Book Review: Why Her? (Mistaken Identities #2) by Rie Warren

Why Her? 

(Mistaken Identities #2)

by Rie Warren 

Goodreads

Amazon

If you believe in second chances . . . 

All I did was dance with her at a bar. Just once.
Then this undeniably gorgeous party girl, Stevie, turns up at my house, the contractor in charge of my remodel.
Ha!
How am I supposed to take her seriously?
The problem is she’s excellent at her job, which aggravates me even more.
She’s changing my house, changing my life, and my animal urge to protect and possess her feels like a betrayal to my deceased wife.

She’s absolutely unsuitable.
He’s uptight, f*** hot, and there’s no way she can compete with the ghost of his wife.

A book full of filthy sex and beautiful tortured romance. Why Her? is a standalone novel with a tear-worthy HEA, no cheating, no cliffhangers, just all yes. Keep the fan handy, you’ll need it.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

“I ordered pizza.” “I thought you said you were making dinner.” … “I am. I’m making it come to the door.”

My Review:

This atomically hot and lusty couple had amazing sexual endurance and supernatural stamina, I feel so clumsy and inadequate by comparison. For a middle-aged widower with a relatively sedate first marriage, Kane seemed to be making up for lost time as once he finally caved for his attraction to the feisty Stevie, they want at it like savages. They scorched the sheets with rapturous abandon every-single-time with their wild and passionate interplays that occasionally had me flinching. Rie Warren seems to have a proclivity for filthy pillow talk and copious amounts of body fluids since this lewd lipped pair habitually went off like geysers. In addition to their creatively lascivious exploits, there were clever naughty bits of humor, family drama, and a heart-enlarging and transformative romance. And as an added bonus, a new euphemism for spanking the monkey was gleaned when Stevie confessed to unwittingly witnessing Kane “shuck his corn.” ~ Smirk, I doubt I could ever have too many alternative expressions in my pockets for that…

Rie Warren   

Home of Alpha Male Romance and the Original Bad Boys, Author of the Carolina Bad Boys, the Bad Boys of Retribution MCthe Bad Boys of X-Ops and the Don’t Tell series.

All of Rie Warren’s self-published series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited, including the instant hit Bad Boys of Retribution MC, Carolina Bad Boys, Bad Boy Ballers, and many more!
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is the author of Sugar Daddy and the Don’t Tell series—a breakthrough trilogy that crosses traditional publishing boundaries beginning with In His Command.
She lives in gorgeous Charleston, South Carolina with her small family where she basks in the sunshine during the day, and adjourns to her woman cave at night. A nocturnal creature, she stays up way too late talking to herself, her characters, and anyone who will listen. She’s all about writing with heat, heart, and a hint of the dark, and she doesn’t shy away from the impossible.

Rie’s work has been called “edgy”, “daring”, and “some of the sexiest smut around”.

Sign up for my newsletter for special promotions and release news:

Book Review, Giveaway: Calamity in Camberwell (The London Murder Mysteries Book 3) by Alice Castle

Calamity in Camberwell

(The London Murder Mysteries Book 3)

by Alice Castle

Goodreads

Amazon US/ UK  / B&N

Beth Haldane, SE21’s answer to Miss Marple, worries she is losing a kindred spirit when her friend Jen, the only other single mum in the playground, suddenly gets married and moves to Camberwell.

Soon Beth has to face much more pressing fears. Has something gone horribly wrong with Jen’s marriage? What is her husband really up to? Why is her daughter leading Beth’s son astray? And where on earth IS Jen anyway?

As Beth’s friends push her to start dating again, Beth turns to Met Police DI Harry York for help. But will they solve the mystery in time, or will it turn out that in south-east London, not everyone gets to live happily ever after?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

To onlookers, her long fringe, sturdy build, and diminutive stature might say adorable little Shetland pony, but inside, Ben’s exams made her feel like an overbred dressage horse, nostrils flaring, quivering with nerves before going into the ring to do utterly impossible things with her hooves.

