Author: Empress DJ

Empress DJ AKA Honolulubelle is a Rabid Reader, Unabashed Reviewer, and All-Purpose Goddess
Posted on

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

Posted on

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/

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: The Girl in the Gallery – The London Murder Mysteries #2 by Alice Castle

The Girl in the Gallery

by Alice Castle

Goodreads

Amazon US / UK    B&N

 

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Dulwich…

It’s a perfect summer’s morning in the plush south London suburb, and thirty-something Beth Haldane has sneaked off to visit one of her favorite places, the world-famous Picture Gallery.

She’s enjoying a few moments’ respite from juggling her job at prestigious private school Wyatt’s and her role as single mum to little boy Ben, when she stumbles across a shocking new exhibit on display. Before she knows it, she’s in the thick of a fresh, and deeply chilling, investigation.

Who is The Girl in the Gallery? Join Beth in adventure #2 of the London Murder Mystery series as she tries to discover the truth about a secret eating away at the very heart of Dulwich.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Katie wrinkled her brow. She and Beth were among the few that could pull off this feat in Dulwich, since Botox had become a hobby of the mummying classes.

 

Zoe was a dream babysitter, one of those swotty girls who’d been liberated from terminal uncoolness by J. K. Rowling’s wondrous invention, Hermione Grainger, patron saint of over-achieving girlhood everywhere.

 

She tiptoed further down the corridor, thanking the Lord for her soft soles. Angie Douglas might well turn her nose up at such comforts, and she was never going to argue that these lumpen shoes represented the most stylish choice out there for a woman of her build, but there was a lot to be said for rubber. She felt like the hippo in Fantasia creeping up on a load of half-starved gazelles.

 

Though much prettier –and a lot less wrinkly –the women were like the velociraptors in the Jurassic Park films: hyper-vigilant; alert to every threat; and presumably, every bit as deadly if anyone dared threaten their young.

 

Beth felt as though she was getting shorter by the second as he stood up. By the time he was upright, she was like Alice in Wonderland after drinking the shrinking potion.

 My Review:

 

I enjoyed the premise and various storylines which picked up shortly after the first book left off, although I struggled more than a bit with the pacing with this installment and was waffling on the overall rating until I sorted through my favorite quotes and was thus compelled to give it a four-star rating due to the author’s wickedly clever wit alone. While I adore her skills, I didn’t feel as fully engaged with this narrative as I had been with the first book as there was a multitude of loose and rambling story threads to throw me off-track. Yet I reveled in the vibrant character depictions and deviously humorous observations, inner musings, and foibles of this quirky ensemble. My main annoyance was while the storyline of the floundering investigation advanced at an excruciatingly slow rate; in the final pages, it was resolved so quickly it felt anti-climatic.   However, I remain eager to read the next installment and am well pleased to announce two new additions to my Brit Vocabulary List with “argy-bargy,” which the Urban Dictionary told me was “a heated discussion, perhaps one that has become bad-tempered enough to amount to a spat or minor quarrel,” and is actually of Scottish origin; and OAP which Mr. Google told me was an Old Age Pensioner and what is now my official designation… I wear it with pride!

Author Bio – Alice Castle

Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold out in two weeks.

Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain and Germany. A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical acclaim. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery series, will be published this summer, with Homicide in Herne Hill due to follow in early 2019. Alice is currently working on the fifth London Murder Mystery adventure. Once again, it will feature Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.

Alice is also a mummy blogger and book reviewer via her website: https://www.alicecastleauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DDsDiary?lang=en

 

Giveaway 

Win signed copies of Death in Dulwich

and The Girl in the Gallery (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: Death in Dulwich – The London Murder Mysteries #1 by Alice Castle

Death in Dulwich

by Alice Castle

Goodreads

Amazon US / UK    B&N

 

Thirty-something single mum Beth Haldane is forced to become Dulwich’s answer to Miss Marple when she stumbles over a murder victim on her first day at work.

