Category: Giveaways

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Book Review, Giveaway: Five Ladies Go Skiing by Karen Aldous

Five Ladies Go Skiing

by Karen Aldous

Amazon /  iBooks /   Kobo  /   NOOK

 

A delightful new novel of love and friendship from Karen Aldous…

Ginny is alone now after losing her husband, so her friends (her F.L.O.W.E.R.S) decide with his first memorial imminent, learning to ski in the Swiss Alps would be a great distraction for her. What Ginny’s friends fail to add to the equation, however, is their own distractions! The baggage they carry with them not only threatens their skiing but scales mountainous emotions throughout the trip. The questions then are…can their friendships survive, and can Ginny ever trust enough to love again?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

What are we like? I mean, sixty-year-old women, pissed as old farts, falling about in the snow. What would our children think?

 

Goodness me, if I had a penny for each time Anthony annoyed me, I’d give Bill Gates a run for his money. I thought it was just Anthony. It’s quite a relief to hear you’ve got grumpy old men too.

My Review:

 

Copious amounts of wine and consumption of delicious food in a beautiful setting during the holiday season for five ladies over sixty, four of which were novice skiers on their first ski trip – what could possibly go wrong other than leading me astray from my diet? If only they could have left all their life stressors and secrets behind.   Each of the five main characters was either struggling or feeling less than satisfied with their life, yet they were more concerned with the special handling their widowed friend seemed to require rather than sharing their own worries and scandals. I admired the premise and subplots, however, the storylines moved at a glacial pace. The plot was gradually developed yet insightful and realistic with glimmers of humor and brightly detailed descriptions that conjured keen visuals. The pervading aura was angsty and fractious with various connubial and familial concerns and complaints, which unfortunately became rather tiresome as the ladies repeatedly obsessed over their issues in their inner musings before finally giving voice to their troubles and working through them. Fun new additions to my Brit and Aussie word lists were garnered with chook (Aussie slang for a chicken or older woman), arvo (Aussie talk for the afternoon), wide boy (a nefarious or deceptive business operator), and screaming abdabs (extreme anxiety and also an alcoholic’s DT).

 

Author Bio –

Karen Aldous enjoys village life on the edge of the north-downs in Kent with easy access to the buzz of London. Not only does she love the passive pleasures of reading and writing, she also craves the more active pursuits with her family and friends such as walking, cycling, and skiing especially when they involve food and wine!

Much of Karen’s inspiration comes from her travels and meeting people. The UK, France, Greece, Switzerland, Italy, and parts of the USA and Asia are just some you will experience in her books to date. However, wherever she goes, new characters emerge in ‘Karen’s World’ screaming at her to tell their stories; past or present. She loves to write about strong independent women who can direct their own lives – but struggle to control them! And, of course, there’s always a gorgeous hunk or two!

See more… http://www.karenaldous.co.uk/about-me/

 

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenAldous_

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

 

Giveaway 

Win 5 x Paperback copies of

Five Ladies Go Skiing

(UK Only)

 

*Terms and Conditions –Please note prize will be distributed once the paperback is available (published 13th December).  UK 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 dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Spotlight, Giveaway: Fallen Angel Part 6 by Tracie Podger

FA6FBBanner

Fallen Angel, Part 6

A continuation of the Fallen Angel Series

By Tracie Podger

 

Blurb

 

Italy, the mistress that Brooke can no longer compete with was consuming her husband. He changed when he was there, and she wasn’t sure the Band-Aid she’s placed over their fractures was man enough to hold.

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There was something about Italy that was both loved and hated for very different reasons by Brooke and Robert Stone.

For Robert, Italy was in his blood, she ran through his genes, tantalizing, calling to him constantly.

After a month apart, Brooke and Robert are reunited and it isn’t all smooth sailing. Devastation, pain, and more hurt than the couple could ever imagine is to be endured, but can they walk hand-in-hand from it this time?

Do Italy and the change in Robert become too much for Brooke to cope with?

