Queen of All She Reads: Hoppin' The Boxes Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop for Hoppin the Boxes Today I'll be featuring Donna Fasano

But -

There are Over 60 stops - with plenty of excerpts, information and a giveaway!

These Eight Authors are presenting their Boxed Sets with Excerpts, Character Bios, and Prizes

Barbara Silkstone with the Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider Boxed Set

Cheryl Bradshaw with the Sloan Monroe Boxed Set

Christy Hayes and the Golden Rule Bundle

Donna Fasano and the Single Daddy Club Boxed Set

Faith Mortimer and the Diana Rivers Mystery Set

M.P. McDonald and the Mark Taylor Omnibus

Melissa F. Miller and the Sasha McCandles Series

Sibel Hodge and the Sibel Hodge Box Set

This tour will run from 11 – 18 November

Giveaways!

Reader drawing is international

Grand Prize Winner : $60 Giftcard to Amazon or Barnes and all eight boxed sets

First Prize Winner: $40 Giftcard and all eight box set

Second Prize winner - 4 (winner’s choice) boxed sets (see the giveaway tool at the bottom of the post!)

And now.. I present

Fasano Box Set photo FasanoBOX_zpsaf5da8a8.jpg

The Single Daddy Club Boxed Set ~ Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR! Three bachelor dads are about to be single no more!

The Single Daddy Club: Derrick, Book 1 The Single Dad Ex-military man Derrick Richmond. Solitary and satisfied...until little Timmy was dropped into his lap and Derrick had to learn to be somebody's daddy. The Single Woman Schoolteacher Anna Maxwell. Fate might have denied her a family of her own, but Anna still had plenty of love to give, if only someone would notice. The Solution Anna would teach Derrick all he needed to know about kids. Father and son would give Anna some precious memories. Then the schoolteacher and the single dad would go their separate ways. Unless one little boy figured out a way to make Miss Maxwell become his mom!

The Single Daddy Club: Jason, Book 2 Desperate Daddy Widowed police officer Jason Devlin. Taking care of his baby girl was usually a piece of cake - until his housekeeper quit, leaving Jason desperate enough to hire the first qualified person who rang his doorbell. Damsel in Distress Runaway heiress Katie Smyth. The pampered debutante was about to take on her greatest challenge--her first job...as a nanny. Doorstep Deal Jason was thanking his lucky stars that Katie had shown up at his house. She was the perfect nanny for his little girl--and beautiful beyond belief, leading Jason to rethink his single status. But just wait until he discovered who this nick-of-time nanny really was!

The Single Daddy Club: Reece, Book 3 The only remaining single guy in the Single Dad Club, Reece Newton. Marriage may be the answer for his friends, but not for this contented father of one. Of course, the right woman could change his mind... Endangered Beauty Woman in hiding, Maggie Dunlap. When someone ransacked her house and put her life in jeopardy, the lovely lady had nowhere to run--except into Reece's protective embrace. Eventual Bride? Against his better judgment, Reece offered Maggie a safe haven in his home. Her mere presence changed the lives of father and son more than he ever dreamed possible. But would Maggie ever get the bachelor dad to the altar?

About Donna Fasano

Donna Fasano is a three time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have sold over 3.6 million copies worldwide and have been published in nearly two dozen languages. Her books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times, climbing as high as #17.

Follow Donna at Website § Blog § Facebook § Twitter

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Derrick, Book 1 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

Then he saw light and the soft, muffled sounds of movement coming from the room farthest down the hall. "Bingo," he whispered. He stopped in the doorway and blinked. The room seemed alive with a profusion of color and movement. It was in direct contrast with the drab gray paint of the walls of the hallway. Large, tempera-painted leaves dangled from the ceiling, twirling slowly on their string tethers. More larger-than-life autumn leaves were plastered to the windows. These were made of tissue paper causing the late-afternoon sunlight to glint in vibrant rainbow hues. One corner of the room was obviously a play area, and Derrick was surprised at how the books, games and blocks were in such disarray. "Mr. Richmond." Derrick swiveled his attention and his gaze in the direction of the soft, feminine voice that called his name. The slim, petite woman was standing in front of the bulletin board on a small, child-sized chair. The stapler clutched in her slender hand was folded open, and she was evidently using it to secure bold, blue cutout letters to the board. But what Derrick noticed above all else was the fact that her clothing was as colorful, maybe even more so, than the classroom itself. The filmy, sheer material of her turquoise skirt was very full and hung nearly to her ankles. His brain registered an underskirt of some dense, dark fabric. The sash gathered around her trim waist was purple, her simple cotton pullover was bright red. A draping of purple glass beads hung from her neck and her small, dainty ears. And when her arm dropped to her side, Derrick heard the tinkle of numerous colorfully enameled bangle bracelets as they slid to her wrist. He'd taken so long simply gazing at her in silence that when he finally did lift his eyes to her face he felt... embarrassed. But he immediately forgot his chagrin as he became lost in her eyes. They were a piercing green. And interesting. Filled with merriment. Her full mouth was drawn into a small smile. She reached up with her empty hand and plunged her fingers into the mass of her full, multilayered hair that was so black and shiny it gleamed blue in the overhead light. "Please come in." Hearing her soft, pleasant voice for the second time seemed to knock him out of his stuporous trance. She stepped down from the chair, placed the stapler on her desk, and walked toward him. "You are Timmy Richmond's father?" she asked. "I'm Miss Maxwell." "Actually... I'm... um..." He let the words trail. Why couldn't he find his tongue? Or collect his thoughts? He reached out instinctively, took her hand and shook it. Her skin was warm and silky smooth. Miss Maxwell's laughter was light, like the tinkling of far-off bells. It seemed to echo inside his head, making him feel strange, as though he were grinning like a fool, yet he knew for a fact there was no smile on his face. "It's okay," she said. "There's no need to be disconcerted. Your reaction is quite normal. My appearance can be somewhat... overwhelming to some people. Most people, actually."

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Derrick, Book 1 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

Even though she was expecting it, wanting it, dying for it, his first kiss came as a complete surprise. The pressure of his lips directly behind her ear had her half-closed eyes opening wide and her breath leaving her in a tiny gasp. Immediately she closed her eyes and tilted her head, giving him full range of her neck. He didn't disappoint her. She inhaled slowly, deeply when she felt him take the lobe of her ear between his teeth. Then he pressed his nose into her hair and breathed in its scent, and she found the action highly erotic. He planted his mouth on the back curve of her jaw, the feel of him tasting her skin caused a heat to flush over her entire body—a heat she knew had nothing whatsoever to do with the full, midday October sun that blazed overhead. His thumb had been leisurely playing over the hills and valleys of her knuckles, but now he raised his hand, catching her chin in his fingers. Ever so slowly, he turned her face toward his. The intensity of his gaze was like a physical touch, and when she opened her eyes, she wasn't surprised to find him studying her features. He took in her hair, her forehead, her nose, her mouth and chin. She wanted desperately to smile at him, to give him some sign of what she was feeling. But the magnitude of desire raging through her veins seemed to anesthetize the muscles in her cheeks, and all she could do was return his stare. However, she wasn't too concerned by the fact that she couldn't give him a smile, because she knew without a doubt that every emotion she was experiencing was displayed, as bright as daylight, in her eyes. She felt sure of it. He slid his fingers back along one side of her jaw, his thumb back along the other. When he tilted up her chin, her breath caught in her throat, and she was certain he meant to kiss her. He loomed over her, his mouth a scant inch from hers. He was so close, his shadow blocked the sun and she could feel his silky breath on her cheek.

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Jason, Book 2 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

