THE END GAME by Michael Scott Clifton – LSLL Book Campaign

THE END GAME

By Michael Scott Clifton

Contemporary Sports Romance

Publisher: Independently Published

Publication Date: August 8, 2025

SYNOPSIS

Eager to put his past behind him, Chris Cooper takes the head basketball job at Mayfield High School in Northeast Texas. Haunted by a history of rocky relationships, he’s surprised by the sparks his landlady, single mom, Jennie Sloan, ignites in him.

Despite trust issues from her own tumultuous past, something about the tall coach with emerald-green eyes makes Jennie believe in second chances. When her young son bonds with Cooper, the barriers Jennie built around her heart begin to crumble.

Excited about the raw potential of his team, Cooper is blindsided by Rocco Rawlings, the arrogant Head Football Coach and Athletic Director. The AD demands Cooper’s entire team play football. When Cooper refuses, Rawlings works to undermine the basketball program, and Cooper is forced to find inventive ways to succeed.

As the stakes rise on and off the court, Cooper and Jennie must contend with the demons of their past to protect the fragile flame they’ve lit, while Cooper’s scrappy team—fueled by grit, heart and a shared dream—might just defy the odds and reach the ultimate end game.

A state championship.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Journey into realms of magic and mystery

Michael Scott Clifton is a rapacious reader, gardener, and movie junkie. A resident of East Texas, he lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife, Melanie. A multi-award winning author, his books include The Treasure Hunt Club, The Janus Witch, and the Conquest of the Veil Series—The Open Portal, Escape From Wheel, A Witch’s Brew, and Cavern of the Veil Queen, and the award-wining Teen/YA novel, Edison Jones and the Anti-Grav Elevator. Pringle Prawn, an urban fantasy novel, is a 2024 Reader’s Favorite Book Award winner. Google him @authormsclifton, or visit his website at www.michaealscottclifton.com

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REVIEW

Texas-style Hoosiers meets a Hallmark movie, in book form. With its small-town, underdog-basketball-team-goes-to-the-state-championship feel-good story, paired with a sweet romance, The End Game checks all my boxes for an incredibly satisfying read.

… our lives aren’t blank pages in a book … We can’t skip the parts we don’t like and flip ahead to the parts we do.”

Michael Scott Clifton’s writing shows a cinematic quality that makes his work a great candidate for film adaptation. His deft use of classic storytelling elements—characters, setting, back story, conflict, and action—yielded a book that a wide range of readers would find engaging. Sports, romance, drama, faith. There’s something in it for everyone to enjoy.

From the first dribble of the ball, always look where you’re going, not where you’ve been.”

The large cast of characters includes a sympathetic hero in basketball coach Chris Cooper, a fascinating love-interest in Jennie, an obstructive antagonist in Rawlings, a wise mentor in Julius, and a wonderful group of young athletes who are easy to root for. The romance between Cooper and Jennie, although fast-paced, was seamlessly integrated into the story and enhanced the overall theme rather than distracting from it. Jennie and her son Josh were essential parts of Cooper’s personal endgame.

Individual players don’t win games. Teams do.”

The basketball scenes are where this book shines the most. Mr. Clifton’s descriptions of the players’ moves in the games and Cooper’s strategic coaching instructions made the book come alive. There were several heart-in-throat moments as well as fist-pump celebrations. It was as if I was watching the action on TV without the added cursing-at-the-referees part of the normal viewing experience.

In essence, The End Game is a slam dunk of a story. Swish.

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UNDER THE GULF COAST SUN by Skip Rhudy – LSLL Book Campaign

UNDER THE GULF COAST SUN

By SKIP RHUDY

Romance / Coming of Age / Surfing

Publisher: Stoney Creek Publishing

Pages: 266

Publication Date: April 22, 2025

SYNOPSIS

This coming-of-age tale set against the sun-soaked beaches of 1970s Port Aransas, Texas, is a love letter to the people and culture of the Texas coast and the enduring allure of the Gulf of Mexico.

