Secrets from the Past by Samantha Gentry is a Stress Busting Book Festival pick #romanticmystery #romanticsuspense #romance #mustread #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- May 16
- 5 min read
Title:
Secrets From the Past published by The Wild Rose Press
Author:
Samantha Gentry
Genre:
Sensual R-rated Mystery Romantic/Suspense
Book Blurb:
After the death of her husband, Shelby Haywood needs to escape the constant harassment from her former in-laws who blame her for his death. When offered a job with Pierce Industries in Seattle, she eagerly accepts but is unprepared for her instant attraction to the company's very desirable owner.
The moment billionaire Cameron Pierce meets Shelby, he knows she's what's been missing from his life. Veiled threats endanger secrets from his past and soon escalate to attempts on his life. When one attempt insures Shelby, he vows to protect her.
Shelby has her own secrets that could destroy her future with Cameron...or get them both killed.
Excerpt:
He placed a tender kiss on her lips—not one of heated passion but one of concern, caring…and love. He continued to hold onto her hand as he walked her out to her car.
“It’s not too late to change your mind. Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”
Shelby opened her car door, slid in behind the wheel, and started the engine. She looked up into the clear depths of his green eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, making it difficult for her to speak. “Yes, I do want to stay…so very much.” Her words came out as a barely discernable whisper. “And that’s why I can’t.”
She drove her car through the entrance gates of Cameron’s estate. She braked to a stop at the street and glanced in the rearview mirror. She watched as the gates closed. A cold chill ran up her spine. It almost felt as if the gates were shutting on her life. The tears welled in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away with her hand. She loved him so much—a love that had her so confused.
She turned her car into the street and headed toward home, her mind a swirl of conflicting thoughts. She hadn’t driven more than a couple of blocks when she became aware of headlights behind her. Her mind snapped to sharp attention as a bolt of trepidation shot through her consciousness. Was someone following her? She shook her head. Ridiculous. Her rattled nerves had her on edge. Just rattled nerves, that’s all—rattled nerves and nothing more.
But try as she might, she couldn’t quite convince herself. She continued to glance in her rearview mirror. The car headlights were always there. She drove faster, then she slowed down. The car maintained the same distance behind her regardless of her speed.
An uneasy sensation jittered through her body like a sixth sense trying to warn her of something. She pulled into the parking lot of a shopping center. Several small shops were closed for the day, but the grocery store and drug store were still open along with a couple of fast-food places. The car pulled in behind her. Her uneasy feeling elevated to genuine concern, well on its way to panic.
She parked in a well-lit space right in front of the grocery store. She reached for her cell phone. Should she call Cam? Then she shook her head. And tell him what? That a car traveling the same route pulled into the parking lot where several businesses were open? She glanced around and spotted the bank with the drive-up ATM. There were any number of legitimate reasons for the other car to have driven to that location other than following her.
She scanned the parking lot but didn’t see anything suspicious. She also couldn’t tell which car had been following her. All she had seen were headlights. If the car had actually been following her rather than simply driving the same route to a specific location.
She took a calming breath, once again told herself she was being ridiculous, then backed out of the parking space. She pulled out of the driveway into the street.
She immediately spotted the headlights in her rearview mirror. Her heart pounded and her pulse raced. A ripple of trepidation swept across her skin. Her throat went dry and tried to close. She turned into the next driveway, which put her back into the same shopping center parking lot she had just exited. She sat, her muscles tense and her gaze glued to the mirror. The car drove down the street rather than following her back into the parking lot.
She sank back, relief flooding through her body. Nothing more than an everyday incident, but she had allowed her imagination to take over. She took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then slowly exhaled. She took another calming breath, then once again drove out of the parking lot. But her relief was short-lived.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What’s your favorite way to combat stress?
I enjoy spending time on my patio, having a glass of wine with friends and family.
Why is your featured book a stress busting read?
It’s escapism from the daily routine unless, of course, your daily routine includes falling in love with a very wealthy man whose past includes hidden secrets then discovering someone is trying to kill you.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs May 1 – 31, 2025
Drawing will be held on June 1, 2025.
Author Biography:
Samantha Gentry's typical day
As soon as I wake up, Harrison (my houseboy) draws my scented bath. By the time I've finished bathing and am dressed he has prepared a champagne brunch which he serves on the terrace next to the swimming pool. I spend the next two hours reading the morning newspaper and working on my tan.
Promptly at the stroke of noon I adjourn to my home office and begin writing. I spend a grueling four hours slaving away over my computer keyboard creating brilliant prose filled with exciting characters, entertaining plots and highly sensual encounters. I emerge from seclusion at four o'clock having written the next chapter of my current work-in-progress.
Harrison's talented touch soothes my tight shoulder muscles with an expert massage. He pours me a glass of wine before going to prepare a gourmet dinner. And the rest of the evening is better left to your imagination.
Oops…I just lost my hold on reality for a moment. Sorry.
I'm a morning person and am usually at my computer by six o'clock with a cup of hot coffee which I keep at a safe distance from my keyboard (been through the spilled coffee on the keyboard before, don't need to do it again <g>). The first thing I do is go through my email. Then I get to work—either writing or revising on my current work in progress, or doing the edits on my next release. I usually run errands in the early afternoon.
Hmm…I think I like the first version of what my typical day consists of better than the reality.
Social Media Links:
