White Nights: A Small Town Romantic Suspense by Jenna van Berke
After leaving her abusive husband, PhD student Litza York is looking forward to a change of scenery. A year in a tiny village in eastern Finland, researching the rare Saimaa seal is just what she needs.
Meeting handsome park ranger Niilo Vuorikoski comes both as a welcome surprise and a challenge: How can she trust her instincts, when they have utterly failed her in the past?
But her emotional struggle gets overshadowed by a more immediate concern, when someone starts poisoning the object of her study, bringing her favourite animal to the verge of extinction.
Both issues reach boiling point when Litza pursues a terrible suspicion, and finds herself in mortal danger…
GET A FREE COPY NOW!
Description
Find more from this author on:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
FacebookAbout the author:
Jenna van Berke loves Scandinavian mysteries, Nora Roberts, Margaret Atwood and everything in between.
Working in the hotel industry, Jenna has encountered innumerable honeymooners, cheating husbands and infatuated co-workers, providing her with ample inspiration for her romance and romantic suspense novels.
She moved to Finland several years ago with her husband and child.
Here is a short sample from the book:
1
“So, what’s the big news?”
“Wait, come on in first, will you,” Litza ushered her best friend to the kitchen.
“Oh, hi Felipe, I didn’t know, we’re having a party.” Litza’s brother was already waiting at the laid table.
“Hi Lola, late as always,” Felipe teased, giving her a peck on the cheek.
“Yeah, sorry, and you’re still rude as always.”
“Some things never change,” Litza commented, while she popped a bottle of champagne. The banter was still going on when she handed over the glasses, so she took a moment to watch these two of the three most important people in her life.
Like herself, her older brother Felipe had inherited their mother’s thick black curls, green eyes and greek nose. He was a somewhat shy and serious character, and the way he treated her best friend only showed how close they actually were.
She had often wished for the two to become a couple, but apart from a very drunk kiss many years ago, nothing had ever happened between them, and Litza was forced to acknowledge that it would most probably stay that way. Over the seven years they had known each other, Lola had become more like another sister to him.
Litza first met Lola shortly after moving to Portland, Oregon, to study biology. They had met through their respective boyfriends at the time, and while the boys involved were long forgotten, their friendship had lasted.
She still remembered the first time she laid eyes on her at a college party. Lola had been in the middle of a row with her boyfriend, and Litza was impressed by how the petite Audrey Hepburn look-alike did some very straight talking to her boyfriend, who towered over her by at least ten inches.
“Shut up now, douchebag,” Lola rammed her elbow into Felipe’s side and smiled at Litza, who had settled at the table.
“There are two things I’d like to celebrate with you tonight…”
“Two?” Lola interrupted, “I can guess one, but…”
“Can you please shut that blabbermouth of yours, I’m trying to listen to my sister.”
“You know, you guys behave just like an old couple. Why don’t you finally become one?”
“For the last time, Litza…”
“Number one,” Litza raised her voice, “since yesterday, I’m officially divorced and will receive a considerable sum of alimony…”
“Serves him right, that asshole!”
“And number two: I’ll be getting a scholarship to…”
“That’s awesome!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Lola rose to hug her.
“… Wait, it’s not what you think, it’s – I’ve decided to finish my PhD in Finland.”
“What?” Lola dropped back onto her chair. “Did you say Finland? That’s like on the other side of the planet! What the hell do you want in Finland?”
“I’ll do research on the situation of the Saimaa ringed seal.”
“Can’t you do that somewhere closer?”
“No, douchebag because they exist only in that one lake in eastern Finland.” Felipe raised his glass, “Cheers, to your future! I’ll be sure to visit you over there sometime.”
Litza had already told him about the project, and although he still felt responsible for his sister, and didn’t like to see her go, he was sure the change of scenery would do her good after what she had been through.
“Cheers,” Lola’s voice was clearly less enthusiastic. “I’ll come and visit too. But can someone please explain to the layperson since when seals live in lakes?”
“There are only very few freshwater seals, and the Saimaa seals are among the most endangered in the world, there are only about 380 individuals left. That’s why it’s such an exciting opportunity. And you know how I’m slaving here, with my supervisor who’s never happy and changing his mind every other week. But in Finland they’re very interested in my project, I won’t have to do all the dirty work I’m doing here plus they granted me the scholarship.” Litza patted her friend’s hand. “I’ll be back soon. If everything works as planned, I’ll only need another year or two…”
2
Three months later, Litza dragged her suitcase into her brand new home in Oravi, Finland, which the university had organized for her. It was a small, neat one-room apartment furnished with a kitchenette, a small table, two chairs, a queen size bed and a nightstand. Nothing fancy, but it had everything she needed.
The trip had been long and exhausting and even though it was only afternoon, all she wanted to do was sleep. But not before she had taken a shower.
The hot water eased her aching back muscles and she felt herself loosen up. Coming here was a big step forward for both her professional and her private life. She could hardly believe how much her life had changed during the last year.
Not long ago Evangelitza York had been Evangelitza Carlton, wife to a successful plastic surgeon. She had considered it romantic when he proposed to her after only two months of dating. But reality had hit her soon enough when she discovered the true face of her alleged prince charming. Sometimes she asked herself if she could have foreseen it, had she paid closer attention to certain signs. But she hadn’t. And if she had, she had misinterpreted them. It wasn’t her fault.
But thank god, that was all over now. After a draining divorce, which took longer than their actual marriage, she was free again. And she was looking forward to a time away from home, to finally bury the ghosts of her past.
The next morning her doorbell rang. It was probably Professor – what was her name again? Litza quickly checked her notes. She had a hard time remembering names, let alone weird Finnish names. Yes, Professor Kaija Nurmi, who would be her primary academic contact during her time in Finland. They had exchanged a couple of e-mails and Kaija had suggested to take her out for breakfast and show her around.
Excited, Litza opened the door and found herself staring into a pair of chocolate brown eyes. She had expected a woman in her fifties. Instead, there was a tall, well-built man in a lumberjack shirt in his… early thirties, maybe? Quite young for a professor. His chestnut hair fell in waves down to his ears and his facial features reminded her of that Portuguese soccer player, whose name she couldn’t remember. Anyway, apparently ‘Kaija’ was a guy's name, but then what did she know about the Finnish language.
“Good morning. Evangelitza York?”
“Yes, hi. You are Professor Kaija Nurmi?”
“No,” he laughed, revealing a set of strong white teeth, “she came down with a flu and asked me to substitute her. My name is Niilo. Niilo Vuorikoski, I’m working for the Linnansaari National Park.”
“Nice to meet you, please call me Litza.”
“Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Together they walked down the road towards the water. At approximately 1,700 square miles, Saimaa was the fourth largest lake in Europe. Divided by thousands of islands and narrow canals, the lake featured several basins, each with it’s own name. It was like a huge water maze and Litza was grateful for the guidance.
When they reached the lakeshore, Niilo took hold of a canoe and motioned for her to get in without a word.
Well, she had read about the notorious Finnish taciturnity. “Um, Professor Nurmi said, she’d take me out to have breakfast, so I haven’t eaten…” In fact she hadn’t eaten since around noon the day before and she was starving.
“I know. We’ll have breakfast soon.”
Litza decided to go with the flow, follow her enigmatic guide and enjoy the scenery. Now, in early May, the air was still crisp, but the sun was already high in the clear blue sky, warming her face. All around plants were awakening from a long winter’s hibernation, showing off their first shy leaves. Here and there she could still make out the last remnants of snow. She sat in the bow of the canoe and offered to help him paddle, but he declined.
“Next time. You’re probably suffering from jet lag.”
He was right. The ten hour time difference still plagued her. He pushed off and navigated the canoe skillfully towards an island. Litza took a deep breath of the morning air and smiled at the lake. What a lovely setting. A perfect mirror, the huge lake lay in front of her, the shorelines lined with trees. The shimmering water emanated a deep calm, and the only sounds that reached her were Niilo’s paddle strokes, a soft wind caressing the trees and the twittering of birds.
After a few minutes they reached a small sandbank, where Niilo jumped out of the canoe and tied it to a tree.
“Come on, this way.”
Hesitantly, she followed him into the forest. There was no sign of human life. She had expected to go to a cafe somewhere… “Is this island inhabited?”
“Not by humans,” he said without turning around.
What was he up to? A small knot of fear started pulsating in her stomach. She was alone with a stranger somewhere on a deserted island in Finland. Nobody knows I’m here. And what was he carrying in that backpack? A knife? A gun? Her gut feeling told her he was a good guy, but then her gut feeling had betrayed her before…
On the other hand Professor Nurmi surely wouldn’t send some psycho to meet her, right? The forest opened up to a huge rock, which Niilo climbed with ease. He obviously knew where he was going and following in his path made the climb easy.
But how did she know Professor Nurmi had indeed sent him? Maybe he had just made the whole thing up. If she ran back to the canoe now, she might be able to get away…
“Um, where are we going?”
He climbed another two steep steps and held out his hand, “We’re already there.”
With mixed feelings, she accepted his hand…
Related products
-
Normal for Norfolk (The Thelonious T. Bear Chronicles) by Mitzi Szereto (co-authored with Teddy Tedaloo)
Pub landlords are being murdered in Norfolk!
Thelonious T. Bear, ursine photojournalist, leaves behind the big city life of London to take an assignment in the Norfolk countryside, where he hopes to find the real England. Instead he stumbles upon gastro-pubs, crazed Audi drivers and murder. As the hapless Thelonious keeps ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, he attracts the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Horatio Sidebottom of Norfolk Constabulary CID, who’s determined to tie Thelonious to the crimes. Add in a pair of hoods from London’s East End, celebrity TV chef Paolo Louis Black, and plenty of oddball local characters and it all adds up to a madcap journey through England’s most quirky county, where everything is normal (for Norfolk)!
The Dart Murders by James Kipling
Close to London, the tiny and fanciful town of Amersham is shaken by a sudden spate of homicides. The first to meet her unfortunate fate is a young woman named Jane Ferrier, murdered by a poisonous dart while walking home from work on the evening of June 15th. While on a holiday with her beau, Sarah Parker was killed in a motel room on July 15th, also the victim of a venomous dart. On August 15th, a young attorney named Michelle Pearson was found dead on a local park bench as the result of a toxic dart. As seemingly different as all three victims lived their lives, they did have something in common. In addition to having green eyes and blonde hair, the ill-fated individuals had a history of turbulent love affairs.
With Chief Inspector Patrick Campbell in charge of the case, can he and trusty colleagues Inspector Geoffrey and Constable Tim put a stop to the mysterious serial dart killings? Much to his dismay, the investigator soon discovers that the men involved in the case all have secrets of their own that, once unraveled, don’t make them as innocent as they would appear. What do the admirable Eric, suave Neil, apprehensive Jeremy, modest Wilbur, calm Philip, passionate Victor and vibrant Tony possibly have to hide?
Christmas Bizarre by Lizz Lund
What do Santa’s Sidekick, a dead lawyer and a geriatric vampire have in common? Meet Mina Kitchen – a forty-something single who finds trouble quicker than she can whip up a batch of breakfast breads. Plural. Her catering disorder runs neck-and-neck with her weird luck, and her cat’s weirder tendency toward gnawing elf gear. Okay, and getting kidnapped a couple of times in one week is a little strange, too.
Her next door neighbor Vito’s past as ex-leader of the Moils, the Jewish-Polish Family from Bumville, New Jersey, comes to light and throws a dollop of dilemmas into an already simmering plot.
Top it all off with a counterfeiting ring, a county-wide dearth of holiday wrapping tape, and a mass of pets running loose at the local mall, and what do you have? A recipe for disaster that Mina whips to a froth.
Christmas Bizarre will keep you smiling when you’re not shouting up a belly laugh. Set in Lancaster, “Pee-Ay” you’ll discover a lively cast of characters, funny dialogue and lots of twists and turns. Hang on tight – you’re in for a slalom of a holiday ride.
Christmas Bizarre is packed with delightful surprises – along with a bonus of free recipes, vetted by Lund’s chef husband, for your own culinary creation and consumption.
**Recipes included!**
Return to Hillsville-John Twait Mystery Series by Tony Rehor
John and Sarah Twait are living the retirement life to its fullest. Escaping death just weeks before their last day at the Hillsville Police Department the aging couple now has a different lookout on life. Clambakes, and relaxing nights on the beach are penciled in for the couple’s foreseeable future. The aging retired couple have a do nothing life, where coffee and beer are in perpetual rotation. A relaxing atmosphere and an open afternoon make for a healthy relationship environment. The harmony is slowly rebuilding in their blistering relationship and finally the Twaits may be honorable.The burninghot Bermuda sun has changed the pale Nebraska raisedSarah Twait into a gorgeous golden goddess and John Twait is loving every minute of it. He would let nothing come between him and his cowgirl. John, softened by the constant beer intake and lack of an alarm clock, continues his lust for women. John and Sarah’s erotic wishes are on hold. They must take with them their rekindled love hoping the flame continues to burn in a cold Nebraskin winter. Mike Yeager, John’s replacement as Hillsville Chief of Police, is in trouble. The Twaits’ young friend is being held on the charge of first degree murder in the death of Rose Tiddle, John Twait’s former mistress.
Shadow of the Wolf (In the Loup #1) by Mac Flynn
The moon is a harsh mistress for those with the curse. Only they understand the consequences when the full moon rises. Stephanie Yager slips into this world of struggle and seduction when she takes a wrong turn down destiny’s path.
The first part of sixteen-part serial of the werewolf romance series featuring the trials of Stephanie Yager.
Sloane Monroe Series Boxed Set by Cheryl Bradshaw
Enter the world of Sloane Monroe in Black Diamond Death…On the slopes of Park City, Utah’s newest ski resort a woman is found dead. At first glance, it has all the makings of an accident. But what if she was murdered? Although skeptical, PI Sloane Monroe takes the case and learns not everyone is who they seem, and some will go to any lengths to protect their identity. SINNERMAN: PI Sloane Monroe has solved every case that’s come across her desk with the exception of one—the brutal murder of her sister Gabrielle. Three years have passed without a trace of the serial killer until today, when a young woman’s body is discovered on a patch of dirt in front of the local supermarket. Will Sloane exact her revenge before Sinnerman slays his next victim, or will she be too late?I HAVE A SECRET:It’s been twenty years since PI Sloane Monroe has returned to her hometown of Tehachapi, California, but when a former classmate is stabbed and tossed overboard during the high school reunion cruise, Sloane isn’t about to allow a murderer to run free in her own backyard. But in a town where everyone is harboring secrets, how many more men will die before she discovers the truth?
Crucifix Jigsaw Trilogy – Book One by D.N. Leo
Despite her dark past, Madeline finally had her life under control. She was a successful New York journalist. That was until her best friend was kidnapped for ransom.
She thought she could outmaneuver the kidnapper. After all, she was an investigative journalist, top of her field. She could find out almost any information that she wanted. Madeline considered searching for the true identity of a kidnapping computer avatar a task she was more than capable of. She thought she could set her friend free.
That was until she discovered that she was dealing with one of the most mysterious and powerful families on Earth.Ciaran LeBlanc was considered a revolutionary in the pharmaceuticals field. He was powerful, viciously ambitious, and he trusted no one. Unfortunately, for Madeline, Ciaran held the key to information she so desperately needed.Earning Ciaran’s trust was one challenge but the greater challenge lay ahead.It was not a computer avatar she that she had to contend with. It was a hologame war. It was not a identity she had to expose, it was a five-century-old-secret. A secret that was the key to the past, and the future of humankind.
Within the secrets, greed, and hatred, Madeline also discovered love; that she was capable of loving. But this came at a cost – one Madeline never had imagined.
My Gift To You by Faye Hall
Rush Mullens saw her parents, Joseph and Carmen, being murdered before her eyes as an 8 year old child– ten cloaked figures destroying her once peaceful life. She did not know the men responsible, but she would find them. She wanted revenge…she needed it.
When Lord Justin Maston came to take her in to his care, she vowed she would use this opportunity to find the murderer’s she chased. She did not think she would also find a boy she could love more than her own life.
Bailey Maston had never supposed to mean any more to her than a friend, one who could protect her from the new lifestyle she had been forced into. What he had become though was a young man who could take her breath away, and steal her heart.
Rush knew Bailey knew nothing of her family, or the life she was raised to live. She doubted should he learn the truth that he would understand. She could not let him endanger the revenge she so craved to seek. Nor could she ignore that she was willing to risk all – her past, her life, her reputation – just to sample an ounce of passion from this man.
Bailey Maston wanted to find a woman – the perfect woman – to give his heart to. He wanted to trust that such a person could exist that would never betray him. Everything he had seen in his young life, both at home and in society, told him what a foolish dream this was. Such a woman could never exist. Even if she did, he doubted she would ever willingly give her heart to a love-starved boy like him.
Foolish though his dream was, Bailey could not help being drawn to the young orphaned girl his parents had taken in.
He wanted her friendship and the attention she so willingly offered to him.
He craved to feel the passion he knew was hidden deep inside her.
What he did not want was to fall in love with her.
When Bailey finally discovers the truth of Rush’s life, and the revenge she was enacting, he feels betrayed. Foolish though it was, he hopes that beyond this betrayal may yet lay the woman he has always yearned to find…a woman he craved to give his well-guarded heart to.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.