Book Review: Kneel Down (Nailed Down Book 3) by Chelle Bliss & Eden Butler

 Kneel Down

(Nailed Down Book 3) 

by Chelle Bliss & Eden Butler

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N  

 

My job as a SEAL was to go in and save the day.
But even heroes fall. Even heroes make mistakes.

My only saving grace was Gin Sullivan.
My knock out best friend who wasn’t afraid to tell me the truth even when it hurt. She’d pick me up when I was wallowing in my own stupidity.

It wasn’t hard for me to fall for her.
Any man would.
She was beautiful.
She was smart.
She was everything I’d ever wanted.

I had plans to tell her that, squash the pinning we’d both done for two years.
But a bullet to the gut silenced me and Gin got tired of waiting.

Now I have a new mission, one that I can’t fail:
Do whatever it takes to make Gin mine forever.

Other books in the standalone Nailed Down Series:
Nailed Down – Book 1
Tied Down – Book 2
Kneel Down – Book 3

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Words always get in the way. They did. Somehow, it was the words we didn’t say that injured the most. It was the silence that kept us from what we want.

 

 My Review:

 

I struggled to finish this one, not that the book was bad, it just wasn’t aligned with or palatable to my personal taste as constant conflict just isn’t my jam. The angsty storylines were missing the critical element of wit and levity that I had come to expect from these talented authors and instead appeared to be a repetitive cycle of 90% conflict, reticence, and forfeiture. I also failed to connect with the painfully stubborn and annoying morose characters, I found them exasperating. However, for readers who have a proclivity for angsty and quarrelsome tales with a few sizzling scenes of hot steamy sex, this would be a quick and tasty treat.

Meet the Author

USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss currently lives in a small town near the Gulf of Mexico. She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, and coffee fiend. She’s written over ten books and has two series available. She loves spending her free time with her boyfriend, 2 cats, and her hamster.

Before becoming a writer, Chelle taught high school history for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and a bachelor’s in History. Although history is her first love, writing has become her dream job and she can’t imagine doing anything else.

http://chellebliss.com/

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http://chellebliss.com/newsletter/

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Book Review: The Lieutenant’s Nurse by Sara Ackerman

The Lieutenant’s Nurse

by Sara Ackerman

Paperback: 352 Pages

Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (March 5, 2019)

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

November 1941. She’s never even seen the ocean before, but Eva Cassidy has her reasons for making the crossing to Hawaii, and they run a lot deeper than escaping a harsh Michigan winter. Newly enlisted as an Army Corps nurse, Eva is stunned by the splendor she experiences aboard the steamship SS Lurline; even more so by Lt. Clark Spencer, a man she is drawn to but who clearly has secrets of his own. But Eva’s past—and the future she’s trying to create—means that she’s not free to follow her heart. Clark is a navy intelligence officer, and he warns her that the United States won’t be able to hold off joining the war for long, but nothing can prepare them for the surprise attack that will change the world they know.

In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Eva, and her fellow nurses band together for the immense duty of keeping the American wounded alive. And the danger that finds Eva threatens everything she holds dear. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, Eva will have to decide whom to trust and how far she will go to protect those she loves.

Set in the vibrant tropical surroundings of the Pacific, The Lieutenant’s Nurse is an evocative, emotional WWII story of love, friendship and the resilient spirit of the heroic nurses of Pearl Harbor.

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My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

Eva had been shown a Pro-kit— sulfa ointment, directions, and a soaped-up cloth— and told to hand them out to every soldier who left the hospital. A Good Soldier Will Not Get Venereal Disease was stamped across the front.

 

Murmurs erupted and the room cleared faster than if someone had let loose a bagful of snakes.

 

He felt as though he were watching a war movie, his eyes unable to believe what he saw. He kept thinking about that first Zero and how close it had been. The bastard had actually waved. That face, he would never forget.

 

I swear to you, that morgue right there is enough to turn anyone against a war. Even the most hardened general. You ask me, it ought to be required visiting for those folks.

 

 My Review:

 

This was an engaging and poignantly written tale which combined fact and fiction, although, there were more surprising factual events than I was ever aware of or would have expected. The premise was unique and entertaining, with writing that squeezed my heart while continually plucking at my curiosity. I enjoyed the well-crafted mystery as well as the interplays between characters as much as I appreciated the historical significance of the story. Ms. Ackerman’s characters were complicated, smart, disarmingly endearing, and well fleshed out. Her scenes were lushly described and well textured to involve and employ all the senses. And despite the traumatic backdrop of the carnage of war, the emotional tone was generally well-balanced with surprising twists and unexpected bursts of wit tucked in.

 

I live in Hawaii and though I wasn’t around during the attack on Pearl Harbor, I am old but not that old, it was several levels beyond cool to read a book that mentioned quintessential local landmarks that were familiar and special to me. Some are no longer standing such as the iconic Dole Cannery water tower, which was shaped and painted like a pineapple; where else in the world would you ever see one of those? Having trod many of the same steps, it was supremely pleasing to be able to read of the locales they frequented and know exactly where they were and what it looked like. I’ve also sucked back drinks at sunset at the illustrious Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which is still lovely and still pink. And I could hear the crunch and taste the pleasant crispness as the nurses snacked on Saloon Pilot crackers, which are the absolute best and still baked fresh in Honolulu. Reading that scene had me cheating on my diet while digging my own tin out of the pantry and grabbing the guava jelly for an afternoon treat. That extra pound on the scale tomorrow will be blamed on Sara Ackerman’s charismatic storytelling.

About the Author

Sara is the bestselling author of Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing and sees no end to its untapped stories. When she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll find her in the mountains or in the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com.

Connect with Sara

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Book Review: Ten Lies by Emily James

Katie Perkins lives a simple life. She takes care of her son, works hard, and tries not to worry about the man-shaped hole in her life. That is until she wins a fantastic luxury holiday. Throwing caution to the wind, Katie lets down her hair and the holiday mood takes over.

Enter Jackson Quinn, a handsome doctor who is no stranger to the good life.

Katie has no experience of riches, and with only her bus fare home in her pocket, she decides there’s no harm in a few white lies… Filthy rich? Check. Size ten? Check. Olympic Gymnast who can complete a Rubik’s Cube in under thirty seconds? Check. After all, it’s not like she’s ever going to see Doctor Quinn again…

Follow Katie’s hilarious journey as she learns that sometimes those little white lies really can come back and bite you on the butt.

This standalone romantic comedy has a happy ending, no cliffhanger, and can also be enjoyed as part of The Power of Ten Series. It is best suited for readers over the age of eighteen due to sexual themes and mature content.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

What on earth happened to you, love? Come and sit down, you look like you’ve had a fight with death and come off worse…

 

I wonder what the hell kind of rubbish runners are on about when they say running brings them tranquillity and a chance to be at one with their thoughts. Right now, all I feel is dizzy from lack of oxygen and raw from no small amount of chafing between my thighs… My breathing is ragged, and the sun is so bright, all I can see is white light. I wonder if I’m about to encounter the pearly gates of heaven. Can you actually die from running?

 

What’s up? You look like you fell in a barrel of dicks and came out sucking your thumb?

 

My Review:

 

This was a fun and lively read.   Katie had won a first class vacation in a raffle, and after enduring more than four years of being pitied as “the widow” of her small quirky village, she decided to try on a new persona with the handsome and wealthy man sitting next to her on the plane, and her embellishments and prevarications became increasingly more grandiose with each glass of champagne. She enjoyed the lavish and romantic encounters throughout her vacation with this lovely stranger, never expecting to run into him again after her once in a lifetime vacation fling ended, so imagine her humiliation when he turns out to be the interim GP in her little village a few weeks later. She was unable to hide from him but tried her best to keep all of her lies from being outed and embarrassing her further, but that proved rather difficult as she had told some ridiculous whoppers.

 

The premise was entertaining and relevant while the writing was creatively spirited and zinging with sensuality and clever levity. I particularly enjoyed Katie’s imaginatively sweet fibs involving “the elf” and her various fake phone calls to an assortment of make-believe complaint departments for such distressing problems as “monster removal,” to delight and soothe her anxious child. I adored Jackson, but why can’t I meet a handsome and attentive doctor when I travel?   Sigh, I have decided to give up on flying as the skies aren’t so friendly and providence always seems to find me seated next to loud talkers, screaming infants, unmedicated hyperactive whiners, and rambunctious seat kickers instead.

About the Author

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Emily James is an insanely funny British author who writes romance.

Current titles:

Ten Dates

Ten Dares 

Ten Lies

The Mistakes of My Past

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Book Review, Giveaway: Pieces of Us by A.L. Jackson

A second chance stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Confessions of the Heart Series.
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“I absolutely adored all of the sweet emotion, angst, and just all of the feelings “Pieces of Us” inspired. The characters and their growth had me hooked from the first page. Read it. You will not regret it.”
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~NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author Kylie Scott
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My loves!! PIECES OF US IS LIVE!!! I am so freaking excited, I can hardly stand it! This book is EVERYTHING!
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✓ Second-chance romance
✓ Sexy AF hero
✓ All the feels
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DETAILS:
TITLE: PIECES OF US
SERIES: A Confessions of the Heart Stand-Alone Novel
RELEASE DATE: April 22nd, 2019
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Maxon Chambers has a way of stealing all the attention.
All my affection, and all my dreams.
What I needed to remember was he’d stolen my good judgment and my virginity, too.
When he broke up with me, I ran across the country and swore I’d never return to Broadshire Rim.
But here I am, thirteen years later.
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Maxon is all grown up.
Sexier than sin and more tempting than ever.
A detective on the Charleston force, he lives on the outside of safety, devoted to protecting the people of his city.
But with the way he’s looking at me now? I’m pretty sure what needs protecting is my heart.
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Can we mend the pieces of us? Or will he leave my heart shattered forever . . .
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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Daddy-the-Great looks like he might be at his wit’s end. Grams said she is always at her wit’s end, and I don’t think we need to be driving Daddy there, too. It seems like a dangerous place to be. We might need an intervention.

 

I looked at Ian’s infant who was wearing nothing but a towel duct taped around his waist… “If you can get her into her bed for a nap without waking her up, I’ll give you a thousand dollars. Strike that, I’ll give you my car.”

 

Pulling me closer, she hiked up on her toes and murmured quietly in my ear so only I could hear, “Now don’t go and do something stupid like hurt my daughter. I’ll hunt you down and cut off your balls. Know it took some big ones for you to show up here today, so use ’em wisely.”

 

That’s a really bad word, Mr. Mack. Don’t tell me you really are a troublemaker, too. Mom’s already got her hands full with the two of us.

 

My Review:

 

A.L. Jackson seems to revel in anchoring her compelling yet broken and deeply flawed characters in misery, angst, melodrama, distress, and indecision while keeping her storylines fraught with tension. Thank goodness she always plants a few adorable children without filters on their mouths within her addictive stories to provide comic relief.   Like the previous two books in this series, Pieces of Us was an intriguing, tragic, and heart squeezing second chance romance with elements of suspense and a ton of heartbreaking family drama. My poor coronary muscle feels battered and bruised and is in dire need of wine therapy and lighter fare. I’m thinking a vat of Moscato and a nice relaxing romantic comedy is in order for my next read.

Don’t miss the awesome giveaway for the Pieces of Us release! It’s the first two books from the Confessions of the Heart Series + Kindle Fire + Polaroid Camera + All the Goods!
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Ahhh I can’t wait for you to experience this story! I’m so insanely proud of it! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
xoxo ~
Amy
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A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, and FIGHT FOR ME novels. Grab A.L. Jackson’s latest novel, PIECES OF US, the third stand-alone novel in her brand-new CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART series.
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If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
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Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.
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Connect with A.L.
Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
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Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
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Book Review: Trust Me (Lies and Misdirection #4) by K. J. McGillick

 Trust Me

(Lies and Misdirection #4)

by K. J. McGillick

 


Amazon US / UK / AU / CA  

 

Sex. Power. Murder.

Dr. Gabriel Blackwell and his wife Sandra Blake have it all. He’s a brilliant thoracic surgeon. She’s a high-powered attorney with family money. Their lives are as loving as they are glamorous.

Or are they?

When a nurse Dr. Blackwell works with is brutally murdered, the questions fly. Who would want to kill this woman and why? When an autopsy reveals the woman was pregnant, all signs point to Dr. Blackwell. Just what was her relationship with him?

Whispers about a scandalous sex club surface. How many other lovers are there? Are any of them safe? How far would he go to protect his reputation?

Tragedy strikes again as Sandra Blake is found dead floating in their pool. Dr. Blackwell now finds himself on trial for two murders. Facing life in prison, Dr. Blackwell will grasp at any straw to preserve his freedom.

Any straw.

Is anyone innocent? Is anyone safe?

 

My Rating:



Favorite Quotes:

 

The practice of law came down to which lawyer was a better actor, whose clients lied with more finesse, and who could put out the fires the quickest when your case exploded in real time. At some point, I would have to ask Mary if I could look inside her bottomless bag. And maybe even set up a duplicate one for me. Weapons and candy, every girl’s dream. These are times I wish I could get the hang of meditation or maybe comfortable enough to keep a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in my drawer. I’m always disappointed when a liar’s pants didn’t catch on fire.

 

 My Review:

 

I am shocked to realize I had started feeling sorry for these surprisingly likable lawyers. I will admit to considering their general ilk a necessary evil in navigating the justice system (emphasis on the evil), and rate close to loan sharks in my level of esteem. However, this boutique law firm of feisty ladies set out to be of a different sort as they actually claimed to have principles as well as standards about whom they chose to represent. Although determining a client’s guilt or culpability can be a difficult judgment call, one made even more complicated when unknowingly dealing with sociopaths. And unfortunately, they seem to have landed in a nest of vipers with bizarre happenings quickly mushrooming from bad to worse.

The storylines were complex yet interesting, twisty, and intriguing. As with her previous books in the series, Ms. McGillick shrewdly tucks and folds levity and ironic wit in amongst the tension and suspense to balance out the strain of uncertainty and distressing revelations. My favorite cunning and spry octogenarian, Mary, was back with her infamous handbag, stylized weapons, and wry wit. New members were added to the legal team who were required to hit the ground running with the sudden unexpected influx of complicated cases.   The new attorneys couldn’t have been more dissimilar; I enjoyed them both but was totally enamored with the rigid and robotic Mr. Martin’s computer-like brain and cataloging of obscure information, he was a well-dressed and well-seasoned Sheldon Cooper. The most compelling characters were the various nightmarish clients and their questionable lifestyles, as well as their victims. I am gleefully looking forward to the next book in the series as Ms. McGillick promised to provide more of the oddly peculiar Mr. Martin.

 

About the Author

K. J. McGillick was born in New York and once she started to walk she never stopped running. But that’s what New Yorker’s do. Right? A Registered Nurse, a lawyer now author.

As she evolved so did her career choices. After completing her graduate degree in nursing, she spent many years in the university setting sharing the dreams of the enthusiastic nursing students she taught. After twenty rewarding years in the medical field, she attended law school and has spent the last twenty-four years as an attorney helping people navigate the turbulent waters of the legal system. Not an easy feat. And now? Now she is sharing the characters she loves with readers hoping they are intrigued by her twisting and turning plots and entertained by her writing.

Social Media Links –

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Kathleen McGillick

@KJMcGillickAuth

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Book Review: The Worth of a Penny by Jess B. Moore

 

The Worth of a Penny

by Jess B. Moore

 

Amazon

 

Sweetheart Penelope Davies is what her daddy calls gullible, right after he told her she was stupid and worthless. With her cheek red from being slapped by him, and her heart trampled by a worthless boyfriend, she packs up and follows her half-brother to Fox River, North Carolina, in need of a fresh start.

Dominic MacKenna is the youngest of five brothers, the friendly one with a killer smile and easy laugh. His brothers are all grown up, and one by one they’re flying the nest, leaving him out of sorts and unsure of his place. Who is he if not the youngest MacKenna?

Penny falls in with the MacKenna brothers, welcomed in as family, and offered the kind of love and support she never knew existed. With a new job and a lot of determination, she is finding out what she’s capable of. The last thing she needs now is to fall in love with the most notorious flirt in town.

Dominic falls for the sweet strong girl with a penchant for random facts and quirky homemade dresses. All he wants is to show Penny how wonderful she is, how smart and funny, and how desired and loved—even if he has to do it as her friend.

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

Are they monitoring your texts now? Should I send a shot of my nipples? My gentleman sausage? Would it get you fired?

 

“I can show you all the places girls have professed their love for Dominic.” “Oh, yes, please show Penny all the graffiti. Way to keep it classy, Magnolia.” I deadpanned, shifting my weight, and wishing for an end to this conversation. “Don’t’ Magnolia me, Dominic Oswald MacKenna.” I sucked in a breath. Maggie middle named me. In front of Penny.

 

It’s all my sisters do, and all the women working here. Like a sickness. I swear, if and when I meet a woman who doesn’t gossip, I’ll know she’s the one.

 

My Review:

 

There has to be some type of bewitchment or inexplicable magic that Jess B. Moore sprinkles on her stories as I am immediately sucked into her characters’ vortex whenever I pick up her books. This is my third exposure to her craftily written and heart squeezing tales, and this delightful phenomenon has occurred each and every time.   Her word voodoo is strong! I adored these quirky, irresistible, and complex characters. Ms. Moore certainly has a knack for casting her tales with uniquely compelling and slighted dented yet highly endearing individuals. Penny and Dominic were both adorable, highly appealing, and gentle souls who were well worth knowing. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Moore conjures next for Fox River.

About the Author

Jess B Moore is a writer of love stories. When she’s not writing, she’s busy mothering her talented and stubborn children, reading obscene numbers of books, and knitting scarves she’ll likely never finish.

Jess lives in small-town North Carolina with her bluegrass obsessed family. She takes too many pictures of her cats, thinking the Internet loves them as much as she does. She is a firm believer of swapping stories over coffee or wine, and that there should always be dark chocolate involved.

Her novels combine her interests in family, music, and small towns into thoughtful tales of growing up and falling in love.

Social Media Links –
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Book Review: One Last Summer by Victoria Connelly

One Last Summer

by Victoria Connelly

 

Amazon US / UK / AU CA / B&N

 

They have the whole summer ahead of them. Is it enough to rekindle the friendship they once shared?

Harriet Greenleaf dreams of spending the summer in a beautiful ancient priory on the Somerset coast with her two best friends—but her dream is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s a chance to reconnect three lives that have drifted apart; on the other, she has a devastating secret to share that will change everything between them forever.

First to arrive is Audrey—the workaholic who’s heading for a heart attack unless she slows down and makes time for herself. Then Lisa, the happy-go-lucky flirt who’s always struggled to commit to anyone—or anything. Ever the optimist, can Harriet remind them of the joy in their lives and the importance of celebrating good friendship before it’s gone?

Through the highs and lows of a long, glorious summer, these three women will rediscover what it means to be there for each other—before they face the hardest of goodbyes.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He was the head of the maths department and she’d told him that she’d always hated figures and he’d made some wisecrack about liking hers.

 

Harrie’s diagnosis. D-Day, she called it, and now her life seemed to be divided between everything that had happened before D-Day and everything that had happened after.

 

Kindness. That was the trait she’d come to value most in recent years. You realised that as soon as you became ill. Kindness trumped absolutely everything else.

 

… the likelihood was that she wasn’t going to see her birthday. How strange a thought was that – to know that you have seen your last birthday?

 

A moment of stillness and wordlessness passed between the two women. It was a strange feeling because Harrie didn’t feel any sort of closeness to Mrs Ryder, but this confession – this sharing of intimate pain – now connected them. Harrie had found that her journey with cancer had linked her to so many people in this way – people she probably would never have spoken to.

 

Lisa, aligning my chakras and teaching me how to breathe through one nostril isn’t going to save me… This thing’s got me good and proper.

 

I know he’s the father of my daughter and there’s a part of me that will always love him, but he’s moved on now. He’s married to Lizzie, who has big hair and wears tight tops. So, you see my health isn’t his concern anymore.

 

My Review:

 

Knowing her days were numbered, Harriet, Harrie for short, splashed out a fortune to provide one last hurrah to host a peaceful summer vacation with her two oldest and dearest friends of twenty years, who are unaware of her dire health issues. This wasn’t a highly eventful or active story but a slowly evolving character-based study of coming to grips with mortality, as well as how that was processed and dealt with within complicated relationships and personalities. Each woman possessed a distinct and complex identity with vastly different temperaments, life goals, and levels of accomplishment, yet they cared about each other and fussed like siblings.

The premise was relevant and thought-provoking while the writing was emotive and thoughtfully insightful with recurrent themes of interpersonal tension, poignancy, melancholia, angst, and wry humor. The main characters were well fleshed out, although the character of Audrey was the most difficult for me to warm up to as she was the type of person I generally make an effort to avoid in real-life; she was stubborn, bristling with self-importance, driven, highly opinionated, and abrupt. I actually found the local workers to be the most compelling and interesting and greatly enjoyed their addition and contributions to the story.

New additions to my Brit Word list include plimsolls – which are rubber-soled canvas shoes; slap-up – a large and sumptuous meal; and supply teaching – what most Americans know as substitute teaching.

About the Author

Victoria Connelly studied English literature at Worcester University, got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and now lives in rural Suffolk with her artist husband, a young springer spaniel and a flock of ex-battery hens.

She is the author of two bestselling series, Austen Addicts and The Book Lovers, as well as many other novels and novellas. Her first published novel, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in 2008 by Ziegler Films in Germany. The Runaway Actress was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Romantic Comedy Novel award.

Ms. Connelly loves books, films, walking, historic buildings and animals. If she isn’t at her keyboard writing, she can usually be found in her garden, with either a trowel in her hand or a hen on her lap.

Her website is www.victoriaconnelly.com, and readers can follow her on Twitter @VictoriaDarcy and on Instagram @VictoriaConnellyAuthor.

Social Media Links –

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Book Review: Amazing Grace by Kim Nash

Amazing Grace

by Kim Nash

Amazon US / UK / AU CA

  Kobo / Apple

 

She’s taking her life back, one step at a time…

Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with headteacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted.

Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary – and her perfect life fell apart.

Now she’s a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pajamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks…

Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up on her doorstep, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves.

So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness?

A funny, feel-good romance about finding your own path and changing your life for the better – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’ve been on eighty-seven dates so far but have still not yet found the girl of my dreams. There’s been something wrong with every single one of them.

 

Derek, here’s a tip from me. On your next first date, treat your lady like a princess. Turn up on time, be nice to her, buy her a drink, ask her about herself and don’t talk about poo.

 

To be honest, even if David Beckham woke me up saying he wanted to roger me senseless in the middle of the night, I’d slap him and say, David, don’t bloody wake me up.

 

He treats me with kindness and respect, something that you don’t appear to have for anyone, not even your own family. And I suggest that if you ever want people to like you, go look those words up in a dictionary.

 

My Review:

 

Amazing Grace was a fun and lively read and the publishing début for this talented weaver of words. I just love finding new authors to fangirl!   The storylines were creative and eventful, yet easy to follow and fairly well-balanced in emotional tone between periods of angsty indecision and Grace’s gradual personal transformation as she waded through tense encounters and confusing exchanges with her ex-husband, rueful reminiscences of her mother, parenting issues, a thrilling new love interest, and other-worldly influences; until she finally found her own voice and regained her long-lost sparkle.

 

Ms. Nash’s writing was pleasantly engaging and evocatively detailed with shimmers of delightful humor that occasionally found me barking out a laugh. She has definitely earned a spot on my Ones to Watch For list. And an interesting addition to my Brit Word List was “big girl’s blouse,” which the Urban Dictionary defined as British slang for “a wimpy, emasculated and weak man. In particular, one who complains immoderately.” Hmm, I used to work with one of those… Retirement is oh, so, sweeet!

 

Author Bio

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can’t quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA.

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge-watching box sets on the TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs.

Amazing Grace is her début novel with Hera Books and will be out on 10th April 2019

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

 

Book Review: Hate Bale by Stephanie Dagg

Hate Bale

by Stephanie Dagg

 

Grumbling guests and escaping piglets are precisely what Martha doesn’t need. She’s already struggling to run a holiday cottage and a rather large smallholding single-handedly. Since her husband Mark died, three years ago, her rural property in France, beautiful as it is, has become an increasingly heavy millstone around her neck.

So whilst she’s horrified to stumble across a corpse at the local farm supplies shop, it does at least distract her from her own woes. Best friend Lottie, the cheese to Martha’s chalk, swoops in to offer moral support and encourages Martha to join her in some unofficial sleuthing. Meanwhile, police officer Philippe Prudhomme, a former fellow chess-player of Mark’s, undertakes a rather more professional investigation.

However, despite everyone’s efforts, the killer remains at large. And when more bodies (one and a bit, to be precise) come Martha’s way, it definitely feels like he’s closing in on her…

There’s suspense, humor, and excitement in this entertaining cozy mystery set in the French countryside.

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

French people spoke fast generally, but the added excitement of imparting misfortune that had occurred to someone else made them talk at breakneck speed.

 

‘Angxious’ messages, as Mark would have described them, being a mixture of concern-induced anger and anxiety.

 

“I sometimes wonder if she’s after my husband,” murmured Lottie, only half-joking, as Roger and Madame laughed heartily over a lame joke he’d cracked. “I think you’re safe. She’s got more facial hair than he has.” Martha couldn’t stop the uncharitable but true remark slipping out.

 

 My Review:

 

This was my fourth exposure to Stephanie Dagg’s amusing prose. I always enjoy her wry humor and comfortable storytelling, regardless of the unusual conditions of the murder victims her main character of Martha seems destined to encounter in this pleasantly entertaining cozy mystery. Martha was a highly relatable and realistically drawn character whom I enjoyed getting to know. Adding to my reading pleasure, I also picked up a few new additions to my Brit word list with two having the same meaning – todger and John-Thomas are both slang for penis; and rosbif – which the Urban Dictionary defined as a derogatory term for a Brit by the French, “probably because of the enjoyment and pride the English take in their roast beef.”

About the Author

I’m an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever-increasing menagerie of animals, has made for exciting times. The current array of creatures ranges from alpacas to zebra finches, with pretty much everything in-between! Before we came to France all we had was a dog and two chickens, so it’s been a steep learning curve.

I’m married to Chris and we have three bilingual TCKs (third culture kids) who are resilient and resourceful and generally wonderful.

I’m a traditionally-published author of many children’s books and am now self-publishing too. As well as being an author, I’m also a part-time editor and, with Chris, manager of three carp fishing lakes. My hobbies are cycling, geocaching, knitting, and sewing.

Social Media Links 

@llamamum

www.facebook.com/StephanieDaggBooks/

www.bloginfrance.com

Book Review: The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

 

The Library of Lost and Found
by Phaedra Patrick

 

Amazon US UK / AU / CA / B&N

Hardcover: 352 Pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (March 26, 2019)

A librarian’s discovery of a mysterious book sparks the journey of a lifetime in the delightful new novel from the international bestselling author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible.

All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend—her grandmother Zelda—who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda’s past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever.

Filled with Phaedra Patrick’s signature charm and vivid characters, The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming and poignant tale of how one woman must take control of her destiny to write her own happy ending.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Martha’s cheeks began to burn. If she touched them with a wet finger they might hiss.

 

“He said he liked your traumatic reading.” Martha hoped she meant dramatic reading.

 

“Is it true he was on board that fishing boat, that cat’s-eyed?” “Capsized?”

 

“We’ll just do a little trim,” Suki said. The bells on her ankle bracelet jingled as she circled Martha, peering into her hair as if she was looking for eggs in a large bird’s nest.

 

“Sometimes putting things to rest from your past can be catholic.” “Do you mean cathartic?”

 

I’m having a crustacean section next week.” “A cesarean?” … “The baby is lying in a beach position.” “Do you mean breach?”

 

My Review:

 

Ms. Patrick taunted me with her cunning and maddeningly paced story, I reviled this family – they were simply heinous. I enjoyed the cleverly placed use of the levity the amusing quirk of Suki’s poor auditory discrimination and confused vocabulary skills, which helped to counteract and ease the frustrating and prevalent miasma of angst and oppression. I deeply despised the selfish and abhorrent Machiavellian father as well as the mousy mother who allowed it – which was equally as vile, as was the manipulative and favored younger sister. I wanted to administer some foot to posterior therapy to those three.   Yet, despite my irritation, I could not stop reading.

 

I adored Zelda, the colorful and unconventional Nana, although I had no pleasant thoughts for the rest of them – as they were all conniving and disingenuous conspirators. I was taut with tension and grinding my teeth, but I was invested and entrenched, and could not leave my Kindle for more than a few minutes.

 

I was impatient and greatly annoyed with the spineless main character of Martha for not only rolling over and allowing her continual subjugation but extended her servitude to every Tom, Dick, and Harry she knew. She permitted herself to be treated like a doormat and willingly gave her power away, which is an issue I have very little patience with.   Yet, I could not walk away and leave her story hanging.

 

I was frustrated, bitterly antagonized, and fully vexed; yet I had to see where this aggravating tale was going. I was hooked, intrigued, and ruthlessly curious about a deeply buried thirty-year-old secret about Nana. I am delighted and pleased with myself now for sticking with it, as the last few chapters ushered in a totally unexpected, stoical, laconic, and quietly observant hero, as well as writing so poignant that my vision was inexplicably blurred and an odd wetness seemed to be leaking from my eyes while I simultaneously experienced an uncomfortable squeezing in my chest and the sensation of several hot rocks in my throat. What madness! This was my first experience of the unpredictably wily skills of Phaedra Patrick – she is a crafty one.

About the Author

Phaedra Patrick studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer, and communications manager. She is a prize-winning short story writer and now writes full time.

She lives in the UK with her husband and son. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is her debut novel.

Connect with Phaedra

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