DÉJÀ VU is published by The Wild Rose Press and released from the Crimson Rose line of mystery/romance suspense. The book is available in both print and ebook from Amazon and other online vendors.

When Alexandra Caldwell is hired by a reclusive author to research the thirty-year-old disappearance of a big name newspaper tycoon and his wife, she wasn't sure what she would discover. As she embarks on this project, she finds herself in the middle of a series of frightening events and an unexpected attraction to Gable Talbot, the current owner of Skull Island where the disappearances occurred... a man with a magnetic sex appeal and a past as mysterious as the case she's researching. Will she be able to do the job she was hired for, or has she stumbled too close to the truth?

Reviews:

Night Owl Reviews has this to say about DEJA VU:

"Deja Vu was a nice quick easy read. Well written with a smooth flow to it. Twists that got my attention. Over all rated well." - Kitana, http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.aspx?daoid=5673

Long and Short Romance Reviews has this to say about DÉJÀ VU:

"Samantha Gentry creates a riveting story as she weaves together vivid characters, dark secrets, deceits, murder, and unswerving dedication to reach goals. Moreover, she weaves a love that will not be denied into the mix - an intense, breathtaking love that brings completeness to both Lexi and Gable." - Camellia, http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/deja-vu-by-samantha-gentry.html

The Romance Studio gives DEJA VU 4 Hearts:

"I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, subtle, romantic suspense novel. It had the feel of a cosy whodunit, in a modern version of an Agatha Christie-like classic. The setting was fantastic and the idea of a baffling disappearance that took place three decades ago on a secluded island makes for a wonderful scenario. The plot was well-paced and the dialogue and character interaction was very believable."

"This was such a romantic, adventurous, thrilling read; a skillful suspense story with a fantastic ending. I recommend to suspense fans, as well as contemporary romance readers who enjoy spine-tingling situations." - Theresa Joseph, http://theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/dejavugentry.htm

 

Read Excerpt #1
Read Excerpt #2
Read Excerpt #3
Read Excerpt #4
Read Excerpt First Kiss

 

Excerpt #1:

Alexandra Caldwell shivered, hunching her shoulders against the stiff ocean breeze as the boat pulled up to the dock at Skull Island. Even the name left her uneasy... Skull Island. It sounded like a sinister place inhabited by pirates, thugs, and other undesirables.

She glanced up at the angry storm clouds darkening the sky to the point where it seemed more like evening than eleven o'clock in the morning. Another tremor of apprehension washed through her body. Ever since she was a little girl, thunder and lightning had frightened her. But as much as she wanted to blame the approaching storm for her uneasiness, it wasn't solely responsible.

She forced her attention to the tall man standing dockside as he grabbed the line thrown to him and secured the vessel. He extended his hand to help her out of the boat. The instant they made physical contact, a potent arc of energy raced through her body followed by a moment of panic. The hair on her arms stood on end. Her mouth went dry and her throat tried to close.

The vision exploded in her mind. Mud... a wall of mud sliding down an embankment toward her. A fleeting glance of an out-of-focus face that turned into a human skull. Then a skeleton. And a second skeleton. She jerked her hand from his grasp while trying to force a calm to her momentary panic.

She didn't know how to control her psychic abilities and didn't always understand what the strange images, feelings, and dreams meant. However, she did know when they tried to tell her something important and this was definitely one of those times.

The man cocked his head to one side. A slight frown wrinkled across his brow as he stared at her with a quizzical expression. "Is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She quickly recovered her composure, at least outwardly, and extended a businesslike smile. "No, nothing is wrong. Just a little spark of static electricity, I guess. It must have something to do with... " she glanced up at the threatening sky as a shiver of anxiety swept through her. "... uh, this approaching storm."

She returned her attention to the man, her demeanor all business. "I'm Alexandra Caldwell. Mr. Talbot is expecting me."

"I'm Gable Talbot."

"You're Gable Talbot?" She couldn't hide her surprise. This man whose touch had sparked a disturbing sequence of frightening images was not at all what she had anticipated the owner of Skull Island would look like.

 

Excerpt #2:

Gable slowly shook his head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts as he walked to the utility room door. He came to an abrupt halt when he looked up and saw Lexi standing in the doorway. A quick jolt of anxiety hit him. How long had she been there? Had she witnessed the entire incident with the reporter? Was it something she intended to report to J.D. Prescott as part of her research? Things were definitely getting out of hand and needed to be reined in.

He forced a calm to his voice. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Uh... no. I was on my way to the kitchen to see if I could help Dolly with the dinner when I heard voices." She looked around the empty garage, a slight frown wrinkling across her brow. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine here." He reached the utility room door in four long strides, coming to a halt just inches from where she stood while flashing his most engaging smile. "Whatever Dolly is fixing for dinner sure smells good." It took all the restraint he could muster to keep from touching her. The fragrance of Lexi's perfume wafted across his senses. And you smell really good, too. I can think of several things I'd like to...

He shook away the totally inappropriate thoughts. For almost twenty-five years-since the age of fifteen-one thing had been uppermost for him, one item at the top of his list of things to do. He couldn't allow a very desirable woman to deter him from his goal. "I'll escort you to the dining room."

"Thank you." His smile may have said one thing, but she could tell from his eyes that it also hid something. He obviously had no intention of telling her anything about what had happened. The image exploded in her mind again. Mud sliding down the embankment, coming toward her, a skull, a skeleton, then a second skeleton. The same disturbing image over and over again, each time more baffling than the time before. Several times in less than a day. With repetition it had become slightly less frightening than the first time it happened, but it remained very unsettling.

A bright streak of lightning lit up the sky, followed immediately by a loud crack of thunder. A cold shiver darted up her spine and her heart beat jumped. Her body physically jerked to attention, causing her to bump against Gable. A moment later his arms were around her with his soft words calming her trepidation.

 

Excerpt #3

Then the image exploded in her mind again. The mud sliding toward her, the out of focus face, the skull, and finally the skeletons-this time more vivid than any of the previous assaults on her senses. A cold shudder moved up her spine, followed by a lump in her throat and a churning in the pit of her stomach. She hugged her shoulders in an attempt to fend off the shivers, but not from the cold. Her insides trembled to the point where she felt as if she had no control over her own body. Even though she still didn't understand the message trying to get through to her, this time the vision truly frightened her on both a physical and emotional level.

This time it felt very real...and very personal.

She tried to shake off the uncomfortable feelings, but without much success. Then a new sensation hit her, an eerie awareness of someone watching her. Someone obscured by the fog. Someone laying in wait. Someone wanting to harm her? The possibility sent a hard jolt of fear racing through her veins. It played on her already tautly stretched nerves. A genuine sense of alarm welled inside her. She fought the desire to run blindly down the road. But toward what? And away from whom? One thing loomed abundantly clear... she needed to move on, to get away from this spot that radiated a feeling bordering on evil.

Lexi hurried down the road toward the mansion as she fought against the almost uncontrollable urge to continually glance over her shoulder. The panic built, layer upon layer. The danger close on her heels, almost as if it could reach out and grab her. Only the paved road under her feet offered any comfort or relief from the overwhelming sensation. The large Victorian mansion became visible through the fog, but would it provide a sanctuary? A safe haven?

 

Excerpt #4

She forced out the words that tried to choke off in her throat. "Who is Gable Talbot? Who are you?"

He turned and stared out the window, his gaze falling on the ocean without really focusing on it. What to do. How much to tell her. He had known the time would come when he had to confide the truth to her, especially after they spent an incredible night making love. A night that had a remarkable impact on his life. A night that confirmed his involvement with her had moved beyond the physical to encompass the emotional as well. But he had not been prepared for her to confront him the very next day and certainly not with the knowledge of his deception about his identity.

Divulge his entire plan to her? Confess his true identity while holding back the details of his scheme? He had never felt so torn between two opposing ends of one reality. Even as a teenager he knew what had to be done. For twenty-five years he had pursued a single-minded course of action and long range plan aimed at one, and only one, conclusion. A plan that included his one and only long time ally and confidant.

And now he stood there, staring out the window and wondering what to do. He tried to shake off his rapidly growing apprehension. He had no option other than to trust her with the truth. At least part of it... for the time being. He turned to face her, but stayed more than arm's length away. He could not allow his desire for her to cloud his thinking and touching her would do just that.

A sigh of resignation escaped his throat. "You're putting me in a position I wasn't quite ready to accept in spite of the fact that I've given it considerable thought over the last day or so. I wanted to be honest with you." He tried to calm his rattled nerves, but without much success. "What I'm about to tell you must be kept in the strictest of confidence. The seriousness of what's going on here... the importance of all this can't be emphasized too much. There cannot be any exceptions. I need to have your absolute promise of discretion and complete secrecy."

 

Excerpt First Kiss

Consciously he knew he needed to back off. Intellectually he knew he didn't dare start something that might side track him from his all-important primary agenda. But he didn't seem to be able to stop himself from twining his fingers in her hair. He heard her quick intake of breath and saw a combination of confusion and what he hoped was desire dart through her eyes. The silky tendrils fluttered across his skin, accompanied by a tightening in his chest. His gaze dropped to her slightly parted lips, a mouth that beckoned to him. One that needed to be kissed thoroughly and often.

Gable's grasp on his will power had been tenuous at best. In an incendiary flash, the final traces of self-control totally deserted him. He brushed his lips against hers, not knowing what to expect from her in return. There was a moment's hesitation on her part, something more akin to surprise than uncertainty. Then he felt her soft touch on the back of his hand as it rested on her cheek. She didn't pull away from him. It was all the encouragement he needed.

He pulled Lexi into his embrace as he lowered his mouth to hers again. It started out as a gentle kiss, one having as much of a surprisingly emotional feel to it as it did a hard rush of physical desire. Her arms wound around his neck and her mouth responded. She tasted of sweetness and passion, an enticing combination. And he wanted more.

Much more.

But years of planning and preparing could not be set aside. He had initiated his carefully worked out scheme. There would be no turning back until he had achieved his goal. Nothing... and no one... would deter him.

He threaded his fingers in her hair again. As much as he needed to get on with his own business, he was not ready to stop the delicious kiss. He came within a breath of exploring the recesses of her mouth with his tongue, of tasting the tantalizing essence of the woman who had continually intruded into his thoughts from the moment the boat delivered her to his island.

He held her tighter, caressing her shoulders and running his hand down her back. Knowing he needed to step away and put some physical distance between them pulled at him equally as strong as the knowledge that he couldn't relinquish his hold on her.

Lexi was the one to break off the kiss, but she did not step away. The spell she cast over him had not been broken. He quickly captured her mouth again, but held the kiss for only a couple of seconds before relinquishing his hold on her. Even though he took a step backward, he couldn't bring himself to eliminate all physical contact. He continued to clasp her hand, slowly lacing their fingers together.

 



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