Shadows

(Bayou Magic #1)

by Kristen Proby 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N / Apple

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“It’s a hell of a first date,” Millie mumbles. “I mean, most people just get naked and have sex and then regret their life choices in the morning. This is on a whole different level.” I smirk and then shrug. “The night’s not over yet.”

“For you,” she says to Cash, passing him a coffee. “There’s a protection spell in there.” “Does it have eye of newt?” he asks, flashing a smile. “Not this time,” Millie replies with a wink, making Cash’s smile slide from his face.

 

My Review:

 

I’m not much of a paranormal reader but I’ve recently discovered this smooth and talented wordsmith named Kristen Proby and thought I’d give it a perusal. Somewhere on page one, her cunning word voodoo sucked me right into her character’s vortex while her strong and crafty juju held me enthralled. I was spellbound by her well-crafted and shrewdly plotted tale.

The engaging storylines and writing were absorbing and swirling with atmosphere and cast with oddly intriguing characters. I couldn’t put my Kindle down despite the chilling and gruesome nature of the crimes depicted. It was spine-tingling. I am definitely hooked and while I may not be much of a paranormal reader, I certainly seem to be one when Kristen Proby throws it down.

The House That Alice Built

by Chris Penhall

About the Author

Chris Penhall is a freelance writer and radio producer.

Her book, The House That Alice Built, won the Choc-Lit Search for a Star Competition 2019.

Born in South Wales, she has also lived near London and in Portugal, which is where The House That Alice Built is set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it! She is now working on her second.

A lover of books, music, and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.

Chris has two grown-up daughters and lives in the Essex countryside.

Chris is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.

Social Media Links 

www.chrispenhall.co.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisPenhall

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

 

“Happy Trail was a feel good, funny and heartwarming adventure with the usual Daisy Prescott charm..”– T. Gephart, USA Today bestselling author

Happy Trail, an all-new opposites attract standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Daisy Prescott, is available now!

Happy Trail

(Park Ranger #1)

by Daisy Prescott

Download today!

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A man of few words, Ranger Jay Daniels values the calm, quiet solitude of the Great Smoky Mountains. Never quite fitting in with either side of his family, he prefers the company of birds and trees to people.

Yeah, he’d most definitely prefer a bird—any bird, any bird at all, take a vulture for instance—to the human-tornado hybrid that just blew onto his peaceful stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

The path of true love never has run smooth for Olive Perry. After getting dumped and promptly abandoned in the middle of her multi-month hike, Olive swears off men. Determined to finish the long trek by herself, she doesn’t need a prince—or broody and taciturn ranger—to save her.

Yet, when an early snowstorm threatens the mountains, and Ranger Daniels is charged with getting hikers to safety, that includes hot-tempered Olive Perry. Snowed in and forced to share an abandoned cabin, can Olive’s heated intensity melt Jay’s cool reserve?

And if so, will this happy trail lead to true love? Or will their time together be just another bump in the road?

‘Happy Trail’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Park Ranger series.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

My parents each have four siblings. Big families are like living inside a circus run by the monkeys…

Tye had a strong aversion to the South, based solely on watching the movie Deliverance when he was nine during a sleepover with his older cousins. He also hated all banjo and fiddle music. Made me wonder if his cousins were also musical sadists.

Is there some sort of chemical stored in testicles, that compels men to explain things to women?

He has a drawl I automatically want to mimic. The slow pace of his words is molasses and I’m a housefly with a sugar addiction.

“You can keep the mayo, AKA the devil’s mucus.” Her eyes widen. “No, you’re one of those people.” “Exactly which kind of person am I?” I challenge, my tone playful. “The kind who hate mayonnaise.”

Smugness rarely looks good on anyone, but I think I wear it well.

My Review:

Happy Trails was a slow-burn romantic comedy with weather and hygiene challenged, mosquito-bitten, sore-footed, and socially awkward characters. Hikers are an odd breed and definitely not one I share a gene pool with, as I likes my creature comforts such as running water, ice, and high thread count sheets. While I wouldn’t have lasted for even a few miles or an afternoon of the intrepid Olive’s trek, I was well entertained by her adventure. Written in my favorite dual POV, the storylines were original and insightfully penned with well-crafted layers of angst, clever levity, and complicated yet endearingly quirky characters with a love of pop-tarts, a predilection that I also share.

Excerpt

“Can we drop the pretense of not being trapped on the wrong side of the fence with whatever bloodthirsty beast is making such a sound?” I squint into the distance, hoping narrowing my eyes will give me super strength vision.

It doesn’t. I step behind Ranger Daniels for protection.

“What are you doing?” He twists his neck to look down at me.

“Hiding. I believe you took an oath to protect and serve.”

“Pfft. You’re confusing me with a police officer. I’m here to engage, educate, and empower.” He moves so he’s beside me.

“You carry a gun, don’t you?”

“Sometimes. Do you see a holster now?”

I scan his hips and shake my head, allowing my eyes to linger on the tight fit of his uniform pants over his strong thighs and the thick belt at his narrow waist. Ranger Daniels is packing heat, but not of the pistol variety.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

A distinct braying reaches my ears.

“Is that a donkey?” I tip my head.

“What would a donkey be doing up here? Makes no sense.”

“Ask him. Or her.” I point at the gray beast moving toward us. “I’m a city girl, but I’m pretty sure that’s an ass.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Jay removes his hat.

Maybe he plans to shoo away our attacker with it?

The gray form ambles toward us, letting out a loud bray and revealing large teeth.

“Should we be worried?” I’m standing behind Jay again.

“About a donkey? They’re mostly docile. He’s probably just curious.” Shifting his attention forward, he addresses our new friend. “Hey there. Where’d you come from?”

The donkey halts.

“See? He’s fine. Probably thinks we’re bringing treats.”

“And what will he do when he realizes we’re showing up to his house empty-handed?” I’m half mocking. In my world, not bringing a hostess gift is an unthinkable breach of etiquette. I have no idea about the social decorum for equines.

“Let’s go.” Jay encourages me forward with a sweep of his hat.

We take several steps and the donkey does the same without breaking eye contact, like we’re about to duel. There’s definitely a challenge, a mild threat in the eyes of our new foe.

“Should we slowly retreat to the fence?” I whisper at Jay’s back.

“Nah, we’re fine.”

“Maybe he’s a guard donkey.” I slide a glance over my shoulder toward safety. We’re a dozen or so yards away, but it isn’t too late to make a quick escape.

Jay’s eyes meet mine. “You know guard donkeys aren’t a thing.”

“I’m a stranger in a strange land—anything’s possible.” I wait until he faces forward to stick my tongue out at him.

He’s shaking his head and clearly not paying attention to me anymore as he stomps across the squishy field.

Left with no choice, I follow after him.

My boot slips in the mud, or donkey poop—it’s impossible to tell the difference. I squawk and flail my arms as I tumble forward in an awkward motion resembling the mating dance of an emu.

The donkey’s ears prick up before flattening against his head.

“Uh oh,” I murmur as I straighten up.

“It’s fine,” Jay says for the dozenth time.

Only he’s wrong.

About Daisy Prescott

Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband, their rescue dog, Mulder, and an imaginary house goat. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.

Connect with Daisy

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Website: https://www.daisyprescott.com/

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“Sharp writing, layered characters, and wonderful tension flow through this book, along with a super-swoon-worthy hero and a kick ass heroine I just love.” — Elizabeth Hunter, USA Today bestselling author

Code of Conduct, the first in the romantic suspense Cipher Security series of standalones, from April White is available now!

There are three things you need to know about Shane P.I.

1) P.I. is not her last name, it’s her job title,

2) Her specialty is catching cheaters, and

3) She’s a superhuman – kind of.

Gabriel is a security expert for Cipher Security, and a former UN Peacekeeper with a fierce protective streak that finds its focus on the beautiful P.I.

Their attraction is like an elephant in a room full of breakable things, and figuring out how to trust each other with their hearts, and maybe their lives, is the most fragile thing of all.

‘Code of Conduct’ is a full-length romantic suspense novel, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Security series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Universe.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k5hoYk

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Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2lZklKt

Excerpt

I pulled up the audio version of the newest Iron Druid book, turned my phone on speaker, and when the tub was full, I sank into the hot water with a sigh. Luke Daniels could read a shampoo bottle and I’d listen, but my mind kept drifting off of Atticus’ and Oberon’s adventures, and was instead hopping from rock to rock in the garden of ADDATA, the Quimbys, and Gabriel. I wasn’t even annoyed when the phone rang and interrupted the story, because I knew I’d have to go back to the beginning of the chapter anyway.

It was on its fourth ring when I finally dried off my hand and reached to answer it, so I hit the speaker button just as I looked at the screen.

Gabriel’s name startled me so much I didn’t say anything – I just sat up in the tub and stared at the phone.

“Please say you’re not in the bath.” Gabriel’s voice was quiet, deep, and had a note of pleading in it.

“What do you want, Gabriel?” I moved again, and the water sloshed around me. I knew he could hear it because he groaned softly.

“Where to begin.” It was almost a whisper, and the words sent a shiver through me. He cleared his throat and continued in his normal, beautiful voice. “We had a call from Quimby. He said he’d found you and wondered what we were going to do about it.” I didn’t say anything, and the silence lasted two long heartbeats. “Are you okay?” he finally asked, quietly.

“He saw me turn from Bryn Mawr onto Sheridan. I lost him in the alleys.”

Gabriel exhaled. “Good.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be finding his money? Or his wife? Or something else he misplaced?”

“Do you have his money or his wife?” he asked

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? What exactly do you want from me, Gabriel?” I sat forward and the water sloshed again. I traced the ripples with my fingers as I heard his sigh.

“I don’t know. I just know that every time you move, I hear the water in your bath, and I imagine …” He exhaled sharply. “Be careful, darling. I don’t trust Quimby not to try to hurt you if he can. Don’t let him catch you.”

“You haven’t caught me yet, and you’re far more resourceful than that little man.”

He chuckled softly. “Yet.” He hung up the phone without saying goodbye, and Luke Daniels’ voice returned, continuing the story as I sank down in the water and let its heat lap over the chills on my skin.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

“You must wonder what attracted me to you,” Dane said with a knowing smile. Actually, I was mentally calculating my billable hours and hoping to be done here in less than thirty minutes because … round numbers. “You read my mind,” I said with a low, breathy voice. To my own ears I sounded asthmatic, but experience had taught me that horny guys dug breathless women.

I looked at his phone. “Can I see your profile? I’ve been trying to decide if I want to join.” … “Go ahead. Just don’t swipe right on any ugly chicks.” Just for that I’d be swiping right on the biggest, most redneck, Deliverance-looking guy I could find.

I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.

The women of my family all believed that secrets were just lies waiting to happen, and problems were to be aired out like musty rooms with the dust covers ripped off for everyone to see the state of your furniture.

I crave you. You’re like the air when I’m underwater, or like fire when I’m frostbitten.

My Review:

Before picking up this captivating book, April White was a completely unknown entity to me as I don’t often read paranormal or historical tales, but she has leapt far and away from her typical genres with this cleverly penned Romantic Suspense entry into Penny Reid’s Universe of Smartypants Romance.   Ms. White’s volume was a seamless insertion using several of Ms. Reid’s established characters from a previous series, some I was familiar with, many I was not as I haven’t read the Knitting in the City series, although that didn’t seem to matter at all.

Ms. White’s nimble writing quickly drew me into the story and held my interest and curiosity throughout. The storylines and writing style were unfailingly engaging and well-balanced between heart-squeezing insights and cleverly amusing levity.   The characters were enticing, charismatic, uncommonly quirky, and highly likable. I do loves me a kickass chick and my new gal-pal Shane pulled that off with breath to spare. Shane was a striking female who deserves Superhero status given her cool bravado and sleek wardrobe of tricked-out prosthetic legs with badass gadgets hidden inside. I adored her and her new partner Gabriel as they stumbled into an intriguing case that kept mushrooming from the cheating husband scenario it started out to be. Their adventure was well-crafted and highly entertaining and sets the bar high for subsequent volumes.