Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the tantalising blog series where I share snippets from works-in-progress, up-coming releases and published novels. Except for when I let lovely writing buddies take over.
My guest today is Sarah Barrie whose Hunters Ridge romantic suspense series has been a ginormous success and raved about by readers. If you love small towns with secrets and a rocking romance, Sarah’s books are for you.
This is Sarah’s first appearance on Teaser Tuesday so please give her a huge welcome as she shares a little about her latest hit Promise of Hunter’s Ridge. Make sure you read until the end, because we just might have a juicy GIVEAWAY!
The third book in the Hunters Ridge series, Promise of Hunters Ridge is the story of Mia Morgan, a heroine that, over the course of the series has become a firm favourite with readers.
After freeing herself from an obsessive boss and saving loved ones from a serial killer, Mia relocates herself and her business to the pretty little country town of Hunter Ridge. But now her own life is in danger, and though used to fighting her battles alone, Mia realises she needs the help of her friends and family – and police detective, Ben Bowden, to get her through it. Of course, Mia and Ben have had more than a few issues getting along, and the sparks that fly whenever they’re together only complicate things further. If Mia can let go of the past and work with Ben, not only might she save her life, she could end up with her own happily ever after.
But nothing’s guaranteed when you’re a serial killer’s fantasy.
Mia took Chloe out to the veranda to wave them off, then went inside. It was quiet, already quite dark outside. Maybe she should have brought her gun. But she’d left it at home because Ben was going to be here. ‘I’m just being silly,’ she told Chloe. And went to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.
She played with Chloe and bathed her, watched her eyes close as she drank from her bottle. By the time Mia laid her gently in her cot, the baby was sleeping. ‘Goodnight, precious girl,’ she murmured. ‘You’re safe.’
She snuck downstairs. The dogs needed to be fed so she did that, then locked up. It was nearly eight, but she still had a bit of time before Ben was due. She stared at the lounge. Was she really going to sit there and watch movies with him? Just the two of them? She pressed a hand to her stomach. ‘Idiot.’ But she did need to get around to analysing her feelings for him before they tied her up in too many more knots. It was getting out of control.
She dug into her bag when her phone beeped with a message. She grinned. It would be Ally checking up.
Did you wear that for me?
What? She read the message again. Looked down at her modest shirt and jeans, then up at the windows. There was no light but a crescent moon. Her heart went into a fast rhythm. It must be a wrong number.
Maybe she’d just close the curtains. Wouldn’t hurt. She went around pulling them across the windows, then turned off all the unnecessary lights. After staring at the phone a few more seconds, she sat and turned on the television.
When the phone buzzed again she leapt form the lounge and opened the message.
I can still see you.
‘Shit.’ She spun around in a circle. There was no one in the house—the place was locked up, the alarm system on. Should she call the police? She tried Ben’s number. It was out of range. ‘He must be on his way,’ she told herself. The thought was a reassuring one. Maybe she’d let the dogs into the house. But they’d probably make a racket and wake Chloe. So what?
She was on her way to let the dogs in when her phone buzzed again. A picture message. Breathlessly, she opened it and a video started running. The camera was entering Chloe’s room, looking down at the sleeping baby.
Rob was here. He’d come for Chloe. She didn’t have her gun.
‘Oh God!’ She grabbed a knife from the kitchen bench and flew up the stairs.
Mia threw open the nursery door, knife raised. Chloe was in her cot. She stirred at the noise of the door banging. Mia’s gaze darted around as she flicked on the light, her whole being primed for fight. Where was he?
Backing into the corner of the room, she grabbed the baby sling and dropped it over her head. As quickly and gently as she could, she slipped Chloe inside. The baby settled back into sleep with a little sigh.
How could she use a knife with the baby around her middle? She needed a better weapon. She called Cam, but it went to voicemail. ‘Damn it!’ The movie hadn’t started yet—where were they? She was typing the second zero to call the police when her phone rang. She almost screamed.
‘Mia, it’s Cam, you rang?’
‘Where’s your gun?’ she whispered.
‘What? Why? Mia what’s wrong?’
‘Where?’ she breathed desperately.
‘Laundry, top shelf. Bullets are in the back of my top bedside drawer. What’s going on?’
She could hear Ally’s worried voice in the background. ‘Call the police for me. I have to go. I have to listen.’ She ended the call before he could object and turned the phone to silent. Cam and Ally’s room was right next door so she went there first. The small amount of noise she made shuffling around for ammunition seemed ridiculously magnified.
She slipped the phone in with Chloe and held onto the bullets and knife. He was in here somewhere. He would not get the baby.
Almost too scared to breathe, she crept back downstairs. Getting to the laundry involved walking to the far end of the darkest part of the house, but she didn’t want to turn a light on. If, by some miracle, he didn’t know where she was, she didn’t want to broadcast it. When she reached the small room it was too dark to see anything. Should she slip in and hope he wasn’t there, or turn on the light, risk it drawing him to them and hope she could load the rifle fast enough?
She turned on the light, found the rifle. Loaded it with shaking fingers. There was a loud crash and Chloe fussed, beginning to cry, then scream. Mia walked cautiously back down the hallway, rifle pointed straight ahead. A dark figure appeared. Her finger convulsed.
Oh WOW! How cool was that? Makes you want to grab a copy straight away, doesn’t it? You can, and easily. Simply visit Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play, Booktopia, or your favourite retailer and Promise of Hunters Ridge will be yours.
Now, as I mentioned in the intro, we have a…
GIVEAWAY!
Here’s Sarah to give you the details.
I love combining romance with the thrill of suspense, using a backdrop of the beautiful Australian countryside to portray the strength and determination of our Aussie heroes and heroines. So, for a chance to win a signed copy of my first bestseller Secrets of Whitewater Creek, let me know about your favourite character or couple from any Australian rural romance or romantic suspense and why you loved them.
Ooh, what a fantastic question, Sarah! My favourite couple are Kate and John from North Star by Karly Lane. There’s a scene in that book that cracks me up completely. Highly recommended, but I recommend all of Karly’s books. She’s fab.
So, my lovelies, who is your favourite character or couple from an Aussie rural romance or romantic suspense? With so many to choose from it’ll be tricky but we’re sure you’ll be able to do it.
Please note: Giveaway closes midnight Friday AEST, 7th April 2017. Open internationally. Whoop!
If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her best-selling novels, please visit her website. You can also connect on Facebook.
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