Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review: MY ONE REGRET by Claudia Burgoa

MY ONE REGRET

by Claudia Burgoa

 My One Regret is a contemporary romance, standalone title. Check out the images and purchase links below to get it while it’s 99 cents!

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Synopsis:

When he left her, he made the biggest mistake of his life. But now she might be gone for good. 

Kaden Hades couldn’t handle touring with his rock band and a relationship— until he discovered Sadie, the love of his life. But when tragedy struck with his teenage daughter, Kaden broke off the engagement, swearing to put his kids first.

Then he gets the phone call. Sadie’s been in a car accident. 

By the time he reaches her side, she is critical.

With Sadie in a coma, memories flood Kaden’s mind. Her kisses. And all the wonderful experiences they shared. The day it all went wrong…and Kaden made the biggest mistake of his life. Now, as her last line of defense against those who’ve given up hope, he’ll move heaven and earth to protect her.

Because she’s always had his heart—but if he loses her, his world will come apart.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m too old to be kissing toads, knowing they’ll never become princes.

 

Sadie was an open book, and yet as strange as the deep blue sea. She was starlight with a hint of darkness. A beautiful chaos that drew me into her world.

 

Your smile brightens my day. You’re the sun. I’m a sunflower who follows you along.

 

I forgot that life is a sequence of beads of many sizes, colors, and textures. Just because I encounter a few ugly ones, doesn’t mean that it’s over.

 

My Review:

 

I don’t know what it is about Claudia Burgoa, but she seems to weave a magical spell that holds me spellbound to her angsty books, despite my typical abhorrence and aversion to stories that features some of my least favorite tropes. She has mad skills and wicked word-craft. She also employed clever humor, endearing and nuanced characters, and deliciously sensual love scenes to balance the angsty narrative. I adored these characters and their complicated and heart squeezing love story. She was his Hummingbird and, as was befitting as he was a singer, he was her Nightingale. Yet they also teased by fired off creative and amusing nicknames that frequently had me smirking, such as Sugar Tush, Poochie Doo, Puddin’ Knickers, Poopsy Doodle, Muffin Bun, Sugar Booger, and Mr. Fudge Nuggets –  just to name a few.

 

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:


Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado working for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. And a wonderful husband who shares her love for all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.

 

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Book Review: Unwritten by Rachel Lacey

Unwritten

(Rock Star Duet #1)

by Rachel Lacey 

Amazon US / UK / Can ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~

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The first book in Rachel Lacey’s sizzling new Rock Star Duet, where the only thing brighter than the glare of the spotlight is the power of love.

Pop sensation and Hollywood star Katherine Hayes has worked hard to maintain her squeaky-clean image. But with nude photos going viral on the internet, the ensuing smear campaign threatens to ruin everything.

A chance meeting with a handsome college professor—who’s adorably clueless about her identity—is a rare break from the stress. But when shocked recognition dawns in his eyes, her survival mechanism kicks in. She can’t simply let him walk away to add grist to the rumor mill.

Josh Randall has already loved and lost his soulmate. Yet when he witnesses Kate in a vulnerable moment, he can’t deny the pull between them. Even though he believes down to his bones that true love doesn’t come twice in a lifetime.

A no-strings fling sounds like the perfect solution. But Kate never expected Josh to see the woman hiding behind the celebrity—or that the paparazzi would catch on to their sizzling passion so quickly. Making it hard to keep their tangled emotions from tearing their hearts apart when it’s time to say goodbye…

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

You blend in like a supermodel at a nun convention.

 My Review:

 

I enjoyed this well-crafted and heart-squeezing story from beginning to end. The writing was engaging and emotive while the storyline was entertaining, active, and well-paced. Ms. Lacey is a recent find for me and I have greatly appreciated her word skills with each foray into her work. Her characters tend to be uniquely flawed yet enticing and endearing.   She has my attention now as I have joined the ranks of her adoring fans.

 

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: The Good Luck Sister – Wildstone Book 1.5 by Jill Shalvis

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This summer, romance blooms again in Wildstone!
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The Good Luck Sister

Wildstone – Book 1.5

Jill Shalvis

William Morrow/Harper Collins
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After a difficult few years, Tilly Adams is ready for life to start going right. Though she has a case of first day nerves teaching art at the local community college, she knows it isn’t anything a few snuggles from her rescue puppy won’t cure. Until she sees Dylan Scott again, her one-time BFF and first love sitting in the front row.
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Dylan knows he should’ve left well enough alone, but when he sees Tilly living her dream, he can’t help but make contact. Ten years ago, he left Wildstone and everything in it behind,  including Tilly. He had his reasons, but now he wants her back in his life, anyway he can get her.

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When Tilly agrees to design the logo for Dylan’s new helicopter touring company, it’s business only…until she finds herself falling into his arms once again. Can she possibly open her heart back up to the only man who’s ever broken it? But soon they’re both realizing the truth — love always deserves a second chance.
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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

There’s like ten different levels of dating now before you actually date. It’s so confusing to me that it makes me need a nap.

I’ve gone to the hospital twice with false labor. I’m not going to embarrass myself again. This baby’s going to be halfway out before I go back.

I thought I’d let myself down, but then you came along and saw me as a better version of myself.

My Review:

This was a quick, fun, amusing, and sweet read with a few licks of sizzle and steam. In other words – nirvana. She is a recent find for me but I am going to follow Jill Shalvis until my last breath, I adore her style and covet her delightfully clever arrangements of words.

 
Read the story that started it all!
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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

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Win a 30 minute Skype session with Jill to discuss herupcoming release, RAINY DAY FRIENDS, along with up to 10 print copies of the book and a $50 Panera Bread gift card!

To enter, purchase THE GOOD LUCK SISTER, $1.99, a Wildstone novella releasing on May 1st, and then hit the link and complete the form! Winner will be announced on May 15th, and contacted by email address.

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: Save Me by Cecy Robson

SAVE ME

by Cecy Robson

O’Brien Family, #5

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SYNOPSIS:

RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in SAVE ME, it’s time for Seamus, the family’s most notorious bachelor, to find true love.

Three weddings. No date. What’s a hot stud to do when all the women on his speed dial are either serving dinner to their families or serving time?

Out of all the O’Briens, Seamus is the best-looking, most creative, and, did I mention, best-looking? Single at almost forty wasn’t a big deal until every sibling in his large and loud Irish family found “the one.” Now, he’s desperate for a wedding date, one he doesn’t have to worry will make out with the limo driver or rob the bride and groom blind.

Allie Mendes is the good daughter, who’s spent her life living in her perfect sister’s shadow. But when her sister steals the man Allie was supposed to marry, that shadow she’s lived in threatens to swallow her whole. Allie wants to believe a bright future awaits. But when she begs God to save her from this disastrous twist of fate, the last person she expects Him to send her is Seamus O’Brien.

Allie needs a stand-in boyfriend to avoid appearing as lonely as she feels. Seamus needs a decent woman without an ankle bracelet or a rap sheet as long as his muscular arms. The two make a deal to pose as each other’s perfect date. But weddings mean romance and a chance at forever neither had planned.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

There are a few grays on my temples, too, but for some reason the chest hair seems to bother him more… “It’s what the ladies call dignified.” They really don’t. More to the point, they say things like, “Ride me, cowboy” or “faster, my probation officer will be here soon.” The latter only happened once, okay twice, but in my defense, it was with the same broad.

 

I wanted to get married on the beach with just us. But no. Ma insists I get married in a church or risk God releasing a plague that will have flying monkeys shooting out of my lady bits. No one needs that…

 

We just don’t want you to be alone, you know? You hear about those spinster women found dead, their faces half-eaten by their twenty cats. We don’t want that to be you. We don’t want to find you dead, alone, surrounded by asshole cats licking their whiskers.

 

We’re going to need to drop a few bills on new clothes. The hair, I know someone who can fix it… You look like a Mormon and not the good kind. I mean the cult kind. The one with multiple wives and three hundred kids. The kind that make us Irish look infertile. Seriously, Allie. You’re sexy and everything. But if you told me you’re number four of six sister wives, I’d believe you based on what you’re wearing.

 

I try to tone down my smirk. It doesn’t work. Smirks are like wolves. You have to let them loose to run free.

 

She thought the guy was a manager at CBS. Turns out he’s a manager at CVS. She’s freaking out, trying to get it annulled, even though they spent the night banging like grizzlies in the woods with cymbals.

 My Review:

 

I haven’t had this much fun in ages. Save Me was outrageously witty and highly amusing. I smirked and barked aloud more than a few times as I read. This is only my second time reading the delightfully clever words of Cecy Robson, but I am now a devoted and rabid fangirl. I adore and admire her to such a massive degree she could hit me up for a kidney if she were in need of a spare. I gleefully inhaled this engaging tale that not only had me howling with mirthful laughter but also found me choking up with sweet tears during a tenderly written and emotionally moving wedding scene. I am greedy to read all the previous books in this series as well as every other book this talented scribe has produced. I gluttonously covet all her clever words.

 

DON’T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE O’BRIEN FAMILY SERIES WHICH CAN ALL BE READ AS STANDALONES!

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ABOUT CECY ROBSON

Cecy Robson is an author of contemporary and new adult romance, young adult adventure, and award-winning urban fantasy. A double-nominated RITA® Finalist, Winner of the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and published author of more than twenty titles, you can typically find Cecy on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

Connect with Cecy online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Profile

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Book Review: Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

Same Beach, Next Year

by Dorothea Benton Frank

 

 HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank returns to her magical Lowcountry of South Carolina in this bewitching story of marriage, love, family, and friendship that is infused with her warm and engaging earthy humor and generous heart.

One enchanted summer, two couples begin a friendship that will last more than twenty years and transform their lives.

A chance meeting on the Isle of Palms, one of Charleston’s most stunning barrier islands, brings former sweethearts, Adam Stanley and Eve Landers together again. Their respective spouses, Eliza and Carl, fight sparks of jealousy flaring from their imagined rekindling of old flames. As Adam and Eve get caught up on their lives, their partners strike up a deep friendship—and flirt with an unexpected attraction—of their own.

Year after year, Adam, Eliza, Eve, and Carl eagerly await their reunion at Wild Dunes, a condominium complex at the island’s tip end, where they grow closer with each passing day, building a friendship that will withstand financial catastrophe, family tragedy, and devastating heartbreak. The devotion and love they share will help them weather the vagaries of time and enrich their lives as circumstances change, their children grow up and leave home, and their twilight years approach.

Bursting with the intoxicating richness of Dorothea Benton Frank’s beloved Lowcountry—the sultry sunshine, cool ocean breezes, icy cocktails, and starry velvet skies—Same Beach, Next Year is a dazzling celebration of the infrangible power of friendship, the enduring promise of summer, and the indelible bonds of love.

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

He was with a woman, a very large woman, who had to be at least ten years older than him, if not twenty.   She was towering over a grinning Ted, wearing a black mink coat to the ground, high heels that could produce altitude sickness, and enough makeup to scare the hell out of Estee Lauder… “Merry Christmas, y’all!” she said in a smoky voice that suggested a lifetime of dedication to tobacco products.

 

Let’s be honest.   Who could please Cookie? She’d find fault with the pope himself! He’d come to dinner and bring baked ziti and she’d hate it! She’d hate the pope’s baked ziti! She’d tell him it tasted like dog shit. Believe me!   I’ve given this a lot of thought!

 

The air was thick with contentment, something you might run through your fingers if you held your hand outside the window. I wished I could grab some, put it in a jar, and keep it with me.

 My Review:

 

I always eagerly anticipate reading a Dorothea Benton Frank book as I admire and relish her easy pace, bright wit, observant insightfulness, relatable plots, and twists of clever irony. She is a skilled illusionist and uses colorful distractions and crafty sleight of hand to keep us guessing; things are seldom what they seem. I adore her quirky and vibrant characters who aren’t always likable or admirable but take Southern eccentricity to a new level of entertainment. Reading her books is like going on a fun yet relaxing vacation with a seldom seen but trusted friend.   I was provided with a review copy of this lovely book by TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins. 

About Dorothea Benton Frank

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, Giveaway: The Penance List by Siobhan C Cunningham

The Penance List

by Siobhan C Cunningham

Goodreads

 Amazon  US  /  UK / CA  / AU

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This one comes with a warning – a steamy suspense-ridden psychological thriller – think Silence of the Lambs meets 50 Shades and hold on tight! S C Cunningham writes with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humour and pulsating sex scenes. Grab a glass of wine, close the bedroom door and read alone!

What happens when opposites attract – when a scorned childhood sweetheart grows into a gorgeous sexual tour de force – when a fun loving career girl, her racy girlfriends and insatiable lovers get caught in his revenge – when sex becomes a weapon, hearts become bait and straight tastes gay – when hi-flying careers, clandestine affairs and wannabe starlets are hunted by celebrity hungry press? Obsession, kidnap, murder… and he’s just getting started!

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

We’re a bit old for older men don’t ya think? Ours would come with a wheelchair and bus pass. It would be more useful to learn a few resuscitation techniques… a good bit of slap’n tickle and a cheeky bit of CPR, very sexy.

 

Tara had a sweet way of talking naughty whilst making it sound as if she were discussing pruning petunias.

 

She was hardly WAG material, being over thirty, more like GAG material, ‘grandmothers and girlfriends’.

 

… and to think she’d grown up wanting to be a nun – as a girl, she’d loved their outfits, particularly the long blue dresses with the white veils. She could do the ‘doing good’ bit easily enough; it was the ‘being good’ bit where she failed.

 

The hovering Enzo stared at her. Maybe he should consider becoming gay. You learned so much about women working in the restaurant business.

 

My Review:

 

It always worries me when I fall deeper and deeper into a creepy and sinister plot while vastly enjoying the experience. I fear there may be something wrong with me to become so enthralled and transfixed on such a twisted and disturbing story. But in my defense, this superbly penned stunner quickly mesmerized me and held me in thrall with razor-sharp and well-crafted writing. The storylines were ingenious and compelling, cleverly insightful, and often witty and amusing. I had a hard time putting my Kindle down any longer than necessary for those pesky chores such as sleeping and seeking sustenance. The characters were fascinating, original, complex, and enticing, yet deeply flawed – some more than others.

The taut narrative was skillfully written in the third person omniscient POV of practically everyone, including taxi drivers, waiters, and receptionists; with frequent dashes of clever humor, intense sensual scenes, and a mesmerizing and suspense-filled build-up to the gruesomely plotted climax.   But I also want to mention there were also haunting, dark, and grisly descriptions of abuse and violence. It was highly evocative and often elicited a powerful response whether empathic or severely creepy. But did you notice this was Book #1? While the cliffhanger wasn’t vile and heinous, the story is not complete, damn it, but it did reach a comfortable stopping point.

To end on a positive note, I also picked up some new vocabulary words, several of which would never pass the Amazon censors but I believe sloaney will make it, which is apparently a young party animal from a posh and wealthy family with more money than sense. Hmm, I would have aspired to being a sloaney young adult in my day.

 

Author Bio –

British Crime Investigator & Crime Writer, Siobhan C Cunningham creates steamy psychological thrillers and kick-ass paranormal romance with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humour, and pulsating sex scenes. Having worked in the very industries she writes about, her novels offer a fresh level of sincerity and authority, rare in fiction.

An ex-model, British born of Irish roots, she married a rock musician and has worked in the exciting worlds of music, film, sports celebrity management and as a Crime Investigator for the British Police (Wanted & Absconder Unit, Major Crime Team, Intelligence Analyst, Investigations Hub).

Abducted as a child, she survived; and every night for months afterward, she prayed to God, asking for a deal. This personal journey sparked the fuse behind the intriguing and riveting fictional world she portrays in The Fallen Angel Series. Twenty years later she crossed paths with a violent serial attacker who haunted the streets of London, the seed for The David Trilogy was sown, book one is The Penance List, and has been adapted to film screenplay.

She is the proud mother to contemporary Artist Scarlett Raven and is owned by three dogs.

Social Media Links –

Website – http://www.sccunningham.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SCCunningham8

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/sccunningham8/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/siobhancunningham8/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sccunningham/

Google+ – https://plus.google.com/+SCCunninghamAuthor

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/S-C-Cunningham/e/B002L3ZC2U/

Giveaway 

Win 1 x Signed Copy of The Penance List (Open Internationally)

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

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Book Review: Savor You (Fusion #5) by Kristen Proby

Savor You 

(Fusion #5)

 

by Kristen Proby

Goodreads

Amazon /  B&N

 

 In the next sizzling romance in Kristen Proby’s New York Times bestselling Fusion series, two celebrity chefs compete in a culinary competition, but resisting each other will prove to be the greater challenge.

Cooking isn’t what Mia Palazzo does, it’s who she is. Food is her passion . . . her pride . . . her true love. She’s built a stellar menu full of delicious and sexy meals for her restaurant, Seduction. Now, after being open for only a few short years, Mia’s restaurant is being featured on Best Bites TV. To say Seduction is a wild success is an understatement. All the blood, sweat, tears, and endless hours of work Mia has put into the restaurant has finally paid off.

Then Camden Sawyer, the biggest mistake of her life, walks into her kitchen . . .

Camden’s celebrity chef status is world-renowned. He’s the best there is, and the kitchen is where he’s most at home. He can’t resist the invitation to Portland for a showdown against Mia for a new television show. Mia was in his life years ago, and just like before, he’s met his match in the beautiful Italian spitfire. The way she commands the kitchen is mesmerizing, and her recipes are clever and delicious. He’s never had qualms about competition, and this is no different. He can’t wait to go head to head with Mia. But can he convince her the chemistry they share in the kitchen would be just as great in the bedroom as well?

As Mia and Camden face off, neither realizes how high the stakes are as their reputations are put on the line and their hearts are put to the ultimate test.

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Marry him right now. Sweet, considerate, sexy men are unicorns. You’ll never see another one of them out in the wild. I know. I looked.

 

You two are ridiculously good looking… Is that a requirement to be a firefighter or EMT? That you have to be hot so you can make calendars and bring in a bunch of money in calendar sales?

 

My Review:

 

I can see what all the fuss was about. But I was horrified to realize I have lived this long without ever indulging in the hedonistic delight of reading a Kristen Proby book. But I have rectified that error in judgment and am thrilled to report the experience was everything I imagined it would be and more. Her writing was a fun, cleverly amusing, and tasty treat. The storylines were entertaining, well-paced, and a pleasure to engage in. I adored her quirky yet relatable characters and enjoyed their clever banter and wit as much as the sweet and sexy second chance romance. But the delectable descriptions of the food had me salivating and smacking my lips as I read. I may have picked up a pound or ten from her delicious words alone.

About the Author

Goodreads /  Amazon

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self-publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

 

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Book Review: On A Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell

On a Cold Dark Sea

  by   Elizabeth Blackwell 

On April 15, 1912, three women climbed into Lifeboat 21 and watched in horror as the Titanic sank into the icy depths. They were strangers then…

Con artist Charlotte Digby lied her way through London and onto the Titanic. The disaster could be her chance at a new life—if she hides the truth about her past. Esme Harper, a wealthy American, mourns the end of a passionate affair and fears that everything beautiful is slipping from her grasp. And Anna Halversson, a Swedish farm girl in search of a fresh start in America, is tormented by the screams that ring out from the water. Is one of them calling her name?

