Book Tour ~ Outage - A Novel by Mike Trigg

 

OUTAGE

by Mike Trigg

September 28 - November 6, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

For fans of Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me and William R. Forstchen's One Second After comes a riveting thriller about an internet blackout that leads one woman into a web of lies and conspiracies and in her pursuit for answers.

Rachel Farrell is working from home in suburban Virginia when the internet goes out. Juggling clients, two restless teenagers, and dinner logistics with her husband, Caleb, a DC lobbyist, she assumes it’s just a routine inconvenience.

Then she finds his note, warning they are in danger and not to trust anyone.

When FBI agents show up looking for Caleb, Rachel realizes something far more sinister is underway: a nationwide internet and phone outage, and Caleb’s biggest client―a powerful Chinese semiconductor company―is at the center of suspicion.

As the night wears on with no word from Caleb, Rachel’s unease shifts into something darker. The man she has been married to for two decades may not be who she thought he was. Fearing for their safety, Rachel and her children embark on a harrowing cross-country journey to find Caleb and hear his explanation. But the more she learns, the more she suspects he may be in on the plot.

Following the clues to a remote compound in South Dakota, Rachel begins to piece together the truth about her husband, his business dealings, and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond anything she ever imagined.

In the end, Rachel has no choice but to uncover the real culprit behind the outage before it costs her everything.

Praise for Outage:

"A punchy, high-octane thriller that's anchored firmly in the believable family dynamics of the likeable protagonists, Mike Trigg's OUTAGE will engage readers and have them rooting for the good guys."
~ James Kinsley for IndieReader

"Outage taps into one of our deepest modern fears and never lets go. Mike Trigg delivers a fast-paced, timely thriller packed with escalating suspense and a family you’ll be rooting for until the final page. A winner."
~ Alex Finlay, bestselling author of The Anniversary

"Outage is a ripping good ride. With a crisp plot and insightful critique of our dependence on fragile technology, Trigg forces us to ask who can we really trust and delivers a thriller that seems ripped from the headlines. The stakes couldn’t be higher."
~ James L’Etoile, Award-wining author of Illusion of Truth and the Detective Nathan Parker series

"OUTAGE is a compelling, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller about our worst national security nightmare – a devastating cyberattack that wipes out the internet, mobile phone service and all the crucial technology we rely on so much today. Mike Trigg masterfully tells the story of a woman who must go to extraordinary lengths to save her family while the rest of the world around her is falling apart. This is a book that will keep you racing through the pages until the shocking ending. And hoping afterward that none of it could ever really come true!"
~ R.G. Belsky, author of The Vanishers and the award-winning Clare Carlson series

"What if the technology we depend on every day is intentionally corrupted - Outage is a chilling thriller with nonstop suspense and action that pulls you in from the first page."
~ Deven Greene, author of the Erica Rosen MD Trilogy

"A paranoid delight! From the first page, an atmosphere of dread hangs over the book, pulling the reader into its tense, fast-moving plot. Wonderful characterizations will keep thriller enthusiasts invested in the story. Perfect for fans of Patricia Highsmith."
~ R.J. Koreto, author of the award-winning "Historic Homes" mystery series

"Frighteningly plausible. Riveting."
~ Eleanor Kuhns, Award Winning author of the Will Rees Mystery Series

"Outage is a terrifying look at society and our dependence on technology."
~ Westley Smith, Bestselling Author

"Nothing is scarier than a domestic suspense thriller, and Outage delivers without letting up. With no phones, no internet, a sudden, gouging, cash economy and a family on the run, what could possibly go wrong? Mike Trigg will keep you on the edge of your seat as you, Rachel, and her children race to figure who to trust and who has reduced the country to its knees."
~ Jenny Dandy, author of the Houses of Crime Mystery series

Outage Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Suspense; Psychological Thriller
Published by: Montague Books
Publication Date: October 20, 2026
Number of Pages: 344, Pbk
ISBN: 9781646049684 (ISBN10: 1646049683)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

PROLOGUE

EVERY MARRIAGE EVENTUALLY reaches a decision point. A moment of truth when you either need to trust your partner completely or believe you will be better off on your own.

For Rachel Farrell, that moment is now.

As she lowers her eye to the scope of her rifle, this untimely realization hits her with sudden clarity. Those familiar vows, recited almost two decades ago, constrict her lungs now with the full weight of their significance. To have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health—they all amount to being there, always, no matter what. Doing whatever it takes. Even if that means putting a bullet in someone’s head.

The last week has put those vows to the test. Revealed the cracks that have been growing for years in her marriage to Caleb. After the euphoric whirlwind of falling in love, their relationship survived the trials of parenthood, the stresses of two high-powered jobs, the financial burdens of raising a family. But instead of pulling closer together, they’ve been drifting apart without even knowing it. Differences that once seemed so small have come to feel irreconcilable. Rhetoric that was once so supportive has become laden with microaggressions, harbored grievances, mutual suspicion, strained silence. And yet, their marriage has endured, adapted. They have kept their family together.

Rachel wishes these thoughts weren’t running through her head, not now when she needs to concentrate. But isn’t that what this moment is really about? Does she trust her husband? She knows she must decide. Knows she has put it off. Dreaded the implications, especially for her children. But marriages can’t survive in stasis. They need affirmation, renewed commitment, reinvigoration. Maybe that’s what’s happening. Maybe what seemed like a final straw is actually a newfound spark. Maybe she won’t know what she has until it’s gone.

With tears blurring her vision, she squints through the eyepiece and locates her target. At this close range, his head takes up most of the viewfinder. He’s sitting still, exposed, facing away from her. Then she sees the gun pointed at Caleb’s head. She can’t wait any longer or the decision will be made for her. She has to take the shot. But what if she misses? What will happen next? Whatever it is, she knows her life will never be the same after this moment.

Rachel suppresses her inner dialogue of self-doubt and steadies her breath. Chest pressed into the dirt along the ridge. Elbows propped against a rock. Hands clenched on the stock and grip. Shoulder nuzzled against the butt, braced for the recoil. Beads of sweat streak down her face, but she lets them drip onto the dry ground. Her hand stops trembling as she aligns the back of his head in the crosshairs. Then, she counts her exhale, holds her breath, and squeezes the trigger.

CHAPTER 1

Seven Days Earlier

“I KNOW IT’S HARD, but you have to tell him how you feel,” Rachel says into the screen of her laptop.

Easier said than done, she thinks to herself as she adjusts her camera angle. She has been sitting here all afternoon, parked in the same chair at her dining table, holding back-to-back Zoom sessions. Carrie, her last client of the day, is running up against the end of the hour, but Rachel’s best efforts to politely steer their session to a logical conclusion are proving too subtle.

Part of her feels sorry for Carrie. Her husband stopped attending long ago. It’s not a good sign when the husband—or either spouse, but usually the husband in Rachel’s experience—refuses to participate. That’s the whole idea of couples therapy, that it requires with both partners. That it’s a safe, supportive environment for discussing and resolving issues in a constructive manner. When one spouse taps out of the therapy, it usually means they are tapping out of the marriage. The next step is the domain of Rachel’s previous ten-year profession as a divorce attorney, before she found her calling as a couples therapist.

Rachel can tell that, on some level, Carrie knows her marriage may be over, despite complaining about her husband’s lack of affection, short temper, long absences as if those are root problems rather than symptoms. The fact of the matter is, once again this week, her husband isn’t here. Clear evidence that he’s done trying to save the marriage, if that was ever his intention.

Rachel glances at the clock in the upper corner of her screen, hoping Carrie won’t notice—or maybe that she will and finally realize their time is up. Rachel’s butt is getting numb. She’s running out of time to make anything for dinner. Another night of carryout is the likely solution. Without breaking sympathetic eye contact, Rachel slides her phone just underneath the camera’s view and composes a text message to Caleb.

“Last session running long. Can you pick up dinner at Lost Dog? The usual.”

The Old Town Alexandria restaurant isn’t exactly on Caleb’s way home to the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, but close enough. Plus, Rachel has a low-grade obsession with their bacon-feta pizza that always overrides her latest attempt at a diet. She’ll kick herself later for gorging on carbs, but screw it—it’s been a long day. Hopefully, Caleb won’t be taking clients out to dinner tonight. She knows he spent the day doing the lobbying rounds on Capitol Hill with one of them, some polyethylene manufacturers’ association or something. She needs that pizza. Rachel notes the time on her phone, 6:04 p.m., then covertly places it face down so she won’t be distracted by it again.

“I just really don’t know what else he expects me to do,” Carrie says, abruptly ending her monologue with an expectant look. Rachel snaps out of her pizza lust and forces a compassionate smile.

“Look, Carrie . . .” Rachel begins, choosing her words carefully. “We’ve been working together a long time, so I feel like I can be honest with you. I’m never going to tell you what to do, but the behaviors you’ve talked about just . . . don’t seem to be getting better. In fact, they seem ingrained. It’s very hard to change another person. And the fact Todd is no longer attending these sessions isn’t a good sign of his commitment to making this marriage work.”

Carrie doesn’t respond, but her expression is the definition of despair. Rachel immediately worries that she’s gone too far. “I’m sorry, I’m probably overstepping my bounds as your therapist, but I . . . Carrie?” Mid-apology, Rachel realizes it isn’t Carrie’s expression that is frozen; it is the entire screen. “Carrie? Hello? Can you hear me?”

That’s perfectn, Rachel thinks, pushing a strand of hair aside as she clicks around in aggravation. Just when she finally delivers her tough-love message, their connection drops. The internet service at their suburban house has been so spotty lately, and calling customer service is a joke. Did Carrie hear any of that? Rachel types into the chat feature: “You froze on me. I think we lost our connection.” But nothing happens. Everything is frozen.

“Crap,” Rachel says, drumming her fingers on the table. Hopefully, a bad connection is all it is. Not Carrie getting so offended by Rachel’s candor that she left the meeting. Maybe Carrie’s phone number is in her contacts, Rachel thinks. Just as she picks up her phone to check, it buzzes—most likely with Caleb’s reply, telling her why he can’t pick up dinner, that he’ll be home late again, that they shouldn’t wait up for him. Anticipating her aggravation, she flips the phone over to see the screen, but it isn’t the message from Caleb she expects. Instead, it’s just one simple notification. “Message failed to send.”

***

Excerpt from Outage by Mike Trigg. Copyright 2026 by Mike Trigg. Reproduced with permission from Mike Trigg. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

A veteran of Silicon Valley, Mike Trigg writes contemporary thrillers that explore technology’s impact on modern life. Outage is his third novel. His first, Bit Flip, was lauded as a “twisty, acerbic corporate thriller” by the San Francisco Chronicle. His second, Burner, was praised as “a cautionary tale for the digital age” by IndieReader. His work has been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, and Literary Hub. Born in Kentucky and raised in Wisconsin, Trigg earned a BA from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Catch Up With Mike Trigg:

MikeTrigg.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @mike_trigg
BookBub - @mtrigg254
Instagram - @mike_trigg254
Threads - @mike_trigg254
X - @mike_trigg
Facebook - @MikeTriggAuthor

 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Connection Lost? Your Chance to Win Isn’t!

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Mike Trigg. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

OUTAGE by Mike Trigg | Gift Cards

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Book Tour ~ The Swamp Ghost by Christi Keating Sumich

 

THE SWAMP GHOST

by Christi Keating Sumich

October 12 - November 6, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

AN OLD NEW ORLEANS BOOKSHOP MYSTERY

 

In 1833, Irish immigrants are hard at work digging the New Basin Canal, a waterway that will connect New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain. When one of the workers sees a strange blue orb glowing in the swamp at night, he fears it is a Fifolet (fee-foo-lay) guarding Jean Lafitte’s buried treasure. Legend has it that pirates killed a crewman and buried his body with their loot, dooming his ghost to stand guard forever. The next morning, the worker is found dead. The men believe the site is cursed, and Aiden Doyle, the crew's leader, must uncover the truth or risk losing his job. When the newly formed police force refuses to investigate, Aiden seeks help from Mary Catherine Whitney, now renowned throughout New Orleans for her mystery-solving skills after she and her husband, Tobias, unraveled the secrets of the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte and wrote a popular adventure story about it. She’ll need all her cleverness and wit to unlock the secrets of the Fifolet, and she may even need a little help from Lafitte himself.

Continuing characters from Lafitte Lives, The Swamp Ghost is the first in the Old New Orleans Bookshop Mysteries, featuring Mary Catherine Whitney, irascible wife, mother, and amateur sleuth in this charming series set in nineteenth-century New Orleans.

Praise for The Swamp Ghost:

"In The Swamp Ghost, the lovable Mary Catherine Whitney returns to lead readers on a captivating adventure through 1833 New Orleans as she investigates the mysterious death of a troublemaker who died while digging a canal. Word goes out that an evil spirit attacked him. A merry band of helpers joins Mary Catherine to find the true killer — or confirm the evil spirit tale. Along the way, they encounter pirates, gamblers, and drunkards. Once again, Christi Keating Sumich entertains us while immersing us in the sights, sounds, smells, and folklore of New Orleans."
~ Marlie Parker Wasserman, author of First Daughter

"If you love strong-willed women solving spooky mysteries in the heat of the bayou, this book is perfect for you! Introduced to the Whitney family in Sumich's first book, THE SWAMP GHOST expands their world and the mysteries in it. Mary Catherine Whitney is a force to be reckoned with. Even the supernatural can't hide from her investigations."
~ Nicole Asselin, Author of the Minor League Mysteries, Host of Baseball, Books, and Banter podcast.

'In Christi Sumich's new novel featuring the Whitney family, feisty Mary Catherine continues to berate her rambunctious sons and, if I may say, saintly husband, but is now stepping not-so-quietly into the world of the amateur sleuth, with help from her equally acerbic cook, Mrs. Clarke. We return to New Orleans. It's a divided city, where the Creoles and the influx of Irish are vying for economic and political dominance. At the heart of this novel is the death of an Irish "digger," just one of hundreds who are digging a new canal out of a swamp. Was his death a murder, or did a ghost protecting pirate treasure kill him? Although this is your classic who-dun-it, albeit with ghosts and pirates, the background of a city and the plight of immigrants is nicely documented. I'm looking forward to Mary Catherine's next "case"!'
~ Claire M. Johnson, author of the Fog City Noir series

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 22, 2026
Number of Pages: 232
Series: An Old New Orleans Bookshop Mystery, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Swamps Outside of New Orleans
1833

Chapter One

Sean Leery smacked his own cheek with such force that he felt like he was back in Ireland, on the receiving end of a blow in one of his many pub brawls. He missed County Cork and his cottage there. It hadn’t been much, but it was certainly better than his present circumstances, trying to catch some sleep in a sweltering Louisiana swamp. The pitiful cypress log hut that was his temporary home while he was out digging the New Basin Canal offered little comfort and couldn’t keep out the water from the daily rainstorms, let alone the mosquitoes that swarmed him and his fellow diggers.

He wiped a smear of blood from his face, slightly mollified to see this one had a full belly, judging by the sizable blood splatter. Hell, most of it was probably his to begin with, but at least the menace would feast on him no more this evening. Not that it would do much good. Ridding the Louisiana bayous of one mosquito had about the same effect as plucking a snowflake off an avalanche. God, he even missed the snow and cold of his homeland, though he still recalled shivering next to the stove, trying to extract the last bit of warmth from the feeble coal remnants. It was just so hot here. And not only during the day. In the summer, which seemed to last most of the year, it was equally unbearable at night, especially in the swamp. Even now, in October, the air was so thick he felt he needed to chew it before he could breathe it in.

He stretched his feet past the edge of his cot to restore circulation before tucking them back under the mosquito netting. Tomorrow, he’d have to find the hole where they were getting in and stitch it up. Cagey little suckers, they were. They’d weasel their way through the tiniest opening. He flopped onto his side, hoping sleep would envelop him again. He needed to rest if he had any hope of performing the arduous labor his job required. The sooner they finished their digging, the sooner he could high-tail it back to New Orleans and civilization.

Though the working and living conditions were less than ideal, Sean considered himself lucky to be on Aiden Doyle’s digging crew. Aiden was a fair foreman, much better than some of the others. He treated his “ditchers” well, as the men digging out the swamp were called.

They were the lead crew on the project, an ambitious plan by the New Orleans Canal and Banking Company to dig a navigable commercial waterway from Lake Pontchartrain to the American Sector of New Orleans, located behind the Vieux Carré, or the French Quarter, as the Americans called it. The canal was to be six to ten feet deep, sixty yards wide, and six miles long. It was being dug by a workforce composed mainly of Irish immigrants wielding picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows, slowly making their way through the swamps outside the city.

It was dangerous, backbreaking work. Ditchers, even young ones, often did not fare well. Because Irish immigrants were arriving in New Orleans in large numbers and were willing to toil for low wages, the company hired them as “expendable labor,” knowing that excavating mosquito-infested swampland meant losing many workers to yellow fever, cholera, and malaria. Some of the foremen joked that to dig a canal, at least four things were necessary: a shovel, a pick, a wheelbarrow, and an Irishman.

Aiden Doyle was Irish, so Sean supposed that might explain his more compassionate nature. Most bosses wouldn’t have taken on someone as old as Sean, let alone someone with his less-than-stellar reputation. Sean would be forty-two on his next birthday, but he looked far older. Hard living took its toll on a man. So did drinking too much whiskey and trying to live by his wits for too long, especially since he hadn’t been blessed with an abundance of them. His bulbous nose was a testament to his love of drink, and its crookedness to the brawling that generally followed.

Sean also loved cards, and he owed debts to the sort of people who expressed their displeasure at not being promptly reimbursed in unfortunate physical ways. So when his debts began piling up and he feared the threats of bodily harm were no longer mere threats, he sought employment out of sheer necessity. He would work until he could pay the most pressing debts to the most violent of his creditors, then quit and resume his life of gambling, drinking, and enjoying the company of disreputable women. Such was his pattern, and Sean was eager to return to it—if he survived this present job.

Sean flopped onto his back, blowing out a frustrated breath. In addition to the stifling heat and swarming blood suckers, his ability to fall back asleep was being hindered by Darren’s snoring and Murph’s farts. Might as well take a piss while I’m awake.

Sean grunted as he shifted to his feet. They were sore after the day’s labors. Every inch of him hurt, but the worst was his shoulders. They ached and throbbed, adding to his insomnia. He needed to sleep if he was to get up the next day and do more digging. If he couldn’t work, Aiden would have to replace him on his crew. Sean wasn’t keen to find another crew. He didn’t particularly like any of the men he worked with out here in this godforsaken place, but he figured he had less than a month to go before he would have enough money to quit. What could be worse than having to beg your way back onto a job you hated? He needed to tough it out.

He pulled on his boots and left the shack. The sliver of moon did little to dispel the swamp's stygian darkness. As he made his way to the temporary privy the crew had erected, he was careful not to trip over the cypress knees poking out of the semi-solid earth and to avoid any snakes that might be hiding in the tall grass. No doubt there were alligators to avoid as well. He shuddered at the thought of disturbing a sleeping gator as he swatted futilely at the mosquitoes buzzing around his head.

Suddenly, his hand froze in front of his face. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? The sight before him shouldn’t be there. A bright blue orb was dancing in the distance, just beyond a copse of water gum trees. Could it be his imagination? It was easy to think so. After all, this landscape was eerie and otherworldly at night. It occupied a nebulous space between water and earth, always wet and only sometimes solid. The densely packed cypress trees, dripping with tattered Spanish moss that reminded Sean of ghosts caught in the branches, crowded out the sun during the day, making it perpetual dusk at its brightest and forcing the humid air to hover over the swamp dwellers like a hot, moist blanket.

Sean had seen some unusual sights out here, but this went beyond any of them. Could it be the moonlight illuminating some swamp gas? He knew this wasn’t it, but he was desperate for a logical explanation. Sean was not superstitious, unlike some of the men he worked with, fools still clinging to their Irish folklore like a lifeline in this strange place. Yet the sight before him sent chills down his body, straight through his aching arms and into his cramping feet.

What was he looking at? There should not be a blue light shining in front of him out here in the desolate swamp. It was not a fire or a lantern, of that he was certain.

Sean was not a religious man, yet he crossed himself in an unconscious, protective gesture. He needed to get back to the safety of the shack and the other diggers, but fear froze him in place. There was a terrifying moment of stasis, and then the blue orb advanced rapidly toward Sean, as if sensing his presence and locking onto him, preparing to give chase. Sean heard a scream and realized it was coming from his own throat. He turned and ran back through the swamp, trying to stay upright as he stumbled over the cypress knees and deep eddies, all thoughts of sleeping gators and rattlers driven from his mind. He burst into the shack, waking the rest of the crew.

As they rubbed sleep from their eyes and sat up in astonishment, trying to make sense of what was happening, they took in the strange sight before them. Sean Leery, the ornery old bastard they had assumed feared nothing and no one, was gasping for breath, sputtering about something he’d spotted in the swamp. His face was as white as if he’d seen the very devil himself, and a dark, wet spot spread across the front of his breeches where he’d pissed himself.

***

Excerpt from The Swamp Ghost by Christi Keating Sumich. Copyright 2026 by Christi Keating Sumich. Reproduced with permission from Christi Keating Sumich. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Christi Keating Sumich holds a PhD in History and a master’s degree in English. Her writing combines her fascination with history with her love of the mystery genre. She is the author of Lafitte Lives (Level Best Books, February 2026), a historical mystery centered on her ancestor, the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte. It is the prequel in the Old New Orleans Bookshop Mysteries, followed by The Swamp Ghost (Level Best Books, September 2026). She is also the author of the short story “The Night Doctor of New Orleans” in Crime Before Our Time (Level Best Books August 2026).

Christi's nonfiction titles include Hauntingly Good Spirits: New Orleans Cocktails to Die For (Wellfleet Press, 2024) and The Brandy Milk Punch (Louisiana State University Press, 2025), both written with her mother, Sharon Keating.

Christi lives just outside New Orleans with her husband and too many pets, as she has a soft spot for “unconventionally attractive” animals in need of homes. She is the mother of three grown children (plus a daughter-in-law). Her claim to fame is being the winningest contestant on Hollywood Squares.

Catch Up With Christi Keating Sumich:

ChristiSumich.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @sumichchristi
Instagram - @casumich
Facebook - @christi.keating.sumich.author

 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Enter If You Dare...

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for The Swamp Ghost by Christi Keating Sumich. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

THE SWAMP GHOST by Christi Keating Sumich | Gift Card

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Book Tour ~ The Lost Photograph by Archana Maniar

 

THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH

by Archana Maniar

October 12 - November 6, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

Synopsis:

A forgotten photograph. A trailblazing ancestor. And a modern woman about to discover that her family's past holds the key to her future.

When overworked surgeon Jaanvi Chowdhury finds a mysterious photograph and a small stack of letters hidden in her Boston attic, she uncovers the remarkable story of her great-aunt Kalyani Joshi--one of the first Indian women to study medicine in 1920s London.

As Jaanvi pieces together her ancestor's life, she discovers Kalyani's experience of colonial oppression, her role in India's fight for independence, and her unlikely connection with a Scottish missionary's son, Alexander. Drawn together by their passion for literature, Kalyani and Alexander will risk everything for a free India, putting their loyalty, love, and choices to the test.

Navigating between past and present, Jaanvi confronts her own struggles. Passed over for promotion, she has lost sight of why she became a doctor. But as she learns how fiercely Kalyani fought for each opportunity--and the price she paid--Jaanvi begins to question her own carefully constructed life. Can her great-aunt's unprecedented story help her reclaim not just her purpose in medicine but her sense of who she truly is?

A sweeping and captivating historical novel that will steal a piece of your heart, The Lost Photograph is perfect for fans of Alka Joshi, Kate Quinn, and Kristin Hannah.

Praise for The Lost Photograph:

"Archana Maniar brings 1930s India to vibrant life with this riveting story of two women bound by blood and ambition. The Lost Photograph is both intimate and sweeping in its portrait of separate generations struggling to find their place ... Maniar weaves their stories into a poignant, luminous novel that stays with you long after you've turned the last page."
~ Claire Booth, author of Throwing Shadows and the Hank Worth Mystery Series

"Archana Maniar’s THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH is a page-turner that has it all, forbidden love, clandestine meetings, and the very real danger of losing everything, including oneself. With vivid and compelling characters, the story is gripping and tender at the same time, a testament to how the past can bring clarity to the present, and strength to embrace the future."
~ Nigar Alam, author of Under the Tamarind Tree

"Beautiful, vivid, and atmospheric."
~ Fiona Valpy, author of The Skylark's Secret and The Dark of the Moon

"A dazzling and deeply evocative novel of love, women’s rights and the Indian independence movement, Archana Maniar’s stunning prose instantly drew me into Jaanvi and Kalyani’s stories. Impossible to put down, I know the characters will stay with me for a long time!"
~ Linda Wilgus, author of The Sea Child

"I knew I shouldn’t start reading this on a weeknight, but my restraint absconded with my willpower the minute I laid my hands on this book. Maniar has done it again, artfully weaving the story of two women—related by blood and connected through time. Both buck the norms of a society that is geared to suppress their intelligence and passion. The book brings a much-needed perspective on the struggles of the Indian people under colonial rule and the tireless work of courageous souls who risked everything to gain independence. Any woman who has tried to break a glass ceiling, flex her independence, or get recognition for the merits of her work will savor this book like a crisp raspberry sorbet on a hot summer's night."
~ Cathi Misquitta, Early Reader

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction with Contemporary Themes
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
Number of Pages: 399
ISBN: 9781662528729 (ISBN10: 1662528728)
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Born near Chicago to immigrants from India, Archana Maniar relocated with her parents to Mumbai at age four. After the culture shock abated, she fell in love with her parents’ homeland until chance brought the family to California. During vacations and family occasions, Mumbai was a frequent destination. She attended college at University of California, Los Angeles where she studied political theory and biology before attending medical school at the University of California, Davis. As a professor of medicine and practicing infectious diseases physician, she was a frontline healthcare worker from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was deeply involved in health system pandemic preparedness. Always a writer in the margins of her day, storytelling became an obsession during her medical career, a way to process her observations about human nature during health, stress, and sickness. With a stubborn case of wanderlust, when she is not working or writing, she is usually traveling somewhere with her family. The Lost Photograph is her second novel.

Catch Up With Archana Maniar:

www.ArchanaManiarBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @archanamaniar
Facebook - @Archana Maniar

 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

A Picture-Perfect Chance to Win!

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for The Lost Photograph by Archana Maniar. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

THE LOST PHOTOGRAPH by Archana Maniar | Gift Cards

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Book Tour ~ Legacy of the Bluffs by Loretta Marion

 

Mystery

Date Published: 10-22-2026

Publisher: Time At Last Books (Indie)

A suspicious death rattles a quaint Cape Cod seaside village and the discovery of a long-buried secret leaves a prominent local family questioning their legacy.

 

Cassie Mitchell is juggling the responsibilities of new motherhood and the drama surrounding her sister’s return to Whale Rock while welcoming another tenant to the carriage house. Adding to her worries are the recently discovered letters revealing a stunning confession. Could one of her seven baby brothers, who supposedly died at childbirth, have survived?

Cassie begins unraveling this new family mystery with guidance from the ever-present spirits of her ancestors, the original residents of The Bluffs. However, the fog of pregnancy brain is impeding her deciphering of their messages.

Cassie’s husband, former FBI agent Daniel Benjamin, surprises her with an au pair to help with the baby. But there’s something unnerving about Abbigail Grant, and soon after her arrival, the community is shaken when a body is found sprawled on the rocks near The Bluffs. With the case ruled a homicide, Cassie becomes entangled in the investigation and butting heads with Chief Brooks Kincaid, who is under pressure to solve the case before tourist season begins. A prominent politician appears on the scene, with questions arising over his connection to the victim. And why has the mysterious new owner of the Red Herring estate been nosing around suspiciously?

Can this murder be solved in time to save the summer season? Will Cassie determine if her brother survived? And if he did, will it be a blessing or another curse on the Mitchell family?

“LEGACY OF THE BLUFFS…a story about murder, family secrets, and the complicated inheritance passed from one generation to the next.”—Literary Global 5 STAR GOLD BOOK AWARD

 

BEFORE…

 

W ell-honed skills were serving her splendidly today, though even she was amazed by how easy it had been to slip into the exclusive memory care facility unnoticed. It wasn’t until she reached the door to the patient’s room that someone stopped her.

“Are you one of the temps?” A tired looking middle-aged woman in periwinkle nursing scrubs approached.

She turned and smiled, waving a lanyard ID from a private staffing company.

“I’ve been employed by the family for some extra help with Ms. French.” She peered at the woman’s badge, Kathy Williams, Nurse Manager, hoping her luck was not running out.

The nurse’s lips turned down. In suspicion or worry? It was difficult to tell.

“I have my paperwork somewhere in here.” She began to dig through her tote bag.

“We are in the midst of a staffing shortage, and some residents’ families are growing impatient.”

Worry.

“I’m sure the family understands, Kathy.” She smiled encouragingly, familiarly using the nurse’s first name though she’d yet to be introduced.

“I hope you’re right. We can’t afford any bad press right now.” The nurse manager rubbed at the tension lines on her forehead.

She nodded sympathetically. Having done the research, she was aware that the care facility had recently come under scrutiny by the state department of health and human services for staffing complaints.

“We prefer to schedule an orientation with the private pay staff to familiarize you with our rules and regulations.” The nurse’s lips puckered to one side. “I’m not sure why we weren’t notified.”

“Maybe it fell through the cracks?” Planting the seed of doubt, she then added, “I can check with the family about delaying my start date.”

Nurse Kathy mulled this over while ignoring a beeping phone. She shook her head and said, “It’s probably a blessing you’re here today. With additional staff shortages, it will be a tremendous help. Mrs. French is a lovely woman with borderline Stage Four to Stage Five dementia. But you’ve probably been updated by the family.”

“Indeed.”

Finally, the nurse checked her text message with a deepening frown.

“I’ve got an emergency on another unit.” She rushed down the hallway, calling out over her shoulder, “Check with the unit nurse if you have any problems. And leave your paperwork at the admin office.”

“Will do,” she called back, though knowing she’d be gone long before anyone could begin to ask questions about the private nurse who showed up unannounced.

She slipped into the patient’s room where she found a tidily dressed lady sitting at the window watching the hummingbird feeder.

“Good morning, Mrs. French,” she brightly greeted the woman, who turned and smiled.

“Is it time for my meds?”

“Not yet. But I do have a present for you.” She reached into her bag and produced a bakery box. She’d read that certain familiar foods could trigger a dementia patient to lucidity. “I hear Joe Froggers are your favorite cookies.”

“Oh yes!” The older woman clapped her hands with delight. “How did you know?”

“I’m a friend of your son’s.”

“You are? Did he send these?” She was eagerly removing the cord from the box and didn’t wait for an answer. “When I was young, my family always stopped at a Marblehead bakery for these on the way to the coast.”

She bit into a cookie; her eyes closed to savor the pleasure. She then said in a small, sad voice, “It seems so long since he’s visited.”

“Your son?”

Mrs. French considered this while sampling a second bite of cookie. “Always busy. Always on the move.”

“He sends his love.” A small lie couldn’t hurt.

“That boy was delivered by an angel.” The aged eyes brightened.

“Not the stork?” A joke for which there was an unexpected reward.

“Oh no. We couldn’t.” Mrs. French shook her head then finished the cookie and delicately dusted the crumbs from her fingers.

“Was your son an infant when you adopted him?” A hazarded guess.

“It was never official,” she said in a hushed tone.

The hair on her neck tingled at the possibility of unearthing a secret, but the older woman gave her a suspicious look.

“Are you my new nurse?”

“I’m a friend of your son’s and you were just telling me about his adoption.”

“Was I?” She stared vacantly at the ceiling for several seconds before finally saying, “It was providence that brought that special boy to us.”

“He’s grown into a fine man, no doubt from his upbringing.”

The old woman nodded dreamily before turning deadly serious. What followed was a trance-like recounting of an incredible tale that could hold the key to some long-locked doors, but one that also could have been fabricated by a confused mind. The narration ended suddenly with Mrs. French shaking free of her fugue of revelation, blinking hard, and gazing about the room as if trying to determine where she was.

Realizing she wasn’t alone, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously to ask, “Did Helen Pratt send you?”

“No, I don’t know anyone by that name.” Pointing to the box, she said, “I brought you the cookies.”

“Helen promised.” It was a whisper but then she became agitated and reached over to grab the visitor’s arm. With panic in her eyes, she declared fiercely, “You remind Helen Pratt of her promise.”

“Of course.” Her tone soothing as she gently patted Mrs. French’s hand while making a mental note of the name. “We were just chatting about your son.”

A tear slowly slid down the woman’s papery thin cheek before she turned to study the hummingbirds again. “Is it time for my meds?”

Slipping out of the care facility as surreptitiously as having entered, not only did she now have a recording of everything Mrs. French had revealed, but she’d also managed a quick lookback through the visitors’ log which exposed some unexpected details. She was exhilarated by the first interesting discoveries she’d made since accepting the assignment and was left salivating for more details. She couldn’t wait to start digging deeper.

Feeling buoyed by a not so small triumph, she strode easily to her car, smiling broadly while passing a service van idling in a handicap spot. Confidence had knocked her off her game, leaving her oblivious to being in the crosshairs of someone else’s sharp focus.

 

About the Author

 

 An award-winning author of fiction, Loretta Marion’s writing bridges the genres of mystery, suspense and women’s fiction, always with hints of romance and humor, sometimes delving into the psychological and paranormal. She creates strong but flawed characters as appealing as the rich atmospheric settings in which the stories take place.

A true bibliophile, she has loved reading and creating with words since she was a young girl. That affection for the written word followed her like a shadow throughout her life, but her passion for writing fiction evolved from the unlikely world of hospice. As a volunteer, she established a Legacy Story program to honor and preserve the rich heritage of the fascinating people who were soon to leave this world. The meaningful experience inspired her to create her own interesting characters and stories.

Though born and raised in the Midwest, Loretta fell in love with New England and has made it the setting for much of her writing. When not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book.

Loretta lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their devoted Mr. Micawber, a sweet and amusing German Shepherd Corgi cross

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Pinterest

Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/LegacyoftheBluffs

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Paperback

Book Blitz ~ Double Trouble for Nick - Cromwell-Hastings Series: Book 1 by May Wynn

 

Double Trouble for Nick
May Wynn
Publication date: July 30th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

An emotional story of second chance romance, friendship bonds, and brotherly love!
Identical twin brothers. Mistaken identity! A surprise pregnancy!

Nicholas and Nathaniel Hastings, identical twins, are at completely different places in their lives.
Nick is committed to his best friend and soulmate. He’s anxious to make Abby his wife.
Nate is a wild bachelor playboy at a crossroads. True love will blindside him, hard and fast!

Over the course of one weekend, a series of mishaps and a wild mix-up forever change their lives! Abby makes a heartbreaking mistake and calls off the wedding to Nick.

Will fate intervene and bring Nick and Abby back together?
Will Nate find out a major secret before it’s too late?

Perfect for readers who enjoy identical twin mix-ups and second-chance romance!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Rush this? Are you kidding me over here?” she stammered. “I’ve been wanting you for years. I think I’m finally ready,” she said, offering him a small smile, as she blushed. “I really mean it, Nick. I know you’ve dated other women, with my blessing, but it’s been bothering me. Seeing you with Sadie lately has been driving me crazy. I know she has the hots for you and I don’t like it, at all,” she huffed.

“Is that so?” he smirked. “Well, I never thought I’d hear you say you were jealous. I think I actually like the sound of that, coming from you. But to set the record straight, I have zero interest in Sadie. In fact, I have zero interest in anyone long term, but you, Abs.”

A breathtaking smile spread across her face. She reached over to hold his hand.

—–

“What’s going on, Abby?” he asked quietly, watching her over the brim of his glass.

“I thought we could hang out, find something new to do? Maybe even something dangerous, you know, like strip poker or something?” she suggested, but wouldn’t look him in the eye.

Okay, now he knew something was off. She didn’t even know how to play poker. What the hell? Knowing her better than she knew herself, he was determined to draw her out.

“So, this idea for strip poker? Is this something new or…” he trailed off, watching her closely. She was not like most of the other women at school. Abby was smart, but vulnerable. She was naïve when it came to relationships. He’d accepted that a long time ago and loved her just the way she was.

“Well, is strip poker something you’re interested in? Have you played it before? I mean, I haven’t, but I’m willing to. I just thought it would be fun, sexy even,” she said shyly, still not looking him in the eye.

“Hmm, sexy huh? I do like the sound of that,” he said with a smirk. Then he put his glass down on the table and turned toward Abby. “But do you know what interests me more? How about you tell me what’s on your mind? Why are you about to come out of your own skin, Abs?” he asked gently. He tilted her chin up to lock their eyes. He took both her hands in his.

She looked at him and took in a deep breath. He had a calming effect on her. She offered him a warm soft smile as her eyes watered. The same pretty blue eyes he stared into at the playground when they were seven and he’d helped her off the merry-go-round.

“There she is. There’s my girl. What can I do to help?” he whispered.

Tears started flowing lightly down her cheeks. Her lower lip trembled. And then the other shoe dropped. “I don’t even know how to seduce you. I came over here to seduce you. Now I’m just a blubbering mess,” she cried.

“Abs, look at me,” he demanded gently as he met her gaze. His heart fluttered. “Don’t you understand? There is no comparison. You do not now, nor will you ever, have to compete with anyone for my attention. You need to always know that,” he said, staring into light blue eyes that took his breath away.

Author Bio:

May Wynn writes contemporary romance novels known for their emotional depth, engaging characters, and a satisfying happily-ever-after. A lifelong reader, her passion for storytelling began early, inspired by a close mentor who introduced her to a wide range of authors and genres. Together, they shared their own version of a book club before book clubs were even a trend.

After a successful career in the corporate world, May turned her focus to writing, bringing her love of romance to the page. She is an enthusiastic world traveler. She and her husband share a love of culture, history, and adventure, having traveled to more than 60 countries together. She draws inspiration from the places she has visited, weaving them into the stories she creates.

May lives in Florida with her family, where she enjoys writing on her lanai with a latte in hand, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook

GIVEAWAY!

Double Trouble for Nick Blitz

—

Book Blitz ~ That Touch... by Christi Snow

 

That Touch…
Christi Snow
Publication date: September 10th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A swoon worthy, he falls first, love story filled with laughter, tears, and a surprisingly romantic work trip to the Colorado mountains where late night revelations change everything.

Izzy and Leo have been best friends since second grade.

Leo…

He’s been in love with Izzy almost ever since, and was sure someday she’d see him the same way he saw her…as more.

But someday never came and now Leo is twenty-seven years old and ready to shed his virginity, and heartbreak. It’s time for him to find someone else…besides Izzy.

But when she needs a last-minute photographer for the biggest advertising campaign of her career, he can’t let his best friend down. He’s already decided this will be their last job together.

Izzy…

She grew up in the fantasy world of romantic comedy movies that her mom idolized. That “ideal” man was so much better than the disappointing reality of her philandering father.

That same father is now Izzy’s boss, making her work her way up through the misogynistic ranks of his executive team at the family advertising firm. When her dream account wants to hire her, she takes it on, without consulting anyone else in the company.

This is her account, her chance to prove her worthiness.

Escape to romantic Colorado…

But she’s working under a time-crunch, which can make things dangerous on a snowy mountainside. This work trip to Colorado for a last-minute photoshoot has the potential to change everything when Leo and Izzy are faced with having to share a hotel room and the confusing world where attraction becomes a distraction.

They say never fall for your best friend.

How has Izzy never noticed Leo, the man, before? Unfortunately, that discovery may be too late, because he already has other plans, and they don’t include Izzy.

A snowy mountain small town never looked so romantic before, but family drama has a way of ruining everything…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Izzy

I paused Pillow Talk and crawled out from under my piles of blankets I’d cocooned myself in for my day of self-care so I could answer the door. Hopefully, my UberEats guy had known I needed my regular order from Tommy’s Tacos tonight, even if I hadn’t called and ordered it yet.

At this point I ordered so much, he could probably foresee my needs like that.

Maybe—and I knew this was sudden—I should date him. God, that was an idea. Forget the tall, dark, and handsome losers I kept dating who treated me like shit.

I glanced over at Rock Hudson, frozen on the screen. I should just accept my dream guy was an impossibility of fiction.

It was time to try something else. Give me a guy who could foresee my needs for tacos. Now that would be the perfect match.

I’d built this idea up in my head so much in the last few seconds crossing the room that my shoulders dropped when I opened the door and didn’t find the UberEats dreamboat.

“Oh, hi, Leo.”

I left the door open for him to come inside while I shuffled back to the couch.

“Wow, I feel the love,” he said from behind me as he followed me inside. “I’m overwhelmed by that welcome. Now, I’m sure I made the right decision to skip the wrap party of the West Coast Babes show to bring my sad friend her favorite Tommy’s Tacos.”

At the sound of my two favorite “t” words, I swung back around and realized that yes, Leo held the distinctive red and green greasy bag from Tommy’s.
I reached for it. “Oh my god. Forget my UberEats guy, you’re my dream guy.”

His eyes widened comically for a minute until I laughed. “You should see your face. Don’t worry, Leo, definitely no romance between us. You will always and forever be my BFF. I decided that twenty years ago. I will not change my mind about it this late in the game.”

Something weird flitted through his gaze before he frowned at me. If I weren’t spending the night wallowing in my broken heart, I might have considered it more.

Author Bio:

As an avid reader her entire life, Christi Snow always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy she felt when she read. But...she never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When her husband retired from the Air Force, Christi decided it was time to chase her dream and she started writing. She hasn’t stopped since. With twenty-two published books in various romance genres, she’s found her passion. Now she spends her days with her laptop writing about sexy, alpha heroes and the loves of their lives.

Writing, Christi has fulfilled her dream... filling the world with more romance and suspense.

Her tagline is... Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. She loves this adventure and has truly found her tribe!

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!

That Touch Blitz

—

Book Tour ~ Time-Stopper: Interludes in Time by James Young

 

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  TIME-STOPPERS: INTERLUDES IN TIME by James Young
Category: Adult Fiction, 376 pages
Genre: Fantasy: Time Travel/Romance
Publisher: Mascot Books
Publication Date: June, 2026
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

The “perfect life” is an impossible dream—or is it?

Aided by an ability to stop time at will, David Preston intends to find out. David is obsessed with making his world perfect: career, love life—everything. Most people settle for less because they know perfection is impossible. But David has a problem: He believes perfection is not just possible but attainable. At least, for someone with his extraordinary gift.

David can stop time at will for everyone but himself. The world freezes around him, giving him “time” to complete tasks on impossible deadlines, compose brilliant answers to sudden questions, and dodge the otherwise unavoidable disasters we can see coming but are powerless to stop.

But life is messier than it appears, and reality is not easily dissuaded—especially when there may be someone else out there, stopping time...

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Mascot Books ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

This is James Young’s first foray into fiction. He has spent over three decades in and around D.C. politics, immersed in economic and policy legislation. Alongside degrees from the University of Chicago (B.A.) and Cornell University (M.A., Ph.D.), Young’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, The Hill, American Spectator, The Federalist, Washington Post, New York Post, Barron’s, Forbes, Chicago Tribune, Townhall, Blaze Media, San Francisco Chronicle, Cleveland Plain Dealer, USA Today, and elsewhere.

In his early days, James was Kipling’s “cat who walked by himself,” working in a steel mill, sailing on the Great Lakes’ iron ore boats, tending bar, riding motorcycles, scuba diving, traveling extensively worldwide, and “doing all manner of things that would have consumed fully eight of the Kipling cat’s nine lives.” He is spending his remaining life more sedately, though still traveling with his family to America’s national parks—with only the occasional exotic foray here and there.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz ~ Along Came Alice by Maria Dean

 

Author: Maria Dean

Title: Along Came Alice

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Subgenre: Romantic Comedy

Release Date: October 15, 2026

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing

Cover Designer: BookSmith Design

Available now!

Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/5462258

All Links: http://books2read.com/alongcamealice

She accidentally told her oldest friend she had a boyfriend.

Now she just has to convince him.

Alice Sutton has spent her entire life believing in grand romances, meet-cutes, and happily-ever-afters. Unfortunately, at thirty-six, she's still spectacularly single. So when she's invited to her childhood best friend's wedding, panic—and one tiny little lie—lead her to name a boyfriend she doesn't actually have.

The boyfriend in question?

Owen Shea.

Grumpy, tea-drinking, routine-loving Owen would rather spend time with his dachshund, Paul, than make small talk with another human being. The last thing he wants is to attend a wedding full of strangers pretending to be someone's devoted partner.

But somehow, he says yes.

As Alice and Owen stumble through Operation Wedding, fake couple photos, awkward family questions, and increasingly believable chemistry, Alice starts wondering if she's finally found the romance she's always dreamed of. Meanwhile, Owen is discovering that Alice's chaos might be the best thing that's happened to him in years.

There's just one complication.

What happens when the relationship everyone believes in is the one neither of them expected to become real?

A warm, witty romantic comedy featuring fake dating, grumpy/sunshine vibes, workplace banter, neurodivergent representation, and a hero who falls much harder than he intended.

Available now!

Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/5462258

All Links: http://books2read.com/alongcamealice

And just as my stomach sinks and I think she’s going to leave as just my friend, she turns and says, “So, do you think we’re all set for the wedding on Saturday?”

“Sure, I mean, do you think we’re ready?” I stumble, knowing I’m losing the moment. She’s going to walk out of this door, and we’re going to be friends, remain friends, maybe just as it should be.

“Yeah, there’s just one thing.” Her head drops slightly, and I want to place my thumb on her chin and tip it back up so I can gaze into her eyes and tell her exactly how I feel.

“What thing?” I ask.

“Well, this is going to sound a bit crazy, but we haven’t held hands or hugged or been close in any way, and I’m just worried that people will notice if we’re standing apart from one another or if we don’t hold hands at some point.” She isn’t looking at me, which I like but also hate.

“I know couples don’t walk around with their arms slung around each other, but when I saw Drew and Sydney together, he put his hand on the small of her back when they said goodbye, and then he touched her shoulder slightly and brushed her hair from her face and it was those little things that showed the world how much he loved her.” She looks up, must interpret the look on my face as sheer horror, as she quickly adds, “I’m not asking you to do any of those things, I was just wondering if you’d be okay with me holding your hand at some point or putting my hand on your leg? I thought I'd better ask rather than do it at the wedding, and you freaking out. But it’s okay if it’s a no. I totally understand, or if you have another idea of something we could do to show we’re a couple, then I’m happy to go with whatever you’re okay with.”

She takes a step back, a hurt look on her face that makes me want to grab her and hug her, but I falter, only slightly, before I step forward and place my thumb under her chin, tipping her head towards me and saying, “Something like this?”

Her eyes widen, and I’ve no idea if I’ve read this wrong, but I have the perfect excuse if she backs away, so I don’t think; I just kiss her, so lightly, so softly our lips barely touch, but it’s enough for me to know that I want my lips to be on hers all the time.

When I pull away, her skin is flushed, her eyes like pools, and her lips slightly parted. I’ve said before that I'm not great at reading people, but I know what I feel, and I know what I see. She wants more. She wants this just as much as I do.

“Well, that ought to do it,” she says, slightly breathless, and I see my chance. It’s now or never.

“I can’t do this, Alice,” I begin, scratching my chin. “I don’t want to go as your fake boyfriend,” I tell her, and her face drops, and I can’t stand it, can’t stand to see the look in her eyes.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to, I–”

But I don’t let her finish as I press my finger up against her lips and move in.

“I want to go as your real boyfriend, the one who gets to hold your hand, gets to kiss you, gets to put his hand on your leg under the table, and gets to look at you whenever he wants because you’re mine and it’s real, all of it.”

She gulps, and there’s a split second where I think I’ve done the wrong thing, spoiled everything because she’s about to tell me that’s lovely, but she doesn’t want it, not like I do, but then I move my finger, and she blinks with those beautiful doe eyes.

“What?” she says, her voice slight and almost whispering, disbelief, and uncertainty clouding her beautiful face, and I don’t hesitate, just thrust my hands in her hair and kiss her, this time, for real.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Maria Dean is an author from Yorkshire in England where she lives with her husband, two boys, and her faithful Boston Terrier. Her short stories have appeared in various publications and range from fantasy to science fiction and the supernatural, but for the long haul, her heart remains rooted in romance novels. An avid reader, she can be known to devour a book in a day, especially if there’s a twist in the tale and a swoon-worthy main character. She’s more than prepared to have her heart broken by a good book, just as long as it’s put back together again by the happily-ever-after. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found walking her dog in her local woods, usually dreaming up her next novel or listening to an audiobook.