Fall into Romance!

Autumn in here and love is in the air! Don't miss Lady Jane's Salon Raleigh-Durham this September as we welcome local authors Claudia Dain, Beth Caudill, Jennifer Lohmann and JD Allen!

Once again, we'll be at Spirit's Pub and Grub in Cary http://www.spiritscary.com

CLAUDIA DAIN reading from SPELLBOUND...

Greetings,
In regards to the Matter of the un-entailed Estate of the late-Jonathan Hambly, 10th Earl of Banfield, be advised that your attendance is urgently required at the reading of his lordship’s Last Will & Testament, to take place on November 1st of this year at Castle Keyvnor in Bocka Morrow, Cornwall.
Regards,
Mr. Timothy Hunt, Esq. 

When the late-Earl of Banfield’s distant relations descend upon Bocka Morrow, they’ll find gypsies, witches, pixies, smugglers, and one very haunted castle. And if they’re lucky, they might just fall in love while they’re there. 

LADY GHOST AND LORD DEATH: A LOVE STORY
Hal Mort, Viscount Blackwater, visits Keyvnor Castle in the company of friends and atop his new stallion. How was he to know that ghosts awaited him? Hal does not believe in ghosts. Unfortunately for Hal, the ghosts take an interest in him. One ghost wants to see him married to the lovely Lady Morgan. Another ghost is just as determined to see him slip the noose. As the ghosts work their supernatural magic, Hal can't determine if the intense attraction he feels for Morgan is coming from him or from them. And after a few magical kisses, he's not sure he cares.

BETH CAUDILL will read from ENCHANTRESS' DESTINY...

In a land ruled by magic, can two elves break a dark curse and forge a new destiny together?

She’s a lonely elven princess whose betrothed shunned her to avoid a dark fate. But now, honor demands he return to save his family, even in the face of fatal temptation and the culmination of an arcane prophecy.

Clairessa Bellehaven may be a princess, but she’s also the loneliest elf in Wildeloch. She spends her days analyzing spell books, and her nights dreaming of someone to share her life. This seems unlikely, after her betrothed, Prince Rowe deserted her and her latest beau betrayed her trust. Surely just one night of passion with a handsome elf will do no harm … that is, unless the Goddess finds out.

Rowe Calder, elf clan prince, can no longer delay returning home if he is to save his family’s livelihood. But once there, he finds himself under the spell of his lovely bondmate, Princess Clairessa—the woman destined to cause his death. He’s a powerful elvish prince, surely he dares risk one tryst with her. 

But there is no hiding from the vindictive curse cast long ago. Rowe will have to fight for the safety of everyone he loves, including Clairessa. And Clairessa must use the most powerful spell of all to save her prince—love. Will it be enough when the dark elf comes to claim a soul?

JENNIFER LOHMANN will read from YOU HAD ME AT CHRISTMAS... 

What’s better than a little romance at Christmas? 

Five romances at Christmas! 

Snowbound friends become lovers. Enemies discover they mean far more to each other than they ever dreamed. A marriage in trouble is saved, and strangers find connection in delicious encounters... It’s Christmas, and everything is possible. 

TWELVE KISSES UNTIL CHRISTMAS 
Escaping her abusive father and small hometown to follow her dreams takes money Selina Lumina doesn't have. After a millionaire software developer offers her a ride out of town, she has to decide whether to follow her aspirations or take a chance at love. Could a snowbound night on the road turn into a Christmas miracle?

JD ALLEN will read from GRASSHOPPERS found in MURDER UNDER THE OAKS ...

Winner of the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Anthology or Collection!

MWA Grand Master Margaret Maron, Edgar Award-winner Tom Franklin, and New York Times bestselling novelist Ron Rash headline a new anthology of 21 tales spanning from traditional detective stories to comic capers to darkest noir and more — something for all tastes. 

MURDER UNDER THE OAKS is published in conjunction with Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, held in 2015 in Raleigh, North Carolina — the City of Oaks. As with the convention itself, the anthology spreads a broad canopy across a wide range of crime writers from across the country and around the world — including both veteran writers and the brightest up-and-coming talents in the field. Several of the stories in MURDER UNDER THE OAKS draw on the region’s history and culture — including the birth of a secret society at the University of Virginia, a mystery from Edgar Allan Poe’s childhood days, and a series of less-than-welcome visits by everyone’s favorite hometown sheriff. 

All participants contributed their efforts to support our charity — the Wake County Public Libraries — and by extension readers and writers everywhere. ALL PROFITS GO TO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. 

SaveSave

The Temperature was Hot . . . and so was the Romance!

Many, many thanks to the great crowd that came out to 'glow' with us at LJS RDU!  We had a great night with good friends and some lovely readers!

