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Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dangerous Embrace by Dana Mason

Today is Launch Day for my friend, fellow SSP author, and Bay Area homegirl, Dana Mason. If you love romance and suspense, then join me in celebrating the release of Dana's debut novel, Dangerous Embrace.

Sarah Jennings wants nothing more than a quiet life—alone. Raised
by an eccentric mother, their life on the road only taught her how to run away
from hard times. But when she finds herself in an abusive relationship, this
lesson serves her well.

Now, back
in her hometown, she's found a place she loves. She’s a first grade teacher,
and with few friends and less family around, she has what she wants, a quiet
life under the radar where she can be free of her past and live quietly.
Finally comfortable in her own skin, she’s settled, and less fearful than she’s
ever been in her life.

But it
only takes one night and one act of violence for everything to change. Injured
and afraid, Sarah wants to run again, but Mark Summors refuses to let her go.

Just when
Sarah thinks she can have Mark and the life he promises, her past comes back to
haunt her.

Mark
Summors was born and raised in Santa
Rosa. He married his high school sweetheart and never
questioned his life, until he found his wife with another man.

Now
divorced, he wants something more. He’s passionate about his job, he wants to
protect people, and he devotes his life to it.

This time he’s protecting more than just another client, he’s protecting his
future; at least, Sarah Jennings will be his future, once he convinces her she
loves him.

Excerpt from Dangerous Embrace:

Sarah pried open her heavy
eyelids and turned, trying to focus on the clock. “Ow, dammit!” She clenched
her teeth and looked down at the sling tied to her arm. The smothering
realization pressed on her chest. When the nausea hit, she flung the covers off
and rushed to the bathroom, fighting to get to the toilet before her stomach
heaved.

When the painful dry heaving
stopped, she lay back on the cold tile floor, exhausted, and waited for the
room to stop spinning. Her ragged breaths roared in her ears and seemed to echo
in the quiet room. When her breathing slowed, the silence ebbed around her in
waves, but when footsteps approached the bathroom door, she tensed again.

A bead of sweat dripped down
her scalp and at the same time someone tapped at the door. Her pulse spiked and
she fought like hell to remember who brought her home from the hospital.

She closed her eyes. “Who’s
there?” The waver in her voice pissed her off. Gawd—please don’t let me be
pathetic in front of whoever this is.

A hesitant and completely
unfamiliar man’s voice said, “Are you all right? Do you need something?”

Sarah sucked in a hard breath.
“Um…” She exhaled slowly. “Who are you?”

“Mark Summors.”

She stiffened and tried to sit
up. “Do I know you?” she asked her voice pitching.

“I can explain if you open the
door.”

She steadied herself against
the bathtub. The sling had slipped up her arm, exposing the trail of bruises.
She swallowed another wave of nausea and tried to put the pieces together. Mark
Summors? She glanced around for something to use as a weapon just in case,
then she wanted to laugh—and cry. Who the hell was she kidding? She rolled her
eyes. Good plan, Sarah, take on a strange guy with a toilet brush.

“Can I come in?” His voice was muffled as if he was resting
his face against the door.

“Go ahead.” She clamped her
mouth closed to suppress a shiver, then said, “It’s unlocked.”

The door eased open and a cup
of water shot out at her.

“Oh, thank you,” she cried out,
relieved to wash the disgusting film out of her mouth. She snatched the cup out
of his hand and gulped it, letting her eyes lift above the rim to see his face.

“Ah.” Sarah choked and inhaled the water. She
set the cup down, almost upending it as she dropped it. “Oh my God!” She would
never forget those intense blue eyes, just like she would never forget the
smell of her attacker’s breath. They were all thrown together in the same horrifying
memory.

Dana Mason started writing to prove to her computer geek
husband and her math & science geek kids that she actually has a brain;
it’s just a right functioning brain instead of a left. She’s lived all over the
country and uses that experience in her writing and character studies. Her
debut novel, Dangerous Embrace, is the first in a contemporary romance series
about a group of friends from Northern California
who learn just how short life can be when you don’t hold on to what’s
important. Second chances don’t come easy…but sometimes love is worth the
risk.

When not writing, Dana specializes in professional
development and training. She’s also a board member on the local Art's Council
and does what she can to support the art community.

As an avid reader and movie watcher, she always requires a
happily ever after ending.

About Me

Mother, wife, author, editor, designer.
I am the author of two dark romantic thrillers, The Mistaken, my debut, and Leverage, the sequel. I'm currently working on my third novel, a psycho-sexual thriller titled Stirred