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Review – About Face by D.E. Haggerty @dehaggerty #romanticcomedy #romance

Posted in 5 paws, Review, Romantic Comedy on October 11, 2019

Book title: About Face

Series: Love in the Suburbs, #1

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Romance, Humor, Small town romance

Published: August 29,2019

Word count: 56,000 approximately 234 pages

Synopsis

My grandma is trying to hook me up.

To be painfully specific, my seventy-five-year-old grandmother thinks a little hanky-panky would cheer me up. Direct quote. Since I’m currently living with her, I can’t escape the endless line of grandchildren of friends who keep ‘dropping by’ for dinner. Literally, I can’t escape. I can barely manage the trek to the dining room at this point.

While Grandma’s determined to find me a husband, I’m determined to learn how to walk again so I can walk away from her matchmaking skills. Spoiler alert: She has no matchmaking skills.

But then I get a brilliant idea. I can fake date my physical therapist. Only he wants a real date. Gulp. A real date with me? Is he for real? I’m no longer the stylish girl with the glamorous job. Now, I’m a woman with a shattered leg and a scarred face.

If I’m going to learn to live with my new reality and give love a chance, my attitude needs to do an about-face. Easier said than done.

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Review

If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. I started this book and could not put it down until I finished the last word. This book had me laughing so hard I was crying, misty over some touching moments, and frustration with Frankie over her self-pity act.

There are so many quirky characters that you can’t help but love. Grandma likes to set Frankie up with her friend’s sons but let’s just say they are no real winners. Shelby who Frankie meets her first day of PT and they become fast friends. Jackson who has the ultimate belief in Frankie’s event planning talents even if she can’t see it for herself. And of course, Brodie, the smoking hot physical therapist that falls for Frankie from the first moment.

This story is reflective of what someone might endure after a tragic accident. While the details of the accident are never revealed, Frankie was in a cast and now has some major scars on her leg and one on her cheek. Living a somewhat superficial life has brought on a feeling of inadequacy no matter what anyone else tells her. Over the course of the book, she learns to let go a little bit and learn to love who she has become since the accident. It takes a long time because she is self-absorbed and more concerned about how she looks rather than being thankful for just being alive.

At times, Frankie’s attitude does get to be a bit much and thankfully she has a friend or two that set her straight and open her eyes to life.

I loved this book and highly recommend that you add it to your list to read soon.

About the Author

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

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Excerpt & #Giveaway – I See You by Mary Burton @MaryBurtonBooks #MontlakeRomance #Suspense

Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, Romantic Suspense, suspense on October 10, 2019

Title: I See You

Author: Mary Burton

Release Date: October 8, 2019

Publisher: Montlake

Synopsis

FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.

As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.

Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed: someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing, time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills again?

Amazon * B&N

An Affair (and a Murder) To Remember with Author Mary Burton

I SEE YOU, my latest romantic suspense, features two of my very favorite characters: Homicide Detective William Vaughan and FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer.

Zoe Spencer is a member of an FBI criminal profiling team dedicated to finding the most violent and prolific killers. Zoe, a talented artist and agent, specializes in forensic reconstruction. She skillfully merges her interview skills with pencil and paper to create stunning likenesses. And when only bones remain, she molds clay over bone to recreate the faces of the lost.

Zoe’s work generates a high case-closure rate, which draws the attention of the law enforcement community. Her lectures at the FBI headquarters at Quantico are often standing room only. Among those interested in her work is Homicide Detective William Vaughan.

Detective Vaughan, divorced and raising a college bound teenager, is a man of few words and when he does comment, his observations are always thoughtful and insightful. He not only hears what is said and but sees what is communicated via body language.
The more time Vaughan spends with Zoe, the greater his desire to breach her cool demeanor. He draws upon all his powers of observation, practiced detective skills and his somewhat rusty charm to win her. Though they begin an affair, she still remains elusive.
When a charred skull is found in Vaughan’s jurisdiction of Alexandria, Virginia, he turns to Zoe. Zoe recreates a stunning clay bust that leads to the identification of a girl who has been missing for fifteen years.

As Vaughan and Zoe dig deeper, the cold case heats up when several more women, similar to their victim, are discovered brutally murdered. This killer, who has avoided capture for so many years, is still hunting women. It becomes a race against time to catch a madman who shifts his sights to his next victim: Zoe Spencer.

