Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Book Review - THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND by Robyn Carr

Title:  The View from Alameda Island
Author:  Robyn Carr
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Publisher:  MIRA
Release Date:  April 30, 2019


About the Book:

A poignant and powerful story about how one woman’s best intentions lead to the worst of situations, and how love helps her to heal and ultimately triumph.

From the outside looking in, Lauren Delaney has a life to envy—a successful career, a solid marriage to a prominent surgeon and two beautiful daughters who are off to good colleges. But on her twenty-fourth wedding anniversary Lauren makes a decision that will change everything.

Lauren won’t pretend things are perfect anymore. She defies the controlling husband who has privately mistreated her throughout their marriage and files for divorce. And as she starts her new life, she meets a kindred spirit—a man who is also struggling with the decision to end his unhappy marriage.

But Lauren’s husband wants his “perfect” life back and his actions are shocking. Facing an uncertain future, Lauren discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had as she fights for the love and happiness she deserves.
Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes&Noble

My Review:

Once again, Robyn Carr has given us a story about family struggles, real life situations and how it can all come together with the power of love and the help from caring friends. I just love her books!

Things don't always turn out the way you plan when you are young. As you mature, many people realize that happiness is not based on money. But then again, there are those who never come to that realization. 

One of the things I loved about this book, and one of the things I was concerned about when I started reading, was that there was cheating involved. That would have totally turned me off. Instead, we see that even the casual friendship between Beau and Lauren did not happen until both had filed for divorce. And that friendship flowered into something beautiful. Another thing that was brought to light in 'The View from Alameda Island' is that abuse cannot always be seen by others. Many women, and men too, suffer in silence.

This "straight-to-the-heart" novel had me totally intrigued from the first page to the last. Thank you Robyn Carr for another great read!


*Disclosure:  I received a complimentary advance copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:
Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of almost sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. The third novel (THE FAMILY GATHERING) in her fan-favorite new series, Sullivan's Crossing, will be released in April 2018. Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016 and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at www.RobynCarr.com



Monday, April 29, 2019

Book Review - FINDING OUR FOREVER by Brenda Novak

Title: Finding Our Forever (Silver Springs - Book 1)
Author: Brenda Novak
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Release Date: March 21, 2017


About the Book:
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes readers to the town of Silver Springs, where surprises wait around every corner! 

The search for her birth mother brought Cora Kelly to the New Horizons Boys Ranch. Getting a job there was easy enough, but confiding in Aiyana, the ranch's owner, that she's really her daughter? Cora's not sure she can do that, not unless she's confident the news will be welcomed. And once she gets to know Elijah Turner—Aiyana's adopted son and ranch manager—that decision becomes even more difficult. 

Although Elijah can't deny his deep attraction to Cora, he's always struggled with trust. Anyone with his past would, and there's something about the ranch's newest employee that isn't exactly as it seems. But if the feelings she awakes in his guarded heart are any indication, she might be just what he's long been waiting for.
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687436-face-off
Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:
Finding Our Forever is a great start to another awesome series by an amazing author.  Brenda Novak creates characters that go straight to your heart.

Although she loves her adoptive parents dearly, Cora always had questions regarding her birth mother. Through a private investigator she found Aiyana, a woman who runs a school for troubled boys. After applying for a teaching position at the school in order to find out more about her birth mother, Cora discovered more than she bargained for... the hunky adopted son, Eli. Should she tell him who she is? Should she tell her mother? Hmmm.

This is the kind of romance that gives you tingles, and a few shock waves! Can't wait to read the next book in this series!

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, April 11, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - THE IRRESISTIBLE SPARK by Abby Tyler


The Irresistible Spark
Abby Tyler
Publication date: April 7th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
She started the blaze. The firefighter fanned the flame.
Abby Tyler welcomes you to the witty, well-meaning busybodies of Applebottom, Missouri, where the community takes its pies — and its matchmaking — very seriously.
Lorelei Spencer is over that loser who wasted the last few years of her life, and she’s going to prove it.
After she’s had enough mourning and midnight rage-crying, Lorelei dumps all the clothes, stuffed animals, notes, and mementos from the relationship on her front lawn. Then, she sets the pile ablaze.
It feels great.
Until it catches the grass on fire, too.
Volunteer firefighter Micah Livingston arrives on the scene and handily douses the blaze. But the fire he puts out sparks a new one in his heart when he realizes this feisty woman with a zeal for life might be exactly what he’s been looking for.
EXCERPT:
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
Lorelei couldn’t take her eyes off the fire. What had seemed like a great idea five minutes ago was now clearly her worst ever.
The pile of wadded-up paper, bedding, clothes, and mementos had gone up in flames more swiftly than she would ever have predicted. But then the singed grass of the yard, hot and dry at midsummer, had started smoldering.
Several heads turned up the street at the same time. Lorelei followed their gazes to see what was more interesting than her front yard blaze.
It was definitely worth a look. A dark-haired firefighter, partially dressed in yellow gear, ran full speed up the street.
She felt imprisoned, unable to move.
“Is that the girl who started it?” he asked her neighbor, not taking his eyes off her.
“That would be the one,” Arnold said.
“She from around here?”
Lorelei puffed with indignation. Pretending not to know a born-and-bred citizen of Applebottom was pretty much the biggest insult you could make in this town.
She stomped right up to him. “Micah Livingston, you know good and well that I’m Lorelei Spencer. You went to high school with my sister Mandy.”
Micah’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re little Lori? The spunky snot-nosed kid who used to steal cupcakes out of Mandy’s lunch?”
Nobody made fun of Lorelei Spencer, not even a hottie firefighter.


Author Bio:
Abby Tyler loves puppy dogs, pie, and small towns (she grew up in one!) Her Applebottom Matchmaker Society books combine the sweet and wholesome style of romance she loves with the funny, sometimes a-little-too-truthful characters she remembers from growing up in a place where everyone knew everybody’s business.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - THREE STAR ISLAND by Kat Caulberg


Three Star Island
Kat Caulberg
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication date: April 10th 2019
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance, Time-Travel
Stepping through a time portal into 1716, historian Penny Saunders didn’t expect to get stranded in the past. Five years later, now a pariah to the townsfolk of Three Star Island, she endures solitude and ridicule until a hurricane tosses a dangerous castaway onto her shores.
William Payne’s history precedes him. Pirate, outlaw, and ruthless captain, he’s a monster among men. . . or so it seems. Desperately seeking redemption for his blood-soaked past, he upends Penny’s world by showing her a passion she’s never experienced.
But time is closing in on them; the governor of the Carolinas has rescinded his pirates’ pardon, the locals are growing suspicious of Penny’s new houseguest, and she can’t keep her secrets from William forever. When everything falls apart, she must use both wits and weapons against lawmen and pirates alike to save the one man who would tear down the world for her.
EXCERPT:
Penelope stood in the crater the time portal had sliced into the tree line. Sheared-off branches sprouted new growth overhead, and grass choked the scorched ground, concealing most of the sand that had been fused into glass globules by the rift. Frowning, she dislodged one of the spheres with the tip of her shoe and kicked it into the dunes. This gate hadn’t opened in months.
Two days prior, a hurricane had ravaged Three Star. Alone on the southern tip of the island, Penny had ridden out the storm in her farmhouse while gales ripped up centuries-old live oaks by their roots and tossed debris through the walls of her outbuildings. She’d seen a time gate’s flicker in the immediate aftermath half a mile from where she now stood on the beach, but there had been no reason to dash out into the dwindling rain in hopes of reaching it before it shut.
None of them would let her go home again.
Grasping her skirts in one hand, she made her way through the oat grass to ascertain what the storm had offered her in compensation. The summer of 1721 had been a blistering one, providing scarcely any rain to offset the heat. With few thunderstorms of much note, ships in the area had enjoyed a season of calm, returning to port with full holds and happy sailors, and Penny’s larder suffered for it. Without wreckage to pick through, she’d survived on meager rations from her garden and the bones of a sloop that ran aground on the shoals to the south.
Yesterday threw one more long, hard bout of rain at the island, keeping her inside until dusk. Now, with the sun a few hours into the sky, she hurried to collect her share of the shattered remains of dead men’s fortunes. This time, she was determined it wouldn’t bother her. She tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear, knuckled her glasses higher, and proceeded to the shore.
The sea mirrored the heavens, flat and tranquil. Whitecaps lapped the sand, pulling back to reveal a stripe of broken shells stretching as far as she could see. Currents funneled past the rock barrier jutting out into the water, and a smattering of planks and splintered crates gathered on the sand bars the rising tide would soon submerge.
Penny stooped to dip her fingers into a mountain of sea foam. Lacework-white and delicate, it dissolved at her touch. A flicker of movement caught her eye. Slanting toward the beach on a downdraft, a laughing gull shrieked its peculiar, broken cry and swooped over a figure lying in the surf.
Her stomach dropped. The waves had disgorged a body.
Straightening, she fidgeted with her apron strings. The tide was rising. Soon, the ocean would reclaim the life it had taken, leaving no trace of the drowned man behind. Here, he was alone and unknown. Somewhere else, however, he would be an empty seat at a hearth, a bed half-filled, a promise unkept. Like her, he could never go home again.
Penelope sighed. Unable to bury him, she could at least bear witness to his return to the sea. Keeping close to the water, she trudged toward him.
She stopped when his arm moved. It was a tiny motion she could’ve mistaken for a trick of the wind, his sleeve toyed with by the breeze, yet when his fist clenched the sand, she was certain.
He was alive.
“Son of a . . .”


