Sunday Snippet: Hazardous Curves Ahead

It's been a busy week. We're still kind of off-kilter after the loss of our doggo. Our younger one is adjusting and I'm thankful for that. Our vet office is amazing, and they've been wonderful throughout this whole process.

Ohio weather is being very Ohio right now. Warm up, cool down, something kind of in between. I had to clear snow off my car at the beginning of last week. It didn't stick around, which is okay with me. I don't mind snow, but I'm also not quite ready for it yet.

Work was very busy this past week. Had a terrific Zoom meeting with an author and two other members of a team I often work with. We're getting ready to hand over the project for the next steps. Also had another Zoom session with a different author and they're making headway on their memoir. Finished up a developmental edit and we're getting ready to hand that one off also. Had an older project pop back up and I think we have that one resolved. I also finished up a copy edit and started a new proofread.

Not a bad viewing week either. I made it through all of my usual slate of shows. The next two weeks are going to be a little iffy, but I'll make an effort to stay current.

I started with the season three opener of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The introduction of her dad was fun, and I liked seeing Jack show a little jealousy.

Also caught another episode of Foyle's War and I'd forgotten how much of a role Andrew played in this episode. If I remember correctly, we won't see him again for a while.

Watched another episode of Beyond Paradise. I'm enjoying Archie and Esther's romance a lot. I loved Humphrey being in the uncomfortable position of having to question Martha as a suspect to clear her. And I'm so glad Anne finally spilled the beans about her biopsy.

Enjoyed an episode of Poirot. I love Hastings and Miss Lemon investigating and then chatting about Poirot. The lengths he went to to protect the countess kind of charmed me.

Elementary had a great episode. Discovering Joan has a half-sister is interesting. I also love how tangled up everything ended up being. Bringing Mycroft into the equation is a snare that will have some repercussions, I think. Especially with the NSA showing up again.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond and thoroughly enjoyed it. I remembered it from my original watch. Getting Ace's backstory is great.

Also got to watch another episode of Lower Decks. The characters are starting to gel for me, and Mariner is way less annoying this season. Very glad I stuck with this one.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hazardous Curves Ahead, a novella that explores meeting the wrong brother first. One of my favorite tropes.

Here's the miniblurb:

Sometimes love is a slippery slope and when Imma and Sef almost crash into each other on a hazardous curve, they end up going through physical therapy together. After several weeks of flirty banter, Imma thinks a relationship with Sef might be nice … until her boyfriend shows up.

And a snippety peek…

"Here you go."

Sef glanced at the card. "Imma Rusch?" He took a quick picture of her insurance information. "Sef Boltager. Nice to meet you … even if it's under really weird circumstances." He gave her the insurance card back.

Something about her intrigued him.

Seriously, what a way to meet someone.

They headed out the main doors.

A car waited for Sef in the valet area. "Ah, that didn't take long." He nodded toward the vehicle. "Part of my service package."

Imma's lips twisted. "I'll be scheduling a rideshare." She started tapping her phone.

Sef hated to make her wait, especially with those crutches. "Can I offer you a ride?" He hoped she'd say yes.

Imma narrowed her gaze a little. "Um, sure. I'm not far." She pocketed her device and grasped the crutches.

She accepted. Excellent. Sef helped get her settled into the car, and she gave his driver her address.

Once they pulled out of the parking lot, Sef awkwardly maneuvered to face her a little. "I really am sorry about the crash. I'll admit I was distracted and not paying as much attention as I should've been." He snorted.

Imma's eyebrows arched. "Tell me you weren't texting and driving."

He laughed. "No. I'm not that irresponsible." He shrugged his good shoulder. "I was angry about walking in on my former girlfriend with her new guy." His lips twisted. "We weren't even deeply committed … but, yeah, not what I expected to come home to." Serena didn't even have the decency to go to her own apartment.

Imma let out a low whistle. "Ouch. I'm sorry that happened to you." She focused her gaze out the window. "Were you away for work? Vacation?"

Sef nodded. "A bit of both. My stepdad sent me down to South America to scope out some possible business opportunities. I'm a facilitator. Go in, put feelers out, and do a vibe check." Then he got out of the way and let his brother handle the hard stuff.

Imma grinned. "I'm getting the picture now. You lay the groundwork." She lifted her chin. "The guy I'm dating does a lot of traveling also." She hesitated a moment. "We're pretty casual, but I think he might want more." Leaning back, she stared out the window again.

He'd be lying if he didn't admit to being disappointed. He'd have to find out her definition of casual. Maybe he had a shot if he played his cards right.

The car eased into a community of condos. Older but nicely built, the units were a triplex with two entrances facing each other at an angle to form the top of a Y and the third acting as the stem. The cluster had lots of greenery and nice fencing separating the yards.

Imma leaned forward and directed the driver to her driveway.

He pulled in and got out to help Imma exit the vehicle.

She got her crutched under her and ducked down toward the window. "Thanks for the ride. I appreciate not having to wait."

Sef lifted his chin. "Glad I could help." He moved forward a little when she started toward her sidewalk. "Hey, where do you think you'll do your physical therapy?"

She cocked her head. "Not sure. My PCP usually refers to Three Rivers."

Sef smiled. "Same. Maybe we'll bump into each other again."

Imma chuckled. "I'd like that. Thanks again." She shuffled up the walk to her front door.

Sef leaned back. He'd make sure his primary doctor referred him to Three Rivers Physical Therapy also. If nothing else, he wanted to see Imma again under slightly better circumstances.

I like how this story is coming together. It's a fine line to walk and I enjoy trying to make sure I fall off the tightrope.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Had a crazy week with new projects sliding into my inbox and each of them is interesting and a little different for me. I love diving into new areas. I'm also trying to get ready for a vacation and it's a little daunting because I haven't traveled much recently.

Ended up getting a lot of television viewing in this week. I had a good handle on my work stuff and kept the shows going in the background.

I finished up the first season of Moon Knight and ended up enjoying the series overall. I wouldn't mind seeing more at all.

Also finished The Hardy Boys and I'm a little torn over how I feel about where everything ended up. On one side, there are so many possibilities for a third season. On the other, I'm struggling to buy-in to the whole swap at the end and a miraculous wish being granted that one of the characters had. I'll let both sit with me for a while and see how I feel if and when a third season comes around.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice and I kind of feel for Joanna. Also kind of wondering when Andrew will be back and if he'll still be as self-destructive as he always seems to be.

Caught two MasterClass lessons with Roxane Gay. The first one discussed writing about trauma and the second offered feedback for an essay. I thoroughly enjoy the way Roxane presents information.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Babysitters Club. Again, I'm so disappointed there won't be more to the story after this season ends. This is such a great show!

Watched another episode of The Ready Room. Anson Mount had some great moments during his interview. It's always fun when the actors are huge fans of the Trek 'verse.

Caught two more episodes of Driven. I have one left and I'm excited to see how this series ends. I have a lot of love for this one.

Ended up viewing two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm starting to feel the same way about April as I do about Natalie, which is disappointing. I realize both are leaving the series, but the dings to their characterizations don't seem fair.

Watched a two-part Batman: The Animated Series and forgot how much I liked the origin story of Clayface in this one.

Started Ted Lasso after a lot of pestering from my brother. I have the first two episodes watched and, so far, it's quite good. Everyone raves about the show so I'm confident I'll enjoy the whole thing.

Caught another of The Agatha Christie Hour. Really enjoyed this one. It was actually kind of campy and fun with a lot of mistaken identity and misadventure.

Watched a two-part Silent Witness and loved the twisty turns in the show. Ended up being surprised a couple of times by things I didn't expect.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Who. Wrapped up the second arc and should start a new one this week.

Caught another episode of Strangest Things. This one focused on relics that were supposed to help see the future.

Finished up season three of Harrow. Gotta say I ended up being very happy with the conclusion. I truly hope we'll see a season four, even with annoying boss lady.

Enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers. This one had some interesting reveals with Adam, which is probably long overdue.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats and finished out season three. I'll be starting season four this week.

Also caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. This one had a great mystery with some fun twists. I'm kind of hoping Gina is done pining for Mike but I somehow doubt she is.

That pretty much sums up the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Deep End, a novella that explores what happens when the main character meets the wrong brother first—one of my favorite tropes.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark … until she meets Eric, Eames's brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric finished his morning hike through the park and headed for the parking lot. A familiar blue SUV pulled into a slot a few spaces away from his new vehicle. He paused a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver.

Sure enough, his sixth sense kicked in. "Raelin." He didn't think too hard about his quickened step.

His curiosity won out over everything else. The need to interact with her outweighed his better sense.

Stopping by his car, he gave a wave when she shut her door. "Uh, hi. Didn't know you hiked here." Lame, but couldn't just hit her with the question he wanted to ask.

Raelin's eyes widened. "Um, yeah. Usually once a week." She tucked her water bottle into her pocket. "Are you visiting? Or did you accept the job offer?"

He lifted his chin. "Accepted the job. I sublet a condo from the company."

Her lips curved in a brief smile. "Nice. I'll bet Eames is glad to have you in town." She glanced away and rocked back on her heels.

Eric took the opportunity. "Can I ask what happened? Why you split with him?"

She tilted her head to one side. "Didn’t he tell you?"

Eric rolled a shoulder. "He told me his side. I’m interested in yours." Eames didn't trash her … in fact, he basically shrugged off the whole breakup.

Raelin held Eric's gaze for a moment then gave a brutally honest answer. "Felt a spark for another guy and didn’t see a future with Eames. Didn't seem right to stay together." Her version pretty much matched his brother's account.

Eric gave a nod. "Fair enough." He almost left things there, but he had to know. "You hooked up with the guy?" He hoped he hid his disappointment that she might be dating someone else.

Figures she met someone. Why did his timing always suck?

She studied him a long moment, hesitating with her answer. "No. Haven't seen him again…" She paused, glanced away then whipped her gaze back to his. "Until now."

His eyes went wide. "Me? You felt it, too?" He'd halfway convinced himself he'd imagined the vibe between them.

Raelin ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, and I waited a full week to see if thoughts of you would fade." She waited a beat. "And they didn’t. I couldn't stay with Eames under the circumstances, even if I didn’t tell him you’re the one that piqued my interest."

He had no idea what to say and an awkward silence followed her declaration.

Eric considered how to respond, weighing options. He had a wicked attraction to Raelin, but how weird would it be to date his brother's ex? But … Eames didn't seem too broken up over the split.

He had to test the waters. "So … would you consider dinner? Or just coffee?" He lifted a hand. "No pressure or anything."

Raelin tilted her head again. "Are you asking me out?"

Eric nodded. "Um, yeah. Too weird for you?" Not that he would blame her.

Raelin thought for a moment. "Maybe. But coffee sounds great sometime."

Probably happier than he should be, Eric pushed his luck. "How about tomorrow?"

She huffed out a laugh. "I'm tied up all morning until after two, but I'm free the rest of the day." Her eyes sparkled with humor.

Eric grinned. "Tomorrow it is. The Jitter Bean?"

Raelin gave a nod. "Great choice. See you there." With a quick wave, she headed for the trail.

Eric leaned against his vehicle, a little amazed. "Huh. She felt it, too."

I'm excited about this story. I love sibling rivalries and meeting the wrong brother first is also a favorite thing to explore.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippets: The Deep End

Greetings on this final day of 2017. I hope everyone had the best of holiday seasons and wish all nothing but wonderful things for the upcoming new year. I have several goals I'll be working toward and I'm kind of excited about starting with a shiny new calendar.

Holiday movies are winding down and I'll be a little sad to see them disappear until the next holiday season. There's something a little magical about Christmas movies. My one wish would be to see some diversity and have Hanukkah, Kwanza, and even Yule or the Solstice represented. I'm fascinated by other traditions and wouldn't mind seeing some movies built around them.

The Doctor Who Christmas special ended up being good. "Twice Upon a Time" tied some things up and delved back into the shows history and, yeah, I'll give credit to Capaldi's final bow. A worthy ending to Twelve's tenure.

Murdoch Mysteries "Home for Christmas" hit all the right notes. This show is in its eleventh season and, honestly, it's only improved with age. The cast is top notch and the revolving round of historical bigwig and the guest stars that portray them rarely disappoint. I'm happy this remains on my watch radar.

I've also been enjoying Frankie Drake Mysteries—another Canadian show. I like the leads and, so far, the mysteries have been entertaining. This is a little similar to Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. If you enjoyed that one, give Frankie Drake a try.

I've started the second season of Chicago Fire and I'm a little disappointed in the whole McLeod storyline. Maybe if I had a little more to go on with why she's hell-bent on getting Boden out I might care a little more. And Benny Severied whispering in her ear isn't quite enough in my book. That said, I love everything else about the first five episodes.

I don't think I've talked about Passionflix, a new $4.99 a month subscription streaming movie service. It's brand new and they're creating original movies—and possibly series down the road a ways—and also offer several classic romantic films with more to come. To date, they have three original movies available for viewers. They're all based on best-selling romance novels and have varying levels of steaminess. The site has a convenient BON—Barometer of Naughtiness—rating system so viewers can find their comfort zone. I've been able to catch the first two, Hollywood Dirt and Afterburn | Aftershock. Guys… it's worth the $4.99 a month for those two alone. I'll be viewing the final new release The Trouble with Mistletoe later today. If you love romance, give this service a consideration.

And that's it for television viewing this week. This year's final post is from The Deep End, a novella that has one of my favorite tropes—sibling rivalry.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark… until she meets Eric, Eames' brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric Bannerman left the interview with high hopes. He liked the company and the guy who ran the operation. It wouldn't be a hardship to work for Rand Bremer's outfit.

Eric blew out a long breath. "Big change, though." Ten years in the navy had led him to a crossroad. "Do I stay or go?"

Lately, he'd been itching to do something new. He loved the structure and routine of military life, but a new challenge sounded appealing.

His phone rang. "Bannerman."

"Bro, we're still on for dinner but can we meet at seven?" Eames rarely if ever bothered with greetings.

Eric didn't care what time they met. "Sure." He just wanted to see his brother and spend some time with him. "Where do I find this Rooster Rue's place?"

Eames gave Eric directions and signed off. "Rae's looking forward to meeting you. You'll love her."

Eric shook his head. His brother used to fall in and out of love every other week when they were in high school. He'd had quite the reputation as a heartbreaker.

"Maybe that's changed."

Eric almost wished he had Eames's ability to connect with women from the word "go". Eric dated but rarely found anyone he wanted to spend time with after the second or third month. His track record included more one-night stands than he'd ever admit to.

Part of the reason involved moving from base to base and being deployed. Neither left a lot of time to develop deep connections and became one of the reasons Eric craved change. He'd like to put down roots, meet someone and maybe start a family.

If he accepted the job with Force Solutions, he could combine his love of travel but have a permanent home base. And he'd be close to his brother. Their parents lived abroad with demanding careers in sales. Neither had been back to the US for longer than a week in almost eight years. Eames stuck around after graduating college and talked up the city. Enough so Eric jumped at the opportunity to interview with Rand.

Finding the restaurant, Eric pulled into the parking lot. "Might as well do some exploring if I'm going to call this place home."

And he'd pretty much decided to do exactly that.

I'm pleased with where I think this one is going. Sometimes the characters run off in a different direction, but Raelin and Eric seem to be playing nicely for now.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin