Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review: Moonshine and Muscadines (Hemlock Creek Book 3) by Josie Kerr

Moonshine and Muscadines 

(Hemlock Creek Book 3)

by Josie Kerr

Goodreads

Amazon  US / UK / CA / AU

 

Tallulah Douglas is starting over. She’s left her abusive husband behind in California and is building a new life for herself and her teenage daughter in the North Georgia mountains. Between working at her family’s vintage shop, volunteering at the local legal aid office, and avoiding the scrutiny of the town’s Gossip Brigade, dating is the last thing on Tally’s mind.

Only two things are worthy of Robert McFerrin’s attention: his eight-year-old daughter and his fledgling distillery business. He just wants to keep his head down and live his life, but unfortunately, memories are long in Hemlock Creek and getting a fresh start is easier said than done.

A captured bouquet and too much muscadine wine sends Tally into Rob’s arms, and smarmy suitor makes her stay there. Can a fake relationship develop into something more?

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“What? What is wrong with you? Who doesn’t like weddings? I love weddings.” A dreamy look drifted across Billie’s face for a split second, and then she was back to her no-nonsense self. “I’m good at weddings. After all, I’ve had four. It’s the marriage part I have a problem with.”

 

If this were a spaghetti western, the main theme song, complete with whistles and the cries of coyotes, would be playing as the two men faced each other across the dusty expanse of desert. But this was actually the lobby of the only modern three-story building in the county, and the elevator music version of that damn Toto song was all Rob could hear as that jackass Chad Bryson eyeballed him.

 

I’m an open book… Okay, I’m an open book that’s facedown and dog-eared and maybe a bit redacted, but I’ll truthfully answer any questions you have.

 

Okay, that was an excellent subject change. Wow. Total boner-killer… Inchworm city over here now.

 

What did this woman look like? Kind of like Miranda Lambert if Miranda Lambert was a freeze-dried chain-smoker?

 

Chloe yawned so wide it seemed as if her head had hinges.

 

My Review:

 

This was a fun and playful read packed with clever humor and observant wit.  Although I never want to live in a small community again, Hemlock Creek sounds like such a hoot where gossip and team fishing are competitive sports and local businesses are as quirky as their eccentric customers with a coffee shop named Nonesuch Possum, a boutique named Goat Waggle, and an antique shop named Backward Glance. The storylines were keenly written, stealthily amusing, buoyantly satisfying and pleasantly enjoyable. I found myself perusing slowly in order to fully savor each well-chosen word. The writing was crisp, pleasingly breezy, and vibrant with colorful and evocative descriptions of each quirky character as well as the sounds and surroundings in each scene. I adored Tallulah, but how could I not? She wore “super-cute leopard-print Mary Janes,” snotted on her boyfriend’s shirt during an ugly cry, and snorted when she laughed. And Robbie Mac was the perfect charmer. I was blithesomely entertained from beginning to end and greedily wished for more, although I always do when I’ve lost myself so thoroughly inside a perfectly written tale. Please, Ms. Kerr, I beg of you, keep this delightful series going.


Josie Kerr   

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Josie Kerr is a transplanted West Texan living on the edge of semi-profoundly rural Georgia, a.k.a. the southernmost edge of the northernmost county in Metro Atlanta.

She has an M.Ed. in Secondary English Education but discovered that she hated high school more the second time than she did the first, so she decided to meld her love of technology with her education background and became an Instructional Designer. When not writing articles about how to fire someone without getting sued or why you should really not apply for jobs using your SexxyStud99@aol.com email address, she writes steamy romance novels that feature grown-up Heroes and Heroines.

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Book Review: Encore (Rock Star Duet #2) by Rachel Lacey

Encore

(Rock Star Duet #2)

by Rachel Lacey

Goodreads

Amazon /  Barnes & Noble /Apple iBooks/ Google /  Kobo 

 

SHE STOLE CENTER STAGE…IN HIS HEART

Rocker Colton Nix would do just about anything to rid himself of the unflattering nickname his womanizing ways have earned him in the tabloids—anything except settle down with a woman, of course. If his parents taught him anything, it’s that love is as fleeting as celebrity. But after a few too many drinks on a private island in the Caribbean, Cole wakes up with the king of all hangovers…and a wedding band on his left ring finger.

Celebrity assistant Jenn MacDonald has her future meticulously planned, and she’s ready to make her next move: becoming a songwriter. Drunk-marrying a rock star was definitely not on the list. When Cole suggests they stay married for six months so that he can ride out the good publicity while helping her launch her new career, she can’t help but say yes. She’s even able to convince herself—almost—that her decision has nothing to do with the way one glance from Cole sets her body humming like the strings on his favorite guitar.

They were near strangers when they exchanged drunken vows on the beach, but the connection—and the attraction—between them is powerful and real. Soon, they’re making beautiful music together, both in and out of bed. They’re giving the performance of their lives, until it all comes crashing down around them. But every great performance deserves an encore, and theirs might just be love.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I do get panties thrown at me onstage, which is less sexy than you’d imagine… Well, some of them are hot, but some of them are dirty… and not in a good way.

 

The most shameful “walk of shame” she’d ever made. The only time she’d ever had to make the walk of shame. Except she hadn’t even gotten laid. She’d gotten married.

 

My Review:

 

I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this steamy and engaging tale much more than I expected, as I don’t often read rocker-star romances. The premise was original and interesting while the writing was well paced, insightfully observant, and held my avid attention. And as enticing as all that was, I always find Ms. Lacey’s characters to be my favorite aspect of her work. Her characters tend to be well nuanced, alluring, a bit fractured, and undeniably endearing. I’ve heard of drunk-dialing, and umm, maybe even committed that discourteous act a time or ten, but drunk-married was a new term and whole other level of faux pas, hooray – I don’t feel so shame-faced now.

About the Author

Rachel Lacey is a contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She’s been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in warm and sunny North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of rescue pets.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

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Book Review, Giveaway: UP TO YOU (A Love with Altitude Novel #4) by Daisy Prescott

Today we are celebrating the release of

UP TO YOU by Daisy Prescott.

This is the fourth book in the

Love with Altitude standalone series.

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Purchase UP TO YOU on Amazon  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

UP TO YOU

 (A Love with Altitude Novel #4)

by Daisy Prescott

Amazon  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

 

BOOK BLURB: 

I’m the last single woman among my friends. Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m fine with flying solo, especially with ski season right around the corner. You won’t hear me complaining. Until my mother decides I need a date for my cousin’s wedding … and chooses the worst man in the world for me.

Landon Roberts is the human equivalent of a parka with every ski pass he’s ever purchased hanging off of his zipper. Apparently my mother is the last person in Colorado to know about Landon’s reputation.

To make things worse, his super hot brother Aiden’s back in town. Still gorgeous and still not remotely interested in me.

I can survive this wedding disaster as long as I pretend my date is someone else.

***

As one of the stars of Aspen’s rugby club, I don’t need help meeting women. Tell that to my mother. She’s picked out my date for the biggest wedding of the year.

Mae London is the local girl who broke every heart in the valley before she left for California. Now she’s back and hotter than ever. Too bad she hates me.

Enlisting the help of my brother, I’m going to become the ideal man, and charm Mae right out of her bad opinion of me.

This wedding date will be perfect as long as I pretend to be someone else.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Thanks to me and my advice of getting back on the horse after her last relationship ended, she met Justin. I guess she took me literally, and not only rode the horse, but the cowboy, too. Can’t blame her. Justin wearing a pair of chaps does cause spontaneous ovulation.

 

Man, you’re a mess. No wonder your dating life has more punches than a loyalty card at Fuel Coffee.  

 

“You went out with Landon Roberts, too?” Placing my pint on a napkin in front of me, the bartender gives me a sympathetic smile. We need a secret sign or pin for the Sisterhood of the Unfortunate.

 

…he’s getting worse with age, instead of better. Instead of being a fine wine or cheese, he’s a stale, three-day-old loaf of bread or a questionable almond that leaves a bitter aftertaste.

 

You’ve just ruined me for all other men. Are you okay with that? Because if this doesn’t work out, I’m going to die alone with dozens of cats and a huge collection of balloon knick-knacks, and it will be all your fault.

 

My Review:

 

This was a delightfully fun and pleasurable read loaded with clever and amusing wit, appealing characters, and comical observations.   The storylines were humorous, engaging, easy to follow, and a little steamy. I haven’t read all the previous books in the series and while it wasn’t necessary, the idea of spending more time with this quirky cluster of friends is undeniably tempting.

 

PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

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NEXT TO YOU (A Love with Altitude Novel, #1)

GET IT FOR FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Amazon  |  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  Barnes & Noble

CRAZY OVER YOU (A Love with Altitude Novel, #2)

Amazon  |  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  Barnes & Noble

WILD FOR YOU (A Love with Altitude Novel, #3)

Amazon  |  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  Barnes & Noble

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

new daisy prescott full size

 

USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies about real love.

Her Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways. Her Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall. Daisy’s Love with Altitude latest small town, rom-com series is set in Aspen, Colorado. Bewitched is a magical serial set in Salem, Massachusetts. Don’t miss her standalone, Tinfoil Heart, a rom-com about love, letting go, and little green men.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

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Book Review: Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson

Matchmaking for Beginners

by Maddie Dawson

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Hardcover: 370 pages

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (June 1, 2018)

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Marnie MacGraw wants an ordinary life—a husband, kids, and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Then Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s irascible matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying, and everything changes—just as Blix told her it would.

When her marriage ends after two miserable weeks, Marnie is understandably shocked. She’s even more astonished to find that she’s inherited Blix’s Brooklyn brownstone along with all of Blix’s unfinished “projects”: the heartbroken, oddball friends and neighbors running from happiness. Marnie doesn’t believe she’s anything special, but Blix somehow knew she was the perfect person to follow in her matchmaker footsteps.

And Blix was also right about some things Marnie must learn the hard way: love is hard to recognize, and the ones who push love away often are the ones who need it most.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Pay no attention to Wendy… She missed the class on manners because she was attending two extra courses on personal intimidation.

 

The life force is running out of this room! I’ve been at funerals that had better vibrations than this.

 

We never got married because I’ve finally learned that if you have to bring the law into your personal relationships, then you’re doing it wrong.

 

One time he said to me, “You know, I had a great six-pack when I was young,” and I said to him, “Bragging about beer is so unbecoming for an old man.”

 

It’s like he’s a person who has his emotions in a safety deposit box somewhere, and he forgot where he put it.

 

My Review:

 

Matchmaking for Beginners was the second superbly written book of Maddie Dawson’s that I have had the pleasure of reading. It produced a near-constant smirk and frequent subvocal chuckling. I have a strong compulsion to stop everything and simply indulge in all the various publications of this woman’s clever and creative work as I reveled in her word skills. I adored her highly amusing, clever, and keenly crafted storylines from start to finish. Her quirky characters were each uniquely, inexplicably, and magnetically intriguing, even the villains.

The main character of Marnie was an oddly unobservant bubblehead who was all too easily tilted off the rails and careening towards ruin. While I may have wanted to give her a few smacks to the head with my Kindle, I also found her extraordinarily endearing and held my breath for her on numerous occasions. Ms. Dawson’s humor was well-honed, shiny, and crisp. I particularly enjoyed the witty exchanges between Marnie and Patrick, the “luminous” misanthropic hermit living in the dank basement. Sigh, more, please!

 

About Maddie Dawson

Maddie Dawson grew up in the South, born into a family of outrageous storytellers. Her various careers as a substitute English teacher, department-store clerk, medical-records typist, waitress, cat sitter, wedding-invitation-company receptionist, nanny, daycare worker, electrocardiogram technician, and Taco Bell taco maker were made bearable by thinking up stories as she worked. Today she lives in Guilford, Connecticut, with her husband. She’s the bestselling author of five previous novels: The Survivor’s Guide to Family Happiness, The Opposite of Maybe, The Stuff That Never Happened, Kissing Games of the World, and A Piece of Normal.

Connect with Maddie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

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Book Review: Atticus by S. Bennett

Atticus: A Woman’s Journey with the World’s Worst Behaved Dog

Sawyer Bennett writing as S. Bennett

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Purchase Atticus:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play

| Kobo | Paperback | Audible

 

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/Atticus_GR

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Synopsis:

A heart-warming and deliciously funny story about the world’s worst-behaved dog and how he trained his human how to love herself again.

Through the haze of vodka and self-loathing, Hazel Roundtree saw the poor creature lying in a ditch.

One brown eye. One blue.

Covered in mud and crying from pain, the puppy was desperately trying to free itself from a hopeless situation.

She almost kept walking by. She had her own problems and besides… no one had ever stopped to help her.

Who we’re ultimately meant to be is a journey without end, but there’s always a defined start…

Hazel had no idea the dog would be her beginning, her second chance, the miracle she never saw coming. She named him Atticus. He grew up to be a very bad—and completely awesome—dog. He took Hazel on a life-changing journey filled with mischievous adventure and painful heartbreak. In the end, Hazel grew up to be completely awesome, too.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I call it killing them softly,” he says, his voice so gentle and tender I can barely hear him. “It’s a beautiful and peaceful way to die. It’s an honor for me to help them make that transition.” My head snaps to the right where I stare out the window, furiously blinking back the tears from my eyes. For all the grouchy, assholish ways this man has treated me on most occasions, I just realized he may have one of the kindest hearts I’ve known.

 

I realized my dog would always be an unruly child.

 

I wouldn’t put it past your dog to be interested in the news… He’s smart, that one. Like deviously smart. Sometimes I find myself watching what I say around him so as not to be a bad influence.

 

 My Review:

 

I’m feeling a bit stunned after reading this heart-squeezing and evocative tale, much like a deer in headlights. I’ve never read a book quite like it as it was written with a dual POV (my favorite), although one POV was from a mischievous canine named Atticus, whose POV was just as compelling and insightful as his human guardian’s. The premise was captivating and original and the storylines were ingeniously crafted and well paced. The rag-tag grouping of characters were not always admirable yet I adored them as each had an impressive tale that had made them persuasively appealing, realistically flawed and world-weary. The writing was devastatingly insightful, cleverly amusing, and easy to fall into.   I frequently smirked at the colorful depictions of the dog’s antics, motivations, and wit, while the human storylines often plucked at the other end of the emotional spectrum and stung my eyes and put a hot rock in my throat a few times. I seldom shed actual tears but will also confess to a blubbering meltdown during the last few chapters before reaching the oh so satisfying and sweet conclusion. I zipped to Goodreads and double-checked to be sure, but I was appalled to realize I had never read Sawyer Bennett’s work before picking up this dear and delightful treat. An error on judgment I plan to rectify with regular redress.


About the Author: S. Bennett is the pen name for New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sawyer Bennett. Under the name S. Bennett, Sawyer writes general, young adult and women’s fiction stories that deal with the realities we face on a daily basis such as love, loss, personal growth and all things in between. She tackles difficult issues with grace, while adding her signature humor along the way. Because Sawyer is a romance writer at heart, you’re likely to find a love story within each of her books, though it’s not always a guarantee. When she isn’t writing as S. Bennett, she’s writing contemporary romance as Sawyer Bennett, and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.

Connect with Sawyer:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BennettBooks

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sawyerbennett123/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Sawyer_Bennett

Book+Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/sawyerbennett

Sign up for Sawyer’s newsletter: http://sawyerbennett.com/signup/

Follow Atticus on social media!!

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Book Review: Breezy by Kelsie Rae

Breezy

by Kelsie Rae

Goodreads

Amazon 

 

Breezy comes from a place without hurricanes, but that never stopped her from blowing in and causing chaos wherever she goes. She’s feisty, energetic, and unafraid of speaking her mind. She’s also a hot mess in need of a job.

Derrick’s used to dealing with all types of people. After all, he owns his own business. But when he meets Breezy, she impacts him harder than any storm ever could. Too bad even the gorgeous new girl in HR can’t make him break his one rule: no dating employees. Ever.

There’s just one problem. Breezy’s never been good at following directions, and her boss isn’t the only one with a serious office crush. Can the new girl convince him to throw caution to the wind?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Yeah, I’m pretty sure all the good ones are taken or gay. Whoever said there’s a lot of fish in the sea hasn’t been fishing around here.

 

I swear, anytime I’m around this guy he makes me sweat like a sinner in church.

 

I always thought nerds were supposed to be overweight virgins living in their moms’ basements. Not a hot British guy with sexy glasses.

 

FYI, we are not in a relationship, and he’s made it very clear I have cooties.

 

I’m sorry, mate, but shagging in public is slightly frowned upon in the States. Maybe you should head to Amsterdam?

 

My Review:

 

This delightful book was good fun and gave off more sparkle than a highly polished disco ball.   I adored these smart, enticing, and feisty characters and I doubly enjoyed their quick banter, individual quirks, and sassy wit. Breezy was not only the cheeky main character’s nickname but an apt description of the author’s highly amusing and clever writing style. Bree was adorable; she was capable, genuine, ballsy, witty and prone to impulsivity, clumsiness, and chaos. She also snored and drooled in her sleep. I was hard-pressed to believe that this clever manuscript laced with endearing characters was merely Ms. Rae’s second book as it was exceptionally well-crafted, playfully entertaining, immediately engaging, and kept a gleeful smirk on my lips throughout. Kelsie Rae is one to watch as she undoubtedly has a successful future ahead of her. I greedily covet all her words – whether from past, present, and future accomplishments.

About the Author


Kelsie prides herself on writing straight from her own heart, which is how she fell into sweet contemporary romance. She’s a sucker for a love story with all the feels. When she’s not chasing words for her next book, you will probably find her reading or, more likely, playing with her “monsters”.

She adores chocolate, photography, baking, chick flicks, and running. And now that she’s actively pursuing her writing dreams, she’s set her sights on someday finding the self-discipline to not eat an entire batch of cookies in one sitting.

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Book Review: The Widow’s Watcher by Eliza Maxwell

 The Widow’s Watcher

by Eliza Maxwell

Amazon 

Books-A-Million 

 Barnes & Noble

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Paperback: 286 pages

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (May 29, 2018)

From Eliza Maxwell, the bestselling author of The Unremembered Girl, comes a gripping novel about the mysteries that haunt us and the twists of fate that can unravel them…

Living in the shadow of a decades-old crime that stole his children from him, reclusive Lars Jorgensen is an unlikely savior. But when a stranger walks onto the ice of a frozen Minnesota lake, her intentions are brutally clear, and the old man isn’t about to let her follow through.

Jenna Shaw didn’t ask for Lars’s help, nor does she want it. After he pulls her from the brink, however, Jenna finds her desire to give up challenged by their unlikely friendship. In Jenna, Lars recognizes his last chance for redemption. And in her quest to solve the mysteries of Lars’s past and bring him closure, Jenna may find the way out of her own darkness.

But the truth that waits threatens to shatter it all. When secrets are surrendered and lies are laid bare, Jenna and Lars may find that accepting the past isn’t their greatest challenge. Can they afford the heartbreaking price of forgiveness?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“They spend their whole lives walking away from you,” the kindergarten teacher had said on her little girl’s first day. “Your job now is to be there when they look back.”

 

“When the judge said, ‘For better or worse,’ I agreed quick enough.” Lars pinned her with his piercing gaze. “Nobody tells you how bad the worse can get.”

 

She marveled at his matter-of-factness. Was it an innate part of him, or was this what years and the grinding sands of loss did to a person? Shaped them into something smooth and hard and polished.

 

Hope was a frightening thing to rekindle. As impossible to control as a wildfire on a dry plain.

 

No matter how many years go by, the past never really lets you go.” She ran her hands up and down her arms, as if to ward off a chill. “It’s sewn in, like patches on one of my old granny’s quilts. You can run from it all you like, but it’s part of you. Goes where you go.

 

What exactly is involved in playing knick-knack, paddy-whack anyway? And why does it need to happen on my knee? The old man sounds kind of sketchy.

 

My Review:

 

I’m not exactly sure how to classify the genre of this exceptionally poignant and beautifully written book, it was a Contemporary piece with elements of Suspense, but it wasn’t a Thriller. In addition, I also noted considerable Family Drama, Women’s Fiction issues, mental illness, and an unsolved Mystery that spanned thirty years. With a regal wave of my well-manicured hand, I push all that to the side as I have decided I want new categories of Brilliant, Ingeniously Crafted, and Extraordinarily Well-Written.

 

Eliza Maxwell has word voodoo. I was quickly pulled into a disquieting and often uncomfortable vortex of unresolved issues and unsettling events, and oddly enough, I didn’t want to crawl back out. The characters were many and all were irreparably fractured, some hanging by a thread, and most were not always likable or admirable. Yet by the end of this uncannily insightful and maddeningly paced story, I understood that they had each been existing with and working at living through a long series of harrowing events as best they could, and I adored every single one of them by the time I arrived at the epilogue. I seldom cry but this eloquently evocative tale moved me, my eyes stung with an unusual wetness while my throat burned and felt constricted on several occasions. The storylines were brilliantly crafted, tautly written, and hard to quit as they were fraught with addictive tension and prickling intrigue. Sigh, my abused and bruised coronary muscle needs a rest, I believe I’ll be hitting the TBR for a comedy next.

 

About the Author

Eliza Maxwell is the author of 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 | Twitter | Instagram

 

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Book Review: Only With You (Man Enough #4) by Nicole McLaughlin 

Only With You

 (Man Enough #4)

by Nicole McLaughlin 

The men in Nicole McLaughlin’s Man Enough series are tough Alphas devoted to serving their country and the women who love them.

National Guardsman Aiden King has been attracted to Hannah Walters for a while, but he never made a move because of her close relationship with his best friend. But when circumstances change, Aiden is surprised when his friend gives his blessing. Problem is, there’s a reason he’s still alone after all these years, and as much as he wants her, that secret keeps him from acting on his desires.

Hannah has finally decided to wait for the kind of love you read about in books and see in movies. After her failed engagement, Aiden’s unassuming support has become a touchstone for Hannah. It soon becomes apparent that he may be exactly the kind of man she’s been looking for. But the closer they become, the more he keeps her at arm’s length.

When Aiden suggests a road trip to take Hannah’s mind off her troubles, the two of them go on a journey neither one expected. She just hopes that the final destination is them together for good.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Talk about good guys. Jase’s fellow National Guardsman and close friend was like a unicorn of men: kind, quiet, gentlemanly… he was handsome— in that bearded wilderness-man kind of way. He was also big and buff and could probably pick her up with his pinkie finger. As big as he was, did that mean . . . And just like that her mind went to a naughty place.

 

I hate the thought that maybe I’m not capable of the necessary feelings to be someone’s forever person. I mean, is that something you learn? Because if so I was obviously busy focusing on kissing when I should have been paying attention.