Eighteen-year-old Connor O’Reilly isn’t ready to leave his beloved hometown until the tourist girl he met the previous summer, Kassie Hernandez, returns to Port Aransas for one final vacation before college. Their tumultuous summer fling is wrecked by a freak accident in which Connor is lost at sea. His long years of surfing and fishing in the Gulf, as well as Kassie’s desperation to reunite with him, are pitted against the enormity and utter indifference of the sea.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Skip Rhudy grew up surfing in Port Aransas, Texas. He has translated poetry and prose from German to English, and translated Wolfgang Hilbig’s novella Die Weiber for his master’s thesis in 1990 at the University of Texas. His short stories were published in numerous small press magazines in the mid-1990s, and his novella One Punk Summer was published in 1993 and reprinted in 2021.

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REVIEW

What an entertaining read! A true destination romance, Under The Gulf Coast Sun took me to Port Aransas, a place I haven’t been, and to the nineteen seventies, a time not-too-far gone yet a whole lifetime ago. I am equally delighted and aghast that this book is considered a historical romance. I was already alive during the time setting of the story, so I’m feeling old. But I’m also not old enough to say I could relate to the characters in this coming-of-age love story.

Skip Rhudy did a wonderful job of infusing his characters with a balance of confidence, confusion, and insecurity that typifies teenagers of every generation yet placing them in distinct situations that could only have been experienced by the youth in the seventies and early eighties. The younger drinking age, the loose parental controls, and the existing media and technological selections are some examples that place this book in the past. Connor and Kassie are fully fleshed-out characters who acted true to their ages. They are sympathetic and easy to root for, having virtues and flaws that make them real.

Usually, I don’t like the main conflict in romance caused by a misunderstanding and lack of communication, but I understood why it happened here. I appreciate how Mr. Rhudy laid it out, so it came out organic and a natural offshoot of Connor and Kassie’s backgrounds.

The surfing scenes and the locations are described incredibly well, a testament to the author’s talent and lived experience. The dialogues flowed naturally. The language was plain, easily understood, and true to the time. My only critique is the head-hopping and unnecessary points of view from a couple of secondary characters.

Overall, a quick and enjoyable read.

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THE BORDER BETWEEN US by Rudy Ruiz – LSLL Book Campaign

THE BORDER BETWEEN US

By Rudy Ruiz

Literary Fiction

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Pages: 256

Publication Date: August 27, 2024

SYNOPSIS

The Border Between Us is a poignant coming-of-age novel from one of the most exciting voices in fiction.

Ramón López was born along the US–Mexico border but is determined to get out and embrace the American dream—and he’s not sure whether his complicated family is a help or a hindrance. As the son of immigrants, as Ramón grows, his admiration for his entrepreneurial father sours as he watches his dad’s dreams of success wither on the vine. Ramón’s mother is constantly preoccupied with his younger brother, who struggles with intellectual disabilities.

And the outside world is rife with danger and temptations threatening to distract Ramón from his dreams of making it to New York and succeeding as an artist.

As dreams clash with reality and values conflict with desires, Ramón finds the American dream within his reach—but will it demand too big a sacrifice?

Award-winning author Rudy Ruiz brilliantly captures the beauty and danger of border life as Ramón struggles to understand his home and his place in the world. The Border Between Us is a stunning, compassionate story about a son’s fraught relationship with his father, the challenges of pursuing a creative life when one comes from humble beginnings, and the power of embracing one’s whole self.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rudy Ruiz is the author of The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez and Valley of Shadows. He is a winner of the Jesse H. Jones Award for Best Book of Fiction, the Gulf Coast Prize in Fiction, and multiple International Latino Book Awards. A bilingual native of the US–Mexico border, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Harvard University. Rudy lives and writes in Texas and New England with his wife and children. Visit his website at RudyRuiz.com.

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Painfully emotive, The Border Between Us has earned a place on my Top 25 Reads in 2025 list. Ramón López’s coming-of-age story affected me like no other literary work I’ve consumed this year. It was so involving; I finished it in one sitting. Even when the heart-rending scenes and difficult conversations made me cry, I could not stop reading.

Life is like the river. It has many twists and turns.”