The concrete sidewalk that led to the front door was short. Katherine raised her hand to knock, but then looked down at the suitcase she carried. It certainly would look odd for her to be bringing luggage when she had come to inquire about a job. She stepped off the small front porch and tucked the case behind the large yew bush growing beside the front door. Inhaling deeply, she smoothed her hand over her hair, then down the front of her creamy silk blouse. She took a moment to steel herself and then reached up to knock on the metal screen door. Thick doubt swarmed around her head like a dense mass of buzzing bees. What in the world did she have to offer Jason Devlin? She'd never worked at a paying job in her whole life. Her pampered existence had prepared her for nothing except shopping for the perfect wardrobe. What if he found out she was running from— No, she told herself, don't go there. Forget about that. He won't find out. She couldn't let it happen. Another question bombarded her: why would this man choose her to care for his precious baby girl? A second wave of dread hit when she realized that he very well might have already found the perfect babysitter for his daughter. Her nurse friend had said she'd heard that the man was having trouble keeping a sitter. But if he'd hired one who was doing a fine job... if he was no longer looking... Don't panic, she told herself. The worst he could do was say no. The front door opened, and Katherine felt her eyes go wide. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't control her surprise. The bleary-eyed man who stood before her looked more than a little rumpled. The new growth of whiskers on his jaw was tinted a burnished copper, only a shade or two lighter than his russet-colored hair. His lips were pressed firmly together, and Katherine couldn't tell if he was angry or irritated or just plain in a bad mood. A tiny twinge of fear pinched her gut, but then she focused once again on his gaze. Looking beyond the bloodshot whites of his sky blue eyes, Katherine could clearly see that the man was tired, really stressed-out. He looked so haggard, in fact, that her heart went out to him. It looked to her as if he hadn't slept a wink last night. "Good morning," he said. Then his mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile—a smile, Katherine thought, that was sure to have been quite charming. But evidently he didn't have the energy to hold the expression for long, and she watched him sigh and lean heavily on the doorjamb. "Are you okay?" The question slipped from her lips before she was able to stop it. Now he did find the stamina to smile. And Katherine was right, his smile was charming. Actually it was more than that. "Yeah," he told her, "I'm okay." His smile broadened as he added softly, "Thanks for asking." A moment of silence followed, a moment during which Katherine actually found herself blushing and helplessly averting her gaze from him. Blushing? She, a woman who dined regularly with congressmen and senators, was blushing? Why, she'd shaken hands with not one, but two, U.S. presidents, and she couldn't believe she was finding it hard to look this man in the face. Why in the world would that be? Gathering her wits about her, Katherine tipped up her chin and looked him directly in the eye. "Are you Jason Devlin?" "I sure am," he answered. "What can I do for you?" There was something in his expression—something she couldn't quite put her finger on that caused her to look away again. Although she conquered the urge, she could feel her hands begin to tremble. This is silly, she silently scolded herself. But whatever was prodding her gaze to turn aside was now making her insides churn and her brain go spongy. "Well," she began, "I have a friend... a nurse who works at the Children's Hospital in Salisbury—" she paused to swallow, and she quickly ran her tongue across her lips before continuing. "Anyway, my nurse friend has a friend... and she lives here in Bayview. In fact, she's the wife of one of your police officers... well, not one of your officers. What I mean to say is... one of the officers you work with." Perspiration broke out across her forehead, even though it was a cool spring morning. This was going terribly. She'd excelled in her diction and public speaking courses. Her mother had thought the subjects were important ones, seeing as how Katherine was surely destined to be the wife of a politician. So why was she having such a difficult time clearly communicating her thoughts to this man? She noticed that Jason Devlin's brows were raised as he obviously waited for her to get to the point. "So, well... anyway," she stammered, "the friend of my friend—" Automatically her tongue darted out to moisten her dry lips. If Katherine had one wish in the whole world right now, it would be for a cool sip of water. "She told me that you might be in need of a babysitter... for your little girl." There, she thought, it was out. Finally. She blinked several times, her heart pounding against her rib cage as she awaited his response. He laughed; and her heart nearly stopped. A frown bit deeply into her brow. It wasn't a huge laugh, nor a loud one. Just a small, weary chuckle. But what did it mean? Why would he laugh at her? Her hopes plummeted. The tears that welled in her eyes took her completely by surprise. Turning away, she said, "If you already have someone—" "Wait. Hold on." A note of desperation strained his words as he called out to her, and she heard the screen door open with a squeak. The urgency she heard had been easily identified because she had felt it so keenly herself lately. Hope returned with a vengeance, and she turned back toward him, her eyes riveted to his. "Mr. Devlin," she said without thinking, "I really need a job. If you need someone to watch your daughter, then I hope you'll consider me for the position."

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Jason, Book 2 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

"Jason?" she prompted. "Did you want to say something?" Fear now pounded at her temples. What would she do if he chose to ignore what they both knew was right in front of their faces? His voice was soft and caressing as velvet. "I, uh, just wanted to say goodnight." Disappointment welled up inside her, sharp and painful. Why couldn't he acknowledge what he was feeling? Why couldn't she bring herself to voice what was going on inside her? Swallowing around the aching lump that had gathered in her throat, Katie knew the answer to this question. Ever since she was a little girl, she'd gotten the unspoken message from her parents, friends, movies, books, television, Hallmark commercials—from society as a whole—that it was inappropriate for a woman to approach a man for whom she had feelings. She admired Jason, thought he was handsome. He appealed to her as no other man ever had—and she'd been introduced to many far more cosmopolitan men, men from all over the world, men with wealth and status. Yet none of them melted her heart like Jason did. Yes, she thought, she would even go so far as to say that she desired him. But she simply didn't feel right making the first move. "Well," she said, her voice full of reluctance, "goodnight then." She watched the taut muscles in his neck contract as he swallowed. And when she looked into his eyes, she frowned. There in his powder blue gaze she read... something. A need. A want. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to be close to her. He wanted to explore this new awareness that had sprouted between them. She could see it in his eyes so clearly that it was nearly a tangible thing. But he was being held back. By what, she had no idea. Jason was communicating his feelings to her silently. Did she want to let the opportunity pass? If she did, would he be left thinking she wasn't interested? But then, what if she was reading the signs wrong? But that was ludicrous. The signs were blatantly obvious. His desire to pursue whatever it was that was hanging between them was as clear as shining crystal. Now all she had to do was decide if her own yearning to explore this magnetism was strong enough to force her to act in a way that went against everything she'd been taught. In a split second she found herself walking the few steps it took to reach him. The closer she got, the heavier and less breathable the air seemed to become. Before she even had time to contemplate her actions or her words, the question was forming in her throat. With the tiniest of exhalations, it was on her tongue, passing over her lips. "Would you like to kiss me?"

