Book Title: The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani
Category: Adult Fiction, 399 pages
Genre: Literary
Publisher: Lake Union
Release date: September 2018

Synopsis

An Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller!

From the bestselling author of Trail of Broken Wings comes an epic story of the unrelenting force of love, the power of healing, and the invincible desire to dream.

Nothing prepares Jaya, a New York journalist, for the heartbreak of her third miscarriage and the slow unraveling of her marriage in its wake. Desperate to assuage her deep anguish, she decides to go to India to uncover answers to her family’s past. Intoxicated by the sights, smells, and sounds she experiences, Jaya becomes an eager student of the culture. But it is Ravi—her grandmother’s former servant and trusted confidant—who reveals the resilience, struggles, secret love, and tragic fall of Jaya’s pioneering grandmother during the British occupation.

​Through her courageous grandmother’s arrestingly romantic and heart-wrenching story, Jaya discovers the legacy bequeathed to her and a strength that, until now, she never knew was possible.

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Trailer

Interview

Today we are lucky to have Sejal Badani joining us and answer a few questions about her writing and herself!

Where do you write? 

Mostly at the dining room table or propped up in bed on rainy days.

In your book, the main character gets meningitis. How did you come up with this idea? 

My maternal grandmother was bitten by a mosquito and died from meningitis.

Favorite travel spot?

Would be a toss-up between Europe and Hawaii. I love going to new places that are full of history and where I get to see and experience other cultures. I also love going to beautiful relaxing beaches in Hawaii to hear and feel the ocean waves. So, it just depends on whether I want a relaxing vacation or a historical, educational one

What is your writing schedule?

After I have my cup of chai, I start writing. I take breaks for school pick up and drop off.  I try to exercise in the evening. I write for about 8-10 hours a day.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you? 

Outliers, The Alchemist, The Circle: Taken

What made you write about miscarriage? 

I saw my sister go through the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages and saw how alone she felt and what it took to find the strength within herself.

 

About the Author

A former attorney, Sejal Badani left the law to pursue writing full time.

She is a USA Today, Washington Post & Amazon Charts bestselling author, Goodreads Fiction Award Finalist and ABC/DISNEY Writing Fellowship Finalist.

Website  ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ​~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

 

Giveaway

Prizes: Win 1 of 3 paperback copies of The Storyteller’s Secret, another winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card (4 winners / open internationally)

(ends July 20, 2019)

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Book Title: Eternally Artemisia – Some loves, like some women, are timeless
by Melissa Muldoon
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 312 pages
Genre: Fiction General, Fiction Women
Publisher: Matta Press
Release date: March 2019

Synopsis

They say some loves travel through time and are fated to meet over and over again. For Maddie, an art therapist, who wrestles with the “peculiar feeling” she has lived previous lives and is being called to Italy by voices that have left imprints on her soul, this idea is intriguing. Despite her best efforts, however, proof of this has always eluded her. That is, until one illuminating summer in Italy when Maddie’s previous existences start to bleed through into her current reality. When she is introduced to the Crociani family—a noble clan with ties to the seventeenth-century Medici court that boasts of ancestors with colorful pasts—she finally meets the loves of her life. One is a romantic love, and another is a special kind of passion that only women share, strong amongst those who have suffered greatly yet have triumphed despite it.

As Maddie’s relationship develops with Artemisia Gentileschi—an artist who in a time when it was unheard of to denounce a man for the crime of rape, did just that—Maddie discovers a kindred spirit and a role model, and just what women are capable of when united together.

In a journey that arcs back to biblical days and moves forward in time, Maddie encounters artists, dukes, designers, and movie stars as well as baser and ignoble men. With Artemisia never far from her side, she proves that when we dare to take control of our lives and find the “thing” we are most passionate about, we are limitless and can touch the stars.

Praise for Eternally Artemisia

“A true Renaissance woman, Melissa Muldoon weaves her passions for art and Italy into a stirring saga that sweeps across centuries. As her time-traveling heroine Maddie reconnects with kindred souls, we meet Artemisia Gentileschi, the 17th-century artist who overcame rape and ignominy to gain respect and acclaim. Historic figures such as Galileo and Mussolini also come to life in this intricately plotted novel, but the women who defy all constraints to take control of their destinies are the ones who prove to be eternally fascinating.” — Dianne Hales

What a lovely story! Melissa weaves the lives of 4 women across time, all with some connection to Artemisia Gentileschi, a 16th century Italy painter. They represent the feminine strength that arises from life challenges, each with their unique intelligence. Underlying their stories is the idea that love transcends all, even time, love is timeless. As with her other books, Melissa fills the story out with interesting facts and references to the Italian life, culture and it’s history, her attention to detail is immaculate . I loved all of the many connections in this story that tied it all together, very cleverly done. Wonderful read, I would highly recommend it. – Lize, Amazon Reviewer

Melissa Muldoon does a phenomenal job blending fiction, romance, art history, and the Italian language into this gem. For fans of historical fiction, romance, and time travel, I strongly recommend this novel. –Exemplary Editing, Amazon Review

Interview

 

What are some of the themes in your new novel Eternally Artemisia?

My third novel “Eternally Artemisia,” like my first two, is set in Italy and tells the story of a woman who is on a journey of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow her destiny to shape a better future for herself. My protagonist—Maddie—is an art therapist and through art retreats, she leads in Italy, she helps other women through the aftermath of physical violence and rape. But this is just one of the themes of the book. In her professional life, Maddie may deal with the raw aspects of sexual violence, but this doesn’t keep her from believing in the power of love. Deep down inside she maintains there can be loves so poignant and profound the people who experience this deeply personal connection are destined to meet over and over again. This feeling is further fueled by Maddie’s childhood fantasies of time travel, and all through her life she wrestles with the “peculiar” feeling that she has lived past lives.

As the story unfolds in a villa in Tuscany just outside of Montepulciano, Maddie begins to connect with these previous existences and discovers the loves of her life. She establishes a bond with Matteo Crociani a nobleman from the Court of Cosimo II de’ Medici in Florence, as well as with the seventeenth-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi who was raped by her painting instructor at the age of sixteen. But Artemisia survived this horrendous event and went on to become the first prominent female artist of her generation. Still, today, she continues to be an influencer and a source of inspiration—not only because of her talent but by her courage to persevere despite great odds.

“Eternally Artemisia” celebrates the idea that when a woman dares to take control of her destiny and find the thing she is most passionate about, she discovers she is limitless and will transcend the scope of time.

 

What was the biggest mental/writing challenge you faced along the way while writing this book?

“Eternally Artemisia” is an intricately plotted novel that blends the past with the present and like my first two novels, I bring to life contemporary protagonists as well as historical characters from the seventeenth century. Since the story weaves together many ideas, it was quite a challenge to balance them all and keep all the many threads of my story from tangling.

First and foremost, I wanted to communicate Artemisia’s story—but I wanted her to speak to my reader’s in her own voice. To do so, I needed to bring her to life as a fully-fledged character living in her own time. I also wanted to create a contemporary character—my twenty-first protagonist Maddie—who could speak to the problem of violence against women in the modern age as well as the restorative powers of art therapy. So, to keep the reader moving through different centuries to the present age, I introduce the theme of time travel. I explore the idea that people who are intensely connected are destined to meet over and over again over time. With each new re-incarnation, they meet for the first time and recognize one another instinctively.

It was a challenge and a joy, not only to develop and flush out Artemisia’s character as a sympathetic protagonist but also to create the different versions of Maddie to fit the various periods she inhabits throughout the book. She assumes the personalities of an Art Therapist, a fashion designer, a Venetian courtesan, and several other personas—but always her character takes the form of a strong, inspirational woman, who draws her courage from Artemisia’s role model.

 

Do you ever get writer’s block—how do you deal with it and overcome it?

I believe what people generally refer to as writer’s blocks, really boils down to this: simply not knowing what you want to communicate in the first place. A writer becomes stuck, because he has nothing new to say, or perhaps he is intimidated by the act of putting words down on paper, for fear of making an error.

As I’m quite a voracious writer and am constantly brainstorming, researching, reading and creating stories in my head, I don’t often let myself get bogged down by “writer’s block.” If I do happen to get confounded by a plot twist, I deal with it by going on long walks, listening to good music and meditating in order to center myself. I figure out—or remember—what is the point or big idea I want to convey and then I’m able to continue on.

As I continue moving forward, I keep asking myself at every point in the story, what do my readers need to know next. That always seems to answer the question of how I should proceed with my next chapter and keeps my story flowing until the very last word. I remind myself, the important thing is to get thoughts down on paper, even if sometimes they seem a bit jumbled. I remind myself I can always fix a badly written paragraph, but I can’t fix one that isn’t written.

 

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, about writing, or about life in general?

In regard to writing the best advice I’ve received is: Write without fear… Edit without mercy.

In regard to life: She believed she could, so she did.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Writing a novel is hard work and requires a lot of time and dedication to the craft. But first you have to have a highly creative and unique idea that only you can tell in your own way and in your own words. To successfully complete a novel, you must have the ability to disassociate yourself from your work and critically review what you have written, in order to tear apart your work over and over again to make it better. It also takes a thick skin to accept criticism and the willingness to correct your work when you go off the rails.

I came across a quote from JK Rowling the other day which resonated with me: You have to resign yourself to the fact that you waste a lot of trees before you write anything you really like, and that’s just the way it is. It’s like learning an instrument, you’ve got to be prepared for hitting wrong notes occasionally, or quite a lot.

I love the analogy. For me it is true that writing a novel is a lot like learning a new instrument. Right off the bat, you can’t expect to play a Mozart Sonata if you’ve never played a piano before. The same is with a novel. You start with a big idea and after the first flush of creative writing is over and you have finished your first draft, the real work begins as you start the editing and rewriting and embellishing the story. During the rewrite you are composing and practicing over and over again the key notes of your symphony that in the end make it rich and melodic.

 

About the Author

Melissa Muldoon is the author of three novels set in Italy: “Dreaming Sophia,” “Waking Isabella,” and “Eternally Artemisia.” All three books tell the stories of American women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future in Italy.

Melissa is also the author of the Studentessa Matta website, where she promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog written in Italian and English (studentessamatta.com). Studentessa Matta means the “crazy linguist” and has grown to include a podcast, Tutti Matti per l’Italiano and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram feed. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs, which she co-leads with Italian schools in Italy to learn Italian in Italy. Through her website, she also offers the opportunities to live and study in Italy through Homestay programs. Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

She has also studied painting and art history in Florence. She is an artist, designer, and illustrated the cover art for all three of her books. Melissa is also the managing director of Matta Press. As a student, Melissa lived in Florence with an Italian family. She studied art history and painting and took beginner Italian classes. When she returned home, she threw away her Italian dictionary, assuming she’d never need it again, but after launching a successful design career and starting a family, she realized something was missing in her life. That “thing” was the connection she had made with Italy and the friends who live there. Living in Florence was indeed a life-changing event. Wanting to reconnect with Italy, she decided to start learning the language again from scratch. As if indeed possessed by an Italian muse, she bought a new Italian dictionary and began her journey to fluency—a path that has led her back to Italy many times and enriched her life in countless ways. Now, many dictionaries and grammar books later, she dedicates her time to promoting Italian language studies, further travels in Italy, and sharing her stories and insights about Italy with others. Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Eternally Artemisia, Waking Isabella, and Dreaming Sophia.

She also curates the Dreaming Sophia Art History blog site and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy, where you will find companion pictures for all three books. Visit MelissaMuldoon.com for more information about immersion trips to learn the language with Melissa in Italy, as well as the Studentessa Matta blog for practice and tips to learn the Italian language.

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~ Instagram

Giveaway

Prizes: 1st Prize: Win a 3-book set (Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, and Eternally Artemisia) by Melissa Muldoon; 2nd and 3rd prizes: Win a paperback copy of Eternally Artemisia (open to USA & Canada / 3 winners total)

(ends July 5, 2019)

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Synopsis

Three women. Two families torn apart by secrets.

Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back.

Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.

Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.

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Editorial Reviews

“At the very heart of The Road She Left Behind are the powerful lessons of humanity: forgiveness, healing, and letting go, all woven together with the threads that bind family and friends. You will laugh, you will cry, you will root these characters on, and miss them profusely when they’re gone. I know I do.” —USA Today bestselling author Rochelle Weinstein

“The Road She Left Behind masterfully knits together the past and present, showing us a fractured family, grave misunderstandings, and heart-wrenching betrayals. I connected with the flawed but lovable characters and found myself enthralled from the first page to the last. Bravo!” —Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of Hello Love

“In The Road She Left Behind, Christine Nolfi takes her gift of storytelling to new heights. You’ll find it all here: deft prose, troubled relationships that overcome and triumph, and a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end.” —Grace Greene, bestselling author of Wildflower Heart

 

About the Author

The heartwarming fiction by Christine Nolfi has reached multiple bestseller lists and won numerous awards. The Sweet Lake Series has won gold medals in The Reader’s Choice Awards. The Midwest Book Review lists the Liberty Series as “highly recommended.”

Prior to writing fiction, Christine owned a public relations firm in Ohio. She closed the firm after adopting her four children from the Philippines. Today she resides in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and her crazy Wheaten Terrier, Lucy.

Website * Twitter * Facebook Page * Amazon Author Page

 

 

Book Title: What We Do for Love by Anne Pfeffer
Category: Adult Fiction, 227 pages
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Bold Print Press
Release date: May 21, 2019

Synopsis

“If Lorelai Gilmore of Gilmore Girls was dropped into a thriller, it might resemble this appealing novel.” –Kirkus Reviews

Thirty-eight year old Nicole Adams has given up on finding love. Instead, the single mother focuses on the things she cherishes most—her sixteen-year old son Justin, her friends, and her art. When she convinces a prominent Los Angeles museum to feature a piece of her work, a large-scale installation, she thinks her life has finally turned a corner. Then Justin brings a girl, Daniela, home to live with them. Daniela’s angry parents have thrown her out of the house, because she’s pregnant with Justin’s child.

​Shattered, Nicole takes Daniela in and, in so doing, is drawn into the inner circle of Daniela’s family—a frightening world of deceit and violence. Nicole struggles to keep life going as normal. Forced to deal with people she doesn’t trust or like, fearful for the future of both her son and the grandchild they’re expecting, Nicole wonders if she can do what she tells Justin to do: always have faith in yourself and do the right thing. ​

 

Review

The title of this book could not be any more fitting because it portrays Nicole, a single mom, and the lengths she goes to for her family even when those lengths could be dangerous!  But isn’t just Nicole that I think this title fits, but also Viviana, Mike, and even her sister.

This book was a fast read for me and I enjoyed the story and some of the twists and turns that came about as more of the personal stories were revealed.  Nicole is a single mother and I can’t even imagine what it is like to raise a child by yourself.  But Nicole has done a good job and her son Justin is smart and on his way to bigger and better things.  Until the day he brings home his friend Daniela and she is pregnant with his child.  What a bombshell to drop on Nicole but after the initial shock, she starts to adjust to the information and starts to look forward to a grandchild.  But things aren’t always as they seem and what is revealed in the end will be quite a surprise, or at least it was to me.

There were some times where I wondered why Nicole was trying to take everything on herself and not ask for help from those around her.  Was it because she was used to doing most everything herself?  Was it a pride thing?  Whatever her reason, she grows in this book and learns that accepting a helping hand is not the downfall of her independence or anything else.

There is a little bit of suspense in this book, but it really is minor compared to everything else.  There is also romance and a happily ever after ending.

This book is an enjoyable read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

About the Author

Award-winning novelist Anne Pfeffer grew up in Phoenix, Arizona reading prodigiously and riding horses. After working in Chicago and New York, she escaped back to the land of sunshine in Los Angeles.

​She has worked in banking and as a pro bono attorney, representing abandoned children in adoption and guardianship proceedings. Anne has a daughter living in New York and is the author of four books in the YA/New Adult genres.

Website ~ Twitter

 

Giveaway

Prizes: Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of What We Do for Love, 4 winners will receive a print copy of the book (5 winners / open to USA only)

(ends June 21, 2019)

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The Little Teashop on Main

by

Jodi Thomas

Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction / Coming of Age

Publisher: HQN

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Number of Pages: 336 pages

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

A rainy-day ritual—a tea party between three little girls—becomes the framework of not only their friendship, but their lives.

Blonde, curly-haired Zoe is openhearted, kind and free-spirited, and dreams of becoming a famous actor in New York City. Shy Emily struggles with mental health but has the heart and soul of a writer. And Shannon—tall, athletic, strong—has a deep sense of loyalty that will serve her well when she heads off to military college.

As Zoe, Emily, and Shannon grow into women—forging careers, following dreams, and finding love—they’ll learn that life doesn’t always unfold the way they want it to, but through it all, the one constant is each other and their regular tea parties. And when the unthinkable happens, the girls must come together to face the greatest test of all.

A deeply moving novel about the family that raises us, the hearts that nurture us, and the great friendships that define our lives.

Harlequin┃  Amazon ┃ Barnes & Noble  ┃ Google Books

Praise

“Heart-wrenching as well as heartwarming, the book reflects the experiences of these seven multifaceted and compelling characters as they journey through challenging years together.” — NY Journal of Books

“A comforting treasure for regular Thomas readers who enjoy the easy flow of her writing, a little steamy romance to spice things up, and the development of vulnerable, realistic characters.” — Booklist

 

 

This excerpt is from the beginning of the book and sets the tone for the rest of the story.  Enjoy!

 

Zoe O’Flaherty danced on the tile floor of the sunroom as if it were a grand stage. Her sun-streaked red hair floated like a cape as it brushed against multicolored geraniums in full late summer bloom.

In her five-year-old mind, today was a perfect day, even if it was raining outside. The best day in her life. Better than Christmas or even Halloween.

Today, Zoe was having her first real tea party. Mommy, or Alex as grownups called her, had decorated with paper stars hanging from the ceiling fan, and she’d bought a Cinderella tea set. They’d made heart-shaped peanut butter sandwiches and tiny cupcakes with a cherry on top of each one. Choco¬late kisses sprinkled across the short table with three child sized plastic chairs. A small box sat on each plate filled with diamond rings as big as suckers and plastic necklaces.

“Now, Zoe, settle down,” Mommy said for the magillianth time. “You’ve got to welcome both girls when they arrive. You’re the hostess today. I’ll be in the kitchen with the mothers.”

“I know. I know.” She twirled. When she was a dancer someday, she’d never stop twirling.

The doorbell rang. Zoe squealed and darted to the door, her pink princess dress flying around her so lightly she could almost believe it was made of cotton candy.

“Hi,” she said, as a princess dressed in purple floated one step inside the house.

The mother behind her pushed the thin little girl forward. “You must be Zoe. I’m Mrs. Waters and this is my daughter Emily. She’s going to be in your kindergarten class. And I, for one, thank your mother for putting this party together so it won’t be too frightening for you girls next week. Emily will have two friends she knows in that petrifying environment.”

Zoe leaned down when Emily didn’t look up. This new princess had long brown braids and fear in her chocolate eyes.

Princess Emily sniffled, hugging herself as if she were cold.

Zoe had never thought about being afraid to go to kindergarten. Or that there would be someone who didn’t want to come to a tea party, but this purple princess did not look happy. “I’ve never had a tea party with anything but dolls. Have you?”

Brown braids slapped against Emily’s wet cheeks as she shook her head.

“I like your dress,” Zoe whispered. The new princess still didn’t look up, but her mother stretched her neck and looked around their room as if she were inspecting the small home.

“Interesting house,” Mrs. Waters said, her face wrinkling as if she smelled something unpleasant.

Emily finally raised her head and smiled a tiny bit. “I like your dress too, Zoe.”

Mommy came out of the kitchen and took Mrs. Waters away. Zoe was glad. She was probably nice, but if she’d brought a basket of apples like the queen in Snow White, Zoe wouldn’t have eaten one.

She took Emily’s hand and pulled her to the play table that was set for tea. “Do you like peanut butter sandwiches?”

“Yes, but I don’t like my crown. It’s too big.” Emily leaned sideways and it fell off. “My mommy says I’ll never find a prince if I don’t keep my crown on.”

“Mine’s too small.” Zoe shook her red curls and the crown bounced atop her head. “And I don’t want to find a prince. My mommy says I don’t have to find one if I don’t want to. She told me sometimes you have to kiss a frog to get one.”

Both girls giggled and switched crowns as Zoe’s mommy answered the doorbell.

 

 

This book has all the emotions running through it – from happiness to sorrow and everything in between.  It also speaks to friendships and how important they are in our lives.

I may have thought this was going to be a light read but the book surprised me as it was so much more.  I think what engaged me the most was the friendship of Zoe, Emma, and Shannon.  They were fast friends from kindergarten on and celebrated milestones in their lives by having a tea party.  I loved the tradition especially when they would have the tea party before leaving for college, when they came home, and for all milestones in between.  I marveled at how no matter what was going on in their lives they always found time for each other which is so very important.

Beyond the friendship aspect, this book also tied in mental health, illness, family, and that love can be right around the corner if you just take a peek and let it into your life.  It is also about chasing your dreams and living up to your potential.  Each woman’s personal story is woven beautifully within the whole story and there is even a storyline regarding Zoe’s mother and Shannon’s father.

This is probably one of the most heartwarming and heart-wrenching books I have read so far this year.  We give it 5 paws up and highly suggest you read this book!

 

 

With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 45 novels and 14 short story collections. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world.

In July 2006, Jodi was the 11^th writer to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. With five RITA’s to her credit, along with National Readers’ Choice Awards and Booksellers’ Best Awards, Thomas has proven her skill as a master storyteller.

Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Thomas enjoys interacting with students at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where she currently serves as Writer in Residence.

When not working on a novel, or inspiring students to pursue writing careers, Thomas enjoys traveling with her husband, renovating a historic home, and “checking up” on their grown sons and four grandchildren.

 

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

5/8/19	Notable Quotable	Texas Book Lover
5/8/19	Notable Quotable	Reading by Moonlight
5/9/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
5/10/19	BONUS Stop	Hall Ways Blog
5/10/19	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/11/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
5/12/19	Review	Book Fidelity
5/13/19	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
5/13/19	Author Interview	Kelly Well Read
5/14/19	Review	All the Ups and Downs
5/15/19	Excerpt	Rainy Days with Amanda
5/15/19	Review	Bibliotica
5/16/19	Excerpt	#Bookish
5/16/19	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
5/17/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
5/17/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles

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Title: Faking Forever
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

Shannon Wentworth’s biological clock is ticking, and she isn’t going to let her single status keep her from having a baby. When her wedding-photography business takes her to Mexico, she has every intention of finding a willing baby daddy to help her out. Until the bride goes AWOL, leaving Shannon to coddle the arrogant fiancé who has accused her of sabotaging his wedding.

Victor Brooks never could have imagined that he’d be on a honeymoon for one. Only here he is, taking a hard look at his life after the younger women he thought he loved walked out. The woman who volunteers to help him reflect is the last person he expects to be attracted to. Between the tequila, the sun, and one earth-shattering kiss, Victor finds Shannon a distraction too sexy to ignore.

They strike a deal: wait three months, cool off, and see if their tropical beach attraction is worth taking up when they go back home. Unfortunately, that’s just enough time for the past to come calling. All their best-laid plans are at risk. So is the last thing Shannon expected to matter the most: her heart.

Excerpt

Victor noticed Shannon sitting in the open dining area of the hotel the next morning, drinking coffee and reading on her e-reader. He’d spent most of the previous day licking his metaphorical wounds and nursing a headache.

Dressed in cotton pants that went midcalf and a light shirt, she looked like she was dressed for a long plane ride home. As much a pain in the ass as the woman had been, he felt compelled to say goodbye. After all, he was the reason she was there.

He walked up quietly behind her. “If it isn’t woman who fed me mezcal.”

The sound of his voice made her jump.

Too bad she wasn’t holding her coffee.

“You have got to stop doing that.”

Without an invitation, he sat and smiled. She took a deep breath and looked away, came painfully close to rolling her eyes. For some reason, he appreciated the fact she held back and wondered just how much it would take for her to disregard him with such a gesture.

“Please, sit down,” she said.

He glanced at his chair. “Thank you.”

She set her e-reader aside and regarded him. “I thought for sure you’d be back at the office by now.”

So did he. “I couldn’t fly yesterday even if I’d found a flight.”

“Oh?”

He didn’t miss the tiny shine in the corner of her eye.

“No. I had one too many the other night. Inflicting that on whoever had the misfortune of sitting next to me on the flight home was more than I could take after my flight here.”

She smiled, briefly, and lifted her chin. “I’m glad to hear you’ve evolved since Friday.”

Unable to help himself, he laughed.

Her smile returned.

Victor felt a twist in his gut, a pull to something he didn’t want to name. “I guess you’re leaving today,” he said.

She shrugged. “I am.”

He nodded. “Justin informed me you made sure I didn’t decide to go for a late night swim.”

“It was tempting. But then I realized you wouldn’t be able to pay me if you swallowed too much water.”

“Self-preserving. Very smart of you.”

“It’s a gift.”

When the woman wasn’t tossing barbs at him, she was beautiful. Perfect lines in her face, high cheekbones … he couldn’t tell if her olive skin was from an ancestor or the byproduct of living in Southern California. Not anything like anyone he’d been attracted to before.

What was he thinking? He wasn’t attracted.

Victor shook his head and stood. “Well, I saw you sitting here and thought I’d at least say goodbye.”

She stood with him and extended her hand. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry things didn’t go as planned this weekend.”

Her fingers were long, elegant. Just like the woman. Disappointment saying goodbye was an emotion he had no business feeling. Yet there it was, like a lump in his chest.

“Are you?”

Her smile cracked. “No. But it seemed the right thing to say. I am sorry for the heartache. That’s never easy, even if it’s for the right reason.”

Victor realized he was still shaking her hand and let go.

“Goodbye, Victor. Good luck to you.”

“Goodbye, Shannon.” And because it was the appropriate thing to do once you said goodbye, Victor walked away. When he turned to take a last look, Shannon sharply moved her gaze to her coffee.

 

About the Author

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight books that have collectively sold more than five million copies and have been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series.

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VORTEX

by

Kimberly Packard

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Psychological

Publisher: Abalos Publishing

Publication Date: January 31, 2019

Number of Pages: 308 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY! 

Constant spinning, round and round and round, temperatures rise and fall from stifling heat to chilling cold, emotions run high in anticipation of what will happen next… there’s a fine line between surviving a tornado and falling in love.

A close encounter with a tornado, during the final months of her doctoral studies, jogs a lost memory to the surface. Desperate to relive the vision and find answers, storm chaser Elaina Adams continually puts her safety at risk by placing herself in the path of dangerous storms.

When betrayal strikes, Elaina is forced to pair up with Robert Tucker. “Tuck” owns a storm chasing tour group and only cares about two things: chasing tornadoes and making his next buck.

Seth Maddux was climbing his way to the top as the star meteorologist for the Forecast channel, but an embarrassing outburst on camera sent his career on a downward spiral. Hoping to reignite his career with a promising field assignment, he meets Elaina and a different kind of flame sparks.

Family secrets surface and passions explode in this twister of a tale.

Vortex is a story of family, love, identity, and determination set against the thrilling backdrop of Tornado Alley.

Praise

“Set in the heart of America’s Tornado Alley, Kimberly Packard’s latest psychological fiction swirls with discovery and betrayal. VORTEX may make you question who among those closest to you are really your friends.” — Addison Brae, author of Becker Circle

“Vortex is a fast-paced story with a strong woman at its center. Readers will be in for a wild ride full of secrets, the labyrinth of memory, and the spark of romance. Definitely one to add to your reading list.” — Christine Brodersen, author of Lip Gloss, Shame and Murdered Tomatoes 

“Kimberly Packard is an accomplished author who writes strong women characters. She blew me away with her Phoenix series (three books you don’t want to miss) and now in Vortex, we meet Elaina Adams, who, like all of us, struggles with her past, her career, and her family secrets. Action, and emotion-packed, this page-turner is a different kind of love story.” — Vanessa Foster, author of More than Everything 

 

Why it was deleted:

Quite frankly, I wasn’t really sure where this was going other than a chance for Elaina and Seth to catch up after they had a little spat. As authors, we have to examine every scene to see how it moves the story forward, and while this does give us a good glimpse into their relationship, I had to make a hard decision. But looking back at it, I do love this scene and wish I could have found a way to squeeze it in.

SBR – I have to agree with Kimberly – this is a great scene and wish it would have made its way into the book!

= = =

To some people, punishment should fit the crime. To others, one size fits all. Dr. Pierce was in a unique camp in that he believed the best form of punishment was what the recipient deemed to be pure hell.

And, for Elaina, that hell was standing in front of three hundred freshmen who signed up for Meteorology 101 simply to satisfy a science credit.

“Okay, so who can tell me the type of clouds that you’ll see prior to a frontal boundary moving in?”

She gazed out the darkened auditorium. Only the faces of the few late students stuck with a front row seat stared back at her, the rest were unmoving darkened heads.

This could be someone’s worst nightmare.

Elaina turned her back to the room of collegiate zombies to write the answer on the dry-erase board. The ink zigged on the board, a result of her still-shaking hands from the near collision with a flying Buick. In two days the shaking subsided to fits and starts, but an electrical pulse of fear would flood her bloodstream with no warning. She slammed the pen down on the ledge and turned back to the class. “Come on guys, this is easy stuff. You should have learned that just from watching TV.”

A couple of faces illuminated in white-blue light confirmed what she already knew. She lost them.

How does Pierce not commit freshmancide?

Elaina crossed her arms over her chest and paced the front of the room. She had fifteen minutes until she was free. Fifteen more minutes of hell. She could capitulate and let them leave early. Send them on their way to torment their next professor. Or, she could escalate.

Elaina sat on the edge of the beige metal desk and a Mona Lisa smile crawled across her face and she narrowed her eyes.

“Did I mention that I’m the one who writes y’alls’ final exam?” She kicked her boots like a bored child. Students in the front row sat up straighter causing a ripple that radiated to the back of the auditorium. “So, you have ten minutes to ask me what’s going to be on the test.”

She kicked a few more times before the silhouette of a hand rose up in the back of the room.

“Yes?”

“Will there be anything on the test about tornadogenesis?” a male voice asked his Southern accent dancing across the room.

“Yes, you’ll need to understand the distinctive features that lead to a tornado, both from the ground and on the radar. What else?”

More silence stared at her and then his hand came up again.

“What about hurricane prediction and impact, especially along the U.S. Coastal region?” The voice felt familiar the second time she heard it.

Elaina chewed on the inside of her cheek. This was definitely deeper than Pierce had planned on going this semester. And, judging from the wide eyes and slouched figures, he probably spent a lot of time explaining why clouds are white and the sky was blue. How did this one sharp pencil end up in a package of blunt instruments?

“Well,” she started, letting the word drag out a little too long. “Yes, there will be some questions on hurricanes, prediction, impact, etc. But what you’re asking is really something that would be covered in the next level. What else? Three minutes.”

The distinctive shuffling of papers floated through the air like falling leaves. Three minutes and they would all be free. Unless …

The hand in the back shot up one more time. A collective groan rumbled through the air. Elaina might have been part of it.

“Sorry, last question.” This time something was different. The tone of the voice was the same, but gone was the Southern syrup. In its place was a straight and narrow non-accent accent. Exactly the type of accent one would use on national television. “Which is cooler, hurricanes or tornadoes?”

A laugh erupted from her chest before she could catch it. “Tornadoes. Okay, you guys get out of here.” She pushed herself off the desk and walked around to gather her own papers. “Except you in the back. I need to see you down front, please.”

Seth fought against the tide of escaping students, getting jostled by some, gawked at by others and downright ignored by most. When he finally made his way down to the front of the room, they avoided each other’s eyes until the room was empty.

“For the record, you’d fail my class,” she said, finally looking up from her backpack after the door closed behind the last student.

Seth looked up from his phone. His crystal blue eyes were filled with embarrassment and remorse and one side of his mouth twitched up into a sheepish half-smile.

“Like I failed our first date?”

An icy shudder course down her spine. Storming off the dance floor and out of the club made her feel more like a petulant freshman than the near doctor she was. She could feel her neck and cheeks warm as the rising tide of embarrassment.

“I think I might be the one to have flunked that one, remember? I just kinda quit.”

Seth shrugged and perched on the desk beside her.

While I am not an official reviewer on this tour, I was lucky enough to snag a free copy from Amazon a few weeks ago on a special promotion and I am thankful to the author for offering the book during those few days.

Storm chasing – those words will either instill fear or exhilaration in the hearts of a human.  I’m not 100% sure where I would fall in those camps but nature is a wondrous thing with what comes from colliding temperatures and all that other scientific jargon that I don’t understand but Kimberly Packard wraps up the terminology in easy to understand bits and weaves a tale of love, loss, memories, and hope.

This book enthralled me and it was hard to put down.  I would find myself reading “just one more chapter” before getting reading for work or before turning out the light at night.  The characters were raw yet real and could be someone we know in our own lives.  Elaina wasn’t the only character that had baggage they were holding on to for too long.  Seth threw away a promising career thanks to a coworker, Tuck is a brilliant storm chaser but has a gambling problem, and Connie (Elaina’s mother) just want to protect her daughter and is afraid to tell her the truth about her life before being adopted.  There were so many great elements that will pull you into the story in different ways.  The way the author describes the storms was genius and caused me to think about storms in a whole new way.

I did figure out a part of the story tied to Elaina’s past.  It was pure luck as not much in the story pulls you in this direction, but the pieces seemed to fit for me.  I am not going to say more only because I don’t want to give anything away because the story really builds to this piece of Elaina’s past.

One of my favorite lines from the book is actually what was on one of Elaina’s t-shirts – “I’m more confused than a chameleon in a bag of skittles.”

Some of my other favorite lines:

“Ever since that tornado, her grip on her identity felt loosened, like holding onto a weather balloon only to have it pulled out of her fingers and float away.”

“What if the sign ahead was a green light, telling him the road would likely be bumpy and curvy, but it was the route he was supposed to take?  What if saying yes changed everything?”

Why should you read this book?  You should only read it if you want it to sweep you up, twirl you around, and then blow you away just like a tornado.

This is why we are giving it 5 paws up!

Kimberly Packard is an award-winning author of edgy women’s fiction. She began visiting her spot on the shelves at libraries and bookstores at a young age, gazing between the Os and the Qs.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found running, doing a poor imitation of yoga or curled up with a book. She resides in Texas with her husband Colby, a clever cat named Oliver and a yellow lab named Charlie.

Her debut novel, Phoenix, was awarded as Best General Fiction of 2013 by the Texas Association of Authors. She is also the author of a Christmas novella, The Crazy Yates, and the sequels to Phoenix, Pardon Falls and Prospera Pass.

 

Website  ║  Facebook  ║  Pinterest

Twitter  ║   Goodreads  ║   Instagram  ║   Bookbub

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

FIRST PRIZE: Signed Copy  +  $5 Amazon gift card + Bookmark

SECOND PRIZE: Signed Copy + Bookmark

TWO WINNERS: eBook copies

FEBRUARY 19-28, 2019

(USA only)

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

2/19/19	Notable Quotable	Texas Book Lover
2/19/19	Notable Quotable	All the Ups and Downs
2/19/19	BONUS post	Hall Ways Blog
2/20/19	Review	Reading by Moonlight
2/21/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
2/22/19	Excerpt	The Page Unbound
2/22/19	Author Interview	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
2/23/19	Review	Max Knight
2/24/19	Review	Book Fidelity
2/25/19	Top Ten List	Kelly Well Read
2/25/19	Deleted Scene	StoreyBook Reviews
2/26/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
2/27/19	Playlist	The Clueless Gent
2/27/19	Scrapbook Page	Forgotten Winds
2/28/19	Review	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
2/28/19	Review	Tangled in Text

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Title: The Magical Christmas Do Over
Author: Linda West
Publisher: Morningmayan Publishing
Pages: 320
Genre: Holiday

Synopsis

Three women, thrown together by fate, get a second chance to go back in time and change their lives forever.

Excerpt

It was a cold December eve, some say the coldest in decades, and a blizzard warning was in effect. It was the Friday before Christmas and most of the other workers of Kennedy and Crane had already left for the Christmas holiday weekend.

Samantha looked at the clock and groaned inwardly. It was after 8 o’clock and her boss was in an extra foul mood even for her.

“Shouldn’t you be getting home to put on that awesome Chanel dress you bought for the big night?” She asked.

Macy spun around enraged, and Samantha sunk back.

Macy’s dark brows knit together and her brown eyes looked nearly black with the size of her pupils. She ran her hands through her short dark hair and then stared at Samantha with disbelief on her face.

“I got a text from Todd an hour ago. He’s gone off to LA with some friends for Christmas!”

Samantha’s mouth fell open. “What, why?” She stopped herself. “I’m sure he has a good reason Macy.”

Macy snorted. “Yeah, good reasons usually don’t come in a text. I’m losing him Sam.”

Macy plopped down in her chair and stared out the large picture window of her sleek office, and tapped her long manicured nails on her desk like a woodpecker.

“Says he’ll call me when he gets back…in a month.”

Samantha’s groaned inwardly. Poor Macy, it looked like she was getting the ultimate big let down. Broken up with at Christmas. No engagement celebration after all.

“Here’s a piece of mail you didn’t get.” Sam offered up happily as she placed it on Macy’s desk.

“Send it back.” Macy said dully without turning.

Samantha continued hopefully. “It’s not the annual Christmas invite from your mother Macy, that one is always in a red envelope. I always send that back. This is something different.”

Samantha looked at the pretty Tiffany blue colored envelope.

“It’s addressed to you personally, not the company.”

Macy cocked her head to the side intrigued.

Sam rushed on eager to bring some sort of happiness to her boss. “Maybe it’s a love letter from Todd with two tickets to Paris for when he gets back?”

Macy let out a big huff and gazed out the window at the oncoming storm. They both knew that wasn’t the case. Todd’s last minute text was just a breakup in disguise.

But if not Todd then who? Macy really didn’t have any close friends that would send her a Christmas card. Anyone that did know her at all, knew she abhorred Christmas. Too much money being spent in the name of sentimentality and tricky marketers as her father always said.

Macy waved her hand without looking back at Samantha as if she were a servant.

“Read it.”

Samantha scanned the letter, then suddenly, caught her breath and brought her hand to her heart.

“Macy.”

Something in Samantha’s tone made Macy spin her chair around.

“What?”

“Its from a friend of your mothers, a Ms. Carol Landers.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Macy threw her hands up in the air.

Now my mother is having her friends beg me to come home and visit her? How utterly selfish!”

She shook her head in disbelief. “What is it with my mother? She ruins my life and then she stalks me! Can’t she see no matter how many times she begs me to come home for Christmas – I’m not going to Kissing Bridge to see her?”

Samantha swallowed uncomfortably and croaked out, “I’m so sorry Macy. But this letter says that your mother passed away yesterday, and you’re the only relative left to claim her body.”

She looked up sadly and met Macy’s stunned eyes.

“You have to go home to Kissing Bridge.”

Trailer

About the Author

Linda West is an Amazon best seller and author of the best selling series ‘Christmas Kisses and Cookies.’ She writes books that feature food and fun and includes her own recipes from her quaint beach café in Malibu.

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Freefall: Divine Comedy by Lily Iona MacKenzie
Publisher:  Pen-L Publishing
Category: Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction
Available in print & ebook, 255

 

During a four-day reunion in Whistler, B.C., Tillie Bloom, a wacky installation artist, reconnects with three women she had hung out with in the late ’50s and early ’60s. While in Whistler, secrets surface and a near death experience occurs during a hike, both of which bind the women at a deeper level.

Their new intimacy prompts them to celebrate the millennium as well as their approaching sixtieth birthdays in Italy. So a few weeks later, Tillie travels to Venice to have an extended reunion with her friends. While the women assume they’re in Venice to vacation and deepen their relationships, Tillie has a hidden agenda: she intends to crash the Venice Biennale, hoping to find a larger audience for her art. Cupid’s arrows complicate her goals when she and an Italian priest fall for each other.

The reflective quality of Venice’s canals also create unexpected changes in the women, causing them to turn inward. They all end up with a fresh take on themselves and their lives. Tillie, in particular, experiences a deeper understanding of herself. But will it take her on a path she’s ready to travel, and will Venice finally give her the recognition she seeks as an artist?

You can pre-order the book from Pen-L Publishing and it will be available everywhere in January 2019

Advance Praise

“Hilarious, spiritual, and sensual, Freefall: A Divine Comedy takes you on a rollicking ride spanning three countries and four decades. These fascinating characters will fill your imagination, defying expectations about aging, art, and what truly matters in life.” —Laurie Ann Doyle, author of World Gone Missing

“This is an enchanting story about old friends reuniting as they struggle with thoughts on aging, religion, motherhood, men, art, and death. A delightful trip in every respect, with plenty of surprises and laughs along the way. A Divine Comedy, indeed!” —Mark Willen, author of Hawke’s Point and Hawke’s Return

About the Author

A Canadian by birth, Lily Iona MacKenzie has published reviews, interviews, short fiction, poetry, travel pieces, essays, and memoir in over 155 venues. Her poetry collection All This was published in 2011. Fling!, her debut novel, was published in July 2015. Curva Peligrosa, another novel, was released in September 2017.

Currently, she teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute of Lifelong Learning. She also blogs about writing and reading.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Giveaway

This giveaway is for the choice of a print copy or ebook for three winners. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only.  The eBook is open worldwide.

This giveaway ends on November 30th at midnight Pacific time.

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Freefall Web Tour Schedule

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Oct 4 Kickoff

Yari Yaris-Book-World Amazon Oct 5 Review

Dawn Bound 2 Escape Oct 8 Excerpt

Carole Rae’s Random Ramblings Oct 9 Review

Dawn Bound 4 Escape Oct 10 Guest Review

Danielle Urban Book Reviews Oct 12 Guest Review, Guest Post, & Excerpt

Monica Writers N Authors Oct 15 Review & Interview

Marcie To Read, or Not To Read Oct 16 Guest Review &  Guest Post

Harvee Book Dilettante             Oct 30 Review

Rebecca Paperback Writer Nov 7 Guest Review & Excerpt

Kathleen Celticlady’s Reviews Nov 8 Guest Review

Amber Imaginative Dreams Nov 14 Review, Interview, & Excerpt

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus  Nov 15 Review

Leslie StoreyBook Reviews Nov 16 Spotlight

Mindy Room Without Books is Empty Nov 20 Review

NOW LIVE!  Bagging Alice by Laura Barnard

Get your copy of the hilarious Bagging Alice, the third standalone in the Babes of Brighton series

Head on over to Laura’s Facebook and Instagram pages (below) to enter her HUGE giveaway!

Synopsis

Alice is used to taking photographs for a living – not having intimate pictures of herself posted for all the world to see, thanks to a disgruntled ex-boyfriend. Now her clients are canceling appointments, and she’s almost out of cash. What else could go wrong? Oh yeah, her roommate has scarpered leaving Alice completely out of luck.

Enter Tom ‘man whore’ Maddens. Having disappointed his father one time too many, he moves to Brighton, ready for a new start. And where better to begin it than in Alice’s newly-vacant spare room? And if he tries to seduce her at the same time? Well he’s just living up to his reputation isn’t he?

But then he didn’t bank on actually falling for her. Will his reputation as a commitment phobe put a stop to any sparks between the pair? Or can Alice put aside her trust issues and take a leap of faith for Tom?

Although a standalone, if you’d like to check out the first two books in the Babes of Brighton series here they are:

Excess Baggage (Book 1) – Excess Baggage

Love Uncovered (Book 2) – Love Uncovered

Stalk Laura and check out the giveaways on Facebook & Instagram

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