The Nighthawkers, by Amy L. Bernstein

Archaeologist Pauline Marsh may be haunted by the past. She’s hearing paranormal voices in her head that other people don’t. These voices want something. They’re looking to reconnect with love, and they are reaching out to Pauline for help. Why Pauline? With the difficult, lonely childhood Pauline emerged from, she feels completely unlovable and certainly unable to help others. Yet, these voices persist. Mysterious, physical seizures surge within Pauline with no warning. She dreads these episodes, which she calls the pulse. What are these forces bearing down upon her?

There is hope on Pauline’s horizon, and his name is Grey Henley.  At Carthage University, it’s graduation day full of ceremony, speeches, celebrations and receptions. Dean Nojes praises Pauline, who is the recipient of Carthage’s most coveted academic prize. Pauline feels unworthy of it, but she is obligated to show up at the Dean’s reception. She meets the most charming Grey Henley with his appealing, crooked grin and his sweet talk. That night they share an out-of-body experience, and are thrilled with the adventure of it. They want this fantastic escapade to last a lifetime.

Grey thinks he’s found the girl of his dreams, and Pauline feels Grey is the family life she’s never known and always longed for. He’s a handsome and charismatic man, and they seem to share a hot connection. These lovers plan a future together, treasure seeking for an immensely rich lifestyle. What impact does ambition have on love? And can true love survive the secrets they keep from each other, including those voices speaking to Pauline?

Ambition is a powerful emotion, and it can saturate a person’s spirit. This dynamic couple together pursue archaeological finds, but in time their nighthawking turns darkly to profiteering. Despite Pauline’s reluctance, they partner with a man Grey knows to sell their discoveries. There’s something odd about this new partner, Tyrone Lake. Although the trio start out successfully as a team, fate — or something — steps in with an unexpected twist.

This book is a thought-provoking journey into the powers that lie within a person, and where empowerment, once triggered, can lead a person. There is more than one way for Pauline to achieve what she wants more than anything in this world, but can she find her way? The characters in this story are fascinating, and the wordly as well as paranormal hurdles they must leap are emotionally challenging. The Nighthawkers push the boundaries as they delve into the riches of the past, and readers are treated to the excitement of their finds.

Amy Bernstein writes stories that let readers feel, while asking them to think. Her literary preoccupations include rooting for the underdog and putting ordinary people in difficult situations to see how they wriggle out. Bernstein is an award-winning journalist, playwright and certified nonfiction book coach. When she’s not writing about romance, including explicit romance novels, or dystopian futures, she loves listening to jazz and classical music, drinking wine with friends, and prowling around Baltimore’s waterfront.

— By Wendy Kendall

Wendy Kendall is an author with The Wild Rose Press. Her mysteries include Kat Out of the Bag and the prequel Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash. Her newest ebook is Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For.