I have a first time guest on the blog today and I hope you’ll make her few welcome. Denise D. Young is here with her debut release, Tangled Roots, a fantasy romance.  Any new release is cause for excitement, but a debut release is extra special. Here’s Denise to tell you about her book and what first attracted her to her chosen genre.

P.S….don’t forget to check out her giveaway below!

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Thanks, Mae, for hosting me as I celebrate Tangled Roots, Book 1 of my Tangled Magic Series and my debut fantasy romance!

Language, for me, is a conduit for magic. And we don’t have to believe in “magic” in the witchy sense to feel that magic coursing through us when we read—or write—a captivating story.

As a writer and a reader, that’s what draws me to the page. I poured that heart, that love, that magic, into every word of Tangled Roots.

I fell in love with romance novels a long time ago, when I used to steal my mom’s Harlequins. There were plenty of contemporary romances, a whole lot of westerns, and a healthy dose of romantic suspense.

The story that stuck with me most, however, was a time-slip about a man and woman who had plenty of sparks—and the misfortune of being transported back in time, where they had to pretend to be husband and wife. I don’t remember the title, the author, or much else, except that there was a magic to that story that I’ll never forget.

That author, whoever they might be, gave me my first glimpse of fantasy and paranormal romance. Perhaps, it’s only fitting then, that there’s a time-slip element in my story!

Tangled Roots

The first in a new series.

A witch lost in time. A man with magic in his blood and a chip on his shoulder. Dark secrets and shadowy magic. Steamy romance meets contemporary fantasy with a time slip in the first book of this new series.

Cassie Gearhart casts a spell in the forest in the summer of 1974. The next thing she knows, she wakes up to find the world irrevocably changed.

It’s 2019, for one thing. For another, all of her coven members have vanished, leaving behind only one man who holds the key to their secrets, Nick Felson, the grandson of her high priestess and a rough-around-the-edges farm boy who wants nothing to do with twenty-year-old Cassie.

For twenty-three-year-old Nick Felson, there are two worlds: one, Willow Creek, Virginia, before everything went to hell. And the other, after.

He’s sworn off magic, until a confused Cassie knocks on his door in the middle of the night, somehow missing decades’ worth of time. But Nick knows falling for Cassie means letting magic back into his life—and that’s one line he swore he’d never cross.

Can Cassie unravel the mystery that transported her into the future? And can Nick resist the powerful magic and heart-pounding passion that swirl in the air whenever he and Cassie are together?

The Tangled Magic Series is intended for readers 18-plus who enjoy short but steamy reads, wild and witchy magic, swoon-worthy kisses, small-town charm, and interconnected books. The series is best read in order.

Now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Add Tangled Roots to your Goodreads to-be-read list.

An Excerpt from Tangled Roots (Tangled Magic #1)

“Cassie.” Her name slipped off my tongue, tasting of summer—of dandelion salad, mint iced tea, a tiny drop of sweet honeysuckle.

My sleeping magic threatened to surface. The scent of a field freshly ploughed rose up, along with a hint of mushrooms, a wild forest of fir and pine.

She tilted her head. “You inherited your grandmother’s gifts.”

“They’re not a gift,” I snapped.

She raised an eyebrow. “I know some people think that, but you can’t—”

“I’m not discussing this with a stranger.” Her fingers were worrying the wood of the farmhouse table, tracing the pattern of the grains. “Who sent you here? I told them months ago to stay away.”

Her brow furrowed. “Told who?”

“The other covens. I know they want answers. I’m not their man. You understand?”

She shook her head. The quilt fell away from her shoulders, revealing a stained, previously white sundress that skimmed sun-bronzed thighs. The dress had a vintage vibe, as though she’d plucked it off the rack at a secondhand clothing store.

She reached out, tentative, and touched my arm. “Nick, no one sent me, okay? I’m just…lost. I’m so lost, and really far from home.”

“I thought Ginny was your mentor. Were you emailing or something?”

“It’s like you’re speaking another language half the time. Look, the truth is, when I say I’m not from around here, I don’t mean Willow Creek. I mean, now.”

“Now? Are you playing freaking mind games? Is that your style? Gaslight the last witch in Willow Creek?”

Before she could respond, the kettle whistled. I jumped back, grunting as I slammed my hip into the corner of the island. With a growl I turned to the tea kettle. I pulled down two blue pottery mugs emblazoned with pale moons over emerald green mountains. I plucked two tea bags out of the metal canister, not even bothering to check what blend, and set her mug in front of her.

“Honey and sugar on the island.” I inclined my head in that direction.

“I’m confused.” She wrapped one hand around the mug and, without asking, opened a drawer and withdrew a spoon. Again, like she’d been here before. Not once. Many times. “Am I staying for tea, or do you want to run me off the property?” She jutted out her chin, and I caught a glimpse of stubborn pride underneath a veil of polite acquiescence.

I scratched the stubble on my chin. “Tell me the truth. Who you are. Why you’re here. No games.”

“No games.” The words, a mere whisper, tingled in the air with a magical sort of promise. Somehow, without knowing how I knew, whatever she said next would be the truth.

Cassie and Nick’s story will be available on May 14. You can pre-order a copy today, or enter a giveaway on Goodreads to win 1 of 50 copies of the Kindle book.

About the Author

Denise D. Young may or may not be a woodland sprite who loves tea, crystals, and thunderstorms. As much as she loves a wild forest, she also loves a good story, which is why she is also an indie author who pens fantasy and romance.

If you’ve ever hoped to find a book of spells in a dusty attic, if you suspect every misty forest contains a hidden portal to another realm, or if you don’t mind a little darkness before your happily-ever-after, her books might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for.

Her Tangled Magic Series features witches, romance, and small-town charm. The first book in the four-part series is coming in May 2019.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and Hollins University, Denise took first place in the Pages from the Heart Contest for her novella Good Old-Fashioned Magic in 2015. Her novel A Prince in Patience Point received second place in the 2016 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest.

Denise lives with her husband and their animals in the mountains of Virginia, where small towns and tall trees inspire her stories. She reads tarot cards, gazes at stars, and believes magic is the answer (no matter what the question was).

Magic Awaits! Connect with Denise on the Web:

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