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Uncaged Feature Author – Jennifer Ivy Walker

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes Jennifer Ivy Walker

Welcome back to Uncaged! The latest book you’ve released is The Witch of Breton Woods. Can you tell readers more about this book? What was the inspiration for this book?

The Witch of the Breton Woods is the story of a reclusive young healer, traumatized by the horrors of the Nazi invasion of France, who becomes a member of the French Resistance in Brittany. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper, she heals him in her secluded cottage, hiding him from the Gestapo and la Milice—the paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Nazis. The inspiration for the book was the study of the French Resistance in Brittany during World War II. I wanted to write a story about a courageous heroine who risks everything to save the ones she loves.

You are also releasing Dragon of Denmark in October. Is this book going to be part of a series, or is it a standalone? Can you tell us more about this book?

Dragon of Denmark is the first novel in the Valiant Vikings trilogy set in 10th century Normandy. It’s a blend of historical fiction–including the real-life characters of Richard the Fearless, the Viking Duke of Normandy, and Harald Bluetooth, the Viking King of Denmark and Norway—blended with Norse mythology, paranormal fantasy, and steamy Viking romance! Book 2, Wolf of the Nordic Seas, and book 3 (the conclusion of the trilogy), Falcon of the Faroe Islands, will be published soon.

How do you use social media as an author?

I have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest. I post information about new releases, book trailers, and reviews on social media. I also post images of my sewing creations, my family, and my golden retriever, Ziggy.

Read the rest of the interview in the issue below

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales, and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

Many trips to France—including summers spent abroad as an undergraduate and graduate student, followed by language and cultural programs designed for French teachers—provided the inspiration for her award-winning novels. For example, Dragon of Denmark, the first novel in the Valiant Vikings series set in tenth century Normandy, was inspired by the summer she spent in that northwestern region of France.

Walker’s upcoming release, “A Celtic Yuletide Carol”, is a steamy medieval romance between a broken, battered royal knight and a solitary, mute healer and huntress who prefers the company of her wolf and falcon to humans. Both protagonists are shattered souls who slowly find solace in each other.

Readers who enjoyed Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle and The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy—a fated mates paranormal fantasy adaptation of the medieval legend of Tristan et Yseult, interwoven with Arthurian myth, Avalon, Elves, Druids, forest fairies, and dark magic—will recognize several of the main characters in this new novel as well.

Explore Walker’s realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you. jenniferivywalker.com

Enjoy an excerpt from A Celtic Yuletide Carol

A Celtic Yuletide Carol
Jennifer Ivy Walker
Medieval Romance

Once a royal Breton knight, Sir Cardin is now infamously known as Basati, the Basque Wolf. Savage and sullen, he drowns his guilt in raucous taverns, accruing enormous debt and acquiring vengeful enemies.

Ulla, widowed daughter of a Viking chieftain, is a skilled archer who lives as a recluse in a secluded woodland cottage. Rendered mute by trauma, she avoids humans, preferring the company of her wild wolf and falcon as she hunts in the Forest of Brocéliande.

When his mother’s dying wish calls Basati home, he finally meets the son he abandoned at birth and Ulla, the enigmatic priestess who is teaching the boy to hunt. As the holidays approach, Basati finds himself smitten with the beguiling beauty as he bonds with his once forsaken child.
But past enemies plot against him, and Basati is ensnared in darkness. Can music lure the savage wolf into the light of love?

Excerpt

Chapter 1
Le Château de Montmarin

The clamorous din from inside the bawdy tavern shredded the calm of the salty night air as Gaultier went into the Drunken Crow to drag his brother home. As usual, Cardin was passed out on a table in the back of the inn, a mug of ale next to his bloodied fist.

Amongst the strands of long brown hair stuck to the side of Cardin’s unconscious head, Gaultier noted the swollen eye, bruises, and dried blood smeared across the bearded face. With a broken table, chair, and shattered glass all over the nearby floor, it appeared that, once again, Cardin had been in a boisterous brawl.

Which meant that Gaultier would have to pay for the damages.

And pick up the pieces of his battered, broken brother.

As he stood at the entrance of the tavern quickly assessing the situation, female servers with platters of savory seafood and pitchers of ale scurried about, weaving through tables where sailors, knights, and fishermen celebrated in raucous revelry. Floating notes of flutes, lutes, and lyres accompanied a troubadour’s melodic voice near a crackling fire in the enormous stone hearth along a wooden side wall. The innkeeper—a stout, balding man with a soiled white apron and a scowl upon his florid face—indicated with an impatient jut of his chin the destruction that Cardin had caused.

For which the disgruntled owner expected prompt, generous compensation.

Gaultier strode over to the mahogany bar, handed the portly man a bag of silver, and headed toward the rear of the tavern to rouse his inebriated sibling.

He shook Cardin’s shoulder and grabbed hold of his arm, peeling his plastered torso from the wooden tabletop. “C’mon, let’s go home. Get you in bed to sleep it off.”

Grumbling incoherently, Cardin staggered to unsteady feet, wavy locks adhered by drool, blood, and vomit to the side of his bristled, crumpled cheek. Supported by Gaultier’s steadfast grip, he leaned against his older, taller brother’s sturdy shoulder, stumbled across the floor, and practically fell out the exit door.


