A Dickens of a Murder (Canterville Book Shop Mystery 1)
Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 208 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (November 3, 2015)
ASIN: B015269QSI

Synopsis

Christmas at Canterville!

Lisa Wellman and Simon Canterville are surprised to find a dead man on their roof in the midst of rushing to open the Canterville Book Shop in time for the holidays. And not just any dead man – Ebenezer Hart – the man who opposed the book shop opening in Olde Town, Portsmouth, Virginia.
What might be more surprising is when Daniel Fairhaven – Lisa’s ex – turns up at the door of the three-story Victorian house to head the police investigation. She hasn’t seen him in years but the sparks start to fly as soon as they are in the same room together.

Simon and Lisa are obviously the best suspects for the murder. Each of them had something to gain by Hart’s death. Then an attempt on Simon’s life throws that theory into a tailspin.
But the biggest surprise yet comes when the ghost of Charles Dickens turns up to help Lisa with the murder investigation – and writing the mystery novel she has been working on for years.
Without a doubt, Daniel and Dickens in Lisa’s life means trouble. And there’s still the matter of trying to get the book shop open with a killer on their heels.

Review

What happens when you throw books, an author’s ghost and murder into the mix? A crazy adventure with mayhem and even past love.

I love to read and therefore love bookstores, so of course the setting intrigued me. Then as I’m reading along a ghost appears, and not just any ghost, the ghost of Charles Dickens. Throw in the fact that Lisa’s ex-husband is on the police force (and she hasn’t seen him in about 12 years) and he is the one investigating this case, well there might be some sparks flying by the end.

This book kept me engaged and I really liked that they pulled in characters from 2 others series (and since they write so many books it isn’t hard to do).

The mystery is definitely a mystery and with the somewhat limited cast of characters I suspected one character. When shown it couldn’t be this character, my mind did wonder about another character but with nothing to put my finger on other than comments and reactions in different situations. (boy it is hard to be vague so as not to give away the killer!)

I’m hoping this series will continue, but with the death of Joyce, I’m not sure if Jim will continue this series. I do hope so because it seems like the bookstore is haunted and visited by many ghosts of authors past.

We give this 5 paws up!

About the Authors

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. Jim lives in rural North Carolina with his family as Joyce passed away in late October 2015.  She will be missed.

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Next Door to a Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager

Hadley Daniels is tired of feeling invisible.

After Hadley’s best friend moves away and she gets on the bad side of some girls at school, she goes to spend the summer with her grandparents in the Lake Michigan resort town of Grand Haven. Her next door neighbor is none other than teen TV star Simone Hendrickson, who is everything Hadley longs to be—pretty, popular, and famous—and she’s thrilled when Simone treats her like a friend.

Being popular is a lot harder than it looks.

It’s fun and flattering when Simone includes her in her circle, though Hadley is puzzled about why her new friend refuses to discuss her former Hollywood life. Caught up with Simone, Hadley finds herself ignoring her quiet, steadfast friend, Charlotte.

To make things even more complicated, along comes Nick Jenkins…

He’s sweet, good-looking, and Hadley can be herself around him without all the fake drama. However, the mean girls have other ideas and they fill Nick’s head with lies about Hadley, sending him running back to his ex-girlfriend and leaving Hadley heartbroken.

So when her parents decide to relocate to Grand Haven, Hadley hopes things will change when school starts…only to be disappointed once again.

Cliques.

Back-stabbing.

Love gone bad.

Is this really what it’s like to live…

Next Door To A Star?

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Excerpt

The school year should end right after spring break, because all anyone can focus on is summer vacation. You can’t learn anything new, because all you can think about is all the fun stuff you’re going to do once you don’t have to get up at the butt crack of dawn. Summer always seems full of possibilities.

