Friday, June 29, 2018

#BookReview - Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties by Camille Pagan

Title: Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties
Author: Camille Pagan
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: February 27, 2018 


About the Book:
From bestselling author Camille Pagán comes a hilarious and hopeful story about a woman on the verge of a nervous breakthrough.
At fifty-three, Maggie Harris has a good marriage and two mostly happy children. Perpetually anxious, she’s also accumulated a list of semi-reasonable fears: falling air conditioners, the IRS, identity theft, skydiving, and airbag recalls. But never once did Maggie worry that her husband of nearly thirty years would leave her.
On the day Adam walks out the door, everything that makes Maggie secure goes with him. Only then does she realize that while she’s been busy caring for everyone else, she’s become invisible to the world—and to herself.
Maggie cautiously begins to rebuild her life with a trip to Rome, a new career, and even a rebound romance. But when a fresh crisis strikes and an uncertain future looms, she must decide: How much will she risk to remain the woman she’s just become?
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687436-face-off
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:
After devoting her entire adult life to her husband and children, what does a middle aged woman do when her husband suddenly walks out on her for a younger woman?  Although this is a story about midlife crisis that we've heard hundreds of times before, there are a few twists in this one.

Camille Pagan takes us on a journey with Maggie as she deals with life after marriage.  Ms. Pagan allows us to feel the pain, the fear, the anxiety, and the renewed happiness that Maggie experiences as she tries to hold her family together and then just simply tries to hold herself together.

This is a story about love, family, heartbreak and second chances.  Great writing and fabulous, loveable characters... even though at times I wanted to punch Adam in the face (I'm really not a violent person).

I flipped back and forth between the Audible version and the e-book version of this book.  I must say that the narrator in the Audible version did a fantastic job.

My Rating:  This should be 4 1/2 wine glasses out of 5!

About the Author:
Camille Pagán is the author of four novels: Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties, Forever is the Worst Long Time, The Art of Forgetting, and the #1 Amazon Kindle bestseller Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which was recently optioned for film. A journalist and health editor, Pagán’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, Parade, Real Simple, Time, and many other publications and websites. She lives with her family in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Visit her at www.camillepagan.com.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

#BookReview - Seaside Dreams (Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers - Book 1) by Melissa Foster

Title: Seaside Dreams (Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers - Book 1)
Author: Melissa Foster
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Publisher: World Literary Press
Release Date: August 25, 2014 


About the Book:
Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She's quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella's prank takes a bad turn and a sinfully sexy police officer appears on the scene. 

Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he's found the one thing he'd never allowed himself to hope for--or even realized he was missing. 

After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella's powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden's loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son--even Bella? 
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687436-face-off
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Seaside Dreams is a delightfully heartwarming story about friendship, love and commitment.  After being betrayed by her last boyfriend, Bella needed a fresh start with her life plan.  Spending the summer with her dearest girlfriends in the cottages they vacationed at year after year growing up, seemed to be a good place to relocate.  She needed to find herself and establish a new teaching program.

When Bella and her girlfriends, wearing little more than their underwear, decide to move a toilet seat to Theresa's driveway and then are interrupted by the love-making noises coming from Leanna's bedroom, the laughter and giggles explode.  As they try to close the window, Bella's hair gets caught when the window slams shut.  That's when the spotlight coming from Officer Caden Grant's police car shines on Bella's... um... backside.

Caden and Bella have an immediate connection that flourishes.  Bella even becomes attached to Caden's teenage son, Evan.  Conflicts occur and feelings are hurt, but there is a happily-ever-after.

Melissa Foster creates memorable characters who warm your heart and give you an occasional chuckle.  This was a sweet romance with some added spice.

My Rating:

About the Author:
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Never miss a release and get a FREE Braden/Remington short story! Sign up for Melissa's newsletter: www.MelissaFoster.com/Newsletter

Download FREE series checklists, reading order, publications schedules and more: 
http://www.melissafoster.com/reader-goodies

DOWNLOAD 5 FREE EBOOKS!
Start several of Melissa's bestselling Love in Bloom series FREE! Download Today -Sisters in Love (Snow Sisters), Lovers at Heart (The Bradens), Game of Love (The Remingtons), Seaside Dreams (Seaside Summers), and Taken by Love (The Bradens at Trusty).

Melissa writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women's fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa's fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big-family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, Wild Boys and Bad Boys After Dark, and the Montgomerys. Melissa's emotional journeys are always family oriented. Perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues.

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website.

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" -NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely

"With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!" -NYT Bestseller Julie Kenner

"What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about... desperately. I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked." NYT bestseller, M.J. Rose

"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

"Melissa Foster is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Fated For Love was amazing. It kind of reminds me of Jill Shalvis' books and they are my benchmark for contemporary romance awesomeness." --Books Like Breathing

Comments from Melissa:

Hello everyone! I grew up in Maryland with my mother, a slew of wonderful brothers, and never a shortage of friends. I am passionate about writing, reading, living healthy, and helping others do the same, and enjoy just about anything outdoors (and anything chocolate!). I love to chat with readers and book clubs, and welcome your comments and suggestions. Feel free to email me. You can also catch me on Facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor.

Monday, June 25, 2018

#BookBlitz & #Giveaway - Go Home, Afton by Brent Jones


Go Home, Afton
Brent Jones
(Afton Morrison, #1)
Publication date: June 25th 2018
Genres: Adult, Thriller
We all wear masks, and Afton Morrison is no exception.
A small-town librarian with a dark side, Afton, twenty-six, has suppressed violent impulses her entire adult life. Impulses that demand she commit murder.
Blending her urges with reason, Afton stalks a known sexual predator, intending to kill him. But her plan, inspired by true crime and hatched with meticulous care, is interrupted by a mysterious figure from her past. A dangerous man that lurks in the shadows, watching, threatening to turn the huntress into the hunted.
Go Home, Afton is the first of four parts in a new serial thriller by author Brent Jones. Packed with grit and action, The Afton Morrison Series delves into a world of moral ambiguity, delivering audiences an unlikely heroine in the form of a disturbed vigilante murderess.
EXCERPT:
Parents—stay-at-home moms, mostly—brought in their toddlers once a week so I could read them a story. And I use the word toddlers loosely. Kids as old as six or seven sometimes attended during the summer. And the stories we would read were made up of fewer than fifty words, for the most part. A lot of the mothers in Wakefield were too lazy to read to their own children, I guess.
Oh, and crafts, too. After reading a story together, we’d break out glitter and colored pencils and paste and other nonsense, but that wasn’t the real reason a dozen women turned out with their little monsters each week. Storytime was an excuse for the mothers to gather and gossip. It always took a little while to get the children to settle down, sure. I’d press my finger to my lips and wait. Five or ten seconds at most, although I would have been happy to wait longer. Their mothers, on the other hand, were so much worse. Getting them to shut their fucking traps was a whole separate exercise in endurance.
But as much as I disliked children, there was something magical about them. It was their inability to see gray, I think. Their entire worlds existed in black and white, right and wrong, good and evil. You could see it in their faces as a story unfolded, rife with nervous energy at every inconsequential turn.
“And she just doesn’t know”—I read to the room, pointing to each gigantic word—“should she stay, should she go?”
I caught a boy’s expression, who sat just inches from me. The hippopotamus in our story was faced with a dilemma, and this boy was transfixed. His eyes were wide, his hands were cupped over his mouth, and he was vibrating with anticipation to see what the hippo would do next.
I flipped to the last page. “But yes the hippopotamus.”
The boy relaxed a little, making a deliberate show of letting his shoulders drop. A talented drama queen in the making. He was new to storytime and looked to be about five or six years old. He had dark hair, a tan complexion, and a missing front tooth. He’d attended just once before and he’d sat close that day, as well. I’d never really been big on learning children’s names, to be honest, but I knew his was Neil only because he’d come to the library alone both times. It sounds strange, I’m sure, but having a parent use the library as a free babysitting service happens more often than most people would guess.
I continued on, reading the final words of the story. “But not the armadillo.”
Neil was stressed all over again, and his tiny hand shot up. “Miss Afton?”
“Yes, ah, Neil? What is it, little man?”
“How come not the arma-darma?”
“Armadillo.” A woman in baggy gray sweatpants corrected him from the back of the room. She was a few years older than me, had bleach-blonde hair in a ponytail, and her voice resembled a seagull getting crushed by a car.
I shut the book and set it on my lap. “That’s a good question, Neil.” I bit my lower lip, deciding how much to share. “Well, let’s see. Ah, no one likes armadillos, for starters. They’re bullet-proof, if you can believe it, and ugly as sin. They carry leprosy, too, but they don’t bite children too often.”
The woman at the back of the room—Sweatpants, let’s call her—looked horrified. Her stained teeth chattered and she blinked in rapid succession. She placed her palms over her daughter’s ears, a girl around three or four in age.
Neil scratched his head. “What’s a lepra-she?”
“It’s—”
Sweatpants raised her hand to silence me—not that I minded—and looked to a few of the other mothers in the room for support, most of whom were checked out or occupied with their phones. She looked back at me again, then at her daughter. “It’s when good little boys and girls get ice cream.” That wasn’t how I might have defined the word, however. “You want to stop for ice cream on the way home, Jessi?”
It was hard enough getting these little turds to sit still for all fourteen pages of But Not the Hippopotamus. Why on earth would this woman want to stuff her daughter’s face with sugar before lunch? But the girl jumped up and squealed at the mention of sweets, and soon, other kids joined in, as did their mothers.
I peeked down at Neil to see him cradling his head in his hands, masking a look of disappointment by staring at the floor. It appeared he had forgotten all about armadillos and leprosy and storytime, and now sulked, wishing he had a parent present to take him for ice cream like the other children.
The mothers talked amongst themselves, and their toddlers fed on the elevated energy levels. The room was alive with discourse, and I wondered if the local Dairy Queen might consider paying me a small commission. “Well, that’s it for storytime, boys and girls. Thanks for coming.”
Sweatpants spoke up at the back of the room, the self-elected leader of Wakefield’s fattest and frumpiest. “But it’s only quarter past, Afton. Isn’t storytime supposed to be a full hour?”
“Just figured you were all on your way to get a double-scoop of leprosy.”
“Very funny.”
I raised my hands in a gesture of mock uncertainty. “We’ve got crafts we can do.” I pointed to three short tables covered in plastic, adorned with supplies that Kim had set up for us. “Should we get to it?”
“That won’t take long. Couldn’t you read them another story first?”
Couldn’t I read them another story? It’d been her idea to squeeze out one of these little nightmares. Why was I being punished for it? “Not this week, I’m afraid. Sorry.”
But she just wouldn’t give up. “Afton, do you know where Jessi’s daddy is right now?”
My first thought was that her husband was probably fucking her sister at some roadside motel with hourly rates, bed bugs, and a one-star rating on Trip Advisor. I couldn’t say that out loud, of course, and so I fought like hell to keep a smirk off my face. It helped to keep my sights trained on Jessi, who had sat back down, cross-legged in a checkered dress. She was drawing on the floor with one small finger.
Sweatpants answered her own question. “He’s at work, Afton. And he works hard, by the way, and we pay more than our share of taxes in this town. Taxes that pay your salary.”
Oh, the salary card. How I loved it when disgruntled parents brought up my salary, as if any one of them wanted to trade places with me. Yes, her taxes paid me a small fortune. That’s why I rented a one-bedroom apartment in a triplex. And it’s the same reason I drove a seven-year-old Corolla. I was so grateful—indebted, even—to Sweatpants and her husband that I just couldn’t wait to read another story.
“Sure thing.” I grabbed a second book off the pile next to me. “One more story, coming right up.”
Sweatpants smiled. It was a flat, fake smile, of course, the kind where the mouth curls tight but the eyes are dormant. It was about the best I could have hoped for, and it seemed to have a calming effect on the other mothers. They quieted down, eager to return to their various text message conversations.
I pointed my finger to more jumbo text on a colorful page. A story about an overweight and diabetic caterpillar with impulse control issues, who was always so very very fucking hungry. “In the light of the moon, a little egg lay on a leaf . . .”
And I couldn’t help but lose myself in thought. I was that little egg on a leaf, glimmering in the moonlight, and about to hatch. Soon after, the morning would come. And my hunger would be satiated at last, because Kenneth Pritchard would be dead.


Author Bio:
From bad checks to bathroom graffiti, Brent Jones has always been drawn to writing. He won a national creative writing competition at the age of fourteen, although he can’t recall what the story was about. Seventeen years later, he gave up his career to pursue creative writing full-time.
Jones writes from his home in Fort Erie, Canada. He’s happily married, a bearded cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, and the proud owner of two dogs with a God complex.

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Sunday, June 24, 2018

#BookReview - Face Off by Brenda Novak

Title: Face Off (The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #3)
Author: Brenda Novak
Genre: Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: August 28, 2018 - Available now for pre-order


About the Book:
From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak comes Face Off, the next installment of Dr. Evelyn Talbot and her murderous home for psychopaths.

SHE VOWED NEVER TO BE A VICTIM AGAIN. BUT NOW A KILLER HAS HER IN HIS SIGHT. . .
Tortured and left for dead at sixteen, Evelyn Talbot turned her personal nightmare into her life’s work—studying the disturbing psychopathy of some of the world’s most vicious serial killers. Now a leading psychiatrist at Hanover House in a small Alaskan town, she tries to believe the past will never come back to haunt her—until a woman goes missing from a cabin nearby, and every clue points to the man who once brutalized her…
As her boyfriend, who is the area’s only police, begins to investigate—and finds not one but two bodies—Evelyn can’t forget that her would-be killer, Jasper Moore, was never caught. But there are no new faces in tiny Hilltop, no one who seems suspicious or potentially violent. In this twisted game of cat and mouse, Evelyn is certain of only one thing—Jasper must be hiding in plain sight. And if she can’t find him before he comes for her, she won’t be lucky enough to survive twice…
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687436-face-off
Buy Links: Amazon 
Available for Pre-Order.  Release date is August 28, 2018

My Review:

Wow!  This is Book 3 in the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles and although I had not read Books 1 or 2, I was able to follow the story.  Actually, this was so good I will probably go catch up by reading Books 1 & 2 very soon.

Dr. Evelyn Talbot is a leading psychiatrist at a prison for the criminally insane, which includes some of the worst murderer's in the country.  Located in a small town in Alaska, and living with the town's top cop, you would think Evelyn would be relatively safe from the man who abducted and tortured her, leaving her for dead when she was only sixteen years old.  But is she safe?  Since that time, Jasper Moore has had extensive plastic surgery and positioned himself practically in Evelyn's lap, waiting and biding his time until he's ready for her.  

I'm not saying much more than that because I don't want to give away any spoilers, but Brenda Novak will have you biting your fingernails and cringing in your seat as she describes what this psychopath does to his innocent victims and what his plans are for Evelyn.  Even without gross details, Brenda Novak allows your mind to "see" what you will have a difficult time "un-seeing".

Great thriller and great writing! 

Note:  An advance copy of FACE OFF was provided by Netgalley and the Publisher.  Any review provided is my honest opinion.

My Rating:

About the Author:
It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak's career as a bestselling author--she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.

"When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book," Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including five Rita nominations, the Book Buyer's Best, the Book Seller's Best and the National Reader's Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children--three girls and two boys. When she's not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.6 million. Please visit http://www.brendanovakforthecure.org to see how you can help.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Free Kindle Beach Reads!

Here it is summertime and you are itching to head off to some beautiful sandy beach to listen to the waves crashing on shore with seagulls off in the distance, feeling the seabreeze gently blow through your hair as you sip your strawberry daiquri and wiggle your toes in the sand.  

What?  That beach vacation doesn't fit into your budget?  Okay, then let's do the next best thing.  Grab your Kindle and find some free beach reads and let your mind wander to some tropical island.  Here are a few freebies I found on Amazon, but they may only be free for a limited time, so you need to download them quickly.  I have not yet read them, so leave a comment if you have and let me know your thoughts!

LONG WAY HOME by Neve Cottrell
(A Mangrove Island Novel - Book 1) 
Contemporary Romance 

Pull up a beach chair and enjoy the fireworks on Mangrove Island in the first book in this contemporary romance series.

Tyler Barnes can’t believe his eyes when Alexis MacAdams walks back into his life. His high school crush left Mangrove Island seventeen years ago and never looked back. He’s held on to the memory of her, even though she never gave him a second glance. Now Alexis is back for the holidays and Tyler is determined to make a lasting impression before she slips away again. He soon learns, however, that her broken heart needs to heal before he has a chance to win it. Can Tyler convince her to risk her heart for a second time?



THE KEYS TO MY DIARY ~ FERN by Ann Omasta
Literary Fiction, Humor & Satire

Hi, there! Would YOU like to take a peek in my diary?

Wait, we haven't been introduced. My name is Fern, and by some wonderful stroke of good luck, I live in the beautiful, tropical Florida Keys.

My life is wacky, often wild, and always entertaining. From my love-hate relationship with the book, The Secret, to my encounters with cursing parrots and skittering crabs, the summations of my offbeat life will make you laugh right along with me.

It is a particularly exciting year because I finally meet the man of my dreams! Or is he?

This fast-paced story is an intimate look inside my life as I go all-in and hand over the keys to my diary. Go ahead... Take a PEEK!


SECRETS ON THE SAND by Roxanne St. Claire
(Barefoot Bay Billionaires - Book 1)
Contemporary Romance


A snappy, sassy, sexy love story from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire set on the sun-washed beaches of Barefoot Bay!
"Lively, light, pure entertainment! This Cinderella story is "Pretty Woman" on the beach!"
- Carly Phillips, New York Times bestselling author

Zeke Nicholas has turned his mathematical genius skills into a mountain of money. But Zeke sits on that mountain all alone, longing for the one thing money cannot buy: a lifelong partner and true love. Enter Mandy Mitchell...the maid at his thousand-dollar-a-night resort.

The minute they meet, Mandy knows he's exactly the kind of trouble she should avoid...but Zeke does have one thing Mandy needs to gain the independence she craves. Will he give it to her? One look at Mandy, and Zeke turns his relentless ability to get what he wants into a full-on seduction and he's ready to give her anything. But can Mandy face down the secrets of her past to find a fairy-tale future with Zeke?


ONE NIGHT WITH A STRANGER by
Contemporary Romance

She thought all she wanted was a one night stand. But what could a second night hurt?

On the rebound from a bad breakup with Mr. Wrong, Lisa Randall does something she’s never done before: has a one night stand with a stranger she meets in a bar. As amazing as the night is, the last thing she expects is to hear from the guy again. But when one night turns into two, and then three, and then more, Lisa wonders whether her infatuation with Matt is keeping her from meeting Mr. Right, or whether a passionate one night stand can actually lead to true love.
Matt Owens has always considered himself the King of Jumping into Things Too Fast. He met his ex on a Tuesday, proposed on Saturday, and married her a month later. This time around he wants to take things slow, enjoy the moment. And the attractive woman he picked up in a bar seems to fit the bill. Lisa doesn’t even want to know his last name, let alone plan a future. But as he begins to develop feelings for her, he knows his one big secret could ruin any chance for something more.

#FreeBooks, #BeachRead, #VacationOnABudget

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

#BookReview - The Cottages on Silver Beach by RaeAnne Thayne

Title: The Cottages on Silver Beach
Author: RaeAnne Thayne
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: June 19, 2018


About the Book:
Years after betraying her, he’s back in Haven Point…and ready to learn the truth

Megan Hamilton never really liked Elliot Bailey. He turned his back on her family when they needed him the most and it almost tore them all apart. So she’s shocked when Elliot arrives at her family’s inn, needing a place to stay and asking questions that dredge up the past. Megan will rent him a cottage, but that’s where it ends—no matter how gorgeous Elliot has become. 

Coming back home to Haven Point was the last thing bestselling writer Elliot Bailey thought he’d ever do. But the book he’s writing now is his most personal one yet and it’s drawn him back to the woman he can’t get out of his mind. Seeing Megan again is harder than he expected and it brings up feelings he’d thought were long buried. Could this be his chance to win over his first love?
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

When I first started reading THE COTTAGES ON SILVER BEACH, I didn't realize that this was Book #8 in the Haven Point series.  I had only read two other books in this series (Serenity Harbor and Sugar Pine Trail) and although I was able to follow along with this particular story, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more had I been familiar with some of the other characters. I must say, however, that I loved the characters Megan and Elliot. Their history kept them at arms length, although they each harbored feelings that eventually needed to come out. This was a romance with a touch of mystery.

Megan, a talented photographer, owns and runs an Inn that consists of several cottages along Silver Beach, which she inherited from her grandmother. When Elliot Bailey, an FBI agent and the brother of Megan's deceased fiance, rents one of Megan's cabins, past memories cause tension between the two of them and with Luke, Megan's brother, who had been suspected of foul play when his wife went missing several years earlier. Megan is determined to prove her brother's innocence and embarks on a road trip with Elliot to piece together some clues that had not been followed up on. 

I love the writing style of RaeAnne Thayne and this series is quite heartwarming with characters that come alive in your mind as you read. I hovered between four and five wine glasses on this one, but settled on four. You can call it four and a half. 

My Rating:

About the Author:
I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all -- through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor -- I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try -- their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way.

I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at my email address, raeannethayne@gmail.com


Monday, June 18, 2018

#BookBlitz & #Giveaway - Escape Forbidden by Ruth Silver


Escape Forbidden
Ruth Silver
(Aberrant Prequel)
Publication date: June 15th 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Fight to stay alive.
The Gravelands are a dangerous place.
In a world of uncertainty, Cora Manning knows one thing without a doubt: getting into Genesis will offer her a brighter future.
When the intake coordinator agrees to let her in because of her genetic makeup, Cora discovers the promised city of utopia is nothing like she imagined.
The rebellion has begun.
EXCERPT:
“Sit,” Noelle said and gestured toward the cot positioned on the floor.
Without much thought I wandered over and stretched out to lie down. Had it not been a trying day and with bombings outside, I’d have opted to go home or at the very least refused special treatment. That was what Noelle offered me, wasn’t it?
“You don’t have to stay here all night,” I said. It felt weird to be watched as I slept. “If I need anything, I can let you know. Or I mean, whoever stays.” I didn’t want to assume she wouldn’t go home either. I shut my eyes and relaxed against the cot. It wasn’t the most comfortable bed I’d been in, but it beat the straw in the barn.
“Toby and I will alternate, unless your fever breaks. Then we’ll both go home and let you sleep in peace.”
Hearing her words was enough to help me relax. “Okay,” I mumbled. If only I had the ability to control my own body temperature.
Noelle shut off the lights which helped ease the throbbing pulse behind my eyes. The distant wail of the siren ceased. Had it ended? Was everyone safe? I took momentary comfort in the quiet of Noelle’s office and allowed myself to fall asleep.
During the night, I heard the door whine and I attempted to roll over, only half cognizant of where I was. The cot groaned beneath me and I felt the warmth of metal against my cheek.
“Wake up, little girl,” an unfamiliar voice said, and I heard the distinctive click of the safety released from a gun.
My eyes flashed open, staring up at the intruder, the gun tight against my skin. How would I get out of this mess?


Author Bio:
Ruth Silver enjoys reading, traveling, writing, photography, boardgames, and playing with her dogs.
REFUGE FORBIDDEN (Aberrant Book 4) by Ruth Silver will be available June 29, 2018.
She also writes adult romance under the name Allison West.

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Friday, June 15, 2018

#BookBlitz & #Giveaway - When Time Stands Still by Sara Furlong Burr


When Time Stands Still
Sara Furlong Burr
Publication date: June 15th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
It’s been nearly a decade since Elle Sloan last saw Luke Hutchins. Close to ten years since she broke up with him over a single phone call, providing him with little explanation. Since the end of their relationship, Elle has done everything she could do to move on, marrying, proceeding forward with her life, almost allowing herself to completely forget about Luke.
Almost.
Out of nowhere, Elle receives a phone call from Luke’s mother. Luke has been in a horrific car accident and, a month later, has just awoken from a coma. However, instead of celebrating, his family is stunned to learn that Luke is suffering from amnesia and only remembers his life as it was before his breakup with Elle. Not wanting to tell Luke that he and Elle aren’t together anymore for fear it may compromise his recovery, Elle is asked by Luke’s family to come to the hospital to see him. Their hope is that she will slowly be able to jog his memory and cushion the blow.
Guilt-ridden over how their relationship ended, Elle readily agrees, finding herself transported back in time with Luke to the life they once shared and the future they could have had together.
EXCERPT:
I heard voices even before I stepped inside of the room. They were soft, but one by one, I was able to discern who was speaking. The first voice struck me like a freight train, catapulting me further back in time with each word he spoke. The second one made my heart skip a beat.
As I walked farther into the room, I saw another vision of my past sitting next to the hospital bed. His attention, at first, was entirely focused on the occupant in the bed, until movement from me diverted his attention to me. He locked eyes with me, surprise on his face quickly turning to an odd combination of contradiction. Anger, excitement, and suspicion all appeared to be waging war and were enough to give me whiplash just looking at him. Peter Monroe—or just Monroe, as he preferred to be called—had been Luke’s best friend since pretty much the dawn of each other’s existence. He’d aged. His boyish good looks had hardened into a man who would have been difficult to recognize to me, save for the same square chin, overly large nose, and mischievous eyes I had remembered so fondly.
Another step inside the room revealed a sight I had fought valiantly to keep from infiltrating my dreams for the last several years. Like Monroe, he didn’t notice my arrival at first, and I was grateful for that because the shock I was feeling at that moment would have undoubtedly transferred onto him. His head was turned, his eyes, from what I could see of them, were closed. Most of his features were facing Monroe, but from what little I could make out of them, he looked exactly how I remembered him. The rest of his body, however, was a different story.
His hair had begun to grow back after having obviously been recently shaved to prep him for surgery. On the side of his head that was visible to me, a bandage was secured to his scalp just above his ear and was wrapped around his head. Both of his legs had been broken and were secured with immobilizers, resembling large boots. He’d been through hell and back physically, and I feared he’d soon go through the same emotionally, all because of me.
Tears fell down my face before I even had the chance to realize they had formed. Not wanting Luke to see me upset, I dabbed my eyes with my sleeve and did my best to maintain my composure before he realized I was there. With a lump in my throat, I took a step closer to the bed, approaching it on the opposite side of Monroe. There another chair sat, which I was grateful for in the event my legs felt like they were going to give out on me. Monroe sat watching me expectantly, silently screaming at me to announce my presence and put an end to the torment Luke must have been going through since regaining consciousness.
Closing my eyes, I took a breath and spoke. “Luke.”


Author Bio:
Sara “Furlong” Burr was born and raised in Michigan and currently still lives there with her husband, two daughters, a high-strung Lab, and three judgmental cats. When she’s not writing, Sara enjoys reading, camping, spending time with her family, and attempting to paint while consuming more amaretto sours than she cares to admit.

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Thursday, June 14, 2018

Restaurant Review - Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe

Yes, I know I generally review Books, but I just HAD to tell you about this great place the "locals" know about here in the Florida Keys. Hidden away, off the main road, you will find Key Largo Fisheries where the local folk go to buy fish when they are in the mood for seafood and didn't have much luck on the water that day.  They have some of the freshest fish you can find anywhere!  The store is clean and the people are friendly.  Just pick out what you want and they will even pack it in ice for you.  I went in to buy a couple of nice Yellowtail Snapper fillets to cook for dinner tonight.

Since it was around lunchtime, we decided to eat right there at the Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe.  Great food in a typical "Keys" atmosphere.  You can come directly from your boat wearing your swimsuit and flipflops if you want to.  

You can even bring your dogs with you as long as they are well behaved (this applies to children as well).  I met this lady wearing a T-shirt that I absolutely fell in love with. (The T-shirt, not the lady.) For those who know me, you know that I am 100% for adopting rescue dogs instead of buying them.  Love this shirt!  Just goes to show what kind of people you will bump into here.

And speaking of nice ladies... when we went to place our order for lunch my hubby couldn't decide between pink lemonade and regular lemonade. Gabby, the cutie taking our order, gave him a taste of each one to help him make his decision.  Like I said, the people here at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe are super friendly.  

After picking out what you want to eat from the huge menu up on the wall, you tell Gabby or whoever is there taking orders at the window and then go find a seat until your food is ready... cooked up fresh while you wait.  


Enjoy the fresh air, watch the boats, and then dig into your delicious food! 

There are plenty of tables, but during the winter months when the tourists discover this place it can be hard to get in. I had one of their famous Lobster BLT's and OhMyGosh!  It was so good! I should have taken a picture when it was first served to me but it smelled so good I had to bite into it first!  So much lobster and yummy bacon on a big, fresh croissant.  How can you go wrong with both lobster AND bacon?  And with nice red ripe tomato and fresh lettuce with a special sauce. YUM!

Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe is located at 1313 Ocean Bay Drive in Key Largo, Florida.  It sits right on the waterfront and is a delightful place to dig into some local cuisine.  Stop by and say hello to Gabby!

#KeyLargoFisheries, #BackyardCafe, #FloridaKeysGreatFood, #StillThinkingLobsterBLT

My Rating:  I give this one a definite 5 out of 5 wine glasses!




Tuesday, June 12, 2018

#BookBlitz & #Giveaway - Splash (Mermaid Royalty 3) by M.E. Rhines


Splash
M.E. Rhines
(Mermaid Royalty #3)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: June 12th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Fawna is happy with the new life she has made for herself on land. She has her child and her youngest sister Pauline by her side—plus an amazing new human boyfriend named Randy. So when an old friend from Atargatis shows up, she immediately feels the weight of everything she stands to lose. But the news can’t be ignored – there’s been an attack on their kingdom; her aunt Myrtle is dead and her mother is missing. Angelique, their middle sister, is now ruling a kingdom to the north, leaving Fawna as the only royal left to help save Atargatis. Torn between responsibilities in two different worlds, the decision is made for her when the powerful sea witch who attacked the kingdom also takes Fawna’s son. Now she has no choice—to save her life on dry land, she’ll have to dive back into the ocean…
The final installment in the beloved Mermaid Royalty series, Splash is a heart-pounding fantasy romance that will have you feeling like you need to come up for air!
Grab book 1 – SINK – for FREE!
EXCERPT:
”And if you’d acted before you did, defied your mother and refused her order to kill him, do you believe you could’ve won?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. For all we know we could’ve stopped it long before Gene. Aunt Margaret just kept telling us to be patient, that the catalyst would show itself. We rallied against my mother more because Pauline was in danger, not so much because of Eddie. To me, that was the ultimate incentive to proceed. Seeing her in danger was the reason we stood so strong together.”
“Maybe your aunt knew a human wasn’t a strong enough reason to fight such an epic war. I mean, you might’ve rallied behind Gene, but could you say the others in your resistance would? With everything Gilcrest has told you, you’ve got magic in you, Fawna. You stood a chance against your mother. Your aunt probably knew that.”
“You may be right, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve committed some terrible atrocities.”
“Because you were scared! You didn’t have a choice. I wasn’t even here and I can see that.” He clanged his knuckles against the cast iron frame of the cauldron. “You said you wanted to give this old heirloom a second chance, an opportunity to be used for good. Why can’t you give yourself that chance? Cut yourself a break.”
A smile cracked on my lips, and I shook my head in exasperation. “Why is it you always insist on seeing the good in me, even now when there’s none to be found?”
“There’s plenty of good in you, Fawna. If there wasn’t, you wouldn’t be so ready to risk your soul to rescue the ones you love the most.”
“There’s no talking any sense into you, is there?” I wrapped my arms around his torso, using his weight to anchor myself in place.
“Not a chance,” he grinned, planting a sweet kiss on my cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s like I said before, Queen, my heart is yours and only yours. The sea is in my blood, always has been. Now I know why. I was meant for this life, down here with you and Sebastian. Don’t take it away from me because of a past you can’t outrun.”


Author Bio:
ME Rhines a southwest Florida native currently living in North Port with her two beautiful children and a third, much larger child whom she affectionately calls husband.
She writes young adult paranormal romance to feed her belief that fairy tales are real and
nonsense is necessary.
You can visit her on most major social media sites:
www.facebook.com/merhines
www.twitter.com/merhines
She also writes adult romances under her edgier alter-ego, Mary Bernsen.

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