A maniac developing a fantastical drug wants one more thing to finalize the project—a test subject who fits all the parameters. But that test subject is as elusive as her namesake.
Welcome to one of the March 31st stops on the book tour for Phoenix’s Ascent by Winter Austin with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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About the Book
Phoenix’s Ascent
Hera Force book Two
by Winter Austin
Published 22 March 2022
Tirgearr Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller
Page Count: 324
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A maniac developing a fantastical drug wants one more thing to finalize the project—a test subject who fits all the parameters. But that test subject is as elusive as her namesake.
Ex-SAS operative Mitch Edwards has been on the run since the moment he was framed for treason by someone in the British government. But he’s never forgotten the flamboyant and seductive CIA operative with the tongue of a thousand languages. In a bar in Cancun, Mexico, Mitch comes face to face with her once more, and with her comes the full force of her enemies.
Reinstated Hera Force linguist and assassin, Nadia Roth, code named Phoenix, has no memory of Mitch Edwards, or of their affair before her team’s disastrous mission. Her traumatic brain injury is tricky that way. But something about this man sets her on fire and tickles the back of her mind. Her Hera teammates remember him, so why can’t she?
Mitch partners up with Hera, with the sole intent of locating those hell-bent on killing him and all who are associated with him. Yet more is at stake than their lives. A traitor hides among their ranks, one who has been revealing all their secrets to an enemy determined to procure this special drug and Nadia for his scheme.
Hera goes into operation mode, doing what they were created to do, but someone is watching, and the team finds themselves trapped behind enemy lines with no way out.
Will Nadia ever remember the man she once loved, or will they perish with the secret between them?
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Excerpt
“I take it I’m lead on this?” she asked Lincoln as they disembarked from their ride, shouldering their gear bags.
“Yes,” he said as they strode along the dock. “Just don’t get us shot before we even hit dry land.”
If she hadn’t been expecting his answer, Jade might have choked on her tongue. Lincoln was not one to relinquish command, especially to her; be that as it may, he had a point this time. Jade’s mother was Spanish Creole, descended from a long line of New Orleanians who lived in the city for centuries. They ensured every generation was immersed in their heritage, and that meant the extensive teaching of both French and Spanish. Mama, against her husband’s iron-fisted orders, taught Jade as much as she dared. By osmosis Jade had unwillingly learned the Cajun French language of her sperm donor’s people, and occasionally let it slip, despite her vow to never speak of a word of it when she’d been freed of his abusive rule.
Sliding her sunglasses down, she peered at the bustle of activity on the pier. “We have some problems.”
“Jo planned for it.” Lincoln withdrew a sheaf of papers and two ID badges before handing one set to Jade. “Hold tight to that.”
She flipped the laminated card around and grinned. “DEA agents, huh? That won’t win us any awards here, except maybe death certificates.”
“It should get us past them and to the bar where the cartel leader was killed. Pack on the charm, Dragon. Don’t bare your fangs.”
“Can’t help ya there, Fenrir. Not in my job description.”
They hit the solid boards of the pier and were instantly greeted by armed police.
“State your purpose for being here,” barked the leader.
Jade met Lincoln’s droll gaze, and with a smile best suited for a gator, she turned to the guy in charge. “We were asked by your government to come here and investigate the death of Alejandro Castillo and his top lieutenants.”
The sergeant looked her up and down and sneered. “We were given no such orders. Get back on your boat and leave.”
Lincoln got the gist of the conversation. He snapped out the document—that Jo had waved her magical little fingers over—and produced the coup de grace.
The sergeant scanned the papers, his ugly sneer gradually disappearing, replaced by an expression of utter disbelief. Finished, he thrust the documents back at Lincoln.
“Let them pass,” he ordered his men. And to them: “Watch yourselves.”
Jade stepped into the sergeant’s personal space and met him eye to eye. Rapidly, switching back and forth between Spanish and Creole French, she laid a voodoo curse on him, ending the curse with a viper-like hiss. There was a violent shift in the sergeant’s demeanor as the meaning of her words sank in. Gone was the arrogant bastard. In his place stood a quivering mass of pudding.
About the Author
Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.
A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers. When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them.
She is the author of ten novels, with more on the way.
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Giveaway Alert!
Winter Austin will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| Mar 28 | Momma Says To Read or Not to Read | Mar 29 | Fabulous and Brunette |
| Mar 30 | Romance Novel Giveaways | Mar 31 | The Avid Reader |
| Mar 31 | Westveil Publishing | Apr 1 | All the Ups and Downs |
| Apr 4 | Dawn’s Reading Nook | Apr 5 | Christine Young |
| Apr 5 | Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’ | Apr 6 | Ravenz Reviewz |
| Apr 7 | Andi’s Book Reviews | Apr 8 | The Key Of Love |
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