Yes, friends, we’re back again today! I will keep posting Spotlights so long as you guys give me books to spotlight! Spread the word, tell your friends, and check in every day to find a new great read.

Today, we welcome Linda Griffin to West of Mars! (cue the fanfare. I like fanfares.)

Her latest book is titled Guilty Knowledge, and it’s been out barely two weeks now, so that means you can possibly be among the first to discover this gem!

Ready to learn about it? I sure am; that cover caught my eye with the purples in it. (I like purple.)

Linda, what song makes you think of your book?

“She is Still a Mystery” by Lovin’ Spoonful. Sariah is an enigma to Jesse, even as he’s more and more attracted to her. She has secrets and is in no hurry to reveal them. She knows a crucial detail about a brutal murder, one that was never released to the public, but how does she know? Is she really psychic? Is there a leak in the department? Or does she have guilty knowledge of the crime? And why won’t she let him into her apartment?

(I like the Lovin’ Spoonful. C’mon. You do, too.)

Also, I LIKE these questions! These are the sorts of questions that make me pick up a book? You?

Well, before we do, let’s learn more about it!

She’s a witness. She may be lying. And he’s falling in love with her.

Detectives Jesse Aaron and Camille Farris have no leads in the murder of Rosa Logan when pretty blonde Sariah Brennan claims to have seen the killer—in a vision. Unfortunately the man she identifies is dead—or is he?

Sariah is an unsophisticated small town girl, but her background and her motives are mysterious. Jesse is increasingly convinced that she has guilty knowledge of the crime, even as he finds himself more and more attracted to her. Can he and Camille unravel the web of secrets before the killer strikes again?

This feels like a series! If it is, it’s the first, so be sure to check it out and, if you like it, leave a review. That’s a good way for authors to know if they should continue investing time and energy into this set of characters.

Get your copy here:
Amazon
B&N
Indiebound
Kobo
Scribd

And, of course, you can call your local indie bookstore and ask them to order and ship it to you. I’ve always been a fan of indie stores, now more than ever.

Connect with Linda Griffin as you practice real-life social distancing!
Website
Facebook
Twitter
GoodReads

And remember: if you’re an author and would like to see your book featured, here’s the handy dandy link to the form.

Let’s all welcome both Haley Whitehall AND the Featured New Book Spotlight back from hiatus! I’ve been busy editing over here at West of Mars, so hitting up people for submissions has fallen by the wayside. Thanks to whoever posted about the spotlight on Facebook; I’ve got a bunch of new books to share with you in the coming weeks (and hopefully months).

I’d like to thank Susan for having me on her blog again. I recently received the rights back to my first historical romance Midnight Caller, lengthened, re-edited, and re-released it. No matter how many romances I write in my career, I will always have a soft spot for Midnight Caller. I liked it before, but now I love it. I enjoyed improving a good story.

Midnight Caller is set in Kentucky right after the Civil War. Racial tension runs high, and a white woman loving an African-American man can be very dangerous. Emma never thought spending one night with Frederick would be all it took for him to claim a piece of her heart. She wanted a little freedom, wanted to experience passion after her loveless marriage. Frederick is the complete opposite of her late husband: muscular, caring, gentle, and midnight black. He works as a roustabout on the steamer the Comet by day and at night he moonlights by keeping widows company.

They both feel the pull to each other and try to ignore it…but the heart wants what the heart wants. I thought the song Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man from my favorite musical Showboat captured their forbidden love perfectly. The musical is set not long before my novella, and I’m sure the character Julie knows what my heroine Emma is going through. 🙂

I love hearing about authors who get their rights back and work to strengthen a book, even when it was good to begin with. You go, Haley!!

Ready for the book’s description? Do you even need it after that run-up and song choice?

Life without love is painful, but in the Reconstruction Era South forbidden fruit can be deadly. A fiery romance between a widow and an African American man has more consequences than either of them imagined.

Slavery has ended, but racial prejudice remains in Kentucky. Emma Bennett guards a secret that could destroy her life. Until now she never considered the price of her security. Becoming a well-respected member in Louisville had seemed a dream come true, but at what cost?

Her husband’s death from a carriage accident releases Emma from her loveless, controlling marriage. Now she has a chance to find happiness and raise a family. But before she begins courting again she wants to experience her freedom. At the advice of the leading socialite in town, she takes a black lover to fulfill her sexual needs. His raw masculine power awakens feelings she didn’t know existed. After the first touch, she craves more.

Frederick works as a roustabout by day and moonlights as a prostitute. He knows better than to fall in love with his white client, but Emma enchants him the first time he calls on her. To keep them both safe, he works hard to put up barriers. Unfortunately, he can’t protect Emma from the slimy Mr. Hawthorne, who wants her as his bride. Frederick vows to keep her safe even if his forbidden love costs him his life.

 

Buy Links:

Universal Amazon Link | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords | All Romance Ebooks

 

Social Media Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Fan Page | Twitter | Amazon Page | Pinterest

 

And remember: if you read it and like it, the author would LOVE a review! Even a few words at a site like Goodreads will help keep Haley in the business of writing books and creating new worlds for us all to explore.