“I’m sick of dragging you out of every tavern in town. I’d rather be at the Sultry Siren, bedding a beautiful wench. Like Dolssa, who’s probably waiting for me right now. By the Goddess, Cardin, you have to stop this insanity. Or your gambling, drinking, and bloody temper will get you killed!”

Moonlight reflected off the turbulent ocean as Gaultier half dragged, half carried his younger brother along the narrow cobblestone street from the center of the town of Biarritz, up the steep incline to the stone fortress of le Château de Montmarin, perched atop the peninsular promontory overlooking the savage sea.

He missed la Bretagne—Brittany—and the northern coast of France. The Celtic traditions of his Breton heritage. The craggy cliffs and delicious crêpes. The family and friends he’d left behind.

For the past six years, he and Cardin—along with a regiment of four dozen royal knights from le Château de Beaufort in the northern Breton kingdom of Finistère— had defended the Atlantic coast of Aquitaine for King Philippe le Bel of France.

Sent by their own King Guillemin, a vassal of the French King Philippe, the Breton knights simultaneously squelched uprisings by English rebels anxious to claim the coveted duchy, while maintaining political alliances with the Spanish regions of Navarra and Aragón.

Far from their beloved Celtic home.

Read the rest of the excerpt in the issue below

Uncaged Feature Author – J.L. Delavega

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes J.L. Delavega

Welcome to Uncaged! You have 2 books in The Revere Trilogy released, Smoke and Other Storms and Ash Like Vengeance. Can you tell us more about this series? When will the third book release?

The Revere Trilogy started with one small question: what motivates the antagonist in treasure hunt books and movies other than greed?

And one simple idea: a family who lives on a train.

I also longed for a book with a positive representation of introversion where it’s treated as a character trait, not an obstacle to be overcome.

The series follows the Reveres, a multi-generational family of women outlaws on a quest to save their sister’s eyesight and subvert the patriarchy that keeps them from having a home.

Adelaide is host to a shadow entity known as the Stranger that allows her to remember everything, her grandmother Moira has clairvoyant dreams. Moira’s daughter, Tesla, is the mastermind of the family and train engineer.

These ladies are swindling, bloodthirsty con-artists who will do anything to protect each other. Everyone else is fair game. The Rim is feral and sabotage is a lifestyle.

The third book, Solace By Fire, will release May 13, 2025. So mark your calendars, it’s going to be a bloody last ride.

What inspired you to write stories in the western/gothic/fantasy world? This is not a genre you come across very often.

I love the Wild West. It’s my favorite historical era, favorite vibe, favorite fashion, but I’ve always been dissatisfied by the lack of women represented in the genre. It’s always focused on men. Women are usually just the love interest, the sex worker in the saloon, the damsel or the shriveling violet wife. If a woman is given some agency in a western, she’s always getting revenge for her dead husband or father (one again, male focus) and ALWAYS teams up with the sharp shooting man to get her vengeance. I decided to change that.

And of course, I needed to make things a little weird, just for fun, so I added the fantasy elements.

How do you use social media as an author?

Instagram is my main platform (@ninjenaiyauthor). I use it to share what I’m reading, give book updates and show off my cats. They’re very cute.
I’ve tried the others but IG is the one I like best so I’ve decided to focus on that and not feel pressure to be everywhere.

Read the rest of the interview in the issue below

Her bones belong to the desert and mountains, but her soul belongs to cats. When not writing she makes other stuff and believes Victorian era fashion should absolutely make a comeback, as long as sweatpants still exist.

Her work has been recognized for its unique blend of southwestern gothic meets dark fantasy and received the Reader’s Favorite silver medal for western fiction (2024).

She could say she makes all her own clothes but that would be a lie. JLDelavega.com

Enjoy an excerpt from Smoke and other Storms

Smoke and Other Storms
J.L. Delavega
Historical Fantasy

Welcome to the Rim. Come seek your fortune in a paradise of endless sun. Land is cheap and the possibilities endless, where the edge of the map meets the end.

The mining campaigns always forget a few details. Moon Season makes storms volatile. You’re more likely to be killed by your neighbor than strike a crystal vein, and there’s only one name you should bother knowing around here: Revere.

Moira and her granddaughter Adelaide are professionals. Smugglers, thieves, and arms dealers, the Revere women have lifted their family business from the dust, and with their train they’ve become the most notorious gang in the territory.

After an accident damages her sister’s eyes, Adelaide finds an opportunity that will not only pay for a sight-saving operation but pull the family from the shadows of the back market for good. Accompanied by her sisters, Adelaide guides a survey crew into the uncharted West Rim –a poisonous desert concealing untapped riches– with the full intent to claim the fortune for themselves.

But when Moira learns a bounty has been placed on the family, she discovers a deeper plan already in motion that will change the Rim forever.

Excerpt

–Arrival–

My name is Adelaide. I am twenty-one years old, eyes like bastard gray quartz. Where I come from doesn’t matter, but to anyone that asks, they call me the Stranger, and there’s only one name you should bother knowing around here. Ours. Revere.
Welcome to the Rim.

Adelaide

I was born with two shadows. One is thrown by the sun. The other is the Stranger.

The dried brush hugs the abandoned walls as I leave the rough grass and walk toward the fort, a thing of dust and focus. It looks dead, but there is a difference between things that are dead and those that only appear that way.

