The Immortals: The World War II Story of Five Fearless Heroes,

the Sinking of the Dorchester, and an Awe-Inspiring Rescue

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

During World War II, four chaplains were assigned to the SS Dorchester with more than 900 men on board. Alexander Goode, a Jewish rabbi; John Washington, a Catholic priest; George Fox, a Methodist minister; and Clark Poling, a Baptist minister, all offered comfort, reassurances, and prayers along with a warning from the captain that a German submarine was hunting their convoy.

Thoroughly researched and told in an engrossing nonfiction narrative, this true story alternates between accounts told from the perspective of the Nazi U-boat captain and his crew (as found in their journals and later interviews) and survivors from the Dorchester who credit the four chaplains with saving their lives after their ship was torpedoed.

The celebrated story of the men who became known as the Immortal Chaplains is now joined for the first time in print by the largely untold story of another hero: Charles Walter David Jr. A young Black petty officer aboard a coast guard cutter traveling with the Dorchester, Charles bravely dived into the glacial water over and over again, even with hypothermia setting in, to try to rescue those the chaplains had inspired to never give up.

Page-turning and inspiring, The Immortals explores the power of both faith and sacrifice and powerfully narrates the lives of five heroic men who believed in something greater than themselves, giving their all for people of vastly different beliefs and backgrounds.

 

 

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About the Author

 

Steven T. Collis is the author of the nonfiction books Deep Conviction and The Immortals and the novel At Any Cost. He is a storyteller at heart, but in his other life, he is also a law professor at the University of Texas School of Law, where he is the faculty director of the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center and Texas’s Law & Religion Clinic.

Prior to joining the faculty at Texas, he was the Olin-Darling Research Fellow in the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School and was an equity partner at Holland & Hart LLP, where he chaired the firm’s nationwide religious institutions and First Amendment practice group.

​Before embarking on his legal and writing career, Steven graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as an editor on the Michigan Law Review and the Michigan Journal of Race and Law. Steven also holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he served as the associate editor of the literary journal Blackbird. He completed his undergraduate studies, with university honors, at Brigham Young University.

Originally from New Mexico, Steven lives in Austin with his wife and children.

 

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THE PARIS BETRAYAL

 

By James R. Hannibal

 

 

Publisher: Revell

Pub Date: May 4th, 2021

Pages: 352 pages

Categories: Fiction / Christian / Suspense

 

 

Scroll for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

After a rough mission in Rome involving the discovery of a devastating bioweapon, Company spy Ben Calix returns to Paris to find his perfectly ordered world has collapsed. A sniper attack. An ambush. A call for help that brings French SWAT forces down on his head. Ben is out. This is a severance–reserved for incompetents and traitors.

Searching for answers and anticipating a coming attack, Ben and a woman swept up in his misfortunes must travel across Europe to find the sniper who tried to kill him, the medic who saved his life, the schoolmaster who trained him, and an upstart hacker from his former team. More than that, Ben must come to grips with his own insignificance as the Company’s plan to stop Leviathan from unleashing the bioweapon at any cost moves forward without him–and he struggles against the infection that is swiftly claiming territory within his own body.

Award-winning author James R. Hannibal ratchets up the tension on every page of this suspenseful new thriller.

 

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“A masterful thriller is created by a masterful writer, and James R. Hannibal is at the top of my list. I devoured every page with the lights on!” —DiAnn Mills, DiAnnMills.com, author of Airborne

“James Hannibal once again displays his dazzling prose and ability to keep even the more experienced readers guessing. In The Paris Betrayal, Hannibal sets his hook deep and early, then drags you through a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story. Another gripping, high-octane book from one of the best thriller writers in the business.” — Simon Gervais, former RCMP counterterrorism officer and bestselling author of Hunt Them Down

“Riveting and action-packed! The Paris Betrayal is everything you want in a thriller–suspense, intrigue, and white-knuckle action. Hannibal has a knack for keeping you guessing in a plot that moves at a breakneck speed. This is one you don’t want to miss!” —Ronie Kendig, bestselling author of The Tox Files

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spies, Lies, and a dog…Oh my!

If you are in the mood for a good spy novel then look no further than this book. I was taken on a fast-paced adventure with many moving parts, flawed characters, and an adorable doxie named Otto. Yes, anytime there is a dog I am pretty sure I’m going to like the book.

The author has some first-hand knowledge regarding military operations and while this is not a military based book, I could see how that information could shape the direction Ben took in hunting down the virus and Leviathan before it destroys the world and the people that inhabit this planet. While the book was primarily written before the current pandemic, the author took advantage of this new information and added a few more twists to the story.

Ben is loyal to The Company and his mission. When he is burned he doesn’t stop trying to right the wrongs, he continues and puts himself in perilous situations. However, it seems like Ben is always on the go. This is probably to be expected in the spy business because once you are in play, I can’t imagine that you aren’t always on edge and looking over your shoulder. But that just adds to the drama of the novel and will keep you glued to your seat from start to finish.

In spite of his current situation, a few people still want to help Ben survive including Clara, a seemingly innocent bystander that is swept along into this nightmare along with her dog Otto. Clara manages to end up in the right place at the right time to help Ben out of a few situations. Is she as innocent as she appears?

I appreciated that while some characters were not major players in the book, we are provided sufficient information about each character so we can imagine them in our minds and the role they play in this novel and in Ben’s quest for the truth. I felt like each character added to the storyline no matter their role. Many were devious and it is obvious I was never trained to be a spy because I don’t think I could think that fast on my feet if I were in the same situation.

