JACKSON by Emily March – Blog Tour: Review

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Jackson

by

EMILY MARCH

SYNOPSIS

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Sometimes it takes a new beginning

Caroline Carruthers thinks she buried her dreams along with the love of her life … until a stranger named Celeste dares her to chase a dream all on her own. Moving to Redemption, Texas, is chapter one in Caroline’s new life story. Opening a bookstore is the next. Finding love is the last thing on her mind as she settles into this new place called home. But when she meets a handsome, soulful man who’s also starting over, all bets are off.

to reach a happily-ever-after

Jackson McBride came to Redemption looking only to find himself, not someone to love. Ever since his marriage ended, he’s been bitter. Sure, he used to believe in love—he even has the old song lyrics to prove it—but the Jackson of today is all business. That is, until a beautiful young widow who’s moved to town inspires a change of heart. Could it be that the myth of Redemption’s healing magic is true … and Jackson and Caroline can find a second chance at a happy ending after all?

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Jackson by Emily March

 

ABOUT EMILY

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Emily March is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the heartwarming Eternity Springs series. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

 

REVIEW

Whenever I come across a romance novel set in Texas, especially in the areas I’m familiar with, I jump at the chance to review it. Emily March’s Redemption seems to me inspired by Fredericksburg from the description of the German establishments, the distance to Austin, and the beautiful land around it. For me, the setting played a big part in making me enjoy this book as much as the development of the relationship between Jackson and Caroline.

I very much liked the flow of this story. From their first meeting, which was somehow orchestrated by Celeste, to a year later when their second chance at love started to bloom. There wasn’t much back story to trudge through as the reader is a witness to the events as they unfold.

I also appreciate the characterization of Jackson and Caroline. There’s a realism to their thoughts, actions, and words that makes one relate to them somehow. Jackson’s despondency at the prolonged separation with his daughter and Caroline’s grief over her husband’s illness and subsequent death rang true for me, as well as their friendship turning into love as they got to know each other better. It took them a while, but when they fell, they only had the utmost support of one another.

I absolutely love that both of them build something from scratch in their new hometown. Caroline’s bookstore The Next Chapter is the realization of my dream, I completely felt her emotions when she opened it.

There’s a lot of named characters. It got unwieldy at times, particularly when the horde from Eternity Springs came for the opening of the B&B Jackson and his cousins own. I also resented the scenes in the book that happened outside of Redemption. Apart from those things, I really enjoyed Jackson and I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in the series.

4 out of 5 stars

 

DRIFTWOOD BAY by Irene Hannon: Book Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway

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DRIFTWOOD BAY

A Hope Harbor Novel, Book 5

by

IRENE HANNON

Genre: Contemporary / Christian / Romance
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: April 2, 2019
Number of Pages: 368

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Synopsis

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After tragedy upends her world, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tea-room—until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl invades her turf. But she needn’t worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.

Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it’s least expected?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites readers back to the charming seaside town of Hope Harbor, where they are sure to find peace, healing, and a second chance at happiness.

 

Excerpt

>> CLICK TO READ CHAPTER ONE! <<

 

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Review_preview

DB my bookstagramDriftwood Bay is a beautifully-balanced and uplifting read. I come into this aptly-named series quite late with this, the fifth book, as my introduction. It’s also the first Irene Hannon book I’ve ever read. I must say I need to read the first four now, especially if they’re as heartwarming as this one. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel good after reading it. It leaves you believing the best in people and strengthening your faith in God and in love.

The way Ms. Hannon blended heavy drama with canine-provided comic relief, steadfast spirituality, inclusive diversity, and wholesome romance worked for me. Her storytelling is evocative and involving. Her words are inspired, eminently quotable. Some of my favorites are:

  • “Don’t let fear stop you from being everything God intended you to be. Go. Learn. Live. Love.”
  •  “… like a ship that never sails, a heart that’s never used isn’t living up to its potential.”
  •  “… love is better than lonesome.”

Most of these quotes are said to Jeanette who has been guarding her heart by isolating herself in her lavender farm. How her new neighbors Logan, the new town doctor; Molly, his grieving niece; and their rambunctious puppy Toby drew her out is the main story of Driftwood Bay. It was told in a way that is moving and highly relatable.

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The other significant story, that of the Syrian refugees Mariam, Thomma, and Elisa was treated with sensitivity and respect. This is where the community of Hope Harbor shines in their coming together to provide a fresh start for a family trying to recover from a devastating tragedy. I could only hope such a community exists in real life for we need them now more than ever.

While all the main characters–both Americans and Syrians–are sympathetic, it is the little girls Molly and Elisa who brought tears to my eyes. They are the catalysts for everything that happened in the book. Their insta-friendship and their unspoken need to be loved by their respective fathers really touched my heart.

Finally, I cannot complete this review without mentioning Charley, the mystical fish taco food truck owner who dispenses wisdom that helps guide the actions of many characters in Driftwood Bay and possibly the series. He’s one of the reasons why I would like to read the other Hope Harbor books.

 

AboutTheAuthor

Irene HannonIrene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, Sea Rose Lane, Sandpiper Cove, and Pelican Point, as well as Dangerous Illusions and the Private Justice and Men of Valor suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers’ Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carols, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career Achievement award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist.

WEBSITE    FACEBOOK    TWITTER    GOODREADS

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A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Oregon Coast Rain Globe
1st Runner-Up:
A Copy of Driftwood Bay + Book Lover’s Coffee Mug
2nd Runner-Up:
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April 2-12, 2019
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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

4/2/19 		Series Spotlight 	The Clueless Gent 
4/2/19 		Scrapbook Page 		Hall Ways Blog 
4/3/19 		Review 			Forgotten Winds 
4/4/19 		Review 			That's What She's Reading 
4/5/19 		Character Interview 	Sybrina's Book Blog 
4/6/19 		Guest Post 		All the Ups and Downs 
4/7/19 		Review 			Carpe Diem Chronicles 
4/8/19 		Author Interview 	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 
4/9/19 		Top Ten List 		Rainy Days with Amanda 
4/10/19 	Review 			Bibliotica 
4/11/19 	Review 			StoreyBook Reviews 

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LIVE WIRE by Pamela Fagan Hutchins: Book Blog Tour – Guest Post and Giveaway

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LIVE WIRE

(Maggie, Book One)
A What Doesn’t Kill You
World Romantic Mystery

by

PAMELA FAGAN HUTCHINS

Genre: Romantic Mystery
Publisher: SkipJack Publishing
Date of Publication: March 6, 2019
Number of Pages: 270

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Synopsis

A hook-up turned lethal. A spurned, angry cowboy. Can rebel Maggie turn the tables before a killer adds her to the list of lost causes?

Live Wire book cover

Washed-up alt-country rocker-turned-junker Maggie Killian is pulled to Wyoming by an irresistible force . . . former bull rider Hank Sibley, the man who broke her heart fifteen years before. When she unexpectedly meets his Sunday school-teaching girlfriend at a saloon, Maggie seeks liquor-fueled oblivion between the sheets of a younger man’s bed. But after her beloved vintage truck breaks down and leaves her stranded in the Cowboy State, she learns her hook-up died minutes after leaving their rendezvous. Suddenly surrounded by men with questionable motives, Maggie searches for the murderer while fighting the electricity between herself and her old beau, and her new penchant for local whiskey.

When the police zero in on Maggie despite a disturbing series of break-ins at her guest cabin, she realizes she’s got no one to rely on but herself. To keep herself happily in bars instead of behind them, she must stop the killer before the cops realize the man she really suspects is a jealous, angry Hank.

Live Wire is the first standalone book in a trilogy featuring sharp-tongued protagonist Maggie Killian from the addictive What Doesn’t Kill You romantic mystery series. If you like nerve-racking suspense, electric characters and relationships, and juicy plot twists, then you’ll love USA Today best seller Pamela Fagan Hutchins’ Silver Falchion award-winning series.

 

“Maggie is irresistible.”
Robert Dugoni, #1 Amazon bestselling author of My Sister’s Grave

 

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My Life and Privacy as Novel Fodder:
The Story Behind the Story of LIVE WIRE
By Pamela Fagan Hutchins
(originally posted on the author’s blog)

In the winter and spring of 2017, I learned the hard way to trust what my animals were telling me. I had a stalker. And one day I walked in on him in my house.
I should have known better. My gut had been telling me for months that something was wrong, but, since my husband Eric was traveling all the time, I worked hard at justifying away my paranoia. I didn’t want anything to steal my peace.

My dogs told me. They would bark like crazy when the guy would show up and hide out to watch me. I ignored them.

My common sense told me. I found food wrappers and fast food cups in odd places in the private, remote forest outside our bathroom window. I didn’t want to believe it, so I let my husband come up with alternative explanations, ones that wouldn’t confirm I was being watched.

My horse told me. Katniss used to snort and jump sideways when we passed his hiding place. I ignored her.

I ignored everything and everyone until I opened the back door to my house one day to find him inside and running out the front door. He ripped up the electric tape grazing fence in his haste to get out of there, then left footprints all around our property until they disappeared into the woods about half a mile from the little nest he had cleared by the picture window to the bathtub.

The deputies were nice when I called, but they didn’t believe me at first. I didn’t have a name, I didn’t see the guy’s face, I didn’t have my back door dead bolted (although I did have the front, his exit, dead bolted), or use an alarm system. It’s the country, y’all. We don’t worry about security. So they didn’t fingerprint. They did encourage me to do a lot of target shooting, keep my dogs with me, and let them do drive-through welfare checks for the next few weeks (which they did).

My husband went on a ninja reconnaissance of the neighborhood, dressed in camo, toting his shotgun. But the guy was “long gone.”

Except that he wasn’t. Not from how I felt (violated; see self therapy anthem above) or in actual real life either. He lived up the street. How did we know this, besides the fact that it was clear from the footprints that he lived or parked a car close to our remote, rural little ranch?

It comes back to my horse.

A week before the incident, Eric and I were out riding. A weird neighbor guy waylaid us, getting right in front of Katniss and putting his hands on her face. Now, you just don’t approach a horse and rider and put your hands on that horse, especially the face. And Katniss is a snotty girl. She doesn’t like anyone but Eric and me touching her face, and only then if we have treats to put in the mouth end of it. But this creeper put both his hands on her face, and she let him. He proceeded to talk at a dizzying speed for half an hour, without ever acknowledging Eric, and repeatedly telling me that if I ever saw him in the woods in the area, it was just because he was care taking for neighbors when they were out of town.

OKAAAAAYYYY.

We put up game cameras and security cameras everywhere after the incident. At the point where the guy’s boot prints disappeared from our property, we caught Katniss on camera two nights in a row at five am standing for 45 minutes with her head over the fence. She had no reason to be there. There was no gate. The only reason she comes to the gate by our house (half a mile away) is for food. And it hit us: she was waiting for food. Someone was feeding her there. At five am. Repeatedly. The same person she’d let touch her face?????

We asked all the neighbors whether they used this guy for care taking. The answer came back a 100% resounding “never.” I ran criminal background checks on every male neighbor within two miles. One came back as a multiple felon for breaking and entering, and for drug crimes: yep—the weird guy. We ran into him at a restaurant. Suddenly, he wouldn’t look at me at all, after having all but spirited me away a week earlier.

Fast forward to a week after the incident. Eric walked into a local gas station. The same creeper was there, talking to someone at the counter. He looked up and saw Eric and dropped what he was holding and ran out the back door of the station.

If we weren’t sure before, that did it for us. We called the deputy. Told him about my horse and the other incidents. He was a country boy, so he “got it” about Katniss. We identified the guy, but while I now knew for sure it was him, I could not lie and say I saw his face. The deputy offered to charge him with criminal trespass. But what good would that do? He’d be out of the slammer in a hot minute, if he was convicted. And he’d be pissed. I declined.

So, yeah, that’s the incident that inspired LIVE WIRE, which comes out March 6th. You can preorder now. In it, you’ll see my experience woven into the plot, if you look closely.
As for me, I practice my shooting a lot. I keep my dogs with me. I lock my doors now, and we use an alarm system. Weird things have happened since. I won’t elaborate, because we’re hoping someday to nail him on all of them. And I’m still waiting for next time. Because when it happens, he’s going back to jail for a long, long time.

Live Wire series

AboutTheAuthor

Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Pamela Fagan Hutchins is a USA Today best seller. She writes award-winning romantic mysteries from deep in the heart of Nowheresville, Texas and way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, Wyoming. She is passionate about long hikes with her hunky husband and pack of rescue dogs and riding her gigantic horses.

If you’d like Pamela to speak to your book club, women’s club, class, or writers’ group, by Skype or in person, shoot her an e-mail. She’s very likely to say yes. Connect with Pamela on the web.

 

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Praise for Pamela Fagan Hutchins

2018 USA Today Best Seller
2017 WINNER Silver Falchion Award, Best Mystery
2016 WINNER USA Best Book Award, Cross Genre Fiction
2015 WINNER USA Best Book Award, Cross Genre Fiction
2014 USA Best Book Award Finalist, Cross Genre Fiction
2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist, Romance
2013 USA Best Book Award Finalist, Business: Publishing
2012 Winner of the Houston Writers Guild Ghost Story Contest
2012 WINNER USA Best Book Award, Parenting: Divorce
2011 Winner of the Houston Writers Guild Novel Contest, Mainstream
2010 Winner of the Writers League of Texas Manuscript Contest, Romance

 

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Signed paperback of Live Wire + eBook of Buckle Bunny + $5 Amazon Gift Card
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Signed paperback of Live Wire + eBook of Buckle Bunny
THIRD PRIZE
Signed paperback of Live Wire
PLUS, ALL WINNERS
Audio downloads of Fighting for Anna and Searching for Dime Box
March 6-16, 2019
(International)

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

3/6/19 		Character Interview 	Texas Book Lover 
3/7/19 		Review 			Reading by Moonlight 
3/7/19 		Review 			Hall Ways Blog 
3/8/19 		Series Spotlight 	Max Knight 
3/8/19 		Series Spotlight 	All the Ups and Downs 
3/9/19 		Review 			That's What She's Reading 
3/9/19 		Review 			Nerd Narration 
3/10/19 	Guest Post 		Carpe Diem Chronicles 
3/11/19 	Review 			Forgotten Winds 
3/11/19 	Review 			Syd Savvy 
3/12/19 	Character Spotlight 	Chapter Break Book Blog 
3/13/19 	Review 			Momma on the Rocks 
3/13/19 	Review 			StoreyBook Reviews 
3/14/19 	Author Interview 	The Love of a Bibliophile 
3/15/19 	Review 			Kelly Well Read 
3/15/19 	Review 			Book Fidelity 

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Happy Release Day, SOMETHING DIFFERENT by Allegra Johnson

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ABOUT THE BOOK

something different ebook cover

Life is not a fairy tale … After five years as a widow, MacKenzie is ready to move on, maybe. Still unsure of herself, she agrees to attend a bachelor auction in which a date is up for bid. Could this be the step she needs to make that move?

There’s just something about her… Sebastian spent the year following his divorce throwing himself into work and avoiding anything that had to do with love. When a favor for a friend leads to a chance meeting with the lady of his dreams, he begins to believe in the happily ever after.

With an ocean separating them, it won’t be easy, but together they’re sure to discover a love that is something different.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MNVQJQN

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AllegraAllegra is an indie author who enjoys writing steamy love stories with a twist. The twist would be her imagination. Originally from Massachusetts, she now resides in Southern California.
Some of Allegra’s favorite things include all things purple, glitter, fairies, and unicorns. Her hobbies are reading, procrastinating, listening to music, watching sports, and napping. If she likes you, she’ll bake you cookies or cupcakes. If she doesn’t like you, she’ll write you into a story and, well, bad things will happen. Never make an author angry. It won’t end well, trust me on this one.
You can find Allegra fluttering around Romancelandia, figuring this author thing out, one book at a time. You can follow her adventures in writing on most social media platforms.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: (author page) https://fb.me/stumblingauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allegra_johnson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Allegra55302863

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorallegrajohnson/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allegra-johnson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15276339.Allegra_Johnson

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AllegraJohnson

Email: authorallegrajohnson@gmail.com

 

TO CATCH A TEXAS STAR by Linda Broday Book Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway

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TO CATCH A TEXAS STAR

Texas Heroes, Book 3

by

LINDA BRODAY

Genre: Western / Historical / Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of Publication: July 3, 2018
Number of Pages: 352

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Synopsis

to catch a texas starOn her way to town early one morning, Marley Rose McClain finds a man unconscious and bleeding at the side of the road. She loads him in the wagon and takes him to her family ranch.
Drifter Roan Penny fights for his life, his one goal eating at him—to find the ones who murdered his best friend. As he recovers, he finds himself falling in love with Marley. She’s everything he wants and dreams of making her his wife even as he knows it’s impossible. A terrifying stranger appears and a long-kept secret shakes Marley to the core. Roan helps her through very frightening times and they pledge their love for each other. As Roan hunts down the hooded men who killed his friend and grows closer to learning the truth of the stranger’s identity, he finds both himself and Marley being stalked.Shocking events unfold, secrets come to light, and a love refuses to be denied in this cat and mouse game where danger lurks around every corner. Will Roan and Marley survive to see the future they plan?

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To Catch a Texas Star is the third book in the Texas Heroes series, but the first one I’ve read. It’s actually the first book by Linda Broday that I’ve ever read. I like it. I like her writing style. This book stands well on its own, but reading the two that came before it would probably enhance the enjoyment.

Texas Star is fast-paced and action-packed, featuring well-drawn characters you’d root for and the wild West as the exciting setting. At the center of everything is a sweet romance between Marley, a strong, caring young woman, and Roan, a determined, honorable drifter. Their story happens amidst grave danger and life-altering secrets.

This book captured my attention from the beginning with its dramatic first chapter. It kept getting better as the characters are introduced (Duel, Jessie, Matt, Granny Jack, etc.) and as the attraction between Marley and Roan grew. I liked that both of them have strengths and faults. I appreciate that they saved each other’s lives. Often in Westerns, the heroine is a damsel in distress, just waiting for the hero to rescue her. This one is not like that. Marley had her low moments, especially when she was scared for her family, but she had amazing highs like when she rescued herself and when she acted to make it easy for the good guys to win in the end.

This book follows in the classic Western formula of heroes being amazingly good (and seemingly indestructible) while the villains are incredibly bad. You can easily visualize this as a movie for Ms. Broday described the action and fight scenes well.

As a Texas resident, I like the feeling of being “at home” when I read a book set here. But, even those not from here will enjoy To Catch a Texas Star as it tackles universal themes of family, justice, loyalty, and deep-abiding love.

 

Praise for To Catch a Texas Star
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“Fans of the previous books will enjoy returning to the McClain clan, and new readers will appreciate the story’s layered mysteries, emotional depth, and believable scenes of attraction.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“I loved the twists and turns that this story takes. It is pretty interesting seeing this romance blossom and how much their relationship strengthens as they face danger and the truth together.”–Addicted to Romance

“Marley Rose has one of the most gentle and winsome souls; her affection and compassion for others and delightful creativity pour off the pages and you can’t help but adore her.”–Michelle (Goodreads)

AboutTheAuthor

linda brodayLinda is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of full length historical western romance novels and novellas. She’s published over twenty books and short stories and resides in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed. On a quiet day, she can often hear their voices whispering in the wind. The love of this state and its people runs bone deep and she instills that into each book she writes. She sets all her stories in Texas because of the rich history and interesting people. A mother, grandmother, and soon to be a great grandmother, Linda finds research fascinating and always looks for little known tidbits to add realism to her stories. When she’s not writing, she collects old coins and confesses to being a rock hound in addition to making herself a nuisance at museums, libraries, and historical places which inspire her.

WEBSITE  FACEBOOK  PINTEREST  TWITTER  GOODREADS  LINKEDIN  BOOKBUB

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Grand Prize: Signed Copies of Full Texas Heroes Series
Five Runners-Up: Signed Copies of To Catch a Texas Star
(US ONLY)
July 3-12, 2018

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

7/3/18		Excerpt			That's What She's Reading
7/3/18		Bonus Series Spotlight	Hall Ways Blog
7/4/18		Review			Chapter Break Book Blog
7/5/18		Guest Post		StoreyBook Reviews
7/6/18		Review			Carpe Diem Chronicles
7/7/18		Character Interview	The Librarian Talks
7/8/18		Review			Reading by Moonlight
7/9/18		Playlist		Tangled in Text
7/10/18		Review			Books and Broomsticks
7/11/18		Author Interview	Dressed to Read
7/12/18		Review			Margie's Must Reads

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MAKING UP by Lucy Parker – Happy Book Birthday!

Author of Act Like It and Pretty Face Lucy Parker returns readers to the West End, where it’s fireworks onstage and off in a sexy enemies-to-lovers showdown.

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SYNOPSIS

Once upon a time, circus artist Trix Lane was the best around. Her spark vanished with her confidence, though, and reclaiming either has proved…difficult. So when the star of The Festival of Masks is nixed and Trix is unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight, it’s exactly the push she needs. But the joy over her sudden elevation in status is cut short by a new hire on the makeup team.

Leo Magasiva: disgraced wizard of special effects. He of the beautiful voice and impressive beard. Complete dickhead and—in an unexpected twist—an enragingly good kisser.

To Leo, something about Trix is…different. Lovely. Beautiful, even though the pint-size, pink-haired former bane of his existence still spends most of her waking hours working to annoy him. They’ve barely been able to spend two minutes together for years, and now he can’t get enough of her. On stage. At home. In his bed.

When it comes to commitment, Trix has been there, done that, never wants to do it again. Leo’s this close to the job of a lifetime, which would take him away from London—and from Trix. Their past is a constant barrier between them.

It seems hopeless.

Utterly impossible.

And yet…

 

Buy Making Up here:

Amazon US: https://goo.gl/CTLJJd
Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/EgCUHC
B & N: https://goo.gl/KmWz8p
Kobo: https://goo.gl/KeXKig

 

REVIEW

I lovedlovedloved Making Up. I read it so fast, now I want to read it again. Well, after I read Pretty Face first. I’ve had that book for ages. Planned to read it after Act Like It while I was in England, but I never got around to it. I’m not sure if my opinion of Trix will change. We shall see.

For now, I love her. She’s feisty and vulnerable at the same time. Her confidence was shaken by a manipulative ex but she got past the insecurities, by herself and also with Leo’s support. I adore that she’s fiercely protective of Leo and had the hero moment with the saboteur. Also with Cat, the biatch sister.

And, Leo? I adore him. He’s everything a romantic hero should be. He’s had many bad things happen to him, but he did not turn bitter. He’s talented, witty, and oh-so-kind. His lines are swoon worthy.

Happiness. She was, still unbelievably, happiness.
“You make me happy. It’s as simple as that. And I make you happy. Whether you’re ready to acknowledge that or not.”
“Fight for me, too.”

Waaah, he made me cry. And laugh. Both of them did. Their banter was zingy and their sci-fi fandom is so endearingly geeky.

What I adored above all is Lucy’s writing. It’s so visual. She described the acrobatics, the makeup, the actions, the feelings so incredibly well that the scenes played like a movie in my mind. What a great talent. Another big plus is the fascinating secondary characters. They’re diverse and added so much color to the story without taking center stage.

If I have to look for something to complain about it has to be the numerous villains (Trix’s ex, the show’s stage manager, Leo’s saboteur, and especially Cat). I just loved the romance between Leo and Trix so much to the point that it overpowered my objections over the antagonists completely.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucy Parker - Author PhotoLucy Parker lives in the gorgeous Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she feels lucky every day to look out at mountains, lakes, and vineyards. She has a degree in Art History, loves museums and art galleries, and doodles unrecognizable flowers when she has writer’s block.

When she’s not writing, working or sleeping, she happily tackles the towering pile of to-be-read books that never gets any smaller. Thankfully, there’s always another story waiting.

Her interest in romantic fiction began with a pre-teen viewing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Firth-style), which prompted her to read the book as well. A family friend introduced her to Georgette Heyer, and the rest was history.

Happy Book Birthday, RESISTING THE DOCTOR by Patricia W. Fischer

Congratulations to Patricia W. Fischer on the release of RESISTING THE DOCTOR, Book 1 of Marietta Medical series by Tule Publishing.

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After being hired as the temporary director of Marietta Medical ER, Dr. Lucy Davidson meticulously plots the course she wants the quickly growing facility to take. She’s laser-focused, determined to prove herself worthy to become the permanent director. No distraction will sway her…not even the brilliant and disturbingly handsome new Emergency Room physician, Thomas McAvoy.
Fulfilling a promise, Thomas has come to Marietta to help the woman who saved his life then leave as soon as possible. Still sustaining injuries from the near fatal attack, he realizes how much he appreciates the slower pace of his temporary assignment at a rural hospital. It’s a soothing balm after years in an hectic urban ER.
The charm of Marietta and the friendliness of his colleagues lure Thomas into thinking he might like to make his temporary position permanent, especially since he and Lucy have become closer. As their relationship begins to heat up, Thomas realizes Lucy is everything he dreamed of in a life partner, and he can’t imagine letting her go. But when they both realize they are up for the same promotion, will they be able to keep their personal and professional lives separate?

RESISTING THE DOCTOR is available digitally from: Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, Rakuten Kobo, and Google Play.

Readers can follow Patricia in social media here:

www.patriciawfischer.com
Facebook.com/PatriciaWFWriter
Twitter-@pawf1067
IG-PatriciaWFischerAuthor

 

FIGHTING IRISH by Katy Regnery – Book Birthday Review/Giveaway

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BOOK INFORMATION:

FIGHTING IRISH, The Summerhaven Trio #1

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Blueberry Lane series comes a new trio of romances featuring the Haven triplets!

Rory Haven and Brittany Manion knew one another as children…
…but it’s been a long time since their childhood summers at Summerhaven.

The Havens weren’t the children who attended exclusive Summerhaven Camp in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. They were the children of the owners, expected to “pull their weight” and absolutely forbidden to fraternize with the paying guests. But that didn’t keep Rory from having a quiet, unrequited crush on gorgeous, popular, insanely-rich, Brittany Manion for four tortuous summers.

When all-grown-up, recently-engaged Brittany books the off-season summer camp for her upcoming spring wedding, she immediately recognizes Rory as the scorching-hot boy who wouldn’t give her the time of day. Meanwhile, Rory, who senses that Brittany’s nuptials are less about Mr. Right and more about Mr. Right Now, launches the fight of his life to win the heart of the girl he’s always wanted.

 

AVAILABLE FROM:

~Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B2NL7G8
~Apple iBooks: https://apple.co/2GDStBm
~Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2DVvdRW
~Kobo: http://bit.ly/2DT6n54

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~THE SUMMERHAVEN TRIO~
Book #1: Fighting Irish (Rory and Brittany)
Book #2: Smiling Irish (Tierney and Burr)
Book #3: Loving Irish (Ian and Hallie)

MY REVIEW: 

Fighting Irish is a sweet story of second-chance love amidst class differences and a history of betrayals suffered by the heroine Brittany Manion. Rory Haven is an ideal hero–responsible, kind, understanding, and patient. He’s had a crush on Brittany since they were fourteen, but his obedience to his mother’s edict of non-fraternization with their summer camp’s attendees won out over his adolescent feelings. Given another chance with the woman of his dreams, he took it, but he waited until she was ready and had developed feelings for him in return.

I liked that this was slow-burn and Rory and Brittany did not get together until they’ve declared their love for one another. I absolutely adore the highlighting of love for family in this novel. It’s Brittany’s dream and the happy ever after she deserves after all she’s been through. Rory’s bond with his siblings was celebrated without having it take over the book.

One mark of a good book for me is when I had a hard time putting it down. Fighting Irish is one such book, that’s why I’m giving it five stars.

For a chance to win a copy of Fighting Irish, check out my Carpe Diem Chronicles by Maida Malby on Facebook.

 

My January 2018 Reads

I was 8 for 10 in January for my Reading Challenge. I have three Works-In-Progress and finally joined Twitter; my reading time was severely curtailed. The good news is that I thoroughly enjoyed the eight books I read in January.

My first five-star read was Sonali Dev’s A Distant Heart. I tooa-distant-heart-sonali-devk my time reading this book even though I had a deadline to rate and review it within two weeks of its release. I wanted to not only delve deep into the story and characters, but also study the writing style and learn from it. I’ve decided that the majority of my books will be set away from the US and this is a perfect model for me to emulate. Sonali transported me to Mumbai from the first word. She deftly weaved the Indian culture into the story without the need for a glossary and lengthy explanations.

a devil in scotlandFrom India, I traveled to the Scottish highlands in Suzanne Enoch’s A Devil in Scotland. I enjoyed this action-packed Highland story of redemption and second-chance love. I especially liked Callum’s growth from a drunken irresponsible youth to a sharp businessman, loving father figure, seductive lover, and worthy clan leader. I adored little Margaret and her pack. I appreciated the slow(ish) build up of trust between Callum and Rebecca. The realization of their mutual attraction came as a natural progression due to their shared history and re-acquaintance rather than the lightning strike of instalust. Four stars. This was an ARC from NetGalley.

I love that I’m traveling through space and time with my reading. My next book Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan took me to one of my most favorite cities in the world, during what’s quite possibly my favorite holiday –moonlight-over-manhattan-by-sarah-morgan Christmastime. I rated it four stars. I love that both hero and heroine are self-aware, mature individuals yet they still both grew in the telling of this story. I adore that there are several cases of misunderstanding, but they were discussed and resolved right away. There’s a lot to admire in both Harriett and Ethan, that you just have to root for them to be together. I also appreciate the dogs, the friends, the family who played important roles in the MCs romance. If I have a critique, it would be that the pacing could have been a bit “faster” and the hero and heroine could have more flaws.

beyond scandal and desireWe go back to Victorian England with Lorraine Heath’s Beyond Scandal and Desire.  I loved loved loved that the romance between Mick and Aslyn is at the center of this book and Lorraine Heath never strayed from it. The revenge angle never overwhelmed it as I’ve seen in some other books I read recently. I cried at the end with the reveal and the discussion of baby farming. Ms. Heath has always been able to do that to me and I love her for it. A four-star read for me, this book sets up the new series very well. I’m looking forward to the stories of Mick’s foster siblings. Edelweiss kindly provided me with the Advance Review Copy of this book.

Back to present-day Napa Valley with Love Me Like love me like thisThis by Bella Andre. This was another ARC. Love Me Like This is incredibly sweet and unabashedly romantic. This story of a second-chance love between college best friends, who mistakenly thought their love for the other was not reciprocated, is the very definition of a romance novel. I always enjoy Bella’s books and Love Me Like This didn’t disappoint. I recommend this to everyone who wants to be reminded that there are positive stories out there, stories of generosity and kindness, stories of love and hope. They can be found in the pages of romance novels. Four stars.

heretics of thran

I haven’t taken a break from reading romance in a while so I decided to check out this series prequel by Tai. It turned out to be a great choice because it was a quick, fun read. What I loved is the world-building is happening without excessive info-dump at the start. I’m seeing it unfold as the scenes happen. Also, the characters are introduced in such a way that the reader is not confused by their sheer number, each distinct and easily identifiable. Heretics of Thran is a fast-paced action-packed adventure-fantasy romp and I cannot wait for the Distant Stars series to begin. I hope Edrich gets a love interest somewhere along the way. 😉 That’ll make my romance-loving heart happy.

After the futuristic sci-fi/fantasy, I’m back to romance the ones who got awaywith Roni Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away. Ms. Loren is a new-to-me author and this is the first one I’ve read of her work. It will certainly not the last. I gave this book five stars because it ticked all the boxes for books I enjoy the most. It was satisfying. There’s angst, hot sexytimes, family dysfunction, lots of humor, and what I love best, female friendships. The theme of taking one’s fate in hand and going for your dream in the present is something that parallels my own motto of Carpe Diem that’s why I have such an affinity with this book. “… I won’t play it safe. I won’t be practical. I’ll live a passionate life … I promise, Class of 2005, to live the life that scares me.”

unraveled

The last novel I completed in January is the first book of Lauren Dane’s Whiskey Sharp series – Unraveled. I was conflicted with this book. I love everything that had to do with Maybe and Alexsei. They are wonderfully well-rounded characters, who are real people and highly relatable. I adore their interactions and the sizzling chemistry between them. Their journey to love was funny, sweet, and oh-so sexy. On the other hand, I didn’t love the storyline with the parents. It overpowered the book. In the end, I will still follow this series, but I’m hoping the villains are gone quickly in the next novel.

 

To start February, I already have four books opened, both ebooks and paperback. I’ll try to catch up this month and read 12 books. Good thing, one of my WIPs will go to the editor in the middle of the month. I’ll have a little bit more time to read and be able to scale my Mt. TBR.

See my full reviews on Goodreads.

Eating And Reading Are Two Pleasures That Combine Admirably

I love reading. I love food. I love reading books with food in them. I love it so much that all my books will feature local food from their respective setting (Philippines, Singapore, Thailand). Also, the hero of my third book, Craig, is a chef.

I thought of this quote by CS Lewis because I recently read 20170518_191314402_iOStwo food-centric romance novels – Sherry Thomas’s Delicious and Laura Florand’s The Chocolate Thief. The food descriptions in both novels were so vivid and sumptuous that the first thing I did after reading was go to a French café and buy madeleines and chocolate tartlets and mini-croissants.

I always give high marks to books that make me react – whether it is to cry, laugh, or think. Those that induce me to go out and buy food deserve no less than five stars. It doesn’t hurt that they are fantastic stories told by talented authors. These were my first books by these two writers and they won’t be the last. I already have their backlists on my Overdrive holds. What are a dozen more books to pile onto my TBR mountain? Why, nothing. Nothing at all.

 

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