I found the harsh beauty in Rudy Ruiz’s hyper realistic storytelling immensely compelling. It was hard to tell which part was fiction and which actually happened. At times, it read like a biography. Doubtless, Mr. Ruiz vivified the real-life experiences of countless Mexican Americans from the border in creating the characters in the story. From Ramón to his father and entire family to Dante to Clara, the author made them three-dimensional people–powerfully drawn, unquestionably authentic. He did this without using divisive narrative and I applaud him for his discipline.

Another laudable achievement was the incredibly vivid descriptions, especially those of the locations and the paintings. This book took me along for the ride across the US-Mexico border, to the schools, to Coffee Port Road, and to New York. As for the art, I want to believe they’re displayed and celebrated in some gallery in South Texas.

When the branch sways, the eagle does not fear, for to its wings it clings.”

In a story about a boy’s growth into a young man as he searched for his identity amidst forces he couldn’t control, there is bound to be angst. Yes, there was danger and tragedy, betrayal and adversity. Lots of them. But there was also success, joy, support, resilience, and in the end, hope. The romantic in me finds balance in that.

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HOME TO COMFORT by Kimberly Fish – LSLL Book Campaign: Review and Giveaway

HOME TO COMFORT

By Kimberly Fish

Women’s Fiction / Contemporary / Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Fish Tales Publishing

Pages: 382

Publication Date: October 10, 2024

SYNOPSIS

Gloria Bachman has pivoted so many times this year she has whiplash. Now, in the middle of winter and drenched in Mexican sunshine at a five-star resort, she has a role to play: Mason Lassiter’s “arm candy” in a sting to nab his not-actually-dead, first wife, Patsy. It didn’t make any sense to her either, but who argues with government officials offering an expense-paid trip and a reason for a new beach wardrobe?

With Patsy leading resort security, FBI agents, and Mason on a merry chase, Gloria knows that if you want to catch a woman of a certain age, you have to think like a woman of a certain age. Thankfully, she’s got the credentials.

If only she could understand the other people in her life—particularly Gardner Rogers. Gloria returns home to Comfort, Texas with a ring, a pressing need to organize her house, and a custom order of Sweeties signature truffles to be delivered to White House chefs. When her business partner embarks on last-minute travel plans, one of her best friends announces a retirement, romances bloom from unlikely sources, and Gardner and her ex-husband, Harry Rogers, come unhinged—quite publicly—it all forces Gloria to face her strangest challenges yet.

This final book in the Comfort and Joy trilogy weaves happy endings for the townsfolk that readers have come to love, and just deserts for those they don’t. It’s Kimberly Fish at her finest, and a treasure for brave people who don’t retire quietly.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberly Fish has been in the writing industry for over 30 years. An amateur historian and fan of cozy mysteries, she weaves history and mystery into her stories of women finding their grit and sweet second chances.

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REVIEW

In the middle of a crowd, one’s heart can always find home.”

Comforting and joyful, this series lives up to its name. This final book evokes all the wonderful feelings one attributes to the word “home”– family, safety, trust, hope, happiness, and love.

As I stated in my reviews of Kimberly Fish’s previous books, Gloria Bachman’s story and personality appealed to me even before her own series started. She is a fun mix of immensely capable and incredibly lucky. Perfect for a heroine who often finds herself unwittingly in the center of intrigue and mayhem.

In the conclusion of the saga concerning her love interest Mason Lassiter’s first wife, Gloria showcased her crime-solving abilities. Aided by her quick wit, intrinsic female knowledge, lived experiences of being underestimated, a great dose of sense of humor, and timely help from trusted friends, she bested both the FBI and the villains.

Her musings about relationships — marriage, friendship, adversaries — in addition to her insecurities, doubts, and impatience made her a wholly relatable character.

And if it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.”

I have always admired how Ms. Fish can make her settings come alive and that’s especially true in Home to Comfort. The descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations Gloria was experiencing took me to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico and to a large part of Texas. The drive from Dallas to the Hill Country was something I had experienced myself and reading it here made me smile.

With the satisfying resolution of conflicts and a hopeful ending for the major characters, I can’t really be sad that the Comfort and Joy series is complete. It has entertained me for an extended period, and I’m grateful to its creator.

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BOOK NEMESIS by Sammie Trinidad – Featured Debut

BOOK NEMESIS

Sammie Trinidad

BLURB

For Serenity Brooks, fanfiction wasn’t just a hobby—it was her escape, her passion, her lifeline. Until Duvall K. Howard, the man she loved, shattered her heart and stole her inspiration in one fell swoop. Now, Duvall’s back, crashing into her life with a life altering secret. The news reignites not only Serenity’s dormant passion for writing but also the burning embers of her anger. The past is back, and she’s not forgiving.

Enter Ezra Sullivan, the witty, charming friend she lost along the way—the one man who truly understands the sting of Duvall’s betrayal. He was Duvall’s roommate, rival, and always second best, and now he’s Serenity’s partner in crime. Together, they’re plotting the ultimate literary takedown, a campaign of creative vengeance that will take them through the chaotic world of conventions, awkward signings, and the constant scrutiny of overbearing parents and relentless relatives.

But as Serenity and Ezra navigate the minefield of their shared past and their complicated present, the lines between friendship, revenge, and something undeniably, irresistibly hotter begin to blur. What starts as a strategic alliance—a fake romance for revenge—evolves into something neither of them anticipated as their connection deepens. Will their quest for payback against Duvall lead them to something more with each other, or will their staged romance threaten to derail their plans and break their hearts all over again?

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ABOUT SAMMIE

Sammie Trinidad likes to call herself the “Filipina Wonder Woman” – she even has the cosplay to prove it. Her stories include romance, both in SFF and contemporary, and fantasy. All her stories come from the heart because she has faced the unimaginable: death of her son, who died from SIDs. Grief inspired her to explore the layers of the human condition, exploring connection in all its messy, intriguing, and deeply personal forms. When not writing, Sammie can be found indulging in dark chocolate, watching Schitt’s Creek or Vampire Diaries for the zillionth time, or cuddling with her sweet dog and chunky cat, Zelda and Link.

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REVIEW

Review to follow.

WOODS AND WINGS by M.W. Devers – LSLL Book Campaign: Review and Giveaway

WOODS AND WINGS

by M.W. Devers

YA / Fantasy / Action & Adventure

Publisher: Midnight6 Publishing

Pages: 430

Publication Date: November 19, 2024

SYNOPSIS

She never sought the path of a hero. Destiny had other plans.

In the peaceful village of Rhigov, where traditions hold sway, fifteen-year-old Astraya Myna dreams of little more than escaping the confines of her kitchen duties. But when a malevolent force known as Vronti shatters the village’s tranquility, Astraya is thrust into a journey she never imagined.

Guided by a legacy she barely understands, Astraya joins forces with her brother, Raustra, and a small band of allies.

Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to protect their home from wingroans, dragon-like creatures whose powers are as formidable as their intentions are mysterious.

As shadows of betrayal and hidden truths close in, Astraya navigates a world where loyalty is tested and power proves both elusive and dangerous. With each step she uncovers more about her family’s past and her own untapped strength, until she must decide: how far will she go to save her people and what is she willing to sacrifice to discover the truth about herself?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M.W. Devers has been crafting stories since childhood, drawing from a lifelong love of reading that began at age three. The idea for Woods & Wings took root during a family vacation to a theme park, and he’s been dedicated to bringing it to life ever since, beginning in 2022. This is his first published work of fiction.

MWD enjoys the quiet magic of early mornings spent world-building and shaping characters, all from his home in New Braunfels, Texas, where he lives with his family.

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REVIEW

I always turn to reading when I’m looking for an escape from an increasingly tumultuous world. Normally, I prefer Romance, but sometimes, I choose to lose myself in the pages of Fantasy books. This is one of those times. In Woods and Wings, I found solace in the heroic adventures of the Myna family — Astraya, the fifteen-year-old Stonebreaker; her brother Raustra; their grandfather Amir; and their mother Elizabyth — as they try to save their town from the menace of the dragon-like sibling wingroans Vulmen and Vronti and the cruel machinations of a person in power.

Decisions made on behalf and for the good of others have a way of creating their own kind of curse.”

With the effective use of multiple points-of-view narration (including those of the fearsome creatures), M.W. Devers created a fascinating world that consists of elements both original and familiar. He told it in a language that reaches a wide range of audiences not just in age but also in levels of literacy. The exciting action scenes are balanced with emotion as the characters develop within themselves and their interpersonal relationships.

As usual with the genre, this story has many named characters. The author capably made them distinct and memorable — be they protagonists, antagonists, or supporting cast. I could not pinpoint which character grew the most because they all did by the end of this first story. I expect more revelations as the series progresses.

Keep your family close and anchor your courage around those bonds of love.”

I found the fight scenes riveting and thought them cinematic in scope. I could totally see this book adapted to the big screen. The strong family core differentiates this from other series out there with orphaned main characters fighting against the world. In fantasy and real life, having people you love around you will always lead to winning.

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SALLOWSFIELD by Cliff Hudder – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

SALLOWSFIELD

by Cliff Hudder

Literary Fiction / Humor / Saga / Texas / Yorkshire

Publisher: Texas Review Press

Pages: 390

Publication Date: October 21, 2024

SYNOPSIS

Wyatt W. Sallow, MBA—poet, business ethics professor, and coach of the 8th ranked collegiate chess team in East Texas—travels to the heart of northern England to trace his family origins in mundane Sallowsfield, only to find his supposed ancestry a mirage. He does have a real past, however: one that stalks him across the green hillsides in echoes of his catastrophic marriage, the lingering shadow of a lost child, and—there, in person, inexplicably emerging from the town’s faux-Victorian train station—“X,” the enigmatic object of his unrequited passion and a figure as perplexing as an algebraic variable.

On his eight-day tour/pilgrimage/mock epic journey, Wyatt pursues the specter of his lost love and crosses paths with the citizens of this down-at-its-heels market town as they struggle to grasp the all-consuming obsessions, ghosts, and X-factors that confound their days.

Thought-provoking yet dryly humorous, Sallowsfield weaves diverse elements into a story both light-hearted and philosophical, exploring along the way universal human touchstones of obsession, ruined love, and the inexplicable mysteries that shape our lives.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cliff Hudder received an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Houston in 1995 and a PhD in American Literature from Texas A&M in 2017. He has been an archaeological laborer, a film and video editor, photographer, air compressor mechanic, electrical lineman, and educator. His fiction has appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review, The Kenyon Review, The Missouri Review and other journals and his work has received the Barthelme and Michener Awards, the Peden Prize, and the Short Story Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. His novella, Splinterville, won the 2007 Texas Review Fiction Award, and his novel, Pretty Enough for You, was named a Top Ten Texas Favorite by Lone Star Literary Life in 2015. In 2017 Cliff was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.

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REVIEW

A departure from my usual choice in fiction, Sallowsfield turned out to be an utterly absorbing read. With its non-linear timeline, numerous locations, multitude of characters, and multiple points of view, this book demanded my attention like no other I’ve read recently. It was hilarious in parts, affecting in others, engaging all throughout.

~*~

I didn’t know what to make of Wyatt Sallow at the start. He was socially awkward, physically clumsy, and appeared quite hapless. But as his story unfolded, I found him sympathetic in the end. He was unintentionally funny, especially in his interactions with his taxi driver Hussein. The scenes with his son Wyn showed his loving heart. And there were flashes of intellect and competence particularly displayed in the chess game with the Professor. What eventually reached me was his earnest search for a reason to claim the town with his name as his very own.

~*~

I have the utmost admiration for the author in managing to flesh out the countless characters in this book by providing them with distinctly fascinating back stories. Also, in accomplishing such a complicated timeline that meandered all over the place only to come full circle in a logical way. He brought Sallowsfield to life. So much so that I searched online if it’s a place that actually exists in England. To have the talent required to accomplish those things deserves kudos.

~*~

The most significant cavil I had was in the overuse of infidelity in the story and the majority of those committing such transgression being women. This is a personal bias I can’t overlook despite my overall enjoyment of the book.

I highly recommend dedicating several days to properly relish this book.

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LETHAL STANDOFF by DiAnn Mills – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

LETHAL STANDOFF

by DiAnn Mills

Contemporary Fiction / Christian Mystery & Suspense / Christian Romance

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Pages: 368

Publication Date: September 3, 2024

SYNOPSIS

Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed faces her most dangerous challenge yet in Lethal Standoff. Called to a tense situation in South Texas, Carrington must save fifteen hostages held by the armed Kendrix brothers, who demand justice for their father’s unsolved murder.

Teaming up with investigative reporter Levi Ehrlich, Carrington delves into a web of secrets and lies. As they uncover startling truths, the stakes soar, and so does their undeniable attraction.

Can Carrington solve the mystery and prevent a deadly outcome? A riveting blend of romance and suspense, this is a must-read for fans of high-stakes thrillers.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is known for her gripping romantic suspense novels where readers can Expect An Adventure. With multiple Christy Awards and numerous bestsellers, her stories captivate readers with their depth and intensity. A passionate storyteller and dedicated mentor, DiAnn is also a coffee connoisseur and proud grandmother living in Houston, Texas.

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REVIEW

An intricately woven melding of crime thriller, faith examination, and romance, Lethal Standoff is an exciting and thought-provoking read.

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.”

Action-packed from beginning to end, this book takes its leads, hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and investigative reporter Levi Ehrlich, through multiple life-threatening and heartbreaking twists and turns in their shared quest to find answers after a tragic end to one of Carrington’s volatile cases. Traveling back and forth between Houston and Victoria, Carrington and Levi find themselves dealing with a traumatized bereaved family, a territorial local police, unknown murderous villains, and weighty personal problems while also navigating their growing emotional attraction with each other.

The bottom line is truth and love go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.”

DiAnn Mills always includes current and significant societal themes in her stories and in this book, she incorporates the horror of human trafficking of undocumented immigrants, the conflict of religious conversion, and the far-reaching devastation caused by domestic violence. As I’ve come to expect from her, Ms. Mills expertly threaded all these topics into a cohesive work that compels the reader to think and feel for the characters. And she did it in a way that highlights the seriousness of the topics without getting too heavy or preachy.

I’d rather walk an uncertain path with you than go another day without you.”

This book is an engaging read that fans of well-written and well-researched stories will surely enjoy. I learned some new information (Messianic Judaism, eye melanoma, negotiation tactics, etc.) and I vibed with the unfolding sweet and wholesome romance.

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A CHOCOLATE IS ANNOUNCED by Amber Royer – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

A CHOCOLATE IS ANNOUNCED

Bean to Bar Mystery, #7

By Amber Royer

Cozy Mystery / Culinary Mystery / Women Sleuths

Publisher: Golden Tip Press

Pages: 277

Publication Date: June 25, 2024

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SYNOPSIS

Felicity Koerber is finally getting her life together. She has a fiancé, her bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand has become a gathering spot for the community, and she is ready to embrace whatever the future holds. She’s ready for another launch party – despite the disaster at her grand opening, when she’d first gotten involved with solving a murder. And this time she’s embracing her status as a sleuth. She’s hosting a murder mystery weekend to celebrate the new Mystery Flavor line of craft chocolate bars. She’s held a contest to choose the attendees, who will all stay at her aunt’s flip hotel and enjoy the island. It’s all supposed to be perfectly random – only, Felicity starts to uncover connections between her guests. When one of them winds up murdered, Felicity has to keep her aunt from becoming the main suspect.

The killer is very clearly calling Felicity out, leaving clues that mean little to anyone other than her. But that doesn’t narrow down the suspect pool. Her guests are there because they love the true crime podcast she’s been featured on. And she can’t decide whether the killer wants her to catch them – or just wants to taunt her.

Meanwhile, Felicity is also playing host to her future in-laws and discovers that her fiancé’s sister, who is also a cop, is very competitive. Can Felicity hold her own and make a good impression, while keeping her business together and her aunt out of jail? And can Felicity solve it in time to protect the people she cares about from becoming additional victims?

Satchmo the retired police dog turned therapy dog returns to help her sniff out a few clues, and one of the guests brings along a ferret named Cheeseburger, who keeps showing up in the most unexpected places.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. 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, and wildlife photographs.

If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course! Amber blogs about creative writing techniques and all things chocolate at http://www.amberroyer.com.

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REVIEW

This is another solid installment in my favorite cozy mystery series. I was curious how Ms. Royer would handle the ending of the love triangle subplot that had been an ongoing thread in the first six books. I’m happy to say she resolved it satisfactorily, and it led to the introduction of fresh storylines and new relationships that would keep the series going for many more books to come.

The elements that kept me coming back for more–the title of the featured classic literature, the innovative food and chocolate creations, the ever-increasing quirky and distinct cast of characters, the animal participation, the logical and believable mystery solving, and the subtle romance–are all present and accounted for.

The intensity of the danger to Felicity has been scaled down in this book and that’s welcome after the high-octane excitement of the previous one. Like with the others, this is a quick and enjoyable read.

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for direct links to each blog participating in this tour.

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING 90% DARK by Amber Royer – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

SOMETHING BORROWED,

SOMETHING 90% DARK

Bean to Bar Mysteries, #6

Amber Royer

Cozy Culinary Mystery

Publisher: Golden Tip Press

Date of Publication: September 12, 2023

Number of Pages: 288 pages 

Scroll down for a Giveaway!

Felicity Koerber’s bean-to-bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is hosting the friends and family coming into town for her best friend Autumn’s wedding. As matron of honor, Felicity has a ton of tasks to complete – including making chocolates for the gift bags. She doesn’t have time to solve another murder. But when one of the bridesmaids becomes a prime suspect in the death of a visiting real estate agent, Felicity has to put her detecting skills to use again to keep the wedding plans from getting derailed.

She’s already nervous about the impending deadline she’s given herself to finally choose between her two love interests – and figuring out where life goes once she makes her choice. But add in a missing Pygmy goat and a new coffee shop that wants to partner with her, and she’s frazzled.

She begins to discover that not everything is as it seems among the wedding guests. Can she handle the wedding preparations, pull off turning her shop into a concert venue, and unmask the killer before anyone else dies?

Click to Purchase!

Y’all! It’s here! The highly-anticipated resolution to the love triangle is finally here! As she promised, Amber Royer made Felicity choose between Logan and Arlo and it’s the best decision ever. Those who have been reading my reviews know I used to root for the other team (see Out of Temper) but A Study In Chocolate and this latest book convinced me to switch sides. My Romance-loving heart totally approves of Felicity’s choice especially when his response to Felicity’s question “Why me, specifically?” is this quote:

Because you are the sunlight.”

Readers, I swooned. This guy needs Felicity in ways the other doesn’t. Felicity needs him too. For this romantic element alone, Something Borrowed deserves a high rating. And then there’s the rest of this extremely enjoyable story.

… my confidence levels have changed.”

I read this book in one sitting and I recommend other readers to do the same if they have time to spare. As I have come to expect with the Bean-to-Bar cozy mysteries, the action starts from the first page and doesn’t let up until the highly satisfactory ending. As usual, Felicity gets entangled in two separate investigations that involve her love interests and her ever-expanding network of friends. And, of course, there’s a classic novel that serves as inspiration for the murder mysteries – The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett.

The various searches for a missing insurance investigator, missing pieces of jewelry, a kidnapped goat, and a killer on the loose happen amidst preparations for Felicity’s best friend Autumn’s wedding. Anyone who’s ever been involved in planning a wedding knows how time-consuming and stressful it can be so it’s amazing how expertly Ms. Royer wove in all the myriad details together.

What’s also fantastic is the growth in Felicity’s character. She’s becoming more accepting of the amateur sleuth role that has been thrust upon her and has gained so much confidence from the experiences she’s been through. All the while continuing to learn about the craft and the business of chocolate-making.

For its engaging storyline, fascinating characters, well-paced action, balance of angst and humor, and swoony romance, Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark is my favorite of the series so far.

Huge thanks to Lone Star Lit for allowing me to be part of this blog tour and to the publisher for providing me a copy to review.

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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