 

Puberty was lurking round the corner, like the bad fairy at the Christening. It would change her soft-skinned, gorgeous boy, with his luxuriant eyelashes and ready smile, into a gangling, bristly, spotty giant that she would scarcely recognise or want to acknowledge.

 

‘What happened? Not a pervert? What was he, a boob man?’ Sam leaned in to get all the details. ‘Toe sucker?’ said Lily understandingly.

 

Oh come on, don’t you recognise Ryan Gosling when you see him? Someone’s just using his picture. You can bet he looks nothing like that at all.

 

‘I should go to the movies more. The only things I see now are superhero films with Ben. He’s ten… I don’t think I’ve seen a man who isn’t wearing a mask and a Lycra bodysuit for years.’ ‘Well, you can probably find loads just like that on Tinder,’ said Sam.

 

What do you call it when you’ve had déjà vu twice? Déjà vu-vu? Or déjà déjà vu?

 

 My Review:

I have become quite a fan of Ms. Castle’s wry and sardonic humor and cleverly amusing depictions of her characters’ appearance, temperament, and contemplations. Her vivid and evocative descriptions never failed to call forth keenly sharp and smirk-inducing visuals. This installment had a lighter tone than the first two volumes as the focus was not on solving a murder (until much later in the book) but rather on the characters themselves.

Widowed for eight years, Beth felt under pressure from her friends and co-workers to return to the social minefield of dating. Her colleagues even introduced her to Tinder – oh my. And being a world-class procrastinator, Beth did what she did best – she dithered and ruminated – over everything. I adored the little pixie boot-wearing sprite but there were times I wanted to give her a good pinch, or ten.

My curiosity was quickly piqued and remained alert to something rather foul and troublesome occurring in the home of her friend Jen, although the discovery of what exactly was always thwarted by Beth’s scatty dithering. I was beginning to despair that the wily author had forgotten to include my favorite Detective Inspector, the Inscrutable Harry York, although he was just busy elsewhere until midway through the book. I look forward to more pairings and hopefully sparks flying for this somewhat recalcitrant duo in future installment as I am totally grooving on this author’s lush word skills. My latest extra fun bonus word addition to my Brit List was “goolies,” which are those rather useless appendages that my coy and genteel Grandmother called the family jewels, but of course, only when absolutely necessary.

Author Bio –

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

Links to buy books: MyBook.to/GirlintheGallery

myBook.to/1DeathinDulwich

myBook.to/HotChocolate

She lives in south London and is married with two children, two step-children and two cats.

Giveaway 

Win a signed copy of Calamity in Camberwell

(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


Book Review: Rancher’s Dream (The Montana Cahills #6) by B. J. Daniels

Rancher’s Dream

The Montana Cahills #6

by B. J. Daniels

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN; Original edition (July 24, 2018)

A bride becomes a target in New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels’s latest can’t-miss suspense

Tragedy sent Deidre “Drey” Hunter running from rancher Hawk Cahill and into the arms of a sleek businessman who promised her a new life. But dreams of Manhattan days and cosmopolitan nights shatter when he brings her back to an ultramodern paradise in her hometown of Gilt Edge—and vanishes on their wedding night.

Taunted by seclusion and silence, Drey starts to doubt everything…including her sanity. Only Hawk, the stubborn cowboy from her school days, believes the threats are real and that someone is ready to kill. But is he willing to forgive the past if it means ending her nightmare?

My Rating:

My Review:

This intriguing volume in the Cahill series was taut with suspense and included a generous dollop of second chance romance. There were several compelling mysteries to solve and secrets to reveal. The evidence was muddled concerning the incredibly naïve Drey being set-up, gaslighted, or losing her mind, and although I had strong suspicions as to who was behind her tribulations, I couldn’t discern the why.   And I loved that. Ms. Daniels has skillfully penned a crazy good mystery as her writing kept me attentive, on-edge, and highly curious. The separate storylines wove in and out until combining seamlessly into a satisfying conclusion. The final installment of this beloved series is in the works and I look forward to seeing how this crafty writer wraps things up.

