotion? Man perfume?”
He
chuckled, and a weird electric awareness went off in her chest. In
slow motion, it cracked open slowly, sent out sparkly runners to
forgotten girl parts, and pulsed there.
She
pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin. Their gazes locked.
Her hair loosened from her bandana. “Drat, I’m a chef. Hair is
supposed to stay put.” She took it off, placed the center of the
bandana on the nape of her neck and tied a knot on the top of her
head.
He
reached to help tuck the ends under. “You’re so darn cute.”
“Oooo,
that scent. Are you going to tell me what it is?”
“Eau
des Baux Eau.”
The warm, deep sound of his voice sent more sensations of want right
through her. Behind him, the sun stretched a bit higher and seemed to
shine just on him. “You like it?”
“I
sure do. Vanilla. You smell like a cookie.” Her heart thudded
harder than it should.
“Do
you like cookies?” He bent his head for a kiss.
She
kissed Mr. Good Noon with the wavy reddish-brown hair and body made
to lose sleep over. Her breath hitched, and she took a step back from
heartbreak. No reason to set sights on a man way out of her league.
The glow dimmed, and the warmth backed off. “Care to look at my
menu?” She stepped closer to the blackboard.
“Now
you’re speaking my language. I’m starving.” He raised his
eyebrows and the corners of his mouth lifted. “Pimento cheeseburger
corn dog.”
“That’s
my great food mash-up.”
“I
can see why. It blends two favorites, the cheeseburger, and the corn
dog.”
All
purchase links are below:
Meet
the author, Kathleen Rowland, and her dark and dangerous world of
romantic suspense.
Award-winning
author Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced,
high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their
hearts. Writing a romantic suspense series for Tirgearr Publishing,
Deadly
Alliance
is followed by Unholy
Alliance.
Bittersweet
Alliance
in the works. Keep an icy drink handy while reading these sizzling
romantic thrillers.
Kathleen
used to write computer programs but now writes novels. She grew up
in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her
sailboat on Lake Okoboji. Now she wears flip-flops and sails with
her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes there were lightning
bugs in California.
Kathleen
exists happily with her witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s
poolside retreat in Southern California where she adores time spent
with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one bunny, and noisy neighbors.
While proud of their five children who’ve flown the coop, she
appreciates the luxury of time to write. If you’d enjoy secrets
behind books, signup for Kathleen’s newsletter on her website:
http://www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/romanticsuspense.kathleenrowland/
Thanks for coming by, Kathleen. Your book sounds awesome.
Anita