Nothing exciting ever happens during the school year, but maybe, during summer vacation, you could run into a hot celebrity and he’d decide to put you in his next music video. Okay, it wasn’t like I knew anybody that happened to, but my grandparents did live next door to a former TV star, Simone Hendrickson, and Simone was discovered in an ice cream parlor one summer. Of course, she lived in L.A. at the time and was already doing plays and commercials, so the guy who discovered her had already seen her perform. But hey, it was summer, she got discovered, and that was all that mattered.

Amazing stuff didn’t happen to me. You know what happened to me last summer? I stepped on a bee and had to go to the emergency room. They’re not going to make an E! True Hollywood Story out of my life. I didn’t go on exotic vacations—like today, I was being dragged along with my parents to my cousin’s graduation party. Most people waited until at least the end of May before having a grad party, but Charisma was having hers early because she was leaving on a trip to Spain. I was dreading this party because I didn’t want to listen to everybody talk about how smart and talented Charisma was—making me feel like a blob in comparison—but my mom RSVP’d even though I said I’d rather die than go. My death threats meant nothing. But still, for some strange reason, I had a feeling this summer was going to be different.

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Praise for Next Door to a Star

From Readers’ Favorite:
Next Door to a Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager is a heart wrenching tale of a young girl growing into her teen years….Hager’s main character is representative of every teenage girl. The author really nailed the reality of a young girl’s early high school years. I think this is a valuable read for girls ages 12-18.

From Kelly Smith Reviews:
Hager wrote from a teen’s perspective, and it gave the book a very authentic feel. She has a real gift for that, something many YA writers lack these days. She reminds me a lot of a modern Ann M. Martin or Judy Blume.

From Author Erin Fanning:
If you, like me, have a soft spot for young adult novels then author Krysten Lindsay Hager should have a place on your bookshelf. Ms. Hager brings the teen years to life with absolute perfection in Next Door to a Star. Handling multiple plotlines with an expert touch, she’s crafted a young adult dramedy that on the top layer is a story about Hadley Daniels, an average teen whose only ambition is to fit in, have a few friends, and find her place in the world.

About the Author

Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is also the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series (True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, and the soon to be released, Landry in Like) and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.

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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/2/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Murder in a Two-Seater: A Chloe Carstairs Mystery (Chloe Carstairs Mysteries Book 2)
2nd in Series
Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 305 pages
Publisher: Annie Acorn Publishing LLC (September 7, 2015)
ASIN: B0152IQRAQ

Synopsis

A cheating wife in a classic car drives someone to murder.

Interior decorators turned amateur investigators, Chloe and Amanda Carstairs have spent the summer transforming their client’s creepy old castle into a luxury hotel. But before the first guest checks in, the owner’s wife checks out – with the help of a bullet to the head.

When Chloe’s dad is accused of the crime, there’s no time for the ladies to drown their sorrows in the hotel’s mini bar. Instead, they have to contend with a sneaky blackmailer, an unsolved murder from the past, and a cunning killer with nothing to lose.

The second Chloe Carstairs Mystery is filled with the same clever twists and hilarious mother-daughter relationship that made Murder on the First Day of Christmas such a fun, fast-paced read for an appreciative readership. The mystery will keep you guessing, but as any good decorator will tell you, even a beautiful setting can’t hide the ugly truth.

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Cherchez La Femme

Voted ‘Most Likely to Meddle’, these girl detectives are my kind of troublemakers.

I have my mom to thank– and blame – for my love of mysteries. Thank, because she introduced me to some wonderful mystery books as a child. Blame, because I’ve lost whole weekends to books I can’t put down or cases I can’t crack.

As a kid, girl detectives in books and on TV inspired me to be resourceful, inquisitive, self-sufficient and persistent. So I want to celebrate these smart young ladies for the hours of fictional adventures they let me tag along for.

Sure, Nancy Drew is the one that springs to mind first. Though kind of a goody-goody, Nancy still managed to lead her friends Bess and George into a fair amount of trouble. I liked her roadster and her titian hair (though I pronounced it tie-tee-an, well into my teens.) I liked that she had a close relationship with her father, who seemed to respect and value her opinion. I’m also glad I read these books at a time when I was too innocent to wonder if her dad was secretly carrying on with housekeeper, Hannah Gruen or if Ned Nickerson was gay. Ah, such a simple, and less cynical time.

Other girl detectives I enjoyed around that age were Trixie Belden, the Dana Girls and Donna Rockford. Trixie, who lived on Crabapple Farm, was a more realistic depiction of a teenager – moody, impetuous, a hater of chores and bender of rules. My kind of girl. Louise and Jean Dana reminded me a lot of my sister and me, older Louise being the more serious one and younger Jean being more incorrigible. (I always took incorrigible as a compliment, though I don’t know that my teachers meant it that way.) Donna Rockford wasn’t nearly as popular as the other girls I’ve mentioned – and alas, she doesn’t even have her own Wikipedia page – but she was a more modern Nancy Drew and her books were fun and fast paced. Worth picking up if you see one at a garage sale.

Among my favorite television detectives, Velma Dinkley was the early standout.

Super smart and super cute in her glasses and Mary Janes, Velma was usually the one to figure out the mystery while the others chased down red herrings. Even as a kid, I wanted to be more like Velma than Daphne, reasoning that Daphne would always be ditzy, but Velma, with a better haircut and a well-defined waist, would have been unstoppable.

Don’t believe me? Then how do you explain the live-action version of Velma known as Veronica Mars? My all-time favorite girl detective. Smart and smart-alecky, the right blend of noir and nice, Veronica has a well-deserved cult following of fans among girls and boys. There’s never been a suspect she can’t crack or a rule she won’t break, usually tossing in the perfect pop culture quip along the way. Her father, Keith Mars respects and protects his daughter – and she doesn’t make that last part easy. Good thing she can take care of herself. (Most of the time.)

But these are just the young ladies I loved growing up. Rest assured, a new crop of girl detectives are ready to inspire today’s teens. (And even some nostalgic adults.)

Ingrid Levin-Hill in Peter Abrahams’s Down the Rabbit Hole is one notable standout. Her Agatha-Award winning debut caught even Stephen King’s eye “One walloping good suspense yarn,” he gushed. (Just kidding. Stephen King never gushes.) In her hometown of Eden Falls, Ingrid gets pulled into a murder investigation that would baffle even her idol Sherlock Holmes. A definite must-read.

And if you know a girl who’s a die-hard Kardashian fan (my condolences), slip her the hilariously breezy Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls by Bennett Madison. It’s proof positive that Kate Spade and Sam Spade aren’t as worlds apart as one might think.

See? Life is full of mysteries, the best of which you can enjoy from the comfort of your window seat. So who were your favorite girl detectives and why? Is there anyone out now I should check out?

About the Author

Billie Thomas is the pseudonym of a Birmingham-based author. After the real Billie passed away unexpectedly at the end of 2011, getting MURDER ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS,  the first of in the Chloe Carstairs mystery series, revised and published was her daughter’s top priority as a way to honor the mom who had given her a lifelong love of books. In her real life, Ms. Thomas works at an advertising agency, which might explain why she’s constantly thinking up ways to kill people without getting caught. She has a really cute boyfriend and an even cuter dog. Like MURDER ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, its follow up, MURDER IN A TWO-SEATER are both filled with mystery, romance, humor and decorating – because these are a few of her favorite things.

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Title: Target Engaged
Series: Delta Force, #1
Author: M.L. Buchman
ISBN: 9781492619222

Book 1 in M.L. Buchman’s thrilling NEW Delta Force series

Delta Force: The most dangerous elite counter-terrorism force on the planet

• The deadliest shooters •
• The most out-of-the-box thinkers in any military •
• Will die to get the mission done •

Sergeant Kyle Reeves: The premier soldier of the new recruits

Sergeant Carla Anderson: The first woman of Delta Force

If the training doesn’t kill them, their passion may—but Kyle Reeves and Carla Anderson blast right in. Show no fear. Have no fear. Then they get the call. The most powerful drug-smuggling ring in Venezuela needs a takedown, and Delta’s newest team leaps into the deep jungle to deliver. Giving their all? Not a problem. Giving their hearts? That takes a new level of courage.

