Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review: The Shadow Writer by Eliza Maxwell

The Shadow Writer

by Eliza Maxwell

AmazonUS / UK / AU / CA / B&N

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (May 1, 2019)

Every writer has a story. Some are deadlier than others.

Aspiring author Graye Templeton will do anything to escape the horrific childhood crime that haunts her. After a life lived in shadows, she’s accepted a new job as protégé to Laura West, influential book blogger and wife of an acclaimed novelist. Laura’s connections could make Graye’s publishing dreams a reality. But there’s more to Laura than meets the eye.

Behind the veneer of a charmed life, Laura’s marriage is collapsing. Her once-lauded husband is descending into alcoholism and ruin and bringing Laura nearer to the edge.

As the two women form a bond that seems meant to be, long-buried secrets claw their way into the present, and the line between friendship and obsession begins to blur, forcing each to decide where her loyalties lie. Running from the past is a dangerous game, and the loser could end up dead.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She signs the visitor’s log, and the receptionist passes her a neon-green sticker to affix to her shirt. Proof that Graye isn’t some rogue criminal, there to ravish old ladies and steal pieces from the jigsaw puzzles.

 

She stares at him for a beat, struggling to remind herself of the man she knows he can be—when he isn’t being this one. It’s getting more difficult every day to bring that man to mind.

 

Whom you choose to be married to is your business, Laura. I decided a long time ago that love must be an evolutionary adaptation… It’s nature’s way of allowing even mediocre men to find a mate… Oh, child. How naive you are…   If procreation were reserved only for extraordinary men, the species would have died a slow, sputtering death centuries ago.

 

A bad marriage is a forge. Once you’re in it, your only choice is to push forward and find your way out of the flames, scars and all, hopefully stronger for it… The alternative is to sit there and be burned to nothing.

 

She knows dwelling on could-have-been and should-have-been doesn’t change what is, but some days that’s a hard lesson to remember.

 

My Review:

 

This was a twisty, maddeningly paced, brilliantly plotted, and ingeniously written tale with a cast of intriguing and largely aberrant characters. While it was soon evident that one of the main characters was mentally disturbed as she noted concern with “losing track of what’s real and what isn’t;” I just hadn’t realized the extent or how far back the decimation went. Ms. Maxwell’s evocative writing was uniquely compelling, devastating, diabolical, and dauntingly engrossing. I was taut with tension and transfixed to my Kindle while nearly insane with impatience and driven to know every deeply buried secret past and present.   I am on the hook and her devoted fangirl for life. I covet her advanced level of word sorcery and am greedily plotting to read her every word.

About the Author

Eliza Maxwell is the author of The Widow’s Watcher, The Unremembered Girl, The Grave Tender, and The Kinfolk. She writes fiction from her home in Texas, which she shares with her ever-patient husband, two impatient kids, a ridiculous English setter, and a bird named Sarah. An artist and writer, a dedicated introvert, and a British-cop-drama addict, she enjoys nothing more than sitting on the front porch with a good cup of coffee.

Connect with Eliza

Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Book Review: The Daughter’s Tale by Armando Lucas Correa

The Daughter’s Tale

by Armando Lucas Correa

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

Hardcover: 320 Pages

Publisher: Atria Books (May 7, 2019)

Berlin, 1939. Bookseller Amanda Sternberg and her husband, Julius, dreamed of blissful summers spent by the lake at Wannsee and unlimited opportunities for their children. But that all falls apart when the family bookshop is destroyed and Julius is sent to a concentration camp. Now, desperate to flee Nazi Germany and preserve what’s left of her family, Amanda heads toward the south of France with her two young daughters—only to arrive with one. In Haute-Vienne, their freedom is short-lived, and soon she and her eldest daughter are forced into a labor camp, where Amanda must once again make an impossible sacrifice.

New York City, 2015. Eighty-year-old Elise Duval receives a call from a woman bearing messages from a time and country that she forced herself to forget. A French Catholic who arrived in New York after World War II, Elise is shocked to discover that the letters were from her mother, written in German during the war. Despite Elise’s best efforts to stave off her past, seven decades of secrets begin to unravel.

Based on true events, The Daughter’s Tale chronicles one of the most harrowing atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II. Heartbreaking and immersive, it is a beautifully crafted family saga of love, survival, and redemption.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Elise tried to stand up but could feel her heart failing her. She was losing control over herself, over the life she had so carefully constructed. She could see her own face at a distance, staring at the scene from afar like another witness in the room.

 

Since his schooldays in Leipzig, Julius had been fascinated by the heart—its irregular rhythms, its electrical impulses, its alternating beats, and silences. “There’s nothing stronger,” he told her when they were newlywed and he was still at the university, always adding the caveat: “The heart can resist all kinds of physical trauma, but sadness can destroy it in a second. So no sadness in this house!”

 

Whenever you’re afraid and can feel your heart racing, start counting its beats. Count them and think of each one, because you’re the only person who can control them. As the silence between one beat and the next grows, your fear will start to disappear. We need those silences to exist, to think.

 

From this dark, cold place I can hear your heart. I know from memory all its movements. When you are asleep or awake, happy or sad, like today. My Amanda, I want you never to forget that we were happy once.

 

Claire looked down anxiously at the ebony box on Amanda’s lap. In the half-light, her friend’s face lost its soft outline and looked severe, imposing. “The only thing that unites me and my daughter is in here, Claire. Can you imagine that something so big could fit into such a small space?” There was no answer to a question like that.

 

 My Review:

 

This was my first exposure to the phenomenal artistry of Armando Lucas Correa, and I will confess to being a smitten kitten. I quickly fell into his vortex as if under a spell, Mr. Correa appears to be a deftly skilled and superior Wizard of Words as I was definitely mesmerized. His premise was based on actual events and several of the horrific and diabolical atrocities dreamed up by the Germans – military and citizenry alike.

Mr. Correa’s writing was poignant, highly emotive, devastatingly evocative, and required occasional breaks in reading as my eyes were too wet to continue. His insightful and moving prose squeezed my chest, burned my eyes, and put hot rocks in my throat. His compelling characters were intricately drawn and I became so entrenched in their captivating storylines that their struggles became quite real to me.

Like most Caucasian Americans of European ancestry, I am unsure of much of my heritage as basically, we are all mutts and have absolutely nothing to feel superior about. I am uncertain if I have much if any German heritage in my DNA, but if I do, I want to know if it can be removed – pronto!

 

About the Author

Armando Lucas Correa is an award-winning journalist, editor, author, and the recipient of several awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications and the Society of Professional Journalism. He is the author of the international bestseller The German Girl, which is now being published in thirteen languages. He lives in New York City with his partner and their three children.

Connect with Armando

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Book Review: The East End by Jason Allen

THE EAST END

by Jason Allen

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA /

B&N / Harlequin / B-A-M / Powell’s

ISBN: 9780778308393

Publication Date: 5/7/19

Publisher: Park Row Books

 

THE EAST END opens with Corey Halpern, a Hamptons local from a broken home who breaks into mansions at night for kicks. He likes the rush and admittedly, the escapism. One night just before Memorial Day weekend, he breaks into the wrong home at the wrong time: the Sheffield estate where he and his mother work. Under the cover of darkness, their boss Leo Sheffield — billionaire CEO, patriarch, and owner of the vast lakeside manor — arrives unexpectedly with his lover, Henry. After a shocking poolside accident leaves Henry dead, everything depends on Leo burying the truth. But unfortunately for him, Corey saw what happened and there are other eyes in the shadows.

 

Hordes of family and guests are coming to the estate the next morning, including Leo’s surly wife, all expecting a lavish vacation weekend of poolside drinks, evening parties, and fireworks filling the sky. No one can know there’s a dead man in the woods, and there is no one Leo can turn to. With his very life on the line, everything will come down to a split-second decision. For all of the main players—Leo, Gina, and Corey alike—time is ticking down, and the world they’ve known is set to explode.

 

Told through multiple points of view, THE EAST END highlights the socio-economic divide in the Hamptons, but also how the basic human need for connection and trust can transcend class differences. Secrecy, obsession, and desperation dictate each character’s path. In a race against time, each critical moment holds life in the balance as Corey, Gina, and Leo approach a common breaking point. THE EAST END is a propulsive read, rich with character and atmosphere, and marks the emergence of a talented new voice in fiction.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Time passed as Leo sat cockeyed on one of the lounge chairs beside the pool with an elbow on one knee and the bag of ice pressed to the back of his head, staring at the water, his vision like that of an old television set with poor reception, blurring between two channels.

 

They stared at each other, locked in that tension like animals at a watering hole— one predator, one prey, but who could say which was which now?

 

The water kept on running, the pills still cradled in her palm. This loneliness, she thought, should be classified as a disease.

 

The thing about regrets, Corey— it’s much better to regret something you have done than something you haven’t done.

  

My Review:

 

I am in need of a spa day after reading this brilliantly crafted suspense/thriller. It was masterfully written, taut with tension, devilishly paced, and cast with an intriguing set of deeply flawed and fractured characters who were reaching a peak period of crisis or transition, and I couldn’t help but root for them. Each riveting storyline was thrumming with stress and the disses – dismay, despair, discontent, and distress. This tale had a bit of everything; abuse of all types from people to substances, a gamut of personality disorders and vices, blackmail, adultery, bribery, rich vs. poor, and a closeted gay who had more than that one skeleton in his closet.

 

The writing was simply stellar.   Mr. Allen’s writing style was lushly descriptive with evocative and emotive word choices that conjured keen visuals and kept me on edge. I was chewing my lower lip and feeling rather conflicted as while I wanted to savor every well-chosen word, I also felt as if I couldn’t read fast enough as I sensed the build-up to a shattering crescendo. I am doubly impressed since noticing this was his first novel. I hope the cunning Mr. Allen isn’t easily frightened as he now has a rather rabid fangirl…

About the Author

Author Website

Twitter: @EathanJason

Facebook: @jasonallenauthor

Goodreads

Jason Allen grew up in a working-class home in the Hamptons, where he worked a variety of blue-collar jobs for wealthy estate owners. He writes fiction, poetry, and memoir, and is the author of the poetry collection A MEDITATION ON FIRE. He has an MFA from Pacific University and a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing from Binghamton University and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he teaches writing. THE EAST END is his first novel.

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Book Review: By Invitation Only by Dorothea Benton Frank

By Invitation Only

by Dorothea Benton Frank

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

• Paperback: 432 pages

• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 23, 2019)

The Lowcountry of South Carolina is where By Invitation Only begins at a barbecue engagement party thrown by Diane English Stiftel, her brother Floyd, and her parents to celebrate her son’s engagement. On this gorgeous, magical night, the bride’s father, Alejandro Cambria, a wealthy power broker whose unbelievably successful career in private equity made him one of Chicago’s celebrated elite, discovers the limits and possibilities of cell phone range. While the mother of the bride, Susan Kennedy Cambria, who dabbles in the world of public relations and believes herself deserving of every square inch of her multimillion-dollar penthouse and imaginary Carrara marble pedestal, learns about moonshine and dangerous liaisons.

Soon By Invitation Only zooms to Chicago, where the unraveling accelerates. Nearly a thousand miles away from her comfortable, familiar world, Diane is the antithesis of the bright lights and super-sophisticated guests attending her son Fred’s second engagement party. Why a second party? Maybe it had been assumed that the first one wouldn’t be up to snuff? Fred is marrying Shelby Cambria, also an only child. The Cambrias’ dearest wish is for their daughter to be happy. If Shelby wants to marry Frederick, aka Fred, they will not stand in her way—although Susan does hope her friends won’t think her daughter is marrying more than a few degrees beneath her socially. At the same time, Diane worries that her son will be lost to her forever.

By Invitation Only is a tale of two families, one struggling to do well, one well to do, and one young couple—the privileged daughter of Chicago’s crème de la crème and the son of hard-working Southern peach farmers.

Dorothea Benton Frank offers a funny, sharp, and deeply empathetic novel of two very different worlds—of limousines and pickup trucks, caviars and pigs, skyscrapers and ocean spray—filled with a delightful cast of characters who all have something to hide and a lot to learn. A difference in legal opinions, a headlong dive from grace, and an abrupt twist will reveal the truth of who they are and demonstrate, when it truly counts, what kind of grit they have. Are they living the life they want, what regrets do they hold, and how would they remake their lives if they were given the invitation to do so?

By Invitation Only is classic Dorothea Benton Frank—a mesmerizing Lowcountry Tale that roars with spirit, humor, and truth, and forces us to reconsider our notions of what it means to be a Have or a Have Not.

.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Family mythology says that even in its youth, the house was so unappealing that Sherman’s troops let it stand. The officers said it wasn’t worth the flick of the flint it would’ve taken to torch it, and the Yankees had slept in the barn by choice. I heard somewhere that the real reason they took to the barn was that my great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother was especially frisky, but I’d never repeat that.

 

“That ought to make ‘em happy… And if it doesn’t, they can all go home and scratch their mad place.”… No one ever really defined what one’s mad place might be, but it was assumed to be in the area of one’s personal Lowcountry.  

 

When we were growing up, Floyd and I used to say our dishes were Chinese – Ding Dynasty.

 

 My Review:

 

Dorothea Benton Frank imbues her entertaining stories with a special blend of humor, which appears to be equal parts keen wry wit and a unique yet indefinable form of Lowcountry magic. I have been completely enamored with clever arrangements of words since my first exposure with The Hurricane Sisters. I was an instant fangirl and have delighted in each of her thoughtfully observant and witty written tales that I’ve been lucky enough to snag.   Her quirky characters come alive on the page and become so familiar I feel I could recognize them on the street.

 

By Invitation Only was a smartly paced and pleasantly entertaining tale of contrasts that began with a young newly engaged couple announcing their intentions and plans to introduce their divergently different sets of relatives for the first time were instituted. It was the in-laws vs. the outlaws; midwestern urbanites meet the Southern country bumpkins; wealthy snobs meet salt-of-the-earth rednecks. It didn’t help that Uncle Floyd was a Doomsday planner who appeared besotted with camo. He primarily wore camo pants, had camo covered furniture, and even toted a camo themed flask for his spirits. He was also a chick magnet.   Go figure…

 

Dueling engagement parties were planned across the country every upscale extravagance was expended by the Chicago contingent, who thought their worst fears would be finding taxidermy, picnic tables, and gun racks upon arrival at the farm for the Southern version – only to discover moonshine, pig trophies, and the impossibility of removing manure from Chanel ~ snort. I savored every word and eagerly consumed the amusing tag lines that set the tone for each new chapter.

I was provided a review copy of this delightful book by the lovely people at TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins.

About the Author 

New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank was born and raised on Sullivans Island, South Carolina. She resides in the New York area with her husband.

Find her on the web at www.dotfrank.com, or like her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Book Review: The Austen Playbook (London Celebrities #4) by Lucy Parker

The Austen Playbook

 (London Celebrities #4)

by Lucy Parker

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N / iTunes

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Carina Press; Original edition (April 30, 2019)

In which experienced West End actress Freddy Carlton takes on an Austen-inspired play, a scandal at a country estate, an enthusiastic search for a passion outside of acting…and the (some people might say icy*) heart of London’s most feared theater critic.

*if those people were being nice

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead, all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.

“There’s more drama offstage than on, the writing is outstanding, and the bit of mystery blends well into the romance. Theater fans will devour this lovely contemporary romance.”-Publisher’s Weekly, starred review, on The Austen Playbook

“The London Celebrities series-some of the wittiest, smartest dialogue to come down the romance pike in years.”-Kirkus ReviewS of London Celebrities series

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He was all injured gentlemanly charm. It would be more successful if she hadn’t witnessed him getting absolutely rat-arsed at a wrap party, whipping his trousers off, and drawing a smiley-face on his willy. Once you’d seen a bloke doodling on his dick with permanent ink, the mystique was gone.

 

Look at that, her mere presence could make a man’s entire being go instantly flaccid. As superhuman powers went, she didn’t really rate it up there with invisibility and flight.

 

I hope the baffling fact that you’re letting it be staged on your property doesn’t mean I’ll miss out on the joy of a written review. They’re useful to have around if I’m ever in danger of developing self-esteem.

 

I’m a forgiving soul… Can’t say the same for some of that lot out there. And it’s a murder-mystery play. All the suspects gathered together for a house party. It could give someone ideas… The sarcastic critic with his poison pen and scores of embittered enemies. If this was Midsomer Murders, you wouldn’t even make it to the opening credits. If you hear the faint strains of ominous music, come find me. I’ll protect you.

 

Ma once said that if it hadn’t been for the twenty-hour labour, she might have thought he’d spontaneously animated from an ice sculpture.

 

He was broad-shouldered and long-legged, with dark skin and eyes, and his bone structure was unbelievable. He might have been carved by Michelangelo rather than sprouting from cells like other mortals.

 

My Review:

 

This was a fun and cleverly written book that was brimming with levity, razor sharp banter, pithy and wry commentary, keenly honed wit, family drama, a bit of intrigue, and most importantly, an enemies to lovers romance. I adored it, and how could I not – as the main characters were intelligent adults who laced their humor with brilliantly placed Scooby-Doo and Harry Potter references. I enjoyed Ms. Parker’s vibrant characters, vivid descriptions, and colorful word choices.   I also gleaned an addition to my Brit word list with sarky, which is Brit slang for sarcastic, as I could never have enough of those words. 😉

About the Author

Lucy Parker lives in the gorgeous Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she feels lucky every day to look out at mountains, lakes, and vineyards. She has a degree in Art History, loves museums and galleries, and doodles unrecognizable flowers when she has writer’s block. Her interest in romantic fiction began with a pre-teen viewing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Firth-style), which prompted her to read the book as well, and the rest was history.

