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Review – Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1

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Sue Coletta has a collection of thrillers that have given me hours of reading pleasure. Her covers are always amazing and covers have such a huge influence on me, so I invited her and her cover designer, Elle J Rossi from Evernight Designs, to share their thoughts.

Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Cover Creation

Sue: When Sherry approached me about writing a guest post with my cover designer, I thought it was a great idea. Readers only see the finished product, but a lot goes into each cover. Today, I’ve teamed up with my designer, the amazing Elle J. Rossi from Evernight Designs, to peel back the curtain on how we created the final cover for Restless Mayhem.

Ready? Let’s do this…

Before I approach Elle, I have a vague idea of what I want. For Restless Mayhem, the two most important elements were the wolf and dreamcatcher. Once I find images that somewhat match my mental picture, I send Elle multiple links to photo elements to either build from or use a guide. Included in the email, I also include the overall emotion I want convey. For Restless Mayhem, I wrote “dark but hopeful.” How she interprets that first email is beyond me. But somehow, she does.

Elle: Once I receive Sue’s email, I look over all the images she’s sent for review and start to get a good idea for the concept she’d like to see for the cover. Some authors will also send comps of covers in their genre/subgenre that they like. Since Sue’s most recent cover is part of a series, it’s important to stay on brand while also allowing the book to stand out as a new addition. As a fellow author (https://www.ellejrossi.com/), I know how important this first impression of someone’s book is. Humans are visual creatures, and Sue and I want to take advantage of that.

Once I have an idea in my head, I start the mock-up process. Ideally, I like to send the author a couple of rough options and get their feedback before purchasing the images we’ll use on the final. Once I have those completed, I shoot them off to Sue to get her thoughts.

Here are the mock-ups I sent for Restless Mayhem…

Sue: Both are awesome, right? I had to sleep on it to decide where I wanted to go. Plus, a snowstorm knocked out our power and I’d been trying to work via cell phone all day. Needless to say, I was absolutely fried when the mock-ups landed in my inbox. In the morning, I emailed Elle. Here’s what I said…

New day, and the brain’s working again. 😉

Okay, here’s what I’m thinking. I love the black wolf, but I don’t want anyone to think werewolves. The characters are saving Eastern Gray wolves. I’d prefer the dreamcatcher to be more of a focal point and the wolf to be secondary. If we took the dreamcatcher, red sky, and wolf from the first cover and made it clean and crisp like the second, added in a couple trees where the wolf can emerge from, I think it’ll be awesome.

Or…

Using the first cover again, pull the dreamcatcher forward and push back the wolf so he’s more of a ghostly, shadowy outline, and make it clean and crisp (without the added texture), that may be even cooler. Thoughts?

Once again, somehow Elle unscrambled that nonsense.

Elle: Sue may think that her feedback was rambling or nonsense, but it made perfect sense to me. So, I sat back and analyzed the two covers while considering her thoughts and reworking the cover. I used the same dreamcatcher from the first sample but completely replaced the wolf, added a new background, and blended the two together. I did the same on a fourth mock-up but with another wolf. I also omitted the tagline area and then sent those 2 options to Sue for more feedback.

 

Sue: I loved them both. Here’s where Elle and I had to pick apart the finer details of each cover and choose the elements that most resonated. I’ve worked with Elle for so many years, I value her input. So, I emailed…

OMG, I absolutely love them. Can’t decide between the two. Is it the same background behind the howling wolf as the other wolf?  The skyline and dreamcatcher are absolutely perfect.

Elle wrote back…

I’m so glad you like them. Similar backgrounds but not the same. I think it comes down to the actual wolf. I’m torn, but lean slightly toward the non-howler. 😁

I agreed. The non-howler was a better fit. My only addition was Poe, sitting on the S in Restless. True to form, Elle surprised me again. I’ll let her explain what she did.

Elle: I loved the idea of adding in Poe as it brought in another element from some of the previous covers. This, again, was another way to stick to the brand. However, when I added him in, he kind of disappeared into the background and was completely lost, which defeated the purpose of adding him in. I pondered on how to make him stand out. Of course, we could have him glow, but this isn’t that kind of book. J I could lighten him, but crows are black and should stay black, so that wouldn’t work. I opted to try lightening a portion of the background. That worked for multiple reasons: Poe is clearly seen, and it added another color which really made the cover come to life. I sent that latest version off for Sue’s approval, but I had a feeling this was THE ONE.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes peek at cover creation. The most important aspect of any partnership is mutual respect and trust. She does her job, I do mine, and the cover(s) reaps the rewards.

You can find out more about Elle’s design services here: https://www.evernightdesigns.com/

I want to thank you ladies for the fabulous post.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the amazing cover for Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta, which was done in collaboration with Elle J. Rossi from Evernight Designs,. Mr Mayhem and Shawnee have come a long way since I first met them. I never would have predicted that Mayhem, Shawnee and her grandfather, Jacy Lee, would become eco-warriors to save the wolves and wolf dogs they found being trafficked. Buy one to hunt it down and kill it. How cruel.

I have so many highlights in my ereader, I confuse myself. LOL

The crows…sure the wolves are the stars of Restless Mayhem, but the crows are always there, always vigilant, always helpful, and their personalities shine through Sue Coletta’s writing. I find them fascinating and often refer to reality to confirm the authenticity of her writing. I worry for them, as much as I do their human friends. Shawnee and Poe’s ‘problems’ go back a long way and their interactions are laugh out loud funny, but when push comes to shove, he will be there. I wonder…will their feud ever end. 🙂

Shawnee…I love this woman. Maybe these quotes will give you an inside glimpse into who she was, is, and is becoming.

“Between the cougar attack and the bees, I couldn’t catch a friggin’ break. What’s next, a moose stomping me to death?”

Mayhem…

“True warriors are born with an inbred fight response rather than merely flight. And you, dearest Cat, have many of the same attributes.”

Sue Coletta richly details Shawnee’s training, and when they went flying through the trees, I slowed my reading, intrigued, trying to picture it in my mind. It was wild. Walking through the woods, making nary a sound, as they stalk the hunters. I have heard of that before and I love that Sue is able to make Restless Mayhem seem so real, except I don’t think Mayhem, Shawnee and Jacey Lee would get away with the things they do in the real world. Money, influence and prejudice hold too much sway. And…is there such a thing as a Wendingo?

Everything has a place in this world and when you remove an element, the environment reflects that loss. The Native American culture and environmentalists the world over have voiced their concerns and warnings. I love books that can incorporate all these elements into a cohesive novel that grabs me from start to finish.

I could go on and on and on and on, but I think you get the gist. I love, love, love the Mayhem series, since I cracked open the first book, but Sue Coletta supplies enough back story that I believe Restless Mayhem can stand alone. So, don’t be afraid to grab Restless Mayhem, then I am sure you will want to go to the beginning and see how we came to be where we are now.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Amidst a rising tide of poachers, three unlikely eco-warriors take a stand to save endangered Eastern Gray Wolves—even if it means the slow slaughter of their captors.

Deep in the woods of Jackson, New Hampshire, an ancient evil lurks. Armed poachers patrol a secret enclosure, holding captive a pack of majestic Eastern Gray Wolves. But three unlikely eco-warriors are determined to free the wolves, embarking on a dangerous mission to end their torture.

With courage and conviction, Shawnee, Mayhem, and Jacy Lee march onward, even if it means risking their own lives to take down the poachers and restore freedom to the wolves. It’s a battle between justice and injustice, and the eco-warriors are determined to win—no matter the cost.

But what if something even more evil lurks in those woods? What if Shawnee’s not ready to answer the cry for help?

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 26, 2023 by Crow Talons Publishing

ABOUT SUE COLETTA

Sue Coletta

Sue Coletta is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as one of the “Top 100 Crime Blogs on the Net” (Murder Blog sits at #5) for four years in a row. And recently, she appeared on an Emmy award-winning true crime show.

Sue also blogs at the Kill Zone, a multi-award-winning writing blog, and writes two serial killer thriller series (Tirgearr Publishing) and narrative nonfiction/true crime for Globe Pequot, trade division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.

For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where members will be the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside access to deleted scenes (if available). As an added bonus, members get to play in the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door.

BONUS: When you join Sue’s community you’ll receive two free killer reads!

Sue lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with her husband, and begins each by feeding all the wildlife in her yard. Her favorite “pets” are a murder of crows who live free but come when called by name.

Learn more about Sue and her books at: https://suecoletta.com

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MY REVIEWS FOR SUE COLETTA

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Giveaway – Alaska Blaze by Lolo Paige @XpressoTours @LoloPaigeAuthor

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Alaska Blaze
LoLo Paige
(Blazing Hearts Wildfire Series, #3)
Publication date: April 30th 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Can an Alaskan firestorm lead to true love under a midnight sun?

Alaskan firefighter Raynie Atwood thinks she know what she wants—until a walking encyclopedia disguised as a hotshot firefighter storms into her life. Grieving loss and betrayal by the man she once loved, Raynie sets her sights on a top command post for wildland fire. But when an extended drought, a high heat, and beetle-killed forests add up to the perfect firestorm, Raynie’s leadership is put to the test.

To add fuel to the fire, Cohen Tremblay tests Raynie at every turn as she works to save sled dogs and Iditarod mushers dog kennels in a deadly Alaskan conflagration…and to make matters worse, a deadly threat from Raynie’s past has her fearing for her life.
But when Raynie’s world goes up in flames, Cohen may be the only one Raynie can rely on…hard to do when she no longer trusts any man, let alone a bullish co-worker. Instead, she constructs a rock-solid containment line around her heart. But fire is unpredictable, and so is love. Will their chance for love be snuffed before it ignites?

Romance, fire, and betrayal…another deadly mix!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Saving himself and these dogs would be a tricky maneuver. Cohen had no time to lose. Ash and embers scorched his tongue as if the devil was licking it. Hot air pressed down on him. He couldn’t swallow—no saliva.

I’m out of time! Time to deploy my fire shelter. How will I fit three adult dogs, me, and a sack load of puppies inside my shelter?

Cohen stuck the neck of the burlap sack in his teeth, as he couldn’t set the puppies down in the water. He reached behind and retrieved his fire shelter. He tugged it from the case, yanked the cords, and shook it out.

“Rooby! Wacko! Come here!” he commanded, spitting around the burlap clenched in his teeth. The terrified dogs sidled in next to him, and he crouched down, spreading the fire shelter over them. He tied the end of Madonna’s rope around the neck of the sack and draped it around his neck, so the sack hung on his left side. As long as Madonna sat in front of him and wouldn’t bolt, this might work. He wrapped a corner of the shelter around Rooby and another around Wacko and held the corners with each hand.

This has to work. He had no other choice. They couldn’t outrun this fast-moving wildfire. He tasted ash, a bitter mixture of wood and dirt. The fire bellowed like a savage dragon, hellbent to destroy in the blink of an eye what took decades to grow and mature.

Don’t panic! Keep it together. If I panic, the dogs will, and we’ll all go up in smoke.

Cohen held the shelter down over the dogs and himself as best he could, pressing the dogs close to him. Flames swept the clearing from all directions, obliterating all sound except their tornadic roar. Crouching low in the water, he did his best to keep the puppies above the boggy surface—and prayed the dogs wouldn’t panic and run—or they’d all die.

A dog barked; Cohen didn’t know who. Another yipped and cried. Madonna howled and Cohen felt her tense and brace, as if ready to run. “Whoa, Madonna, whoa Madonna…” He didn’t know how many times he repeated the husky’s name as the raging fire whipped around them. The natural water barrier certainly helped, but the winds tore at his shelter. He gripped it so tight he worried his hands would cramp and lose their hold. Despite his layers of protective Nomex, heat encased his fire shelter and pierced him as if he was the delicacy cooking on a closed outdoor grill.

The hot destructive flames licked at the very edges of his shelter. He prayed it wouldn’t melt and collapse on him. A burning tree crashed into the bog in front of them, and Madonna yelped. The husky yanked away from their huddle, and Cohen watched helplessly as the sled dog bolted, jerking the burlap sack from around his neck and dragging the bundle of puppies through the water—straight toward the destructive flames.

Author Bio:

LoLo Paige is an award-winning author and former wildland firefighter whose debut novel, Alaska Spark, has received several awards for best indie romance. Her second book, Alaska Inferno, was a finalist for best indie romance in the 2022 Kindle Book Review Awards.

LoLo writes strong female firefighters and hunky smokejumpers who battle wildland fire in Alaska. She loves writing about the trust, friendships, and pitfalls of falling in love in the action-packed, perilous world of wildfire in her action adventure romances in The Blazing Hearts Wildfire Series. The characters in her stories are battling more than just fires, they’re struggling to stay alive—and they’re willing to risk it all for love.

Alaska Spark and Alaska Inferno have ranked No.1 on the Amazon Bestseller Lists for action adventure and romantic suspense in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The true story about LoLo’s fire crew escaping a runaway wildfire won an Alaska Press Club award and inspired her debut novel, Alaska Spark. The third book in her wildland fire series, Alaska Blaze, drops this spring.

In addition to her action-adventure romance firefighter series, LoLo also writes romantic suspense thrillers and romantic comedies. Other books under her romance umbrella are, Hello Spain, Goodbye Heart, a recently released travel romance, and Irish Thunder, to be released later in 2023, by The Wild Rose Press.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Twitter


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Giveaway – Cafe Au Slay by A N Sage @dollycas

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Cafe au Slay: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Orchard Hollow) by A.N. Sage

About Cafe au Slay


Cafe au Slay: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Orchard Hollow)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Cauldron Press (April 24, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1989868312
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1989868317
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BRLBM12H

Piper Addison is not a normal witch. If she’s even a witch at all…

Life after the big four-oh isn’t so bad. Piper Addison, resident witch and coffee shop owner, finally found her groove. Business is flourishing, her ghost familiar is miraculously supportive, and she might even have a date for the weekend.

There’s only one small catch… A dead body puts Piper in an impossible situation.

Orchard Hollow’s biggest secret is about to be revealed, and Piper might be the only one who can save the town’s paranormal residents. If only she can get a handle on her strange magic.

If that wasn’t enough, the town sheriff trusts Piper to solve the case. Can she help catch the killer before the whole world finds out about magic?

Cafe au Slay is a paranormal cozy mystery, complete with an unlucky witch, a ghost familiar, and a feisty raccoon with a talent for getting into sticky situations.

About A.N. Sage

A.N. Sage is a bestselling, award-winning author of young adult fantasy and mystery. She has spent most of her life waiting to meet a witch, vampire, or at least get haunted by a ghost. In between failed seances and many questionable outfit choices, she has developed a keen eye for the extra-ordinary.

A.N. spends her free time reading and binge-watching television shows in her pajamas. Currently, she resides in Toronto, Canada with her husband who is not a creature of the night and their daughter who just might be.

A.N. Sage is a Scorpio and a massive advocate of leggings for pants.

Author Links
Website https://ansage.ca/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/a.n.sage/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/945090619339423
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/ANSageWrites
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@ansagewrites

Purchase Link – Amazon

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Giveaway – Witches and Walk Ins by Tammy Tyree @XpressoTours

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Witches & Walk-In’s
Tammy Tyree
(A Castle Point Witch Series, #1)
Publication date: April 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal

Betty Burke has just awakened from a long coma, but there’s a problem; she’s not Betty.

Whip-smart Hypnotherapist Alexandra Heale leads a double life. A natural-born witch, she lives under a death sentence, with a cauldron full of secrets.

When she tries to help Betty; a woman possessed by a traumatized spirit, Alex finds herself under attack – and in danger of being exposed.

Against her better judgment, she enlists the help of Deputy Sheriff Blake Sheraton, a man she’s sworn to hate, with dark secrets of his own – if only he could keep her secrets and ignore his pledge to uphold an evil law.

The paranormal world of demons & spirits is about to descend on peaceful Castle Point, and only one witch can stop the unthinkable.

Even if it costs her life.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Betty

The cool air tickled my arms. Tiny hairs rose with the gooseflesh. Small mounds of pimpled thermometers popped up over my arms, chest, and neck.

I heard a beeping sound, faint at first, then slowly it became louder and closer. The scent of cleanser assaulted me, harsh and chemical.

My eyes stayed firmly shut as if glued at the seam, or tiny weights held the lids down. My breath came in rhythmic, even bursts.

What was that in my mouth? My tongue wiggled and slammed against the hard plastic. I couldn’t taste anything other than stale, rotting breath, but I could tell something was firmly lodged in my mouth.

What the hell was it?

Why was it there?

I forced my eyes open a fraction. Moonlight filtered through the splintered cracks of my heavy lids and shattered against my eyes. Too bright! I closed them again, only long enough for my tongue to push up against the plastic in my mouth.

I could feel it now, not just in my mouth, but going down my throat. A swell of panic ran from my toes to my nose. I wanted to gag.

Spurred by the beeping beside me, louder now, my eyes flew open. I tried to sit up. I couldn’t move. I laid back against the softness of what must be a bed and peered around the room.

A hospital room.

I felt a heaviness as if underwater, the weight of my arms, legs, and chest making it difficult to see or breathe. The scent of cleanser pierced the back of my nose as I tried to breathe.

What was that thing in my mouth and down my throat? I forced my eyes to open wider, but they burned and felt gritty like someone had sprinkled fine sand under the lids. I blinked several times to clear the grit. My eyes took a while to adjust.

I looked down and saw a tube coming out of my mouth. My heart rate sped up. The beeping beside me kept pace as it beat faster and faster.

Why did I wake up in a hospital?

Was I in an accident?

The beeping sped up again, fast enough to send a wail of high-pitched signals through my room and into the adjoining hallway.

The large door burst open, startling me, which made the beeping speed up yet again. A nurse with short dark hair, dark-circled eyes, wearing pink scrubs with multicolored cartoon puppies on her shirt rushed in.

“Betty! Oh my god, she’s awake!” she practically screamed, to whom I couldn’t imagine. I assumed she was talking about me, however, as she leaped to the beeping machine and pressed a button to stop the noise.

Much better.

But… Betty?

Was that my name?


Author Bio:

Demons, witches and ghosts – oh my!

Tammy (she/her) writes about what she knows – ghosts, hauntings, entities, witches, demonology and the paranormal!

A Clinical Hypnotherapist, Tammy infuses; tales from her actual case files of demonic possession and entity attachment with her knowledge of ancient demonic lore and witchcraft into artfully woven fiction and memoir.

Her upcoming ‘Castle Point Witch Series’ is due to release in early 2023 and promises to be full of paranormal goodness.

Her memoir ‘Dead Men Still Snore’ is a page-turning, award-winning true story of love, loss and channelling her husband’s messages from the other side.

Visit https://tammytyree.com/ for more info about Tammy, her work and to receive updates for future books!

Happy reading!

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Giveaway – We Are All Villains Here by Quinn Blackbird @XpressoTours

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We Are All Villains Here
Quinn Blackbird
Publication date: July 1st 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance, Thriller

From the author of the DARK FAE comes this *dark slasher romance* in vein of our beloved 90s Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Sailors Bay has a bit of a problem… a serial killer problem.

What should be a sleepy old fishing town—a place so silent and forgotten that it slips off the map—has murder in the air and secrets poisoning the heart of the town.
Here… no one is safe when a masked killer starts terrorising the town.

Blood Hood is coming after them: Billie—from the wrong side of the tracks—and her friends… The ones who have a deadly secret of their own, one they kept for seven years… a dark secret that Blood Hood seems to know all about.

One by one, Blood Hood hunts them down to avenge the murder that started it all.

And Billie finds herself running from Blood Hood as well as the love of her life and ex, Dalton.

With slashed-up bodies piling up all over, Billie flees more than a masked killer… Dalton hunts her to every corner of Sailors Bay, intent on stealing her back… whether she wants him to or not.

Love is meant to flourish. Poison corrupts.
Poison is all I know.

We are all villains here….

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Preston’s lashes lower over coal-black eyes. His pink upper lip curls as he rounds on her.

Billie just watches him.

Her eyes are dead… or they should be, because that’s how she feels inside… but then she feels the warmth of a tear run down her cheek.

She doesn’t so much as swat at the tear.

It’s too late to try and hide it. He’s seen it—his gaze shifts to her cheek for a mere millisecond before he comes to a stop in front of her.

Her back presses a tad harder against the refrigerator as his hand presses against it, right next to her head. “So,” he repeats, towering over her, “why don’t you start telling me the truth, Billie? You owe me that.”

Billie’s lips twitch with a smirk.

Liquid courage? Pushing him away? She doesn’t know anymore.

And yet—

She smirks. “I don’t owe you shit, you rich entitled—”

It happens too fast for her to see it coming. But in a blink, his hand pulls back from the fridge, clenches into a fist, then smashes right into that same spot, right next her head.

Billie flinches. “What the fu—”

“You owe me everything!” he shouts down at her.

In this moment, his want to break her, it was more than a passing craving, a fleeting urge. Rather it was surging up inside of him, blood boiling and crashing like furious waves, an all-consuming need.

She could read it in his blazing eyes.

He adds darkly, “And I owe you everything I fucking have, you selfish bitch, you good-for-nothing alky.”

Her eyes widen, turn wild with the same rage that snarls her lips. If he braces himself for rotten, rancid words aimed his way, then he braces himself wrong.

Billie jerks her head forward—not with a headbutt, with a spit.

She spits right at him, and the gloss of it catches his cheek.

Preston’s lashes lower, his eyes shut.

He’s still for a beat, a statue with a fist pushing into the refrigerator door, his other hand fisted at his side, and a wad of spit on his cheek.

He lifts his hand.

Slowly, he opens his eyes—and looks right into her fucking soul with the kinda promises, the kinda threats that only the devil can make.

This time, she can’t fight her tremble. It runs up her spine, but she lifts her chin and meets his stare dead-on.

Bring it.

Instead, he touches his fingers to the spit… He wipes it away in one swift move, then brings it to his mouth.

Their eyes stay locked.

Her jaw tenses—

And he licks his fingertips.

Billie and Preston have had fights before. Some real nasty shit. Wouldn’t be a lie to say she’s hit him with a vase or two before. Or tried to clip him with her truck.

Some real nasty shit, she’s never denied that.

But never… never before… has she been afraid of him.

Not like this.

She swallows, hard. A lump in her throat, swelling. Tears in her defiant eyes, flowing.

Billie flinches with a yelp—

Preston snatches her by the neck.

With one hand, he pins her against the refrigerator. His body shoves against hers, his other hand grabbing the meat of her thigh, hard. Her skin screams in protest, but before she can utter a word, he’s hiking her leg over his hip and crashing his mouth down on hers.

Her shout is muffled, almost silenced, by his mouth. A kiss that tastes of her tears and his rage—of their poison.

A poison she’s so fucking addicted to.

Teeth aching, and the back of her head pulsating against the hard, dented refrigerator, Billie hits out at him. One hard fist to the side of his head.

It doesn’t stop him. He only shoves her up the cold door, off the floor, and his mouth twists against hers.

“I fucking hate you,” he growls and—hand abandoning her thigh—reaches down for her pajama shorts. With a single tug, he rips them apart, between her legs, right at her core.

And jolts of electricity fire through her.

Billie gasps something breathy into his mouth.

Tell me again.

Tell me how much you hate me.

Tell me anything but love.

Author Bio:

Quinn Blackbird is a dog-mum, full-time cog in the machine and full-time book lover.

When not writing and daydreaming, Quinn is snuggling on the couch with her three doggos.

If her love of literature could be matched, it would be by film.

Ask her about her list of underrated films… you’ll be there all night.

She has always been fascinated by the anti-hero, and often found herself rooting for the villains (their speeches are making a lot of sense, don’t lie).

Creepy dreams (nightmares at times) are the cause of a lot of Blackbird’s books – thanks to overactive imaginations!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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Review – Just Mr Love by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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MY REVIEW

“I have imagined us having sex more times than I can count,” Just check out my ceiling. “But we can’t see each other again after today and having sex’ll it harder to let go.”

I have enjoyed Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s humorous writing style and am curious to see what happens to Huff in Just Mr Love. He was a wimp, a nerd, but after an accident, he developed super powers. Of course, something given, something taken. I’ll leave it to you to find out for yourself. But, just to entice you a bit more, here are my thoughts.

I didn’t get as involved in Just Mr Love as I did in Mr Ultra Mega Love. Can’t say exactly why, but I still enjoyed the story. Not only is Huff trying to just survive, he has to deal with betrayal, danger, and loneliness. He makes some risky moves with the help of a new friend. Could she end up being a love interest? She is willing to put her life on the line forhim, and for a new start for herself. It will be interesting to see what develops.

I hate cliffhangers, but I love Mimi Jean’s writing, so that’s okay. Sometimes things happen.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Just Mr Love by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOOREADS BLURB

( Reading book 1 isn’t required, but this is a series. Fun, new drama in every book!)

From New York Times bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a semi-raunchy Rom-Com with a dash of the impossible and a whole lotta dirty language, Just Mr. Love.

Is he a love machine or a weapon of mass destruction?

My name is Huff, and I used to be a wimpy nerd, but after an unfortunate event, I now have the strength of a hundred men along with other interesting abilities. Even my, eh-hem, man part is pretty special—a recent discovery. “I can’t believe it can do that!”

No one knows exactly how this happened, but now I have enemies. Some want to reverse engineer me, and others want me dead.

The only thing keeping me from losing my sh*t is River, the girl I’ve loved since the second grade. I’d do anything for her. Anything.

But every time we try to move out of the friend zone, something gets in the way. This time, that something is me.

I just might be deadly in bed.

  • 248 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published April 14, 2023
  • Published April 14, 2023 by Paper & Silver, Inc.
  • Language: English

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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Giveaway – Brushed Up On Murder by Ruth J Hartman @dollycas @RuthjHartman

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Brushed Up On Murder: A Mobile Cat Groomer Mystery by Ruth J Hartman

About Brushed Up On Murder


Brushed Up On Murder: A Mobile Cat Groomer Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Indiana
Level Best Books (April 18, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 275 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BXB8BZMQ

The life of a cat groomer isn’t just pampering purring felines, it’s murder.

Mobile Cat Groomer Molly Stewart loves her job. Until she finds the dead body of one of her pet parents stabbed with a garden implement in his back yard. When Molly’s uncle Russ becomes the prime suspect in the murder and the sheriff won’t consider anyone else, Molly claws through obstacles as she prowls for clues.

With help from handsome veterinarian Hank Chenowith and Molly’s two cats, Percival and Jasper, will Molly succeed in proving her uncle’s innocence before the real murderer pounces on her?

About Ruth J. Hartman

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people’s recliners. Not that the cats couldn’t get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else’s.

Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying.

Ruth’s husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at Ruthjhartman.com.

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Giveaway – Bookworm by Cookie O’Gorman @xpressotours @CookieOwrites

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Bookworm
Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: April 20th 2023
Genres: Romance, Young Adult

Bookworm (buk-werm): Someone who loves books, reading, and/or studying. For reference, see Charlotte Kent.

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Kent likes happy endings. Not that she’s looking for one herself. Awkward, never been kissed, and bookish to the core, Lottie would rather read about love than experience it.

But she enjoys helping others find their HEA in books.

Lottie loves working at the library…even if it means running into Bo Stryker.

Broody, athletic, and unfairly attractive when he frowns, Bo works at the flower shop across the street. Lottie is about to get rejected…when surprisingly, Bo steps in, pretends to be her boyfriend, and steals her first kiss.

One viral video later, everyone thinks they’re together.

Bo wants to keep pretending. Lottie wants to make amends—long story short: she was on a ladder; he startled her; the book slap was an accident.

A fake relationship may be the solution. But as they grow closer, Lottie can’t help falling for Bo—which is a disaster because grumpy sunshine only works in fiction…right?

This book features two opposites with undeniable chemistry, one lovable librarian, so many stolen kisses and answers the question:

What happens when a nerd falls for the grump-next-door?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Rolling my eyes, I reached over, gently grasped his forearm and brought it closer.

“What are you doing?”

“Relax,” I said, trying not to laugh at the alarm I heard in his voice. “If I wanted to hurt you, I would’ve done it by now.”

“Says the girl who gave me a bookcussion” he grumbled.

Biting back a smile, I concentrated on his forearm, running my fingers over his skin to find the correct spot. This took a few moments. When I found it, I leaned closer, using my thumbs to press down, gently at first, then adding a little more pressure. Bo didn’t tense. He didn’t move a muscle. I might’ve thought he’d stopped breathing he was so still. But then I felt his breath against my neck.

The sensation sent shivers down my spine.

I counted the seconds under my breath and then released him.

“What was that, Kent?” he asked softly.

“I looked up how to treat a sprained wrist,” I said with a shrug. “It was nothing, just one of the techniques they recommended.”

“You looked that up?”

Meeting his eyes, I nodded. “Does it feel any better?”

Bo glanced down at his wrist before looking back up, locking me in his intense stare. “Yeah, it does. Thanks, Kent.”

For some reason, I blushed. “No problem.”

I didn’t know what made me say it.

But I added, “Maybe now, you won’t be so opposed to working with me.”

Bo shook his head. “It’s not that.”

“It’s not?”

“No,” he said. “I just don’t like the idea of you taking care of me out of some misplaced sense of guilt.”

Oh.

I hadn’t even considered that possibility.

“I thought you hated having me around,” I admitted.

“I don’t.”

“You even told me how much you hate people.”

“Not you,” he said.

My heart skipped a beat.

“I could never hate you, Kent.”


Author Bio:

Cookie O’Gorman Bio: Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad, The Kissing Challenge (YA novella), WALLFLOWER, CUPCAKE, and FAUXMANCE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances The Best Mistake, The Perfect Play, and The Sweetest Game. Her newest release BOOKWORM came out on April 20, 2023!

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Books From The Backlog – Four Tales For Midnight by Lee Enderlin #LeeEnderlin

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books

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GOODREADS BLURB

Four tales of extreme suspense and mystery aimed at getting the heart pumping. Hard. A soldier on D-Day finds an enemy soldier acting very strangely indeed; a jilted husband creates a grisly scavenger hunt; a marriage reconciliation service ABSOLUTELY guarantees positive results—the question is, how? And more!

Turn out the lights and enter a bizarre world, but remember—don’t go in the basement!

This edition:

  • Format: 57 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: February 4, 2013
  • Language: English

Goodreads Ratings: 5.00 – 2 ratings – 2 reviews

I added Four Tales To Midnight by Lee Enderlin to my TBR on 3.9.13. Sometimes a quick scare fits the bill. How about you? Do you read anthologies and short stories?

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Giveaway – Return To Hummingbird Way by Reese Ryan @XpressoTours @ReeseRyanWrites

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Return to Hummingbird Way
Reese Ryan
Publication date: April 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In this heartwarming small‑town romance, can three months, two planning projects, and a meddling grandmother finally make two high school hate crushes see just how right they are for each other?

Ambitious real estate agent Sinclair Buchanan is ecstatic to be her best friend’s maid-of-honor—until she discovers the best man is Garrett Davenport. Sin and Rett’s mutual hate crush ignited when they were teens and hasn’t let up since . . . except for that one extremely hot (and extremely regrettable) night they shared five years ago.

Nothing gets Rett fired up like going toe-to-toe with Sinclair. She’s as infuriatingly stubborn, and as absolutely gorgeous, as when he fell for her back in high school. Working together to plan their best friends’ last-minute wedding is one thing, but when his matchmaking grandmother gets involved Rett knows he’s in deep. Attraction has always simmered between them, but this time, they’re both in danger of losing their hearts.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

“Garrett Davenport, how very nice of you to finally show up.” Sinclair sashayed toward him, clutching a clear clipboard decorated with a colorful floral design.

Sinclair assessed him with disdain, flecks of green and gold dancing in those large hazel eyes he’d been mesmerized by from the first moment he’d laid eyes on them in high school. She pursed her glossy pink lips, her nostrils flaring, and planted a fist on one curvy hip.

The bossy little she-devil was infuriating, attitudish, and fucking gorgeous. And she damn well knew it.

Her floral, sleeveless dress showed off her toned arms and sculpted shoulders—a feature he’d never noticed on a woman before, let alone been attracted to. The hem of the flirty little skirt grazed her midthigh, accentuating her tawny brown skin, a shade that landed smack between her father’s dark brown skin and her mother’s olive skin tone.

Sinclair flipped her hair, a deep, rich brown highlighted with ribbons of honey blond, over one shoulder and ran her manicured nails through the waterfall of shoulder-length waves. Her gaze bore into him, and if looks could kill, he’d be lying on the floor stone cold.

“You do realize you’re an hour late to your own best friend’s engagement party.” She leaned into him, speaking in a harsh whisper that only he could hear. “You sure you gon’ be able to show up for the wedding on time?”

Her nasally voice reminded him of Whitley Gilbert’s from A Different World. And just a few minutes into the conversation, she’d already intimated that he was an unreliable slacker. Rett clenched his jaw. Yet, as annoyed as he was, he couldn’t help noticing how hot Sin looked tonight.

“Sorry I’m late,” Rett finally managed. He shoved his hands, balled into fists, into his pockets. “Something came up.”

Sinclair’s gaze dropped to the placket in front of his zipper momentarily. Her eyes widened and her cheeks and forehead flushed. She quickly returned her attention to the clipboard.

Maybe he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t forget their previous encounter.

“It’s always some excuse with you, Rett.” Sinclair wrapped her arms around the clipboard, clutching it to her chest. Her eyes didn’t quite meet his.

Was she clutching the clipboard because he made her nervous? Or was she shielding her body’s reaction after shamelessly ogling him two minutes into their conversation?

It didn’t matter. Because Sinclair Buchanan was as irritating now as she’d been when they’d been forced to hang out together while Dexter and Dakota had dated in high school. She seemed to hate him on sight back then. But he hadn’t helped matters when he’d tried to talk his cousin out of getting serious with Sin’s best friend.

When Dex had suddenly ended things with Dakota the Christmas after he’d left for college, Sinclair had confronted Rett outside his grandmother’s house. She’d been as mad as a hornet and had cussed him out six ways to Sunday—sure he’d been behind the breakup.

He hadn’t been. But he hadn’t bothered telling her so. Besides, as distraught as she’d been, he’d doubted Sinclair would’ve believed a single word he’d said.

Since Dexter and Dakota’s reconciliation, Sinclair must surely have learned the truth: he had nothing to do with Dexter and Dakota’s breakup back then. In fact, he’d been as shocked by it as anyone. But evidently, it didn’t matter, because Sinclair clearly still wasn’t a fan. Though she certainly had been that night in his hotel room, given the enthusiasm with which she’d called his name and the marks she’d left on his back.

“It’s not an excuse, Sin. I planned to be here on time, but I was sidetracked by—”

“Didn’t think you were going to make it.” Dexter approached, holding Dakota’s hand. The two of them looked ridiculously happy, and Rett felt a slight twinge of envy.

“And miss your engagement party?” Rett slapped palms and clasped hands with Dex. “No way, cuz. Been waiting half my life to see you finally tie the knot with this beautiful lady.” He turned toward his cousin’s soon-to-be better half. “Congrats, Dakota.”

“Thank you, Rett.” Dakota’s grin lit her brown eyes. She gave him a big hug. “And for the record, I knew you’d be here tonight. It was these two who were sweating it.” She gestured toward Dex and Sinclair, then glanced around the room. “Mama Mae didn’t come with you?”

“She’s sick and didn’t much appreciate me fussing over her,” Rett said.

“But you did anyway.” Dakota smiled. “The relationship you two have is adorable.”

“’Cause Mama Mae is the only woman who can get him to behave,” Sinclair muttered as she scanned her clipboard. When they all turned to look at her, Sin looked up and shrugged. “What? You know it’s true.”

“Be nice, Sin.” Dakota pointed a finger at her best friend. “You promised you two would get along.”

“Fine.” She flashed Rett a dead-eyed smile and turned up the Whitley Gilbert singsong southern belle voice. “We are so very glad that you could join us this evening, Garrett. I was just about to ask the staff to take the food away. So please make yourself a plate.” She batted her long, thick eyelashes. “In fact, why don’t I escort you to the buffet?”

Dexter and Dakota snickered, and Rett couldn’t help chuckling to himself.

That was as warm a greeting as he could expect from the former beauty queen, who now employed that same charm in her job as one of the island’s top real estate agents. Evidently, she reserved that charm for people not named Rett Davenport.

Sinclair turned and walked toward the buffet, indicating that he should come with. He did, captivated by the subtle sway of her hips as he followed in the wake of her soft, delicate scent. All of it taking him back to that night they’d shared in Raleigh five years ago.

Yes, he’d been an immature jerk to Sinclair in high school. She clearly still held a grudge and had no intentions of letting him forget it. Despite the night they’d shared.

Fine. Because he wasn’t here for Sinclair. He was here for Dexter and Dakota. For them, he’d tolerate Ms. Thing. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun with her.

Author Bio:

Reese Ryan writes sexy, deeply emotional romances with family drama, surprising secrets, and unexpected twists.

Past president of her local Romance Writers of America chapter and a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Reese is an advocate for the romance genre and diversity in fiction.

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