 

Green grunge background

 

Available from all retailers 12th November 2018

 

Amazon

 

Start the Fallen Angel Series TODAY!

 

Part 1 FREE on ALL Retailers!

 

 

 

FALLEN ANGEL Part 6 ecover

 

Excerpt

 

A tsunami had washed through my family. A typhoon, tornado, and hurricane all rolled into one had rocked the very fabric that held us together. We survived, of course, we survive everything—Well, some of us did.

I don’t think I’d ever cried so much. I’d sobbed alone into my pillow at night, and I’d wailed onto the shoulders of my friends and family. The one I needed, I wanted, whose absence made my heart and chest physically ache was missing. My body hurt, my throat was permanently sore from the shouts and screams lodged in there. I had to keep my profanities, my anger, inside for the sake of my son. He had lost as well, and I had to remind myself of that on a regular basis. The bitterness that constantly bubbled in my stomach in the form of acid was beginning to rot me from within. I found myself constantly taking medication. I doubted the copious amounts of wine helped the situation.

During the day I smiled, I went about business as normal, or as normal as my life was at that point. I’d spent many a minute lying in the footwell of the car as we exited the house to dodge the fucking paparazzi and the constant flashes against the darkened windows of the Range Rover. Every time I blinked, I saw flashes of white light. I kept my son indoors for the longest period of time for fear of telephoto lenses capturing his tears and sorrow.

Security was so tight, I couldn’t breathe. I wanted it and I loathed it in equal measure. I switched from anger to sadness to resentment, and then to understanding like a swing in a strong wind.

I spoke to him, regularly. At first, all I could do was curse and shout. Then it was tears and explanations. I was still angry, I was still sad, but I understood, and there was a part of me that actually didn’t like myself for understanding. I was a ball of confusion. I craved normality, knowing that was never going to happen.

 

Purchase your copy from Amazon

 

 

FA6Prize

 

Enter to win this gorgeous Steff Angel Wing Bracelet!

 

——〉 HERE

 

 

Follow Tracie Podger

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: Homicide in Herne Hill by Alice Castle

Homicide in Herne Hill

by Alice Castle

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU  

 

Beth Haldane, SE21’s premier – and only – single mum amateur sleuth is really pleased to find a new friend at the school gates, in the shape of irrepressibly bouncy Nina. As well as a way with words, Nina has a puzzle she wants Beth to solve, centered on the solicitor’s office where Nina works in Herne Hill.

But as the mystery thickens, threatening to drag in not just Nina and her boss, but the yummy mummies of Dulwich, too, Beth is about to find out just how far some people will go to keep up appearances. 

Join Beth in this fourth installment in the London Murder Mystery series for her toughest case yet.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Beth realised she had never enjoyed a Nativity so much… The Angel Gabriel was extremely reluctant to hand over the Godchild to Mary, as it was her brand new Luvabella doll playing the pivotal role. Once that tug-of-war was over, one of the Year 1 oxen bit a shepherd on the leg and the Three Wise Men got lost, their Sat Nav having apparently failed in the desert. Billy and Bobby MacKenzie, playing the role of bouncers – characters who had oddly not appeared in the original Gospels – had a not very sotto voce fight over who was going to tether Mary’s extremely uncooperative donkey, and only their mother’s blistering intervention from the audience got events moving again. Finally, one of the angels absentmindedly lifted up her skirts to reveal she wasn’t wearing any knickers, at which point many parents gave up live-streaming the event for fear of prosecution on public decency grounds.

 

She fumbled out the Nokia phone, looking askance at its blocky buttons. ‘Cool,’ breathed Ben, taking it from her with the reverence of an Egyptologist examining a rare papyrus. ‘That’s so… old.’

 

Poor Janice was starting to get that look of occasional blank terror Beth had often seen on expectant mothers’ faces, and which had no doubt been on her own, as the horrible truth dawned that two people couldn’t continue in one body indefinitely, and there was only one possible exit route.

 

‘Bet you thought we was all too old for hanky-panky. Well, let me tell you, a Freedom Pass in’t just for the buses, love… It’s like the January sales, sometimes, down at the sheltered housing. And I’m in a good position now that Ivy Penrose has passed.’

 

How do you even know that much? We’re just piecing things together. Honestly, I ought to just tap your phone line. It would cut our investigation time in half.

 

My Review:

 

I have enjoyed each intriguing, humorous, and cunningly penned installment in this series, but I believe I enjoyed this one most of all. Alice Castle has laced her well-crafted mysteries with delightfully amusing wry wit, clever comedic observations and insights, and humorously depicted and enticingly quirky characters. I smirked and reveled in the nimbly described antics and colorfully detailed encounters and shenanigans the highly curious Beth manages to entangle herself within, but she just can’t herself. I totally adore Beth and suspect we would be fast friends if we ever had the chance to meet. She also provided a treasure trove of new additions for my Brit Vocabulary List with blimmin’ – a milder version of bleeding or bloody; boyf – boyfriend; moggie – a common cat; titch – a small amount or small person; cozzie – swimsuit; off-licence – a liquor store; and shirty – irritable and bad-tempered.

Author Bio

 Before turning to crime, Alice Castle had a long career as a feature writer on national newspapers including the Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Alice grew up in south London and, after a brief stint in Brussels (where her first novel, Hot Chocolate, is set) she is back where she belongs, dreaming up adventures for her heroine, amateur detective and single mum Beth Haldane. Alice is married with two children, two stepchildren, and two cats. Find out more about her London Murder Mystery series on her website, www.alicecastleauthor.com. Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 by Crooked Cat Books and was #1 in the Amazon Satire/Detective charts in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain, and Germany. The Girl in the Gallery came out in December 2017 and the third in the series, Calamity in Camberwell, was published on 13th August 2018. Revenge on the Rye will follow in 2019, with more books in the pipeline.

Social Media Links – http://www.alicecastleauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DDsDiary?lang=en

Links to buy books: http://www.MyBook.to/GirlintheGallery.

myBook.to/1DeathinDulwich, myBook.to/GirlintheGallery, myBook.to/CiC myBook.to/homicideinhernehill

Giveaway 

Win a signed copy of Homicide in Herne Hill

(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.

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Changeup by Mary Billiter

 

 Title: The Changeup

Author: Mary Billiter

Genre: Romantic Mystery

Release Date: October 23, 2018

Series: Resort Romances #6

(Complete stand-alone series)

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing

Cover Designer: Claire Smith

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Add to TBR
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 Available now! 
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Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Nac6HC
All links: books2read.com/the-changeup
A hot deputy, a woman in hiding, and a murder that changes it all. True love and the truth are often at odds in Mary Billiter’s latest installment in her resort romance series.
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The Feds changed her name, occupation, and location, but Cupid and crime still found her. Both Witness Protection and her position as a hotel conference services manager require Rebel Roberts to maintain a low profile. But when she finds herself at the center of high crime and high romance at the high-rise Point Resort in Long Beach, even the best-laid plans are subject to change.
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Former college baseball pitcher Ryan McHenry plans on becoming a deputy sheriff like his late uncle. But when Rebel literally stumbles on a dead body by her hotel, helping her change the narrative may throw a curve in his career plans.
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Can Rebel and Ryan find true love and happiness with so many lies between them?
  Available now! 
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Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Nac6HC 
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2CdCuvY 
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2PrE4fl 
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2MKU8vC 
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2mMlpyq 
iTunes: https://apple.co/2LEuEPm 
Nook: http://bit.ly/2mL0I63
 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I wasn’t sure what constituted the downstairs of this hotel, but it couldn’t be worse than working 130 feet underground in a wine cave. Besides, if I worked any further down, Satan would be my officemate.

 

There are places where even an alcoholic would rather be sober than set foot into because the bar floor was so sticky that they’d probably lose a shoe before they gained a buzz, and the Long Beach Club Roar was that place. It was the classic dive bar down to the $ 1 Busch beer and the local favorite, Milk of Amnesia—a combo of Fireball, rum, and milk.

