Book Review (XLVIII) Gambler's Choice by Linda Nghtingale

Blurb:

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.

Then the killer begins stalking Becca. Who is the slayer haunting Hampton Hall? Is it the Baron of Hampton himself?

 

My Review

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing Gambler’s Choice. There are many things I loved about this novel that I don't even know where to start. On top of a truly well-rounded story I met some pretty clever characters.  The plot is well-developed and the characters are easy to get to know.

Becca and Austen kept me turning the pages. I found them not only likable characters, but their personalities refreshing. Outwardly, they appear as opposites in all aspects of their lives and as the story unfolds, the reader is left with the pleasant discovery of just how alike these two really are.

The author takes the reader on an intimate journey with Becca and Austen and a wonderful cast of secondary characters, Gambler’s Choice included, adding a dimension to the story while entertaining the reader.

And even though you'll be drawn in by the characters, the action will keep you going. There are many twists and turns, and new directions that this story takes. But I don’t want to give any of it up. You must experience the delight yourself by reading the book. I will add only a few quotes from the book to give you a hint about the characters:

Rebecca McQuaid from Virginia.  She was tall, slender, blonde and blue-eyed—in four words his,( Austen’s ) dream woman. Daddy was a lobbyist and Momma old Virginia aristocracy.

Becca had found that the best way to protect her heart was to play spoiled little rich girl. She was looking for a horse to fall in love with and help mend her broken heart.

Baron Austen Heath, “was as hot as a firecracker on the Fourth of July.” First, he rides like he was born on a horse. Second, he’s gorgeous and is a Baron. There are a lot of rich fillies lining up to buy that title and the neat male package that comes with it.”

The chemistry between Becca and Austen is almost palpable. The only problem is that “The man had more women than a tree had leaves” – Patti, Amy, Laura, Julia and many more.

Add to this a beautiful horse – Gambler’s Choice, a ghost, a murderer, threats on Becca’s life and you get an enthralling story.

Will Becca manage to master her fear at being threatened both by ghosts and living beings? Will  she get what she came for to England? Will Austen find out the truth about missing Julia? How can this affect his feelings for the rich American girl? I won’t tell you more to leave you discover the murderer by yourselves.

Gambler’s Choice is well written, keeps you wondering what will happen next. Fans of contemporary romance with a sprinkle of mystery, suspense and a superb horse will binge it. I highly recommend this fast-paced, page turning tale and can't wait to read more of Linda Nightingale's stories.

Guest Promo (CIX) Names, Myth, and Legends…Woven with Halloween by Mae Clair

I am delighted to welcome Mae Clair, back to the blog, today, as she reveals how she came up with the characters’ names in her latest release, the captivating Myth and Magic romantic suspense.

Names, Myth, and Legends…Woven with Halloween by Mae Clair

I’m grateful to be here today on Carmen’s wonderful blog with my most recent release, MYTH AND MAGIC, a romantic suspense novel set during Halloween, now available for just $.99.

One of the elements I enjoyed most while writing this book was the ability to play on my love of myth in a rather unique way. Regular visitors to my blog know I have a passion for most things mythical and odd, including folklore and legends.

In MYTH AND MAGIC my hero’s mother has given all of her children (four sons) names from legend:  Galen, Aren, Merlin and Caithelden.  All four boys grew up surrounded by their mother’s love of things mythical, but as adults the glamour has faded. Especially for Caith who became estranged from his family, due in part, to a tragedy that occurred when he was a young teen.

The names Galen, Aren and Merlin are (mostly) well-known names from myth, but I have had several early readers ask about Caithelden. It’s an odd name, which is exactly what I wanted for my hero. One reviewer even Googled it, stating the only reference she could find was a link back to my book.

Probably because I made it up—after experimenting with several different variations. I wanted my hero to be called Caith, but I also wanted a more formal sounding name that he would be addressed by occasionally (Caith-el-den).

But you can’t have a name from myth without a legend, right? J So I invented the “Myth of Orlen” about a raven that gathers the souls of the dead from battlefields. As Caith’s brother Merlin tells him early in the novel: “You know all about dead things, don’t you?” That slight (and yes, it is a slight) is not a reference to folklore but to a tragedy that occurred in Caith’s past.

Intrigued?

 I invite you to discover the mystery, romance, and Halloween suspense of MYTH AND MAGIC, on sale now for just $.99 cents through the month of October.

                                                        ~ooOOoo~

Blurb for Myth and Magic:

AS CHILDREN THEY PLAYED GAMES OF MYTH AND MAGIC…

Veronica Kent fell in love with Caith Breckwood when they were children. As a teenager, she was certain he was the man she was destined to marry. But a traumatic event from Caith's past led him to fear a future together. He left Veronica, hoping to save her from a terrible fate. Twelve years later, Caith, now a P.I., is hired to investigate bizarre incidents at the secluded retreat Veronica manages. Returning to his hometown, Caith is forced to face his nightmares—and his feelings for the woman he’s always loved.

THEN ONE DAY THE MONSTERS BECAME REAL.
 
After the callous way Caith broke her heart, Veronica isn’t thrilled to see him again. But strange occurrences have taken a dangerous toll on business at Stone Willow Lodge. Forced to work together, Veronica discovers it isn’t ghostly apparitions that frighten her, but her passion for a man she has never forgotten. Or forgiven. Can two people with a tarnished past unearth a magical future?

Excerpt:

Caith had forgotten how brooding the house appeared with its distinctive gothic lines. His father had it designed around his mother’s love of folklore, incorporating massive chimneys, steeply arched windows, and multiple roof peaks. A marble fountain, littered with dry leaves, dominated the center of the driveway. Caith remembered playing there as a child, the water spouting up in magical streams, glittering with the glow of multi-colored lights. His father had often joked he would have been happy with a simple cape cod, but would settle on nothing less than a storybook castle for Caith’s mother, his queen.

When they stepped from the car, Derrick abandoned him, racing to the house after Aren. Caith moved far more slowly, walking around the side, re-familiarizing himself with the grounds. Treed and landscaped, the earth unfurled in flat parcels and gentle slopes, connected by cobblestone paths and raised gardens. Statues of stone, marble, and iron made a host of fantastical sentries beneath trees and trellised walkways. No garden gnomes for his mother. Brooding gargoyles, fierce dragons, and majestic unicorns guarded the Breckwood estate.

Caith eyed the entrance to the nearest garden, still blooming with late fall flowers. A black bird, forged from iron, perched on a gothic-looking gate, its wings unfurled to the sky.

“Mom, what does my name mean?”

With a soft smile, Caith’s mother brushed the thick hair from his forehead.

“You’re the raven, Caithelden. Strong and swift, like the bird from the Myth of Orlen. It was born after a mighty battle when Prince Kenrick fought his brother Prince Orlen for the throne of their father.”

“And Prince Kenrick died.” Caith knew the legend. He’d heard it countless times.

“Yes. But Orlen wept, sobbing bitter tears that he’d slain his own flesh. No one could console him, not even his men. So a wizard was summoned, and from Orlen’s tears he conjured a raven to carry Kenrick to the next life. And that is why the raven haunts battlefields, collecting souls who pass from one world to the next.”

“Derry went inside with Aren.”

Caith jerked when Veronica appeared at his shoulder. Frazzled at being caught unaware, he nodded curtly.

She looked past him to the gate with its dark sentry. “Bird watching or reminiscing?”

His immediate retort, a defensive reaction, died on his tongue. Her expression was open, almost playful, those remarkable green eyes betraying a thread of the mischievousness he remembered from childhood. Although it was dark, he saw her face clearly, outlined in the soft glow of solar lighting. Her hair glimmered with the kiss of awakening starlight.

                                                   ~ooOOoo~

Buy Links for MYTH AND MAGIC…Just $.99 through 11/4/2015

Amazon.com

Barnesandnoble

Kobobooks

Itunes

Kensingtonbooks

Google
Allromanceebooks

Mae Clair Bio
Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back.  Her father, anartist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.
Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with mystery and romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.

You can find Mae Clair at the following haunts:

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