Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review: WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU (Black Dagger Brotherhood #17.5) by J.R. Ward

WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU
(Black Dagger Brotherhood #17.5)
by J.R. Ward 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA /

 B&N / Apple / GP

 

About WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU:

When Trez lost his beloved to a tragic death (The Shadows, Black Dagger Brotherhood #13), his soul was crushed and his destiny seemed relegated to suffering. But when he meets a mysterious female, he becomes convinced his true love has been reincarnated. Is he right? Or has his grief created a disastrous delusion?

Therese has come to Caldwell to escape a rift with her bloodline. The revelation that she was adopted and not born into her family shakes the foundations of her identity, and she is determined to make it on her own. Her attraction to Trez is not what she’s looking for, except the sexy Shadow proves to be undeniable.

Has fate provided a grieving widower with a second chance…or is Trez too blinded by the past to see the present for what it really is? In this sensual, arresting book full of the themes of redemption and self-discovery, two lost souls find themselves at a crossroads where the heart is the only compass that can be trusted…but that may require a courage that neither of them possesses.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Honestly, he hadn’t just been born under a bad star; he’d been born under one that kicked him in the nuts so badly, he’d coughed them out in his hand.

 

Clapping a hand over her mouth, the absurdity of it all struck her bell so hard, she nearly snorted. And as she vowed to stop— because he was clearly not in a good mood— she really wished she was a good giggler, one of those females who managed to express oh-that’s-funny in a melodic, pretty way. But nope. Not even close. She was a grunter. A chortler. A water buffalo crossed with an army tank backfiring.

 

My Review:

 

I was a late convert to the Brotherhood, I’ve only read two so far but I was quickly hooked. This world and characters are all new to me so I’m several football fields behind the eight-ball in understanding how they all fit together with their backstories and special language, but I don’t care, I am completely blown away by the stellar quality of the writing.

 

J.R. War obviously loves words and she knows how to use them and arrange them in the most arresting and entertaining manner. I find her lore intriguing and her characters uniquely fascinating and complicated with complex histories and rich interior lives. Her narratives are densely packed with profoundly wordy insights and inner musings that dissect each thought and observation into intensely detailed minuscule pieces that captivate and enthrall. The storylines are multifaceted, highly sensual, and surprisingly amusing with unexpected outbursts of humor, such as an angel who boogies and swears. I wonder if I would live to tell the tale if I cleared my calendar for a month and read the entire series sequentially? At the very least, I would definitely need to stock up on wine and underwear before attempting such a daring feat.

About the Author

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

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Book Review: Break the Rules (Loveless Brothers #3) by Roxie Noir

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 Break the Rules
(Loveless Brothers #3)
by Roxie Noir

Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.

Some rules shouldn’t be broken.

June is one of them, and I know it.

Break the Rules, an all-new hilarious, brother’s best friend romance from Roxie Noir, is available now!

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As a forest ranger, I believe in the simple life. I prefer cabins to apartments, trails to freeways, and trees to people. My life is orderly, predictable, and quiet.

Until it’s hit by a woman I never saw coming — Hurricane June.

She’s fierce. She’s feisty. She has a laugh like the first day of spring, and she’s so pretty that I can’t breathe when I look at her. June will only be in town for a few months—just while job-hunting. She won’t last until winter, but how can I resist?

Except I have to. She’s my best, oldest, and most loyal friend’s baby sister.

Betraying him would be the worst thing I’ve ever done. Not betraying him might be the hardest.

Especially once we start working together on a secret project. All this spending time together, sneaking around at night, and lying to her brother about what we’re doing sure feels like more than friendship.

June might break my heart. Her brother might break my nose.

But I guess some things were made to be broken.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Levi is a mystery wrapped in an enigma stuffed into a crate labeled puzzle, and I don’t think he likes me.

 

There are reasons besides loyalty and friendship that June is a bad idea for me. Reasons like Silas has extensive combat training and Silas is not a reasonable human being when it comes to his little sister.

 

“June, there’s a bottle of your father’s pizzazz sauce on the door if you’d like some for the chili,” my mom says. “And I think there’s still some of his butt burner if you want to go ahead and use that up.” I make a face, because your father’s pizzazz sauce is a phrase I could happily go a lifetime without hearing, and that goes double for your father’s butt burner. He’s turned to making hot sauces in his retirement, because everyone needs a hobby…

 

“It’s not hoarding if it’s books,” Charlie says. “Then it’s knowledge collection, and that makes you fancy.”

 

“There are animals who won’t breed in captivity,” he says. “Is that why you’re not married?”

 

“Give me more advice, please,” I say. “Fart before you go into the interview room,” he says instantly. “Don’t hold it in, because then you’ll end up gassing everyone in there, and they’ll know it was you, and you will not get hired at that job. You will not.”

 

“Who is this?” I demand…”You’re being nice and my brother Silas once held me down and farted into my mouth, so you’re obviously an imposter,” I say.

 

 My Review:

 

I barked with laughter and giggle-snorted repeatedly while reading this delightfully clever tale. This was my first experience reading the feisty and talented Roxie Noir but I plan to be hitting her page like a binge dieter at the all-you-can-eat buffet on cheat days.

 

I was euphoric over this adorable couple and well enamored with most of the secondary characters as well; they were smart, sweet-natured, witty, well suited, funny, sexy, and thoughtful and kind with each other.   Levi and June’s harmonious relationship was gentle, supportive, and considerate, as well as atomically sensual and gasp ~ hot enough to melt my Kindle.

 

Swoon, Levi is my forever BBF. The storylines and writing style were highly amusing, unfailingly engaging, fun, lively, easy to follow, and laden with sharp wit and comical observations.   I have a new favorite author to fangirl, I need more of her stellar arrangements of words in my life.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2O8ej5K

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BreakRules

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kSC9qu

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Excerpt

I like this side of Levi. It’s a side I’ve only ever seen glimpses of before in the past two weeks — sweet, slightly goofy, teasing and funny, different from the serious, quiet man I thought he was. It’s a strange revelation, but a good one, even if I wish I liked it less.

“One minute,” I tell him, and pull back from the window.

I shut it. I pull the curtains closed.
I wonder what I’m doing and why on earth Levi has shown up beneath my bedroom window at twelve-thirty in the morning. I wish that the sight of him down there had made me feel differently, that I was indifferent and vaguely curious instead of suddenly buzzing and feeling like I’m being lifted aloft by several large birds.

I tiptoe down the stairs and through the living room, still wondering. I haven’t heard from him at all since we ate pizza in the back of his truck two nights ago, and I wish that didn’t bother me. I wish I thought less about him sitting there, as night fell, laughing and showing me his cell phone or telling me that he’s an alien.

I wish I thought less about him, period.

When I get outside, Levi’s leaning against his truck, his shoulder-length hair out of its usual knot.

I’m not sure I remember seeing him with his hair down before. He looks different. Relaxed. Like himself.

“I named the dog,” he says as I walk up to him.


 I don’t know what I was expecting him to say, but that wasn’t it.

“You do know that the last time a man came to my window, I called my brother to get rid of him,” I say. “I’m sure he told you about that.”

“He certainly did,” Levi said. “And if I were in my right mind, it might have deterred me.”

“You’re in your wrong mind, then?” I ask, tilting my head slightly, keeping my voice down.

“You didn’t ask what I named the dog,” he says.

“Did you come here at twelve-thirty in the morning to tell me you named your dog?” I ask.

Levi smiles, holds out one hand. I step forward and take it, his skin warm and he enfolds my fingers in his.

“No,” he says. “I came here to say that I think you should come back to my place for a nightcap.”

“A nightcap?”

“Yes,” he says. “I’d like to take you home, fix you a drink, and seduce you, and I’d like to do it without thinking even once of your brother.”

22780591_1188339054599440_1276039985320359281_nAbout Roxie

I love writing sexy, alpha men and the headstrong women they fall for.

My weaknesses include: beards, whiskey, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, prowess in the bedroom, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears.

I live in California with my very own sexy, bearded, whiskey-loving husband and two hell-raising cats.

Connect with Roxie

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31ab2a6

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2YyYtDh

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2SRXTPK

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2owNy18

Join her reader group The Roxettes: http://bit.ly/2K5fRLU

Stay up to date with Roxie by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2SVTlb7

http://roxienoir.com

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Book Review: Every Stolen Breath by Kimberly Gabriel

 

 Every Stolen Breath
by Kimberly Gabriel

 

 

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU / B&N 

Hardcover: 336 Pages

Publisher: Blink (November 5, 2019)

The Swarm is unrecognizable, untraceable, and unpredictable—random attacks on the streets of Chicago by a mob of crazed teens that leaves death in its wake. It’s been two years since the last attack, but Lia Finch has found clues that reveal the Swarm is ready to claim a new victim.

Lia is the only one still pursuing her father’s killers, two years after attorney Steven Finch’s murder by the Swarm. Devastated and desperate for answers, Lia will do anything to uncover the reasons behind his death and to stop someone else from being struck down. But due to debilitating asthma and PTSD that leaves her with a tenuous hold on reality, Lia is the last person to mount a crusade on her own.

