Older version Danielle-Claude Indie Book Reviews: Guest post by Heather M. Gardner author of Maguire's Corner

Winter in New York is different every year. Sometimes we have lots of snow, sometimes lots of ice and sometimes we have very little of either, but it’s almost always cold.

Maguire’s Corner takes place in January in the New York area. I tried not to dwell on the weather but sometimes the chilly temperatures came in handy…

Excerpt from Maguire’s Corner

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There was nothing Maggie loved more than seeing Crumbs packed full of regulars and tourists. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, the smell of Sam’s fresh baked apple pies permeated the air and the coffee bar was bustling.

January was traditionally slow for retail with Christmas behind them and Valentine’s Day a month away so, the Chamber of Commerce created the Maguire’s Corner January Fair to perk up local business.

Maggie had situated herself at a tall bar table near the entrance so she could pass out rewards cards and explain the rules of the event to shoppers.

She was getting quite chilled by the door even though she was wearing her favorite Irish wool crewneck sweater over dark blue denim jeans and brown knee-high boots.

Three times she had headed towards her office to get her coat, but she kept getting distracted by new people coming in.

At one point, a line had formed to get in the shop and Maggie went outside to assure customers that it would only be a few minute wait and that the coffee would be well worth it.

Before she stepped back in someone across the street caught her eye. She had to wait for a truck to pass before she could see him again. He was a tall man leaning against a building, wearing a long black coat that flapped in the cold breeze.

He didn’t seem to be looking at her or at anything that she could see. She couldn’t figure out what had made her look twice. And then she knew. He was tapping a beat with his foot.

Maggie’s heart pounded harder as she continued to stare at the figure. Questions raced through her mind. Was that him? The man who ran down Mr. Harris? The one who had tried to kill her? What should she do? Should she call out? Should she call Jack?

Traffic began to pick up and it was getting more difficult to see. Then a large individual stepped in front of her totally blocking her sight.

“What are you doing out here?”

Startled that the person obstructing her view was none other than Jack, she glanced up to see herself reflected in his sunglasses.

“And, where’s your coat?”

Maggie shivered. “Inside. I wasn’t going to be out here that long.”

She let him hustle her back through the coffee shop door and took her seat behind the table rubbing her hands together to try and warm them.

Jack unzipped his black winter coat that he wore over his uniform. He took off his gloves and shoved them in his pockets then removed his sunglasses and hung them on the front of his shirt.

Maggie met his frosty blue gaze and actually relaxed.

“I can’t believe how busy the streets are. It’s damn cold and people are out shopping,” Jack said, shaking his head.

“The January Fair has always been popular. People are bored and they want out of their homes.”

“I can barely understand what you’re saying your teeth are chattering so much. Here,” Jack removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck. “I’ll be right back,” he said.

After a quick stop in front of the fireplace, he threaded his way through the crowd towards the coffee bar.

The scarf was warm from Jack’s body and smelled really good, like spice and leather. Maggie chose to ignore the fluttering in her stomach while she continued to enjoy the scent until her attention was drawn to a customer asking about the event.

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Want to read more about Jack and Maggie?

Keep reading to find out how!

Coffee shop owner Maggie Maguire doesn’t trust the new police chief her father hired to protect Maguire’s Corner. He’s a stranger, cold, bossy and annoyingly handsome. But, Maggie’s witnessed a serious crime and now someone’s trying to kill her. The man that aggravates her most might be the only one that can help her.

Police Chief Jack Munro likes his new job and his new town, and unfortunately he also likes the stubborn but beautiful town sweetheart. His self-imposed hands-off Maggie policy is about to be put to the ultimate test when he must keep her close to protect her while he tracks down a ruthless killer.

Determined to ignore Jack’s charms, Maggie attempts to help him unravel the mystery but when their lives hang in the balance she must decide how much she’s willing to risk to save the man she suddenly can’t resist.

But, Heather, where can I buy it?

Front Porch Romance

Amazon - Ebook & Paperback

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About the author

Heather M. Gardner’s love of books began at an early age, on the hand-woven rugs of her small town library, where her mother worked. There she had a never-ending supply of old and new stories to read at her fingertips. As a teen, her favorite genres to curl up with were romance and mysteries. It was a natural progression to write romance, when she started to create her own stories.

Heather resides in New York with her best friend, AKA, her fine-looking husband and her talented and handsome son. She is currently owned by four stray cats. Heather’s a full-time mom, works part-time from home, a chocolate enthusiast, coffee junkie, cat addict, book hoarder and fluent in sarcasm.

You can find Heather on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherWritesRomance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hmgardner

Blog: http://hmgardner.blogspot.com/