Synopsis

 

Grace Hamilton is the girl with a plan. She knows exactly where her life is going, and prides herself on always achieving her goals. She’s never stepped outside the lines she draws for herself, and never considered what her heart truly wants. That is, until him.

Carson Stinger doesn’t play by any rules except his own. Working in the adult entertainment industry, he doesn’t care what others think of his choices, and takes each day as it comes. No direction, no plan. He knows what women want from him, and in his eyes, it’s all he has to offer… until her.

When unexpected circumstances force them together, Grace and Carson are swept up into the electric chemistry between them, surrendering to a steamy weekend in each other’s arms. But for two people whose worlds could never coexist, they know their time is short.

That is, until their hearts get involved without their permission…

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

This book has some heat to it, but it is so much more than that. This is a love story between Grace and Carson. Two people that might never have found each other had it not been conferences at their hotel. Granted, she never expected to fall for a porn star, and he never expected to change his life based on this one weekend.

This story covers about five years, starting with the fated weekend, to a few years down the road, and then ending five years later when they reconnect.

These two are made for each other. Grace is a planner and too analytical for her own good. Carson has a bit of a wild streak that just needs to be tamed. I loved their interactions with one another, especially in the present when they realize what they have been missing and where they want their lives to go. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding Carson’s job at a casino that ties into Grace’s job as a Prosecutor.

I enjoyed the interactions between the two from the beginning. We all need someone in our lives that will help us loosen up. And in Carson’s case, someone that will help us realize our potential.

The book is filled with steamy scenes, laughter, and family. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES

 

by

 

Tonya Preece

 

 

Contemporary Romance / New Adult

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Page Count: 238 pages

Publication Date: February 12, 2023

 

Scroll down for a giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Eva dodges the fans, media, and gossip that follow her supermodel mom and rock star family members by wearing disguises. After an aimless gap year, she struggles to figure out what she wants from life. She moves in with her famous guitar god brother in Austin while he recovers from a drunken stage stunt accident and tries to stay sober. When a hot Texas cowboy named Alex takes Eva by surprise, she risks her safety and security of anonymity by letting him into her unconventional life.

Alex is captivated by Eva and promises to protect her privacy. Yet he has a secret of his own—the fling he had with an older woman is fraught with scandalous potential for him and now Eva. He broke free of that mistake months ago, or so he thought. As things heat up with Eva, his old flame returns and won’t leave him alone.

Just when Alex thinks he has the reins on the situation, his ex teams up with a gossip reporter hell-bent on invading Eva’s privacy. The resulting exposé, with a sly spin on a recent encounter with his ex, is Alex’s worst nightmare, and Eva’s unsure what to believe. Can she face the world with Alex at her side or will she return into hiding?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

Discovering love when most of your life has been a lie can be challenging.

Eva has led a sheltered life as a child of very famous parents. They have shielded her from the worst of it, as good parents should, but are they really doing her a favor? As she starts to gain her independence, she realizes that maybe not everything was for her benefit or that perhaps there was an ulterior motive on her mother’s part. But that is what makes this a fantastic coming-of-age story, learning and growing beyond the teenage years and ideals. We all think we are invincible as a youth, but learn quickly that is not always the truth. The same could be said for Alex, our leading young man.

I really enjoyed the story between Eva and Alex because it wasn’t simple. They had their own set of challenges to work through before they could find their own HEA. They have to learn to trust, speak the truth, and share their lives, the good and the bad.

There are many nuances that helped round out the story. There is Lena, Alex’s sister. She has Down syndrome but wants to be like every other girl out there. I loved the scene where she is trying to apply makeup in preparation for Prom and can’t seem to get it right. Enter Eva to the rescue because who better to teach about makeup than a supermodel’s daughter?

While there are many bright spots in the book, there are also many nefarious characters. There is Alex’s brother Devin, a gossip columnist that is referred to as Cabbage Patch Candy, and a few other characters sprinkled throughout. However, the addition of these characters adds the conflict that is needed to push Eva and Alex to be better for themselves and each other.

This story checked off many boxes for me and was an enjoyable read. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonya Preece writes romance and contemporary young adult fiction and incorporates music into all her books in one way or another. She lives near Austin, TX where she’s a small business manager for a forensic engineering firm. She and her husband enjoy traveling, live music, wine, and spoiling their fur babies.

 

Website ◆ Instagram ◆ Amazon

 

Goodreads ◆ BookBub ◆ Twitter ◆ Facebook

 

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

THREE WINNERS

 

Grand Prize: autographed paperback & $10 Amazon gift card;

 

2^nd Prize: autographed paperback;

 

3^rd Prize: eBook

 

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 7/14/23)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For participating blogs, added as they pop up.

 

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the story of two wine enthusiasts who ride the ups and downs of love in the vineyards of Tuscany.

Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreams—a vineyard to run, a woman to marry. But a three-week vineyard tour in Italy could set him back on track.

For Emma Rutledge, wine is in her blood. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family are only intent to push her out of it. But that’s fine—she’s got a plan.

When Gio and Emma meet on a wine tour in Tuscany, their shared aspirations fuel an undeniable chemistry. Returning home to California, they work toward setting up Emma’s vineyard and a label of their own. But when Emma receives a life-altering diagnosis, she worries it’s all been for nothing.