 

I stick out like a neon sign in Amish country…

 

“Once a month, we tell our husbands or significant others that we have”— she raised her hands in the air and made finger quotes—“ book club.” She quickly scanned Club Roar as if she was looking for someone. “Only we’ve been reading the same book now for a year.”

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed the feisty characters and snappy wit I found during this lively yet easy to follow story. Written in my favorite dual POV, the genre seemed mostly women’s fiction with a delightful blend of wry humor and interesting storylines involving witness protection, a murder mystery, and a developing sweet and steamy romance. The characters were strong and sassy women who could hold their own while also quirky and endearing. Ms. Billiter’s writing was pleasantly engaging, well-plotted, briskly paced, and held my attention while putting a frequent smile on my face.

 

 

 More From This Author 

books2read.com/donotdisturb

books2read.com/escape-clause

books2read.com/rulebreakers

books2read.com/spirited-away


books2read.com/winethief

Website I Facebook I Goodreads I Twitter
Mary Billiter is a weekly newspaper columnist and fiction author. She also has novels published under the pen name, “Pumpkin Spice.”Mary resides in the Cowboy State with her unabashedly bald husband, her four amazing children, two fantastic step-kids, and their runaway dog. She does her best writing (in her head) on her daily runs in wild, romantic, beautiful Wyoming.

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Cuckoo Wood by M. Sean Coleman

  

 

The Cuckoo Wood

by M. Sean Coleman

Amazon UK  / US  / Direct from Red Dog 

 

A THRILLING, MELODICALLY CREEPY MYSTERY.

Samantha Jaynes took her life in the cold lake. Now Rosie Trimble has done the same. Both claimed they had seen an angel. And they’re not the only ones.

A spate of teenage suicides rattles the rural community of Kirkdale, in England’s Lake District. Before they died, each of the girls talked about seeing an angel. Is this collective hallucination, or is something more sinister leading these young girls to their deaths?

That’s a question for Dr. Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective. Brought in to help the police, she finds a community rooted in fear and suspicion, bound by their strange faith, unwilling to help, unable to forgive.

Because the people of Kirkdale have buried their dark past once, and they’re not about to let Ripley dig it up again.

The Cuckoo Wood is the first Alex Ripley Mystery

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She’d been punched in the face and now carried a neat little scar over her right eye after being assaulted by one particularly irate healer, the irony of which had not passed her by.

 

Ripley heard his awful, animal howl echo across the water. She knew that feeling, she had felt it herself. Love and life, unexpectedly lost. Ripped away. That was the sound of a heart breaking.

 

My Review:

 

I am in awe of the agile word skills and ingenious storytelling of this gifted author. He must have been blessed by the goddess of words, as his narrative was well-crafted and tightly woven. I was absorbed by his well-paced and intriguing tale and found my muscles were as taut as the writing on the page. His characters were as curiously compelling and complex as the cleverly constructed storylines and my curiosity remained at high levels throughout. I am an instant fangirl. Plus, I scored a new addition to my Brit Word List with bladdered, which Mr. Google indicated was informal British for being extremely inebriated. Not that I would ever have a need for such a condition 😉

Author Bio 

 Born in the UK and raised in South Africa, M. Sean Coleman developed a love for reading and writing novels in his early teens, thanks to two incredibly passionate English teachers who infected him with their love of words and stories. Over the intervening years, he has written film and television drama, cross-platform series, an interactive children’s storybook, and a graphic novel series.


He finally found his niche as a thriller writer when he was asked to write a novel as part of the cross-platform project, Netwars. His first book, The Code, was published six months later, with the sequel, Down Time, hot on its heels. There was no going back.


He is obsessed with crime, mystery and thriller stories, especially those with a fresh or surprising angle. He writes novels from his home in The Cotswolds, where he lives with his husband and their three red dogs.

Social Media Links –  

www.facebook.com/mseancoleman.author

www.twitter.com/mseancoleman

 

Giveaway

to win a paperback copy of The Cuckoo Wood, a cool tote bag with book quote from the publisher, a branded bookmark and some chocolates (Open INT)

*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.

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Best Boomerville Hotel by Caroline James

The Best Boomerville Hotel

by Caroline James

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU

Kobo /  iTunes / Google / B&N

 

Let the shenanigans begin at the Best Boomerville Hotel …


Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!

Perhaps not surprisingly Boomerville attracts more than its fair share of eccentric clientele: there’s fun-loving Sir Henry Mulberry and his brother Hugo; Lucinda Brown, an impoverished artist with more ego than talent; Andy Mack, a charming Porsche-driving James Bond lookalike, as well as Kate Simmons, a woman who made her fortune from an internet dating agency but still hasn’t found ‘the One’ herself.

With such an array of colorful individuals there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Somewhere in the universe, there is someone who will love us, understand us and kiss and make it all better.

 

In Kate’s experience, it was nigh on impossible to form a relationship with anyone of her own age and the men attracted to Kate were doddering around on a walking frame or looking for a ride to their next doctor’s appointment.

 

The fabulous fifties that everyone raved about seemed lonely and unwelcome and she yearned for some stimulating company to stop her from disappearing into the oblivion of middle age… She prayed that some day soon The One would come knocking on her door. But, in truth, Kate knew that the only knock would be the postman with a catalogue for comfy shoes and hearing aids.

 

Sir Henry had caused chaos in creative writing last week and the other students had to be calmed at the end of the session. Sir Henry’s half-completed memoirs, Fifty Shades of Sheepdogs, had upset some of the ladies in the group, although one or two, including Hattie, enjoyed the scintillating excerpts.

 

‘Guests who go to his sessions say they feel like they’ve gained a new lease of life. Hattie did one before we opened Boomerville and I asked her to research the Shaman’s course.’ ‘Did she enjoy it?’ ‘Hard to say. She went missing for three days and came back with an eagle tattooed on her bottom. She couldn’t sit down for a week.’

 

My Review:

 

Being a boomer myself, I found this amusing and smirk-worthy tale a delight to read. I want to book a stay there for myself. This was my first experience reading Ms. James’ clever and entertaining words and she didn’t miss a trick. Her well-crafted and engaging storylines were laced with levity, insightful observations, and an oddly compelling and quirky cast of characters. I adored them all but found dear Hattie to be what my Gran would call “a caution.”   Slyly nestled among the antics, this talented scribe has provided a easy to follow and enjoyable mixture of humor and intrigue with a mysterious and powerful (yet creepy) shaman, an accurate fortune-telling gypsy, blackmail, embezzlement, a slick and conniving gigolo, feisty seniors, a precious pup, several new romances, and a raging stormy night without power for the culmination of the plot. I could never get enough of this unconventional yet uncommonly endearing group and currently yearn for a bit more. And score, I unearthed a new addition for my Brit Word List with punters – which the Urban Dictionary has informed me is British slang for a gambler or someone making a risky investment, as well as a customer or client. I am getting smarter by the day!

Author Bio:

Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can. A public speaker, consultant and food writer, Caroline is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association and writes articles and short stories and contributes to many publications.

Her debut novel, Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me is set in North West England, at the time of a famous gypsy horse fair.  The book went straight to number three on Amazon and was E-book of the Week in The Sun.

So, You Think You’re A Celebrity…Chef? was runner-up the Winchester Writers festival for best TV Drama and takes a light-hearted look at the world of celebrity chefs as they battle it out for fame and fortune. Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me was runner-up at The Write Stuff, LBF, 2015 and is an Amazon best-seller and top recommended read by Thomson Holidays. Jungle Rock, a romcom novella set in Australia, revolves around a TV game show.

In her spare time, Caroline can be found trekking up a mountain or relaxing with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

Caroline James Links:

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk http://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter:@CarolineJames12 https://twitter.com/CarolineJames12

FaceBook: Caroline James Author https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineJames/

Giveaway 

Win Bertie Bear and his travel bag

(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.

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Book Review, Giveaway: DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS by Denise Swanson

DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS

by Denise Swanson

 

 Amazon | B&N | Kobo  

 

From New York Times best-selling author Denise Swanson comes DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS, the second installment in her Delicious Love series. It takes one dedicated wildlife veterinarian, plus an impossibly handsome nightclub manager to prove that love always wins. Fans of Jill Shalvis, Bella Andre, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips will devour this sweet and sexy romance.

 

Synopsis:

 

Marco Thorne was hired by Club Wilde’s owner to open up the newest, most outrageous venue yet. He is absolutely certain that he can handle all the competition Las Vegas has to offer until his overbearing boss contracts with Lions and Tigers and More sanctuary to have live exotic animals present in the jungle-themed club. Still, he has no choice but to go along with his boss’s idiotic scheme, even if he thinks it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard.

Dr. Sage DeSantis’s entire life is devoted to keeping the animals under her care in the sanctuary healthy and happy. After the sanctuary’s owner announces that he’s renting out some of Sage’s babies to Club Wilde, she’s sickened that they will once again be exploited.

 

When Marco and Sage meet, the chemistry between them nearly knocks them off their feet. Although they both have experiences in their past that make them leery of love, and Sage is determined to guard her heart, Marco is all in. But will Marco be able to convince Sage to give them a chance?    

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

You’re perfect. I like women with a little meat. Bones are for dogs.

 

By noon, she was ready to do something rash—like clean the bathrooms or iron the stack of clothes that had been sitting in the laundry basket for at least a couple of years.

 

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and the only cutlery in my parents’ house was stainless steel. He’s beef Wellington and I’m a microwave dinner.

 

Smokey needs to be tranq-ed so his handler can give him an enema. Apparently he hasn’t shit in the woods lately.

 

My Review:

 

I was drawn to the premise of this one and while the interesting ideas were all there and the storylines were easy to follow with hits of humor and sizzle, the execution was just not my cup of tea.   It wasn’t badly written, just a bit too tropey for my taste.

 

 

Enter to win a signed set of Delicious Love books + $15 Amazon Gift Card!

Nine will win DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS ebooks!

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About Denise Swanson:

New York Times Bestseller author Denise Swanson was a practicing psychologist for twenty-two years. She writes the Delicious Love and Change of Heart contemporary romance series, as well as the Scumble River, Devereaux’s Dime Store, and Chief-to-Go mysteries. Her books all feature small-town heroines with lots of heart.

 

Denise’s books have been finalists for the Agatha, Mary Higgins Clark, RT Magazine’s Career Achievement, and Daphne du Maurier Awards. She has won the Reviewers Choice Award and was a BookSense 76 Top Pick.

 

Denise Swanson lives in rural Illinois with her husband, classical composer David Stybr.

 

Follow:  Website | Reader Group | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub | Pinterest

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: One Wild Ride by A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea

One Wild Ride

The second sexy, stand-alone romance from bestselling authors A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea…

TITLE: ONE WILD RIDE
SERIES: A Hollywood Chronicles Stand-Alone Novel
RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 22ND, 2018
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Goodreads

Amazon / Paperback / Audio  Coming Soon!

Elle Ward, daughter of Hollywood’s hottest director, has sworn off actors for life.
She knows their games and she refuses to play them.
That is until the day she collides with one of LA’s most promising actors.
Kas Cowen isn’t looking for love until it literally runs him down.
One look at Elle and he’s hooked.
He crashes into her life and flips it upside down.
Now he has to convince Elle he’s more than just a pretty face.
Little did they know they were up for one wild ride . . .

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My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Did you really think you could bring him here and I wouldn’t recognize that face? Or that body? Hello, abs. Goodness, Elle, I don’t know how you left the house…

 

My Review:

 

While considered a stand-alone installment, this story runs concurrently and shares characters and parallel storylines with the first in the series, One Wild Night. Both stories were smoking hot and written in my favorite dual POV, although One Wild Ride was painfully angsty, which is just not one of my favorite things.   I adored the sweet and swoony Kas, who was hot new face and body in underwear ads. Elle, on the other hand, was a difficult character for me to warm up to, and in fact, I was only able to muster a lukewarm result toward the rather tiresome and distrusting princess.

 

We have a $25 GC up for grabs, so you can get a ton of books 😉

A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea are bestselling authors residing in Arizona. After being writing partners for five years, it only made sense that they’d put their minds together to bring their readers something fun, flirty, and sexy.
Connect with A.L.
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Book Review, Giveaway: WHISKEY Dick Series by Ryan Ringbloom (Whiskey Dick #1, Whiskey Chick #2)

WHISKEY DICK

by Ryan Ringbloom
Whiskey Dick, #1
Publication Date: July 24, 2018
Genres: Adult, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Standalone

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SYNOPSIS:

A NIGHT WITH NO HARD FEELINGS

Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. It’s a fluke. Too much whiskey. Believe me when I say, it will NEVER happen again.

I’m trying not to take it personally. Sh*t happens. It’s not a reflection on me. He claims it was too much whiskey. A onetime occurrence. And I believe him.

But then why the hell does it happen a second time?

Fate’s a funny thing.
He likes her.
She likes him.
They say the third time’s a charm….

Get ready to laugh, cringe, and swoon as two terrified flyers travel toward romance in this lovable Romantic Comedy.

This is a standalone book intended for mature readers.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She leans across the table and lowers her voice. “Erectile dysfunction happens.” Wrong words. So very wrong. If there were a book called The Big Book of Men, the first chapter would clearly state that those two words never be said to any man ever. Ever. It would be the first freaking rule.

 

One minute, I like her, I think she’s great and the next, I want to rip her head off. If we were in kindergarten I’d think I was in love with her.

 

“Is this a condom thing?” The cashier looks from me to Jax, back to me. “No need to be weird. It’s the middle of the night, half the people who come in here at this time are buying condoms. If you think you might need them, get them. Or else you’ll be like the other half who come in here in the middle of the night to buy diapers.”… I just basically agreed to sex at the register in a Walmart.

 

My Review:

 

What a delight!   This was a fast, fun, and cleverly amusing read. Two anxious fliers meet in an airport bar while killing time due to a delayed flight.   Their anxiety levels continue to ratchet skyward when their dreaded flight is pushed back several times then finally canceled due to mechanical difficulties. A situation that doesn’t inspire confidence in even a seasoned flier, so they opt to share the long drive instead. Flirting, whiskey, anxiety, mutual attraction and lots of kissing in a shared hotel room – record scratch – the little head didn’t seem to get the invitation when it came time for the main event. Awkward. Which became increasingly mortifying as they embark on a very long and testy road trip the morning after. I adored these characters.

 

 

WHISKEY CHICK

by Ryan Ringbloom
Whiskey Dick, #2
Publication Date: September 9, 2018
Genres: Adult, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Standalone

BUY NOW! AVAILABLE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QMo6gC
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Amazon MX: https://amzn.to/2CbDn6t

SYNOPSIS:

A NIGHT FULL OF HARD FEELINGS

Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. It’s a fluke. Too much whiskey. Believe me when I say, it will NEVER happen again.

I’m trying not to take it personally. Sh*t happens. It was a blind date. She drank too much whiskey. I hope it wasn’t a reflection on me.

Okay, so the first date didn’t work out. But what happens when the second one doesn’t either?

Fate’s a funny thing.
She likes him.
He likes her.
They say the third time’s a charm….

Get ready to laugh, cringe, and swoon as fate blindly intervenes in this lovable Romantic Comedy.

This is a standalone book that features a new couple intended for mature readers.

 

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Don’t worry, they probably just saw me. On top of my bed. Doing a striptease. And they probably think I’m by myself.” First there was my questionable boner-hiding moment with my aunt and mom, and now this. “They probably think I’m up here doing some pathetic mating dance before masturbating.”

 

I look back out the window. My father and uncle sit by the fire and the rest are gone. I’m guessing they’re inside pouring bleach into their eyes.

 

My Review:

 

Another quick, engaging, and fun read from the delectable Ryan Ringbloom, which kept me smirking most of the way through. Remi was a hot mess, although, to her credit, she often tried, yet she just couldn’t seem to help herself, or keep a job, or maintain her focus, or find anything to hold her interest. Her social filter was missing, a condition that didn’t seem to bother her all that much except for that one appalling incident that had always caused her shame, she had been the blind date from hell after too much whiskey.   Adam had never forgotten that date either and had recounted the story of the Whiskey Chick so often it had become a myth-like legend among his family and friends. Remi and Adam happened to meet up and square off again two years later with considerably better results, although there were complications, lots of humorous complications. The storylines were highly enjoyable and packed with colorful levity, steamy sensuality, and occasional bits of humbling angst. Ryan Ringbloom is good fun!

ABOUT RYAN RINGBLOOM

Hi, I’m Ryan Ringbloom, a Jersey girl who doesn’t write Alphas. I couldn’t if I tried. Social Media stresses me the frick out, yet I can’t seem to walk away from it. I love to binge watch TV. I think cats are awesome. I’m obsessed with coffee and Fireball. But never together. My road rage is ridiculous. And if there is ever a zombie apocalypse, I won’t even try to run. I will let the first one I see eat my brain and get it over with.

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Book Review, Giveaway: Autumn Antics (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2) by Georgina Troy

Autumn Antics

(The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2)

by Georgina Troy

Amazon US / UK / CA/ AU

 

Being a part-time hand model can be tricky, especially when you have to deal with prima donnas like Megan Knight, a reality star whose meteoric rise has surprised everyone. Bella is happiest running her tiny antique business from the front room of her cottage on the boardwalk. To ensure she has enough income coming in, she also rents out two of her bedrooms and is hiding a secret crush on one of her lodgers. His name is Jack and he also happens to be her best friend Sacha’s brother.

If life wasn’t complicated enough, her world-traveling mother appears on her doorstep on the same evening that Jack’s ex-fiancée arrives on the boardwalk determined to win him back. Bella has a lot of thinking to do and soon discovers that not all gems sparkle.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

It always feels a little strange coming back. It’s like stepping into a childhood memory, a bit like entering a protected bubble.

 

My Review:

 

Autumn Antics was a pleasant and relaxing read and my initial exposure to the island of Jersey, which sounds like a uniquely interesting locale. Regardless of their colorful boardwalk and coastal terrain, I am currently eaten up with curiosity and obsessing over their specialty bread called Cabbage Loaf, which sounds rather awful in theory – bread baked with a cabbage leaf on the top and bottom, but as it is revered, it must taste divine. I am determined to dust off my baking pans, Google a recipe, and give it a try; which speaks volumes to the Georgina Troy’s talent for descriptive writing, as she apparently possesses magical word charms capable of spurring my lazy bones into domestic activity. An astounding feat!

The plot and storylines were leisurely paced and gradually shaped, a bit sluggish in places as it was not an active or intriguing read; but rather a sweet and light tale about a small village with gentle inhabitants, most of which had lived there most of their lives. This was book two in the series and while I had not read book one, I never feel lost or confused although it appears that the characters from the first book carried over into the second installment as well. I waffled some on the rating as it felt a little less than a four-star read but near enough.

 

Author Bio –

Georgina Troy is a pseudonym of author Deborah Carr. She recently signed with HarperCollins’ romance imprint HarperImpulse to write a historical romance to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr will be published in e-book format on 12 October 2018 and in paperback on 27 December 2018.

Georgina was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) with A Jersey Kiss and a finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for new writers 2015. Her first four-book series, The Jersey Scene and books 1 and 2 of her second series, The Boardwalk by the Sea are available.

She also writes thrillers as Ella Drummond and lives on the island of Jersey with her husband and three rescue dogs and is 1/3 of The Blonde Plotters.

Sign up to Georgina’s Newsletter at: deborahcarr.org/contact

Social Media Links –

Website: https://www.deborahcarr.org/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorginaTroy

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