After a close encounter with the Swarm puts Lia on their radar, she teams up with a teen hacker, a reporter, and a mysterious stranger who knows firsthand how the mob works. Together, they work to uncover the master puppeteer behind the group. Though if Lia and her network don’t stop the person pulling the strings—and fast—Lia may end up the next target.

Inspired by the real-life “flash mob” violence that struck Chicago in 2011, Every Stolen Breath by debut author Kimberly Gabriel is a fast-paced and immersive thriller that shows just how hard one girl will fight back, knowing any breath might be her last.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Then she hung up before I could think of an articulate rebuttal, leaving me sitting there, mouth gaping like some taxidermized fish.

 

It’s the side effect of attending a pretentious private school, where people treat Everybody’s Business like it’s a class they can ace and add to their transcripts.

 

I can’t help but wonder if I’m caught in some sick and twisted Alice in Wonderland dream where my world has turned upside down and nothing is as it seems.

 

Strength isn’t defined by who can hit the hardest in a fight, but by who’s still standing at the end.

  

My Review:

 

I rarely read YA and to be honest, I purposely avoid it, but I’m thrilled I had the foresight to make an exception for Kimberly Gabriel’s brilliantly plotted debut. I couldn’t seem to resist the intriguing synopsis and a colorful book cover that required a full stop and several minutes to thoroughly examine.

 

Ms. Gabriel’s storylines were diabolically clever and fiendishly crafted while populated with uniquely compelling and intriguing characters of all ages and levels of mistrust and suspicion. I was immediately sucked into Lia’s mono-focused and quivering vortex of distrust and dramatic catastrophic thinking. This mesmerizing tale was written from the first-person POV of an angsty sixteen-year-old asthmatic who proved to be rather unstable with significant features of PTSD including panic attacks, auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and crippling anxiety and self-consciousness. She was also stubbornly persistent, grief driven, highly resourceful and had the arrogance of youth in her toolkit.

 

With cunning and deftly written twists and turns, Ms. Gabriel has made a stunning and flawless debut. As I was making my way through this tautly penned and complex tale, I had a striking epiphany of why I tend to eschew this genre while simultaneously realizing this book was well worth the disheartening and stark reminders of the painful sense of powerlessness and nettling subjugation and disregard experienced as a teenager with two XX chromosomes.   While I vastly enjoyed her work, I still haven’t decided whether I should thank the author for the personal insight or swear a pox on her instead.

 

About the Author

Kimberly Gabriel is an English teacher who writes every chance she gets and struggles with laundry avoidance issues. When she’s not teaching or writing, she’s enjoying life with her husband, her three beautiful children, and a seriously beautiful boxer in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

Connect with Kimberly

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Perfect Fit (Love in the Dales #2) by Mary Jayne Baker

The Perfect Fit
(Love in the Dales #2)
by Mary Jayne Baker

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N / Apple

 

‘A wonderful book with a great story and a sparky, unusual voice. I loved it!’ KATIE FFORDE

Escape to the frost-sparkling Yorkshire Dales for some festive fun under the mistletoe! A saucy comedy-romance with more than a sprinkle of Christmas spice – this will lift your spirits and your excitement level!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for costume shop owner Becky Finn. Leaving London to move back home to the twinkly rural village of Egglethwaite, she plans to build a new life for herself with fiancé, Cole.

Keen to raise funds for the struggling village hall she loved as a child, Becky finds herself at the head of a colourful group aiming to revive the Egglethwaite Christmas pantomime. But when that festive feeling sets in, she discovers there’s more to panto than innuendo and slapped thighs.

Falling in love was not in the script! But as opening night grows closer, she starts to wonder if the panto will ever make it to the stage and, with handsome co-star Marcus on the scene, if she has chosen her right leading man…

The perfect stocking-filler gift!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’ll never get the British pantomime tradition. Still remember the first time I saw one. I thought you must be slipping psychedelic drugs into the tea.

 

Him? I wouldn’t widdle on him if he’d been stung by a flock of jellyfish then set on fire.

 

‘She’s volunteering me for stuff again,’ Gerry muttered. ‘I’ll never get a moment’s peace while I’m married to that woman.’ ‘You’ll get plenty of peace when you’re dead,’ Sue told him. ‘I bet even then I won’t be allowed. I bet you’ll be there, standing over the fresh-shoveled earth.’ He put on a high-pitched voice, jamming his hands on his hips. ‘“Gerald! What’re you lying about down there for? Don’t you know it’s lambing time?”’

 

‘You gotta have Baby Jesus at Christmas,’ the child repeated stubbornly. She puffed herself up. ‘Last year I was Mary and I had him. Hid him in my dress so’s he could pop out when Miss said and I put him in his manager.’ ‘Manager?’ Marcus said. ‘’S’like a cot what cows eat their tea off.’

