The Jeweled Dagger Series Book Tour & Giveaway

Giveaway has Ended - Winners noted in Widget Below :D

Welcome to my Forty-Eighth Hosting for Silver Dagger Book Tours!

This series has it all!  Adventure, Romance, Action and a little Supernatural :D  Check out the excerpts for each of the books below and if you like what you see, don't be afraid to add any (or all) of them to your 'To Read' pile!

As always, remember to follow the tour and visit all the other amazing blogs in the tour hop, then enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter Widget.  Good Luck!!

Don't forget to visit all of my other Active Giveaways!

Angelina's Secret 

The Jeweled Dagger Series Book 1 

by Diane Merril Wigginton 

Genre: Historical Romance 

Would you keep a secret to save someone you barely know? 

Angelina Stewart is a beautiful, bold, independent woman hiding a terrible secret. After returning home from a sea voyage, she is touted as a hero for saving her family’s ship and crew from a band of ruthless pirates, but Angelina feels like such a fraud. 

At the same time, her psychic abilities are becoming more pronounced as she attempts to unravel the mystery of London’s gruesome murders before she becomes the killer's next victim. 

Captain Jude Deveraux is leading a double life 

He and his band of French privateers steal, rob and plunder unsuspecting ships that have the misfortune of wandering into their domain. Awarded a title by the King of France for bravery during battle, The Duke of Bayonne, A.K.A. Pirate Captain, Jude Deveraux, takes what he wants from the world as he and his best friend, Honore live each day as if it were their last. 

That is until the day Jude discovers that the only thing he truly wants is to capture the untamed heart of fiery tempered, Lady Stewart for his own. 

Angelina's Secret is the unforgettable introduction to the "Jeweled Dagger" series 

Goodreads * Amazon

My eyes made their way with effort to his bearded face, for he was taller than most. Our eyes connected, and I felt a slight moment of trepidation as the hair on the nape of my neck stood on end. I was staring into the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They were the color of sapphires as they burned a hole straight through me.

His hair was completely covered by a red scarf, but I could tell it was black and very long, and he wore another scarf across his face.

We stood there for a moment assessing each other without a word. It was as if time had momentarily stopped. “Throw him overboard,” he said, pointing his finger at Jamie while still holding my gaze.

“No. Stop! I beg you don’t hurt him,” I screamed as panic rose in my throat.

“So you wish to save your lover,” he said with sarcasm dripping from his lips.

I suddenly began to laugh. I don’t know why I did it, but I did. Maybe it was stress getting the better of me. Maybe my circumstance was too bizarre. I was trapped on a ship in the middle of the ocean by a man who had held me so tightly I could smell the soap he used to bathe with that day. The thought of a pirate taking a bath before raiding a ship was, well, funny to me. Then he subtly raised an eyebrow as he grabbed me again and gave me a little shake. Maybe he thought I had suddenly lost my faculties and gone stark raving mad.

Copper-colored hair spilled loose from its constraint and tumbled down my shoulders and back as I suddenly came to my senses. After all, I was surrounded by pirates.

Isabella's Heart 

The Jeweled Dagger Series Book 2 

Haunted by a disturbing dream, she must face evils beyond her imagination 

It is 1783 England and Isabella Deveraux is an independent, fearless young woman who has hardened her heart to everyone that mattered to her, until the night she experiences a disturbing dream about her twin brother, Charlie, on the eve of their 19th birthday. Charlie and his school mates have been abducted by the devil incarnate and she is resolved to do what ever it takes to save him, even if that means reconciling with her estranged family and placing her faith and life in the hands of an intimidating Irish mercenary Captain. 

A mercenary who will do just about anything, for the right price 

Captain Aiden Townsend is more than willing to save the lives of three privileged schoolboys, for the right price. Jaded by his own devastating loss, Aiden has worked hard to keep his distance from the female persuasion until he is introduced to Lady Isabella Deveraux. As he sails his ship from England to Dublin, with the beautiful Lady Deveraux aboard, he formulates a plan to help her. But if his plan is to work, he must break through the walls that surround her heart while tearing down a few of his own. 

Goodreads * Amazon

“Captain Townsend, please!” Maria gasped in shock.

“I brought the doctor, how is she?” Caleb blurted out as he came through the doorway with the doctor close behind.

“Still unconscious,” Townsend answered.

“Hey, what are you doing? Get your hands off me you, you big ah… ah, espe’ce de con!” I whispered, slowly regaining my bearings. But still feeling groggy and slightly violated, I grabbed at my shirt, that laid torn open.

The captain had exposed more bear skin than I was comfortable with. I attempted to cover myself. “Ahh…” I gasped, making a guttural sound deep in my throat. “What have you done to me? There’s so much blood,” I yelled in surprise.

“What did she just call me?” Aiden asked, confused by me suddenly switching to French.