As Emma works to cement her family legacy while dealing with this unexpected challenge, Gio tries to convince her that their future isn’t just wine.

It’s each other.

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * BAM

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

I really enjoy the characters in this series. It focuses on one family, and each book is about a different family member. In this one, we get to fall in love with Gio and Emma and their love story.

These are characters that you will want to get behind and support. Gio has a loving family, but they do want to see him married or at least in a relationship. Emma is trying to prove to her father that she can be a contributing member of the winery. Her father is a misogynist, and it won’t be hard to dislike him. A secret is revealed about 2/3 of the way, which explains a lot about his behavior. It doesn’t excuse his actions but does explain it a bit more.

I love the journey through Italy where Gio and Emma meet. I would love to do a wine tour! I can only imagine the experience. It doesn’t hurt that both Emma and Gio have the knowledge to delve into the grapes, so to speak. I chuckled at the competition between the two in pinning down the flavor notes and other aspects of the wines they tasted.

This love story is not without its challenges. I don’t want to spoil the story, but there is more than just Emma’s dad throwing kinks into her life. I will say that it definitely made me misty, but so thankful it ended on a positive note.

Franny, Gio’s niece, is a hoot and steals the plot at different times. Out of the mouths of babes, as they say!

Loved this book and highly recommend it, and the rest of the series too.

We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

And when Gio paused long enough to shove some food into his mouth, his mother offered a sweet smile and tapped her fingers on the table.

“You’ve said nothing about Emma.”

Gio chewed slowly and looked around the table.

Everyone was quietly watching him.

He slowly swallowed with a grin and followed it with a drink of water. “What do you want to know?”

Mari lost her smile. Slapped a hand on the table. “What do I want to know?” She rolled her eyes, lifted a hand in the air, and switched to Italian. “For an hour you’ve talked about everyone but the woman you introduced us to.”

“C’mon, Gio . . . give it up,” Chloe said, kicking him under the table.

“Hey.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” Franny asked without hesitation.

Gio winked at his niece. “Emma is someone I hope you will all meet very soon.”

“Bene, bene . . .” His mother was smiling again.

“I won’t say she’s a girlfriend, but we are more than friends.”

Mari’s smile fell to a flat line. “Why not a girlfriend?”

“Mama, we’ve only known each other a few weeks.”

“This means nothing to me. When you know, you know.” Mari swirled spaghetti with her fork. “Your father and I—”

“Yes, Mama, we know. Instant love, marriage, and babies. It isn’t like that nowadays.”

Brooke cleared her throat and placed a hand on her protruding baby bump. “I disagree.”

Dante laughed. “It took Chloe and I more time.”

Mari tossed around gestures with her free hand. “You were childhood friends. That’s different. And since you eloped without a whisper to the family, something must have been instant. Not that I want you to share.”

Dante stood down.

Smart man.

“This Emma is beautiful, and the way you smiled at her . . .”

“It was sappy adorable, Gio,” Chloe said in agreement with their mother.

He was infatuated with the woman, there was no pretending otherwise. “Her guard is up a bit. She’s been married before.”

“Children?” Mari asked.

“No, Mama. But when someone is divorced it takes a little longer to trust.”

All eyes turned to Luca. The only person at the table who had any personal authority on the subject.

Gio waited for his brother to agree.

Instead, Luca placed a hand over Brooke’s at the table and shook his head. “Not when you find the right person.”

Gio rolled his eyes. “It still takes time.”

“Wasting time, you mean,” his mother said.

Gio spread his hands to each side of the table, indicating his sister and brother. “Mama, two weddings in one year . . . isn’t that enough?”

“No,” she said flat out. “My youngest son still isn’t married. There is still room at this table. So, no. It’s not enough. When you’re married, it will be enough.”

“It’s a trap, Gio,” Dante said.

Chloe hit his arm.

“Not marriage . . . the enough part. Soon as you’re married the question switches to babies.”

The two things Emma said she didn’t want.

“Oh,” Chloe sighed. “That’s true.”

“None of this when you meet Emma. We don’t talk about my lack of being a husband or anyone’s biological clock. I don’t want anyone scaring her off.”

“What’s a biological clock?” Franny asked.

Dante started laughing.

“I mean it!” Gio pointed his fork at his sister and mother.

“She means something to you,” Luca said quietly.

Gio paused, thought of her smile, her laugh. The freckles on her face and how crazy her hair turned in the humidity. “Yeah. She does.”

“Then we will do our best to keep our opinions about weddings and babies to ourselves. Don’t you think, Mama?” Luca asked.

Mari released a deep sigh. “Fine. I can do that.”

Gio felt the tension in his shoulders ease.

Franny leaned over, tapped his arm. “What’s a biological clock?”

 

 

About the Author

 

Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total, she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 8 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned The Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, The Most Likely To series, and The First Wives series.

 

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * TikTok

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Will a dire family secret lead to Fitzwilliam Darcy’s ruin?

Darcy’s heartfelt conversation with Miss Elizabeth Bennet leads to their engagement. But just when his future could not appear brighter, a dreadful revelation casts a cloud of gloom over him, threatening his hopes and plans.