Author Bio:
For as long as she can remember, Kat Caulberg has been obsessed with history and the paranormal. Somewhat to the dismay of her parents, her interests led her into both museums and graveyards as a child, a trend which has continued into her adulthood. This has influenced her reading tastes and her writing, whether it be a good ghost story, thrilling tales of time-travel, or devouring endless volumes of ancient warfare.
She signed a contract with Soul Mate Publishing in 2018 for her first novel, Three Star Island, a time-travel story set in 1721. She enjoys writing strong, quirky heroines, and has a weakness for cheeky heroes who have as much compassion as they have flaws.
Kat currently lives in North Carolina with her Englishman and a few cats.

GIVEAWAY!
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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - EIGHTY-ONE NIGHTS by Georgia Cates


Eighty-One Nights
Georgia Cates
(Beautiful Illusions Duet, #1)
Publication date: April 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Beautiful, penniless American girl meets handsome, wealthy Scotsman.
Sounds like the beginning of a fairy-tale romance?
It’s not.
This story begins with a contract.
And an exchange of money.
A lot of money.
An angel perches nervously on one shoulder.
A devil lounges smugly on my other.
And even that dark little bastard is leery of what I’m doing.
Maxwell Hutcheson wants the girlfriend experience.
All of it.
And I’m going to give it to him.
I’m not supposed to enjoy being his whore.
I’m also not supposed to fall in love with him.
But I do. Both.
When our contract expires, I will walk away.
Because I have to.
But he’ll always have a piece of me.
I’ll mask my sorrow with a smile.
I’ll hide my love with indifference
… all while it’s killing me softly.
A fairy-tale romance.
It isn’t mine to have.
And this man I’ve come to love so dearly isn’t my happily ever after.
About Eighty-One Nights:
While the characters from Eighty-One Nights are entirely new, their storyline is a combination of fresh material and carefully selected themes, scenes, and settings from The Beauty Series, The Sin Trilogy, Dear Agony, and Indulge. This is intentional. I chose some of my favorite elements from previous releases and interjected them into Hutch and Lou’s story. Let’s call it a “story fusion” between our old favorites and new material. This work was briefly released under a pen name and was titled The Girlfriend Experience.
EXCERPT:
I’m standing on a platform, the wall in front of me covered with a floor-to-ceiling mirror. I feel like I should be trying on wedding dresses in a bridal boutique, waiting to say yes to the dress so that I can be jacked up with a veil and jewelry.
Cora taps the center of my back directly between my shoulder blades. “Stop slouching.”
She walks down the steps of the platform and looks up at me. “What is your European shoe size?”
“Thirty-six.”
“Valerie, bring the seventy-five-millimeter black peep toes in her size.”
Good Lord. This woman has an assistant for everything, even shoe fetching.
“We’ll begin your stride training with lower heels and work our way up to the higher ones.”
Cora is short like me, but you don’t notice until you look at her tall heels and see that four inches of her height can be attributed to her shoes.
Valerie returns and places the black pumps on the floor in front of me.
“Louboutins.” I didn’t intend for that to come out. And I definitely didn’t mean for it to sound so covetous.
“I understand. You’ve never had shoes like these, but your closet is about to be filled with countless pairs like them along with designer clothing and handbags. You represent Inamorata. You represent me. It’s crucial that you always look your best, but your job right now is to be my student. Listen to me and you’ll learn how to entertain some of the wealthiest and most influential men in Scotland.”
That’s a frightening thought.
“You aren’t at all concerned that your clients won’t like me?”
“You’re going to be a polished gem when I finish with you. No part of you will be unlikable.”
I’m pretty sure that she’s wrong about that.
“Not everyone loves Americans.” I’ve lived in Scotland for six years, but I still consider myself American—my first sixteen years were spent there.
“Inamorata clients are going to love that about you. You’re a different flavor from my other girls.”
I hear what she’s saying, but I look at myself in the mirror and can’t imagine any high-class Scotsman who would be willing to pay big bucks for my company. I’m nobody.
“What’s wrong, Caitriona?”
“I’m afraid.”
“Don’t be. I do background checks on every man before accepting him as a client. I reject anyone with even a hint of a questionable past.”
“That’s not the kind of afraid that I’m talking about.”
“Well, I need you to explain what that means before we go any further.”
It’s embarrassing to admit my fears. “What if they don’t think I’m pretty enough? Or smart enough? Or interesting enough?”
Cora claps her palms together twice, making a high-pitched slapping sound. “Everyone out. Now.”
Her three assistants scramble to get through the door, nearly running each other down. I truly believe that if Cora told them to jump, they would ask how high.
She comes up on the platform, standing behind me. She grasps my upper arms and looks over my shoulder at my reflection in the mirror. “Look at the woman staring back at you. Who is she?”
“Caitriona Louden.”
“You’re stating the obvious and it’s a waste of my time. Look deep inside of the woman in front of you, and find the wee lass beneath her surface.”
Find the wee lass beneath my surface? No way. That’s stupid.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to do that.”
“I don’t care if you want to do it or not. You’re going to if you want to work for me. The choice is yours.”
I contemplate walking out. I want to so badly, but I can’t. I need money.
“What do you want from me?”
“Start by taking a long hard look at yourself in the mirror and think about what you see.”
Long brown hair, thick and often unruly. Hazel eyes, more green than brown after I’ve had a good cry. Fair skin, a few scattered freckles across my nose and cheeks. Short and small-framed.
“Are you pretty?” Cora asks.
“According to others, I am. But I never was in my mother’s eyes.”
“What did your mother say to you about the way you look?”
God, you look just like that Scottish bastard. I heard that from her so many times that it became as much a part of my DNA as the X chromosome that he gave me. “She said that I looked like my father.”
“Did she hate him?”
“She did eventually.” His marriage to Heidi changed everything. My mother couldn’t take his being happy with another woman.
“She saw him when she looked at you?”
“Yes.”
“We grow up and become women, but no matter how old we get, we always have a wee lass living inside of us.”
I’ve never heard anyone say anything like that, but I suppose it’s true at least to some degree.
“Tell me about the wee lass inside of you.”
Little Caity Louden. She’s not someone that I like to think about. Her story isn’t a happily-ever-after fairy tale. “Her father abandoned her before she was born. She was raised by a single mom in the trashiest part of New Orleans. Her mother worked at a bar on Bourbon Street, but she drank more cocktails than she served.”
“Keep going.”
“She learned at a very early age how to fend for herself because no one took care of her.” No one loved her. It’s hard to admit, even to myself only in my head, that the one person in this world who was supposed to love me unconditionally didn’t.
“And?” Cora says.
“Her tears ran dry and her delicate, soft heart hardened. It turned to stone.”
Cora nods. “Stone is strong and resilient.”
My eyes move to hers. “Stone is cold and resistant to penetration without being broken.”
“Also true.”
I look back at myself. “I’m damaged. Something’s missing inside of me. A piece of me is not here.”
Cora walks around and stands in front of me so that we’re face-to-face. “Strong people don’t have easy pasts, and the scars they carry prove that they are stronger than whatever tried to hurt them. You’re a warrior and a beautiful young woman who is deserving of good things and happiness. You’re special, Caitriona, whether you realize it or not. Our pasts aren’t all that different; I understand you far better than you can ever imagine.”
Cora’s words are… empowering and soothing at the same time.
She crouches, unnecessarily repositioning the shoes in front of me, and I see the act for what it truly is. She’s lowering herself and elevating me. “Toes go in first, beautiful warrior.”
I grow three inches when I step into the shoes. She stands upright, and it feels good to look this powerful, independent woman in the eyes. She makes me want to be stronger.
“Diamonds are beautiful. And they’re also flawed. They don’t crack but they do cut.” Cora places a finger beneath my chin, lifting it slightly, and looks directly into my eyes. “Be a diamond, Caitriona.”


Author Bio:
Georgia Cates is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author of The Beauty Series. She resides in Mississippi with her husband and two daughters. Please visit georgiacates.com for additional information.

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Monday, April 8, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - THE HONEYMOONER by Melanie Summers


The Honeymooner
Melanie Summers
(Paradise Bay #1)
Publication date: August 7th 2018
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! The Honeymooner is a must read…I didn’t want this book to end. Get it today and start laughing. ~ Jilleen, SeasideBooknook.com
A must read! More than 5 stars! Melanie Summers could write a menu and I’d read it… I love her stories, they are all heart and soul. All I can say is I want to move to Paradise Bay! ~Lori Zenobia, Goodreads Reviewer
From bestselling author Melanie Summers comes the wickedly funny, ridiculously romantic spinoff of her highly-acclaimed Crown Jewels Series…
Twenty-eight-year-old workaholic Libby Dewitt lives by the motto ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ She’s finally about to start her dream life with her steady-as-a-rock fiancĂ©, Richard Tomy. Together, they’re the perfect power couple—right down to the fact that he’s agreed to use their honeymoon to help further her career in mergers and acquisitions. But ten minutes before the wedding, her dreams dissolve via text message.
Devastated and humiliated, Libby escapes to Paradise Bay alone. She’s got two goals for her trip: to devise a plan to get Richard back and to convince resort owner Harrison Banks to sell his property to her company. Unfortunately, when she arrives, she discovers that tall, dark, and built, Harrison is not about to make anything easy for her.
Instead, he derails her plans while at the same time, bringing out a side of Libby she’s kept carefully tucked away—a carefree, adrenaline junkie. After a few days together, Harrison’s got her wondering if the life she always wanted was meant for some other girl. Suddenly, Libby must decide which version of herself she wants to be.
Will she go back to her comfortable, safe life, or risk everything to be with the only man who’s ever made her feel truly alive?
FREE for a limited time only!
EXCERPT:
“Oh my God…did we…?” I press the sheet to me again, gripping it so tightly, my knuckles turn white.
“You don’t remember? It was amazing. The earth moved. And you—you were loud enough that we probably cleared out the entire resort.” He grins at me, then rolls off the bed and starts across the room, giving me a view of his muscly back and behind. Those are some seriously tight shorts.
No, Libby! Do not focus on his taut buttocks! You are not that kind of girl. “I’m very sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t remember any of it.”
“None of it?” he asks.
When I shake my head, he says, “That’s a real crime because it was the best night you’ve ever had. You told me as much right after round three.” Opening the mini-fridge, he grabs a bottle of water and takes off the lid. “At least I have it all on video.”
“What?!” My pulse speeds up, and I suddenly feel both hot and dizzy. What have I turned into? Some kind of hussy? Or worse—my mother?
“I didn’t think it was a good idea, but you were pretty insistent.” He shrugs, then crosses the room and holds the bottle of water out to me.
I take it cautiously, then shrink back from him a bit. Why would a man this hot do whatever predictable, boring old Libby Dewitt said to do?
In an instant, it all makes perfect sense. My heart sinks and I let out a loud groan. “You’re a gigolo, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“Listen, I don’t know what I told you last night, but I can’t afford to pay you. I’m a little low on cash at the—”
“I’m not a gigolo.”
“Then why would you…?” I don’t really know how to put this. Why would someone as hot as you sleep with a very plain Jane like me?
“Why would I what?” He folds his arms across his broad chest.
My words come out rushed. “Sleep with someone like me.”
“Are you kidding right now?” he asks, raising one eyebrow.
“No, I’m afraid not.” I shake my head, then wince because my brain is pounding and because I really don’t want to hear his answer. I’ve had enough rejection for one weekend. Before he can say anything, I take a wild stab at it. “Now I get it, you’re one of those guys with extremely low standards. The type who’ll sleep with anything with a pulse.” I gasp again. “Oh my God. I probably have an STD by now, don’t I?”
“Ouch,” he says, rubbing at his chest. “You’re pretty mean when you’re sober.”
“Sorry. I don’t mean to insult you. I’m honestly just very confused.” I sigh and close my eyes for a second, unable to stand the look of hurt in his strikingly brilliant hazel eyes. “Maybe it would be best if you just left. I’m really not myself at the moment.”
“Okay, but it might make more sense if you left.”
“Why?” I ask, opening my eyes again.
“This is my room.”


Author Bio:
Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

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Saturday, April 6, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - VENOMOUS HEART by Mary Auclair


Venomous Heart
Mary Auclair
(Eok Warrior, #3)
Publication date: April 4th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
After drowning his soul in blood, can this alien warrior be saved?
As the only doctor on Aveyn, Ava works day and night for the people she considers hers. Only… she’s not really one of them, is she? She’s a hybrid, a highly illegal creature created by Trade Minister Knut for his personal enjoyment. And she risks a fate worse than death if her existence is ever discovered by Prime Councilor Aav, the most powerful Matriarch in the Ring.
When a tall, arrogant, sapphire blue alien comes to Aveyn, it’s not long before headstrong Ava gets in trouble with him – the new Eok warrior in charge.
Arlen wants nothing to do with his new assignment on Aveyn. All he wants is to return to the violence at the Frontier and drown his broken heart in bloodshed. But he made a deal with his brother, the Commander-in Chief-of the Eok armies: a year of peace for a year of combat. So, Arlen comes to Aveyn fully intent on ruling all those who live there with an iron fist…
… all except a troublesome, gorgeous female whose purple eyes haunt his dreams. When the Mating Venom pushes him to the edge of madness, can Arlen learn to trust in his heart again, or is his soul lost to the bloodlust?
EXCERPT:
She closed her eyes.
The scents became clearer as she kept her eyes closed. The water, pure and cold; the grass under her naked soles; and the flowers. The flowers, with their stubborn, extravagant love for life. How many times had she wished she was like one of those flowers? Blooming, happy, beautiful. Hundreds of times, thousands, she’d wished it. Every time Knut made her cry, every time Knut made her feel like she wasn’t truly a person.
“You shouldn’t come out here alone, especially at night.”
A male voice startled her and Ava turned quickly, holding the scalpel she had brought with her in front of her body defensively. A tall, broad figure stepped out of the deep shadows created by a series of bushes, a figure she recognized instantly.
“I could tell you the same thing.” Ava lowered her arm but didn’t withdraw it completely.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were following me.”
“I am following you.” There it was again, that humorless voice, all business and military.
It made her body tingle in all the wrong places, even though alarms bells rang in her head.
Ava watched warily as Arlen approached, completely undeterred by her weapon.
“How very stalkerish of you.”
He didn’t answer, just prowled closer to her with an uncanny, almost feline grace. The silver moonlight reflected off his head, making the markings on his skin even more apparent. A tiny thrill skittered across her skin at the sight of him and she pulled the sides of her cotton sweater more tightly around her body.
He was close enough now that she could see his features clearly, the harsh shadows from the cloudless moon playing on the angles of his face, giving him the appearance of an ancient,
long-forgotten deity. His pale eyes reflected the light, seeming almost entirely white as he stared down at her.
There was nothing soft about him. Not even the plump hardness of his lips as his mouth stretched into a humorless grin.
“Are you always this insolent?”
Arlen hovered above her, barely two feet away, and he was so tall she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. His arms were bare in his sleeveless vest, rippling with muscles and covered with markings. He was a monument to strength and control, to this cold military authority she sensed in everything he did.
The tingling in her belly grew as she stared at those strong arms, that skin covered with markings that seemed as rough as it was soft. What would it feel to run her fingers along it? Her tongue?
Get a grip! What is going on with you?
“Maybe it’s just your Eok charm.” Ava forced herself to relax her posture but her arms refused to let go, and she still hugged herself. “Are you always this creepy?”
He shook his head at her sassy answer then his eyes went down to her scalpel. The corner of his mouth curved up slightly, and there was something in his gaze that wasn’t there before as he looked back up at her. It looked an awful lot like amusement.
“Do you plan on stabbing me? If so, I hope your arms are stronger than they look. It’ll take you all night to kill me with that.”
“Of course not.” Ava brought her arm down, suddenly feeling very foolish. What was she expecting, anyway? It wasn’t like she could fight off an Eok warrior with her scalpel. “I brought it with me for protection, that’s all.” She turned to the river, but she could feel Arlen’s gaze on her. “Nobody comes here, anyway.”
“Nobody but you.” He planted himself at her side and they stayed like that in silence for a while. When he finally spoke again, his voice wasn’t all business and efficiency, but a bit dreamy. “Did you come here often? Before?”
Ava’s arms tightened around her body and a sudden surge of emotions welled up in her throat. Aside from Uril, nobody asked her questions. Nobody cared what she felt. Why did he?
Or maybe she was just a fool to think he did.


Author Bio:
Mary grew up in the quiet peace of a small rural village in the heart of Quebec, Canada. She spent her childhood chasing butterflies and catching frogs, playing in the mud and generally being as unladylike as she could.
She now write as much as her busy schedule allows to bring to life her inner world, filled with exotic planets, mysterious creatures and off course, hot, alpha heroes and the women who melt their hearts.
When she's not writing, she can be found in the garden, walking her dogs or playing with fire in her kitchen as a part time hit-or-miss chef.
She loves to hear from her readers, so don't be shy and drop her a line! Sign up for the newsletter on her website to receive sneak peeks, exclusive bonus stories and special discounts!

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Thursday, April 4, 2019

Book Review, Blitz & Giveaway - RUINS OF FATE (The Omni Towers Series Prequel) by Jamie A. Waters


RUINS OF FATE 
Jamie A. Waters
(The Omni Towers, Prequel)
Publication date: April 4th 2019
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic

One wrong decision, and the future will crumble…

Skye Levanthe traded everything she owned in order to secure a place for herself and her son, Veridian, in a scavenging camp.

But all contracts have an expiration date.

Desperate to obtain the resources they need to survive, Skye agreed to navigate the dangerous ruins of fallen cities to search for tradeable materials. When a strange storm forced Skye and her scavenging partner into forbidden territory controlled by The Omni Towers, a ruin collapsed, nearly taking their lives and destroying countless others.

Only one other person survived the ruin collapse: a mysterious young girl named Kayla. 

Faced with the decision to save her son or abandon her new foster daughter to a terrible fate, Skye agreed to the only possible course of action—to go into exile and take on the Omni traders in their own den.

No one ever said survival would be easy. 

And every choice has consequences.



**Special offer for a limited time! Sign up for Jamie's Newsletter and get a FREE ebook of Ruins of Fate. Go to www.jamieawaters.com 

EXCERPT:

    Another gust of wind kicked up, throwing her off balance. The antenna whipped out of her hand and she fell backward, tumbling off the edge of the lookout and onto the roof. A scream ripped out of her throat. Skye scrambled, grabbing at anything to stop her rapid descent as she slid down the roof and toward the ground.
    Her fingers brushed against an exposed metal beam, and she bit back a curse as the jagged edge cut through her gloves and into the meat of her hands. Grabbing it, she struggled against the pain to hold on. The roof underneath her boots gave way and fell inward. She gripped the beam tightly, trying desperately to pull herself back up.
    “Skye!” Leo shouted over her headset.
    Reaching out with her other hand, Skye tried to find purchase on the roof. Her feet flailed, but there was nothing beneath her. Between her angle and the slope of the roof, it was impossible to pull herself back up.
   “I can’t hold on, Leo,” she managed, trying to suppress the panic rising inside her. She couldn’t die. Not like this.



Author Bio:
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning writer of science-fiction and fantasy romance. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science-Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction.
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.

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My Review:
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book from the author. Although this is a prequel to the Omni Towers series, you can read it at any time, or even read it as a stand-alone (although the ending will leave you so intrigued that you will want to read more!)  I actually had read all six of the books in this series before reading Ruins of Fate. I loved it! I'm addicted to it! I read this book in one day because I could not put it down.

Without giving away any spoilers, Jamie Waters gives us a glimpse into the past that allows us to see the relationship between Kayla, Veridian and Leo. And then there was Skye, Veridian's mother. I absolutely loved this character. She is a kick-ass heroine who scavenges the ruins, protects those around her and stands up for her beliefs.

This book is not for the weak of heart. There is so much fast paced adventure and action that it will leave you out of breath.  A definite must-read if you are a post-apocalyptic fan. Keep in mind that this is NOT Young Adult. Just like the other books in this series, there is a wee bit of steamy romance... but very well done. Fantastic world-building!

I am currently experiencing a book hangover. After reading this series, I will be looking for more from this author!

My Rating:


Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Book Review - MY EX-BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING by Wendy Wax

Title:  My Ex-Best Friend's Wedding
Author:  Wendy Wax
Genre:  Women's Fiction
Release Date:  May 14, 2019
Available for Pre-order

About the Book:

A wedding dress passed down through generations unravels the tangled threads of three women's lives in a novel of friendship, family, and forgiveness from the USA Today bestselling author of Ten Beach Road.

Prized and stored away for safekeeping, the timeless ivory wedding dress, with its scooped neck and cleverly fitted bodice, sits gently folded in its box, whispering of Happily Ever Afters. To Kendra, Brianna, and Lauren it’s a reminder of what could have been, the promise of a fairy tale, and a friendship torn apart. But as Kendra knows firsthand: it wasn’t the dress’s fault.

Once closer than sisters, Lauren and Bree have grown up and grown apart, allowing broken promises and unfulfilled dreams to destroy their friendship. A successful author, Lauren returns home to the Outer Banks, fiancĂ© in tow, to claim the dress she never thought she’d wear. While Bree, a bookstore owner, grapples with the realities of life after you marry the handsome prince. As the former best friends wrestle with their uncertain futures, they are both certain of one thing: some betrayals can never be forgiven. 

Now on the eve of her daughter Lauren’s wedding, Kendra struggles with a secret she’s kept for far too long. And vows to make sure the dress will finally bring Lauren and Bree back together—knowing they'll need each other to survive the coming storm.


My Review:

There were so many things I loved about this book! Wendy Wax writes about characters who could be real! Not the outrageously beautiful 20-year-old with the perfect body type character, but the real-life kind of characters. Characters I can truly relate to! The 40-year-old best friends and Lauren's mother. You don't have to be in your 20's to fall in love! She also writes about friendship and the bonding that occurs between those friends. And her characters are multi-dimensional, with flaws and anxieties! I love them!!

My Ex-Best Friend's Wedding is about forgiveness, tradition, and a mother's love. Beautifully written! I must admit that I cried numerous times during those last few chapters.

I'm hoping that Ms. Wax turns this into another series. I'd love to find out more about Lauren and Spencer's life together and the possible introduction to Lauren's new brothers. I'd also like to know if things work out with Bree and Clay and if he returns to his old habits or not. Will she kick him out on his ear? I can see so many directions this may go!

Disclosure:  A complimentary ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:


I write novels that explore friendship, self-discovery and the challenges life brings us, leavened with a touch of humor. I'm proud of all my books and perhaps best known for my "Ten Beach Road" titles including the USA Today bestsellers, Ten Beach Road and The House on Mermaid Point, and for While We Were Watching Downton Abbey.

I was born in St.Petersburg, Florida and grew up on St. Pete Beach within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico. I went, appropriately enough, to Sunshine Elementary School where recess and art class sometimes took place on the beach, and the highlight of every school year was the annual fish broil.

It’s hard to be a type-A personality when you grow up in such a laid back environment, but I managed. Convinced that you were expected to know how to read BEFORE you showed up for school, I forced a neighbor friend to teach me to read at the age of five. I’ve been reading ever since.

Books, in all forms, are one of my greatest pleasures and best forms of escape. And they’ve had a major impact on my life.

I went to the University of Georgia after reading Gone with the Wind one too many times. For a while I re-read Margaret Mitchell’s classic yearly, saw the movie whenever it played within twenty miles, and could quote large passages from memory. Today I have a growing GWTW collection, and the time I spoke at he Margaret Mitchell House was an incredible last thrill. 

After college I worked in radio, television, and film. Like Olivia in 7 DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, I’ve done live talk radio. I hosted a show in the eighties called Desperate & Dateless, and while I was never locked in an apartment for a week with a webcam rolling as she was, I did fall in love. Happily, the man who swept me off my feet consults with financial types and understands the bottom line. Unlike Olivia’s nemesis, Matt Ransom, my husband has never, to my knowledge, advised anyone to ‘love the one they’re with.’ We live in Atlanta with our two sons


Wendy loves to hear from her readers! You can reach her at wendy@authorwendywax.com.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - MY ONE by Kimberly Knight


My One
Kimberly Knight
(Halo #4)
Publication date: April 2nd 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
The girl on the cruise ship was the one he’d always wanted …
The guy on the cruise ship was her Prince Charming …
After suffering a miscarriage, Avery and Nicole were ready to get married and put the pieces of their relationship back together again. They jetted off to Vegas to get hitched and had a dream come true honeymoon.
But getting married in Vegas was just the beginning of their journey.
When an unexpected tragedy reveals an unexpected truth, Avery and Nicole are left questioning everything they thought they knew about love, family, and trust.
Previous books in the series:
EXCERPT:
The sun had fully set by the time I stepped out of the bridal suite. It was a crisp night, but I was on cloud nine and the cold wasn’t phasing me. The white lights illuminated the courtyard, and I knew that just beyond the trees blocking my view of the gazebo, Avery was waiting for me.
Avery.
The man who I’d met on a cruise ship. The man who had fallen in love with me. The man who had cared for me through everything we’d been through in the short amount of time we’d been together.
The man who I loved more than anything.
“Are you sure about this?” Dad asked from beside me.
I looked up into his blue eyes that were like mine. “Never been this sure about anything else.”
“It’s not too late.”
“I know. But Avery’s the one. My one. The one who makes everything better.”
Dad stuck out his arm for me to hook mine in. “Then we better get you married.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
He kissed the top of my head, and I caught Jessica’s eye. I nodded to her and a few seconds later, “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri started to filter in from the speakers. Then I took my first step toward the man who I knew I would love for more than a thousand years.
The moment Avery came into view, dressed in a black tux with a white dress shirt, everything around me disappeared. I thought that only happened in romance novels, but it was true. It was him and me and no one else. The smile he gave me was the one I knew I could count on for the rest of my life. He made me happy, made me strong, and while I didn’t understand why we’d lost our baby, I knew that no matter what, we’d always have each other. He was my prince, and I knew that we’d eventually fill our castle.
Maybe we weren’t meant to start our family yet. Life was weird like that. Maybe God was waiting to give us one when Brooke and Easton decided to grow their family. Maybe I would get pregnant tonight. Maybe. I didn’t know the answers other than Avery Scott was my soulmate. He was the reason I got up each morning. The reason I breathed. We’d fought for this moment through the ups and the one down that still crushed me every time I thought about what we’d lost. But I knew there was a reason, and I was excited to find out what our future held.
Today was the first day of the rest of our lives.
I’d heard that saying before, but now, I understood what it meant. We were becoming man and wife. We were becoming Mr. and Mrs. Avery Scott. We were becoming one.
Dad gave me to Avery, and as I turned to look up into Avery’s azure eyes, he wiped a tear from my cheek. I hadn’t realized that I was crying.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
“These are happy tears,” I assured him. Anyone could make me smile, and people could make me cry, but it was Avery who made me smile with tears of joy in my eyes.
“Good, because I didn’t get cold feet,” he teased.
I smiled. “I didn’t either.”
The minister, who was not Elvis, began the ceremony. I wasn’t sure what he said because as far as I was concerned, Avery and I were the only ones in the courtyard. I stared into his blue eyes the entire time.
Avery cleared his throat and began to speak. “Nic, my beautiful bride, my one and only, today and every day I promise to love you, to honor you, to make you laugh. May the way I look at you and treat you reflect the truth that I’ve loved you since the first time I ever laid eyes on you in the middle of the ocean. You’re the light to my darkness, and I never truly understood what love was until I found you. You make me the happiest man in the entire universe, and today I vow that I will love you until my dying breath.”
More tears streamed down my face as all of his words sank in. I swallowed, trying to remember what I wanted to tell him. Finally, as I looked into the eyes I wanted to bare my soul to, I was able to find my words. “Avery, I searched for you my entire life. While I always wanted the fairytale that most girls wish for, I’ve realized that life isn’t always unicorns and rainbows, and I know that love isn’t always perfect. Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, and holding on and never letting go. Love is realizing that every hour, every minute, and every second was worth it because we did it together. We’ve had our heartbreak, but we made it through, and today I vow to you that I will love you through the good times and the bad. I will love you until the day after forever.”
The minister spoke again and we said our “I do’s.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Avery grinned, and the moment his lips touched mine, I felt the love, the passion, the desire. I was so thankful that we’d chosen to get married at a venue where the wedding wouldn’t last hours. I wanted to run down the aisle, hand in hand, and go directly to our suite where we wouldn’t leave until it was time for our week-long honeymoon. However, we had an hour to eat, drink, and be merry.


Author Bio:
Kimberly Knight is a USA Today Bestselling Author that lives in the mountains near a lake with her loving husband and spoiled cat, Precious. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite reality TV shows, watching the San Francisco Giants win World Series and the San Jose Sharks kick butt. She's also a two time desmoid tumor/cancer fighter that's made her stronger and an inspiration to her fans. Now that she lives near a lake, she plans on working on her tan and doing more outdoor stuff like watching hot guys waterski. However, the bulk of her time is dedicated to writing and reading romance and erotic fiction.

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