10 Reasons to Love June by Joan Reeves

Purple hibiscus gone wild in my back yard.

Good morning! Yesterday was my monthly blog date, but I was so busy this past weekend with Father's Day hoopla that I simply forgot.

So today is my better late than never post.

We left home at sunrise to drive to our country house. (Yes, I actually managed to get up before the crack of dawn—not an easy feat for me since I've grown accustomed to sleeping in.)

Since I was able to get myself up and out the door by 6:20, I may try to make that the norm. I could certainly get more done that way.

We left early in order to beat the thunderstorms forecast for today. The landscape of rolling hills, grassy meadows, longhorns, and ancient oaks always is a delight. As we rolled along, I thought of how June is the final gateway before we move into the furnace of summer. I love this month, and here's why.

REASONS I LOVE JUNE

1.  The summer wildflowers covering the roadsides, climbing up the hills and down into the valleys of the highways.

2. June has the longest daylight hours in this part of the world, and that means there are more waking hours to accomplish more. I seem to have llived the last few years in a constant state of "running behind" so I'm always trying to get more done.

3. June is beach weather at its best. It's gloriously warm, but not scalding hot like July. Head to the beach, camp out under the stars, be lazy in the sunshine without burning up.

4. The smell of coconut-scented sunscreen. Wow. Does that bring back memories of the days when I thought nothing of wearing a bikini on the beach. I miss those days—mostly I miss my bikini body. *LOL*

5. Making ice cream out on the porch with the hand-cranked ice cream freezer. The lazy afternoons of sitting outside and taking turns with the hand-crank ice cream freezer. That will give you defined arms!

6. Lying on a patio lounger and seeing "images" in the marshmallow-puffy clouds.

7. Sitting on the front patio here and watching the sunset—complete technicolor. No mosquitoes here in the country.

8. The Watermelon Festival in Luling, Texas. 

9. Floating the river at Seguin, Texas, where the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers converge. Beautiful, cool and peaceful.

10. Reading outdoors. There's just something so satisfying about lying on a lounger, sitting in a porch swing, or sprawling in a hammock while reading. The weather is generally mild so all you need is a comfy place outside and a good book.

POSTSCRIPT

If you're looking for a good book to read outdoors, try Deceptively Yours, a sizzling HOT romantic suspense full of surprises and second chances.

Meet Declan Moran, and be captivated by the passionate romance, the intriguing mystery, and the thrilling suspense. 

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In Case of a Rainy Day by Laura Hunsaker

 You know those gloomy days where it's rainy cold, and all you can think is, "I want to be home by my fireplace with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa?" Well, lately I've had some days like that. My state is getting some gloomy days, lately, and with California being hit again, I have a feeling I'm about to have some more. I wanted to break out my "in case of emergency" book. My, "rainy day" book, if you will.

Am I the only one who has these?

I've had a few over the years, and one thing they have in common is that they are typically by one of my favorite authors, they are usually intense and emotional, and they usually are towards the end of the series. I recall having a Karen Marie Moning Fever book, an Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels book, and even a Sarah MacLean book.

A week ago, Ilona Andrews released a new book, and I'm about halfway through it and I stopped. I don't want it to end. If I finish the book, that means it's over. The series is over, the book is over, and I won't get to live in that world anymore. Which is all so silly, since it's not like the book ceases to exist once I've finished it. Re-reads are a thing! But tell that to my brain!

I wanted nothing more last week than to sit in my favorite spot and read my book, and yet since I didn't get the chance, with you know, work, and kids, and life interfering and all, my goal today was to finish the book. But if it doesn't happen, I'm okay with that since I'm basically procrastinating my book. However, I have another rainy day book as a backup in case I tear through this one too quickly and need another amazing book I'm sure to love.

So how about you? Am I the only one who does this? Or do you have a "break glass in case of emergency" book you're saving for a rainy day. A day you can devote all your time and energy to and not have to worry about life interrupting?

If you need one, feel free to pick up Dreams of the Past, one of my shorter novellas with nothing but guaranteed happily ever afters! 

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She needs rest, he needs relaxation…

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.

What she doesn’t need is a man.

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal.

He never expected to find a woman in his bed.

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months. Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Summer Vacation Has Begun! by Laura Hunsaker

 I work in an elementary school and yesterday was our last day of school. Can I tell you how excited I am to have some down time? Oh wait, no I decided to work Summer School. I kid, I kid. It's actually really fun to work summer school where I am. That doesn't mean it isn't stressful closing out the year, cleaning classrooms out, and all that good stuff. But I did have to laugh that one of my student's parents gave me an end of the year gift...a bottle of pre-mixed margaritas.

This was hilarious and funny and seriously the best gift for your teacher friends ;)

But it really makes me want to sit on a beach and drink fruity drinks out of coconuts. So...I'm instead in my backyard with a margarita and editing a book, pretending I'm somewhere tropical. But this pretty much sums up my summer plans-beach, writing, enjoying a drink or two. How about you? It's summer vacation, do you have any vacations planned? 

And if you'd like a beach read, my book Dreams of the Past takes place in Last Chance Beach, and it's a low-angst and happy story.

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She needs rest, he needs relaxation…


Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.


What she doesn’t need is a man.


Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal.


He never expected to find a woman in his bed.


A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months.


Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…


*This short story was previously published in the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End box set. It has an updated cover, some new content, and is available at all ebook retailers instead of just through Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.

HOW IS YOUR SUMMER?

By Caroline Clemmons

If, like me, you’ve been staying inside then you’ve had extra time to read and watch television this spring and summer. I have some favorites, of course. Since I write full time, I don’t have much spare time, so when I do, I choose carefully. If I don’t like the story, I don’t finish it.

 

Movies

This past week, Hero and I bailed on two movies on television. They were billed as romantic comedies by someone who had an odd sense of what made a comedy. We don’t enjoy coarse, bathroom humor but prefer clever, subtle laughs.

A movie we watched Friday was the 1986 version of “Stagecoach” with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, John Schneider, Elizabeth Ashley, Mary Crosby, June Carter Cash, John Robert Cash, and on and on. Apparently only famous people were allowed to be in this movie, even for bit parts. I know it’s not new, but we watch what appeals to us.  

One we watched yesterday was the romantic comedy “Just Like Heaven” starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo. It is slightly newer, made in 2005. Neither Hero nor I had seen it so we enjoyed it as if it had just been released. It was a sweet movie and was both funny and touching and romantic.

A newer movie we enjoyed was “Knives Out” on Amazon. Starring Daniel Craig, Jamie Leigh Curtis, Don Johnson, and a lot of other famous actors it was an Agatha-Christie-ish story with humor, mystery, and a surprise twist. Since both Hero and I are Agatha Christie fans, of course we liked it.

 

Books

Of course I enjoy the books by the excellent writer members of this blog—but I’m not about to try to pick one or two or even three favorites. I will safely stick with other authors. Authors who write other genres than I do so I don't step on toes. I know way too many great writers to pick a few.

I enjoyed THE SECRET ORPHAN by Glynis Peters. The book is the story of two English females, Rose and Eleanor. Fortunately, Eleanor marries heroic and protective Jackson St. John, a Canadian. I absolutely loved this book for the story, the romance, the mystery, and all its twists! Obviously, I highly recommend this book! I won’t reveal the secret because you’ll want to discover it for yourself.

MEDICINE AND MIRACLES IN THE HIGH DESERT by Erika Elliott, M.D. is a tale of Dr. Elliott’s experiences teaching 4th grade at a Navajo boarding school and then serving as a doctor with the Navajo people. Hero and I have hiked over a lot of the Anasazi ruins in the desert southwest and have read all of Tony Hillerman’s books—the first of which we discovered at a Chaco Canyon (New Mexico) National Park gift shop suggested to us by a park ranger. That’s why I thought we would enjoy Dr. Elliott’s book. I did but Hero lost interest and quit reading before he got very far. I think if he’d stuck with it, he would have enjoyed it. That’s our rule, though, like it or move on to another. Dr. Elliott is supposedly working on a sequel, which I will buy.

Okay, I fudged a tiny little bit. This box set includes Joan Reeves and I so that’s kind of cheating. However, after having read the proof of this I highly recommend LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, which has short stories by 14 members of the Romance Gems blog. This includes my story, THE MAN IN GULL COTTAGE. I’ve chosen my favorite story (sadly, it’s not mine) but I’m not telling which it is. I’ll be interested to know which one is your favorite when the set is released on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. You can preorder it now at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CV3GN3R Of course, it will be in KU as well--but it will only be available for a limited time so don't delay! It's only 99 cents.

 

By the way, COCKTAILS ON LAST CHANCE BEACH is the FREE companion recipe book to Last Chance Beach: Summer's End Box Set - available right here at Amazon. What's not to love about savoring a fruity, icy cocktail in the dog days of summer? Or sipping a crisp spritzer to wake up your senses after a sleepy afternoon on the beach? Can any of us resist a tart margarita or the lure of a tequila sunrise during a beachside seafood dinner? Perhaps there are those who could resist all of the above--but not the authors of the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End collection of romantic short stories set--where else?--in Last Chance Beach. Available at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Cocktails-Last-Chance-Beach-Reeves-ebook/dp/B08DR4K3YX

There you have some of my favorite movies and books. What are yours?

 

Vacation at Last Chance Beach by @JoanReeves #SmartGirlsReadRomance

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End

I've spent the last two months enduring a Learning Experience! The end result is shown above. Yes, my friends and I who are part of the blog group, Romance Gems, have our first Romance Collection up for pre-release.

We're proud of this box set of Short Story Romances because the 14 of us in the gorup have worked tirelessly to bring this vision into reality.

This is a Limited Time Edition. You can have Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, 14 all-new, never-before-published Romance Short Stories from a group of authors inlcuding NYTimes and USA Today bestsellers—for only 99¢.


That's right! Just 99 pennies (before tax). Check it out now. I think you'll love these stories.

Here's Your Ticket to Last Chance Beach

LAST CHANCE BEACH is the island paradise where Dreams go to live again, and Wishes may come true.

It's Summer's End on the island, and the cottages, condos, hotels, and bungalows are filled to capacity.

There's plenty of time left to find summer fun and summer love, new romances and second chances, hot alpha males and heartwarming heroes, love at first sight and romantic delight, enemies to lovers and opposites attract.

Throw a log on the beach bonfire tonight and celebrate LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, a special romance collection of 14 all-new short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors.

These summer stories—created especially for this collection—will thrill the hopeful romantic in you.

Some are humorous; some are serious. All the stories will make you sigh! Some are sweet: some are sizzling!

Want to escape from our current reality? Book a vacation to LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End.

The island of legend and love, the place where soul mates find each other, love is given second chances,  and love at first sight happens all the time!

Hot August Night by Joan Reeves, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

When they met, it was hate at first sight. Now they're stuck in the same overbooked beach cottage—and horrified to discover they have the hots for each other!

Something New by Liz Flaherty, USA Today Bestselling Author

Their lives are planned out...until they're not! Are they in love or just stuck in a habit?

I Do...Again by Nancy Fraser, Top 100 Bestselling Author

At a high school reunion; old flames meet again. Can they re-ignite what they once had and take a last chance on love?

The Man in Gull Cottage by Caroline Clemmons, Top 100 Bestselling Author

She faces a hard decision; he encourages her to choose with her heart.

Will the solution drive them apart or into one another's arms?

That One Summer by Maddie James, Top 100 Bestselling Author

It's the typical annual week on the beach with the girls—until her summer fling from 20 years back shows up. He's the one who got away. She's the one who couldn't commit.

Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough, National Bestselling Author

The kids are grown; her husband has an important career, and she wonders if she still loves him, and if he loves her. Can she turn back the clock to save her marriage?

Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless, National Bestselling Author

Of all the beaches on the coast, who shows up on her beach? Him! A former competitive surfer runs into her former lover, and revisits all the reasons things didn't work out for them before.

Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards, National Bestselling Author

She wants divorce—he doesn't. What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas!

One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble, National Bestselling Author

She's hiding from the paparazzi after a scandal. He's the guy next door, an amateur photographer. Will he accept tabloid money for pictures of her? Or will he choose love over jumpstarting his career?

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills, Award Winning Author

Kat must convince her Gran to move to the mainland, but Gran—and hunky neighbor Ben—want Kat to take over the B&B and antique shop. What will it take for Kat to stay? Some of Gran’s special island magic?

Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines, Award Winning Author

She returns to Last Chance Beach to begin a new life. He's a single dad on vacation with his pre-teen daughter. He's worried his daughter may become too attached to her, but maybe he's the one whose heart is at risk.

Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker, Award Winning Author

Can dreams of the future erase her nightmares of the past?

She's looking for a fresh start, but he’s rented the same beach cottage. One bed, two people? Whatever will they do?

Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc, Popular Author

He's handsome and in town for only 2 weeks. She wants someone interested in a fling. He wants someone interested in a ring.

Can't Buy Me Love by Hannah Rowan, Popular Author

She won the big lottery, but doesn't want anyone to know.

He's a fixer-upper specialist, but things aren't always what they seem.

Love and Romance await. Book your ticket now.

Only 99¢ for a vacation from dreary reality.

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End.