“I hope I’m sober enough to make sense,” he said. “I love you and want you to marry me. Immediately.”
“That makes perfect sense to me.” Linn tugged at his shirttails, pulling them free of his pants. “Are you sober enough for something else?” she asked, kissing his exposed chest.
He pulled her on top of him and began removing her clothes. “We may shock the sheep,” he said huskily.
“As long as we don’t shock the shepherds. Are there any nearby?”
“I hope not but I don’t care. Do you?”
“Certainly not. I’m the lady who likes to make love in the grass.” She caressed him intimately. “Remember?”
Bells tinkled in the distance. “I think they’re on their way,” Linn observed.
“So are we,” Con replied, and silenced her with a kiss.
– THE END –
I am Doreen Owens Malek, author of over forty books and lifelong fan of romantic fiction. I live in PA with my husband and college student daughter, a mini dachshund and a sun conyer parrot. I would like to tell you a little about myself.
I came to writing by a circuitous route, starting out as an avid reader of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and Gone With the Wind and Rebecca, and any other similarly themed books I could find. I first worked as a teacher and then graduated from law school when I desired a more lucrative and independent career. I had always been discouraged from pursuing a writing career by the volatile nature of the business and the relatively poor chance for success. But the realization that I needed a focus for the future encouraged me to do what I had always wanted to do. I sold my fledgling novel to the first editor who read it, and I have been writing ever since. I have written all types of books for all types of people, but my favorite literary pursuit is and always has been romance. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing from my readers, so please use my website to communicate your thoughts and criticisms, as I am always eager to learn from you.
A romance novel rarely disappoints me: in an uncertain world filled with tragedy and sadness, reading about an appealing woman finding a strong man to love her and share her life is the perfect escape. I like to read and write stories in which the main characters overcome obstacles to get together, and then stay together because their mutual devotion cannot be denied no matter what else is happening around them. They always HELP each other and reinforce the quaint but enduring notion that love conquers all—at least in the fictional universe of my imagination. So pull up a chair and take down a book—or pick up a Kindle—and join me in a world where the heroes are tough and headstrong but never boorish and the heroines are feminine and sympathetic but never helpless.
Happy reading! — Doreen Owens Malek
See all of
Doreen Owens Malek’s
Kindle eBooks on
Amazon.com
www.doreenowensmalek.com
FEBRUARY 2013 RELEASE
UNSUITABLE
The Rancher and the Schoolmarm
Rancher Jason McClain trusted no one but his nine-year-old son. His former wife had taught him that women were calculating and faithless and that love was trap. He had no intention of ever being caught in it again.
Then Jason met Carrie Maxwell, Johnny’s fourth-grade teacher. He was touched by her beauty, her innocence and the gentle understanding she showed his troubled son. Haunted by his memories, self-conscious about his scarred body, he felt he had nothing to offer a woman. Carrie knew she could heal his wounds if he’d let her. But could she convince him to trust again?
JANUARY 2013 RELEASE
CLASH BY NIGHT
A World War II Romantic Drama
United by Love, Divided by War
As the German war machine claims Europe, tanks roll into the peaceful French village of Fains Les Sources, and the brave French Resistance fighters wage their desperate struggle for freedom. But for three proud, passionate women, the same fierce conflict that rages throughout France burns in their own hearts…and will forever change their lives.
From the sun-drenched beauty of the French countryside to the bloody beaches of Normandy, from the dark and terrible days of the Occupation to the glory of liberation, this is the magnificent story of the men and women, lovers and enemies, whose passionate dreams and undying patriotism shape the destiny of their land and their lives.
RECENT CONTEMPORARY
ROMANCE RELEASES
by Doreen Owens Malek
www.doreenowensmalek.com
Brand new, never before published
Contemporary Romance
AMANDA’S BLUE MARINE
Available for digital download
at Amazon.com, and in print at
www.doreenowensmalek.com
Amanda’s Blue Marine marks the return of Doreen Owens Malek to publishing after a 12 year absence. It is with great pleasure that Doreen presents her new, never before published contemporary romance Amanda’s Blue Marine.
When Amanda Redfield, an assistant district attorney from a wealthy and prominent Philadelphia family, is being harassed by a mysterious stalker, she meets Brendan Kelly, the police detective assigned to her case. Smart and capable but deeply troubled, Kelly protects Amanda while he works to find her tormentor, but his disturbing presence and rogue behavior disrupt Amanda’s settled life. She is helplessly drawn to the sexy and charming but barely controlled cop, and as their passion grows she must choose between her prosperous and settled past and an uncertain future with a man whose own life is spiraling out of control. How she draws on her wits and resources to eventually rescue Kelly emotionally in the same way that he rescues her physically makes for a powerful and satisfying love story.
Look for the reissue of the
enormously popular
A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE (1989),
available for digital download at Amazon.com
Taylor Braddock. His name brought back memories of a man so handsome that a young girl had fallen in love—and made a fool of herself. A man so unique he’d spoiled Sharon Philips for any other love.
