Blog Tour - Summer Reads from Sheryl Browne | Spreading the Word & Giveaway

Today I'm turning my blog over to Sheryl Browne author of "Somebody to Love" & "Warrant For Love!"

ALSO -- Be sure to comment on this post to be able to sign up for this tour's GIVEAWAY (listed below)!! [Blog Tour will run from August 13 - 17, 2012]

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"Somebody to Love" by Sheryl Browne
Author's Book Description :

After a turbulent marriage to a man who walked off hand-in-offshoot with something resembling a twig, divorced mum, Donna O'Conner, doubts happy endings exist. She'd quite like to find herself an Adonis with... pecs ...and things. Alas, that's not likely, when her only interest outside of work is hopping her three-legged dog in the park, carrying a poop-scoop. In any case, Donna isn't sure she'd know what to do with an Adonis if she fell on one. When PC Mark Evans comes along, gloriously gift-wrapped in blue, however, she can't help wishing she did. Mark, a single father, is desperate for love. He doesn't hold out much hope, though, that there is a woman out there with a heart big enough to love him and his autistic son. Enter big-hearted Donna, plus three-legged dog. And now Mark has a dilemma. Pretending not to mind her house-bunny chewing his bootlaces, he's smitten with Donna on sight. Should he tell her his situation up-front? Announcing he has a child with autism spectrum disorder on a first date tends to ensure there isn't a second. Or should he skirt around the subject, which amounts to a lie? When one lie leads to another, can he ever win Donna's trust back? Admit that he didn't trust Donna enough to let her into his life? "Somebody to Love" has been made with love... love of animals. Sheryl Browne has done excellent research on assistance dogs for the handicapped, specifically their use with autistic individuals. With a focus on romance with police officers, appealing to all readers who love our boys in blue, the author's "teasing but not telling" style makes this read appropriate for anyone, including young adults and older teens.

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Book Excerpt from "Somebody to Love" :

Donna glanced at Karl, trying to ignore the murmur of male voices behind them, for fear of losing his attention. ‘I think Starbuck might want to try some shoes on, Karl. Does Karl think he does?’

Donna watched and waited.

The furrow in Karl’s brow deepened. ‘I think Starbuck might want to try some shoes on,’ he eventually repeated.

‘Good boy, Starbuck.’ Donna breathed a sigh of relief, then moved around the dog, lifting each paw one by one and popping the paw-protectors on, whilst trying very hard to ignore Mark Evans staring at her from where he stood by the door.

Mark kept staring.

Utterly mesmerised.

Quite unable to tear his disbelieving eyes away from her.

Dr Lewis leaned towards him. ‘I think we landed on our feet with Donna, if you’ll forgive the pun.’

Mark hardly dared to breathe, thinking if he did, he might wake up from whatever hangover-induced hallucination this might be.

‘She has a natural empathy,’ Dr Lewis went on in the same low voice he’d been addressing Mark with in the last few minutes, rather than distract Donna from her mission, and Karl from Donna.

Mark nodded, at a loss for words that might describe how he felt about Donna just then. How could he have been such an idiot? She was smiling at his son. Talking to his son. Engaging with his son. Getting a reaction from him, and he’d been bloody fool enough to think she’d walk away at first knowledge of him.

He kept watching, what should be a Eureka moment, feeling sick to the bottom of his soul.

‘All set,’ Donna said, straightening from her task, then cocking an ear in Starbuck’s direction. ‘What was that, Starbuck?’

‘Oh,’ she said.

Mark’s mouth twitched into a smile.

‘Starbuck won’t go unless Karl wears his shoes.’ Donna sighed melodramatically. ‘He says Karl might hurt his feet. And then Karl might not be able to go walkies. And then Starbuck will be sad, because he doesn’t want to go walkies without his best friend.’

Best friend? Jesus. That’s where it had come from. Mark reeled inwardly. Could almost feel a collective holding of breath, a palpable tension as Karl climbed from his chair, walked over to his shoes, picked them up, plonked himself on the floor and pulled them on.

‘Good God!’ Dr Lewis stared in awe. ‘I don’t...’ He looked from a shoed and ready to go Karl, to Donna, back to Mark, but Mark was gone, half out door.

He couldn’t stay to watch anymore.

****

‘Mark?’ Donna stepped tentatively towards him.

He stayed where he was, his back to her.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I, er...’ He ran his hand though his hair.

Turned around after a while.

Swallowed hard.

Oh, Lord. He’d been crying.

Donna searched his face. She had no clue what to say to him. Why he was so upset. Why he hadn’t mentioned he had a special son. Except...

‘Why didn’t you tell me, Mark?’ she asked again, because she had to. ‘Was it because you didn’t think I’d be in your life long enough for you to warrant mentioning him?’

‘What!?’ Mark looked at her, visibly shocked. ‘No. I...’ He swallowed again. ‘I have to go,’ he said, dropping his gaze. ‘Can I call you, Donna? Will you please let me talk to you?’

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"Warrant For Love" by Sheryl Browne
Author's Book Description :

Leanne Curtis has shared more than her heart and her home with her womanising man. She's shared her pin number. The scales are peeled painfully from her eyes when she spots female footprints on the inside windscreen of his car. Devastated, Leanne storms off into the night. He wasn't going to pay her back when he sold his flat, his bolthole, his shag-pad, probably, the absolute...! Shivering on a street corner, Leanne comes up with a survival plan. She's no choice. If she's to keep her son in PS3s, Leanne needs a lodger. Brought up in care, Police Constable Paul Davis doesn't communicate well. On duty, he's gloomily contemplating his impending divorce. His wife sleeping with his sergeant is not helping his morose mood. His sergeant has a history, and Paul needs to find somewhere decent to live in order to gain custody of his son, fast. And to keep his job. Wrongfully arresting Leanne Curtis for soliciting, he muses, whilst avoiding five-star-freezer looks from her friends, might not be the best way to do it. Could fate have brought them together, though? Leanne needs a respectable lodger. Paul needs a home. One thing leads to another, and Paul can't quite believe his luck. When a blackmail plot ~ cooked up by Leanne's friends ~ threatens their budding relationship, however, is Paul compelled to uphold the law? Or will he risk everything to make sure Leanne's abusive ex gets his comeuppance? "Warrant for Love" is not your typical rom-com where only one gal gets the guy — Sheryl Browne brings together three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly. With a focus on romance with police officers, Warrant for Love appeals to all readers who love our boys in blue. Complex yet everyday relationship problems makes this read appropriate for young adults and older teens.

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Book Excerpt from "Warrant for Love" :

‘I think I’d better keep an eye on you for a while.’ Paul seated Lee at her kitchen table, then handled the coffee percolator like a pro. ‘I’m good at cocking up, but I’m even better at coffee.’ He smiled, passed her a mug and seated himself opposite. ‘So, where’s the, er, fiancé?’

‘Manfriend,’ Lee corrected him. ‘He’s away. Working, supposedly.’ She shrugged indifferently, then eyed Paul over the rim of her mug. He’d cleared up, put the milk back in the fridge. No puddles left on working surfaces. A small plus in his favour.

‘So, why a flat?’ Lee asked. ‘A luxury flat at that, if you need a place for your son?’

Who was how old, exactly? She’d heard men dashed out to buy footballs for their newborn sons, but computers? Lee couldn’t help noticing it parked on the backseat of his car.

‘Thought I’d start at the top and work down.’ Paul glanced away, distractedly swishing his coffee around his mug. ‘Actually, that’s bull,’ he said, meeting her gaze. ‘I do need a place for my son, preferably before the social services check out my circumstances. But... Well, it wasn’t just an unhappy coincidence, my choosing Davidson’s Estates. I remembered where you worked, not surprisingly when I’d just arrested you for...’

‘Soliciting.’

‘Yes.’ Paul shrugged, clearly embarrassed. ‘Sorry.’

‘You said that.’

‘Ahem. I know. Sorry.’

Lee smiled.

Paul smiled back. He had a nice smile. Better than Clooney’s, actually.

‘I wanted to try to explain, about... my circumstances. I was going to leave it, you know? Leave you thinking I was a complete screw up who screwed around. But...’ Paul faltered. ‘I attended an RTA a while back. A road traffic accident,’ he explained. ‘The guy died...’

‘How awful!’ Lee clamped a hand to her mouth.

‘Stuff happens. Drink-driving. We see it all the time. Thing is, I’d put a few away myself the night before, and I, er... I was over the limit when I went on duty.’

Lee stared at him, shocked. ‘But you’re a...’

‘Policeman. I know. One who’s been drinking too much. Dwelling on his problems too much, which my partner wasn’t slow to point out. He’s washed his hands of me. Can’t say I blame him. The morning after’s no excuse, is it? The guy from the accident isn’t going to see another morning.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Lee said, feeling genuinely sorry for him.

‘Me too.’ Paul smiled sadly. ‘If I’ve ever wanted to go back... But you can’t, can you? You get one crack at life, and I want to start living mine right. Put my house in order, you know?’

‘Yes, I think I do.’ Lee nodded. She did understand, completely. What a horrible experience.

Uh, oh, watch out Leanne. She couldn’t allow sentiment to stand in the way of common sense. He was just another man, after all, with a good line and a winning smile. She gave sympathy short shrift and steeled her resolve.

‘And, um, have you put your house in order vis-à-vis the tasty one at the station?’ she asked, her voice laden with curiosity.

‘The what?’

‘The baby.’ Lee enlightened him, when Paul continued to look baffled. ‘The one named after you. And presumably not the son you referred to?’

‘Oh, Christ... Stephanie...’ Paul was on his feet, searching pockets for his mobile.

He raked his hand though his hair and looked totally panicked as Lee looked on, bewildered. ‘Can I use your phone?’ He checked his watch and headed fast for the hall. ‘I’m supposed to be at a bloody christening in an hour.’

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About the Author :

Now residing in Worcestershire, Sheryl Browne grew up in Birmingham, UK, where she studied Art & Design. She wears many hats: a partner in her own business, a mother, and a foster parent to disabled dogs. Creative in spirit, Sheryl has always had a passion for writing. A member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, she has previously been published in the US and writes Romantic Comedy because, as she puts it, "life is just too short to be miserable."

Sheryl's debut novel, "RECIPES FOR DISASTER" - combining deliciously different and fun recipes with sexilicious romantic comedy, is garnering some fabulous reviews! Sheryl has also been offered a further three-book contract under the Safkhet Publishing Soul imprint. "SOMEBODY TO LOVE," a romantic comedy centring around a single policeman father’s search for love, launches 1 July. The book, which also features an autistic little boy and his Autism Assistance Dog, has already been endorsed by Danemere Dog Rescue Centre and is currently being reviewed by Our Dog Publications with a view to future advertising. "WARRANT FOR LOVE," bringing together three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly, is released 1 August.

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Giveaway!! :

• A $20 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour

To Enter : Please leave a comment on this post, with a valid email address included at the end of it.

Soo .... COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT on this post!! And you could WIN!! =0)

ALSO -- Be sure to follow the tour around the other blog sites! Commenting on the other stops on the tour will also increase your chance of winning!

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Find Sheryl Browne :

• Sheryl Browne - Website
• Sheryl Browne - Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Goodreads
• Romantic Novelists’ Association
• A loveahappyending featured Author
• Somebody to Love : Amazon.com | Safkhet Publishing