Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, romance on March 5, 2021

 

 

A Wolf After My Own Heart

 

by MaryJanice Davidson

 

Publication Date: 2/23/2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

Things are hot and getting hotter… Escape into this delicious shifter romance from bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

 

Oz Adway is a rare breed: an accountant who wants to get dirty. He’s a wolf shifter working for the Interspecies Placement Agency so it’s not long before he gets the opportunity to break out of his boring, safe office job. He volunteers to find runaway bear cub Sally Smalls, recently orphaned by a plane crash. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, Sally’s taken refuge with “ordinary” human Lila Kai. Lila has no idea what’s going on, but she’ll destroy anyone who tries to take the cub. Oz is not about to let a human jeopardize his daring career move, no matter how attractive he finds her.

Lila knows something’s different about the sexy weirdo who keeps popping up in the wrong place at the right time. She’s determined to figure out what, regardless of the escalating threats to her safety and Oz’s distracting hotness. She didn’t move into a cursed house and take in a werebear just to run when things get complicated. Together, Oz and Lila will prevail! But only if they can keep their hands off each other…

 

 

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Excerpt

 

She was just getting the hang of the ambulance when she hit the wolf.

The thing was bulky and difficult to control (the ambulance, not the wolf), and whenever she got it back from its semiannual mechanically induced coma, it took her a few minutes to get the hang of driving it again.

She stood on the brakes

(oh shit oh shit oh shit)

and braced for the double-thump of the tires running over the animal, which didn’t come.

Lila Kai collapsed back into her seat, her heart pounding so hard she could taste metal. She pulled over to the side of the street. A street, not a country road on the way from nowhere to somewhere. This was Lilydale, not Hastings. And even Hastings didn’t have wolves in their streets. Just deer. So what the hell?

She put the ambulance in Park, kept the engine running, and hopped down. She checked the headlights—nothing. The side of the road—nothing. She even took a tentative couple of steps into the brown brush lining the ditch

(don’t think about the zillions of horror movies that start like this)

—nothing. No wolf, limping or otherwise. Or…coyote, maybe?

Which made sense, now that she thought about it. Because whatever it was, it hadn’t been just huge, it had been fast, too. It had come out of nowhere and to nowhere it returned, all in the space of half a second. Maybe she just clipped it.

Is that a metaphor for something? Life? Death? Taxes? Transitions? Romance?

Mmmm…probably not the latter. There was just no way to twist clipping a random wolf into an allegory about her nonexistent dating life. The fact that she’d given even half a second of thought to that was proof that she needed to lay off the Cosmos (the drink and the magazine).

She went back to her decommissioned ambulance, rebuckled her seat belt, put it in Drive, checked her rearview, ignored the urge to ponder more metaphors-that-weren’t, then pulled out, and headed back toward her rental house. The adrenaline rush had been unwelcome as always, but—

“God damn it!”

Two kids had darted out from nowhere

(what the hell is up with this street?)

and were flagging her down, waving their little arms around so fast they looked like little bony windmills in a gale.

This time, at least, she didn’t have to stand on the brakes, and once she had stopped, she rolled down her window. “What’s going on, li’l weirdos?”

Both children were gesturing frantically. “C’mere, you have to help, she’s hurt!”

And more than a few horror movies start like this, too.

Again with park, unbuckling, opening door, climbing out. The boy and girl who had jumped in front of her looked like they were about eight, dressed in the de rigeur kid gear of jeans and sweatshirts and battered sneakers. They had the corn-fed reddish-blond looks of many Minnesotans. “Who’s hurt?”

“I dunno, she just is, we found her, come on. Bring your ambulance gear!”

“It’s not an ambulance.”

“’Course it’s an ambulance!”

“No, I mean it’s decommissioned, so it’s not really an amb—”

Tiring of her explanation, the girl seized Lila’s hand and started hauling her up the street. Lila looked behind her, half expecting to see the wolf creeping up on them and felt a little let down to see the way was clear. Which was insane. Strange enough to see such a creature under any circumstances, never mind smack in the middle of town. But she wanted to see it again; how was that for nuts?

I probably need a nap.

The girl hauled on her hand again and hooked left

“Jeez, kid. Do you work out?”

and then led her down a short alley, to where a small huddled form was curled into a blanket.

“See?” the girl asked, clamping down hard on Lila’s fingers in her excitement.

“Yeah, see?” the boy, presumably her brother, added. “She’s right there!”

“Isn’t this a school night?” But she bent over the small figure, blinked as her brain tried to process the image, gently touched it on the shoulder, then pinched her own leg

(Nope. Not dreaming.)

and looked up at the kids. “All right, first, that’s not a kid, it’s a bear cub for some reason. Second, I’m not a vet. Most important, I’m not an EMT, either.”

Instead of answering, the girl whacked the boy on the arm and hissed something that sounded like, “Unstable!”

“My high school guidance counselor would agree.” Lila bent back over the curled up mass of black, fluffy, whimpering fur that cowered away from her and glared with dark eyes. “I’m not sure what it is you think I can do.” She looked back up only to see the children’s expressions had transformed; they were actually edging away from her. “Why are you doing that? You guys lured me here. If anyone should be uneasy, it’s me. Shouldn’t you have picked my pocket by now?” She looked around the utterly deserted alley. For the first time, she realized she couldn’t hear anything: no bugs, no birds, nothing. And not much light from the lone streetlight. Downright creepy.

She checked the mouth of the alley for the wolf and was again disappointed to see nothing.

“You’re right, sorry,” the boy said.

“Yeah, sorrywebotheredyougoodbyenow.”

Lila sighed. She was in it the minute she’d stepped down from the vehicle that wasn’t an ambulance. “God damn it. Okay, so, just because I can’t help doesn’t mean someone else can’t.” She stood, only to see the children take several steps back. “Maybe call animal control?” She had to, she realized. You couldn’t just leave a random bear cub in a random alley after random kids flagged down a random adult.

But in the time it took her to fish out her phone and begin looking up Lilydale Animal Control—or would that be Saint Paul?—the children had (cue the dramatic music) vanished. Like the wolf, her patience, and her faith in the good people at Apartment Guide.

“Nice quiet neighborhood,” she muttered to the Realtor who wasn’t there. “Lots of families. It’s in the middle of a national park. Bargain.”

She’d been a Lilydale resident for fewer than eighteen hours and had no idea who to call. And after a day of unpacking, she was standing in an alley at 8:00 p.m. After hitting a wolf. The one thing she did know: she—they—couldn’t stay there indefinitely.

“You’d tell me if you were a metaphor, right, teeny tiny bear cub?”

She scooped it up, surprised by how light it was, given that it was the size of a small golden retriever

(it must be mostly fur, the way birds are mostly feathers)

then checked for the wolf one more time, and headed back to her nonbulance.

 

***

Excerpted from Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson. © 2021 by MaryJanice Davidson. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

 

MaryJanice Davidson is an American author and motivational speaker who writes mostly paranormal romance, but also young adult and non-fiction. She is the creator of the popular Undead series and is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She writes a bi-weekly column for USA Today and lives in St. Paul with her family.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Posted in Book Blast, Giveaway, Motivational, nonfiction on March 5, 2021

 

 

Knock! Knock! Lessons Learned and Stories Shared

 

By Douglas Thompson

 

 

Categories: Nonfiction / Motivational Stories / Positivity/ Relationship Building / Integrity / Time Management / Entrepreneurship

Publisher: Lucid House Publishing

Date of Publication: January 8, 2021

 

Pages: 154

 

 

Scroll for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Knock! Knock! is a fast-paced, fun-filled journey through the author’s career in sales that not only teaches you how to be better at selling but to also have a ton of fun while you are doing it.

Knock! Knock! invites you to join Doug on what salespeople call “a ride along,” which is where a senior salesperson shows a newbie the ropes. This book delivers a winning sales philosophy learned through years of experience and is illustrated by real-life stories that Doug shares — along with multiple Knock-Knock Moments (or lessons and revelations learned) that have fueled his career and that he believes will help yours.

Every one of us is in Sales. If you deal with people, you are in sales. Knock! Knock! teaches you how to get out of your Comfort Zone to believe in yourself and to believe in the product, services, or message you are trying to sell. But it also teaches you to have a great time while you are doing it.

 

 

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Douglas Thompson’s passion for improving the customer’s experience as well as the sales profession continues to drive him as he comes up with new ideas to answer this question: How can we make the sales process better? Starting out as an insurance agent going down the street selling accident insurance by knocking on doors, Doug quickly moved into the management side of the life and health insurance industry, hiring and training agents to be successful doing the same. His ability to build successful sales teams caught the eye of the corporate leadership of several major companies. Doug became the vice president of sales and marketing for Conseco and was recruited to do the same for Pacificare, UnitedHealthcare, American Republic, Tranzact, and Humana.

Currently, he is the marketing director for a large national insurance wholesaler that recruits and trains insurance agents and agencies in the senior marketplace across the country, and he continues to build his own general agency, which offers life and health products to the senior population. He is known nationally for his innovations in the sales industry and frequently speaks and trains on his favorite topic of sales.

Doug and his wife Shirley own a Bed & Breakfast in Jefferson Texas.

 

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ONE WINNER receives an autographed copy

 

+ Knock! Knock! coffee cup.

 

US only. Ends midnight, CST, 3/11/2021.

 

 

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Book Release, suspense, Thriller on March 4, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

She was born for all the wrong reasons. But her search for the truth reveals answers she wishes she could forget in this suspenseful and deeply moving novel from the author of The Last One.

What if your past wasn’t what you thought?

As a child, Linda Russell was left to raise herself in a 20-acre walled-off property in rural Washington. The woods were her home, and for twelve years she lived oblivious to a stark and terrible truth: Her mother had birthed her only to replace another daughter who died in a tragic accident years before.

And then one day Linda witnesses something she wasn’t meant to see. Terrified and alone, she climbs the wall and abandons her home, but her escape becomes a different kind of trap when she is thrust into the modern world—a world for which she is not only entirely unprepared, but which is unprepared to accept her.

And you couldn’t see a future for yourself?

Years later, Linda is living in Seattle and immersed in technology intended to connect, but she has never felt more alone. Social media continually brings her past back to haunt her, and she is hounded by the society she is now forced to inhabit. But when Linda meets a fascinating new neighbor who introduces her to the potential and escapism of virtual reality, she begins to allow herself to hope for more.

What would it take to reclaim your life?

Then an unexplained fire at her infamous childhood home prompts Linda to return to the property for the first time since she was a girl, unleashing a chain of events that will not only endanger her life but challenge her understanding of family, memory, and the world itself.

 

 

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Review

 

This is a somewhat bizarre book but intriguing all at the same time.

Linda is an untrusting soul and as we learn about what happened to her as a young child, you really can’t blame her. Her mother is mentally unstable and she somehow leaves Linda alone to raise herself. Sadly, when Linda is found she is called #CloneGirl and as we know, people can be cruel on social media and the internet. She never really learned how to interact with people and it is obvious as she tends to hibernate as much as possible.

Enter Anvi, her new next door neighbor. Anvi may know who she is but is not out to get anything or exploit Linda. This is a blessing because Linda needs a friend. It doesn’t hurt that Anvi has a dog that is fond of Linda. I think he calms her down.

The story unfolds in a rather haphazard way and for a long time I had no idea what happened to Linda or why she hid away from the world. I think it takes nearly half the book to get a better understanding of what really happened. But then, do we really know what happened because there are some crazy twists and turns revealed that will change what you formerly believed.

If you decide to pick up this book, do not be surprised if it takes some time to become invested in the story and the characters, but the ending is quite a surprise. The biggest lesson from this book – be nice to people, you don’t always know the truth or what someone has endured and a little kindness goes a long way.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Alexandra Oliva grew up in a small town deep in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. A first-generation college graduate, she has a BA from Yale University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School University. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, son, and their brindled pup, Codex.

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Spotlight on March 3, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

A Game of Cones (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 2, 2021)
Paperback: 352 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In this charming mystery series set in an ice cream shop, no case is too cold to crack!

Bronwyn Crewse is delighted that Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, is restored to its former glory and serving sweet frozen treats to happy customers in the picturesque small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. But when a big city developer comes to town intent on building a mall, a killer with a frozen heart takes him out.

After literally stumbling across the body, one of Win’s closest friends becomes the prime suspect, and to make things worse, Win’s aunt has come to town with the intention of taking command of Crewse Creamery. Even though Win has a rocky road ahead to help her friend and keep her ice cream shop, it’ll take more than a sprinkle of murder to stop her from solving the crime and saving the day.

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette, is a hybrid author who has penned more than twenty-five books and short stories. She has hit both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller list. Books one and two, A Deadly Inside Scoop and A Game of Cones, from her latest cozy series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, published by Penguin Berkley, is out now.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Book Release, Historical, Review, romance on March 2, 2021

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Regency London

Caroline Gray’s third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it’s because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.

However, her family’s dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn’t work, Caroline cannot return home.

Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.

The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip’s first night’s dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.

The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.

Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother’s wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?

 

 

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Advance Praise

 

“A charming historical romance in which smarts and sass are vindicated.”— Foreword Reviews

“…a delightful, not exactly traditional Regency romance. Teen readers will enjoy this adventurous journey with its proactive heroine and exotic settings.”— Booklist, starred review

“An unconventional woman finds herself at home at sea in this stirring Regency from Julie Wright…This adventure is sure to entice fans of historical romance.”— Publishers Weekly

 

 

Review

 

Sometimes you just need a romance for that feel-good feeling and this one was a perfect fit for my reading mood.

It is fascinating to read how marriages and lives were in the Regency period. I feel bad for the women that lost pretty much everything when their husband died because they didn’t inherit the estate. This forces them to find other accommodations and they hope that they do not wear out their welcome with whomever they live with at this stage in their life.

Caroline is not like the other ladies seeking a husband. She is inquisitive and seeks knowledge and wants to be appreciated for her mind and not just be a wife that does not contribute to intellectual conversations and the like. She is most likely considered a bluestocking for that time. So far she hasn’t found that with any of the gentleman in England and possibly her last hope is to discover love with the son of a family friend that is living in India. She doesn’t expect to fall in love on the way to India with Thomas, the captain of the ship. I enjoyed the banter between the two and they both learning how to interact without jumping to the wrong conclusions as was wont to happen.

There is a bit of an adventure throughout the book. There is the three month journey to India from England, the storms they encountered, the pettiness of some of the ladies on the ship, and exploring and enjoying India once they arrived. We also find Caroline standing up for a young boy on the ship and endearing nearly all of the crew to her as she talks to them, asks questions, and is able to sketch a likeness of them to send home to mothers and wives.

I do think that there needed to be an epilogue…what happened with Caroline and Thomas? There is the indication of a happily ever after, but what exactly happened?

An enjoyable book and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julie Wright started her first book when she was fifteen. She’s written over a dozen books since then, is a Whitney Award winner, and feels she’s finally getting the hang of this writing gig. She enjoys speaking to writing groups, youth groups, and schools. She loves reading, eating writing, hiking, playing on the beach with her kids, and snuggling with her husband to watch movies. Julie’s favorite thing to do is watch her husband make dinner. She hates mayonnaise but has a healthy respect for ice cream.

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Children, Giveaway, Review on March 2, 2021

 

 

 

 

The Adventures of Forkman: What’s That Noise?

 

by Tiffany Caldwell and W.R. MacKenzie

 

Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages

 

Children’s Picture Book

 

Publisher: Mascot Books

 

Synopsis

 

When poor manners are present, Forkman will be there to save the day! Join Kathryn and William as they learn how to load the dishwasher properly and avoid inappropriate distractions at the table with the help of all their utensil friends. This second book in the Adventures of Forkman series is a great introduction to mealtime etiquette for readers of all ages.

 

 

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Review

 

This is a delightful book that aims to teach children proper mealtime etiquette and how to load the dishwasher so that everything comes out nice and clean. This is the second installment and contains chapters 3 and 4. I say this so you aren’t confused wondering why it has chapters 3 and 4 in it and you wonder where the first two chapters disappeared to!

This book is very colorful and will appeal to slightly older children, I would say ages 5-8. Younger children will enjoy the colorful images and might learn something from Forkman’s instruction, but it may not resonate with them quite yet.

I liked the no nonsense approach to Forkman’s teachings of how to load a dishwasher and what sounds are not appropriate at the dinner table, which even included phones. I especially liked how this is a family lesson and they all learned a little something from Forkman. They also enjoy spending time together playing games and eating dinner which helps foster a stronger family unit.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Tiffany Caldwell: I have worked with children for over thirteen years and every year basic manners become less evident. When I was growing up, my sisters and I took etiquette classes during the summer while we visited our grandparents. Etiquette was always a big part of our upbringing. ​ When we would have our family dinners, my dad, W.R. MacKenzie, would make our utensils come to life as we were eating. Forkman became a part of our dinner routine! ​ I am a mother of three great kids and a military wife to my hero. A few years ago, I told my dad we needed to start writing our story. We are so excited to share Forkman with the world!

 

W.R. MacKenzie: I spent thirty-nine years in the bakery business. After I retired and my four children were grown, I felt it was time to share the importance of the family meal with the world. ​​​​​The Adventures of Forkman teaches children how to properly conduct themselves at the table. Our books are filled with characters all children can relate with and I believe Forkman and his crew will help children of all ages learn manners and table etiquette.

 

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Giveaway

 

Autographed copy of THE ADVENTURES OF FORKMAN (USA only) (1 winner) (ends Mar 12)

 

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Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, Historical, romance on March 1, 2021

 

 

An Unexpected Earl

 

by Anna Harrington

 

Publication Date: 2/23/2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

He’s determined to do right by the girl he left behind…


Twelve years ago, former brigadier Brandon Pearce had to give up the girl he loved, Amelia Howard. Now he’s the Earl of Sandhurst, but committed to stopping a criminal group that’s threatening the lives of innocent people. Amelia’s brother is in their clutches, and Pearce has to navigate the slippery slope of being back in Amelia’s life without telling her what he’s really up to.

But he’ll have to deceive her first…

Amelia is now a grown woman with a past she desperately needs to keep hidden in order to save her brother Frederick’s reputation. She’s shocked to discover that Frederick is being blackmailed—and heartbroken that, despite his protestations, Brandon Pearce appears to be on the wrong side of all this.

Pearce is playing a deep game to further his investigation, but he’s willing to do anything for a second chance with Amelia, even when he discovers she has secrets of her own…

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“You’re soaked through and freezing because of me. I can’t stop you from putting yourself unnecessarily at risk—” When Amelia opened her mouth to protest that, Pearce cut her off. “But I can save you from catching your death of cold.” He put his hands on his hips in a commanding pose that showed him as the no-nonsense brigadier he’d become. “Now, take off that dress.”

She refused to move and silently returned his stare. To be honest, the thought of taking off her wet clothes and finding something dry to put on tempted her. Greatly. Especially since an icy puddle was spreading around her feet at that very moment. But she’d never give him the pleasure of admitting he was right about—

A violent shiver shuddered through her so hard that her teeth chattered.

Pearce leveled an I-told-you-so gaze on her that had surely made his subordinates quake in their boots.

“Fine.” With no other choice, Amelia grudgingly turned her back to him. “But I have no maid here.” She tried to inject as much irritation into her voice as possible, so he wouldn’t suspect how the thought of undressing in front of him twisted her belly into an aching tangle of desire. “So if you want me out of this dress, then you’re going to have to help me.”

Her wet hair had tumbled down from the chase, and she lifted it off her back, out of his way, with trembling hands.

When he reached for the row of tiny buttons on her back, she closed her eyes, willing her breath to remain steady, her pulse calm. One by one, the buttons slipped free, and her bodice loosened.

“This is necessary,” he explained, misreading her protests. “You’ll never warm up as long as you’re in this wet thing.”

She bit back a distressed laugh. “And here I thought you were simply attempting to see me naked.”

She could almost hear the rueful twist of his lips. “I’ve undressed you before, you know.”

“When I was nine.” A strained quality laced through her suddenly hoarse voice. “We’ve changed since then. If you persist in this folly, then we’ll both find out exactly how much.”

“It isn’t folly.” He lowered his mouth over her shoulder. “And believe me, Amelia,” he murmured, his breath tickling her ear, “I know exactly how much.”

Foolish longing ached at the back of her weakening knees.

“All done.” The last button slipped free, and her bodice drooped low down her front.

She grabbed at it with both hands to keep it in place as she whirled around to face him. “This isn’t at all prop—”

Her chastisement died beneath his stare. Instantly, her anger was replaced by something else just as fierce. Something that pulsed achingly and made goose bumps spring up across her wet skin, that longed to have his hands running all over her and hers over him. His skin would be just as wet and cold as hers, she knew, but he would also be warm beneath, with smooth skin over hard muscles. The young lad she’d once loved was still there, ready for her to make love to him—

She bit her lip to fight back a groan. Damn the man for making her want him!

“Do you need me?”

Did she need… Yearning pulsed through her, and she squeaked, “Pardon?”

“To remove the rest of your clothes.”

And that sent a wicked spiral of wanton desire shooting right out the top of her head.

Her hand tightened its hold on her bodice as she somehow remembered to keep breathing. “I–I can manage the rest on my own, thank you.”

“Including your corset?” His gaze scorched over her, as if he could see right through her dress.

“Yes,” she breathed out. Her confused brain swirled. Had she just answered his question…or given permission for him to remove even more of her clothing? To do more with her than simply look?

“All right.” But he didn’t turn his back to give her privacy. The rascal didn’t even look away. His eyes remained on her as she stood there in the firelight, her skirts clinging to her hips and legs. “Are you certain?”

“No.” She wasn’t certain about anything when it came to this man…except that he made her feel beautiful. Desirable. Alive.

Was it wrong to let him stir these feelings inside her, to luxuriate in them and the memories of how wonderful their friendship had once been? After all, it was only undressing, and only to keep her from catching cold. A completely practical, not at all sexual reason. As long as nothing intimate happened between them, there was no harm in removing her dress to warm herself, no harm in letting those feelings wash over her.

Apparently, she was now lying to herself.

Yet Pearce kept his distance, and she kept her gaze locked with his as her trembling fingers pulled at the cap sleeves of her dress and tugged them down her arms. The bodice came next, peeling down to her waist and then over her hips and thighs. She pushed the wet material to the floor, then stepped out of both it and her shoes. His eyes never left hers, even as she reached behind her back for her corset and tangled her shaking fingers in the lace. A tug untied the bow. She removed the corset and let it fall to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her stockings and wet shift.

From several feet away, she saw the undulation of his throat as he swallowed. Hard. But his eyes stayed fixed on hers.

“I think you have to agree,” she half whispered, her voice a hoarse whisper, “that a lot’s changed since I was nine.”

A moment’s hesitation…then temptation won, and he dragged a deliberate gaze over her. The wet shift clung to her body, the material surely translucent in the firelight and revealing everything underneath. This time when she shivered, it wasn’t because she was cold.

***

Excerpted from An Unexpected Earl by Anna Harrington. © 2021 by Anna Harrington. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

 

Anna Harrington is an award-winning author of Regency romance. Anna was nominated for a RITA in 2017 and won the 2016 Maggie Award for Best Historical Romance. The Secret Life of Scoundrels. A lover of all things chocolate and coffee, when she’s not hard at work writing her next book or planning her next series, Anna loves to fly airplanes, go ballroom dancing, or tend her roses. She is an English professor in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, Monday, mystery on March 1, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

Double or Muffin (A Merry Muffin Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher: Beyond the Page (February 23, 2021)
Paperback: 234 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In the new Merry Muffin Mystery, baker Merry Wynter must solve a disturbing crime among opera singers before the culprit decides it’s curtains for her . . .

 

When a reality TV show for aspiring opera singers descends on Wynter Castle, Merry’s got her hands full catering to the endless demands of the distinguished judges and ambitious contestants. Then mysterious rumors about the cast and crew begin to surface, suggesting that some of their performances may be filled with false notes. When a dogged reporter with an eye for scandal who’s been covering the competition is attacked and left for dead, Merry’s determined to discover who orchestrated the heinous deed.

Her long list of suspects is filled with eccentric personalities, including a promiscuous tenor known for making unwanted overtures, a pampered young prodigy and her meddlesome mother, and a quiet up-and-comer whose shadowy uncle may have ties to the underworld. As the musical contest and Merry’s investigation near their finale, she’ll have to act fast to keep a conniving contestant from plotting out her final act . . .

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Belling the Cat

 

By: Victoria Hamilton

 

There is an old fable about a group of mice who decide that to lessen the danger of a mouse-hunting cat, they would need to tie a bell around his neck to warn them of his approach. There is a moral to the tale, of course, about how easy it is to come up with a plan, and how difficult it can be to find a way to accomplish it.

That is particularly apt for a writer of mysteries. We often start out knowing what we need a character to do, but too often we’re not sure if it’s possible. And if it is possible, how to achieve it.

Pre-internet I’d spend hours at the library researching one tiny detail at a time, and failing that on the phone trying to track down an expert who could (and would!) answer a question. We’re fortunate indeed to find ourselves now in the age of online research capability. A partial list of topics I researched while writing Double or Muffin, #7 in my Merry Muffin Mysteries, is revealing, to say the least. It includes, but is not limited to: towns in Lithuania, steroid use among opera singers, types of kitchen knives, how to supply a craft services table for a TV production crew and, last but not least, how to get a camera on a cat.

Yes, a camera.

On a cat.

How do you do it? Well, the amusing answer is ‘very carefully’, but there are ways and means. And YouTube videos. If you like cats and you’re interested, just look on YouTube for ‘cat’s eye view cameras’ or something similar and you will find cats set loose in the world with cameras mounted on their backs.

How does that come in to Double or Muffin? If you read the Merry Muffin Mysteries you are familiar with Becket, the outdoorsy wandering ginger cat who survived a year in the wild before Merry arrived at Wynter Castle. You’ll just have to read Double or Muffin to find out what adventure Becket gets into this time! He’s quite the hero of the story.

So, dear readers, what is the weirdest thing (that you can openly confess to) you’ve looked up online? Tell me, do!

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Victoria Hamilton is the bestselling author of several mystery series including the national bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mysteries. She does, indeed, collect vintage kitchenware and bake muffins. She drinks tea and coffee on writing days, and wine other times. It doesn’t do to confuse days. She crochets (a little), paints (a little) and reads (a lot). A solitary being, she can be coaxed out of her writing cave for brownies and cat videos.

She started her writing life as Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of Regency Romances, paranormal historicals and historical mysteries, and still has a soft spot for the Regency period.

If you Google ‘Victoria Hamilton’, you will find listed first a famous actress who starred as the Queen Mother in the series The Crown and as Charlotte Brontë in ‘In Search of the Brontës’. That’s not the Victoria who writes mysteries.

No, really, it’s not!

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Psychological, Review, Thriller on February 28, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

ONE LOVE STORY. TWO MARRIAGES. THREE VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH.

Skye Starling is overjoyed when her boyfriend, Burke Michaels, proposes after a whirlwind courtship. Though Skye seems to have the world at her fingertips―she’s smart, beautiful, and from a well-off family―she’s also battled crippling OCD ever since her mother’s death when she was eleven, and her romantic relationships have suffered as a result.

But now Burke―handsome, older, and more emotionally mature than any man she’s met before―says he wants her. Forever. Except, Burke isn’t who he claims to be. And interspersed letters to his therapist reveal the truth: he’s happily married, and using Skye for his own, deceptive ends.

In a third perspective, set thirty years earlier, a scrappy seventeen-year-old named Heather is determined to end things with Burke, a local bad boy, and make a better life for herself in New York City. But can her adolescent love stay firmly in her past―or will he find his way into her future?

On a collision course she doesn’t see coming, Skye throws herself into wedding planning, as Burke’s scheme grows ever more twisted. But of course, even the best laid plans can go astray. And just when you think you know where this story is going, you’ll discover that there’s more than one way to spin the truth.

 

 

 

IndieBound * Powells * BAM * Powells

 

The book releases March 2nd, 2021

 

Review

 

This book will take you on quite a ride through the lives of three individuals – Burke, Heather, and Skye. Their stories flip from the past to the present and the deception that is revealed is shocking and at times, unbelievable. The book is divided into two parts and this book reminds me of Gone Girl in a way, that you believe one thing to be true and then find out that you couldn’t have been more wrong.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to share what I liked without giving away too much. I will say that I missed some obvious clues about these three and how their stories intersect. But maybe I didn’t and they were just obvious in the second part of the book. It is quite an eye opener and how I felt about the different characters changed and those that I liked or felt sorry for, I now despised. This book definitely got into my head.

I think Skye is the most likable character and the one that I felt sorry for because I thought she was an innocent pawn in this whole debacle. Not that she is totally innocent, but I can see how she got swept up in her feelings for Burke and what he provided for her. You will learn about Skye’s OCD compulsions which are a part of her self image issues. But considering how cruel people can be, especially when they are teenagers, it isn’t a huge surprise.

I had mixed feelings about Burke and Heather. I liked them and hated them all at the same time, especially when the truth is revealed near the end. I think Heather is a bit naive too and she learns near the end of the book what might make her happy isn’t quite as fulfilling as she thought. I fear if I say too much more it will spoil the story.

This is a look into the psyche of the characters and what makes them tick and what lengths are they willing to go to in order to ensure happiness. You might be surprised at their discoveries by the end.

This is definitely a book that will get into your head and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Carola Lovering is the author of TELL ME LIES (out now from Atria Books) and TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE (forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press, early 2021). She attended Colorado College, and her writing has appeared in W Magazine, National Geographic, Outside, and Yoga Journal, among other publications. She lives in Connecticut.

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Psychological, Review, suspense, Thriller on February 27, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

 

 

 

Preorder now, release date is March 2nd, 2021

 

 

Review

 

I have enjoyed psychological thrillers lately. Perhaps it is the way the author draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat as each new bit of information unfolds and sucks you further and further into the story. This book is no exception.

The story is told from multiple points of view and I think that made the story that much better because without the various perspectives we wouldn’t have a full understanding of the big picture. Plus we would have been left wondering how did Matt’s family die and why? But hearing from each character (outside of Tommy the youngest), pieces of the puzzle start falling into place but I still had no idea who was behind it all until the very end. There might be a few clues scattered throughout the book, but they were not obvious to me to put the pieces together.

The characters are very different and I really liked Matt’s “misfit” gang of friends from his first semester in the dorms. This group really looks out for each other and their personalities all mesh well with each other. Ganesh is a true friend and it is quite humorous that he is the richest but cares the least about money and more about experiences.

Sarah Keller is a tough FBI agent but has a soft spot for her kids and her husband. Her husband is quite a hoot and it is obvious how much they adore each other. While a minor part of the story and rounds it out and reflects the outside life of the FBI agent. Sarah is smart and is able to obtain information from others without putting the case at risk.

The book has its moments that left me on edge and hoping that something bad wouldn’t happen. I even felt some sympathy for Danny who was incarcerated for a crime that he may not have committed. But it takes the full book to find out the truth about what happened that night at the party.

Overall this is a very good book and if you are into psychological thrillers then you will like this one. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Alex Finlay is the pseudonym of an author who lives in Washington, D.C. Born in the American South, Alex spent years traversing the globe, from a tropical island in the Pacific to a small village in the UK to a remote region in the Far East. But it was on a trip to Tulum, Mexico that Alex was inspired to write Every Last Fear.

 

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