Today we have for you a spotlight on the Highland Home series by Shari Richardson. I haven't read this series yet but they are definitely on my TBR list. A huge thank you to AToMR Tours for the chance to be involved in the promo event!!
Mourning Sun (Highland Home #1)
I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.
Mairin Cote is a magnet for weird. Her dreams come true, she can see auras and her mother is in love with an angel. Now the monsters are finding her too. Vampires, demigods and werepanthers have flocked to this small town girl who must find a way to keep her family safe, love the man of her dreams, and navigate the shark-infested waters of Highland Home High School.
Captured Sun (Highland Home #2)
My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.
Mairin Cote thought loving a vampire was hard, but losing him to others of his kind was worse. When the death toll in East Hampton points to a rampaging vampire, the vampires and werepanthers must form an uneasy alliance to stop the destruction. To save the love of her life, Mairin must decide if living life without Mathias is worth risking an eternity with him.
Seven Days (Highland Home #3)
The pain was sharp and deep, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in Xavier's eyes. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but the words wouldn't come. The pain kept them at bay and even if I could have spoken, I knew the words would be a lie.
Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days.
Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days.
Banished Sun (Highland Home #4)
Eternity. How many times since Mathias came into my life had I considered it? Had I not taken risks that would have left us together for eternity? What I hadn't expected was to have the choice taken from us. Vampires are independent creatures and the old ones definitely don't like being bound to a human. When an ancient vampire comes to Highland Home bent on Mairin's desctruction so he can free himself from his bond to her, Mathias is forced to choose between what he is and who he wishes to be.
Nine Lives (Highland Home#5)
I felt a familiar ripple and knew it was too late for me. I saw her, so tiny, so perfect and I knew that I could die content. When Xavier admitted his love for me, I was complete.
Kerry Cote's story may sound familiar, but it's not. Sure there are a lot of unmarried, pregnant teenagers in the world, but how many of them know the child they carry is a miracle? How many have a vampire body guard? How many are alone because the mother of us all and the father of all vampires has a jealous daughter who covets the baby's father? Kerry must survive to bring her child into the world, for if she fails, humanity may not survive.
Nine Lives Excerpt
Chapter One
"Oh my God," Mairin exclaimed.
"I look like a frosted cupcake."
I poked my head around the doorway of my
sister's bedroom and burst out laughing. My normally tom-boyish sister looked
like someone had airbrushed a Vogue model over her. I could still see Mairin
under the makeup, hair and the far-too-flouncy sparkling white gown, but I had
to squint.
"Don't laugh at me, brat," she
said. "How did you let me let Mom talk me into this?"
I held up my hands. "Hey, don't blame
me for this one, sis. This is all you. You let Mom go to the bridal shop with
you and Mathias' credit card. You knew she was going to pick something like
this."
Truthfully, the gown was gorgeous. It had
an empire waist and a very short train, but it also had so much lace and so
many sparkles, I was surprised my sister wasn't currently shredding the gown in
an effort to get it off.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit. I cannot do
this," she said. "Nope. I won't. I should have insisted on the stupid
town hall and the stupid civil union, but no, I let Mom and Mathias bully me
into this." She waved at herself.
"Mairin," my mother said,
slipping past me into my sister's room. "You look so beautiful. I knew
that dress would be gorgeous on you once the alterations were finished."
I smiled at my sister over our mother's
shoulder and bolted for my room. The glare which followed my retreat nearly
burned. Mairin would complain, but I knew she'd never have taken anything away
from our mother. Especially not something as important as a big wedding with
all the trimmings.
Of course, her willingness to be on display
for the town in a gown that was anything but her own choice was really my
sister in a nutshell. No matter what it did to her, if it meant one of us was
happier, Mairin would do it. Take my bridesmaid dress. The wedding planner
Mathias hired to help Mairin keep her sanity had freaked out when Mairin showed
her the dress, but my sister had insisted that the pale colors the wedding
planner wanted would look awful on me. So instead of joining the frosted
cupcake brigade, I was wearing the deep, forest green, knee-length dress my
sister had chosen for me. She could have picked some hideous, flowing
monstrosity so I wouldn't overshadow her, but had instead picked the dress she
knew I'd like.
I was pulling that dress over my head when
the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Tawnya called from
downstairs. I knew she'd been ready for us to leave for the wedding for at
least half an hour, but after the tenuous truce she and Mairin had finally
formed following their estrangement last winter, Tawnya was keeping her
opinions to herself. I, on the other hand, wasn't. If they weren't ready by the
time I got my shoes on, I'd shove Mairin down the stairs.
"Hey Tawnya. The other camp is getting
anxious and sent me to see what was keeping the bride." Xavier's voice
drifted up the stairs to me and I smiled. In spite of some pretty big
disagreements they'd had in the past, Mathias had asked Xavier to be his best
man. Xavier, always looking for ways to improve the political climate of the
supernatural community, and because both Mairin and I had begged him, had
accepted. It hadn't been until the tuxedo fitting that he'd truly begun to
regret saying yes. The complaints over the fittings had been epic and amusing
as hell.
I slipped on my sandals and ran back to
Mairin's room. "The natives are getting restless. We have to go."
"I heard him," Mairin said.
"Mom, go get in the car with Tawnya. Kerry can help me down the stairs in
this monstrosity...um, dress."
Mom kissed us both before heading down to
meet up with Tawnya. I could see her eyes were already beginning to shine with
tears and knew that before the end of the ceremony, our mother would be a
blubbering mess.
"She's going to cry all day, isn't
she?" Mairin said.
"Probably. You're her baby and you're
getting married."
"Yeah, wait until it's your turn,
brat." Mairin clasped a thin gold chain around her neck and sighed.
"That's it. No more delays."
"Don't you want to marry
Mathias?" I asked.
"Sure I do," she said. "But
for all intents and purposes, I'm nineteen. Girls don't get married this young
unless they have to. You know most of the town is going to be watching me to
see if I'm pregnant."
"That's why you and Mathias are going
on a long honeymoon. So you don't have to worry about being watched." I
held Mairin's arm as we carefully navigated the stairs. "Besides, admit
it. You're dying to see all the snooty jerks jockeying for position to catch
your bouquet."
Mairin laughed. "I'll aim for you, if
you want me to."
Xavier looked up at me from the foot of the
stairs. I knew he'd heard Mairin and my heart thundered in my chest. He'd
already asked me to marry him more than once and I'd told him no. Not no
forever, but no for right then. Looking at him in his tuxedo, the tiny, shy smile
I loved best lifting just the corners of his mouth, I realized while I still
might not want to get married tomorrow, I was ready to say yes to him.
"I'll take my chances," I said.
"But I'll make sure I'm right up front."
The wedding planning crew had lined the
driveway leading to Mathias' house with lights and continued with them along
the path leading to the stretch of beach behind the house. I went with Mairin
through the front door after sending Xavier around the back to keep Mathias out
of the house now that we were there. For a vampire, he was impressively
superstitious. I'd always thought being one of the monsters the superstitions
protected us from might make him immune to them, but apparently not. He hadn't
even stayed at the house with Mairin last night because he believed it was bad
luck to spend the night before their wedding together. Personally, I thought
that his leaving had more to do with trying to maintain his sense of decorum
than with bad luck. Mairin had told me that despite her less fragile state of
being, Mathias had refused to engage in physical intimacy with her until after
the wedding. If the level of aggression and annoyance displayed by them both
was any indication, their sexual frustration had reached a boiling point.
Mathias had stayed away so he wouldn't be tempted to break his own rules. It
was actually kind of funny that Mairin was certain the town assumed she was
pregnant when I knew she was still a virgin. I giggled and Mairin looked at me.
"What's funny, sis?" she asked.
"Just that you're worried those people
out there think you're knocked up and I know there's about a million reasons
why that isn't even remotely possible."