And when an ominous shadow of suspicion falls upon his beloved sister, Georgiana, Darcy is compelled to determine the truth. Does her angelic countenance conceal a deviant, even dangerous, nature?

In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Darcy and Elizabeth face several grim obstacles, including the sudden death of a family member. Will these challenges drive them apart?

 

The Darcy Secret contains adult situations with themes of violence and a graphic description of a fox hunt.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Excerpt

 

I pointed to a narrow path veering off from the main one. “Do you mind if we turn there?”

“No, though that track extends for a mile at most.”

“That is acceptable.” Once assured of our privacy, I situated Elizabeth upon a fallen log, knelt before her upon one knee, and took her hands. The allure of her amber-flecked irises halted me mid-breath, but I pushed forwards. “My bright and beautiful Elizabeth, you are the only lady I could ever marry. My heart is yours, and I cannot conceive of a future without you. Will you do me the honour of agreeing to be my wife?”

Moisture glistened within her fine eyes. “I thank you for your offer, and I am happy to accept it.”

With my pulse surging, I stood and helped her to her feet. I removed my handkerchief and dabbed at the tears staining her cheeks. Mere inches separated us, and she had never tempted me more. “May I kiss you?”

Elizabeth peeked at me through her eyelashes. “Yes.” She stretched a bit taller, and in doing so, claimed a bigger piece of my heart.

I held her shoulders and met her full lips in an ethereal touch. She rested her hands upon my chest. Before I could lose myself in her enticing softness, I pulled away to peruse her sweet smile. Her eyes remained closed. Our second kiss lasted quite a while longer. She moaned, inflaming me, yet I managed to wrest myself away. Her eyelids fluttered open, and her slightly swollen lips curved up. I sighed. “My love for you continues to soar to new heights. I do not believe it can be contained.”

“I never dreamt mere kisses could be so…powerful.” Her weight shifted from one foot to the other. “My legs feel odd—rather like jelly.”

I gripped her upper arms. “You should sit down again.”

She shook her head. “Let us walk instead. If I feel the need, I shall lean upon you.”

“I am at your service.” I wrapped her arm round mine, and we set off.

“My lips still tingle.” Elizabeth ran a forefinger over her pink flesh. “Do yours as well?”

“Yes.”

“I am glad.”

I pulled my gaze from her alluring smile lest the temptation to capture her mouth again prove too strong.

The remainder of my time with her passed in a fuddled state. On several occasions, I fought the niggling concern that I had been caught inside a blissful daydream disguised as reality.

Later, on the ride home with Bingley, one realisation hampered my elation: Elizabeth had never said she loved me.

The more I pondered the issue, the stronger my yearning became to hear those words from her. But in time I adopted a more reasoned perspective. While my love for Elizabeth had taken root within me so long ago that my life before meeting her seemed distant and insignificant, her affection for me had developed more recently. No doubt she could not yet identify the sentiment as love. But she would love me—she must.

 

 

About the Author

 

Award-Winning Author Kelly Miller is a native Californian and Anglophile who made her first visit to England in 2019. When not pondering a plot point or a turn of phrase, she can be found playing the piano, singing, and walking her dogs. Her books have won first place honors from: Chanticleer International Book Awards, Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, Indies Today Book Awards, and Incipere Book Awards to name a few.

 

Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Goodreads * TikTok

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

After two heartbreaking losses, Luna wants adventure. Something and somewhere very different from the affluent, sheltered home in California and Hawaii where she grew up. An adventure in which she can also make some difference. She ends up in a place steeped in an ancient culture and a deadly history.

Raised by her grandmother in a Honolulu suburb, she moves to her parent’s home in California at thirteen and meets her brothers for the first time. Grandma persuades her to write a journal whenever she’s lonely or overwhelmed as a substitute for someone to whom she could reveal her intimate thoughts.

Lucien, a worldly, well-traveled young architect, finds a stranger’s journal at a café. He has qualms and pangs of guilt about reading it. But they don’t stop him. His decision to go on reading changes his life.

Months later, they meet at a bookstore where Luna works and which Lucien frequents. Fascinated by his stories and his adventurous spirit, Luna volunteers for the Peace Corps. Assigned to Cambodia, she lives with a family whose parents are survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide forty years earlier. What she goes through in a rural rice-growing village defies anything she could have imagined. Will she leave this world unscathed?

Inspired by the healing effects of writing, this is an epistolary tale of love—between an idealistic young woman and her grandmother and between the young woman and a young architect. It’s a tale of courage, resilience of the human spirit, and the bonds that bring diverse people together.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * iBooks

 

 

Excerpt

 

Prologue

 

Ov’s thin upper body is slumped over his crossed legs, his forehead resting on the platform. His brown, wiry arms lie limp, the right one extended forward, hand dangling over the edge of the platform. Dried blood is splattered on his head, and on the collar, right shoulder, and back of his old short-sleeved white shirt.

It seems fitting that he died where he used to spend most of his time when he wasn’t on the rice fields—sitting on a corner of the bamboo platform in the ceiling-high open space under the house. It’s where you get refreshing breezes most afternoons, after a long day of work.

