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N. N. Light
Oct 20, 202313 min read

Friday Reads recommendation featuring Terry Newman's books #paranormalromcom #pnr #fridayreads



Are you looking for some Friday Reads that will take you away from all the stress and strain of your life? These three books by Terry Newman we recommend to all readers.


Title Heartquake

Author Terry Newman

Genre Paranormal romance

Publisher The Wild Rose Press


Book Blurb


Coffee shop owner, Charlee Lightheart, views corporations with contempt. She believes her father died at the hands of the pharmaceutical industry. When she's approached to run for city council on an anti-fracking platform, she's reluctant. She's not sure this movement is her cause.


Billionaire Riley Brockton has given up on love. Then he walks into Charlee's shop. All he wanted was coffee and muffins. From that first electrifying touch, he knows he needs more. He withholds one piece of vital information: he's a lionshifter.


A rogue reporter sets out to reveal the one secret that can destroy the anti-fracking movement and the couple's relationship. Can their love survive the truth and public exposure?


Excerpt


She smiled when she saw two of her favorite regulars, Ed and Fred walk in.


Those weren’t their real names, but that’s what she dubbed them on their first visit. One rarely came in without the other. To tell the truth, she didn’t know their real names. For the longest time, she kept their monikers to herself. After she let the names slip one day, she discovered they enjoyed them—and undoubtedly the attention. So, the nicknames stuck.


“Same booth as usual?” She asked them. Silly question. Of course, they were going to sit in “their” booth.


“Coffee?” she asked. Another silly question. She knew they had never deviated from their routine in the five years she’d owned the coffee shop. First the coffee. Ed took his black. Fred with cream and sugar. Then the muffins. Always coffee cake muffins. Every morning, she set two aside for them, just like clockwork.


She left them at their booth and went to get two cups and the pot of coffee. She returned, poured their coffee, and turned to prepare their muffins.


“Before you go running off again, Charlee girl,” Ed said, “sit with us a quick spell. We have a question or two to ask you.”


“We’ve heard a few rumors. And want to know if they’re true.”


“Depends on what you’ve heard,” she said easily. She could just imagine what they were about to ask. If it were anyone else, anger would be welling up in her. She would be prepared to say, “None of your business.” But these two elderly gentlemen had good intentions and always looked out for her welfare. Something like uncles. And when you didn’t have any family around, she thought, their concern was sweet.


She put the pot down on the table behind her and sat with them.


“Now, what’s the rumor you’ve heard?”


Apparently, there were some topics even these two frank—that should be blunt—gentlemen found difficult to broach, as they looked at each other trying to get the other to speak.


“Okay, I’ll ask,” Fred said before he shot his pal a dirty look. “The word on the street is that you’re dating that Brockton boy, what’s his face. The one who had been staying in New York City.”


She winced. She wondered how old a person had to be in order to be considered and called an adult in some people’s eyes.” They always called her “Charlee girl” and now Riley was “that Brockton boy.” She bit her tongue and let the reference pass.

“It’s good to know the word on the street is spot on,” she said. “As a matter of fact, I am and his name is Riley.”


There, she said it. It was the first time she had said it to any of her customers, even though she knew many of them had figured it out by now. It was, after all, a small town. She wondered how quickly the “word on the street” would spread once the pair left the coffee shop.


“You best be careful,” Ed said, sitting up a bit straighter, evidently so he would appear to have a bit more authority than what he did—which was zilch. “You know all the rumors about that family, don’t you?”



Fred cleared his throat. “The following interrogation is brought to you by Ed. His questions and concerns do not reflect my own personal views. I say more power to you, girl. As long as you’re happy.”


The pair had her baffled and nervous. “Just tell me what the rumor is.”


“That they’re nothing but a bunch of lion shifters.” Ed said, his voice quivering a bit as if he had just heard Pearl Harbor had been bombed.


Fred threw up his hands. “Remember, I have nothing to do with this.” He took a sip of his coffee.


She laughed. “I have heard those rumors. But I can’t help you with clearing up that scuttlebutt. I really don’t know.”


“What do you mean you don’t know?” he said, almost in a panic. “That’s something you really need to find out for yourself if it’s true.”


She glanced at Fred who looked as if he were trying his best not to smile.


“Ed,” she said as she patted his hand, “If I ever leave Riley alone in the living room and return to find a lion sitting on my couch, you’ll be the first to know.”


“Are you taking this question seriously, Charlee?” he asked. “I hear those Brocktons are lion shifters and every time one of them throws a party they go out and roam the city as a pair of lions.”


“This is what I have to put up with Charlee girl,” Fred laughed.


“There’s nothing funny about this, Fred. We’re talking about her future.”


Fred took a deep breath.


“Everyone knows that the accusation of that family being lion shifters has been hanging over them for years. No, for generations,” he said. “And everyone knows that the chances of that are about the same as the royal family over in England being those alien, reptilian shifters. Give it up already.”


“But, that’s not what—”


“Don’t be ridiculous, Ed” Fred said. “You know as well as I do that there ain’t no shapeshifting lions in these parts of the state. They all cleared out ages ago. And it’s a damned shame, too. They were a good lot of people. Some of my dad’s best friends were lion shifters, he used to tell me.


“Now, what we do have are Bigfoot—families and families of Bigfoot. That’s what you should be worrying about. You never know where they’ll pop up next.”


“I can’t argue with that one,” Ed conceded.


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Author Biography



I’ve spent most of my adult life writing in some fashion, from small-town reporter, to editor-in-chief and ghostwriter for a national natural health publishing firm. The last decade and a half I’ve worked as a freelance writer, penning ebooks that range from how to start a doula services business to Native American herbs.


I’ve finally took the plunge to fiction after having many doubts. I pushed the doubts aside. My first novel with The Wild Rose Press, Heartquake, won a 4.5 crowned heart review with Ind’tale Magazine.


All my books are set in fictional towns in northeast Ohio, where I grew up, and I write about things I love—like coffee. I’ve taught workshops on writing and character development.


I have a daughter, a son-in-law, and a grandpuppy and live in North Lima, a real town in northeast Ohio with all my characters. Yes, it does get crowded.


Social Media Links


X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/tnewmanwrites


Title Rewrites of the Heart

Author Terry Newman

Genre Paranormal Romantic Comedy

Publisher The Wild Rose Press


Book Blurb


JJ Spritely, romance author, writes characters that jump off the page. Figuratively, that is. She never expects them to make a literal leap off the page and smack dab into her world. But Alex Zurich and Blake Teesdale do just that. And they’re on a mission to help JJ write her own personal love story with a man she recently met, Kennedy King Cooper.


A history professor, Cooper doesn’t see the value of romance novels and he has even less regard for those who write them. Until he meets a woman who haunts his thoughts.


There’s only one small snag in Alex’s and Blake’s plan…okay…two rather large snags. JJ wants nothing to do with Cooper. The other snag? Alex and Blake aren’t able to return to the pages of their own book.


Will JJ ever write her own love story? And will it be with Cooper? Will Alex and Blake return to the pages of their own book?


Excerpt


JJ finally paused in her tirade and rose from her place on the couch. Alex quickly and quietly stepped in to speak. “I suppose if you're going, you should start to get ready.” JJ glowered fiercely at her. “You have no right meddling in my personal life. How dare you make a…”


JJ began to say something more then stopped. A strange look came over her face. “Let me get this straight,” she said, a little softer and in a more thoughtful manner. “You talked to my sister over the telephone?”


“Yeah, sure,” Alex paused.


“And she heard you and spoke to you?”


“That's usually how those conversations work.” Alex bit her lip.


Blake, who had been sitting on the wingback chair, put his book down. “What’s your point?”


Ah, Blake would get to the bottom of this for her. Thank you, hon, she said to herself.


“My point is that a phone conversation has to take place between two real people.” JJ paced the small living room as she spoke. “Up until now, I just assumed I was the only person who could interact with you two. That you were figments of my imagination.”


“No,” Alex whimpered. “That’s so mean.” Blake leaped out of the chair and wrapped an arm around Alex.


“This changes everything.” JJ sat on the edge of the couch.


Alex, who was still in the protective hold of Blake, tilted her head. “How so?”


“Don’t you see, love?” Blake’s answered not only startled Alex, but JJ as well.


“No, I don’t. Someone please explain it to me. All I did was talk to JJ’s sister.”


"If we were solely a part of your imagination,” Blake said, addressing JJ, “then Alex wouldn't have been able to talk to your sister, right?"


JJ nodded. “Exactly. If no one else can talk to you, then I can be pretty comfortable that I'm the one going through this, well, whatever it is. But, if everyone can talk to you and see you, then I'm not entirely sure what's going on here. Up until now, you were my personal, private hallucinations. I'm just not sure what to call you now.”


“Try calling us real,” Alex said, one hand on her hip.


“But real is impossible. It defies all the currently known scientific laws. What if everyone could see you, not just me, as I just naturally assumed so far?”


Alex sat on the arm of the couch, near JJ. “I’m still confused. I don’t get what the big deal is.”


Blake paced the room, his head down, hands behind his back. “Aside from your conversation with JJ’s sister, love, we haven’t had an occasion to have contact with anyone.”


“Right,” JJ agreed. “I assumed you couldn’t interact with others. Now, I wonder if others could see you, too.” She rubbed the back of her neck.


Blake rose and padded to the front door. Alex watched as he unlocked and opened the door. Then he turned. “Alex, let’s test out my theory.”


“Me? What are we going to do?”


“You’ll see.”


Alex shot a quick glance at JJ, who only looked amused by her perplexity. She figured she had little choice and met Blake at the door. He took her hand and they stepped on onto the small porch. She scanned the neighborhood. Everyone had at least a little patch of yard.


One house sported the stereotypical white picket fence. The house directly to the right wore a shiny metal flower pot of purple petunias, yellow and purple pansies, and a few tall dark pink snap dragons. A few houses down she saw that one house had a wraparound porch witbaskets of red geraniums adorning it.


Finally, she saw the older gentleman who lived directly across the street. He was out with his Golden Labrador Retriever.


“Good afternoon,” Blake called out to him, waving as if he were the proverbial friendly neighbor.


“I’m Bob Higley and this is Moses.” The man gave the dog a good rub.


“I’m Blake Teesdale and my fiancé , Alex Zurich. She’s JJ’s cousin from Kansas and we’re here on vacation.” Alex smiled meekly and gave the man a tentative finger wave. She was amazed at his ability to create an entire backstory on the spot.


Mr. Higley took off his baseball cap and scratched his head. “You don’t sound like you’re from Kansas.”


“No, no sir. You are right. Mine is definitely not a Midwest accent. British.”


“I’ve always loved England.”


“Thanks, I love your country too." And then Blake gave Mr. Higley a friendly good-bye wave and he and Alex went back into the house.


Once inside, he rolled on the balls of his feet, a small, smug smile slowly forming on his lips, hands in his pockets.


“We just passed the can-they-see-you test with flying colors. And yes, they can see you—I mean, us.”


“Yes, you two did and I’m amazed.”


Alex looked at the living room clock. “JJ, I don't mean to bring up a sore subject, but it is getting closer to the time.”


“Yes, it is now, isn't it?” She glowered again at Alex. “We're not completely done with this topic. You and I are going to sit down and talk, soon.”


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Title The Wizard of her Heart

Author Terry Newman

Genre Paranormal romantic comedy

Publisher The Wild Rose Press


Book Blurb


She’s certain he’s no wizard. He’s sure she’s pure magic.


Sydney Thomas moved to Zen, Ohio with her eight-year-old daughter after a dismal and bitter divorce. She’s not about to get entangled in a relationship. Her new boss claims he’s a wizard and casts love spells over jelly beans. Yeah, right. Wait. What are these feelings she’s having for him?


Wyatt Ginn is spellbound by the woman he met at the post office when he rear-ends her car. Not a great first impression. When he discovers she’s the new social media director his vice-president hired for his publishing company, well, the second and third impressions don’t get much better. Oh, yeah, she’s a cynic who doesn’t believe in magic. So why does he keep thinking about her?


There’s no way they can live happily ever after. Is there?


Excerpt


She sighed and searched for the right words. “There’s no such thing as wizards, and certainly there’s no magic in this world, let alone in candy.” She wasn’t sure they were the right words, but it was all her surprised mind could muster. She scooted to the edge of the chair and rested her elbows on her knees. “It’s just not in the realm of possibility.” She looked from Eric to Wyatt. “It must have been a coincidence.”


“Oh, honey,” Eric said, “I don’t know who turned you into such a cynic, but I’m sorry.” He looked at her like she was some poor waif. “This man is like cupid.”


Wyatt laughed and held up a hand. “No, not at all. Cupid goes around half-naked and shoots you in the backside with an arrow. I like to think my method is just a bit more subtle.” He eyed her. “And I’m fully dressed.”


She tried hard not to imagine him dressed in only a towel.


“You think you’re a wizard?”


Wyatt pursed his lips. “I know this must sound crazy to you, but I am one. Helping find or recover love is only a very small aspect of my gifts.”


“You’re new to Zen, aren’t you?” Eric tilted his head.


“Well, yes, I used to live in Cleveland.”


“That’s it.” He pointed at her and said to Wyatt, “That’s why she doesn’t believe.”


Then he turned his attention back to Sydney. “Everyone in town knows Wyatt’s a wizard.” His tone implied the issue was settled.


She ran a hand through her hair. Her heart beat faster. This was all so bizarre.


“Wait, you’re not going to quit because of it, are you? I mean, I think you’ll fit in here nicely and you come with such great references and I’ve seen your work and—”


Granted, her first instinct was to run out the door, jump in her car and never come back. She couldn’t allow his misplaced imagination to scare her off on an otherwise dream job.


“No, I’ve rented a house. My daughter goes to school here. I’m in. But I’m not convinced you’re a wizard.”


“Your believing in my wizardry is not a requirement for employment at The Mercurial Quill Press.” He flashed her a smile. “Welcome aboard.”


His grin disarmed her. How could that one grin make her feel giddy? Fudge.


“Excuse me,” Eric said, “could we get on with this? I’m not getting any younger, folks.”


His voice startled her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to slow the process.” Whatever that process was.


“Yes,” Wyatt acknowledged, “let’s all focus our attention on the power of love.” He glanced at Sydney. “That’s all you have to do, is to think about love.”


“I can do that,” she said softly. Didn’t see it much in my marriage, but I can pretend. I guess.



She shouldn’t have been surprised that Eric appeared to be anticipating the pass off of the bag. He took it and held it with reverence.


“I’ll eat them later today. We’re meeting at the library coffee shop to discuss Jorgensen’s latest novel.” He gazed at the beans. You’d think he was holding a bag of diamonds.


He stood. “Thank you.” He looked at her. “Ooh. That coffee has already stained.” She looked down. It appeared to be official. It was now her horribly stained celebratory suit.


“Darling, just for future reference. None of us here wears our best.” He turned to Wyatt. “You should have told her.” He gave his friend an unflinching stare. “You could be a gentleman and fix that stain for the lady.”


“I’ve offered to pay for the dry cleaning.”


Eric shook his head. “You know that’s not what I mean.” He raised his eyebrows.


She watched, more confused than before.


“You’re right. That’s a beautiful outfit.” He nodded to her. “And I’m responsible for it being stained. I’ll fix it for you.”


If he wasn’t going to pay for the dry cleaning, how would he fix it?


“Let’s all sit down again.”


What the hell is going on?


Despite her ambivalence, she sat when the men sat back down.


“Close your eyes, Sydney, and imagine what the suit looked like before I spilled coffee on it.”


“What are—”


“Shh! He’s fixing it. Give him a chance,” Eric said. She felt like a little girl. “Remember, Wyatt’s a wizard.”


“You know, it’s fine. It’s just an outfit. It’s no big deal. You don’t have to do this.” Her words came out faster and perhaps a bit more panicked than she intended.


“It’ll only take a minute.” Wyatt paused. “A simple affirmation, and it’ll be good as new. I promise. Consider this my way of apologizing.”


She sighed. What could it hurt to humor the man? Both he and Eric seemed to believe he was a wizard. This would be a great way to show him he wasn’t. It was one thing to mumble words over a bag of candy. It was a totally different thing to magically remove a stain right before her eyes.


“Sure.” She couldn’t believe she had to do this, but…


“Great. Close your eyes. Imagine the suit as it looked when you put it on this morning. Eric, you imagine the suit without the stain. We’ll need your help too.”


“Glad to be of service.” He gave Wyatt a quick salute.


She closed her eyes and, yes, she imagined how great the suit looked on her earlier in the morning. It was hard to believe it was mere hours ago.


“In Universal spirit and truth, all things blemished are purified, all things damaged are repaired. All things stained are cleansed.”


He paused. Her eyes were still closed. She had no idea what was happening. “Open your eyes.”


She opened them and looked at her jacket. The stain was gone. She looked up to see the men staring at her with silly grins on their faces.


“I told you he was a wizard.” Eric stood. “Gotta go. I’ve got manuscripts to read, you know.”


As he walked past her, he lightly touched her shoulder. “You’ll get used to it.”


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