Twenty-nine—the number of steps I take before the fort shadow hits me. The Stranger counts them for me.
Few people can see her. But she’s always with me. Watching my back, counting my steps. It’s not enough to notice details if you can’t remember them later. The Stranger remembers everything. She is a second pulse, sensing danger, sharp edges that frighten others. The one thing my mother managed to give me.

My shoulder to the bleached wall, I listen deeper. Around me, the Rim hisses behind a slow-moving wind. Behind the fort’s chipped stone is silence. I drag my scarf off my face and whistle to my sister Leagan waiting downslope with the wagon.

We are alone, the Stranger confirms.

Rock cracks as the horses get moving.

I slip my hand through the gap to lift the plank from the inside slot, walking the gate open as the wagon rolls inside.

Leagan hops from the high seat, landing with a fresh cloud of dust. Her face is muffled with a blue scarf and goggles. The right eye is a red sniper’s lens with distance dials, the left all-purpose amber to dull the sun.
I drop the plank back into its slot and shake the gate. There will be no surprises from behind.

The smuggler’s cache is in the jail room.

“Eighty-six crates of Exodus brand ammunition…” Leagan tugs at one of her buns and stabs another pin through it. “And we get to carry all of them. Thanks a fart-load to our favorite arms dealer, Raleigh.”

Leagan’s hair is fire red, twisted on top of her head like two cinnamon buns, lipstick always black. The colors of her two moods. “You’re my favorite arms dealer,” I say.

She blushes.

The familiar tic rises in my chest with each step. It doubles when my gaze makes a pass over the other five doors facing the courtyard. The Stranger again.

I’ve picked through all those rooms before, but the Stranger won’t let me leave here without doing it again. It’s always been this way.

After we get the ammo dug up and loaded.

Read the rest of the excerpt below:

Uncaged Feature Author – Jade Lee

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes Jade Lee

Welcome to Uncaged! You recently released the second book in a series called Temptress, part of the Forbidden Pleasures series. Can you tell readers more about this book and series?

Come to the Forbidden City! Join the competition to become the next Empress of China!

That was the call in 1851 to all eligible virgins in China. Girls endured tests of purity that included physical inspections and a cultural talent display. If they passed, they met the young emperor who picked one to be his wife. Four more became favored concubines. And several were selected as lower concubines. The winners would never leave the Forbidden City again. The losers left in disgrace.

VIXEN features a young woman who has been reared to be the next empress. But in the days before the selection begins, she realizes that purity and virtue won’t attract a man. If she wants to catch the emperor’s eye, then she must learn the ways of seduction. And who better to teach her than the handsome scholar next door?

What begins as a scandalous diversion quickly escalates to deadly risks. They will both be killed if they are caught, and yet they find purpose, hope, and love with every glorious caress. Will she give up being the Empress of China for love? Is he worthy of such a sacrifice? Spoiler alert: YES!

TEMPTRESS follows a woman who enters the competition. She hasn’t the wealth of the others to bribe the eunuchs, but she has been trained in statecraft and is smarter than her competitors. She is also vulnerable to the one man who can destroy her. He is the Emperor’s best friend and Master of Ceremonies. (Spoiler alert: he is also completely fabricated. There were no other “whole” men in the Forbidden City, but I needed a hero who was not a eunuch.)

The Master knows she is the best woman to become empress, but he wants her for himself. Will he risk both their lives on his feelings? Will she choose him over becoming empress? And what happens when they are inevitably caught? (Spoiler alert: Yes, they take the risk. And yes, they do get caught. Oops!)

You’ve also written in The Lyon’s Den connected world, which is a very fun world to read. Are you planning on writing anything more in that world?

I launched the series with INTO THE LYON’S DEN, then did another book LYON HEARTED later on. I loved, loved, loved writing those books, especially the second one with the “abacas woman” as heroine. So yes, I do hope to write in the Lyon’s den again. I’m just so caught up with the Forbidden Pleasures books, that I missed the sign up date. Oops! But I hope to get in another book soon.

How do you use social media as an author?

Not as well as I’d like! I’m active on Facebook, have a Jade’s Jewels group there plus author pages. That’s where I put most of my information and random pictures of my cat, plus the jigsaw puzzles I do. Feel free to find me there! But also, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll be sure to catch all the good news that way. I also share pretty pictures of my books and inspirations for my stories on Instagram, if you want to join me there.

Read the rest of the interview in the issue below.

A USA Today bestseller, Jade lee has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords were her first loves which naturally led her to the world of regency romance. She is is a big fan of The Bridgertons, Big Bang Theory (even though it’s over), and her favorite movie is The Avengers because she loves the MCU.

Jade Lee has a gift for creating a lively world, witty dialogue, and hot, sexy humor. Winner of several industry awards, Jade has published 70 romance novels and says she’s just getting started. Her nest series Daring Debutantes launches in 2025, but don’t miss her exotic China series Forbidden Pleasures starting with Vixen. JadeLeeAuthor.com

Enjoy an excerpt from the book Temptress

Temptress
Jade Lee
Historical Romance

COMPETITION TO BECOME EMPRESS

The time has come for Emperor Xian Feng to choose a wife. All noble virgins must come to the Forbidden City to compete, hoping to become Empress. They will endure three trials of purity before they meet their emperor. And they must find favor from the dowager empress, her greedy eunuchs, and most dangerous of all…the Master of the Festivity. Sun Bo Tao.

THE FOX IN CHARGE OF THE HEN HOUSE

Sun Bo Tao is the emperor’s best friend and the only other male in the Forbidden City who is not a eunuch. He has no time for virgin games. Not with a rebellion in the north, a Dutch envoy seeking trade status, and opium choking the country. But the emperor cannot trust the greedy eunuchs to help select his bride, and so Bo Tao must weed out those who are weak, spoiled, or stupid. He never expected to find a brilliant mind in the delectable body of a virgin.

THE VIRGIN DETERMINED TO WIN

Chen Ji Yue is prepared to be a political wife. She knows how to appear chaste, bribe where appropriate, and navigate the bitter rivalries inside the Forbidden City. But she never learned how to resist the temptations of the emperor’s best man. Sun Bo Tao holds her future in his hands. He also touches her body with reverence and kisses with passion. How can he stir such desire in her when she knows her purpose?

But in a competition to become Empress, love is the greatest weapon of all.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Chen Ji Yue struggled to breathe. Excitement pounded in her blood, she was already dizzy with the noise, and yet she still could not draw a full breath. How blessed she was to be of the right age for a Feast of Fertility! Only a few hundred girls every few decades had such an opportunity! To catch the eye of the Emperor was every girl’s dream. But first, she had to escape all these wailing women!
She stood in all her finery outside their Peking home, ready to climb into the palanquin that would take her to the Forbidden City. If everything went well, she would be chosen and never see her family again, but she would have the consolation of knowing that the Emperor would gift her family great riches in thanks.

For some perverse reason, Mama thought that the bigger display of grief here, the better Ji Yue’s odds inside the palace. So she had hired mourners, wailing women to fill the street this early morning, but all it did was give Ji Yue a headache.

“Mama,” she murmured from behind the clattering ivory beads. “Let me go. I cannot be late.”

“Not yet, little heart. Show respect to your father.”

She’d already bowed to her father several times. “Mama, believe in me. I can do it.”

Mama didn’t hear her. She was busy wailing again. And worse, she would not let go of Ji Yue’s hands.

“Mama…” Ji Yue began, but then her mother pulled her close.

“You won’t win the Emperor on beauty, Ji Yue. You must be smart. You must see what others don’t and capitalize on it.”

“I know. You’ve told me…” Ji Yue let her voice trail away. This close, she could see real tears in her mother’s eyes, and her heart lurched with pain. What would it be like to not see her mother’s face every morning? Who would help her father with his poetry or tutor her brothers? Mama, most likely, but Mama already had plenty to do squeezing every penny so they had enough to eat.

“That playboy Sun Bo Tao was named Master of the Feast,” her mother continued. “This is very bad and very dangerous. He is a hanger-on because of his friendship with the Emperor. No title, no education, nothing but trouble. Avoid him, Ji Yue. Avoid him at all costs!”

“I know, Mama. I will stay away from him. I promise!”

Read the rest of the excerpt in the issue below

Uncaged Feature Author – Meara Platt

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes Meara Platt

Welcome back to Uncaged! You have the start of a new series releasing in October called The Silver Dukes and the first book is Cherish and the Duke. Can you tell us more about this book and the series?

It is a pleasure to be back here with you, and thank you for all the wonderful work you do to support authors and their stories. Oh, yum, those Silver Dukes! This series features handsome, older heroes (in their forties) with a dash of silver in their hair who are determined never to marry (or remarry), and heroines who are in their mid to late twenties and considered spinsters. As with most of my stories, these contain humor and are designed to leave the reader with a smile on their face and a good feeling throughout the day. In Cherish and the Duke, our Silver Duke Gawain, Duke of Bromleigh, has decided it is time for his nephew and heir to marry, so he sets out to find the right young lady for this wayward young man. While at a country house party, he meets the lovely Cherish Northam, daughter of the late Earl of Northam and decides she is perfect – brains, beauty, wit, and charm. But Cherish is shy and knows little about flirting with men, so Gawain undertakes to teach her in the hope she will catch his nephew’s eye. Can you guess the problem? Right! Gawain is horrified to realize he is falling in love with Cherish himself. This story will have you laughing as Gawain’s family (nephew included) conspire to match him with Cherish.

You have a few other series running, The Farthingale Series, The Moonstone Landing series and The Book of Love Series. Are you still writing in these series also?

Most definitely, yes! I get so involved with these families and each hero/heroine that it is very hard for me to ever let them go. My latest releases in the Farthingale Series are Marigold and the Marquess, and The Make-Believe Marriage. In 2025 I will have A Slight Problem With The Wedding, the next Farthingale release. I have written the Farthingales into the Book of Love series as well. They are such a fun, crazy family with lively heroines all bearing the names of flowers and a propensity to get into a heap of trouble. Those poor heroes don’t stand a chance once they walk down Chipping Way and encounter one of John and Sophie Farthingale’s daughters or nieces (and every female within six degrees of blood affiliation is considered a niece). In 2025 I hope to write another Book of Love story (#16 full length book in that series) and another Moonstone Landing story (#7 full length book in that series) because this Moonstone Landing series is such a glorious mix of heartwarming and fun (because even misery is written with a light touch) – wounded heroes who come to this picturesque seacoast village in Cornwall for the purpose of healing and along the way find true love. I hope everyone is enjoying The Moonstone Pirate, a charming, humorous story filled with adventure and an adorable dog named Parrot. I also hope to write another “romantasy” in my Dark Gardens series because these Dragon Lord bad guys (some of whom are 3-flames hot) lost their High King in the last book (Garden of Angels) and now have a vacant throne to be filled.