Connect with Lucy

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Book Review:  Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf

 Before She Was Found

by Heather Gudenkauf

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

Hardcover: 368 Pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (April 16, 2019)

A gripping thriller about three young girlfriends, a dark obsession and a chilling crime that shakes up a quiet Iowa town

For twelve-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover—movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences.

Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora—and why? In an investigation that leaves no stone unturned, everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted—not even those closest to Cora.

Before She Was Found is a timely and gripping thriller about friendship and betrayal, about the power of social pressure and the price of needing to fit in. It is about the great lengths a parent will go to protect their child and keep them safe—even if that means burying the truth, no matter the cost.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

I’ve always hated the sound of trains— like an old woman screaming in a thunderstorm.

My Review:

 

I was on edge while reading this brilliantly plotted and well-crafted book, my shoulders were up in my ears and the knots in my neck have additional knots of their own. Heather Gudenkauf is an evil genius and has nimbly contrived a perfectly vexing conundrum that kept me riveted to my Kindle all day. Her word voodoo is strong! Her original and cunningly paced storylines were wickedly confounding and perceptively written from multiple points of view while racking up a multitude of suspects and all kinds of twisty turns and blind alleys.

Ms.  Gudenkauf embedded her story in a small town in Iowa and devilishly cast her tale with realistically obnoxious teens, vulnerable and insecure tweens, bullies of all ages, mean girl middle school pettiness, oblivious adults, and a seventy-five year old urban legend that just wouldn’t die and was being used as bait for a cruel catfish scheme. Each character was uniquely drawn yet this shrewd and devious author is such a wily minx, she taunted and nettled me by never fully fleshing anyone out. Each new piece of information gleaned left me even more curious. I had postulated and cast aside a multitude of theories but only had a small inkling of the actual conclusion. And I must note, Do Pull Inn was truly a smirk-worthy name for a small-town motel.
This riveting book was chosen as my Review of the Month contribution for  LovelyAudiobooks.info

About the Author

Heather Gudenkauf is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and Not a Sound.  Heather lives in Iowa with her family.

.Connect with Heather

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Book Review: The Facilitator – Part 2 by Tracie Podger

The Facilitator, Part 2

by Tracie Podger

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU 

 

The game was over – but who had won? 

Mackenzie Miller thought his life was perfect. He had the woman of his dreams but there was one last piece of his life puzzle to fit. Could he do it in time?

Lauren Perry thought her life was perfect. She had the man of her dreams but when humiliation comes full circle is she brave enough to face it head on?

More importantly, what happens when your list of fantasies has been achieved?

A new list has to be explored, of course.

The Facilitator, part 2 follows on from The Facilitator – this erotic romance features graphic scenes of sex and very colorful language – you have been warned!

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I believe a gentleman should reciprocate,” he said. “I like the reciprocation, but I don’t need a gentleman,” I said.

 

He’ll have a bit of how’s ya father with her and then come to his senses. Sometimes, Lauren, these men, they need to have the sex, get it all out of their system before their brain can work properly.

 

I feel so sorry for you. The acid from the bitterness that consumes you must need a shitload of medication.

 

My Review:

 

This salacious tale was quite a sizzler. This libidinous pair didn’t merely scorch the sheets, their lustful activities and repeated frictions appeared quite capable of setting the bed aflame! I adored Mackenzie and Lauren and enjoyed the continuation of their mutually thoughtful and solicitous love affair. I was also intrigued by the suspenseful storylines and delighted with the sweetly loving and deeply supportive and soul-deep connection the couple shared, although there were several cringe-worthy sensual scenes that took me quite a bit outside my comfort zone.

I would love to know what type of vitamins, magical elixirs, or health regime this licentious couple would have followed, as their stamina was otherworldly. I would certainly buy stock in whatever product could induce such vigor and endurance. I didn’t know whether to be impressed, jealous or horrified when one encounter became so intense Lauren passed out from the bliss. However, the most satisfyingly erotic scene for me was the tender care Mackenzie took in dressing Lauren for a special evening out with clothing that he had personally procured for her. Sigh. He was very attentive and considerate of her.

I picked up some new Brit lingo with how’s ya father – which apparently is a euphemism for sex in the UK.   But I was rather aghast in the results of Googling pie and mash – which was defined as leftover scraps of meat and vegetables baked in a pastry crust and served with mash potatoes drenched in a green parsley sauce, and commonly accompanied with jellied eels and the liquor sauce made from the liquid used to boil the eels. Hmm, I’m not sure I’m adventurous enough for green and eely potatoes on the regular.

Author Bio

 

Tracie Podger currently lives in Kent, UK with her husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. She’s a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor with a passion for writing. Tracie has been fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world where she can indulge in another hobby, underwater photography. She likes getting up close and personal with sharks.

Tracie writes in various genres, Contemporary Romance but likes to explore relationships that are not always easy and there isn’t always a happy ending, Romantic Suspense, Thriller, and Erotic Romance. She likes to have her books feel real with realistic timelines and with strong women who don’t run because the going gets tough. Sex is important between loving people, therefore all her books contain graphic scenes. However, the character’s relationship is more important.

If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact her, she would love to hear from you.

Social Media Links

Facebook    Twitter    Amazon    Instagram

Website    Facebook Reader Group

Facebook Book Club

 

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Book Review: Getting Hot With The Scot by Melonie Johnson

Getting Hot with the Scot

(Sometimes in Love #1)

by Melonie Johnson

 

 

amazon.com    Barnes & Noble    Books-A-Million    iBooks   
IndieBound    kindle    kindle    nook

 

The first in a new series, a journalist focused on her career and a sexy Scottish comedian turn a one night stand into forever.

Cassie Crow leaves for vacation with two goals: fill up her empty charm bracelet and have a one night stand. For once, she wants to have fun instead of obsessively checking her work email. And kissing a man in a castle who’s dressed as a Scottish Highlander is the perfect solution.

Except when that man turns out to be Logan Reid, the host of a popular sketch show—and Cassie has just been roped into his latest prank. She wants nothing to do with his antics, but that was a really great kiss, and one night together couldn’t hurt.

It’s clear that one night isn’t enough and when Logan’s show brings him closer to Cassie, they decide to give dating a try. Can the woman who’s focused solely on her career and the man who refuses to take life seriously make it work?

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Three Weeks ago, Cassie Crow left Chicago armed with a naked charm bracelet and a full box of condoms… No longer bare, her bracelet was loaded with tiny keepsakes she’d found in shops all over Europe. The condom box, however, was still full.

 

Bonnie was a library whore. The mere glimpse of an old book got her more worked up than a boy-band fangirl with a front-row seat and a backstage pass.

 

Contrary to her fantasy version of Scotland, hunky, shirtless guys in kilts weren’t sprinkled liberally across the country.

 

“Shakespeare, Cass. He’s quoting Shakespeare!” Good thing her best friend had an on-the-brink -of-setting-a-date fiancé back home, otherwise Cassie was pretty sure Bonnie would have climbed Logan like a tree and made him her personal Scottish jungle gym.

 

My Review:

 

I knew I was in for a treat when the first sentence already had me smirking. I believe I read most of the book while sporting a delighted smile. This lively tale was brimming with irreverent humor, sassy banter, and clever wit. Each character was endearingly and distinctly drawn with unique traits and odd little quirks that kept me curious and eager to learn more about them. I was knocked out of my favorite pair of red crocs when noticing this well-crafted story was the author’s debut publication. Her writing style was fresh, crisp, and unfailingly engaging with steamy and heart squeezing storylines as well as highly humorous ones.   And it was brilliant casting to feature a devilishly sexy and mischievous ginger who spoke with a Scottish burr and owns his own kilt… Logan was irresistible.

 

I hit the mother load in Scottish Words to add to my British Isle’s Word List with fearty cat – chickenhearted; clatty – slovenly; bampot – Scottish slang for idiot; fashed – bothered or annoyed; fouter – of no value; winching – kissing with tongue; clootie dumplings – a dessert; guffy – someone whose behavior is annoying or getting on your nerves; shavie – a joke or prank; bridies – meat pastry; Hogmanay – Scottish New Year’s Eve; and first-footing – the Scottish custom of going house to house visiting friends for food and drink on New Year’s Eve. Clatty and fearty cat are my current favorites. 

About the Author

A Star Wars junkie and Shakespeare groupie who quotes both Yoda and the Bard with equal aplomb, award-winning author Melonie Johnson—aka #thewritinglush—is a two-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist who loves dark coffee, cheap wine, and expensive beer. And margaritas. And mimosas. And mules. Basically, any cocktail that starts with the letter m. She met her future husband in that most romantic of places—the mall—when they were teenagers working in stores across the hall from each other. They went on to live happily ever after in the suburbs of Chicago with two redhead daughters, a dog that’s more like a small horse, and a trio of hermit crabs. After earning her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago, Melonie taught high school English and Theatre in the northern Chicago suburbs for several years. Now she writes smart and funny contemporary romance and moonlights as an audiobook narrator under the pseudonym, Evelyn Eibhlin.

Author website: https://meloniejohnson.com/

Author Twitter: @MelonieJohnson

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meloniejohnson/

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelonieWrites/

SMP Romance Twitter: @SMPRomance or @heroesnhearts

SMP Romance Website: https://heroesandheartbreakers.com/

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Book Review: Time (Laws of Physics #3) by Penny Reid

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Time (Laws of Physics #3)

by Penny Reid 

“Utterly addictive, fascinating, hilarious, and absolutely electric chemistry!”

— Samantha Young, New York Times Bestselling Author

New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid’s The Laws of Physics Trilogy is complete with TIME!

LOP_TIME

A (brokenhearted) physicist.

Now an infamous (who is LITERALLY EVERYWHERE!! UGH!) musician.

The worst has already happened.

Mona has learned that she has nothing figured out and plans are meaningless. After leaving her in Aspen, Abram is now breaking sales-records, rising to rock star fame almost overnight. Mona can’t seem to escape him. He is literally everywhere, or at least images of him are.

Just when she thinks things can’t get any more confusing, Abram returns . . . What happens next? Only TIME will tell.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Being with you is like living in a song.

 

Give us a chance to win big, and also fail spectacularly.

 

Nothing happened, and yet— and yet, I carry it around with me, empty luggage, and I have no idea why.

 

Please don’t waste energy on this. Haters gonna hate, idiots gonna procreate.

 

Do I like it? Does each action have an equal but opposite reaction? … Sorry. Newton. Not the fig kind.

 

 My Review:

 

I adored this series as well as the precious and cleverly matched couple of Mona and Abram; they were fascinatingly complex, multi-layered, and beautifully textured by the divinely talented Penny Reid. Suffering heinous cliffhangers and a near-fatal dose of angst, finally, (yes finally!) the TIME was right, the planets aligned, and hopefully, soonish, the tension in my neck and shoulders will abate as Abram and Mona have finally fallen into sync with an exceptionally cunning, fun, and smirk-worthy ending.

Download your copy today!

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Start the series today with MOTION!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2T5iZto

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2QYvTaB

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

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Continue the series with SPACE!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SL7P09

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2WOXsrj

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/2I1Rekw

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2GzSvwS

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2RRny94

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2tfBT5C

Excerpt:

I wrapped my arms around her body, lifted her off the ground, and kissed her lips.

She was warm, and soft, and tasted like peppermint and honey. I bit back a groan.

God, she felt good. Great. Celestial. Heavenly. I may have surprised her, but she responded immediately, enthusiastically, twisting her arms around my neck, opening her mouth and welcoming the invasion of mine.

It wasn’t enough.

It was a crumb, and I was starving. Desire—to tighten my hold, devour, take, keep, cherish, to never let her go—obscured thought and sight, and I slipped a hand under her shirt to touch the silky skin of her back, sliding my fingers upward until they rested under her bra strap.

Mona lifted her chin, breaking our mouths apart, and I kissed the point of it, the elegant line of her jaw, the tender spot beneath her ear, the hot skin where Mona’s graceful neck met the slope of her shoulder. I was so hungry for her, I couldn’t stop myself from tasting every exposed inch.

“Abram,” she said, her voice a breathless, disbelieving whisper, followed by a little laugh. Her fingers flexed at the back of my neck, pressing me closer. Every part of my body hummed and vibrated, unable to contain the immensity of now, of this divine feeling.

“You’re here,” she said, her soft voice full of wonder and happiness, soothing the ravenous panic holding me hostage for the past six days. It had been a peculiar kind of madness, not being able to reach her while pretending all was fine, pretending she didn’t occupy my mind every second of the day. But receding now, it left a new kind of turmoil and urgency in its wake.

We had no time.

No, I corrected myself, We have time. We have the rest of our lives.

“I need your fu—your phone number.” I spoke gruffly against her neck, squeezing my eyes shut and breathing her in, again and again, the heat and sweetness of Mona.

I’d missed her, and that was a gross understatement. I’d been speeding toward this moment for days and being with her now felt like the aftermath of a head-on collision. Stupefied, frantic, but determined to enjoy every shared second remaining. My hands were shaking.

We have time. Calm down. Calm down.

Mona laughed lightly, the sound melodic, beautiful, and she pressed a kiss under my ear. “Why didn’t you just ask Leo? Or send me an email?”

Leo.

I worked to keep the darkness of my thoughts from showing on my face as I leaned away, letting her slide to the ground but unwilling to release her fully, fisting my unsteady hands into her T-shirt. “I couldn’t find an email for you anywhere, and neither could Marie. She tried calling your department for me. They told her all media requests had to go through the PR department at the university and it would take two weeks to a month for a response.”

“Ah, that’s true. My email is on lockdown, otherwise it gets out of hand.” She nodded contritely. “But what about Leo?”

“Leo.” I forced my jaw to relax and I lowered my voice but couldn’t completely disguise the intensity of my wrath. “Leo wouldn’t give me your number.”

Mona’s hand moved to my face, her palm pressed against my cheek, the pads of her fingers softly stroking my beard. “What? Are you serious?”

“Yes,” I ground out. “He said he was doing me a favor. So I flew to LA.”

“You flew to LA?” I felt her body tense, and the moment realization dawned, her beautiful eyes growing impossibly large as they moved over my face. “You must be so tired and—but I wasn’t in LA, I was—”

“Here. Yes. I found that out yesterday when I stopped by your department at Caltech and they told me you weren’t due back until Friday,” I rushed to explain, multitasking, using the time to devour the sight of her, soak and submerge in the reality of being here with her.

Calm down. We. Have. Time.

Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full-time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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Connect with Penny:

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

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www.pennyreid.ninja

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Book Review: Bridesmaids by Zara Stoneley

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Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N / iBooks / Waterstones 

 

Meet Rachel, the beautiful bride with BIG plans for the perfect day! The venue is a castle and the dress is designer.  It’s just a shame her husband is a rat.

Maddie and Sally have only one thing in common – they both love the same man!

Beth is a newly single mum with a mystery baby daddy.  Surely the father isn’t someone the girls all know?

And then there’s Jane, the glue holding them all together, but being dumped doesn’t make her the happiest bridesmaid…especially with gorgeous flatmate Freddie complicating things. Will the bride say, ‘I Do!’?  Or will her bridesmaids save the day…and find love along the way?    The most hilarious, feel-good rom-com of the year!

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He has been ‘he who must not be named’ for quite a while now. Mainly because hearing his name led either to an irrational outburst (from me), featuring lots of swear words, and descriptions about what I’d like to do to various parts of his anatomy, or, and this was so much worse, horrible, snot-inducing tears. Don’t you hate it when that happens, when you end up inside out and can’t stop?

I cut his head off all my photos. And a triangle out of the crotch area. And looked if Amazon Prime supplied Voodoo Dolls. They do, just in case you need to know for future reference.

Sally was the girl at school who either already had it all or was damned well going to get it soon. You know the type? You get that longed for pony, next minute she’s got a unicorn. A pink one, that makes dreams come true and farts rainbows.

I’m more Krispy Kreme doughnuts than quinoa, if you know what I mean. And most of that healthy stuff just seems to get stuck in my teeth and annoy me for the rest of the day. Whoever thought a rice cake was a good idea? I mean, who dreamt that the words rice and cake should even be in the same sentence?

‘But I’ll get over it. Plenty more fish in the sea,’ she raises an eyebrow, ‘just not that particular sprat.

 My Review:

 

My perusal of this cleverly crafted tale was rudely interrupted by occasional outbreaks of giggle-snorts and one particularly vivid scene involving a sick infant in a bridal shop that erupted in spasms of laughter that ceased all further reading until normal respirations and clear vision was regained. Ms. Stoneley’s quirky cast of characters and engaging storylines hit all feels in a highly entertaining and pleasantly appealing manner. This was a fun read with a badly behaved groom, poorly kept secrets, and reams of sharp wit and clever snark. A new addition to my Brit word list is bint, which Mr. Google tells me is derogatory (and possibly offensive) slang for a female in the UK but is also used as a cheeky form of endearment in Western Sydney.

This  divinely written book was chosen for my Review of the Month contribution  LovelyAudiobooks.info 

About the Author

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true. 

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’.

Where you can find her-

Website: http://www.zarastoneley.com
Twitter: @ZaraStoneley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZaraStoneley

Instagram: zarastoneley