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Praise for TARGET ENGAGED

“Buchman cannot write a bad book, and this, possibly his best yet, is another great example of what military romance should be.” – Booklist, STARRED Review

“Target Engaged is every bit as good as his other series. His meticulous research is once again duly noted, as are the action-packed mission scenes and the passionate love story between the phenomenal lead characters, with the romance being equally as breathtaking as the action.” – RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars

About the Author

M.L. Buchman has over 35 novels and an ever-expanding flock of short stories in print. His military romantic suspense books have been named Barnes & Noble and NPR “Top 5 of the year,” Booklist “Top 10 of the Year,” and RT “Top 10 Romantic Suspense of the Year.” In addition to romantic suspense, he also writes contemporaries, thrillers, and fantasy and science fiction.

In among his career as a corporate project manager he has: rebuilt and single-handed a fifty-foot sailboat, both flown and jumped out of airplanes, designed and built two houses, and bicycled solo around the world.

He is now a full-time writer, living on the Oregon Coast with his beloved wife. He is constantly amazed at what you can do with a degree in Geophysics.

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Giveaway

M.L. Buchman’s December release TARGET ENGAGED, kicks off the first in his brand new Delta Force series. To celebrate, we’re giving away one advanced copy of TARGET ENGAGED! Enter below to be eligible to win, but hurry, contest ends 11/14.
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We are so excited to bring  you What Happens with the Sisters by Pepper Lynne. It’s a good ol’ southern chick lit fun fest. You really want to meet Granny, Daisy, and the rest of her sisters who just happen to be named after flowers themselves.   A good time is sure to be had!  And it’s on now on sale for $0.99.

Synopsis

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Christmas is just around the corner and romance novelists Samantha Chase, Kim Redford and Terry Spear are here to help get you in the holiday spirit by sharing the best gift they (and their characters) have ever given to their loved ones!

Title: The Christmas Cottage/Ever After

Author: Samantha Chase

Pubdate: October 6^th, 2015

ISBN: 9781492622598

Legend has it that any couple who spends the night in the Christmas Cottage shall have love everlasting…

THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE

Lacey Quinn does not believe in happily-ever-after or the legend of the Christmas Cottage. But her best friend does, and she’s the one getting married. It’s Lacey’s job to make sure everything at the cottage is perfect for the newlyweds. Instead, she finds herself snowed in with the best man, and she begins to wonder if fairy tales really can come true.

EVER AFTER

Ava Callahan wants desperately to believe in love everlasting. But when Brian McCabe walks back into her life and upsets her carefully organized world, her commitment to perfection makes it hard to accept the love that’s right in front of her. Will it take a night in the Christmas Cottage for Ava and Brian to find their happy ending?

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From the Author

That’s coming this Christmas! My husband has always dreamed of going to the Grand Canyon. I mean, it’s all he ever talks about when we talk about planning a vacation. He always gets outnumbered. So this year for Christmas, I am giving him a tour of the Grand Canyon as a gift! We are going to be in Las Vegas in April for the RT Booklovers Convention and we’re going to take a day trip to go see the Canyon. I cannot WAIT to see his reaction!!

As for my heroine, Lacey, Her best friend Ava has two great loves – books and fairy tales. So for Christmas one year, Lacey bought her a boxed set of classic fairy tales from Hans Christen Andersen, The Brothers Grimm, Aesop and Celtic Fairy Tales. It was a big hit!