The policeman looks down at Ov’s body as if he’s unsure what to do next. He lays down his camera and the gun in a plastic bag at one end of the platform untainted by splatters of gelled blood.

He steps closer to the body, anchors himself with one knee on top of the platform, and bends over the body. Hooking his arms underneath Ov’s shoulders and upper arms, he pulls the body up, and carefully lays it on its back. He straightens the legs.

He steps off the platform. Stands still for a few seconds to catch his breath. He turns to us and says, “It’s clear what has happened. I have all the pictures I need.”

He points to his camera, maybe to make sure we understand. We have watched him in silence, three zombies still in shock. Me, standing across the bamboo platform from him. Mae and Jorani sitting, tense and quiet, on the hammock to my left.

Is that it? Done already? I want to ask him: Will he have the body taken away for an autopsy? I suppose that’s what is routinely done everywhere in cases like this. But I don’t know enough Khmer.

As if he sensed my unspoken question, he glances at me. A quick glance that comes with a frown. He seems perplexed and chooses to ignore me.

He addresses the three of us, like a captain addressing his troop. “You can clean up.”

The lingering frown on his brow softens into sympathy. He’s gazing at Jorani, whose mournful eyes remain downcast. He looks away and turns toward Mae. Pressing his hands together, he bows to her. A deeper one than the first he gave her when she and Jorani arrived.

He utters Khmer words too many and too fast for me to understand. From the furrowed brow and the look in his eyes, I assume they are words of sympathy. He bows a third time, and turns to go back to where he placed the gun and camera. He picks them up and walks away.

For a moment or two, I stare at the figure of the policeman walking away. Then I turn to Jorani. Call him back. Don’t we have questions? I can ask and you can translate, if you prefer. But seeing her and Mae sitting as still and silent as rocks, hands on their laps, and eyes glazed as if to block out what’s in front of them, the words get trapped in my brain. Their bodies, rigid just moments before, have gone slack, as if to say: What else can anyone do? What’s done cannot be undone. All that’s left is to clean up, as the policeman said. Get on with our lives.

My gaze wanders again toward the receding figure of the policeman on the dirt road, the plastic bag with the gun dangling in his right hand. Does it really matter how Cambodian police handles Ov’s suicide? I witnessed it. I know the facts. And didn’t I read a while back how Buddhism frowns upon violations on the human body? The family might object against cutting up Ov—the way I’ve seen on TV crime shows—just to declare with certainty what caused his death.

I take in a long breath. I have done all I can and must defer to Cambodian beliefs and customs.

But I can’t let it go yet. Ov chose to end his life in a violent way and I’m curious: Do the agonies of his last moments show on his face? I steal another look.

All I could gather, from where I stand, is life has definitely gone out of every part of him. His eyes are closed and immobile. The tic on his inanimate cheeks hasn’t left a trace. The tic that many times was the only way I could tell he had feelings. Feelings he tried to control or hide. Now, his face is just an expressionless brown mask. Maybe everyone really has a spirit, a soul that rises out of the body when one dies, leaving a man-size mass of clay.

I stare at Ov’s body, lying in a darkened, dried pool of his own blood, bits of his skull and brain scattered next to his feet where his head had been. At that moment, it hits me that this would be the image of Ov I will always remember. I shudder.

My legs begin to buckle underneath me and I turn around, regretting that last look. With outstretched hands, I take a step toward the hammock. Jorani rises to grab my hands, and she helps me sit down next to Mae.

Could I ever forget? Could Mae and Jorani? Would the image of Ov in a pool of blood linger in their memories like it would in mine?

I know I could never tell my parents what happened here this afternoon. But could I tell Lucien? The terrible shock of watching someone, in whose home I found a family, fire a gun to his head? And the almost as horrifying realization—looking back—that I knew what he was going to do, but I hesitated for a few seconds to stop him.

 

 

Review

 

I’m not sure what genre to place this book in. Part of it is a romance, part family, and part is a young woman’s journey to find herself.

The book starts with a flash of the future, and from this prologue, it seems like it will be more like a suspense novel. That is not the case since Luna’s character doesn’t end up in Cambodia until very close to the end. However, it does set up an intriguing scenario that is fully revealed later.

Luna has struggled for most of her life. She grew up with her grandmother for many years, which forged a close relationship between the two. I loved how they were like two peas in a pod and seemed to understand each other better than the grandmother’s daughters. I loved the mango tree in the backyard and how it was the grandmother’s refuge. There is a lot of symbolism that could be derived from those thoughts.

Lucien had his issues as a younger man, but when he stumbles across Luna’s journal in the coffee shop, it opens up a new world for him. It isn’t that she had exotic travels or adventures, but the heartfelt words she shared touched him. He felt like he knew her before he ever met her. I enjoyed watching their friendship unfold. It takes courage to create a journal that details your life and share it with someone you have just met.

This novel is about finding yourself in this crazy world. Many struggle with discovering their place in this world, but sometimes it is easier with someone by your side walking the same path with you. I felt immersed in their lives as I read the journal entries and had a better grasp of who Luna and Lucien were as people. Everyone has their own journey and story to tell. It is all about finding the right person to share it with.

