Monday 13 August 2012

BOOK OF THE DAY: Cera's Place by Elizabeth McKenna

by Elizabeth McKenna





BOOK DESCRIPTION
In 1869, San Francisco saloon owner Cera Cassidy offers redemption to any woman looking for honest work. At Cera's Place, men can get a decent hot meal with a whiskey, but if they want anything more, they have to take their desires elsewhere. One summer night, a distraught Chinese girl bursts through the swinging doors with a shocking tale of murder, kidnapping, and prostitution. Outraged, Cera vows to set things right.

Jake Tanner, a scarred ex-soldier haunted by the horrors of the Civil War, is on a mission to fulfill a friend's dying wish. The trail has brought him to Cera's door. Captivated by her Irish beauty, he wants to join her fight - but will she let him?

Elizabeth McKenna's debut novel is a fast-paced adventure filled with memorable characters that will leave you wanting more. Get lost in a time gone by and fall in love today!

AUTHOR BIO



Elizabeth McKenna is a full-time technical writer/editor for a large software company. She never read romance novels until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene).

She had always wanted to write fiction, so when a psychic told her she would write a book, Elizabeth felt obligated to give it a try. Combining her love of history, romance and a happy ending, she wrote her debut novel, Cera's Place. She recently released a short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell.

Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin (Packers, Brewers, and Badgers - oh my!) with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and sassy Labrador. When she isn't writing, working, or being a mom, she's sleeping.
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REVIEWS

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Debut!!!!!August 12, 2012
This review is from: Cera's Place (Paperback)
Set in San Francisco in 1849 Cera's Place is where men go for a hot meal, whiskey and a game of cards. You want anything more you can take your business somewhere else. Prostitution is not allowed. Cera offers women honest work and a chance to redeem themselves.

The employees at Cera's place are her family and she will go to great lengths to protect them. Even places women at not allowed. So when a young Chinese woman bursts threw the door telling of murder, kidnapping and the selling of young girls, Cera vows to save every girl she can and put those responsible for this outrage behind bars or worse.

Jake Tanner, a soldier from the Civil War, enters Cera's Place as a man on a mission. He comes with many scars inside and out but thinks things will be better if he can just fulfill a promise he made to his dying friend. Meeting Cera he is immediately taken by her strength and beauty. He wants to stay on and help her in her fight but she has been burned by a man before and is wary of Jake's intentions. She may need to swallow her pride and admit she needs him in more ways than one.

An awesome debut! A love story that will carry you back to a very exciting time. It turned out to be really different from what I was expecting.

Cera is strong, outspoken, opinionated, all very uncommon for woman of this era. She only has her saloon because she has a male partner. She is a lady all about justice repeatedly putting herself and others in danger.

Jake comes to town just in time to save Cera and himself. They both need each other. First they need to right the wrongs of others and then they can concentrate on healing each other.

All the characters were very well developed and believable. The story was paced well and descriptions sent vivid pictures to my mind.

This story is a romance but it is wrapped in a very suspenseful mystery. There are a few steamy moments too. A perfect story for me. I was unable to put it down. For a debut novel it is definitely worth 5 stars! I am looking to reading more by this author.

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