Waiting for the Laird by @WillaBlair is a Trick or Treat Bonanza pick #99cents #99c #giveaway
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  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 27, 2022
    • 6 min read

Waiting for the Laird by @WillaBlair is a Trick or Treat Bonanza pick #99cents #99c #giveaway



Title: Waiting for the Laird


Author: Willa Blair


Genre: Contemporary Light Paranormal


Book Blurb:


Widow Lara MacLaren hungers for the hunky architect she hires to restore her derelict Scottish manor, but is she ready for a relationship...and is Ian ready for her twins?


Ian Paterson is eager to awaken Lara's passionate side. Yet, if he reveals his ancestral claim to her estate, he risks losing her and his job. His clan’s history, lost over the years, may be hidden in the walls—along with a ghost waiting for the laird's return.


When they uncover a room full of Jacobite treasure, proof of his ancestry, Ian realizes he’s out of time. If the ghost is real, it could expose his secret and destroy his romance with Lara. Ian must convince her she and her twins are the future he truly wants.


Excerpt:


Suddenly, Ian was behind her, so close she could feel his heat on her back through her shirt. He reached around her and placed his hand over hers just as her fingers found the top of the sugar bowl. “Milk, no sugar,” he told her, then added, “Please. Can I help you?”


Lara stilled. He only needed to wrap his arm across her breasts to cup her opposite shoulder and he could turn her into his kiss. She’d been ready on the stairs.


Hell, she was ready now. She wished he would get on with it. She glanced aside at his mouth, then up at his eyes. He met her gaze, then dropped his to her lips before he pulled away and stepped back. Lara sighed softly and turned back to the counter. With a trembling hand, she lifted the tea cozy off the pot. “Pour yours, if you would, while I fix mine.”


Ian complied and took his mug back to the table without another word.


Lara stirred her tea, took a breath and leaned back against the counter, facing Ian. He sipped from his mug with a steadier hand than she possessed at the moment.


“What does one wear to an elopement?” she asked, trying for a light tone and hoping a typical female concern would set both of them more at ease.


Ian set down his mug and stared off into space as if giving her question serious consideration. “Something simple, I’d guess. I can’t say for sure. I’ve never attended one.”


The vein pulsing at his temple told her he’d been as affected by her nearness as she had by his. But if he wanted to play this cool, she could do cool. “Nor have I.” She shrugged, as if nothing had passed between them. “We’ll have to improvise.”


She moved to the table and sat. For a few moments, silence reigned as they sipped tea and looked everywhere but at each other. Her idea of improvising with the man across the table had little to do with clothing. The less of it, the better, in fact. She pressed a hand to her mouth to block the thoughts running through her head. The symbolic censorship worked for a moment, then a clock chimed from the library and she jumped up again. “I forgot what time it is. Are you hungry? I can make a sandwich.”


Ian’s gaze leapt to hers from wherever his thoughts had taken him. He shook his head. “Thanks, but no. I should check on Rollo while I’m here and then get back to my office. I’m working on a plan for the original great hall as a place to start the interior work.”


“That sounds…expensive.”


“Not that bad. A lot will depend on how you want to finish it. Oh, and in case I didn’t say this before now, I really don’t want the twins in there until Rollo and I have seen to the upper floors.”


His concern for her children warmed her in a place that had felt empty and cold since Angus died, and she settled back into her chair.


“I’m debating walling it off again from the main house to keep them out,” Ian continued.


Lara gasped. “Oh, they’ll be heartbroken.”


“Temporarily. I can’t have them running around in there, chasing ghosts.”


She straightened as a chill raced down her spine. “Ghosts? Who said anything about ghosts? I thought they were after a mouse.”


Ian snorted. “Is that what made you ask Rollo about mice earlier today?”


She nodded. “Friday, when the twins went running into the old wing…yes, against your orders and mine…I heard them yelling ‘there he is.’ I made them get out but forgot to ask them what they were after.” She gestured toward the hallway. “They came out covered in dust.”


“Hmmm. I didn’t see any sign of rodent droppings or damage.”


“They must have been chasing Scamp. You’ve seen the cat.”


“Maybe.” Ian set his mug aside and leaned back in his chair.


He wasn’t quite sprawled as he had been earlier, but Lara took it as a sign the change of topic had relaxed him.


“You’ve lived here for more than a year. And you haven’t heard any tales about a ghost?”


Was he kidding? “This house is haunted? You can’t be serious.” She gripped her mug, suddenly wondering if she’d get any sleep tonight. “No, I’ve never…”


“I don’t know about the newer part, but there are old tales of the ghost of the keep—which may refer to the old wing. They’re probably just that…tales meant to keep the curious away. But this is Scotland, and the north wing is the original structure on this estate.” He gave her an evil grin and waggled his eyebrows. “Hallowe’en is coming. You never know which spirits will walk about that night.”


Ian’s teasing tone failed to reassure her. Lara gulped, all concerns about the wedding forgotten. Ghost stories had scared her as a kid, and she still would not— could not—watch horror movies. “What should I do?”


Ian gave her a lazy shrug. “Nothing to do. If it wants to show itself, it will. If not, it won’t. I doubt it’ll come in here.”


Lara eyed the hallway leading to the opening Ian had cut. “You gave it a way in.”


“I don’t think any wall could stop a ghost. No ghost has bothered you yet. If the tale is real, I doubt it will.”


“Bother us…how?” A shiver ran down Lara’s spine.


“Well, the tales are not clear. I’ve heard, though, the ghost is a well-behaved sort who will do the laird’s bidding, so you’ve nothing to worry about.”


She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at that. Nothing to worry about? “Only there is no laird anymore.”


Ian stared off into space and didn’t answer.


Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):


Grab your e-copy on sale for 99 cents!






If you could dress up as anything or anyone this Halloween, what or who would it be and why?


It would take some creativity, but after the last several years of travel restrictions, I’d dress up as a travel writer and photographer. I’m looking forward to my next trip to Scotland. And I can think of many other places around the world I’d like to visit, starting with leaf-peeping season in New England. Ah, fall! Chrysanthemums, pumpkins, cider, sweaters, and Hallowe’en!


Explain why your featured book is a treat to read:


WAITING FOR THE LAIRD is one of my very own favorites. Lara and Ian can’t find their way to each other until they accept the ghosts from their pasts, including one that is still very much present.


“…rich with love of family, of memories, of new beginnings, and the fidelity of one most unusual ghost.”



“The paranormal aspects of the story were absolutely delightful. This is an absolutely wonderful story to read while curled up in a comfy chair with a nice hot drink, I highly suggests you pick it up and enjoy.”


"About 3:00am I finally had to force myself to stop and get some sleep…yes, it was that good.”


“The more I read, the more I wanted to read, so much so, I read late into the night. I couldn’t stop reading.”


Giveaway –


One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon (US or Canada) gift card.



Open internationally. You must have an active Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to be eligible.


Runs October 1 – 31


Drawing will be held on November 1.



Author Biography:


Willa Blair is an award-wining Amazon and Barnes & Noble #1 bestselling author of Scottish historical, light paranormal and contemporary romance filled with men in kilts, psi talents, and plenty of spice.


Her books have won numerous accolades, including the Marlene, the Merritt, National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award Finalist, National Readers’ Choice Award Finalist, Booksellers’ Best Award Finalist, Reader’s Crown finalist, InD’Tale Magazine’s RONE Award Honorable Mention, and NightOwl Reviews Top Picks.


She loves scouting new settings for books, and thinks being an author is the best job she’s ever had.


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