Synopsis

Former musician Juliet Langley has barely had a day off since taking over management of the coffeehouse owned by her best friend, Pete Bennett. But there’s always more to be done—such as prepping for the annual Holiday 5K Race organized by Pete’s snobby socialite girlfriend, Cecilia Hollingsworth. This year, Java Jive has a booth right at the finish line, and since Juliet and Cecilia don’t always see eye to eye, everything has to be perfect. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing . . . like Juliet stumbling over Cecilia’s dead body on the morning of the race.

When Pete is arrested for Cecilia’s murder, Juliet sets out to clear his name. She’ll do whatever it takes—even if it means standing up to the police, her ex-boyfriend, and the grande dames of Nashville. But there isn’t enough espresso in the world for the greatest challenge in her path: infiltrating Nashville’s high society to uncover the hidden hotbed of scandal without running afoul of the law herself. With her last dime staked on Pete’s bail bond and her staff growing jittery, the last thing Juliet needs is for her trademark temper to land her behind bars. As time drips away, Juliet needs to crack this case before the killer comes back for another shot.

Review

Another winner IMHO!

Juliet is back with her best friend Pete and hunky Detective Ryder. This time it is Pete’s girlfriend that ends of up dead and Pete is accused of the murder. Of course Juliet can’t have that because he is her best friend and knows he would never have done such a thing.

Just like the first book, this one is peppered with funny scenes due to Julie’s fervor in searching out who really killed Cecilia. I will say that you will not see this one coming! There are several good suspects and the only reason why I did suspect the killer at the end is that is seemed like there was anyone else to suspect!

This is a good series and I highly suggest reading but make sure to start with the first book, Death before Decaf.

We give it 5 paws up

About the Author

Caroline Fardig is the author of Death Before Decaf and the Lizzie Hart series. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

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Synopsis

1956: When Caterina Rosetta inherits a cottage in the countryside of Italy from a grandmother she’s never known, she discovers a long-buried family secret — a secret so devastating, it threatens the future of everything her mother has worked for.

Many years before, her mother’s hard-won dreams of staking her family’s claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition; but as an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragic secret that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past.

From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.

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Guest Post

Researching The Winemakers at Chimney Rock Wines in Napa Valley

“Cognac is the perfume of wine, a salve to the senses.” From The Winemakers

During my Napa Valley research trip for The Winemakers, I also raised glasses with Elizabeth Vianna, winemaker and general manager of Chimney Rock Winery, which is situated in the esteemed Stag’s Leap sub appellation — a mere three miles long and one mile wide. This region produces many fine wines and is marked by volcanic soil and cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The result is a wine that’s supple, soft, and rich with tannins. Chimney Rock founder Tony Terlato entered winemaking in 1956, and today he is joined by sons Bill and John.

Elizabeth led me on a tour into the wine cellars, describing their wines as we strolled, speaking of each one as a cherished creation. We sat at a table under an arbor and she poured an award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon — her specialty — and explained its texture in lovely poetic terms, which reminded me of how I’d described perfume in Scent of Triumph. She explained the importance of the wine’s soft, velvety texture on the tongue, its rich roundness at mid-palate, and its lingering impression.

We sat and chatted, swirling wine in our glasses as the sun hovered on the horizon. Elizabeth had been up since long before daybreak because it was harvest time at Chimney Rock, and all hands were on deck. In her subtle, mesmerizing Brazilian accent, she spoke of how a 1985 Sociando Mallet she’d once sampled at a pre-auction tasting at Christie’s had changed the course of her life. She’d been studying pre-med at Vassar College when the wine siren beckoned and she fell under her spell. Elizabeth made the switch to oenology. Her strong science background proved a benefit during her master studies at the renowned winemaking program at the University of California at Davis.

After I said good-bye to Elizabeth, I thought about what the winemakers I’d spoken to had in common. Winemaking was a passion, an art, a science; winemakers shared common trials and tribulations. And they had fun. Even during the stressful weeks of harvest, there was a shared camaraderie, a common goal throughout the valley. It was a thirst for excellence. And that’s was what I sought to convey in The Winemakers.

About the Author

Jan Moran is a Rizzoli bestselling and award winning author. She writes historical women’s fiction for St. Martin’s Press (Scent of Triumph, The Winemakers), contemporary women’s fiction (Flawless, Beauty Mark, Runway), and nonfiction books (Vintage Perfumes, Fabulous Fragrances). Her stories are smart and stylish, and written with emotional depth. Jan often draws on her international travel and business experiences, infusing her books with realistic details.

