Soul Reckoning by Nancy E. Polin is a Scary Reads for Halloween pick #pnr #halloween #giveaway
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  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 26, 2023
    • 4 min read

Soul Reckoning by Nancy E. Polin is a Scary Reads for Halloween pick #pnr #halloween #giveaway



Title: Soul Reckoning


Author: Nancy E. Polin


Genre: Paranormal Romance


Book Blurb:



Rowan O’Herley figures the old tavern bequeathed to her by her uncle is a chance at a fresh start. When otherworldly presences begin to make themselves known, she soon realizes she inherited much more than just a 200-year-old building.


Luke Meunier holds a tragic past close to his chest. When he sees Rowan O’Herley for the first time, he’s drawn to her but can’t bear the thought of getting close. He’s determined to erect a wall between them, but when he realizes she may be in the very same danger that killed her uncle, he can’t help but get involved.


For some vengeance is powerful beyond the grave and can only be satiated when it is steeped in blood…


Excerpt:


The sound of breaking glass downstairs made her jump,

spilling her tea. She hissed at the hot liquid against her skin, but

forgot about it the next instant.


Rising to her feet, she stared at the door leading out onto the

landing, for the briefest moment wondering if she imagined it.

A second crash had her reaching for her cell phone, staring at

it in dismay.


Dead.


Hadn’t she recently charged it? She could have sworn she had.

The house phone was downstairs. It didn’t seem like Jimmy

had ever bothered to put an extension or private line in the apartment.

Rowan made a hasty mental note to remedy that first thing in the

morning.


She hurried into the bedroom, removing the large flashlight

from the bottom drawer of the dresser. The thing held about 157

batteries and had the heft of a baseball bat. Her father had gifted it to

her before she’d headed east, citing dual purpose. At the time she’d

thought he was crazy. Now she wasn’t so sure.


The wimp in her jabbered about staying upstairs and barring

the door, but the pigheaded side promised hell to pay. This was her

place now and no one was going to screw it up for her.


She considered turning on the flashlight but didn’t want to

expose herself. Holding it tight enough to cramp her fingers, she

crossed to the door, throwing back all three locks, and stepped out

onto the landing. She waited, listening, wincing when another

window exploded.


Pulling in a breath, Rowan descended the stairs, careful to

stick to the edges to avoid the inevitable loud creaks from the middle.

Darkness wasn’t complete, but it was close. Using one hand to glide

over the banister, she clutched the flashlight with the other, fingers

already complaining.


Listening at the door for footsteps, she judged her distance to

the phone in the office. Not far, just the second door on the left, right

after—Luke. Where the hell was he? There’s no way he could sleep

through that racket. But then again, maybe he could. Her ex-fiancé

could sleep through the apocalypse.


Heart racing to the tune of a hummingbird’s, she pushed open

the stairwell door, pausing for a moment to see if she could make out

light from another flashlight. When she saw nothing, she crept

forward, clutching the Maglite like a club. There were only a few

more steps to the office, phone, and 911.


Movement to her right had her swinging around as the hall

lights flashed on to blind her.


“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Luke caught the end of the flashlight in

his hand before she could club him. “What the hell are you doing?”


“What the hell are you doing?” Rowan hissed back, panic and

anger congealing in a nauseating mess in the pit of her belly. “Didn’t

you hear that?”


He stood before her in a long-sleeved crewneck and sweats,

gazing at her, brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”


“Someone’s breaking in, you idiot. Didn’t you hear the glass?”

Blinking, she darted glances around her and beyond him.


The ghost of a smile pulled at his lips. “No one’s breaking in,

ma chère.”


“I know what I heard.” She stepped around him toward the

office door, but he caught her by the arm with a brief shake of his

head. Rowan pulled free and stumbled back a step. “Are you crazy?”


He pulled in a deep breath and let it out in a slow leak. “Go

check if you’d like. There won’t be any broken glass.”


Narrowing her eyes at him, she hefted the flashlight back into

a batting position and crept up the hallway. It occurred to her she was

wearing the same long t-shirt she’d slept in, and when she glanced

back at Luke, his gaze was, sure enough, affixed to her legs. She

bared her teeth and he raised a brow.


Dismissing him, she pushed through the double doors, expecting

to see the block glass flanking the front entry shattered.


Nothing.


No, that couldn’t be right. The sound she heard was higher,

like thin glass breaking. It had to be the small windows off the kitchen.


Rowan backtracked past the bar and turned left into the small

kitchen. She stepped carefully, unwilling to shred her bare feet on

shattered glass but still prepared to concuss a prowler.


Not only were the two windows intact, but she’d forgotten

how long and narrow they were, maybe large enough to admit a kid or

very determined squirrel, but not the average adult.


Confused, she let the flashlight swing down next to her leg.

Luke stepped up beside her and she briefly considered

braining him with the Maglite, but knew she was too tired for

bloodshed. Even his.


“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than

are dreamt of in your philosophy.”


Rowan narrowed her eyes. “Is there a reason you’re quoting

Shakespeare at me?”


“Look, I’m not sure how open-minded you are, but you’re

going to hear, see, and smell lots of oddness in this old building.”


Rowan turned to look up into his face, expecting a smirk, but

not finding one. “What? You’re saying this place is haunted or

something?”


When he just looked at her, she chuckled. “Are you kidding

me?”


“A lot of history here. Leaves a mark…”


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Wonderful characters, spooky thrills, suspense, and romance!


Giveaway –


Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:



Open Internationally.


Runs October 25 – October 31, 2023.


Winner will be drawn on November 1, 2023.



Author Biography:


Nancy E. Polin began writing as a child and returned as a late bloomer to add experience and the occasional quirk to her work. She and her family happily reside in the rain-sodden Pacific Northwest.


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