Giveaway – The Slightest In The House by Barbara Casey @GoddessFish

Posted on August 14, 2023 by fundinmental

SLIGHTEST IN THE HOUSE by Barbara Casey

GENRE: Young Adult Fiction

BLURB:

On some level she was aware that an elderly woman had come out of the darkness and put her arms around her. Meredith heard her say that everything would be all right. But on another, more conscious level, the one where all of her senses saw, felt, processed and recorded what was happening, Meredith watched two black body bags being loaded into the back of an ambulance. Then she watched the ambulance turn around and drive off in the opposite direction. Her long, tumbling mass of blond curls hung loosely over her face, shielding it. For Beth, the reality of what had taken place would come later. But Meredith had seen what had happened and understood. That knowledge was now seeping through every pore of her body.

Seventeen-year-old Meredith and her four-year-old stepsister, Beth, face the numbing reality of suddenly losing their parents in a freak accident. With no other family, they are taken from their mobile home in Georgia to go live with a grandmother they have never met in a mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Beth soon adjusts to her new environment; but Meredith withdraws from everyone and everything, unable to blot out the image of the horrible crash that killed her parents. It is only when she reaches out to a homeless woman that Meredith is finally able to find herself and face her demons. With the help of her grandmother’s long-employed staff, a family doctor, a museum curator, an attorney who is more than just her grandmother’s legal advisor, and, of course, her conniving grandmother who is dealing with her own guilt for having been estranged from her son and his wife (Meredith’s and Beth’s parents), Meredith is able to pull herself from the depths of despair into a life filled with faith, hope, and generosity.

Slightest in the House is a contemporary novel with strong, interesting characters from different walks of life, brought together because of life’s difficult and often unexpected circumstances, and bonded together by their faith and belief that everything works out as it should.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS (Please choose only ONE to use with your post):

Excerpt One:

Ron stared wildly at the crumpled car. “You don’t think the girls were . . .” Ron didn’t finish. It was simply too horrible to say out loud. Instead he reached out and grabbed at the twisted metal frame of the car, yanking and clawing at it, as though once he got it out of the way, he would find two young girls miraculously sitting there, whole and perfect, and untouched by gore and death. Terror filled Ron’s face as he glanced back at his partner. “Oh, god, Mack, they would never leave the kids at home alone,” he yelled as he knelt down and wrenched harder, surreal, blood-soaked images flooding his mind that were simply too unbearable for words.

“Mr. Reynolds?”

The soft voice came from somewhere behind him, through the dust and the fumes of the wreckage, and through the noisy confusion of fire trucks, sirens, and frantic people. Ron turned around, searching through all the chaos made even more so by the flashing blue and red emergency lights, until his eyes stopped and focused on a young girl. A much smaller child had her arms wrapped around her neck, clinging to her. Both of them were covered with dirt, and their clothes were torn. But otherwise they looked to be all right. Ron’s panic was quickly replaced by a façade of calmness. He glanced up at the elderly man standing behind them, his arms encircling them protectively. He was bleeding from a cut on the side of his face, and his eyes were glazed over in shock.

“Meredith. Beth.” Ron stood up and brushed off his hands. Then he gently took the little girl out of her sister’s arms and held her tightly against him. “Are you two all right?” he asked taking a deep breath.

“Yes,” answered Meredith. “We were in the candy shop.” Her eyes looked too large for her face, and her normally fair skin was ashen. “Mr. Devening has a cut.”

“I hurt my finger,” announced Beth sticking up her thumb. “And Oinky hurt his tail.” Beth then proceeded to poke the back end of a rather ugly stuffed toy pig into Ron’s face so he could examine that as well.

“I see,” said Ron, fighting down the sick feeling that was threatening to overtake him. He knew he couldn’t lose it now—not in front of the girls. They needed him. He must be strong for them. He would be able to go home later on to his wife and young daughter. But for Meredith and Beth, their nightmare was just beginning.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. His voice was soothing—in control. “This man is my partner, and his name is Mack.”

Both girls looked at the man standing next to Ron.

“He’s going to drive us all to the hospital so we can get everyone taken care of.” Mack led Mr. Devening to the patrol car.

“Oinky’s tail, too?” asked Beth.

“Absolutely. Then he’s going to take us to my house. Would you like that?”

“And see Christie?” asked Beth.

“And see Christie,” Ron answered. “Is that O.K. with you, Meredith?”

