second gift series

More Than a Promise – full novel version

by Kristen James

More Than a Promise, full novel version, Book 2 of the Second Gift Series

(Embers of HoClick to preview on Amazon - More Than A Promise - full novelpe is Book 1 of the Second Gift Series.)

This is the full novel version! It contains both More Than a Promise and Promises Fulfilled. (Promises Fulfilled is available by itself as well.)

Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast to cope with the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s starting to dream about her future again and possibly romance. A safe romance, that is, where people don’t die. She runs into Ethan Caldwell, the cute boy who teased her through grade school. He sure grew up – into a man who’d catch anyone’s eyes. Now he’s a single dad to nine year old Isabel, who talks about her parents getting back together…as soon as her mom is out of rehab. Then maybe her mom can watch her while her dad goes on his work trips. Apparently Ethan has some kind of dangerous, secretive government job. This isn’t at all what Cassie is looking for! So why is she running full speed into another broken heart?

(Promises Fulfilled) Cassie’s known for taking in lost puppies…now she’s brought home a family. Cassie is unexpectedly caring for Ethan’s daughter, Isabel, while he’s off on a dangerous mission. They’re not sure how long he’ll be gone. In the meantime, Isy wants to visit her mom in rehab. Cassie was widowed before, and even though she’s ready for romance, she’s not sure she can handle another risky relationship. So what is she doing with Isabel here?

Cassie’s neighbor and close friend Brandon suddenly realizes his chance with Cassie is slipping away. He’s caring and steady, and he’s been a great support for the last three years. Now he finds his fire…when Cassie is dreaming about Ethan.

Why does moving forward have to be so complicated? Whichever path she chooses, Cassie will end up hurting someone. Should she chase what her heart wants? Or what she thinks she can handle?

 

License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Four romance novels!)

by Kristen James

Preview or Purchase on Amazon.

Four romances for only 2.99!
A Cowboy for Christmas – “A Great Romance for the Holidays and Anytime You Like!” Coffee Time Romance and More

Missy finds herself an unwanted co-owner to Ocean View Stables by Florence, Oregon. She wants to start over somewhere new after her old boss burned her. She’s jobless and has a wrongly ruined reputation, so this works out perfectly . . . until she meets the cowboy running the place. Brent built his dream with determination and his two hands; he’s responsible for everything that happens there. Secretly, he feels responsible that his former partner died. He also doesn’t hide his belief that Missy won’t stick around. Women tend to take off on him so why would she be any different? They both have a past that can ruin their future. Can he trust her to stay? Can she trust him with her heart?

More Than Memories – “I just loved this book! Primarily because Ms. James’ equation for the plot kept me guessing the entire time.” Big Al’s Books and Pals, 5 Stars

Molly Anderson returns “home” to a town she doesn’t remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She runs into Trent Williams, an off duty police officer, and something else definitely sparks. He wants to know why she left town, with her parents, but without a word to anyone. She doesn’t remember that life. She can only tell him she knew her parents briefly before they died . . . or were murdered, she’s not sure. She hopes regaining her memory will help answer that question. Trent has his own secrets, but they have a mystery to solve. Molly knows she wants him now, but the truth might destroy their love. Can she love him if she can’t remember him?

The Enemy’s Son

Cora discovers her father is in trouble… and the only person who can help her is the enemy’s son, Nick Holloway.

Her father couldn’t have stolen a million dollars, so how is he going to replace it? In one week?

Nick is ordered to take Cora out into the wilderness to a remote cabin to keep her father in line. He claims he wants to help Cora and says he’s deceiving the Hollways to keep her safe…but what if he’s playing both sides? He could be using her attraction to him against her. Cora can’t allow herself to trust Nick, no matter how sexy he is.

Nick isn’t the only one offering to help. Alexander Pierce could scare the devil but he can also track down anyone in a day. He warns Cora that if she wants to find her father alive, he’s the way. Is it possible both Nick and Alexander have secret feelings for her? With her dad’s life on the line, she might have to play her own little game.

Soon she’s running from her feelings for Nick, running from creepy Alexander and the rest of the Holloways, and trying to find her father somewhere in the city of Eugene. To make matters worse, everyone thinks she has access to the missing money.

The clock is ticking…

Embers of Hope, Book 1 of the Second Gift Series
Savanna’s Story: Savanna is falling for the sexy firefighter that saved her life once, but Jason confuses her to no end. He’s hurting over the recent death of his best friend. She’s also stuck in the middle between Jason and Cassie, who just lost her husband and blames Jason. Can Savanna find a balance between loving Jason, helping Cassie, and taking care of herself and her daughter? Or is she going to lose this bet and her best friend?

Stories total 200,000 words.

More Than a Promise is out! A few fun things about the story…

by Kristen James

This is my first ever sequel! I’m actually developing it into a series with many more surprises and books to come. You’ll get details about Book 3 at the end of More Than a Promise, and I bet you’ll be able to guess who will be in the following story.

Not only does this story continue from Embers of Hope to show Cassie’s story, readers get to revisit Jason, Savanna and Aubrey from Book 1 and see how they’re doing. Aubrey was tiny in Book 1 but now she’s “so, so, so excited” about starting school. I had a lot of fun writing her character this time around too.

So the story opens in Eugene and then moves to Ocean View Stables from A Cowboy for Christmas. You’ll get to see the old setting–only the stables are growing and doing very well–and visit Brent and Missy again. (She goes by Melissa sometimes in this story, so readers won’t get confused with all the -ie names.)

At Ocean View Stables, Cassie reconnects with her old best friend from the 6th grade, Ethan. He’s a single dad now to Isabel. Isy grabs a special place in Cassie’s heart from the start, maybe because she touched my heart so much. I enjoyed working with her character just as much as Cassie and Ethan. Of course, I loved writing from Cassie’s point of view this time. We didn’t get to go into her head and see her thoughts in Book 1, and she turned out to be even more multi-dimensional than I imagined.

This book was a long time coming, but the next one is already under way!

More Than a Promise on Amazon 

Two November Releases! More Than a Promise and A Spy for Christmas

by Kristen James

More Than a Promise: Cassie’s story is available!  It’s the sequel to Embers of Hope, so here’s the blurbs for both books:

Book 1: Embers of Hope: Savanna’s Story  – available in print and Kindle

Savanna Thompson knows what it’s like when you blink and your life shatters. She’s been hiding her divorce from her best friend Cassie, but she knows she can’t any longer. Cassie’s husband, a firefighter, just died. Savanna rushes home, along with her one-year-old daughter to help, and now she’s staying with Cassie in a nursery meant for a baby that won’t ever exist. Cassie lost that dream along with her husband.

Savanna wants to fix their relationship after hiding so much, but it’s complicated with Jason around. He’s the firefighter who saved Savanna’s life two and a half years ago. He just lost his best friend, and like Cassie, he blames himself for Mike’s death. When he convinced Mike to remain with the department, how could he know Mike would die fighting a house fire?

Though hurting herself, something deep inside her won’t let her walk away. Jason needs her but she’s off limits on so many levels. She’s falling for this sexy firefighter but he confuses her to no end. Being stuck in the middle is enough stress, plus her own problems are festering behind her helping smile. Can Savanna find the balance between loving Jason, helping Cassie, and taking care of herself and her daughter? Or is she going to lose this bet and her best friend?

Kindle Link Coming Soon

Book 2: More Than a Promise:  Cassie’s Story

Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast to cope with the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s starting to dream about her future again and possibly romance. A safe romance, that is, where people don’t die. Maybe her trusty next door neighbor Brandon would be a safe bet. But once at Ocean View, she runs into Ethan Caldwell, the cute boy who teased her through grade school. He sure grew up – into a man who’d catch anyone’s eyes. The romantic man has a song for every emotion. He’s a single dad to nine year old Isabel, who talks about her parents getting back together…as soon as her mom is out of rehab. Then maybe her mom can watch her while her dad goes on his work trips. Apparently Ethan has some kind of dangerous, secretive government job. This isn’t at all what Cassie is looking for! So why is she running full speed into another broken heart?

Sneak Peek:

“Want to go swimming?” he asked.

She was busy thinking and thought she misunderstood him, but the expectant smile on his face told her otherwise. “Right now?”

He got up and stuck out a hand. Before she could think the situation over, or create a good reason to say no, he had grabbed her hand and was pulling her toward the river, looking back once to grin mischievously. “We’re being sneaky!”

“I’m not wearing…” a swimsuit. “Same old Ethan!” He’d always been a dare devil.

He let go of her hand to pull off his shirt. The moonlight silhouetted his body as he walked closer to the water, his shorts dropping. Either he hadn’t been wearing underwear or he dropped them with his shorts. It was nothing but skin. She looked away, pretending she didn’t just see his naked body…his very toned, naked body.

“I can show you the world…” he sang as he walked toward the water. “Take you wonder by wonder…”

Was that from the movie Aladdin? She giggled. She couldn’t help it; she giggled like a little school girl.

“Over, sideways and under…”

Could he possibly be thinking the same things she was? This man was not like those other guys, the ones who wanted to sit in a restaurant and ask her about life plans.

“I won’t look,” he said, wading in, with a hint of repressed laughter.

And my other November Release is…

  A Spy for Christmas — a novella

 

Robin is returning from Honolulu where she was nursing her wounds. Her long time boyfriend just wasn’t the man for her, and now she’ll be spending Christmas alone. Everything changes when she meets Grayson… and a world of danger. Suddenly she finds herself forced into hiding for the holidays with this charming, mysterious man.

What’s more dangerous? The Oregon wilderness? Hit men? Or the heat in Grayson’s arms?