Category: 4-Stars

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Book Review, Giveaway: Autumn Antics (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2) by Georgina Troy

Autumn Antics

(The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2)

by Georgina Troy

Amazon US / UK / CA/ AU

 

Being a part-time hand model can be tricky, especially when you have to deal with prima donnas like Megan Knight, a reality star whose meteoric rise has surprised everyone. Bella is happiest running her tiny antique business from the front room of her cottage on the boardwalk. To ensure she has enough income coming in, she also rents out two of her bedrooms and is hiding a secret crush on one of her lodgers. His name is Jack and he also happens to be her best friend Sacha’s brother.

If life wasn’t complicated enough, her world-traveling mother appears on her doorstep on the same evening that Jack’s ex-fiancée arrives on the boardwalk determined to win him back. Bella has a lot of thinking to do and soon discovers that not all gems sparkle.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

It always feels a little strange coming back. It’s like stepping into a childhood memory, a bit like entering a protected bubble.

 

My Review:

 

Autumn Antics was a pleasant and relaxing read and my initial exposure to the island of Jersey, which sounds like a uniquely interesting locale. Regardless of their colorful boardwalk and coastal terrain, I am currently eaten up with curiosity and obsessing over their specialty bread called Cabbage Loaf, which sounds rather awful in theory – bread baked with a cabbage leaf on the top and bottom, but as it is revered, it must taste divine. I am determined to dust off my baking pans, Google a recipe, and give it a try; which speaks volumes to the Georgina Troy’s talent for descriptive writing, as she apparently possesses magical word charms capable of spurring my lazy bones into domestic activity. An astounding feat!

The plot and storylines were leisurely paced and gradually shaped, a bit sluggish in places as it was not an active or intriguing read; but rather a sweet and light tale about a small village with gentle inhabitants, most of which had lived there most of their lives. This was book two in the series and while I had not read book one, I never feel lost or confused although it appears that the characters from the first book carried over into the second installment as well. I waffled some on the rating as it felt a little less than a four-star read but near enough.

 

Author Bio –

Georgina Troy is a pseudonym of author Deborah Carr. She recently signed with HarperCollins’ romance imprint HarperImpulse to write a historical romance to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr will be published in e-book format on 12 October 2018 and in paperback on 27 December 2018.

Georgina was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) with A Jersey Kiss and a finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for new writers 2015. Her first four-book series, The Jersey Scene and books 1 and 2 of her second series, The Boardwalk by the Sea are available.

She also writes thrillers as Ella Drummond and lives on the island of Jersey with her husband and three rescue dogs and is 1/3 of The Blonde Plotters.

Sign up to Georgina’s Newsletter at: deborahcarr.org/contact

Social Media Links –

Website: https://www.deborahcarr.org/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorginaTroy

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

Giveaway 

Win an Autumn Antics Locket and Tote Bag

(Open Internationally)

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 


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Book Review: Christmas on Lily Pond Lane By Emily Harvale

 

 

Christmas on Lily Pond Lane

By Emily Harvale

Amazon US / UK 

 

Snow is falling in Little Pondale, lights are twinkling and the smell of pine trees and roasting chestnuts fills the air …

But Mia Ward is in a bit of a jam. She’d planned to rent out Corner Cottage for Christmas but thanks to best friend, Ella Swann, it’s double-booked. Now Mia’s got to let one ‘party’ down, or find another cottage – fast.

Best friends and single mums, Cathy Cole and Christy Franks want their kids to have an old-fashioned Christmas. Ice-skating, carol singing, making decorations, and tobogganing are on their list of festive fun and Little Pondale is the perfect place. Especially as it has no mobile phone reception. That will make it harder for Cathy to be found.

City banker, Leo Hardman is wondering if renting a cottage for Christmas as an anniversary surprise for his parents, was such a good idea. Little Pondale may be where his parents met, but his mum doesn’t seem pleased to be back, and his brother, Hal isn’t happy that the village is so tiny and only has one pub.

Meanwhile, Jenny Lake is settling in at her cousin’s bakery, having left her (broken) heart in Florence, but Christmas was never her favorite time of year. And Reverend Glen Fox has taken over at St Michael and All Angels. He’s glad it’s a temporary post because village life is not for him.

But luckily, for locals and visitors alike, there’s a sleigh-load of Christmas magic heading for Lily Pond Lane; enough to put a sparkle in everyone’s festive season. Although Christmas may not go quite as each of them has planned.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

I’ve got the kind of voice that makes a dog sound like a prima donna. Believe me, no one wants to hear me sing. Although I could make you a fortune if people had to pay to get me to stop.

My Review:

Reading this book gave me a contented and relaxed feeling, similar to that satisfying sense of pleasure felt after a good stretch or peaceful sigh. It was quick and enjoyable read and if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, this may pluck at your curiosity and lead you to do so. It will also put you in a festive frame of mind, even though it was months ahead of the holiday season when I read it. Love and good cheer were in the air of Little Pondale and visitors and residents alike are pairing off and getting all loved up during the week leading up to Christmas. Surprises always seem to be on the menu for this group and one visitor gave the gossipy old dear Heddie an eye-popping secret to expose. I adore these characters and this sweet series.

 

Author Bio –

Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her hometown of Hastings where she now spends her days writing… and chatting on social media. Emily is a Member of the SoA, a PAN member of the RWA and a Pro Member of ALLi. She’s an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All-Star. Emily loves writing and her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.


Emily says, “I write about friendship, family and falling in love. I believe in happing endings.” When she isn’t writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies – and will do anything to avoid both.

Social Media Links –  https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter

https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale

https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale

 

 

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Book Reviews: Cupid F*cks Up, and My T(r)oyboy is a Twat by Paula Houseman

Cupid F*cks Up

by Paula Houseman

Amazon UK  / US  / B&N

 

Ruth Roth is a straight shooter. Pity Cupid’s not.

Smart-mouth Ruth is an inspirational humor columnist for a popular women’s magazine. Recently divorced, she has found the love of her life. Without any help, mind you, from the little fat love god. Ruth has decided she herself is her one and only.

And she’s in a comfy place. Why wouldn’t she be? No need to yell ‘Put the bloody toilet seat down!’ No need to hoover toe-nail clippings off the carpet.

But then a silver-tongued Prince Charming fronts up in his shiny Merc and tickles her discarded, little-girl fantasies. He tells her their love is written in the stars.

It must be a misprint.

A romance with this particular PC is not so PC! Still …

Ruth’s life plays out more like ancient myth than fairytale. And what hot-blooded woman can resist forbidden fruit?

There’s a problem, though. Ruth does not have a hot-blooded mum. Ruth has a pain-in-the-arse mum whose squawking disapproval cranks the taboo up a notch.

All the more reason to take up with the stud! But it means taking on the harpy.

Tensions mount, and even Ruth’s man can’t protect her from the trash-talking voices in her head. It looks like he can’t muzzle his own either. When an earth-shattering revelation causes him to give her grief, it makes her feel like she’s dating her mother.

Taking the kind of advice she doles out to her readers is not so easy, and Ruth wonders if this love can survive. More to the point, is it worth the trouble?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Finding out he was adopted was bittersweet for Ralph. Bitter, because he felt betrayed by his adored and adoring adoptive mother, who withheld such important information from him. But sweet, because it meant he wasn’t swimming in the same shallow, fetid gene pool as the other idiots in his family— his father, his younger whiney sister, Louise (Louwhiney), and his two brothers, george and simon (who, according to Ralph, had no brains, miniscule penises, and were too common to be worthy of majuscule letters at the beginning of their names).

 

Unlike Xena, Warrior Princess —who slept in an ice cave for twenty-five years— I’d developed some pampered princess tendencies. I was now more Worrier Princess.

 

But the award for unrivalled faux pas went to Sylvia… ‘My son the doctor did all he could,’ she told them. I didn’t think it was the right time to correct her. (Myron was a dentist. He had fallen short of Sylvia’s dream of him becoming a doctor, but she regularly cashed in on his title, Doctor Roth.) Chalky-skinned, she dabbed at her weepy eyes with a tissue. She regained her composure and continued. ‘Myron tried to revive his father with artificial insemination.’

‘You could have called me,’ she accused. ‘I might have been dead on the floor like your father was. I could have composted.’ … ‘I think you meant decomposed.’

 Casper liked watching the occasional scary movie… Casper assured me he felt loved and wouldn’t become Freddy Krueger. With his powers of persuasion, I worried that he’d become a lawyer or a politician instead.

My Review:

 

While still cleverly amusing, this book was considerably more angsty with relationship and family issues and more introspective and emotive than the first in the series.   Ruth and Ralph were both laboring through significant life events, transitions, and revelations. There were several emotional teeter-totters and periods in the story where Ruth was shrewish and cruel; I wanted to pull her hair.   Ruth’s procrastination and on and off attempts at soul-searching on her journey of empowerment was entertaining but not without hiccups. Romance was all around for the group and I was all swoony over Ralph, although he could have also used a few kicks to dislodge his cranium from his gluts. This has to be the quirkiest cast of characters ever assembled and they continue to intrigue and expand with the oddest of eccentricities. The introduction of the colorful and peculiar character of Hector yielded an entirely new level of rib-tickling levity.