I ducked when Mairin threw the pillow from
the sofa at me.
"Ha ha," she said. "Keep
rubbing it in, sis and I'll tell mom that when you stay at Elise's house, you
sleep in the same bed with Xavier."
"You wouldn't."
Mairin grinned. "Watch me," she
said.
Gino stepped into the room and bowed low.
"It is time, little queen," he said.
I carefully kissed Mairin's cheek. "I
love you," I said. "Be happy, sis."
"Love you, too, Kerr," she said,
taking Gino's arm. He led her to where Mom and Tawnya waited in the kitchen.
Xavier stepped up to take my arm.
"You look gorgeous," he said.
"You're looking pretty handsome, yourself."
I smiled as he preened.
"You think? I hate the monkey suit,
but it doesn't look that bad."
"Mom, if you cry now, you'll ruin your
makeup for the photos." Mairin's tone was irritated.
"I can't help it. My baby's getting
married."
"And living not five miles from your
house. Get a grip, Mom."
Laughing at my family's antics, Xavier laid
his hand over mine and led me out onto the deck. The music started and I
gasped. There was a silk runner that joined the deck to the area on the beach
where the wedding was taking place. Chairs were set up in groups around a
central point where Mathias stood, his back to the ocean and his eyes closed
against the sinking sun. Only those of us who really knew him knew Mathias
wasn't steeling himself to get married, but rather he was enjoying the sun. He
must have heard the whisper of the sand under the silk runner because he opened
his eyes and smiled at both me and Xavier as we walked toward him. Xavier and I
split at the altar and we both turned to watch my sister make her way across
the sand. The gown that had looked like too much in her bedroom was perfect as
the setting sun caught the sequins and crystals embedded in the fabric, making
it appear as though Mairin were glowing as she walked. Mom and Tawnya each held
one of Mairin's elbows lightly, escorting her to meet her groom.
At the altar, Mom and Tawnya stopped with
Mairin and waited for the minister to speak the first words of the ceremony.
"Who gives this woman in
marriage?" he asked.
Tawnya's strong voice rang over the roar of
the waves and the gasps of the guests. "Her mother and I do."
I saw Mairin sigh with relief before
kissing first Tawyna's and then Mom's cheeks. I knew she'd worried that Tawnya
would make some attempt to stop this wedding, but since they'd mended their
relationship, Tawnya's acceptance of vampires as a whole had improved
significantly. Mairin stepped away from Mom and Tawnya--away from our
family--and took the hand Mathias offered her. The look which passed between
them was so deeply reflective of their love that I heard many of the audience
members gasp yet again. I hoped the photographer had gotten that shot. I knew I
wanted it for myself.
The rest of the ceremony progressed as any
other wedding I'd ever attended until the minister reached the part in the vows
where normally he would have said "until death do us part." I knew
Mathias and Mairin had convinced the clergyman to change it to "for all
time," but the sound of my sister's voice saying the words was something I
hadn't expected would hurt quite as much as it did.
I saw Xavier mouth, "I love you,"
and realized I must have done something to show my pain. I was so afraid of
losing my sister to this new world she'd found herself thrown into and had now
married into. She kept promising me she wouldn't disappear, but I knew that
someday I'd die and she wouldn't. We'd lose each other one way or another and I
wasn't ready for that. She might be mostly invulnerable, but our family's
penchant for attracting the biggest and baddest supernatural monsters meant she
wasn't invincible. I could still lose her, as I nearly had so many times in the
past few years, and I wasn't ready for that.
"I am pleased to present to you all,
the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Mathias Auer." The applause snapped me out
of my thoughts. Mairin flashed me a wink before leading the procession to the
reception tent.
Author Links:
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/shari-richardson.html
Author’s Den: http://www.authorsden.com/sharirichardson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shari-Richardson/e/B004TGUKV0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Astral Plane Publishing: http://www.astralplanepublishing.com
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