To clear her name, Beth is plunged into a cozy mystery that’s a contemporary twist on Golden Age crime classics. But can she pull it off? She already has a bouncy young son, haughty cat, a fringe with a mind of its own and lots of bills to pay, as she struggles to keep up with the yummy mummies of SE21.

Join Beth in #1 of the London Murder Mystery series, as she discovers the nastiest secrets can lurk in the nicest places.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The spring sunshine glinted off perfectly tousled blonde hair and the equally shiny metal clasps of a new handbag, the size of a well-fed toddler. Beth raised her eyebrows at Katie. That bag must have cost more than her monthly mortgage payment.

Dr Grover was famously married to a willowy actress– the only factor that kept most of Dulwich’s divorcees at bay. But when had being married ever stopped people? True, if it ever got out, there would be a fuss; not least from the disappointed divorcees.

It was true that the man had had a certain arrogant swagger. She’d just thought it had come from being a guy of a certain age, in possession of a penis. There was a type and a generation of men who thought this simple appendage made them superior to every woman around them, and also, in some very strange corner of their psyche, convinced that all females desperately wanted them to demonstrate their skills with that specific piece of gristle at the slightest opportunity, whether the women demurred or not.

 My Review:

 

I took a gamble and decided to read an unfamiliar author with a three-part British mystery series, a genre I haven’t indulged in for ages. While still on page one I was struck by the refreshingly comfortable and amusing writing style, allowing me to relax into my chair and settle in for a cozy treat. The storylines were slowly developed yet easy to follow, engaging, and character driven. I relished Ms. Castle’s dry wit and use of vibrant descriptions and amusing details, which often brought and kept a smirk to my lips. A young widow and single-mom, Beth was having the worst type of first day of a new job with the disheartening realization that her new boss was a loathsome letch, only to be the one to find that loathsome letch dead a few hours later while on her way to lunch. Yikes. Talk about bad luck… Beth had no alibi and being the snoopy sort, she felt compelled to launch her own inquiries for fear she was the top suspect. Although her efforts to clear her name were vaguely thought out and she tended to dither, I adored her anyway. I am eagerly looking forward to more of her hapless adventures and am ready to gobble the next installment, which is currently idling on my kindle.

Author Bio   – Alice Castle

 Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold out in two weeks.

Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain and Germany. A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical acclaim. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery series, will be published this summer, with Homicide in Herne Hill due to follow in early 2019. Alice is currently working on the fifth London Murder Mystery adventure. Once again, it will feature Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.

Alice is also a mummy blogger and book reviewer via her website: https://www.alicecastleauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DDsDiary?lang=en

 

Giveaway

 Win signed copies of Death in Dulwich and

The Girl in the Gallery (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 


Posted on

Book Review: Here Comes the Best Man by Angela Britnell

Here Comes the Best Man

by Angela Britnell

Goodreads

Amazon UK / US 

 

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow.

But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day.

Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realize that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Even Goodwill wouldn’t accept Josh’s old clothes, his last haircut was six months ago and his haphazard shave could serve as the before picture for a razor commercial.

 

‘I’ve gotta get in practise for being an obedient husband.’ ‘I’m sure you’ll get it right after about fifty years,’

 

The Brits should use Audrey as a lethal weapon. She’d be much cheaper than any atomic bomb and far more deadly.

 

Audrey had been adopted by a crowd of half-drunk girls on a bachelorette party and he’d overheard them encouraging the old lady to talk so they could listen to her. One of the ringleaders yelled at the top of her voice that they’d found the elderly countess from Downton Abbey.

 

For a forty-year-old man you sure don’t know much about women… A wise man smiles, agrees and does what he’s told.

My Review:

 

I was new to the series and the author and starting on installment number five yet it didn’t seem to be a detriment, although I am sure I would have enjoyed the first four as well as these characters apparently have each had a colorful past. The storylines moved quickly in several directions before finally converging for a satisfactory conclusion with generous sprinkles of levity, steam, mild bridezilla meltdowns, family drama, working through old issues and anxieties, and pulling a wedding together without bloodshed – which is always tricky 😉 A new brain wrinkle for me was Scotch eggs, something I’m now quite curious about and will order the next chance I get.

 

Author Bio – Angela Britnell 

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband, she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years, she’s published over 20 novels and several short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

Social Media Links –

www.angelabritnellromance.com

www.facebook.com/angelabritnell

www.twitter.com/angelabritnell

https://www.instagram.com/angelagolleybritnell/

 

Posted on

Book Review: Crash & Burn (A Crashing Series Standalone) by Kristen Hope Mazzola

Crash & Burn

A Crashing Series Standalone

by Kristen Hope Mazzola

Goodreads

Amazon

My girl left me for a rockstar.
I thought I was in love.
There wasn’t anything left of me. So I ran.
And when I stopped, everything began.
She was tattooed and badass.
She was the piece I never knew I was missing.
She was real love.
And she was keeping us a secret.
But all secrets are bound to break free. I just hope that when ours does, she knows that this time, I’m staying.
NOTE: A shorter version of this story was previously published in the BURN ME Anthology. This is the extended and complete story that will make your heart burst into flames. Grab an ice-cold drink and a fan; it’s about to get hot in here! Crash & Burn is a standalone romance. It is a companion novel to the Crashing Series.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Here’s to the breezes that blow through the treezes, that lift the girl’s skirt high above her kneezes, it reveals a spot that teases and pleases. Here’s to snatch, down the hatch!

I do not sleep with the guys here. Self-preservation thing, ya know.” Bryn was talking a mile a minute. “I have to make sure that they never think of me as a chick or a piece of meat. It took me a long time to gain the respect of all those twat waffles with egos the size of Texas in there.”

 

My Review:

 

I giggle-snorted and smirked my way through this delightfully naughty and scorching hot firefighter romance. This dirty talking, well-tatted and nimble couple needed flame retardant sheets and fire extinguishers in every room. This was my first exposure to Ms. Mazzola’s wordcraft and I adore her endearing characters, clever use of levity, and bawdy sense of humor. I’ll be on the lookout for future opportunities to indulge in her tales.

About the Author
Bestselling author, Kristen Hope Mazzola, lives in the suburbs of Tampa soaking up the sunshine while watching hockey or football at beach bars. She writes contemporary romance ranging from steamy romantic comedy, angsty new adult, all the way to sports romance – with dirty bikers, hot military men, and swoon-worthy rockstars in between. A portion of her royalties goes to the Marcie Mazzola Foundation.
Posted on

Spotlight: The Wedding from Hell – Part 1 The Rehearsal Dinner by J. R. Ward

The Wedding from Hell
Part 1 The Rehearsal Dinner
by J. R. Ward
Available: July 17, 2018
Gallery Books | E-book Original
ISBN: 9781982105365 Free

Amazon / B&N/ Goodreads

Don’t miss #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward’s three-part ebook serialization: The Wedding From Hell. This exclusive prequel to her upcoming standalone suspense Consumed (available in Fall 2018) takes us back to where it all started between arson investigator Anne Ashburn and ‘bad boy’ firefighter Danny Maguire. The Wedding From Hell is a sexy standalone novella that sets up Consumed’s storyline, leaving fans hungry for more and dying to snatch it up.

About the Book:

It’s a classic recipe for disaster: Take one bridesmaid who thinks pink is the root of all evil, mix with a best man who’s hotter than a four-alarm fire, add in their explosive sexual attraction, a nightmare bridezilla, two catfights, and an emergency call, and you have the wedding from hell.

Experience the sizzling start of Anne and Danny’s intense relationship. Is this the start of something good…or just an erotic one-night stand that rocks their world, but must never be repeated?

About the Author:

J.R. Ward is the author of more than thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are more than fifteen million copies of her novels in print worldwide, and they have been published in twenty-six different countries around the world. She lives in the South with her family.

Purchase Link:

http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Wedding-from-Hell-Part-1-The-Rehearsal-Dinner/J-R-Ward/9781982105365

Video from J.R. Ward:
Youtube: https://youtu.be/1vty_f_3hZs
Embedded link:

Excerpt:

Thursday, October 29
T minus 48 hours ’til blastoff
College Row, New Brunswick, Massachusetts

Because women are not frickin’ groomsmen! That’s why she can’t be in the goddamn wedding!”
As Anne Ashburn walked in the back door of the shotgun apartment, that happy little explosion was not only what she’d expected all along, it also offered her the out she’d been praying for. And it was probably the one and only time she was ever going to agree with the bride.
Not about the role of females in bridal parties, but that Anne wasn’t going to be in the “goddamn wedding.”
Everyone standing in the kitchen turned and looked at her: Deandra Cox, the impending wearer of the white dress; Robert “Moose” Miller, her exhausted fiancé and Anne’s fellow crew member down at the 499 fi rehouse; and . . . Dannyboy Maguire.
Who was the only one she really noticed and, for that reason, the person she refused to look at.
Too bad Danny always made an impression. Like most firefighters, he was in great physical shape, his big body thickly muscled and ready to snap into motion in an instant. With his heavy arms linked over that chest and his long legs crossed at the boots, he was leaning back against the chipped countertop, his too-blue stare missing nothing. He was fresh from a shower, his glossy black hair wet, and Anne tried not to picture him naked under the spray, his tattooed torso arching as he rinsed the shampoo out of his—
She put her hands up to stop herself as much as the argument. “Look, I don’t want to cause any problems. I’m happy to step aside—”
“And now I have one too many bridesmaids.” The bride-to-be refocused on her intended. “My count is wrong. You wait until two days before the wedding to tell me this when you know I’m not going to like it, and now my count is off!”
As the groom focused on the linoleum floor, it was impossible not to picture a wax version of the couple on a multi-tiered cake: Deandra in skinny jeans and that tight cashmere sweater, her dark hair streaked blond, her body cocked forward like she was going to throat-punch the man she was going to marry; Moose in his New Brunswick Fire Department T-shirt, all broad-shouldered and bearded around the face, easing back like someone with the flu was about to sneeze in his face.
Ah, true love.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal,” Moose muttered. “Anne’s a member of the four-nine-nine crew, and everyone else is with me.”
“She’s a girl.” Deandra pointed at Anne. “It throws off everything.”
“I really don’t want to cause any problems.” Anne put her hands up again. “So I’ll just be in the congregation. It’s perfectly fine—”
Deandra’s glare swung Anne’s way. “The count is still wrong. And my friends have already paid for their dresses. They were a hundred and twenty dollars apiece.”
And that’s my cue to go, Anne thought. Moose may have volunteered for this, but no one else had or needed to—
“I think women can be whatever they want.”
As Danny spoke up, everyone looked at him—including Anne, who suddenly felt shades of what Deandra was throwing out.
Don’t you dare, she mouthed at him behind the bride’s back.
Danny just shrugged like he’d thrown on a pantsuit and was channeling Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton all at once. “I mean, Deandra, you’re above all that sexism, aren’t you? No one’s going to tell you what’s right and wrong for your own wedding. You’re more secure than that.”
I am going to kill you, Anne vowed. “I think Deandra wants things done properly for her only wedding.”
Danny frowned in pseudo-confusion. “So you’re saying it’s okay to have a double standard for men and women? That’s a shocker given how you are at the station. I thought you believed in equality.”
“I do,” Anne snapped. “But this isn’t about equality.”
“You sure? I don’t know how you can support traditional gender roles when it comes to a wedding ceremony at the same time you defend the right for women to be firefighters, cops, and on the front lines in the military.”
“Spare me someone who’s never been in a dress having an opinion about women’s issues, okay?”
“I’m just pointing out that you don’t want women out of dresses.”
“It’s her wedding.” Anne jabbed a finger at Deandra. “She’s the bride. She gets to say what’s right and wrong for her, and she does not need some man telling her what to do.”
“Even if I’m defending the rights of women?”
“Until you grow a set of ovaries, you can shut the hell up about our rights!”
As Anne’s voice ricocheted around the kitchen, she realized that she’d marched right up to Danny—and that Deandra and Moose were watching the two of them in total stillness.
She cleared her throat and took a step back. “Anyway, Deandra’s made up her mind. And I support her decision.”
Deandra’s eyes narrowed on Danny, and something about the way the woman looked at him didn’t seem right.
“Actually,” the bride said, “maybe she should be in the wedding party.”
Anne prayed her expression stayed neutral. “Don’t compromise your vision on my account.”
“I won’t.” The woman stared at Danny. “Fine. Let’s put her in a tuxedo like the rest of the men. She can walk my sister down the aisle, just like a man should. Her shoulders are too big for a gown, anyway, and that way my count stays the way it should.”
Anne rolled her eyes. Let’s hear it for girl power.
“So it’s settled,” Deandra said with a tight smile. “You need a tux. Unless you already own one.”
For a moment, Anne waited for somebody to argue with the woman. Like Moose. But he was clearly done falling on swords over the wedding details, and Danny had just gotten what he wanted so he wasn’t going to say a damn thing.
And the truth was, after how many years of fighting fires with these men, they were her brothers in all but blood. Even though she thought Moose had lost his ever-loving mind marrying this beautiful but sour woman after knowing her for a matter of months, Anne was still going to stand up for the guy if he wanted her to—and he did. He’d asked her down at the stationhouse specifically.
“Where did you guys rent your suits?” Anne said to him.
“Tuxedoes,” Deandra corrected.
The groom blinked like he’d forgotten how to speak English. Then again, he’d been doing that a lot at the firehouse lately. “You’re actually going to wear one?”
“What the hell do I care?”
“Yes, she is wearing one,” Deandra cut in.
Danny spoke up. “I’ll go with you. I know where the place is.”

Posted on

Book Review: Kissing in the Rain (Blushing Bay #2.5) by Annie Rains

Kissing in the Rain 

(Blushing Bay #2.5)

Annie Rains

Goodreads

Amazon /  B&N 

 

A Blushing Bay Prequel Novella

After a rough year, Jillian Maready is overdue for a relaxing weekend getaway. Where better to find that than Blushing Bay, North Carolina where her family vacationed growing up? When she sets sail on her own, however, she ends up stranded on a deserted island in the middle of one of the biggest storms of the summer—and in the arms of her sexy childhood crush.

As part of the Coast Guard Reserve, Gabe Sawyer is used to search and rescues. After learning that his sister’s best friend is in trouble, he doesn’t hesitate to brave the storm to find her. With the raging seas too volatile to navigate back, Gabe is in over his head when he and Jillian must spend one hot summer night surviving the storm together—and giving in to their sizzling attraction. But what happens when the sun comes back out?

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

I don’t hate your guts. I’m just not very fond of them.

My Review:

 

This saucy little second chance tale was short and sweet and a petite side story to accompany the other installments in this engaging series featuring the Sawyer family.   Jillian and Gabe shared an embarrassing episode in their teens when fifteen-year-old bookworm Jillian had thrown herself at Gabe, her first crush and best friend’s older brother. He had also feelings for her at the time but didn’t feel it appropriate, and his rejection had humiliated and continued to sting years later. Nothing like being cold, wet, and in need of shared body heat while stranded together in a storm to work out those pesky issues.

Annie Rains is a USA Today bestselling author who writes small-town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America’s largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband and three children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

Website /  Goodreads / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter

Posted on

Spotlight:Trial on Mount Koya by Susan Spann

Trial on Mount Koya 

by Susan Spann

Amazon | Books-A-Million 

 Barnes & Noble

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Seventh Street Books (July 3, 2018)

Master ninja Hiro Hattori and Jesuit Father Mateo head up to Mount Koya, only to find themselves embroiled in yet another mystery, this time in a Shingon Buddhist temple atop one of Japan’s most sacred peaks.

November 1565: Master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo travel to a Buddhist temple at the summit of Mount Koya, carrying a secret message for an Iga spy posing as a priest on the sacred mountain. When a snowstorm strikes the peak, a killer begins murdering the temple’s priests and posing them as Buddhist judges of the afterlife–the Kings of Hell. Hiro and Father Mateo must unravel the mystery before the remaining priests–including Father Mateo–become unwilling members of the killer’s grisly council of the dead.

“East meets West, spies dine with monks, and mind grapples with heart in a sixteenth-century locked-room mystery on a snowy mountain. Susan Spann hits perfection yet again.” –Laurie R. King, author of The Beekeeper’s Apprentice and Island of the Mad

“A page-turning and atmospheric historical mystery that beautifully melds fascinating Japanese history with a cleverly constructed mystery reminiscent of And Then There Were None—if the famous Agatha Christie mystery had been set in medieval Japan on a sacred mountaintop during a snowstorm.” –Gigi Pandian, USA Today–bestselling author of the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries

“Susan Spann is up front in saying that Trial on Mount Koya is an homage to Agatha Christie. Believe me, she does the great Dame Agatha proud. This excellent entry in Spann’s series of Hiro Hattori mysteries offers plenty of esoteric clues and red herrings that are fun to chase. Along the way, she even does Christie one better, giving readers a fascinating glimpse of life and religion in feudal Japan. This is a book sure to please Spann’s growing legion of fans as well as anyone who loves the work of Agatha Christie.”
–William Kent Krueger, Edgar® Award-winning author of Sulfur Springs

About Susan Spann

Susan Spann is the 2015 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Writer of the Year and the author of five previous novels in the Hiro Hattori / Shinobi Mystery series: Claws of the Cat, Blade of the Samurai, Flask of the Drunken Master, The Ninja’s Daughter, and Betrayal at Iga. She has a degree in Asian Studies from Tufts University and a lifelong love of Japanese history and culture. When not writing, she enjoys hiking, photography, and traveling in Japan.
Connect with Susan
Posted on

Book Review: Me and Mr. Jones (Heartbreak Hotel Book 2) by Christie Ridgway

Me and Mr. Jones

(Heartbreak Hotel Book 2)

by Christie Ridgway

 

Welcome to the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach, where newlyweds come to honeymoon, where anniversary couples celebrate milestones, and where broken hearts find a place to heal.

Jilted bride Audra Montgomery wants to reset her life at the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach. A good girl for far too long, Audra has penned a list of must-do experiences she’s sure will change her. When the hotel’s maintenance guy, a “Mr. Jones,” knocks on her door, she wonders if the sexy handyman might just come in handy when enacting some of the spicier items on her agenda.

Kane Hathaway, general manager of the resort, didn’t set out to deceive his guest when he performed a minor repair. But it’s freeing to imagine life without the responsibilities of the family business. Then there’s the whole “Heartbreak Hotel” designation—cynical Kane doesn’t believe for a minute that a stay on site can heal the wounds left by bad romance. But every moment in Audra’s company sparkles with magic—can this be love?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Jessie’s expression fell, looking as if he’d broken her favorite toy and stolen the last of her Halloween candy.

 

I have a cat. A white cat… Hildr, after a famous Viking shieldmaiden. She killed her enemies in battle and wore their dried penises on a belt around her waist.

 

He ordered them each beers from the female bartender who wore a Harley-Davidson tank top and jeans so tight they seemed to split her in two from behind.

 

“Married a jerk,” she said matter-of-factly. “Promised me the moon and gave me green cheese instead.”

My Review:

 

I’m enjoying this light and entertaining series featuring couples who have no interest in being a part of any couple, but by the end of the book, they have become one none the less. The premise and storylines were entertaining and easy to follow with an even balance of angst, sizzle, and humor. Although initially despondent after being abandoned hours before her elaborate wedding, Audra began to rejoin the land of the living before growing excessively crusty and devised two separate bucket list types of activities after taking stock of her Goody-Two-Shoes personality and “pleaser gene” tendencies. I enjoyed Audra attempting to locate and embrace her more daring feisty side with the assistance of a sexy hotelier.

 

About the Author

Goodreads   Amazon

Christie Ridgway is the author of over 60 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.