Book Review, Giveaway: I Will Follow Him by Holly Tierney-Bedord

 I Will Follow Him

by Holly Tierney-Bedord

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

A bachelor party on a cruise ship. What could go wrong?

When private detective Francie is hired to spy on a groom-to-be as he and his bachelor party set sail for the Caribbean, she thinks she’s landed herself a week of paid vacation. Between lounging in the sun and sipping margaritas, she just needs to–best-case scenario–report back that he’s on the up and up, or–the unfortunate, more likely scenario–snap a few photos of her target in compromising positions, buy a box of sympathy chocolates for her client, and then collect her pay along with a nice golden suntan.

Blame it on the island breezes or the alcohol, but within hours of setting sail, Francie’s leisurely vacation gets complicated when she starts making careless mistakes. Like accidentally becoming friends with the groom and falling for his best man.

Can she get herself and her mission back on track, or has she blown her cover and possibly even her career?

 

Oceanic Dreams Series

Set sail for love and laughs aboard the Oceanic Aphrodite.

This series of stand-alone romantic comedy novellas releases throughout the summer of 2019.

To learn about the contributing authors and each book, watch our trailer, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/series-trailer/ and visit our website, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/

The Oceanic Dreams series is a collection of romantic comedy novellas by eight award-

winning, bestselling, and critically acclaimed authors from around the globe.

Meet Holly Kerr, author of I Saw Him Standing There.

Meet Laura Heffernan, author of Time of My Life.

Meet Tracy Krimmer, author of Circle in the Sand.

Meet Kirsty McManus, author of I Thought it was You.

Meet Holly TierneyBedord, author of I Will Follow Him.

Meet Delancey Stewart, author of Take a Chance on Me.

Meet Monique McDonell, author of Shut Up and Dance with Me.

Meet SophieLeigh Robbins, author of The Best of You.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Even though I’m in my thirties, I still look exactly like I looked when I was sixteen. My hair is blonde and my eyes are bluish and, for some annoying reason, people often ask me why I look so confused. You’ve heard of resting bitch face? I guess I’ve got resting ditz face.

 

He’s not all that attractive, but like my mom always told me, “Francie, it’s not about the packaging. It’s about the gift inside.” Then she’d add, “With that being said, it wouldn’t kill you to go to aerobics class with me.” The ironic part is, aerobics is what killed her. It turns out she had a blocked artery and too many jumping jacks did her in. Since then, I’ve tried to move as little as possible. I haven’t broken a sweat since 1999. I call it ‘playing it safe.’

 

For the past five years, ever since my dad passed away and I figured it would be easier to take over his shop than clean it out, I’ve been a private detective.

 

 My Review:

 

I gleefully giggle-snorted my way through this wittily written and highly amusing tale. I knew before finishing the first page I was in for a treat.   Francie put the F in the F.N. Meddling Detective and Private Investigation Agency ~ snort! Let me mention Ms. Tierney-Bedord’s clever deployment of levity – it was there in spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts. I wore a mirthful smile throughout and haven’t had this much fun in ages.

About the Author

Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over twenty books including Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women.

Links:

FB  https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/

Twitter    https://twitter.com/HollyTierney

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

Bookbub   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/holly-tierney-bedord

Goodreads   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6433388.Holly_Tierney_Bedord

Website   www.hollytierneybedord.com

Follow on Amazon   https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Tierney-Bedord/e/B00M3C9W3E

Giveaway

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(Open to US Only)

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Book Review: THE EVIL THAT WAS DONE by Michele PW

 

THE EVIL THAT WAS DONE

by Michele PW

Brought to you by Forever Write PR

Michele PW is back with THE EVIL THAT WAS DONE, the shocking conclusion where long-buried secrets will finally be revealed. Time is running out for Becca to prove she isn’t responsible for the recent disappearances in her childhood hometown, Redemption. Fans of Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts, and Holly Seddon will devour this addicting award-winning series.
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The Evil That Was Done

Secrets of Redemption #3

by Michele PW

Published: June 26th, 2019

Publisher: Love-Based Publishing

Genres: Psychological thriller/romantic suspense/mystery

Only Available on Amazon and FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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It’s happening again—people are disappearing.
And just like before, the finger is pointed at Becca.
She knows how it looks … and that she’s being set up.
Someone is following her. Sneaking into her house. Planting evidence to make her look guilty.
The problem is, she has no idea why.
The bigger problem is, no one believes her.
And time is running out.
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 As the 2018 Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers’ Choice Book Series Winner, the Secrets of Redemption series is a must read. Fans of psychological thrillers, romantic suspense, and mystery novels will devour the twisty and addicting series. Grab your copies today! Also, available in Kindle Unlimited!

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

I was starting to feel like one of those kids in a horror movie who goes down into the basement without turning the light on. Honestly, it made sense at the time.

 

My Review:

 

I was totally annoyed and completely exasperated with the main character of Becca – she dithered, she waffled, she was immature and irresponsible and made one boneheaded decision after another. I was so disgusted with her I declared her limited brain cells aloud to my Kindle with, “What a moron!”   Yet I couldn’t have stopped reading if my hair had been on fire. I was deeply invested and had to know what happened if I ever wanted to sleep again as the diabolical storyteller known as Michelle P.W. had my attention. There were lots of twists and turns and surprising revelations. I spun and cast aside several theories and was oh so confident that I had it figured out… I was so very wrong. The storylines were active, taut with tension and angst, and involved so many poor choices that I wondered if Becca might have suffered one too many blows to the head, but I couldn’t have been happier with the choice of life-saving hero.

 

It Began With A Lie, Book #1 on Amazon
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This Happened To Jessica, Book #2 on Amazon
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THE EVIL THAT WAS DONE #3 Only Available on Amazon and FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

 

Excerpt:
Copyright @ Michele PW 2019

 

“So, if we’re done grilling JD, maybe we can move on to other topics of interest now,” Barry said. “Like Daniel.”
I spilled my wine.
“Oh, clean up on aisle ten,” Barry said, as JD handed me his coaster napkin to mop it up. “Maybe we need to get a refill.”
“I’m good, really,” I said. The last thing I needed was more wine. Or to talk about Daniel.
“It’s not a big deal. Daniel can bring it over when he comes over.” Barry started signaling with his hand.
Wait a minute. Daniel was here? He was supposed to be working. That’s why he canceled our date. Did he lie to me?
A part of me wanted to march over to wherever he was and give him a piece of my mind. I had asked him straight out if he really wanted to do this, to try dating. I had already told him I would understand if he thought it was going to be too complicated for him to date me and be a cop in this town.
He assured me he wanted to try.
I believed him.
And, here he was, standing me up again.
A small voice inside me immediately wanted to argue—fifteen years ago, Daniel didn’t actually stand me up. And, regardless, Daniel wasn’t standing me up right then, because he had called to cancel.
Yet it somehow still felt like I was sixteen again, standing alone in the woods, wondering where Daniel was … and feeling like a total fool.
Of course, I couldn’t say any of that in front of all our friends. Maybe I should just leave. That would kill two birds with one stone. Not only would I avoid seeing Daniel, but I could also get away from JD and his strange, intense energy.
Before I could figure out how exactly to sneak away, there was Daniel, doling out drinks—including another glass of wine for me. He was wearing a blue tee shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes. His blonde hair was getting a little long, curling around the back of his shirt.
Speaking of his eyes, they darted between me and JD, but he didn’t say a word. Not only that, but his face was completely unreadable—a professional mask. His cop face. He pulled a chair over and turned it around before he sat down, so he was straddling it backwards. He was careful not to look at me, but I could still feel the sparks dancing between us. I was having trouble breathing, something that happened often when I was near him.
“So, since you’re here, does that mean Ellen is safe and sound?” Mia asked.
He took a pull from his beer. “No, but there’s not much we can do right now.”
“What happened?” Daphne asked. On the surface, her voice sounded neutral, like she was simply inquiring about an acquaintance, but I could hear the confusion and worry swirling beneath the calm.
He shrugged. “No one seems to know. She didn’t show up at work today, which is unlike her. They had tried calling her home and her cell, but there was no answer, so they called her mother. Her mother was the one who came in to file a missing persons report, but since there’s no sign of foul play, there’s not a lot we can do right now.”
I felt a shiver run down my spine, like I had just been blasted by air conditioning.
“What about putting an alert out?” Mia asked.
“We can, but she hasn’t even been missing for a day. It’s not a crime for an adult to disappear. We’re in wait-and-see mode.”
“And, Ellen has been known to just take off without telling anyone,” Daphne said darkly, pressing her lips together so hard they turned white.
“Not to mention it’s pretty common here for people to leave quickly, making it seem like they’ve disappeared,” Mia said, after a quick glance at Daphne.
“Yeah, I had heard that,” JD said. “Something about how, if the town doesn’t like you, it makes sure you don’t stay?”
Celia rolled her eyes. “It’s all a bunch of nonsense.”
“It is NOT a bunch of nonsense,” Mia said. “Weird things DO happen here. And, they have for years. Over a hundred years.”
“Weird things happen in every town,” Celia said. “It’s no different here.”
“I don’t know, we sure seem to have more than our share of weirdness,” Daphne said.

Author Michele PW:

 

 

When Michele was 3 years old, she taught herself to read because she wanted to write stories so badly.

 

As you can imagine, writing has been a driving passion throughout her life. She became a professional copywriter (which is writing promotional materials for businesses), which led to her founding a copywriting and marketing company that serves clients all over the world.

 

Along with being a copywriter, she is also a bestselling, award-winning fiction and nonfiction author.

 

For fiction, she writes psychological thriller/mystery/romantic suspense novels. She also hosts a popular book and entertainment blog. Check out MPWNovels.com for more.

 

For nonfiction, she’s the main author and creator of the “Love-Based Business” series that include both business and personal development books. For articles and resources on business, writing, success and more, visit LoveBasedBiz.com.

 

She holds a double major in English and Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband Paul and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

 

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Book Review: The Wedding Planner by Eve Devon

The Wedding Planner

by Eve Devon

 

Amazon  / B&N

 

Wedding bells are ringing and gossip is spiraling in Whispers Wood…

Single mum Gloria Pavey has a bad habit of saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. Determined to make a positive change she can’t say no when her best friend, Emma, asks her to take on the role of her wedding planner. The only problem? Gloria’s co-planner – best man Seth Knightley.

Gloria is on a self-imposed man ban but pulling together the most beautiful wedding Whispers Wood has ever seen alongside gorgeous Seth is pushing her to her limits. As every interaction increases the tension between them Gloria finds herself wondering…could the happy ever after she never thought she’d have be in her future after all?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

… that story was for another time she liked to call ‘Never’.

 

‘Go now,’ she said, her eyes flashing white-hot fire as she snatched the book out of his hands and held it threateningly. ‘Go before I Jason-Bourne-kill-you with this book.’

 

When you grew up poor it wasn’t that you didn’t believe money could bring you happiness. To be honest you weren’t interested in happiness, you were only interested in not being poor.

 

‘We need to cast the line,’ he said, his voice curling like smoke into her ear, tickling her ear canal and causing enough jolts of electricity so that by the time the line went in the water, she was sure the fishes would all come flying out.

 

‘I have two left feet.’ ‘That’s okay. I have two right ones.’

 

She looked down and when she saw the eyeful she was giving them all, inhaled with shock, which only made the picture worse… Gloria stared at how much of her bust was on display. ‘The only thing that’s going to fix this is scaffolding.’ With a moan of distress she reached down to try and pull the bodice of the dress upwards to cover her breasts… ‘I look like my chest is a shelf. People will be trying to leave their drinks on me.’

 

My Review:

 

This was my first time reading Ms. Devon’s work and I enjoyed her acerbic wit, engaging writing style, and uniquely quirky and compelling characters. Despite being the third book in a series, I had no difficulty following the story although I’m sure I would have enjoyed it, even more, had I read the first two installments as all the characters appear to have continued through.   Regardless, The Wedding Planner provided an interesting character study with the evolution of Gloria, who was a caustic and acid-tongued prickly pear with a built-in “sarcasmometer” and could be rather thoughtless and proved quite difficult for me to warm up to as Gloria and I could have been related…

 

Gloria had been deeply scarred by her family and failed marriage, was beyond jaded and well past difficult and could toss off snarky insults and throw attitude like it was an Olympic sport – I will confess to greatly admiring her level of skill. She initially appeared selfish and hostile, yet she had a big heart that she kept under wraps, well and truly hidden, like deeply buried in the core of the earth.   Once I understood her insecurity and the root of her issues, my heart began to thaw and felt less inclined to give her a good smack or two to disengage her cranium from her posterior region. Seth, on the other hand, was a total dreamboat and I was completely and fully besotted with him.   He was the perfect foil for Gloria and appeared to have been blessed with the body of a god as well as the patience and insight of a saint – which would also make him the perfect match for me!

About the Author

My name’s Eve Devon and I write sexy heroes, sassy heroines and happy ever afters…

Growing up in locations like Botswana and Venezuela gave me a taste for adventure and my love for romances began when my mother shoved one into my hands in a desperate attempt to keep me quiet during TV coverage of the Wimbledon tennis finals.

When I wasn’t consuming books by the bucket-load, I could be found pretending to be a damsel in distress or running around solving mysteries and writing down my adventures. As a teenager, I wrote countless episodes of TV detective dramas so the hero and heroine would end up together every week. As an adult, I worked in a library to conveniently continue consuming books by the bucket-load, until realizing I was destined to write contemporary romance and romantic suspense myself. I live in leafy Surrey in the UK, a book-devouring, slightly melodramatic, romance-writing sassy heroine with my very own sexy hero husband!

Social Media Links –

Website: www.EveDevon.com

Facebook: https://twitter.com/EveDevon

Book Review: Mistletoe Summer (Applebottom Dog Lovers Book 3) by Abby Tyler

Mistletoe Summer  (Applebottom Dog Lovers Book 3)

by Abby Tyler

Apple Books / B&N / Kobo / GooglePlay

Amazon US /  CA /  AU /  UK

 

It was love at first sight. For their dogs.

Cody Jones didn’t expect to ever return to Applebottom, planning a long life of military service and world travel.

But a devastating injury in Iraq narrows his options, so he begrudgingly helps his mother expand her doggy bakery until he figures out what’s next.

And in walks Melody Hopkins.

Melody is dead broke and takes a summer job painting the new pet store to pay the bills. She’s new to Applebottom and has never encountered the moody, brutally handsome Cody Jones. She isn’t sure she can work around him, but then her tiny Pomeranian Mistletoe refuses to leave Cody’s service dog, a gorgeous Golden Retriever named Tyrus.

The town notices their reluctant friendship and puts them in charge of a grand opening celebration sure to draw visitors to the new store — a Christmas in July pet parade.

Cody doesn’t want to show off his injury to the whole town, but Melody’s infectious optimism convinces him to try. Besides, his service dog Tyrus can’t seem to live without Melody’s little fluff ball. What’s a veteran and a dog dad to do?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

 Delilah gripped her coffee like it was the last Tickle Me Elmo at Walmart.

 

“They have a Christmas in July here. So we start decorations early.” “Why?” Grandma’s eyes met hers with sadness. “Because many of us won’t see another holiday season.”

 

 My Review:

 

While sweet and wholesome is not my typical fare, I am gleefully enjoying Abby Tyler’s delightful small-town romances, this entire series has been sweet enough to cause dental issues. This quick installment covered a lot of ground with a wide range of characters including a seriously wounded and recovering and vet suffering from PTSD, senior citizens, a cancer survivor, teachers, small-town matchmaking busybodies, service dogs, parades, Christmas out of season, and a Manic Pixie Dream Girl – a moniker which required the unlimited resources of Mr. Google to fully appreciate.   The storylines are thoughtfully written, easy to follow, and pleasantly entertaining while observantly insightful and wryly amusing and host a lively and enticing cast of uniquely quirky characters. I’m already eagerly awaiting the next volume.

 

About the Author

Abby Tyler loves puppy dogs, pie, and small towns (she grew up in one!) Her Applebottom Matchmaker Society books combine the sweet and wholesome style of romance she loves with the funny, sometimes a-little-too-truthful characters she remembers from growing up in a place where everyone knew everybody’s business.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Book Review: A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards

 A Family of Strangers

by Emilie Richards

Amazon  US / UK / CA / AU /

 B&N/  BAM

 384 Pages

MIRA; Original edition (June 25, 2019)

Could a lifetime of memories…be a lifetime of lies?

All her life, Ryan Gracey watched her perfect older sister from afar. Knowing she could never top Wendy’s achievements, she didn’t even try. Instead, Ryan forged her own path while her family barely seemed to notice.

Now Wendy shares two little girls with her perfect husband, while Ryan mourns the man she lost after a nearly fatal mistake in judgment. The sisters’ choices have taken them in different directions, which is why Ryan is stunned when Wendy calls, begging for her help. There’s been a murder—and Wendy believes she’ll be wrongfully accused.

While Wendy lies low, Ryan moves back to their hometown to care for the nieces she hardly knows. The sleuthing skills she’s refined as a true-crime podcaster quickly rise to the surface as she digs for answers with the help of an unexpected ally. Yet the trail of clues Wendy’s left behind leads to nothing but questions. Blood may be thicker than water, but what does Ryan owe a sister who becomes more and more a stranger with every revelation?

Is Wendy, who always seemed so perfect, just a perfect liar—or worse?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Sophie had many ways of getting to the truth. Now she pulled out guilt, a tool she manipulated with the precision of a top chef’s boning knife.

 

The flaws of an older child are bleached by time, while a younger’s are always in plain view.

 

I listen to your podcast, Ryan. I was right there in that awful prison with that poor woman, the one who was sentenced for a crime she didn’t commit. That’s as close as I want to get to iron bars and a cellmate named Butch.

 

“I can tell him she’s on a religious retreat, that while she was traveling she had a spiritual awakening.” Mom looked skeptical. “She’s a Catholic. We’re awakened enough.”

 

I was almost sure who the package was from. I picked it up once more and lifted it to my ear. Bombs today aren’t the Wile E. Coyote variety with dynamite wired to a ticking alarm clock, but cartoon habits die hard.

 

Sophie’s ex-husband was more of a hobby than a relationship. He came and went as regularly as the meter reader, and she regarded him with the same lack of wonder.

 My Review:

 

Despite her prolific listing of thirty books to date, this was my maiden voyage on the crafty vessel Emilie Richards has most recently launched.   I was supremely lucky in my selection as it was an excellent journey, although it was not smooth sailing for the characters featured. I was quickly caught up in the intrigue and my curiosity was primed and frequently prodded into increasingly higher levels of elevation and exasperation with the elusive Wendy and her fawning and over-indulgent mother. The characters were complex yet highly compelling while the taut and absorbing storylines were full of jagged secrets, daunting histories, and disquieting reveals that squeezed my heart. With thirty books to her credit, Ms. Richards certainly knows what she’s doing by now, as her pacing and storytelling skills appear sharply honed and lushly appointed with emotive and vibrant details and perfectly placed lashings of edgy humor. More, please.

About the Author

Emilie Richards’s many novels feature complex characterizations and in-depth explorations of social issues. Both are a result of her training and experience as a family counselor, which contribute to her fascination with relationships of all kinds. Emilie and her husband enjoy dividing their time between the Florida Gulf Coast and Chautauqua County, New York. She is currently working on her next novel for MIRA Books.

Connect with Emilie

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Book Review, Giveaway: The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows by Jenni Keer

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows

by Jenni Keer

Amazon US / UK / AU

B&N / GP / iBooks / Kobo

When Maisie Meadows finds herself single and jobless on New Year’s Day, she resolves that this will be the year she focuses on bringing her scattered family back together. Romance is all very well, but it’s the people you grew up with that matter the most.

But a new job working at an auction house puts her in the path of Theo, a gorgeous but unattainable man who she can’t help but be distracted by. As their bond begins to grow, Maisie finds herself struggling to fulfil the promise she made to herself – but the universe has other ideas, and it’s not long before the Meadows family are thrown back together in the most unlikely of circumstances…

Can dealing with other people’s treasures help Maisie to let go of the past, and teach her who she ought to treasure the most?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

He was not only showing the new girl from HR around the archives but also giving her a guided tour of his tonsils.

Being single was all very well until your ovaries started idly flicking through pension options – not that she was anywhere near that stage, but sand still trickled relentlessly into the bottom chamber of her hourglass.

Theo’s jeans weren’t distressed, they were positively traumatised.

Honestly, you’re so tightly coiled that if anyone springs your release catch you’re going to ping over the moon.

… her house was sterile, her desk at work was sterile, bloody hell – after six months without a boyfriend, she was sterile.

He doesn’t give up. All the time he’s in my peripheral vision, lurking like an unidentifiable odour.

My Review:

Jenni Keer is found treasure. This cleverly written and highly amusing book had more sparkles than a glitter bomb and was an utter delight to read. I adored every quirky character and savored each brilliantly chosen word. I fell right into this craftily paced and witty tale, which caused frequent eruptions of giggle-snorts and kept a well-earned smirk on my face throughout perusal. I was also quite resentful of any interruption to my reading and may have actually hissed at the ringing phone. Ms. Keer’s writing was deliciously clever, emotive, crisp, and extraordinarily engaging. She definitely has a gift for effortless levity and absorbing storytelling and I deeply suspect ownership of a magical pen or bewitched software, as she is an absolute powerhouse of a wordsmith.

And in addition to being totally besotted with Ms. Keer, I scored three new additions to my Brit Word List with claggy – which is Brit informal for thick and sticky; banjaxed – which is slang for destroyed or ruined; and G Plan – which is an iconic British brand of furniture.

About the Author

Jenni Keer is a history graduate who embarked on a career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique furniture restorer husband. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework but with four teenage boys in the house, it remains a mystery. Instead, she spends her time at the keyboard writing women’s fiction to combat the testosterone-fuelled atmosphere with her number one fan #Blindcat by her side. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker was published in January 2019.

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is out in July 2019.

Social Media Links

FB Jenni Keer Writer

Twitter @JenniKeer

Instagram jennikeer

Website – https://jennikeer.co.uk/

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker, pack of Scratbag notelets, pretty purple pen and a Maisie bookmark

(Open to UK Only)

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Book Review: A Beach Wish by Shelley Noble

A Beach Wish

by Shelley Noble

Amazon  US / UK / CA / AU /

B&NHarperCollins

Paperback: 384 pages

 Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (June 25, 2019)

New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble returns to the beach in her latest summer read about the family we create and the wishes we make that can shape us.

Zoe Bascombe has never said no to her family. When she blew her Juilliard audition, she caved to their wishes and went to business school. But when her mother dies and leaves instructions for Zoe to spread her ashes at a place called Wind Chime Beach, she defies her brothers and starts out for a New England town none of them has ever heard of and discovers a side of her garden club mother that her wildest dreams hadn’t imagined.

Zoe has another family.

Her first instinct is to run home. Instead, she is caught in the middle of her feuding new relatives. With one family fighting among themselves and the other not speaking to her, Zoe must somehow find a way to bridge her new life with her old.

For the first time in her life, Zoe must make a stand for her family—both of them. If only she can only figure out how.

Her answer lies at Wind Chime Beach where for generations people have come to add their chimes to the ones already left among the trees. And when the wind blows and the air fills with music, their secrets, dreams, and hopes are sent into the world. There’s a message for Zoe here—if she has the courage to open her heart.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Zoe took a quick last look in her rearview mirror, where her family appeared as a perfectly framed photo for a bare second before dispersing out of frame. Like an Etch A Sketch drawing turned upside down.

 

Actually I’m, uh, working remotely.” Just a little white lie. Just reshuffle the words and you had “I’m not remotely working.”

 

A feud, star-crossed lovers, an angry old rock star, and a missing hotel proprietor—it’s just like Shakespeare in the Park without the mosquitoes…

 

He whipped off his hat. His hair sprang out like a ballerina’s tutu from a totally bald head.

 

Stupid, really, that even though she was currently unemployed, she was still herding relative strangers. Ha. Relative strangers. Strange relatives. Yep. She had plenty of both.

 

My Review:

 

This multi-textured tale was filled with long-held secrets, small-town corruption, a forty-year-old feud, adorable elderly hippies, a greedy and menacingly villainous ninety-year-old matriarch, and loads of complicated and turbulent family dynamics and drama; it was a tasty summer treat that didn’t require a cooler and supplied its own sand. Upon her mother’s death, Zoe was tasked with the errand of spreading the ashes on an unfamiliar beach, which lead to a multitude of challenges and earth-shattering revelations about her mother as well as herself.   The storylines and writing were observantly insightful and engaging while laced with uncertainty and emotional tension as well as shrewdly placed snippets of wit and levity. My curiosity and interest were well engaged and I enjoyed the unusual premise as much as the peculiarity and vagaries of the diverse and large cast of compelling characters. This was my first time sampling the clever wordplay of the divine Shelly Noble yet Goodreads lists twenty books and novellas to her credit, where have I been?

I was provided with a review copy of this absorbing tale by HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.

About the Author

Shelley Noble is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Whisper Beach and Beach Colors. Other titles include Stargazey PointBreakwater Bay, and Forever Beach—a story of foster adoption in New Jersey—and four spin-off novellas. A former professional dancer and choreographer, she lives on the Jersey shore and loves to discover new beaches and indulge her passion for lighthouses and vintage carousels. Shelley is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

Find out more about Shelley at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review: One Last Greek Summer by Mandy Baggot

One Last Greek Summer

by Mandy Baggot

 

Amazon  US / UK / AU CA  

B&N / iBooks / GP / Kobo

 

Beth Martin is 31, newly divorced and wondering just what life holds for her…

Best-friend, Heidi, is adamant that all the answers lie in Corfu – the island where the girls’ partied away their youth.

So cue a trip to a sun-drenched Greek island, ouzo cocktails, a trip down memory lane…and Alex Hallas, the man Beth has never quite forgotten.

As they dance under the stars, the sand beneath their toes, old feelings begin to resurface and Beth might just have a chance to take back her life. If they can learn to love the people they’ve become…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘How long is it since you’ve had a date now?’ … ‘Almost two months,’ Heidi breathed. ‘My lady parts basically think I’ve sold them for transplant.’

 

‘Repeat after me…I am a woman in my prime.’ ‘Oh, Heidi, have you been going to those motivational hours at the community centre again? Weren’t you put off for good when the guest speaker was someone who had once worked with Harvey Weinstein?’

 

‘I’m not sorry he isn’t dead.’ She took a breath. There had been times she’d wanted to cut the crotch out of his underpants, but death seemed a little too far, even in her darkest moments, drinking his vintage champagne like it was tap water.

 

‘I don’t fancy you either. Never have.’ ‘I don’t know whether to feel pleased or strangely curious as to why not.’ ‘Let’s leave it as an enigma…’

 

All everyone says is that yiayia died of a broken heart. But my mother says she died of shame because she could not bear to live the rest of her life as a widow mourning a man who shared his penis with the entire island.

 

‘He was at the beach bar in Roda, a late-night drink after practice for a band he is joining.’ She shook her head. ‘He is sixty-five years old. The only band he should be involved in is one they put around your arm to monitor blood pressure.’

 

My Review:

 

Greece has been on my bucket list for decades, and although I will confess to being far too lazy to make the arduous trek, I can partially satisfy my curiosity and wanderlust by occasionally picking up a Grecian based tale.   One Last Greek Summer was quite the tasty snack with Ms. Baggot’s divinely keen sense for colorful details and vividly described scenes, I could almost hear the bleating of the baby goats, smell the sea air, and taste the delicious gyros. The writing and storylines were engaging, action-packed, cunningly observant, and shot through with crisp levity and whip-smart humor.   The vibrant characters were appealing, well-drawn, and more than a bit intriguing – even the villainous ones that I wanted to give a pinch or ten.

This was my maiden voyage with the cleverly amusing Mandy Baggot and I am kicking myself for being tardy to the party as she has a wicked wit and an impressive listing of twenty-four published books. I am tempted to unhook the phone and clear my calendar for a month and just indulge in all things Baggot. Suffice it to say, Ms. Baggot has a newly minted baklava loving fangirl.

About the Author 

Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy’s books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech, and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music, and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Follow Mandy:

Facebook: @mandybaggotauthor

Twitter: @mandybaggot

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Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Book Review: Mancandy Crush (Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies #5.5) by Tawna Fenske

Mancandy Crush

(Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies #5.5)

 by Tawna Fenske

 

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU / B&N

 

Josh Mattis is totally over getting his heart stomped six years ago, so what’s with the mule kick to the chest when he spots the girl who ghosted him? Turns out she’s not his teenage fling, but her twin sister—and she needs a fake date to her cousin’s wedding.

Valerie Vincent would rather shove sewing needles in her eyes than have one more person tell her she needs adventure. All she needs is a quiet reading nook and a chance to enjoy Bree’s quirky Christmas nuptials in the summer sun at Ponderosa Resort. Okay, she’d also like to skip the pitying looks when her twin trots out her fab new fiancé, but Val can fix all that with one rugged river guide who’s happy to play her arm candy.

As Josh and Val bond over weird eggnog and messed-up mistletoe hunts, the July sun isn’t the only source of scorching heat. Will the past be a blast of icy cold reality, or can their fling last longer than a peppermint fudgesicle on a hot day?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“When you’re eighteen, it’s all hormones and lust and raw, carnal attraction.” “Sounds horrible. How did you endure it?”

I used to be afraid of sharks… I still am, but this was serious. I wouldn’t swim in the pool at the country club because of it… I was captain of my high school swim team, but I still sometimes caught myself checking the lanes for fins.

“I was so afraid of tornadoes that I wouldn’t drive past the trailer park on the south end of town,” I admit. “That’s where they always struck when I heard about them on the news, so it seemed smart to steer clear.” Josh lifts one sandy brow. “Didn’t you grow up in Maine? I didn’t think they had tornadoes there.” “They don’t.”

I used to worry that if I closed my eyes in the shower, an ax murderer would show up and kill me… I got a lot of soap in my eyes.

I don’t care if you have a thousand condoms and a meatball sub in there. I’m not letting you near that damn phone that’ll end up dialing your financial advisor or your parents or something.

My Review:

 

I eagerly zipped through this quick, mischievous, highly amusing, and delectably steamy installment of the cleverly humorous Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies series. The storylines were quickly paced, witty, and observantly insightful of relevant and difficult issues and emotional triggers many people face. I adored Josh and Val as a couple and their thoughtful and gentle concern for each other. The storylines were creative, entertaining, and progressed at speed. I giggle-snorted several times during Val’s well-considered list of best and worst ways of biting the dust, her mental catalog of unusual deaths, and her colorful and comedic confessions of irrational fears.

About the Author    

Website 

Amazon

Goodreads

When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA-nominated, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, stepkids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.

Book Review: Once Upon a Cowboy (Almost Royal #2) by Rachel Lacey

 

Once Upon a Cowboy

(Almost Royal #2)

by Rachel Lacey

Amazon  US / UK AU CA / B&N / GP / iBooks

 

A TALE AS OLD AS TIME

Megan Perl went from beauty to beast when a car accident left her permanently scarred. Before, Megan was outgoing and vivacious, always with a man at her side. Now? She spends more time behind a camera than in front of it. She’s ready to turn her hobby into something more by offering photography sessions at the castle where she works. This year is dedicated to her career, not men. If only she wasn’t so crazy-attracted to the cowboy who’s renting the stable on the castle grounds…

Jake Reardon is no stranger to tragedy. After a fall left his bride in a coma on their wedding day, he was forced to watch her slowly fade away in a hospital bed. Now, he finds himself in the unwelcome position of virgin widower. At Rosemont Castle, he can finally focus on establishing his career as a horse trainer. The only problem is that his new landlady makes him hotter than the Virginia sun.

Sparks fly every time Jake and Megan cross paths, but there’s no way he’s going to lose his virginity with the woman who manages the property he’s leasing. As their attraction grows, though, so do their emotions. Jake carries his scars inside, but Megan has to wear hers for the world to see. Can love heal their wounds, or will it tear them apart?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

… a slow smile spread across his lips, and poof, there went her hormones, exploding for him all over again.

 

Her parents never gave up on a miracle, but at some point over the years, I realized we were just watching her die. Years and years of watching her die.

 

… small town and all. If he was spotted buying condoms, half the population of Towering Pines would know about it in no time.

 

My Review:

 

This was a quick and pleasantly satisfying tale featuring two endearing and resilient main characters who were survivors of tragic events. As a teenaged groom, Jake could do little more than watch as his new bride slipped into a coma then lingered for nine long years. Megan remained self-conscious and insecure after surviving a car accident that had resulted in life-long scarring. Their blossoming relationship provided a sweet, tender, and heartwarmingly gratifying story as they supported each other through new careers and transitions. It was also delectably sensual as the young widower was a quick study and eager to please. Snap!

About the Author

Rachel Lacey is a contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She’s been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in warm and sunny North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of rescue pets.

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