Meredith didn’t answer. On some level she was aware that a woman had come out of the darkness and put her arms around her. Meredith heard her say that everything would be all right. That she was safe. And that she must be strong. But on another, more conscious level, the one where all of her senses processed and recorded what was happening, Meredith saw two black body bags being zipped and placed into the back of an ambulance. Then she watched the ambulance turn around and drive away. Her long, tumbling mass of blond curls hung loosely over her face guardedly, concealing it, preventing the horror from penetrating any deeper. For Beth, safeguarded by youth and innocence, the reality of what had taken place would come later. But Meredith had seen what had happened and understood. That knowledge was now seeping through every pore of her body. Ron glanced at the woman, nodded, and took Meredith’s hand.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Barbara Casey is the author of over two dozen award-winning novels and book-length works of nonfiction for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Several of her books have been optioned for major films and television series.

In addition to her own writing, Barbara is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan.

In 2018 Barbara received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas.

Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with three cats who adopted her: Homer, a Southern coon cat; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.

http://www.barbaracaseyauthor.com
http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com

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Giveaway – Wicked Desires by Nancy Brown @XpressoTours #NancyBrown

Posted on August 12, 2023 by fundinmental

Wicked Desires
Nancy Brown
(Wicked Series, #2)
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’s a rock star in need of a girlfriend. She’s an attorney in need of a husband. What could possibly go wrong?

Victoria Davison has had her heart shattered. She’s has sworn off men forever, a plan that has worked stunningly well until about five minutes ago, when she found out she needs to be married before her thirty-second birthday if she wants access to the one hundred-million-dollar trust fund her grandfather set up for her.

Grayson Pierce is the devastatingly seductive, illegally gorgeous front man for Ruin. He’s the hedonistic saint of sin, wrapped in leather, whiskey, and fame… He’s living the dream until his record company tells him he needs to clean up his image or he’s done.

Their worlds collide. Electricity sizzles in the air between them. Tori tells herself she’s immune to his lethal charms when she walks away.

Love maker.
Heartbreaker

Unable to get her out of his head, Grayson makes Tori a tantalizing offer: act as his girlfriend for six months while he promotes his new album. This could be the solution she has been looking for. Tori counters with a proposal of her own.

A contract is signed.

This is for convenience only…with a time stamped expiry date.

Love is strictly out of bounds.

But when music’s crown prince of mayhem touches her, sparks fly.

Tori’s not about to trust her heart to rock’s most legendary lover. Her body, though? Maybe.

As it turns out, pretending to fall in love is incredibly sexy…

And falling in love for real, with a man she promised not to fall for?

Irresistible.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

It’s three forty-five and the four of us down a shot, just one. Benji’s approved this, so fuck what the record company says. We do shots before every show. It’s part of our pre-show routine, and no matter what anyone says, that is not going to change…ever. I usually like to have a quick fuck before I go onstage, but unfortunately, that isn’t happening here. We are standing in the middle of Times Square with just a curtain separating us from the crowd. I’m not shy, and the guys have seen me fuck women a million times before, so it wouldn’t bother me or them, and there is no shortage of women who would be happy to accommodate me, but I promised Benji I would behave. Aside from the shot I just did, I also haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since I left the bar with Tommy yesterday afternoon, and as far as I can tell, neither has Dylan or Shawn. Tommy is on something, but he’s not going to be a problem. He always holds his own onstage and has never let us down. He’ll be okay. We just need to get through three songs and then we are out of here.

We step onto the makeshift stage that was erected only a few hours ago. There are no bells and whistles, just the bare bones we need to get the job done. Dylan is standing on one side of me, and Shawn is on the other. Tommy takes up the rear, behind his kit. Someone out front is speaking to the crowd, and then my heart rate kicks up with a familiar rush when I hear, “Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a real treat this afternoon. Get ready for Ruin!” The crowd goes crazy. Tommy counts us down, and we start to play just as the curtain rises in front of us.

We crush the first two songs, and the crowd continues to grow. There are a shit ton of security around us, along with police on horseback, keeping the crowd under control. Things could go sideways in a heartbeat, but that’s not our concern. We are here to perform, and that’s exactly what we do—we are killing it. There’s not a lot of room up here on this tiny stage. I like to move around, but I’m limited to a few feet in any direction, so I focus on the crowd instead.

We slow things down for the third and final song. I’m singing one of our biggest hits. It’s about a dark-haired, green-eyed girl who steals hearts and never gives them back. I look out over the crowd and my heart almost fucking stops when I see her. She’s fucking gorgeous. The auburn highlights in her long dark hair shine in the sun, and she has the biggest green eyes I’ve ever seen. She’s the fucking girl in my song and I can’t take my goddamn eyes off her. She is so close, I feel like I can almost reach out and touch her, and her eyes are riveted on me. I smile and point at her. She slaps her hand over her heart, and then points right back at me as she flashes me a megawatt smile in return. I feel like I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt as electricity zings between us. I force myself to move on, to give my attention to the rest of the crowd, but I can’t seem to stop my eyes from returning to the green-eyed girl. To me, one girl is as good as the next, but fuck, there’s just something about her.

