The Glass House: A PIP Inc. Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Good Read Mysteries (July 23, 2019)
Paperback: 271 pages

Synopsis

Law Librarian Pat Pirard got an unexpected thirty-fifth birthday present: a pink slip. Now she has nine weeks to reinvent herself before she runs out of money. Her best friend Syda gives her a glass forming class as a birthday present and distraction where Pat again gets a surprise: a murder.

 

 

 

 

Review

Watch out, Pat in her funky yellow Mercedes is on the case!

This series has the potential to be a winning series. Pat is downsized from her job at a law library due to lack of funds, but she doesn’t let that stop her. She decides she is going to be a PI when an art instructor dies at one of her classes. As much research that Pat has done over the years and during this book, I’m surprised she doesn’t realize you have to take classes or have so many hours to be an official PI. This could be interesting for her should law enforcement find out she isn’t quite up to that level…but her love interest is a police detective so perhaps he will smooth the way.

The mystery kept me on my toes as I couldn’t figure out who was the killer. There are several key suspects but I couldn’t put my finger on any of them to be the killer or for what reason. There is misdirection and red herrings but it all comes together nicely in the end.

There is even a love interest for Pat with Tim and I chuckled as they avoided her friend Syda and her husband Greg, who happened to be Tim’s police partner for awhile. Syda has a good heart but wanted to fix Pat up with any man she came across. I grinned when Tim and Pat are “introduced” at a dinner near the end and what Tim does to Pat. I’ll leave you hanging, you’ll have to read the book to get your own chuckle from this scene.

We give this 4 paws up

 

 

About the Author

Nancy Lynn Jarvis was a Santa Cruz, California, Realtor® for more than twenty years before she fell in love with writing and let her license lapse.

After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager for Shakespeare/Santa Cruz at UCSC.

Nancy’s work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years, a philosophy she applies to her writing, as well. She has written seven Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries; a stand-alone novel “Mags and the AARP Gang” about a group of octogenarian bank robbers; edited “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes” and a short story anthology, “Santa Cruz Weird;” and even done a little insider’s book, “The Truth About Hosting Airbnb” about her first year as a host.

“The Glass House” is the first book in a planned series of PIP Inc. Mysteries. Now she’s trying to figure out when to work on another series she’d love to do called “Geezers with Tools” about two older handymen who will solve mysteries in the course of doing their work, and setting up writer retreats at her house.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook

 

 

 

Puppy Christmas

By Lucy Gilmore

Publication Date 9/24/2019

 

Synopsis

These adorable service puppies

are matchmakers in the making…

Lila Vasquez might not be the “fun one” at Puppy Promise—the service puppy training school she runs with her sisters—but she can always be counted on to get things done. So when her latest client shows an interest in princess gowns over power suits, Lila puts aside her scruples, straps on the glittery heels, and gets to work.

If only the adorable six-year-old’s father wasn’t such an appealing Prince Charming.

Ford’s whole life revolves around his daughter…until he meets Lila. Smart, capable, and amazing at helping Emily gain confidence with her new service puppy at her side, Lila is everything he ever wanted—but she’s way out of his league. Good thing Emily and her new pup are up to the matchmaking task. This Christmas, it’s all hands (and paws) on deck!

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IndieBound * BAM * Walmart

Service Puppies Series:

Puppy Love (Book 1)

Puppy Christmas (Book 2)

Puppy Kisses (Book 3)

 

Review

Dogs and hot men…what more could a book need?! And why am I reading a holiday book in September?!

This is the second in a series about 3 sisters that run a dog training facility. In this one, we meet Lila who is a bit hard around the edges but has a good heart. Enter Ford Ford (honestly that is his name, what were his parents thinking?!) and his daughter Emily that has been granted a service dog for her hearing disability. Emily thinks that Lila is a princess in her pink dress and sometimes with 6 year olds it is best to engage a little fantasy. The story winds its way around this little group with strong supporting characters that round out the story nicely.

This story had me laughing throughout at the witty banter between Ford and Leila, the fact that he spelled dirty words so Emily wouldn’t know what he was saying, and the way that they both learned how to be more open and honest helped bring them closer together. And of course, Jeeves, the service dog Emily chooses from Lila’s company.

This book also teaches the reader a little bit about a hearing disorder and I liked how Emily still had to lip read and use sign language to communicate despite cochlear implants.

I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the last one about the last sister.  We give it 4 paws up.

 

Excerpt

“We’re going to the symphony. We’re visiting art galleries and sipping overpriced white wine. Oh, I’ve got it! You’re taking me to the fanciest store in the city and buying me a new dress. I’ll be like Pretty Woman, except you won’t have to pay me for s-e-x later.”

Ford cast a sidelong look at Lila. She’d caught her lower lip between her teeth, but she didn’t look up from the phone in her lap.

“I like to make the first one free to get the ladies hooked,” he explained. “Then I ratchet up the price accordingly.”

That didn’t get her to take the bait, either. “Turn right at the next intersection,” she instructed him. “Parking should be in the big lot on the right. And for the record, I don’t think that’s a very good way to run your gigolo business. Why would the cow pay for milk after the fact?”

“The cow isn’t the one paying for the milk. The cow is the one providing it.” He clucked his tongue and shook his head. “And here I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.”

That got her to glance up, her gaze sharp. “I never said that.”

“No, you didn’t,” he agreed cheerfully as he pulled his minivan into the last of a row of cars. “But that doesn’t make it any less true.”

She had no response to this, which was just as well since they’d arrived at their mystery destination. He had no idea where they were or why, but he didn’t care. The fact that he was on an actual date with Lila was enough.

It wasn’t just any date, either. He’d had to lift nary a finger to make it happen. Apparently, Lila took her role as invitee very seriously. From dropping Emily off at her mom’s house to planning the evening from start to finish, she’d handled everything on her own. All Ford had to do was doll himself up and wait to be whisked away for an evening of romantic bliss.

It was a new experience for him—and a delightful one. Lila was wooing him. Lila was wooing him hard.

He, too, was hard just thinking about it.

Although that wasn’t really fair. He’d been in the same state of agonized anticipation for days. No number of cold showers or hot showers or short, frantic showers with his cock in his hand had helped. Nor had Lila’s constant presence in his home. How she managed to sit with his daughter and Jeeves, cool and collected as she went through the steps of puppy training, was a mystery.

“Here. We’re going to need this.” Lila reached into the pocket of the white wool coat she wore and handed him a flask. “It’s like fifteen degrees outside. It’s straight bourbon, in case you’re wondering.”

“You remembered,” he said as he accepted the flask and took a long pull. “My vice of choice.”

It wasn’t the cheap stuff, either. The woodsy-sweet taste coated his tongue and throat, the warm burn making him feel almost giddy.

“I have my occasional value,” she admitted. “Remembering things in painstaking detail doesn’t make me a very endearing person, but it does make me a useful one.”

He opened his mouth to argue, to tell her that her value lay primarily in her ability to make him feel relaxed and happy and like a hot-blooded man again, but he didn’t have a chance to get the words out before she pulled a white knit cap over her head and secured her gloves onto her hands.

Lila was a stunning woman almost all the time, her poise and grace so ingrained that he doubted she was aware of them, but there was something about the way the cap framed her face that almost undid him. She looked absurdly youthful, her cheeks flushed from the bourbon and the cold and—he hoped—the company.

Unable to help himself, he leaned across the console and dropped a kiss onto her slightly parted lips. Surprise rendered her delightfully malleable, her mouth giving way to his for a full ten seconds before she realized what was happening and kissed him back. That was delightful, too, but for entirely different reasons—most of which had to do with the fact that she wasn’t about to let him have his wicked way with her without giving him his own back again. In fact, that was a thing she’d done since the day they’d first met. He could, on occasion, catch her off guard, but it rarely lasted for long.

She proved it by deepening the kiss. The assault of her tongue and the warm press of her mouth against his invoked every sense he had—taste and smell and glorious touch. She even released a soft moan into his mouth that made his head whir with possibilities.

And then she ended it as quickly as it began.

“Let’s skip the date,” he said before he’d even managed to open his eyes again. “I don’t care if we’re flying to the Eiffel Tower on a private jet run entirely on champagne. Let’s stay in this van and make out instead.”

She didn’t move. “You don’t want to see what I have planned?”

He’d opened his eyes by this time, but the parking lot lighting was dim, and what little vision he did have was obscured by the stars dazzling his vision. Actual g-o-d-d-a-m-n stars.

***

Excerpted from Puppy Christmas by Lucy Gilmore. © 2019 by Lucy Gilmore. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

Lucy Gilmore is a contemporary romance author with a love of puppies, rainbows, and happily ever afters. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a die-hard fan of romance in all forms. When she’s not rolling around with her two Akitas, she can be found hiking, biking, or with her nose buried in a book.

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Giveaway

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Synopsis

Dinopotamus watches the children. He tries to do what they do. He follows them to school. He doesn’t fit through the door, so he climbs in the window. The children count their toes. They have 5 on each foot. He has three. The children see that he wants to learn, just like they do. They all learn together.

 

 

Review

This is a fun book to read to children and while a fun story and it teaches children to learn how to count (at least how to start), there is also a message to share with young children that everyone is different and to embrace the differences. While Dinopotamus tried to do everything the children did, there were some things that were different about him compared to the children – such as only 3 toes, not able to speak, not having ears, and not able to fit through the door.  But the teacher and children are kind to the dinopotamus and teach him different ways to communicate and bring him into their games and lessons.

The book has colorful illustrations that depict what is happening throughout the story and encourages more conversations about school and would be great for a child preparing to attend school for the first time.

We give this 4 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.

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Who Shot the Serif? (Hand Lettering Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (July 7, 2019)
Paperback: 218 pages

Synopsis

When Jamie Lang finds one of her hand lettered quotes on the window of her shop, Flourish, with a hole shot through a serif, she knows someone’s trying to drive her business into red ink. Jamie confronts Earleen Culp, the ruthless owner of the local stationery shop, in front of the most popular breakfast spot in the small town of Cedar Valley. Of course, Earleen professes shock and innocence, so when she’s found dead in front of Jamie’s home the next morning, Jamie becomes the prime suspect.

Jamie’s one cross-stroke short of acquittal, and even her best friend has her doubts. But Jamie’s not the only one in town with a motive for wanting Earleen silenced for good. To clear her name, Jamie’s going to need every last drop of ink in her quill.

With the hot police chief Ridge, and her makeup artist friend Nora on her side, she’s prepared to go out with a flourish if that’s what it takes to catch the real murderer. She’s desperate to save her hand lettering business, but will her quest lead her right into a killer’s snare?

 

Review

This new series has plenty of suspects but only one killer, but who could it be?

I quite enjoyed the first book in this new series, from the clever writing to the killer hiding in plain sight.  Then there is Jamie’s business, hand lettering, something I admire but cannot do myself.  I think I should have paid more attention to my cursive in grade school!

Jamie is falsely accused of murdering her arch nemesis, Earleen.  Earleen is someone everyone loved to hate and there were plenty of people that would not have minded a bit if something happened to her or she went away somewhere.  Unfortunately, her death on Jamie’s door puts Jamie smack dab in the middle of the case trying to clear her name and save her business.  She is very methodical with her research into other possibilities but does not unearth the correct person until it is almost too late.

There is even a potential love interest, Ridge, but there is a mention of his twin brother, Rut, and that something tragic happened to him because he is dead, but no real details.  I am assuming that will come in future books.  At least I hope so!

We give this new series 4 paws up and can’t wait to learn more hand lettering techniques.

 

Click on the image to download a free mini mystery eBook from Amazon

 

 

About the Author

Jessa Archer writes sweet, funny, warm-hearted cozy mysteries because she loves a good puzzle and can’t stand the sight of blood. Her characters are witty, adventurous, and crafty in the nicest way. You’ll find her sleuths hand lettering inspirational quotes, trying to lower golf handicaps, enjoying a scone at a favorite teashop, knitting a sweater, or showing off a dramatic side in local theater.

Jessa’s done many things in her long career, including a stint as a journalist and practicing law. But her favorite job is spinning mysteries. She loves playing small town sleuth and transporting readers to a world where the scones are delicious, wine pairs with hand lettering, and justice always prevails.

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THE BIRD BOYS

A Delpha Wade and Tom Phelan Mystery

by

Lisa Sandlin

  Genre: Gentle Noir / Mystery / Women Sleuths

Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press

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Date of Publication: August 20, 2019

Number of Pages: 306

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The new novel from award-winning author Lisa Sandlin catches up with the almost-murdered secretary Delpha Wade (The Do-Right, 2015, set in 1973) as she’s released from a hospital in order to be tucked into the back seat of a police cruiser. Her boss, P. I. Tom Phelan, sets out to spring her. He needs her back in his investigation business, where he’ll soon be chasing a skulking grand larcenist and plotting how to keep a ganjapreneur out of the grabby hands of a brand new agency, the D.E.A. Delpha digs through old records and knocks on strange doors to unravel the dangerous case of two brothers with beaucoup aliases—verifying that sometimes truth is not true, but murder is always murder.

 

 

Praise

“What makes this crime novel soar is the humanity and humility of its main characters. It is by turns exciting, tender, suspenseful, observant, and gently funny. Readers will eagerly await the next installment.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Sandlin’s sequel soars on the wings of its spot-on evocation of a time and place and its utterly compelling central characters… A first-rate series crying for word-of-mouth support.” – Booklist, Starred Review

“Proving that anything old can be new in the right, talented hands, Sandlin has crafted an outstanding series that readers will want to follow and savor.” – Kirkus, Starred Review

“I confess that as a Beaumonster who remembers that city in the early seventies, the book has a special appeal; Sandlin gets so many details just right. But you don’t have to have lived there to be captivated by The Bird Boys. Its characters, wit, exquisite prose, and sense of redemption are so richly crafted that they’ll stick to most anyone like, well, a shirt to your skin on an August afternoon in Beaumont.” – Robert Faires, Austin Chronicle

 

Cinco Puntos Press ◆ Octavia Books  ◆  Murder by the Book

Indiebound ◆ Galveston Bookshop  ◆  Book People

    Interabang Books  ◆   Collected Works  ◆ Tattered Cover

 

 

I am thrilled to have Lisa Sandlin here today answering a few questions about her writing and inspirations.

 

How has Texas influenced your writing?

I write about a place and that place is East Texas. The landscape, the weather, the people, the speech, the customs—all have bearing on these last two books I’ve written. The setting is also time, and the year is 1973, so historical events play in: Vietnam, Watergate, the gas shortage, Hank Aaron’s home run record. Gatesville Women’s Prison, whose dates I’ve changed for fictional needs, figures in heavily as background. Sometimes side characters have histories that touch on earlier times in TX.

How long have you been writing?

38 years.

What kind of writing do you do?

Fiction. Novels now.

How do you write? Any backstory to your choice?

I beat a typewriter to death in the early years. Once I got a computer, I never looked back.

Why did you choose to write noir?

I was asked to write a noir story for the Akashic Noir Series. The story I wrote, “Phelan’s First Case,” became “The Do-Right.” I discovered that the darker genre suited me, and that designing the puzzles of a mystery—tough as that is for me—was fun. And then I loved Delpha and Tom.

Where did your love of books, reading, and storytelling come from?

My grandfather told me stories, which I loved, even though some were scary. My father read to me, many of the children’s classics. Very early, I loved the word and the story. A former classmate once recalled to me that in second grade, I stood on the playground, reciting poems.

What cultural value do you see storytelling? 

A deep one. We all narrate our own story, secretly or aloud. It’s how we make sense of our lives, how we manage to construct an extant image of ourselves or a future one, who we’d like to be. Great literature narrates the story of humans: how our psyches work, how family shapes us, how inaction or action defines our characters, our tragedies, and comedies.

 

 

 

While not an official reviewer on this tour, I did receive a copy to read in case I had time to fit it into my schedule.  Find time I did!  This is the second book and while I’m a stickler about reading books in order I decided to read this one anyway since the first book was already checked out at the library.  I’m glad I decided to dive in because there is enough back story provided that I didn’t feel like I was missing much by not reading The Do-Right first.  But I do plan to go back and read it when my schedule lightens up.

There is something about mysteries set in the 1970s where there is no technology, P.I.s seem somewhat seedy or shady, and the overall feel is so much different than what we experience today when it comes to mysteries.  Tom isn’t really seedy or shady but the office is a piece of work.  No slick furniture just whatever can be pieced together so it feels like what you might expect for the time period.  Delpha is more than just his secretary, she is organized and delves into helping Tom on various cases.  Delpha is very organized and it is not a surprise when she uncovers various pieces of information throughout the book to help move them forward.

The cases seem straight forward until Tom and Delpha really dig into the case and question everything they have been told.  What you might have been led to expect is tossed and turned and the truth is revealed.  I was quite surprised at certain facts as they were presented.

The book is heavier than others but that would be the noir aspect of the book.  While this isn’t a genre I read often, it is always nice to switch things up from the ordinary and find a new favorite.

Overall we give this 4 paws up.

 

 

Lisa Sandlin is the author of The Do-Right, winner of the Shamus Award from the Private Eye Writers of America and the Hammett Prize from the International Association of Crime Writers. Her new mystery thriller The Bird Boys is set in 1973 in the same town she was born, Beaumont, Texas. Her previous books are The Famous Thing About Death and Message to the Nurse of Dreams, Cinco Puntos Press; In the River Province, SMU Press; and You Who Make the Sky Bend, Pinyon Publishing.

Website  *  Facebook

Amazon Author Page

—————————————–

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

THREE WINNERS: Choice of eBook or Print Copies of THE BIRD BOYS

August 20-30, 2019

(International – eBooks only)

 

 

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

8/20/19	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
8/21/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/22/19	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
8/23/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
8/24/19	Excerpt	Forgotten Winds
8/25/19	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
8/26/19	Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/27/19	Excerpt	The Clueless Gent
8/28/19	Review	Kelly Well Read
8/29/19	Review	Book Fidelity

 

 

 

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Title: The Empty Nesters
Author: Carolyn Brown
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

Dear friends and army wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and tears. She’s been there.

With nothing to lose and no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken heart. So can the empty nesters.

Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.

 

Jump Into Author Carolyn Brown’s Empty Nest

Good morning, and thank you for inviting me to stop by to talk about my new book, The Empty Nesters. I’ll be giving all y’all a few of my favorite scenes and a little commentary during the time we get to spend together.

As Ma used to say on Golden Girls, imagine this—Carmen, Joanie and Diana have just dropped their daughters off at the recruiter’s office. They’ve managed to keep the tears at bay and put up a brave front, but now it’s time to let the tears loose.

“For the first time ever, Natalie and I won’t decorate the house for Halloween together. Nine months of carrying them, then we basically raised them on our own while our husbands were deployed or got sent someplace to train other officers. And now they’re gone, and we won’t see them for Halloween or Thanksgiving. And who even knows about Christmas? It’s not fair.”

It’s always amazing what comes to mind during a sad time, isn’t it? Things pop into our heads that seem trivial in the face of the event, and yet, at the time, the good memories are what keep us sane.

Tootsie, their elderly neighbor, has just lost her husband, after they’d bought the huge RV and planned a trip to northeast Texas. She’s trying to convince the women that they need to get away from their empty nest for a while.

“You need to get away for a little while and get some perspective,” Tootsie said.

“Let’s pool our money and blow it all on a trip to Paris. We can shop and have lattes in little bistros,” Diana suggested.

Joanie sighed. “That’s a pipe dream. We probably don’t have enough money to even get to Paris, Texas, between the three of us.”

The three of them have known the support of each other through the past thirteen years, and just because they’re now alone in their homes, they have no doubt that the love is still there between them—and that it’s even stronger than blood sisters.

“We’re only half a block and a phone call away. If any of us feel the world dropping out from under our feet, we can get back together in less than five minutes.”

I was amazed at how supportive all of them, including Tootsie, were of each other. They might disagree, but Lord help the person that tried to come between them, or who had the nerve to say an ugly word about one of them.

Everything happens for a reason and in the time that it should happen. I believe that with my whole heart. Diana had gotten her divorce years before the book opens, but she remembers the pain and anger of it all. Then she focused all her energy and time on raising her daughter. But now it’s her time to find a new love, and a new life—maybe with a younger man.

“That many trips into town on those roads would shake the hell out of their Caddy. And believe me, Aunt Tootsie treats that car like family.” Luke chuckled. “Age, on a truck or on a person, makes no difference. It’s how well they’re maintained that matters.”

Why, oh, why, couldn’t he have smooth pickup lines like other men? Luke asked himself. What he’d just said could be taken as an insult. She might think that he thought she looked like an old pickup truck at her age, when in reality she was downright gorgeous. He wouldn’t be a bit surprised if she still got carded at bars when she ordered a drink.

Thank you again, for inviting me into your world, and letting me talk about the amazing ladies (and Luke of course), from The Empty Nesters. Happy reading to each and every one of you!

***

 

Review

Carolyn Brown takes us back to small town Texas with a story about women, friendships, love, loss, and hope for the future.

The book starts in a suburb of San Antonio close to a military base where three women have found a home and friendship with each other.  It doesn’t hurt that they have been adopted of sorts by another couple on the block, Tootsie and Smokey, that were never able to have children but welcome the women and their families into their lives.  Fast forward approximately 12 years and the daughters are all entering basic training and the crux of the story is what happens in about a 3 month period.

I found this story to be a bit heavier than most of her books due to the grief of several characters.  These three women become empty nesters and don’t know what do with themselves.  I see this today with a lot of people that their children become their whole lives and I wonder when they plan to have their own interests outside of their children.  Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have each other and it helps as the girls grown up and their husbands are doing their military job (they are all on a team together).  It is a huge eye opener for these three to figure out how to handle life when they don’t have their daughters to worry about, or at least not as much as they are now young women and on their own.

Tootsie and Carmen have to deal with the stages of grief – Tootsie for the death of her husband and Carmen for the death of her marriage.  I am glad that the author fully pursued the different stages for these women.

Diana has been divorced for five years and enter Luke, Tootsie’s nephew.  He is as attracted to Diana as she is to him.  Her issue, the fact that she is 7 years older than him.  Their story is woven throughout the book and there is a bit of a surprise at the end but one I thought might happen.

Joanie has a different kind of surprise with her husband but you will have to read the book to find out what.

I enjoyed the book but noticed one discrepancy – there is a 72 hour waiting period to get married in Texas, so two characters might have been in for a surprise arriving at the courthouse and expecting to get married the same day!

Overall I enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.

 

About the Author

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a RITA finalist with more than ninety published books, which include women’s fiction and historical, contemporary, and cowboys-and-country-music romance. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma—where everyone knows everyone else and knows what they’re doing and when—and they read the local newspaper on Wednesday to see who got caught. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

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Rounding Home

by

Sarah Swindell

  Genre: Memoir / Family / Autism

Date of Publication: August 2, 2019

Number of Pages: 256

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In 1991, twenty-one-year-old Sarah, the recently divorced mother to two-year-old Hayley, moved from the dusty small town of Farmington, New Mexico to the bustling city of Houston, Texas with dreams of a better life. A year later, she was swept off her feet by Greg Swindell, an established Major League Baseball player who had just signed a lucrative contract with the Houston Astros and was quickly becoming the talk of the city.

Six weeks after their first date, Greg asked Sarah to quit her job as a hairdresser and marry him during Spring Training in Florida. Over the next several years, Sarah’s Cinderella story continued with the addition of three more children, a lifestyle only a few ever dream of living, and a love story even fewer ever experience.

That is until 2002 when her picture-perfect life came to a gut-wrenching halt, and Sarah was faced with more pain than she ever thought possible. For almost a decade, the puzzle pieces would cease to align due to an avalanche of events; a devastating autism diagnosis, a painful affair, multiple marriages, multiple divorces and her children’s own personal struggles with self-harm, eating disorders, and attempted suicide.

If you have ever felt lost, betrayed, or heartbroken, this story will inspire you to never give up on finding true joy and happiness again. It will prove there is no such thing as the “perfect family” and that difficult times can actually make you stronger than you ever dreamed possible.

 

Praise

“Rounding Home takes you on a riveting journey through the eyes of an exceptional woman who embraced struggle, love, success, and the unimaginable, autism. Get ready to laugh, cry, and flutter with romance; it’s one hell of a love story!” — Gena Lee Nolin, actress, author, advocate, “Thyroid Sexy,” wife & mother

“In Rounding Home, Sarah writes with gritty honesty, a deeply moving account of life with her autistic son. This testament to the resilience of the human spirit will touch your heart and soul.” — Gayle Nobel, life coach, autism mom, and author of three books about living with autism

“This story of the Swindell family is a poignant demonstration of how each family member responded and was changed, for better or worse, as they struggled to come to terms with how their lives had been altered. And although there was damage along the way, they ultimately triumph by rekindling the love that created their family unit in the first place.” — Dr. Bryan Jepson, author, physician, and father of two sons with autism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This book delves into the life of one family that has been tested, beaten down, endured, and triumphed.

I wanted to read this book partially because of the title.  My sorority’s national philanthropy deals with Autism and I have a stepson that is on the spectrum, and I’m always wondering how those that have children with severe Autism (or stage 4 as the author puts it) handle the constant emotional battle they face and when the child cannot do anything for themselves and are not able to communicate their needs to others.  This book shares Sarah’s struggles and triumphs dealing with her son, her multiple marriages, her daughters, and her one true love.

The title is clever and Sarah reveals that she had this title chosen before she ever wrote the book.  Her story opens when she is at one of the lowest points in her life and then it flashes back to her childhood and moves forward from there.  Sarah had her own issues growing up and it is a pattern that repeated throughout the book – low self-esteem, wild abandonment, and sometimes destructive behavior.  When she meets Greg, her soulmate, life turns around for Sarah and we see another side that is we might frequently see in the press – the image of a spoiled athlete’s wife with the high dollar clothing, bad attitudes from player’s wives, and self-absorbed personalities.  But there is also love between Sarah and Greg and that bond is hard to break.  I think where it all turns around and the marriage starts to decline is after Dawson’s Autism diagnosis.  It isn’t surprising because caring for someone that is ill and trying to figure out what is wrong can take a toll on anyone or any relationship.

I found the chapters that dealt with Dawson’s disability the most intriguing.  I admired her dedication to finding out what was wrong with Dawson, what might have caused him to be autistic, and her pursuit of anything that would help him leave a semi-normal life.  My heart also hurt for several of her daughters and I admired how she included their struggles in the book and even asked them to write a few paragraphs for her to include.  I can’t imagine having to cope with their struggles on top of everything else and it is understandable how she arrived at the point she did at the beginning of the book.

This book is a raw look into Sarah’s life.  No one can say if everything she did was right or wrong because we don’t know what we would do if we were in her shoes.  Sarah coped the best way she knew how and looking back she realized what she did wrong which was mostly trying to find someone else to love instead of loving herself and making sure she was the best person she could be for herself and anyone else in her life.

This is the first book from this author and there were a few things that would have eliminated some questions I had while reading.  At one point she called Greg by the name Zeke.  I think we find out 80 or so pages later that this was her nickname for him but it was really confusing at that moment in time.  At another point, she mentions hosting an open house and having a listing, but there was no mention of obtaining a real estate license or working as a Realtor until near the end of the book.

Overall we give this book 4 paws up and commend the author for sharing her story with no filters.

 

 

Sarah Swindell lives in the Austin area with her husband, Greg, a former Major League Baseball player and 2019 Texas Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Sarah is a commercial actress/model and has been working in the industry for over thirty years. She enjoys spending her free time with her four grown children and several grandchildren who reside in Texas as well.

Sarah is an avid moviegoer, loves yoga and true-crime podcasts, and advocates for children and adults with autism and other disabilities. Her son was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of eighteen months and continues to touch peoples’ hearts to this day.

Website  ⬧  Blog ⬧ Goodreads

  Twitter ⬧  Instagram ⬧ Amazon Author Page

 

 

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FOUR WINNERS: SIGNED COPIES OF ROUNDING HOME

+ SIGNED GREG SWINDELL BASEBALL CARD

August 22-September 1, 2019

(US ONLY)

 

 

 

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

8/22/19	Promo	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/22/19	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/23/19	Review	The Clueless Gent
8/24/19	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/25/19	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
8/26/19	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/27/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/28/19	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
8/29/19	Scrapbook	Forgotten Winds
8/30/19	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
8/31/19	Review	Missus Gonzo

 

 

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Big Chance Cowboy

by Teri Anne Stanley

Publication date: August 27, 2019

 

Synopsis

 At Big Chance Dog Rescue,

Even humans get a second chance

After a disastrous mistake disbanded his Army unit, Adam Collins has returned home to Big Chance, Texas. He just wants to sell the family ranch, set up his sister and grandfather with the funds, and then ride off into the sunset.

Lizzie Vanhook has landed back in her hometown, heartbroken and jobless. Adding to her troubles is the unruly stray who’s claimed her as his own. Lizzie knows she’s in over her head. Enter Adam—not only does he work with dogs, he’s also tall, dark, handsome, and the one who got away…

Adam wants nothing to do with other people, much less dogs. But when his old flame asks him to help her train her scruffy dog, he can’t say no. As his reluctant heart opens up, the impossible seems possible: a second chance with the woman he’s always loved in a place where he, his friends, and the other strays who show up can heal and call home,

Big Chance, Texas.

Amazon * B&N * Apple * IndieBound

BAM * Kobo * Walmart

Praise

“A real page turner with a sexy cowboy you can root for, a sassy heroine you can fall in love with, and an ugly dog that brings them together.”—CAROLYN BROWN, New York Times bestselling author

“Love…and puppies… Be prepared to fall in love with this cast of characters and this book.” —JENNIE MARTS, USA Today bestselling author of the Cowboys of Creedence series

“Big Chance Cowboy is a tail-wagging good read. I was hooked from start to finish.” —DEBBIE BURNS, acclaimed author of the Rescue Me series

 

Review

This is going to be a good series…wounded veterans, dogs, small Texas town….couldn’t ask for more!

I love small towns and when they are set in Texas…well then I’m all in!  Big Chance is one of those dying towns, but Lizzie returns home to help her family and has big hopes and dreams for this sleepy little town.  There are only a few things standing in her way, but nothing that can’t be resolved.  Adam has also returned home to Big Chance, but just to help get the family ranch ready to sell to help out his grandfather that has dementia and his sister that cares for him.  He doesn’t realize that perhaps this is where he is meant to be and there might just be someone that will keep him here.

I really enjoyed this story between Lizzie and Adam.  They have a past that didn’t quite end well but have the possibility to start fresh.  Their interactions weren’t rushed and made me chuckle at times.  Then there are the dogs.  First, there is D-Day, a mutt of some sort that decides that Lizzie’s car is the one to ride in when she stops at a rest stop on the way home.   He is a sad looking creature but there is potential. My heart broke when they found a mother pit bull and her puppies and they knew that someone was up to now good on that land.  Adam doesn’t want anything to do with any of the dogs despite his background and training and he is really the perfect person to help these dogs.  Then some of his buddies from his Army unit show up, perhaps not what Adam wants but sometimes the last thing you want is the one you need.  It is like this ranch is becoming a second chance for many to heal and become better versions of themselves.

Parts of this book are predictable but the story weaves a tale that while you might know the end result, you don’t know the path it will take to get there.  The characters have real problems and are ones you might meet in your own town or may even be people you know.

We give this 4 paws up and can’t wait to see what is in store for Big Chance, Texas!

Excerpt

Houston was three hours and a couple of broken dreams behind her when Lizzie Vanhook crossed the Chance County line, right about the same time the Check Tire Pressure light in her dashboard blinked on.

Crap. She’d been in the homestretch. There was something symbolic about an uninterrupted beeline home, to the place she planned to find her center of gravity. Maybe start doing yoga. Eat all organic. Drink herbal tea and learn to play the pan flute.

Flipping the turn signal, she pulled into Big America Fuel and stopped near the sign for Free Air. She stepped out onto the cracked gray asphalt and bent to search for the pressure gauge her dad always insisted she keep in the pocket of the door but came up empty.

She abandoned the driver’s side and went to the passenger door, hesitating when she noticed the dog leaning against the nearby air pump. The big dog. It was missing some significant patches of hair, and the rest was black and matted. Its big, shiny teeth were bared in what she hoped was a friendly smile. Its football-player-forearm-sized tail thumped the ground, raising a cloud of sunbaked, Central Texas dust. Lizzie sneezed. The dog stopped wagging and raised an ear in her direction.

“Good boy,” she told it, hoping that was the right thing to say. It was one thing to misunderstand the intentions of a tiny fuzzball of a dog and need a few stitches. Ignoring a warning from something this size could be lethal. It had to weigh at least a hundred pounds.

She kept the beast in her peripheral vision while she bent to search for the tire gauge. Ah ha!

“Y’all need some help?”

“No!” Lizzie straightened and turned, the pressure gauge clenched in her raised fist.

“Whoa there!” A sun-bronzed elderly man, about half Lizzie’s size, held his hands in front of him in a gesture of peace.

“I’m sorry,” she said, relaxing slightly. “The dog—” She gestured but the thing was gone.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, darlin’,” the old man said, tilting his Big America ball cap back. “We’re a little slow today, so I thought I’d check on you.” He indicated the vacant parking lot.

“It’s fine,” she said. She should remember she was back on her own turf, where it was way more likely that a stranger at a gas station really did want to help you out rather than distract you and rob you blind. “It’s been a long drive, and I’m a little overcaffeinated.”

“No problem. You local?”

“Yes,” Lizzie said. Even though she’d been gone for years, it was about to be true again.

The attendant squinted at the tool she carried. “You got a leaky tire?”

“I don’t know.” She stooped to unscrew the cap of the first valve. “The little light went on while I was driving.” Nope. That one wasn’t low. She put the cap back on and continued her way around the car while her new friend followed, chatting about Big Chance. He wondered about the likelihood the Chance County High School quarterback would get a scholarship offer. Lizzie had no idea; she hadn’t been keeping up. He speculated on the probability that the Feed and Seed might close, now that there was a new Home Depot over in Fredericksburg. She expected she’d hear about it from her mom and dad if the local place was closing and wondered if her friend Emma still worked there.

It had been ages since Lizzie had spoken to Emma, and a wave of guilt washed over her. Finally, the last valve was checked, and she screwed the cap back on. She reached through the open window and dropped the tire gauge on the passenger seat while she said “Everybody’s full. Must be a false alarm.” She wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of the interior of her car. Sheesh. The service station probably sold air fresheners; maybe she should invest in one. Compared to the breezy, wide open spaces of home, her car smelled like an inside-out dead deer. She wanted to get home, though, so she decided to deal with it later.

It wasn’t until she was backing out onto the main road that she realized the awful smell inside her vehicle wasn’t just long-drive funk. There was something—something big and black and furry—sitting in the middle of her back seat, panting and grinning in her rearview mirror.

***

Excerpted from Big Chance Cowboy by Teri Anne Stanley. © 2019 by Teri Anne Stanley. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

When Teri Anne Stanley isn’t writing sassy, sexy, love stories from her home, she’s probably doing some sort of artsy-craftsy thing and hanging with Mr. Stanley, her three favorite children, and the dogs. Sometimes she’s masquerading as a day job science geek. She’s definitely not cooking or cleaning. Teri Ann lives near Sugartit, Kentucky (which is between Beaver Lick and Rabbit Hash. Seriously).

Website

 

Giveaway

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Synopsis

As a teen, I had my life figured out: graduate and make my dream of being a bull riding champion a reality. That is right up until the goth girl transferred to my school. Georgia laid the snark on as thick as her eyeliner, but I saw through the toughened façade and fell for her. Hard.

She was willing to give up her own dream to follow me as I pursued my passion, but I couldn’t let her do that. So, I made the hardest decision of my life…and walked away.

It’s been twelve years since I left home without her and the all-grown-up Georgia is just as feisty and fiery as she was back then. It’s clear she has no intention of making redemption easy for me. Thankfully, I’m a patient man who knows what he wants. I’ve never stopped loving her, and I know she feels the same.

Back then I was a rhinestone cowboy, and she was a dark angel, complete opposites, yet we fell in love anyway. We weren’t meant to be like every other cookie cutter couple, we were meant to be different.

 

 

Review

I enjoyed the first book and this one was just as enjoyable!  This time the story focuses on another Carlisle brother, Wyatt.  He is a handsome bull riding rodeo star that has decided to open up a school to teach other men (and maybe women?) how to ride a bull.  And who should he run into when seeking some guidance on promoting the school?  His one and only love, Georgia aka Gigi aka Dark Angel.

I really like how this story goes back and forth between the past and the present sharing the backstory of these two, the ups and downs, and what they meant to each other.  They were just teenagers so of course, true love did not run smoothly due to mistakes on both of their parts.  But the sparks are still there when they are brought together by chance and Wyatt is determined to not let Gigi slip through his fingers again.

I enjoyed how he asked his brothers for help and some were understanding and others were a bit flippant.  Just wait, the flippant one will get his due I’m sure.

There are some great lines between the two (and sadly I didn’t mark any while reading to share with you) and you can definitely feel the heat between the two once they let their guard down and give in to the chemistry between them.

We give it 4 paws up and await future books about the Carlise brothers.

 

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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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!

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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.

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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

 

 

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