When the Ocean Flies

 

WHEN THE OCEAN FLIES

Heather G. Marshall

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GENRE:  Women's Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

An email from a stranger tells Alison Earley that her natural father, whom she has known for only six years, has died suddenly. What begins as a short trip back to Scotland for a funeral soon becomes a journey that puts adoption, sexuality, and identity on a collision course as Alison finds herself caught between the life and family she has so carefully constructed on one continent and the family from which she was taken on another.

 

Shunned by her father's family, reunited with her natural mother, and reconnected with a long-lost love, Alison finds herself trying to shepherd her youngest child towards college while questioning everything she thought she knew about herself.

 

When her natural mother uncovers a series of letters written to Alison from the grandmother she never knew, resurrecting stories of generations of women--stories long buried by patriarchal rule--Alison realizes that she must find the courage to face and reveal the secrets of her own past. At what cost, though? And who and what will be left in the aftermath?

 

When the Ocean Flies explores the pain of separation and abuse, and the power of love to heal even over huge gaps in time and geographical distance.

 

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EXCERPT

 

Blue microfiche, the image yellowed. Alison perched on the edge of the chair. There was her name. Not her name, now. Not Alison. The one she started with: Jayne. Jayne Kerr. The handwriting small and neat. Mother’s name: Mary MacGilavry Kerr. 

 

Jayne.

 

And Mary.

 

The tight signature at the bottom: her mother’s signature. She lifted one hand to the screen. Her chest clenched. She pulled her notebook from her bag, copied the name, as though she was likely to forget. Father’s name ______________.

 

Heat. Red cheeks in this gray basement. She wished she were stoat, or beaver, water creature, able to dive down. Cool, dark water. She held her breath. Held her tears. Who are these people? This Mary? This Jayne? Who am I? Jayne and Alison, like two separate people, with two separate lines of possibility, one body. No father. She couldn’t look at it a second longer.

 

She pushed the chair back, suddenly taken by the need to burst up, out, back to light and air.

A Word With the Author

 

1.Did you always want to be an author?

 

I always wrote, but when I was a child, I wanted to be a large animal vet. I didn’t think ‘author’ was on the list of options, so I just wrote for fun and concentrated on doing well in school. Somewhere in my teens, I gave up the vet notion, though I still love animals. I got my undergraduate degree in English and Journalism, still wrote, and still didn’t think ‘author’ was on the list of possibilities! It wasn’t until I started graduate school—I have an MFA in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte—that I truly believed I could be an author.

2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.

My first novel, The Thorn Tree, came out ten years ago. It was absolutely amazing to hold the book in my hands. That publication gave me the confidence to be more adventurous in my writing, which resulted in When the Ocean Flies, which released in February of this year (2024). I still love The Thorn Tree, but I think When the Ocean Flies mines more challenging emotional terrain, which I wasn’t ready to do ten years ago as a writer or as a human.

3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

Just one? Sarah Waters. I read The Night Watch years ago, and more recently, The Paying Guests. I love her approach to writing history and to female characters, defying the times in which they live. 

4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?

Other than the writing? I love exploring new characters and worlds, which is the writing part. And it is wonderful beyond words when my work resonates with a reader—just marvelous. The worst—having to market and do things like ask for reviews. 

5.What are you working on now?

A few wee things—the start to another novel which digs into the backstory of one of the minor characters in When the Ocean Flies, Mrs. MacInnes. In When the Ocean Flies, she’s the awful woman who is the grandmother of the protagonist and who is responsible for the breakup of the parents’ relationship and subsequent relinquishment of the baby. And she has her own secrets to be explored and understood.    

                                 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Heather G. Marshall is an adoptee, author, speaker, teacher, coach, and traveler. Her short fiction has been published in a variety of journals, including Black Middens: New Writing Scotland, and Quarried, an anthology of the best of three decades of Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel. Her first novel, The Thorn Tree, released in 2014 (MP Publishing). Her TED talk, “Letting Go of Expectations,” centers around her adoption and reunion. Her second novel, When the Ocean Flies, released in February 2024 (Vine Leaves Press). In her writing, Heather explores family, adoption, women (especially older ones), the natural environment, and how these intersect. When she isn’t writing, she likes to hike, travel, practice yoga and meditation, do a wee bit of knitting, and, of course, read. Originally from Scotland, Heather is currently based in Massachusetts.

 

Links to Heather’s socials

Website: https://heathergmarshall.com

Substack: https://heathergmarshall.substack.com

Instagram: @heather_g_marshall  https://www.instagram.com/heather_g_marshall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.marshall.3956

 

Buy links for When the Ocean Flies

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/when-the-ocean-flies-heather-g-marshall/20885419

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Ocean-Flies-Heather-Marshall/dp/3988320455/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GF4RZ028WIA&keywords=when+the+ocean+flies+heather+g+marshall&qid=1708029183&sprefix=when+the+ocean+flies%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-1

 

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/when-the-ocean-flies/heather-g-marshall/9783988320452

 

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-ocean-flies-heather-g-marshall/1144381375

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

Heather G. Marshall will award a randomly drawn winner a $20 Amazon/BN GC.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beyond the Book: AI

 Most people in this country know what AI is, but if you don’t know here’s a simple definition. AI provides a computer program the ability to think and learn on its own. It’s getting machines to do things that humans normally do. So, is AI a good thing or a bad thing. Let’s look at a few examples.

Medicine might benefit by AI. Doctors might make a mistake, but AI can do operations with better precision. AI might do repetitive chores in say a factory. We already use AI in many ways and don’t know it.For example Google Maps or Siri.

Sound like a good idea, right? Well, I don’t know. An AI robot might replace jobs that people need to survive. AI might be applied to education, but after seeing students learned during the pandemic I definitely think the kids are better off with a teacher in the room.

For a writer or artist, though, we worry that AI might replace traditionally written books and painting. It could really happen, but I’m not much worried about it. AI can only use data programmed into it. It’s doubtful that it could ever rival the creativity of a real person. I don’t think any machine could ever replicate human emotion. 

What about you? Can you list the ways you already use AI?

For more information you can go to Advantages and Disabilities of AI at https://www.simplilearn.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-artificial-intelligence-article That’s a simple explanation of What AI is or isn’t.

Rugged Southern Charmer

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Title: Rugged Southern Charmer

Series: Magnolia Grove

Author: Fabiola Francisco

Genre: Childhood Friends to Lovers, Small Town Romance

Release Date: April 25, 2024

Cover Design: Sarah Paige

I never imagined I’d be back in my hometown, unemployed, and feeling like a failure. Getting involved with someone at work is a huge mistake, especially when he’s a famous football player, and I’m just a therapist they can easily replace.

The silver lining is reconnecting with my best friend…even if he is hot now. I can ignore that detail, right? I hope so because Dean’s helping me fix my grandma’s old cabin so I have a place to stay, and between seeing him shirtless and working with his hands, I might just give in to temptation.

Crossing that line should be awkward, but when he kisses me on a dare, I feel like he’s sparked life into me.

My time in Magnolia Grove is temporary while I figure out my next steps, and falling for Dean is not a part of my plans.

But sometimes challenges lead us back to where we’re meant to be.

In the heart of Alabama, lies a charming little town on the river, where everyone knows your name… and your business.

Follow the intertwined lives of its beloved residents as they navigate first love, second chances, and all the unexpected surprises that their small-town holds.

Welcome to Magnolia Grove, where every neighbor has a story worth unraveling, the roots run deep, and love blossoms around every corner.

Join the Magnolia Grove Reader Group to find out more!

Fabiola Francisco writes contemporary romance, mostly small town romances with swoony book boyfriends and strong and sassy heroines. Coffee fuels her writing—actually, her entire life—and her characters dictate where their story is going. They're in charge.

Her goal is to write stories that will capture your heart and make feel a range of emotions.

She is continuously creating stories as she daydreams. She also enjoys country music, exploring the outdoors, and reading.

 

HOSTED BY:

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Beyond the Book: Cream Caramel and Murder

 

Blurb:

With its stunning turrets and beautiful rose gardens, I always thought Audley Castle was perfect, set in the idyllic English village of Audley St. Mary. It’s a place I love to call home. But behind the trimmed hedgerows, stately gardens, and birdsong, a killer is waiting…

After being forced to close my charming café in this quaint little village, I’m thrilled to get a job in the Audley Castle kitchens, making divine treats for visitors and serving the Audley family who live in the castle.

The joy fades when I take my beloved dog for a walk, and he leads us to the body of a family friend, Kendal Jakes. Seemingly caught in the act of tampering with evidence by the castle’s security team, I become the number one murder suspect! It’ll take more than my skills with a piping bag to solve this crisis.

As fingers get pointed at me, I have no choice but to take matters into my flour-covered hands and clear my name. As I snoop, I discover old rivalry, jealousy, and long-standing grudges.

Having mastered the art of creating a perfectly fluffy souffle, I’m known for my determination to get things right, and I won’t rest until I uncover the truth about this murder. Even if doing so puts me in the killer’s line of sight.

My Review:

This is my first experience with K.E. O’Connor’s work, and I did enjoy the book. It’s definitely a cozy mystery, but the characters may surprise you. The connection to royalty was very different from the traditional view. The family may be royalty, but it sure is an updated kind of royalty. I liked it, though. The heroine’s dog, Meatball is a nice character as well.The book was a quick read, but if the author had dragged it out it wouldn’t have been as much fun. If you’re interested in a mystery set in a castle that may be haunted, grandmothers locked in the turret (maybe), some twists and turns as you go, and of course baking, you’ll like this one. Oh, and don’t forget Lord Rupert. He’s definitely got an eye on Holly. 

Does it sound like your cup of of tea?

Sea Glass and Fireflies

                                                               

                               Sea Glass And Fireflies

by Kate Ellington

 

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GENRE:   Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Elsie Hayward moves into her uncle's seaside estate on what should have been her wedding day. All she wants is peace and quiet, and to escape the guilt that's haunted her since her betrothed was lost at sea. Any hope of tranquility is dashed, however, when Charles Rockingham arrives in town. A lifetime ago they'd been best friends and almost more. If there's one person she can't hide her feelings from, it's him. Charles hasn't received a letter from Elsie in over a year. He returns home hoping to recapture the deep bond they once shared, but shadows of the past stand between them. One last secret must be revealed before they can find their way back to each other.

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

 

Invigorated by the stirring wind, Elsie ran through the garden to the beach. It was her favorite kind of weather.

 

When her feet touched the sand she let out a happy sigh. After walking for a few minutes, she reached a driftwood log as big as a tree, its roots and branches removed or washed away years ago. With the tide as high as it was now, the log was close to the shoreline. She sat down in the sand and rested her back against the cold wood, facing the sea. The full moon reflected on the dark, undulating waves.

 

In the distance, the foghorn sounded. It was mournful yet held the sound of safety for those ships out on the water. She closed her eyes and listened to the gathering wind. Soon there came a new sound: rocks crunching under light steps. She didn’t have to turn to know it was Charles.

 

He sat on the log, his knee almost touching her shoulder. “What are you doing out here, Elsie? A storm is coming.”

 

“This has always been my favorite time on the beach,” she said, craning her neck to look up at him.

 

“I know, and I’ve told you since we were children it isn’t safe.”

 

“We’ll go in before the storm really hits.” She turned her face into the wind.

 

“Are you ready to talk now about why you ran away?” Charles sounded like he was awaiting a confession.

 

She traced patterns in the sand with her fingers. “I wasn’t running away.”

My Review.

All in all I enjoyed this sweet romance set near the beginning of the 20th century. I feel like the author's prose and characters all contributed to the historical feel of the romance. The characters all behaved as I think they would have at that time. I did think the pacing needed a little work. In some places the story dragged, and to be honest it ran on just a little too long. The story does have a happy ending, and it's definitrly a sweet romance. If you like sweet historical romance this is probably one you'd want read

  

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Kate Ellington grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Glass-Fireflies-Kate-Ellington/dp/1509248803/

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sea-glass-and-fireflies-kate-ellington/1143071596

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29720924.Kate_Ellington

 

https://www.kateellington.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/kateellingtonauthor

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

Kate Ellington will award a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Braided Dimensions

 

BRAIDED DIMENSIONS

by Marie Judson

 

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GENRE:  Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

Celtic mythology, medieval history, and modern-day mystery blend in this story where past and present collide.

 

Kay, a professor of ancient languages, finds herself drawn into a hidden realm of magic and danger. Transported to a medieval world on Halloween night, she meets Baird, an enchanging stranger who claims to know her spirit, and Duff, a burly silversmith who welcomes her as Kyna, long-lost kin. Kay joins them in a festive celebration where she discovers she can understand their arcane tongue, as ghostly figures haunt the night.

