Thursday, November 28, 2013

Betting It All Blog Tour By: Cate Masters. Giveaway, Excerpt and 5 Star Review are available.


Title: Betting It All 
Author: Cate Masters
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: Decadent Publishing


Blurb:

Can the daughter of a well-known prostitute start a new life where no one knows her family history? Norah Hawkins is sure going to try. When a letter arrives deeding her property in San Francisco, she packs her bags.

Irishman Gerard MacKenzie likes his life free and easy, but is tired of the snobbish East Coast folk. San Francisco has enough vice and folly to suit his needs. Meeting Norah gives him the opportunity to bartend in her saloon. Maybe he can convince her to let him play the piano. She’s a shrewd businesswoman, and negotiating with her makes his blood boil. Damn if she doesn’t make his blood boil in other ways, too.

The morning of April 18, 1906, a terrible earthquake buries their dreams beneath the city’s ruins. Can Norah and Mac rebuild their lives? Will rebuilding their dreams bond them forever, or tear them apart?


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Excerpt 1:

Guilt filled her as she sealed the envelope. Her first letter should have been to her mother. Estelle probably forgot I left. More likely, she bought a bottle and forgot everything, period.
Downstairs in the hotel lobby, Mac stepped around the corner into her path. “A letter to your beau?”
She bristled. “No.”
Leering, he nodded. “Ah. You left him behind.”
“Certainly not.” My, but he cleaned up nicely. The electric wall sconce gave his black hair a sheen like raven’s feathers in the sun. His smooth-shaved skin accentuated the whites of his eyes, rimmed with thick dark lashes. Curled in a teasing smile, his lips appeared soft, not weather-worn like some men.
He cocked a brow. “He’s joining you later?”
“I don’t see how it’s any of your concern.” Unless he still hoped for employment. His long, smooth fingers might be handy for more than cards. Still, if she wanted music, she could buy a player piano and not have to pay it a weekly salary. Though it wouldn’t be nearly as nice to look at as Mac.
He shrugged. “It isn’t. Unless you run into debt playing poker. I want to be assured someone will back you up.”
“You needn’t worry. I never get in over my head.” In anything.
He tipped his cap. “Smart woman.”
Not enough to fool him. Last night, Norah had imitated her drunken mother to perfection, another skill that came in handy. Believing her vulnerable, the men made themselves moreso. Not Mac. He’d grown more careful, as if he guessed at her intent.
“What are you doing here?” She wondered what sort of a racket he ran. Everyone had one. Uppity ladies in their lace-edged gowns and mansions excelled at scamming men into marriage, but only succeeded in trapping themselves in the bargain. She preferred a prison with bars.
“Renting a room,” he said, “the same as you.”
Coincidence? Or had he followed her? “I’m curious. Do you possess other skills?”
Smiling, he tugged at his jacket lapels. “I’m a man of many talents. Why do you ask?”
Lo, his ego reared again. “Have you no real trade to ply?”
“Playing the piano is a ‘real’ trade, Miss Hawkins. However, I can work at almost anything, from carpenter to barkeep.”
Like Dan. All her stinging retorts vanished. “Oh.”
He grimaced. “You disapprove?”
“Not at all. Those are honorable trades.” Why should she feel relieved?
“As honorable as your own?”
What was he hinting at? Did he know about Estelle? Her face flushed hot. Pointedly, she said, “Yes, as honorable as owning a saloon.”
“Saloon,” he repeated, as if unsure. “I thought it was a gentleman’s club.”
Did he mean to imply she’d employ herself in some other occupation, such as her mother’s? In defiance, she curbed her tongue, unwilling to satisfy him with an answer.


Author Bio: 

Multipublished, award-winning author Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. 

Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com  and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

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My 5 Star Review

I received this book from the Touring Host for an honest review.
The story started slowly and developed on its own pace as the writer was setting the plot. The reader had a good understanding as things happened and where it originated from.
We met Norah, a Lady who had the desire to be independent and left the place where she grew up in the east of the country to settle in San Francisco. A city on the west coast where she had the opportunity to make a new life for herself, not associated with her mother.
We met Mac, who from a distance admired Norah. They ended up on the same train to their destiny. From there things started to move faster as the story continued. They both had a past they wanted to forget and start anew. Here they found that they needed each other more and soon a romance developed between them. The rest I would leave for the reader to discover on their own.
A fast pace, short historical romance set during the time of the great earth quake in San Francisco.

A very well written book with a good storyline and strong, believable characters. 
A very enjoyable read by Cate Masters

Book Trailer:

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Giveaway: 
Ebook of Betting It All 



4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by Kathleen. Happy reading

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    2. Thanks Kathleen! I love making trailers.

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  2. Where did my comment from yesterday go? Darn Blogger!
    Thanks so much for the lovely review! And for featuring Betting It All.

    ReplyDelete

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