From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
The one that got away. Every girl has one, right?
Mine was a charming, British aristocrat who turned my world upside down one summer.
From the moment I first spotted Leo in the distance through my binoculars, I’d been captivated. I certainly never expected to find a man showering outside of the property across the bay in his birthday suit.
Then I noticed his housemate staring back at me with binoculars of his own—watching me watching Leo.
That made for an interesting conversation starter when I inevitably ran into them.
Turned out, the handsome Brits were only renting that house for the summer in my seaside town.
Leo and I formed an instant connection, even though we were technically opposites by all appearances. I taught him how to dig for clams, and he taught me that not all wealthy and powerful guys are pretentious.
Despite knowing he was totally wrong for me, I couldn’t seem to stay away.
It was a wild and crazy few months. And before I knew it, we’d fallen in love.
We both had one wish: more time together.
But Leo had obligations back home. He lived a life I’d never fit into. And I was going to law school. So, we decided to end it and never look back.
A part of me always felt like I’d let my soulmate walk away.
I believed our story was over.
Until five years later when he sent me a letter that shook me to my core.
I’d thought my world was turned upside down that first summer?
Penelope
Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of contemporary romance.
She grew up
in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a
television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son,
and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two
million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author
of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen
languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a love story about taking chances and the surprises that come with them.
My love story all started with a letter.
Only it wasn’t from the man I’d eventually fall in love with. It was from his daughter. A sweet little girl named Birdie Maxwell who’d written to the magazine that I worked for.
You see, once a year my employer fulfilled a few wishes for readers. Only that column didn’t start up again for months.
So I fulfilled some of her wishes myself. It was harmless…so I thought. Until one day I took things too far.
While anonymously granting yet another of Birdie’s wishes, I got a look at her father. Her devastatingly handsome, single dad father.
I should have stopped playing fairy godmother then. I should have left well enough alone. But I just couldn’t help myself. I had a connection to this girl. One that had me acting irrationally.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Catch up on unique terms in the Black Dagger Brotherhood universe...and their IRL inspirations!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Savior brings you the next sizzling and passionate paranormal romance in the Black Dagger Legacy series.
As a trainee in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s program, Boone has triumphed as a soldier and now fights side by side with the Brothers. Following his sire’s unexpected death, he is taken off rotation against his protests—and he finds himself working with Butch O’Neal, former homicide cop, to catch a serial killer: Someone is targeting females of the species at a live action role play club. When the Brotherhood is called in to help, Boone insists on being a part of the effort—and the last thing he expects is to meet an enticing, mysterious female...who changes his life forever. Ever since her sister was murdered at the club, Helaine has been committed to finding the killer, no matter the danger she faces. When she crosses paths with Boone, she doesn’t know whether to trust him or not—and then she has no choice. As she herself becomes a target, and someone close to the Brotherhood is identified as the prime suspect, the two must work to together to solve the mystery...before it’s too late. Will a madman come between the lovers or will true love and goodness triumph over a very mortal evil? ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J.R. Ward is the author of more than thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are more than fifteen million copies of her novels in print worldwide, and they have been published in twenty-six different countries around the world. She lives in the South with her family.
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Boone’s shitkickers shredded the frozen tire tracks down the middle of the alley, his powerful body churning through the dirty city snow, air sucking into his lungs cold and punching out hot as steam from a locomotive’s stack. In his right hand, he had a twelve-inch serrated hunting knife. In his left, a length of chain.
Up ahead, by about thirty feet, a lesser was running as if its undead life depended on all the Usain Bolt the thing was pulling. The telltale sickly sweet stench of the enemy was thick in its wake, a tracker that Boone’s sensitive nose had picked up on seven blocks ago. The slayer was sloppy of foot, flappy of hand, and given how saturated its smell was, Boone wondered whether it was already injured.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood’s commanding officer, Tohrment, son of Hharm, set the nightly territories for the Brothers and fighters, carving up sections of downtown into quadrants that would be stalked for the enemy. Trainees such as Boone were paired with more experienced people, either Brothers or members of the Band of Bastards, in the interest of safety—especially as there was a new threat out on the streets.
Shadow entities. That were killing innocent vampire civilians.
Boone glanced over his shoulder. Tonight, he was working with Zypher. The Bastard was a great partner, a big, brutal male who nonetheless had a teacher’s patience and an eye for constant improvement.
It was supposed to have been Syn. And a relief when it wasn’t.
Syn was . . . different.
Boone’s favorite to work with, bar none, was Rhage. But the Brotherhood was otherwise occupied tonight. Every last one of them.
And Boone was the one who had set them on a mission that he hoped and prayed didn’t result in death.
He probably should have moved out, but as petty as it was, he had enjoyed getting the upper hand and keeping it. Especially after he joined the Brotherhood’s training program, something he was well aware his father disapproved of. Altamere’s “son” a soldier? Fighting in the war? How brutish. The move had made Boone’s bookish decades seem like a fine hand of cards.
But he loved the challenge and he was damn good at the work—and a new kind of life and rhythm had started, where he and his sire rarely saw each other.
Except then came the invitation: The pleasure of his father and stepmahmen’s company requested at an aristocrat’s home this very evening. Going by the card stock alone, it was clear that other members of the glymera were included on the guest list.
Social gathering? Maybe. Treasonous violation of Wrath’s ban on the Council coming together? More likely.
It had been the first time in a year that Boone had spoken to his sire about anything of note. Yet how could he not urge the male to stay home? That viper pit of aristocrats had already tried to take down Wrath’s throne, and if they were planning another attempt?
The training center had taught him in detail all of the things the Brothers were capable of doing to someone who crossed them. And he might not like his father . . . but that was the point. With his alarm bells going off about treason, if he didn’t at least try to keep the male away from that party, he would feel like he had killed Altamere himself.
And that was too close to what he had at times wanted to do, and who needed to live with that guilt?
Predictably, his father had refused the wise counsel. So Boone had gone to the Brothers directly, and that was why he was paired with a member of the Band of Bastards this fine, crystal-cold winter’s evening.
Refocusing on his hunt, he threw some more speed into his legs, his thighs beginning to burn, his calves tightening, his bum ankle issuing the first of what was going to be a lot of complaints. All of that was background chatter easily ignored, utterly forgettable.
Just breathe, he told himself. The more oxygen he could get into his lungs, the more he got into his blood, fuel for his muscles, speed for his body.
Power.
And what do you know, he was closing the distance. The problem? He was getting farther and farther away from Zypher, who was dancing with a slayer of his own three blocks—now four blocks—back.
Time to do this.
Per protocol, he hit the locator beacon on his shoulder to notify the other squads that he was about to engage. And then he closed his eyes.
Dematerializing was something that vampires ordinarily had to concentrate and calm themselves in order to accomplish. Boone, however, had trained himself to find that place of inner equilibrium even when he was running full tilt boogie in pursuit of the enemy. And courtesy of all his practice, his physical form disintegrated into a scatter of molecules and he shot forward, passing the lesser.
He re-formed in front of the enemy, his boots planted, his knife up and his chain down, ready to party.
The slayer did what it could to slow its roll, arms pinwheeling, shoes slapping at the snow and skidding as it tried to stop on ice. Momentum was not its friend. Unlike some of the scrawny new recruits, this one had a football player’s thick neck and barrel chest, and all that body weight was a boulder bouncing down the side of a mountain, all keep-going instead of back-that-ass-up.
As he had been trained to do, Boone’s peripheral vision imprinted the alley’s contours and possible cover opportunities. His brain also did a lightning-quick assessment of threat potential, cataloguing fire escapes, rooflines, doorways, and windows, all of his instincts feeding information into the calculation of his own safety. On the physical side, his body braced for contact.
And the length of chain began to swing.
Boone wasn’t aware of giving his hand and arm that particular command, but things had started happening like that in the field over the past month. According to the Black Dagger Brother Vishous, there were four levels of skill development: unconsciously unskilled, which meant you didn’t know how much you didn’t know and couldn’t do; consciously unskilled, which was when you began to be aware of how much you needed to develop; consciously skilled, which was the level at which you started to use what you’ve trained yourself to do; and, finally, unconsciously skilled.
Which was what happened when your body moved without your brain having to micromanage every molecule of the attack. When your training formed a basis of action so intrinsic to who you were and what you did in a given situation that you were unaware of any cognition occurring. When you entered “the Zone,” as the Brother Rhage called it.
Boone was in that sweet spot now.
The whirring sound of the chain links circling beside him was soft yet menacing, like the easy breathing of a great beast—and Boone knew the second the slayer was going to move because one of its shoulders lifted and its hips angled ever so slightly.
The knife the lesser had tucked in its hand came flying out at Boone end over end—proof that Boone’s subconscious hadn’t considered quite everything. But his reflexes were on it, jerking his torso to one side, the surge of aggressive energy flowing through him so acute, so pleasurable, it was almost sexual.
His counterattack started with the chain. Licking the links out, he sent them around the slayer’s neck, a snake of metal with a tail that swung wide and doubled up on itself. With a tight loop locked in, he yanked with his full body.
The slayer pitched forward into the snow face-first.
And that was when Boone lifted his own hunting blade over his shoulder.
If you are a fan of the Stay series by Jennifer Probst or just now
discovering it, take a look at the insights, sneak peek, and of course the giveaway
down below. Happy reading J.
Kyle’s Top 5 Memories With Ophelia from A Brand New Ending by Jennifer Probst
In A Brand New Ending,
Kyle Kimpton and Ophelia Bishop are only eighteen years old when they decide to
run away together to pursue their dreams. Leaving the family farm behind, they
escape to Hollywood to get married and chase their careers. Kyle plans on being
a famous writer, and Ophelia longs to be a singer as great as Adele.
Unfortunately, their paths diverge and rip apart their relationship. As Kyle
thrives in Hollywood as the new hotshot screenwriter in town, Ophelia falters
when she realizes in order to be famous in the music industry, she needs to
change who she is. Choices are made that rip them apart, and Ophelia returns to
the family farm with her heart shattered and dreams destroyed.
Kyle realizes he’s made
a big mistake letting go of the only woman he’s ever loved. His memories haunt
him. Here are the top five he thinks about constantly: He remembers the first
time they kissed when they were sixteen years old. Riding on horseback through
the meadow, Ophelia falls off her horse, and when he frantically checks on her,
they gaze into each other’s eyes and he realizes at that moment, he is in love
with his best friend. They share their first kiss, and when they walk away hand
in hand out of the meadow, everything has changed.
When Kyle’s abusive
father blames him for his mother’s death, he runs to the only place he’s ever
felt safe: the Bishop family farm. Ophelia opens the door and instantly senses
his pain. She holds him tight and for the very first time, Kyle cries in her
arms.
When they were young,
they hung out with Ophelia’s brother, Ethan, and were called the Three
Musketeers. They’d run around the small town of Gardiner, raising hell, and
ending up at Bea’s Diner for her famous burgers and pies, detailing the glory
of their future.
Ophelia would sneak out
at night to meet him at the barns. They kept their relationship secret from
Ethan and Harper (Opehlia’s siblings) and spend nights lying on a blanket,
under the stars, holding hands and talking about their dreams and future.
Kyle vowed to wait until
they were married to claim Ophelia as his. They get married in Vegas in a tiny
chapel, by Elvis, and when they return home to their tiny apartment, they make
love for the very first time.
After a decade, Kyle
returns to his hometown and back to Ophelia. He intends to create many new
memories with the woman he loves. He dreams of running the Inn with her side by
side as he writes his new books on his terms. He wants to raise a family with
her in their childhood town, and be surrounded by the people and animals he’s
always loved. He wants to watch her sing again, making people happy, finally
owning her special gift without fear. And this is where A Brand New Ending
begins...
Excerpt: A Brand New
Ending by Jennifer Probst
He parked the car and
cut the engine.
Ten years.
Ten years since he’d
come home to the small upstate New York town of Gardiner and gazed upon the
staggering Shawangunk Mountains. Ten years since he’d touched snow. Ten years
since he’d been surrounded by the eerie beauty of nature’s silence.
And too many years since
he’d seen the only woman he’d ever loved.
They’d been the three
musketeers—Ethan, Ophelia, and him—caught in a world of their own making.
Memories assaulted him. Of running through the woods when they were young and
racing horses barefoot as the green meadow flashed below. Of moonlight walks
and late nights at Bea’s Diner, squeezed into the cracked red-vinyl booths as
they spun dreams of the future and feasted on greasy burgers. Of his first kiss
with Ophelia. The taste of innocence and passion mixed with Juicy Fruit chewing
gum.
He closed his eyes,
staggering under the raw emotions the images brought. Some of those dreams had
come true for him, but the price had been brutal.
It was time to make
things right.
It was time to reclaim
what he’d lost.
Kyle glanced at the
passenger seat, his fingers already reaching to stroke the leather laptop case.
He’d left a fancy mansion behind, along with rooms filled with expensive
trinkets meant to amuse, entertain, and distract the masses. He’d walked away
from a gourmet chef, housekeeper, and personal trainer. His garage still held
the laser-blue Lamborghini and the sleek black Hummer. He’d left the tuxedoes
and designer clothes in his closet; the cedar wine cellar still filled with rare,
expensive wine; and the four-poster mahogany bed that had seen too many lonely
nights.
Now all he had to his
name was one battered suitcase, his laptop, and a Ford Fusion rental car.
And for the first time
in way too long, he felt the beginning of a creative spark—the sexy wink of his
muse beckoning him closer to his childhood home, where he’d sworn he’d never
return.
He grabbed his phone and
tapped out a text to Ethan.
I’m here. How bad is she going to take it?
He waited a bit, until
the familiar gray bubble with ellipsis popped up.
Don’t know—depends on how pathetic you look. Still have no clue
why she’s mad at you.
Kyle winced as guilt
punched through him. Falling in love with your best friend’s younger sister was
a no-no. Running away with her was even worse. But eloping and not telling his
friend about it?
There was no making
amends for that one.
He cursed, then tapped
his fingers again.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
Don’t be stupid—it’s a great idea! The inn isn’t booked up and
she’s just being stubborn. Go inside, make nice, and I’ll be there in an hour.
He groaned and resisted
the urge to bang his head against the steering wheel. When he’d asked about
staying at the inn for three months to work on a new project, he’d worried
Ophelia would refuse. When Ethan told him to book his ticket, he’d been
relieved.
Until he found out on
the plane ride that Ophelia had actually said no. Ethan had conveniently left
that part out, citing in true guy code it would all be fine.
Her refusal to see him
hurt more than he’d imagined it would, but now he had no choice. Everything was
set in motion, and he wasn’t about to return to LA. Not only had he committed
to writing this screenplay surrounded by his memories, he’d sworn to fight for
a second chance with Ophelia. It was time they both faced the past, put some
ghosts behind them, and figure things out. After all, it had been eight years.
She had no idea he was
about to walk through her door with the intention of staying for the next three
months—in the dead of winter.
That’d be bad enough,
but when she heard his other piece of news?
Things were gonna get a
hell of a lot worse.
He stayed in the car a
few more minutes, trying to psych himself up. Maybe she’d surprise him and be
open to talking things through. Maybe she wouldn’t be horrified when he told
her about what he’d discovered a few months ago. Maybe it would all work out
fine, just like Ethan said.
Even better?
Maybe he’d find himself
again.
Grasping at all those
positive possibilities, he gritted his teeth, grabbed his bag, and got out of
the car.
******
Title:A Brand New Ending
Author: Jennifer Probst
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Ophelia Bishop was a lovestruck teenage girl when she and Kyle
Kimpton chased their dreams to Hollywood. Kyle’s dreams came true. Ophelia’s
did not. When Kyle chose his career over their relationship, Ophelia returned
home to rural New York to run the family’s B & B—wiser, and more guarded
against foolish fantasies. Now Kyle has come crashing back into her life, and
all her defenses are down.
Kyle can’t think of a better place to write his latest
screenplay than his hometown. After all, that was where he met the heart of his
inspiration—his first love. He knows the damage he’s caused Ophelia, and he
wants a chance to mend their relationship. If anyone can prove to Ophelia that
happy ever afters aren’t only for the movies, it should be him.
As much as Ophelia’s changed, she still has feelings for Kyle.
But her heart has been broken before, and she knows that Kyle could run back to
Hollywood at any time. She gave up her dreams once, but maybe she can dare to
change her own love story…one last time.
Author Biography
Jennifer Probst is the New
York Times bestselling author of the Billionaire Builders series, the
Searching For series, The Marriage series, the Steele Brothers series, and The
Start of Something Good, which is the first book in the Stay series. Like
some of her characters, Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New
York’s Hudson Valley home. When she isn’t traveling to meet readers, she enjoys
reading, watching “shameful reality television,” and visiting a local Hudson
Valley animal shelter.