But now her father’s will had joined their lives once again. In a final attempt at matchmaking, Dad left half his California horse ranch to Sharon, the other half to Braddock—provided they were husband and wife.
A quick wedding. A quick divorce. A quick sale of the ranch. It seemed simple. But time had only fueled their passion. Could Taylor erase ten years of pain and show Sharon that loving him was her destiny?
Watch For:
ANOTHER MARRIAGE
OF CONVENIENCE
(Coming Spring 2013)
The sequel to the enormously popular A Marriage of Convenience. Visit the next generation of Braddocks as they find heartbreak and romance on the ranch in present day California. Watch Tay and Sharon survive a rocky patch in their enduring marriage to prove once again that love conquers all.
MARRIAGE IN NAME ONLY
(Contemporary Romance
Best Seller from 1995)
Revenge is bittersweet…
when passion intervenes
Years ago Ann Talbot had been forced to leave Heath Bodine without a goodbye. Now she was back, and though Heath still had the power to make her insides quiver with longing, he had changed. Yes, he was proposing marriage. But not out of love—out of revenge. And Ann knew she had no choice but to say yes.
Heath intended to make Ann pay for running out on him. But no matter how much he tried to deny it, living under the same roof and sharing the same bed with her was going to prove his undoing. Because he didn’t just want her body, he wanted her heart as well…
NEW DIGITAL RELEASES
DECEMBER 2012
BIG EASY HEAT
(Contemporary Romance)
Beau Landry was a real charmer, but Morgan Taylor was in Louisiana strictly for business. She was not about to become emotionally or physically involved with the key witness against her client. Just one dinner with the handsome, rugged Mr. Landry wouldn’t hurt—as long as Morgan could ignore h
er growing attraction to him...
Beau was prepared to use any tactic to get to know Morgan better. If it was a crime to be falling in love with a beautiful lady lawyer, then Beau was guilty as charged. He only hoped that his sentence with her would be for life.
NOVEMBER 2012
NATIVE AFFAIRS
(Four Contemporary
American Indian Romances)
700 pages of Romance
Reading Pleasure!
A Note from the Author: The common denominator in the four romances I selected for Native Affairs is the Native American hero in each story. I chose to write about this Northern hemisphere icon because for me he exemplifies the strength and purpose and stoic masculinity always found in male romantic leads. From the physical trials his ancestors endured to reach tribal manhood, to the indefatigable courage they displayed in fighting the overwhelming numbers of European settlers, American Indians are unique in history. The modern counterpart’s ability to survive in society while retaining the mysticism and respect for nature and its processes that characterize his culture makes him a compelling figure. In my books this tenacity and toughness is translated into a contemporary setting and a relationship with a woman who challenges his background and beliefs. This contrast and conflict is what makes a good story and I’ve exploited that basic difference to tell tales that bring out the best in both characters who come together as a couple.
In Blackfoot Affair the main characters are on opposite sides of a legal battle, and in An Indian Affair the hero is a renegade bounty hunter who meets a teacher he simply can’t resist. In Medicine Man’s Affair the hero is an athlete who has to defy his own prejudices to pursue a woman he doesn’t want to desire, and in Marriage in Name Only a troubled teenager becomes a conflicted millionaire who can’t forget his first love. All four men are a bit difficult, a little dangerous, and a lot sexy. I hope you enjoy reading about this quartet of heartbreakers as much as I enjoyed writing about them. Some details are provided below.
An Indian Affair is a conflict of cultures tale about two people who have nothing in common but can’t stay away from each other. Cindy is both frightened by and attracted to Drew Fox. Even though every instinct she has tells her to put distance between herself and the wild man she is drawn to so fiercely, she listens to her heart rather than her head. How these two achieve a balance between their conflicting natures is detailed in a compelling love story.
Blackfoot Affair is a tale that begins with intense antagonism between professional combatants, Marisa Hancock and Jackson Bluewolf. Their constant conflict produces a tension that flares into a desire that complicates their lives until they give in to it. Once they acknowledge their need for one another they make progress toward happiness. Then an accusation of betrayal drives the couple apart until it is resolved in dramatic fashion, bringing them together in a satisfying conclusion.
Medicine Man’s Affair is a story that shows that prejudices can poison a relationship on either side, but love can bring down these barriers and unite people of diverse backgrounds. Jennifer Gardiner meets Lee Youngson, a professional athlete who wants to be a doctor but believes his dream is impossible. Jennifer helps him to realize his ambitions and see that he doesn’t have to compromise his principles in order to love the woman he truly wants.
Marriage in Name Only is a reunion story disguised as a revenge tale. After rich girl meets poor boy and then they are separated, Heath Bodine tells himself he is determined to punish his childhood sweetheart. But he is really still in love with the girl he thinks abandoned him years earlier. It is an intense, highly emotional story of youthful passion which translates into an enduring attachment once issues of honestly and loyalty are addressed. When Heath finally learns to trust Jessica, a mature and enduring is created between the two lovers.
OCTOBER 2012
MURPHY’S AFFAIR
(Contemporary Romance)
Uptight lawyer Hope Jarvis took one look at the man she was investigating and knew she was headed for trouble. What Dennis Murphy made her feel was positively illegal! How would she ever be able to do her job if she couldn’t think straight every time he came near?
Dennis’ life’s work was putting criminals behind bars, not taking adversaries to bed. He didn’t need Hope getting in his way—or under his skin. But there she was, looking all business and all woman, and Dennis knew this was one time when the laws of attraction would outweigh the law of the land…
SEPTEMBER 2012
RECKLESS MOON
(Contemporary Romance)
Bethany Forsyth had never known Bram Curtis, but she remembered the talk about him. Her father said he was a wanderer on the fact of the earth. Her mother said he had “gone to sea.” It was a beautiful expression, calling up images of a sky filled with foreign constellations. Beth wanted to meet the man who had gone to sea. And once she met him, she wanted to give herself to him in a way that both frightened and exhilarated her. She wanted to love him with a reckless devotion that would wipe out his bitter past. But could she do it?
AUGUST 2012
PANTHER LEGACY
(Historical Anthology)
Special Price of Just $3.99
Panther Legacy contains two volumes: The Panther and the Pearl, an historical romance set during 1885 in the Ottoman Empire of Turkey, first printed in 1994, and its sequel, Panther’s Prey, set in the same location ten years later and released in 1996. The main characters of the first book reappear in the second book but in lesser roles as the central story is carried by a subsequent pair of lovers. Both stories are very erotic and atmospheric historicals, immersed in the male dominated culture of Turkey at the time. That area of the world was then controlled by local rulers called Sultans and their lesser lieutenants, called Pashas, both absolute despots ruling their districts with iron hands.
In The Panther and the Pearl, Sarah Woolcott is a Boston schoolteacher visiting a relative in Turkey in the late nineteenth century. By a combination of circumstances you’ll find only in fiction, Sarah is purchased by the Pasha of Bursa, Kalid Shah. He is a young, Oxford educated district governor, the child of a local pasha and a captive British mother, who takes a fancy to Sarah when he sees her during a state visit to his boss, the Sultan. Sarah is outraged when she is drugged and kidnapped and wakes up to find herself the property of this seductive stranger, installed in his harem as the ikbal, the favorite, and expected to accept her fate as his new sex toy. While she fights him tooth and nail and pursues every avenue to obtain her release, at the same time she is drawn to him inexorably as he proves to be as intelligent, charming and sexy as he is handsome. What results is a battle of wits which drives them both to distraction, as she refuses to submit to his imperious commands and he ignores his stable of submissive beauties to chase the American woman who wants nothing to do with him. How Sarah winds up turning the tables on her dictatorial lover and finally bringing him to heel makes for an entertaining and highly sensual story.
Panther’s Prey, the sequel to The Panther and the Pearl, takes place ten years later in the same district of Bursa, where the ward of Sarah Woolcott’s cousin is abducted by Turkish rebels seeking to overthrow the same Sultan in power when Sarah first arrived in Turkey. She is now married to Kalid Shah and living with him and their three children at Orchid Palace in Bursa. Shah is in sympathy with the rebels and allies himself with Malik Bey, the brother of a character in the first book. Bey is a wanted fugitive, the leader of the insurgents. Bey takes Sarah’s cousin, Amelia Ryder, from her traveling coach by force in order to sell her into slavery to finance his anti-government activities. Amelia is as defiant and feisty as Sarah was a decade earlier, however, and as she tries repeatedly to get away from Bey’s camp and back to her family she and the rebel leader grow fascinated with one another. She learns about Bey’s past and his cause and helps him when his lieutenant and best friend is wounded. As time passes they share a compelling physical attraction which soon grows into an undeniable, unbreakable bond. Bey, young and h
andsome himself, is besotted with pretty blonde Amelia. He can’t keep his hands off her, despite his best efforts to put the revolution first and his feelings second, and decides finally that he cannot sell her. He makes a deal to release her to Shah just as she realizes that his cause is just and, even more shocking, that she really doesn’t want to get away from him. As Bey works with Shah to remove the Turkish dictator and replace him with an elected legislature, Bey is arrested and condemned by a desperate Sultan and Amelia joins forces with Kalid and Sarah to save his life. How Bey triumphs in the end and gets both a new government and the girl makes for a satisfying and sensual read. I hope you enjoy reading these books as much as I enjoyed writing them.
AUGUST 2012
MEDICINE MAN’S AFFAIR
(Contemporary Romance)
His people were his past
but she was his future
Tall, honey blonde with gray-blue eyes, Jennifer Gardiner hardly fit the role of Publicity Director for the Philadelphia Freedom football team. A lawyer and a professional in a rough-and-tumble world of men, she’d learned to be wary of gridiron heroes––until Lee Youngson shattered her hard earned cool. A proud American Indian, witty and devastating, he broke all the rules, sweeping Jennifer into a passion she had never known. She abandoned all caution for a single reckless night. Now it was too late to turn back. She wanted Lee for a lifetime, but they were worlds apart. His past and his heritage stood between them. Could love ever bridge the gap?
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