 

It was a baptism of fire, for Dad especially, but he took to it like a duck to hoisin.

 

‘You’re, er, a bit lopsided there.’ Gerry glanced down at his bosom, which had deflated on one side. ‘Oh. Right. Just a sec.’ He started pumping his arm like a one-winged chicken, and Yolanda giggled as his left breast grew before our eyes… ‘Now you’ve got one bigger than the other,’ my dad told Gerry. ‘You’re just jealous.’

 

‘My official age is forty-five, thank you, and I plan on keeping it that way until I’m at least seventy… Well, I think I can pass for forty if the lighting’s right.’ ‘She means if there’s a blackout,’ Sue whispered to us.

 

 My Review:

 

I smirked, giggle-snorted, and gleefully barked my way through this delightfully witty and deftly crafted tale. Written from the first-person POV of returning village resident Becky Finn, this wily author’s highly engaging and deliciously alluring writing style left me unable to put my Kindle down. Her clever and enticing arrangements of words were laced with humorous observations and perceptive insights that were keenly honed, brilliantly paced, and vividly detailed in a highly comical manner. This quirky little village housed an odd assortment of uniquely dynamic personalities who were lured into staging an original pantomime performance to raise funds to save their community center. Bedlam and chaos befell the unusual production at various times throughout their rehearsals with an ever-changing script, wardrobe, ego, and talent issues that caused an alarming eye-twitch to the beleaguered director and new alliances and interesting exchanges among the cast and crew.   I had a fantabulous time in the Yorkshire Dales and hope to return soon.

 

Mary Jane Baker is a comedic genius and I covet her mad word skills and creative imagination.   In addition to an excellent day of indulgent reading, she has also provided me with two new words for my Brit Word and Phrases List with widdle – urinate; and manky – worthless, rotten, in bad taste. While the later does not apply to this book, the former may have occurred during reading due to uncontrollable eruptions of mirthful amusement.

About the Author

Mary Jayne Baker grew up in rural West Yorkshire, right in the heart of Brontë country… and she’s still there. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, she dallied with living in cities including London, Nottingham and Cambridge, but eventually came back with her own romantic hero in tow to her beloved Dales, where she first started telling stories about heroines with flaws and the men who love them. More information can be found about Mary Jayne on her website at www.maryjaynebaker.co.uk

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryjaynebaker

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

 

Giveaway

 Win signed copies of both books in the Love in the Dales series

(Open to UK Only)

  • A Bicycle Made for Two and The Perfect Fit

*Terms and Conditions –  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

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: It’s Not PMS, It’s You by Rich Amooi

It’s Not PMS, It’s You

by Rich Amooi

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

Ruth “Ruthless” Harper is on the verge of becoming managing partner at her all-male consulting firm and she won’t let anything stand in her way. That includes men, relationships, and that dreaded F word, FEELINGS—distractions she eliminated long ago.

After the worst day ever (a near-death experience and a public wedgie, for starters), Ruth realizes she doesn’t want to live and die alone. She puts together a business plan to find the perfect man and dives headfirst into the murky online dating pool. All she wants is a high-powered executive who understands how important her career is. If only it were that easy.

Problem is most men are intimidated by Ruth’s confidence and shocked by her bluntness. The exception being her landscape designer, Nick, whose cool demeanor and unsolicited dating advice are driving her nuts. He’s the antithesis of the business-oriented man Ruth envisions for herself, so why do all signs keep pointing back to him?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

…like me, she wouldn’t take crap from male colleagues who thought they could do or say whatever they wanted just because they were packing two olives and a cocktail weenie in their shorts.

 

Stewart was right next to him, a cocky grin on his face like he had just found out his penis was two inches long instead of one.

 

Run, you fool! There’s a chance you are going to be killed! Never call a woman wedgie girl!

 

There are certain things that women ask men that are problematic and have to be dealt with properly and delicately. Some are legitimate questions. Some are tricks. To this day, most men haven’t figured out which is which. It’s like playing a game of Russian Roulette when answering, only there is a bullet in every chamber.

 

“I own a bagel shop. I told you I made a lot of dough. Ha!” He laughed and slapped the table, causing the trout on his plate to go airborne for a brief second.

 

Wait, you sell toilets and your last name is Butts? That is classic. Do you mind if I keep the card? I want to show my friends. Good thing for you that your parents didn’t name you Harry or Seymour.

 

Could you see yourself with the last name of Butts? … Ruth Butts. It kind of has a nice ring to it. Can I get you anything else, Mrs. Butts? Butts, party of two! At your wedding, the guests will say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen so many Butts in one place!’