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Reece, Book 3 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

She made a great fuss over placing her briefcase and overnight bag on the upholstered chair that sat in one corner of the room. "The chest of drawers is empty," Reece said. "And there should be plenty of space in the closet. There're hangers in there too. You'll find clean towels in the linen closet across from the bathroom." He talked quickly, trying, Maggie knew, to regain that same sense of normalcy he'd conjured on the drive from her house. "I'll bring fresh sheets for the bed," he went on. "The mattress is firm. I hope you like lots of support." Reece sat down and gave the edge of the mattress a little bounce, and she knew he was looking at her, waiting for her to offer some sort of response. "I'm sure it'll be fine." But the words were strained at best. Maggie knew it, and Reece had to notice it too. Her gaze darted to the bed, and then back up to his face. In the periphery of her vision, she saw him smooth his palm across the spread, and for some reason, that simple action seemed to change everything. The awkwardness swirled and thickened and metamorphosed into something new, something strangely intimate. Whatever it was, it had Maggie feeling terribly aware of each second that passed, completely perceptive of each move of Reece's body, each breath she herself inhaled. Obviously, he, too, was cognizant of this... this thing. And that's exactly how Maggie had identified it—a living, breathing, feeling thing. What the hell? Reece stood up and moved to the window. The suddenness of his brisk action was like an unexpected snapping of fingers that jerked her to attention. She blinked, and the thing seemed to dissolve into nothingness. The air seemed to clear and was once again breathable. "Let me get out of here," he told her. "You have some unpacking to do." He looked at his watch. "And I'm due to meet with my buddies. You know, the guys I told you about? I hope you don't mind if I go out for a while...." "Oh, of course not," she told him, feeling that he couldn't walk out that door fast enough to suit her, yet at the same time, she didn't ever want him to leave. It was such a curious and odd sensation. One that baffled the heck out of her. With a quick smile and a nod, he was gone. Maggie didn't move from her spot there by the chair. She stood listening to him descending the stairs, wondering if what she and Reece had experienced just a moment ago had all been conjured by her imagination. The scary thing was, she knew imagination had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Reece, Book 3 Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Audible

"So you rode in on your white horse..." Derrick laughed so hard he had to stop talking. Reece only glared at his friend. "And scooped up the poor damsel in distress," Derrick was finally able to finish. Jason couldn't hold back his snickers any longer, and he joined Derrick. "And carried her off to the castle." "Yeah," Reece growled, "and I hope both of you clowns choke on your beer." Derrick and Jason tried hard to force serious expressions onto their faces, then made the mistake of catching each other's eyes. Their snickering drew the attention of the other customers in the small sports pub. "Look, I'm not in the mood, okay?" Reece tipped up the smoky-colored beer bottle and took a long swallow. He tried to focus on the ball game playing on the big-screen TV at the far corner of the room as he asked, "What was I supposed to do? The woman was out of her head. She looked like she hadn't slept in days." The excuse sounded lame, even to him. He guessed he deserved the jeers and jokes being made about his behavior. But that didn't mean he had to like it. He saw both of them grinning like idiots. "Hey," he said seriously, "I said I'm not in the—" "Okay, okay," Jason said, lifting his hand. He nudged Derrick, who was still having trouble getting his humor in check, in the ribs. As if running interference for Derrick, to give the man a few more seconds to compose himself, Jason went on, "It's just that we never expected something like this from you, Reece." Reece raked his fingers through his hair. "I know." He heaved a deep breath. "I'm pretty surprised myself." His next sigh was powerful enough to puff out his cheeks. Hell, the very last thing he needed was a woman messing up his life!

Be sure to check the other stops on the tour to see more from