We give this book 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Evy Journey writes. Stories and blog posts. Novels that tend to cross genres. She’s also a wannabe artist and a flâneuse.

Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D., University of Illinois). So her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces.

Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere, and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed a few months at a time.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Why would anyone want perfection when they could have Vaani Jaishankar instead?

Aditya Khamankar was a chartered accountant who built his life on a bedrock of numbers. For no matter what happened, numbers and math never let you down. They stayed the same. And that fundamental fact defined many of his choices. He was the obedient son, the diligent student, the overachieving employee, the reliable friend. All he wanted in his life was routine and sensible discourse. All he craved in that same life was peace and quiet. And then his senior partner’s flighty daughter came home. And life as he knew it was never the same again…

Reality television villain and tabloid fodder, Vaani Jaishankar lived for the arclights. The notoriety, the glamour, the larger than life noise that came with it held her in thrall. Until the industry she loved and the people she trusted used and abandoned her. And now, she was back home. Darkening the doorstep of her childhood home, something she’d sworn she’d never do and working in her father’s accountancy firm…Could God just take her now already? And then there was her father’s business partner…

What happens when Perfection meets Flawed? Do the cracks beneath his façade show? Or is it as well hidden as the foundation of grit and ambition her shiny polish conceals?

When attraction wars with common sense and love burns a fiery rope that ties them together, Aditya and Vaani need to decide if this is enough…If they are enough for each other? For the world doesn’t believe they are and the world isn’t done with them yet…

 

 

 

Amazon * Amazon IN

 

 

Excerpt

 

The bloody suitcase’s gimpy wheel broke off and the whole thing listed to one side. With a tiny scream of frustration, Vaani righted the now muddy suitcase and straightened. She took a deep breath as she stared at the house in front of her.

Her childhood home. The home she’d grown up in, the one where she’d learned to walk, to talk, to do pretty much everything including curling her eyelashes. It looked the same, exactly the same. A bougainvillea plant bloomed along the circumference of the compound wall, the pop of colour painfully bright in her current mood of gloom and doom.

The roof tiles seemed to have been recently replaced, she thought absently as her gaze took in the brick red tiles that gave a cottagey kind of look to the otherwise cream coloured bungalow.

She stood there, her useless suitcase by her side and stared at her past. Memories of banging doors and screaming ‘I’ll never set foot in this house again’ rose up in front of her practically taking on corporeal form.

“I hate you all,” she whispered the words she’d screamed years before. It was the last thing she’d shouted at her family before she’d stormed out of the house, dragging this same suitcase with her. She’d been so sure, so confident, so stupid…

A loud car horn had her startling and her suitcase fell over again. The lid flew open from impact and the overstuffed suitcase disgorged its contents. Vaani stared in dismay as her clothes littered the driveway of her parents otherwise neat-as-a-pin compound.

It was only as her gaze tracked her hot pink bra did she realise that it was draped over a perfectly polished black shoe. The car honking at her! Oh no, her bra was dangling off her father or brother’s shoe. Kill her now. A strike of lightning maybe? But nope, the clear blue skies meant that wasn’t an option.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she looked up at the man standing in front of her. Not her father or brother. Her heart soared in relief at the realisation before sinking like a stone at the sight of his forbidding expression. Angry glower, clenched jaw, nasty scar, and dramatic frown. Yes, whoever this was, he wasn’t impressed by Vaani. All six feet plus of taut muscles and frozen disapproval. Which was a new experience for her. Vaani usually had men falling at her feet in a haze of lust, not tapping an angry foot draped in a hot pink bra at her.

“Who the hell are you and what do you think you are doing here?” the man bit out.

“Who the hell are you?” Vaani tossed back, genuinely bewildered. Had her parents sold the house or something? Even if they had, Rahul Anna would have told her. He was the only family member who still kept in touch with her. Despite being in the Navy and off on a ship most of the time. Which said a lot for her estrangement from the rest of her family.

But that wasn’t a problem for now. Her problem for now looked to be the mountain of muscles who didn’t seem to realise he was wearing her bra on his foot.

“Aditya Khamankar,” he said grimly like that was supposed to mean something to her.

“Okay then Mr. Khamankar,” Vaani replied crouching and grabbing an armful of distressed jeans. “Don’t just stand there. Help me clear up the mess you made.”

“I made??”

“Yes, you!” She stuffed clothes back in her suitcase haphazardly. She would figure out how to fit everything later. “You honked at me and broke my suitcase.”

“I honked at you because you were standing in the middle of the driveway and staring into space. But how exactly do you manage to blame me for your suitcase disaster?”

She noticed he hadn’t moved an inch as she scrambled around on the ground collecting her fashion debris.

“May I have my bra please?” she asked politely, pointing at his shoe and hoping to shame him into being a gentleman.

He glanced down at his shoe, one eyebrow slowly rising at the sight of her bra still elegantly draped over its tip.

“Stop gaping and give it to me,” she ordered, losing patience with the whole drama. She had to still deal with family drama once she entered the house. She wasn’t interested in driveway drama with random strangers.

“You look familiar,” he said slowly, as he removed the bra from his shoe and held it out to her.

Oh God. Here they went again. Honestly, Vaani was so tired of the fans and their constant requests for selfies and autographs.

“Look, now is not the time, okay?” She made a vague shooing motion with her hand. “I’ll pose for a selfie some other day. Right now, I am here for quality time with my family and don’t want to be disturbed.”

Now, both his eyebrows shot up. She reached for the bra, but he tightened his grip on it and she found herself engaged in a weird tug of war with Muscle Man for her own underwear.

“You’re Shravan Uncle’s daughter.”

Yuck. He knew her father. If that didn’t put him on her shitlist, she didn’t know what would. She pulled at her bra again, but, again, he didn’t let go. He just kept staring at her with that frown on his stupid face.

Okay. It wasn’t a stupid face. It was actually a nice face. All manly and craggy and, she was pretty certain, it was a hundred percent natural. She was sure this man had never injected his face with anything or had any other work done on it. If he had, he would have first fixed that nasty scar on the right side of his face. It extended from his temple to halfway down his cheek, jagged and slightly raised.

She wondered how he’d got it. Maybe he’d held someone else’s lingerie hostage and she’d been attached enough to it to attack him with a knife. Vaani didn’t care quite that much about hers. But, it was the principle of the thing. It was her bra after all.

“Look.” She flashed her trademark pouty smile. “I realise keeping a celebrity’s personal stuff as a souvenir is a thing and I’m sure you’d love to keep this bra for, you know, private bedroom stuff, but-“

He dropped it like it had turned into a live flame in his hand. And then, to add insult to injury, he rubbed his hand on his pant like he was trying to rid himself of the feel of her bra.

Annoyed, Vaani opened her mouth to say something biting and sarcastic, she didn’t know what, but she knew she would think of something good. And then she heard his voice.

“Vaani?”

Of course, he would be the one to find her like this.

Two years ago, when he’d told her she brought nothing but shame and embarrassment to the family and the family name, she’d stormed out of the house vowing to never return until she proved him wrong.

And here she was, standing in his driveway, with a broken suitcase, nothing to her name but the clothes stuffed into it, and a pink bra in her hand in lieu of the white flag of surrender she should actually be waving.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and turned to face the man who’d sired her and deserted her.

“Hi Appa. I’m home.”

 

About the Author

 

A published author with Harlequin India – Mills & Boon India Collection and Juggernaut, Shilpa Suraj’s books have hit both the Hot New Releases and Bestseller lists on Amazon. Her next novel, tentatively titled ‘Wrong,’ has been contracted by Rupa Publications and will release later this year. She is also part of the Flipped Anthology by Harper Collins and had an audiobook book Insta Reddy release with Storytel.

She is, amongst other things, currently working on ‘Frazzled and Fabulous,’ a humorous, true-to-life parenting story that is part memoir and part nonfiction.

An avid reader with a passion for creative writing and storytelling saw her participating in writing competitions at school and dabbling in copy writing for an ad agency as a teenager. Twenty years in the corporate space, including a stint in Corporate Communications for Google, India, and a spell at entrepreneurship all hold her in good stead for her multiple current roles of author, mother and Head of Human Resources & Public Relations at an architecture and interior design firm.

 

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Newsletter

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.

Anna Moss is pop music’s rising star. She’s idolized Eden Sands for most of her life―so it’s a dream come true when she’s invited to perform with her at the Grammys. Anna’s tired of being defined by her bubbly persona. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, and a duet with Eden could be just what she needs.

As Anna and Eden rehearse, they soon realize they have more in common than their musical talents. Now they just have to decide if what is between them is a one-hit wonder or the making of a romance worthy of one of the greatest love songs of all time.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

You never know where you will find love. It might even be in your crush.

Eden and Anna are two stars fated for each other, but it takes time to come to that realization. Eden is divorced and trying to get her career back on track. Anna is very confident in who she is and is a star on the rise. When these two come together, the stars explode.

This was a tale fraught with emotion, discovery, and learning how to be true to yourself. While Anna is pansexual, Eden doesn’t know how she fits into a relationship. I enjoyed watching her discover who she was and what she wanted from life. Many times, we have a different face for everyone else. This was true in Eden’s case, but with time and understanding, she comes into her own. There is no timeframe that anyone has to meet to discover their passion, love, and inner soul.

I liked that this romance was not rushed. It was slow while they worked things out. This is important because it was a change for Eden, but it was what helped her recognize and embrace her true self. While they have their ups and downs, they do come together with a happily ever after ending.

There are some tense moments, but I chalked that up to Anna’s insecurity and immaturity when it comes to relationships. But those moments helped move the story forward. You have to have some conflict to round out a story.

This was an enjoyable read, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

As the live broadcast went into a commercial break, Anna and Eden were rushed into position by members of the crew. Anna sat on the stool that had been placed for her behind the hill, hiding herself from view. Around her, the stage buzzed with activity. Briefly, she wished she could watch Eden deliver the first half of her performance, but at least she could watch the replay later.

“Ten seconds!” a voice called.