“Sorry, my head was a bit fuzzy and I couldn’t remember the English words for, “you big, stupid idiot,” I said with indignation dripping from every word. I found myself suddenly fending off hands that dared to reach for my shredded, blood soaked shirt. “Stop it. Leave me alone,” I demanded while shoving and slapping at their hands. “Take your hands off of me. Have you gentlemen never been taught decorum?”

“You keep that fire burning inside of you. You’re going to need it, judging by the look of that wound,” Doc said as he peered at my arm and adjusted his glasses. “We are going to need plenty of boiling water, Caleb. Hand me my bag, if you wouldn’t mind, Captain?”

I looked between the three men with ever growing doubt that any of them knew what they were doing. Searching about the room for Maria’s friendly face, I pushed past the captain with my good hand, trying to move him out of my way.

“Maria, oh where did she toddle off to?” I called out. I spotted Maria, standing in the far corner quietly crying. Once again I tried to get off the bed and past the two men who were prodding at my arm.

“Maria, stop that caterwauling this instant and do something,” I scolded with an air of authority, as Captain Townsend shoved me back against the pillow.

“And just where do you think you are going?” he asked, with a tone that was beginning to grate on my nerves. “The Doc here needs a look at that arm,” he stated flatly, while grasping my sore appendage tightly, holding it steady for the doctor to examine.

“Ouch!” I screamed louder than before. “Merde!” I cursed in French and punched Townsend in the arm with my good hand. “I don’t bloody think so,” I boldly proclaimed.

Without another word, he took hold of my wounded arm and ripped the sleeve completely off, then pinned me against the bed with a large hand against my good shoulder. I was so shocked by his sudden and decisive action that words escaped me and I laid there with my mouth agape.

Olivia's Promise 

The Jeweled Dagger Series Book 3 

How far would you go to save your best friend from a fate worse than death? 

Olivia Townsend is willing to do whatever it takes to save Lilly from just such a fate. 

The year is 1804 and Lady Olivia Sophia Allen Townsend has just turned 20 years old. She is beautiful, well-educated and considered by some in polite society to be far too eccentric for her own good. When Olivia was younger, she was very open about her gift. She is not only able to see spirits, but she can talk to them as well. Being shunned by her peers has caused Olivia to turn her back on those who need her the most - spirits caught between two worlds. That is until her best friend Lilly Collins comes to her in the middle of the night and asks for her help. Lilly can’t remember what happened to her and finds herself in need of Olivia’s unique gifts. 

Across the sea 

Olivia’s younger sister, Coco, is also gifted with a unique set of skills - she can touch someone and know things about them that they would sometimes prefer to keep hidden. Together, the sisters set off on a sea voyage, from Ireland to America, intent on solving the mystery of Lilly’s untimely death. 

Southern elites, heirs to an empire 

Brody and Quinton Beaumont are fine-looking, eligible, southern gentlemen, and heirs to a successful cotton empire. They also happen to be twins, hiding a deep dark secret. Their mother, Annabelle Beaumont, died eight years earlier on the night of their annual birthday winter ball, yet she continues to rule over their plantation home with an iron fist. 

Olivia, who has never been drawn to any man, feels an undeniable connection to Brody Beaumont, but first, she must figure out if she can trust him, and if he or his twin brother Quinton had anything to do with Lilly’s death. 

Goodreads * Amazon

I stood staring at this bigger-than-life man who exuded enthusiasm and strength, and I marveled at his apparent physical strength. But all of this paled in comparison with the extraordinary woman standing quietly by his side. She was the most exquisite creature I had ever seen, holding herself so regally she could have been royalty. Her piercing hazel green eyes burrowed through me as the line was clearly being drawn in the proverbial sand. The look she gave me said that she had marked her territory a long time ago, and I that I was treading upon it. But one reaction was unmistakable. The moment she realized I could see her. The shadow of disbelief then shock flashed across her delicate features, distorting her features before they quickly became replaced with an angry scowl. I was considering the unscrupulous, malignant eyes of this cold-hearted spirit, whom I assumed to be Brody and Quinton’s dearly departed mother, the saintly pillar of society that Mr. Jones had spoken of.

“Why, Mr. Beaumont, my sister and I would love to stay long enough to enjoy such festivities. Perhaps we can discuss the particulars of your celebration in the morning. It truly has been a long day,” I begged, drawing my eyes back to engage Harrison.

“But of course, my dear. How rude of me,” Harrison gushed. “Mrs. Bell will show you the way. Your luggage has already been delivered upstairs to your rooms.”

“You are too kind, sir,” I concluded, giving him a proper curtsy as Coco silently followed behind me.