I hope you enjoy I SEE YOU and this magnetic couple who I’ve pitted against one of my most chilling villains so far.

Excerpt

The instant Vaughan woke, he knew she was gone. He should not have been surprised. She never stayed long, but he’d thought last night would be different.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and instantly spotted the note on the mirror. It was written on the back of the fast-food receipt in fluid and graceful handwriting.

Called a car. Didn’t want to wake you.

Spencer. He knew how to make that woman’s body tighten with desire and how to make her moan in a way that told him she was fully attuned to his body. But beyond that, she was still a complete stranger.

He flicked the edge of the note, surprised he had not awoken. Since he had become a cop and father, he had turned into a light sleeper. Both incarnations, like a doctor on call, were summoned at all times of the day and night. His ability to shake off sleep in seconds and then think clearly was well honed. But yesterday had been long, even for him.

He laid the note on his dresser as he glanced at the pillow that still held the impression of her head. It was not like him to be sentimental, but he was sorry he likely would not see her for a while.

He showered, and fifteen minutes later he was dressed, his badge and sidearm on his belt. As the coffee brewed, he scrambled five eggs before he realized Nate was gone. He toasted a bagel and ate alone at the kitchen table.

He filled a travel mug with more coffee and was on the road by six o’clock. Moonlight mingled with the lights looming over I-395 as he looped around the beltway and headed north toward his exit. The traffic was already building, and soon it would slow to a snail’s pace.

With luck, the first wave of files from the Prince case would be in his office. He had been warned that there were a dozen file boxes, but he did not care. He also had the autopsy of the Jane Doe stabbed to death in the motel room to attend. It was going to be another long day.

Fifteen minutes later, he had parked and was in the break room, refilling his coffee. When he flipped on the lights of his office, there were six file boxes stacked in front of his desk. A green sticky note read More to come.

It was too early to call the medical examiner about his Jane Doe from the motel room, so he set his cup down and flipped through the first set of files.

He spent the next hour and a half reading through the detectives’ notes. At the time of Marsha’s disappearance, the detectives had exhausted every lead and tip that had come into the station, but in the end came up with nothing.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Mary Burton is the highly praised author of thirty five published romance and suspense novels and five novellas. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three miniature dachshunds.

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Guest Post & #Giveaway – Coastal Corpse by Rena Leith @renaleith #cozy #mystery

Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery on October 10, 2019

Coastal Corpse (A Cass Peake Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
The Wild Rose Press, Inc (September 30, 2019)
Print Length: 183 pages

Synopsis

Happily settled in her cozy cottage with its resident ghost, Cass Peake looks forward to Halloween. Then another corpse is found on her beachfront. With the support of family and her ghostly roommate, Cass investigates. To her dismay, she finds the murder victim handled her goofy neighbor’s trust fund and he was in dire need of money. The suspect list grows with a former husband, another needy relative, and a maybe shady accountant who suddenly disappears. To top it all off, rumors circulate about treasure hidden in Cass’s cottage.

Detective George Ho doesn’t like his ex-girlfriend snooping around. Despite that, sparks still fly between him and Cass. But superstitious George has no idea Cass’s home is haunted. Can Cass solve the mystery and renew the romance with her ghost-adverse ex?

Guest Post

George’s Musings on Seeing Cass After Years Apart

What a shock to see Cass at a murder scene! It had been years. She did not look happy to see me, and the first words out of her mouth were: “George Ho, what are you doing here?” I told her then I was with the police as if I had to justify my presence. To me she looked just the same. She seemed distracted, and I felt a flash of anger that quickly devolved into annoyance. What right had she to intrude on my new life? I was just getting established in the Las Lunas PD. Was she following me? But logic told me that wasn’t true. And wasn’t she married to that guy? What’s his name? The stable one who didn’t want to be a cop? Then I felt a lurch of guilt. Wasn’t it partially my fault? Maybe all my fault. I wouldn’t … I shouldn’t dwell on the past. Phil. That was his name. He must be around here somewhere. I pulled myself together and realized she was telling me that she’d bought the house behind her. My heart double-tapped, so I started questioning her. I handed her my card and told her to call me if she thought of anything else. She shoved my card in her pocket, barely glancing at it. Okay. I could play it cool, too. I winked at her, turned, and walked away without looking back.

I tried to put her out of my mind, but I couldn’t control my reaction the next time I saw her. I’d told Rusty about Cass and my feelings. Rusty’s a good friend and a terrific actress. She played it to the hilt, practically wrapping herself around me and gazing up at me adoringly. I took her to dinner for that performance. But I did feel bad for Cass when I found out she was divorced. I know how important the right sort of marriage is to her.

I didn’t see her again until we brought her in for questioning. I couldn’t look her in the eyes. She seemed so subdued. Then she left me a message. That surprised me. I called the number, left her some info about her friend, and told her she should have left her cell number. Surprised me when she texted it. But then we executed a search warrant on a bookstore owner, and Cass was there, having dinner at his house. I was relieved when I was called away. My job was still putting me at odds with Cass. I had to do something. I needed to find out if she was okay. From my perspective, the past few days had been brutal for her. Then her brother Jack called me to go to her house and keep an eye on her while they took her cat to the vet. That surprised me, but Jack and I had always gotten on well. He told me about the graffiti and the damage to her house. Then I felt fear and knew I hadn’t stopped loving her.

About the Author

I currently live in Cape May County in New Jersey after spending years in the San Francisco Bay Area with my Maine Coon cats Sierra and Ginger. I attended Clarion Writers Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy at Michigan State University and sold a story I wrote there to Damon Knight for The Clarion Awards anthology. I wrote technical manuals in Silicon Valley and also published several poems and science articles as well as a couple of chapters in Research & Professional Resources in Children’s Literature: “Piecing a Patchwork Quilt.” I’ve also taught English in high school and community colleges.

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Excerpt & #Giveaway – Creed of the Guardian by C. R. Richards @CR_Richards #fantasy

Posted in excerpt, Fantasy, Giveaway on October 9, 2019

Creed of the Guardian (Heart of the Warrior – Book Three)

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Release Date: October 18, 2019

Synopsis

Protect the Innocent. Punish the Guilty.

Seth the Ice Lion, now an Apprentice in the Jalora Legion, reluctantly travels aboard ship with his new battalion. Western Beta’s mission seems a dull assignment. Guarding miles of bogs and old ruins should be a simple task, but Seth soon learns nothing is easy for the Bearer of the Lion Ring. The Jalora is the embodiment of Good and the source of Seth’s power. It commands he search North Marsh for a relic capable of saving his homeland from the ravenous appetite of the Jackal invaders. Surrounded by deadly bogs and savage beasts, he must find the relic before the Lion Spirit inside of him takes control of their shared body.

Invaders from across the sea hold a firm grip on Valdeon, but their thirst for blood remains unsated. They lust for the riches of Andara. Using fear and greed as weapons, the Jackal enlist aid from the continent’s unscrupulous mercenaries to prepare for a larger invasion. They build a stronghold – Stone Fang Fortress – in the Bloodtooth Mountains of the north. It is here they prepare to conquer the free world.

Will Seth find this powerful relic before the Jackal swarm invades Andara? Or will his people be enslaved under the iron fist of the Jackal Lord? Seth’s answers hide in the deadly bogs of North Marsh…

Read about the first two books on my blog from last year

Excerpt

Chapter One

Seth D’Antoiné punched his fist into a helpless bundle of hay secured in the airship’s hold. Trapped like mindless livestock, he and his best friend—his squire, Riley Logan—had been herded inside a reinforced section of the hull. The suffocating enclosure was typically used to house mounts for the Jalora Legion’s traveling rangers. Fortunately for all concerned, the battalion wasn’t taking horses with them to North Marsh.

“Great gulls! Would you stop? I’m near death, and you want to punch things.” Riley gripped the porthole with one hand and covered his mouth with the other.

“You’re already airsick? We haven’t set sail yet. Our journey to North Marsh Outpost spans three days. The trip will be a rough one if you don’t settle your stomach. Can’t you make some concoction?”

Ignoring Riley’s glare, Seth leaned against the hold wall. The Lion Ring on his finger pulsed to the beat of his angry heart. It, too, resented being caged by their uneasy allies. The Jalora was the force for good on Erthe. Its Legion consisted of men, each of whom had been bonded in service by a Heart of the Warrior ring. Every such talisman clung to its bearer’s left middle finger, feeding off the host’s blood. Seth lifted his Lion Ring and regarded it. His blood surged and ebbed with the tide inside the yellow crystal.

“They’ve no right to cage me like a beast! I have things I must do.”

His thoughts returned to the hidden passageways boring through the granite body of the Obsidian Citadel, his former duty post. A few hours before the Legion caged him, Seth had chased his murderous half-brother, Julian, to the battlements. Mercenaries had been waiting for him there, ready to fight. His new Lion Friend, Lord Fausto De Quintaro, and the men of Valdeon had stood with Seth to drive the villains from the stronghold. Fausto had vowed to return to Valdeon with rebellion in mind. Seth desperately wanted to go with him, but the Jalora Legion had other plans in mind for the new bearer of the Lion Ring.

“Aye. But you’ve been grousing for the last half-hour. Please give me a little peace so I can calm my aching head.” Riley swayed forward with a groan. “Tell me what happened when you met with that foul-tempered uncle of yours. As quietly as possible, if you please.”

Seth’s uncle, Esteban D’Antoiné, was a prince of Valdeon and bearer of the Hawk Ring. His very name sent Seth’s temper surging. Esteban’s intrigues had ripped their family apart.

“Hawk was the ranger who bargained with the assassin Pavel Sandor on Marianna,” Seth reminded his friend. “My uncle found Mother when I was a baby and promised her he would protect us by keeping my existence secret. Hawk assumed he had Pavel under his control. We both know his madness was uncontainable.” Seth ran a hand across his face. “My uncle claims he sends us with the Phoenix for my protection.”

Riley sighed. “Who knows what waits for us at the end of this journey. I’m not sure I trust that uncle of yours. It seems to me he should have waited for Cardinal Dragon to return.”

About the Author

C.R. Richards’ literary career began when she interned as a part-time columnist for a small entertainment newspaper. She wore several hats: food critic, entertainment reviewer and cranky editor. A co-author of horror and urban fantasy novels, her first solo fiction project – The Mutant Casebook Series – was published by Whiskey Creek Press in 2013. Phantom Harvest (Book One in the series) is the winner of the 2014 EPIC eBook Awards for Fantasy Fiction. Cynthia is an active member of the Horror Writers Association, EPIC and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. For more information about her books, visit her website: www.crrichards.com

Books and Short Fiction by C.R. Richards: Phantom Harvest (2013), Lost Man’s Parish (2014), Pariah (2014), The Lords of Valdeon (2015) and The Obsidian Gates (2017)

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Review & #Giveaway – The Christmas Eve Secret by Elyse Douglas #5paws @douglaselyse #timetravel #historical

Posted in 5 paws, Giveaway, Historical, Review, romance, Time Travel on October 9, 2019

Christmas Eve Secret: Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

Publisher: Broadback (September 16, 2019)

Category: Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christmas

Available in Print and ebook, 440 pages

Synopsis

A mysterious man from the past steals the time travel lantern.

When Eve and Patrick find it, they destroy it.

Eve’s life is shattered.

She must return to the past, where secrets await.

In the third novel of THE CHRISTMAS EVE series, Eve and Patrick Gantly are living a normal life in 2019 New York, preparing to celebrate the Christmas season. Patrick is taking courses in forensic psychology and Eve continues to work as a nurse practitioner. To their delight, she is three months pregnant.

Despite their happiness, Eve is having premonitions that something dreadful is about to occur. Concerned about the future and the safety of their child, she insists that they destroy the time travel lantern. Patrick is more cautious.

One afternoon when Patrick is out, a sinister man breaks into the apartment and forces Eve to give him the lantern. In many ways, Eve is relieved the lantern is gone. She hopes they can now live a more normal life.

A day later, Patrick shadows a woman who has been staking out the Gantly’s brownstone apartment, and he confronts her. To his and Eve’s utter shock, they learn that Lucy Rose is from 1924 and that she time-traveled with the man who took the lantern. He returned to 1924, but she chose to stay behind. She offers to sell the lantern back to Eve and Patrick, and they reluctantly agree, hoping to keep it out of unscrupulous hands.

Convinced that the lantern is a threat to their future happiness, Eve and Patrick decide to destroy it.

But the lantern has more power than they could have ever imagined. Once the lantern is destroyed, Eve’s life is completely changed. She must set off on an adventure, in a struggle that will return her to the past, where she will learn the secret of the lantern’s origin and delve into the farthest reaches of her heart.

Review

I am a time-travel book junkie and this series always keeps me engrossed and wondering what could possibly happen next! It is also a story about love, adventure, and hope.

This is the third book in a series and while it stands alone I suggest reading The Christmas Eve Letter first and then The Christmas Eve Daughter next. These two books will help you understand the relationship between Eve and Patrick, and introduce you to other characters so you will have a better understanding of the storyline.

Eve and Patrick finally have the life they wanted until a mishap regarding the lantern throws a wrench into their lives that could potentially forever alter their lives.

The authors weave a story that melds the past and the present seamlessly. Eve ends up back in the late 1800s with her best friend Joni and while Eve knows what to do to fit in, Joni has a harder time but quickly finds herself enjoying this time period especially when she meets a handsome doctor. Could it be love at first sight? There is also science in the book, bringing in Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla (mostly Tesla) with an explanation about the lanterns from Tesla.

While there are various characters, this book is about Eve and her love for Patrick and making sure she doesn’t have to go through life without him. She endures the time period where women are not treated well but she is able to bring hope to some people she meets. I don’t want to give away too much of the story but trust me when I saw that this series is gripping from the time travel and history and there is a love story that doesn’t end.

We give this 5 paws up.

About the Author

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Douglas began writing novels in college while studying music at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He traveled the world as a professional pianist for many years. He has also worked as a copywriter and corporate manager.

Some of Elyse Douglas’ novels include: The Christmas Eve Letter (A Time Travel Novel), Christmas for Juliet, The Summer Letters, The Christmas Diary, The Summer Diary, and The Lost Mata Hari Ring. They live in New York City.

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Review & #Giveaway – Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert @heatherdgilbert #cozy #mystery

Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Review on October 8, 2019

Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Lyrical Press (October 1, 2019)
Number of Pages ~195

Synopsis

Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . .

Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings.” Her caution seems justified on her very first day, when she discovers a tour guide—dead, bloodied, and surrounded by wolves in the enclosure.

Was it death by predator or something more sinister? The body count rises, but something’s not adding up. As she gets to know the rescued wolves and wolf-dog hybrids better, Belinda realizes that her human colleagues are not above suspicion. With help from her own “pack”—her pregnant sister, Red the chauffeur/bodyguard, and hunky farmer Jonas—Belinda is hot on the killer’s tail, but if she doesn’t find him soon, he’ll do more than muzzle her to keep the truth from escaping.

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Review

What a wonderful followup book in this series. I’ve really grown to like Belinda and her investigative skills, even if she ends up in the hot seat more than she expected.

The story is engaging and I like that Belinda seeks out petsitting for exotic pets. The first book was a snake and in this book, it is helping at a wolf preserve. All is going well until an employee turns up dead in what appears to be a wolf attack. There are other unfortunate incidents at the preserve and there are multiple suspects to consider and motives. I was surprised when the killer was revealed as I didn’t really suspect this character as a killer. Yes, something unusual was happening but we don’t really know what. There are several possibilities but no character stood out to me until the end when Belinda finds herself in the crosshairs of the killer.

Outside of the mystery, I really enjoy Belinda’s character and her multiple talents. Who else could review video games and be an exotic pet sitter at the same time?! A potential career change is suggested to her at the end of the book and she is seriously considering the change. I’m not going to tell you what, you’ll have to read the book and find out. Belinda also has some love interests…although I am perplexed at the potential relationship with Jonas because I thought in the first book he was in a relationship with someone else. Perhaps he broke up with that woman and I just don’t remember…that is very possible as many books as I read!

Overall we give this book 5 paws up and await the next book in this series.

About the Author

Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Like Belinda Blake, Heather plays video games, although so far she hasn’t done any exotic pet-sitting or hunted any murderers.

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Excerpt & #Giveaway – Christmas in Winter Valley by Jodi Thomas @jodithomas #LSBBT #TexasRomance #TexasAuthor #HolidayReads

Posted in christmas, excerpt, Giveaway, romance on October 7, 2019

Christmas in Winter Valley

Ransom Canyon, #8

by

Jodi Thomas

Genre: Contemporary / Western / Holiday Romance

Publisher: HQN

Publication Date: September 24, 2019

Number of Pages: 288 pages

Scroll down for the giveaway!

Ransom Canyon welcomes you back for a Christmas that has everything you’re looking for: romance, family, and a whole lot of Texas.

Cooper Holloway would take nature over people any day—especially visiting relatives. That’s why he’s headed for a rustic cabin in remote Winter Valley, where he’ll care for a herd of wild mustangs. But Cooper’s plans are quickly thwarted by the arrival of two unexpected guests: one, a stranger in desperate need of his help, and the other, a very attractive young veterinarian.

Elliott is busy trying to keep Maverick Ranch running smoothly with Cooper gone, which is no easy task with family visiting. And when a long-lost love suddenly reappears in his life, Elliott knows he’ll have more than just books to balance this season.

With a big, chaotic family Christmas around the corner and love blooming in surprising ways, the Holloway men will have to make big choices about the future—just in time for the holidays.

Harlequin┃ Amazon ┃ B&N ┃ Google Books

Praise

“This book has everything you would want. Laughter, drama. And tears both happy and sad. I highly recommend this book.” — Patty Champion (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

“I could not put this book down once I started it and longed for more once I was done.” — Melanie (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

“I got lost in the world that she [Jodi Thomas] has created and enjoyed seeing her characters with their overlapping and interconnected stories find a happiness that none of them expected to ever find.” — B. (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

Excerpt from

Christmas in Winter Valley

by Jodi Thomas

I’d like to introduce a character who came to me one night when I was writing about Ransom Canyon.

It was after midnight, and the branches of the trees near my upstairs study were scratching against the windows as a storm blew in. I was putting together a story of three brothers for a book that would be named Christmas in Winter Valley.

The rain started hard as hail on my study surrounded on three sides by windows.

THEN, my character Tye comes along. He sat down across the desk from me and began to tell me his story: He’s older, worn out, and doesn’t believe in love.

I laughed—am I going to love writing this guy’s story!

Hope you enjoy a first look at Tye in CHRISTMAS IN WINTER VALLEY. — Jodi

= = =

December 10, Wyoming

Tye Franklin walked the rainy-day shadows of the rodeo grounds. He was well into his forties and hard as leather, and most agreed that he was usually one drink past being drunk.

He never bothered to argue. In truth, he rarely talked to anyone. His job was to haul in rough stock for small rodeos across the West. He’d made sure the pens were loaded with hard-to-ride broncs and bulls flashing Satan’s fire in their eyes.

He’d lived so long around the mud and blood of the rodeo that it was more home than anywhere he’d ever been.

As he passed from one floodlight to another in the silence of a cloudy arena, he watched his shadow beside him. Long and lean. He wore his Stetson low, even after sundown. His back was bowed just a bit from fatigue, and he had a limp he carried like a badge of failure.

Tye smiled at his shadow. Sometimes he wondered if he was the echo and the dark carbon copy that paced him was real. They weren’t that different. Both almost invisible. Both silent. Both broken.

“Franklin,” someone yelled from the row of empty stands. “You still out here?”

Tye recognized Harden’s voice. “I am, Trooper, but you can’t arrest me for being a walking drunk.”

The lawman didn’t bother to laugh. “Damn it, Tye, you’re the hardest man in this state to find. If I hadn’t seen that tin can of a truck of yours, I never would have found you. A Texas Ranger down in Austin I know has got me looking for you.” His words came as fast and sharp as his steps on the metal bleachers.

Tye didn’t move. He’d figured trouble would find him soon enough without him running toward it.

Harden was out of breath when he reached the mud of the arena. “Double damn. If it rains again tonight, we won’t be able to have the rodeo tomorrow. Folks around here look forward to it all year long.”

“You just come out to give me the weather forecast, Officer?” Tye pushed back his hat so he could meet the trooper’s eyes. In an odd way, they were friends. Tye had done what he could to keep the lawmen in this area in business. Running stoplights. Being drunk and disorderly. Occasionally picking a fight in a bar just so he could feel the pain.

Harden glared at him. “I came to deliver this to you. It’s traveled across several states to find you.” He slapped a brown envelope against Tye’s chest. “Tonight it appears I’m just a mailman, nothing more.”

Tye grinned. “The Texas Rangers after me again?”

“No, it’s from a lawyer. I think the Rangers were just helping find you.”

Tye rolled up the envelope and put it in his coat pocket. He cared less about what was in it than the trooper did.

Harden spit in the dirt. “Hell. I came all the way out here and you’re not going to tell me what’s in it?”

“Nope.”

Turning, he walked away with Harden describing, in detail, what he planned to do the next time he arrested the cowboy.

Tye didn’t care about the letter or the threats or much of anything.

His body was strong. Hard work kept him fit, but Tye knew deep down inside he was dying. A man without a heart could only pretend he’s alive for so long.

Not one person would mourn him when he died. Tye had no one who’d care, and he planned to keep it that way.

With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels and countless 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.

Thomas was honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and served sixteen years as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

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

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10/3/19	Notable Quotable	The Page Unbound
10/3/19	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
10/4/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
10/5/19	Author Video	All the Ups and Downs
10/6/19	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
10/7/19	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
10/8/19	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
10/9/19	Scrapbook Page	The Clueless Gent
10/10/19	Review	The Book Review
10/11/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
10/12/19	Notable Quotable	Missus Gonzo

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#NewRelease & #Giveaway – Galliano Gold by Traci Andrighetti #cozy #FrankiAmatoMystery @TAndrighetti

Posted in Book Release, Cozy, Giveaway, mystery on October 6, 2019

Galliano Gold (Franki Amato Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Limoncello Press (October 1, 2019)
Print Length: 327 page

Synopsis

It’s Mardi Gras season in New Orleans, but PI Franki Amato has too many problems to celebrate. A proven Sicilian lemon tradition hasn’t landed her a proposal, so her nonna has amped up the meddling to get her married, and pronto. Franki’s also under pressure to solve the strange murder of a family friend’s nephew, Nick Pescatore, who was found on a Mississippi River steamboat rumored to be haunted. When the sinister old boat sets sail on an overnight gambling cruise, Franki goes undercover with a motley crew, including a Mark Twainophile captain with a murderous past and a slimy galley chef with a mobster brother, not to mention an ex-stripper landlady with a newfound career as a memoir writer and all-too public speaker. Franki has to figure out what missing Civil War gold, a playing card, and a mysterious woman on roller skates have to do with Nick’s death. If she doesn’t, it’s anchors aweigh for Franki—down to Davy Jones’ locker.

About the Author

Traci Andrighetti is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Franki Amato Mysteries and the Danger Cove Hair Salon Mysteries. In her previous life, she was an award-winning literary translator and a Lecturer of Italian at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics. But then she got wise and ditched that academic stuff for a life of crime–writing, that is. Her latest capers are teaching mystery writing for Savvy Authors and taking aspiring and established authors on intensive writing retreats to Italy with LemonLit.

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2 Comments

Review – Two Bites Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein @DebraHGoldstein #cozy #mystery

Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, mystery, Review on October 5, 2019

Two Bites Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (September 24, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Synopsis

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone . . .

Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end.

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the twins sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?

Includes quick and easy recipes!

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Review

This book kept me engaged while trying to figure out who had enough motive to kill Lance.

This is the second book in this series and it is just and thrilling as the first. It seems that Sarah has adjusted to her role as RahRah’s caretaker while life continues as normal and she finds herself in the middle of deciphering a crime that has put her mother in the hot seat. There are also some issues regarding her sister Emily that take an interesting turn.

As with the first book, I enjoyed getting to know a few more town residents and picturing more of the town through the author’s descriptions while trying to figure out who the killer could be this time. While there are a few characters I wouldn’t mind it being, I feel like they are going to be permanent to the storyline. There are many possibilities and the author does a good job throwing in multiple suspects and motives. While this killer was one character I had suspicions about, I didn’t know for certain until the end.

The relationship between Sarah and Emily is a typical sibling and twin relationship. There are highs and lows but you can tell that they care what happens to each other. Their mother is quite a character, but I feel like it adds more dimension to the story.

Overall we give this book 5 paws up and look forward to the next installment.

About the Author

Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Two Bites Too Many, as well as One Taste Too Many, the first of Kensington’s new Sarah Blair cozy mystery series. She also wrote Should Have Played Poker and IPPY Award-winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories, including Anthony and Agatha nominated “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place,” have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and Mystery Weekly. Debra serves on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and is president of the Southeast Chapter of MWA and past president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter.

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