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her forties to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Teaching creative writing to students from elementary through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams motivated Samantha to take that step as well. Stay With Me (Montgomery Brothers book 3) hit the USA Today bestseller list upon its debut. Catering to the CEO was included in the romance bundle Loving the CEO, a five-book package that made the New York Times and the USA Today bestseller lists. In March 2013, The Christmas Cottage was nominated for two Indie Romance Convention Awards—Best Indie Romance Novella and Best Indie Contemporary Romance—while Samantha was nominated for Indie Author of the Year. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing Scrabble on Facebook, and spending time with her husband of twenty-four years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Title: Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas

Author: Kim Redford

Series: Smokin’ Hot Cowboys, #1

Pubdate: October 6^th, 2015

ISBN: 9781492621478

Warm up this Christmas with a sexy cowboy firefighter who knows how to ignite flames as well as put them out…

He’s hotter than a wildfire

Trey Duval is a rancher, proud as can be of his Wildcat Ranch. He’s also the top volunteer firefighter of Wildcat Bluff, Texas, the town that pulls out all the stops for its Christmas festivities.

City girl Misty Reynolds comes to Wildcat Bluff just in time to help Trey put out a suspicious fire, leading him to dub her his “Christmas angel.” Unfortunately, Misty’s past has left her with terrible memories of fire, and of Christmastime.

As the two are thrown together again and again, Trey finds himself wanting Misty more and more, and Misty feels stronger and braver when Trey is around. Though their trust grows slowly, their passion for each other is burning hot…

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From the Author

I love to give and receive books, so once I gave a very special book to a very special friend. As for my characters, my hero gives my heroine an adorable kitten and an engagement ring for their first Christmas together!

About the Author

Kim Redford draws her inspiration from a Texas lifestyle of cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, rodeos and small towns to create her bestselling novels. When she’s not writing steamy romances, she’s a rescue cat wrangler and a horseback rider. She divides her time between Texas and Oklahoma. A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas is first in her Smokin’ Hot Cowboys series with Blazing Hot Texas Cowboy coming soon. Visit her at www.kimredford.com.

Title: A Silver Wolf Christmas

Author: Terry Spear

Series: Silver Town Wolves, #5

Pubdate: October 6^th, 2015

ISBN: 9781492609506

IT’S A SILVER TOWN CHRISTMAS, AND THE WOLVES ARE READY TO HOWL

CJ Silver and his brothers have returned to Silver Town eager to reconnect with the pack. And with the she-wolf newcomers renovating the old Victorian Silver Town Hotel, it looks like the holidays are going to be very merry indeed.

Laurel MacTire and her sisters are excited to be living in a wolf-run town, but they have another motive— to solve the fifty-year-old mystery of their aunt’s disappearance. When CJ gets a whiff of trouble brewing, his protective instincts kick in—now Laurel has a hotel opening to prepare for, a mystery to solve, and a brawny wolf shifter underfoot. Perhaps she should have resisted the temptation to kiss him so wickedly in the snow.

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From the Author

I can’t think of a thing, but that’s probably because I give year round. We make lists at Thanksgiving time so we can ask for what we want for Christmas. And we always buy something special for each other. One year, my son-in-law and daughter upgraded my computer. Then my son did the same for me some years later. They do for me all the time, and I do for them likewise. My daughter and son-in-law needed some extra money to be able to afford their first house. I gave it to them, and money to my son to pay off his car and buy some new furniture. My folks were always generous with us, though we worked hard to earn our way, just like my kids do. If my kids really need something, as long as I can afford it, I don’t mind helping them out, no strings attached. To me, that’s the best gift. Helping each other as family should.

For my hero and heroine, loving each other is the best gift of all. Caring, protecting, enjoying each other—pack mates forever.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over fifty paranormal and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world and is raising two Havanese puppies. She lives in Crawford, Texas.

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Title: Daniel’s True Desire
Author: Grace Burrowes
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Synopsis

An honorable life
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman’s collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the urging of family, Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish town of Haddondale, family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.

Challenged by passion
Lady Kirsten Haddonfield has resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood. Then the handsome new village vicar, Reverend Daniel Banks, becomes a guest of the Haddonfield family while the vicarage is being renovated, and Kirsten finds herself rethinking her position. Lady Kirsten does not know that Daniel’s past is about to cast a shadow on love’s future.

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Message From the Author

The Joys of True Gentlemanliness… by Grace Burrowes

About twenty books ago, I lamented (whined) to one of my brothers that coming up with ways to challenge a romance hero into facing his worst fears and risking all to win the heroine’s heart was taxing my imagination. My brother, without a heartbeat’s pause said, “Make him choose between the competing demands of honor.”

THAT was great advice. Make the hero choose between the woman who needs him, and the military unit depending on him. Make him choose between avenging injustices from his past, or respecting the wishes of the pacifist woman he loves. Make him decide whether to be publicly vindicated or privately forgiving… Delightful stuff, for an author!

And yet, to travel along these brilliant character arcs, our hero must have one characteristic: He must have a well-developed sense of honor. To me, that means this fellow must be honest and kind. He can be poor, grouchy, lacking in charm, without prospects, unlucky in love—Daniel Banks is nodding his head—but ideally, he will still be a true gentleman at heart.

The true gentleman, alas for him, can be tormented from page one by the author and by the story, but from the start, the true gentleman will play by the rules of decency.

Rules are tough. The true gentleman will never misrepresent himself, which means Daniel Banks must inform Lady Kirsten that a) he’s married, and b) he won’t disrespect his vows. Too bad for Daniel, this honesty only raises him in the lady’s esteem, when he’s trying to emphasize his unsuitability.

The true gentleman will lend a hand—or an ear—to those in need. When Daniel Banks realizes that Lady Kirsten has been overlooked by her entire family, and is as lonely as an earl’s daughter can be, the least he can do is listen when she explains the misery in her past. Again, his respect for, and understanding of her increases, but what else could a gentleman have done?

The true gentleman is kind. He does not ignore the suffering of others, even if that means, he’s left with a bigger helping of suffering on his own plate. When Lady Kirsten needs a champion to fight her battles with an overbearing brother, Daniel steps up, though it might cost him his position. Once again, Daniel’s decency only gets him in hotter water, because now Kirsten’s brother is also viewing the impecunious, reserved, sometimes grouchy, vicar with renewed respect.

This business of being a true gentleman is darned hard, and darned heroic. What Daniel has to learn, though, is that true gentlemanliness begins at home. When he’s honest with himself, and shows himself the compassion we all deserve, all the inconvenient rules, tough choices, and honorable standards turn out to have been his second-best friends.

Lady Kirsten is, of course, his very best friend, being a true lady. But that’s another story…

Excerpt

Daniel Banks is the new vicar in Haddondale, temporarily a guest of Lady Kirsten’s family. They’ve dragooned him into tutoring some of the local boys, and Kirsten is managing the staff who’ll turn the dower house into a place of learning. What Daniel doesn’t know is how a married man, even one estranged from his unworthy spouse, can resist the allure of friendship with Lady Kirsten…

“I dread crossing the garden,” Lady Kirsten said. “Susannah has taken up reading old issues of La Belle Assembleé, Della is memorizing DeBrett’s, and the countess talks only of fashion. Nobody does anything.”

“Most would envy them their idleness,” Daniel said, though he did not. The earl gave a good account of himself, tending to significant acreage and mercantile interests, but the women were bored.

One of the women was mortally bored, though never boring.

“I want to take the vicarage in hand,” Lady Kirsten said, marching from the pantry. “I doubt I’ll have time before we leave for Town the week after next. Lemon and beeswax won’t cure rising damp any way.”

Nothing cured rising damp save for replacing every scrap of affected wood. “You’re leaving soon, then?”

The prospect of distance from Lady Kirsten should have been a relief. She was unconventional, discontent, and unpredictable. Worse yet, she was patient with small boys, had a strong streak of domestic competence, and could not dissemble even to appease appearances.

Most troublesome of all, Daniel liked her. A lot.

“I smell fresh bread.” Lady Kirsten’s pace increased, then she halted to twist a sachet from behind a curtain. “Nicholas told George that in addition to Digby and the Blumenthal brats, you’re to take on both of Squire Webber’s sons. He aspires to send them to public school, but they lack a foundation.”

And years of dedicated tutors had been unable to remedy that lack? “I think you had better join me for lunch,” Daniel said resuming their progress toward a hot meal.

“I believe I shall. I adore a hearty beef stew with bread and butter on a cold, rainy day. Cook uses Mama’s recipe, and I’m partial to it.”

Peasant fare, for an earl’s daughter. Daniel liked her entirely too well.

A scullery maid set places for them at a wooden table heavy enough to double as a threshing floor, while Lady Kirsten served up bowls of steaming stew and Daniel sliced the bread. Daniel held the lady’s chair, and then, without even a nod in the direction of further small talk, took shameless advantage of his companion.

“I want to know every detail you can share about my scholars, Lady Kirsten. They’re shaping up to be a pack of ne’er-do-wells, scamps and scapegraces. One wonders if the parish isn’t attempting to run me off rather than welcome me.”

She snapped her serviette across her lap. “They’re out and out rotters, every one save for Digby, but George says he’s showing dubious potential. Don’t steal all the butter.”

Daniel passed her ladyship the plate of butter, small golden molds in the shape of roses.

“Your butter, and Lord-we-thank-Thee-for-this-food, amen. Now tell me about these scoundrels.”

Lady Kirsten sat back, her smile indulgent. “I’ve known them since they were babies, Mr. Banks. They’re full of energy and mischief, and there’s not a Latin scholar among them. They are truly, truly awful.”

She loved these rotten boys, and—greatest possible inconvenience—Daniel regarded this her most attractive quality of all.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes’ bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish and Lady Eve’s Indiscretion. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

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A Distant Voice

by Bridie Blake

Evernight Teen
Contemporary Young Adult

Synopsis

In life you don’t find your voice. It finds you. 

Violet Hayes knows how to survive the year living with her grandmother in the small town of Wandorah, Tennessee.

• Make Rose happy
• Don’t sing or play guitar
• Avoid Sally Shaw
• Ignore Carter Jenkins

It seems simple enough, right? Wrong.

• How do you keep a depressed sister happy?
• How do you deny yourself your dream?
• How do you avoid a friendship?
• And how do you ignore a boy when he’s everywhere you turn?

Violet’s to-do list just became a whole lot harder.

14+ due to adult situations

Evernight Teen   Amazon   ARe   Bookstrand

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Excerpt

He smiled and reached out to pull the guitar toward him. He strummed his fingers over the strings and played a few chords before glancing over at me proudly.

“Impressive.”

He offered me the guitar. “Your turn.”

“And what makes you think I can play?”

“Your bloodlines.”

I snorted out a laugh and clapped my hand over my mouth in horror.

“Play away,” he said, ignoring my snort, and pushed the guitar into my hands.

I stared down at it with my mouth hanging open. The way my heart raced you’d think he’d pulled the pin on a grenade and handed it to me. Relax Violet. It’s an instrument. It can’t hurt you. Unless I tripped over it and broke my neck. And that could happen. Probably not entirely realistic while I’m holding it, but if I dropped it and then got up and tripped, it … oh dear god, what is wrong with me?

His mom called out his name and he gave me an apologetic shrug. “I’ll be right back.”

He left the room and I remained where I was, the guitar still burning my hands. It had been months since I’d played. Months since I’d felt that wave of joy I got whenever my fingers ran over the strings.

A yearning, so strong it sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach, washed over me and my fingers moved. They ran over the strings, playing whatever came to mind. I closed my eyes and let myself be swallowed up by it all. I allowed myself to forget and be something else. Someone else.

I didn’t know how long I stayed like that but a shuffle behind me forced me back to reality. I opened my eyes and twisted around. Carter stood in the doorway, a look of wonder on his face and it made me squirm. I dropped my hands, rested the guitar on his bed, and scrambled to my feet. “I should go.”

He moved toward me slowly, as though scared a sudden movement would startle me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled and folded my arms across my chest, tucking my hands into my armpits where they’d be safe and wouldn’t stray towards anymore strings.

His brow creased and I saw him trying to work out what had happened but I didn’t want to talk about it. I tried to duck out of his room before he asked me anything. He gripped my arm, stopping my quick exit. “It’s okay,” he said. “You’re allowed to enjoy things. You’re not betraying your sister by having fun or doing the things you want to do.” His voice, filled with sincerity and kindness, caused a lump to take up residence in my throat.

His hand ran along my arm and towards my hidden hand. He tugged on it until he freed it and he squeezed my fingers gently. I shook my head because he’s right, but he’s wrong at the same time. It was guilt over Rose that stopped me doing things but when it came to music, there was so much more to it.

Music destroyed Gran’s life. It ruined Mom’s childhood. I couldn’t love something like that because if I did, I’d open myself up to the same hurt. And I’m not anywhere near as strong as Gran. It would destroy me. It would be my trigger.

I wanted to tell him that. I wanted him to understand. But the words wouldn’t come out of me.

About the Author

Bridie lives, daydreams and writes in Melbourne, Australia. She’s happiest at her computer, coffee in hand, Tim Tams on standby and her furry companion Poppy at her feet. When not writing she’s usually found with a book in her hand or playing with her tribe of nieces and nephews.

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Giveaway

$25 Amazon GC

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Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade.

Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

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Praise for the Nick and Nora

“Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat

“Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series

About the Author

Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/30/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Flipped For Murder (Country Store Mysteries)
New Cozy Series
Series: Country Store Mysteries
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington (October 27, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-161773925

Synopsis

In this freshly baked series, author Maddie Day lifts the lid on a small town in southern Indiana, where a newcomer is cooking up a new start–until a murderer muddles the recipe…

Nursing a broken heart, Robbie Jordan is trading in her life on the West Coast for the rolling hills of southern Indiana. After paying a visit to her Aunt Adele, she fell in love with the tiny town of South Lick. And when she spots a For Sale sign on a rundown country store, she decides to snap it up and put her skills as a cook and a carpenter to use. Everyone in town shows up for the grand re-opening of Pans ‘n Pancakes, but when the mayor’s disagreeable assistant is found dead, Robbie realizes that not all press is good press. With all eyes on her, she’ll have to summon her puzzle-solving skills to clear her name, unscramble the town’s darkest secrets, and track down a cold-blooded killer–before she’s the next to die…

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Review

Anytime a cozy centers around food count me in!  My mouth drools at the descriptions and it makes me wish I could dive right into the book and become a part of the story.  Flipped for Murder is no exception.  There is a variety of characters to like (and hate) and since this is the first book, there is a lot more to learn about the citizens of  South Lick (I swear I wanted to write Salt Lick!) and especially Robbie, Jim, Danna and Adele.  The book is well written and while I suspected the killer it wasn’t because of anything specific, it was because I just didn’t like this person!  There is also a minor mystery that is solved along with who killed Stella, and that is Robbie finding out who her father is after 27 years and working to establish a relationship with him.  I look forward to reading more about how that develops in future books.

We give this book 5 paws up and saw that the second book, Grilled for Murder, will be available soon.  Exciting!

About The Author

MADDIE DAY (aka: Edith Maxwell) is a former farmer of a certified organic farm, holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics, and is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Her short stories have appeared in the anthologies Stone Cold, Fish Nets, Burning Bridges, Thin Ice, Riptide, and The Larcom Review. She lives with her beau and three cats in Massachusetts, where she’s currently working on her next Maddie Day mystery when she isn’t out gardening.

Maddie’s Website * Edith’s Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook

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