Author Archives: fundinmental

Giveaway – Ruby Red by D L Croisette @GoddessFish @DLCroisette

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Welcome D. I am so happy to have you here today. I loved your ‘Dream Come True’ guest post. You are an inspiration to writer want to bes out there. Congratulations.

Turning A Dare into a Dream Come True

In early 2021, I lost my corporate job. I could have wallowed in defeat, eaten a few tubs of ice cream and sunk into my couch to binge Netflix. Or dusted off my resume and jumped back into the corporate world, working to make someone else’s dream come true.

Instead, I took a chance and chose me. My dream. My happiness.

Writing has always been a passion of mine. I tried to wrangle writing into my day-to-day job, but it was never enough, nor the right fit for me. I often referring to boardrooms to boredrooms because besides a lot of talking, not much seemed to get done. Unlike my evening, which were usually spend jotting down the adventures of the characters in my head. Things got serious after a dare from a friend. At lunch, my friends and I listened to one of our group complain about a recent romance story she’d finished reading. She was disappointed that yet another alpha male lead character won over the heart of a ray of sunshine female character.

My friend turned to me and suggested I could write a better hero and a more romantic story. I laughed—I wasn’t a romance writer. She dared me to prove her wrong. That afternoon, the concept of a role reversal distracted me; an alpha female lead character who wins the heart of a ray of sunshine male character. Ali popped into my head and said, “Write about me. I’m perfect for this role.”

I went home that night and wrote the first three chapters of Ruby Red – A Romance. Two months later, I had a complete first draft of Ali and Sam’s love story. I’m proud to say Ali remained bold and feisty throughout the book and her paramour, Sam is kind, supportive and a dreamy beta hero who lets Ali take the lead. Happily.

Thanks to the dare, I was now officially a romance writer. I’ve never looked back, loving writing romance. (Pardon the pun.)

Thanks to that round of layoffs, I’m a published romance author as well. The day after I lost my job, I submitted my romance story to Champagne Book Group. A month later, we were negotiating a publishing contract. I chose Champagne Books, because as a smaller publisher, they afford the freedom to retain the essence of my writing style. In May of 2022, Ruby Red – A Romance hit the virtual bookshelves to rave reviews. And not only from my mom.

Ruby Red is a riches-to-rags, hidden identity, slow burn contemporary romance high on emotion and drama. This steamy love story promises dollops of drama, a few laughs and plenty of passion.

24 yr. old Ali Stinson is living the high life now she is no longer under the thumb of her cheating ex-husband. But behind her red lipstick, designer clothes and gala-lifestyle hides a damaged, lonely heart. Influenced by her married rich friend and pressured to keep up with the “in” crowd, Ali attempts to fill a void with frivolous distractions and emotionless one-night stands.

Sam Freemont has recently arrived in town seeking a fresh start and trying to eek out a living in his new circumstances. A chance encounter with a red-lipped, raven-haired beauty at his place of work turns Sam’s world upside down and threatens to expose the secret he is desperately trying to hide.

When Ali discovers her money embezzled by her financial manager, she has two choices: admit defeat or accept the help of the one man she might just lose her heart to. Defeat is not in Ali’s DNA. Will Sam’s secret destroy the delicate trust she has placed in him or will love conquer all?

What a fabulous story D. I wish you many more books in your future. Congratulations!

Ruby Red by D. L. Croisette

GENRE:   Contemporary Romance

BLURB

One night stands only need apply.

Ali Stinson is having a bad day. Her afternoon tryst was interrupted (before they got to the good part) to discover her investment manager ran away with all her money. Now she has to keep up appearances with her high society friends, find a dress for an upcoming charity event, and not fall in love with Sam, the cute bartender, who insists on helping her. Thing is, she’s 90% sure she doesn’t want help. Adulting is hard.

Looking for work, not love.

Sam Freemont is having a strange day. He was in the middle of the best kiss of his life when his boss walked in and halted the fun, which is not helping with the low profile he’s trying to maintain. Now he can’t get Ali off his mind or out of his dreams. Good thing she’s a regular at the swanky resort he just started working at. Gives him time to find a way back to her lips. Or better yet, into her heart.

EXCERPT

Did Sam really just say she was the most beautiful woman in the world?

Despite her deplorable situation, Ali couldn’t help but smile. This man did have a way with words. His texts over the past few days always found a way to make things a little better.

Also, talking to him helped. A lightness she’d missed for a long time expanded in her chest. It hadn’t been an easy decision to tell someone and lay her problems before him, yet the confession came naturally. When she’d bumped into him at the café, relief at seeing him there had rushed in.

Kate walking in had frozen her, like a deer in headlights. As her senses returned, Ali’s first instinct was to run. Even though she didn’t stop to acknowledge the gesture, Ali assumed Sam wouldn’t refuse her plea for help.

His kindness, his open heartedness made it easy for her to tell him the details of her circumstances. He hadn’t judged her or laughed at her. Rather, he accepted her for what she was. Plus, there was his offer to help.

This guy was too good to be true.

There had to be some catch she wasn’t seeing. Or maybe she should stop holding Sam to the low standards of the other men in her life and try accepting him for who he was. She decided to trust him.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

D.L. Croisette is a storyteller. She had characters in her head before she had words in her mouth. Now she spins them into romantic stories full of drama and heart. Collector of international friends, avid traveller and always up for a new adventure, she snaps photos to remember each escapade, and peppers the best experiences into her stories. Ruby Red is her debut romance novel, and she’s probably at an outdoor café right now, dreaming up a bold new heroine to stir up trouble.

Drop by www.dlcroisette.com for a romantic quote, behind-the-scene goodies or to say hi.

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The Spotlight Is On Earning It by E.F. Dodd @SmithPublicity

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Amazon / Goodreads

This second chance romance is full of twists and turns, emotional reunions, and drama perfect for anyone addicted to romance. Regan “Rae” Murphy has zero interest in romance and even less in love. One heartbreak in her life was quite enough, and she has no desire to get wrapped up in the sticky tendrils of love again. She thought she’d left all those messy feelings and entanglements in her past when she moved to Charlotte from Charleston, especially the devastatingly handsome portion of that past, who was wearing nothing but a towel when she walked out on him. His betrayal was the reason she left and is the reason she keeps her heart safely tucked away. But when her best friend, Kez, asks Rae to be her maid of honor, Rae reluctantly puts aside her own feelings about forever.

Love is in the air on Kez’s wedding day, and it smacks Rae right in the face when her ex, Van, appears-and he looks just as good in a tux as he did in a towel. For Kez’s sake, Rae agrees to bury the hatchet somewhere other than between Van’s shoulder blades. He makes it his mission to get Rae to hear him out-something she refused to do before she left him. The pull to listen is strong as the hope she’d buried deep within her starts to rattle its way free. Maybe everything between them hadn’t been one giant, intricate lie. But to get the chance to show Rae what they had was real, Van’s going to have to earn it. This second chance romance is full of twists and turns, emotional reunions, and drama perfect for anyone addicted to romance.

ABOUT E F DODD

A fan of all things Halloween, but terrified of scary movies. Lover of fresh flowers, with the notable exception of carnations. Don’t expect a woman to be flattered by the same flowers you paid $1.00 for back in junior high on Valentine’s Day. I’m a true romantic, which is to say I find flaws unexpectedly beautiful and think life is at its best during the in between moments you don’t find on FaceBook or Instagram. I’m lucky enough to share my life with someone who agrees reclaimed is better than new, antiques always trump contemporary and it’s a close call who should be saved first from a burning building – us, or our English Bulldog. I’m new to the writing game, but I love it and the respite it provides not just me, but also, I hope, my readers.

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Review – The Price Of Children by Chris Lewando @westcorkwriter

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I was lucky enough to find Chris Lewando on Book Sirens, when I grabbed her first book in the Suffer The Little Children series, The Silence Of Children. I immediately grabbed The Price Of Children after I finished it.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WARNING: Abduction. Sex trafficking of children.

First…though I feel you The Price Of Children by Chris Lewando can stand alone, I do recommend reading The Silence Of Children first. If you can handle the difficult subject of trafficked children and the evil men that prey on them.

The Price Of Children by Chris Lewando does open with events from the first book to catch you up in case you haven’t read it.

Now, Deidre and her dad are on the run from, not just the FBI, but the “Vampire Dude” and Deidre knows if her finds her, he will kill her.

I do love that it takes a vigilante to bring their dastardly deeds to light and keep it shining on them., but I also understand why people can’t be allowed to take the law into their own hands. I sure don’t want to go back to the world being like the Wild West.

Parents selling their children…sickening. I don’t even know what to say about that, other than turn about is fair play. Maybe their punishment should be the crime, ya know?

And the pedophiles…one thing caught my attention. Chris Lewando had the character talking about pedophilia being a disease, which in itself is no different than any other disease. It is the person that acts on those desires, knowing they are wrong, that is the problem. I guess, if you are born that way, there is nothing you can do about it, but you can control your actions. Like a sociopath, or psychopath, that keeps themselves in check. Something to think about.

Deidre has had to learn in a different world. She learns as she runs. It takes her some time to find her place, but with everything that has been thrown her way, I can see the maze would be hard to navigate. She keeps on keeping on, though.

I love Greg, the motorcycle dude. He flits in and out of her life and she wonders what part he is meant to play in her new life. Will he stick around? Who is he really? She needs someone to watch her back. But, what life can they have, always on the run. Constantly hunted. Danger all around.

Chris Lewando’s writing reads like a psychological breakdown of life and all it’s depravities. Her fiction can make us face our imperfections, our humanity, our compassion. What’s important in life…and where do YOU draw the line? What are you willing to do, when you see wrong being done.

Wonderful, brave characters: Dad, Deidre, Greg, Amy, Kev, Richie, the peripherals shine as bright as the main characters and I hope to get more of some their stories in future books.

The Price Of Children by Chris Lewando stops at a good place, setting me up for the next book…and I hope you are writing fast, Chris. The steady pace the suspense at a high level and I want more!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Price Of Children by Chris Lewando.

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4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Book one in the series achieved a B.R.A.G.G. honor award for high standards in a self-published work.

Deirdre escaped from the pedophile ring, but is now determined to bring them to justice. In this second novel, she sets out to discover the identity of the man who kidnapped her, but while raiding the house of a possible pedophile, she discovers a girl who has no intention of waiting for the law…

This book can be read standalone, but it is recommended to read book 1 in the series first.

“The Silence of Children was an amazing book. Difficult subject matter but incredibly thoughtful and precise writing.” [Loretta, US]

“I am blown away. A fantastic book that moved me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your amazing work.” [Lori, Oregon]

“I’m on chapter 12 already, and have to stop or I won’t get to work tomorrow. It’s brilliant!” Followed by: “Clever ending. I was cursing you for stopping! It feels like a TV Netflix series the whole way through. There MUST be a sequel planned.” [Liz, London]

“The Silence of Children is a great read, and once it drew me in, I couldn’t put it down until the end. The story became riveting and I read it almost in one sitting. Like all good books it also left me wanting more, and I hope the author will continue the storyline. Overall, a great read that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in a story that could so easily, though hopefully never, be based on fact.” [Terry, US]

“This is one super good book. The characters are great and it’s an intensely moving plot. I enjoyed reading it, though it made me quite sad at times. This is a must-read book, and the big twist at the end, which took me by surprise, was excellent.” [Viet, US]

“I enjoyed this book. The story was fast-paced which I like. I would have liked to know more about Greg. His story. Are you planning to add more stories to this? A series, maybe? Stop doing emails and write the sequel!” [Susan, US]

So, here is the sequel, as requested, but the story doesn’t stop here…
To be informed when the third book is available, please ‘follow’ Chris Lewando.

ABOUT CHRIS LEWANDO

Chris Lewando

I trained as an English teacher, but the planned storyline drifted off-track. I landed in an office, producing management statistics – a different kind of fiction. I have been writing for many years, with quite a few mainstream genre novels and short stories published while I was still working full time. I gained a Creative Writing Masters (hons), and have been a novel-writing tutor since lessons were sent by snail mail and the nearest thing to a mobile phone beamed Captain Kirk onto the Enterprise. I live in rural South West Ireland, play Irish music in pubs for tourists, drive a camper the same age as me, and self-publish standalone novels with multiple viewpoints and complex characters.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn / Pinterest

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Giveaway – The Reckless Union by Monica Murphy @XpressoTours @MsMonicaMurphy

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The Reckless Union
Monica Murphy
(Arranged Marriage, #3)
Publication date: August 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Our marriage may look like a fairytale, but outside forces threaten to tear us apart. Don’t they realize that nothing will keep me apart from Charlotte? Not my family. Not hers either.

What started out as a relationship in name only has evolved into something much more. Something deeper. And when Charlotte is taken from me, I launch into action, determined to rescue her.

She’s mine. Nothing is going to stop me from being with her.

Not a damn thing.

Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors.

WARNING: This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…

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

—

EXCERPT:

Perry

All I want to do is take care of Charlotte, but I don’t know how.

Instead, I wait for her cues, watching her carefully as we walk through the lobby, her gaze zipping everywhere, as if she fully expects that jackass to jump out of a dark corner and snatch her from me. Thanks to the late hour, the lobby is quiet and empty. Only a single security guard is on shift and he nods at the both of us as we walk past the desk he sits behind, completely oblivious to the chaos from earlier.

Lucky guy.

The ride in the elevator is quiet. Charlotte’s face is tear streaked, her eyes red and her cheeks blotchy and I’m tempted to yank her into my arms. Hold her close and whisper words of comfort to her, but I don’t because what exactly would I say?

I’m at a complete loss, which is unlike me. I have something to say for every situation, but apparently, not this one.

We exit the elevator in silence and I unlock the apartment door. Doja comes running, a streak of furry black headed straight for her owner and Charlotte bends down to scoop the cat into her arms and hold her close.

“I missed you so much, Doja. I did,” Charlotte coos, Doja’s purring so loud she reminds me of the Chevelle’s engine.

“Oh, Miss Charlotte. You’re home.”

We both glance up to find Jasper standing in the middle of the living room, his hand resting on his chest, over his heart. Looking ready to keel over in utter relief. They lock eyes and Charlotte bursts into tears, scurrying over to him so he can hug both her and Doja close, offering comfort in murmured words and fatherly squeezes.

I watch them, still at a loss, envious of the easy relationship they share, which is ridiculous on my part. He’s her butler and familiar to her, but he’s also more than that. He’s the parental figure she never really got from her actual father growing up. Jasper is the one man she could count on. The one who took care of her from a young age. Who watched over her and made sure she was always safe.

I bet he hates that she ran off to Paris and had such a disastrous experience with that McFucker. He might even hate that dude as much as I do. Jasper and I, we have a lot in common.

We always want the best for Charlotte.

“Shall I draw a bath for you?” Jasper asks her at one point, minutes after they’ve finally withdrawn from each other and she’s still cuddling with Doja. I shake my head at him.

“I’ll take care of her tonight. You go get some rest,” I tell him.

Jasper sends me an appreciative look. “Thank you, sir, for finding her. I was worried. And guilt ridden.”

“Oh Jasper.” Charlotte wraps him up in another hug, holding him close with Doja wedged between them before she releases him. “Don’t feel guilty. I was the dumb one who went down to meet Seamus without my phone.”

I visibly flinch at her saying his name out loud and it’s as if she realizes it a second too late, her guilty glance flitting to mine before she looks away.

“And without me,” Jasper reminds her.

That old softy would’ve tipped right over the moment McFartlick grabbed Charlotte but I just smile and humor him. I don’t want him feeling guilty. It’s not his fault Charlotte was abducted, even though he blames himself.

I take a lot of that blame too. I should’ve come early. Why did I think Jasper could protect her? He’s done a pretty solid job so far, but she’s never dealt with a serious threat before.

And that asshole who used and abused her and fucking abducted her is a serious damn threat.

Author Bio:

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere, along with their four cats and one crazy dog. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to sometimes putting her characters through tough, angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Monica is also known as USA Today bestselling romance author Karen Erickson (http://karenerickson.com).

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


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Giveaway – Home To Clare Harbor Series by Jacie MIddlemann @GoddessFish

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Home to Clare Harbor by Jacie Middlemann

GENRE: Clean Contemporary Women’s Fiction – Christian

BLURB

They started out as strangers…but didn’t stay that way for long…

A devoted granddaughter willing to do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe.  Strangers who meet during the worst of conditions and become friends in the midst of chaos.  Unexpected romance under the most unlikely circumstances.  A puzzling mystery with its roots in historical events that took place centuries ago. And a storm that hides an ominous purpose that could change all their lives forever.

Sara knows before she walks into her grandparent’s home that her grandmother’s greatest fear will never be the storm or the threat it poses but instead the unknown that lays just beyond her front door. She knows too its cause and grieves that there is nothing she can do to change it.

Throughout the years of his career John has covered numerous battlefields including those that are a result of nature’s unyielding tempest.  He fears this might be the worst one yet.

Mel didn’t expect to spend more than a few days in the large house where they’d taken refuge.  She figured the storm would pass by and then they’d be off to their next assignment.  The last thing she expected was David Payne.

Despite the fact that Lance was the bane of her teenage years, Tish knows that without the help of her father’s assistant, that the trip to North Carolina likely would have been a lot more challenging than it was. She’d been unequivocally terrified but his presence gave her strength she didn’t realize she had.  She wasn’t certain how she felt about that…or him…or that he no longer irritated her the way he used to.

When Gary arrived at his family’s home in the mountains of North Carolina, he’s relieved that Sara and her grandparents along with their elderly friends are already there. But he is unable to take an easy breath until Tish finally arrives with Lance…and is not at all surprised at what he hears from Lance about their trip and the potential dangers they’d just barely been able to avoid.

He’s determined to do everything he can to keep their location safe…and unknown. Their knowledge, skills, and ingenuity are their greatest defense. For a time they would have to depend on themselves…it hadn’t take long to discover that the storm was never their greatest threat…but what is could change all their lives for the immediate future…or longer.

“If you enjoy uplifting and heartfelt women’s fiction, young and older heroes and heroines filled with courage and compassion as they share joys and triumphs, and united they face and overcome tremendous challenges and tragedy, this book is for you.”

NOTE: The book is on sale for $0.99.

EXCERPT

“You didn’t know?”

John wasn’t about to pretend that he had no idea what she was talking about. 

“It was pretty obvious that Ben spent a lot of his spare time with his nose in the books, but I figured it was towards a journalism degree.”

He stared out into the darkness.  He could hear the trees moving with the wind in the distance but beyond that he couldn’t see a damn thing.  “I had no clue about the rest of it.” 

And that he knew was on him.  He’d never made the effort to learn more about the young man in all the months that he’d been working with him.

“Grandma has a way about her.  In the right situation, people talk to her about things they usually don’t with anyone else,” Sara said quietly. 

“Sounds like it,” John said as he thought about what he’d heard.  People lost loved ones over the course of their lives.  There was no getting around that one. 

But from what they’d just heard Ben had lost everyone.  That wasn’t normal and he knew no matter how well-adjusted Ben appeared, it couldn’t be easy no matter how long ago it had been.  He was only…John sighed deeply.  He didn’t even know how old the kid was.

“It explains how good he is with Grandma and the rest of them,” Sara said into the quiet that had again fallen between them. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Jacie Middlemann lives in Texas with her husband and a couple of cats who believe they rule…and sometimes they do.

When she’s not watching classic sitcoms or working on a needlework project for one of her kids, she loves to read women’s fiction and sometimes a good mystery suspense.

Amazon Author Page / Goodreads / Amazon Buy Link

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

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Giveaway & Review – The Wrong Side of Murder by Lauren Carr #iReadBookTours

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Join us for this tour from August 1 to August 26, 2022!

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Wrong Side of Murder (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  274 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   July 21, 2022
Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for everyone!

MY REVIEW

Nikki had returned to her small town home in Pine Grove, PA, to run her family’s TV station, WKPG TV. She is an investigative journalist and loves the freedom she has to choose what the station runs.

Ryan is the head of the state crime lab, her high school boyfriend.

It has been twenty years since Jodi had been tried in the court of public opinion for her mother’s murder. She claimed she was innocent, but people couldn’t understand how she did not hear anything, seeing it was a very small house.

Nikki is determined to solve the mystery and find the killer. She can relate to Jodi, because her dad had been murdered and it wasn’t until decades later that the mystery was solved.

In cozies, it seems there is always a critter who has a large personality and The Wrong Side Of Murder is no exception, with Elmo having the privilege of filling that slot.

Smiles, romance, laughs and mystery. Bodies pile up and there are plenty of suspects to go around.

Lauren Carr is adept at creating mysteries with characters that can seem like your net door neighbors, critters and dialogue that keep me smiling through the crime solving.

For me, cozies are hard to rate and I find it the same for The Wrong Side Of Murder. A wonderful summer read, light on the suspense but fun to read.

You may want this in your beach bag.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Wrong Side Of Murder by Lauren Carr.

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3 Stars
The Wrong Side of Murder is another wonderful cozy mystery by author Lauren Carr. It has all the elements that draw me in – an intelligent female lead, an equally smart boyfriend who partners to help her, a complicated plot where clues are slowly revealed, people who aren’t what they seem to be, comedic moments to balance the darker ones, and several quirky pets full of personality.  

It’s a wonderful book to escape into at the end of the day. And get ready to read into the wee hours as, if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading until the mystery is revealed.  – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Nikki’s an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she’ll get the answers she wants and needs. – review by Blooming with Books

Book Description:

Nikki Bryant’s Next Case Takes Her to the Wrong Side of Murder

One spring morning, Jodi Gibbons got up and went to school as she did every day. Her young life went sideways though when the police found that her mother had been brutally killed during the night.

Twenty years later, many in Pine Grove believe Jodi got away with murder. After all, how could she have possibly slept through her mother’s violent death in the very next room?
After decades of silence, Jodi accepts investigative journalist Nikki Bryant’s invitation to tell her side of the story. However, before the interview can take place, someone silences Jodi permanently.

Now it is up to Nikki Bryant and her friends to uncover the secret that Jodi Gibbons has been protecting—a secret someone believes it is worth killing to keep from being revealed.

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Be Sure to Check Out the First Installment in the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries: 


Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   April 23, 2020
Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for Everyone!
I love this cozy mystery! It is full of suspense, action packed, fast pace with that small town feeling. I love the characters, I have to admit, I fell in love with Elmo on the spot! I loved Nikki’s spunk and determination. She keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book! I highly recommend this book to those who loves a good cozy mystery!! – 5-Star Review at Splashes of Joy 

Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.

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New Release Review – Overkill by Sandra Brown #NetGalley

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Overkill, Sandra Brown, Suspense Thrillers
Overkill, Sandra Brown, Suspense Thrillers

New York Times Bestselling Author Sandra Brown has been a must read author for me since I can’t remember when. I want to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Overill.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Buckhead. Atlanta. I know the area and love when a book takes place in a location I am familiar with. And football? Are you ready for some football, because I am.

Zach was an MVP Super Bowl quarterback, emphasis on was. He had been booted from a sport he loved and he had no one to blame but himself. Rebecca was a party girl. Again, emphasis on was. He hadn’t seen Rebecca since their divorce.

Zach made a quick exit from the Cayman Islands to her hospital room. He felt her need to control his life, when he was told that he had power of attorney over her medical decisions if there was ever a time she couldn’t make the decision for herself. I can’t imagine having to make that call. I guess I would ask myself, ” What would ? want?”

State Prosecutor Kate Lennon arrives at his secluded cabin to let him know that the man responsible for Rebecca’s vegetative state is being released from prison. She wants to put him back where she thinks he belongs, but she needs his help to do it.

Richy Rich Eban, the man who, along with his three friends, had nearly killed her. He had served two years for what he had done to her. It ticked me off when I read two years (way to tick me off, Sandra), then I almost saw red when I ‘saw’ what his father gave him as a get out of jail ‘gift’. Despicable people and it is his father’s fault for the way he is, though Eban made his own choices, and continues to do so after his release.

I would be so angry….Who do they think they are? Eban, is he a sociopath? Psychopath? Or just a rich ‘kid’ that feels entitled, because he never had to be accountable for his actions. I say through the BOOK at them all. I would feel the same if it was a poor person that had committed the act. I love when I see them knocked down and watch them plead for mercy.

I love books like Overkill by Sandra Brown. The characters came across as authentic, faulty, arrogant. I was empathetic with Zach, not wanting to be the one to make the decision. Would I have been more angry than he was? You bet. But, then I wonder if it was because she was his ex and they had no connection any more. It is so real. I feel the vulnerability. I even discussed with Mr Wonderful about getting video cameras for the house right after finishing it. LOL

Very well done, Sandra. I read it in one day. I love romantic suspense and Overkill hit all the buttons. AND I loved the epilogue, a little something extra is always appreciated.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Overkill by Sandra Brown.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown delivers a riveting thriller in which a conflict of conscience for a former football star and an ambitious state prosecutor swiftly intensifies into a fight for their lives.

Former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Zach Bridger hasn’t seen his ex-wife, Rebecca Pratt, for some time—not since their volatile marriage imploded—so he’s shocked to receive a life-altering call about her. Rebecca has been placed on life support after a violent assault, and he—despite their divorce—has medical power-of-attorney. Zach is asked to make an impossible choice: keep her on life support or take her off of it. Buckling under the weight of the responsibility and the glare of public scrutiny, Zach ultimately walks away, letting Rebecca’s parents have the final say.

Four years later, Rebecca’s attacker, Eban—the scion of a wealthy family in Atlanta—gets an early release from prison. The ludicrous miscarriage of justice reeks of favoritism, and Kate Lennon, a brilliant state prosecutor, is determined to put him back behind bars. Rebecca’s parents have kept her alive all these years, but if her condition were to change—if she were to die—Eban could be retried on a new charge: murder.

It isn’t lost on Zach that in order for Eban to be charged with Rebecca’s murder, Zach must actually be the one to kill her. He rejects Kate’s legal standpoint but can’t resist their ill-timed attraction to each other. Eban, having realized the jeopardy he’s in, plots to make certain that neither Zach nor Kate lives to see the death of Rebecca—and the end of his freedom. 

ABOUT SANDRA BROWN

Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Giveaway – The Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney @GoddessFish @CWhitneyAuthor

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The Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney

GENRE: Historical Mystery

BLURB

Rural Michigan, 1934.

During the throes of the Great Depression Polly marries for money. After her husband Sam dies in a bizarre farm accident, new bride Polly assumes she is set to pursue her dream of opening a hat-making business. Instead, she becomes the prime suspect in Sam’s murder. Secrets abound and even Polly’s family can’t figure out the truth.

EXCERPT

Sunday, August 19, 1934

Having no choice, I began climbing the exterior ladder that ran up the height of the silo. I got up five or six rungs before my fear of heights kicked in. My body started shaking and I willed myself not to look down. I kept putting one foot above the other. The towel around my wounded right arm had loosened and I let it fall to the ground, not wanting to remove my other hand from the rung.

Every step required my mind telling my arms and legs to move. My hands were jittering and I could hardly grip the ladder. You can do this, I told myself. You can. You can.

“Keep going.”  His voice was piercing.

I willed my feet to move up the ladder. My body convulsed. I was about five rungs from the top when I stopped. Reason told me I needed to quit shaking and get my body under control or I would fall. Then it occurred to me. He’s not going to push me into the soft silage. He’s going to knock me off the top of the ladder down to the hard earth.

Dried flower on concrete stone surface background. Flat lay, top view, minimal style concept. Greeting card or web banner mockup for wedding anniversary, birthday, womens day.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Charlotte Whitney is the author of historical fiction set during the Great Depression in the rural Midwest. Her most recent work, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest, a stand-alone historical mystery follows her groundbreaking novel, Threads A Depression-Era Tale, which was met with both critical acclaim and commercial success. She received a master’s degree in English at the University of Michigan, and after a short stint of teaching at two community colleges, worked at the University of Michigan where she was an associate director of the Lloyd Scholars for Writing and the Arts. Currently living in Arizona with her husband and two dogs she enjoys hiking, bicycling, swimming, and yoga.

  • Author’s website:  https://www.charlottewhitney.com
  • Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Whitney/e/B001KCTFWQ
  • Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/CWhitneyAuthor
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-whitney-8235463a/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWhitneyAuthor
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlottewhitney65/
  • BUY LINK: https://amzn.to/3y7RLcQ
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Giveaway – Hiding From The Truth by A B Medley @XpressoTours

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Hiding from the Truth
AB Medley
(Finding the Truth Series, #2)
Publication date: August 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Secrets don’t keep.
Lucy’s are life-changing and dangerous.
Her darkest one is an abusive ex who will stop at nothing to control her, leaving only a smoking ember of who she used to be.
She thinks she’s alone in the battle to get her life back.
Then she meets Tate.
The one man who seems to tear down every defense she’s built around her heart.
The problem is…he doesn’t want a relationship and she wants it all.

Tate’s no stranger to secrets, but he’s content until he meets her.
At first sight, he’s enamored by Lucy.
But the more he discovers, the deadlier her truth becomes.
Now he’s determined to keep her safe whether she wants his help or not.
Suddenly—the ice around his heart is melting, leaving him helpless to fight his feelings for her.

Can they overcome their pasts and the real danger they face to give love a fighting chance, or will they keep hiding from the truth?

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

—

EXCERPT:

He steps toward me and hesitates. “Call me if you need me…or anything at all. I’m not
sure I want to leave you after the night you’ve had.” His blue eyes bore into mine, searching for the truth. A truth I’m not willing to tell just yet. “We’re still going to talk. You need to tell me what happened.” His features harden as if he’s masking anger.

“Tate—” I start but he cuts me off by closing the space between us and brushes the back of his hand over my cheek.

“Don’t overthink it, Lucy. You’re safe here with me. You can trust me.” I swallow against the burning in my throat as I try to stifle the urge to cry. This man is out of his mind if he thinks I can trust him. I trust he won’t physically hurt me, but emotionally is a different matter altogether. Not to mention, he doesn’t need to get in the middle of my mess. He barely knows me.
He drops his hand and walks away. I stay still, my feet planted firmly on the hardwood. Rocky jumps down and sits at my feet, as if sensing my pain.

I lower to my knees, and he licks my cheek. “Thanks, Rocky. I can trust you can’t I, buddy?” I scratch him behind the ears again. His tail thumps the hardwood as I hear my phone beep. I check it and almost drop it. My dad, well Steve. Why is he texting me? I quickly check the message.

Dad: Hey Lucy. I just talked to your mom. Can I call you?
Me: Sure.

Almost immediately, my phone rings. “Hello?”

“Hey, honey. Your mom told me what happened. Are you okay?” He sounds like he did before he left. Why does he care now? I don’t get it. I’m getting whiplash from all the men in my life.

“I’ve been better, but I’ll be fine…always am. You taught me I had to be,” I say hoping he’ll feel even the slightest bit of remorse for how he left me.

“I’m sorry, Lucy, truly. I’m coming home to see your mom—and you, if you’ll let me.” I reach for the bed to make sure it’s there to catch my weight. When I drop onto it, I can’t stop the angry tear sliding down my cheek. I won’t let him hurt me again, and facing him, especially now, is not something I’m sure I can do. I swallow and compose myself enough to answer.

“I don’t know. I’m trying to process literally everything in my life right now. You walked out on me and didn’t look back. What do you want? I don’t understand why you want to see us.”

The line goes silent for a few seconds. “Lucy, we need to talk. All of us.”

“Whatever. I have to go.” I hang up before he can say anything else, lying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling in shock for a few minutes before deciding to shower and call it a night. I get everything in the bathroom ready and take a quick shower. When I get out, I wipe the steam from the mirror and see the fading bruises on my arms and even my inner thighs. I have one on my ribs too.

I lean in closer and examine my face. When I look myself in the eye, I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me. She’s weak. She’s haunted, beaten, and battered as much on the inside as the out. She doesn’t know who she can trust. She’s lost her spark.

Who am I now? Am I Steve McCree’s daughter, the one who wasn’t enough for her dad? Am I Rhett Davis’s daughter, the one claimed to be cherished but kept secret? Am I Phoebe McCree’s daughter, the woman who stepped out on her husband and got pregnant? The woman who lied to keep her family together, but lost it anyway?
Am I the girl Taylor tore down piece by piece and left broken? My whole life is full of secrets and lies and broken dreams. Where do I go from here? I don’t know any of the answers, but I do know—hiding the truth is killing me.


Author Bio:

A.B. Medley lives in Tennessee with the love of her life and two sons. Her husband stole her heart when she was sixteen and their relationship is one of those meant to be love stories you find in magazines and novels.

She is a dental hygienist who loves to read and has always dabbled in writing. When she’s not making people’s smiles shine, she enjoys belting out songs with her boys, dancing, raspberries, baseball, and anything vintage. Like any proper Tennessean, Sundrop is her drink of choice.

She loves her family and friends fiercely and believes in always chasing your dreams.

Deception in the Truth is her debut novel—but now she’s hooked, and there’s more to come!

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Giveaway – 365 Days Of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S Smith @GoddessFish

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I love to invite authors to share their thoughts and am so happy to have Marielle S Smith here today to share five of her favorite gratitude quotes.

Five of my favourite gratitude quotes

With two gratitude journals out there, I’ve gathered a fair collection of gratitude quotes. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite quotes from both the first and second volume of the 365 Days of Gratitude Journal.

If any of the quotes speak to you and you wish to print them out, I created a high-quality PDF you can find here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PuIUIjYDNQZN68DGasQolMSoWwPgpHqy/view?usp=sharing

Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Notice them.

—Roald Dahl

I just love this quote and it’s so in line with the one by Albert Einstein I included in the introduction to the journal: ‘There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing

is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.’

Each time I hear or read any of these two quotes, my perspective instantly shifts to something much lighter and joyful and I can’t help but smile.

The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.

—Mary Davis

There’s a reason I put this quote on the cover of the second volume—it hits home every time. I can’t even put my finger on why, it just does. And I know from experience just how truthful this statement is, which is why I get a little bit frustrated with myself each time there’s a lull in my gratitude practice.

It’s a good thing it’s so easy to get back into it!

We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.

—Neal A. Maxwell

Back in my student days, I had a conversation with my supervisor about privilege. As a relatively privileged woman—I’m white, cisgender, able-bodied, I can pass as straight, I was getting a higher education—I struggled with those privileges because it all felt a little unfair to me.

I’ll never forget how she responded. She said: ‘There’s no point in feeling bad or guilty about where you came from, because that’s beyond your control. But what you can do is use whatever privilege you happen to have to help dismantle the system that created these privileges in the first place.’

This quote reminds me of that conversation and that I should really use all of my blessings, including my privileges, for the greater good.

When you focus on the good, the good gets better.

—Abraham Hicks

Whether this is actually true, I couldn’t tell you, but it’s definitely something I want to believe. At the very least, this quote reminds me to focus on the good things that are happening in my life instead of all the things I’m not as thrilled about, and that always makes me feel better instantly.

We’re all so busy chasing the extraordinary that we forget to stop and be grateful for the ordinary.

—Brené Brown

This quote is, in a nutshell, why I decided to create a gratitude journal in the first place. We tend to celebrate and express gratitude over the big milestones and large blessings in our lives, but the key to living a grateful life is to learn to notice and be thankful for all those teeny tiny things we so easily take for granted. What are you grateful for today? Can you name one thin

Thanks so much for being here today, Michelle. I hope everyone enjoyed the post.

365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Mariëlle S. Smith

GENRE:   Non-fiction; self-help

BLURB

*** Now available in black-and-white AND full colour! ***

‘The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.’ Mary Davis

Gratitude is not just about ATTITUDE.

Gratitude is about PRACTICE.

But how do you create a gratitude practice that sticks?

After the success of her first 365 Days of Gratitude Journal, writing coach Mariëlle S. Smith brings you Volume 2. Same journal but with an entirely different look!

After years of barely surviving her own emotional minefield, Mariëlle discovered the transformative power of practising gratitude. But, like no one else, she knows that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is easier said than done.

365 Days of Gratitude, Vol. 2 is an undated, guided journal. Complete with inspiring quotes, daily prompts, and recurring check-ins, it was designed to help you create a sustainable gratitude practice too.

Commit to the life-changing power of gratitude today and order your copy now!

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Mariëlle S. Smith is a writer, writing coach, and editor. She lives in Cyprus, where she organises private writer’s retreats, is inspired 24/7, and feeds more stray cats than she can count.

Contact Links

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble: Black-and-white edition: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/365-days-of-gratitude-vol-2-marielle-s-smith/1141685091 

Deluxe full colour edition: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/365-days-of-gratitude-journal-vol-2-mari-lle-smith/1140370436  

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