Tag Archives: susan lute

Tule Publishing February 2023 Releases

February 1, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for February!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the February releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

The Valentine Project by Susan Lute (American Heart)

Release Date: February 1, 2023

Angel Point, Book 4

A Valentine’s Day promise sixteen years in the making…

Deputy Mayor Gwen Olsen has big plans to put her own stamp on the revitalization of Angel Point. She grew up in the charming coastal town, loves its quaint downtown, and she’s confident she’ll be voted mayor if her ideas bring in more prosperity.

But this Valentine’s Day, the only thing rolling into town is Carson Loman, her childhood BFF who made a pact with her, sealed it with a kiss, then moved to Chicago and ghosted her. Now his adopted teenage son needs stability, so he’s accepted the fire chief position—and the place on Gwen’s committee that comes with it.

She’s the same witty Gwen with a successful track record to go with it. His son’s welfare drives his future, but Carson’s still a solid rock to lean on. So are they merely caught up in honoring a childish promise to marry if they’re both single at 35, or should they seize this chance for a happier future than they could have ever planned?

Escaping Valentine’s Day by Christi Barth (American Heart)

Release Date: February 2, 2023

An Italian romance is on the menu, but is she ready to order?

Content creator Rory Hibbert knows Valentine’s Day is only fun for couples and chocolatiers. For singles like her, it’s a day of disappointment. And that’s why her new marketing agency client has arranged a tour of Italy crammed full of activities to distract from the holiday. This trip is a test for Rory—if it goes well, it will jump-start her new social media career.

There’s just one snag: the ex she never got over is also on staff.

Huck Cranshaw walked away from the love of his life for a huge opportunity on a cooking competition show. At least, that’s the excuse he gave Rory at the time—and he’s regretted it for five years. Cooking for tourists was supposed to be a stopgap between restaurant positions. Now it could be much, much more: a chance to fix the past.

But when an Italian prince catches sight of Rory, Huck’s not the only one vying for her heart this time. Can Cupid still steal Rory’s heart when the truth finally comes out?

Cupid, Cupcakes and Carnage by Kaz Delaney (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: February 8, 2023

Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, Book 5

It’ll be a Valentine’s Day to celebrate…if she makes it out alive.

Brilliant baker Rosie Hart is busier than ever as she prepares for Airlie Falls’s famed Valentine’s Day Farmers and Craft Market. The last thing she needs as she races to frost her cashew nut cakes is the mysterious appearance of a dead body found on her new fiancé, Jonah’s, property. To add icing to the cupcake, another long-dead body is found buried underneath it. For goodness bakes!

Rosie vows to leave the investigating to the sheriff this time—she has enough to juggle with her baking business and her nonagenarian friends who are entranced by a new seniors dating app. But when rumors begin affecting Jonah’s construction business, enough is enough. Getting answers will mean retracing the unexplained disappearance of a woman ten years earlier—a woman who had a dalliance with a now-famous actor and is supposedly speaking through a clairvoyant.

Can Rosie solve the case in time to ensure this Valentine’s Day is remembered for all the right reasons?

Last First Kiss by Stella Holt (American Heart)

Release Date: February 9, 2023

Legacy of the Maguires, Book 1

He’s going to fight for her this time around.

Charlotte Maguire’s family is the closest thing to police royalty in her hometown. But not even the Maguires could protect her from the heartbreak of becoming a young widow. Now twenty-eight years old, Charlotte mourns the future she lost and has thrown herself into her work. Curating promotional campaigns is the perfect distraction until her gorgeous new boss Caleb shows up, forcing her dormant heart to awaken. Caleb and Charlotte have a past, and it’s impossible to ignore the sparks that are reigniting.

Caleb Kincaid is a survivor in every sense of the word. He’s no stranger when it comes to securing second chances, so when Charlotte Maguire happens his way again, he’s all in. Charlotte has loved and lost once already, and Caleb knows he’s no sure bet. But he also knows they could be great together this time around.

Caleb has always been a man of his word, but what happens when he promises a future he might not be able to deliver?

To Claim His Highland Bride by Gerri Russell (Muse)

Release Date: February 14, 2023

Guardians of the Isles, Book 4

Destiny claims they are mortal enemies, but their hearts say otherwise.

When Rowena MacLeod falls in love with the son of her family’s greatest enemy, her laird brother refuses to grant her hand in marriage until Marcus MacDonald can provide for his sister. Marcus, now penniless after being disowned by his clan, sets sail to seek his fortune as a privateer. Rowena waits faithfully for her beloved, but on the day Marcus returns, she’s kidnapped by a vengeful MacDonald.

Marcus lost many men while seeking his fortune, and he’s determined to make amends by sharing his wealth with their families. Believing he can now no longer marry, Marcus refuses to pay Rowena’s ransom, instead offering to take his cousin to Uamh Oir, the Cave of Gold, and relinquish any treasure found. When Rowena escapes, she insists Marcus marry her and take her aboard his ship. With their plunder, she’ll make a new life for herself far from him and her family—provided they don’t consummate their marriage.

As danger surrounds Marcus and Rowena, can they resist the love and desire that’ve been tangled up in family duty and betrayal?

Four Hidden Treasures by HL Marsay (Holiday)

Release Date: February 16, 2023

The Secrets of Hartwell, Book 1

Welcome to Hartwell, an English village full of cobbled streets, ancient curses, and buried secrets.

Reeling from the last few years of uncertainty, the villagers of Hartwell are adjusting to their new normal. When two new women separately move to town, they attract local attention and quickly realise Hartwell isn’t as sleepy as it appears.

Lady Lucy Hanley is beautiful, friendly, and struggling to preserve crumbling Hartwell Hall for her son as rumours circulate about her husband’s disappearance. Rachel Foxton feels trapped. She’s lived in Hartwell all her life and is exhausted from teaching during the pandemic, grieving her father, worrying about her mother, and battling heartache. Dr. Meera Kumar has always been the good girl, but as her sham marriage unravels, she seeks a fresh start for herself and her young son. And former London detective Jo Ormond has been transferred to Hartwell in disgrace. With her career in tatters, a quiet village in Yorkshire where everyone knows your business is the last place she wants to be.

Secrets run through this close-knit community like a loose thread—with just one tug, everything can unravel. As the women’s friendship grows, and a body is discovered, will the secrets of Hartwell bring them all closer together or tear them apart?

The Doctor’s Homecoming by Fiona Marsden (Holiday)

Release Date: February 23, 2023

With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing, Book 7

He left everything behind…including her.

Doctor Saul MacDonald left Kurrajong Crossing as a teenager, fleeing impossible living conditions. He left behind his mother, younger brother Alexander, and the girl he’d loved all his life. On the far side of the world, Saul made himself into a different person—hopefully a better one—but now family ties force him home.

Animals and plants are the only living things successful entrepreneur Trudie Weiss trusts unconditionally. Neglected as a child and forced into dangerous situations she couldn’t control, Trudie prefers to keep people at a distance. But the arrival of Saul “Sunny” MacDonald back in The Crossing tests the exposed armour around Trudie’s tender heart. Like it or not, they share a deep bond. And an attraction that glows white hot.

Trudie knows a wounded animal when she sees one. And if she gets too close to Saul, he will lash out. But as he confronts old relationships and digs into his painful past, is there room for Saul and Trudie to move forward and forge a loving future…together?

Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain by Kris Bock (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: February 28, 2023

The Accidental Detective, Book 4

It’s hard to walk away from the truth when you need a cane…

Former international war correspondent Kate Tessler had to trade her illustrious journalism career for her childhood bedroom after a brush with death almost took her leg. But when the editor of a local newspaper asks for her help, Kate is drawn back into her old world. A journalist covering a sprawling story of political corruption may have uncovered explosive new evidence, but she was run off the road in a hit-and-run accident. Gabriella, Kate’s mentee, has been injured and can only communicate by blinking yes or no to questions. Meanwhile, another reporter is missing.

The editor is short-staffed, with no one experienced enough to handle something this dangerous. Kate can never give up on the search for truth, so with her trusty senior sidekicks and new PI partner—her sister, Jen—Kate takes the case. Can a fifty-year-old journalist still recovering from a war injury survive the dangers of the Arizona desert long enough to catch a killer?

TULE AUTHOR Q&A: Susan Lute was inspired by the word “Dibs”

February 1, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Susan Lute stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the fourth book in the Angel Point series, The Valentine Project!

Where did you get the inspiration for The Valentine Project?

The thing about story inspiration is that it can come from anywhere. And it doesn’t happen the same way for every story. In the case of The Valentine Project, the inspiration came from my own imagination and one sentence . . . a teenager saying to his dad, “Dibs.” I love a strong woman on a mission (Deputy Mayor Gwen Olsen) and a man who is not afraid to step into the middle of things and lend a hand (Fire Chief Carson Loman). When it became clear that best friends Gwen and Carson went to school together and at their senior prom kissed and made a pledge to get married if they were still single at thirty-five, I didn’t know and neither did Gwen that it would be sixteen years before she saw Carson again. Setting the story in Angel Point was a given. Flynn, Carson’s adopted son, and Grandma Adele and her friends, the Wild Card Ladies showed up unexpectedly, and well . . . from there, the story wrote itself.

 

What song would be in the soundtrack to Gwen and Carson’s love story? Why?

The song that would be the soundtrack to Gwen and Carson’s love story is My Valentine by Martina McBride and Jim Brickman. This song is about what love means and how the dream of love can last forever . . . “I will give you my heart until the end of time. You’re all I need, my love, my valentine.”

 

Did you need to do any kind of research for this book?

As it turns out, I do research as the story unfolds, which is to say I research all kinds of things for every book. Even after four books (I’m just finishing the fifth book in the Angel Point series), I’m still researching Angel Point. There’s always something new to learn about this sweet town. I sometimes wish I could live there, walk on the beach, hike in Ecola Park (but I digress). For The Valentine Project, I researched small town government, fire stations and the men and women who dedicate their lives to keeping their communities safe, and fun things to do in Chicago. Those were just a few trips I made to the internet library. 

 

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

When I write a story, every scene moves into the next like a movie that plays across the screen of my mind. It really is hard to pick a favorite, but the scene I like the most in The Valentine Project is when Gwen and Carson run into each other for the first time in sixteen years at Gabe and Taylor’s wedding (from Book One). Gwen is looking for her grandmother and I knew exactly what Flynn would say to his dad from the moment I sat down to write this book.

 

Gwen went looking for her grandmother. She found the older woman talking to the same man, a tall guy, who knocked it out of the park in his dark suit. His black hair was neatly combed; hands stuffed in his pants pockets as he chatted with Grandma Adele. A young, teenage boy loitered close, mimicking the man’s stance.

Gwen’s breath caught as she almost tripped over the sudden excitement sprinting alongside her pulse. The man (that was his son, she was guessing) was like a dream she didn’t know she had, come true. She stared at his back. He was . . . taller than average . . . strong . . . comfortable in his skin as he laughed at something the boy said. A man, it seemed by his interaction with the teen, who could be relied on to stay the course.

Grandma Adele waved her over. Mesmerizing dude turned at the same time. And Gwen’s heart crashed.

Carson Loman.

Shaking her head, she had to force herself not to run in the opposite direction. Stopping short of making a spectacle of herself, she straightened her shoulders and pasted on a smile. Hopefully it wasn’t too fake. 

As if she greeted a MIA ex-best friend everyday, she walked over to her grandmother and kissed the older lady on the cheek before facing Carson. She held out her hand. “Hello, Carson.”

“Carson and Flynn are my plus one and two,” Grandma Adele said, just a little too smug.

For a long moment, he stared at her, memories filling bright blue eyes she had tried so hard to forget but couldn’t. He took her hand, his grip firm and warm. “Hi, Gwen. You look lovely.”

This was not the boy she used to know. Life had etched lines on his face, broadened his shoulders, and—

“Gwen—” he pulled the teenager forward. “This is my son, Flynn.”

He had a son. 

“Dibs!” Flynn said in a stage whisper as he leaned into his dad’s shoulder, 

“Ignore this crazy kid.” Carson dragged Flynn close with an arm around the boy’s neck, scrubbing knuckles across his head. Flynn squirmed, but his father watched her . . . expecting to find . . . what? The girl he’d left behind? That wasn’t likely to happen. 

 

What are you currently reading?

Currently I’m reading The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev, Sunrise With the Silver Surfers by Maddie Please, and I’m waiting for The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore to release. This will be Book 4 in her League of Extraordinary Women series, set in the 1800s, about four women and their fight for women’s suffrage. I can’t say enough good things about this series.

 

About the Author

Susan is an award winning author of contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and dystopian romance. Like all children of military families, she spent her childhood moving from one duty station to the next. She likes to say she is first and foremost a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, dreamer, and novelist. These days, when not working as a Registered Nurse, she remodels her house and writes whenever she can.

Tule Author Q&A: Susan Lute gives dating advice!

April 20, 2020 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Susan Lute stopped by to talk all about the first book in her Angel Point series, The Sheriff’s Baby Bargain!

 

Tell us about the town of Angel Point! What can you do and see there?Coast Under Cloudy Sky

 

Angel Point. I love the Oregon coast with its small, sleepy towns. Named one of the most romantic places on the Oregon coast (also Whale’s Head lighthouse is rated the 7th out of 100 best places to kiss in Oregon), there are lots to see and do in Angel Point. You can take a stroll down Warren Avenue and check out all the shops—Rose’s Bakery, Faith’s Attic, Ginger’s Coffee House, the Dragon Gallery. You can eat at The Chowder House and Old Mill Bar and Grill, see a play at the Old Town Playhouse. You can take a walk on the beach, fly kites, build sandcastles. My favorite, you can sit on a bench and watch the waves roll in around Shipwreck Rock while you let the sun warm your face and listen to the seagulls flying overhead.

 

Where did you get the inspiration for this novel?

Part of the inspiration for this story is a long-held desire I’ve had to tell a series of stories about strong women, women of honor, who make a difference, and the men who have what it takes to capture their hearts. I’m fascinated with how families come together, that sometimes family is the one you’re born into, and sometimes it’s the family you make as you go through life. The other inspiration for this book grew out of my career as a nurse. Back when I was a newly minted RN, I worked in labor and delivery. Later, after my first book was published, for a long time, I had this funny picture in my mind of a guy holding out a baby in front of him. The baby’s diaper slips off. And well . . . you know what happens next (I have an odd sense of humor). Like all the stories I write, there’s more. What if the man is an obstetrician who can’t have his own babies? What if his neighbor and best friend is a U.S. Marshal turned temporary, small-town sheriff, and has problems of her own and absolutely no experience taking care of babies? And what if a baby unexpectedly lands ‘on their doorstep’, so to speak. Set the story in an Oregon coastal town getting ready to celebrate its centennial (one of my favorite places), and you’ve got The Sheriff’s Baby Bargain.

 

CherriesIn The Sheriff’s Baby Bargain, Taylor asks Gabriel for dating lessons. What’s the best dating advice you could give someone?

Since I got married very, very young and don’t have much dating experience, I may not be the best person to pass along dating advice. But if I were dating in today’s world, I guess I would say, keep your dates simple. There’s nothing more fun than having a picnic by a lake on a sunny day. A coffee date in a quaint coffee shop is the best if you’re with the right guy. Be honest. Say what you mean. Don’t date just anyone. Know what you’re looking for in a date and/or partner. Pay attention to the littlest clues that show what kind of person he or she is. Like that old Kenny Rogers song, know when to walk away. Otherwise, laugh a lot and have fun. Expect the same from your date.

 

Where and when do you get most of your writing done?

I work a day job, Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 4:30, from home and have an office in the back where the Do Not Disturb sign is out whenever I’m back there. The rest of the time, I write at my writing desk in the . . . I’m not sure what to call it, what used to be the living room, but is currently being remodeled with the rest of the house (this week, Mr. L is cleaning out the attic). Anyway, all my book stuff, including the writing when I’m home, happens there. Everything is open and I can look out big windows, front and back. It’s very cool and will be even better once the construction is done. If I take a trip, which happens as often as I can manage when not sheltering in place, I take the writing with me.

 

What are you currently reading?

Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas (Love it), and The Two Date Rule by Tawna Fenski (also super good).

 

About the Author

Susan is an award winning author of contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and dystopian romance. Like all children of military families, she spent her childhood moving from one duty station to the next. She likes to say she is first and foremost a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, dreamer, and novelist. These days, when not working as a Registered Nurse, she remodels her house and writes whenever she can.