The activity around her briefly intensified, and then everything went quiet as the show returned from the commercial break. She listened as Eden was introduced, and then the opening bars of “Alone” began to play. Sitting with her back against the structure that housed the band, Anna felt the vibrations of the music all the way to her bones.

She closed her eyes, absorbing it, losing herself in the beauty of Eden’s voice and the electricity that filled the room. It was one of the most intense things Anna had ever experienced, being onstage yet hidden from the audience. As she listened to Eden sing, her nerves melted away. Anna was one with the music.

“I’m never alone, because I have myself to keep me company.” Eden delivered the final line, her voice heavy with emotion.

Anna’s heart clenched. Did Eden really feel that way? Was she alone when the spotlight didn’t shine her way? The music changed, and Anna leaned forward as the felt hilltop was stripped away, revealing the band. Eden stood overhead now, but Anna didn’t dare look up. She couldn’t let anything break her concentration this close to her entrance.

The opening beats of “After Midnight” pulsed around her, and Anna turned her microphone on. She pressed her hands against her thighs, ready to spring to her feet. Eden sang the opening verse, and Anna could hear the crowd clapping along to the beat. The energy in the room made the fine hairs on her arms stand at attention. With a hiss, stage smoke burst from the structure behind her.

“But after midnight . . .” Eden’s voice reached her.

Anna lurched to her feet, eyes on the red tape marking her way through the smoke now billowing thick around her. She stepped onto the main stage, where a spotlight engulfed her, and the crowd roared with surprise.

“I let my hair down. After midnight, I’m not afraid to be a clown.” Anna’s voice sounded clear and strong, and luckily for her, the stage lights were so blinding she couldn’t see the audience, even if she’d wanted to. She spun so that her skirt flared around her, then danced her way over to Eden as they alternated lines through the chorus.

Eden stood before her, looking like an actual celestial being, not merely a star. Her dress sparked beneath the stage lights, glinting and shimmering and dazzling Anna until she nearly did forget the words to the song. For a moment, she was lost, staring helplessly at Eden as an arena full of industry heavyweights looked on.

Eden gave her a reassuring smile, dipping her head in the smallest of nods. You’ve got this. Anna received the message loud and clear, and suddenly, she did.

“I’m a little bit more wild. I am my inner child. I haven’t taken off my rose-colored glasses,” Anna sang, tugging at imaginary glasses.

Eden held her gaze as the music swelled, her expression anguished. Then she turned her face toward the camera. “I don’t daydream anymore.”

Her voice was heavy with emotion, and damn, she had some acting chops. They’d tweaked the lyrics of the song to suit the theme of this performance, and Anna could hear the crowd buzzing in response.

Anna angled herself slightly toward the camera, which was on a boom that swung overhead, allowing the network to get its close-up for the people watching at home. Her gaze slid past it to the audience beyond. The stage lights had shifted, and now she saw so many faces she recognized, really intimidating faces.

She wrenched her gaze back to Eden. They circled each other as they sang, sparring back and forth as Eden wrestled with the demons of her younger self. Anna had never seen anything as mesmerizing as the way the stage lights glittered on Eden’s silver dress.

And then that rhinestone-studded dress was against Anna’s cheek as Eden embraced her inner child. When Anna straightened from the hug, her earring snagged on one of the crystals, yanking her back against Eden’s chest. She was stuck. Before she could panic, her earring broke, freeing her.

Anna spun to stand with her back against Eden’s, melting into the background as Eden delivered the final line of the song.

“After midnight, I’m free.”

The crowd began to whistle and applaud, the noise again making those hairs on Anna’s arms rise. Eden squeezed her hand, Anna’s cue to step beside her.

“Thank you so much!” Eden called to the crowd.

“Thank you,” Anna echoed, tears blurring her vision as she saw a few people in the audience get to their feet. It seemed to happen in slow motion: people in tuxedos and ball gowns, people Anna looked up to, industry legends, standing and clapping for her.

Well, for Eden, probably. For both of them, maybe. And then Eden pulled her in for a hug. Anna was grinning like an idiot, and Eden still smelled like rose petals, and she was definitely having an out-of-body experience right now.

Chapter 4 from STAR COLLIDE by Rachel Lacey, available May 2, 2023 from Montlake Publishing

 

 

About the Author

 

Rachel Lacey is an award-winning contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She’s been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in the mountains of Vermont with her family and a variety of rescue pets, and she’s a passionate fangirl: she has attended hundreds of concerts, sitting anywhere from the last row to the front, and even backstage. Rachel loves to keep in touch with her readers!

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Twitter

 

 

Synopsis

 

She’s Insta-famous. He uses a flip phone.

When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell—an engineered marvel of beauty, energy, and fun—falls from her penthouse perch. Des­perate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi docu­menting her disgrace, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park, Montana. About as far as possible from life as she’s known it.

Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to lit­eral blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of her­self and begins to ask the hard questions. Can Cat love herself with, and without, the world watching?

Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger—and he hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.

Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop * Kobo

 

This book releases on May 16th. Pre-order your copy today!

 

 

About the Author

 

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, The Dating Charade, and The Cul-de-Sac War. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies that have been featured in such places as The Hollywood Reporter, Travel + Leisure, Woman’s World, and BuzzFeed.