 

At the end of the day, I’m just an absolute hypocrite because I want to do what I want, when I want it, without anyone’s input. But I also want someone to do what I want with me, because who wants to do anything fun alone? And kissing. I miss kissing, Dad. Although we both know I’m using the word kissing, but I really… Sorry. Didn’t mean for that to get weird.

 

“This place has the worst name,” she said before they got out of the truck at Smokin’ D’s. “Sounds like a bra set on fire.”

 

 My Review:

 

Although the premise and back-story were truly heartbreaking, Ms. McLaughlin provided engaging storylines with humorous observations and intriguing and enticing tidbits that kept the emotional tone well-balanced and easy to read. The traumatic issues suffered by the characters are sadly relevant in our world and resulting problems were realistically put forward in a humanizing and admirable manner. I applaud and covet Ms. McLaughlin’s agile word skills. I adored these endearing and quirky characters; they squeezed my heart while also providing me with a near constant smirk. More, please.

About the Author 

Amazon  Website

Nicole loves to read, bake, make lists, and binge watch an entire television show season in one day. She lives with her husband and three boys in a small town outside of Kansas City.

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Book Review, Giveaway: When the Waters Recede by Graham Smith

When the Waters Recede

by Graham Smith

Goodreads

Amazon US / UK

 

When a car is pulled from raging floodwaters with a dead man in the front and the decapitated body of an evil woman in the boot, Cumbria’s Major Crimes Team are handed the investigation.

The woman is soon recognized, but the man cannot be identified and this leads the team and their former leader, Harry Evans, into areas none of them want to visit.

Before they know it, they’re dealing with protection scams and looking for answers to questions they didn’t know needed to be asked.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Blessed with neither looks nor brains, she’d fought her way through life, powered by nothing more than a sharp tongue and a cruel streak… Such was her popularity, the list of suspects for her murder wouldn’t be a short one. Everyone who spent more than five seconds in her company could be added to the list, as they’d be sure to want her dead.

 She was a right vicious piece of work. If she fell into the Amazon even the piranhas would be afraid to bite her.

 If Bell’s wife was a car she’d be a twenty-year-old banger with a possible oil leak and dodgy brakes.

 The DCI was a capricious man, who had the square head and shoulders of a rampaging bull – and the temperament to match.

 Eric Adamson didn’t so much have a chip on his shoulder, but the whole potato field.

 Tony made the kind of face only a gargoyle sculptor would appreciate… 

My Review:

 

I was quickly immersed and held enthrall with rapt attention by Mr. Smith’s gripping tale and evocative writing. His uniquely peculiar characters were as compelling as his cunningly crafted and well-honed storylines. I relished and eagerly anticipated his clever introductions and amusingly colorful descriptions of each character, which I tended to pause over and savor, as they never failed to call forth a full visual such as, “His comb-over reached from ear to ear and a small bloodstain decorated one of his chins where a razor had nicked the skin.”

There were several intriguing and tautly written storylines which pull me so deeply into their vortex that I started hearing their different voices with accents, and I couldn’t wait to see how each of the complex threads was going to intertwine. The Cumbria Major Crimes police unit was staffed by a group of quirky, complex, and multi-layered personalities with complicated relationships existing between them. Intricate deceptions were everywhere. This was a superbly written first-rate mystery and I loved every confounding puzzle piece and came away quite satisfied with the stimulating entertainment.

And score! I hit a treasure trove and now have several new entries for my Brit vocabulary list which now includes toerags (a contemptible or despicable person), taken the mickey (take the fight out of), rubber-heeler (internal police investigation units), fly–pitching (street selling), owt (anything) and nowt (nothing).

About Graham Smith

Graham Smith is a time served joiner who has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000, he has been the manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

He is an internationally best-selling Kindle author and has four books featuring DI Harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team, and three novels, featuring Utah doorman, Jake Boulder.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well-respected website Crimesquad.com since 2009

Graham is the founder of Crime and Publishment, a weekend of crime-writing classes which includes the chance for attendees to pitch their novels to agents and publishers. Since the first weekend in 2013, eight attendees have gone on to sign publishing contracts.

Graham can be found at

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

Twitter
https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972

Website
www.grahamsmithauthor.com

Giveaway

 

 

To celebrate the release of When the Waters Recede, Graham Smith is offering one lucky reader the chance to win all six books in the Harry Evans series.

To enter, simply sign up for his newsletter via the link provided before the 5th of June 2018 and you’ll be entered into not just this competition, but all competitions that he runs. Entrants from the whole world are welcome.


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Book Review: Inescapable by C.J. Fallowfield 

Inescapable

by C.J. Fallowfield 

 

Haunted by the ghosts of her past, Alex Bishop flees to London, but soon finds that she can’t outrun her demons.

Reclusive billionaire Tate Castle enters her life as it begins to spiral out of control, and the primal attraction that flares between them knocks her world off its axis. His proposition seems to be the answer to all of her problems, but her acceptance will change their lives irreparably.

Suspense, drama, and passion follow them from the capital to his idyllic Caribbean hideout, as they struggle to reconcile their mutual desire with the deep emotional scars they bear.

Alex is quickly dragged back into her worst nightmare, where she has to fight for what she desires, and her very survival.

They learn the hard way that you can run, but you can never hide. Destiny is inescapable, it will always find you.

Inescapable is a standalone erotic romance novel with suspense.

Warning – As a domestic violence survival story, this novel may contain triggers.

 

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘I eat danger for breakfast,’ he scoffed, then wilted under my “now’s not the time for your jokes” look. ‘Actually, I eat Coco Pops for breakfast. No, that’s a lie too. I don’t eat them, I leave them sitting in a big bowl of milk, until they unleash all of their chocolatey goodness into it. Then I strain the annoying cereal bits out and drink the delicious nectar.’

 I’d even push Patrick Dempsey under a bus for him, and you know how bad I have it for him.

 I’m not falling, I’ve already fallen, so hard I feel broken when you’re not in my field of vision.

 

My Review:

 

I always take great pleasure in witnessing the transformation of victim to survivor. I was somewhat apprehensive that this would be a dark read, and while it had some cringe-worthy and gasp-inducing moments of torment where I was actually holding my breath, it was not overly gruesome or lurid. The storyline was engaging, intriguing, emotive, and well-crafted. I adore C.J. Fallowfield and want all her words.   As with all her work, I cherished her well-drawn characters and rooted for their progress. I also found a new phrase to add to my Brit Vocabulary list, of “ten to the dozen” which is an informal UK expression meaning very quickly.

 

EMPRESS DJ

About the Author

 
Enough heat to make the pages sizzle, romance to make you swoon, strong characters with depth and emotions to 

pluck at your heartstrings, and humor to make you laugh out loud. Roll all of that into one novel, or in C.J.’s case a lot of novels, and you have the measure of her books. Unless of course, you count the odd twist she likes to throw in to keep readers on their toes. C.J. comes from the United Kingdom and is half-French. She lives in the wonderful countryside of Wales, surrounded by rolling hills, trees and fields full of sheep and cows. She is yet to find her Prince Charming, but lives with her extremely pampered fur baby, Pumpkin, kitten of mass destruction.

C.J Fallowfield. is an Amazon #1 UK and international bestselling author of contemporary humorous erotic romance novels. She released her debut novel in January 2014.

Her alter-ego, Charlotte Fallowfield is an Amazon UK and international bestselling author of sweet, and sex free, romantic comedy novels.

Sign up for her newsletters to be kept up to date on her frequent promotions and giveaways, as well as to get exclusive first looks at covers, teasers, excerpts and her latest releases: