Synopsis

I may be back in my hometown and down on my luck, but I know better than to fall for Lyric again. Been there. Done that. Have the heartbreak to show for it.

When my business and apartment burn down, there’s only one thing I can do – return to my hometown of Winter Falls with my tail tucked between my legs.

I won’t be here long, though. As soon as the insurance company decides I didn’t start the fire – one little accidental fire to get out of a math test does not make me an arsonist! – and cuts me a check for the damage, I’m out of here.

The people of Winter Falls feel differently. They’re determined I rekindle my romance with my first love, Lyric Alston, and stay forever. Not happening. The man destroyed my heart once, I’m not giving him another chance.

But when I call Lyric out for what he did, he has no clue what I’m talking about. Did I get it wrong? Did I not see what I thought I saw?

Once Lyric realizes I didn’t abandon him, he goes all out to convince me to stay in Winter Falls and give him a second chance. Did he forget I’m not here to stay?

Can My First Love turn into My Forever Love?

This small town second chance romantic comedy features a sassy woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind, a sexy Chief of Police determined to do what’s necessary to win her back, the cutest rescue dog in history, and a whole town full of hippies who think being a busybody is a good thing.

My Forever Love is a standalone novel in the Winter Falls series.

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Ruby has her life all planned out. Go to college. Join the Peace Corps. Save the world  But then she meets Daniel  Will she stick to her life plan or can Daniel convince her love is worth a detour?

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Excerpt

“Did someone report a disturbance?”

Feather, Petal, and Sage scream. “A stripper? Aspen, you’re our favorite bookstore owner ever.”

“Are you high?” Not a good question to ask in Winter Falls. “Never mind. He’s not a stripper. He’s the Chief of Police.”

“Why can’t he be both?” Feather winks at Lyric, and his face darkens to the color of a sun ripened tomato.

I shrug. “I guess he could. What do you say, Chief? You want to strip for us?”

He rallies. Of course, he rallies. So much for witnessing Lyric run away with his tail tucked between his legs. Too bad. The pictures would have been awesome.

“I’m sorry, ladies, but I’m afraid I’m a one woman man.”

“Oh, come on. We promise not to touch, boss,” Sage says.

“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable at work.” He winks at her. “You know because you’d be harboring impure thoughts about the boss during working hours.”

She licks her lips and lets her eyes roam up and down his body. “Who says I don’t have impure thoughts about the boss now?”

Feather riffles through her purse and digs out a bunch of ones before waving them around. “And we’ll pay you.”

“I’m sorry to inform you the town ordinance forbids me from stripping for you lovely ladies.” Ladies? They’re practically eating him alive with their eyes. Aren’t ladies supposed to be demure?

Everyone looks to Lilac for confirmation. “It’s true. The Chief of Police is not allowed to earn any additional money other than his salary as police chief.”

“This is some bull cocky.” Feather throws her ones down on the floor.

About the Author

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound like one of the cool kids. She was born and raised in the U.S. but has spent the majority of her adult life abroad living in cool-sounding places like Istanbul, Heidelberg, and The Hague. She has job hopped from military policewoman to lawyer to B&B owner. She finally jumped off the job-hopping bandwagon a few years ago when she decided to turn her addiction to romance novels into a career. If anyone has ideas on how to turn a love of wine into a job, she’s all ears.

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Ink, Red, Dead: Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Missouri
Spot On Publishing (September 30, 2013)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 221 pages

Synopsis

On a sweltering day, ace scrapbooker Kiki Lowenstein has to cancel a crafting party when she discovers Marla Lever, their hostess, nearly dead of the heat. Not only is Marla seriously “under the weather,” she’s also a hoarder, and her home is a house of horrors, complete with a corpse in the cooler. Meanwhile, Detective Chad Detweiler works a cold case that involves women disappearing all over St. Louis. The attraction between Kiki and Detweiler heats to a red-hot fever pitch, but will it boil over and leave both of them feeling burned?

Amazon

About the Author

“Our best friend, our next-door neighbor, and ourselves with just a touch of the outrageous.” That’s how RT Book Review describes Joanna’s protagonist, Kiki Lowenstein. The truth is that’s a pretty good description of Joanna Campbell Slan as well.

Joanna is a New York Times Bestselling, USA Today Bestselling, and Amazon Bestselling author as well as a woman prone to frequent bursts of crafting frenzy, leaving her with burns from her hot glue gun and paint on her clothes. And the mess? Let’s not even go there.

Otherwise, Joanna’s a productive author with more than 80 written projects to her credit. Her non-fiction work includes how to books, a college textbook for public speakers, and books of personal essays (think Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Currently, she writes five fiction series: The Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award Finalist, contemporary, St. Louis setting, crafting), the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series (contemporary, Florida setting, DIY, and recycling), the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 1830s England, based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic), the Tai Chi Mystery Series (contemporary, senior citizen female amateur sleuth and Washington, DC setting), and the Friday Night Mystery Club Series (traditional mystery, 1980s setting, Midwest).

A former TV talk show host, college teacher, and public relations specialist, Joanna was one of the early Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors. She won a Silver Anvil for her work on the original FarmAid concert to benefit farmers.

In her ongoing quest never to see snow again, Joanna lives with her husband and their Havanese puppy, Jax, on an island off the coast of Florida.

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Synopsis

Atlanta couple Ben and Nina plan to move in together, but their relationship unravels when Ben dismisses Nina’s surprising claim that her dog can talk. Songs by Honeybird follows the pair as they move on without each other. Doctoral candidate Ben dives into research on the tragic story of Honeybird, the South’s first integrated rock band, while spiritual savant Nina searches for the elusive truth about her father’s death. Will the buried secrets of the past bring Ben and Nina back together—or send them down entirely new paths?

Accompanied by a soundtrack of original songs, Songs by Honeybird is a novel about what can begin after a relationship ends.

Amazon

Review

I was captivated by the subject of Ben’s thesis – an integrated band in the mid-60s whose end came too soon after the lead singer and guitarist is found dead in a fire and the drummer is presumed to have either perished in the same fire or started the fire that took the life of the leader of the band.

This story has several different plot lines that are loosely tied together by Ben and Nina. They previously dated but he decided she was a bit much when he learned she could hear her dog speak to her. He actually suggested that she see a therapist. This doesn’t bode well for their relationship.

I found the research that Ben was doing fascinating and what it takes to seek out details for someone that died many years ago and the family is hard to find. But he hits jackpot with Foxy, a photographer that has a lot of photos of this group during that time. I found myself caught up in the research and the story of this band, even though fictional.

I liked how the story alternated between Ben and Nina and what they were going through post-breakup between family and trying to get their lives back on track. More details are shared as the story progresses and I had a better understanding of the characters and what they were thinking and feeling about themselves and their lives.

I think I would have enjoyed this story even it was only about Ben searching for more information about the Honeybirds and uncovering the truth.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Peter McDade teaches at Clark Atlanta University and was the drummer for the band Uncle Green. He’s written the novels The Weight of Sound (2017) and the forthcoming Songs By Honeybird (March 2022).

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Synopsis

Four women. One family heirloom. A secret connection that will change their lives—and history as they know it.

Present Day: Julia Baxter’s wedding veil, bequeathed to her great-grandmother by a mysterious woman on a train in the 1930s, has passed through generations of her family as a symbol of a happy marriage. But on the morning of her wedding day, something tells her that even the veil’s good luck isn’t enough to make her marriage last forever. Overwhelmed and panicked, she escapes to the Virgin Islands to clear her head. Meanwhile, her grandmother Babs is also feeling shaken. Still grieving the death of her beloved husband, she decides to move out of the house they once shared and into a retirement community. Though she hopes it’s a new beginning, she does not expect to run into an old flame, dredging up the same complicated emotions she felt a lifetime ago.

1914: Socialite Edith Vanderbilt is struggling to manage the luxurious Biltmore Estate after the untimely death of her cherished husband. With 250 rooms to oversee and an entire village dependent on her family to stay afloat, Edith is determined to uphold the Vanderbilt legacy—and prepare her free-spirited daughter Cornelia to inherit it—in spite of her family’s deteriorating financial situation. But Cornelia has dreams of her own. Asheville, North Carolina has always been her safe haven away from the prying eyes of the press, but as she explores more of the rapidly changing world around her, she’s torn between upholding tradition and pursuing the exciting future that lies beyond Biltmore’s gilded gates.

In the vein of Therese Anne Fowler’s A Well-Behaved Woman and Jennifer Robson’s The Gown, The Wedding Veil brings to vivid life a group of remarkable women forging their own paths—and explores the mystery of a national heirloom lost to time.

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Review

A blend of the present and the past but with women that all want the same thing, happiness.

This fictionalized story of the Vanderbilt family and The Biltmore fascinated me and remind me of a couple of shows that are set in this same time period. To be that wealthy might have been nice but had its own share of problems. This story follows the life of Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt (the past), and Julia and Babs (the present). Each family has a veil that has been passed down through the ages and is supposed to bring good luck. It might have been in the past, but when it was Julia’s turn to marry she becomes the runaway bride.  She may love Hayes and he might love her, but that doesn’t mean that they belong together. An unsuspecting video puts Julia on another path to rediscover herself and what she wants from life. It also forces Babs (Julia’s grandmother) to take a hard look at her own life since her husband’s passing and is she living the life that she wants or deserves?

The story flips back and forth in time and we see the lives of these women unfold as they marry, discover themselves, and look to the future. Edith created the Biltmore estates and everything it entailed. That was a huge undertaking for her and her husband, George, but they did succeed. They have their ups and downs due to the times and even they were affected by the stock market crash in 1929. If you were wealthy even in these times you were looked at differently. Julia, an aspiring architect, has always admired this estate and chose to get married there. We learn that Julia has given up her dream of being an architect due to negative feedback from a professor. Instead of fighting for her project, she ran away. She ran away from her wedding too and she has a lot of soul searching to do to decide where she must land in this life.

We don’t know the whole story about how Julia’s family received the treasured veil, but bits and pieces are revealed and the full story is discovered in a letter that ties both stories together. It is a beautiful tale and gives one hope for happiness no matter what life throws at you.

Julia learns a lot about herself with the help of a new architect friend, Connor. He isn’t present in the whole story but is at the beginning and the end. It was nice to see that he was not brought in too soon before Julia had a chance to discover who she was without Hayes (her former fiance) and how she was going to support herself.

I found the stories about Edith and Cornelia fascinating because that was a different time when women were expected to marry and raise a family. They didn’t do much else and rarely had a career. However, Edith and Cornelia’s running of the estate was quite an undertaking and I can’t even imagine doing what they did to keep it afloat and supporting those that lived on the estate or in the village.

I appreciated the author’s notes about how she came to write this story so make sure to check that out if you pick up this book.

Overall, we really enjoyed the story and give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including Under the Southern Sky, Feels Like Falling, and The Peachtree Bluff series. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Southern Living, Traditional Home, USA TODAY, Domino, and O. Henry. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her work has been optioned for film and television, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. Kristy is the cocreator and cohost of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic, and loves connecting with fans on KristyWoodsonHarvey.com. She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband and son where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

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THE TRACEVERSE SAGA

The Shattered Gate &

The Two Gates

by

ERIC R. SWANSON

Genre: Science Fiction / Genetic Engineering

Publisher: Eric R. Swanson, LLC.

Date of Publication Book 1: March 22, 2020

Number of Pages: 394 pages

Date of Publication Book 2: May 1, 2021

Number of Pages: 402 pages

The Shattered Gate

They selfishly pillaged Earth and made him a hybrid. Will his split nature spell the end of intergalactic abduction?

Half-human, half-Ceran, Micah Trace yearns for something more. Though the repetition and isolation of living as a body double for the King of Ceres is crushing, he’s grateful to be treated better than the other genetically engineered humans. But when he discovers the ailing plight of his ancestors, he heeds the calling and cleverly insinuates himself into a dangerous mission across the galaxy.

Fearing their plan to repair a failing transportation gate might lead to disaster, Micah uses his experience mimicking the king to steal the forbidden authority he’s assumed for so long. But with ulterior motives darkening the depths of space, he may not survive to see the centuries-old connection between the planets repaired.

Can the royal mimic win control of the ship before they’re lost to the vacuum’s void?

The Shattered Gate is the thought-provoking first tale in the science fiction Traceverse Saga. If you like character-driven action, high-tech military defense systems, and intriguing political powerplays, then you’ll love Eric R. Swanson’s interstellar adventure.

Amazon

The Two Gates

Born to serve. Trained to lead. Can a man of two species bridge the critical gap between his peoples?

2454. Micah Trace’s half-human heart races as his expedition approaches Earth. Taking leadership of a one-way-trip from Ceres, he fears the memory of a centuries-old mass abduction means they’ll face a hostile reception. And his desperate claim of a shared ancestry falls on deaf ears when the traumatized Earthers greet them with suspicion, capture, and interrogation.
With relations treading a knife’s edge, the offworld ambassador finally proves his genetic roots and convinces the nervous population to repair the stargate and reconnect their worlds. But some resent alien interference in the planet’s affairs, and Micah suspects that they may be willing to kill to ensure his mission’s doom.

Can the hybrid herald unite his two species before the past destroys their future?

The Two Gates is the thrilling second novel in the science fiction Traceverse saga. If you like complex interplanetary politics, stunning character revelations, and pulse-pounding action, then you’ll love Eric R. Swanson’s galactic tale.

Amazon

Watch the book trailer for The Two Gates

By Eric Swanson

Or click here to view on the author’s Facebook page

Eric Swanson was born in September of 1981 in Chicago, IL, and his entire life has been spent engrossed in stories. Growing up in a Minneapolis, MN suburb, Eric developed a deep appreciation for stories with a wide scope. From being frightened by Stephen King’s IT to being enthralled by Orson Scott Card’s Ender Wiggin stories, the written word of others grabbed Eric and often refused to let go… Even after he finished the first reading of a book. Several of his personal copies of favorite novels have endured many many readings. From an early age, Eric was a fan of all things science fiction with a leaning toward the dystopian and post-apocalyptic. The future fascinates Eric to no end, be that a realistic or wild-eyed and farfetched future. While he annually binges Battlestar Galactica (04), he dreams of worlds, people and happenings yet to be written. Eric lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, two children, and a pair of Goldendoodles. They sometimes Tweet for him…

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Synopsis

Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.

When the FBI shows up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.

Kate McLaughlin’s Daughter is a novel about trying right deadly choices that were never yours to begin with.

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Review

What would you do if you found out you were the daughter of a serial killer? And how far would you go to help find the rest of his victims? That is what Scarlet is faced with when the truth is revealed.

This new YA book is told from the perspective of Scarlet, Jeffrey Lake’s daughter. Growing up she had no idea who she was and it isn’t until he is dying of cancer that the truth comes out. Her mother did a great job of protecting her, but maybe too good of a job since she is blindsided by the truth and it turns her life as she knew it upside down. To make things worse, he has told the FBI that if they bring his daughter to visit him, he will reveal more of the women that they didn’t find that he murdered. What a quandary for Scarlet, does she help bring peace to the families that don’t know what happened to their daughters, or does she continue her life such as it is?

This book reminded me of a series by another author that deals with how the families of serial killers are perceived by others. If you look at what we see in the media today, people are presumed guilty just by association and that isn’t fair to the innocent. However, the media likes to stir up controversy so this really isn’t anything new.

I was very surprised at how many times Scarlet and her friends would smoke pot and get high. I realize she has an anxiety disorder, but she does have medication for that. But by the end of the book, I wondered if the anxiety was caused by her mother and the lengths she went to in protecting Scarlet. And the fact that her mother could smell it on her and just let it slide was surprising considering she ran background checks on everyone that came into their lives.

This book made me think about how I would handle myself if placed in the same situation. Would I meet my father to quell the curiosity I have about him? Would I do this for the victim’s families to give them closure? It would not be an easy situation because you have to be on guard when dealing with a psychopath.

There is some information about the killings and what Jeffrey Lake did with these women that is a little hard to read, but sadly, is not uncommon when it comes to serial killers. There are some sick people in this world.

I felt that this was a somewhat realistic view of teen life and how people treat those that they have presumed to be guilty even if you were only 2 at the time. I admired Scarlet for wanting to bring the victims out and have people remember them for who they were, not just that they were a victim of her father’s.

We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Kate began her career as Kathryn Smith, writing best-selling, award-winning historical and paranormal romances. Then, needing a bit of a break from straight historicals, she became Kady Cross, author of The Steampunk Chronicles from Harlequin Teen. This award-winning series led to The Clockwork Agents — steampunk romances for Signet Eclipse under the name Kate Cross. Finally, a new career in Dark Fantasy led to The Immortal Empire series for Orbit, written as Kate Locke.

Regardless of what name she goes by, Kate loves stories that put character first and enjoys exploring every side of the people she creates — even if it makes them less likable.

An up-rooted Canadian, Kate lives in Connecticut with her husband, Steve, and their pride of cats. When not writing, she enjoys reading, movies, makeup, and poking around abandoned asylums.

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Synopsis

Cassie O’Malley is a woman on the run when she when gets tangled up with a suspicious local sheriff and, on the spur of the moment, turns to a handsome stranger to get herself out of a tight spot.

Ted Wellman didn’t go to town to get hitched but that sweet girl with her big green eyes looked desperate. Suddenly he finds himself married to a stranger. No problem, his uncle’s a lawyer and everybody knows he’s in no emotional condition to settle down, not since the death of his brother put him on emotional lock down.

Much to his surprise, instead of helping get out of it, Ted’s crazy family seemed determined to keep him and Cassie together. What could they be thinking? That there is a chance of finally thawing Ted’s frozen heart?

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This book releases on 3/29/22, preorder it today!

Review

This is a rerelease of one of the author’s books that she wrote under another penname in 1997 called Love is the Answer. It has been updated to today’s times but the sweet southern romance checked several boxes including a little danger for Cassie.

Cassie has been orphaned while still a minor and was taken in by a couple. He is a scumbag but his wife is nice yet dying of cancer. Once Cassie is free of her obligation she strikes out on her own primarily because he has sold her to sex traffickers. I appreciated the little bit of the book that delved into this horrible world and was glad that Cassie was able to leave before any of that came to fruition.

Ted is living in his own sort of hell after his twin brother was killed in a car accident. He has never let himself move past that event until now. Even his own family couldn’t budge him in moving on with his life.

I thought the storyline was cute and found it comical that they had to get married to avoid Cassie being found out since there was an APB out for her saying she had mental issues. Shows you what sort of dirtbag she was living with at the time. I think Ted taking care of Cassie was what brought him out of his funk. However, Cassie has her own ideas and doesn’t need Ted to take care of her, but she does in a way. They are both young (20 and 21 I believe) and there is so much more to life than what they know. Thankfully, Ted’s family takes her in as their own and treats her well. I think Cassie fell for the family before Ted and I can’t blame her considering the last few years. They both have some growing up to do and what safer place than with each other.

The story isn’t long but it is as sweet as sweet tea and was a quick read.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author and RITA Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy books.  These days she is concentrating on her two loves:  women’s fiction and contemporary cowboy romance. She and her husband, a retired English teacher, make their home in southern Oklahoma.

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Synopsis

This memoir was written to honor my youngest brother’s influence over my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly of living with a Down Syndrome sibling. It tells the story of the children in my family, despite our parents’ frailties, remaining committed to each other through life’s many changes and separations. Who I am today is directly related to the who I needed to become.

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Praise

“As the intertwined life stories of the author and her brother Bruce emerge, the story takes on a new tone. Bitterness and rancor are replaced with a gentle kind of mellowness and a roaring-fire-on-a-cold-winter-day kind of warmth. This is underscored when the author writes that her plans for Bruce were “to open and enrich his world.” In the end, however, she realizes how being with Bruce “accomplished so much more.” She realizes how this “sweet small man” and “Bruce’s” capacity to love and to “just go on because there was no other choice” profoundly influenced her life. And how Bruce opened and enriched her world.

Oh, and the title? You’ll have to read the book for yourself to figure that one out. Flavored with gentle humor and tongue-in-cheek wit, Listen to Me isn’t a long read. At about 30,000 words, you can finish it in an afternoon. But the reflections and insights will reverberate much longer.”- Kristine, Pages and Paws

“This book is a touching story about the unconditional love between an older sister and her brother, Bruce. The prose is uplifting and inspirational, without the traces of ableism that can be found in other such works. The overall message is a plea to see people for who they are, not their diagnosis and aims to increase disability awareness.”- Laura Quinn, Laura Quinn Writes

“This memoir is exactly what I needed. It made me laugh and cry and helped me appreciate the people in my life even more than I already did. Bruce’s love for his family, friends, and favorite rock ‘n’ roll idols lives on through this book. His larger-than-life personality left such an impression on me; I can honestly say that I feel like I know him without ever having met him. I think about him from time to time and his essence inspires hope in me, showing me how precious it is to have an innocent view of life at any age.

This book means so much to me. Lynne Podrat is a true artist with her words and the life she created around the people she loves. Her tenacity and devotion to her family—and herself—is unparalleled. She is a badass. If I could just accomplish half of what she has, I would be happy.”-Sandi, Proof Reader Sandi 

Guest Review from Gud Reader

Not so often do you get a memoir so immaculately written and touching on a sensitive issue like Down syndrome. Listen to me: how my down syndrome brother saved my life is just that book that fits this bill. The book revolves around two siblings Lynne and her brother Bruce who was born with Down syndrome. Just like the guardian angel she is, Lynne ensures that her baby brother is included in part of the family while also vowing to always protect him at all times.

Throughout the read, we get to know the powerful and persuasive character of Lynne and how her brother fuels her motivation to fight for the motivation of the family. Unlike the norm of sibling rivalry, these siblings learn to stick and look out for each other thus cementing some unwavering commitment to each other.

Lynne Podrat does a marvelous job of cramming the book with practical advice, resources, and also some indispensable information with some uplifting personal stories woven in. On her part, the author struck the right balance to entertain and also inform while keeping the reader engaged to learn more about how to enrich the lives of souls with Down Syndrome and also how they can reach their full potential. A story about braveness, finding your voice, and being encouraged to reach your best potential despite the hurdles. Really glad I read it!

Excerpt

Brucie’s Kids

Bruce’s involvement in Special Olympics and sports in general continued to dwindle while waiting for his final diagnosis of kidney disease. He lost his love of swimming and running. The energy needed for these sports was just not there. It was so sad as he had earned many a gold medal for running in Special Olympics. However, one sport he was willing to learn was soccer. Why? Randy played soccer and during Sunday visits to my home, along with my parents, everyone would attend Randy’s games.

I use the term learn loosely. Bruce’s education began with volleys back and forth in the street in front of our house. Randy would gently kick the ball to his uncle, who finally figured out he needed to kick the ball back, not pick it up and throw it. We would listen to their conversation from the driveway. “Okay, Uncle Bruce. I will kick the ball and you kick it back, like this. No, no. Don’t catch it. Just kick it back, like football.”

“Football?” Brucie would ask. “This is not a football,” Randy clarified. Even at a young age, Randy had great patience and respect for Bruce’s unique learning and physical capabilities, never getting frustrated with the repetition of instructions and coaxing his uncle who often did get frustrated. “Oh, come on,” Bruce would shake his head, his face crinkling up. “I can’t do this.” And he would walk away, Randy chasing him down to convince him back. The two had their own special bond. Though Bruce loved his nieces Arielle, Robyn, and Jerica, and his great-nieces, Randy’s daughters Maddie and Emily, his number one fan was Randy, whose comfort level with him was amazing. While growing up and now during Christmas visits back up north, watching them debate music, best artists, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees acknowledges that I did a good job making sure my brother would be remembered as an integral part of this family, stamped on their hearts forever.

We set up trash cans, bicycles, and our large planters as borders so the ball would stay in bounds during play, allowing the space to grow along with Bruce’s developing ability. Eventually, my father, Big Bruce, and I created a goal post so a “real” game could be played, with my father as permanent goalie and Big Bruce and me taking turns as rotating teammate or opposing goalie. My mother, cheerleader for both sides, received Brucie’s infamous dirty looks if she wasn’t cheering for his side. “Oh no, you cheat!” Brucie would stalk off our court shaking his head and hand once someone other than Randy or himself scored. He would allow us to cajole him back to the game as we laughed and ran after him. He enjoyed this game just as much as the soccer game. By the time Jerica joined her soccer team, Brucie was a pro, insisting either Randy or Jerica be on his team. When asked why he wanted the kids, we were told, “They know how to play.” If Big Bruce and I scored, Brucie would then insist on both so he could beat us, still claiming we cheated and loving us to cajole him back. We had a soccer ball, baseball, and football at the house in a bag with his name, hung next to Randy and then Jerica’s bags for whenever and whatever he wanted to play. Their sports becoming Bruce’s sports. His enjoyment of playing with “his kids,” as he liked to call them. Wonderful to watch.

My only regret was not being able to teach him how to ride a bike. He could never master the balance no matter how much we supported his weight or modeled what to do. We ended up finally donating the small girl’s twenty-inch bike with training wheels to Goodwill. Of course, in true Brucie fashion, once the small bike was gone, he decided he needed to learn how to ride Randy’s 24-inch bike. I am five-feet-two-inches tall and weighed, at that time, ninety-eight pounds. Brucie, four-foot-ten inches, weighed one hundred and twenty pounds. Guess who he wanted to hold him as he tried to get on the bike? The scene was as ridiculous as you can imagine. Nonetheless, I had the bike leaned against me, trying to get Bruce to stand on the curb and swing his leg over the bar. When you look up the word klutz, bear this picture in mind. By the third time of falling over with my brother on top of me, with the family laughing too hard to help, I gave up. We couldn’t get Bruce or David to peddle a tricycle when they were younger, let alone now, so I finally conceded defeat. Not an easy task for me.

Bruce playing Soccer with his kids

About the Author

Lynne Podrat graduated from the Pennsylvania State University and then spent fifteen years in the Fashion Industry as an Assistant Buyer and Department Manager with Bloomingdales Department Store before returning to school to receive her educational degrees from Arcadia University and Gynedd Mercy.

A retired educator and Administrator from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania School District, she taught English, literature, composition, and history in elementary and secondary schools.

She has secretly been a writer and poet her whole life but has only recently chosen to share those talents with the world. Lynne now lives with her husband in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, spending winters dragon boating where her heart races and summers hiking the Rockies in Vail, Colorado where her heart sings.

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Giveaway

This giveaway is for 3 print copies, one for each of 3 winners, and is open to the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on April 15, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Synopsis

Mark never gave much thought to being adopted. He certainly never considered the possibility that the sixteen-year-old girl that had given birth to him might have gone on to marry his biological father and have three more children: Rachel, Benjamin, and Vincent. Full-blooded siblings that didn’t know his name, what he was like, or that he was struggling to start a family with his wife in Oregon. And none of them could have imagined how much their reunion would change each of their lives. Love & Genetics is the true story of a family discovering and rediscovering itself. It is a story of fear and love and an astonishing act that would salve old wounds and provide the foundation for a new family together.

Told from the unique perspectives of Mark and Rachel, this collaborative memoir explores family, adoption, surrogacy, and the search for one’s place in an increasingly disconnected world. It is intimate and engaging, humorous and poignant, and heartrendingly honest. Love & Genetics includes original correspondence and rarely-seen insights into the complex reunion of a biological mother and child, and a group of siblings who had no idea what they might find in each other. It’s a story of nature versus nurture and the challenges that surround both adoption and surrogacy. This story will resonate deeply with the many readers who have experienced adoption within their own families, those who have considered surrogacy or assisted reproduction, and with anyone who loves stories of real-life hope and heroism.

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Excerpt

Prologue (Mark)

This was not the first time I had been in the Calgary airport, but it was the first time in years and my first time as an International arrival. My flight from Portland, Oregon had only taken ninety minutes and hardly seemed worthy of the designation “International,” but the sign directing me to Customs and Immigration seemed stalwartly sure of it. My grey and tan North Face backpack was nearly empty. It had served me well since grad school and would continue to be my preferred carry on for many years to come, but with just my laptop inside, it felt too light for air travel and refused to ride as comfortably over my shoulder as it should have. I had a checked bag too, but that was largely empty also—just a change of clothes, some toiletries, and a good bottle of wine that I hoped to share. I wouldn’t be staying long, just the one night.

The morning plane touched down uneventfully and I was soon navigating the glass-walled maze of the international terminal. The myriad of signs and arrows were ostensibly guiding me toward customs, although the route clearly prioritized security over expediency. Fair enough. I readjusted my pack again, trying not to lose myself in thoughts of the day ahead. Through the glass I peered into the passing moments of other travelers— travelers already in Canada, travelers on the other side of the glass divide. I watched families trudge their way through the terminal with kids and bags straggling behind them. Lone adults passed time in a Tim Horton’s with a cup of coffee and a MacLean’s. Where were they headed on this Saturday morning? Where had they come from? Were they on time? Were they glad to be traveling? Were any of them worried about what they might find at their destination?

Airport customs was a small affair in Calgary; they must not get many international flights. There were only a half-dozen kiosks and only two of those were staffed by an agent that morning. But at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday there was no need for any more. I paused at a high, narrow table near the back of the open room to scrounge through the second pocket of my backpack for a pen to fill out the blue and white customs form. Fortunately, I never cleaned my pack out completely, so there was always a pen, business card, or cough drop to be found in there when needed; I had, of course, double-checked for contraband before I left, knowing full well there wouldn’t be any, but it’s always worth being sure. My completed form in hand, I chose the kiosk on the left, the one with the woman agent and only one other traveler in line. After a rolling stop at the broad red line marked on the floor, I made my way to the side-counter of the kiosk, trying not to look nervous. It never helps to look nervous at a Customs and Immigration inspection. I reminded myself that I had nothing to hide here, I was not doing anything wrong. It was the rest of the day that I was nervous about.

The customs agent took my Canadian passport and opened it to the photo page. She looked me square in the eyes and then proceeded to size me up head-to-toe before returning her gaze to my hopefully anxiety-free face.

“Citizenship?” She began in a voice that was both friendly and tired, yet still held an undercurrent of authority.

“Canadian.”

I had just handed her my passport, of course I was Canadian. I suppose they have to ask, perhaps to get a potential perjury on record, or perhaps just to see who they can trick. But it did say clearly right there on the front cover: CANADA PASSPORT (and then again in French, of course, PASSPORTE). It even goes a step further on the first page, explicitly listing my citizenship as CANADIAN, in case the reader had somehow missed the lettering on the outside cover. I imagined that once in a blue moon someone answers the citizenship question “Italian” while holding a passport from Albania and that’s how they catch bad guys. The people who mess that one up must be extremely nervous-looking.

“Where do you live?” Her focus had now returned to her computer screen, which presumably listed all sorts of interesting details about my immigration credentials and prior travels.

“Portland, Oregon, in the States.” I had been living in the US for more than a decade and had had this same conversation many times while crossing back into Canada at various borders. I had learned from experience that it did not serve to rush to any explanations or caveats, just answer their questions directly and succinctly and they’ll get to the next part at their own pace.

“Why are you living in the USA?”

“I work for Intel Corporation there and live with my wife, who is American. I have a green card.” I had my proof of residency at the ready and it was halfway across the side-counter before she asked for it.

“What are you doing in Canada today?”

This was the question I had been bracing for. Except for Tina, my wife, I hadn’t told anyone why I was taking this trip: not my friends, not my job, not even my parents.

In that moment, my life as I knew it shrank from me and I felt utterly alone. But by law, here at the Immigration kiosk, I needed to be honest, and I had resolved to be plain about it. “I’m meeting my biological family,” I said.

The agent paused and turned to look back up at me, ignoring her screen for a moment.

“First time?” she asked with genuine interest. “Yes” was my spoken reply, although I was on the verge of tears and I’m sure that she could see that piece of my response as well.

“Well, you win the prize,” she said with a wry smile. She stamped my passport and slid my documents back to me across the counter. “Best story of the day. Go on.”

As I turned to head toward the baggage claim area, I heard her add “good luck.”

“Thanks,” I replied without turning back. I don’t know if she heard me. I meant it, but I was too busy holding on to my edges to care about properly completing the social nicety. It was strange, surviving that one moment of honesty and the agent showing herself to be an ally of my quest. It allowed me to breathe normally again and gave me a tiny flush of confidence. Within minutes the world was slowly sinking back into the normalcy of airport navigation and I found myself successfully continuing to put my feet in front of each other as I made my way through baggage claim and on toward the rental car pickup. Searching for the right numbered stall in the sparsely lit garage, I paused and felt the ground more solid beneath me than it had been in days. As I stood there, staring at the white Ford Focus in front of me, the customs agent’s prize comment ran through my mind again, and it made me wonder.

© Mark MacDonald & Rachel Elliott, 2021

About the Authors

Mark MacDonald lives in Beaverton, Oregon. He is an Adjunct Professor at Portland State University and a Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation and has authored more than forty scientific publications, for which he has received multiple awards, including the Martin Hirschorn Best Paper Prize from the International Acoustics Congress (2010).

Synopsis

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves—or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancé is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!

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To read an excerpt of Counterfeit Love click here.

Review

This novel encompasses several genres that I enjoy reading: mystery, historical, romance, and Christian. All of these facets are wound together to create this enticing tale of a strong woman that isn’t afraid to go after what she wants no matter who stands in her way.

Theresa is a plucky young woman and I admire her courage and strength to continue with her life despite those that hold her back. She senses that her fiance, Edward, isn’t the right man for her and she is right for so many reasons. I won’t share those because it would give away too much of the plot. She also still loves Broderick despite his pigheadedness but he just might be the right man for her.

I loved the time period and the mystery of who is counterfeiting currency. There are so many possibilities and one of my suspicions held true. I love how the Secret Service is investigating this crime and has several people undercover to infiltrate the ring. However, there is one agent, Darlington, that is sent in to help speed things along that nearly blows it for everyone. It doesn’t help that he is abrupt, rude, and suspects Theresa of being the engraver.

Theresa and Broderick struggle with many things throughout this book from faith, trust, respect, and finding the truth. They are both given nudges along the way to find their way back to each other and to God.

This book is gritty and gets right into the trenches with the criminals, brothels, saloons, and so much more. But it adds to the richness of the background, characters, and storyline. I wouldn’t expect anything less and was glad to see that the author wasn’t afraid to show the seedy side of the times.

There were times when I read this book when I wondered if this was the 2nd book in a series because of the discussions about Theresa and Broderick’s past. It felt like this should have been a second book but it is not. However, it did not detract from the story and the author does a good job of explaining their past with each other.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up and look forward to reading more from this debut author.

About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. Counterfeit Love is her debut published novel.

Caudill says that reading and writing are part of her soul and have been since she first held a crayon. While she considered writing to be an escape from challenges and struggles and a way to keep her sanity, Caudill would come to recognize that God used it as a teaching tool. “The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints,” she shares.

As she delved into history and crafted her own stories of hope through danger, Caudill would answer the call to pursue writing as a career after her first writer’s conference. “My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.”

She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

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