The Midwest Book Review and Kirkus have recommended her books, calling her heroines strong, complex, and resourceful. She lives in southern California and loves lattes and iced coffee, anything chocolate, and Whole Foods Double Green smoothies to balance it all out.

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Pushed to the Limit (an Emma Cassidy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Self Published
Publication Date: March 3, 2016

Synopsis

Faye Seymour has long reigned as Greenville’s gossip queen, but recently she’s been at her worst, spreading rumors like wild fire and putting a lot of noses out of joint. Event planner Emma Cassidy has already lost an important client to Faye’s loose tongue, and she can ill afford to lose any business. When Emma discovers Faye lying at the bottom of a flight of stairs, the feisty old lady declares she was pushed—and that Emma is the culprit!—before passing out.

As Faye recovers, Emma reluctantly delves into the busybody’s life of meddling and scuttlebutt. She has to clear her name before Faye falsely accuses her again, and besides, there’s a capricious parrot relying on her now.

What scandalous secrets has Faye unearthed? How many lives has she ruined or threatened to ruin? Plenty of people have a reason to hate her, but one in particular is driven to commit a brutal murder. Can Emma follow the clues to unmask the killer, or will she fall victim herself?

The Emma Cassidy Mystery series:

Book 1: Throw a Monkey Wrench
Book 2: Pushed to the Limit
Book 3: Murder Most Likely (coming in 2016)

About the Author

Karen Chester is a mystery author who grew up watching Murder, She Wrote and reading Agatha Christie. She spends her days thinking up dastardly methods of murder and cunning red herrings.

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Synopsis

Like fire and ice, Alexandra Callet’s life runs hot and cold. At the age of thirty-three, Alexandra owns a stunning home and a successful interior design company. But she is in love with her business partner, Jake Taylor, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a woman. She should be on top of the world, but instead she feels dragged down by the void in her heart. Hoping for answers, she decides a trip to Mexico might soothe her soul.

Jake Taylor only pretends to be a confirmed bachelor. Jake has been entranced by Alexandra’s determination and exotic beauty since the moment they met, but she has no idea how he feels. He considers confessing his love, but fears jeopardizing their friendship and business. He’s caught in a web of pretending he doesn’t care, and doesn’t see a way out of it. Alexandra is recruited for a dangerous mission. Following her trip to Mexico, her resemblance to a member of an assassin’s family leads Alexandra to be recruited by the DEA. Her training leaves her distracted, and her business begins to suffer. Jake notices her sudden change, and feels her slipping both personally and professionally beyond his reach.

Should he finally take the chance…before it’s too late? After all, he has nothing to lose. However, when Alexandra returns to Mexico for her mission, things go terribly wrong. Will she be able find the strength to fight and escape the peaceful haven that has now become her prison?

Or will Jake lose Alexandra forever…

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Review

This is the first book by this author I have read and it was quite enjoyable. When I first started reading it i wasn’t sure because it seemed odd that Alexandra (or anyone) would just jump in and say Yes to helping the DEA capture someone. Or if they were going to use a civilian you would think that it would take more convincing since this was not going to be a “safe” case since she would be impersonating the sister of the person they wanted to capture and bring back to the US for trial.

Part of me thinks that Alex jumped into this because of her love for her business partner and the impression that he was a ladies man and not interested in her when that was the furthest from the truth.

I felt like the story really took off in the last half of the book when Alex was impersonating Daniela and how that situation went down and was then resolved. I did like that she had no problems relying on her faith to help her through the tough spots and to give her courage in this adventure.

This was a captivating Christian Suspense book and worth reading.  We give it 4 paws up

About the Author

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, S.K. Derban moved to London within the first three months, and remained in England until the age of five. Her father, an American citizen, was a decorated veteran of the second world war. Derban’s mother, born and raised in the United Kingdom, was involved with the London Royal Ballet Company, and a great fan of the arts. Even after returning to the United States, Derban’s life was filled with a love of the theatre and a passion for British murder mysteries. S.K. Derban has always remained passionate about writing, and is thrilled to finally share her work with others.

Her personal travel and missionary adventures also help to transport readers virtually across the globe. When writing, S.K. Derban relies on all aspects of her life, from her faith in the Lord, to her love and knowledge of the arts.

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Murder Dancing
Cozy/Crime Mystery
16th in Series
Publisher: Accent Press (March 24, 2016)
Kindle Edition, 243 pages

Synopsis

Max Tobin brings his all-male dance company to Steeple Martin, with his new ballet Pendle, based on the infamous Pendle Witch Trials, due to be performed at the Oast Theatre. There have been unpleasant incidents during rehearsals in London, and Max asks Libby Sarjeant and her friend Fran Wolfe to look into them. To everyone’s surprise, the seriousness of the incidents escalates until, inevitably, someone is murdered.

While the police look into the murder, Libby and Fran wonder why someone seemed so set against the ballet. Were occult forces at work, or was there a more worldly, personal motive?

About the Author

A former actor, model and freelance journalist, Lesley Cookman lives on the Kent coast in the UK, has four musicians as children, two small grandchildren and two cats, Lady Godiva and Gloria. All 14 of her Libby Sarjeant books have reached number one in their genre charts on Amazon UK.

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Synopsis

Once Upon A [Stolen] Time is an Adult Romantic Fantasy Fiction set in both Medieval and Contemporary England.

2015…

All her life, Myra Farrow has been obsessed with medieval castles—and the kings and princes who once inhabited them. Now, wealthy videogame designer Steve Bernard wants her to model for a princess character in his new game. Myra can’t resist his offer, especially when she learns that Steve plans to film inside the mysterious Hue Castle—a cursed, barren, colorless place forbidden to visitors for centuries. But unknown to Myra, her soul is bound to Hue Castle by blood and sorcery. When she enters its doors, she awakens dark powers that will reach through time—stealing her past, torturing her present, and rewriting her future.

1415…

Edward Hue, the last of the Hue royal bloodline, has never stood in the sunshine or held a living flower. Cursed from birth to live in darkness and bring death to all he touches, he is at the mercy of his cruel, tyrannical father, who will not rest until he shatters Edward’s soul and makes his son into a diabolical copy of himself. Edward’s one hope is the mysterious woman who haunts his dreams—who will either break his curse and bring him out of the darkness, or destroy him utterly.

For Myra and Edward, past and future collide in a tale of love, obsession, betrayal, and the hope for redemption.

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Excerpt

She is standing in my courtyard. Everything in nature surrounds her—hugs her and is dazzled by her…including me.

Beautiful flowers of every hue and aroma are grown in this majestic garden. My eyes are burning; I’m simultaneously overwhelmed and awed by the colorful oasis. Never have I been so close to nature, to growing things. Her alchemy drives me mad.

She’s gifted me with all the colors, but I painted her with darkness.

As much as I crave feeling the sunlight and the flowers against my skin, I want her touch too. I am cursed and doomed to never experience the beauty of the natural world, for all eternity.

She watches me with extreme hatred in her eyes—her gaze throwing fireballs at me. She doesn’t know I’m already burning, but since she despises me so much, I can’t even dare to come close to her. I want to end this tortuous distance between us—but I was the one who created this hatred in her.

She was a beautiful tender rose—I stole her fragrance, crushed her petals and burned her in hell. If I knew the fire with which I was conflagrating her would come to engulf me—I swear I wouldn’t have done it. Her spell is too strong for me not to fall; her curse is too mighty for me to run away.

Her deadly yet magical existence haunts me, excites me and has thrown me into a pit of deep lust. She is my prisoner, but she doesn’t realize that I’m the one who’s already submitted to her slavery, when I first touched her.

Despite being her captor, I am still her captive.

She walks toward me, enthralling me with her grace and beauty, altering and accelerating my heartbeat. She has the power to throw me into hell as well as show me heaven. I’ve never been able to understand her witchcraft. I was warned to stay away from her sorcery—she was born and cursed with it—yet my heart kept running after her.

Now…there’s nothing left for me to survive on. She has my heart and my soul. Why is she here? What does she want from me now? Perhaps she wants to cut my heart from my body…just to see if it’s beating for her or not.

The distance between us closes and I lean my back against the giant tree trunk—the same tree where I tried to write her fate. She is holding my sword—my only weapon of protection—but it doesn’t matter now. She wants my life for her eternal peace—I will give it to her.

Her steel-grey eyes are much stronger than any armor or shield I’m wearing. She doesn’t need my sword to kill me…all she needs to do is place her hand on my heart. I will be undone…forever.

About the Author

History, art and literature are my passions. I love digging out information about prophecies, divine miracles and paranormal events that are mentioned in history and holy books, that don’t sound possible in today’s modern world.

Since childhood, I have been into reading and writing—and yes, it can’t happen without imagination, which luckily has no boundaries. Dance and music are also pastimes I enjoy, as well as reading romance fiction. I love to travel and explore historical cities.

Title: The Last Maharajan
Author: Susan Wingate
Publisher: Roberts Press
Pages: 152
Genre: Romantic Thriller/Women’s Fiction

Synopsis

With her mother dying and her marriage falling apart, Euly Winger returns to her birth place in order to uncover a dark secret about her parent’s divorce. Something that has haunted their family since Euly was a young adult.

But when Euly meets up with an old acquaintance, her time back home turns nightmarish when he angrily reveals everything he knows about her parents.

A suspenseful and inspirational read, THE LAST MAHARAJAN is a story of love–in all of its forms, loss–in all of its sadness, and forgiveness–in all of its redemption.

Excerpt

Why would she lie? Why now, knowing she was going to die?

Somehow Belle’s words felt contrived, forced. Euly Winger had been calling her mother Belle since around the age of fourteen. When Belle showed signs that Euly could treat her as an equal.

Her mother’s words rung like an indictment, allowing a wisp of a notion making Euly recoil from something that happened long ago, evoking a lingering emotion in Euly, a dreamy memory, caught somewhere between the dead and the living and equally unattainable to conjure.

What was it her mother said? The exact phrase, the exact placement of words, the first one and then the next, that stirred in her such a strong reaction?

“He’s your brother.”

Was it that simple? No, she had added the word “probably” and, with emphasis.

Euly remembered how, when Belle spoke, her breath leached out a rancid, metallic odor grown from all the intravenous drugs pumping into her, drugs keeping her alive.

Her veins looked larger against her pale mottled alabaster skin, accenting the clear plastic lines stabbed into her arms, covered by white paper tape to hide where the needles had been inserted.

No. That’s not what she said. Belle’s exact phrase was, “He’s probably your brother.” There it was. And Euly’s mind roller-coastered back to a spot, an exact time, location, and age–the way the scent of mown grass takes you back in a specific point in your history, to your childhood.

Belle had said it as if to sentence her father, yet again, for their divorce. A divorce that happened so many years ago, a lifetime really, that Euly wondered how it could still bother her mother. But it did.

She stared into her cup dunking her teabag as she tried to put the pieces of yesterday’s conversation back in order and wondering if her mother had tasted the hate drooling off of her tongue.

Belle’s year-old diagnosis felt like a slap across Euly’s face–a swift year that blew by like a fleeting Santa Ana. And, what made it worse? The doctors now gave Belle less than a month. If that.

About the Author

If you want to read award-winning, fiction steeped in suspense and sometimes set in mythical lands, or books with mystery and thriller elements, you will enjoy reading Susan Wingate’s books. The twists and turns of her stories and her likable, touching characters are always unique. People say that her work is reminiscent to the fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia written by C.S. Lewis and also to the superhero Spider-Man series–books with unforgettable heroes and fantastical worlds readers can escape to. Susan Wingate’s bestselling, award-winning books are recommended for teenagers, young adults, and for the young at heart!

Susan began writing as a child when she learned her father was a writer. Susan Wingate writes fiction and is currently working on a gritty faith-based Apocalyptic thriller series. Susan offers writing instruction to emerging writers at writing conferences, libraries, and online webinars. Her popular workshop “Muscle-up the Gut of Your Story: How to Write the Novel“ has given emerging novelists the impetus to complete their first drafts quickly and efficiently. Susan also teaches writing craft, nuances about the publishing business, and how to market your book. Her workshops have been endorsed by many writers who have been struggling in their careers and have then gone on to get major publishing contracts with legacy publishers.

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Hell on the Heart by Hope Daniels and Alicia Dawn

Series: Magical Forces #2 (can be read as a standalone)
Publication Date: April 15, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance

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A Daughter’s Doubt (Mary MacDougall Mysteries)
3rd in Series following 2 Novellas
Historical Cozy Mystery
Conger Road Press (March 15, 2016)
Print Length: 204 pages

Synopsis

Mary MacDougall’s first case of 1902 seems simple enough.

Just before the 19-year-old heiress leaves for a summer holiday on Mackinac Island with her Aunt Christena, she’s hired to stop in a little town along the way and make inquiries. Did Agnes Olcott really die there of cholera? Or were there darker doings in Dillmont?

Mary’s mentor, Detective Sauer, thinks it’s merely a case of bad luck for the dead woman. But Mrs. Olcott’s daughter suspects her detested stepfather played a hand in her mother’s untimely death.

With the reluctant help of her aunt and her dear friend Edmond Roy, the young detective struggles to reveal the true fate of Agnes Olcott. As she digs ever deeper, the enemy Mary provokes could spell disaster for herself and the people she loves. But in the end, it’s the only way to banish a daughter’s doubt.

Novella on Amazon

About the Author

Richard Audry is the pen name of D. R. Martin. As Richard Audry, he is the author of the King Harald Canine Cozy mystery series and the Mary MacDougall historical mystery series. Under his own name he has written the Johnny Graphic middle-grade ghost adventure series, the Marta Hjelm mystery, Smoking Ruin, and two books of literary commentary: Travis McGee & Me; and Four Science Fiction Masters.

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Synopsis

It’s been a week since 17-year old Zoe Jabril found out her best friend is a Guardian Angel, her boyfriend is a Nephilim, and a fellow classmate is a Fairy. What makes Zoe so special? She’s destined to unify Enlightens to battle evil—that is, if Demons don’t kill her first.
​
With ‘Project: Enlightens Unite’ underway, Zoe learns the history of the area wolf pack and realizes she’s in a race against time to get her newly discovered talents under control. Despite struggling to fight a mysterious attraction to her new neighbor, rescue her boyfriend from Demons, and travel into Fairyland to convince the Summer King to join the fight, Zoe must still attend high school classes so her nosy parents don’t suspect anything is out of the ordinary before Demons can mount another attack.

Zoe will need all the help she can get, from the most unlikely of sources, if she’s to save her boyfriend’s life and prevent the Devil from escaping Hell on her eighteenth birthday.

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Excerpt

ZOE

Last night, a friend of mine rose from the dead—and I was the one who brought her back. So I guess . . . I’m an angel. Or, at least most of my friends think I am.

Even wrapped tightly in the arms of my favorite oversized PINK hoodie, I shivered. It was chilly for mid-April while sitting on my front porch with the sun just coming over the horizon, but that wasn’t where the tremor had come from.

I glanced up, startled by the high-pitched squealing of truck brakes that rang above the music playing from my iPod. The truck turned into the cul-de-sac and careened straight into the next door neighbors’ driveway. What made it really strange was the house had been empty since last October. I could still see the top of the “For Sale” sign on the manicured front lawn. I pulled out my cell phone to text my boyfriend, Shay.

Me: Good morning!

As I waited for a response, a gray uniformed driver open his door and climbed down. He walked to the back of the truck; then multiple doors slammed.

“This furniture goes into the living room on the main level,” a man said.

I didn’t particularly want to be a nosy neighbor, but I couldn’t help myself. I eased higher on the top step, hoping to get a look at the man who seemed to be in charge. His back was to me, so all I could tell was he had short blond hair. He glanced down at something then looked back up, turned, and pointed toward a number of other, smaller trucks in the cul-de-sac parking. More uniformed men jumped out of the smaller trucks and gathered around their boss, waiting for instructions. I had no interest in watching a bunch of people move boxes, so I just stayed on the step and waited for my best friend, Kieran, and Shay.

About the Author

Kristin D. Van Risseghem grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River with her parents and older sister. And after receiving a double Bachelor of Science degree from Winona State University in Paralegal and Corrections, she worked as a Paralegal for various law firms around the Twin Cities for 14 years. Then she left the legal field and is now a Senior Buyer for a technology company.

Currently, Kristin lives in Minnesota with her husband and two Calico cats. She also loves attending book clubs, going shopping, and hanging out with friends. She has come to realize that she absolutely has an addiction to purses and shoes. They are her weakness and probably has way too many of both.

In the summer months, Kristin can usually be found lounging on her boat, drinking an ice cold something. Being an avid reader of YA and Women’s Literature stories, she still finds time to read a ton of books in-between writing. And in the winter months, her main goal is to stay warm from the Minnesota cold!

Kristin’s books are published by Kasian Publishing.

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The Passage, a Dance, & a Little White Dress #EnlightenSeries, Book Two Giveaway