Book Review, Giveaway: Wranglers Rescue The Montana Cahills #7) by B.J. Daniels 

Wranglers Rescue

The Montana Cahills #7)

by B.J. Daniels 

Amazon | B-A-M | B&N

SYNOPSIS:

She’ll risk everything to bring her cowboy back home…

One week ago, Cyrus Cahill told Ashley Jo “AJ” Somerfield that he’d be back in her arms by the weekend. He just needed to buy a bull for his ranch, and then they’d pick up where they left off after that romantic ride through the foothills. But now he’s gone missing and everyone—even the sheriff—believes he’s dead.

Everyone…but AJ. She suspects foul play and she won’t rest until Cyrus is back home in Gilt Edge, right where he belongs. Because Cyrus isn’t the kind of cowboy who breaks a promise. And since she’s not the kind of woman who gives up on her man, AJ will risk anything to help bring him home…even her own life.

Don’t miss this suspenseful conclusion of The Montana Cahills series from New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels.

 

My Rating:

My Review:

Oh, those Cahills, they are always stepping in something, they certainly seem to liven up their small rural community.   This time the entire family is forced to deal with a ripping good mystery when informed by the authorities that the painfully shy and quiet Cyrus was suddenly married, missing, and presumed dead while nearly halfway across the globe. Wow, and all in one weekend. Cyrus had unwittingly tangled with a seductive sociopath/black widow.   Juliette went through husbands like I go through wine. This treacherous beauty had quite the scheme and was a tenacious villain. The intriguing storylines were active, eventful, and well-crafted while the writing was engaging, occasionally steamy, and hard to put down. Ms. Daniels has been a recent discovery for me but I relish her lovably quirky yet flawed characters and clever yet easy to follow and witty tales.

About B.J. Daniels

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author B.J. Daniels was born in Texas but moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first home was a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone.

Most of her books are set in Montana, a place she loves. She lives now in a unique part of the state with her husband and three Springer Spaniels.

Connect with B.J.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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Book Review: A Gentleman for Christmas by Prescott Lane

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A Gentleman for Christmas

by Prescott Lane

Release Date: November 26th

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A Gentleman for Christmas

an all-new standalone contemporary romance

by Prescott Lane

Amazon / B&N / iBooks

 

Some say “chivalry is dead.”

I don’t think so. Most women I know like a gentleman.

Protective, opens doors, treats women with respect, typically follows the rules.

But a gentleman doesn’t fall for his best friend’s woman. Current or ex.

And that’s what I’ve done.

During the Christmas season of all times — that magical time for decorations, gifts, family . . .

Yes, the girl who was off-limits for so long, who I’ve loved all my life, has come back in town and possibly back to me.

I can’t follow the gentleman rules this time. There’s too much at stake. I let her go once. I won’t let her go again.

What happens under the mistletoe, stays under the mistletoe.

Or does it?

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Download your copy today!

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

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

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Excerpt:

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”

Otherwise known as the original bros before hoes commandment.

I’m not advocating calling women hoes. It’s an expression, so put away your Encyclopedia of Political Correctness.

There are rules in life. The Ten Commandments were just the beginning. We have rules for everything. How to drive. How to dress. How to walk across the damn street. So why not rules for love? That’s how all this started — a set of rules between my buddies and me.

The Bro Code.

Obviously, bros before hoes is rule one. We vowed never to let a girl come between us, which meant if one of us liked a girl, she was forever off limits.

Little did I know our teenage pact would launch my multi-million dollar career. A little tweaking here and some socially acceptable rewording there and The Gentleman’s Handbook was born.

I’ve written books and given seminars on everything from how to find love, to how to propose, to how to have a successful long-distance relationship. You name it, and I’ve got rules for it. Personally, I’ve never been much of a rule follower, but that’s my little secret.

The funny thing is I’ve never been in love. Well, there is this one girl, but we won’t talk about her. It does no good to think about someone you can’t have and never will.

My lack of emotional commitment hasn’t slowed down my career one bit. Currently, I have two books on the New York Times Best Sellers List. My seminars sell out like a Drake concert.

I always find it interesting that the rules started between a group of male friends, but it’s mostly women that come to hear me speak. Occasionally, you see the poor sap boyfriend who was dragged along to listen, but for the most part it’s all women.

This time of the year is no exception. December first until January first is important for guys. Holidays are big for a lot of couples. If you don’t know what you’re doing for your lady, you better figure it out and fast. In fact, my rule is that you should be paying attention all year long.

Trust me on this. If you remember something she mentioned she liked three months ago and surprise her with it at Christmas, she’ll spread her legs before Santa even has time to slide down the chimney. Let’s be honest, that is always at least part of the goal for guys.

So my current work in progress tackles Christmas. A how-to guide for the holidays.

The Gentleman’s Rules for Christmas.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m in trouble. She’s in “all men are assholes” mode. Threat level red. Someone should hoist the red flag up on the beach, warning hazardous conditions ahead.

 

The beach is wide, the water vast, the sky unending, and I’m reminded how small I am, like a single grain of sand… I look out toward the horizon, where the blue sky meets the blue water. Two shades of the same color. That’s the perfect way to think about Jax and me… Jax and I are the horizon, where he ends I begin, and vice versa.

 

I feel like I’m a kid in an expensive store, and I’m not supposed to touch… You’re worth too much.

 

“You were my first love,” I whisper but don’t make eye contact. He kneels, taking both my hands. His blue eyes look up at me, full of warmth. “I want to be your last,” he whispers back.

 

My Review:

 

Christmas came early for me this year and I’ve already enjoyed my gift from Prescott Lane. I adored this well-paced holiday novella from start to finish. Crisp and thoughtfully written in my favorite dual POV by one of my favorite authors, it covered all the bases as a friends to lovers, second chance, Christmas, and small-town romance. Plus, it had all the feels, buckets of wry humor, and Kindle melting love scenes. Nirvana!

 

About Prescott:

Prescott Lane is the Amazon best-selling author of Stripped Raw. She’s got seven other books under her belt including: First Position, Perfectly Broken, Quiet Angel, Wrapped in Lace, Layers of Her, The Reason for Me, and The Sex Bucket List. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a degree in sociology and an MSW from Tulane University. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever afters in real life.

Connect with Prescott:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottLane1
Twitter: www.twitter.com/prescottlane1
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lfhlrh
Instagram: instagram.com/prescottlane1
http://www.authorprescottlane.com

Book Review, Giveaway: A Little Christmas Charm by Kathryn Freeman

 

A Little Christmas Charm

by Kathryn Freeman

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

Would you swap sea and sunshine for tinsel and turkey?
Gabby Sanderson is used to being let down – even at Christmas. Which is why she’s happy to skip the festive season completely in favor of a plane ticket and sunnier climes.

But this Christmas could be different because this time she might not be spending it alone. Can Owen Cooper charm Gabby into loving Christmas in the same way he’s charmed his way into her life or is he just another person who’ll end up disappointing her?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She almost laughed out loud when she saw the car he finally climbed into. A deep blue Maserati – of course. Nothing said single man on the pull like a Maserati.

 

I’m so flabbergasted at your audacity I can’t find the breath to tell you to stop being so stupid.

 

As it’s December and frigging freezing in this house, despite the expensive new boiler, I’m covering up my important parts. I don’t want to ruin the image you have of me by appearing in front of you naked. And cold.

 

My Review:

 

This was an engaging holiday read yet it contained considerably more angst than I was expecting, sigh. Angst is just not one of my favorite things, and the main character of Gabby was riddled with it and was basically a tight knot of tension, anxieties, and a critical case of wariness. Thankfully, Ms. Freeman also tossed in her own special brand of levity, wit, emotive storylines, and enough clever banter to keep me from descending into the abyss.   Gabby was emotionally immature, exasperatingly stubborn, distrustful, easily startled, and a pain in the posterior.   Why the luscious Owen was so fully captivated by her prickly nature was a grand mystery. I adored Owen, he was extremely patient, witty, perceptive, and sex on legs.

I found two extra fun new additions to my Brit word list with throw a wobbly (a display of temper usually over something minor) and skivvy – which I have only known as underwear but apparently, it is also another word for servant. Oh my, now I am envisioning a butler clad only in his bow tie and boxers while tossing a tantrum.

 

 

Author Bio 

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Giveaway 

Win a paperback copy of A Little Christmas Faith by Kathryn Freeman

(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 dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Spotlight: Naughty or Nice – Anthology

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SIX HOLIDAY THEMED SHORT STORIES,

AVAILABLE FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!

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Broke and exhausted from Black Friday shopping? We’re here to help!

SIX All new FREE HOLIDAY STORIES from some of your favorite authors! Check out these sexy and fun standalone holiday-themed shorts from Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Marie Force, Emma Chase, Corinne Michaels & Susan Stoker!

Naughty or Nice will only be available for a LIMITED TIME, so hurry! Get your copy today! BookHip.com/QGCKHV

Do you want to be naughty and sneak a little peek at what some of what your favorite authors are bringing you for the holidays? You know you wanna! Shhh here take a little looksie, we won’t tell…

Vi Keeland & Penelope WardSexy Scrooge

The last thing I needed was to share an Uber with Scrooge—a cocky lawyer on a snowy Christmas Eve. It was bad enough I was on my way to court for the gift of eviction. Although maybe today wouldn’t turn out so bad after all. The Sexy Scrooge and I started to connect as we trudged our way through a storm. Our ride was about to end. But would I ever see him again?

Naughty or Nice - Vi & Penelope

Jodi Ellen Malpas Big Baubles

Shannon’s last-minute Christmas shopping trip quickly goes from tedious to thrilling when she meets a sexy stranger in Harrods. He’s irresistibly cheeky, hot as sin, and he seems to want to play. So when he sets Shannon the challenge of completing her Christmas shopping before he completes his, she can’t help but accept. And she plans on winning. But the sexy stranger plays dirty on the shop floor. And even dirtier in the women’s changing rooms…

Naughty or Nice - Jodi

Emma Chase – The Naughty List

Evie Sanders has a secret. She’s in love with her boss, Jace Winters, the hot as hell, hardworking owner of the best bar in the snowy, ski resort town of Alpine. She thinks Jace barely knows she exists—that to him, she’s just an employee. But at this year’s Christmas party, bells get jingled, stockings get stuffed, snow—and other things—get thoroughly plowed, and Christmas wishes (even the naughty ones) just might come true.

Naughty or Nice - Emma

Marie Force – Joyous—A Quantum Christmas

After a remarkable year that included a wedding and a big Oscar win for Quantum Productions, Hollywood superstar Flynn Godfrey wants to give his wife, Natalie, and closest friends a Christmas they will never forget. But when best-laid plans go awry, Flynn will learn that sometimes the season’s greatest gifts are those that can’t be bought or wrapped.

Naughty or Nice - Marie

Corinne Michaels – A Holiday Lift

Holly has had enough pain around the holidays to last her lifetime. All she wants is to focus on her work. All of that becomes impossible when she’s stuck in the elevator with her co-worker Dean. She can’t avoid his intense stares, deep voice, and scent that drives her crazy. Will the holiday season bring them an unexpected lift or will they come crashing down?

Naughty or Nice - Corinne

Susan Stoker – Best Christmas Ever

When Chris and Sienna meet during an accident in Texas, the perfect strangers soon discover they’re inexplicably linked…in more ways than one. Coincidence? Perhaps. Or maybe the makings of their very own Christmas miracle.

Naughty or Nice - Susan

Want more? Get your copy of Naughty or Nice now BookHip.com/QGCKHV

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Happy Reading & Happy Holidays!

Much Love,

Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Marie Force,

Emma Chase, Corinne Michaels & Susan Stoker!

Book Review: Callie’s Christmas Wish -Still Raving About Rhys by Jessica Redland

Callie’s Christmas Wish 

Still Raving About Rhys

by Jessica Redland

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU

 

Christmas is approaching and love is in the air at Bay View Care Home. Supervising carer, Callie Derbyshire, is blissfully happy with her new boyfriend, Rhys. The tree’s up, the lights are twinkling, and, with the Christmas Eve wedding of one of the residents, Iris, to look forward to, everything is perfect.

Well, almost.

Rhys’s ex has him at her beck and call, yet refuses to let Callie meet their baby daughter. Callie’s ex is intent on stirring up trouble. And Callie’s favorite resident, Rhys’s nanna, Ruby, hasn’t been her usual self since Iris announced her engagement.

Convinced that Ruby’s lonely, especially after discovering the truth about her lost love, Callie’s determined to give Ruby’s romantic story the happy ending it deserves. Ruby might be adamant that the past should be left in the past. But, when it comes to true love, surely a little well-meaning meddling and a Christmas wish or two can’t do any harm. After all, it’s never too late to let love in again. Or is it?

A heartwarming Christmas story of finding new love, and the courage to revisit a love that was lost long ago.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m not about to dump you and if I was, which I’m not, I certainly wouldn’t do it at work two days before Christmas. What do you take me for? I’d do it by text on Christmas Day instead.

 

Even with her face scrubbed clear of make-up and her hair hanging damp and limp around her shoulders, she was still really pretty. I’d cruelly been hoping that she needed to be caked in make-up and would be rough as a badger’s arse when she removed it.

 

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

 

I don’t believe a word she says. She’ll either have a hangover, period pains, or bullshititis.

 

I love you… Deeper than the ocean, higher than the sky, and longer than time…

 

My Review:

 

I love a feisty heroine, especially an elderly one. If I am destined to remain above ground into my eighties I aspire to be as spry and adventuresome as Ms. Redland’s brilliantly crafted octogenarian character named Ruby. I adored her as well as the totality of this cleverly amusing story.   I was heavily invested in the characters and well entertained from beginning to end by the humor and poignancy found in the unusual situations and choices made. The storylines were engaging, unpredictable, wryly witty, and highly original. Ms. Redland’s writing is always keenly observant and insightful while simultaneously humorous and thoughtfully discerning. Her quirky characters were intriguing and although they weren’t always likable, I remained curious and interested in knowing more about them.   And I picked up three new entries for my Brit word list, with rota – work schedule, grizzling – crying or complaining, and sea fret – fog from the ocean.

 

Author Bio –

Jessica had never considered writing as a career until a former manager kept telling her that her business reports read more like stories and she should write a book. She loved writing but had no plot ideas. Then something happened to her that prompted the premise for her debut novel, Searching for Steven. She put fingers to keyboard and soon realized she had a trilogy and a novella.

She lives on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast — the inspiration for the settings in her books — with her husband, daughter, cat, Sprocker Spaniel, and an ever-growing collection of collectible teddy bears. Although if the dog has her way, the collection will be reduced to a pile of stuffing and chewed limbs!

Her passion for North Yorkshire is shared by fellow-writer and great friend, Sharon Booth and, together, they are the Yorkshire Rose Writers.

Jessica tries to balance her time — often unsuccessfully — between being an HR tutor, trying to re-learn how to play the piano, studying towards a Masters in Creative Writing, and writing itself. Who needs sleep?

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @JessicaRedland

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

Website and blog: www.jessicaredland.com

 

Book Review, Giveaway: A Hollow Sky (An Alex Ripley Mystery #2) by M. Sean Coleman

A Hollow Sky

(An Alex Ripley Mystery #2)

by M. Sean Coleman

Amazon UK / US / AU / CA

Red Dog Press

A SUSPENSEFUL, ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER.

Jane Hewitt had been miraculously healed—cured of a terminal cancer that had been eating away at her body for months. After one meeting with an incredible young woman, Jane rose from her wheelchair and walked out, believing that her lifetime of devoted faith had been rewarded.

The next day, Jane died in her husband’s arms, devastated that her God had deserted her. Her husband, Ian, blames her hastened death on the faith healer she visited. But that faith healer is a teenage girl called Megan, who has been in a coma for five years and has no say over how her gift is used.

When Ian is arrested after being accused of breaking into Megan’s house and trying to tamper with her life support, he turns to the only person he knows can help clear his name, and stop this family deceiving any other victims—Dr. Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective.

Fascinated by Megan’s case, and needing a distraction, Ripley finds herself on Holy Island, off the coast of North Wales, caught up in an investigation that will prove more sinister and dangerous than she could have imagined. Ian is not the first person to complain about Megan and her supporters, but he seems to be the only one left alive. For now.

A Hollow Sky is the second Alex Ripley Mystery

 

My Rating:

My Review:

 

Sean Coleman has conjured an original and brilliantly connived plot to immerse his favorite busybody.   If I were one of Mr. Coleman’s friends I would be rather cautious about tipping his ire, he seems quite crafty in causing annoyances to miraculously disappear. While the mystery was slower to develop and not as eerie as his recent stunning release of The Cuckoo Wood, the sly and twisty storylines of A Hollow Sky were tautly written with canny misdirections and clever sleight of hand that kept me guessing to the final chapter.

I couldn’t bring myself to trust or admire any of these shifty yet vividly detailed characters; not the self-serving tight-knit villagers, the deluded and greedy mother, or least of all the slick religious charlatans who were exploiting a sick child as well as the gullible people they were fleecing who were desperate enough to expect a death-defying cure from a comatose child. I was repulsed by the spectacle and despised them all while my fervent curiosity remained fully engaged to the extremely precarious climax, which had me full of body tension and holding my breath.

I must not forget to mention that the devilish Mr. Coleman began and ended this tale with Dr. Ripley’s own personal drama with disconcerting yet exciting news which was then quickly placed in a holding pattern while waiting for more information, only to be dangled again at the very end to taunt and tantalize me while I wait for the heinously cunning Mr. Coleman to pound out the next caper. Curses! I want to give him a good pinch for teasing me so but must confess that I’m on the hook… this guy knows his stuff!

I was able to harvest one new addition for my Brit vocabulary list with chock-a-block, which apparently has several meanings such as overly full or overflowing as well as disgruntled or fed-up.

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

Win paperback copies of The Cuckoo Wood and A Hollow Sky, 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 dispatch or delivery of the prize.

 

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Book Review: Mavis and Dot by Angela Petch

Mavis and Dot

by Angela Petch

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA

 

A warm slice of life, funny, feel-good, yet poignant. Introducing two eccentric ladies who form an unlikely friendship. Meet Mavis and Dot – two colorful, retired ladies who live in Worthington-on-Sea, where there are charity shops galore. Apart from bargain hunting, they manage to tangle themselves in escapades involving illegal immigrants, nightclubs, nude modeling, errant toupees and more. And then there’s Mal, the lovable dog who nobody else wants. A gently humorous, often side-splitting, heart-warming snapshot of two memorable characters with past secrets and passions. Escape for a couple of hours into this snapshot of a faded, British seaside town. You’ll laugh and cry but probably laugh more.

“This book is quirky and individual, and has great pathos…[it] will resonate with a lot of readers.” Gill Kaye – Editor of Ingenu(e).

Written with a light touch in memory of a dear friend who passed away from ovarian cancer, Angela Petch’s seaside tale is a departure from her successful Tuscan novels.

All profits from the sale of the books will go towards research into the cure for cancer.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

They had a good scavenge in the charity shop. Dot found a pair of crotchless tights and held them up to the window to see if there were any ladders. Mavis hurried over and snatched them away. ‘You don’t want those, surely? They’re… you know…’ Dot snatched them back. ‘Yes, I do. Very sensible, comfortable and with draughts in the right places.’ ‘They’re from Ann Summers,’ Mavis said, lowering her voice. ‘Who’s she?’ ‘It’s a brand for – for –’ Mavis searched for an explanation, conscious of the grinning youth rifling through a pile of LPs on a nearby shelf. ‘They’re for entertaining, Dot…’ ‘What are you talking about? I never throw dinner parties these days.’

 

She pouted and twirled, then swept her untidy curls up with a fuchsia hairband from the Pound Shop. It was a little on the tight side but, as well as keeping her hair off her face, it had the same effect as a facelift, pulling her eyebrows up and back into a permanent look of surprise. Why people went to the bother of having painful operations at exorbitant prices to remove wrinkles, when they could buy a cheap hair-band to achieve the same effect was beyond her comprehension.

 

‘I’ve got a gateau here to share – reduced for quick sale.’ He held out a chocolate cake decorated with one half of a bridal couple arranged on top. ‘The Baker’s Dozen let me have this cheap because the bride changed her mind the day before the big event and apparently picked up the marzipan groom and stamped on him in the shop.’

 

She offered him a biscuit and he declined. ‘I have to watch my figure, Mave.’ ‘So do I,’ she said, popping a whole fig roll into her mouth. ‘I watch it grow.’

 

‘Goodie! I could do with a new fornicator,’ Mavis said. Lance snorted. ‘Do what?’ ‘A fornicator,’ repeated Mavis. ‘You know – a sort of frou-frou thingummybob to wear on the head.’ His eyes widened. ‘Well, I’ve not heard about that in all my experience of kinky doings.’ ‘What on earth are you on about, Lance? I’m going to my niece’s wedding after Christmas and I need a fornicator to finish off my outfit. Something in scarlet to go with my new dress.’ ‘Oh!’ laughed Lance. ‘I think you mean a fascinator.

 

Dot tutted and peeled off her cotton gloves. ‘Let’s pretend to be ladylike for one hour at least. Please, Mavis.’ Mavis took a swig of the fizzy wine, making sure to stick out her little finger as she held the glass.

 

My Review:

 

Mavis and Dot was found treasure and I fell right into this delightful and cleverly written tale, laced with witty and wry humor, and featuring two newly acquainted elderly spinsters both recently relocated to their small village.  Mavis was short and rotund while Dot was tall and thin.  Both were penny-pinching skinflints and the only thing they enjoyed more than a good tipple was finding bargains and planned junking jaunt outings to the second-hand rummage stores, church jumbles, and charity shops.  The outfits Mavis put together from her finds were quite colorful although prone to be ill-fitting, haphazardly patched, and rather outlandish, which led to her being mistaken for a drag queen on one of her evening escapades.

Each and every one of Ms. Petch’s quirky characters was deliciously peculiar and colorfully drawn. I adored them to no end.  Yet I loved Mavis the most and without reservation, as she was so fun to envision and had such sass and bravado.  Mavis also had a tendency to muddle her words, which provided me with more than a few giggle-snorts – such as when she confused agoraphobics for aerobics, fornicator for fascinator, tepee for toupee, and anti-backups for antibiotics.

Angela Petch is a new discovery for me and I found her writing to be refreshingly crisp and packed with clever levity and amusing wit.  The storylines were bright and shiny and cunningly crafted.  Her writing was skillfully amusing yet also poignant and keenly insightful.  Her artful narratives were vividly detailed with humorous and revealing observations that had me laughing aloud and kept a near-constant smirk on my face while I soaked up Mavis’ daring antics, rich fantasy life, fuzzy interpretations, and lusty daydreams.  I adored these eccentric yet highly appealing characters as they fascinated me and left me desirous of knowing every little thing about them.

I hit the mother-load for new additions to my Brit vocabulary list with manky (dirty, worthless, or rotten), faff (waste of time or energy), punnet (a small shallow basket often used for fruit and vegetables), and Knickerbocker Glory, which is an ice cream sundae in a tall glass.

Does it need saying that Angela Petch has a new and scarily rabid fangirl?  I sincerely hope she doesn’t startle easily…

 

Author Bio

A prize-winning author, Angela Petch lives half the year in West Sussex and the summer months in a remote valley in the Tuscan Apennines. She recently signed a two-book deal with Bookouture for her Tuscan novels and “Mavis and Dot” is a temporary departure from her usual genre. She has traveled all her life: born in Germany, she spent six years as a child living in Rome, worked in Amsterdam after finishing her degree in Italian, moved to Italy for her job, then to Tanzania for three years. Her head is full of stories and she always carries a pen and notebook to capture more ideas.

In May 2017, Angela Petch won PRIMA’S monthly short story competition and recently had a dozen stories published by The People’s Friend magazine.

“Mavis and Dot” was written in memory of a dear friend who lost her battle with ovarian cancer. All profits from sales of the book will go towards research into a cure for cancer.

 

LINKS

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

Twitter: @Angela_Petch

Website: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com

TUSCAN NOVELS

    “Tuscan Roots” (to be reissued by Bookouture in 2019) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuscan-Roots-tangle-Italian-Apennines-ebook/dp/B01DDQDMDE/

“Now and Then in Tuscany” – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Now-Then-Tuscany-Italian-journeys-ebook/dp/B06Y8Y17MG

MAVIS AND DOT

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JM3KJSB

https://mybook.to/MDot 

 

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mystery Blogger Award – Say WHAT?

Curses go to the lovely Christina of Recipe and a Read for having the chutzpah to dare to force work on me by tagging me for a  “blogger award!” Silly girl – she must not value her life or realize what an extremely lazy blogger I truly am!

 

THE AWARD

I don’t qualify for this at all according to the definition:

“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion. – Okoto Enigma

But I will graciously accept~ although it is no secret I just write silly little reviews that no one reads, not even my own relatives – which most people would take as a telling portent…

 

THE RULES
• Put the award logo/image on your blog
• List the rules.
• Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
• Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
• Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
• Nominate other bloggers who fit the bill!
• Link the bloggers you nominate
• Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
• Share a link to your best post(s)

3 THINGS ABOUT MYSELF

I didn’t have the time or energy to read anything that wasn’t work-related for about 20 years.  I love being retired so I can read whatever, whenever, where ever, and however I want.  I am a retired School Psych and don’t miss the noise or my sucky boss.  I no longer have to “people.”  ~ Contented sigh, life is good.

I foster kittens and get them adopted – yip – I’m a crazy old cat lady.

I don’t own a coat but I have a few hoodies.  I live in Hawaii and have no need of heavy outerwear, or high heels – I gave all of those torture devices away!

 

THREE OF MY TOP POSTS

I have no idea what those would actually be as  I lost 5 years of my blog to a malicious hacker’s uploaded virus and out of spite, I started it over about a year ago.  I never look at my stats, but I poked around and was actually shocked and somewhat horrified to see the most viewed pages were my Review Policy and About Me page – go figure!   Of the posts, the top three viewed weren’t my best reviews but were probably publicist driven or accidental redirections 😉

Book Review: The Oddest Little Book Shop by Beth Good

Book Review: I Know You Know by Gilly Macmillan

Book Review: Atticus by S. Bennett

 

Christina’s Snoopy Questions :

.

 

What is a book you can never read too many times?

I can’t think of a one I read several times by choice

What are your favorite and least favorite tropes to read?

I am primarily a women’s fiction reader. I don’t read horror or dystopian and generally avoid YA and religion

What is one unpopular book opinion you have?

I despise cliffhangers with the heat of a thousand suns and typically respond by turning the air around me blue and stamping my little foot if tricked into reading one.

If you could pack up and travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

Valley of the Kings – but I’m lazy to travel that far

Fun/Weird Question: If you could maintain your current BMI and be either one GIANT bee or thousands of bees with a collective mind, which would you choose and why?

I’d be one big badass beehive – I love the idea of having minions I don’t have to supervise or give direction to.

Nominate 5 fools 

Nope, not gonna do it.  I rebel against the rules!  I nominate anyone who wants to consider themselves award-worthy and promise no Crazy Kanye takesie backsies

Book Review: Out of the Dark by Josie Kerr

Out of the Dark

by Josie Kerr

Amazon / B&N

 

Daniel Beaujardin spent fifteen years serving his country in the United States Marine Corps until a roadside bomb ended his military career. When a former teammate offers him a job in Atlanta, Dan, left scarred and partially blind from the accident, jumps at the opportunity for a fresh start.

Three years after his partner’s death, Alexander Westport is still simply going through the motions. Work, softball practice, and the occasional family dinner is how he spends his time, but Alex knows he’s not really living.

An anonymous encounter at a local gay club first brings Dan and Alex together, and after a second chance meeting, the men strike up a friendship that quickly turns romantic. When professional and personal troubles threaten their fledgling relationship, Dan and Alex learn battles fought together are won more easily than those faced alone.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

I know you’ve always liked eyes. You have since I caught you kissing that photo of Elijah Wood when you were fourteen.

 

My Review:

 

Sizzle and snap – this book was a scorcher, it started off steamy then bloomed into a tender sweet love story between two lonely, mature, and swoon-worthy men. Sigh, why do all the best ones bat for the other team? I adored this couple, they were extra special and Ms. Kerr has created an engaging, heart squeezing, and insightful story to showcase them while kicking off her new series. What a bold move to start off with an M/M romance as an anchor, although the storylines easily meshed and connected with her DS Fight Club crew. I enjoy her unique brand of clever and snarky levity and thoughtful and emotive HEA tales.


Josie Kerr   

Website

Twitter  authorjosiekerr

Goodreads

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

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