About B. J. Daniels

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author B.J. Daniels was born in Texas but moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first home was a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone.

Most of her books are set in Montana, a place she loves. She lives now in a unique part of the state with her husband and three Springer Spaniels.

When she isn’t writing, she loves to play tennis, boat, camp, quilt and snowboard. There is nothing she enjoys more than curling up with a good book.

Connect with B. J. Daniels

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

Book Review: Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

 Murder at the Flamingo

 A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery (Book 1)

by Rachel McMillan

.

Add to Goodreads badge

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 352 pages

Thomas Nelson (July 10, 2018)

 

“Maybe it was time to land straight in the middle of the adventure…”

Hamish DeLuca has spent most of his life trying to hide the anxiety that appears at the most inopportune times — including during his first real court case as a new lawyer. Determined to rise above his father’s expectations, Hamish runs away to Boston where his cousin, Luca Valari, is opening a fashionable nightclub in Scollay Square.  When he meets his cousin’s “right-hand man” Reggie, Hamish wonders if his dreams for a more normal life might be at hand.

Regina “Reggie” Van Buren, heir to a New Haven fortune, has fled fine china, small talk, and the man her parents expect her to marry. Determined to make a life as the self-sufficient city girl she’s seen in her favorite Jean Arthur and Katharine Hepburn pictures, Reggie runs away to Boston, where she finds an easy secretarial job with the suave Luca Valari. But as she and Hamish work together in Luca’s glittering world, they discover a darker side to the smashing Flamingo nightclub.

When a corpse is discovered at the Flamingo, Reggie and Hamish quickly learn there is a vast chasm between the haves and the have-nots in 1937 Boston—and that there’s an underworld that feeds on them both. As Hamish is forced to choose between his conscience and loyalty to his beloved cousin, the unlikely sleuthing duo work to expose a murder before the darkness destroys everything they’ve worked to build.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 Sometimes stories are in the people whose life’s pages no one thinks of turning…

Reggie didn’t have the privilege of choice when it came to finding gainful employment. Economic times had fallen hard for those with numerous skills she didn’t possess.

She almost missed having someone to rush home and apply red lipstick for. Someone to turn in front of a mirror and adjust her skirt for. Someone she would watch the clock to be fashionably late for…

They both knew Luca had a past. Heck, anyone seeing that suave Valentino gait would know Luca Valari had a past. And probably a present.

There are layers and layers of crime here. You’d think it was a chocolate cake.

“He’s too good looking to be sinister,” Nate reassured with a wink at Hamish. “Besides, he doesn’t have the right mustache.”

Hamish couldn’t help but follow Reggie with his eyes. He hadn’t known fabric could cling like that. The material of her dress knew what it was doing…

My Review:

It took me several chapters to ease into this tale and acclimate to the writer’s style. This was a slowly developing story with tons of details that filled my head and initially appeared merely observational yet gradually most of these ancillary tidbits dovetailed into a finely woven tapestry. This was a thoughtful and insightful read that included, gangsters, mystery, a bit of pining romance, family drama, humor, Bostonian history, and one character’s interest in the newly created Superman comics.

Murder at the Flamingo kicked off a new series and was my first time reading the talented scribblings of Rachel McMillian. Ms. McMillian has a unique writing style and provided a complicated and intriguing plot populated with distinctive, intriguingly flawed, and complex characters.   Her writing was highly descriptive calling forth sharp visuals that included not only the sounds and sights but also set the emotional tone for each scene. What I struggled the most with was the lack of communication between the characters as they all seemed so secretive and furtive, as such, the majority of the book consisted of the observations and inner musings of the highly captivating two main protagonists who aspired to be Nick and Nora from The Thin Man movies, although, unfortunately, they were lacking the adorable Asta.

About Rachel McMillan

Rachel McMillan is a history enthusiast, lifelong bibliophile, and author of the Herringford and Watts series. When not reading (or writing), Rachel can be found at the theater, traveling near and far, and watching far too many British miniseries. Rachel lives in Toronto where she works in educational publishing and is always planning her next trip to Boston. Facebook: RachKMc1; Twitter: @RachKMc; Instagram: RachKMc.

Connect with Rachel

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

 

Book Review: Little Pink Taxi by Maria Laval

Little Pink Taxi

by Maria Laval

Goodreads

 Amazon US / UK  

Kobo / iBooks

Rosalie Heart is a well-known face in Irlwick – well, if you drive a bright pink taxi and your signature style is a pink anorak, you’re going to draw a bit of attention! But Rosalie’s company Love Taxis is more than just a gimmick – for many people in the remote Scottish village, it’s a lifeline.

Which is something that Marc Petersen will never understand. Marc’s ruthless approach to business doesn’t extend to pink taxi companies running at a loss. When he arrives in Irlwick to see to a new acquisition – Raventhorn, a rundown castle – it’s apparent he poses a threat to Rosalie’s entire existence; not just her business, but her childhood home too.

On the face of it Marc and Rosalie should loathe each other, but what they didn’t count on was somebody playing cupid …

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Well, she had some old wizard cast a spell on the bed before her nuptials to make sure her betrothed could … Perform … Over the years, this bed has proved a steady source of income for the McBrides. Any man whose virility was in need of a little …push could bring his wife here for a fee –a jar of whiskey, a brace of pheasants, a good-sized salmon. Every mark on the bedposts represents a successful night… We organise weddings here now, and people come a long way to … ahem … stay, in this bed.

The kind of physical attraction she’d never experienced before, but that could, according to her friend Alice’s late night confessions, make you lose your head, your self-respect, and most of your clothing.

Now it’s time for the Stitch and Bitch group… The local knitting group or “Knit and Natter”, as they are formally known.

What’s wrong? Is it a little too strong for you? … Perhaps my hand slipped as I was pouring in the coffee granules … unless I mistook the pepper container for sugar.

My Review:

 

With the playful cover and title, I was expecting a Rom/Com, and although the entertaining storylines included romance and amusing humor, there were also strong elements of mystery and suspense with and serious crimes that were committed and solved along the way.   I enjoyed the premise, quirky characters, smooth writing style and well-paced mysteries that kept my curiosity primed.

There was a bit of everything in this story including a hidden treasure, ghosts, parentage issues, and a series of vexing crimes that started out as small nuisances before mushrooming into more serious felonies that included hit and run, sabotage, attempted murder, kidnapping, blackmail, burglary, and assault. And I dare not forget the mythical properties of the magical bed with centuries worth of actual notches.

I reveled in the quirky traits and colorful descriptions and behaviors Ms. Laval gave her characters. I adored the major players although the character of Rosalie was not always likable as she was stubborn and immature and prone to outbursts and childish displays of temper – of course, I have never been accused of such annoying behaviors myself as I’m simply lovely, all-the-time.

I have two sparkling new additions to my British Isles Vocab list with “yob,” which Mr. Google informed me was a rude, noisy and aggressive young man, and “bampot,” which according to the Urban Dictionary is a Scottish term meaning ‘hooligan’ or ‘trouble-maker’, so essentially, they are much the same thing and both quite fun to say.

 

Author Bio –

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in Lancashire with her family. She works full-time as a modern languages teacher, and in her spare times loves writing romance and dreaming about romantic heroes. She writes both historical and contemporary romance, and her historical romance The Lion’s Embrace won the Gold Medal at the Global eBook Awards 2015 (category Historical Romance). She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. Her native France, as well as her passion for history and research, very much influences her writing, and all her novels have what she likes to call ‘a French twist’!

Social Media Links –

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/MarieLaval1
Blog: http://marielaval.blogspot.co.uk/

 Book Review: Rules of Friendship  by C.A. Harms

 Rules of Friendship 

by C.A. Harms

 GOODREADS

Amazon US   / Amazon UNIVERSAL

 

Blurb:

As a guy, the number one rule to being best friends with a girl should be simple…

Never, and I do mean never, fall in love with her.
Oh and you should never fantasize about her either.

Believe me, that situation can get messy really fast and leave you with nothing but one hell of an awkward mess on your hands—literally.

Reese and I have been through everything together; our bond is deep. But I am going down fast, and I fear there is no way to stop it. I spend most of my time hiding my body’s reaction to her because like I said: just friends.

But things are changing. We are changing.

I no longer see her as just Reese, my best friend. When I look at her now, I see a gorgeous woman that takes my breath away. I see my future. But what if she doesn’t see me the same way?

I can’t risk losing her…

The fear of screwing everything up is excruciating. So that’s why I have chosen to stick to the rules. The Rules of Friendship that is.

She was off limits. Plain and simple.

But then in she walks wearing her tiny shorts and those tight tops. Come on, a guy can only have so much restraint before he caves…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’ve known her since I was two. At one point in our lives we took baths together. What I wouldn’t give to take a bath together now.

 We made a pact when we were ten… with spit and everything.

 I never thought I’d be walking in on a jerking session with you stroking your prized pony.

 It’s like seeing a two-headed snake or a purple elephant.

 Oh please! She would so choose me over you. Chicks before dicks, you know.

 My Review:

Written in my favorite dual POV, I enjoyed this quick and lively NA read featuring life-long childhood friends finally stepping up and taking the risk to be – more. Dawson was a modern-day sexy white knight type who worked for fire and rescue while sharing an apartment with female veterinary student Reese, who had been his best friend since the age of two. Their friendship turned relationship was fun and lively with easy teasing and playful banter and was only in the initial stages of “more,” which included a bit steamy sensuality when in the process of assisting someone else the perfect Dawson took a brief tour to the Land of Moron.

That hero gene can certainly make for a mess, but so can being excessively stubborn and angsty – which was extremely ugly and led to despair and heartbreak all around. I could have done with far less of the doleful and dismal but thankfully the sun returned the sky and despite Reese’s extended stay in the town of Butt-Hurt & Mulish Obstinance, and Dawson’s brief penchant for bending the truth – their world righted itself and Dawson was once again the thoughtful and perfect BBF. I really liked Dawson, despite his Pinocchio nose.

About The Author

C.A. Harms
Goodreads 
Website
Twitter

I am an Illinois girl, born and raised. Simple and true. I love the little things; they truly mean the most. I may have a slight addiction to my new Keurig—oh my, that thing is a godsend. And so fast too. I have two children who truly are the greatest part of my days, and their faces never fail to put a smile on my face. I have been married to my best friend for seventeen years, and looking forward to many more.
I am one of those authors that adore my readers. I love to hear from you. After all, it is because of each one of you that I continue to write.

✯❤✯FOLLOW ME✯❤✯

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCAHarms/
INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/authorcaharms/
NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/1xsgHCS
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/C.A.-Harms/e/B0…

One Sizzling Romance at a Time

Book Review, Giveaway: The Little Cornish Kitchen by Jane Linfoot

The Little Cornish Kitchen

by Jane Linfoot

Goodreads

 Amazon UK / US   / B&N 

It’s time to come home to Cornwall

With an exciting new life in Paris, Clemmie Hamilton isn’t looking forward to heading home to the picturesque but sleepy village of St Aidan, Cornwall. However, when she discovers that the cozy apartment by the sea, which her grandmother left to her, is under threat from neighbor and property developer, Charlie Hobson, Clemmie realizes she can’t abandon her home in its time of need.

With her childhood friends encouraging her, Clemmie decides to turn the apartment into ‘The Little Cornish Kitchen’ – a boutique pop up pudding club raising money for the repairs to the building in an effort to stop Charlie once and for all. But when Charlie and his easy charm won’t seem to go away, everything soon becomes even messier than the state of Clemmie’s Cornish kitchen…

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I start to take a deep breath but stop halfway. In the five years since Sophie’s wedding, my dress must have shrunk in the wardrobe. A lot.

