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Giveaway – Death At Rock Bottom by Kris Bock @dollycas #krisbock

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Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery
(Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
by Kris Bock

About Death at Rock Bottom

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Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New Mexico
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tule Publishing
Publication Date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2025
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966593997
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F2KN4ZSB

She can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before…

After solving the mystery of her predecessor’s death, geologist Petra Cloch wants to focus on her new job as the rocks and minerals curator at a quirky, small-town New Mexico museum. But her friend and colleague Liberty is suspicious of the “accidental” death of Frank Underwood, a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who unexpectedly died while hiking. Frank acted odd and secretive in his last weeks—mumbling about an incredible find in the desert and aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work?

Petra agrees to help excavate the truth, and soon, instead of meeting for book club, she and her friends become amateur investigators. Petra uses her gift and her brains to sort through the contradictory stories and confusing clues as she and her friends dig for answers.

Did Frank’s heirs decide to hasten their inheritance? Or did his rock shop business partner decide to go solo? Petra joins the local geological club to discover whether someone there acquired a taste for murder, because they’ll need rock solid evidence to catch a killer.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild Mysteries and Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters!

If you love supernatural sleuths, small-town intrigue, and mysteries with a geological twist, Death at Rock Bottom is your next must-read! Grab your copy today!

About Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more. As for Kris’s romance stories, the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves.

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Review – The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus #stephanlethaus

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus has been translated from German with the help of artificial intelligence. This is one instance where I have no problem with artificial intelligence. A pretty good job was done, and seeing I am reading an ARC it may even get better.

We have a wide cast of characters, which you can find at the end of the book. I haven’t really chosen a favorite, but Robin is one of the main characters, so it is easy to choose him. He a nice guy and some not so nice things happen to him. I also liked Mi Lou. She is in danger and on the run, and before the book is done, so is Robin. I’m eager to see how the storylines will come together, seeing Mi Lou is from the year 2055 and Robin is from the time of dragons.

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin starts out a little slow, but the further I read, the more the pace picks up and a subtle urgency spans the pages. The point of view switches from Robin to Mi Lou. I was able to predict some of what comes. Treachery, treason, and betrayal puts many lives in danger and many bodies will fall.

This is one of those stories where I am afraid to say too much. I don’t want to spoil anything for you. We have artifical intelligence and robots. We have magic and dragons. The world is rich in detail and if you love fantasies, I think you may love The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin.

I want to thank Stepahn Lethaus for the opportunity to read and review The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin. I can hardly wait to begin the second book, The Discovery Of The Inner Magic.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin is the captivating beginning of a saga where ancient forces awaken, unlikely bonds form, and the fate of a magical world begins to shift.

Have you ever debated the ethics of killing… with a dragon?

Rob, a stable boy from Castle Skargness, never asked for any of this. But when a twist of fate throws him together with Fuku Riu—a reckless young forest dragon with far too much attitude and far too little patience—everything changes.

After a tragic turn during the legendary dragon tournament, Rob and Fuku are forced to flee north, hunted by the merciless servants of pure magic. Their uneasy alliance is tested at every step, and trust is hard‑won in a land full of ancient threats and unseen watchers.

Meanwhile, in a very different world, Mi Lou—a pragmatic systems analyst from 2055—finds herself pulled into Skaiyles by forces she doesn’t yet understand. Her arrival marks a turning point, though none of them realize it yet.

As pure magic rises and buried legacies begin to stir, even the smallest bond may carry the weight of destiny.

German readers will find both Volumes 01 and 02 combined in the original German edition.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 292 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 15, 2025
  • Series: The Ryujin #1

ABOUT STEPHAN LETHAUS (from Amazon)

Stephan Lethaus has been telling fantastical stories since childhood—long before he could write, he spun wild tales about ghosts, dragons, and untamed creatures. His creative journey has since taken him from directing and producing award-winning children’s content to writing epic fantasy. Today, he brings that same sense of wonder and adventure to his fantasy series, The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin.

Based in Berlin, Stephan is an author and creative producer with over two decades of experience in the animation and media industry. His background in storytelling for the screen has shaped his vivid, cinematic writing style. His earlier productions for children’s television have received multiple awards, including the Goldener Spatz, the Silver Dragon of Beijing, and a nomination for the prestigious Grimme Prize.