Kianna Alexander

Jerrica Knight Catania

Tammy Falkner

Deb Marlowe

We hope to see you all again in September!

Heating Up This July at Lady Jane's Salon RDU...

We are happy to welcome you to the July edition of Lady Jane's Salon Raleigh-Durham!

This month we have an amazing lineup of readers!  

First up is Lady Jane's RDU's own USA Today Bestselling Author DEB MARLOWE reading from THE EARL's HIRED BRIDE in Outwitting the Duke... 

Because an unmarried Earl must be in want of a bride . . . Every debutante in the ton wants to be the Countess of Hartford—and mistress of Hartsworth Castle. Never mind that Hart has no interest in marrying just yet, the young ladies hunt him as ruthlessly as a pack of hounds after the elusive fox. What he needs is a hired bride—one who will give him some room to breathe, but is guaranteed to call it off at the end of the Season. 

Because a girl with no prospects will do what she must to help her family . . . Miss Emily Spencer must do something. Her mother’s health is failing and the notorious Duke of Danby is growing dangerously close. Why not hide in plain sight and pretend to be the Earl of Hartford’s betrothed? And getting paid for her troubles? It’s just what she needs to make her family comfortable again. 

Because love comes when you least expect it . . . Sparks fly when the two put their plan in motion—and deeper emotions grow. But how can they be together when the path they’ve forged only leads to their inevitable break up? 

Next up is Lady Jane's RDU's own USA Today Bestselling Author TAMMY FALKNER reading from her latest release FEELS LIKE SUMMERTIME...

Jake: 

Katie Higgins was the first girl I ever loved. We spent one summer together at Lake Fisher when we were sixteen and then I never saw her again. My life is shit, my job is gone, and my dad had a stroke, so I find myself back at Lake Fisher once again. And so does Katie. Her last name isn't Higgins anymore, because Katie is married with three kids and one more on the way, but when she shows up at Lake Fisher with her kids, danger trails her all the way there. I could do a lot of things. I could leave and go home. I could stay and deal with it. But what I want most of all is just to take care of Katie. If I concentrate on her, maybe I won't have to face my own problems. Yeah, that's it. Fix Katie. 

Katie: 

I haven't seen Jake in eighteen years, but the moment I lay eyes on him, I feel safer than I have in a very long time. Memories swamp me every time I look out over the clear, cool water. A first kiss. A first boyfriend. A first love. That old spark is still there. I just can't act on it, and neither can Jake. Our story started eighteen years ago, and then we both made lives with other people. Jake is willing to tell me about his, but I can't share mine with him. Ever. We can be friends and spend another summer together, right? Sure, we can.

Also reading will be out-of-town USA Today Bestselling Author JERRICA KNIGHT-CATANIA reading from her New Adult novel LEARNING TO LIVE...

Devastated by the loss of her fiance, Jessica Brooks is certain she'll never love again. Hell, she may never even leave her apartment again. But circumstances force her back to her hometown of Atlanta and into the arms of someone who understands her pain. 

Torn between mourning her fiance forever and finding peace in the midst of her grief, Jess must find the key to her happiness, the cure for her pain, and learn how to move on without the person she held most dear. 

And finally, reading this month will be KIANNA ALEXANDER reading from EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART...

The rhythm of love  

Lina Smith-Todd is a winning bid away from owning a piece of musical history. The auction heats up when she discovers that her chief competition for a piano owned by Thelonious Monk is the man who once shared her bed. But the priceless baby grand isn't all that the seductive, supremely confident musician intends to possess. Rashad MacRae wants a second chance to be with Lina. 

Rashad's passion for music was inspired by the legendary Monk. But if walking away with the prize means losing his shot at a future with Lina, he's ready to concede defeat. To entice her back into his arms, Rashad has to find a way to regain the self-sufficient attorney's trust. And now a family revelation could cost him everything. Can doubt be swept away by the promise of an everlasting love song they both know by heart?

Stepping Into a New Year at Lady Jane's Salon RDU!

We are excited to be back again at Lady Jane's Salon RDU on FRIDAY March 25!  We will be meeting in our new location once more--at Spirit's Pub and Grub http://www.spiritscary.com

And this year we're planning on doing a little spring cleaning!  As many of you know, one of the charities that LJS RDU supports is Safe Space Inc, a shelter for women and children who have been victims of domestic abuse.  They have a thrift store that helps to support their enterprise, and we thought we would give you the opportunity to do a little decluttering and help out at the same time!

We'll have a truck at this month's LJS RDU, all you have to do is to bring your gently used clothing and household goods.  If everyone brings a little, we'll have a nice big donation to help out the store and the shelter!

New York Times bestseller SABRINA JEFFRIES will read from THE STUDY OF SEDUCTION, the newest release in her Sinful Suitors Regency Historical series ...

When Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, agrees to help his best friend’s impetuous ward, Lady Clarissa Lindsey, in her time of need, he knows he’s in for trouble. He’s been hunting for someone to wed, and she’ll just get in the way. Although captivated by the witty, free-spirited beauty, he fears she’d be all wrong as a wife...if she would even take such a gruff cynic for her husband. Yet he wants nothing more than to have her for his own.


Clarissa has no intention of marrying anyone—not Edwin, whom she’s sure would be an overbearing husband, and certainly not the powerful French diplomat stalking her. But when matters escalate with the diplomat, she chooses Edwin’s gallant offer of a marriage between friends in hopes that it will deter her stalker. She expects nothing more than an amiable union, but their increasingly tempestuous kisses prove more than she bargained for. When her stalker’s vow to expose the lovers’ deepest secrets threatens to destroy their blossoming attraction, will their tenuous bond withstand public ruin, or will Edwin lose all that’s important to him to protect his bride?

USA Today bestseller AVA STONE will read from STAY WITH ME from her New Adult Desolate Sun series...

\
Good guy Jason Cole always tries to do the right thing for everyone - his cancer-ridden mother, his best friend, even his neighbors. But when his first love - Emery Reid returns home for Thanksgiving with a giant ring on her finger, Jason is determined to do the right thing for him. 

Emery left Wheston to pursue her dreams on the New York stage. A cramped apartment and barely scraping by, her luck changes once she starts dating an up and coming director. But when she returns home for the holidays and sees Jason after all these years, she can't remember why she ever left home in the first place. Will she take another chance with her fist love or keep her eye on the dreams she's worked so hard to obtain? 

USA Today bestseller ERICA MONROE will read from I SPY A DUKE, from her Covert Heiresses Historical Romance series...

She wants revenge…

When bluestocking Vivian Loren becomes the governess for the wealthy Spencer family, she’s searching for clues about the murder of her brother, not a husband. But Vivian didn’t count on James Spencer, the infuriatingly handsome Duke of Abermont.

He needs a wife…

As head of Britain’s elite intelligence agency, James has no time to woo a wife. When he discovers Vivian’s quest for answers has made her a pawn in a treacherous plot, James realizes they can help each other. She’ll become his duchess, and he’ll keep her safe from one of Napoleon’s deadliest spies.

What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly becomes anything but, as they find out love is the most dangerous mission of all.

ANDRIS BEAR will read from LOVERS LANE, Episode 1 in her brand new Lane Chronicles...

After her sister is attacked and left clinging to life, Roxana Lane vows revenge on the man responsible. But the closer she gets, the more detective Nathan Scott watches her every move. With his piercing eyes that seem to miss nothing, Roxy finds it harder and harder to hide her secrets… and stay out of his arms. 

A contradictory mix of strength and vulnerability, Roxy is a conflict of interest that fascinates him on every level. But when the sexy amateur sleuth uncovers Scandal’s dark underbelly, he must choose between the woman he wants and the law he serves.

OLIVIA KELLY will read from LOOK TO THE STARS, from her upcoming release in  DISMISSING THE DUKE part of the Very Danby Season Collection...

Lord Leonato Blakeley is living his best life. With a healthy, hale father busy with his duties as an earl, on the ancestral Pennyworth estate, and a mother elbow-deep in her oil paintings, Leo is left to his own devices in London. Perhaps he's a bit short on funds, given the state of the family finances, but then, what lordling worth his salt wasn't? It's quite understandable when the news that his meddling great-uncle, the Duke of Danby, is in Town fills Leo with dismay. The old badger had become known over the last few years for slyly marrying off the younger generations of the family, whether they like it or not. Leo definitely would not like it, thank you very much.

Miriam Rosenbaum only agreed to accompany her mother on her visit to her childhood friend living in London on one condition. She would meet with Joanne and Charles Minsky, the sibling astronomers she had been corresponding with from across the ocean for the last year. In New York City, Mimi had been roundly shut out of the all male astronomy clubs, but she'd learned Joanne, through her brother, was actually allowed to study at the Royal Observatory. Mimi longed for such an opportunity herself, and if agreeing with her mother to attend the ostentatious, ridiculous parties of the English aristocrats could offer her that, she would tolerate them gracefully. Or at least, she would tolerate them.

A budding American astronomer heiress, an impoverished English lord devoted only to his own entertainment, and a matchmaking duke set loose during the whirling dervish of the London Season. Anything can happen, and usually does...