How do you use social media as an author?

Oh, ha, ha. I would say I use social media fairly poorly. I pretty much stick to Facebook where I have my author page and belong to several wonderful historical and Regency specific groups, along with other groups about England/Scotland history that I just enjoy. I am on Instagram but hardly ever post. Would love to try TikTok but haven’t had the time, although I know I should make time for it. I think the historical romance community on Facebook is filled with very nice, kind readers, and this is where I am most comfortable. I try to stay away from negative groups or posts because I am very much opposed to anyone putting others down for any reason.

Read the rest of this interview in the issue below.

Meara Platt is an award winning, USA TODAY bestselling author and an Amazon UK All-Star. Her favorite place in all the world is England, which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set amid the idyllic seacoast landscape of Cornwall, where moonbeams kiss the sea in her Moonstone Landing series, and the majestic crags and dales of the Lake District where her dragon shifter dukes prowl within those misty dales in the Regency “romantasy” Dark Gardens series. Learn more about Meara’s lighthearted and humorous Regency romances in her Farthingale series and Book of Love series, or her warmhearted Regency romances in her Moonstone Landing series, and her Dragon Lords in the Dark Gardens series by visiting her website at www.mearaplatt.com.

Enjoy an excerpt from Cherish and the Duke

Cherish and the Duke
Meara Platt
Historical Romance

Sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry in the best way.

Gawain Burton, the Duke of Bromleigh, is a Silver Duke, and everyone in the ton knows these exceptionally handsome forty-something men with some gray salted in their hair have no intention of ever marrying. However, carrying on the Bromleigh title is important, and Gawain is determined to find a proper wife for his nephew and heir. To that end, he attends a house party at the country estate of his cousin, Lady Shoreham, who claims to have found his nephew the perfect wife. Gawain heartily agrees with her choice, for Lady Cherish Northam is intelligent, soft-spoken, has a lovely sense of humor, and is beautiful. Her hair is the color of molten honey and her eyes are a dark brandy brown. The only problem is that she is shy, and Gawain must help her overcome that shyness and put herself forward so that his nephew notices her. Gawain certainly has noticed her…and, dear heaven, she seems to be noticing him. Will his heart allow him to give up Cherish?

Lady Cherish Northam’s life has taken a turn for the worse after the death of her parents. She finds herself reduced to little more than a servant in what was once her own household. Her uncle, the new Earl of Northam, is a toad who means to keep her on as unpaid help. So when her friend and neighbor, Lady Shoreham, invites her to her house party, Cherish leaps at the chance. She needs to marry to claim the trust fund inheritance her father left in the control of her uncle, but what seems a simple decision becomes quite complicated when she falls in love with Gawain. He is a Silver Duke and everyone knows these gorgeous-as-sin dukes do not marry. Can she harden her heart and marry his nephew? She doesn’t think so. But what choice does she have? Unless… Can she possibly win Gawain’s heart?

Cherish and the Duke is a lighthearted Regency historical romance, the first in the Silver Duke series. Enjoy the read as these heroes who seem to have it all find the one thing that has eluded them throughout their lives…love.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Shoreham Manor
Brighton, England
August 1817

Dear heaven, he is gorgeous.
Lady Cherish Northam stared at Gawain, Duke of Bromleigh, who had just arrived at Shoreham Manor, the Brighton estate of her dearest friend and neighbor, Lady Shoreham. He strode into the parlor with his two friends, also dukes, and all three of them graying at the temples. These men were known throughout the ton as the Silver Dukes, and Cherish now understood what all the fuss surrounding them was about. They weren’t so much silver as silverish, for there were only hints of gray shot through their hair and none of them looked at all feeble.

A buzz of excitement filled the air as others noticed them.

They had arrived fashionably late to Lady Shoreham’s week-long house party, striding into the room with all the arrogance of warriors just returned from battle. Lady Shoreham, who stood beside Cherish, now frowned. “So typical of those beasts to purposely make a grand entrance. Now all the ladies are going to fuss and flutter over them because they are dukes and too handsome to ignore.”

“Is that so terrible, Fiona?” Cherish asked. “Was this not the point of your house party, to match unmarried young ladies to eligible gentlemen?”

“Yes, but these three are confirmed bachelors, and it will take more than a week to wear them down.” She tapped a finger to her lips as she stared at them. “But wouldn’t it be fun if we managed it?”

“We? Oh, no.” Cherish’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Fiona, do not get any silly ideas into your head, especially about me.”

“You are my dearest friend,” Fiona said with a little sniff. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Cherish trusted Fiona. In fact, she adored her. But she could also tell that her friend was plotting something.

Dear heaven.

She hoped Fiona was not thinking to match her to one of those ton gods.

“Oh, drat,” Fiona said with a huff. “The ladies are already fluttering around them. What a nuisance. And just look at how those rascals are eating up the attention. They will ruin my party because no lady will pay attention to the other gentlemen while busy swooning over those old dogs. What gall, showing up late. They did this on purpose to rile me, I’m sure. I ought to toss them out on their vaunted backsides.”

Cherish laughed. “Why did you invite them if they were only going to rile you? And especially if they are not of a mind to marry.”