In 2016, Stephan published the first book in Skaiyles, a sweeping fantasy series filled with magic, dragons, and untamed legacy [This makes no sense. It’s untamed creature, but to avoid repetition we should look for another word]. He is currently expanding the saga, crafting stories that invite readers into a richly imagined world full of mystery, myth, and heart.

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Sherry’s Shelves 7.20 – 7.26.25

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Hi Everyone. Hope you had a great week. I haven’t been up to much. How about you? Have you read any good books? Have you visited any far off places? I have become even more of a homebody than I used to be. Have you been watching Shark Week?

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

  • Sherry’s Shelves
  • $25 GC – Turning Toward Eden by Cate Touryan
  • Review – The Discovery Of Inner Magic by Stephan Lethaus
  • $25 GC – Echoes On The Wind by Helaine Mario
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#25 GC – Too Good To Be True by A S Kelly @xpressotours #askelly #toogoodtobetrue

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Too Good to Be True
A.S. Kelly
Publication date: July 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Seth Graham needs help. His eccentric job and troubled past will not help him get custody of his nephews. With their grandmother now stepping in to claim them, Seth needs a solution.
Seth can’t bear another loss. He has already said goodbye to too many people; he can’t give up the only family he has left.

Rowan Kennedy doesn’t need anything, especially not another lost cause. His career is finally taking off, and the last thing he has time for is helping a young single father desperate to keep his kids. He has no interest in getting caught up in a custody battle, especially when he’s never even had a real family of his own. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have someone willing to fight for you with everything they have.

But Seth is desperate, and Rowan seems to be his only chance, and these children need a home, love and something Rowan never had: a father who would give anything to see them happy. Plus, Seth is bloody adorable, with his dimples and his blue eyes and the way he creates chaos even when he sleeps, and his sweetness and his desire to be the father the children deserve. And then there’s the way he practically begs Rowan not to walk away now that falling in love might actually be on the table…

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

—

EXCERPT:

Luckily, my phone rings at the perfect moment.
“Excuse me, I have to take this. It might be important.”
I get up from the table and walk into the living room. When I pick up my phone and see his name flashing on the screen, I almost decide to drop the call and go back to the kids’ interrogation.
“Hey,” I greet him.
“Oh, hey,” Seth says. “I meant to call earlier, but I haven’t had a free moment. How’s everything going?”
“All good.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“Oh, but I’m not worried about the children. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“I’m managing too.”
“You wouldn’t know it by your voice.”
“I’m just a bit…”
“Have they put you on trial?”
“With the help of my friend Paul.”
“Does he tell all your secrets?”
I only have one secret at the moment. The fact that your voice makes me feel so inexplicably good.
“Something like that.”
“I’d like to be there to hear them.”
I sigh at the thought of wanting the same.
“I can give you a summary when you get back.”
“I don’t want a summary. I want every detail.”
The way he says it sends a hot shiver down my spine.
“I’m not good with details, but I can do my best.”
A long, endless moment of silence, filled with his heavy breathing; then, Seth says, in his seductive voice, “I’m sure you will.”

Author Bio:

A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.

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Giveaway – The Spirit Of Vanderlaan by Susan Harris Howell @dollycas #thespiritofvanderlaan

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 The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
by Susan Harris Howell

About The Spirit of Vanderlaan

 

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The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: This story is set on the fictitious campus of Vanderlaan University, in the Midwest or Midsouth region of the United States
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 370 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509258884
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509258888
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHV65RM4

When beloved professor, Samantha Hayes, learns that her favorite four students live in as many of her old dorm rooms, she wonders how it happened and for what purpose. As she and her student entourage explore the possibilities, they uncover a death years ago and what appears to be the ghost of the dearly departed. All of this stirs up Samantha’s long-held fear that she was responsible for that death, challenging all she thought she knew about herself and the work she holds dear. They must figure out what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

About Susan Harris Howell

I am a psychologist, speaker, and author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, my debut novel released in December of 2024. This book is a fun, cozy, ghost story featuring a professor, Samantha Hayes, and her lively band of students who get caught up in solving a campus mystery. This book draws on my teaching career of over thirty years to capture the camaraderie and warmth between a professor and the assortment of personalities which inhabit her office.

I have also published extensively on equality between women and men. My first book, Buried Talents, explores the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

My husband and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my speaking and writing endeavors.

Links to My Socials:

Purchase Links:  Amazon   B&N

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Review – Reckless by Skye Jordan #skyjordan #reckless

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Amazon / Godreads

MY REVIEW

I picked up a copy of Reckless on a free day on 8.18.16. I recently signed up for Skye Jordan’s newsletter and saw some interesting looking books, so I checked my ereader. Lo and behold, I had one of her books, so I started reading Reckless, the first book in the Renegades series.

Reckless is hot, hot, hot. I loved the characters, even those that were not so nice. I loved that Lexi LaCroix is the main character and is a plus size. She specializes in handmade wedding dresses and when she expands into the lingerie business I can only guess how sexy they will be. There are those that support her whole heartedly and those that want her to dumb down her creations. I love that she sticks to her guns.

Of course, we have some romance. Neither one realizes who the other one is and it makes for some miscommunication. That’s typical for any couple. But, they are magic in bed and pull no punches, burning up my ereader. I look forward to reading more of Skye’s work

Reckless would make a great movie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix’s image means everything. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker makes Lexi realize how much living she’s sacrificed for her success and one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life. When that touch fills far more than just Lexi’s physical needs, she finds herself torn between the career she needs and the bad-boy she craves.

Jax Chamberlin gave up the superficial life of acting for the thrill of running his own stunt company years ago. But a recent betrayal proves he’s still too close to the limelight to find a woman who doesn’t plan to use him as a stepping-stone to success. When the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more.

But Lexi’s got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle, and Jax isn’t willing to change his ways. Especially not when he discovers who she really is. Because if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he’s afraid the fantasy woman he’s falling for might just end up like all the other gold-diggers. And this time, it’s not just his bad-boy reputation at risk, but his heart, too.

All books in the Renegades series may be read as stand alone books.

The Renegades series includes:
RECKLESS
REBEL
RICOCHET
RUMOR
RELENTLESS
RENDEZVOUS
RIPTIDE
RAPTURE

  • Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, New Adult, Romance
  • 280 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 23, 2013 by Cygnet Books
  • Series: Renegades, #1
  • Settings: Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, United States

ABOUT SKYE JORDAN

Skye Jordan is a New York Times and USA bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense.

A California native transplanted to the DC area. When she’s not writing, Skye enjoys travel and medical volunteer work. She is a lifelong learner, always taking courses in everything from spy craft to knitting and loves spending her summer rowing on the Potomac.

Visit Skye online:

www.SkyeJordanAuthor.com

 

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$10 GC – Curse Of Ashmedei by Michael Snaerravn @goddessfish #curseofashmedei #michalsnaerravn

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CURSE OF ASHMEDEI by Michal Snaerravn

GENRE:  Epic fantasy

MY REVIEW

I am always up for a good fantasy story to get lost in and Curse Of Ashmedei by Michal Snaerravn provided me one. There are also some cool illustrations.

Curse Of Ashmedei is one of those stories I find it hard to review without spoilers.

Curse Of Asmedei is filled with battles, betrayals and death. I felt the loss as Michal killed off some characters I had grown to care about. We have Druids, Demonsblood, Lycans, Trollbloods and Ogrebloods, plus creatures that fly and hide in the sand, so be careful crossing over those dunes.

I was quickly drawn in by Amnon, a young Demonblood that vows revenge on those who killed his parents. The action is nonstop. I couldn’t figure out who he should trust and who he should kill outright. There is a price to be paid for letting the bad guy live. Strange alliances are made, because he is not the only one that has a price on his head. A Blood War is coming.

My thanks go out to Michael Snaerravn for the opportunity to read and review Curse Of Ashmedei. The real downside I came across is I need the next book, Golems Of Beithir to find out what happens next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

The Black Star approaches, heralding the cataclysm of Hell’s Gate. The pawns on the chessboard have played the opening gambits as the Races vie for its power. Amnon, a young Demonblood consumed by revenge, finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of treacherous alliances and primeval magic. With a price on his head and outmanoeuvred by Druids and Trollbloods at every turn, he can’t survive alone. An ancient Lycan who has lost his humanity is the only one he can trust.

EXCERPT

The sun began to slip behind the ragged slope, staining the wisps of clouds surrounding the peak in blood red.

It was late summer, and the bitter katabatic wind was making its way down the slope, rustling a few dying leaves, and chilling my bones. A lone peregrine falcon drew lazy spirals high above the erratic maze of rocks and boulders, looking for the unwary marmot that enjoyed the evening sun just a bit too long. Crouched, I carefully studied nearly invisible tracks. It was the same company I had been trailing for weeks now, consisting of an armored party of more than a dozen men and women. The tracks wound along the steep slope and entered the open scree. Soon their trail would be lost in the jumble of jagged rocks and Troll-sized boulders. I hesitated, my tail twitching as it usually did when I was annoyed. The path they were on faced directly against the sun as it dipped into the glacial valley. I knew the valley well, and it was perfect for an all-too-easy ambush. I suspected the company had already detected my presence, and it would be foolish to tempt fate, especially when facing a dozen armed men … headed by a Druid, no less.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Michal Snaerravn is an outdoor enthusiast, an aficionado of the martial arts, and, above all, a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. A fan of all the timeless fantasy classics, he is eager to share his imagination: “Living in seven distinct cultures and reading hundreds of novels in four languages inspired a fantasy world that had to be revealed.” He considers novel writing not for the timid, or for selling a million copies; it is for those who have a vision to share. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Curse of Ashmedei: Book 1: https://amzn.to/3IxIO41

Golems of Beithir: Book 2: https://a.co/d/hW1YFT7

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michal-Snaerravn/author/B0DHDBSC55

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amnonofhadur/

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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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Review – Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl #michaeljstiehl #sanctuary #blackharepress

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl is a fantasy, horror, novella. I hesitated with the rating, bouncing between a 3 and a 4. When that happens, I round up. I know it’s hard to grab someone’s attention and hold them til the end when the story is so short, but I feel Sanctuary warrants that extra star.

Theobard is training to be a monk and has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood. Everything changes when Dellia arrives. She opens Theobard’s eyes to what is really going on at the Sanctuary. Michael J Stiehl did a great job of increasing the anticipation of what was coming, making me feel that life can be very dangerous at the Sanctuary if you don’t toe the line. The ending caught me offguard and, Michael, you kinda pissed me off…but that’s a good thing.

My thanks go out to Michael J Stiehl and Black Hare Press for the opportunity to read and review Sanctuary.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Deep in an impenetrable swamp, lies the Sanctuary. Abandoned there as a child, Theobard has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood, a monastic sect that never speaks.

The arrival of Dellia, a beautiful golden-eyed girl with a secret, will change everything.

Her secret will expose Theobard’s true nature, and that of the Sanctuary, pulling apart the only world he has ever known, leaving nothing the same.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novella and Short Stories
  • 93 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 18, 2022 by Black Hare Press

ABOUT MICHAEL J STIEHL

Michael J. Stiehl has had a lifelong passion for fiction, in particular horror, comics, adventure and science fiction, and is thrilled to finally be writing some of his own. Michael lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, two kids and his very silly poodle Jack. When not writing fiction, Michael spends his time riding bikes, camping, reading books, obsessively listening to music and playing D&D with his friends. In short, he hasn’t changed a bit since junior high.

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$20 GC – Wicked Ambition by Patti O’Shea @xpressotours #pattioshea #wickedambition

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Wicked Ambition: The Lost Treasure
Patti O’Shea
(The Paladin League, #7)
Publication date: July 21st 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Ayla Desmond never takes risks, but when she senses her twin is in trouble, she boards a plane to Puerto Jardin—a country teetering on the edge of chaos. As a Public Relations specialist at the Paladin League, she’s used to spin, not bullets. But this mission plunges her into a deadly game where trust is scarce and danger is everywhere.

Special Forces Sgt. Oziah “Wizard” West is the king of one-night stands, but he hasn’t been able to forget the last woman he hooked up with, a mysterious blonde who slipped away from his hotel room. When he spots her in Puerto Jardin, he knows there will be trouble. Oz rushes to her side, determined to keep her safe.

Ayla wants nothing to do with Oz. He’s a mistake she’d rather forget, but circumstances force them together. Surrounded by mercenaries and stalked by mobsters who believe she holds the key to a hidden treasure, she has no choice but to rely on the enigmatic stranger who ignited her passion. As danger escalates, so do their feelings, and then a positive pregnancy test changes everything.

Now, Oz risks not only his heart but also his life to protect Ayla and their unborn child. Can they survive the treacherous game they’re caught in, or will their love become the ultimate casualty?

Wicked Ambition is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it’s not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.

Indulge in a protective Special Forces hero and a heroine who is a fish-out-of-water, but will do whatever it takes to save her sister. This romantic suspense story features a one-night stand, an unexpected pregnancy, and a second chance romance.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

A while later, the second bus from Rio Blanco rolled in. This one was larger, with a hump on top. Some parts of it had rust, while other parts showed obvious metal patches, and the green paint had faded in the places where it hadn’t entirely flaked away.

He expected a repeat of the first bus, and then another ninety-minute-plus wait for the last one to arrive.

That wasn’t what he got.

Oz tensed as a man disembarked. His hair was cut military short, and he was clean-shaven—nothing like the pictures he’d studied—but there was no mistaking him for someone else. This was the dude he’d been assigned to watch for.

As he reached the sidewalk, he paused and glanced around. He gave the gang members a look that appeared threatening even from across the street and then headed off to the east.

In a minute, Oz would follow him. As soon as a tail wouldn’t stand out. He stood and monitored the man’s progress.

The next passenger who exited the bus froze him in place.

She wore black trousers and a white shirt and dragged a small, wheeled suitcase out of the bus and onto the sidewalk. It tipped over, but she used the handle to put it upright. The catcalls from the gang began immediately. She ignored them, looking up and down the street.

Oz muttered a curse. He’d bet a month’s pay she was searching for a taxi.

The man he was assigned to tail was nearly out of sight. Oz needed to move, needed to go after him, and he couldn’t. He wouldn’t leave any woman in this predicament, but especially not this one.

Because underneath that floppy straw hat she had on, Oz knew her hair was blonde. He knew the way her blue eyes looked when she was aroused and the way she sighed when he entered her. Knew the little noises she made when she came.

Patting his pocket, he felt the familiar outline of the gold-hoop earring she’d left behind.

She walked to the west, away from the gang members. They followed her.

His assignment disappeared around the corner, but it didn’t matter. Oz couldn’t let anything happen to her. She was the woman he hadn’t been able to forget for seven long weeks.

Striding across the street, he went to protect his prissy little blonde.

Author Bio:

Patti O’Shea’s passions are writing, airplanes and traveling. Fortunately, she’s been able to enjoy all three. After receiving a degree in advertising copywriting, she took a job with a major U.S. airline and now works in 757 Engineering. Besides teaching her about the planes she loves, it’s given her an opportunity to travel to places like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Writing, though, remains her primary love. Patti created her first romance when she was in junior high school and has been hooked ever since. She should have figured out she was a writer years earlier, however, since her dolls had such involved lives, complete with goals, motivation and conflict.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook


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Giveaway – A Poetic Pox by Samantha Larsen @dollycas @HastingSamantha #apoeticpox

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A  Poetic Pox: A Lady Librarian Mystery
by Samantha Larsen

About A Poetic Pox

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A Poetic Pox: A Lady Librarian Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – 1786, England
Publisher: Dreamscape First
Audible.com Release Date: July 22, 2025
Listening Length: 8 hours and 18 minutes
Author: Samantha Larsen
Narrator: Marni Penning
ASIN: B0FBBG4GZC

1786, England

It is the twelve days of Christmas, and Mrs. Tiffany Lathrop is happily juggling her duties as a new mother and a librarian to Catharine, the Duchess of Beaufort. Her employer receives a mysterious letter from an old paramour, the Marquess of Harwood, who is the biological father of Catharine’s son. He promises to leave his estate and fortune to Beau if he can see the boy before he dies.

Her elder son, Thomas Montague, has a terrible cold, so Catharine asks Tiffany to accompany her and Beau. When they arrive at the dilapidated abbey, they discover a dead body—only it isn’t the marquess, but his valet! Lord Harwood is alive, but unconscious with suspicious-looking pox marks on his hands. Tiffany wonders if the marquess is really dying, or if it is all poetic revenge? Especially when she discovers the secrets that haunt Rosedean Abbey.

Between breastfeeding and dirty diapers, Tiffany must discover who killed the valet and attempted to murder the marquess before anyone else dies.

©2025 Samantha Larsen (P)2025 Dreamscape First

About Samantha Larsen

Samantha Hastings met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, having tea parties, and chauffeuring her four kids. She teaches World Literature at Brigham Young University. Her young adult fiction books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections and her historical romances are published around the world. She also writes murder mysteries under Samantha Larsen that Publisher’s Weekly called “wildly enjoyable.”

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