The song comes to an end, and the curtain drops as soon as the last chord dies off, blocking any chance I might have had to find out who she is. I’ve never, ever regretted the end of a song as much as I do in this moment. I don’t know what the hell it is that I’m feeling, but I can’t let it go. The need to find out who she is, is overwhelming.

I jump off the stage and pull the curtain aside. My eyes zero in on the spot where she was sitting, but she’s not there, and my heart sinks. I frantically look around, trying to find her. Where the fuck did she go? There are literally hundreds of people moving around out there. She could be anywhere in that crowd. I narrow my eyes as they skim over the crowd, I search for a couple more seconds before I give up and drop the curtain. She’s not there. I need to forget about her and move on—but my mind refuses to let it go.

Who is she?

How can I find her?

She was only on my radar for the length of a single song, but somehow, she’s managed to get under my skin. That never happens. The need to know what it is about her that is different from all the rest is overwhelming.

Author Bio:

Nancy Carolyn Brown is an author of contemporary romance, fond of writing love stories about hunky badass men endowed with massive hearts, and strong heroines with just the right mix of sweet and sass… flaming hot chemistry and thrilling nail biting suspense is always guaranteed!

She loves cosmos and chocolate and a swoony good book with a strong storyline.

She lives in sunny southern Alberta, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband and naughty Bengal cat. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys the simple things in life like spending time with family and friends, reading and running with her favorite playlist blasting in her ears.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Giveaway – Mr Right Is A Myth by Melina Druga @XpressoTours @MelinaDruga

Posted on August 11, 2023 by fundinmental

Mr. Right is a Myth
Melina Druga
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

This heartfelt follow-up to Sexual Awakening follows its ambitious diarist to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where her hopes and dreams for the future are further tested by a string of social hiccups.

Cassie Economos has rules. If a new boyfriend can’t wait two months to have sex with her, he’s not the guy for her. If he refuses to wear a condom, he’s not the guy for her. And if dating him would mean maintaining a long-distance relationship, he’s… well, you get the picture.

She’s got her life planned out, and she knows better than to try to make things work with someone who can’t agree on the basics, like where to live and whether to have kids. But Cassie isn’t perfect, and the more disappointing situationships she finds herself in, the more she wonders if there’s even such a thing as a “Mr. Right.”

But Cassie doesn’t have time to worry too much about that. Her four years at U of I are passing quickly, which means it’s time for her to chart her final course: toward Chicago, the city of her dreams.

Readers are in for a rollicking ride through college life in the ’90s here, as Cassie and her friends wade through continental relationship shifts.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“I’m going to the bathroom. Have fun deciding who gets the piece of man meat.” I finish what’s left of my virgin daiquiri – virgin, what a laugh – and pick up my purse. “If I’m not back in 10 minutes, you know I fell in.”

My experience with Jesse forced me to add more things to my list of criteria to avoid in men, and my list grows longer with every ex. When I told Mom over the summer what I’m looking for in a man, she (ignorant of my history) said I’m too picky, whereas Vanessa wasn’t picky enough. I’ll end up bitter and alone, Mom said, while my sister is happily married, playing mommy.

I have stretches where I’m in a relationship and intervals where I’m single. For someone to be in my life long-term, he and I need to be partners, equals, a power couple. But how do I find a guy like that? And who would want to be my partner for life anyway? My family says I’m too stubborn, too opinionated, too independent, wear too much black and too much makeup. Not exactly the sort a man commits to.

I follow a waitress’ directions to the back of the club where young women – some dressed sexy, others casually like my friends and me – stream in and out of the restroom. I wonder how many of these chicks are in partnerships and how many are in relationships where the man wields the upper hand. I want a partnership, damn it!

I’m so engrossed in thought I don’t notice a guy standing by the last table before the restrooms taking a step backward until he bumps into me. Losing my balance, I wobble.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says, placing his hand briefly on my arm. “I hope you’re okay. I didn’t step on your foot, did I?”

Holy shit! This guy is tall, fit and blond. Now that’s what I consider God’s gift to women.

I smile and shake my head. “No, I’m okay. Don’t sweat it.”

He nods and turns back to his friends.

Author Bio:

Rumor has it that Melina Druga came out of her mother’s womb with a pen in her hand. While we can neither confirm or deny this, you could say she was destined to become a writer.

Melina was so young when she began writing that she can’t remember exactly when the urge began. She does remember, however, her first novel – an historical fiction story about two sisters living in an Ohio canal town in the 1840s – that she wrote at age 10.

Music keeps Melina sane, and it has gotten to the point that she cannot write without it. It keeps her awake, alert, motivated and productive. Music has even inspired her fiction. And not just The Rock Star’s Wife series. The My Chemical Romance song “Mama” was the inspiration for her historical fiction novel Angel of Mercy.

