A STUDY IN CHOCOLATE by Amber Royer – Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

A STUDY IN CHOCOLATE
Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 5
by
AMBER ROYER
Cozy Culinary Mystery / Women Sleuths / Romance 
Publisher: Golden Tip Press
Date of Publication: January 27, 2023
Number of Pages: 260 pages 
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Felicity Koerber’s bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is expanding, as it has become a gathering spot for the community, despite having been the scene of multiple murders. Artists she met while doing a chocolate sculpture are now working out of the shop. So when Felicity is invited to tea by an eccentric art collector, she’s intrigued, especially when she gets asked to pose for a portrait done with chocolate on chocolate. Only, where there is a murder the next day at the same historic house where the tea was held, one of Felicity’s artist friends becomes the main suspect.
When the killer threatens that unless Felicity unravels the murder, one of her two love interests will be the next victim, she finds herself unwittingly at the center of a puzzle with a Sherlock Holmes-obsessed murderer who wants to be the next Moriarty – and wants to cast Felicity as Sherlock.
Felicity starts finding unexpected connections between her friends and acquaintances and must deal with the idea that someone who knows her is a murderer. At the same time, she has to keep her business running, despite construction dust and unruly customers – and an unexpected order for thousands of truffles.
Satchmo the retired police-dog-turned-therapy dog returns to help her sniff out a few clues, and the kidnapping of Ruffles, the quirky artist’s cat, helps lead Felicity into the puzzle. Can Felicity solve it in time to protect the people she cares about from becoming additional victims?

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Review_preview

20230301_001646727_iOSMy new favorite cozy mystery series is back and it’s as engaging as ever! Amber Royer’s A Study in Chocolate entertains with its fast pace, scrumptious food descriptions, confounding mysteries (yes, plural), adorable animals, amazing information about several topics, and a huge cast of fascinating characters.

In this book 5 of the Bean to Bar Mysteries, we are reacquainted with several secondary characters from the previous books and introduced to a few new ones further proving my assertion that Amber Royer plans to include the entire population of Galveston in her stories. As usual, somebody turns up dead, and Felicity gets drawn into solving the mystery of who the murderer is. This time, deliberately by the killer themself with the added tension of a threat to Logan, one of Felicity’s two love interests, as the next target to die.

20230301_002428430_iOSEveryone is suspect and red herrings and misdirections abound as expected. Ms. Royer kept things interesting with details on chocolate roasting and truffle making and delving into the Sherlock Holmes cases.  It always amazes me how she is able to integrate so many disparate elements into a cohesive narrative. Food plus classic literature plus art plus family plus business plus romance equals a wonderfully enjoyable read. Even the dreaded love triangle didn’t bother me too much in this book because this is pretty much Logan-centric. I’m not sure if it’s a big hint about Felicity’s final choice or another misdirection by the author. I hope we find out in the next book as promised.

I also hope that the next book goes through an extra step of proofreading and better formatting before publication. While they didn’t detract from the story, some of the errors and the poor appearance of the paperback distracted me and lessened my appreciation for the book. What didn’t lessen is my gratitude to Lone Star Lit for inviting me to review this book for the blog tour. Thank you.

4 out of 5 stars


Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: A Workbook for Novelists, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach.
Amber and her husband live in the DFW Area, where you can often find them hiking or taking landscape/architecture/wildlife photographs. If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course! Amber blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate.
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ONE WINNER:
Signed copy of A Study in Chocolate +
a chocolate bar from French Broad Chocolate.
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FULL EXPOSURE by Thien-Kim Lam — Happy Book Birthday!

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FULL EXPOSURE

Thien-Kim Lam


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In FULL EXPOSURE, Thien-Kim serves up a piping hot dish of a romance featuring a boudoir photographer and an aspiring filmmaker finding love in the middle of Mardi Gras—can a Big Easy fling become the real thing?!

Boudoir photographer Josie Parks never ever takes a vacation. But when a client cancels a New Orleans shoot at the last minute, she decides to fly out from her Washington, D.C., studio anyway. Maybe the trip will reawaken her recently stagnant muse. After all, it’s Mardi Gras season…

Spencer Pham has come home after twelve soul-sucking years in corporate hell to pursue his passion: making a docu-film on his family’s history as the first Vietnamese Mardi Gras krewe. The last thing he expects is getting whacked in the head by a beautiful woman trying to snag some parade beads.

Over some beignets and coffee, Spencer and Josie connect over their artistic pursuits. He offers to show her the real New Orleans, if she’ll help him with the camerawork for his film. Despite Josie’s type-A personality clashing with Spencer’s laissez-faire attitude, they seem to make a great team, and soon, the good times are rolling both on and off camera. But Josie has a life in D.C., and they both have big dreams they’re chasing. When this Big Easy fling starts feeling awfully serious, can they find a way to choose between personal and professional passion?

 

Buy links: 

Amazon          Harper Collins          Barnes & Noble          Bookshop

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ABOUT THIEN-KIM

Thien-Kim Lam_Photo Courtesy of the AuthorThien-Kim Lam writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes and find their happy endings. A recovering Type-Asian, she guzzles cà phê sữa đá, makes art, and bakes her feelings to stay sane.

Thien-Kim is also the founder of Bawdy Bookworms, a subscription box that pairs sexy romances with erotic toys. She’s been featured on Jezebel, Bustle, Entertainment Weekly, and Oprah Daily.

 

Social links:

Website     Facebook     Twitter     Instagram 

 


REVIEW

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To follow.

THE BEST MAN’S PROBLEM by Sera Taíno – Featured New Release

TBMP now available

THE BEST MAN’S PROBLEM

Sera Taíno


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He can’t forget the kiss he shared with the best man.The Best Man's Problem

But is he the best man for him?  

His sister’s wedding isn’t the ideal place for Rafael Navarro to reconnect with the man he kissed in a moment of reckless abandon. But it’s impossible to avoid best man Étienne Galois! The gorgeous Haitian photographer hasn’t forgotten the intimate moment they shared, even if Rafi is the most maddening person he’s ever met. Can the two find common ground, proving opposites not only attract—they can become lovers for life?

 
The Navarros

Book 1:  A Delicious Dilemma
Book 2: The Best Man’s Problem
Book 3: The Trouble with Exes

 

Purchase from your favorite retailer here: https://serataino.com/thebestmansproblem


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Author-Sera-Taino-ColorSera Taíno writes romances exploring the joy of love in the context of community and family in all its rich diversity with an emphasis on inclusiveness.

She was selected for the Harlequin Romance Includes You Mentorship, an initiative launched in 2019 to reach out to diverse communities of writers and bring more own voices stories to romance readers.

Her debut novel, A Delicious Dilemma, published with Harlequin Special Edition, is now available.

When she is not writing, Sera can be found teaching her high school English class, reading, or wrangling her husband and two children.

Sign up for Sera’s newsletter here, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, or BookBub to stay up to date.


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I am so happy the Familia Navarro is back! I felt an affinity with this family (especially Papi Enrique) since Sera introduced them in A Delicious Dilemma and I’d been impatiently waiting for Val’s siblings to have their own stories. And now, they’re here beginning with Rafi’s story in The Best Man’s Problem.

Grab the moment because life is too short to waste any of it.”

I knew from the start that I would like this story because opposites attract is one of my favorite Romance tropes.  And boy, are Rafi and Étienne opposites. Rafi is so controlled, super organized, and a lot uptight while Étienne is a little chaotic, seize-the-day kind of person. This is the main reason for all the pushing away that happens in the story. And the pull? It’s the physical attraction between them plus the similarity in their love of their respective families and fierce loyalty–Rafi to Val and Étienne to Philip. 

I know my worth … I deserve to have someone love me with their whole chest.”

As always, Sera’s writing is lush. Her prose is lyrical and evocative. She makes me relate to the characters and feel for them. I may have related too much to Étienne because, during the point of high conflict, I wanted to kick Rafi’s stubborn ass. Oops!

Life has no loyalty to anyone, so you must live it without remorse.”

I love the diversity, the rich multicultural background, and the steam in Sera’s stories. The first two books in the series have been excellent. I can’t wait for Nati’s turn!

 

4 out of 5 stars

 

 

DOUBLE HAPPINESS by Jen Trinh — Featured New Release

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DOUBLE HAPPINESS

Jen Trinh


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A pickle-loving industrial designer sets out to prove that the only man worthy of her younger sister is their cute-AF childhood best friend. Forced proximity/one-bed/friends-to-lovers awesomeness ensues in this romantic comedy novella.

Winnie’s sister Nancy is engaged to The Wrong Person. Anyone who isn’t Steven Yi is The Wrong Person. He’s a cute, silly doctor with a crisp, yummy voice, and the two of them were born in the same hospital on the same day. How much clearer could the Universe be?

A recovering divorcee, Winnie knows all too well what it means to marry badly. She’ll do anything to prove that Steven is The Only Person for Nancy, even if she has to throw them together over and over again herself. But her plotting pulls her closer to Steven, close enough where she begins to suspect that The Only Wrong Person is her. She could be happy, so much happier than she is now … but is it worth risking a life-long friendship and utter heartbreak?

Hint: Yes, yes it is. HEA guaranteed!

Buy Links:

Universal          Amazon          Apple

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ABOUT JEN

jen trinh profilephotoA PhD in Physics, Jen left the tech world to write funny, heartfelt contemporary romances with diverse Asian American characters. Her debut novel, Crushing on You, was a finalist in two categories of the 2020 NJRW Golden Leaf contest.


She lives in a pile of blankets near a pretty nice Wawa, with her husband and multiple tropical plants. 

Website: jentrinhwrites.com
Instagram: instagram.com/jentrinhwrites
TikTok: tiktok.com/@jentrinhwrites
Twitter: twitter.com/jentrinhwrites


REVIEW

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An utterly delightful novella by a new-to-me author, Double Happiness lives up to its title by delivering a funny and low-conflict friends-to-lovers story that’s filled with witty banter between lovable characters. A true rom-com. 

As an older sister, I related so much to Winnie and her “I know best” attitude. She wasn’t overbearing at all. Everything she did came from a place of caring. I love her and Nancy’s relationship. It reminds me of the same closeness between my younger sister and me.

I was charmed by Steven. He was adorable. Jen wrote him so well. Despite not knowing his POV, the reader can tell his feelings through the dialogue.

Jen incorporated Chinese wedding traditions so seamlessly into the story. The groom’s challenges in the wedding door games were highly creative and really hilarious. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read and will now catch up on Jen Trinh’s book catalog. 

5 stars

FRIENDS WITH ISSUES by Meredith Berlin — Featured New Release

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FRIENDS WITH ISSUES

Meredith Berlin


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fwiThree-time-Emmy nominee and former editor-in-chief of “Seventeen Magazine” and “Soap Opera Digest” Meredith Berlin is releasing her debut contemporary fiction, Friends With Issues (January 24, 2023, Warren Publishing), which follows three glamorous, self-made women in their 40s who gamble with love, sex and their careers in NYC and L.A., as one charismatic man captivates them all. 

Friends With Issues follows Brooke, Elizabeth, and Susan, three friends who have made their mark on Manhattan but who now struggle with the daily balancing act of career, friendship, and intimacy. Brooke thought she married the man of her dreams, but now she’s questioning her marriage as she embarks on a new venture to Hollywood. Elizabeth’s sex life is incredible, but only on her husband’s terms–and after a shattering diagnosis, she attempts to remake herself in order to recover some semblance of her identity. Susan should be ecstatic when her media mogul husband catapults them into financial security, but as her uncertainty about their relationship grows, she opens a Pandora’s box of new passion by finally admitting that her sexual and romantic preferences do not lie exclusively with men.

In Meredith Berlin’s provocative debut, these women discover that their relationships to sex, love, friends, and personal identity can transform at any age–and money doesn’t protect you from the unimaginable. Fans of Big Little Lies, The Manhattan Girls, Valley of the Dolls, and novels by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Jessica Anya Blau will devour this absorbing drama to its powerful end.

Buy Links:

Amazon          Barnes & Noble          Kobo


ABOUT MEREDITH

Meredith BerlinMeredith Berlin was the editor-in-chief of several magazines, including Soap Opera Digest and Seventeen. Her freelance articles and profiles have appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines. Meredith is a three-time Emmy-nominated executive producer and has been a regular on-air contributor to television news and entertainment shows. Like a few of her characters, she worked as a jeweler and lived in the northern suburbs of New York City. Meredith was diagnosed with MS over twenty years ago. She has been active on MS boards and feels privileged to advocate for others who have the disease. Meredith has been married for over thirty years and has three adult children and one perfect granddaughter. Like many former New Yorkers, she currently lives in Florida. This is her first novel. Read more at meredithberlin.com.

Follow Meredith Berlin on social media:

Instagram: @meredith_berlin | Facebook: @meredithberlin


AN INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH

  • How has your professional life, working as editor-in-chief for Seventeen Magazine and Soap Opera Digest, influenced your writing? 

Soap Opera Digest not only taught me about that particular community of actors and actresses. More importantly, it taught me about the art of storytelling. Daily soap scripts are the length of most movies. No reruns. Soaps are where writers learned about arcs and long form storytelling. They’ve been around since the early days of radio. Seventeen, is considered a national treasure. A girl’s first real magazine. It taught me about fashion, respect for teens, what is current and on the minds of girls. It taught me how to capture a reader and not let go.

  • How has your MS diagnosis impacted you and your writing?

MS taught me that I have to respect my body. It’s a disease that doesn’t allow you to “push through” When you need to rest, you must rest. Because I look fine, with no outward symptoms, it’s also called on me to be more of an advocate for myself. My disability is not seen but I must communicate that I have one, IF the situation calls for it. It’s taught me about self advocacy in general.  I have learned to accept what my body tells me and listen to it.

  • What made you decide to return to writing, and how has your life changed since you have?