 

I could see my first date approaching me and my BS detector was already pegging in the red. It was the way he walked. Was he going for a swagger like Mick Jagger or a drunk pimp limp? It was kind of a mix of the two. Or maybe he had an injured leg or a bad case of hemorrhoids.

 

 My Review:

 

Rich Amooi is my go-to guy for a pleasurable, witty, and delightfully amusing rom/com. His stories are refreshingly light on conflict and a tonic for my beleaguered brain between intense thrillers and heartrending dramas. Not to say his tales are mindless fluff as his likable characters have considerable substance and are typically working through real-world issues while gathering insights and experiencing hard-won epiphanies, just in a more comical manner than most. I adore his humorous observations, easy to follow writing style, engaging storylines, and a unique sense of levity that injects a much-needed sense of buoyancy to my spirits and reading rotation. This is why his name is listed in ink, having earned a permanent slot on my list of favorites.

About the Author

Amazon  / Twitter
Goodreads / Facebook
Website

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

Giveaway

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –  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

 

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Book Review: The Mother I Could Have Been by Kerry Fisher

The Mother I Could Have Been

by Kerry Fisher

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N / Kobo / Apple / GP

 

Why would you walk away from the one person you can’t live without?

As a child, Vicky Hall never had the sort of family she wanted. The least important person in her new step-family, ignored by her mother in favor of her two younger half-siblings, Vicky was always an afterthought. Sitting alone at her graduation ceremony at the age of twenty-one, she vows to create her own family and her own life, one which is full of the love and attention she has always craved.

When Vicky meets William and falls pregnant in Greece that summer, it isn’t planned. But the two of them believe they can make it work, showering their child with the love which they believe should be enough.

But when her son Theo is two, Vicky leaves him in the care of her mother-in-law, walks out of her front door and drives to a hotel where she takes a room for the night. She doesn’t return.

It’s unthinkable.

What kind of mother does that?

The kind who is hiding a story you can never imagine.

The Mother I Could Have Been is a heartbreaking story of impossible decisions and second chances, from the bestselling author of The Silent Wife and The Woman I Was Before. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I couldn’t resist Rowan. He was my favourite by far because he was innately naughty. He hadn’t yet mastered the art of throwing a bomb and not being anywhere in the vicinity when it went off. I adored him.

 

I sometimes couldn’t believe she was my daughter, with her endless stream of rules and regulations. ‘Who is coming tonight?’ She managed to say it as though I’d have invited all the local miscreants and some dodgy men with an unhealthy interest in children.

 

You’re brilliant with customers. I love how you tell them to bugger off so politely they enjoy the journey.

 

It was amazing how clearly I could see the flaws in other people’s mothering but would need surgical intervention to patch up the gaping wounds in my own.

 

He carried the message like a wise man cupping a gift of myrrh, reverential, with a sense of ceremony, big man coming through with big news.

 

The woman pursed her lips so tightly, I wanted to tell her that in twenty years’ time, her lipstick wouldn’t bleed, it would haemorrhage .

 

You are such a drama queen. I don’t even recognise the childhood you think you had. No, Mum and Dad weren’t perfect, but they were good enough. You talk about them as though we were left chewing on scraps in a dungeon, fending for ourselves.

 

My Review:

 

I have a new favorite author – despite her heavy deployment of angsty and emotive story threads. I was so absorbed by her brilliantly insightful and evocative writing, complex and profoundly flawed characters, and witty wordplay that I didn’t seem to mind the eye-burning, heart-squeezing, or ire-producing storylines that I typically eschew. I was instantly mesmerized and sucked into this perceptive and thoughtfully crafted tale and resented any intrusion or interruption to my perusal for those unimportant distractions such as sleep, hygiene, whining husband, or nutritional sustenance. Kerry Fisher is a phenomenal writer with powerful word voodoo. I am driven to amass all her clever words and have added her entire listing to my TBR.

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Kerry Fisher is the bestselling author of five novels, including The Silent Wife and The Secret Child. She was born in Peterborough, studied French and Italian at the University of Bath and spent several years living in Spain, Italy, and Corsica. After returning to England to work as a journalist, she eventually abandoned real-life stories for the secrets of fictional families. She now lives in Surrey with her husband, two teenage children and a naughty Lab/Schnauzer called Poppy.
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Book Review, Giveaway: Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work by Julie Butterfield

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Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work

by Julie Butterfield

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

Lucy Mathers was once the golden girl of Simcock & Bright. Four years later, she’s a stay at home mum with two adorable children, has swapped her Louboutins for rabbit slippers and spends her day making crustless sandwiches and colour co-ordinated lunches instead of signing up high profile clients.

When her husband is suddenly made redundant, there is panic in the Mathers’ household. With a mortgage the size of the national debt and a credit card balance that’s in danger of toppling, Lucy reluctantly decides she must return to work. So she digs out her old power suits from the back of the wardrobe and leaves Will to become a house husband. But sitting in Lucy’s old office is Grant Cassidy, suave, handsome and ruthless and with no intention of letting Lucy walk back into the number one job.

At home, despite his breezy declaration that swapping boardroom battles for toddler groups would be a doddle, Will’s belief that parental issues could be solved with forward planning and a spreadsheet soon falls by the wayside.

With both Will and Lucy struggling to adapt, could their previously happy marriage be developing some cracks?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Of course, the result of her hard work was that when Will arrived home his children were bathed, content and happy to cuddle him on the settee in adorable, sleepy mode, while Lucy escaped to the kitchen, holding onto the kitchen work surface for support and drinking wine straight from the bottle.

 

Sliding the shoes out of the box, she laid them reverently on the floor before pulling off her woolly socks and wriggling her toes in anticipation. Her foot disappeared into the shiny red leather, stopping halfway down. Frowning she slipped the shoe off and checked to see if she had left some tissue tucked into the toe. Nothing. Putting the shoe back on the floor she pushed a little harder, squeezing her toes together and grunting until her foot was finally forced in. She gasped in pain. Oh my God, she thought, it was like a scene from Cinderella, and she must be one of the ugly sisters because this was far from the perfect fit.

 

Harry had chocolate smeared in his baby curls and Emily had a hole in her woolen tights that she had made larger by stuffing toys inside and using as an impromptu storage space until she could hardly walk for the huge collection of random objects that stuck to one side of her leg like a hideous growth.

 

Her bag had been emptied of toddler paraphernalia such as the odd sock, baby wipes, a rather crusty bib, Harry’s favourite book, and Emily’s crayons. Before the arrival of her children, Lucy’s bag had been a shrine to lipsticks and perfume along with scented tissues and always a spare pair of tights and it gave her a small thrill to look inside now and see that she had gone full circle.

 

My Review:

 

I gleefully giggle-snorted my way through this delightfully amusing tale of Lucy Mathers, a competitive business professional attempting to recoup her mojo after a four-year hiatus for childrearing.   There were multiple challenges awaiting Lucy, the first being that her entire wardrobe appeared to have shrunk while in the closet – I myself have had that happen as well so I was in total sympathy with her plight. Her harried accountant husband, Will, was taking on the home front while between jobs.   Will’s struggle was just as great, although his wardrobe was no longer of consequence his small children did not seem to respect his spreadsheet timetables organized with accompanying phone alarms, which were hopelessly abandoned during the first week.

 

The engaging storylines and insightful writing were riotously comical and cleverly penned while evoking sharp and mirth-filled visuals that kept me with a near-constant smirk and frequently laughing aloud. Julie Butterfield must be a hoot at parties. I would most likely fall at her feet while looking up at her in total adoration if ever I were lucky enough to find myself in her company.

 

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of ‘always wanted to write’ authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper – or rather fingers to keyboard.
She wrote her first book purely for pleasure and was very surprised to discover that so many people enjoyed the story and wanted more, so she decided to carry on writing!

 

Giveaway

 Win a Paperback copy of Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  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.

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Book Review: The Silent Victim by Dana Perry

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The Silent Victim

by Dana Perry

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

The woman’s golden hair is spread out beneath her on the bed of leaves where she’s fallen, her beautiful blue eyes open wide. The police are calling it a random attack, but Jessie Tucker isn’t so sure – she’s seen this crime scene before… she was the victim.

Twelve years ago, Jessie Tucker was attacked as she made her way home from an outdoor concert. She still walks with a limp from that night, and every day since has been a struggle to rebuild her life. The police told her she was unlucky – that she was safe after they charged a local man for the crime. But Jessie has never managed to shake the feeling that there was someone else in the park that night… someone she knew.

But then Margaret Kincaid’s murder file lands across her desk, and Jessie knows she can’t keep silent any longer. Margaret’s wounds so exactly match her own it’s spooky – but Jessie’s attacker is in prison, and Jessie has never met the victim. What links her to Margaret Kincaid, and why did the attacker let one woman live, and the other die?

Nail-biting, gripping and absolutely unputdownable! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Gregg Olsen. 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

The coffee looked terrible and tasted even worse, but drinking coffee was part of the cop– reporter mating ritual. I had spent hours and hours drinking bad coffee in precinct houses all over the city.

 

I’m hopeless… This is more than just going through a dating dry spell. Men now actually run away to avoid any kind of physical contact with me.