Tiny goosebumps ran up and down my arms when I walked through the massive wooden doors of the Beaumont mansion, led by Mrs. Bell, a petite woman in her early forties. Coco and I held hands as we followed her to our rooms, and to be perfectly honest, I was afraid to let go of her. As we were led through the west wing, I was surprised by the number of lit candles that lined the hallways and the fires still burning in the hearths at such a late hour. Yet, despite all of this light glowing throughout the Beaumont home, it felt neither warm nor cozy. There was a palpable chill over the house that I felt every time I breathed in. I also felt the venomous eyes of the dead upon me, long after she dematerialized into the night, moments after realizing I could see her.

Lara's Story 

by by Diane Merril Wigginton 

Genre: Historical Romance 

SHATTERED BY HEARTBREAK 

“When a heart breaks, it does not break evenly, cleaving in half exactly down the middle.” 

Surrounded by her large, boisterous family in 1840s Ireland, Lara Flannigan has never known anything but love and belonging—until the day tragedy strikes, leaving her abandoned and forced into indentured servitude. 

REMADE IN A NEW WORLD. 

Just when all hope seems lost, Lara is discovered by a childless American couple, visiting Ireland to aid in the famine-relief effort. With barely a chance to look back, she’s swept away to a bustling new continent—and a dizzying new reality. One of petticoats, opulent townhouses, and the cold reaches of Philadelphia high society. Desperate for a future, Lara works tirelessly to fit into her new life... while still haunted by a past that won’t let her go. Set in a fascinating historical period, Lara’s Story is a gripping young adult novel that explores the strength of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness to heal a broken heart. 

Goodreads * Amazon

April 27, 1854

Philadelphia Wharf Lara’s Story

EVERY QUESTION BEGINS WITH a quest for answers, and every testimony of what is true begins with a test of our resolve. I am reminded of this simple formula as I stand here on this boardwalk, looking out to sea. Each life is a journey, defined by turns we take or the roads we choose or those which fate chooses for us. Some of us move from one place to another, along a well-worn path or the path less taken; it really doesn’t matter much as long as it leads you home again.

Memories of my home involuntarily flash through my mind as Mama’s words come back to me like a sounding board that has followed me my entire life. She would often tell my sisters and me, “Don’t ever make yerself smaller to satisfy the needs of another.” Mama was always insightful and perceptive when it came to her children.

Oh, how I still miss her so, even to this day. I smile to myself, wishing my ears could hear that beautiful, rhythmic sound of Mama’s voice again, just one more time as a terrible memory of the last day I saw her alive flashes through my mind and I vigorously shake my head to dispel the thought.

When a heart breaks it does not break evenly – cleaving in half exactly down the middle. It breaks, jagged and rough, cutting one to the very core of their soul. And while things may appear perfectly normal to the naked eye, beneath the surface lies the real tragedy, fragmented and splintered beyond reconciliation. Heartbreak is not an innocuous pain, easily excused like a stomach ache. It is more insidious, spreading throughout ones’ system, like an infection. Merely closing my eyes to the pain does not eliminate it in the least.

Just breathe in, then breathe out and move forward, I remind myself. This simple little mantra is something I taught myself so many years ago, and it has gotten me through more than a few dire situations. 

I was born in Riverside, California in 1963. My family and I moved to San Diego when I was 7 and I never looked back. I had a very rich life growing up with my brother, David, and best friend Gigi. I married my husband, David in 1998 and we lived in Encinitas, California for a couple of years before moving to Herald, California in 2001. We have a blended family of 6 kids and truly enjoyed the rural life on a 5 1/2 acre ranch, 45 minutes south of Sacramento. I love writing and creating stories that are different from and intriguing. I like to give my readers a little something extra and unexpected. I have always wanted to be a published author, but the timing never seemed right. Raising a family and working fulltime always took precedence. Shortly after I turned 50 I decided that if I continued to put off my dreams, the time would never be right. So, with an idea in my head, I sat down and began writing. I wanted there to be no regrets in my life. What resulted was a historical romance, filled with adventure, suspense, and an underlying epic love story weaved in for good measure and "Angelina's Secret" was born. I loved everything about the process of writing and there are currently three books in "The Jeweled Dagger Series." I am very excited about the future and thrilled to be writing fulltime now since I retired from my "9 to 5," job at the end of April 2017. My husband retired shortly after me and our youngest was a sophomore in college so we decided that it was time that we had an adventure of our own. We made the move to Kalispell, Montana and the adventures just seem to happen every day. We go for hikes in our own backyard or take off for Glacier National Forest on a whim. We currently have seven grandkids, with another one due this August 2018. Being "Grandma and Grandpa" is the icing on the cake for us. I count my blessings every day because I know how lucky I am. Life is good and now I can devote my days to doing what I really love, and that is writing and creating more stories. 

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***Notice: Nicolie-Olie's Meanderings is HOSTING a spot on Silver Dagger Book Tours. Choosing a Prize Winner and Delivery of Prize is not under the responsibility of Nicolie-Olie's Meanderings***

Tour runs from 03/24/20 - 04/24/20 - Daily Entry, Open WW, Age of Majority
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