“I had to. Bromleigh is a cousin of mine, and we are on a mission.”
Cherish wanted to ask what sort of mission, but they were interrupted as the three dukes now marched toward them with smiles on their faces. She meant to ease away, but Fiona grabbed her hand. “Stay right here, Cherish. I have need of you.”

“What for? Surely you do not need me to—”

“Gawain!” Fiona cried with abundant cheer, giving her cousin, the stunning, dark-haired one with a hint of silver at his temples and striking green eyes, a kiss on the cheek as he reached their side.
“Sorry we’re late, Fiona.” He bussed her cheek in return. “Camborne’s horse threw a shoe and it took us forever to find a farrier to repair it.”

“I suppose there were serving maids to comfort you while you waited at the nearest tavern,” Fiona muttered. “You had better be on your best behavior here, or I will never forgive you.”

The other two dukes now joined them in time to hear her grumbling.

Read the rest of this excerpt in the issue below

Uncaged Feature Author – C.S. Kjar

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes C.S. Kjar

Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book is Walkers on the Run: Oldsters Love Adventure. Can you tell us more about this book?

Walkers on the Run follows Leona Walker who is determined to uncover who broke into her home in Red Creek, South Dakota, and stole her most cherished belongings. With the help of her older sister Betty and their walker-toting neighbor Clarence, Leona sets off on a mission to recover her late husband’s wedding ring. Her search quickly spirals into a dangerous game, landing Leona in more trouble than she bargained for, including the possibility of facing murder charges. As her relentless pursuit puts her friends, her, and others at risk, Leona must decide if holding on to the past is worth endangering the present. Filled with humor, heart, and suspense, Walkers on the Run is the spirited first installment in the Oldsters Love Adventure cozy mystery series.

Other books in the series, Walkers on Water and Walkers on Thin Ice, will be released on a future date.

You also have a series called Daughters of Time, with three books out now. Are you planning on writing more in this mystery series?

This series came into being during a workshop I attended where our table plotted Book 1, the story of the three daughters of Father Time who don’t like each other and haven’t been in the same place for 15 years. Since the characters wouldn’t leave my head so I had to write it with the permission of my tablemates. I wrote three books with the characters and released them in the contemporary fantasy/mystery series: The Secrets of the Clock (solving the mystery of the magic clock), The Secrets of the Cottage (finding the ghost of a pirate’s long-lost love), and The Secrets of the Storm (Mother Nature is mad at Father Time and vows to destroy the cottage). All three are about sister relationships and how to maintain them with husbands, children, and holiday characters involved.

My readers are begging for a prequel to the series to describe the black wedding and its showdown that initially tore the sisters’ relationships apart. I’ve written it, but it’s not ready for release. Some of the side characters in the book and sequel have very interesting stories to explore, so there’s a possibility of more books about the daughters of Father Time and Mrs. Hagg.

How do you use social media as an author?

Most of my readers are middle-aged to older women who spend time on Facebook and Instagram, so my focus is mostly on those two platforms. I spent years on Facebook with friends, so it was easy to expand it to my books. It provides a great place to see and get acquainted with other authors and readers and discover book signing opportunities. I’ve boosted posts and run ads on Facebook with fair success in book sales. This year, I opened an Instagram account to which my assistant posts my memes and information for me. I’ve enjoyed interacting with other writers, editors, and readers on that platform, so much so I wish I’d joined earlier. I recently set up a Pinterest account for my books and am still working on getting it going. So far, TikTok is not on my list because I’m still waiting to see if it’s going to be banned in the U.S. or stay in place. I’m on X but have had no success with being on there as a writer.

Read the rest of the interview in the issue below

C.S. Kjar is an award-winning author living in the West, where bison, deer, and antelope play. She writes wholesome stories set in small towns, where ordinary people are faced with tough choices that ultimately make them stronger. Her books of sweet romance, cozy mystery, and women’s fiction offer lighthearted fun with touches of humor and wisdom. Pronounced “care,” her last name reflects her care and passion for creating good books for readers to enjoy and as a reminder that in life, as in her books, caring for one another makes all the difference. cskjar.com

Enjoy an excerpt from Walkers on the Run


Walkers on the Run
C.S. Kjar
Cozy Mystery

How did she get herself into this mess?

Elderly Leona Walker is determined to uncover who burglarized her home in Red Creek, South Dakota, and absconded with her treasured belongings. She enlists the help of her older sister Betty and their squeaky-walker-toting neighbor Clarence. Their investigative escapades land them in hot water at every corner, and Leona might even face murder charges. Her relentless quest to retrieve her late husband’s wedding ring raises questions: Is she endangering herself and her companions? Does the end justify the risks? And is her sister Betty genuinely eccentric, or is it all an act? Dive into the humorous and spirited Book 1 of the ‘Oldsters Love Adventure’ cozy mystery series for the revelations.

Excerpt:

Chapter 3

Leona and the others sidled into the ruined living room. Betty let out a cry of despair. Prissy squirmed free of Betty’s embrace and shot out the open door.

Leona had trouble keeping her emotions under control and trying not to choke on bleach fumes. This place didn’t feel like her home anymore. The serenity it once provided lay shredded and broken like all the contents.