My T(r)oyboy is a Twat

by Paula Houseman

Amazon UK / US / B&N

 

Love, romance, marriage, and a dark little secret. Shh … Small things let loose can grow out of hand.

Ruth Roth’s new husband can’t keep it in. If only he had all those years ago, things might be different now.

His big mouth sends every family member into hell. Except for Ruth’s late mother. She blows in from there. Seems the woman just won’t die. Or let up. Faaaark!

As if Mama’s ear-bashing isn’t enough, everyone else needs a scapegoat. Ruth is it. Somehow, this mess is her fault.

With everything falling apart, she feels overwhelmed. Until a hunky celebrity pants man—who clearly wants to get into hers—befriends her and makes her feel all warm and fuzzy. At the same time, an educated silicone seductress has designs on hubby.

Temptation abounds. But it’s overshadowed when a startling discovery throws Ruth and her man into uncharted waters, and life comes crashing down.

Ruth has survived plenty with the help of her friends. And as a writer, her wry wit, dirty muse, and a bent for ancient mythology have sustained her. This, though, might be her undoing.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘Buyer’s remorse, I’ll bet! I did tell you, you should’ve lived with him first. It’s one thing to tolerate his particular brand of crazy when you’re not sharing a living space, but Ruthie, you should’ve insisted on a try-before-you-buy policy.’

 

Men want a happy ending; women want happily ever after.

 

My Review:

 

I struggled valiantly with this installment to the series as the main characters were struggling and the storylines were 75% angst, yet thankfully, the remaining 25% sparkled with Ms. Houseman’s unique form of wit, wry snark, and clever humor. Due to family issues, my newly beloved couple of Ruth and Ralph quickly dropped out of sync after their lovely wedding, and the fallout was heartbreaking and painful. Worse yet was the immature and baleful behaviors they fell into and couldn’t seem to slide out of. As I am no fan of angst, their suffering grew repetitive and tedious for me, although that is just my preference as I know lots of fellow readers who devour it like a lapsed dieter at a buffet. Despite my discomforts, Ms. Houseman often found inventive means of sprinkling humorous bits in the midst of their despair. R&R were able to pull it together and appeared stronger than ever when the story ended with yet another upending surprise. Write quickly Ms. Houseman, you have me fully invested and hopelessly addicted to this oddly quirky and habit-forming group of eccentrics.

New Aussie words for my expanding vocabulary list include “have Buckley’s” which Wiktionary defined as having no chance; and “Ocker” which Mr. Google indicated was the stereotype of the uncultured Austrian who tends to be crass, guzzle beer, and speak with a thick dialect. Is anyone else getting a sharp visual of Crocodile Dundee?

Author Bio – Paula Houseman was once a graphic designer. But when the temptation to include ‘the finger’ as part of a logo for a forward-moving women’s company proved too much, she knew it was time to give away design. Instead, she took up writing.

She found she was a natural with the double entendres (God knows she’d been in enough trouble as a child for dirty wordplay).

As a published writer of earthy chick lit and romantic comedy, Paula gets to bend, twist, stretch and juice up universal experiences to shape reality the way she wants it, even if it is only in books. But at the same time, she can make it more real, so that her readers feel part of the sisterhood. Or brotherhood (realness has nothing to do with gender).

Through her books, Paula also wants to help the reader escape into life and love’s comic relief. And who doesn’t need to sometimes?

Her style is a tad Monty Pythonesque because she adores satire. It helps defuse all those gaffes and thoughts that no one is too proud of.

Paula lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband. No other creatures. The kids have flown the nest and the dogs are long gone.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulahouseman

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/PaulaHouseman

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulahouseman

 

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Book Review: Flow (Men of Inked: Southside 2) by Chelle Bliss

Flow

(Men of Inked: Southside 2)

by Chelle Bliss

 Release date: 2nd October

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Add to your TBR

Flow is the second book in the new, steamy Southside series by USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss.

Be ready for a hot, wild ride with the Gallo’s on the Southside

 

FLOW

❥ iBooks→ apple.co/2Mb4jW0

❥ Kindle → amzn.to/2n6lwoI

❥ Nook→ bit.ly/2NZJugO

❥ Kobo→ bit.ly/2AzVnIG

❥ Paperback amzn.to/2LLJjZP

**buy the 📚, get the  📱 for FREE!

❥ Amazon UK→ amzn.to/2NfyiAQ

❥ Amazon AU→ amzn.to/2oYPqMP

❥ Amazon CA→ amzn.to/2QjgRgC

 

 
The moment I looked into his eyes, I knew I was in trouble.
The second I heard his name, I knew I should stay away.
.
Our fathers were mortal enemies—Chicago crime bosses from rival families.
.
But that didn’t stop Leo Conti from pursuing me.
Being together was dangerous, reckless, and totally hot.
He wanted me. I wanted him.
.
Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I disagree. My father learned; he just ignored the hell out of the lessons…

 

No other woman, besides my mother, scares the crap out of him quite like his sister. She’s a tiny thing, but man, the mouth on her gives me life goals.

 

“You’re going to need to cut down on your stress as soon as possible. Also, add some fiber to your diet. You’re constipated, which made the cramping worse than normal.” Daphne shoots me a death glare. “Bella… I always knew you were full of shit, but now the doctor’s confirmed it.”

 

“Your father wants to elope to Vegas and be married by an Elvis impersonator.” She rolls her eyes… “An ex-mobster in a gangster town is not a smart combo, dear.”

 

My Review:

 

Family drama plays heavy in this volume featuring the snarky drama queen of Daphne, who finds herself inexplicably drawn to the son of her father’s chief rival. Humor, angst, and sensual sizzle were well balanced throughout this smirk-worthy and engaging read. I adore Ms. Bliss’s bawdy humor and alluring characters. I am already feeling greedy for the next installment.

 

 

Maneuver (Men of Inked: Southside 1)

Available Now

❥Paperback: https://amzn.to/2m1NL7o

**buy the 📚, get the 📱 for FREE!

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.
https://www.instagram.com/authorchellebliss/JOIN MY READER GROUP

 

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Book Review: Fragments of Ash by Katy Regnery

Title: Fragments of Ash
(Inspired by “Cinderella”)
Collection: A Modern Fairytale
Author: Katy Regnery
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 1, 2018

 

Blurb

From New York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery comes a dark and twisted retelling of the beloved fairytale, Cinderella!

My name is Ashley Ellis…

I was thirteen years old when my mother – retired supermodel, Tig – married Mosier Răumann, who was twice her age and the head of the Răumann crime family.

When I turned eighteen, my mother mysteriously died. Only then did I discover the dark plans my stepfather had in store for me all along; the debauched “work” he expected me to do.

With the help of my godfather, Gus, I have escaped from Mosier’s clutches, but his twin sons and henchmen have been tasked with hunting me down. And they will stop at nothing to return my virgin body to their father

…dead or alive.

** Contemporary Romance. Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.**

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Fragments of Ash is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection: contemporary, standalone romances inspired by beloved fairy tales.

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) – available now

Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) – available now

Ginger’s Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) – available now

Dark Sexy Knight (Camelot) – available now

Don’t Speak (The Little Mermaid) – available now

Sheer Heaven (Rapunzel) – available now

Fragments of Ash (Cinderella) – available now

Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – coming soon

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I place a premium on being heard, since so few people in my life have cared to listen.

 

That boy gives you tingles in the tinderbox? Well, hell. Let him strike a match already.

 

My Review:

 

A clever title for Ashley’s tragic and angsty tale of woe, one she later learned that had actually been far worse for her deceased mother.   In a creative flip from Cinderella, Ashley had a vicious and malevolent stepfather and twin stepbrothers. She fled to her only source of support and found herself in hiding with a sumptuous yet cranky and disgraced ex-Secret Service Agent. I enjoyed this engaging fairytale retelling, which was laced with elements of suspense, a coming of age and slow burn romance, loads of family drama, and a delightful bit of steam near the end. The characters were intriguing, the premise was entertaining, and the writing was emotive, heart-squeezing, and well paced.

Excerpt
All rights reserved. Used with permission.


Instead of going inside, I walk around the house, to the backyard, to see if I can help bring in any dirty dishes, but the picnic table is empty. All traces of our dinner party have already been cleaned up by the Ducharmes siblings.
 
I look up at the midnight sky, at the dozens and dozens of stars, and I wonder if Gus is right. What he says feels right, but I feel very young and very small as I stare up at the universe. It’s not wrong to give yourself over to loving if the chance arises.
 
“We get amazing night skies up here.”
 
I look over my shoulder and find Julian, tall, barefoot, and beautiful, walking toward me.
 
“Yes, you do,” I answer, giving him a shy and tentative smile before I turn my attention back upward.
 
My skin prickles with awareness. My lips tingle, remembering the insistent pressure of his. And elsewhere in my body, I clench hard, willing those deep-set tremors not to start up again right now. I want to believe what Gus has told me—that liking and wanting a man isn’t wrong—but it’s new to me, and I need a little time to reconcile my desire and conscience together.
 
“When I lived in DC, it was what I missed the most, besides Noelle. More than the cheese. More than the beer. More than the skiing.” He stops, standing beside me, staring up at the firmament. “I missed Vermont’s night skies. And the millions of stars.”
 
“I can see why,” I say. “When I lived in LA, I never saw stars.” I giggle. “I mean, I saw the people kind, but not the sky kind.”
 
“Who’s the most famous person you ever met?”
 
“Hmm. Maybe . . . Gigi Hadid . . . or Bella? Hmm . . . Or Cara Delevingne? Kate Moss mentored my m—Tig for a while, um, and she knew Gisele, of course. Also—”
 
“Wait a second! Gisele? Did you ever meet Tom Brady?” he asks, his voice eager.
 
“Let me guess.” I glance at his face. “Patriots fan?”
 
“The biggest.”
 
“Tig went to their wedding, but I never met him. Sorry,” I say, giggling as he lays a hand over his heart and pretends to cry. “Speaking of the rich and famous, Noelle tells me you met the vice president while you worked in Washington.”
 
“She did?” His teasing expression disappears quickly as he straightens, dropping his hand. “Uh, yeah. Long time ago.”
 
“Not so long,” I say. 
 
“Yeah, well . . . I guess it just feels like a while ago.” I wait for him to say more, hoping to learn why he left Washington so abruptly, but he stretches his arms over his head and yawns. “I’m tired. You must be exhausted.”
 
“At school I was on the dining hall rotation, which meant cooking for one hundred souls regularly. Tonight was a breeze.”
 
“Your soup was amazing.”
“Thank you.”
“The steak too.”
“Thank you again.”
“And the tart.”
“That was your sister. Let her know you thought so.”
“And the kiss.”
 
“Thank—” I’m grinning at him, but my eyes widen at his unexpected compliment, and I immediately look back up at the sky. It’s dark out so he can’t see my blush.
 
His chuckle is soft and low beside me, and maybe I’m wicked for not feeling more guilty, but I feel my smile grow as I trace Orion’s belt. I don’t dare look at him, but I feel him step closer to me, the warmth of his chest radiating against my back. If I moved slightly, one step even, his body would be flush against mine, and the shiver down my arms has nothing to do with the night chill. I want him to touch me, but I know he won’t.
 
As though he can read my mind, he whispers, close to my ear, “Not unless you ask.”
 
I close my eyes and say a prayer for strength and virtue, which, sadly, works, because the next thing I hear is his footsteps receding.
 
“Good night, sweet Ashley,” he says to my back, his voice a low rumble.
 
My eyes open slowly to the glittering heavens.
 
“Good night, sweet prince,” I whisper to Julian’s stars.

 

Also Available
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract, and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.

Forty books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled New York Times and USA Today bestselling Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other stand-alone novels and novellas, including the critically-acclaimed, 2018 RITA© nominated, USA Today bestselling contemporary romance, Unloved, a love story.

Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, became a New York Times e-book bestseller.

Katy’s books are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

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Book Review: Didn’t Sea it Coming by Andie M. Long

Didn’t Sea it Coming

by Andie M. Long

Goodreads / Amazon

 

The tides are changing in Withernsea.  Shelley’s adoptive parents make waves after they catch their daughter, Polly, with Drake Lord, a royal of the sea.

Holding Shelley responsible for the supernatural world invading their lives once more, they demand she splits them up or else they’ll expose the supernaturals of Withernsea to the rest of the world.

The residents of the sea aren’t keen on a human dating their royal either, especially a sea nymph intent on hooking Drake for herself.

Can Shelley intervene so that Polly and Drake can make love, not war?

Another hilarious read from the Supernatural Dating Agency series 
Rest of Series 
1 – The Vampire wants a Wife
2 – A Devil of a Date
3 – Hate, Date, or Mate?
4 – Here for the Seer
Books 1-3 available in a box set.
.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He could have asked me anything at that moment. I was so sucked in I’d have given him a kidney.

 

…he is a fine steak all right. I’m worshipping at the feet of the guy who from now on shall be known as Sir Loins.

 

Who you gonna protest to? The only royalty you’re going near is Burger King.

My Review:

 

I have enjoyed this series and have no idea what manner of creature or tribulations will next befall this quirky mix of humans and paranormals. Andie M. Long has rewritten the rulebook on interspecies mingling and mangling. The cleverly amusing storylines are rife with irreverent humor, witty banter, bawdy quips, and peculiar characters. I am eager for yet dreading the next installment, as it is supposedly the last in the series. Surely she could keep going as there are infinitely more potential love matches for the dating agency to make.

About The Author 

After twenty+ years of thinking about it, at the age of forty, I decided it was time to finally WRITE THE BOOK or forget about it. I studied two Open University Courses in Creative Writing and finally wrote my first novel. I’ve now written a ton of novels and have the ideas for so many more!

I live in Sheffield with my son and long-suffering partner. We now have a beautiful fur-baby called Bella. When not being a partner, mother, employee (I also work for the NHS) or writer I can usually be found on Facebook or Pinterest.

Stalk Andie Here:

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Book Review: The Silver Shoes by Jill G. Hall

 The Silver Shoes

by Jill G. Hall

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

 Paperback: 336 pages
 Publisher: She Writes Press (June 19, 2018)

In her second novel, Jill G. Hall, author of The Black Velvet Coat, brings readers another dual tale of two dynamic women from two very different eras searching for fulfillment.

San Francisco artist Anne McFarland has been distracted by a cross-country romance with sexy Sergio and has veered from her creative path. While visiting him in New York, she buys a pair of rhinestone shoes in an antique shop that spark her imagination and lead her on a quest to learn more about the shoes’ original owner.

Almost ninety years earlier, Clair Deveraux, a sheltered 1929 New York debutante, tries to reside within the bounds of polite society and please her father. But when she meets Winnie, a carefree Macy’s shop girl, Clair is lured into the steamy side of Manhattan–a place filled with speakeasies, flappers, and the beat of “that devil music”–and her true desires explode wide open. Secrets and lies heap up until her father loses everything in the stock market crash and Clair becomes entangled in the burlesque world in an effort to save her family and herself.

Ultimately, both Anne and Clair–two very different women living in very different eras–attain true fulfillment . . . with some help from their silver shoes.

Praise

“The crash of 1929, speakeasies and musical reviews, artistic challenges, family secrets, secret desires, romantic complications?  These are just a few of the ingredients in Jill G. Hall’s wonderful new novel, The Silver Shoes. Clair and Anne are two compelling characters born decades apart into drastically different circumstances. Each must face her own dilemmas and neither has an easy solution.” —Judy Reeves, author of Wild Women, Wild Voices

“What a delight! Hall captivates and pulls the reader in; the story is as sparkling and fun as the silver shoes that connect the two women together–pure entertainment!” —Michelle Cox, Author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series

“You’ll be cheering for both of these heroines as they insist on finding their own way as artists, no matter what the men in their lives want them to be. Hall’s descriptions of Anne’s visual art, inspired by the silver shoes, are delicious.” —Janice Steinberg, art journalist and author of The Tin Horse 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

We were from the South, and Ma had been fickle. Had five husbands… We called her the black widow. She’d always say, ‘Honey, they just keep on dying.’ At least she married Daddy for love. The others she said she married out of habit.”

 

“Always smile like dis.” Varinska demonstrated a blasé expression with a small relaxed smile and cool eyes. “Face say: No care in vorld.” Varinska lit a cigarette, stuck it in her ivory holder, and took a drag. “Rough up! Find tender spot, they poke till you break. Show me zat smile until sinks in.”

 

My Review:

 

Back in the day of Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King, I was an early card-carrying feminist, as such, I don’t often read historical fiction due to the poor manner in which women fared during history, and alas, such was the case with one of the timelines in this book. Yet Ms. Hall’s alluring style managed to quickly pull me into this tooth-gnashing tale of dual timelines and hold me captive, despite my irritation and annoyance with the restrictive patriarchal conditions of 1929. I was fully invested and curiously held in place by the writing quality and intriguing storylines even though I wanted to give the female characters in both timelines a sharp smack and a pinch or ten. I was fully exasperated with both for their dithering and weak spinal columns. Although, in her defense, 1929 was a desperately different age and Clair’s obnoxious father had been unforgivably conniving and controlling. I was intrigued by the premise and quite curious to learn Clair’s fate as well those of her friends, and in unraveling the near ninety-year path of the shoes. My favorite characters, by far, were the quirky and colorful burlesque players of Varinska and Winnie, as of course, I tend to favor the sassier broads 😉

 

About the Author

 

Jill G. Hall is the author of The Black Velvet Coat, an International Book Award Finalist for Best New Fiction. Her poems have appeared in a variety of publications, including A Year in Ink, The Avocet, and Wild Women, Wild Voices. On her blog, Crealivity, she shares personal musings about the art of practicing a creative lifestyle. She is a seasoned presenter at seminars, readings, and community events. In addition to writing, Hall practices yoga, tap dances, and enjoys spending time in nature.

Learn more at www.jillghall.com, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: Liar Liar (Nicole Graves Mysteries #3) by Nancy Boyarsky

Liar Liar

(Nicole Graves Mysteries #3)

by Nancy Boyarsky

Goodreads

Amazon / B&N

Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university’s star quarterback for rape when the authorities won’t act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.

Read an Excerpt

Later, Nicole would ponder the truth and its elusive nature. She’d realize how many lies people would tell to protect themselves from it. And, worst of all, how many she herself would tell to get at it. She’d always considered herself a truthful person. Yet she’d find herself lying to others, to her fiancé, and even to herself.

She’d wonder if there was such a thing as the actual truth. Or was truth relative, the product of incomplete or faulty memories, or the limitations of the observer? How often was the truth tainted by what an individual wanted, or needed, to believe?

On this bright day in mid-March, Nicole stepped into the United Terminal at LAX and encountered a situation she could hardly believe. It was as if she’d slipped back in time to the previous year when the media was stalking her. This morning, they were massed in a corner of baggage claim. After the initial shock of seeing them, she noticed they weren’t looking in her direction, hadn’t noticed her at all. They were waiting for someone else, someone they expected to come down the escalator from the arrival gates.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He was slightly built with a beaky nose and wire-rimmed glasses that gave him the look of a highly intelligent lizard.

 

What we call the SODDI defense… It’s an acronym. S.O.D.D.I. It stands for ‘Some other dude did it.’

 

My Review:

 

If ever I need a PI, I hope I find one as feisty and curious as Nicole Graves. I enjoyed this murder mystery, it wasn’t a heart-pounding thriller but it did hold my attention and interest throughout. The characters were well fleshed out and realistically flawed while everyone was of questionable veracity, even Nicole, as she was lying to her fiancé about her risk-taking and involvement in a case she promised not to take, just to keep the peace. The plot and writing style were easy to follow, well-paced, and adroitly crafted. The storylines and characters were appealing and enticing while the writing flowed smoothly with colorful details and descriptions that brought sharp visuals to mind. This was my first exposure to the series and Ms. Boyarsky’s work, and although this volume stood alone quite well, I enjoyed it enough to covet the previous installments, as Nicole’s past adventures were mentioned in passing.

 

About the Author:

Nancy Boyarsky is the bestselling author of the award-winning Nicole Graves Mysteries.
Before turning to mysteries, Nancy coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband, Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system as well as articles for publications including the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.

Liar Liar is the third Nicole Graves novel, following The Swap and The Bequest, each of which can be read as a stand-alone. Readers are invited to connect with Nancy through her website.

Website: http://www.nancyboyarsky.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9020987.Nancy_Boyarsky

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancyboyarsky

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review: The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March

The Christmas Wishing Tree

(Eternity Springs #15)

by Emily March

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Macmillan / Amazon

Barnes & Noble / Books-a-Million

Indie Bound / Powells

 


Sometimes life’s most magical journeys bring you back to where it all began…From USA Today bestselling author Emily March comes The Christmas Wishing Tree, an enchanting account of the magic and miracle of Christmas.

A man who loves adventure and the open sea, Devin Murphy returns for a short Christmas trip to his small hometown of Eternity Springs. Immersed in the joy and magic of the holiday season all around him, he doesn’t hesitate to play along when a young boy phones Santa to ask for a very special wish. Devin never guesses that a wrong number has the potential to make everything in his life so right.

Jenna Stockton adopted Reilly when he needed a mother and she intends to keep him safe. A small town across the country called Eternity Springs seems like a good place to hide from their past without any complications —until sexy Santa himself discovers her secrets. When Devin proposes a daring plan to face down the danger together and defeat it once and for all, she is tempted. Maybe Devin really is capable of making wishes come true? Perhaps in a Christmas wish they’ll both find the miracle they’ve been looking for all along…

A delightful Christmas novel in the New York Times bestselling Eternity Springs series.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Her son could be a terrier when he got an idea in his head, and lately, every time she turned around, he’d been yipping and yapping about needing a daddy. How about I just order one online?

 

Those are really big antlers.” “They’re called a rack,” Michael informed Reilly. “My brother Devin says guys really like big racks.” Jenna made a strangled noise in her throat.

 

I choose to live my vision, not my circumstance.

 

Devin didn’t dream about finding The One. His MO was The Many. He liked having a harem, to use his father’s term.

 

If Cam dyes his hair and starts wearing turtlenecks, I’ll lose my mind.

 

My Review:

 

Although it is not primarily a holiday story as the events span more than a year, this was a sweet, light, and effortless read and a gentle way to ease into the season. The premise was original with several active and engaging storylines of light suspense and contemporary romance. I don’t recall many books were all of the primary and secondary characters were as considerate and likable as those inhabiting this unusually relaxed and accommodating small town. The writing was well-paced, easy to follow, and pleasantly amusing.

Author Bio:

Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

Social Links:

Emily March Website

Twitter: @EmilyMarchBooks

Facebook: Emily March

Pinterest: Emily March

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Book Review: The Ancient Nine by Ian K. Smith

The Ancient Nine

by Ian K. Smith

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Powells

Books-a-Million / IndieBound

 

 

Summary:

Spenser Collins
An unlikely Harvard prospect, smart and athletic, strapped for cash, determined to succeed. Calls his mother—who raised him on her own in Chicago—every week.

Dalton Winthrop
A white-shoe legacy at Harvard, he’s just the most recent in a string of moneyed, privileged Winthrop men in Cambridge. He’s got the ease—and the deep knowledge—that come from belonging.

These two find enough common ground to become friends, cementing their bond when Spenser is “punched” to join the Delphic Club, one of the most exclusive of Harvard’s famous all-male final clubs. Founded in the nineteenth century, the Delphic has had titans of industry, Hollywood legends, heads of state, and power brokers among its members.

Dalton Winthrop knows firsthand that the Delphic doesn’t offer memberships to just anyone. His great-uncle is one of their oldest living members, and Dalton grew up on stories of the club’s rituals. But why is his uncle so cryptic about the Ancient Nine, a shadowy group of alums whose identities are unknown and whose power is absolute? They protect the Delphic’s darkest and oldest secrets—including what happened to a student who sneaked into the club’s stately brick mansion in 1927 and was never seen again.

Dalton steers Spenser into deeper and deeper recesses of the club, and beyond it, to try to make sense of what they think they may be seeing. But with each scrap of information they get from an octogenarian Crimson graduate, a crumbling newspaper in the library’s archives, or one of Harvard’s most famous and heavily guarded historical books, a fresh complication trips them up. The more the friends investigate, the more questions they unearth, tangling the story of the club, the disappearance, and the Ancient Nine, until they realize their own lives are in danger.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I rarely felt self-conscious about what I did or didn’t have, but it wasn’t lost on me that my competitors for a coveted membership were arriving in expensive foreign cars while I arrived in a pair of sturdy five-year-old Florsheims that had been resoled four times and polished so much, the white stitching had turned black.

 

The racial politics at Harvard were complicated. Black students were in a tough position. If we spent too much time with white students, other blacks figured we had sold out. If we spent too much time with other black students, our white classmates figured we were angry separatists. The dining hall was one big murky fishbowl of social complexities. Everyone looked to see who was sitting with whom and how much time they spent interacting on the “other” side. I was lucky because playing a sport gave me a pass that the non-athletes didn’t have. By dint of my team and training obligations, I automatically spent time with both blacks and whites, which gave me immunity.

 

He had heavy bags under his eyes, as if miniature pillows had been slipped under his skin. He was military stocky and wore a pair of jeans that looked tight enough to constipate him.

 

Her T-shirt had j-u-i-c-y spread across it in small crystals, and the fabric was under so much tension, I thought the I was going to pop off and hit me in the face.

 

There were two things about Professor Charles Davenport that you’d never forget. He probably had the biggest ears of any man that’s walked the face of the earth, long doughy flaps that fell beneath his jawline with a forest of hair growing out of them. Then there were those glasses, big and black and rectangular, made all the more prominent by his hairless dome.

 

She had an uncanny ability to quickly put things into perspective and make molehills out of mountains.

 

Many people never even bothered leaving the tailgates, and most of those who did only entered the stadium at halftime, when their champagne had run dry or their canisters of caviar were empty. This crowd even cheered differently. They didn’t yell and clap like most football fans. Rather they spoke complete, grammatically correct sentences, saying things like, “What a magnificent play!” and “Thrash them, Harvard!” Sometimes it was difficult to tell if they were watching a football game or croquet match.

 

When the Harvard side of the stadium rose in unison, it was not to clap, but to jingle car keys in a massive show of approval. I watched in awe as thousands of Jaguar, Mercedes, and Rolls-Royce keys dangled in the air…

 

Money has an insidious way of making decent human beings behave in a most indecent way.

 

My Review:

 

I wasn’t prepared for the complexity of this intriguing read and held on through a complicated and intricately woven tale with multiple yet equally compelling storylines. I pictured a handsome future President of recent history as the main character and it was a near perfect fit. There were compounded secrets within secrets and an endless and tantalizing quagmire to unravel. The writing was insightfully observant and sumptuously detailed. I reveled in Dr. Smith’s vividly colorful and amusing descriptions and looked forward to the introductions of each new character and locale. His premise pricked my curiosity and his well-crafted storylines kept it well fed while consistently pulling me in deeper and deeper into the group’s knotty and clandestine vortex. Like an iceberg, little was as it appeared to the eye. The characters were oddly unique and quirky, even the sinister ones held my interest and left me thirsting for more. The ending was highly satisfying with Spenser’s achieved results being better than expected and left a contented smile on my face.

Author Bio:

Ian K. Smith is the author of nine New York Times bestselling nonfiction books, several of them, including Shred and Super Shred, #1 bestsellers, as well as one previous work of fiction, The Blackbird Papers. He is a graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine.

Social Links:

Facebook: @Dr.IanKSmith

Twitter: @DrIanSmith

Author Website

Instagram: @doctoriansmith