Lady of the Stars and Pumpkinnapperare available now from The Wild Rose Press.
Mistletoe Everywhere will be available from The Wild Rose Press in 2010.
BLURB:
A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love.
Charles sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But why does no one else see it? And why does it always appear above Penelope, the despised lady who jilted him after their last meeting?
Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, the man who cried off after she accepted his marriage proposal. But he still stirs her heart--and he stares at her all the time. Or rather, he stares at the empty ceiling over her head…What does he see?
According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?
EXCERPT:
After Charles had heaped his plate with more food than he wanted, he took one of the empty chairs at the table bottom, as far from Penelope as possible.
His tensed muscles eased as he joked with his friends. Smythe made a comment and Charles turned to answer. He caught sight of Penelope…and a monstrous bunch of mistletoe over her.
"Gordon? What is it?" Smythe swiveled in the direction Charles was staring. He looked up and down, and from one side to the other. "I say, with your mouth hanging open like that, you must see something spectacular, but I'm damned if I know what it is."
With an audible click, Charles clamped his jaw shut. "I thought I saw…" He forced his gaze back to his companion. "Nothing. I imagined I saw mistletoe."
Smythe's eyebrows rose. "Mistletoe?"
"Yes. The house is named 'Mistletoe Manor', so the place is filled with mistletoe decorations. Pictures, wall hangings, ceiling trim, whatnot."
"Indeed." Smythe's eyebrows rose higher. "That 'mistletoe' you saw is over Miss Lawrence. Lovely little filly." His lips curved into a knowing grin. "My jaw dropped the first time I saw her, too."
Charles stiffened. "I was not looking at Miss Lawrence. I believed I saw mistletoe over her."
Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled and a jealous goose. Oh my.
Last night someone tried to steal the widowed Mrs. Emily Metcalfe's pumpkins. She's certain the culprit is her old childhood nemesis and the secret love of her youth, Henry, nicknamed Hank, whom she hasn't seen in ten years.
Henry, Baron Grey, who's never forgotten the girl he loved but couldn’t pursue so long ago, decides to catch Emily's would-be thief. Even after she reveals his childhood nickname--the one he would rather forget. And even after her jealous pet goose bites him in an embarrassing place. Oh, the things a man does for love.
EXCERPT:
"Emily, even with Henry, formidable as he is--" Hank glared at the goose. The goose glared back. "--you need protection. I will send over some footmen to guard the place." "No. Turnip Cottage belongs to Charlotte's husband. What will the townspeople think, with Baron Grey's servants about my house?" Her refusal increased his fury. The sight of her hand on that damned goose's head didn't improve his mood, either. He balled his fists as his patience thinned and something else thickened. "I'll find you a guard dog. You must have some protection out here all alone." "But I have Henry." She patted the goose's head and the bird snuggled into her hand. Again. Heat flooded Hank, part desire for Emily's touch, and part desire to murder that damned goose, who was where he wanted to be. His insides groaned. "Very well, then, you leave me no choice. I will help you catch the culprits." "But--" He changed his voice to the voice that either melted a woman or earned him a slap in the face. "Who knows, mayhap we would enjoy ourselves as I lie in wait with you." I would love to lie with you. Her eyes widened. Had she understood the innuendo? "I cannot stay alone with you, and you know it," she said, her voice severe. "You are a widow in your own home and no one will see. I will make sure of it." "No." She marched back into her cottage and slammed the door. Henry smirked and waddled away. Hank grinned. He would be back, whether she liked it or not.
Reviews:
Classic Romance Revival - 5 wings "From its amusing, explosive opening in Lindsell, England in 1816, Linda Banche’s delicious Pumpkinnapper kept me enthralled." Review here.
LASR 4 1/2 Books "It's a Regency era All Hallows Eve tale full of hilarity, a dashing hero and a darling heroine, a nuisance of a goose and possibly a spirit or two. What's not to like?" Review here.
Penelope's reviews (A-) "I totally enjoyed this funny, extremely well-written and well-characterized story." Review here.
Seriously Reviewed/Sweetly Reviewed - (Story: 7.5, Presentation: 9, Total: 16.5 out of 20) "Goose me again! Too cute!!! I laughed so hard I thought I was going to embarrass myself in my living room :)" Review here.
Night Owl Reviews 3.5 hearts - contains spoilers "The Pumpkinnapper is a fun quick story with a dash of supernatural thrown in to keep things lively." Review here. Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf (4.0 out of 5.0) "This was a wonderfully sweet quick read! I really enjoyed it!" Review here.
Lady of the Stars, my very first book, is a finalist in the 2010 EPIC EBooks Competition. Available now from The Wild Rose Press. Buy link here.
Reviews:
Hibiscus at LASR gave Lady of the Stars 4 1/2 Books
"Their mutual love for one another was a natural development."
Romantic Times Book Reviews - 4 stars (June 2009) "This is a quick read and a delightful short romance. The time-travel aspect is well done, and the characters are nicely fleshed out. The ending brings everything to a comfortable and relatively believable conclusion."
Mary M. Ricksen, reader and author of Tripping Through Time
"I just finished reading Lady of The Stars, and I loved it! Linda Banche has written an engrossing story that I could not put down until I had read the whole thing. Husband bellowing, dogs barking, doorbell ringing, I couldn't stop. Caro and Richard were meant to be, in the past and in the present. I loved this romance and want the author to give me more! Time travel is my favorite and I have read them all. This is time travel romance at its very best."
Delle Jacobs at WRDF "The most important part of a romance- the romance- was marvelous."
Sal at Two Lips Reviews (contains spoiler) "I found the story sweet and delightful." A Two Lips Reviews Recommended Read
BLURB:
Caroline knows something was wrong the instant she steps into that unusual gazebo with two doors. But when a man she never thought to see again appears outside, she flings caution aside and plunges through the back door, crashing into the man--and 1817.
Time travel? Impossible. Richard refuses to believe the strange woman's outlandish tale. Still, she's lost and alone, and he helps the stranded wayfarer.
But as attraction blooms between these two lonely people, Richard's family legend grinds to its inexorable conclusion--will it bring them together, or tear them apart forever?
EXCERPT:
Caroline followed him into the room she knew was the kitchen and he stepped up to the banked fire.
Fire? Where were the stove and refrigerator? And all the chrome and stainless steel of the ultramodern kitchen she had seen only this morning? This kitchen contained a scarred wood trestle table with several chairs pushed under it. Pots and pans hung on wall racks and reflected the dim firelight. A cupboard stood against the far wall, next to a sink with a pump. A pump?
With shaking hands, she set the lantern on the table and pulled out one of the chairs. She was in trouble, very deep trouble.
As she sank into the chair, she turned her stunned attention to her host.
Unaware of her gaze, he busied himself at the fireplace. His back to her, he placed the candelabrum on the mantle above the hearth, then drew the fire screen to the side of the grate. Dropping onto his haunches, he pulled several logs from the nearby basket, then arranged the wood in a neat pile on the smoldering embers. Almost at once, the flames blazed to full roaring life.
Silhouetted against the light, he straightened, replaced the screen, then removed his hat and tossed it on the table.
Her jaw dropped. Good heavens, the aggravating man was gorgeous. Tall and slim, his broad shoulders tapered to narrow hips and long legs. But where had he found that outlandish outfit? He wore a top hat, out here in the middle of nowhere. His shirt collar was turned up and he wore a huge white tie. And his waist-length, double-breasted jacket had tails, like the one an orchestra conductor wore. Muddy black boots with the tops turned down came up to his knees. Skintight trousers, or were those breeches--of all things?--emphasized every well-formed muscle.
Now if his face matched his form...
What was she thinking? She hadn't felt anything for any man in a long time. Not since...
He turned, and for the first time she fully took in his face. She gasped. Had she seen a ghost through the gazebo's back door? "Richard?"
Puzzlement spread over those chiseled features she now saw only in her memories. "How do you know my name?"
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Lady of the Stars, my very first book, is a finalist in the 2010 EPIC EBooks Competition. Available now from 
Hibiscus at LASR gave Lady of the Stars 4 1/2 Books