After taking stock of the damage in the living room and kitchen, Leona crept down the hallway, peering into Betty’s bedroom and the bath along the way. Betty’s normally spotless room had been ransacked. Her clothes were scattered everywhere, and the drawers of her wooden chest were thrown on the bed. Betty stood in the doorway, too stunned to enter farther. Clarence remained with her as Irene and George followed Leona down the hallway to her own bedroom.

With Irene’s hand on her shoulder, Leona swung her bedroom door open. Her heart nearly quit beating, her body trembled, and her throat constricted. The bureau drawers had been emptied onto the bed and flung aside. She saw the edge of her jewelry box underneath clothes and unmentionables. She clawed through the pile, hoping she might find her most precious pieces left behind.

Jerking upright, she covered her mouth to keep the cry of anguish from escaping. All her jewelry was gone. The pearl necklace Joe gave her for their fortieth anniversary. The diamond bracelet for their forty-fifth anniversary only three years ago. But what hurt the most was the two things Leona most wanted to be there were gone. Her late mother’s ruby necklace and Joe’s wedding ring. She let out a distraught howl and began to cry. “Oh, my word! No!” she cried as she pawed through the clutter and mess on her bed.

“What is it, dear?” Irene pushed Leona’s hair away from her face.

“They’re gone!” Leona covered her face with her hands. “My most treasured possessions are gone!” She picked up one of her blouses off the bed and sobbed into it. Unwilling to believe it, she wiped her eyes and shuffled through the pile again, sorting clothes from underclothes as she went. She dropped to the floor and felt the carpet along the bedside and under the bed while George and Irene urged her to tell them what she was looking for.

Read the rest of the excerpt in the issue below:

Uncaged Review – Christmas Belles Box Set by Cerise DeLand

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Christmas Belles
Cerise Deland
Historical Regency
Box Set

The Countess of Marsden requests the pleasure of your company at her home on the North Steyne in Brighton, December 21 to December 28, 1815.

She welcomes you to dining, dancing, charades, cards and match-making for her nieces and guests.

Even, dear me, herself!

Card-sharps, smugglers, lecherous lords are not invited. But many forlorn ladies in search of lost beaux are in attendance. One Shakespeare-quoting butler is shocked at his lady-love’s attendance. Sadly, a certain older gentleman whom the Countess adores has sent his regrets.

Yet she hopes he will appear!

Uncaged Review: Six novellas, all in one and all about a Christmas party. Each story will focus on how six couples find their way to a HEA during this weeklong party. Aunt Gertrude has invited the eligible bachelors in hoping to marry off her three young nieces. But they aren’t the only ones finding love at this party.

This is a lot of fun, and I think the first one, The Earl’s Wagered Bride was still my favorite, but they all were a lot of fun to read. You can’t go wrong with this set and the epilogues were wonderful. There is steam in these stories, some more than others, but each of the story is a complete story and even though they don’t continue into each other, which I actually would have liked better, but it’s understandable when you need to fit 6 love stories into a week party. Great fun, and it’s a nice holiday Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Ushers by Joe Hill

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Ushers
Joe Hill
Occult Short

A young man who has improbably escaped death twice reveals his secret in a spine-tingling short story by New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed teenagers. He’s bright, compassionate, attractive, and outgoing. He’s also—and this is the most interesting thing—not dead. Martin has improbably survived not one but two deadly disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The kid is riding one hell of a lucky streak. Two federal agents think there is something darker at play. Now that they’ve arranged to interview Martin, they want answers. Martin is ready to share everything he knows. One thing is for certain: when it comes to escaping death, luck doesn’t figure into it at all.

Uncaged Review: Martin is 23 yrs old and being questioned by 2 detectives, Duvall and Hall about a train derailment that killed several people, and a school shooting in the past, thinking he might be part of the bigger picture. I can’t tell you much, because this book is very short, but the author hooked me within the first 2 pages, and in a short amount of time, I had a good sense of who Martin was, and one of the detectives. This is a short book, but it still packs quite a punch. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Tangled Up with the Highlander by Julie Johnstone

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Tangled Up with the Highlander
Julie Johnstone
Scottish Historical

He thought he would never love again… Then he fell for the lass he must give up to save his clan.

Desperate to keep his children and clan from starving, Laird Alasdair MacLachlan joins the ranks of mercenaries searching for the missing lass of a powerful clan. The mission seems simple—find the lass, return her to her family, and claim the hefty reward. But when fate throws bow and arrow wielding Sorcha MacGregor in his path, he’s about to discover how complicated one mule-headed, beguiling beauty can make things. For a man who has lost and loved and has no interest in doing either ever again, he’s confounded by the desire the opinionated woman awakens in him, and he’s shocked to discover his heart might not be permanently frozen after all. But his duty to his family and clan must come before all else, and that means sticking to the plan. Or is that just an excuse to avoid burying his painful past and taking a risk on a new future? One thing is certain—if he doesn’t figure it out soon, Sorcha will be lost to him forever.


Life has taught Sorcha MacGregor that only a harebrained fool would wish to wed and become a man’s chattel to control. So when she’s kidnapped by a Highlander who intends to deliver her like a trussed pig to a family she’s never known, she instantly decides he’s a selfish barbarian like all other men. Her opinion becomes harder to maintain, though, when the devilishly handsome warrior risks his life for hers. Still, she has no intention of lowering her well-placed guard and making herself vulnerable. But with each act of kindness Alasdair shows her, every moving interaction between him and his children, and the simmering way he looks at her, not to mention the toe-curling kisses, she comes to see the gentle, brokenhearted man behind the hardened exterior, and she does the one thing she swore she’d never do: falls in love. When the time comes for Alasdair to make the ultimate sacrifice for her, for love, will he prove he’s really the man of her dreams or just a fantasy that is too good to be true?

Uncaged Review: This is the second book in this series, and I think I liked it better than the first. This time around we are introduced to Sorcha, (or really Margaret Stewart) who has had a very abused life with her adoptive father, especially after her mother dies. She decides to enter an archery contest, to win coin for her sister and her to get out from under the horrible living conditions. Laird Alasdair will enter the same contest to win coin for his clan, and when he finds Sorcha and believes her to be the sister that Laird Ross Stewart (whom we met in the first book) and worth a mighty reward. He decides to tell her the truth of who she is and take her with him back to his lands until they can take her to her brother. Supposedly, she’s been betrothed to a man since she was wee.
But the more time Alasdair spends with her, the less he wants to let her go. And Sorcha will begin to see that all men are not the dishonorable men she’s always believed.

This book has danger, romance and a second chance for love for Alasdair. As the two get to know each other and respect each other, will Sorcha really be torn away from his home and the two children from his first wife who died in childbirth? I enjoyed the two of these characters and the children were fun. It was also great to see Ross again, and even though his involvement came late in the book, it was worth the read to get there. There isn’t much better of a read than the Highlanders, and the author does them justice. Even though I guessed pretty quickly what was going to happen in this book from very early on, it was a very enjoyable read. I hope in the next book, that they find their brother Graeme. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Harrison Hyde and the Runaway Bride by Maggie Shayne

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Harrison Hyde and the Runaway Bride
Maggie Shayne
Contemporary Romance

Maria Michelle Brand Monroe
She’s a newly licensed vet, and will take over her mom’s clinic in their dusty, Southwest Texas town. She’s getting married, too. Her perfectly planned-out life is finally underway!

Then, on the morning of her wedding, she learns something about her groom that hits her plans like a freight train.

Harrison Hyde
He’s a scientist whose life’s work is done… and he has no idea what comes next. His solitary drive across Southwest Texas to a demonstration of his ultra-efficient solar tile will give him time to think about what he wants.

Whatever it is, it’ll be back east, where his family is, where he’d grown up, and where his mother is buried. A year ago, he’d promised his dying mom he would keep the family together. And it isn’t going well.

Uncaged Review: This book starts out fast, with our two main characters meeting by Maria plowing into Harrison and grabbing his keys, with a torn up wedding dress on. As Harrison rides with this runaway bride, he sees she’s not as broken up about as she should be. There were a lot of characters to keep up with and it was a fun time to watch two people from completely different backgrounds have so much more in common then they would think. Harrison is a scientist and on his way to a meeting in New Mexico for his latest invention, and Maria is from a large family, well known in the state, with the land, money and name.

It’s been a while since I read a Maggie Shayne novel, and this one had danger, many twists, some easy romance and a group of people that were easy to like. As a person that used to live in Texas, a couple of things stood out as a stretch, (bluebonnets don’t bloom in June – they are a spring wildflower), but even though the author took a few liberties, it was still a fun read.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – A Hardened Warrior by Hildie McQueen

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

A Hardened Warrior
Hildie McQueen
Scottish Historical

Tristan Ross had a long recovery from devastating injuries. Through it all, visions of a beautiful woman trailed him. When he finally sees her again, it’s under the worst of circumstances.

In Merida McLeod’s opinion, the only thing worse than being at war with Clan Ross is the possibility of marrying one of them. Although attracted to Tristan Ross, marriage to him means a future away from her family and everything she’s ever known.

Uncaged Review: This second book is Tristan Ross’s story. Tristan wakes up severely injured and near death in a humble cottage. When Tristan hears a woman’s voice telling him to drink, he wonders who the mysterious lady is, who cares for him so tenderly. The person turns out to be Merida MacLeod, and she realizes that she must return Tristan to his clan. So, despite the danger, Merida risks everything to returning Tristan. When Tristan is called to, Mackenzie keep to negotiating peace with Clan McLeod. Laird Mackenzie suggested to further peace between Ross and McLeod that Tristan and Merida get married. Both Tristan and Merida are hesitant and attempt to avoid marriage. As Tristan and Merida get to know each other, a grudging respect and a deep affection for one another forms. When Tristan must protect Merida against not only his own family but his own clan, will their love save them anyway?

Ms. Hildie McQueen has done it again, writing another enticing historical Highlander enemy to a lover romance that is simply unputdownable! What makes it enjoyable is it isn’t necessary to read the first in the series either, since this book can stand alone, but you might want to read it to understand the family dynamics and everything that is going on. Plus, there are some confusing things that are explained in the other story and make much better sense in this book. Also, Ethan, the man that started the whole feud between the two clans, is alive in this story and causing more trouble when, at the end of the first book, something does happen to him, so of course, the timeline does seem a bit mixed up. There are many side plot romances going on, but this doesn’t disrupt the ongoing flow of the story or take away from the main characters. Tristan the hardened warrior is at first difficult to like, but you eventually warm up to him. While Merida, the feisty, beauteous healer, is just a joy to read. Do I look forward to the next book? Well, of course, I do!
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

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