Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to welcome back to Riverina Romantics triple RWA Golden Heart finalist as well as double Daphne du Maurier finalist Joan Swan! Today she is stopping by as part of her Virtual Tour for her upcoming release, Rush, the third book in her outstanding Phoenix Rising series which is due out on August 27th. Well executed plots, strong heroines, sexy heroes and snappy dialogue along with a paranormal kick make Phoenix Rising one of the best romantic suspense series around! And today we are lucky to have an exclusive Tour Excerpt from Rush as well as some great giveaway opportunities for you all! Many thanks to Joan Swan and Tanya from Lit Connect for having Riverina Romantics on board for yet another exciting Phoenix Rising tour!! Delilah xo
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Phoenix Rising #3
by Joan Swan
Genre: Romantic Suspense (with paranormal elements)
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Elements/Tags: romance, suspense, paranormal abilities, conspiracy, remote viewing, rescue, firefighters, escape, amnesia, reunion, lobbyist, Washington DC
Publisher: Kensington
Publishing Date: 8/27/13
Series: Phoenix Rising, 3
Format: Print and Ebook
Words: 110k
Jessica Fury, Washington lobbyist, has money, connections, and her own firm. But five years ago she had something better: happiness. Her firefighter husband, Quaid, was handsome, courageous, and crazy about her. Then one day he walked into a chemical inferno—and never walked out. Jessica has been through hell to get back on her feet. And then a rumor surfaces that could bring a miracle or shatter her world – again.
Q has been a prisoner forever. He’s honed his mind and body into weapons. He’s developed abilities no one else understands. But he’s still at the mercy of a cabal of ruthless men, who blank his memory, test him like a lab rat, and tell him lies. Although his past has been erased and his future looks grim, instinct tells him he has a woman to live for. What his mind can’t remember, his body can’t forget…
The heat is on.
Don't forget to add Rush to your Goodreads shelf!
Grab your copy of Rush now at:
Owen’s anger built like steam in a kettle. “They were exposed to classified chemicals in a fire that altered their DNA, resulting in paranormal abilities. One man died. The others recovered from their injuries and all but one left the fire service. All are intelligent and skilled and formidable. I know they have agents assigned to shadow them, to monitor them and their powers as they develop. And I know O’Shay’s and Ransom’s powers are enhanced when they’re together.” His gaze dropped to the files. “Sure as hell not enough information to fill all those.”
Schaeffer pushed himself from his chair with enough effort to make the spectacle an uncomfortable one to watch, and then paced in front of the windows. “I’ll give you the highlights. You take those folders back to your office and get yourself up to speed on the details tonight. This is a matter of national security.”
Owen’s brow fell. National security? Like hell. Who the fuck did this guy think he was talking to? Before Owen let his temper loop a noose around his own neck, Schaeffer said, “The firefighter that supposedly died—”
“Quaid Legend. Jessica Fury’s husband.”
“—didn’t die,” Schaeffer finished. “He was the first on scene. The one who got hit with a double dose of the chemicals. Which made him the best research candidate.”
Owen stiffened. “The best . . . what?”
“He’s been housed at the Castle since the incident, his abilities developed and utilized to gather military intel from all over the world—Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Hong Kong, China, Egypt. His intel comes in at ninety-eight percent accuracy.
“The recent arrests of eleven al-Qaida-linked terrorists with bombs ready to blow up the Western Diplomats’ Conference? Legend. The Hezbollah cell arrested in Mexico with truck-loads of C-4 meant for the Golden Gate Bridge and smuggled into the States through undiscovered tunnels? Legend. Rescue of eight Marines in Afghanistan scheduled for beheading? Legend. Rescue of the Atomic Energy Coalition’s CEO from terrorists with plans for a dirty bomb? Every single one of those happened because Legend gave us the intel we needed.”
“Holy. Fuck.”
Schaeffer glanced over his shoulder at Owen’s stunned face. His mouth barely turned, but a condescending smile played at the corners of his eyes. “And those are only a sample of the ops he’s been involved in. He’s saved an untold number of American lives, both here at home and overseas, civilian and military.” Owen didn’t know what to make of this. The information was probably true. The incidents were too high profile for Schaeffer to pull them randomly. He’d know Owen had the clearance to find out if he was telling the truth.
But Schaeffer was painting a rosy picture. Owen had been around too long to forget the flip side of every op. Things no one liked to talk about. Things like how many people died for the information Legend pulled in. Like what Legend did or said to gain access to such sensitive information. Like what else Legend was doing that didn’t necessarily benefit the American people, only Schaeffer specifically.
“How?” Owen asked. “How is he performing these miracles from a cell in Nevada?”
Schaeffer turned back to the window and clasped his hands behind this back. “That’s classified as need-to-know, colonel.”
Owen clenched his teeth. Fine. He’d find out on his own. “So what about him? If he was at the Castle, isn’t he dead?”
“He was getting ready for transport to another facility for testing when the chopper hit the lab. We got him out, detoured him to a safe house in the mountains of Utah with a transport team until we get this mess settled.”
Owen narrowed his eyes, a hot stream of alert sliding down his chest. “Transport team?”
“Four of our best agents are on him.”
Owen waited for more security details, but got nothing. He wasn’t sure why he had the inclination to laugh. There was a prisoner out there—a powerful, skilled prisoner—inadequately guarded, and yes, that did make Owen’s skin tighten with the urgency to act. But he just sat there with the irony blooming in his chest until he couldn’t stem a smile and the shake of his head.
“That’s it?” Owen asked.
“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?”
“I mean, that’s the extent of your security on a high value prisoner?”
Schaeffer thrust his shoulders back. His mouth tightened. “That’s why I’ve called you in, Owen. You’re the expert, not me. Take whatever measures you feel necessary to secure him.”
“And what budget am I using, sir?”
“The black budget,” Schaeffer said.
This was a black op. Fine. Owen had done his share of black ops. But there was something very wrong about this one.
Meet Author Joan Swan
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Joan Swan's
RUSH
Virtual Tour August 19th - September 6th
August 19: Adria’s Romance Reviews
August 20: Herding Cats & Burning Soup
August 21: Novel Reflections
August 22: Riverina Romantics
August 23: The Book Whore
August 26: Books-n-Kisses
August 27: Grave Tells
August 28: Just Romantic Suspense
August 29: Book Lovin’ Mamas
August 30: The Jeep Diva
September 2: The Reading Cafe
September 3: So Many Reads
September 4: Under the Covers
September 5: Hesperia Loves Books
September 6: Urban Girl Reader
There are several ways for fans to score some pretty awesome prizes during the Rush Virtual Tour! Listed below are the goodies you can win by entering the Tour Wide Giveaway on Joan Swan's Facebook page and the Per Stop Giveaway you can enter at all the fabulous Virtual Tour stops from August 19th thru September 6th!!
• (3) Designer purses filled with lots of goodies.
Per Stop Giveaway:
• (1) print copy of either FEVER (#1) or BLAZE (#2) per the number of tour stops (15 Total) – US/Ca Only.
• (1) digital copy of FIRST TEMPTATION by Joan Swan per the number of tour stops (15 Total)
• (1) digital copy of RECKLESS by Skye Jordan per the number of tour stops (15 Total)
Please follow the Rafflecopter widget to enter to win at each stop. Then visit Joan Swan’s FB page to enter to win one of three designer purses filled with a variety of goodies! (Full Terms & Conditions located on the widgets.)
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