Book Title: What’s Not True by Valerie Taylor

 

Category: Adult Fiction 18+

 

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

 

Publisher: She Writes Press, 321 pages

 

Release date: August 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

With her court date set for her divorce and her plans with the younger man in the rearview mirror, Kassie O’Callaghan shifts attention to reviving her stalled career. But things get complicated when she unexpectedly rendezvous with her former lover in Paris. After a chance meeting there with a colleague and a stroll along Pont Neuf, Kassie receives two compelling proposals. Can she accept them both?

But Kassie’s decision process screeches to a halt when her soon-to-be ex-husband has a heart attack, forcing her to fly home to Boston. There, she confronts his conniving and deceitful fiancée—a woman who wants not just a ring on her finger but everything that belongs to Kassie. In the ensuing battle to protect what’s legally and rightfully hers, Kassie discovers that sometimes it’s what’s not true that can set you free.

 

 

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

 

IndieBound ~ Book Depository

 

 

Praise

 

“What’s Not True…is an enthralling, character-driven story that will appeal irresistibly to fans of women’s fiction…Taylor’s prose is crystalline…she does not waste words, rather using them to create a tense, nerve-shredder that offers full entertainment to readers.” — Readers’ Favorite 5-star review

 

 

Guest Post

 

 

Why I Read Stephen King

 

By Valerie Taylor

 

Author of What’s Not Said (She Writes Press, 2020) and What’s Not True (She Writes Press, August 2021)

 

 

A question I get often is: Who is your favorite author? You’d think that would be easy for any author to answer. But there are so many great authors, and so little time!

That said, growing up, I remember cozying up in bed or on the beach with Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew and, of course, Agatha Christie, mysteries. When I think back on that now, I’m surprised I ended up writing women’s fiction instead of mysteries. As an adult, my interests shifted or expanded to historical fiction, the latest New York Times best sellers, and non-fiction business and self-help books.

Nevertheless, throughout the years, one author’s latest thrillers and horror stories have found their way consistently to the top of my to-be-read pile. That would be Stephen King. How could this happen, when I am not a regular reader of other horror fiction authors, like Dean Koontz, Bram Stroker, Peter Straub, or a host of others? It’s just Stephen King.

And more than a dozen years ago, I made a commitment to be sure I read at least one of King’s books a year, no matter what other career or book club selections competed for my eyeballs. Choosing which King book I’d read seemed like buying myself a gift. While putting in long days, I had my cherished King book to look forward to late at night.

What makes King so compelling to me personally as a writer is his storytelling prowess. There really is no one better. I find his main characters deeply flawed, yet worthy of being saved. His worldbuilding sucks you in, and sometimes down, to a place you could never imagine even after binging on your favorite booze. The stakes are always the highest, and the conflict and tension never subsides even after the last page! The story lingers well into the night and the next day.

King freaks us out because he writes about things we’re familiar with: a cell phone, a prom, a hotel, JFK’s death…to name just a few examples.

Most of all I’m enthralled by and admire King’s actual writing. His sentences aren’t overly complex, but he tells the story with the best words. In essence, that’s why I read Stephen King. Because I learn about writing and storytelling. It’s as simple as that.

Which reminds me of my second favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, who has inspired me to write that one perfect sentence.

I’m afraid I never will.

 

 

About the Author

 

Valerie Taylor was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. She earned a B.S. Marketing degree and an MBA from Sacred Heart University, as well as a graduate certificate in health care administration from Simmons University (formerly Simmons College). She had a thirty-year career in the financial services industry as a marketer and writer. Valerie is a published book reviewer with BookTrib.com; and a member of Westport Writers’ Workshop, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She enjoys practicing tai chi and being an expert sports spectator.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win an ebook of WHAT’S NOT SAID, plus 1 of 5 print or 1 of 5 ebooks of WHAT’S NOT TRUE or a $20 Amazon Gift Card! (11 winners/USA only)(ends Oct 19)

WHAT’S NOT TRUE Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

ONCE UPON A CAMEL

 

By Kathi Appelt

 

 

Categories: Middle Grade Fiction / Historical / Friendship / Ages 8-12

Publisher: Atheneum / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Pub Date: September 7, 2021

Pages: 336 pages

 

Scroll for the Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Zada is a camel with a treasure trove of stories to tell. She’s won camel races for the royal Pasha of Smyrna, crossed treacherous oceans to new land, led army missions with her best camel friend by her side, and outsmarted a far too pompous mountain lion.

But those stories were from before. Now, Zada wanders the desert as the last camel in Texas. But she’s not alone. Two tiny kestrel chicks are nestled in the fluff of fur between her ears—kee-killy-keeing for their missing parents—and a dust storm the size of a mountain is taking Zada on one more grand adventure. And it could lead to this achy old camel’s most brilliant story yet

 

 

 

Simon and Schuster~ Bookshop.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What an enticing tale to encourage young readers. I think this is a book my great-niece would enjoy with the characters, history, and the stories within the story.

This adventure follows Zada, a camel that has made her way to Texas from the middle east. We learn about Zada’s life growing up in Smyrna and what happened to her once she arrived in Texas and how she came to be in Texas. This is all told through stories to two Kestrel chicks that have been separated from their parents during a haboob or windstorm. Haboobs aren’t common to Texas so we would call it something else but that brings in a new word for the reader. As Zada and the chicks take shelter in a cave, she has to worry if the mountain lion will be there and decide to attack or if they will be able to ride out the storm in peace. Thankfully, it is the former, but this is when the stories really begin and there is even a story that involves the lion that Zada wisely saves for when it is needed to protect them.

The two Kestrel chicks are a hoot and are constantly bugging each other and it reminds me of any family with children that complain about someone touching them, or crossing a line, or just basically bugging their sibling. However, Zada is able to bring calm and peace to the situation with her stories and keep the chicks safe while entertaining them so they don’t get into trouble.

Each story is magical and I loved the illustrations that accompany the book. I appreciated the dates at the beginning of each chapter so I knew if this was Zada’s past or more of her present.

This is not only an entertaining book but one that is educational as well. I learned things about camels, weather, birds (especially Kestrels), history, and so much more. I really enjoy it when a story incorporates history in a fun way that you don’t realize you are learning something new.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathi Appelt is the author of the Newbery Honoree, National Book Award finalist, and bestselling The Underneath as well as the National Book Award Finalist The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Maybe a Fox (with Alison McGhee), Keeper, and many picture books including Counting Crows and Mogie, the Heart of the House. She lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband and five gifted and talented cats.

 

 

 

 

Website ║ Facebook ║ Instagram

 

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

Three signed copies of the book

 

(US only. Ends midnight, CDT, 10/9/21)

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily.

Or, visit the blogs directly:

 

9/29/21	Book Trailer	The Clueless Gent
9/29/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/30/21	Excerpt	That’s What She’s Reading
9/30/21	Review	The Plain-Spoken Pen
9/30/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
10/1/21	Review	Forgotten Winds
10/1/21	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
10/2/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
10/3/21	Video Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
10/4/21	Review	The Page Unbound
10/5/21	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/5/21	Review	Stories Under Starlight
10/6/21	Review	Julia Picks 1
10/7/21	Scrapbook Page	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
10/7/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
10/8/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
10/8/21	Review	Book Bustle

 

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan.

As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It’s a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him.

When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehys—especially when islanders start dying.

Ash is sick of their father’s fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately needed—but everything goes sideways when Ash’s mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash’s family history.

The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy they’re starting to love. Meanwhile, Rowan will have to decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island.

 

 

 

 

Amazon US * Amazon UK * B&N

 

Kobo * Book Depository

 

 

Excerpt

 

Rowan

 

My sisters danced in the waves as I bled on the shore.

Their hair unspooled in the wind; their hands lifted toward the moon hanging like a scythe above the black ocean. They raised their voices, the spell harmonized in four parts, and I felt its pull.

The ghosts within me joined in the chorus, every soul shard ululating to the bruised night and fading stars. I let them sing; I was powerless to stop them. Instead, I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar thrum of the departed within my bones as my sisters chanted in the old tongue, the language of the tamed gods from whom we claimed our power.

Salt stung the wounds cut across my forearms by each of my sisters’ blades. Four fresh lines gouged between old scars. I knelt on the sand turning red beneath my knees and let the water take what it would of me.

My sisters’ song rose in pitch and volume, their voices straining, beseeching the waves to accept this offering from my veins. Ribbons of light rippled through the foam, darting toward their naked bodies as they spun and splashed.

The waves lapped hungrily at my blood, soaking my jeans, icy fingers in my skin. A final pull, as if I were being dragged below by a rip current, swallowed by the sea, and my sisters gasped as one.

My ghosts fell silent, spent.

Dawn slashed its talons across the horizon sending gold and vermilion bleeding through the shredded clouds, and in the light, my sisters’ hair turned to flames, each an inferno circling a delicate face.

The spell complete, they dragged their limbs made heavy with renewed power from the waves and pulled clothes over sticky skin.

“Thank you,” Iona said as she removed bandages from her satchel. She bound my arms as the others toweled their hair and gathered their blades. “See you back at the house?”

I nodded.

“You’ll be all right?” She cast a glance toward the cliffs at my back, their shadow receding from the sand but never from my heart, or what was left of it.

“Aye, I’ll be fine. Just need a minute.”

Iona patted my shoulder as I gingerly rolled down my sleeves.

I heard them leave, clambering along the pebble-strewn path that zig-zagged up the cliffs, but kept my gaze on the ocean. The tide was coming in, the waves thundering against the rocky arms extending in a deadly embrace from either side of the cove.

Cold and drained, I retreated from the waves racing higher along the beach and dusted the sand from my jeans, stiff with salt.

Having pulled on my boots, I started the steep climb, my legs weak, and my arms still numb from the spell. With my sisters gone and their magic dissipating, the birds returned, screeching their greetings to the dawn as they whirled above the black rock.

At the top of the cliff, I whistled for Auryn. She came at once, trotting through the meadow with a mouthful of dewy grass. She followed me as I traced a path along the edge of the cliff. I couldn’t help it, as if an invisible hook had caught within my sinews, reeling me back to this same spot every time I drew near.

Years of storms had washed the stone clean, but I didn’t need to see the stain to know the place my heart had beat its last. The breath caught in my lungs like wool tangled in a brier. Auryn nudged my shoulder, huffing sweet breath in my face.

Taking hold of her mane, I leapt onto her back, letting her carry me away from memories of death as it began to rain.

 

 

About the Author

 

Climber, tattoo-enthusiast, peanut-butter addict, and loyal shibe-minion, Xan van Rooyen is a genderqueer, non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland where the heavy metal is soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Xan has a Master’s degree in music, and–when not teaching–enjoys conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. You can find Xan’s short stories in the likes of Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Daily Science Fiction, and The Colored Lens among others. Xan hangs out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook so feel free to say hi over there.

 

Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Three generations of dads, playing traditional roles in each other’s lives, arrive simultaneously at significant crossroads. The decisions they make and the actions they take will directly – and eternally – affect each other. After a life of hard work and raising children, Robert is enjoying his well-deserved retirement when he discovers that he has an illness he might not be able to beat. At 19, Jonah is sprinting across the threshold of adulthood when he learns, stunningly, that he’s going to become a father. And Oliver – Robert’s son and Jonah’s dad – has entered middle age and is paying its demanding price. While reconciling the time and effort it has taken him to reach an unfulfilling career and an even less satisfying marriage, he realizes that it’s imperative that he keep it all together for the two men who mean everything to him. When different perspectives lead to misunderstandings that remain unspoken – sometimes for years – it takes great strength and even more love to travel beyond the resentment. Dad: A Novel chronicles the sacred legacy of fatherhood.

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * IndieBound

 

 

Guest Post

 

It’s become a bit of a signature for Steven to include a poem at the very end of his novels. Here’s what he has selected for this one.

 

 

The Greatest Teachers

 

by Steven Manchester

 

My children have taught me…
that trust is sealed before the first step
and real understanding does not require words;
that a baby’s breath and angels’ wings make the same sound,
and bonds forged on sleepless nights are eternal.

My children have taught me…
that the greatest wonders are found within the smallest moments;
and the grip of a tiny hand slips away much too fast;
that the word “proud” can inspire unimaginable feats,
while the word “disappointed” can scar the soul.

My children have taught me…
that doing something means so much less than being there,
as one day at the park is more valuable than ten visits to the toy store;
that laughter is contagious and can destroy all worries,
and Santa Claus is alive and well—all that’s needed is faith.

My children have taught me…
that the most powerful prayers are made up of the simplest words,
humbled, grateful and spoken from the heart;
and that for most ailments, the best medicine is a kiss
or a hug for someone who wouldn’t dream of asking.

My children have taught me…
that friends can be made with no more than a smile
and real blessings are found amongst family and friends;
that the future promises magic and wonder,
and that dreams must be chased until each one comes true.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

New England’s Storyteller Steven Manchester is the author of the soul-awakening novel, The Menu, as well as the 80s nostalgia-fest, Bread Bags & Bullies. His other works include #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies, and Gooseberry Island; the national bestsellers, Ashes, The Changing Season and Three Shoeboxes; the multi-award winning novel, Goodnight Brian; and the beloved holiday podcast drama, The Thursday Night Club. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, and BET’s Nightly News. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He is a multi-produced playwright, as well as the winner of the 2017 Los Angeles Book Festival, 2018 New York Book Festival, and 2020 New England Book Festival. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

When Tessa’s big-city plans take the A Train to disaster, she lands in her sleepy hometown, smack in the middle of the most unlikely love triangle ever to hit Pennsylvania’s Amish Country.

Hot-shot Dr. Richard Bruce is bound to Green Ridge by loyalty that runs deep. Deeper still is Jonas Rishel’s tie to the land and his family’s Amish community. Behind the wheel of a 1979 camper van, Tessa idles at a fork in the road. Will she cruise the superhighway to the future? Or take a slow trot to the past and a mysterious society she never dreamed she’d glimpse from the inside?

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N

 

 

Review

 

This romance intrigued me with the Amish characters, the small town ways, and Tessa’s dilemma as to what she is going to do with her life now.

Tessa is back in her hometown and has to decide where her next journey will be since several things have fallen apart – losing a job as a teacher, plans for NYC destroyed – so why not housesit for her parents while she figures it out? She is roped into volunteering for several events and is set up with a doctor, Richard. She also meets Jonas, an Amish man, at the farmer’s market. These two couldn’t be more opposites if they tried. I’ll tell you right now, I am Team Jonas. Richard is underhanded and overbearing and needs to be taken down a peg or two.

While love is at the crux of the story, it is also about discovering who you are and what you want from life. Tessa is able to do some soul searching to discover her path in life, but it takes some time and nothing is resolved quickly. But it isn’t meant to be and finding the right direction for your life is more important than love that might be fleeting if you are not in the right place to receive that love.

I had to laugh at the camper van but I was also amazed at the versatility of that vehicle!

Great story and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Wendy Rich Stetson is a New York City girl who still considers the Central Pennsylvania countryside to be her home.  She grew up road tripping in a 1979 VW camper van, and she keeps a running list of favorite roadside attractions from coast to coast.  Now an author of sweet, small-town romance, Wendy is no stranger to storytelling.  She’s a Broadway and television actress, an audiobook narrator, and a mom who likes nothing more than collaborating on children’s books with her teenage artist daughter.  Wendy lives in Upper Manhattan with her family of three and rambunctious Maine Coon kitty.

 

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One of Us: A Tower District Mystery
Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ King’s River Life (August 1, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 306 pages

 

Synopsis

 

At 35, children’s book author Roxi Carlucci finds herself starting over again after her publisher drops her book series. With no income, she has to pack up her life on the California Coast, along with her pet rat Merlin, and move in with her cousin, P.I. Stephen Carlucci, who lives in Fresno, CA. The one redeeming factor is that Stephen lives in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno.

Stephen talks Roxi into helping out with a community theatre production, which is also a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. Little did she know that someone would be murdered during a rehearsal, and that she and Stephen would be hired to find the killer. The killer has to be one of Roxi’s new acquaintances since the theatre was locked at the time of the murder, but no one seems to have a motive. How can they solve a murder without a motive? Could the local gossip website hold any clues? Can they stop the killer before they strike again?

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – IndieBound

 

 

About the Author

 

Lorie Lewis Ham lives in Reedley, California and has been writing ever since she was a child—her first stories were about her stuffed animals. Her first song and poem were published when she was 13, and she has gone on to publish many articles, short stories, and poems throughout the years, as well as write for a local newspaper. Four out of 5 of her previously published mystery novels feature gospel singer Alexandra Walters and are set in the San Joaquin Valley. Those books were inspired by the many years she spent traveling and singing gospel music with her family. One Of Us is the first in a brand new mystery series set in the Tower District of Fresno, California featuring podcaster and part-time detective Roxi Carlucci. Lorie has also been the publisher of the online magazine Kings River Life for the past 11 years (kingsriverlife.com), and of its sister website KRL News & Reviews (krlnews.com). She also launched a mystery podcast called Mysteryrat’s Maze (mysteryratsmaze.podbean.com) 3 years ago which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors, including the first chapter of this book. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and all of the other usual places. You can learn more about Lorie on her website mysteryrat.com and find her on Twitter @mysteryrat and Facebook. Another way to keep up with Lorie’s writing is to subscribe to her newsletter—you can find info on doing that on her website.

Lorie has been married to Larry for 30 years and they have 2 grown children—Jayce and Joseph Ham. She currently has 5 cats (Merlin, Sam, Dean, Sidney, and Willow), 4 dogs (Lestat, Huey, Xander, and Phoebe), and a pet dwarf rabbit (Sherlock). For many years, she worked in pet rat rescue and has had many pet rats of her own over the years.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Life choices separated them, but fate proves they are truly in love.

Inheriting the Willow Falls Inn from their aunt and uncle was a gift the Alden sisters couldn’t pass up. With each sibling facing upheaval in their personal and professional lives, eldest sister Gavynn sees returning to the place they called home as the fresh start they all need. But the century old Victorian picks their return to show its age with broken pipes and a mess that makes Gavynn question her choices. But the real chaos comes in the form of the handyman dispatched to rescue them.

Cade Donaldson was finding a new kind of normal after his father’s heart attack. The family construction business flourished under Cade’s management while the older Donaldson recuperated and his routine gave him much needed predictability and comfort. That is until the girl who left Cade without so much as a goodbye came crashing back into his life without warning.

The adolescent bond they formed lingers under the surface, but ghosts they each battle threaten the new future hanging just within reach.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo

 

 

About the Author

 

Books, coffee, and chocolate make up both the heart and body mass that is better known as Amelia Foster. She has been a lifelong lover of the written word, both as a reader and an author, and completed her first manuscript at the ripe old age of five complete with illustrations. Sadly, her art was a medium that never improved over time although thankfully her writing has.

From sweet to salacious the only requirement Amelia has in books she reads – and definitely in the ones she crafts – is an excessively satisfying happily ever after… and then a little bit more.

 

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Synopsis

 

From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Whisper Me This comes a witty, magical story about improbable connections, difficult gifts, and the unexpected events that heal us and bring us together.

Jailbird. Klepto. Spectacular failure to launch. Nicole Wood’s sticky fingers have earned her many names, but it’s not that she’s stealing—some objects just need to be moved elsewhere, and the universe has chosen her to do it. Still, being a relocator of objects isn’t easy. With her marriage on the rocks, no real-world skills, and the threat of prison hanging over her head, Nicole is determined to change her ways.

Things seem to be looking up, thanks to a godsent job with her sister’s housecleaning business—until she encounters a seemingly harmless paperback that insists on moving from one client’s home to another’s. Nicole hopes no one will notice, but the action stirs up long-hidden secrets and triggers a series of fateful events that threatens to destroy the life she’s creating and hurt those closest to her. She’ll need to embrace her unwieldy gift and take a chance on love in order to unravel the mystery and fix what’s gone wrong.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * IndieBound

 

 

Review

 

I have read a lot of books this year but so far this one tops the list of my best reads for 2021! I don’t know if I can pinpoint exactly why I enjoyed the book so much, in fact so much that I stayed up until nearly 2 AM finishing the book. I had to know what happened next and how the story might end.

The book alternates POV between Nicole, Hawk, and Andrea. Nicole is called a thief and a kleptomaniac, but that really doesn’t define what she does with the objects she takes. She actually relocates the items. It is sort of magical for Nicole because items “speak” to her to let her know they aren’t happy where they are but she doesn’t always know where they want to be right away. Take some money she took from her husband, $10k to be exact. All she knew is that the money needed to be somewhere else and she needed to safeguard it until such time that the true owner would be revealed to her. I like the fact that she never lies as long as you ask her the right question. You don’t ask her if she stole anything, you ask if she took anything for relocation.

Hawk is a PI that is hired to follow Nicole to find out where that money is and how her husband could get it back. Needless to say, Hawk isn’t wild about the husband and is suspicious of his intentions. It doesn’t hurt that he is intrigued by Nicole and perhaps a bit enamored with her.

Andrea is running from her past and is afraid of what she might find should the truth come out. She lives in fear of those around her and being discovered for who she really is. As the story unfolds, Andrea learns a lot from Nicole and that perhaps trusting people is not a bad thing.

I really enjoyed following the story and seeing different angles of what each character was going through and how it was perceived by others. Nicole’s husband is a jerk and it is a shame that her past leads her family to trust him more than her. The story is also about family, forgiveness, and truth, and that without these things, there is no relationship that will ever work out the way it should.

This book dives into the lives of the three main characters in a way you might never imagine. I highly recommend picking this book up and escaping for a while.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kerry Anne King (who also writes as Kerry Schafer) is a Washington Post and Amazon charts bestselling author who writes compelling and transformational stories about family and personal growth. She loves to add in mystery, humor, and an undercurrent of romance and celebrates when she succeeds in making readers both laugh and cry.

Kerry Anne has been chosen as the 2020 Writer of the Year by the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Association. Her most recent novel, Everything You Are, is a finalist in the Nancy Pearl Awards hosted by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. She is enthusiastic about encouraging and supporting other writers and is the host of Tell Me Your Secrets, a videocast/podcast featuring lively, informal interviews with authors and other people involved in bringing books into the world.

When not absorbed in creative pursuits, you’ll find Kerry Anne hanging out with her real-life Viking on their little piece of heaven in rural northeastern Washington.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

“Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I hit you with my bike again?”

Can a vacation romance turn into a happily ever after?

When a bike runs me over while I’m walking in Greece on vacation, I look up to discover a Greek god staring down at me. Wavy brown hair, sparkling dark eyes, and olive skin – where do I sign up for a holiday fling?

Turns out my Greek god is a Dutchman named Nico, but I’m not picky.

Two days on the Greek island of Rhodes turn into a long-distance relationship, but I want more than occasional visits. So, I give up my life in Wisconsin and move to Holland to be with Nico.

Except when I arrive in Holland, Nico ghosts me. Maybe I should have told him about my grand plans of us living happily ever after in The Hague before I moved across the ocean?

Welp. I’m here now. Time to figure out what’s going on.

I just need to gather a bit of Dutch Courage first.

This holiday romantic comedy features a woman who doesn’t bother looking before jumping into the deep end, a man who’s hiding a pint-sized secret for stupid reasons making him the world’s biggest idiot complete with a trophy and everything, a group of friends who always have their girl’s back, a scheming best friend who seems to know everyone’s secrets before they do, and a super sweet HEA.

Each book in the Love in the Lowlands romantic comedy series can be read as a standalone. (but I recommend reading in order to understand all of the characters and their relationships)

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

I have really enjoyed this series and getting to know each of the characters and their struggles to find love in Holland or at least their perception of troubles. While this series does not have to be read in order, I highly recommend doing so since the characters carry over from each book and you might understand their back story a little better having read the previous books. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

We briefly met Charlotte in the last book, she moved to Holland for a guy she met on vacation. However, now he is ghosting her and she doesn’t know why and can’t get any straight answers. The answer is somewhat surprising because of the whole situation of how he ended up there. Thankfully, Charlotte doesn’t hold too much of a grudge.

This story is more than just about love. It is about girl gangs, friendship, and learning how to survive anything with the help of those women that surround and support you no matter what.

While this is Charlotte’s story, Abby, Avery, and Mia are all here and contributing to the situation. I love how they just barge in to each other’s homes without question and the men in their lives accept it. Don’t mess with the sisterhood! These women represent what we should all have in our lives, a pack of friends that will go to the ends of the earth to make sure no one is harmed in any way. And they aren’t beyond pranking those that need it or barging into the lives of their friends or pestering for sex life details.

There are so many wonderful things I am learning about Holland and I want to visit one day to see all of this for myself.

We give this book 5 paws up and suggest picking up this series. We get a sneak peek at book #5 and a new friend, Sofia. I can’t wait to see how they disrupt her life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic before returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where, in between tennis matches and failing to save the world, I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

 

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Burden of Poof (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cozy Queen Publishing LLC (September 15, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 254 pages

 

Synopsis

 

An amateur sleuth named Bonnie and her kitty companion Clyde, with names like those, what could possibly go wrong?

Life hasn’t sparkled too brightly for Bonnie Balfour over the past few years, but a heart-breaking divorce has brought her back to her small rural hometown of Bliss, Georgia, and things are starting to shape up.

The proud new owner of Bless Her Heart—a second chance dress shop and boutique on the town square—Bonnie thinks thirty-eight might not be too late for a fresh start in life after all.

Until a grouchy old widow turns up dead in a pile of donations meant for Bonnie’s shop, and the town’s new detective pins her to the top of his suspect list!

To save her shop, dream and reputation, Bonnie must coordinate clues and stitch together the truth about her innocence, but the unreasonably handsome detective and prying eyes of the local gossip mill are fast fraying her nerves.

When a series of anonymous attacks begin to hem her in, Bonnie fears the real killer is fixing to make her his next victim. Can this amateur sleuth measure up?

 

 

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Review

 

I love this new cozy series. small town, interesting characters, romance waiting to happen…and of course murder.

Bonnie has moved back to her hometown of Bliss, GA, and opened a second-hand shop for clothing and household goods. She requests donations from anyone she meets. She had recently requested items from Viola, a somewhat crotchety resident of Bliss, and was turned down until one day Viola shows up with gowns and such and says she has more for her and for her to swing by and pick the items up from her home. What Bonnie doesn’t expect is to find her dead at the bottom of the stairs and to be swept into a murder investigation by the “on loan” detective, Mason Wright. As is with most mysteries, Bonnie is the prime suspect and has to uncover clues to prove her innocence all without ending up dead herself.

There are so many factors to this book that I adored – the characters, the town, the philanthropic endeavors of Bonnie when it came to the young ladies and prom, and Bonnie’s desire to succeed with this new shop, a black rescue cat named Clyde who has a bit of a thieving issue in the store (which works out on Bonnie’s behalf later in the book). I seriously got tears in my eyes reading about her plans to make sure all young ladies had a dress for prom, definitely a feel-good moment. Bonnie’s best friend, Cami, is a hoot and engaged in revitalizing downtown Bliss. As you can imagine, in a small town people may not be aware of changes and shop away from town; and Cami is working hard to change this mindset.

The mystery portion is engaging and I honestly had no idea who to suspect of killing Viola. There are several possibilities and when the killer was revealed, it was not someone even on my radar. I found part of the justice quite interesting but you’ll have to read the book to find out what.

There is a blossoming romance between Bonnie and Detective Wright (once he determines she is not the killer), but at the same time, Bonnie is still trying to finalize her divorce, and while that relationship may have been over long ago, should she hold off and build a friendship with him before anything else? Only time will tell in future books.

This is a fantastic new series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Bonnie & Clyde and the rest of Bliss. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julie Anne Lindsey is an award-winning and bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than forty novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under multiple pen names, for Harlequin, Kensington, Sourcebooks, and Crooked Lane Books.

When Julie’s not creating new worlds or fostering the epic love of fictional characters, she can be found in Kent, Ohio, enjoying her blessed Midwestern life. And probably plotting murder with her shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

 

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