NOT THAT DUKE by Eloisa James – Featured New Release

NOT THAT DUKE

Eloisa James

BLURB

The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles…until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.

Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors—which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then—

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love—but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

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ABOUT ELOISA JAMES

Eloisa James is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance novels who has published over 30 books, translated in 26 languages, with sales worldwide of 7 million. Eloisa’s “double life” fascinates people, since as Mary Bly, she’s a Shakespeare scholar and Chair of the English Department at Fordham University. An example: Eloisa wrote the New York Times bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, about the year her family spent in France, and Mary wrote Lizzie and Dante, a contemporary novel about a Shakespeare professor. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy.

Follow Eloisa:

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REVIEW

With its combination of an adorable heroine, clueless duke hero, witty repartee, and steamy sexytimes, Not That Duke is my favorite of the series, so far. Of the three heroines, short, plump, bespectacled, freckled, clumsy, and clever Stella answers best to the title Would-Be Wallflower. I love that she didn’t have to change herself in order for Silvester to fall for her.

She wanted what Merry had, what Yasmin had … She’d spent her life never being loved for being herself. She’d be damned if she accepted a lifetime of the same.”

And, for all that he’s slow on the uptake and he fought his feelings for a long time, Silvester appreciated Stella for her uniqueness. I absolutely loved reading the progression of their relationship, especially when Silvester started seeing Stella in a new light and the lightbulb moment when he finally realized that he loves her. While his cluelessness made me roll my eyes, I have a fondness for him borne out of reading the previous book in the series and how he was like a big brother to Yasmin. Also, I live in Huntington so, I claim him as my duke.

I love the way you say No to me … The way you say Yes to me.”

Between the pets, the children, the duchesses, and Eloisa James’s signature multitude of fascinating secondary characters, there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. There were touching ones too, especially that confrontation scene between Stella and Silvester near the end. I was already giving this book a high rating, but the fact that it brought me to tears really brought it over the edge.

My only criticism is that the cover doesn’t represent Stella very well. Where’s the spectacle, the prominent bosom, the freckles? I wish Ms. James would insist upon a truer-to-book-description cover model in future books.

Many of the scenes in Not That Duke took place at the same time as The Reluctant Countess just in different points of view. I suggest reading Yasmin and Giles’ story first to better appreciate Stella and Silvester.

WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES by Tonya Preece – Pop-Up Blog-Hop: Review and Giveaway

WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES

Tonya Preece

Contemporary Romance / New Adult

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Page Count: 238 pages

Publication Date: February 12, 2023

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Eva dodges the fans, media, and gossip that follow her supermodel mom and rock star family members by wearing disguises. After an aimless gap year, she struggles to figure out what she wants from life. She moves in with her famous guitar god brother in Austin while he recovers from a drunken stage stunt accident and tries to stay sober. When a hot Texas cowboy named Alex takes Eva by surprise, she risks her safety and security of anonymity by letting him into her unconventional life.

Alex is captivated by Eva and promises to protect her privacy. Yet he has a secret of his own—the fling he had with an older woman is fraught with scandalous potential for him and now Eva. He broke free of that mistake months ago, or so he thought. As things heat up with Eva, his old flame returns and won’t leave him alone.

Just when Alex thinks he has the reins on the situation, his ex teams up with a gossip reporter hell-bent on invading Eva’s privacy. The resulting exposé, with a sly spin on a recent encounter with his ex, is Alex’s worst nightmare, and Eva’s unsure what to believe. Can she face the world with Alex at her side or will she return into hiding?

Purchase on Amazon:

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I don’t normally read young adult romance, preferring love stories with main characters thirty and older since those are what I write but every once in a while, I shake things up and try something different. When the opportunity to join the blog hop for Whiskey on Our Shoes came up, I jumped in right away because the cover and blurb caught my interest.

I’m glad I did because I enjoyed this coming-of-age story. I find that my prejudices did not apply. The main characters Eva and Alex are youthful but are not childish. They are appropriately daring to experience new things and at the same time cautious of making mistakes. Their reluctance to share their secrets is natural and relatable even for older adults like me.

Except for a couple of detestable secondary characters, I like the people in this story. I especially like Eva for her genuine kindness particularly towards Alex’s sister Lena and her lack of desire to be in the spotlight. She’s down-to-earth despite her celebrity background and incredibly easy to root for. I also like Alex for his sweetness and his display of respect towards his parents. His confusion with regard to Angie appeared authentic and it was totally understandable.

The depiction of family dynamics, both the solidness of Alex’s and the dysfunction of Eva’s, seems to be reflective of real life. That for me is a plus, along with the balance in the light and emotional moments.

Ms. Preece crafted an engaging and well-paced story that is current, fresh, and appealing for romance readers of all ages. The focus on consent is commendable. It’s more slow burn than I prefer but it fits the characters in the story.

There’s also a great sense of place. The descriptions transported me to Austin, Florence, and San Antonio, which made me miss my former residence. I’m glad I get to visit through the pages of this book.

Thanks to Lone Star Lit for including me in the blog tour and bringing to my attention a fantastic source of entertainment.

Tonya Preece writes romance and contemporary young adult fiction and incorporates music into all her books in one way or another. She lives near Austin, TX where she’s a small business manager for a forensic engineering firm. She and her husband enjoy traveling, live music, wine, and spoiling their fur babies.

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THREE WINNERS

Grand Prize: autographed paperback & $10 Amazon gift card;

2nd Prize: autographed paperback;

3rd Prize: eBook

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THE PUPPY ADVENTURES OF PORTER & MIDGE – Pop-Up Blog Hop: Review and Giveaway

THE PUPPY ADVENTURES OF PORTER & MIDGE:

OUT AND ABOUT

Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada

Children’s Book / Pet Books / Pet Care

Publisher: Raise the Woof Press

Page Count: 38 pages

Publication Date: May 16, 2023

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Introducing The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About – a quick introduction to early socialization and training for puppies that will make them outstanding canine citizens and wonderful family pets.

Kids will love following along with the two puppies’ story set in Austin, Texas, as they learn about how to take care of their own puppy. This is the first book in a series of story books, journals, and activity books.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

“Gift this book to any new puppy owner you know!”–Lynn M. Hayner, Author at dogster

“Chen and Nevada write in an easy and enjoyable style…If you are a dog lover, this storybook is for you. Help your children become the best dog companion they can be.” -Philip Van Heusen, Reader’s Favorite

Purchase on Amazon

Review_preview

My fourteen-year-old son and I read The Puppy Adventures together and after we finished it, we shared the sentiment of wanting to go to the nearest shelter to adopt a dog. Not right away though, according to my son. Not until he’s read the book a few more times to make sure he knows how to train the future new member of the family to behave like Porter and Midge. That speaks well of the authors. Having the children CJ and Lora take full responsibility for training the puppies in socialization shows readers of similar age that they can do it too with proper guidance and enough preparation.

We were both greatly impressed with the illustration. The variety of sceneries, the sheer number of individuals and elements in each frame, the intricate details of the features particularly of the animals, the vibrant personalities of the book’s stars Porter and Midge, and most especially the diversity of people represented. My Filipino American boy saw himself in the pages of the book and that’s a huge credit to Ann Kelble, Jennie Chen, and Giselle Nevada for ensuring multicultural inclusion.

Providing both entertainment and instruction, this book is equally appropriate for middle-grade and adult readers. Many of the long passages are informative but might require more assistance and a little more discussion with the parents or teachers before younger kids could absorb their message. What is certain though is that all dog lovers and potential puppy companions will enjoy this gem of a book.

Thanks to Lone Star Lit for including me in the blog hop for this book. I truly cherish spending quality reading time with my son — a rare opportunity that this pop-up has given me.

Jennie Chen is a homesick Austinite who founded Keep Austin Dog Friendly. Over the last 20 years, Jennie has owned Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and Lowchen. She has earned numerous titles in conformation, competitive obedience, rally, herding, animal assisted therapy, and more. She is passionate about the relationship people build with their beloved canines, and she has been an advocate for people living with disabilities who need a service dog to live independently. She is active in various dog clubs and can be seen on AKC.TV from time to time.

Giselle Nevada has owned several mastiffs, acquired both from reputable breeders and via rescue. Fostering rescued mastiffs and helping them work through their issues led to a keen interest in socialization as a means of preventing future issues. She loves working with her dogs and has dabbled in carting, conformation, agility, rally, trick dog, nose work, and many other canine sports. Her puppy Porter is a testament to early socialization – he has achieved many performance dog titles and has done commercial work. He also has a role in a movie called Match Me If You Can directed by Marian Yeager.

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CONFESSIONS OF A KNIGHT ERRANT by Gretchen McCullough – Pop-Up Blog-Hop: Review and Giveaway

CONFESSIONS OF A KNIGHT ERRANT

by Gretchen McCullough

Humorous Fiction

Publisher: Cune Press

Page Count: 240 pages

Publication Date: October 18, 2022

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Confessions of a Knight Errant is a comedic, picaresque novel in the tradition of Don Quixote with a flamboyant cast of characters.

Dr. Gary Watson is the picaro, a radical environmentalist and wannabe novelist who has been accused of masterminding a computer hack that wiped out the files of a major publishing company. His Sancho Panza is Kharalombos, a fat, gluttonous Greek dancing teacher, who is wanted by the secret police for cavorting with the daughter of the Big Man of Egypt.

Self-preservation necessitates a hurried journey to the refuge of a girls’ camp in rural Texas. Then a body turns up nearby that is connected to Middle East antiquities, and they are on the run once more.

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With its kooky characters, zany situations, offbeat humor, and marvelous sense of place, Confessions of a Knight Errant is an immensely entertaining read. Its episodic format lends itself well to a cinematic adaptation, particularly that of a situational comedy. Hollywood, check this thing out!

Leading the memorable cast of multicultural characters is Dr. Gary Watson/Smith/Cooper, a professor, author, environmentalist, wrongfully accused cybercriminal, and compulsive liar with Daddy issues. His wild misadventures, ridiculous conversations, and off tangent musings elicited many smiles and chuckles from me. So authentic was his male voice that I had to constantly check who the author is. I appreciate the talent it takes to do that effectively.

I also admire Ms. McCullough’s skill in incorporating so many named characters in the story and making each distinct and recognizable. I cannot decide who is the most fascinating character after Gary — the dramatic and charismatic Kharalombos, the multi-talented Gudrun, or the efficient Mary Alice. Why choose? All of the above.

If there’s one thing guaranteed to make me like a book, it’s that it must transport me to the setting of the story. Confessions of a Knight Errant does that and more. It flew me to Egypt during the Arab Spring in 2011. Despite the light tone, I experienced the chaos and uncertainty in Cairo through Gary’s observations and Kharalombos’s despair. This book also returned me to the German enclaves of the Texas Hill Country, an area I’m very familiar with having lived in both San Antonio and San Angelo. And the girls’ camp took me back to the time many decades ago when I was a Camp Counselor at a Girl Scouts’ summer camp. I simply love traveling through books.

And that’s why, despite the unconventional style of storytelling, the prolonged suspension of disbelief required of the readers, and the nonsensical dialogues, I’m giving this a high rating and recommending it to everyone who needs a light distraction from everyday troubles.

Thanks to Lone Star Lit for providing me with a copy to review and for the opportunity to join the blog-hop.

Gretchen McCullough was raised in Harlingen Texas. After graduating from Brown University in 1984, she taught in Egypt, Turkey, and Japan. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and was awarded a teaching Fulbright to Syria from 1997-1999.

Her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in The Barcelona Review, Archipelago, National Public Radio, Story South, Guernica, The Common, The Millions, and the LA Review of Books. Translations in English and Arabic have been published in: Nizwa, Banipal, Brooklyn Rail in Translation, World Literature Today, and Washington Square Review with Mohamed Metwalli. Her bilingual book of short stories in English and Arabic, Three Stories From Cairo, translated with Mohamed Metwalli, was published in July 2011 by AFAQ Publishing House, Cairo. A collection of short stories about expatriate life in Cairo, Shahrazad’s Tooth, was also published by AFAQ in 2013.

Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition at the American University in Cairo.

* American University Faculty Webpage *

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ONE WINNER!

In Confessions of a Knight Errant, readers get a taste of the Hill Country. One winner will, too, with a one-pound bag of pecans from Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company!

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“SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS” by Dina Gachman – Pop-Up Blog Hop: Review and Giveaway

“SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS”

by Dina Gachman

Grief & Bereavement / Love & Loss / Parenting & Relationships
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Page Count: 240 pages
Publication Date: April 11, 2023

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A heartfelt exploration about what it means to process grief, by a bestselling author and journalist whose experience with two devastating losses inspired her to bring comfort and understanding to others.

Since losing her mother to cancer in 2018 and her sister to alcoholism less than three years later, author and journalist Dina Gachman has dedicated herself to understanding what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss. Through a mix of personal storytelling, reporting, and insight from experts and even moments of humor, Gachman gives readers a fresh take on grief and bereavement—whether the loss is a family member, beloved pet, or a romantic relationship. No one wants to join the grief club, since membership comes with zero perks, but So Sorry for Your Loss will make that initiation just a little less painful.

In the spirit of Elizabeth Kubler Ross books like On Grief and Grieving, or C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed, So Sorry for Your Loss is the perfect gift for someone who is grieving. With her blend of personal experiences, expert advice, and just a little bit of humor, Gachman has provided a compassionate and compelling resource for anyone looking for grief books.

PRAISE FOR SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS:

“Gachman perceptively puts words to the uncomfortable realities of loss…and deconstructs its social myths, helping readers feel less alone. Those facing loss will find solace here.” —Publishers Weekly

“So Sorry for Your Loss is a monument to the work of remembering and a testament to the immutable love of family and the grief that forever changes us.” —Lauren Hough, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing

“So Sorry for Your Loss is a meditation on loss that reminds us how to go on living.” —Deirdre Fagan, author of Find a Place for Me and The Grief Eaters

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This book wrecked me and affirmed me all at the same time. The first is self-explanatory and expected given the title and subject matter. The second is surprising and what made me appreciate “So Sorry For Your Loss” and Ms. Gachman’s writing of it even more.

Grief does not discriminate.”

Going in, I knew I was going to be emotional reading this book. Many years ago, my dad died after a long illness. Three months later, my husband and I had to make the devastating decision to say goodbye to our beloved pet Baldr, a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix we considered our first baby. To say I could relate to the author with her consecutive losses of loved ones is an extreme understatement. While our circumstances were vastly different, the common denominator of grief connecting us was enormous.

Between her sharing of her personal experiences and her extensive research on the subject, Ms. Gachman articulated eloquently what I was feeling at the time but haven’t been able to put into words. The pain that was actually physical, the holding on to objects to retain continuing bonds, the internal conflict between trying to keep it together and the temptation to fall apart, the need to talk, the search for a community that understands the same or similar loss — these were all defined and expounded on in this book. These for me were affirmations that my expression of grief, my prolonged mourning, was valid, perhaps even universal.

Despite our best intentions and loftiest goals, there is one outcome that is 100 percent guaranteed in romance and in life. Each one of us will, at some point, take our last breath.”

The inevitability of my mom and my parents-in-law passing on is always at the back of my mind. In some ways, I’ll be prepared for the grief that is to come, having gone through it before with my dad. This book helps as well. It has been educational as much as it has been evocative. The sections about hospice care and stages of grief have been eye-opening for me. When the time comes, I will likely reread and look up my forty-three annotations, especially those welcome bursts of humor (Plutarch! Tinder! Dolly!) that balanced the heavy weight of the subject of grief.

Huge thanks to the author’s publicity team for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss and to Lone Star Lit for allowing me to share my thoughts on this absolute gift of a book.

Dina Gachman is a Pulitzer Center Grantee and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Vox, Texas Monthly, and more. She’s a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and the author of Brokenomics: 50 Ways to Live the Dream on a Dime. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband and son. Photo credit Jessica Comiskey.

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So Sorry for Your Loss

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WINNING MAURA’S HEART by Linda Broday – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

WINNING MAURA’S HEART

The Hangman’s Daughters Series, Book # 1

LINDA BRODAY

Western Romance / Clean & Wholesome / Historical Fiction

Publisher: Severn House

Date of Publication: March 7, 2023

Number of Pages: 256 pages

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The Calhoun brothers are identical twins but on opposite sides of the law. Cutter is a deputy Marshal, Jonas an outlaw. When Cutter attempts to break his brother out of a notorious gang, they are shot, and Maura finds one of them wounded, close to the mission – but which brother is it?

Maura Taggart is an outcast, the daughter of a hangman and tainted by association – no reputable man wants her as his wife. And now she is homeless, along with her sister and the group of children in their care. Armed with pure grit, she finds a nearby mission where the nuns agree to take them in and set up an orphanage. But trouble is just around the corner . . .

As the stranger regains his strength under Maura’s care an attraction between them grows, yet how far can she trust him? And why has he brought trouble to their door? With the orphanage under threat can Maura trust this handsome stranger both with their safety and with her heart?

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK:

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From the incredibly evocative first page, Winning Maura’s Heart grabbed my attention and my heart and didn’t let go until the tenderly sweet ending. This story of outcast sisters, abandoned children, an unforgiving society, and morally ambiguous men had me tearing up in parts and once again admiring Ms. Broday’s remarkable writing prowess. She is an auto-read for me whenever I get a hankering for a good old-school Western romance.

You’ll never get anywhere by sitting down and giving up.”

Maura Taggart joins the long list of Ms. Broday’s amazingly stalwart heroines. Along with her sister Emma, she somehow survived being driven out of San Antonio by ungrateful citizens while taking care of more than a dozen orphaned children armed only with her indomitable will, innate kindness, and unshakeable faith in a higher power. In saving a half-dead man, an abused child, an alcoholic uncle, and many lives, she is the embodiment of a true heroine.

By contrast, Calhoun is not a clear-cut hero. There is a mystery surrounding his real identity and he exists in the gray area between bad and good. I really appreciate how Linda wrote him as well as Max Taggart. Both men earned redemption through their actions. Such is the power of love.

New life was born from hopeless despair.”

Nothing symbolizes love more than children. In this story, they provided both touching moments and funny scenes. They supplied the light to balance the heavy and dark threats of violence and abuse.

Indeed, Ms. Broday penned another action-packed and adventuresome novel that also taught me something new (hint: spiderweb) while satisfying my romance-loving heart. Her talent is so extraordinary, I’m willing to accept the improbabilities that happened in the story to bring about a happy-ever-after.

Thank you, Linda, for this book. And thank you, Lone Star Lit, for providing me with the opportunity to review this story and be included in the blog tour.

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children.

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THREE WINNERS:

GRAND PRIZE: tote including a signed copy of Winning Maura’s Heart, strawberry & chocolate tea, Cowgirl hand lotion, bath bombs, personalized cup;

2nd Prize: eBook copy Winning Maura’s Heart;

3rd Prize: $15 Amazon gift card

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SWEET COMFORT by Kimberly Fish – Pop-Up Blog-Hop

SWEET COMFORT

Comfort and Joy Trilogy, #1

KIMBERLY FISH

Women’s Fiction / Later-In-Life Romance

Second-Chance Romance / Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Fish Tales

Page Count: 359 pages

Publication Date: January 21, 2023

Scroll down for a giveaway!

Welcome to the hometown everyone wants to call their own.

Gloria Bachman, a retired bank executive, has eight weeks to flip a location on Comfort’s High Street into a boutique chocolate shop. Defying expectations for “women of a certain age,” Gloria rediscovers talents and a sharpening of skills. If only she could read people as well as she does a spreadsheet. Even with the renovation in good hands, the subsequent struggle to name the shop brings Gloria and her business partner into conflict with a shady citizen. While Gloria is capable of remaining in her retirement rut while opening a business, two competing social groups try to lure her into their networks, causing Gloria to wonder if she ever knew Comfort at all. A murder rocks the community and revives investigative instincts honed by years in the banking industry.

Mason Lassiter, a disgraced CEO, has his own dramas to escape and the offbeat town seems the perfect place to recover his self-esteem. What was to be a quick reversal of fortunes becomes a quest to right a deeply felt injustice. Fascinated by the women driving the energy of Comfort, he extends his stay to find out why the small town is the backdrop to their best tales. Tangling with his neighbor Gloria becomes his favorite pastime and the key to unlocking the mystery of his past—if he can convince her to trust him.

Chocolate and joy become the glue bringing an unlikely cast together, which just might change Gloria’s and Mason’s course for the better. With characters familiar from previous Comfort novels and introducing fresh names, Sweet Comfort will entertain those who like their stories seasoned with coziness and sweet, second chances.

Purchase on Amazon

My favorite small-town Texas series is back in the form of a spin-off trilogy. This first book Sweet Comfort lives up to its title with its familiar (from Comfort Stories) and newly-introduced characters welcoming readers with warmth, charm, romance, cozy mystery, and best of all, gourmet chocolates.

It always feels like a homecoming whenever I read a Comfort story by Kimberly Fish. She writes a smooth-flowing, slow-burning story featuring fully fleshed-out characters set in a place that makes me want to visit and revisit often.

This latest installment delighted me especially because Gloria Bachman is the main protagonist. I was intrigued with her in Comfort Foods and I’m happy she gets not just one but three stories that are focused on her life and relationships in the Comfort and Joy series. Now that I’m a Golden Girl myself, I love reading stories centered around people of the same generation proving we still have a lot to contribute to society despite our advancing years. Gloria, with her new venture into business ownership and her deepening involvement in the Comfort community, proves that and more.

It was entertaining to read her vacillate between openness and reluctance in dealing with her neighbors, business associates, and potential love interest in Mason Lassiter. I loved that Ms. Fish infused her with kindness, smarts, and savvy as well as lingering baggage from her past, a healthy suspicion about strangers, and occasional self-doubt that made her a well-developed person.

Truly, all the named characters in this story are multifaceted, from Drue to Wanda to Joynella and even the hapless Ted Bodine. The only character that needs more fleshing out is Mason. I guess we’ll know more about him in book two Finding Comfort, which I’m really looking forward to reading.

I enjoyed this story immensely. I do consider it more contemporary women’s fiction than a cozy mystery though. The murder mystery aspect lacks suspense, a sense of urgency to find out the identity of the killer, and a direct threat to Gloria’s well-being that would have created more tension.

A solid start to a new craveable series.

Kimberly Fish has been a professional writer in marketing and media for over thirty years, with regular contributions to area newspapers and magazines. As an accidental historian, she wrote two novels, The Big Inch and Harmon General, both based on factual events in Longview, Texas that changed world history. Kimberly also offers a set of contemporary women’s fiction novels and novellas, based in the Texas Hill Country, that reveal her fascination with characters discovering their grit and sweet, second chances; all four of the novels have won distinguished awards. Sweet Comfort is her latest novel, the first book in the Comfort and Joy Trilogy.

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

A STUDY IN CHOCOLATE

Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 5

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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My 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.

Everyone 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.

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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FULL EXPOSURE by Thien-Kim Lam — Happy Book Birthday!

FULL EXPOSURE

Thien-Kim Lam

BLURB

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:

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ABOUT THIEN-KIM

Thien-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:

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REVIEW

An adorable meet-cute, a fantastic sense of place, fascinating history of Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans, and an interesting multicultural pairing. I loved that both main characters have tight bonds with their families and they have lifelong friendships.

A much-improved hero compared to the previous book. Being the eldest child, I related to both MCs’ overdeveloped sense of responsibility towards their families. With my Carpe Diem motto, I am not too bothered by their insta-lust and quick attainment of a deep connection after only a few days together. When you know, you know.

I found it odd that there was no interconnection between Spencer’s family and Trixie’s (the heroine of the previous book who is also Vietnamese American).

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

THE BEST MAN’S PROBLEM

Sera Taíno

He can’t forget the kiss he shared with the best man.

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

Sera 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.

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!