Twenty years later, a sudden death brings the three women back together, forcing them to face the impossible choices they made, the inconceivable loss, and the secrets they have kept for far too long.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

…for the rest of his life, the pitiful tableau they formed was the first image that sprang to mind when he thought of the Titanic. The handsome young man in his evening dress, eyes haunted, one hand pressed protectively against his companion’s back. There was a girl hovering nervously behind them—a maid, by her cowed bearing and black dress. And then there was the lady, swathed in a fur coat over a shimmering green gown, a vision of ruined elegance.

 

Mr. Harper looked as if he hadn’t enjoyed himself since the last century. He offered Esme a wan smile, his cheek muscles straining with the effort.

 

She’d seen statues with more spirit than Mr. Harper.

 

Anna had never had new clothes of her own; she had always worn her sisters’ castoffs. Now, she would have a hand-me-down husband. Perhaps that was the best she could hope for.

 

There is a hypnotic quality to the ship’s leisurely descent. Esme imagines describing the scene to her friends, sometime in the future. The words “tragically magnificent ” come to mind, and she is swept up in the self-important gratification that comes from witnessing history.

 

…all those men who did their duty and went down with the ship. It sounds like a noble sort of death, but it isn’t: it’s loud and painful and terrifying.

 

One large picture window downstairs, two smaller windows on top, the sort of stolidly respectable dwelling the poor aspire to and the rich dismiss.

 

My Review:

 

I rarely read historical fiction and am undeniably choosy when I do. And I don’t mean to be self-aggrandizing or boastful when say I chose exceedingly well when I picked up this unexpected jewel. I quickly fell into Ms. Blackwell’s well-crafted vortex and effortlessly assimilated into the world of these fascinating and well-drawn characters. I was essentially held captive, willingly that is, as I was enthralled and entranced by Ms. Blackwell’s emotive and powerful word voodoo. Her writing was highly evocative and vividly descriptive, I held strong visuals in my head and could almost feel the damp chill while the characters were in the lifeboat and bobbing in the frigid arctic waters. This was a heart squeezing and thoughtfully written story, this talented scribe has mad skills!

About the Author 

Goodreads  / Amazon

As the daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service officer, Elizabeth Blackwell grew up in Washington, D.C., interspersed with stints in Africa, the Middle East and Europe–pretty much always with a book in hand. She majored in history at Northwestern University (hooray! more reading!) and received her master’s in journalism from Columbia University, which led to a career as an editor and writer for a number of publications that have since gone out of business (surely just a coincidence?). She now writes fiction from her home office in the Chicago suburbs, in between wrangling her three children and fighting for a parking spot at the local Target.

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Book Review, Giveaway: Lone Star Blues by Delores Fossen

Title: Lone Star Blues

Author: Delores Fossen

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 17th, 2018

Publisher: HQN

Series: Wrangler’s Creek

 Goodreads

 Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Synopsis:

Wrangler’s Creek’s most eligible bad boy has just become its most eligible single dad.

Dylan Granger could always count on his rebellious-cowboy charm to get his way—until the day his wife, Jordan, left him and joined the military. The realization that during a wild night he got her cousin pregnant is shocking enough. But the news that Jordan has come home to Texas to help raise the baby is the last thing he expects.

Raising a baby with Dylan in Wrangler’s Creek is a life Jordan might’ve had years ago, but she doesn’t want regrets. She wants what’s best for the child—and to find out if there’s something deeper between her and her ex than blazing-hot chemistry. Getting closer means letting down her guard to Dylan again, but will he be able to accept the emotional scars on her heart?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Tiffany Kelly, a cocktail waitress at the Longhorn Bar, had indeed started a bingo game that involved sex categories— specifically sex categories with Dylan— and she had distributed variations of the cards to women around town… Apparently, once a woman had her card filled, Tiffany would give them a drink on the house. So far, there’d been four winners. Okay, there were five, but one of them had cheated.

 

Walter Ray probably didn’t know that most folks called him dick-nose, and it was a well-earned moniker. It was one of those noses that made you stare and wonder why the heck he hadn’t run to a plastic surgeon.

 

Had this been any other person, Jordan could have argued that sex didn’t just happen, but this was a woman who’d stolen flip-flops and Twizzlers. Adele’s life had seemingly been a string of things that’d “just happened” or else really stupid things that she’d planned.

 

Her arrest record reads like stuff a stand-up comic would use. Did you know she once got arrested for peeing on a CEO’s car? She was protesting the way he treated his employees.”

 

He peed in the gas tank of Mildred Wheeler’s Toyota after she fussed at him for being drunk in public. Then, he peed on those feral chickens that are out by Police Chief McKinnon’s house when somebody bet him that he couldn’t do it. One of the chickens got mad, jumped on his wiener and spurred him. He needed stitches.

 

 My Review:

 

I smirked my way through this delightfully amusing and skillfully crafted tale. I adore Delores Fossen’s wickedly observant and clever wit. Her books are highly engaging and provide delectable entertainment. I could read her work every day and never tire of her enticing yet uniquely flawed and endearing characters. I enjoy and greatly anticipate her easy to follow and breezy writing style with comedic descriptions and strong visuals that succinctly and simultaneously define her quirky characters’ appearance and behavior with her own brand of vividly colorful and entertaining flair. Reading her books feels like a fun and indulgent vacation and I always feel a bit rueful at having to return to the real world once I’ve finished.

Excerpt:

Copyright© 2018 Lone Star Blues

Delores Fossen

Downing some more coffee, Dylan headed off the porch and toward the large detached garage for another vehicle. However, before he could even make it there, he saw something sparkly on the stone path. A silver purse that was smaller and flatter than the palm of his hand. It had some chew marks on it and was wet, possibly from dog slobber.

Since this likely belonged to the naked woman, he opened it to see if he could find her ID. And there it was—her driver’s license along with a credit card and some lipstick. There was also one of those stupid Dylan Granger Sex Bingo cards folded up inside.

Thankfully, it was blank.

He pulled out the license and looked at her birth date first. She was twenty-six. Way too young for him but at least she was legal. Then he read the name, and his stomach went to his ankles. Because it was Misty Turley, the same last name as the judge who was pissed at him. And with the way his morning was going, Dylan seriously doubted that was a coincidence. No, this was likely another of his daughters. One younger than Melanie.

Maybe he could send Walter Ray a whole case of scotch.

Dylan didn’t know exactly how many daughters the judge actually had. Walter Ray had gotten divorced years ago, and when his ex-wife had moved away, the girls only visited Wrangler’s Creek every now and then. Or at least that had been the case until Melanie had moved back after she’d finished college.

He picked up the purse so he could take it back inside and add it to the pile of clothes. Since the identity of the naked woman was bad news number five, that had to mean he was good to go at least for the rest of the day.

Or not.

Dylan heard the sound of an engine right before he saw the cop car pull up in front of the house. It wasn’t the local cops, either. The cruiser had San Antonio Police on the door.

A tall, lanky man in uniform stepped out. “I’m looking for Dylan Granger,” he said, and he flashed his badge.

Hell. What now? Had Walter Ray sent someone to look for his daughter?

“I’m Dylan Granger.” He tucked the purse in his back pocket and walked toward the cop. “Is there a problem?”

The cop didn’t answer. He just motioned to someone inside the cruiser, and a moment later, a gray-haired woman stepped out. She wasn’t alone. She was gripping the hand of a little boy who couldn’t have been more than two or three years old.

Dylan silently repeated that—hell, what now?

“You need to sign for him,” the woman said. She had some papers in her left hand, and she started toward Dylan, pulling the little boy with her.

Dylan shook his head. “Why do I need to sign? And who is he?”

The woman smiled as if there was something to smile about. “Well, Mr. Granger, according to this paper, this precious little boy is your son.”

About Delores Fossen: 

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, is an Air Force veteran who has sold over 100 novels. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. Her books have been featured in Woman’s Day and Woman’s World. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Connect with Delores: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: Misadventures with a Rookie by Toni Aleo

 

Misadventures with a Rookie

 by Toni Aleo, New York Times bestselling author  

  Goodreads

 Buy Links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tp2KOo
Nook: http://bit.ly/2DA0RE6
iBooks: http://apple.co/2tqLPdK
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2tpEXhd
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2smhduo 

#MisadventureswithaRookieRelease

 

  Synopsis

 

Winning has always come naturally for stud ice hockey defenseman Gus “the Bus” Persson. On the ice or off, he’s never had any trouble scoring, racking up goals—and girls. As the best player in his rookie class and the number-one draft pick of the Malibu Suns, he’s taking his game to the next level and is justifiably full of swagger.
 .
So why does one of the Suns’ ice girls treat him like he’s invisible?
 .
Bo St. James doesn’t have time for rookie hotshots who think their gloves don’t stink. She knows them, she works with them, she trains them. It doesn’t matter that Gus Persson is the hottest newbie she’s ever seen. She knows his type. She’s got big plans of her own, and she’s not going to let some cocky rich kid athlete keep her from her goals.
 .
But there’s a chemistry between them they cannot deny. A lust that burns so hot, it threatens to melt the very ice on which they make their livings. The game has changed for both of them. Together, can these two play to win?

 .


My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The way she looked at me, like I stole her doll and drew dicks on its mouth, revved my engines.

 

It had been a long time since I yearned for a woman, probably because they usually threw themselves at me. I was pretty sure the only thing redhead wanted to throw at me was a puck.

 

I would never intentionally hurt you. And besides, my mom would kill me if I did.

 

She scoffed. “Please, the only thing I thought that man was put on this earth for was to give me you. After that, he was slime.” “I’m right here, Lauren.” My face broke into a grin as my mom went on. “Well, obviously that’s changed. I love you, duh.”

 

I’ll never finish loving you. It just keeps going on and on. I’ve finished a lot of things. A period during a game, a goal, and plenty of women that I shouldn’t really be bringing up, but oh well, it’s part of my point. With you it’s constant and I can’t… I just can’t finish.

 

My Review:

 

I smirked my way through this witty and amusing New Adult/College/Hockey Romance, which is in all honesty, a trifecta of genres I rarely peruse. Maybe I should indulge in them more often, or maybe I should just read more of the comically talented Ms. Aleo’s work as I was engaged throughout and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was highly entertained by the premise as well as the expletive-spewing and quirky accident-prone characters with their salacious sensual scenes and inner musings, which morphed into a sweet/sizzling romance. Ms. Aleo has a wicked sense of humor and excellent pacing. I adored the character’s clever exchanges, witty quips, and saucy banter – especially those flowing from the elder Perssons who were obviously the fun parentals. More, please, Ms. Aleo. I greedily want all your naughty tales.




Meet The Author
My name is Toni Aleo, and I’m a #PredHead, #sherrio, #potterhead, and part of the #familybusiness!

I am also a wife to my amazing husband, mother of a gamer and a gymnast, and also a fur momma to Gaston el Papillion.

While my beautiful and amazing Shea Weber has been traded from my Predators, I’m still a huge fan. But when I’m not cheering for him, I’m hollering for the whole Nashville Predators since I’ll never give my heart to one player again.

When I’m not in the gym getting swole, I’m usually writing, trying to make my dreams a reality, or being a taxi for my kids.

I’m obsessed with Harry Potter, Supernatural, Disney, and anything that sparkles! I’m pretty sure I was Belle in a past life, and if I could be on any show, it would be Supernatural so I could hunt with Sam and Dean.

Also, I did mention I love hockey, right?

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