March Madness by @JoanReeves #RomanceGems

Spring is coming!

I'm suffering from March Madness. (Giveaway Alert!)

No, not the never-ending televised basketball games. I'm talking about the things that drive me mad.

(Giveaway Alert. Read to the end.)

1. Internet

My March malady called internet started late Friday night. No internet. No websites. No email, etc.

Darling Hubby and I have been saying for the last 3 years that we need to change internet service providers yet we haven't.

Why? Because it's such a PITA. I think after this escapade, we'll be forced to find another ISP. Just got internet restored a short while ago which is why this post is late. This isn't even what I planned to blog about, but sometimes you have to vent.

Stress-2902537_1280. Image by Pete Linworth. PIXABAY

2. Crazy Houston Drivers.

For the last 2 weeks, I've been driving my daughter every day to her various doctor and hospital appointments. Each time I drive, I end up thanking Jesus that I'm still alive.

What is it with today's driving population? Apparently a red light now means make it if you can.

A driver with that philosophy ran a red light three weeks ago and killed 3 people in an SUV was proceeding when the light turned green.

As for Stop signs? Forget about it. At the gated entrance to my community, there is a Stop All Ways sign. I estimate at least 50 per cent of drivers run those stop signs. I've escaped being T-boned when turning left into my community several times. The only time everyone stops is when a Deputy Constable is parked there.

3. Internet Trolls

Is it me or do people online seem to be even more belligerent, crude, and hateful than ever before? I guess it's the anonymity offered by the Internet.

I can hardly believe the comments some people leave on websites. Why can't someone disagree with another person without resorting to insults, crude language, and hate-filled diatribes?

Venting Over

chihuahua-dog-puppy-cute-39317_Pixabay

Okay, on to happier topics. Maybe even some pictures of puppies, kittens, flowers, and other fun things.

Our February anniversary promotion was a big success.

Nancy Frasier will give you details in her post and will give you the scoop on our March Promotion.

Thanks and Best Wishes

I'd like to thank everyone who reads Romance Gems and who take the time to leave comments and enter our Giveaways. You all make us feel our time spent on this blog is worthwhile. On my first of the month post, I like to give away something.

My March 1 Giveaway

1. Open to everyone.
2. To be entered, leave a comment (with your email address written out) on any of the topics I mentioned.
3. Giveaway open until March 5 at 6pm CST.
4. Winner selected by Random Draw.
5. Prize is a free ebook copy of Liam's Wild Irish Rose, the new story in my A Moment in Time series, which publishes March 10.
NOTE: If I have had to go out of town due to my older brother's surgery, I'll send the ebook when I return home.

I don't have the buy link as I write this, but it will be available asap.

Excerpt from Liam's Wild Irish Rose
Copyright © 2020 Joan Reeves

When the house band in the Mexican-Irish pub began playing Danny Boy, the crowd cheered. As usual, the first verse was in English.

The next verse was in Spanish with the words projected on one of the big screen televisions. Everyone sang along with both versions. Those not knowing Spanish gamely sang and laughed their way through the lyrics.

The song, a standard in every bar on St. Patrick’s Day, was always sung in Spanish and in English at Juan O’Hara’s Mexican Irish Pub. Liam Harper knew the words in both languages, but his focus was on scanning the crowd for a particular redhead, not on singing with the rest of the standing-room only crowd.

Disappointment settled over him. He’d thought—hoped—she’d come. But she hadn’t. He swirled the foamy liquid in his mug. He wasn’t crazy about green beer, but tradition was tradition. Laughter and applause told him the song was over. He gave a loud whistle and saluted the band with his beer then set the mug on the bar and pushed it to the opposite edge so the bartender could take it away.

Tonight was a celebration so he plastered a smile on his face and tried to pretend he was happy. He leaned his elbows on the bar and watched the crowd some more. He’d give it another half hour before he said goodnight to his brother and Cheyenne, the woman who’d captured Luke's heart.

The pub was packed thanks to clever marketing by Juan whose Irish dad and Hispanic mom had made Juan O’Hara’s one of the most popular bars in the greater Houston area. He knew there was a line snaking down the sidewalk from the front door to the parking lot.

Liam caught Luke’s eye, and the two brothers exchanged grins. His brother looked so damned happy that it was nearly disgusting. By no means did he begrudge Luke his happiness. If anything, he understood how his brother had fallen so hard for Cheyenne Smith. He understood because the same thing had happened to him when he’d met Cheyenne’s friend Maura O'Reilly.

How ironic that of all the women in the world, he fell for the one who seemed to have no interest in him. At least no interest outside the bedroom. A lot of men would think that was the perfect relationship—hot sex with a beautiful woman who had no interest in an actual relationship.

Unfortunately, Liam wasn’t one of those men. He wanted Maura, and he wanted all of her, not just sex, although that was earth-shattering all by itself. The minute he’d seen Maura, he’d been lost in her emerald green eyes. He’d thought she felt the same because her green eyes held his gaze, as if time had stopped ticking away. Neither seemed able to look away. He couldn’t not ask. “Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

Her reply wasn’t what he’d expected. “Dinner? Sure, but just so you know, I don’t date the same man more than three times.”

He’d been Mr. Cool. “I just asked you to dinner, not to wear my letter jacket and go steady.”

Mr. Fool was more like it. Oh, they'd been together more than three times, but she continued to assert that they weren't in a relationship.

Just then the band started playing My Wild Irish Rose. As if Fate had planned it, Liam saw his wild Irish rose across the room. Their eyes met, and his pulse sped up. Hope flared in his heart.

Could St. Patrick's Day improve his luck? Could he finally get Maura to commit to him?

March is a wonderful month with flowers popping out all over, the first day of spring, and of course, St. Patrick's Day. Have an awesome month!