 

My Review:

 

Written from the first-person POV of Jessie a female journalist and survivor of a heinous assault. I fell right into this well-crafted and absorbing tale and slid inside Jessie’s pocket as she went about chasing her story and gathering her info. The storylines and writing style were easy to follow, cunningly paced, and shrewdly plotted with more twists than an anaconda’s lunch.

I am stunned and awed to note this cleverly contrived book was written by a man – what an observant and sly silver-tongued devil he must be! He certainly led me on a merry chase and held my rapt attention throughout as he steadily ratcheted up the tension and intrigue to a staggering climax. I had postulated several theories but I was off by a mile and never would have guessed the end result. Dana Perry may well be an evil genius; his neighbors best keep the noise down and ply him with treats.

 

About the Author
I am a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers for Bookouture about newspaper reporter Jessie Tucker.

Contact me at DanaPerryAuthor@yahoo.com

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Book Review: My Mother’s Silence by Lauren Westwood

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My Mother’s Silence
by Lauren Westwood
Pub day: 11/11/2019

Amazon /B&N /Apple / Kobo / GP

Some things you can never escape. I should know. I’ve been running away for fifteen years, and now I’m right back where I started…

Skye Turner’s family fell apart the day her twin sister Ginny died. Everyone in their tiny community in the Scottish Highlands accepted it was an accident, but more than one person in town is haunted by a secret from that night…

Skye left after the funeral, believing her mother blamed her for Ginny’s death. Skye should have taken care of Ginny, should have been there to stop her falling from the cliffs that night. Over the years, she’s barely spoken to her mother, until the day she receives a phone call asking her to return home.

As soon as Skye arrives in her childhood home, she knows something isn’t right. Her mother has kept the bedroom she shared with her sister like a shrine, Ginny’s clothes and diaries gathering dust, as though her mother thinks Ginny might come back. And there are whispers in town that Ginny wasn’t alone when she died…

Skye is desperate to find out the truth, but her mother just wants her family back together. As Skye begins to unravel everyone’s lies, she realises the truth might tear her family apart for good…

My Mother’s Silence is a twisty and emotional novel about the bonds between mothers and daughters, and what happens when we hide things from those we love the most. Fans of Diane Chamberlain, Liane Moriarty and Kerry Fisher will be gripped.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘What you got in there, lass?’ the driver says, bowing under the weight of my wheelie case… He sets my case on the pavement. ‘In my day, all we needed was a toothbrush and a change of knickers.’

 

I shut my eyes until the irrational sense of despair ebbs away. Regroup, start again. I’m good at making new starts. Not so good at making them last.

 

Somewhere in that deep, ever-changing water, there is a part of my sister: the atoms of her body, the life force that was Ginny.

 

She was like the child captured by fairies. There was a part of her that none of us could reach.

 

First rule of policing… No one wants to talk and everyone lies.

  

My Review:

 

This book was a stellar read! My Mother’s Silence was expertly plotted, shrewdly paced, and cunningly crafted from the first person POV of Skye, the sister who lived as opposed to her twin Ginny, who did not. The storylines were varied yet engaging and kept my interest keenly honed. I was immediately pulled into Skye’s vortex where I remained, absorbed, transfixed, and riveted to Ms. Westwood’s powerful and evocative arrangements of words. The writing was moody, swirling with atmosphere, lushly detailed, and densely packed with insightful observations and emotive inner musings.   I was taut with tension with my shoulders near my ears and suspected each secondary character at some point in reading. I was unwilling to put my Kindle down and deeply resented any interruption to my perusal. Lauren Westwood has strong word voodoo and a lifelong fan… unless she starts writing about zombies – I just can’t do zombies.

 

About the Author

Lauren Westwood writes dark and romantic women’s fiction and is also an award-winning children’s writer. Originally from California, she now lives in England in a persnickety old house built in 1602, with her partner and three daughters.

 Lauren hopes you enjoy her latest book, My Mother’s Silence, which is a dark, emotional journey about homecoming and family secrets. Your opinions are important to her, so please do leave a review.

Author Social Media Links:

Lauren loves hearing from readers, so if you wish to get in touch, please visit her website: https://www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com/, or follow her on twitter: @lwestwoodwriter  https://twitter.com/lwestwoodwriter

or Facebook: @Lwestwoodbooks https://www.facebook.com/Lwestwoodbooks/

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Book Review: A Christmas Kiss (Life on the Moors #4) by Eliza J. Scott

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A Christmas Kiss

Life on the Moors #4

by Eliza J. Scott

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA

A sparkling festive romance that will warm your heart this Christmas.

The week before Christmas, GP Zander Gillespie finds his festive plans in tatters. He’s supposed to be flying out to his parents’ chateau in Carcassonne with his high-maintenance girlfriend, Melissa. But she has other ideas. She wants to spend Christmas in London with her party friends – and he’s not invited. The prospect of facing his family, with their questions and their sympathy – not to mention the ‘I told you so-s’ – just isn’t an option. Instead, Zander decides to head to his holiday cottage in the quaint moorland village of Lytell Stangdale, where he intends to hide away with his faithful rescue Labrador Alf.

Eighty miles away, Livvie’s world has come crashing down. With plans to cook a romantic meal for her boyfriend, she heads home early and walks in on him in a compromising position with their neighbor. Fed-up of his lies and philandering ways, this is the final straw. With her Christmas plans up in smoke, the thought of spending it with her parents and her smug, married sister with her pompous husband in tow, is enough to bring Livvie out in hives. So, when she fires up her laptop and finds the perfect little holiday cottage in Lytell Stangdale available to rent over the festive period, it seems the perfect solution. Or is it…?

Zander didn’t believe in love at first sight until he set eyes on Livvie. Livvie had sworn off men until she met Zander. The pair may be reluctant to give in to temptation, but fate seems to have other ideas…

Join Livvie and Zander – and all the usual characters – for a magical Christmas in Lytell Stangdale.

The perfect cozy read to snuggle up with this Christmas

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Zander struggled not to laugh at Mary who was dressed as Madonna complete with a pair of the largest conical breasts he’d ever seen… ‘They’re more like traffic cones.’ ‘Mind where you’re pointing them things, Mary, you’ll have someone’s eye out,’ Jimby said, chuckling. ‘Aye, they’re like a couple of nuclear weapons, Big M,’ said Camm.

 

‘And who’s this bonny lass here, then?’ Gerald asked, eyeing Livvie up and down. He reached into the pocket of his skin-tight leopard-print leggings and pulled out a pair of false teeth, popping them into his mouth with a rattle. Molly leaned in to Livvie. ‘And there was me thinking he was pleased to see me.’ Livvie did her best to suppress a giggle. ‘Ah, you can always tell when he spots a bonny lass; the teeth go straight in.’ Mary put her hands on her generous hips and rolled her eyes.

 

‘Granny Aggie.’ ‘Yep, it’s Granny bloody Aggie; up to her usual with the vicar.’ ‘Sounds ominous,’ said Zander. ‘You’ve no idea,’ said Jimby. ‘What’s she said now, Moll?’ Molly sighed. ‘You know how she’s been feeding that stray cat?’ ‘Yes.’ Rosie looked worried. ‘Oh, God, I think I know what’s coming next,’ said Violet. ‘Well, she’s only gone and sent Rev Nev a text telling him that she has a lovely pussy and asked him if he wants to go and stroke it. Told him it purrs if he does it gently.’… ‘Please tell me she’s done that in innocence.’ Molly snorted. ‘Like bugger she has; the wicked old bat knows exactly what she’s doing, pretends it’s innocent though.’

 

My Review:

 

This was a delightfully fun and deftly written book with a few absorbing and intriguing dashes of vile and villainous behaviors.   The premise was entertaining, the storylines were humorous and impeccably well-crafted, and the nimble writing was easy to fall into yet cunningly perceptive, cleverly witty, and comically detailed. I wore a near-constant and gleeful smirk while reading and barked out a few chuckles and giggle-snorts as well. Eliza J. Scott has discovered the recipe for the secret sauce and has generously applied her savvy word magic throughout this divinely entertaining and effortless read.

Two city dwellers find themselves thrown together in a quaint and quirky little village inhabited by the most supremely odd yet uniquely appealing, thoughtful, humorous, and pleasantly beguiling residents. The extremely likable two main characters were strangers yet they were immediately comfortable with each other. They were both unexpectedly taking a last-minute separate holiday away from their own unpleasant and dissatisfactory relationships, which had reached their expiration date.   A computer glitch and inclement weather found them sharing a holiday cottage as well as snow and ice adventures, village holiday fun, dispiriting and cringe-worthy ex moments, a precious rescued Labrador, an instant kinship and rapidly blossoming yet tacit attraction, and a hilarious 80’s theme party with an elderly woman dressed as the conically corseted Madonna. I may now be Ms. Scott’s most fervent and rabid fan for that diabolically clever scene alone.

I found treasure with several exciting new additions for my Brit Word List with aud mucker – old friend; nithered – very cold; and skew-whiff – crocked or twisted to one side.

About the Author

Eliza lives in a 17th-century
cottage on the edge of a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden. Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favorite things: tea and cake.

Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heart-warming stories with happy endings.

Social Media Links 

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott – @elizajscott

Facebook: Eliza J Scott – @elizajscottauthor

Blog: www.elizajscott.com

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ElizaJScott

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott

Amazon Author Page: UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH