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Book Review: The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

 The Love Letter

by Rachel Hauck

 

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Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 12, 2018)

#TheLoveLetter,tnzfiction #NetGalley

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations.

Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career.

When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.

Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years, and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.

Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Chloe never understood how one could simply fall out of love. Was it an open window, a trap door?

 Hollywood is getting tired of me. I’m fifty-seven going on a hundred. I refuse to have plastic surgery and… I refuse to play one of those horny old cougars who makes a fool of herself by falling for some hot thirty-something who only has one thing on his mind.

 My Review:

While the premise sounded interesting, I struggled to remain engaged with this book, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Written with two timelines that were 240 years apart, both storylines involved a young couple of ancestral heritage bucking authority and yearning to establish a romantic relationship during a turbulent period. Both timelines were overflowing with heartbreak, grueling disappointments, angst, stress, despair, and conflicts of every sort – which again,  not my favorite tropes.  As such, my frustration and dissatisfaction were entirely self-inflicted – I chose poorly. There was considerably more religious spirituality than I was expecting and I couldn’t seem to invest or connect to but a few of the characters as I found most of them rather shallow and tedious. Several storylines seemed to lack cohesion – or maybe I just got lost. I probably should have stopped with a DNF but was ultimately glad I continued as despite my disappointment and frustrations with the author’s choices, I needed closure and in due course, I did enjoy the ending, although I doubt it would be an easy read for anyone, nor was it an HEA all the way around.

About Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower.

Connect with Rachel

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Book Review, Giveaway: Madam Love, Actually by Rich Amooi



Madam Love, Actually

by Rich Amooi

Goodreads

Amazon US/ UK/ CA/ AU

Lance Parker is an arrogant know-it-all. As the author of the bestselling book Your Soulmate Doesn’t Exist, he says love is for losers. Madam Love is a fortune teller and matchmaker who has brought hundreds of couples together.

When the two clash during a radio interview, she admits even someone as irritating and impossible as Lance has a soulmate. He says she’s delirious and a fraud. Then the gauntlet is laid down: Madam Love has two weeks to prove Lance wrong and find him a soulmate.

When Lance meets wonderful Emma by chance, he doesn’t know what to think anymore. But Emma has a secret. She’s Madam Love, actually. And it’s going to take a whole lot more than a crystal ball to get her out of this mess.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 … she had enough gold jewelry around her neck and wrists to make Kanye West feel insecure.

 Do you think you have enough red and purple in this room? It looks like a combined shrine to Prince and Valentine’s Day.

 It says here on this website that the life expectancy of fortune tellers and psychics is ten years less than that of a normal person… Killed by their disgruntled clients, I’m guessing.

 My dad was a military man— a colonel in the Air Force. We never got along, so when I had the opportunity to name our new dog in high school, I chose the name General. I just thought it would be funny to have a dog that outranked my dad.

 My Review:

Oh, what fun! This was my first experience reading the talented Mr. Amooi and I found his work a delightful treat. His characters were endearingly quirky and the writing was pleasantly entertaining, amusing, and as comfortable as smooth jazz. It was a quick, light, and easy to follow tale with a vibrant cast and a silky flow. Lance and Emma were an adorable and sweet couple with an instant and electrifying connection that threatened to fry their circuits. After his prickly introduction, I didn’t expect to enjoy the character of Lance as much as I did but I cannot resist a handsome and charming man who names his puppy Typo and teaches him to cha-cha, loves cupcakes, finds a woman cute when she snorts with laughter, jumps in with first aid for a stranger, and recycles without being reminded. I mean, really, very few women could resist all that!

Author Bio –

 Rich Amooi is a former radio personality who now writes romantic comedies full-time. He is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. They live in San Diego, California with their very hairy daughter, a mini Goldendoodle puppy. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

 

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/richamooi

Giveaway 

Win a Sterling Silver Lucky Charm Pendant, plus an autographed paperback copy of Madam Love, Actually. (Open Internationally).

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: Bentley by Melanie Moreland

Bentley 

(Vested Interest #1)

by Melanie Moreland 

Goodreads

Amazon / B&N


Three young men meet in university and form a lifelong friendship.

Their pasts dictate the men they are, but their present shapes their future.

What happens when these men meet the one person they are destined to be with? Can they fight their feelings and walk away? Or will they each succumb and learn the sweet agony of love?

Bentley

The leader of the group. He is uptight, formal, and cold. Rigid and set in his ways, always following the same path. Until the day, he stumbles upon her.
Emmy.
She brings with her spontaneity and light. The world she lives in is so different from his, yet he cannot control the draw to her. Nor can he explain the way she makes him feel.
Happy.
Protective.
Loved.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

My name isn’t Emmy… Winifred Windfall. That means, really, I’m Freddy Money.

 “Does he go with you everywhere?” I nodded, winking covertly at her. “He’s like a fungus I can’t get rid of.”

 We headed toward the counter, and I made a beeline for an older woman, thinking she’d be the safest bet. Except when she looked up, her frank appraisal made me hesitate. When she licked her lips, I felt Maddox’s yank on my arm. “Abort, abort,” he hissed. “Cougar.” Like a well-oiled machine, we veered to the right…

 Aiden, maybe you can teach me some of your karate skills. I bet I could take them if I tried. I don’t know if there is, like, a kidnapper network, but if word got out I wasn’t to be messed with, that would help keep them away.

My Review:

I adored each of these characters and am eager to delve into the rest of the series. The storylines were crisp, intriguing, cleverly amusing, and unfailingly entertaining. The character of Bentley was initially that of a frosty and arrogant businessman, but underneath he was a considerate and swoony teddy bear. I relished the easy banter and bawdy teasing among the group and was in awe at the deft and insightful handling of several rather heavy and vexing emotional issues.   Ms. Moreland’s smooth and engaging writing style held my interest, attention, and admiration from start to finish.

About the Author

New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them. 
While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip. 
Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free-falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She’s learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.
Melanie is represented by Flavia Viotti at Bookcase Literary Agency. For any questions regarding subsidiary or translation rights please contact her at flavia@bookcaseagency.com
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Book Review, Giveaway: Maddox by Melanie Moreland

Title: Maddox
Series: Vested Interest Series
Author: Melanie Moreland
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense 18+
Release Date: July 9, 2018
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“Every reader is going to tell you that Maddox is a dirty talker. He also likes control, but the one thing he can’t control is Dee’s heart.The joy of this story is the characters learning to trust one another with their hearts.” Mae Wood, author of Pig & Barley series

“There’s a new book boyfriend on the block and his name is Maddox. Hands off ladies, he is all MINE.” Eva LeNoir, author of UCC Saga series

“Right, let’s get one thing straight. Maddox = MINE. I mean, I claimed him way, back when, and now I’ve read his story, I’ve even more obsessed with him. Even more in love with him. Even more in love with this series, TBH.” B. Cranford, author of The Avenue series

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Brought up in chaos and fear, Maddox requires order and control to cope with life. He has his career and his two closest friends. That is all he needs. Until Dee enters his life. She brings forth feelings he has denied himself his entire life, threatening his control.
He wants to hold.
Keep.
Love.
Live.
 
Damaged by her past, Dee cannot admit her feelings for him, fighting him at every turn.
Is he strong enough for both of them?
Can he prove to her that they would be perfect together?
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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I don’t date,” she insisted, stubborn as a child being told something they didn’t want to hear. I scrubbed my face. “I hate to break it to you, my lovely. We’ve been dating the past few months.” She sat up, clutching a pillow in front of her like a talisman. “We have not!” I sat up as well, grabbing her shoulders. “Listen to me. We’ve been having dinner, meeting with our friends, talking on the phone, texting. Having sex.” I dropped my voice. “Amazing, crazy sex. Neither of us is seeing anyone else… Whether you like it or not, we’re in an exclusive relationship.” She gaped at me, making me laugh.

 “If I have to beat you for this, Mad Dog, I will—but I’ll try to be gentle.” “Whatever,” I snorted. “I can take you, big man.” “You think so? I could snap you like a twig.” “I’ll throw a couple of lemon Danish at you and run. You’ll be so busy trying to catch them, I’ll be fine.”

 … he was such a pretentious asshole. He makes Bentley look like a laid-back hippie. The pole he has shoved up his backside must tickle his throat.

My Review:

This series has become one of my favorites to date – I’m intrigued by this endearing and bossy group of successful entrepreneurs who had met and became best friends during their college years. Each had suffered a traumatic past with no desire for a serious relationship, until one-by-one, the mighty fell, and I so enjoyed watching them tumble. The three friends, having each miraculously paired off, were assisting Bentley and Emmy in wedding preparations, with cleverly amusing results. The character of Maddox was happily settling into his first satisfying relationship when an unpleasant part of his past places everything he had worked for at risk and proved to be a sticky thorn to dislodge. Written from my favorite dual POV, the storylines were entertaining, amusing, and quite erotic. Maddox was a salacious and sensual read with breath-stealing scenes that left me gasping and seeking cool hydration. Clutch the pearls; this lascivious couple was scorching the sheets with reams of bawdy talk. I relished the humor, ease, and supportive nature of this colorful and vibrant collection of curiously alluring personalities, and eagerly anticipate equally entertaining tales of their expanding circle of friends and employees.

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Until one day, I was browsing my local bookstore for something new to read.
Studying a book jacket, I was distracted when a woman’s silhouette caught my attention. She was lissome and pretty, the sunlight catching her light red hair. She was reading the back of a book, her finger running over the spine. Something about her beckoned to me yet seemed familiar. With a grin, I realized it was Dee, and I approached her. “Find something good?”
She glanced at me, startled. I was close enough to see the flecks of brown in her wide green eyes. She smiled and slid the book back onto the shelf. “Not really.” She indicated the books I had in my hand. “I think you’ve had better luck.”
“You can borrow one if you like. I tend to buy in batches.”
She tilted her head, silently mouthing the titles. She looked up with a smile. “That would be lovely.”
“I was gonna grab a cup of coffee. Can I interest you in joining me?”
“I’d love to.”
Seated across from her, I realized it was the first time we’d ever been alone.
“You come here often?”
She shook her head with a wry grin. “Is that your best pick-up line, Maddox?”
I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here until today.”
“I was in the office for a short while, then dropped in here. Usually I browse on my lunch hour.”
“That makes sense.”
Silence fell as we sipped our coffee, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I noticed she nibbled at the end of her thumb, and it struck me as odd. Given her stoic persona, I found it rather endearing.
And I found my thoughts strange. Endearing wasn’t a word I used often—if ever.
She met my gaze. “So, is it?”
“Is it what?”
“Is that your best pick-up line?”
I studied her as I drank my coffee. “I don’t typically do pick-up lines.”
She smirked. “I’m not surprised.”
“Sorry?”
“With that whole silver fox thing you’ve got going, I’m sure you don’t have to.”
I frowned. “Silver fox?”
“Maddox, the silver fox. Young, sexy, wealthy, plus that premature gray? I bet you beat them off with a stick.”
I shook my head, amused at her thoughts. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but no.”
“Really? I’m surprised.”
I sat back, crossing my legs, swinging one foot. “What about you, Deirdre? All prim and pretty. You drive the lawyers crazy at your firm?”
She laughed. “Dee. No one calls me Deirdre. It’s stuffy and formal.”
“No. It’s a lovely name for a lovely woman. It suits you. The lawyers you date don’t call you by your full name?”
She ignored my comment about her name. “I don’t date lawyers, or anyone else at my firm,” she stated firmly. “In fact, I don’t date.”
“Ever?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. Love, romantic love, isn’t for me.”
I took in a deep breath and spoke. “Why is that?”
“It’s dangerous. It overwhelms and kills you.”
At my raised eyebrow, she continued.
“I’m not saying I don’t see people. I have…needs. But I don’t do romantic relationships. I’ve seen the way love destroys people.” She held up her hand before I could speak. “I know it works for some, but I’m not built that way.”
I drained my coffee, then leaned forward. “Neither am I.”
She widened her eyes. “Really?”
“Love equals power. The power to destroy. The ability to hurt and cause pain. The chaos it causes. That’s what love means to me. It destroys trust and leaves you weak.”
“You feel that way about everyone?”
“There are a few exceptions. And I will never break them for a woman.”
Our eyes met, silent understanding passing between us. The air shifted, and I felt our mutual desire grow. It stretched out, pushing tentatively against the boundaries we had erected. She propped her elbow on the table, lifting her thumb to her mouth. Her small teeth gnawed at the flesh. It was an innocent gesture, yet I found it provocative.
“I have needs too,” I murmured. Reaching over, I tugged her thumb from her mouth, inspecting it. From the roughness of the skin, and the fact that it was the second time she’d done it since we sat down, it was clearly a nervous habit for her. I slowly dragged my fingers across her palm, then laid her hand on the table.
Her breathing hitched. “I’m older than you are.”
“Three years,” I scoffed. “It’s nothing.”
“I’m serious. I don’t do relationships.”
“Nor do I.” I bent forward, lowering my voice. “May I be blunt with you?”
“I prefer blunt.”
“I find you incredibly attractive, Deirdre. Very sexy in your buttoned-up clothes and calm exterior. I’d like to see what happens when you’re naked and aroused.” I tilted my head, studying her. “Like now—are you aware in the past few minutes, your breathing picked up and your eyes darkened? You have the loveliest color across your cheeks. Even the tips of your ears are pink. I wonder how far down I could make you flush that way.”
Her color deepened, but she didn’t flinch. She shifted closer, our knees pressed together under the table. Her normally husky voice was even lower, turning me on. “You want honest?”
I nodded.
“I think you’re one of the sexiest men I’ve ever met, Maddox. I see how your toned body moves when you walk, and I imagine you moving in me. You use your hands a lot when you talk, and I want to feel them on my skin. Your muscles flex under your expensive suits, and I want to feel them tighten under my touch.” She ran her finger over her lips. “I want to taste you and watch you fall apart.”
“Then maybe we should go and explore each other.”
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New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them. 
While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip. 
Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free-falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She’s learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.
Melanie is represented by Flavia Viotti at Bookcase Literary Agency. For any questions regarding subsidiary or translation rights please contact her at flavia@bookcaseagency.com
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Book Review: BEGIN WITH YOU (Chaotic Love #1) by Claudia Burgoa

Today we are celebrating the release of the first title in Claudia Burgoa’s Chaotic Love duet! BEGIN WITH YOU is now live (99 cents till Monday!) and the second book in the set, BACK TO YOU, releases August 9th.

Sign up for Claudia’s newsletter for exclusive news about the duet!

Begin with You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #1 – Available Now

Purchase for just 99 cents!

Amazon  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

Add the book to Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the outside, Abby’s life looks like a fairytale. 

Loving family, wealthy lifestyle, education at a prestigious university. The truth? She’s barely managing to survive. Few know the nightmare she lived before she was adopted. And no one knows the secret agony that still haunts her nightmares.

With a degree from Berkeley, she could have gone anywhere, but she’s back in Colorado. Not for a fresh start—fresh starts are only an illusion—but for Wes Ahern. Her protector, who throws around words like “therapy” and “talk to me.” Her brother in every way but blood. The one man she wishes could be so much more.

Maybe, just this once, she can stop running from her demons. 

But does she dare let Wes see inside the darkest closets of her pain…or will love be the biggest mistake of her life?

An inspirational and emotional contemporary romance Begin with You is a heartbreaking tale of fresh starts and old wounds. This jarring and dark novel will leave readers at the edge of their seats. This is part one of a duet, thus containing a cliffhanger that leads into the next installment. It contains references to childhood trauma, kidnapping, and PTSD.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Some people don’t have what it takes to be human, and she was one of them.

 Because sex is like bungee jumping. If you overthink it, you’ll never do it.

 My Review:

 

I don’t know what it is about Claudia Burgoa but despite my complete and total loathing of conflict and angst, I cannot resist her disquieting stories. She definitely has the word voodoo – and lots of it. Begin With You had me ensorcelled, captivated, and held hostage with compelling characters and a heart-squeezing and intriguing tale. But how vile, I’m am stamping my little foot while blue steam is blasting from every cranial orifice as this foreboding, dark, and twisted saga ended with a heinous cliffhanger and broke me. Once I’ve calmed down it’s off to the store to pick up supplies for a fetish doll and extra sharp pins to employ while impatiently awaiting the second half of this addictive duet.

 ——————–

Back to You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #2 – Coming August 9

Pre-order Now!

Amazon (coming soon!)  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

Add the book to Goodreads

—————————–

AUTHOR INFORMATION:


Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado working for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. And a wonderful husband who shares her love for all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Secrets of Villa Rosso by Linn B. Halton

The Secrets of Villa Rosso

by Linn B. Halton

Goodreads

Amazon US/ UK /  B&N

 

Some places stay with you forever…

When Ellie Maddison is sent on a business trip to Southern Italy, she’s reminded why she loves her job – set amongst rolling vineyards and rich olive groves, the beautiful Villa Rosso is the perfect escape from her life back home. But what Ellie isn’t prepared for is the instant connection she feels to the estate’s director Max Jackson, or the secrets they share that are as intertwined as the rambling vines that cover Villa Rosso.

It’s not long before Ellie finds herself entangled in the history of the place, trying to understand the undeniable effect Max is having on her. As their relationship grows, what will Ellie discover about this idyllic villa and those who have walked through its doors?

What started as a simple work trip will change Ellie’s life forever.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Paris had worked its magic and if you can’t be lovers in Paris, then you have no romance in your soul.

 

My life is split into two; two lives that run in parallel and only cross over in my dreams… I’m torn… but unable to let go of either of the two men who make me feel complete.

 My Review: 

 

Despite its considerable length, this was an easy and comfortable read and I appreciated the pleasant and descriptive quality of the writing as well as the creativity and uniqueness of the premise, storylines, and slowly developing mysterious mystical elements. The characters were likable and I enjoyed the scenic details of the Italian locales. The pace was gentle and slow while the narrative was low-key and mild in tone with a small undercurrent of tension running throughout. My curiosity remained tipped and I was interested in how the secrets and dream elements would resolve. The rhythm remained at a slow and leisurely waltz while I kept hoping for occasional riffs of livelier tempos.

 

Author Bio –  

From interior designer to author, Linn – who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman – says ‘it’s been a fantastic journey!’

Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and is excited to be writing for both Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and Aria Fiction (Head of Zeus); she’s represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she’s not writing or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden.

Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK’s Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards.

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic.

Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Social Media Links –

Read chapter one from each of Linn & Lucy’s novels: Website: http://linnbhalton.co.uk/

Twitter: @LinnBHalton and @LucyColemanAuth

Facebook: LinnBHaltonAuthor

Amazon author pages: Linn B. Halton and Lucy Coleman

 

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of

The Secrets of Villa Rosso

(Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone

Jane Doe

by Victoria Helen Stone

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

Lake Union Publishing (August 1, 2018)

A double life with a single purpose: revenge.

Jane’s days at a Midwest insurance company are perfectly ordinary. She blends in well, unremarkably pretty in her floral-print dresses and extra efficient at her low-level job. She’s just the kind of woman middle manager Steven Hepsworth likes—meek, insecure, and willing to defer to a man. No one has any idea who Jane really is. Least of all Steven.

But plain Jane is hiding something. And Steven’s bringing out the worst in her.

Nothing can distract Jane from going straight for his heart: allowing herself to be seduced into Steven’s bed, to insinuate herself into his career and his family, and to expose all his dirty secrets. It’s time for Jane to dig out everything that matters to Steven. So she can take it all away.

Just as he did to her.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’ve been to church plenty of times. When you grow up in rural Oklahoma, there’s no avoiding it… We had no use for pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps Christianity. If there wasn’t a big potluck after services, what was the point of going? My mom always stayed late, putting on a show of helping clean up. I liked that part. There were lots of leftovers, and she usually smuggled out a couple of free serving bowls.

 

That first time I read about sociopaths, I felt filled up with a bright light that was equal parts terror and joy. Finally—finally!—I understood. It was scary to know the truth, yes, but not nearly as frightening as ignorance… later research at the county library assured me that most people like me don’t grow up to be killers. We lie and manipulate and take advantage, but usually that just makes us great at business. Yay for capitalism…

 

There are a lot of us. More than I even realized back then. Most of us are just trying to get through the day, like aliens living secretly among humans. And we’re great for the economy. It’s easy to turn a profit when you have no self-doubt.

 

The clerk is a pale young man who looks like he suffered a terrible haircut nine months ago and decided to never try again.

 

Everyone likes to be told they are right, because that means someone else is deliciously, fantastically wrong, and that is a joy that never gets old. I like it too.

 

Don’t believe the movies about us. Being a sociopath doesn’t automatically make someone a genius at killing. I’m learning on the job here.

 My Review:

 

Gird yourselves – this is going to be a full-on rave and I fear my anxiously eager yet well-manicured fingers may not be able to keep up. Jane Doe was a tasty treat! It was deliciously snarky, brilliantly written, expertly crafted, and savagely clever. I loved every fiendishly compelling word. It was wicked good, and I feel impotent and ineffectual, as I cannot mentally retrieve enough lofty adjectives and adverbs to do it justice.

I was immediately sucked into Jane’s cunning vortex and honestly, I didn’t want to leave as I took great pleasure in being a hitchhiker within her deviously sly cranium and being privy to her sardonic inner musings and razor-sharp insights while she ingeniously plotted the demise of her best friend’s tormenter. In deciding the best course of action for her vengeance, Jane debated and shuffled through various scenarios in determining her plan. I was gleefully cheering her on every step of the way and greatly relieved when she landed on the winning combination without bloodshed, yet was far more devastating. I had never read this author in either incarnation whether Victoria Helen Stone or Victoria Dahl, but she is my new favorite. I adore her. Fangirl down!

About Victoria Helen Stone

Victoria Helen Stone is the nom de plume for USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dahl. After publishing more than twenty-five novels, she is now taking a turn toward the darker side of genre fiction. Born and educated in the Midwest, she finished her first manuscript just after college. In 2016, the American Library Association awarded her the prestigious Reading List Award for outstanding genre fiction. Having escaped the plains of her youth, she now resides with her family in a small town high in the Rocky Mountains, where she enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, and not skiing (too dangerous).

Connect with Victoria

Website | Twitter

 

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Continuum (The South Beach Connection Trilogy Book 3) by A.R. Hadley 

Title: Continuum
Series: The South Beach Connection Trilogy Book 3
Author: A.R. Hadley 
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women’s Fiction
Release Date: July 25, 2018
Annie promised Cal she would wait for him. He was her home, her safety — the person she felt she always knew.
And he felt the same.
 
Still … they go their separate ways. Their passionate summer has come to a close.
 
Cal returns to California while Annie heads to Seattle. But they can’t stay away from each other long. And soon, their lives become one.
 
Except … there’s one more test they must face. Or maybe there will be many.
 
After all, life is made up of waves, endless cycles — series of ups and downs, pulling hearts, souls, and minds toward the horizon, then the shore.
Every push, every change, each risk — brings Cal and Annie closer to acceptance. Closer to uncovering truth. 
Two people who never believed in forever — now have a reason to trust fate.
 
***Continuum is the third book in The South Beach Connection Trilogy***

 
A.R. Hadley writes imperfectly perfect sentences by the light of her iPhone.
She loves her husband.
Chocolate.
Her children.
And Cary Grant.
She annoys those darling little children by quoting lines from Back to the Future, but despite her knowledge of eighties and nineties pop culture, she was actually meant to live alongside the Lost Generation after the Great War and write a mediocre novel while drinking absinthe with Hemingway. Instead, find her sipping sweet tea with extra lemons on her porch as she weaves fictional tales of love and angst amid reality.
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Book Review: Landslide (The South Beach Connection Trilogy #1) by  A.R. Hadley 

Landslide 

The South Beach Connection Trilogy #1

by  A.R. Hadley 

Goodreads

Amazon

One summer has the power to change everything.
One night, one choice, can alter life’s trajectory — cause the heart’s debris to slip and slide down the mountain.

After graduating college, rising photographer Annie Baxter relocates to South Beach, Florida.

A new start.

ONE CHOICE.

A chance to leave behind her anxiety, her grief, and prepare her photographs for display in an art gallery. Annie is determined to mend her heart in the sand and breathe, commune with the stars and beach and old friends.

Then Cal Prescott steps in front of her lens — a man twenty years her senior. An understated, sexy puzzle who may not wish to be solved. Cal is quiet. Strong. Eyes like the tides. Coming in, going out. Pulling her under.

They meet at a party.
ONE NIGHT.
The chemistry cannot be denied.
But they only have the summer.
ONE SUMMER.
One unforgettable connection.

But every June, July, and August must come to an end.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She hated labels, but the complacent doctor had slapped her with one anyway. Two awful words encompassing a mess of complications: Panic. Disorder. It sounded like knots tangled up inside a dirty throw rug.

Like how old? George Clooney old? Or like, Father Christmas, white-beard old?

 A woman always knew where he stood. Even if it was on the fence.

My Review:

I struggled valiantly with this one. The pacing and writing style were unusual with an abundance of short staccato sentences and incomplete thoughts, which kept me questioning and wanting the rest of the sentence yet was also quite frustrating at times. I was intrigued by the premise, storylines, and deeply flawed characters, but exasperated with their constant waffling – they were both often locked in inner debate and ran hot and cold with each other. Both seemed riddled with personal turmoil and tension. I know many of my fellow reader friends disagree but I don’t find high angst or constant conflict an enjoyable state or an entertaining read. However, their sensual chemistry was off the charts.

Despite my frustration, I remain consumed with curiosity about the character of Cal.  He was far too aloof, contradictory, and a total enigma; yet oh, so alluring and hard to resist. Perhaps if I knew his shady secrets this would no longer be a problem.  My greatest consternation was with the character of Annie who I found more than a bit tedious and not all that endearing with the scattiness, daydreaming, high anxiety and overthinking every – little – thing. She was a hot mess and even her inner musings were scattered and often fractured thoughts that were difficult to follow. And then there is the issue of a cliffhanger.  Sigh. So, I’m intrigued yet remain conflicted.

About the Author

Goodreads / Amazon

A.R. Hadley writes imperfectly perfect sentences by the light of her iPhone.
She loves her husband.
Chocolate.
Her children.
And Cary Grant.
She annoys those darling little children by quoting lines from Back to the Future, but despite her knowledge of the eighties and nineties pop culture, she was actually meant to live alongside the Lost Generation after the Great War and write a mediocre novel while drinking absinthe with Hemingway. Instead, find her sipping sweet tea with extra lemons on her porch as she weaves fictional tales of love and angst amid reality.

VISIT A.R. HADLEY’S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01J7WHH16

CONNECT ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/arhadleywriter/

FOLLOW ON TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/arhadleywriter

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Book Review: Forgive Me Not by Samantha Tonge

Forgive Me Not

by Samantha Tonge

Goodreads

Amazon UK  / US / B&N / 

 Kobo /  Google / iBooks

 

 

Forgiveness can be hard to come by… An unputdownable new novel from bestseller Samantha Tonge

How far would you go to make amends?

When Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm, she’d let down and hurt those who cared for her most. But now, two years later, she’s ready to face up to her past; she’s ready to go back.

But Emma’s unannounced return causes more problems than she could have foreseen. The people she knew and loved aren’t ready to forget, let alone forgive. And the one person she wants to reconnect with the most, her mother, can’t remember who she is.

Just as Emma starts to rebuild trust, an uncovered family secret and a shocking past crime threaten her newly forged future…

Sometimes simply saying sorry isn’t enough.

Perfect for readers of Ruth Hogan or Amanda Prowse, this is an extraordinary and unforgettable novel about running away from yourself – and finding a way back.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Forgiving isn’t so easy, is it? You’ve waltzed back into our lives expecting us to say that we understand. That we’ll forget what happened in the past. Now you know what it feels like to be hurt irrevocably by someone you love. How difficult it is to understand how they could do that. 

My Review:

 

Forgive Me Not was not what I was expecting, it really wasn’t my cup of tea as my personal preference is to eschew high angst and constant conflict. Yet the book was well written and a thought-provoking family drama, and certainly gave me pause in my own thinking as it squeezed my heart and put a few hot rocks in my throat.   Having dealt with more than my share of addicted and/or prevaricating personalities, I had a hard time appreciating the main character of Emma. Emma had been a rather heinous problem child and abandoned her family after causing and leaving them with yet another appallingly hideous mess. She was the worst type of manipulative and selfish party girl and had been for quite some time. After she finally hit bottom and found an impetus to clean up in rehab, she slowly and carefully went about her recovery and sincerely attempted to make amends, but she didn’t seem to fully realize just how much she needed to atone for.

Emma returned to her small village but not to the open arms she was hoping for; her family and the entire community at large were having none of it as they were struggling with their own hard times – and they were more than done with Emma. Every single one of them doubted her veracity, and for good reason. I didn’t blame them. Not one bit. I’ve jettisoned people for far less. But it was rather unnerving for me to consider if maybe, possibly, I should have given some of those a third chance. Although this was probably Emma’s thousandth chance… But there are some acts that cut extra deep and just aren’t forgivable, and Emma had committed far too many of those, and repeatedly, and to my horror – with little consequence.

The writing was insightfully observant and evocative with several interesting storylines involving the small and quirky little village and its unique inhabitants. To end on an upbeat, I do have yet another new addition for my Brit List with “mithering,” which Mr. Google defined as to irritate or pester. I cannot wait to start employing its use.

 

About Samantha Tonge

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and her passion, second to spending time with her husband and children, is writing. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has traveled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/