 

When dawn comes, she is in her own time, still holding a silver pendant that connects her to Baird and his world. She struggles to return to that time even as Baird is endeavoring to find her and unravel the secret of their connection. Follow Kay and Baird on their journey across dimensions in this novel of intrigue, adventure, and magic.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

Franklin Street Café had a lively crowd bathed in the lurid orange glow of gauze-covered lights. A projector flashed images of old Celtic stones onto the wall. A fabric forest hung across the entrance to the next room, the air permeated by yeasty aromas of pizza crust and ale. Shouts of conversations battled to be heard over haunting music and the clatter of dishes.

 

Where were the nyads and faeries? In place of the figures of enchantment in the email invitation, Kay saw a faux belly dancer who never should have revealed her midriff, and men dressed in bathrobes and tennis shoes attempting, she supposed, to convey Druidic high priests. With absurd disappointment at seeing no apparent magic, she thought she wouldn’t stay long. Then her attention was drawn by a hand-printed sign offering homemade organic mead, and pressed through to the bar. A young waitress, her peachy complexion disturbingly pierced with lead posts, asked for her order. 

 

“Could I taste the Moonlight Mead?” she requested. 

 

“Certainly.” The young woman behind the bar handed over a sample.

 

Pushing aside glued-on mustache hairs, Kay sipped the tasty brew, then ordered a twelve-ounce, and again surveyed the crowd. She considered making the glass of mead a solo act when she noticed a birdlike creature, tall and hunched like a heron, tattered feathers splaying from head and neck. It stalked, with wild-bird grace, across the projection of ancient stones, through the cloth trees, into the next room. Kay’s drink arrived, and she followed the strange apparition.  

A Word With the Author

 

1.Did you always want to be an author?

You’d think with my love of books from an early age, I might have pictured myself writing my own, early on. Except for flashes of daydreams as a child where I imagined myself sitting behind a large polished-wood desk feeling important, I don’t recall any specific career desire until high school when I fell in love with French. The only aim I crafted from that passion was envisioning myself a sort of 007 or other spy traveling the world, knowing every language and everything about everything. When my kids were little, I made an attempt at writing fantasy fiction and formed the idea of Elf Stone of the Neyna but it wasn’t until I’d spent seven years writing a dissertation that fiction started to flow from me. The muscles were now there. After years of dry writing in a PhD program, I could tap into a wellspring of creativity and emotion for fiction writing, it seemed, with relative ease. 

2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.

When I left the Ph.D. program without defending, I moved to the setting of Braided Dimensions—the Northern California coast I called Pomo Bluffs which is actually Ft. Bragg. There I took a data entry job, just as Kay does in the novel. The story began as a short story that won a Halloween contest for a Danish Druid newsletter. I picked up the thread and as I began expanding it into a novel, I put myself into Kay’s life and myself into hers. Walking around town, I imagined stepping through a portal into medieval time. Walking on the beach most evenings at sunset, I let myself sink into the story and continue from the last scene. I formed writing groups which honed my craft and gave me direct access to readers every week. I worked on Books 1 and 2 (Book 2 is relaunching on April 10th) for ten years, from 2008 to first publishing in 2018. 

3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

Some current fantasy writers I enjoy are Eren Morgenstern (Night Circus), Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Strange the Dreamer), Neil Gaiman, Phillip Pullman, Julie Czerneda (Web Shifters series). I write about authors of the past in my blog. As a young adolescent I spent two summers reading Lord of the Rings which has had a profound influence on my life. Another summer I read all of Frank Baum’s Oz books. Through my teens, I read Heinlein and Bradbury as well as Dickens and other classics. I had a kind of awakening when women proliferated (MZB, Jo Clayton, Anne McCaffrey) and I could imagine myself as the heroine in the stories. It’s still relatively rare that a fantasy author meets all my criteria, with quality writing, intriguing plots, good healing mind powers. I recently stumbled on The Keeper Origins, by JA Andrews, an indie writer, and am waiting for the third book. I’d love to discover more indie writers like that! 

4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?

There are many great aspects of writing. I don’t even know yet all the ways I can love writing because I keep learning more every year. Maybe the best part is belonging to writing groups. I love the camaraderie and sharing, and best of all, getting reader feedback directly, the same week I write a section. In the past couple of years, I’ve had the experience of recording my own first novel for public radio. It’s online in the archives at KNYO. I had a blast collaborating on adding sound effects and picking songs to play before and after on a story hour just for me.  Now I’ve worked with three different narrators recording three books. It’s a fantastic way to comb through a novel and improve it. I’m also anticipating a couple of author interviews coming up, have done book readings. The collaborations just keep increasing. I do sometimes wonder briefly why I put so much work into writing. It sure isn’t making me rich! But it’s not really a question I can ask. I’m compelled. I guess the worst part is worrying about publishing mistakes. 

5.What are you working on now?

Currently I’m writing a fantasy sci fi series called Lost Xentu. I’m on the third book, Missing Moon. The first two, Elf Stone of the Neynaand A Far Cry are available as audio books on Audible. Elf Stone of the Neyna was recently selected by Indie Library Project so it should be available as eBook and audio book from your local online library. If not, ask for it! The fun thing about writing the third book in a series is you’ve already built the world(s) and developed characters. They have a history, so ideas flow, scaffolded onto what’s gone before. The reader has already become curious about those plot elements and how they’ll unfold, so there’s juice, there’s fire behind a mere word or object. I love that. In this book, Yanda is searching for her daughter, out in the universe. She has an intrepid group of allies who have powers, as does she. We experience a planet with a bird-like human world and many others. 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Marie Judson is a schoolteacher on the wild coast of Northern California. Language and the mind are her passions. An ardent fantasy reader since childhood, she also loves singing, dream work, and crashing waves. Follow her blog at https://mariejudson.com/

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marie.judson.writer

Website: https://mariejudson.com/

 

Book Video: https://youtu.be/50AdR_Ib4KQ?si=QQHZCHobmTm-okML

 

https://www.amazon.com/Braided-Dimensions-Book-Marie-Judson/dp/1726614913

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Marie Judson will award an epub copy of one of her books to a randomly drawn winner.

 

 

 

Pining for You

 💗💍 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 💍💗

Pining For You (Blueball Band of Brothers) by Marika Ray is releasing May 9th!

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 ➜ https://mybook.to/piningforyou

𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 ➜ https://bit.ly/3xqlYWu

My best friend from high school, the one I hadn’t seen in twelve years, turned toward me. “We’re going back to the courthouse and getting married.”

I followed him numbly.

Zeke stopped us next to a faded blue truck that had seen better days parked outside the courthouse. Was I really going to do this? Marry my old best friend just to inherit some money?

My birthday was in four days. There was no way I’d find anyone else who would marry me. I needed that cash to start a new life.

“A bride should have flowers on her wedding day. Something your douchebag fiancé should have thought about.”

Zeke stepped back on the curb holding a simple bouquet of wildflowers tied with a white ribbon, much like the flowers down by our spot. He handed them to me while I clutched them to my chest and wondered why my ribs ached from this simple gesture.

When was the last time a man had given me flowers?

His hand warmed my lower back again as he ushered us up the steps of the courthouse. I dug my heels in, my hand gripping his bicep as I tugged him to a stop. He looked back at me, a questioning look on his handsome face.

“Why are you doing this?”

Zeke looked away, scanning the street. “I watched you, Rain. All four years I knew you, I watched you. I observed how you lit up when people paid you attention. I saw how much you needed that attention and I figured it was because your father never gave it to you. You wouldn’t tell me about it, and that was my fault for not being someone you could fully trust. Probably because I was just a dumb kid with stars in my eyes and a lack of impulse control when it came to you.”

Zeke’s gaze swung back and nearly glued me to the ground with his intensity. His voice came out low, intimate in the way it scraped across the air between us. “But you’re back now. And I’m no kid.”

My knees began to shake. He dipped his head until he was looking at me from my height. I couldn’t have looked away even if I wanted to. “I’m marrying you because you deserve to know what it’s like to be someone’s everything. Even just once in your life. And I can give that to you, baby girl.”

Then he swung open the door and ushered me inside the courthouse.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧...

👰 Groom switch/crashing the wedding

💞 Second chance romance

🐟 The one that got away

💁🏼‍♂️ Hometown Hero

💃 Wild child heroine returns home

💘 He fell first

☯️ Opposites Attract

💍 Guaranteed happily ever after

🚨 𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐎 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 - #KindleUnlimited

☞ https://mybook.to/BBoB_MarikaRay

#PiningForYouTeaserBlast #PiningForYouMarikaRay #TeaserBlast #MarikaRayAuthor #BlueballBandofBrothers #SmallTownRomance#ComingSoon #AmazonPreOrder #MustRead #Romance #EnticingJourney