 

Website * Instagram * TikTok * Facebook

 

 

Synopsis

 

After a devastating breakup, instead of drowning in her tears, Amelia Day starts a new business. For a hefty fee, she uses the methods for training foster dogs to transform men into suitable marriage material. Her track record is impeccable until she meets perpetual bachelor Phin Baxtor. From the start, she’s confused as to why this guitar-playing hunk would even want to hire her, but she needs the money, so she takes him on.

Phin is content with working in his food truck all day and playing the field at night. But his business partner, Jay, offers him a bet he can’t refuse. If Phin can complete Amelia’s program without changing his ways, he will win Jay’s rare guitar. Certain his task will be easier than playing “Hound Dog,” he agrees to enter the program.

With Phin and Amelia spending all their time together, her techniques begin to slip past his defenses. He might become her biggest success, but falling for a client isn’t supposed to be part of the deal.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Google * Apple

 

 

Review

 

Sometimes you just need a good fun romance to brighten your reading stack. This is that book!

Amelia has been crushed by a former fiance, so she decides to train men how to find their soulmates. I love how she incorporated dog training and phrasing into her technique. But she doesn’t expect that this client will be her last. Phin has played the field all his life but never knew what he was missing in finding the right woman for him.

This book made me laugh and even tear up a little at the end when they get their HEA. There is a great scene at the end that had me laughing out loud, so much so that my husband asked what was so funny. Of course, it is never as good trying to explain a scene if they aren’t reading the book.

I thought the food truck name was great, PB&J, which was a play on Phin and Jay’s names. There is even music trivia sprinkled throughout. I didn’t know any of the answers, but maybe you will.

There are so many great characters, and I could see this becoming a series. I’d love to know what happens with some of the other single characters, such as Layne and Axel.

If you are looking for a light-hearted book, then definitely pick this book up. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

After several decades of writing medical research documents, Cindy decided to switch gears and write stories where the chances of happy endings are 100% and the side effects include satisfied sighs, permanent smiles, and a chuckle or two.  She writes romance novels with a slice of humor that ranges from historical romance to southern fried romantic comedies. Her young adult debut novel, Tuned Into You (BookFish Books) was released in June 2016 and her adult sweet romance, Left Hanging (Red Adept Publishing) was released in March 2017. In A Jam (Red Adept Publishing) was released summer of 2018.

Cindy was born in Texas and raised in Georgia.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kennesaw State University and her Master’s Degree from The University of Georgia.  Cindy enjoys gardening, reading, bodybuilding, and a whole bunch of movies.  She can be overheard quoting lines from her favorite movies… a lot.  But her favorite pastime is spending time with Mark, her bass playing husband, Maddie Rose, the coolest girl on the planet, and fur child Daisy Mae.  She currently resides in Nashville, TN where live music can be heard everywhere, even at the grocery store.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

Instagram * BookBub * Goodreads

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Twenty-nine-year-old Nina Abrahams is not in a good place. She’s been fired from her restaurant manager job after she stands up to her bully of a boss, her motivational speaker mother is helping other people get their lives on track and ignoring the derailing of her daughter’s, and her best friend, Lucas Wilson, the guy she’s loved since she was eighteen, can’t seem to look beyond the girl in braces to the woman she is now.

When a new opportunity comes up, Nina decides it’s the perfect time to start over. The restaurant needs a reinvention and so does she. Unfortunately for Nina, the restaurant comes with hostile servers, a belligerent chef, and an owner averse to change.

But if Nina’s brave enough to take on the restaurant and tackle the people out to sabotage her, perhaps she can find the courage to tell Lucas how she really feels, even if it means risking the most important relationship in her life.

 

 

Amazon * Apple Books * Kobo

 

Barnes & Noble * Angus & Robertson

 

Universal Book Link: Books2Read

 

 

Review

 

This story was a surprise. It is well crafted. I felt like the characters had depth, there were issues to resolve, and love to find.

Nina has a lot going for her – a supportive brother, good friends, and a love for the hospitality industry. Her mother is supportive but in her own way. I suppose that comes from being a motivational or inspirational speaker. But even they resolve their issues that have kept them apart and do not truly know one another. There is even her good friend Lucas whom she loves but doesn’t say anything for fear of messing up the friendship. But we all know how that goes…unrequited love is hard to dismiss.

I liked that Nina has some issues to work through, from her job to friends and family. It is a time for her to grow and stretch herself, become the best person she can be, and follow her dreams.

There is romance in the story too, but it is very clean, and I appreciated that aspect. The crux of the story doesn’t get lost in scenes between the characters. It is very much a G-rated book.

This was a fun book to read, and I will look for more books by this author. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lara Martin writes books about imperfect people living messy lives, falling in love and getting their perfect happily-ever-after. She’s lived in South Africa and Australia and now calls a cozy village in England her home. She’s tried a variety of amazing and awful jobs: video game reviewer, graphic designer, insurance claims agent (she has no idea how she landed this one), proof reader, feature writer, and magazine editor. She lives with her husband (always the first reader of her novels), two slightly terrifying teenagers, and the requisite psychotic cat. When she’s not writing, she can be found haunting local coffee shops.

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon