Book Title: 120 Days by Ronald L. Ruiz
Category: Adult Fiction, 318 pages
Genre: Legal thriller, crime fiction, literary fiction
Publisher: Amika Press
Release date: May 22, 2019

Synopsis

BARBARA BLAKE is a bright, young, attractive, and ambitious defense attorney. Alejandro Soto, an inmate already serving two life sentences for the brutal murder of a drug dealer and the man’s mother, is on trial for a third murder, one he did not commit but that could well result in the Death Penalty. When Blake and Soto meet in the San Cristobal, California courtroom, they begin a 120-day journey that will invariably alter both of their lives. Together, they spiral ever more deeply into the dark heart of a quintessentially American story of sex and love, truth and lies, justice and prejudice, crime and punishment, and, ultimately, life and death.

Praise for 120 Days

“​There is a human element here that is only found in top-tiered crime fiction, and this book is filled with it. I adore all of the major bestselling authors of this genre and have finally found a new favorite that, in my opinion, belongs in the same league. A truly brilliant novel. An exceptional writer. Highly recommended.”
– Readers’ Favorite Reviews

Amazon * Amika Press

 

Guest Post

There are many books out there about….What makes yours different?

A Real Love Story

Many years ago, growing up in Fresno, California, if I was walking down the street or through an alley around nine o’clock in the morning during the summer or on a school holiday, I could hear the same dramatic, dense organ music coming from every house I passed by. After about 20 seconds, a deep, serious male voice would come on, humming for a few moments, and then announce, “The adventures of Helen Trent”. He would then ask the ultimate question: “Can a woman after 35 find romance?” Then he would hum away as the dramatic organ quieted.

Years later, a neighbor used to come out on her side porch at different times of the day and start pounding on her loud typewriter. She was writing nurse love stories, and was the sole support of her large family doing that. They were paperback books that were sold off of racks at Five and Dime stores. I used to wonder how many stories she could possibly write about nurses and love. There had to be some variations. Or were there?

Now come Barbara Blake and Alejandro Soto into my life as characters in my latest book, 120 Days. This is a real love story, or at least it is based on a real love story. Cases that are appealed from decisions in trial courts appear in published volumes, and a few years ago, a case appeared involving a man who had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death had appealed his conviction. His sole defense was that an incompetent lawyer had been court-appointed to represent him, and the allegation of incompetence was that his woman lawyer had fallen in love with him, and given her state of mind, could not have competently represented him at trial.

I knew the woman lawyer involved and was aware of her relationship with the defendant. She was an attractive and intelligent woman and a well-respected lawyer. I could not understand their relationship, but I was sufficiently intrigued to want to write about the idea that an accomplished woman lawyer and a man accused of murder could develop such a relationship. Out of that, I created what I believe is a real love story.

 

About the Author

Ronald L. Ruiz is a retired attorney whose entire career was spent in criminal law as a deputy District Attorney, a District Attorney, a Defense Attorney and a Public Defender.

Website  ~ Facebook

 

Giveaway

Prizes: ​  Win one of two copies of 120 Days, or Amazon gift card of $30 (3 winners) (open USA & Canada)

Ends Aug 30, 2019

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Title: Call Her Mine
Author: Melissa Foster
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Series: Harmony Pointe, #1
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.

Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.

But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.

 

 

Melissa Foster Author Interview

1) ”If a woman can’t find love in the quaint town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them…” —this is the tagline for your newest series Harmony Pointe. Tell us a bit about the town and these women who are finding love.

I love writing about close-knit small towns, where gossip is ripe, and embarrassing tales of youthful rascals abound. Harmony Pointe is nestled between Sweetwater and Port Hudson, New York, not far from the city. It offers grand views of mountains as far as the eye could see. Cobblestone streets, brick-front eclectic shops, and old-fashioned street lights add to the small town’s charm. Readers who are familiar with my Sugar Lake series will recognize Harmony Pointe as Derek Grant’s hometown.

2) What was the idea that sparked the beginning of the series?

I have been itching to write Ben Dalton and Aurelia Stark’s story since I first read about them in WILD BOYS AFTER DARK: LOGAN and BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK (Billionaires After Dark series) and THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake series). Harmony Pointe is a Sugar Lake spin-off, and in the Sugar Lake series several of Ben’s siblings find love. It was finally Ben’s turn.

3) For longtime fans, can you tell us what this series has in common with your previous books? How is the series different from what you have written before?

Avid readers of my Love in Bloom series will have met Ben and Aurelia in several previous books and series. Their story is filled with humor and sexy times, and this one wallops the reader with an ugly-cry worthy punch. This family is very female centric, which is different than most of my other series. The exception is the Montgomerys, cousins to the Daltons, in which the males are also outnumbered. #GirlPower (Bradens & Mongtomerys series).

4) Why was it important that Ben and Aurelia launched this series in Call Her Mine?

Ben and Aurelia were too loud for me to ignore! They were finally ready to share.

5) There are friends-to-lovers romances and then there is Ben and Aurelia who are closer-than-close. Seriously, these two just about live in each other’s heads. What takes them so long to realize that they belong together?

Have you ever had a friend who you love so much that you can’t imagine life without them? I have. It instills a certain level of fear—what if you risk that friendship, lay your feelings on the line, and the other person doesn’t feel the same? True friends, the ones who “get” you, who accept you at your worst, bitchiest states, and at your best, are hard to come by. Risking the friendship is terrifying. I think this was the case for Ben and Aurelia—Plus there’s Ben and his damn planning…
That man made me crazy.
I love him so hard!

6) When romance finally (finally!) is in the cards for these two, they have one very tiny situation that turns up—Ben’s previously unknown infant daughter. What was it like to create an insta-family for this pair?

It was so frigging fun I wish I could do it again! I loved every second of writing this book. I was able to strip Ben and Aurelia down to their most raw selves and emotions, and then watch as they found their new footings together. It was glorious.

7) While it is unfair to ask if you have a favorite hero, we’d love to know what makes Ben so special to you.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes—arrogant, funny, introverted, brilliant, average, overly serious, etc. Ben is like the guy you see sitting at the end of a bar in a fine suit and think he’s probably taken, or at the least too refined to be fun. And then he opens his mouth and melts you, or makes you laugh, at every turn. He’s protective, but not in a bullying way. Don’t even get me started with that man holding a tiny baby, falling in love with her page after page. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.

***

Call Her Mine Excerpt

“I’ve got to go.” She tried to pull away, but he dug his fingers into her knotted muscles, releasing tension and drawing a moan from her traitorous lungs.

“Don’t run off,” he coaxed. “I wasn’t kidding. You are my best friend. I trust you with my secrets, and I love who you are.”

Hope bubbled up inside her, and she closed her eyes, glad he couldn’t see her face. Had their time finally come? “Really?”

“Of course,” he said, and she heard the smile in his voice.

That made her feel all sorts of good, and the truth came easily. “I love who you are, too.”

He leaned his chin on her shoulder, his hard chest pressing against her back as he said, “I especially love who you are when you’re making me breakfast.”

“Ugh!” She pushed to her feet, but he snagged her wrist, giving her the puppy-dog eyes she’d never been able to resist. The ones that said, Please don’t leave me. “Ben,” she warned.

“Relsy,” he pleaded.

“I am not making you breakfast. I have to go.” She yanked her hand away and said, “And I’m busy for the next few weeks. Actually, for a lifetime, so . . .” She shoved her feet into her red Converse sneakers and grabbed her purse.

“I seriously have to make my own breakfast?” Ben pushed to his feet and stretched, six-plus feet of hotness towering over her five-two frame. “But you make waffles better than I do.”

“I do a lot of things better than you. Don’t forget to call Aiden back.” Aiden was his business partner. He’d called Ben last night while they were watching a movie and Ben had made her laugh, causing tequila to come out of her nose, which had sent him into hysterics and rendered him unable to answer the call.

“That’s right.” He grabbed his phone from the table. “He was supposed to set up a meeting with our legal team.”

“For the hotel chain you’re buying?”

“Yeah. Hey, take my sweatshirt. It’s early. You’ll be cold.”

He pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tossed it to her, revealing a dusting of chest hair over muscular pecs and a treasure trail that disappeared beneath the waist of his low-slung jeans. His sweatshirt hit her in the chest and landed at her feet, reminding her she was staring.

Ben laughed. “Nice catch, Rels. Remind me not to pick you for my baseball team.”

“I don’t want to be on your team. You run the bases too slow,” she mumbled as she picked up his sweatshirt and tugged it over her head, inhaling his masculine scent. “I’m out of here.”

“How about cereal?” he asked with a wink. “I’ll make it.”

“Since when did you become so needy?”

A coy grin slid across his face. “I know that once you’re in my kitchen, there’s no holding back. You won’t let me eat crap when you can make something delicious.”

“Yeah, you should see me in the bedroom.” She felt her eyes bug out. She slammed her mouth closed, unable to believe what she’d said. She stormed through the hallway and out the door, followed by Ben’s laughter—and almost tripped over a basket. She leaned back, holding the door open, and hollered, “I think Willow left you muffins. There’s a basket on your porch.”

“Way to go, Willow,” he said as he strode down the hall. “Let’s see the goods.”

She realized she was staring at his bare chest again and snapped, “I’m taking the biggest muffin,” as if it was his fault he had great pecs and abs she wanted to lick, and bite, and—

Down, girl.

He cocked a grin and said, “Take as many as you’d like, but you’ll pay for them later.”

In my dreams.

 

 

 

About the Author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than eighty books, including The Real Thing and Only for You (from her Sugar Lake series). Melissa and her books have been featured in USA Today, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and more. Her novel River of Love has been optioned for film by Passionflix. Melissa also writes sweet romance under the name Addison Cole. When Melissa isn’t writing up a storm, she’s living her own happily ever after with her husband and a gaggle of grown children.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

 

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Stir Up (Lark Davis Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (July 1, 2019)

Synopsis

Peace and quiet is underrated.

After her last brush with murder, Larklyn Davis is relieved to be spending her time with the talented new horse at her stables instead of tripping over body parts. While she’s trying to figure out why her newest horse has lost his mojo, she’s also puzzling over her relationship with the brooding, uncommunicative Detective Brecken Wilson.

But then, disaster strikes, and both Lark’s reputation and business are on the line. Once again she finds herself pulled into a murder case and in close proximity to the handsome Detective. Throw in a dashing veterinarian plus a matchmaking town and Lark’s life spins out of control. As clues pile up and all evidence leads back to her barn, Lark gets saddled up to solve another mystery.

Who knew life in Barrow Bay would stir up so much trouble?

 

Guest Post

Writing and isolation…

When I dreamed of being an author, I had this image of being locked in a room (preferably a tower) and living in relative isolation with just me and my computer. Because, to me, authors were these successful introverts who lived the dream by only interacting with people at their choosing.

I wanted that. After being in sales for years. I wanted it so bad.

But it’s a huge lie. Huge. I can’t tell you how big of a lie.

Oh, wait. I’m about to.

The first thing I learned after finishing my first book was that I needed people. I needed someone to read it and tell me what they thought. So I cleaned it up as best I could (which wasn’t very good at all) and bribed three of my best friends into reading it. And I got back seven words that changed my life.

“This wasn’t horrible. You should keep trying.”

But, to keep trying, I would need more people to read it and give me feedback. And we couldn’t afford an editor without seeing if my word was any good to people who didn’t already love me… so, to the internet I went. I joined beta reading groups other people’s works. I found some great people to read my work and realized something even more shocking. I didn’t know what their advice meant. I mean, I got that there was a problem… but I didn’t understand why it was a problem. And I’m a ‘systems’ person. If I don’t understand the why, I don’t understand the problem. So back to my best friends I went, and one of them gave me the best advice I’ve ever had. She told me to go beta read other people’s work and learn from them.

Seriously. Best. Advice. EVER.

After a week of beta reading numerous books, I had a better understanding of what people meant when they gave me advice. I had studied other books for errors so I could understand those problems on my own. I worked with other people and edited my own feedback to try and not make them cry. I used some of the very words that had mystified me when I got them from my beta readers. Gasp!

Then I wrote again. And sent it out and got back more positive feedback. It was, almost actually good — if I fixed these things. I did, and then I had to find more people to read it. And then more. And then more.

I started this to stop having to talk to people. I hadn’t even published before I realized that, at a minimum, I needed a team of Beta readers. Not just a few, a team of people who all felt confident enough to tell me the truth in a nice tone.

I needed people. This was not the promise of my dream.

Then I went into the editing phase and realized that not only did I need a good editor, I needed an editor that I trusted. Who got me. I found two, because I have been so incredibly lucky. Now I don’t know what I would do without them. I definitely wouldn’t have published. Let me tell you, if you find an editor who can make you laugh so hard you’re crying as she points out failures in your manuscript, you keep them. Because they are golden.

So now, I had a team of people that I could count on to beta my work, all amazing people. And two editors. But I needed people to talk to about publishing. To learn from. So I joined two writers groups. There, I learned from their mistakes and how to market my book.

I watched other authors on the internet to learn from them. I did everything but sit in a room and write.

I joined groups in my genre to share what worked and how to promote my book in my little area of printing. I got even more social media and I check it every day, learning to post and interact with people I don’t know.

To write, publish and sell a book, I need people. Lots of them.

Isolated? Not even close.

Missing being isolated? Not even a little bit.

 

About the Author

Annabelle Hunter is a stay-at-home mom and an avid fan of classic mystery shows and dressage. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and too many animals.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

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Synopsis

Sir Isaac Newton and Chicken Little did the same thing. Chicken Little would have figured it out if she had investigated. In this version, she does, and in the process saves herself and her friends from Foxy Woxy.

 

Review

This is another great STEM book that introduces physics in a simple yet fun way.  An acorn falls on Chicken Little’s head and this leads to figuring out what fell by comparing it to other objects.  The sound that falling objects make is different from character to character, so off to the king to have him make a final declaration.  They are adventures for Chicken Little and the whole gang including Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, and Turkey Lurkey.  There is deception awaiting them from Foxy Woxy, but the other animals use their new information in defeating him.

The illustrations in this book depict the characters and scenes nicely.  I also like how the words on each page are not just text on a page, the words feel interactive.  I feel like this book will spur the imagination of any child and perhaps have them start thinking more about STEM areas without even realizing it.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

About the Author

Lois Wickstrom earned her BA in biology with Chemistry and English minors. She is the creator of the Imagenie videos on YouTube and “Starting With Safety” available from the American Chemical Society. She also co-authored the Nessie’s Grotto Books with Jean Lorrah, and the Orange Forest Rabbit books with Lucrecia Darling.

Website * Twitter * YouTube * Facebook

 

The artist, Francie Mion, received a degree in fine art, then included fine art again into her life after a long career in therapeutic massage.

 

Synopsis

he’s So Cold: Murder, Accusations and the System that Devastated a Family is a true story about three boys whom the police believed killed a twelve-year-old girl.

Donald E. McInnis is a California criminal defense attorney. Early in his career he was a research attorney for the California Superior Courts. Later, he served as a Deputy District Attorney for two northern California counties and a Deputy Public Defender for a southern California county. During his four decades long legal career, Mr. McInnis experienced both the prosecution and defense sides of the law and is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of police and prosecution practices.

When 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe was found stabbed to death on her bedroom floor on Jan. 21, 1998, the Crowe family’s nightmare had only just begun. In the weeks to follow, her brother, Michael, then 14, and two of his friends, Joshua Treadway and Aaron Houser, were charged with her brutal murder.

To be tried as adults, these three juveniles faced charges which carried life long prison sentences. Charged with their defense were criminal defense attorneys Mary Ellen Attridge, Donald E. McInnis and Paul Blake.  These attorneys faced the daunting task of freeing these boys, two of whom had confessed to the murder.

In a last minute series of event, the defense discovers new evidence, and with it, a twisting series of bizarre events unfolds which forever shatters the lives of fifteen people and the childhood of the three young boys.

This is a true story of Police Coercion and the Fifteen Lives Shattered in the Crowe Murder Case.

 

Excerpt

THE CROWE MURDER CASE
by Donald E. McInnis
Author of She’s So Cold: Murder, Accusations and the System that Devastated a Family

 

When a police investigation goes wrong, it is a travesty for all

As one of the defense attorneys in the Crowe murder case, what enrages me most about the botched investigation into the brutal death of 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe is that her father, Steven, and mother, Cheryl, never got the closure of knowing that the real killer had been caught, convicted, and sentenced to prison. To make matters worse, these parents had to suffer through the horror of their 14-year-old son being prosecuted for Stephanie’s murder.

The incredibly frustrating fact is that the Escondido detectives had all the evidence they needed to arrest the man whom a jury would eventually convict for killing the little girl. Instead, they followed the hunch of a uniformed officer who felt Michael was not showing enough grief over the loss of his sister.

What evidence did the detectives overlook? On the night of the stabbing of young Stephanie Crowe, a vagrant named Richard Tuite was seen in the neighborhood peering through windows, knocking on doors, and walking into homes looking for a young woman named Tracy – a young woman who looked like Stephanie.

The day after the discovery of Stephanie’s body, the police had already decided that the murder was the result of a well-thought-out plan, since they had found no evidence at the murder scene that could lead them to the murderer. The police therefore expanded their initial investigation and went looking for the 28-year-old vagrant. Tuite was found in a laundromat several miles away from the Crowes’ home. The patrol officer, following protocol, took Tuite to the police station, where the suspect was stripped of his clothes, photographed, interviewed, and given new clothing; his clothing was bagged and catalogued. In the investigating officer’s opinion, however, Tuite was mentally incapable of such a “sophisticated” murder, so he was released.

Tuite’s clothing, along with clothing of the Crowe family, was examined by the local crime lab. No physical evidence was found connecting anyone to the murder. But instead of sending the clothing on to another lab for advanced DNA testing, the evidence was stored at the police station.

Since the police had no other leads, they turned to 14-year-old Michael Crowe. After two days of interrogation, they got a confession. Two friends of Michael’s, 14-year-old Joshua Treadway and 15-year-old Aaron Houser, were also interrogated, and incriminating statements were obtained. The Escondido police had their man, or at least their boys. Case closed.

Until a year after the murder, when the defense attorneys for the three boys demanded further DNA testing, and Tuite’s clothing was sent to an advanced lab in Berkeley, California. By now, Joshua Treadway’s trial was starting. Then came the news that shocked everyone: Tuite’s clothing had splatters of Stephanie’s blood on it. All charges against the boys were dropped and Tuite was charged for Stephanie’s murder.

Very few of us know what it is like to lose a child, much less by the supposed hand of your own son, who you know in your heart could not have committed such a horrible act. Steven and Cheryl had to live with this terrible reality simply because the police proceeded on a hunch and saw no need to send Tuite’s clothing for further DNA testing.

But the dismissal of charges against Michael was not the end of the Crowe family’s suffering. After two jury trials for murder and nearly 12 years after Stephanie’s death, Richard Tuite was found not guilty of the murder, due in part to how the police handled the evidence. Not only did the one person the Crowes felt could have murdered Stephanie go free, but now this family faced the worst possible ending to their daughter’s death — no closure. One can’t image the continuing pain the Crowe family has had to live with these last 20 years.

It is hoped my book She’s So Cold, a true and accurate telling of the failed police investigation, once and for all sets the story straight as to why Michael and his friend were maliciously interrogated and prosecuted for a crime they did not commit. Their story of what happens when the police interrogate a child is a warning to every parent: Do not let this happen to your child.

In an effort to prevent such catastrophes in the future, I propose new Miranda rights warnings specifically worded so children can better understand their constitutional rights, and a Bill of Rights for Children for when they are being investigated by police. These new protections are in the Appendix to She’s So Cold. We need not repeat the painful agony that the Crowe family continues to live with to this very day.

About the Author

Donald E. McInnis is the author of She’s So Cold: Murder, Accusations and the System that Devastated a Family. He is a California criminal defense attorney, and he represented one of the three accused boys, Aaron Houser, in the Stephanie Crowe murder case. Over the span of his 40-year legal career, Mr. McInnis has worked alternately for the prosecution and for the defense, having served as a deputy district attorney for two California counties and as a deputy public defender for one California county during his early professional years.

Website

 

Dragonfly

by

Leila Meacham

  Genre: Historical / WWII / Espionage

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Date of Publication: July 9, 2019

Number of Pages: 576

Scroll down for giveaway!

 

 

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Roses comes a gripping new novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris

At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer-all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly.

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But…is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

Amazon ◆ Barnes & Noble

Indiebound   ◆  Walmart 

 

 

 

Praise

“Meacham’s impeccable pacing and razor-wire tension evoke the daily drama of life under a Reich whose French reign might have lasted little more than four years but felt like the thousand years that it threatened to endure.” ―Bookpage

“Meacham’s nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation.” ―Booklist

“Complex, epic, and rich in historical detail-an uplifting story of finding friendship behind enemy lines.” ― Kirkus

 

 

I will probably not do this review justice but I’ll tell you right off the bat I LOVED this book and could not put it down.  The intrigue, the danger, the interwoven storylines….all of this make Dragonfly one of the best books I have read all year.

“One loose thread can unravel the whole ball of twine.”

Truer words were never spoken when it comes to this book.  This book follows five spies for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, a real government agency during WWII in case you didn’t know) and their various missions in Paris to seek information about the Germans and help end this war sooner rather than later.  While they know all five will be there, where the drop box is located to pass along information, and the mural for coded messages, they do not know each other’s cover names, stories, or missions.  Yet, as this story progresses their missions become intertwined and it is just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose!

This story kept me up many late nights because I could not put the book down!  I felt my breath catching and my heart skipping a beat as I followed these five spies across Paris serving their country but also for some personal reasons.  The story starts out as we are introduced to the six main characters – the five spies and their handler.  The book opens in 1962 which is approximately 20 years after they are recruited and it is about time for a reunion that they planned before they set off to Paris.  There are actually two reunions, one more immediate after the war and then this one twenty years later.  As the last reunion is about to commence, Alistar (the handler) discovers a book that tells the story of their mission, Dragonfly.  This starts a journey for the author and his source and brings back many memories of the war and how the situations played out for everyone.

“On into late fall and throughout the rest of the year, Dragonfly hovered close to waters teeming with an increasingly frantic enemy.”

This line reflects the pace of the book for me.  Most of it was quick but there were times where the story played out in a calmer fashion.  Having both types of situations made the story that much more appealing to me.  I watched one of the characters mourn for the loss of someone close to her, another rejoice in finding family, and all of them learn something about themselves that they probably never would have expected – the fortitude to continue despite the circumstances or situations.  It also reflected the mindset of some of the Germans in Paris and what they truly thought about Hitler and what was coming down the pike regarding the war.

I found the story well crafted and for the author to be able to intersect the missions of the various characters was genius.  There is so much more that could have been written about the war and potentially even expanded the missions of the characters, but it was wrapped up quite nicely and I found myself shedding a few tears at the end.  So be prepared and have a tissue on hand.

If I could give this book more than 5 paws I would in a heartbeat.  If you love historical fiction you will want to pick up this book and read it soon.

 

 

Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is the author of the bestselling novels Roses, Tumbleweeds, Somerset, and Titans.

 

Website  ~  Facebook

Goodreads ~ BookBub

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TWO SIGNED COPIES OF DRAGONFLY

August 7-17, 2019

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

8/7/19	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
8/7/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/8/19	Review	Nerd Narration
8/9/19	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
8/9/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
8/10/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/10/19	BONUS Audio Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/11/19	Audio Review	Forgotten Winds
8/12/19	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
8/12/19	Review	Bibliotica
8/13/19	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/13/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/14/19	Audio Review	Sydney Young, Stories
8/15/19	Guest Post	Missus Gonzo
8/16/19	Review	Max Knight
8/16/19	Review	Book Fidelity

 

 

 

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Apples and Alibis (A Down South Cafe Mystery Book)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Grace Abraham Publishing (August 13, 2019)
Print Length: 188 pages

Synopsis

That’s the last time Amy agrees to do a favor for a stranger…

Down South Cafe owner, Amy Flowers is in over her head. Operating a cafe while hosting the first Farmers’ Market in Winter Garden has her swimming in apples. And when an elderly woman calls the cafe, pleading for a delivery for her upcoming party, Amy relents, feeling compelled to help the desperate customer.

But when she arrives, the woman is slumped over her kitchen table, and Amy is catapulted into the middle of a small town crime. Guilt-ridden for not arriving earlier to save the woman, she sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding the woman. Now, between running the cafe and dealing with the chaos of the farmers’ market, Amy is squeezing in a murder investigation, a run-in with her boyfriend’s mom, and her own mother’s quirky life decisions. Life can’t get any worse…or can it? This cafe owner needs a break–in the case.

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo

 

About the Author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. I also write as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I write the  Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I write the Embroidery Mystery series.

The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The heroine, Daphne, has returned to her hometown of Brea Ridge to open a cake baking and decorating business and is wrestling with the question of whether or not one can go home again. She enjoys spending time with her sister, nephew, and niece, but she and her mother have a complicated relationship that isn’t always pleasant. Daphne has also reconnected with her high school sweetheart and is pursuing a rekindled romance while desperately trying to put her past behind her.

Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”

Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”

The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. Marcy Singer left her home in San Francisco, along with the humiliation of being left at the altar, in order to move to Tallulah Falls and realize her dream of owning her own shop. She takes along her faithful companion, a one-year-old Irish wolfhound named Angus O’Ruff. She makes many new friends in Tallulah Falls, but she also makes a few enemies. Thankfully, her best friend Sadie MacKenzie and her husband Blake run the coffeehouse right down the street from Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch; and Detective Ted Nash always has her back.

Publishers Weekly says, “Fans of the genre will take kindly to Marcy, her Irish wolfhound, Angus O’Ruff, and Tallulah Falls. This is a fast, pleasant read with prose full of pop culture references and, of course, sharp needlework puns.”

Pat Cooper of RT Book Reviews says, “If her debut here is any indication, Lee’s new series is going to be fun, spunky and educational. She smoothly interweaves plot with her character’s personality and charm, while dropping tantalizing hints of stitching projects and their history. Marcy Singer is young, fun, sharp and likable. Readers will be looking forward to her future adventures.” (RT Book Reviews nominated The Quick and the Thread for a 2010 Book Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Amateur Sleuth category)

I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I’m having a blast writing this new series!

Gayle Leeson Website ~ Gayle Trent Website ~ Facebook

Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

 

A GLITTER OF GOLD

Georgia Coast Romance #2

by

Liz Johnson

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance / Mystery

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: August 6, 2019

Number of Pages: 368

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

Discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world

Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but things do not go as planned.

Carter is fascinated with the wreck, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do again: trust a man.

Praise

“Both an exciting treasure hunt and penetrating exploration of overcoming mistakes Johnson’s excellent novel will captivate readers.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

Baker Book House ◆ Amazon ◆ Barnes & Noble

Christianbook.com ◆ Kobo ◆ Books-A-Million

Additional Retailers 

 

 

Songs for A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson

Listen here for free on Spotify!

(Spotify account required to listen or Register here for free)

 

 

 

Playlist songs:

“Prisoner” by NEEDTOBREATHE

“Hello Hurricane” by Switchfoot

“Only Water” by Brandon Heath

“She (For Liz)” by Parachute

“Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips

“Ships in the Night” by Mat Kearney

“Be My Escape” by Relient K

“More Heart, Less Attack” by NEEDTOBREATHE

“I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons

“Devil’s Been Talkin’” by NEEDTOBREATHE

“Burning Man” by Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne

“Cages” by NEEDTOBREATHE

“Free” by Switchfoot

“Even If” by Mercy Me

“More Than Anything” by Natalie Grant

“If I’m Not in Love with You” by Faith Hill

“Dyin’ Day” by Brandon Heath

“I Hold On” by Dierks Bentley

“Forgiven” by Relient K

“My Lighthouse” by Rend Collective

 

 

While not an official reviewer for this tour, I was excited to be given a copy of the book to read especially since I had read her first book in this series, A Sparkle of Silver.

The author takes us back to Savannah Georgia and Tybee Island where the weather is unpredictable and the people are friendly. Enter Anne, she has a sullied past that was not of her own doing but she has made her home in Savannah running Rum Runners Tours sharing the history of pirates and their impact on the town.  Carter is bucking his father’s aspirations for him and loves history which is in part due to his Aunt giving him a diary from 250 years ago.

This book has so much going for it – love, guilt, fear, mystery, faith, and the pursuit of happiness.  Anne has a lot of guilt that is weighing her down due to events that were beyond her control yet she took the blame for the tragedy.  This is a theme that runs through the book and I found this line very appropriate to how she feels about herself and the situation that happened:

“But what you’re really carrying is shame.  Shame for your actions. Shame for your inaction. Shame for the embarrassment you caused your family.”

Anne beats herself up in this book…a LOT!  It has also made it hard for her to trust anyone or even allow herself to be happy.  It is very sad to see someone beat themselves up over the past the way Anne does in this story.  As the details are revealed her actions and words make more sense.  She has a lot to learn and finding a treasure, meeting Carter, and moving forward does help.

Carter has his own baggage in going against his father and the career plans that he wanted Carter to follow which did not line up with Carter’s dreams.  I had to admire Carter for sticking to his guns and making it on his own.  Granted, not everything was flowing smoothly but he was out there and wasn’t bailed out by his family’s name or connections.

One of the minor characters that I really like is Tessie, Carter’s aunt.  She was disowned from her family for following her heart and she was wise to not second guess her actions.  She is very wise in her conversations with Anne and I think it was something of a turning point for Anne’s life.

Another point of the story that stuck out to me is how the media was not portraying the whole story about what happened to Anne.  As we see in today’s media, they are only focused on the bad and not the whole truth which is a sad state of affairs for our country.

The mystery comes from the treasure that is found plus the diary.  While I don’t want to spoil too much of the story, I liked this passage that was in the diary because while written 250 years it still applies today.

“My heart, which was injured beyond repair, has been restored. And I believe only a good God would allow me to know such joy. For I do feel joy and love and enough merriment to dance a thousand jigs.”

All in all, we enjoyed this story and was treated to a sneak peek of the next book in this series and I cannot WAIT to read the story of Penelope and Tucker.  That’s all I’m saying.  We give this book 4 paws up and as a side note while it is the second in a series you do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one.

 

 

 

Liz Johnson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Sparkle of Silver, A Glitter of Gold, The Red Door Inn, Where Two Hearts Meet, and On Love’s Gentle Shore, as well as a New York Times bestselling novella and a handful of short stories. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona.

 ║ Website ║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║

║ Instagram║ Goodreads ║

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————————————-

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize: Copies of both Georgia Coast Romance Series Books + $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card;

Second Prize: Copy of Glitter of Gold + $10 Starbucks Gift Card;

Third Prize: Copy of Glitter of Gold + Tote Bag

AUGUST 6-16, 2019

(U.S. Only)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Check out the other blogs on this tour

8/6/19	Scrapbook Page	The Clueless Gent
8/6/19	Bonus Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/7/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
8/8/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/9/19	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/10/19	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
8/11/19	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/12/19	Playlist	StoreyBook Reviews
8/13/19	Author Interview	Forgotten Winds
8/14/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/15/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

Rest, Relax, Run for Your Life (Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (March 1, 2019)
Paperback: 280 pages

Synopsis

Piper and Samantha are in heaven. Well, close. After winning a contest to raise the most money for human trafficking awareness and prevention, Piper and Sam are rewarded with a long weekend at the O Heavenly Day Spa. When mysterious notes start appearing everywhere, things get uncomfortable. When spa treatments go awry it is starting to get dangerous. A threatening message in Piper’s closet convinces Piper and Sam that they have to find out who is behind all of these disasters before someone gets hurt. Is it Broussard the stuffy concierge? Gladys, the sweet old lady who decided to join them for the weekend? When the smoke alarms go off and the spa erupts into panic, the chaos separates the friends and Piper stumbles into trouble. Will her friends be able to help her in time?

 

Review

To me, this is a unique cozy that addresses some heavy topics – mainly human trafficking.  I have to give the author major points for coving a heavy issue in this book and I definitely appreciated the information that was shared in relation to a friend of Piper’s from when she was younger.  It was thoughtfully addressed and well explained.  To top it off, it created quite a twist at the end, which I sort of expected but won’t tell you what it is in case you don’t guess!  Then there is the spa, which I inferred was created by a church, and the employees are volunteers but are doing this all for a good cause.  Hence the competition to raise money and Piper and Sam winning the spa weekend by raising the most funds for the charity.

Piper and Sam are each other’s yin and yang when it comes to their friendship and their work environment.  They make a great team in the bakery and many of their desserts sound delicious.  Even the name of the bakery makes the desserts sound sinful.  Piper is a chocolate fanatic and a woman after my own heart. She even brings chocolate to the spa just in case of an emergency.  Definitely someone that I would want to be associated with in case I needed some of that emergency chocolate.

The mystery is a little different – Piper and Sam are trying to find out who is leaving these threatening notes and what do they really mean.  They are threatening but vague and it takes some super sleuthing to get to the bottom of this mystery.  I was surprised at the antagonist as it wasn’t someone I suspected but some clues fell into place when everything was revealed.

As I mentioned, there is a twist at the end, a cliffhanger if you will, that wasn’t surprising but I am curious to see how this plays out in the next book.  I also read in the author’s bio that this is a YA cozy and I don’t think it fits in the YA category.  It is very clean, as all cozies should be, but I am not sure where the YA comes into play since the characters are at least in their 20s.

We enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.

 

About the Author

Katherine Brown is a Texas girl, a lover of books, and a weaver of words. Her first official publication was of two children’s books in 2017, which has now grown into five books of the School is Scary series; however, she likes to think her career as a writer started when she sold her parents newsletters of articles about school and poetry for fifty cents per copy as a pre-teen. Married to a wonderful husband and mom of a smart, spunky stepdaughter, Katherine enjoys spending time with family and reading as many new books as she can get her hands on. Her YA series, the Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery series, is ramping up in 2019 with book 1 released in March and book 2 was released June 1, 2019.

 

Website * Amazon Author Page * Facebook

BookBub * Goodreads * Instagram

 

Title: THE WALLFLOWER WAGER

Author: Tessa Dare

ISBN: 9780062672162

Price: $7.99

On-Sale Date: 8/13/19

 

Synopsis

They call him the Duke of Ruin.

To an undaunted wallflower, he’s just the beast next door.

Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.

Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.

When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.

Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?

And a two-legged dog.

And a foul-mouthed parrot.

And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .

Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.

Not if he ruins her first.

Excerpt

She circled back, standing before him. “There now. Better?”

He gave a reluctant nod.

“Can you move your arm in all directions?”

He rolled his shoulder to prove it. “Yes.”

“What about your grip?

“My grip is strong.”

“Perhaps I should wrap the arm in a sling.”

“I do not need a sling.”

“Wait here. I’ll dash upstairs to fetch some linen and—”

“For the love of God, woman. My shoulder is fine.” He took her by the waist and lifted her straight off the floor, until they were eye to eye. “There. Believe me now?”

She nodded, wide-eyed.

“Good.”

In his hands, she was delicate, breakable. Her hair was a golden treasure he should never, ever touch. And oh, how he hungered for those soft, pink lips.

The familiar voice echoed in his ears.

Don’t touch, boy. She’s not for the likes of you.

Put. Her. Down.

But before Gabe could lower those beribboned pink slippers to the floor, she captured his sooty, sweaty face in her hands—

And kissed him on the lips.

 

About the Author

Tessa Dare is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty historical romances. Her books have won numerous accolades, including Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® award (twice) and the RT Book Reviews Seal of Excellence. Booklist magazine named her one of the “new stars of historical romance,” and her books have been contracted for translation in more than a dozen languages.

A librarian by training and a booklover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, their two children, and a trio of cosmic kitties.

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