Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read: The Echo Series Tour and Giveaway

The series readers are calling, "Hot, steamy, and deliciously complicated."

Echoing Hearts

The Echo Series Book 1

by C.R. Alam

Genre: Contemporary Romance

From the series readers are calling, "Hot, steamy, and deliciously complicated."

The harder they resist, the louder their hearts echo each other.

Rae Allen doesn't believe in the happily-ever-after. After watching her mother deteriorate from a broken heart into a full depression, she vowed never to fall in love. She is living her dream, traveling the world, and getting paid for it. She does not need a man.

Dean Rowland has no complaints. He has a thriving business, more money than he'll ever need, and supportive family and friends. Even after his fiancée ditched him at the altar, he kept going like nothing had happened. Swearing off women and affairs was his best decision.

One spring afternoon in Georgia, their lives collide. Rae's first impression of Dean is that he's hot; her second is he's an ass. Dean isn't expecting a sassy redhead trespassing into his property, let alone having to play host to her. Unknown to them, this unexpected weekend is only the beginning that will change their lives forever.

Until Rae's rockstar best friend, Brandon, comes into the picture, stirring up jealousy and doubt between them. Struggling with unexpected passion, longing, and distrust in this emotional rollercoaster ride, will they recognize and embrace love when being in love is their biggest fear?

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The annoyance level on the handsome face seemed to elevate instead of dissipating with her every word. Without responding to Rae, he pushed himself off to the other side of the pool. He pulled himself out in one smooth move.

Taken aback by the unwelcoming attitude, Rae could only follow his lithe movements. She got a good look at his swimmer’s lean muscled upper body, a defined stomach that narrowed down to strong-looking hips, and a fine behind. She couldn’t help but appreciate his well-toned long legs in clinging black swimming trunks before he grabbed a large white towel to dry himself off.

Realizing she was gawking, Rae averted her gaze to the sky and tried to fill the silence. “I rang the doorbell several times. When nobody answered, I thought I’d go—”

“Snoop around a private property?” he interrupted without even giving her a glance.

Sensing the quiet hostility in his otherwise intriguingly even voice, Rae was lost for words for a few seconds. The thought that Mrs. Hamilton was lucky to have both a beautiful home and a sexy husband evaporated from her mind.

She didn’t just drive four hours for some man to accuse her of breaking and entering. She took several quick steps to confront him but stopped once he turned to her as if he had some invisible power to freeze her. But he didn’t manage to suppress her rising temper.

“I’ve actually been requested to snoop around this property this weekend.” Rae used her sweet-as-honey voice with a hint of a sting. “Mrs. Hamilton arranged it with Homes magazine. She must’ve forgotten to cc you on the memo.”

This time, he merely raised his eyebrow at her. One eyebrow.

Rae stifled a groan of irritation as she watched him pick up a cellphone and walk away to make a call. She pulled out her own phone and dialed Susan.

“Hi, you’ve reached Susan Adler’s phone. Please leave a message,” the automated reply came on.

“Susan, I’m here at the property, but there’s no Katherine Hamilton to meet me.” Rae hissed into the phone. “Instead, there’s a guy here who looks ready to chop my head off for trespassing. Call me back. Or better yet, please fix this.”

She then tried calling the number for Katherine Hamilton once more. Another voicemail.

Rae sighed and tried to clamp down on her growing frustration. She reminded herself she was good at going with the flow and finding her way out of a jam. It was just a mix-up. Nothing she hadn’t handled before.

But boy, that Mr. Hamilton really got her goat without even trying. She swept her gaze to the lake’s calm surface and took a deep breath. A spring afternoon in the south could get a bit toasty. But after spending her childhood in Minnesota, Rae would savor a sunny warm day in early April anytime.

But then a cool breeze blew in, and her nose tickled. “Haa…choo!”

The sneeze didn’t stop with one. Another two followed consecutively.

“Pollen,” the deep voice came from behind her and surprised Rae’s sneezing to a stop.

Snatching a tissue from her purse, Rae quickly cleaned her nose as she muttered, “No shit.”

Apparently, she misjudged the volume of her voice because when she turned, Mr. Hamilton’s questioning raised eyebrow indicated he’d heard her. But at least he looked somewhat amused. Perhaps, she could still clear up any misunderstanding. She could swallow her pride for the sake of professionalism.

“Look, I’d like to apologize again. Obviously, you weren’t informed of my arrival. There was a last-minute change, but I am supposed to be here,” Rae started. “But if this weekend has become inconvenient, I’m sure Homes can arrange a new time.”

Rae studied the infuriating man—still distractingly bare-chested, she noted—trying to gauge his reaction. But his mouth didn’t even twitch to indicate that he’d accepted her explanation.

Fine. I don’t need to take this crap. I tried.

Rae turned up her smile. “I will go. Thank you for your…” she paused before injecting a trace of venom into her voice, “…hospitality.”

She spun around and was already halfway down the steps when his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Kat is on her way,” he said. “She asked if you’d wait.”

Rae rolled her eyes and exhaled slowly to release her exasperation. He couldn’t tell her that before she stomped away?

Turning toward the man yet again, Rae said through gritted teeth, “I really don’t want to bother—”

“Too late,” he deadpanned. “Have a seat. Kat will be here soon.”

Without another word, he walked away to the far side of the house and vanished through a set of French doors. Rae was left alone where she stood with her mouth open.

His Forever Muse

The Echo Series Book 2

From the series readers are calling, "Hot, steamy, and deliciously complicated."

What if you've known the love of your life since he was six years old and happens to be your little brother's best friend? But the man whom Callie runs into in the middle of the desert in Morocco isn't the little Brandon Rossi she once knew. He is a work of art.

Brandon Rossi is the boy-next-door in a rock star package. As the front man of the rock band Canis Major, a visual artist, and an avid stargazer, he expresses his thoughts and feelings through his music, arts, and tattoos. When he hits an invisible wall that hinders his ability to create, he starts on a quest to find inspiration. Who knew Brandon's ultimate inspiration comes in the form of an unconventional beauty with golden eyes? He did. He always knew because she was the one who got away.

Calliope Chen-Bisset is a hard-working Parisian art gallerist who has gone through many hurdles in life. She was once broken, but she has tried her best to put herself back together—piece by piece. She doesn't think she'll be whole again until a blast from the past reminds her of who she is. The years haven't dulled their connection. They've intensified it.

Brandon is willing to lay down everything for her, but will Calliope open up to him like she once did? Will she let a little fact that he is her little brother's best friend stop her? Or will it be her past that cast a shadow on their future?

This book has mature situations and some domestic violence themes, though without graphic depiction, which may be considered triggers for some. However, it is also a story of rising from the ashes stronger. Reader discretion is advised.

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Unexpected Entanglement

The Echo Series Book 3

From the series readers are calling, "Hot, steamy, and deliciously complicated."

When a simple favor turns into an unexpected entanglement.

Rowan Kelly has one goal for the next two weeks: throw the most beautiful wedding for her cousin. So what if the inn she inherited isn’t quite ready or staffed? She’s resourceful and scrappy enough to make it happen all by herself. She doesn’t need some nosy, charming stranger with smiles that both irritate her and make her woman’s bits tingle to swoop in to save the day.

World-renowned hotelier Chris Sullens only planned on spending twenty-four hours in Vinalhaven. So why the hell did he sacrifice his well earned vacation and offer to help the fiery gorgeous innkeeper plan a wedding instead? He tries to keep things professional, but his self-control has its limits, especially when he suddenly has to play the role of the stubborn woman’s doting fiance.

As strange occurrences threaten the wedding, the inn’s future, and Rowan’s safety, can they work together to keep things from blowing up in their faces? Or will their unbridled passion entangle them into something more than they bargained for?

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C. R. Alam loves to write heartfelt and steamy love stories with strong yet vulnerable characters readers would root for. There hasn't been a main character she's written about whom she didn't fall in love with despite their shortcomings. She'll laugh with her characters, cry along with them, then laugh again in the end. When she's not reading or writing, you'll most likely find her in the kitchen, cooking, baking, or eating while wearing her trusted Birks, sweatpants, and "I'm emotionally attached to fictional characters" T-shirt. After a whirlwind decade of living abroad, C. R. now lives in Durham, NC, with her husband, daughter, and cat.

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