While this book has more of a serious tone, there are still many scenes that had me chuckling including one with a hacker that Ben thinks has blown up his girlfriend’s home. Between the dialogue and the actions of Ben, it was almost like watching a comedy routine but a little more dangerous.

This was the first book I have read from this author but it won’t be my last. I definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good spy novel. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. This former stealth pilot from Houston, Texas, has been shot at, locked up with surface-to-air missiles, and chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. He is a two-time Silver Falchion Award winner for his children’s mysteries, a former Thriller Award nominee, and a 2020 Selah and Carol Award finalist for The Gryphon Heist–the opener for the CIA series that now includes Chasing the White Lion. James is a rare multisense synesthete, meaning all of his senses intersect. He sees and feels sounds and smells, and he hears flashes of light. If he tells you the chocolate cake you offered smells blue and sticky, take it as a compliment.

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

ONE WINNER receives a print copy of The Paris Betrayal,

Mini Pen Camera, & $10 Starbucks Gift Card!

 

US Only. Ends midnight, CDT, May 14, 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 For direct links to each stop on the tour, Updated daily,

 or visit the blogs directly:

 

 

5/4/21	Notable Quotables	Texas Book Lover
5/4/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
5/5/21	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/6/21	Character Interview	Hall Ways Blog
5/7/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
5/8/21	Top Five	All the Ups and Downs
5/9/21	Excerpt	Stories Under Starlight
5/10/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
5/11/21	Deleted Scene	The Page Unbound
5/12/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
5/13/21	Review	Bibliotica

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Childhood friends reunite in an explosive tale of family dysfunction and romance gone wrong.

Amelia has been plotting to escape her abusive husband for years. When her mama’s untimely death provides an unexpected opportunity, she hops on the next bus to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Her husband will eventually come for her. But she’s prepared. Her freedom has given her confidence to face her uncertain future. She settles in at her family’s oceanfront estate to await her destiny. But a visit from Amelia’s past presents danger in a different form.

After a string of disastrous blind dates, Max falls for the first guy who expresses an interest in her. As the weeks wear on, her attraction to Ron wanes. But he’s living in her apartment. And he won’t be so easy to get rid of.

Jump on board for a wild ride of adventure with the continuation of the bestselling Palmetto Island Series. Be sure to download Muddy Bottom, the series novella prequel, for FREE.

 

 

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Review

 

Palmetto Island is now one of my favorite spots and a place I would like to visit and maybe live. The people seem to be friendly, caring, and inviting. Well, most of them anyway.

We meet Amelia, a friend to Birdie and Max when they were in school, and she is back to bury her mother and escape an abusive relationship. But as we know, it is hard to escape an abuser and this keeps Amelia on edge. Not only does she have to worry about her husband, but there are also strange things happening at her mother’s home and she is seeing strange lights in the apartment over the garage. Then there is a woman that seems familiar that makes an appearance at the funeral. While you will be able to guess who this person is, the story takes an interesting turn as Amelia remembers more of her past and a certain situation that could change her life.

The story also focuses on Max and her attempt to revitalize her hotel. It is in disrepair and needs a major overhaul. This leads her to Davis via Birdie. He is new to the island and looking to build his reputation as a contractor. I like how they play off each other and build a friendship. This is a boon for Max because she tends to get involved with the wrong people and she has one of those “wrong” men in her life and he is hard to kick out. She will be in for some trying times thanks to the freeloader.

I have always loved this author’s books and this one added just a bit more suspense and mystery than some of the others. I think the last 10-15% really had me on edge wondering how the events would play out and would there be the happy ending I have come to know and expect?  You’ll have to read the book to find out.

We give this book 5 paws up and can’t wait for the next in this series to see how things continue for all those that have coupled up in this book and the previous ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series has touched the lives of many.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she’s lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, a piece of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she still calls home. Through the eyes of her characters, she captures the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kindhearted folk with lazy drawls that make the area so unique.

 

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Like Cats and Dogs

 

by Kate McMurray

 

Publication Date: 5/4/2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

The fur flies in this hilarious romantic comedy where the owner of a Brooklyn-based cat café and the local vet go ahead to head. The attraction is instant, but can you fight like cats and dogs and still be perfect for each other?

 

Things are getting ruff in this Brooklyn neighborhood when new veterinarian Caleb Fitch moves in next door to the Whitman Street Cat Café and gets on the wrong side of café owner Lauren Harlow. Lauren has a few things to teach the new vet on the block, and rescuing kittens is only the start…

Lauren can’t ignore her attraction to Caleb, but he gets her even more riled up when he argues with her about how best to treat the cats in her care. Determined to smooth things over, Caleb comes to the rescue when a new litter of abandoned kittens is left on Lauren’s doorstep, and they confront the fiery attraction that’s been building between them from the start. But saving the baby kittens getting them ready for adoption is only the first challenge Lauren and Caleb have to face, and when a real estate developer comes sniffing around their block, they’ll have to work together, or risk losing everything…

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Evan walked into the Whitman Street Cat Cafe, pushing through the second door and grinning at Lauren like he’d already had three cups of coffee.

“Derek got married this weekend,” Lauren said by way of greeting.

“Aw, honey, I’m sorry,” said Evan. “Anything I can do?”

“Drive to New Hampshire and punch him in the face?”

Evan tilted his head and seemed to consider doing just that. “As fun as that sounds, Derek is kind of a big guy. He might punch back, and I bruise like a peach.”

Lauren laughed despite herself. She shoved her phone in her pocket. “I’m over it. So my ex got married? It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Attagirl.” Evan looked up at the menu like he didn’t get coffee here nearly every morning.

“Not that I’m sad for the business,” said Lauren, “but where did all these people come from?”

“Didn’t you hear? The Star Cafe closed last week.”

The Star Cafe was a great independent coffee shop that had, apparently until last week, been right across the street from the Cat Cafe. If it had closed, that explained all the people here, the last place that served coffee between Henry Street and the subway entrance on the next block.

“I’m devastated,” Evan continued.

Lauren raised an eyebrow at him. “If anything, this is probably better for your health. There are only so many cups of coffee you can drink per day because you think the barista is cute before the caffeine gives you heart palpitations.”

Evan sighed and leaned against the counter next to Lauren. “Pablo gave me heart palpitations.”

“Any idea what he’s up to now?”

“When I got my caramel vanilla latte on Friday, he told me he’d applied to work at that little indie bookstore a few doors down. Hope springs.”

“Crazy idea, but you could, like, ask him out.”

Evan gasped dramatically. “Where’s the romance in that? We’re performing an elaborate dance.”

“Right.” Lauren glanced behind the counter, where Monique looked panicked as she took another order. “Maybe I should hire him.”

“He makes a mean caramel vanilla latte.”

A bewildered man with light brown hair walked into the cafe then. Lauren had never seen him before, and she would have noticed. He was so handsome, Evan sucked in a sharp breath.
Lauren had sworn off men ever since Derek had announced his engagement, because she was tired of getting her heart stomped on, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look. Because this man was pretty foxy. He was tall and fit, with neatly trimmed hair, a square jaw, and blue eyes that sparkled even from behind the dark-rimmed glasses he wore.

“Hello,” said Evan.

The man looked around. When Sadie trotted over to investigate him, he looked a little startled by her presence.

“Oh,” he said, catching Lauren’s eye. “I’ve heard about places like this, but I guess it didn’t occur to me that the cats would just be… out.”

“Only Sadie has free rein in the cafe,” said Lauren. “She’s in charge. She’s also terrified of cars, so she doesn’t try to escape. The rest of the cats are through that door.” She pointed.

“Ah.”

Lauren wasn’t really sure what to say next. Evan elbowed her, though, so she said, “Did you want to see the cats, or—”

“I just need a cup of coffee for now. This place is hopping.”

“Go on,” Lauren said. “I’m not in line and you look like you’re in a hurry.”

The man pulled a phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. “Yeah, a little.” He slid forward. “Thank you.”

“Are you new to the neighborhood?”

“Yeah. Just moved to Brooklyn a week ago, actually.”

“Welcome!”

He shot her a bashful half smile and nodded. “Thanks.”

Monique said, “Next!”

The light-haired man nodded at Lauren and then walked to the register.

Victor, the other barista, must have noticed this guy was a little twitchy, probably with a job to get to—he was wearing a blue oxford shirt tucked into navy blue slacks, the uniform of the Midtown office worker—and he grabbed the pot and poured a cup of coffee right away. Once the man paid, Victor handed him the cup and said, “Milk and sugar are at the end of the counter.”

“Great.” The man took his cup.

“The usual,” Lauren said to Monique now that the line had dissipated. Then she walked over to the man as he shook a sugar packet. “I’m Lauren, by the way.”

The man gave her a genuine smile this time. “Caleb. Maybe I’ll see you around, Lauren.” Sadie meowed and sat at his feet. “And you, too, Sadie.”

Handsome and he liked the cats. No wedding ring. This had some potential.

Oh, except for the part where Lauren was not dating in order to concentrate on making a fulfilling life for herself without a man.

Caleb walked back outside.

“Girl,” said Evan. “He was totally checking you out.”

Warm excitement spread through Lauren’s chest. It had been a while since she’d met anyone who made her pulse race like this. She wondered if Caleb would come back.

“Boss, your coffee’s ready,” said Monique.

Lauren took it gratefully. “All right. Do you have to work today, Ev, or do you want to meet our newest resident? We’ve got a gorgeous new calico named Lucy.”

“I’m meeting a client at ten, so I gotta go, but you can tell me all about Miss Lucy and report back on that tall guy over drinks tonight.”

“Pop at seven?”

“Perfect.”

Monique handed Evan his coffee, which he took with a grin. He blew Lauren a kiss with his free hand and then walked out the door.

“Come on, Sadie,” said Lauren. “Let’s get to work.”

***

Excerpted from Like Cats and Dogs by Kate McMurray. © 2021 by Kate McMurray. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

 

Kate McMurray writes smart, savvy romantic fiction. She likes creating stories that are brainy, funny, and, of course, sexy. She advocates for romance stories by and for everyone. When she’s not writing, Kate edits textbooks, watches baseball, plays violin, crafts things out of yarn, and wears a lot of cute dresses. Kate lives in Brooklyn, NY, with two cats and too many books.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Peaches and Schemes: A Georgia B&B Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (May 11, 2021)
Hardcover: 304 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In Anna Gerard’s third delightful Georgia B&B mystery, Nina Fleet learns that despite the satin, lace, and buttercream trappings, weddings often prove to be anything but sweet…

 

Nina Fleet might be new to the innkeeping business, but she’s savvy enough to know that Cymbeline’s tourists aren’t enough to keep her fledgling bed and breakfast going. And so, Nina decides to tap into the destination wedding market by taking a booth at the Veils and Vanities Bridal Expo. The twice-yearly event is sponsored by the town’s two wedding pros: Virgie Hamilton, the sixtysomething owner of Virgie’s Formals, and Roxanna Quarry, a Gen X event planner and Nina’s new friend. But everything goes wrong during the expo’s fashion show, when Roxanna comes tumbling out of an oversized prop wedding cake, strangled to death by her own scarf.

Virgie is arrested for the crime, thanks to Nina’s statement to the police about having overheard the woman accusing her partner of embezzlement. Meanwhile, the situation grows tense with her sometimes nemesis and current tenant, the dashing out-of-work actor Harry Westcott. Harry is concentrating on plugging his most recent side hustle …but he’s not too busy to break the news to Nina that her ex-husband is engaged to be married again.

Certain that Virgie’s only offense is a bad temper, Nina decides to do her own investigating. First, however, she and Harry retrieve Roxanna’s now ownerless dog, planning to foster him until a new home can be found. But local gossip soon convinces Nina that others beside Virgie might have had reason to murder Roxanna. As Nina gets close to the truth, she’s putting her own life at danger. And when Virgie vanishes after being bailed out of jail by an unknown benefactor, Nina fears that if she can’t find the dress shop owner in time, tying the knot will take on a whole new meaning for them both.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Back in the day, writers new to the mystery genre were told by the powers that be (a/k/a agents and editors) that they should kill off their book’s murder victim upfront, right there in chapter one.

Preferably on the first page of chapter one.

And even better if it happens in the first paragraph.

And thus, a generation of writers learned to do all sorts of plotting gymnastics to hit this goal, and many are still writing like this to this day. Sometimes, they pen the murder scene through the (unknown or not) killer’s eyes. Other times, they make the murder scene a prologue, with chapter one and the subsequent chapters a rewind back to what happened before that killing took place. Another way is for the victim to actually witnesses his or her own death. This often ends with the soon-to-be-corpse gasping out, you!, in horrified recognition before expiring. (This also necessitates another character jumping in and picking up the narrative in chapter two.)

In the hands of a skilled writer, all these techniques can work. But there’s one problem when the murder happens right off the bat. With the dead body sprawled right there on page one, the reader has had no chance to know the victim. And, thus, said reader has no emotional stake in the victim’s passing…or in the mystery surrounding their killing being solved.

To be honest, this lack of sentiment isn’t a big deal in a thriller or suspense novel. Victims in these books tend to be stock characters, and the bodies often pile up like cordwood. All these readers really care about is that the protagonist makes it to the end of the story with a minimum of bodily harm. But if you write cozy mysteries like me, you know that characters are as big a story driver as plot…sometimes even more so.

Bottom line, cozy mystery readers want to know and love (or hate!) the characters first before the author dispatches one of them. That ideally involves the future victim living his or her best life for a couple of chapters and interacting with the rest of the book’s characters. That way, when he or she meets the pointy end of a knitting needle or is found drowned in a keg of wine, it means something. The reader is now invested in what comes next, cares as much as the book’s sleuth about bringing the killer to justice.

Though, on the other hand, the reader doesn’t want to wait too long to get to the good part!

I must admit I’m guilty of letting my murder victims wander their books for a good chunk of pages before they meet their final fate. And while I’ve never been chastised by an editor or reader for that, I do have my concerns. Which is why, in my Georgia B&B mysteries, I’ve found a new trick of putting the body on page one without actually doing so.

These books are told in first person from the point of view of my innkeeper/amateur sleuth, Nina Fleet. And with this style of POV, Nina is basically telling us the story…relating what happened as it happens even though she’s actually looking back and already knows how the story goes, if that makes sense. As each book opens, I have Nina ruminate for the benefit of the reader about the fact that, yes, a murder will happen in these pages, though she is coy about revealing who it is. From there we launch into the story. Somewhere between pages fifty and seventy, we finally learn who that foretold dead body is. And then Nina and her cohorts band together for the rest of the book to find the killer.

I humbly think this technique works quite well in solving that “need a corpse on page one” dilemma. Does this workaround work for you? Are you okay with waiting a while before some character stumbles over the murder victim, or do you prefer to see your cozies serve up the dead body right from the start? Leave me a comment and let’s discuss.

 

 

About the Author

 

DIANE A.S. STUCKART is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series (writing as Ali Brandon). She’s also the author of the award-winning Leonardo da Vinci historical mysteries, as well as several historical romances and numerous mystery, fantasy, and romance short stories. The first book in her Tarot Cats Mystery series is FOOL’S MOON, available in trade, large print, and Kindle versions. Her Georgia B&B Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books launched July 2019 with PEACH CLOBBERED, written as Anna Gerard.

Diane is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served as the 2018 and 2019 Chapter President of the MWA Florida chapter. In addition to her mystery writing affiliations, she’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association and belongs to the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association. She’s a native Texan with a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, but has been living in the West Palm Beach FL area since 2006. She shares her “almost in the Everglades” home with her husband, dogs, cats, and a few beehives.

 

Author Website ~ Book Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

 

 

Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

From USA Today Bestselling Author Bette Lee Crosby comes a powerful southern saga based on a true story… Betrayal and secrets tore her family apart decades ago, now a lonely widow must search for the pieces of her broken childhood.

WHEN I LAST SAW YOU

GEORGIA, 1968 – Margaret Rose McCutcheon has just buried her husband and must now name a beneficiary for their estate in case of her demise. She is hard-pressed to do so because there is no one. No children. No family. At least none to speak of. At one time, she had two sisters and six brothers, but the lot of them were scattered to the four winds, with no one knowing where the others went. In the hope of finding at least one of her siblings, Margaret hires a detective and sets off on a journey to uncover the truth of why the family broke apart as it did.

WEST VIRGINIA, 1901 – When Eliza Hobbs gives birth to her sixth child, her husband is not there to welcome his daughter into the world. No surprise, because Martin is seldom there. He works in Charleston and returns to Coal Creek only when he has a mind to. Yes, he sends money on occasion, but seldom enough to make ends meet. Although Eliza believes each new child a blessing, he sees them as yet another responsibility on his already overloaded shoulders. When he discovers another child is on the way, he demands she get rid of it. he stops returning home and there is no more money.

Left with the children, a mountainside patch of land, and a house in sorry need of repair, Eliza seeks help and turns to someone powerful enough to hold sway over Martin and force him into providing for his family. Pushed to the brink, Martin does something unforgivable and the family is forever torn apart.

Now, after all these years, will Margaret be the one to find the pieces of her broken family?

 

 

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Review

 

There are a few authors that have the art of writing southern women’s fiction down to a science, and Bette Lee Crosby is one of those authors. Her stories blend together real world events, the past and present, and an array of emotions.

This novel focuses on Margaret, a woman that has just lost her husband and discovers that he had originally searched for her family many years before. We are taken down a path that shares her upbringing at the turn of the century in a small rural town in West Virginia, where most men ended up working (and eventually dying) in the coal mines. Growing up in small quarters and with a large family wasn’t a hardship for Margaret and her siblings, but that is because they do not know any different because the most important thing was the love that they felt from their mother and each other.

The story flips back and forth between the past and the present and we learn more about her life growing up and the secrets that are kept hidden from her and several others. The journey she is on is one that is sad yet fulfilling as she rediscovers her siblings and family. Not every situation results in a happy ending, but Margaret is able to find closure in some situations and new life in others. She is able to do all of this with the help of a private investigator named Tom. There are many humorous situations (remember this is 1968 and morality standards were different) but their adventure brings them together and creates a new friendship.

While the crux of the story is about Margaret, the past focuses on her parents, Eliza and Martin. Martin is not a likable character and the way he treated Eliza and his children is heartbreaking, to say the least. I appreciated the positive light that was shone on Masons (Masonic Lodge) and that they watch out for their brother and his family.

If you are looking for southern women’s fiction that will pull at your heartstrings, then anything by Bette will fill that bill and I highly recommend this book or any of her others.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today Bestselling Author and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

 

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Synopsis

 

A saga of Forgotten Love and Second Chances

How would you feel when the man you have known and loved for the last five years is not who he said he was? That everything he ever told you was all a lie.

An accident changed our lives forever and now I have to bring him back to us because he doesn’t remember our life, our family or us. One minute, I was just a regular girl from India married to a man she loved, and the next, my life has changed completely because I’m married to an English Duke, who doesn’t remember me.

My name is Aaliya Singh Talbot and I will do whatever it takes to bring my husband back from the darkness and into the light.

I will make him remember no matter what I have to do!

I will make him remember everything – beneath all the lies!

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Aaliya

Mumbai

Someone is screaming!

In a heartbeat, I know it’s me. I jerk awake and sit upright on my bed, my heart roaring against my ribcage. My hand trembles as I push my long hair back from my damp forehead. He can’t be dead; this was just a dream! I chant that thought while taking huge calming breaths. This is the third time this week I’ve woken up like this, feeling like he’s gone. The fact that I’ve lost all touch with him screams inside me that something is drastically wrong else he’d never be silent for this long; his phone would never be switched off like it has been this last week. I shut my eyes, anxiety weighing me down. How long should I convince myself there is a reason for his silence?

I grab the photo frame from my bedside table. It is a picture of Damien and I from our honeymoon. His arm is around me and both of us are smiling into the camera, the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing behind us.

I run a finger along his face, tracing that bearded jaw, visualizing him in my mind’s eye. Those striking grey-green eyes that sparkle whenever they rest on me, that heart-stopping smile that almost always makes me melt. I miss him! I miss being tucked under his chin when he hugs me. I miss his scent and I miss how his strong arms and tall frame wrap around me when we sleep, making me feel protected and cherished. This is the first time we’ve been separated for so long and perhaps that’s what is making me anxious. I shake my head. No, something is wrong. I can sense it.

God! Please let him be safe, I pray.

Love is a strange yet powerful emotion that hit me when I least expected it and swept me off my feet without me even knowing it. And now, five years later, it is the faith I have in that love that makes me believe he would never leave me without contact—unless he was in trouble.

Fear for him slithers like a poisonous snake across my veins but I have to tamper it down because I have one more reason to remain sane, to stay anchored to the belief that Damien will be fine, no matter what. I breathe in deep, letting the familiar hum of the air conditioner soothe my nerves before I slide off the bed. My feet hit the cold marble floor and I head to the other bedroom where I tip toe inside.

My darling little boy—an angel with his mouth open and a tiny hand clutching his rather overlong hair—is sleeping in his cot. A small smile skates across my lips and my heart warms as I stare at him for a moment before lifting him carefully and putting him on my shoulder. He wriggles for a moment but soon relaxes in my arms, his nose digging into the side of my neck. I inhale his soft, sweet fragrance, and shut my eyes for a few seconds. Rian is ten months old and the love of our lives. Reluctant to let go of him, I hold him for a second longer before I gently tuck him back in his cot and caress his beloved face, so similar to his father.

My cell phone rings and I run to my room, glancing at the clock that shows that it’s three in the morning. I pray fervently that it’s finally him calling. Please God, let that be my husband!

I lift the cell, scanning the caller id and my shoulders slump.

“Gabriel!” I breathe into the phone. “Where is Damien? It’s been a week since I heard from him. One whole week with his phone switched off and you giving me a different excuse each time I call. I’m scared, Gabe. You can’t even begin to imagine the thoughts running through my mind.”

His silence only fuels my fear.

“Gabe, please,” I plead. “Where is he?”

“Aaliya, he…he’s been in a car accident!”

“No! God, no!” I shudder. “Is he-”

I swallow against the pain in my throat and try again, because I need to know. “Is he fine? Please tell me he’s alive!”

“Aaliya, he’s fine. He was in a coma for a week. He’s just woken up now.”

“One week!” I gasp out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Tears burn my eyes, threatening to spill over. “His trip to London was planned for two days not ten, Gabe. I’ve lived in terror this last week ever since I lost contact with him. You knew how worried I was and yet you fed me with one excuse after the other. How could you keep his accident from me? I deserved to know, Gabe.”

“Aaliya…”

“Don’t you dare try and placate me!” I yell, unable to hold it back any longer. “You should’ve called me the minute he was admitted to the hospital.”

“Aaliya, I’m sorry. I truly am!” His voice comes out broken. “This is hard for me too. I didn’t tell you because he told me to look after you and Rian first if anything happened to him. I never imagined that he’d meet with an accident so soon after. You may not understand this now, Aaliya, but I did this to protect you both.”

“Protect us from what?”

Gabe sighs. “How much do you know of the English aristocracy?”

My fist squeezes tighter around my phone. “I don’t care about the damn English aristocracy. Tell me about Damien. How is he?”

“Like I said, he’s fine now. He woke up a few hours ago. He’s injured his head, but he will be fine. There’s a lot to tell you, Aaliya. Damien hasn’t told you entirely who he was…is.”

“What do you mean, Gabe? Don’t talk to me in riddles. Besides, I know who he was…” I shake my head. “…he is. I know about his life in England. So, stop trying to tell me something else.”

I’ve known Gabriel Westcott for as long as I’ve known Damien, which is five years now. He is Damien’s best friend, his business partner and was his best man at our wedding. Since Damien was an orphan, Gabe was also the only person to attend from Damien’s side. This last week he’s given me one excuse after the other regarding the silence from Damien and now he’s feeding me some nonsense about my husband that I refuse to believe.

“Damn it, Aaliya. You need to listen to me!” Gabe shouts. “Damien is the second son of the Duke of Kittridge. He returned here to England ten days ago not on a business trip, like he told you, but because his father and brother died in a car crash. He came for their funeral and because of his new responsibility. Damien is now the Duke of Kittridge.”

“No!” I whisper, dropping down on the bed. “That can’t be true. He would have told me. No! I don’t believe you.”

“Google it. Now! It’s K I T T R I D G E.”

He spells the word as I grab my laptop and open Google and type the letters. My eyes widen in shock. Oh my God! The cords in my neck strain as I stare at the images on the screen. There are dozens of pictures of Damien. He’s at a funeral. He’s with an older woman. Another picture shows him with his arm around a younger blonde woman, comforting her. Who are these women? What in the hell is going on? I read tweets on him.

“The new Duke of Kittridge”

“Missing son returns after five years”

“The Devil Lord is now the Devil Duke”

The Internet has the whole history of Damien; it knows things I’ve never known. My Damien is not Damien Alexander, as I’ve always known him; he is Damien Alexander Talbot, now the Duke of Kittridge.

“How…how is this possible?” My voice trembles. “How could I have not known?”

“I will explain it all to you, Aaliya. But first, you need to come to London as soon as you can. Can you organize to leave Rian with someone for a few days?”

“I’ll bring him with me. Damien will want to see him.”

“Aaliya,” Gabe lowers his tone and my heartbeat accelerates yet again, “he doesn’t remember you. He has no memory of the last five years of his life, which includes Rian and you.”

Did he just say that? No! It can’t be true. But I know to the core of my being that it is true. This is why my instincts have been roaring at me since the last few days. My stomach plummets, the hollowness spreading through every inch of my body. A whimper escapes my mouth and I press a hand on my lips to stop myself from screaming.

 

 

About the Author

 

Sapna Bhog is an author from India who writes contemporary and historical romance novels. As a self-proclaimed die-hard romantic, her books are filled with swoon-worthy heroes and feisty heroines who clash all the time, but do get their happy ever after. Sapna has always surrounded herself with books and when she is not writing she is reading. Originally from Dubai, she now lives in Western India with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky. Sapna gave up a successful IT career and took a foray into writing and has never looked back since. Her favourite pastimes are reading, writing, traveling and shopping—not necessarily in that order. She loves to hear from readers.

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The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher: Berkley (May 4, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her gumshoe ghost team up to solve the stunning mystery at the heart of a madwoman’s self-portrait in this all new installment from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

 

While gathering a collection of vintage book cover paintings for a special event in her quaint Rhode Island bookshop, Penelope discovers a spooky portrait of a beautiful woman, one who supposedly went mad, according to town gossip. Seymour, the local mailman, falls in love with the haunting image and buys the picture, refusing to part with it, even as fatal accidents befall those around it. Is the canvas cursed? Or is something more sinister at work?

For answers, Pen turns to an otherworldly source: Jack Shepard, PI. Back in the 1940s, Jack cracked a case of a killer cover artist, and (to Pen’s relief) his spirit is willing to help her solve this mystery, even if he and his license did expire decades ago.

 

 

 

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About the Author

 

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries—now celebrating eighteen years in print. They are also authors of the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, previously written under the pseudonym Alice Kimberly. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also both bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

On September 14, 1969, Private First Class Judy Talton celebrates her nineteenth birthday by secretly joining the campus anti-Vietnam War movement. In doing so, she jeopardizes both the army scholarship that will secure her future and her relationship with her military family. But Judy’s doubts have escalated with the travesties of the war. Who is she if she stays in the army? What is she if she leaves?

When the first date pulled in the Draft Lottery turns up as her birthday, she realizes that if she were a man, she’d have been Number One—off to Vietnam with an under-fire life expectancy of six seconds. The stakes become clear, propelling her toward a life-altering choice as fateful as that of any draftee.

The Fourteenth of September portrays a pivotal time at the peak of the Vietnam War through the rare perspective of a young woman, tracing her path of self-discovery and a “Coming of Conscience.” Judy’s story speaks to the poignant clash of young adulthood, early feminism, and war, offering an ageless inquiry into the domestic politics of protest when the world stops making sense.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Rita Dragonette has written a strong-hearted and authentic novel about a naive young girl and her struggle to reconcile the dissonance between the world she sees and the world she was raised to believe in. Judy is truly a quiet hero; you won’t forget her.” – Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean

 

“A brilliant depiction of how the urgency of political commitment complicates the self- absorption of adolescence. This is a novel for those who marvel at the profound decisions we were called upon to make so young, but also for a new generation facing the crucial questions of the turbulent world that will define them.” – Barbara Shoup, author of Everything You Want

 

“An often fresh take on the collegiate anti-war movement in small-town America.” ―Kirkus Reviews

 

“. . . beautifully written with compassionate and thoughtful narrative and engaging characters who play out all the angst of the era set on a Midwestern college campus when America was at its most vulnerable. Dragonette show us what we can be, both in our best and our worst.” ―Windy City Reviews

 

 

Excerpt

 

 

Lottery Night

 

(Excerpt from The Fourteenth of September)

 

They had decided they would all watch the lottery drawing at David’s dorm, since that’s where most of them lived. However, after his outburst about women not understanding what the guys were going through, Vida suggested the girls stay together, and they all agreed, except Marsha. Howie wanted her to be with him.

They took places early, along the wall in the back of the north T.V. room. Judy watched David and the others take over the front row as the rest of the crowd gathered.

As the room began to fill, the guys practically walked over the women, pressing them toward the last-row seats, then taking over the standing room.

“What about space in the back?” an irritated voice called out.

“That’s girls,” someone answered.

Judy felt a wave of shame and grabbed Vida, pulling her by the sleeve.

A blonde she didn’t even know looked up as they left. Judy jerked her head, motioning her to follow as a look of recognition and guilt came over her.

“I didn’t think,” the blonde said, once they were out in the hallway.

“It’s all right,” Judy said, “me neither.”

“Wait up,” Marsha called. “I told Howie I couldn’t take up a seat. He’s sitting with David. I think he’ll be fine.”

They joined a crowd of women in exile in the adjacent student lounge. They waited.

“Ron’s been a mess,” one girl said, furiously twisting her ring. “He looks at me, and it’s like he wants me to say something, but I don’t know what.”

“Al, too,” another said. “And no matter what I say, it’s not what he wants to hear. He can get real mad.” She bowed her head. “It scares me.”

“I’m going to leave,” Marsha said. “I can’t take this.”

“Stay,” Judy said, holding her by the arm. She continued in a whisper, “Later won’t be any better.”

“What if—” Marsha began.

“No, don’t,” Judy said, “not yet.”

They waited in silence, prayer, and concentration. Hair was twisted, lips bitten; fingernails wouldn’t make it through the night. They smoked, even if they didn’t. They played with their pieces of paper that had birth dates of brothers and cousins and boyfriends at other schools.

“I want to scream,” Marsha said, grabbing her hair with her hands and holding her head between her knees. The smell of fear, something like sulfur, thickened the air.

Sounds filtered through from the T.V. room like little pockets of pressure, exploding as they called each number. Sometimes hoots of relief. Sometimes the hiss of a loud, disbelieving expulsion of air. Snap, crackle, pop, dud, silence. They couldn’t figure the code for the noises. No one came out.

Suddenly, Fish was running to her. He picked her up and spun her around, as if it were VE Day on the Champs-Élysées, then planted big kisses, wet as hell, all over her face. “I’m 327!” He fell to his knees with a beatific look on his face and a huge smile. “I love you! You know how much I love you?” He stretched his long arms wide. “I love you this much.”

Judy laughed nervously as he turned to the blonde and called out, stretching his arms even wider.

“I love you this much,” he repeated, “on the map!”

Judy was confused. If Fish was 327, they must be almost done. Could it mean that everyone she knew had a high number? Could they possibly be that lucky?

Achilles walked out somberly, and she held her breath.

“Ninety-six.”

“That’s almost a hundred, Achilles. You’ll be safe.”

“Yeah, great.” He walked past her toward the elevators. “I’d rather it was just nine. At least I’d know. Now I’m in no-man’s-land.” He stepped into the elevator, and she heard his voice die as the doors closed. “Fucking no-man’s-land.”

She heard Marsha shriek and turned to watch Howie come out, skinny and smiling.

“Take me to McDonald’s,” he said, then engulfed her in a bear hug. “Three forty-three,” he yelled with a clenched fist in the air and his old guitar-playing grin on his face.

David walked out slowly but deliberately, his gaze fixed at a spot on the floor, about three feet ahead of him. Judy could feel her fear rising, her heartbeat so intense it seemed to be coming out of the top of her head. She wasn’t breathing. She would not cry. She could not cry. She touched his arm and he stopped his march.

“Two thirty.”

She burst into tears and moved to hug him, but he pulled back. “But David, that’s nearly halfway. You’ll be clear.”

“Yeah, lucky me,” He headed to the elevator.

“Don’t follow me,” he called back at her.

“But . . .”

“Don’t.”

Judy turned in circles as others walked out of the room, not sure what had just happened with David. She strained her neck looking for Wil, Wizard, Meldrich.

“We have a Number One!” she heard someone say, followed by a chorus of disembodied voices.

“Number One. September fourteenth.”

Judy sat down in the middle of the floor, jelly legs giving up. “My birthday, too,” she said out loud to people who weren’t listening.

The post-lottery pandemonium went on above and around her. Someone just walked over my grave, she thought, and then had the sensation of dropping, like a heavy stone, accelerating. She tried to steady herself with her hands on the floor. In my family I was supposed to be a boy, she thought. It was to be a boy first and only then a girl.

“September fourteenth is my birthday, too,” she said out loud again to stop her fall.

Judy felt she should find the Number One and tell him that were it not for a flip of the chromosome coin—one extra more or less—she would be in his place, random, just like the lottery. She really could understand.

She tried to picture herself in a uniform, a helmet, but the closest she could get was to see her little brother, the same hair, blue eyes, and freckles.

This face and figure froze in her mind as she felt the digit 1 burning into her forehead like a private scarlet letter. This had to mean something.

She wandered outside. It was December. The cold hurt. She took her hands out of her pockets and forced them down at her sides as the icy air coated them, penetrating in daggers of pain to the bone. It was the least she could do.

And then she remembered. She knew who was #1.

 

Excerpted from THE FOURTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER. Copyright © 2018 by Rita Dragonette.

 

 

About the Author

 

RITA DRAGONETTE is a writer who, after spending nearly thirty years telling the stories of others as an award-winning public relations executive, has returned to her original creative path. She is currently at work on three other books: an homage to The Sun Also Rises about expats chasing their last dream in San Miguel de Allende, a World War II novel based upon her interest in the impact of war on and through women, and a memoir in essays. She lives and writes in Chicago, where she also hosts literary salons to showcase authors and their new books to avid readers.

 

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Synopsis

 

A vibrantly illustrated, authoritative guide to sparkling wine from James Beard Award winner Katherine Cole in the follow-up to her popular Rosé All Day

Sparkling Wine Anytime introduces readers to every style of sparkling wine, from Champagne and Prosecco to Cava, Lambrusco, Pét-Nat, and more. Wine expert Katherine Cole digs deep into sparkling wine’s compelling history, role in culture today, and the unique process by which it is made, explicating the most complicated concepts with light, bubbly prose. Organized by region, this comprehensive guide includes producer profiles, tasting notes, cocktail recipes, food pairings, and bottle recommendations for any budget. Filled with playful illustrations and infographics, Sparkling Wine Anytime is an effervescent exploration of all things sparkling.

 

 

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Review

 

I love a good sparkling wine but never thought much about how the different types came about or that there were other ways to drink it other than straight out of the bottle (in a glass of course!).

This book is educational and entertaining at the same time. I never knew how varied sparkling wines could be from the country they are produced in, to the types of grapes and the packaging process. I enjoyed reading about the various countries but the United States caught my attention since this is where I live. I think the biggest surprise was a winery that produces Brut in New Mexico.  That is probably the last state I would have ever expected to make a bottle of sparkling wine, but the winery has been there since the mid 1980s.

Along with history, notes, and a wealth of vineyards, there are also recipes sprinkled throughout and several have piqued my interest. I’m going to share one with you so that the next time you have a bottle of sparkling wine, you might pull up this recipe and give it a whirl.

 

Sweet Stars & Stripes

 

2-3 ultra thin cucumber slices

ice cubes

4 oz demi-sec (semisweet) sparkling wine

 

Place cucumber slices over the ice cubes in a wineglass or short rocks glass. Pour in the sparkling wine and serve.

Serves 1

 

 

About the Author

 

Katherine Cole’s newest book is Sparkling Wine Anytime, the companion to Rosé All Day (Abrams). She is also the author of How to Fake Your Way through a Wine List (Sterling Epicure) and Complete Wine Selector (Firefly Books).

Katherine is the host and executive producer of the James Beard Foundation Award-winning food-and-beverage podcast, The Four Top.

Her first book, Voodoo Vintners: Oregon’s Astonishing Biodynamic Winemakers (2011) was nominated for a Louis Roederer Award.

Katherine’s books have been reviewed favorably by The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Huffington Post and Chicago Sun-Times.

 

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