Welcome to the mother/daughter writing team of Sarah and Shannen Brady. 

Their NEW novella, Unexpected Gifts debuts July 19th, in Decadent Publishing's best-selling '1Night Stand' series.

Some readers may have met our heroine, Iris Kosta, in our previous novels, Healer and Sweet Fire.

In our world, the existence of paranormal Gifts is accepted; those who have them, not so much. The Gifted are often feared and hated by their neighbors, and Homeland Security has a nasty habit of conscripting the Gifted for government “employment.”

Funny how those so employed are often never seen again.

Our two series, The Gifted and Gifts of Fate, follow the members of a Gifted family from Eastern Washington wheat fields to New York City Streets  ... they find love along the way.

                                               _________________

In a world that fears what it doesn’t understand, having paranormal gifts is tough. Luckily, Iris Kosta is tougher.

She lost her twin brother to Homeland Security's paranoia and greed; add in her job as a kickass security operative and it makes for a lonely life. Which is too bad, because Iris likes men – a lot. She makes do with a string of dates and hook ups, convinced there’s no such thing as true love.

Mike Connolly believes in love—but for him, its name is Iris.

Too bad she’ll always see him as just one of the boys. Finally giving up on anything more than friendship, he turns to Madam Eve for help in finding a woman who can eclipse his obsession.

But when Iris’ meddlesome relatives call on Madam Eve too, Mike and Iris find themselves the recipients of some unexpected gifts. 

Will they survive long enough to enjoy them?

                                        _________________________

Excerpt: the couple is several stories above the ground in a building under construction

  “Stop, dammit! That beam is too narrow, and the cable isn’t going to hold.” 

   Iris had both bare feet on the thin beam now, and the cable they both clung to suddenly broke free of one of the last two poles in between them. 

   Mike's stomach churned for a second before he jerked to another sudden stop, two feet lower again, and sharp pain flared though his shoulders and hands. Harsh curses from overhead started his heart beating again. He could breathe as long as she was okay. He craned his neck to look up at her. 

   “Back up, sweetheart. Get back on the concrete. What you’re trying to do is too dangerous. I’ll get back hand over hand on the cable.” 

   “You expect me to just have a damn nap up here while you practice pull-ups thirty stories above the ground? Michael Patrick Connolly, I think you know better than that. Shut the f*** up and hang on. I’ll be there in a sec.” 

   The cable trembled in his hands. 

   “Dammit. I said back up. I swear if you take one more step, I’ll let go. I’m not going to let you die for me!” 

   A gasp sounded above him. “You will not!” 

   Mike looked up, not sure what she could see of his face, or what she’d see on it if she could.    “Don’t test me, sweetheart. I’ll do it. Now, back up.” 

   Wonder of wonders, she obeyed him, stepping carefully backwards until she stood with both feet on the concrete floor. 

   He heard no sound from her while he gingerly slid his left hand higher on the slanting cable. He brought the other up to meet it. He didn’t want to go hand over hand for fear of shaking the last of the eye-bolts loose. The textured steel dug into his hands, but they were going numb—fast. The cable quivered and he heard the whine of metal sliding on metal above his head. 

   Iris’s voice betrayed her panic. No cool warrior now. “Mike, hurry! The bolt is pulling out of the concrete up here. It’s coming loose from the wall!” 

   He moved faster. The two of them had been in some tight spots before, but this might be the one that sucked the most. With failing bolts, frozen hands, and at least a dozen feet of steep climb ahead of him, it didn’t look good. 

   He wished fiercely he could see her beautiful face in the darkness.' 

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For those who don’t know us yet, we are a mother/daughter team writing both m/f and m/m romance together. (I know, that’s weird.) For more information about us, our books or our strange and wonderful publishing journey, check out our web site at www.SBradyBooks.com.

Cathryn says: I've read this one--do not miss! Fast-paced, fraught with danger & smexy tension. Mike is my new book boyfriend!

Cathryn Cade

 … red hot romance
Contemporary/Sci Fi/Paranormal
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