A Beckoning Hellfire by J.D.R. Hawkins

During the bloody American Civil War, the stark reality of death leads one young man on a course of revenge that takes him from his quiet farm in northern Alabama to the horrific battlefields of Virginia and Pennsylvania.

On Christmas Eve 1862, David Summers hears the dreaded news: his father has perished at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Reeling with grief and thoughts of vengeance, David enlists and sets off for Richmond to join the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

But once in the cavalry, David's life changes drastically, and his dream of glamorous chivalry becomes nothing but a cold, cruel existence of pain and suffering. He is hurled into one battle after another, and his desire for revenge wanes when he experiences first-hand the catastrophes of war.

A haunting look at the human side of one of America's most tragic conflicts, "A Beckoning Hellfire "speaks to the delusion of war's idealism.

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Review:

This is the second book in the Renegade series by J.D.R. Hawkins. I was lucky enough to have both the books in hand when I started reading and it has been a pleasure to be able to continue the series. The author’s writing just pulls you in and it is like watching a saga unfold. The descriptions are vivid and emotions run high through both the books. It was hard not to fall for the characters even when I knew that during war lives are lost. It is to the author’s credit that the characters felt real, as did the plot.

With the death of Hiram, David is spurred to go ahead and enlist in the war. Unlike his father, he doesn’t really believe in the cause. He is more fired up to hit back for his father’s death and he convinces his best friend to enlist alongside him. What follows is a hard journey of discovering the truth about war. 


This is a series that has completely sucked me in and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective.
Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, and A Rebel Among Us. All three novels are award winners, and tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel to her series.

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A Beautiful, Glittering Lie by J.D.R. Hawkins

In the spring of 1861, a country once united is fractured by war. Half of America fights for the Confederate cause; the other, for unification. Rebel forces have already seized Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, a new Confederate president has been elected, and the Constitution has been revised. In north Alabama, a farmer and father of three decides to enlist. For Hiram Summers, it is the end of everything he has ever known.

After Hiram travels to Virginia with the Fourth Alabama Infantry Regiment, he is quickly thrust into combat. His son, David, who must stay behind, searches for adventure at home by traipsing to Huntsville with his best friend, Jake Kimball, to scrutinize invading Yankees. Meanwhile, Caroline – Hiram’s wife and David’s mother – struggles to keep up with the farm as her world revolves around the letters she receives from her husband, whom she misses dearly. As Hiram and his son discover the true meaning of war, they soon realize that their choices have torn their family apart.

In this historical tale, the naïveté of a young country is tested, a father sacrifices everything to defend his home, and a young man longs for adventure – regardless of the perilous cost.

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Review
I know very little about the American Civil War and so it was with much gusto that I picked up this series. I hoped to get a glance into the era as well as the hopes and struggles of the people who lived through it. Hiram Summers is a farmer and father of three who decides to enlist and soon travels with his regiment into the thick of the battle. Hiram’s wife Caroline and his son David is left behind to take care of the farm and their home. But war isn’t easy; it is hard and gruesome and the Summers family soon realize the toll it can take on a family like theirs.


The author has done a great job in capturing the timeline and the hardships of the people. While reading, I felt like I was there with David and Caroline as they struggled through their lives. I cannot vouch for the events described in the book and while I am sure that this book is a work of fiction based on certain events, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were real for someone in those times. Summers family could be just one of many families caught up in the war. Absolutely amazing book and a must read for historical fiction lovers.

J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective.
Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, and A Rebel Among Us. All three novels are award winners, and tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel to her series.
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Cabbing All The Way by Jatin Kuberkar

About the Book:

Twelve people agree to an idea of running a shared transport service from a common residential locality to their out-of-civilization office campus. Twelve different minds with equally diverse personalities gel with each other to fulfil a common need. At first, the members collide on mutual interests, timings, priorities and personal discipline, but in the course of their journey, they become best friends, make long-lasting relationships, mentor and help each other on various mundane matters. The journey goes on fine until one day some members try to dictate terms over the group. The rift widens with each passing day, the tension surmounts and finally all hell breaks loose... Will the journey continue? Fasten your seat belts for the journey is about to begin...

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Book Review:

The book is about 12 people who come together to save energy and resources by carpooling to and from work. They all come from different departments and know very little about each other except for the fact that they work in the same company and live near each other as well. It is once they start commuting together, that is where the book starts, that they open up and get to know each other. Do they become friends? Or do they clash at every turn? Does carpooling help or only increase their stress levels in the end? Read this book to find out.

Author has come up with an ingenious plot. I say ingenious because it is really clever of him to use something as common, simple and real as carpooling and to turn it into an entertaining story about human nature. Reading this book was like hitching a ride with the carpoolers and witnessing their camaraderie first hand. There are so many characters that it was a bit difficult to remember who is who in the beginning. The narrative is fast paced and really humorous at places. I hardly realized where time passed by while reading this book.  The ending could have been dealt better I think. 

Excerpts from the book

I don’t know why, but of late I was starting to feel that I have in me, two different beings. One of them is emotional. It is grounded to its values, it stops me from reacting to situations, it makes me observe the little wonders in everyday life, encourages me to see the brighter side, and sometimes, it commands me to just stand peacefully and enjoy singing aloud life’s beautiful song. The other is, as I wish to call it, ‘Judgemental’. Notorious for furious outbursts, it quickly jumps into conclusions. It is strong-headed, it asks me to be selfish, pessimistic and often teases me with phrases like ‘grow up!. Am I like this ‘by default’ or have I been transforming lately? Am I what I think about myself or am I yet to discover my true being?

--------------------------

If a spoon full of Abhishek Bachchan, a little Hrithik Roshan and a whole lot of Keshto Mukherjee were to be blended together, the end product would be Mohan. Confused, heroic and Keshto!

--------------------

“Mohan? Now what?”—Sushant questioned.

“Wait let me remember! I think we left the turn behind us,” he answered, thereby diplomatically confirming that we were actually lost!

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What a relief it was. It felt like we were all prisoners for life and had been unexpectedly released on an unconditional bail. A strange sense of freedom engulfed all of us and we smiled at each other. The feeling was comparable to a holiday that came just before Diwali, during our school days. It allowed us to freely burn crackers while our parents were off to work. We had a whole day ahead of us . . . No bosses, no family, no kids, no mundane chatter…nothing at all. A whole day, just for us, to unwind!

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“I HATE these dramas and the daily serials, especially the ‘saas-bahu’ stereotypes. They show women in such poor light. At first, a girl gets married and everyone is happy. Then suddenly, her shady past comes to light. This Sati Savitri happens to be the object of desire of a forgotten boyfriend. When the story gets stinking rotten, then someone is murdered or resurrected and the bugging continues . . . Oh my God! According to me, these serials are spoiling a whole generation by branding every mother-in-law as a scheming monster and daughter-in-law as Dracula-in-law . . . Gosh! I hate them . . .”

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Avani observed a peculiar point in her reply that most of us overlooked. She wrote:

“What do you mean by ‘If the cab starts sharply at 8:15 in the morning’? If you don’t believe me, then how about starting the cab from your doorstep? In spite of starting on time, you doubt our motives?”

------------------

“Night! What night?” Rajnish shouted.

“We are talking about 8:30 p.m. Don’t make it sound like goddamn midnight! You are a metro girl. Be confident, madam. Like Sushant said, don’t you girls go anywhere else on your own? Don’t you ever walk that road alone?” he said angrily.

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Sometimes I asked myself, ‘What was so different about this crazy group that made it stand out?’

‘May be because it was a group where we were all equals. A place where no one dominated, no one pressed their opinions, no fake emotions, no forced relationships, no undue commitments. It was like a parallel universe that we stepped in and out of each morning and evening. It was a different world with some rules but no compulsions, there were deadlines but they weren’t rigid, there were conflicts, but nothing personal about them.

It was “our” own world with just “us” in it.’

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“Saina, I hope this is not your ego speaking. I don’t mind if they don’t drop me home. But imagine if there is no cab at all. Even the thought of it is scary!” Vijaya said.

Look Vijaya, who’s not driven by their ego? They are all selfish and biased. So why care for their emotions? To answer your question, if the cab breaks, it will break forever! All we want until then is to commute to office, that’s it. We will do just that and leave the rest for the clowns. Ha ha ha!”

------------------------------

“‘Management by inaction.’ That is the only solution right now. In situations like these, we should not try to fix anything. Let relationships take time and get adjusted by themselves,”Sushant said as we walked out of the cafeteria.

-----------------

Heated thoughts bubbled up in my mind.

‘Come on now, you have controlled enough …don’t care to give any excuse, don’t even try to explain. Just tell them that you have had enough. Let them handle the stark reality that without people like you “they” are nothing.

Go on, finish it off!’

About the Author:

For the mortal world, I pretend to be a Software Engineer who works hard (or hardly?) in the hours of a day. I am the guy next door, a hard core Harry Potter fan and a movie buff. I literally ‘live’ every movie, I have strong opinions about its content and I hate it when a movie based on an interesting concept is messed up for the sake of commercial value. I enjoy watching cartoon shows (doremon, dora and Choota Bheem) with my son. I never get bored of listen to the endless chatter of my wife. When I’m not writing, I make toys for children.

But beyond the boundaries of this ‘cholesterol rich’ coil, I am a rider of rapturous thoughts. I am a thinker, a philosopher, a seeker, a story-teller, a writer, a wanderer and every other thing that a thought can be. At times some of these figments fire out of my thoughtful bowl and command me to write, muse, create, recreate, destroy…EXPRESS!

Who Am I? I have been asking this question to myself since 33 years, and I got a different answer always. Sometimes I get confused and think, am I asking the right question to seek the correct answer? Or may be that am I missing the whole fantastic universal drama around me while I am busy finding an answer to an irrelevant question?

Does the answer even matter?

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Character Development – Protagonist Vs Antagonist by J.D.R.Hawkins

About the Book:

After David Summers enlists with the Confederate cavalry, his delusion of chivalry is soon crushed when he witnesses the horrors of battle. Shot by a Union picket, he winds up at a stranger’s farm. Four girls compassionately nurse him back to health. David learns his comrades have deserted him in Pennsylvania following the Battle of Gettysburg, but his dilemma becomes much worse. He falls in love with the older sister, Anna, who entices him with a proposition. To his dismay, he must make a decision. Should he stay and help Anna with her underhanded plan, or return to the army and risk capture?




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Character Development – Protagonist Vs Antagonist

The primary antagonist in the Renegade Series is the Civil War. The protagonist throughout the series, David Summers, encounters several other antagonists. In the first book, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, his opponent is a fellow classmate. In the second book of the series, A Beckoning Hellfire, the antagonist is the war itself, as well as David’s own conscience. And in the third book, A Rebel Among Us, it is a character named Stephen Montgomery. Throughout the series, there is an underlying threat. Kit Lawrence, who is David’s father’s friend, turns out to be a serious problem later on.
I based the Renegade Series on actual occurrences. The Civil War rendered itself perfectly as an antagonist, especially for a Southern soldier. Most young men from the South thought the war would be over in ninety days, but it flared and grew deadlier over the course of four years. At the end of it all, three out of ten Southern men died from the war, compared to one out of ten Northern soldiers.
As for developing the other characters, I wanted to write a story about an ordinary Southern soldier who didn’t own slaves and who grew up on a farm, which was typically the case. I invented David, who is a combination of myself, my oldest son, and my dad. His first foe is a fellow classmate, whose father enlists alongside David’s father. However, the classmate’s father is killed. The classmate blames David’s father, and indirectly, he blames David, too. The boys confront one another, and inadvertently, David kills his classmate. In a hurry to escape his dilemma, David enlists in the Confederate cavalry.

He experiences extensive anguish from then on. David is hurled into one battle after another, until he witnesses the Battle of Gettysburg. After the battle, he is wounded, and winds up at the farm of Anna Brady and her sisters. Anna’s younger sister, Maggie, wants to turn him in and sees him as a threat, so she is a mild antagonist. But the biggest threat is Anna’s neighbor, Stephen Montgomery. He is a Union officer who wants to marry Anna for selfish reasons. The conflict between David and Stephen grows more prevalent until Stephen finally finds a way to attack David. After months of suffering, David manages to escape his torture and return victorious. That is, until the next book in the series!

Excerpt:

Chapter One

“Anna!”

She dropped the darning in her lap. Her sister called her name again, this time with more urgency. Springing from the rocker, Anna ran from the room and scurried down the wooden staircase.

Maggie clung to the newel post. “There’s someone in the barn!”

“Who is it?” Anna asked, but her younger sister was already racing from the house with a lantern in her hand.

Anna followed her out the back door, lifted her ankle-length skirt, and hurried across the dark barnyard. She entered the warm, musty building.

The lantern’s glow illuminated the barn’s interior. A saddled, spotted steed stood nearby, its eyes an eerie, glowing, brownish-green. The horse snorted and stomped. Something in the corner moaned.

Anna’s heart skipped a beat. Stifling a scream, she clamped her hand over her mouth to suffocate the sound.

“He’s over there,” Maggie said and pointed at a heap in the corner.

Anna squinted in the dim, flickering light. She cautiously made her way over. Her sisters and Claudia, the little girl they were in charge of, followed so closely behind they all seemed to be attached.

“Stay back, Abigail,” Anna commanded. “You too, Claudia.”

“Who is he, Anna?” Abigail asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “But he’s bleeding.” Anna drew closer.

The stranger’s horse snorted threateningly, but allowed her to advance.

The interloper moaned. He opened his eyes and gazed around at them, either confused, delirious, or both. “Please,” he groaned, nearly in a whisper, “please, can y’all help me?”

The girls stood frozen, looking down at their quandary.

Anna came to her senses. “Come on, Maggie,” She kneeled down beside the young man. “Help me get him inside.”

Maggie failed to react. “I don’t think we should touch him.”

Anna glared at her, forcing Maggie to give in under her stare and pull him up. Anna reached around his other side. The soldier cried out in pain. Balancing the young man between them, they made their way out of the barn and past the sentry steed.

“Girls,” Anna called out over her shoulder, “give that horse some hay, lock him in, and bring the lantern.”

Staggering toward the house in the dark, Anna and Maggie dragged the weak man across the barnyard toward the house. Two dogs, one a black-and-white sheepdog, the other a sable collie, approached to sniff at the stranger.

“Colby,” Maggie hollered in annoyance. “Floyd! Go lay down.”

The dogs scurried off into the dark.

Entering through the back door, Maggie asked, “Where are we going with him?”

“Upstairs to Father’s bedchamber,” Anna replied.

Maggie’s eyes widened, but she complied.

The sisters made their way through the kitchen and struggled to hoist the man up the long wooden flight of stairs. Abigail and Claudia ran into the kitchen and followed the others upstairs. At the top, Anna opened a bedroom door. Its hinges squeaked loudly. They led the wounded stranger over to the four-poster bed. Carefully, they eased him down, lifted his legs, and gently swung him up onto it. The young man moaned in agony.

“He’s too long for the bed,” Claudia commented.

Anna noticed his feet hung over the end. She quickly turned to light a kerosene lamp on the bedside table while Maggie pulled the windows open to let out the hot, stale air. Flickering lamplight illuminated the soldier’s condition. The front of his shirt and his right trouser leg were soaked with blood. Anna’s heart clenched.

“Oh,” Claudia exclaimed at the sight. “He’s all leaky.”

Abigail pulled her long, blonde hair back from her face and drew closer to him. “Eew!” She pinched her nose shut with her thumb and forefinger. “He smells like a horse!”

Claudia giggled at the sound of her friend’s voice.

“Abigail,” Anna said. “Go downstairs and boil some water. Claudia, please fill that pitcher on the dresser and bring it back up with the prongs, a long knife, and some clean towels. Go quickly!”

The two girls scampered off downstairs. Their feet thumped like sticks on a snare drum.

“Maggie, help me remove these filthy clothes from him,” Anna said.

“Do we have to?”

“Yes.” Anna was reminded of how she had tended to their ailing father not so very long ago. The recollection made her shudder.

Both sisters gingerly lifted him. They pulled off his shirt, boots, socks, and belt. Anna noticed the letters “CSA” embossed on his belt buckle.

“Anna.” Maggie’s voice caught on her breath. “He’s a…Rebel soldier.”

Pursing her lips, Anna nodded. “He must have come from the battle at Gettysburg. “But that’s over ten miles away. How could he have made it this far in his condition?”

The girls exchanged cautionary glances. They carefully set his gun and holster on the floor and removed his trousers, but left him with his drawers for modesty’s sake. Anna passed the limp, frail soldier to her sister, and thought he felt like an oblong sack of potatoes. He fell back onto the bed and moaned again.

Anna’s heart ached at the sound of his agony. Stifling a sob, she covered him with a sheet. “Fetch two large needles and some heavy thread.”

Maggie winced but did as she was told.

Looking down at the failing soldier, Anna summoned her strength. It was all too sudden and overwhelming, but she had to be strong—for herself and her sisters. “You’re going to be all right, sir,” she comforted him.

The soldier opened his eyes and tried to speak. She understood he was asking for water.

Claudia returned with the supplies. Anna took them from her and laid them on top of the dresser. She poured the pitcher’s cold well-water into the glass and porcelain bowl. After dipping a towel into the bowl, she placed it across the suffering soldier’s brow and helped him take a sip of water. He faintly smiled at her.


About the Author:

J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective.
Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, and A Rebel Among Us. All three novels are award winners, and tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel to her series.

Contact the Author: 
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Other Books in the Series:

 

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To Catch A Flame by Lily Freeman

Title: To Catch A Flame 

Author: Lily Freeman 

Genre: Erotic Romance 

Publisher: Fifth Star North

A contemporary erotic, BDSM novel. 112,000 words

After PJ and Luke’s final volatile encounter, she struggles to cope, but she’s not alone.
Mika and Elliot have moved into her home, her bed—stripping her bare and stealing her heart.
PJ’s no longer terrified of the man who tried to break her, just terrified of falling in love with the two men she knows she can never have.

Or can she?

All it takes is a confession, one little word, and her entire world tilts abruptly. What they’ve hidden from her is the sweetest of betrayals, and PJ’s devastated by it, yet she just can’t fight the pull towards them any longer.

The love they have for her, and each other is intense and all consuming, but something’s not right. It’s subtle at first, a word, a gesture, a pair of handcuffs—an exchange of power. Despite her trepidation, her trust in them allows PJ to explore the things about herself that Luke tried to destroy, and she does until she’s faced with a soul-breaking ultimatum.

Secrets and lies, wants and needs. Once again, PJ finds herself completely bound by someone else's desires, only this time, there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. This time, she’s forced to face her fears so that she can claim the hearts of the two men who were always meant to be hers.

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I didn't discover writing like most authors do. There was no childhood dream, no undeniable urge to put pen to paper. My story started off with an unexpected life changing event : a sizeable tax refund and a water-taxi ride caught from the wrong side of the Thames. I've always been an avid reader and a daydreamer, so when an idea for a novel was born from those three seemingly unrelated events, I ran with it.

That idea became an obsession and also a passion. My characters are big and bold, the men are dominant to a fault and the women are strong and sassy. I'm fascinated by the concept of fate. One decision causing another and another, all of them having consequences which ultimately draw my characters together only to tear them apart. There will always be a happy ending, because there's no denying, I'm a romantic at heart - but a little pain woven amongst all that pleasure makes for a very explosive plot.

When I'm not writing or meticulously plotting my next novel, I am a wife and a mother. I have a healthy appetite for physically challenging sports and I love coffee. If all else fails you'll find me reading a book which was how my journey began and will no doubt be how it will end.

Lily.

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Dirty Hacker by Tia Lewis & Roxy Sinclaire

Title: Dirty Hacker: An Alpha Billionaire Romance

Author: Tia Lewis & Roxy Sinclaire

Genre:  Alpha Billionaire Romance

Release Date: December 7th, 2016

I dug too deep. Now, I'm buried in the truth.

Recent high school graduate and computer genius, Sophie Hanson wants nothing more than to be part of an online hacker group. Spending her life behind a computer screen or with her nose in a book hasn't been all that thrilling. Sophie's ready for some excitement.

But how far will she go to get what she wants?

When the irresistible and mysterious billionaire, Preston Phillips finally relents and welcomes the young virgin into his prestigious hacker group, things take a dangerous turn. Selling her soul—and giving her body—to the devil wasn't in her plans. Suddenly, Sophie is a pawn in Preston's perilous and erotic games—with no escape in sight.

Dirty Hacker is a steamy standalone alpha billionaire romance novel. It's only recommended for audiences 18+. No cheating. No cliffhangers. Guaranteed HEA.

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TIA LEWIS’ AUTHOR BIO:

Tia Lewis is a romance author from the Midwest who writes about smart, sexy, sassy women and hot, possessive alpha males. Her favorite bad boys to write about include sports players, mafia, bikers, billionaires, and the bad-ass next door. You can find her cooking, reading, or traveling when she’s not busy working on her next release.

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text LEWIS to 31996!

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ROXY SINCLAIRE’S AUTHOR BIO:

Roxy Sinclaire writes steamy, suspenseful, romantic stories as the main genre, and this includes a variety of different topics. Some of these include dark romances, action packed romances, mafia romances, and many more. She currently works in customer relations in New York City, but is trying to fulfill her passion in writing and eventually have her dream job become a reality.

ROXY SINCLAIRE’S AUTHOR LINKS:

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