Melina lives in the Midwest with her husband, daughter, black cat, books and CD collection.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway & Review – Reflections On The Boulevard by L J Ambrosio @GoddessFish @authorlambrosio

Posted on August 10, 2023 by fundinmental

REFLECTIONS ON THE BOULEVARD by Louis J. Ambrosio

GENRE: Coming of age

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I read the first book, The Reservoir Man (he gives you the illusion of reality instead of reality itself), and loved it, BUT Reflections on the Boulevard by L J Ambrosio BLEW ME AWAY. It was so thought provoking, that I had to stop at times and let it simmer. My mind was overwhelmed by the writing of L J. I laughed and I cried.

I love car trips and we (Michael, Ron and I) traveled the west, hitting new to me places. I loved seeing it through the eyes of an innocent, absorbing the wonder of our parks. I have never been to Europe, but seeing it through Michael and Ron’s eyes, and L J’s vivid descriptions, the world came alive and we knocked out his bucket list.

Ron is on a journey of intellectual awareness without knowing it.

Find your truth, then you will find your freedom.

Michael’s heart has no limits. He strives to see the good in people and shares his life lessons frreely. He is gay, but his relationship with Ron is one of friendship. Helping someone who needs a hand can leave him open to those who want to take advantage, but not so with Ron. His help pays off as Ron creates a life he never envisioned. When he met Michael, he was just looking for a safe place to lay his head and food in his belly. Michael took a lost boy and helped him to become a man. The journey was amazing, and I am so glad I was able to be there with them.

When Michael talks about sitting at his friends side while they struggle through the final stages of Aids, his words rang true, sometimes a person needs permission to go. I sat at my father’s side in the hospital and said those words. Within moments, I heard his final breath. My older sister was in hospice and, for some reason, I got up in the middle of the night to sit by her side for a while. I told her she could go, and she passed in the night. There were more moments like that in Reflections on the Boulevard by L J Ambrosio and I took them all in.

At the end, I saw what was coming and knew it would break my heart. I fought it as long as I could, before tears began streaming down my face as I struggled to see the words. I got so deep into the story, I felt I was sitting on the bench with them. Michael and I both have an appreciation of the power of benches, the incentive to sit a while and watch life happen.

I have never thought of myself as an intellectual reader, but L J, you can put me on your super fan list.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Reflections On The Boulevard by L J Ambrosio.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Michael’s story continues from “A Reservoir Man” (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe in Michael’s final journey in life, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedic Drama & Plays, Coming Of Age
238 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2023 by Film Valor

ABOUT L J AMBROSIO

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljambrosioauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlambrosio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.ambrosio
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ljambrosio
Blog: https://ljambrosio.blogspot.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2XkCETDOj_VUtCFcB74ig

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-on-the-boulevard-lj-ambrosio/1143396462
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qIfb70
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/reflections-on-the-boulevard/id6448296429
Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/reflections-on-the-boulevard
Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1068548362
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1384458?ref=draft2digital
Vivlio: https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9798985965162_9798985965162_10020/reflections-on-the-boulevard

MY L J ABROSIO REVIEWS

A Reservoir Man

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Giveaway – Disenchanted by Brianna Sugalski @XpressoTours

Posted on August 10, 2023 by fundinmental

Disenchanted
Brianna Sugalski
(A Lay of Ruinous Reign, #1)
Publication date: December 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her coronation looms years later, and between their town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…

Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.

Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the hands of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.

She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but pure spite to make up for it.

This is the tale of a cursed princess,

A crestfallen killer,

The town that wants them to burn,

And the witch who can save them both.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

EXCERPT

Outside her door, Lilac turned to tell him goodnight—and her breath caught in her throat.

The way the torchlight illuminated his hair from behind made him look ethereal.

She rubbed her eyes.

“You,” she said, fumbling for the knob behind her. Should come in, she suddenly wanted to say as he regarded her from a safe distance, in the middle of the hallway.

“Have a good night, Garin,” was all she managed.

It was closer to sunrise by now, but a couple hours of sleep sounded better than nothing. She grabbed for the knob again and pulled, but it wouldn’t budge. Cursing under her breath, she tried again, harder. This time her hand slipped, and she stumbled backward.

Garin was suddenly behind her, catching her by the shoulders.

“That was quick,” she observed as he righted her.

“No, you’re just moving in slow motion. You did finish off a rather large serving of a sipping drink in all of five seconds.Would you like me to help you inside?”

Lilac stiffened against him. It didn’t sound like a horrible idea—but she wasn’t sure it sounded like a good one. Not only was it unsafe for her as a lone traveler, but there was no sense in allowing herself to become sidetracked. Not with everything at stake.

She couldn’t.

Could she?

Seeming to sense her hesitation, he immediately let go of her. “I’m sorry.” His voice was different. Soft. Gentle, even.

Lilac turned to face him, to tell him it was all right.

“That was not my intention. I would never hurt you.” The remark seemed off kilter, but suddenly, she couldn’t bring herself to look away. Stars then danced in the twilight of his darkened irises, and through the haze, Lilac wasn’t so sure.

A curious feeling washed over her then. The longer she held his gaze, the lighter she felt, and the more aware of her hammering pulse she grew. It throbbed through her head, her throat, her fingertips, down her legs. The longer she looked, the softer his sharp edges became.

“Would you like to come in?” The words felt foreign as they fell out of her mouth.

His brows rose slightly—suggestively—and so did the corners of his mouth.

Her cheeks grew red. No one had ever taken a moment to question her intent before. “I just thought you might have wanted to…” She trailed off, flustered.

“I didn’t intend to make it seem like I was waiting for an invitation. I was only admiring you.”

“Me? Why?” She crossed her arms across her chest.

“It’s everything. Your face. The way the torchlight frames it just there.” He drew his hand near. “May I?”

She nodded, and he reached up and tenderly ran his knuckle down one cheek. Then the other. The shiver that ran through her came too quick to conceal.

Garin didn’t even seem to notice. “You have a striking look about you.” He leaned against the wall—against her door—and without thinking, she pivoted her body to face him. “Has anyone ever told you that before?”

She shook her head, throat dry.

Although he was the one propped against the wall, she felt pinned by his gaze. She stepped closer.

“You would look almost menacing if you swept your hair back.” He reached for her again and smoothly ran his palms from the bottom of her ears, down the sides of her neck, over her collarbone, sweeping her hair back to rest over her shoulders. It felt entirely like a lover’s caress, and she stepped back in panic.

“Menacing,” she repeated, riding her nerves. “That’s a funny way of calling someone beautiful.”

“Beauty is what people admire from afar. Menace is the lure that draws them near.”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t know anyone who would prefer menace over beauty.”

“I do.” He smiled lazily, and even if everything else had grown blurry, it made him more clear. Every glance he gave her was filled with a strange hunger, subtle enough and not predatory, but like he was challenging her to ask him about it. He was a commoner that smelled like he’d bathed in the finest custom colognes and spoke like he had the money and armies to match.

Garin pushed himself off the wall and circled her. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” Behind her, his voice was a low whisper that slammed into the wall of her will, cracking her poise and grace.

Part of her wanted it to break. Perhaps shatter completely.

She began fumbling at her door for the knob. Getting inside felt urgent. But then, through the haze, her mouth opened. “Come inside,” she said breathlessly.

He gave her a knowing smile and leaned past her—he smelled of pine and wood hyacinths emerging after the cold—and pushed her door open.

Oh.

“After you.”

Author Bio:

Southeast Asian fantasy author with a soup addiction. Diverse medievalist and developmental editor who lives in oversized sweaters, and prefers to explore the more ominous—disenchanting, if you will—undertones of history, romance, and the arcane.

My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Cover Reveal – The Boyfriend Countdown by Tori Samuels @XpressoTours

Posted on August 10, 2023 by fundinmental

The Boyfriend Countdown
Tori Samuels
Publication date: November 7th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Margo Diaz has a reputation as a workaholic. Everyone knows where she eats her lunch — at her desk, and where she spends her Friday nights — at the office. But when her ex-boyfriend announces his engagement to the same woman who broke up their relationship, she finds herself tangled in a lie. Because what’s worse than working with your ex, is telling everyone you have a boyfriend when you don’t.

Forced to plan a New Year’s gala to impress a client, Margo finds herself promising everyone will meet her plus one. And with her name in the running for a promotion, she really can’t screw this up. She has to find a boyfriend, and a twelve-day online blind dating service is just the ticket she needs.

Everything is fine, Margo has a plan. That’s until she discovers her blind-date is Richard, the tall, sarcastic man she bumped into a few weeks ago. Not needing any distractions, she’s determined to keep the lie going to show everyone she can have it all — a career, a family, a (fake) boyfriend. Except, Richard isn’t what she thought and her attraction for him grows harder to ignore. Yet Margo is committed to keeping herself away.

How will Margo convince everyone she’s been dating a man she’s never met? Can she risk telling the truth or will she let her lie hurt more than her reputation? With a week left before the gala, the boyfriend countdown is on.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Tori Samuels, author of the HoliFATE series, can be found sipping peppermint mochas, snuggling with her dogs, and dreaming up the next perfect contemporary romance novel. A native resident of Bolton, Canada, Samuels uses her hometown as the backdrop for her witty and swoon worthy cast of characters. Looking for your next holiday-themed read, then grab your favorite dessert coffee and get cozy.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok

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Giveaway – Wicked Persuasion by Patti O’Shea @XpressoTours @Patti_OShea

Posted on August 9, 2023 by fundinmental

Wicked Persuasion
Patti O’Shea
(The Paladin League, #5)
Publication date: August 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A Special Forces officer has a second chance with his first love…if he can keep her alive.

Special Forces Captain Decker Nguyen doesn’t make big mistakes, but he really messed up when he made love with the woman who’d been his best friend. And then ghosted her.

Now, years later, he sees Francesca again. In Puerto Jardin. While he’s undercover as a mercenary and on a high-risk op to topple the empire of an international arms dealer.

Francesca “Frankie” Lewis believes she put Deck out of her head and heart. Until she sees him again. But she’s not falling for him a second time, not when it took so long to put the pieces back together after he disappeared.

Besides, she’s working. The Paladin League sent her to Puerto Jardin to track down the Lost Treasure of Trujillo. But her team isn’t the only one searching for it and others will kill to find it first. With her life on the line, the only person she trusts with her safety is the one man she wants to avoid.

Deck is determined to win Frankie back. He just needs to keep her alive and convince her to take another chance on him.

Wicked Persuasion 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 protector hero who’s in Special Forces, a second chance romance between former best friends, a heroine who is an archivist (not a librarian, secret agent, or superhero), action, adventure, and romance. And don’t forget the rest of the Special Forces team, some of whom will have their own stories coming up.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Over the years, Francesca Lewis had imagined many scenarios when they’d run into each other again. His saving her from being mugged wasn’t one of them. “Hello, Deck,” she said, managing to sound calm. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“De nada.”

She met his gaze head-on, trying to keep her expression dispassionate. Her hands were shaking. Frankie took a deep breath and clutched her fingers around her tote bag. They’d been twenty-two years old the last time she’d seen him, and he’d had a youthfulness about him then.

Deck was all man now. His chest and shoulders had broadened, and he had muscles everywhere. Impressive muscles. Frankie took another long breath.

The boy-band/rock-idol hairstyle was gone, replaced by a more conservative cut—longer on top, short over the ears and nape—but his dark hair was shaggy as if he’d skipped a few barber appointments and it appeared as if he hadn’t bothered to shave for days. Those velvet-brown eyes of his still did things to her. She looked away, not wanting him to realize how much he could affect her. He was gorgeous, even better-looking now than back then, and he’d been damn hot in college.

Deck had majored in business because his parents had decided he would join the family company. So why was he here in fatigue pants and combat boots?

“Is your firm conducting a hostile takeover in Trujillo?” She gestured toward his clothing.

Deck grinned and Frankie locked her knees to keep from swooning. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to be able to do this to her any longer.

“I never joined my dad’s company.” He changed the subject. “You’re wearing your hair long now. I like it.”

The frisson of pleasure irritated the hell out of her. Slinging the leather straps of her tote over her shoulder, Frankie said, “Good to see you, Deck.” That was a lie. “Thanks again.” She pivoted and began to head toward the inn.

To her frustration, he caught up to her. “I’ll walk you to your hotel. Where are you staying?”

She didn’t want to tell him. She wanted to leave and pretend she’d never seen him again. “Thanks, but it’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. You don’t know if those gang members are waiting up ahead to finish what I interrupted.”

“Odds are they’re more interested in evening the score with you than stealing my bag.”

Deck continued to keep pace with her. “I claimed you as my woman. They could attack you to get back at me. Now which hotel are you staying at?”

Frankie recognized the stubborn expression on his face. Deck wasn’t about to surrender the battle, and she was shaking from being accosted, leaving her without the energy to argue with him indefinitely. “Palacio Monasterio,” she admitted grudgingly.

He whistled low, under his breath. “Librarians must be paid more than I thought.”

She bit her tongue. He was trying to get a rise out of her and she wasn’t giving him the satisfaction.

“Sorry.” Deck smirked, not even slightly remorseful. “I meant archivist.”

No, he didn’t. She focused on the road in front of her. “Did you really think I would fall for that?”

“You used to.”

“I’m not twenty anymore.”

“No, you’re definitely all grown up.”

Was that admiration in his voice? Frankie refused to glance over and see if she was right.

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 / Twitter

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Giveaway – The Killer’ s Wife by Susan Furlong @partnersincr1me @Furlong_Sue

Posted on August 8, 2023 by fundinmental

The Killer’s Wife

by Susan Furlong

July 3 – August 11, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

It is easy for a great cover to lure me into grabbing a book and the title for The KIller’s Wife made me curious. Why would I care about her? I do watch a lot of true crime shows and The Killer’s Wife has ‘show’ chapters that, to me, share a lot of the problems with the mishandling of the investigation into the serial killer, Lucas, and his wife who was accused of being an accessory, Kerry Grey.

I had all kinds of thoughts running through my mind, but Susan Furlong was not going to make this easy and nothing was as it seemed. I did have my suspicions early on and some of them came to fruition. Things seemed too cut and dried and we can’t have that. LOL In a small town, it is easy for the residents…and the police…to make the accused fit the facts.

I wondered about Nash. There was something off about him, but things with him didn’t play out the way I thought they would. I love it. Wyatt always seems to be hanging around and gives me the creeps. An old boyfriend hanging around while Kerry marries Lucas and has a child by him and after her serving four years in prison he still wants her? Could we label him obsessive?

How could Kerry Grey not know her husband was a serial killer? More than one wife, in real life, has been asked that very question. Their son is steadfast in his belief that his father is no killer. Could they have it wrong?

Kerry decides to find out the answers for herself. I knew it was coming, but the way things went down was not what I expected. Susan Furlong has a vivid imagination and she let it loose in The Killer’s Wife. I love endings that can earn that extra praise from me, that shock me, surprise me and make the familiar unfamiliar. Well done, Susan.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Killer’s Wife by Susan Furlong.

Synopsis:

A serial killer, a woman on the run, and an obsessive parole officer tangle in a psychological net of death and secrets. . .

When a severed finger was found in her car four years ago, Kerry Grey was arrested as an accomplice to the brutal slayings of three young women. Unbeknownst to Kerry, her husband Lucas was not only missing, but a deranged serial killer. Finally out on parole, she is ready to start anew and reunite with her young son. However, when a vigilante group inflamed by fear and motivated by reward money sparks a fevered hunt for Lucas, the nightmares of her past return.

Only one person can help Kerry evade the hysteria of the media—her parole officer, Adam Nash. But can she trust him? Was his move to the backwoods town of Joy, Montana coincidental or does Nash have his own obsessive hidden agenda involving the Hatchet Killer mystery, her husband and sweet justice?

It is not long before Kerry’s new life turns dark when she discovers that Lucas has been secretly giving their son carvings made of bone. And when a freshly dismembered victim is uncovered in the forest, the law is after her once again. Left with nowhere else to run, Kerry escapes up a mountainous trail to find Lucas and, one way or another, put an end to the real-life nightmare.

In a final twist of lies and betrayal, Kerry finds Lucas and the truth that will change everything.

Praise for The Killer’s Wife:

“Susan Furlong is a master at keeping the reader on the edge of her seat. With a twisty plot, a vivid mountainous setting, and layered and intriguing characters, you won’t want to put down The Killer’s Wife. Then the twists and turns will make you want to read it all again. You’ll devour The Killer’s Wife late into the night, but you might want to keep the lights on.”
~ Paige Shelton, New York Times Bestselling Author

The Killer’s Wife “will have you rooting for a very unlikely hero. And… be prepared for a mind blowing twist at the end that you won’t see coming! Expertly written! If you read only one book this year – make it this one.”
~ Wall-to-Wall Books

“The Killer’s Wife is a psychological thriller that takes you along for a ride as an armchair detective. As the pieces begin to morph into a final showdown, Furlong gives us a huge twist – one that you won’t see coming.”
~ Lynchburg Mama

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Suspense
Published by: Seventh Street
Publication Date: July 2023
Number of Pages: 334
ISBN: 9781645060574 (ISBN10: 1645060578)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | SimonAndSchuster.com

Read an excerpt:

It’s Monday morning and still dark outside when I slip from bed and creep away from my sleeping wife to hide in the attic and watch, for the umpteenth time, my favorite episode of Strange Murders.

Lucas Yates, “the Hatchet Killer.” Three bloody murders, all in one summer. The year was 2014, and back then the story was a blip on my radar, news lost amidst bigger headlines: ISIS, Robin Williams’s suicide, the Ebola outbreak . . . a dreary year in the news, but I paid little attention to any of it. At twenty-two, I lived a self-absorbed life thousands of miles away in Chicago, on break from my college classes, partying, and hanging with Miranda, my then girlfriend, now wife. What did Lucas Yates and the women he murdered in Joy, Montana, have to do with me?

Nothing. Until the story became an episode on Strange Murders.

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Author Bio:

Susan Furlong is the author of several mysteries including the acclaimed Bone Gap Travellers series, and SHATTERED JUSTICE, a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year. She also contributes, under a penname, to the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea series. Her latest novel is the THE KILLER’S WIFE. She resides in Illinois with her family.

Catch Up With Susan:
SusanFurlong.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @SusanFurlongAuthor
Instagram – @SusanFurlong
Twitter – @Furlong_Sue
Facebook – @SusanFurlongAuthor

Tour Participants:

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Giveaway – The Worst Darcy by Robyn Gynne @XpressoTours

Posted on August 8, 2023 by fundinmental

The Worst Darcy
Robyn Gynne
Publication date: August 15th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Brodie Bishop is the worst.

Vivian Trent is desperate. Her family doesn’t approve of her life as a single mom and the small town of Austen still won’t accept her as one of their own four years later. Playing Elizabeth Bennet at the annual Jane Austen Festival is the perfect way to win over the locals and prove that she’s thriving. But when Austen’s favourite festival hero is replaced by his tattooed, metalhead brother, how is she supposed to achieve perfection with such a bad boy playing Mr. Darcy? He’s never read the book. He’s brash and unpolished. He’s… blond?!

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I dislike you.

Brodie’s used to being the town disappointment, so when Vivian turns her nose up at him, he’s not surprised. Hot librarian or not, she’s way too uptight. But once the festival gets underway, they see new sides of each other. When he finds out her dark secret, suddenly she’s much more endearing. She’s vulnerable, but strong. And the way she looks in that gown only blurs the lines between playing the part and falling for her for real.

But when her goal is within reach, can Vivian go off-book and choose Brodie, if it means risking everything she thought she wanted?

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

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EXCERPT:

Cuppabeans was the only cafe in town, a cute little corner shop with a mint green and white striped awning out front, knotty pine framing inside, and a constant, thick miasma of warm, rich Arabica beans in the air.

Inhaling deeply as I stood in line, I tapped my foot and checked the time. It was fine. I still had a good cushion to get this done before I had to be at the library. I reached the front and ordered the largest size they had.

“Name?” the perky teenage server called over the morning din.

“Vivian,” I said.

“Lydia?” she asked.

I emphasized each syllable so she could at least read my lips. “Vivian.”

She nodded in a way that made my hopes plummet. I crossed my arms and stepped to the side to let the next person up. I blinked as I saw the man who’d stood behind me. He wore black head to toe, including a thick pair of leather cuffs at his wrists, the dark shade contrasting with his fair skin. The only hint of colour on him popped from the tattoos covering his forearms and the wheat blond of his overlong hair. He left his black aviators on as he put in his order and came to stand beside me, crossing one long leg over the other as he leaned back against the wall.

I watched him in the mirror on the opposite side of the cafe. He crossed his arms and appeared generally standoffish, the sharp line of his jaw ticking as he clenched it. I watched the muscle move as discreetly as I could. By the look of him, he was hardly a Prince Charming candidate, but I could still appreciate a nice jawline. I was only human, after all.

But then a smirk kicked up one corner of his mouth and he tipped his sunglasses down, revealing that his eyes were locked on mine in the mirror. My heart squeezed in surprise. Not only from the frantic feeling of being caught staring, but the shock of how incongruously dark brown his eyes were against that hair, stark in his only slightly sun-kissed face. They tilted up slightly at the outer corners, reminding me of a cat. He nudged the shades off his face and turned to me with a matching feline languor.

I flicked my eyes to the ground, face flaring with heat.

“Don’t like tattoos?” he asked, his voice a slightly gravelly tenor. By that grungy, heavy metal look, he’d probably spent his life screaming into a microphone.

“I wasn’t looking at your tattoos,” I said with a sharp shake of my head. Hopefully, my neck wasn’t going blotchy with embarrassment.

“Yeah?” he asked. In my periphery, I saw him lean closer. “What were you lookin’ at?”

I threw a desperate glance at the server and she held a cup up with a nod. Relief flooded me as I grabbed it and pivoted on my heel to escape this awkward encounter. But as I passed the man, I faltered, frowning down at the cup. It read Vanilla. “Oh, come on,” I grumbled under my breath.

A snort drew my eyes back up to the man. His dark eyes sparked with a mocking amusement. “Hey, at least she got the V right.”

I rolled my eyes and marched past him, ignoring the snicker that followed me out the door.

Author Bio:

Robyn writes spicy contemporary romances about resilient women and memorable men. Having self-published numerous short romances over the years under different pen names, she is pleased to present her first full-length novel, THE WORST DARCY. When she’s not writing, you can find her catching up on her TBR pile, watching spooky movies, and woodburning crafts. She lives in the Greater Toronto Area with her husband and son.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram / Newsletter

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Cover Reveal – Dirty Daddies 2023 Anniversary Anthology #dirtydaddies #anthology

Posted on August 7, 2023 by fundinmental

Dirty Daddies 2023 Anniversary Anthology
Publication date: October 17th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Another year, another round of smoking hot daddies and sassy brats giving them a run for their money.

Packed with stories from your favorite names and rising stars in the Daddy genre, this anthology has something for all the Daddy lovers out there! Whether it’s a strict Dom who loves to be called Daddy as he lavishes his partner with pleasure, or a Daddy looking for a Little one to rely on him for all their most private, personal needs, there’s a story for everyone in these pages!

Pre-order

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