 

I purse my lips and stay silent. The only way to deal with Sophie in her ‘conquer the world’ mood is to go with her. Then clear up the wreckage afterwards.

 

As for me waking up for the first time in my life with a fur ball snuggled in the crook of my knees – comfortable doesn’t start to cover it. Suddenly all the stories about crazy cat women make complete sense.

 

I’ll always look back on that last hour we spent together as the time when the tilt of my whole world shifted –very gently, to a better place. There weren’t any thunderclaps or even any sobbing. In the end, there was nothing momentous or earth shattering about what is, after all, simply right.

 

I start to work my way down Sophie’s final menu list. Every item has the word ‘mini’ in front, except the drinks, which say large. According to Sophie, so long as food’s small enough to fit in a child’s mouth it has zero calories.

My Review:

 

It took me a good while to warm up to the character of Clemmie as she wasn’t always likable or admirable, she was often rude, thoughtless, snappish, and prone to escape or avoid anything that required much effort – such as conversations, relationships, self-analysis, or any type of feeling. The storylines developed gradually, at the slow and leisurely pace of a tortoise. Once I realized this, I settled in for a long, amusing, and gentle read that should have come with a warning label, as it proved hazardous to my diet. Don’t report me to your diet guru but – gasp – the food! It sounded positively delectable! The lessons, food prep, the mess, the eating… all of which had me frequently venturing into my pantry while foraging for food and gasp even a frightening moment where I was actually considering dusting off the mixer to replicate their baking efforts, that soon passed… But I was highly pleased to find a few recipes in the back, in particular, the one for brownies, which has only three ingredients and uses Nutella – OMG – that right there is worth purchasing the book.

And I hit a treasure trove of additions for my Brit Vocab List with: throw a wobbly (tantrum), Serviettes (table napkin), mahoosive (extremely large) skew-whiff (lopsided), Eton mess (a sweet dessert), and Bloody Nora (an expression of dismay dating back to a long-dead 17th century Duke after one of his servants, named Norah, who had a penchant for battering and killing the Duke’s other servants with odd objects such as celery sticks and tea kettles, and thus causing a bloody mess). Learning a new vernacular is such fun.

 

Author Bio – Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a muddy cottage, up a steep hill in Derbyshire, with her family, their pets, and an astonishing number of spiders. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket.

Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea, and wrote her first book by accident while working as an architect, and renovating country houses. While she loves to write feelgood books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own storylines.

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her latest books include a series of stand-alone novels, based around a seaside wedding shop in Cornwall. Cupcakes and Confetti – The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Sequins and Snowflakes – Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, and Bunting and Bouquets – Summer at the Little Wedding Shop, and most recently, The Little Cornish Kitchen. These are all published by Harper Impulse, an imprint of Harper Collins.

Follow Jane on Twitter @janelinfoot, or find her on her Author Page Facebook or her Personal Page Facebook. She’s also on Instagram, and has lots of Pinterest boards relating to her novels.

Giveaway 

Win a signed copy of The Little Cornish Kitchen, Mermaid Notebook and Sugar Unicorns

(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

Book Review, Giveaway: Set the Night on Fire (Cottonbloom – Book #6) by Laura Trentham

Set the Night on Fire

Cottonbloom – Book #6

by Laura Trentham

BUY LINKS

Amz: http://smarturl.it/w6mdag

BN: http://smarturl.it/ivkbic

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/3j0fsu

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/ao5ner

GooglePlay: http://smarturl.it/by72i2

Goodreads:  http://smarturl.it/zr1hgq

 

From award-winning author Laura Trentham comes Set the Night on Fire, a novel about starting over, finding your way back home—and falling head over heels. . .

Ella Boudreaux has a lot to prove to her family, friends, and foes—and to herself. So when her marriage ends she decides to invest her energy and money into a place that brings back some of Ella’s happiest memories: the Abbott brothers’ garage. Maybe, if she puts her mind to it, she can teach skeptical, stubborn Mack Abbott how to make the business a true success. Which would be a lot easier if the hunky mechanic didn’t make her motor run quite so fast…and hot.

Mack was furious when his brother, Ford, sold his share of the business. He’s in no rush to team up with a wealthy divorcée who shows up to the garage in stilettos—and the longest, sexiest legs he’s seen in forever. But Ella’s grit and determination won’t quit…and soon Mack can see that she’s been down a few rough roads herself. Neither Mack nor Ella can deny the fierce attraction that’s revving up between them. Could it be that true love has been in the back seat all along…and they’ve finally found the key?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“… you and Sutton have a wedding to plan.” “All I have to do is show up, according to Sutton. Her mom is going a little crazy. She has mentioned a harp player and doves.” “Good Lord, one of the Abbott cousins might pull out a shotgun and shoot a dove if they’re in season.”

 

… the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee drawing him in like a cartoon mouse to cheese.

 

Mack led them out and around the garage to the parking lot where the Corvette was parked in a ray of sunlight like the Second Coming.

 

A deep shuddery breath forewarned a rising tide of tears. She had to get home. A threesome in bed with Ben and Jerry was all she craved.

 

Trevor’s smile was full of smug self-satisfaction. How had she ever thought he was handsome and sophisticated? He was a nasty little bug, and she wore the shoes to smush him.

My Review:

 

I have greatly enjoyed each of my three visits to Cottonbloom, an especially peculiar little town with an identity disorder as it falls within two different states with divisive social circles. Book six in the series was the third in a row to feature the hard-working, endearingly flawed, resilient, and devastatingly handsome classic car mechanics of the Abbott family. I could almost smell the motor oil as Ms. Trentham’s agile use of lush details cunningly employed all the senses and painted a complete, spectacular, and vivid picture for the mind’s eye while also smoothly keying-in the emotional tone. The writing was well-balanced and expertly paced while evocative, amusing, steamy, and heart-squeezing with crisscrossing and engaging storylines. I enjoyed the verbal sparring and developing romance as well as the surprises from the unfolding secrets of family drama – all culminating into a highly satisfying HEA. I keep hoping for prequel scenes to chronicle the now elderly aunties hellion salad days, as I’m quite certain they had them.

 

Author Info:

An award-winning author, Laura Trentham was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. Although she loved English and reading in high school, she was convinced an English degree equated to starvation. She chose the next most logical major—Chemical Engineering—and worked in a hard hat and steel-toed boots for several years.

She writes sexy, small-town contemporaries and smoking hot Regency historicals. KISS ME THAT WAY, Cottonbloom Book 1, won the Stiletto Contest for Best Long Contemporary and finaled in the National Readers Choice Award. THEN HE KISSED ME, Cottonbloom Book 2, was named an Amazon Best Romance of 2016 and was a finalist for the National Excellence for Romance Fiction. TILL I KISSED YOU, Cottonbloom Book 3, is a finalist in the Maggie contest. LEAVE THE NIGHT ON, the latest Cottonbloom book was named an iBooks Best Book of the Month and a Recommended Read from NPR.

When not lost in a cozy Southern town or Regency England, she’s shuttling kids to soccer, helping with homework, and avoiding the Mt. Everest-sized pile of laundry that is almost as big as the to-be-read pile of books on her nightstand.

Website: https://www.lauratrentham.com

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

Or join my reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1733284316920632/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraTrentham

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

Sign up for my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bwbOkD

Follow me on Bookbub for new release or sale announcements:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura-trentham

Giveaway:

The first five (5) books in the Cottonbloom series!

Kiss Me That Way, Book 1

Then He Kissed Me, Book 2

Till I Kissed You, Book 3

Leave the Night On, Book 4

When the Stars Come Out, Book 5

The contest is open to International entries! US winner will receive autographed copies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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



Madam Love, Actually

by Rich Amooi

Goodreads

Amazon USUKCAAU

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

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

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

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

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

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

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

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

 My Review:

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

Author Bio –

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

 

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/richamooi

Giveaway 

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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/