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.


http://blogspot.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8bbfc9a3acb79a408253510a8&id=48d2dc65e5

 

Book Review, Giveaway: You Send Me by Jeannie Moon

YOU SEND ME, a new Compass Cove novel is LIVE!

In YOU SEND ME, Jordan and Nick must let go or their separate pasts in order to seize their future together in this charming fake engagement romance. Fans of Susan Wiggs and RaeAnne Thayne have fallen in love with the Compass Cove series from International Bestselling Author, Jeannie Moon.

Download YOU SEND ME or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek and enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or books from Jeannie Moon!

Title: You Send Me

Author: Jeannie Moon

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Tule Publishing Group

Series: Compass Cove

Format: Digital/Print

AISN: B07CGJGDPZ

Available at:

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2vpQ6ki

iBooks: https://apple.co/2IVOqof

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Synopsis:

Jordan Velsor didn’t want to need anyone. After dumping her cheating fiancé, caring for her sick dad, and nearly being crushed along with her car during a violent storm, she’s pretty much at her breaking point. If anyone needs some luck, it’s Jordan, but the last thing she wants is gorgeous Nick Rinaldi, her landlord’s grandson, hovering over her while she nurses a bad cold. The wounded Navy doctor seems too good to be true… which means he probably is.

Nick Rinaldi left the Navy broken and adrift, wondering if he would ever practice medicine again. When his grandparents’ tenant is almost killed by a falling tree during a storm, he discovers Jordan is not only in shock, but suffering from pneumonia. Not one to miss an opportunity to play white knight, Nick arrives at her cottage to take care of her during the storm… But the lovely teacher has a fierce independent streak, and as he learns more about her, he wants to do more than merely help.

Can Jordan and Nick let go of their separate pasts and seize their future together?

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The dog sighed— sighed her annoyance at Jordan. A dog with an attitude. Didn’t it figure? Gertie practically rolled off the plush cushion and settled on her back on the blue patterned rug. Her short little legs were straight up in the air, feigning death.

 

Nona was wringing her hands, and when she reached in her pocket, Nick thought she might break out her rosary. Whenever someone was sick, Lina hit the beads.

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want a wife and kids, he did, but the Navy was his first wife and she hadn’t let go easily.

 

Even her dog was in love with him. As if she was staking her claim, Gertie laid at his feet and rolled over with a moan. The slut.

 

He wasn’t afraid of much. In fact, Nick could only think of one thing that truly scared his grandfather. His grandmother.

 

My Review:

 

You Send Me was a slowly developing, tender, sweet, and somewhat angsty read with frequent bites of amusing humor and wit, and just a tiny bit of steam. It is always refreshing to me when the main characters aren’t in constant conflict with each other but are miraculously kind, nurturing, and supportive of each other – why is that such a rare occurrence in novels? I adored these characters, they were people I’d like to know and spend time with. The storylines were relevant and the writing was fluid, easy to follow, and held my interest. I’m enjoying this sweet series and look forward to a return to this pleasant community and circle of friends.

Other books in the Compass Cove series

THE CAME YOU

Available at: Amazon Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

.

Enter to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card or one of 12 print books of THEN CAME YOU or one of 5 print books of YOU SEND ME!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

You Send Me Excerpt

Copyright © 2018 Jeannie Moon

The deep rattling cough woke her from a restless sleep. This cold was kicking her ass, but even though all she wanted to do was burrow under the covers, she was out of tissues, and the dog needed to go outside.

Glancing out her window, the weather had worsened. She almost would have been content putting out a pad for Gertie to go inside, but her tissues and cough medicine were in the back seat of her car. She had to go out regardless.

“Come on, Gertie, time to pee.”

With a whimper and a moan from her spot at the other end of the couch, her little rescue buried her face in the corner. Gertie was no dummy.

“Look, if I have to go out, so do you. Your bladder is the size of a thimble, and it’s going to get even worse later.”

The dog sighed—sighed her annoyance at Jordan. A dog with an attitude. Didn’t it figure? Gertie practically rolled off the plush cushion and settled on her back on the blue patterned rug. Her short little legs were straight up in the air, feigning death.

Jordan felt pretty dead herself, but they still had to go outside.

The wind howled, and all the windows in the cottage shook like it was going to lift up and fly away. Gust after gust provided a not-so-subtle reminder that the nor’easter currently blowing across Long Island was going to make all their lives miserable. This storm was brutal. It had been wreaking havoc for the last twelve hours and based on the latest weather report it had slowed down to a crawl, meaning it was going to stick around for a while.

Grabbing the dog’s leash, Jordan gently nudged the little furry blob on the floor. Nothing. She didn’t budge. “Gertie! Come on!”

Ninety-nine percent of the time, she loved the little mutt. This moment definitely fell into the one percent.

After she broke her engagement, Jordan had the sudden urge to have a pet. A lot of people told her it would pass, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Jordan needed unconditional love in her home, so she kept her eyes open for the right opportunity. She couldn’t handle a puppy or a kitten, so when she wandered around a rescue fair one Sunday this past September, she found herself completely enamored with Gertie. A stubby-legged little mutt, Gertie was a tube of golden fur with a pointy snout and big, soulful brown eyes. She was about five years old, and her owner had just died, leaving the little dog all alone.

Jordan felt a kinship with the pooch, and took her home that day.

Lina Rinaldi, who usually frowned on her cottage tenants having pets, took to the dog right away, and Gertie loved the older woman right back.

As Jordan stared at the lump still upside down on the floor, she was about ready to offer Mrs. Rinaldi full custody. Then a deep, rasping cough shook Jordan to the core. It racked her body violently, and pain shot around her chest. God, she felt awful.

“Come on,” she said firmly to the pooch. “We’ll skip the leash this time. Out and in. Let’s get this over with.”

Gertie rolled over and trotted to the front door, giving Jordan the side eye as she waited. Donning her parka and a pair of lined wellies that she pulled over her pajama pants, Jordan grabbed the remote and unlocked her car. When she opened the front door, she was hit by a blast of wind, rain, and sleet that stung her cheeks and chilled her to the bone. “Lord, it’s miserable.” Looking down at Gertie, she nodded. “Okay, let’s make this quick.”

The two of them bolted outside, with Gertie heading for her favorite patch of grass and Jordan heading for her car. She stopped when she coughed so hard she could barely breathe. It hurt. She’d never had a chest cold that hurt so much. Finally, yanking open the door, she heard her pooch barking from the small covered porch. Jordan grabbed the bag that was filled with some basic food provisions, juice, tea, tissues, and a selection of over-the-counter cold remedies. She slammed the car door shut, and on her way back inside she noticed the whitecaps on Jennings Bay. The wind was forcing massive amounts of water into the coves and harbors around town, and she hoped the it didn’t breach the seawall surrounding the property. Jordan’s cottage was closer to Cove Road, but the Rinaldis’ big house was at risk.

Without any further delay, Jordan made it back to the porch, feeling chilled and soaked to the bone despite all the foul weather gear she’d put on. Gertie was barking frantically, having positioned herself under the old wooden swing, and Jordan was starting to lose her patience.

“Gertie, what the hell is the problem?”

That’s when she heard the groan and crack. Jordan looked up just as a large section of an old oak tree, about fifty feet from the house, gave way. Throwing her body against the wall to avoid any debris, Jordan watched as the massive tree split in half and came crashing down, crushing her car in the process.

If she had waited ten more seconds to head outside, Jordan would have been killed.

Frozen in place for—she didn’t know how long—Jordan startled when a large, strong arm wrapped around her.

She looked away from the wreckage in the front yard and into the gorgeous face of Nick Rinaldi.
“Damn. Are you alright?”

Was she? She wasn’t sure. Jordan tried to answer, but she had trouble catching her breath. Sucking in air, he kept her steady when they walked into the house.

Waiting for the dog before he closed the door, Nick sat her on the bench in the entryway. Glancing in the canvas tote from the market, his brow furrowed.

“You’re sick? What’s wrong?”

With a low rattling cough that had him pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, she muttered, “Chest cold.”

Shaking his head, he helped her off with her boots and jacket. “Let’s get you settled in bed, and I’ll go get my bag. You’ve got a lot more than a chest cold.”

“My car…”
“We can’t do anything about your car until the storm passes, so put it out of your head. It’s the last thing you need to worry about.”

“Are you kidding? Not worry about it?” How was she supposed to get to work or see her dad? How was she supposed to do anything if she didn’t have a car? The pain in her chest wasn’t just from her cough at that moment, but at the wave of dread—helplessness—that rushed through her.

“One thing at a time.” Nick, a former Navy doctor, was single minded. And as much as Jordan didn’t want to admit it, he was right. In this weather, there was nothing she could do.

“Come on,” he said. “Lead the way.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, stopping in her tracks. Those few words taxed her already strained system. She coughed painfully into her arm while Nick guided her into her room. The coughing spell was so violent, ripping at her tender lungs, she couldn’t even object as he tucked her into bed.

Sick as she was, Jordan wasn’t blind. Nick Rinaldi had been on her radar since he landed back in Compass Cove the previous fall. The guy was gorgeous, smart, and a gentleman to the core. But he’d settled back in with his grandparents almost six months ago, and other than a token hello, or a polite smile, he rarely spoke to her.

Still, with his lean frame, dark hair, and kind eyes, he checked a lot of boxes.

She thought she heard him mutter something about being stubborn, but her lack of breath didn’t allow a response. If anyone was stubborn, he was. The man of mystery was a well-known do-gooder, and obviously she was his next project. There was only one problem with that. She didn’t want his help. Needing people was a slippery slope, and Jordan had no intention of heading down that way again.

 

About Jeannie Moon:

Jeannie Moon, author of fifteen novels, has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books and call it work. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs and a mischievous cat and lives in her hometown on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.

Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Book Review, Giveaway: A Garden in Cornwall (A Wedding in Cornwall Book 12) by Laura Briggs

A Garden in Cornwall

(A Wedding in Cornwall Book 12)

by Laura Briggs

Goodreads

Amazon US / UK

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With their lives exactly what they’ve always dreamed, Matt and Julianne await the arrival of the third member of their family — but their happiness is threatened when their landlady Mathilda announces her intention to sell their beloved Rosemoor Cottage for an impossible value. Devastated, Julianne struggles to accept the cold reality of her and Matt making their home elsewhere.

Matt’s life has taken a new turn as he finally puts aside his academic work to pursue his gardening hobby as a career: his first new job as a landscape designer involves neglected Penwill Hall’s ‘lost’ garden — one with a truly romantic Cornish past. But the task of restoring its legendary beauty from nearly seventy years ago proves difficult among the ruins lost in weeds and wilderness.

With notions of secret gardens and wartime stories echoing in her thoughts, Julianne is determined to help Matt and the estate’s new owner after the discovery of a hidden mural in the hall itself, depicting a breathtaking garden that may well be the lost one. Her efforts to uncover the past lead her to a curmudgeonly local gardener who just may hold the knowledge that would restore the ‘lost garden’ to its former glory. Will Julianne’s quest help her find a way to deal with losing the home she loves?

Hellos and farewells abound as Dinah returns to lend a helping hand at Cliffs House and Julianne relives her favorite memories of her and Matt’s beloved cottage in Book Twelve — the final installment in the bestselling series A WEDDING IN CORNWALL.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Mrs. Norbit’s reign of terror continued… she continued to swipe fingers along the bottom of every portrait’s frame and the surface of every stick of furnishing; and appear suddenly and silently, like a Gestapo agent emerging from the shadows, if you happened to be an offender with a saucerless cup of tea or a trail of crumbs on your desk.

 

Nothing alive is ever the same from moment to moment, I thought, remembering Matt’s words about changes in a garden’s life. My arms tightened around him as I reminded myself that it was true about a human’s life, too.

 

Sometimes a place in your mind is all you have… For some people, a memory becomes a place in itself — bigger and better than just pictures or reminders.

 

Heavens, I’ve seen hens in a coop bicker less over one nesting box than the two of you over some insignificant point of conversation. It’s enough to make an army general cry surrender and crawl under his bunker.

 

My Review:

 

I knew I would be at a disadvantage in picking up a series at book number twelve, and I probably didn’t have the investment in the characters or their backstories as a devoted follower would, but that doesn’t mean the story was difficult to follow.   What it does mean, is I now need to go backward and read the other eleven installments of this pleasant and sweetly entertaining series. I enjoyed the likable characters and Ms. Brigg’s amusingly insightful and observantly descriptive writing style. And I have a new addition to my Brit Vocabulary List with “spit spot” – which Mr. Google informed me was frequently used by Mary Poppins to mean hurry up. I cannot wait to start using and abusing it, though I am a bit concerned some uninformed person may take me literally…

 

 

Purchase Link – http://smarturl.it/agardenincornwall

 

Author Bio 

 Laura Briggs is the author of several lighthearted romance novels and novellas, including the bestselling Amazon UK series A Wedding in Cornwall. She has a fondness for vintage-style dresses (especially ones with polka dots) and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern-day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family, caring for her pets, going to movies and plays, and trying new restaurants.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaperDollWrites

Giveaway

 Win an e-copy of A Garden In Cornwall

(Open Internationally)

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review, Giveaway: Clutch by Lisa Becker

 

Clutch

by Lisa Becker

Goodreads

Amazon

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Clutch: a novel is the laugh-out-loud, chick-lit romance chronicling the dating misadventures of Caroline Johnson, a single purse designer who compares her unsuccessful romantic relationships to styles of handbags – the “Hobo” starving artist, the “Diaper Bag” single dad, the “Briefcase” intense businessman, etc. With her best friend, bar owner Mike by her side, the overly-accommodating Caroline drinks a lot of Chardonnay, puts her heart on the line, endures her share of unworthy suitors and finds the courage to discover the “Clutch” or someone she wants to hold onto.

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

She was like a walking Chico’s advertisement, if you added forty years, forty pounds, and a Virginia Slims cigarette.

It had never mattered if Caroline was asking Mimi’s advice about a friend, lover, or career. The advice was always the same: ‘Find something you love and hold onto it.’

Dinner with the Barnsworths was like a scene out of a movie, thought Caroline – a snooty English period drama where the rich couple sat on opposite ends of an impossibly-long mahogany dining table while silent, uniformed servants catered to their dining needs.

My Review:

Clutch is one of the most amusing and clever stories I have read in ages. I am enchanted with this author and want to read everything she has ever written. The protagonist in this story, Caroline, is an intelligent yet unassertive purse/handbag designer – hence the title Clutch, cute right? However, Ms. Becker took her cunning wit a step further and titled her chapters after the handbag styles that perfectly summed up the personality or trait of the man Caroline was dating; such as hobo for the moocher, demi for a short man, etc. – ingenious! I adored everything about this book – the plot, characters, humor, and witty banter. The writing style was crisp, engaging, highly enjoyable, consistently entertaining, and lushly descriptive. I think I have a girl crush…

Giveaway

The giveaway is only open to residents of the US – so sorry!
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To Enter: Just leave me a comment on this post with your favorite type of Clutch/Butch Bag/Man Purse.
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Let me know how you entered as I am super lazy and might just have to keep them for myself!
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For extra entries:
-Add Clutch to your TBR
-Follow this blog
– Follow Lisa Becker on Instagram (@lisawbecker)
– Follow Social Butterfly Designs on Instagram (@socialbutterflydesigns)
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The prize is a precious set of “It’s in the Bag” purse-themed notecards from Social Butterfly Designs.
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Facebook: Social Butterfly Designs
Twitter: @SocialBDesigns
Instagram:  @socialbutterflydesigns

About the Author

Lisa Becker is a romance writer who spends her time like she spends her money – on books and margaritas. In addition to Clutch: a novel, she is the author of the Click trilogy, a contemporary romance series about online dating and Links, a standalone, second chance romance readers. As Lisa’s grandmother used to say, “For every chair, there’s a tush.” Lisa is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach, California with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for anyone! You can share your love stories with her at www.lisawbecker.com.
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Find her: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Web | YouTube

Spotlight, Giveaway: You Send Me by Jeannie Moon

Have you Pre-ordered YOU SEND ME yet?

In YOU SEND ME, Jordan and Nick must let go or their separate pasts in order to seize their future together in this charming fake engagement romance. Fans of Susan Wiggs and RaeAnne Thayne have fallen in love with the Compass Cove series from International Bestselling Author, Jeannie Moon.

Pre-order YOU SEND ME and add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek and to enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or books from Jeannie Moon!

Title: You Send Me

Author: Jeannie Moon

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Tule Publishing Group

Series: Compass Cove

Format: Digital/Print

AISN: B07CGJGDPZ

Synopsis:

Jordan Velsor didn’t want to need anyone. After dumping her cheating fiancé, caring for her sick dad, and nearly being crushed along with her car during a violent storm, she’s pretty much at her breaking point. If anyone needs some luck, it’s Jordan, but the last thing she wants is gorgeous Nick Rinaldi, her landlord’s grandson, hovering over her while she nurses a bad cold. The wounded Navy doctor seems too good to be true… which means he probably is.

Nick Rinaldi left the Navy broken and adrift, wondering if he would ever practice medicine again. When his grandparents’ tenant is almost killed by a falling tree during a storm, he discovers Jordan is not only in shock, but suffering from pneumonia. Not one to miss an opportunity to play white knight, Nick arrives at her cottage to take care of her during the storm… But the lovely teacher has a fierce independent streak, and as he learns more about her, he wants to do more than merely help. 

Can Jordan and Nick let go of their separate pasts and seize their future together?

Available at:

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

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2vpQ6ki

iBooks: https://apple.co/2IVOqof

Other books in the Compass Cove series

THEN CAME YOU

Available at: Amazon Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Enter to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card or one of 12 print books of THEN CAME YOU or one of 5 print books of YOU SEND ME!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

You Send Me Excerpt

Copyright © 2018 Jeannie Moon

The deep rattling cough woke her from a restless sleep. This cold was kicking her ass, but even though all she wanted to do was burrow under the covers, she was out of tissues, and the dog needed to go outside.

Glancing out her window, the weather had worsened. She almost would have been content putting out a pad for Gertie to go inside, but her tissues and cough medicine were in the back seat of her car. She had to go out regardless.

“Come on, Gertie, time to pee.”

With a whimper and a moan from her spot at the other end of the couch, her little rescue buried her face in the corner. Gertie was no dummy.

“Look, if I have to go out, so do you. Your bladder is the size of a thimble, and it’s going to get even worse later.”

The dog sighed—sighed her annoyance at Jordan. A dog with an attitude. Didn’t it figure? Gertie practically rolled off the plush cushion and settled on her back on the blue patterned rug. Her short little legs were straight up in the air, feigning death.

Jordan felt pretty dead herself, but they still had to go outside.

The wind howled, and all the windows in the cottage shook like it was going to lift up and fly away. Gust after gust provided a not-so-subtle reminder that the nor’easter currently blowing across Long Island was going to make all their lives miserable. This storm was brutal. It had been wreaking havoc for the last twelve hours and based on the latest weather report it had slowed down to a crawl, meaning it was going to stick around for a while.

Grabbing the dog’s leash, Jordan gently nudged the little furry blob on the floor. Nothing. She didn’t budge. “Gertie! Come on!”

Ninety-nine percent of the time, she loved the little mutt. This moment definitely fell into the one percent.

After she broke her engagement, Jordan had the sudden urge to have a pet. A lot of people told her it would pass, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Jordan needed unconditional love in her home, so she kept her eyes open for the right opportunity. She couldn’t handle a puppy or a kitten, so when she wandered around a rescue fair one Sunday this past September, she found herself completely enamored with Gertie. A stubby-legged little mutt, Gertie was a tube of golden fur with a pointy snout and big, soulful brown eyes. She was about five years old, and her owner had just died, leaving the little dog all alone.

Jordan felt a kinship with the pooch, and took her home that day.

Lina Rinaldi, who usually frowned on her cottage tenants having pets, took to the dog right away, and Gertie loved the older woman right back.

As Jordan stared at the lump still upside down on the floor, she was about ready to offer Mrs. Rinaldi full custody. Then a deep, rasping cough shook Jordan to the core. It racked her body violently, and pain shot around her chest. God, she felt awful.

“Come on,” she said firmly to the pooch. “We’ll skip the leash this time. Out and in. Let’s get this over with.”

Gertie rolled over and trotted to the front door, giving Jordan the side eye as she waited. Donning her parka and a pair of lined wellies that she pulled over her pajama pants, Jordan grabbed the remote and unlocked her car. When she opened the front door, she was hit by a blast of wind, rain, and sleet that stung her cheeks and chilled her to the bone. “Lord, it’s miserable.” Looking down at Gertie, she nodded. “Okay, let’s make this quick.”

The two of them bolted outside, with Gertie heading for her favorite patch of grass and Jordan heading for her car. She stopped when she coughed so hard she could barely breathe. It hurt. She’d never had a chest cold that hurt so much. Finally, yanking open the door, she heard her pooch barking from the small covered porch. Jordan grabbed the bag that was filled with some basic food provisions, juice, tea, tissues, and a selection of over-the-counter cold remedies. She slammed the car door shut, and on her way back inside she noticed the whitecaps on Jennings Bay. The wind was forcing massive amounts of water into the coves and harbors around town, and she hoped the it didn’t breach the seawall surrounding the property. Jordan’s cottage was closer to Cove Road, but the Rinaldis’ big house was at risk.

Without any further delay, Jordan made it back to the porch, feeling chilled and soaked to the bone despite all the foul weather gear she’d put on. Gertie was barking frantically, having positioned herself under the old wooden swing, and Jordan was starting to lose her patience.

“Gertie, what the hell is the problem?”

That’s when she heard the groan and crack. Jordan looked up just as a large section of an old oak tree, about fifty feet from the house, gave way. Throwing her body against the wall to avoid any debris, Jordan watched as the massive tree split in half and came crashing down, crushing her car in the process.

If she had waited ten more seconds to head outside, Jordan would have been killed.

Frozen in place for—she didn’t know how long—Jordan startled when a large, strong arm wrapped around her.

She looked away from the wreckage in the front yard and into the gorgeous face of Nick Rinaldi.
“Damn. Are you alright?”

Was she? She wasn’t sure. Jordan tried to answer, but she had trouble catching her breath. Sucking in air, he kept her steady when they walked into the house.

Waiting for the dog before he closed the door, Nick sat her on the bench in the entryway. Glancing in the canvas tote from the market, his brow furrowed.

“You’re sick? What’s wrong?”

With a low rattling cough that had him pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, she muttered, “Chest cold.”

Shaking his head, he helped her off with her boots and jacket. “Let’s get you settled in bed, and I’ll go get my bag. You’ve got a lot more than a chest cold.”

“My car…”
“We can’t do anything about your car until the storm passes, so put it out of your head. It’s the last thing you need to worry about.”

“Are you kidding? Not worry about it?” How was she supposed to get to work or see her dad? How was she supposed to do anything if she didn’t have a car? The pain in her chest wasn’t just from her cough at that moment, but at the wave of dread—helplessness—that rushed through her.

“One thing at a time.” Nick, a former Navy doctor, was single minded. And as much as Jordan didn’t want to admit it, he was right. In this weather, there was nothing she could do.

“Come on,” he said. “Lead the way.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, stopping in her tracks. Those few words taxed her already strained system. She coughed painfully into her arm while Nick guided her into her room. The coughing spell was so violent, ripping at her tender lungs, she couldn’t even object as he tucked her into bed.

Sick as she was, Jordan wasn’t blind. Nick Rinaldi had been on her radar since he landed back in Compass Cove the previous fall. The guy was gorgeous, smart, and a gentleman to the core. But he’d settled back in with his grandparents almost six months ago, and other than a token hello, or a polite smile, he rarely spoke to her.

Still, with his lean frame, dark hair, and kind eyes, he checked a lot of boxes.

She thought she heard him mutter something about being stubborn, but her lack of breath didn’t allow a response. If anyone was stubborn, he was. The man of mystery was a well-known do-gooder, and obviously she was his next project. There was only one problem with that. She didn’t want his help. Needing people was a slippery slope, and Jordan had no intention of heading down that way again.

 

 

About Jeannie Moon:

Jeannie Moon, author of fifteen novels, has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books and call it work. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs and a mischievous cat and lives in her hometown on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.

Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

 

Book Review, Giveaway: Road Trip by Andie M. Long and Laura Barnard

Road Trip

by Andie M. Long & Laura Barnard 

Amazon US / UK

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Romantic comedy authors Andie M Long and Laura Barnard have teamed together to bring you the hilarious Road Trip! 

Out NOW!  #oneclick #romcom #chicklit #lovehate

After the end of a car crash relationship can Katy find true love?

Catching her sister in bed with her fiancé, school teacher Katy Cornish enlists playboy colleague Felix Montague to help her save face. What she doesn’t bargain on is them both losing their jobs in the process.

With finances running out, Katy must endure the rude and arrogant Felix while they embark on a road trip around the country in hopes of securing a new job. But there’s just one problem… they’re up for the same posts. This road trip is going to be unlike any other, with them doing whatever they can to sabotage the other.

Can they see past themselves and their egos to each other? Or will their desperation to continue their careers drive them apart?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I might be twenty-six, but in my parents’ eyes me and Vic are still about twelve. I am, but only in clothes.

 I don’t need to prepare anything. People naturally love me. It’s you I’d be worried about. People assume you’ve got something stuck up your arse. You might want to look into that.

 It wasn’t my fault, it was Victoria’s… She hit it with a stick while I was at a swimming pool party. It flew around and stung my bum. Then it died, so I felt really sad while Vic laughed that it had been so scared of my bottom it had died of fright.

You like me? … Like, as in you also like cheese? Or a different kind of like?

My Review:

 

I frequently smirked and occasionally giggled-snorted during this amusing and saucy misadventure of two broke and suddenly unemployed teachers, who were not always comfortable or friendly with each other while sharing a ride during their desperate attempts to find new employment. Both had lost their teaching positions due to a backfired prank, with continued shenanigans, antics, irresponsible behavior, poor planning, bad luck, accidents, mishaps, and incidents of sabotage to come during their careening trek across the country in search of new futures while their limited funds dwindled to mere coins. Written from my favorite dual POV, the story was entertaining and engaging with colorful humor and bits of steam. However, the snarky characters were not always likable or admirable in their motivations as they are often competing for the same limited job openings. Forced to remain in constant contact and close quarters for days on end, they began to see each other differently and an unexpected attraction bloomed in a fretful and vexing manner until they scorched the sheets. I scored a new addition to my Brit Vocabulary list with “on the lash” which is drinking to intoxication.


Giveaway

Head on over to Laura’s Facebook page to enter their giveaway for a chance to win $10/£10 Amazon Gift Card.

Connect with Andie

Website ☆ Facebook ☆ Twitter ☆ Instagram

☆ Pinterest ☆ Goodreads

 

Connect with Laura

Website ☆ Facebook ☆ Twitter ☆ Instagram

 ☆ Pinterest ☆ Goodreads

Book Review, Giveaway: Still Us by Lindsay Detwiler

 

Title: Still Us

Author: Lindsay Detwiler

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 19, 2018

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing 

Cover Designer: Soxsational Cover Art

 

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From the first time they locked eyes, Lila Morrow and Luke Bowman had a special spark. Their first kiss sealed their fairy-tale romance… until everything fell apart. 
 
Luke’s life began when he met Lila—and in many ways, it ended when she left him. Drowning in regrets, Luke is determined to give Lila the space to be happy. The sexy, singing roofer quickly realizes, however, he really shouldn’t have let her go.
After their breakup, Lila moves back in with her family. The twenty-nine-year-old veterinarian’s transition to a life without Luke isn’t as easy as she expected. With the help of her wild Grandma Claire and her high-heel-loving sister, Maren, she starts to play the field… but she isn’t sure she’ll ever stop loving the curly-haired man from her early twenties.
Luke and Lila’s love story ended, and their individual boxes have been packed. But as they explore the single life and the dating world, both discover sometimes the love you leave behind is exactly what you need to be happy.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Maren and Will are making out in the corner like he’s just come back from war, and I quickly avert my eyes so I don’t see something I won’t be able to unsee. Maren’s bold, but I didn’t think an accountant would be so shameless at a family gathering. I guess Maren really does bring out a different side of him, as he claimed during their crazy romantic proposal last December.

 

“Oh, Harvey, you know I like to get a look at the delivery boy. How am I going to rate him on my scale when you didn’t let me answer the door?” Grandma whines. “I even put on my red lips, my good Avon lipstick, because I knew he would be coming. What a waste.”

 

I sit beside my mom and dad in the church basement, enjoying the weekly breakfast after mass. It’s been years since I’ve been here. Usually Luke and I spent Sunday mornings saying God in a very, very different way.

 

That religious program I like is coming on in ten minutes. Figure it wouldn’t hurt to get some extra heaven points today after the lewd thoughts I was having about the preacher at Maren’s wedding.

 

I laugh hysterically as the strippers parade down the aisle, their hips very loose—especially for their age. “I got them for a discount on the internet,” Grandma yells, clapping wildly as the bus driver just sits in horror. I laugh as Maren screams as the lead stripper props his leg on the seat in front of her, gyrating his hips wildly despite the fact he must be at least eighty. “No fair, I paid good money. Come this way, boys,” Grandma yells.

My Review:

The story began with the two main characters of Luke and Lila packing up and leaving their shared apartment after dissolved their relationship. They had drawn a line in the sand that each hoped the other would erase. Their game of chicken went too long and too far as neither would flinch or admit their rueful mistake or repentant their stance. The soulmates parted and avoided each other like a zombie-inducing plague, although each remained miserable and unable to disengage or fully move on.   While the tone of the dual POV narrative was often angsty, the story was well-balanced with humor and engaging observations, insights, and memories. I enjoyed the tale and adored all the character depictions in this book, each one was uniquely quirky and amusing. Grandma’s appearance was a guaranteed smirk sparkler to any scene. The premise was original, well-crafted, and relevant to the world we live in. Ms. Detwiler’s entertaining writing style and storylines are easy to follow, relatable, pleasantly appealing, and always include an enticing food element that pervasively tunnels through my cranium and wrecks my diet. Sigh, first she introduced me to Swedish Fish and now I feel compelled to run a Google search for local bakeries that provide peanut-butter glazed doughnuts.   I am ruined.

 

On sale for half price!

Nook: http://bit.ly/2olh9qZ 

 

A high school English teacher, an author, and a fan of anything pink and/or glittery, Lindsay’s the English teacher cliché; she loves cats, reading, Shakespeare, and Poe.
She currently lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad (her junior high sweetheart); their cats, Arya, Amelia, Alice, and Bob; and their Mastiff, Henry.
Lindsay’s goal with her writing is to show the power of love and the beauty of life while also instilling a true sense of realism in her work. Some reviewers have noted that her books are not the “typical romance.” With her novels coming from a place of honesty, Lindsay examines the difficult questions, looks at the tough emotions, and paints the pictures that are sometimes difficult to look at. She wants her fiction to resonate with readers as realistic, poetic, and powerful. Lindsay wants women readers to be able to say, “I see myself in that novel.” She wants to speak to the modern woman’s experience while also bringing a twist of something new and exciting. Her aim is for readers to say, “That could happen,” or “I feel like the characters are real.” That’s how she knows she’s done her job.
Lindsay’s hope is that by becoming a published author, she can inspire some of her students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. She wants them to see that any dream can be attained and publishing a novel isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Book Review, Giveaway: Skinny Pants by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

 Skinny Pants

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

 

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BUY LINKS

AMAZONKOBO | B&N | iBOOKS

 

Synopsis:
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From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

SKINNY PANTS

Book Three, The Happy Pants Café Series

 

SHE ACCIDENTALLY CATFISHED THE PERFECT GUY.

BUT WILL HE EVER LOVE THE REAL HER?

DR. JACK REED has been through hell. His wife cheated on him, broke his heart, and lied for years. But moving on isn’t easy, and it’s impossible to trust women again. Until he meets Macie, a nurse at his new hospital. There’s something about her honest heart that makes him want to fight to get his life back.

NURSE MACIE FRANKLIN was always known as “the fat girl.” After decades of failed diets, she doesn’t dream of ever being anything but invisible to the opposite sex. One moment of weakness and two glasses of bubbly later, she’s in a steamy online chat with “Dr. J-Love” as the fake, size 8, bubbly Catrina.

Their passionate conversation convinces her it’s time to make big life changes. But when she goes to see Dr. Reed, the new amazing surgeon everyone’s talking about, it’s Dr. J-Love! And he’s way hotter in person.

They hit it off a second time as friends, but now Macie’s heart is at risk of falling hopelessly in love. Will he ever love the real her back?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Like I’m lower than a cockroach wearing stained underwear.

 She wanted a man who was romantic, but not needy. She wanted someone who would love her forever even when she was ninety, wrinkled, and peed just a little when she sneezed because she’d had beautiful children with him.

 Honey, we are all attracted to him. Reed is complete husband material. And bean-flicking material. And heartbreak, fan-club, tramp-stamp material.

 When you do see him, just remember that he’s only hot on the outside. On the inside, he’s covered in scabs and festering boils.

 My Review:

 

This was my first time experiencing the talented Ms. Pamfiloff’s creatively witty word skills, and I am giddy with delight and bawdy glee over my discovery. I enjoyed this cleverly amusing and engaging tale from beginning to end and had marked several pages of favorite quotes, although many of them could not be used due to Macie’s amusing filthy and creative use of profanity. I adored the robust Macie; she was spunky, endearing, and highly relatable. The storylines were fresh and entertaining with more unexpected curves than Macie’s ample shapeliness. Ms. Pamfiloff’s writing was highly entertaining, thoroughly engaging, and just plain fun. I could kick myself for my careless sloth in taking so long to notice her work. I have been remiss and greedily covet her words.

 

 About the Author

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling romance author. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream. Mimi lives with her Latin Lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and the rat terrier duo, Snowflake and Mini Me, in Arizona. She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men

Sign up for Mimi’s mailing list for giveaways and new release news!

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Book Review, Giveaway: Lead Me Home by A.L. Jackson

Lead Me Home

A second-chance, friends-to-lovers, stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Fight for Me series…

Amazon

Paperback

Audible

 

LEAD ME HOME

 A Fight for Me Stand-Alone Novel

by A.L. Jackson

Fourteen years ago, my life changed forever.
My sister disappeared. That day I was selfish. That day I chose myself over her. And that day, I lost everything.
Including Nikki Walters.
She’s the girl I’ve loved my whole life. She’s gorgeous. Caring. Every single thing I’ve ever wanted but denied myself. She was my sister’s best friend, and I destroyed any chance of keeping her.
When her safety is threatened, I have a second chance to do the right thing. But as soon as she moves in, I want her in all the wrong ways.
All it takes is a brush of her hand, and I’m losing all control.
The fire between us is only burning hotter.
But neither of us saw what was coming.
And it just might be Nikki Walters who destroys me in the end.
The highly anticipated sexy, suspenseful stand-alone second-chance romance from NYT Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson.
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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

My attraction to him was so intense I wondered how he didn’t taste it in the air.

 

Human emotions were such tricky little things. They could be fleeting and fast, forgotten before we gave ourselves time to ponder them, or they wiggled their way in, so deep that it was impossible to imagine they hadn’t been part of us all along.

 

Lily was looking at me as if she were chipping pieces of me away and labeling each one as evidence.

 

I think that’s what missing someone means. They’re missing from you, not just from your life, but from your heart. And nothing, no matter how hard you try, really works or fully functions because you’re missing that piece.

 My Review:

Add another heart-squeezing, steamy, and angst-filled romance to your TBR, as it was well worth the anguish; and the mystery that has plagued me all through this well-crafted series was finally, finally, yes finally solved as to what happened to Sydney. I was flailing more than usual for fear this book was going to be a total angst-fest – as the characters were in constant conflict with themselves as well as with each other for over two-thirds of the book. Oh, the agony! That much angst is just – tedious torment for me. Thank goodness Ms. Jackson tossed in some amusing testosterone-fueled banter between the well-bonded and tightly-knit he-men, steamy sensual scenes, a well-woven mystery, and a sexy, filthy talking, and cranky lead character that I could forgive anything for. Written in my favorite dual POV, I got past my pet peeve and sighed with satisfaction on reaching that delightful HEA.

 
Don’t miss our amazing giveaway going on to celebrate the LEAD ME HOME Release!! Grand prize includes signed SHOW ME THE WAY and FOLLOW ME BACK and the entire BLEEDING STARS SERIES Paperbacks!!

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Grab A.L. Jackson’s latest novel, LEAD ME HOME, the third stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn
Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor

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!

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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Interested in having Jill Shalvis crash your Book Club? 
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.