Carmen DeSousa

Get ready to step into a time machine and allow Sara Barnard to transport you back to the Old American West with captivating scenery and a love so strong that it will withstand the test of the Civil War and separation. War – Devotion – Deceit – Death A Heart on Hold How long can a heart hold on before it breaks? Most women would carry on with their lives after being thrust into widowhood, but not Charlotte Adamsland. Upon learning that her husband, Captain Sanderson Redding, was killed in a botched escape from a Confederate prison in Illinois, she clings to his promise to return to her no matter what, and quickly heads north through a war-ravaged country with only her faith in God and her beloved horse to bring her beloved Sanderson home – one way or another. Download A Heart on Hold : Amazon US Amazon UK Thanks for stopping by, please visit my  bio  for more information about what I write and what I like to read and share.  Until...

This is an excerpt for a follow up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller, She Belongs to Me . Though there aren’t really any spoilers, you can bypass this sample and read more about the first book here . If you missed the first few excerpts and want to read the full first chapter, click here .  Excerpt: When they’d first married, they didn’t have to freshen up before making love in the morning, but that time had departed. And even though she was turning forty, Jordan was forty-five. Not that it mattered. Time had only intensified his good looks. His laugh lines, a result of always smiling, served only to make him appear more distinguished. His physique, solid and trim, didn’t appear forty-five either. His hair had grayed around the edges, but again that only made him look more mature, sexier. Jordan crawled under the covers, proceeding to nuzzle her neck. He worked his way over her collarbone with tiny kisses. “Mmm, Jaynee, you smell good enough to eat.”...

I  wrote that title as a tweet before my first novel published with 5 Prince Publishing after an agent turned down my book.  Shockingly, she didn't reject my novel because the writing was poor or because I didn't have enough romance or suspense, but because my hero was—in her words—too perfect.  She offered, "Men like him don't exist and don't think that way." Well, surprise … not only do men think that way, I know several, and they helped me to make sure the male POV was believable. I've spent twenty-four years married to a police detective and hanging out with other officers and firemen. Believe me, I know real heroes.  The story may not be real, but my main character's attributes are. And, in case you are wondering, my male 'protagonist' is not perfect—he has many flaws. In fact, the person I patterned my character after doesn't even have the flaws I gave my male lead. And according to some readers, Jordan is far from p...

Can a love already tested to the limit survive on the trail to the wilds of California to their new home?  After bidding farewell to her despondent family, newly-pregnant Charlotte drops everything to follow Sanderson to a promised job out west. The journey proves more difficult than any of them could have ever imagined. Wild animals, natural disasters, and a heavy Indian presence test not only Sanderson and Charlotte’s strength and endurance, but their faith in each other as well. Meanwhile, Minerva packs up the little rock cottage to journey west in the company of infant Jay Jay and Cotton just as peace Sanderson is trying to bridge between the Army and the Snake River Indians begins to fall apart. You can find Sara and her 'An Everlasting Heart' series on all formats for less than $2.99 each! Amazon US Amazon UK For Print and More eBook Options, visit 5 Prince Publishing Thanks for stopping by, please visit my  bio  for more informati...

A tightly woven tale of love, possession, and concealed histories, this mystery follows a man who finds his wife unconscious, clinging to life. Had he pushed his wife to the edge, or was it a sinister force from her former life? She Belongs to Me is my bestselling first novel, but it's my gift to you! Download FREE from your favorite retailer : Amazon US Amazon Worldwide Link Barnes& Noble iTunes Kobo

This is an excerpt for a follow up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller, She Belongs to Me . Though there aren’t really any spoilers, you can bypass this sample and read more about the first book here . If you missed the first excerpts and want to read the full first chapter, click here .  Excerpt: Forty. Yikes! That was part of her problem. It wasn’t old for a man, but she felt ancient. She was now older than her mother had been at her wedding, she thought wryly. The faded cream-colored dress trimmed with lace that her mother had worn that day had been outdated and old-fashioned. Deep worry lines had etched her perfect, always stage-ready face, making her mother appear older than she’d ever had. Was that how she looked now? she fretted. Did she look as old as her mother had? Gazing intently at her reflection in the mirror, she searched for new wrinkles. She had very few, thankfully. Her skin was light, but olive undertones made her appear younger tha...

Out of 546 reviews, 400-plus reviewers love my first male protagonist, Jordan Monroe , giving him four and five stars for an average rating of four-plus stars. One hundred are on the fence. And thirty, apparently loathe him. At least I hope it's not me those thirty-some readers hate, since they don't know me. :) And since I see little about my female protagonist--I think there were only two readers who didn't like Jaynee-- I’m guessing Jordan's the one stirring up all the commotion—good and bad . Heck, even a couple of the readers who gave She Belongs to Me four or five stars think he’s controlling. Hmm … not sure if that’s good or bad, but I think when a fictional character brings out such powerful emotions in readers , it must be a good thing, right? So, since I care what my readers think —all of them, even the minority—I re-read my first novel again last week , ready and willing to understand what made Jordan so darn controlling. Maybe it’s becau...

If you enjoy a romantic drama with plenty of spark and suspense, Entangled Dreams is for you.  As all my novels, Entangled Dreams is my idea of a modern-day fairy tale. A perfect life shattered, a heroine struggling to make her way in a cruel world, and a knight in armor who usually needs a little ‘shining’ up to be the hero. Just a few of the reviews: “I really love her books because she tells a great story about people who are not perfect, but are doing the best they can. Her heroes make me melt because they are not the typical hero…” “Deeply flawed and human characters that Carmen does masterfully…” “I was on the edge of my seat several times while reading this. I HIGHLY recommend Entangled Dreams…” For more description or to download, follow the links: Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes & Noble iTunes Until next time, happy reading, friends! I love talking about all things books, so please connect with me via one of the links below....

This is an excerpt for a follow up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller, She Belongs to Me . Though there aren’t really any spoilers, you can bypass this excerpt and read more about the first book here . If you missed the first excerpts and want to read the full first chapter, click here . Excerpt: Chapter 1 Three Weeks Earlier (Jaynee) Jaynee’s alarm squawked its annoying morning greeting as she awoke with the thought, I am thirty-nine and I love my life, I love my life, I love my life. Crawling out of bed, she repeated the mantra. What’s not to love? I am married to a wonderful husband, I have four beautiful children, and I have published six bestsellers. What’s not to love? And yet, as she padded her way to the master bath at five a.m., her heart felt heavy. She refused to accept the word that best described her disposition. She couldn’t be the “D” word…she couldn’t be depressed. Maybe depressed wasn’t the right word, melancholy, that sounded ...

Okay, I’m a woman first, so you know how we can change our mind. Worse, how we can’t make up our mind. Or even better, not sure what we mean. But I digress... If you've been here, you know that. So let's get back on track. I really do mean both! Due to Amazon’s new rules, the days of massive book giveaways are diminishing, which is a good thing, believe me. This means there will be less book blogs promoting substantial amounts of free books, and it also means they will be selective of what they are advertising. So, why should you give away your book? Well, first of all, let me clarify that statement. If you have only one book with only a couple of reviews, don’t bother. But … if you have several books, and/or your first book has more than ten reviews with four-plus ratings, go for it! Why would you give away your book after all your hard work? Because you will reach past your Twitter and Facebook sphere to an entire world of readers, who--if you impr...