I saw a movie on TV 20 years after I wrote the book and said, “That’s my book!” Of course it wasn’t, but the relationship between the women, the fact that they were wealthy but also self made, had strengths, weaknesses, love problems, children problems and relied on each other, made me realize that my book’s themes were evergreen. I was enthused to return to it. And finishing the book became a fever goal. My family pushed me on. 

  • Let’s talk about your characters. You mention that people are not just “one thing”. How does this show up in your characters?

I can expand more fully! If you see a well dressed, wealthy woman, you can come up with an idea of what kind of life that person lives. If you talk to someone who’s confrontational, and rude, you want to stay away. If you meet someone with a wrenching disease, you imagine that their life is a struggle. But you don’t know their backstory. It’s only by listening and investing the time in someone else that you might learn, ie, that the confrontational person, ie, has been severely emotionally crippled in their past and it colors what they say and do. Listening, giving people second chances and believing that everyone has a story is, for me, a more connected way to live. Doesn’t mean you have to like them. It’s just interesting to remember that most of us have layers and reasons for what we do. 

  • How does this book show the truth of life – that we all struggle and have to adapt? 

Yes, it’s a good subject to expand on. Well, the most recent example of that is that my entire family has come down with CoVid and I’m on deadline. I’m here in Massachusetts, meant to take care of my granddaughter, while being slayed with the virus. Didn’t plan on it. I’m exhausted, anxious, worried. I want to push through but I can’t. So what to do? Ask for help, lower my expectations, believe that I will still show the world the best book I can write and rely on family and friends to support me when I tell myself a million times a day, “Oh God, what if I can’t?”

  • As somebody who has interviewed a lot of celebrities – who was your most interesting interview?

The first interview I ever conducted was with the most famous man in the world — Muhammad Ali. It was also the easiest because he did all the talking. I was 20 years old and scared to death! I was also paid the “ridiculously high fee” of $25 for for writing the story for my local newspaper. How I got the interview and why Ali said yes is a story of persistence, fear, and the generosity of an incredible boxer.

  • What do you want readers to take away from your book?

I want them to relate to my characters. I want them to see themselves or someone they know in them. I want them to know that we–as humans–have inner strength to get us through the worst. I hope they see that humor, love and support can help us through the good times and bad.

FINDING MY DESTYNEE – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

FINDING MY DESTYNEE
Rafter O Ranch, Book 3
by
NATALIE CLINE BRIGHT & DENISE F. McALLISTER
Holiday Romance / Country Music Romance / Wholesome
Publisher: CKN Christian Publishing
Publication Date: October 18, 2022
Page Count: 245 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR A GIVEAWAY!

True heart’s desire cannot be ignored.

Destynee Olsen has always done what her mother asked, but the road to stardom could mean leaving behind a piece of her heart.

Travis Olsen tries desperately to honor his vow to support his wife. Watching their son grow up without a mother is asking too much and his resentment builds. A marriage alone and single parenting is not what he signed up for.

The line has been drawn between a woman who has been told that her destiny to be a star is more important than she is and a cowboy who refuses to destroy his wife’s dream. Destynee and Travis have to decide what’s important. Can they discover the life they were meant to have at the risk of denying their own hearts?

PRAISE FROM AMAZON REVIEWERS:

“The dialog brings the story to life, and the stage scenes are intriguing and vivid as Destynee decides just how much fame is worth, and the cost to her heart and family.”

“…an emotional read about a young couple, each trying to survive their marriage. The storyline brings heartache, forgiveness, and reconciliation as God works to bring peace and contentment back to their marriage.”

“Another great read with excellent characters.”

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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Discerning God’s will is never easy. For young couple Destynee and Travis, following God’s plan becomes a struggle when separated by distance and ambition. That they’re miles apart during the holidays, having their faith–in God and in each other–shaken by doubts makes Finding My Destynee an affecting read.

Ms. Bright and Ms. McAllister created realistic and sympathetic characters in Destynee and Travis, infusing them with both insecurities and resolve. I couldn’t help but feel for them, young and misguided though they were at the beginning. I appreciate how much they’ve grown at the end of the story. They were at times frustrating but I found myself rooting for them to overcome their problems, which happen to reflect real life.

The supporting characters, for the most part, were wonderful, especially Travis’s family. Baby Wyatt was a particular favorite of mine, having been described in the most adorable way possible by the authors. The one I had trouble with was Destynee’s mother Julee Rae. She was a villainess through and through with no redeeming qualities. I would have liked a stronger argument for Destynee following Julee Rae’s every demand if her mother was shown to really care about her daughter. Unfortunately, she was one-note heinous and that was disappointing.

Another aspect I consider lacking in the story was Romance. Destynee and Travis only had three scenes together. Four, if I count the phone call. In two of those scenes, they were fighting. That is not incredibly romantic. I wish more of their backstory were included here and I don’t have to read the first two books in the series to find out how they got together and fell in love.

What the co-authors got right most was in telling a seamless story.  Readers more familiar with their individual works might be able to distinguish which parts each wrote, but I couldn’t. That speaks very well of their talents.

Finding My Destynee invokes the spirit of Christmas and I am thankful to the authors for the gift of their story and to Lone Star Lit for including me in the blog tour.

Three-half-stars


Texas author Natalie Bright writes novels for kids and adults that combine her passion of the American West with a small-town vibe. She calls the wide-open land and endless sky of the Texas Panhandle home, which inspires her work. Her co-author is a Georgia writer and editor. Denise F. McAllister credits a love of horseback riding and 15 years in equestrian showmanship for her heartfelt connection to all things western.
Natalie’s Social Media & Author Pages
Denise’s Social Media & Author Pages
| Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon |

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ONE WINNER!
Receives the full Rafter O Ranch eBook Series
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 12/29/22.)

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JOANNE EASLEY NOVELS: Multi-Book Blitz and Giveaway

SWEET JANE, JUST ONE LOOK,
&
I’LL BE SEEING YOU
by
Joanne Kukanza Easley
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

SWEET JANE

2019 Wisdom-Faulkner Award finalist
2020 Adult Fiction winner Texas Author Project
2020 Sarton Award Finalist
2020 Eric Hoffer Award Short List

A drunken mother makes childhood ugly. Jane runs away at sixteen, determined to leave her fraught upbringing in the rearview. Vowing never to return, she hitchhikes to California, right on time for the Summer of Love. Seventeen years later, she looks good on paper: married, grad school, sober, but her carefully constructed life is crumbling. When Mama dies, Jane returns for the funeral, leaving her husband in the dark about her history. Seeing her childhood home and significant people from her youth catapults Jane back to the events that made her the woman she is. She faces down her past and the ghosts that shaped her family. A stunning discovery helps Jane see her problems through a new lens.

Family Saga / Women’s Fiction / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Red Boots Press
Pages: 279 pages
Publication Date: September 17, 2022

JUST ONE LOOK

May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick
2020 Shelf Unbound 2021 Notable 100 Best Indie Books
2020 Recommended by US Review of Books
In 1965 Chicago, thirteen-year-old Dani Marek declares she’s in love, and you best believe it. This is no crush, and for six blissful years she fills her hope chest with linens, dinnerware, and dreams of an idyllic future with John. When he is killed in action in Viet Nam, Dani’s world shatters. She launches a one-woman vendetta against the men she seeks out in Rush Street’s singles bars. Her goal: break as many hearts as she can. Dani’s ill-conceived vengeance leads her to a loveless marriage that ends in tragedy. At twenty-four, she’s left a widow with a baby, a small fortune, and a ghost—make that two. Set in the turbulent Sixties and Seventies, Just One Look explores one woman’s tumultuous journey through grief, denial, and letting go.
Family Saga / Women’s Fiction / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Red Boots Press
Pages: 293 pages
Publication Date: September 17, 2022
CLICK TO PURCHASE!

I’LL BE SEEING YOU

The new release from Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look

A saga spanning five decades, I’ll Be Seeing You, explores one woman’s life, with and without alcohol to numb the pain.

Young Lauren knows she doesn’t want to be a ranch wife in Palo Pinto County, Texas. After she’s discovered by a modeling scout at the 1940 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade, she moves to Manhattan to begin her glamourous career. A setback ends her dream, and she drifts into alcohol dependence and promiscuity. By twenty-four, she’s been widowed and divorced, and has developed a pattern of fleeing her problems with geographical cures. Lauren’s last escape lands her in Austin, where, after ten chaotic years, she achieves lasting sobriety and starts a successful business, but happiness eludes her.

Fast forward to 1985. With a history of burning bridges and never looking back, Lauren is stunned when Brett, her third husband, resurfaces, wanting to reconcile after thirty-three years. The losses and regrets of the past engulf her, and she seeks the counsel of Jane, a long-time friend from AA. In the end, the choice is Lauren’s. What will she decide?

Family Saga / Women’s Fiction / Addiction & Recovery / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Red Boots Press
Pages: 227 pages
Publication Date: August 28, 2022
CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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Spanning nearly five decades, I’ll Be Seeing You tells the incredibly riveting story of Ruby/Lauren Eaton. In this genre crossover between women’s fiction and historical fiction, Ms. Easley takes Lauren back and forth between Texas and New York from 1938 to 1985 – working, loving, winning, losing, learning, failing, and altogether living a fascinating life uniquely her own.

For all that this book covers forty-seven years of Lauren’s life, it was actually a quick read because it was so engaging. I found myself transported to the time periods and settings skillfully described in the story. Having just visited Pearl Harbor before reading this, I connected best with the scenes depicting events during World War II. Those showed excellent research and came across as lived experiences.

One of the things I liked most about this story is the constancy of the element of friendship in Lauren’s life. From Clare to Milly to Harold to Alice to Helen and to Jane, Lauren always had some kind of support system. It’s especially important because of her estrangement from her family and her lack of success in love.

Another aspect of this book I really liked is how diverse the mix of characters is in terms of ethnicity, gender identity, and political affiliation. It seems reflective of society even in the past.

Lauren’s struggle to overcome alcoholism was quite an effective plotline. It would resonate with many readers looking for main characters who are flawed yet still trying to become the best version of themselves.

Huge thanks to Lone Star Lit for including me in the blog tour and to Ms. Easley for providing me a copy of the book to review.
4 out of 5 stars

A retired registered nurse with experience in both the cold, clinical operating room and the emotionally fraught world of psychiatric hospitals, Joanne lives on a small ranch in the Texas Hill Country, where she writes fiction about complicated, twentieth-century women.

Her multi-award-winning debut, Sweet Jane, was named the adult fiction winner at the Texas Author Project and shortlisted for the Sarton Award and Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Just One Look, Joanne’s second novel was a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. I’ll BeSeeing You, her third novel, features characters from Sweet Jane. Her prize-winning short stories and poetry have appeared in several anthologies.
***
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THREE WINNERS!
Each receives an eBook of
SWEET JANE or
JUST ONE LOOK or
I’LL BE SEEING YOU
(U.S. only; ends midnight, CDT, 11/17/22)

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CONCRETE EVIDENCE By DiAnn Mills – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

CONCRETE EVIDENCE
by
DiAnn Mills

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Pages: 416 pages

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Categories: Christian Fiction / Mystery & Thrillers

Scroll down for a giveaway!


Bestselling and award-winning author DiAnn Mills delivers a heart-stopping story of a faulty construction job, the discovery of a dead body, and a sinister plot.

On the family’s Brazos River Ranch in Texas, Avery Elliott helps run her grandfather’s commercial construction business. Raised by Senator Elliott, Avery has never doubted her grandfather is the man of integrity and faith she’s always believed him to be …. until the day she finds him standing with a gun over the body of a dead man. To make matters worse, Avery’ just discovered a billing discrepancy for materials supposedly purchased for construction of the Lago de Cobre Dam.

Desperate for answers, Avery contacts FBI Special Agent Marc Wilkins for help. As Marc works to identify the dead man Avery saw, threats toward Avery create a fresh sense of urgency to pinpoint why someone wants to silence her. With a hurricane approaching the Texas coast and the structural integrity of the Lago de Cobre Dam called into question, time is running out to get to the bottom of a sinister plot that could be endangering the lives of not only Avery and her loved ones but the entire community.

Praise For CONCRETE EVIDENCE

“* VERDICT Mills . . . delivers another action-packed novel that offers intrigue and an adventurous ride. Recommend to fans of Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, and Carrie Stuart Parks.” – LIBRARY JOURNAL, Shondra Brown

“The confident plotting keeps the mysteries coming, and red herrings will have readers guessing the culprit through to the satisfying conclusion. Fans of Colleen Coble and Susan Sleeman will savor this thrilling standalone.” – PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY

PURCHASE LINKS ARE FOUND AT:

https://diannmills.com/books/concrete-evidence


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Action, adventure, danger, excitement. Romance. Faith. Concrete Evidence has them all and so much more. Like the approaching hurricane in the story, the events in this book happen fast and furious with surges of violence and the occasional calm that only portends of more devastating crises to come. It wasn’t until the very end that my heartbeat settled into its normal pace.

…truth is first believed in the heart.”

Suspicious deaths brought construction business owner Avery Elliott and FBI Special Agent Marc Wilkins together in the most fraught of ways. Confused and afraid, Avery was on the run after seeing her beloved grandfather standing over a dead man’s body with a gun in his hand. Marc just buried the father who abandoned him when he was a child and was dealing with a mother who didn’t believe her former husband died of a heart attack as the autopsy declared. To top it all, he found out he has a teenage sister now under his guardianship.

Through explosions and shootings, sabotages and storms, these two somehow found themselves falling for each other. As a Romance reader, I approve and appreciate their decision to keep things slow and get to know each other better once the cases are resolved. As a Romance author, I’d have gone in a direction more in keeping with my Carpe Diem brand, but that would be a different story altogether. The choices Ms. Mills made here fit her particular subgenre of Christian fiction perfectly.

None of us have any control of when the good Lord takes us home. What we do control is how much we love and show our love.”

One of the things I love about this book is the fact that faith is observed and practiced, not merely paid lip service. Many of the characters’ actions are driven by their belief that a higher power will reveal truths and deliver them to safety. This gave them the courage to face dangers head-on. Some of their actions could be considered reckless which could potentially frustrate readers or have them chalk it up to adding suspense. I’m in the latter camp that found the intrepidity of the main characters acceptable.

What frustrated me is the ease with which I guessed who the main villain is. Ms. Mills provided plenty of red herrings and cast suspicions on several people but I zeroed in on the mastermind as soon as they were introduced in the story. I wanted to be proved wrong but I wasn’t, hence the slight disappointment. I recognize that it’s a ‘me problem’ and not an issue shared by the majority of readers. As they say, your mileage may vary.

In the note Ms. Mills wrote me, she said, “Expect an adventure.” I expected and she delivered spectacularly. Thanks, Ms. Mills and Tyndale Fiction, for providing me with a copy to review and enjoy. Thanks, Lone Star Lit, for including me in the blog tour.

4 out of 5 stars


DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. You can download a list of her published titles by clicking here.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a former director of Blue Ridge Christian Writers, and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She shares her passion for helping other writers be successful by teaching writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

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FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY,
OR VISIT THE PARTICIPATING BLOGS DIRECTLY:

10/18/22

Jennie Reads

Guest Post

10/18/22

Hall Ways Blog

BONUS Promo

10/19/22

Shelf Life Blog

Review

10/19/22

Rainy Days with Amanda

Guest Post

10/19/22

LSBBT Blog

BONUS Promo

10/20/22

The Book’s Delight

Review

10/20/22

Rox Burkey Blog

Guest Post

10/21/22

All the Ups and Downs

Guest Post

10/21/22

That’s What She’s Reading

Review

10/22/22

Reading by Moonlight

Review

10/23/22

It’s Not All Gravy

Guest Post

10/24/22

The Plain-Spoken Pen

Review

10/25/22

Stories Under Starlight

Guest Post

10/25/22

StoreyBook Reviews

Review

10/26/22

Forgotten Winds

Review

10/27/22

The Clueless Gent

Review

10/27/22

Carpe Diem Chronicles

Review

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THE LOST MELODY by Joanna Davidson Politano – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

THE LOST MELODY
by
Joanna Davidson Politano
Historical Romance / Christian Fiction
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 384 pages
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s father dies, he leaves to her the care of a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. Vivienne had no idea the woman existed, and yet her portrait is shockingly familiar. When the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.
The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know.
But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?
Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women’s independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era–and now.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

“Haunting. Riveting. Filled with hope. The Lost Melody is all these things and more. Author Joanna Davidson Politano delves into the dark world of Victorian mental health, and it’s the reader who comes out the winner after being enchanted by this tale of identity lost. After you read the last page, the characters will live on in your mind. Truly a fantastic read!” — Michelle Griep, author of Lost in Darkness

“Joanna Davidson Politano’s stories go on my bookshelf as a favorite! The stories she pens entice my Gothic-loving senses, thrill my literary soul, and inspire the dark romantic inside my spirit. I cannot emphasize enough how strongly I adore each story from this vivid and insightful author, and how badly I wish for all readers to experience her tales!” — Jaime Jo Wright, author of The Souls of Lost Lake, and Christy Award-winning The House on Foster Hill

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An incredibly gripping symphony of music and faith, The Lost Melody held me in thrall from its darkly dramatic beginning to its gentle, hopeful finish.

Music opens up what we once believed lost.”

This book is unlike anything I usually read with its highly unromantic setting of a lunatic asylum and its emotionally broken characters. But having read and enjoyed a couple of Ms. Politano’s works in the past, I was enticed to give this one a try and I don’t regret immersing myself in this highly original story one bit.

Ms. Politano has an unparalleled talent for interweaving music and scriptures into a story in a way that is authentic and intrinsic. Music and scriptures are the means by which Vivienne proved her identity, survived her ordeal, and fulfilled her mission to save many lives. They also brought her true friendship and the unexpected promise of love.

There is no such thing as hopeless cases. Only those who have lost hope.”

The images Ms. Politano painted about the situations of several patients in the asylum were quite stark, woeful, and sometimes downright scary. The abuse Vivienne suffered enraged me at times and ensured that I’d root for her to gain her freedom. I don’t know how anyone who read this book wouldn’t be affected by her, Bridget, Dr. Turner, Violet, Otto, Anna, Philippe, Rose, and many others.

The spotlight on mental health in the distant past is enlightening and at the same time disheartening in the sense that we still don’t have a full understanding of it in the present.

Sometimes when you live among storms, you become a rock to endure the waves.”

If I have any cavil at all, it’s the insignificant presence of romance in the story. It’s there but not central to the plot and there’s a happy-for-now ending. Both combined barely meet the requirements to be considered part of the genre. I’ll say this is Christian Fiction with Romantic Elements rather than straight-up Christian Romance.

What people say about closed doors is true. If the way is barred to you, simply find an open window to go through instead.”

This book thoroughly engaged me. It made me feel and think. I recommend reading it in one sitting with lights ablaze.

Huge thanks to Lone Star Lit for the opportunity to join the blog tour and to Revell Books for the gift of a copy to review. The Lost Melody has probably one of the loveliest covers I’ve ever beheld. It would make a great gift for any occasion.

4 Four-half-stars


Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, The Love Note, and A Midnight Dance. She loves tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives and is eager to hear anyone’s story. She lives with her husband and their children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan.

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ONE WINNER!
Receives a Sterling Silver Treble Clef pendant necklace
+ Copy of The Lost Melody
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, October 14, 2022.)

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CREATRIX RISING by Stephanie Raffelock–Audiobook Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

CREATRIX RISING
AUDIOBOOK
Written & Narrated by
STEPHANIE RAFFELOCK
Nonfiction / Self Help Memoir / Aging & Longevity
Publisher: Narrating Sound
Length: 4 hours, 43 minutes
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

Ever since Eve was banned from the garden, women have endured the oftentimes painful and inaccurate definitions foisted upon them by the patriarchy. Maiden, mother, and crone, representing the three stages assigned to a woman’s life cycle, have been the limiting categories of both ancient and modern (neo-pagan) mythology. And one label, in particular, rankles: crone. The word conjures a wizened hag—useless for the most part, marginalized by appearance and ability.
None of us has ever truly fit the old-crone image, and for today’s midlife women, a new archetype is being birthed: the Creatrix.
In Creatrix Rising, Raffelock lays out—through personal stories and essays—the highlights of the past fifty years, in which women have gone from a quiet strength to a resounding voice. She invites us along on her own transformational journey by providing probing questions for reflection so that we can flesh out and bring to life this new archetype within ourselves. If what the Dalai Lama has predicted—that women will save the world—proves true, then the Creatrix will for certain be out front, leading the pack.
CLICK TO PURCHASE!

Last year, Creatrix Rising was one of my Top 21 Reads of 2021. After this re-read, it’s one of my favorites of 2022 as well. With nearly 4,000 unread books in my TBR mountain, I don’t often re-read. I made an exception for this book because I know my time and attention will be rewarded with invaluable pearls of wisdom, uplifting affirmations, and unparalleled inspiration.

These writings are meant to inspire you to tell your own story about how you are claiming your voice as a mature woman, and to recognize how truly powerful, remarkable, and noble that is.”

Read by Ms. Raffelock herself in her pleasingly melodious voice, the Creatrix Rising audiobook takes on a conversational tone. It is more informal, more intimate, and more personal than the written version.  If the listener takes the time to respond to the guide questions in the For Reflection, Activity, and Journaling section as I did, the audiobook becomes even more interactive. In this version, Ms. Raffelock’s role as mentor, friend, and confidante is magnified.

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Creatrix – a woman who makes things.”

When I reviewed this book for the first time, I immediately claimed to identify with the new archetype. Why not? I was a 48-year-old writer who had already published eight books. But the truth was I was merely being aspirational. By the time of my posting, I hadn’t written a new story in more than six months. I was a woman who hadn’t made anything. I wasn’t a creatrix in the truest sense of the word.

Now, I am.

She knows who she is and what she stands for, and where she belongs. She lives life as an artist, creatively and with passion.”

For my third new story of the year, for the first time in my career, I am writing a heroine who is turning fifty, who is experiencing the early stages of menopause, and who is enjoying a romance with a man ten years her junior. I’m writing about a creatrix and I would like to give credit to Ms. Raffelock and her book for the inspiration.

You’ve been passed a torch. Now you hold that light to help not only yourself, but other women as well. It’s time to name and claim your power.”

Impactful. A book that deserves space in the Keeper Shelf. I will re-read and re-listen to this every year.

To Lone Star Lit, She Writes Press, and Stephanie Raffelock, I appreciate being included in this blog tour. Thank you.

5 stars


Stephanie Raffelock is an author, speaker, and voiceover artist. She is the editor of the anthology, Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis (2022). Stephanie is the author of Creatrix Rising, Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women (2021) and she penned the award-winning book, A Delightful Little Book on Aging (2020). She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and a goofy Labrador Retriever named Mickey.

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FOUR WINNERS
Each receives an audiobook + a print copy of
CREATRIX RISING
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 9/16/22.)

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