Tag Archives: comedy and humor

The Innocence of Children – Island Santa by Owen Thomas @OTFiction

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Island Santa by Owen Thomas is a cute, coming of age, holiday story about a child’s wishes, dreams and the innocence of her belief, at twelve years old, that Santa is real and how will he find them on vacation in Hawaii.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Nelson family is spending Christmas in Hawaii, a dubious proposition for Peter and his ten-year old sister, Katie.

Katie still believes in Santa Clause. Embarrassing, but true. Having finally come to grips with the tragic “extinction” of unicorns and the senseless exile of the Tooth Fairy, little Katie now clings to Santa with a tenacity so grim and so combative that her older brother and her parents can only exchange worried looks across the dinner table. Someone should talk to her about the real world.

But no one quite seems to have the courage.

Needless to say, the idea of running off to Hawaii just as Santa is loading up his sleigh is met with more than just a little resistance. After all, how is it reasonable to expect that the red-suited fat man will know to look for them in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? What will he think when he parks his reindeer atop their dark and empty home?

Peter, fourteen, has his own concerns, less about Santa than the sacrifice of holiday tradition. What about the snow and stringing the house with Christmas lights? What about the first-person-shooter zombie video games at the neighbors’ Christmas Eve party? More importantly, how can a Christmas away from home not have a devastating impact on the volume of Christmas-morning loot?

Not that the Nelson kids have any real say in the matter. The tickets have been purchased. The bags have been packed. Peter will have to console himself with the belief that his friend Cody is right: that the Islands are teeming with topless women. Katie, meanwhile, will just have to trust that Santa is capable of adapting to rapidly changing circumstances.

Neither of them is prepared to understand why their father seems to have forgotten his true age, or why their mother is calling him a sex pony, or even why he pushed for the trip to Hawaii in the first place.

In the end, everyone is going to believe what he or she wants to believe about the world.

It’s going to be an interesting Christmas.

  • Genre: Christmas, Comedy and Humor, Coming of Age, Fiction, Holiday, Novellas and Short Stories
  • Format: 69 Pages, Kindle
  • Published: November 25, 2014 by BookBaby

ABOUT OWEN THOMAS

Owen Thomas is a life-long Alaskan living on Maui because life is too short for long winters. He has written six books: “The Lion Trees” (which has garnered over sixteen international book awards, including the Amazon Kindle Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Book Award, the Book and Author Book of the Year, the Beverly Hills International Book Award and, most recently, a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards); “Mother Blues,” (a novel of music and mystery set in post-Hurricane Harvey Texas); “Message in a Bullet: A Raymond Mackey Mystery,” (the first in a series of detective novels); “The Russian Doll” (the second installment in that series); “Signs of Passing” (a book of interconnected short stories, and winner of fourteen book awards, including the Pacific Book Awards for Short Fiction, also named one of the 100 Most Notable Books of the Year by Shelf Unbound Magazine); and “This is the Dream,” (a collection of stories and novellas that explore that perplexing liminal distance between who we are and what we want). Owen maintains an active fiction and photography blog on Facebook, Tumblr and on his author website at www.owenthomasliterary.com.

For the ninth consecutive year since he has been measuring his commercial success as an author, Owen has not won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Also, to great acclaim, he has not won the Man Booker Prize. Most recently, in April of 2020, Owen was not nominated for a Pulitzer.

Owen makes his home in Alaska and Hawaii. When he is not writing, Owen can be found recreating and taking photographs in the grandeur of these wonderfully picturesque locations. Some of these photos are posted on Owen’s photo blog, 1000 Words per Frame.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Tumblr / Pinterest / LinkedIn / YouTube

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Giveaway – Good Elf Gone Wrong by Alina Jacobs @XpressoTours @AlinaJWrites

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Good Elf Gone Wrong
Alina Jacobs
Publication date: November 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

When you catch your fiancé cheating on you with your sister on Christmas Eve, the elf hat comes off.
I’ve always been the good girl—the anti Scrooge—the one who sacrifices for her guests, bakes cookies for her neighbors, and stays late after a party to clean up.
I don’t mind. I like being on the nice list.

I kept smiling when I caught my fiancé coming down my sister’s chimney on Christmas Eve.
I gave polite congratulations when they got engaged on Christmas morning.
And I even offered to help decorate for their holiday wedding despite the fact that was supposed to be my dream wedding.

But when my sister cuts up our great-grandmother’s one-hundred-year-old wedding dress and turns it into a skank show, even though that was the dress I was going to wear on my wedding day?
Well, this elf is torching down the North Pole.

And what better way to get revenge than giving those cheaters a taste of their own medicine?
This good elf is bringing the bad boy home for Christmas.
Hudson is a six-foot-five, coldhearted, tattooed bad elf with a perpetual sneer and washboard abs.
He’s exactly my sister’s type.
And he’s going to help me nuke her wedding from orbit on the night before Christmas.

What he is not supposed to do is grab my ass in the kitchen while I bake gingerbread.
Or crawl in my bed half naked.
And he’s definitely not supposed to smirk and tell me to commit to our fake relationship right before he goes down on me.

Guess there’s a reason the good elves stay far away from the bad.

Good elves of Christmas unite! We’re ogling the tattooed chests of shirtless bad boys, baking massive amounts of cookies, drinking all the wine, and trying to survive recently divorced grandmothers who have a pathological obsession with our love lives. This standalone holiday romantic comedy has all the Christmas cheer you can fit in your stocking and a happily ever after, guaranteed!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Knitting clutched in my hands, I turned to the bad boy sitting next to me.

“Do … um …” I cleared my throat. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

His finger paused on the page he was turning. He fixed those pale-silver eyes on me, a dusty gray like the winter sky.

“No. Why? Are you offering?”

“Sort of. See, I kind of need to break up my sister and her boyfriend. She’s dating my ex. He’s a jerk. It’s complicated. But I need you to be my boyfriend so I can ruin her wedding. I don’t know if you do that type of work?”

I smiled hopefully.

The book closed with a loud thud.

He looked angry.

“Er, never mind,” I squeaked and held up my knitting. “I’ll get started on those baby socks. Forget I said anything.”

But he didn’t go back to his book.

“So you want a fake boyfriend.”

“Um, yeah. I mean that was the plan. But plans change …”

Those ghostly eyes still locked on mine, he leaned over, his huge body crowding my space.

I scrunched against the window.

“You sure you can handle it?” he asked in a deep, gravelly voice. He smelled like leather and the winter wind.

No. No, I don’t think I can.

I swallowed. The empty Advent calendar was digging into my side.

“Yes,” I squawked.

“Prove it,” he said, his breath cool on my cheek.

He twisted out of his jacket, the ridges of muscle under the tight gray T-shirt flexing and rippling as he shrugged off the garment.

“Give me a hand job.” The baritone voice deepened. “I have my jacket on my lap. No one will know. Just go for it.”

My eyes were about as big and round as Pugnog’s and ready to pop out of my head.

“Unzip my fly,” he breathed against my mouth, “and stroke my cock.”

My stomach was flip-flopping. The air between us was supercharged, and my skin felt tight and prickly.

“I-I can’t,” I stammered.

He huffed out a laugh, smirked, and pulled his jacket back on, the leather creaking.

“Thought so.” He sat back in his seat and opened up his book. “You’re weak. You have an elaborate revenge plan all mapped out, yet you clearly can’t handle having a fake boyfriend.”


Author Bio:

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I’m your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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Giveaway – Babies In Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann @XpressoTours

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Babies in Twinkle Falls
Freda Ann
(Twinkle Falls, #4)
Publication date: November 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Kylee Croft finds herself pregnant and alone as an only child of her deceased parents. Her father died soon after her birth, and her mother recently passed. With her grandparents also deceased, all that’s left of the family she’d known were photos…or so she thought.

Uncovering the biggest secret of her mother’s life, Kylee leaves the idyllic town of Chantilly, France for Twinkle Falls, Vermont in hopes of finding the family she never knew existed.

Soon after arriving, she becomes friends with her handsome co-worker, Trace Holberg, a single dad raising twin boys by himself.

As Kylee and Trace’s relationship grows, she forges a friendship with Bridgette Dupont, the woman who gave her a job when she desperately needed one. She’s the same woman Kylee believes to be the sister she never knew about, and the daughter of a father who’s very much alive.

Will Bridgette and her father accept the news Kylee believes to be the truth, or will her hopes and dreams of a new family be shattered?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

(Kylee and Bridgette)

“I think all of this could be a product of your imagination working overtime.”

“It’s not made up, Bridgette, I swear. Mummy gave me the first photo years ago, and it’s the only one I had of my father until—”

“Quit saying that!” She huffs, “I don’t even know for sure if the man in that picture is my father. Though, let’s say it is. There’s no possible way you could be his daughter.”

“Why? Am I not good enough to be a Dupont?”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“Do I? We’re total opposites, Bridgette. You’re a successful baker who went to some prestigious culinary school, and I’m a struggling, knocked-up girl who takes any job she can to make ends meet.”

“Stop that. It sounds like you’re trying to play on my sympathy so I’ll change my mind about that photo.”

“Believe what you want.” I wince when my lower abdomen tightens. Reflexively rubbing it, I continue, “Like I said, she never talked about him. Mummy said they were only together a short time; however, he was in the Navy, and he died when I was just a baby.”

“There you go…that proves my father cannot be yours, because mine is very much alive.”

Still massaging my aching belly, I propose, “Well, maybe she lied about that part for some reason, I don’t know. Was your father ever in the Navy?”

“That means nothing—a lot of men have been in the Navy.”

“That sounds like a yes if you ask me.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you.” Her eyes flutter when she turns and takes a few steps.

“You’re avoiding the question.”

She turns back around. “He was, though only for a short time. I’ll have you know, my parents have been happily married for thirty-nine years, so there’s no way anything like you’re insinuating ever could’ve happened.”


Author Bio:

Freda was born in southern New Jersey but grew up in Florida. She has loved writing her entire life. After retiring from a career in law enforcement, she knew it was time to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a published author.

She’s the author of The Hawaii Series, proudly named from her love of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. It’s a three-book series with all of them written as standalone books.

Freda loves her large family, horses, dogs, cat, and close friends. She hosts monthly family dinners at her home in the country, which she shares with her husband.

She loves baking (she owned and operated a cupcake business for years), cooking, yoga, crocheting, nature and traveling with the love of her life.

What helps her write? Music makes her happy! If music doesn’t give her the right motivation, she puts on a romantic movie, usually from the Hallmark Channel, which she can’t get enough of!

Freda speaks her mind and pushes perfection to its limit. She strives to be her best, most positive self she can be in life. With time, determination, and practice, she believes anything is possible.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest


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The Spotlight Is On Dirty Plans by Carissa Knight @XpressoTours

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Dirty Plans
Carissa Knight
(The One Night Stand Club)
Publication date: January 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Who knew finding true love would mean juggling a secret club’s rules, rethinking marital boundaries, and a best friend you suddenly want to kiss?

Lily’s life was predictably pedestrian: side-step her husband’s aloofness, indulge in racy novels with her audacious book club, and dream about feeling that kind of passion in her own life. But a surprise run-in at a cheeky adult toy shop flings her back into the orbit of London, her endearingly rogue-ish childhood best friend, now the manager of Club Nocté—a nightclub synonymous with whispered secrets and sexy encounters.

Dazzled by the nocturnal allure of Nocté and the undeniable chemistry with London, Lily’s once-staid world gets a titillating shake-up. He’s not the boy she once built forts with, but a man with seductive depths that pull her in. And the kicker? London’s not-so-subtle feelings have the urgency of a flash sale—tempting, fleeting, and impossible to resist.

But in a world of impromptu one-night stands, it’s the long-standing emotions that prove the most scandalous. London fell first, and hard. Lily, still tethered to her crumbling marriage, finds herself torn between the nostalgic sweetness of the past and the thrilling promise of a passionate future.

Brace yourself for a joyride of giggles, gasps, and ‘oh-my-god’ moments, as Lily and London navigate a dance of friendship and flirtation, underpinned by the most tantalizing question: Will they dare to cross the line between friendship’s safety for a chance at true love?

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order


Author Bio:

Carissa is all about bringing the heat in every romance she writes… but she also enjoys making the journey as angsty and awkward as possible. (Because come on! What could be more fun than making the characters squirm?)

While she’s a new kid around the rom-com block, Carissa’s actually been kicking out books for over a decade as Carissa Andrews.

So, hold onto your panties, ladies. They’re about to light on fire with her brand new titillating series, “The One Night Stand Club!”


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The Spotlight Is On Catnip Plushie Balls And Q-Tips by M G Rorai @pumpupyourbook

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Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips

Virtual Book Tour

Media Kit

🙤 · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ꕥ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · 🙦

  About the Book:

 Title: Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips

Author: M.G. Rorai

Publisher: Independent

Publication Date: September 30, 2023

Pages: 178

Genre: Poetry/Pets

Ever wonder why there are “mews” in “amewzing”?

This collection of cat poems will tickle your whiskers and your funny bone. They’re the purr-fect way to brighten your day and celebrate the furry friends in your life.

Prepare to laugh out loud as you read about cat adventures with magnets, candles, strawberry milkshakes, and plush balls—but don’t let me ruin the surprise, you’ll have to read to find out!

Get ready to laugh your tail off!

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple | Scribd | Smashwords

 Book Excerpt:

The magnets are so cute

that I must knock them off

but get yelled at for this,

so the new approach is soft.

I sit by the fridge

staring at those squares

and when Human isn’t looking

I lick with tongue hairs.

All was going good

until one was quite sticky

leaving a bad taste,

and I’m not so picky.

I bite at the air

to get rid of the taste

then knock down that magnet;

good riddance, post-haste.** 

About the Author

 M.G. Rorai enjoys hanging with her cats and annoying her husband. Her latest book is Catnip, Plushie Balls, and Q-Tips.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook

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Not For Me – The Eight Reindeer Of The Apocalypse by Tom Holt #TheEightReindeeroftheApocalypse #NetGalley

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I want to thank NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt. I mean look at that cover…and the title?

https://amzn.to/3EJeheh

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Everything about The Eight Reindeer Of The Apocalypse by Tom Holt appealed to me. The great cover, the fun title and the intriguing blurb. BUT…

I had a couple of moments when I smiled but I kept trying too hard to make it work for me.

It depends what ereader I look at but I got to 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through and gave up.

Tom Holt is a prolific writer that has a lot of readers who enjoy his work, but I don’t think I am one of them. Was it the writing style? Is satire not for me? Either way, just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
1 Star (DNF)

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Tom Holt’s brilliantly funny new novel set in the world of The Portable Door (now a delightful movie starring Patrick Gibson, Sophie Wilde, and Christoph Waltz).

The team of commercial sorcerers at Dawson, Ahriman & Dawson can help with any metaphysical engineering project, large or small (though by definition they all tend to be pretty large).
 
They can also create massive great puddles of chaos that might one day swallow up the entire universe.
 
Take, for example, the decision to recruit a certain bearded fellow whose previous work experience mainly involves reindeer and jingle bells. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but is he really the best person to save the world from Tiamat the Destroyer, who has literally gone ballistic? 

ABOUT TOM HOLT

Tom Holt (Thomas Charles Louis Holt) is a British novelist.
He was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel Holt, and was educated at Westminster School, Wadham College, Oxford, and The College of Law, London.
Holt’s works include mythopoeic novels which parody or take as their theme various aspects of mythology, history or literature and develop them in new and often humorous ways. He has also produced a number of “straight” historical novels writing as Thomas Holt and fantasy novels writing as K.J. Parker. You can find him at http://www.tom-holt.com

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Giveaway – Welcome To Fae Cafe by Jennifer Kropf @XpressoTours

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Welcome to Fae Cafe
Jennifer Kropf
Publication date: October 3rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Fantasy

On a cozy fall morning, Kate Kole is nestled in a coffee shop in the city of Toronto reading her favourite novel when she accidentally kills a guy who’s being rude to the coffee shop’s cashier. Unfortunately for Kate, the person she killed was a fae assassin of the North Corner of Ever, visiting the human realm in secret.

From there, four deadly fae assassins come to the human realm to hunt her down for breaking a fairy law and killing one of their own. Leading them is Prince Cressica Alabastian, the most feared and deadly fae assassin of the North and heir to the North Corner of Ever.

After the assassins arrive in the human realm, things go terribly wrong. To Prince Cressica’s horror, his assassins unwittingly get roped into running a cozy café on Kate Kole’s behalf. To blend in, the fae assassins are forced to learn how to do basic human activities like cleaning up after themselves, driving without road rage, reading popular fantasy books at book club without getting into alpha male fights over what they’re reading, and in general, be nice, all to blend into regular human society.

With a temper like no other, and deadly power that’s unmatched, Prince Cressica seeks to get revenge on Kate Kole. But as he aims to strike where it will hurt her the most, the Prince finds himself enchanted by his human target in more ways than one. And when the darkness of the Ever Corners comes knocking at the human realm’s door, he needs to make a choice that could cost him everything.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Author Bio:

Jennifer Kropf spent her college years bored to death (nearly) in marketing and advertising classes and graduated only to discover once and for all that her true passion is telling stories. She lives amidst lush Ontario farmland with her husband and three kids, reads obsessively, and writes even more obsessively. She thinks tea is gross and coffee is great and secretly wishes Peter Pan will show up on some cool summer evening and ask if she wants to visit Neverland.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Newsletter


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Giveaway – A Match Made In Ireland by E D Hackett @XpressoTours

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A Match Made in Ireland
E.D. Hackett
Publication date: September 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A semester abroad was exactly what she needed, but falling in love with her roommate was not part of the lesson plan.

When Rory, a driven American seeking a much-needed break from her hectic life, lands in Ireland for a semester abroad, she never imagines sharing her space with Jaime, the charming yet irksome redhead from her flight. A twist of fate entwines their paths, forcing them to live under one roof for four months.

Despite his laid-back demeanor clashing with her meticulous nature, Rory finds herself irresistibly drawn to Jaime’s infectious Irish charm and tight-knit family bonds. As they traverse the breathtaking landscapes of Ireland, Rory relies on Jaime’s wisdom to navigate the challenges of their travels. It doesn’t take long for her to fall for the enchanting Irish experience he offers, which extends far beyond the usual tourist trails.

But as the end of the semester draws near, Rory is faced with a heart-wrenching decision. Will she leave a piece of her heart in Ireland, or was Jaime merely a dream meant to be left behind?

Immerse yourself in E.D. Hackett’s A Match Made in Ireland for a delightful romantic comedy that delves into the magic of Ireland, the beauty of unforeseen bonds, and the transformative power of self-discovery. Buckle up for a journey filled with laughter, tears, and love that you won’t want to miss!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

It was him. The man from the plane sat on the bed, staring at a drawing pad on his lap. The spiky red hair, the smattering of freckles, and the creased eyes triggered a series of flashbacks that ran through my mind: the lack of spatial awareness, the soda down my leg, and the stolen dinner roll.

I pulled the covers over my head, my heart racing and the pit in my stomach digging into my pelvis like a concrete boulder. I dragged the duvet below my eyes and squinted, trying not to be obvious. Am I dreaming? Ha! Maybe I’m having a nightmare. The same red hair, now tousled from sleep, rested against the wall. I pushed the blanket down to my shoulders and said, “Hello, again.”

He looked up from his drawing pad and tilted his head to the left, tapping his pencil against his scruffy chin. “I remember you. From the plane.”

I tried to smile, but my lips refused to rise. I pushed my body against the back wall and pulled the sheet closer to my armpits. “What are you doing here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I could ask you the same thing. I live here.”

My eyes bulged and I scrambled to a seated position. “You can’t live here. You’re a guy. This is an apartment with women. Foreign exchange students. A bunch of Americans.” I spoke slowly, as if that would make him understand.

Jaime chuckled and looked down again. “Yes, I am aware, but this is my apartment now. I forgot to renew my housing paperwork last semester, and they gave my room away. This was all that was left. They told me I was living with Rory, Zoey, and Marissa. I take it you’re Rory?”

I nodded.

“I thought you were an Irish lad.”

I swallowed loudly, the saliva crawling down the back of my throat. Reaching across my bed to my nightstand, I downed a bottle of water. Cloudiness from the alcohol still in my system slowed down my brain’s processing ability, and I struggled to understand his words. “You can’t live here,” I said again.

“I wish I didn’t. Living with a bunch of Americans during my last year of college is the last thing I want to do, but it’s that or be homeless so I’ll suck it up.” He returned to his drawing and spoke to his paper. “Nice to meet you, Rory.” His amber eyes looked over, scanning my top half. “Fun time last night?”

My brain beat against my forehead, and I massaged my temples. “Yeah. Sorry if I woke you.”

“No worries. I spent the night with my old flatmates. They live downstairs, and I came up here to crash. I didn’t even hear you come in.”

I grabbed the hooded sweatshirt sitting at the end of my bed, and pulled it over my body. “Are you sure they said there was nowhere else? I mean, I don’t know, Jaime. You’re a guy, a stranger, really, and I have a boyfriend. I don’t think he will be too excited when I tell him my roommate’s an Irish guy.”

His liquid gold eyes looked me up and down. “I asked to be moved and they put me on a waiting list if some other American no-shows, but I want my old flat and my old flatmates. Unless they can squeeze me back in there, I’m staying here. So, there it is. An Irish bloke and an American lass living together. That’ll make a good story for the grandkids. Promise, you won’t even know I’m here.”


Author Bio:

E.D Hackett is a Speech-language pathologist by day and a writer by night. She writes novels that investigate layers of self-expectations, family dynamics, self-love and self-acceptance. She hopes that her novels create a safe and cozy environment for her readers to fall into and explore.

She writes women’s fiction novels with one foot in romance. And every story has a happy ever after.

She lives in New England but in her heart, she feels that she belongs in Ireland. She reads women’s women’s fiction and romantic comedies, prefers books to movies, ice cream to cake, and fall to spring.

Please visit https://www.linktr.ee/edhackett for more information! You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub


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Giveaway – Hott Shot by Serena Bell @XpressoTours @serenabellbooks

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Hott Shot
Serena Bell
Publication date: September 19th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Beauty salon… and the Beast

Quinn: Working at the family wedding resort wasn’t exactly on my Bingo card. But it’s the only way for my siblings and me to get our grandfather’s inheritance, so here I am, staffing the Hott Spot Spa and Salon front desk. It’s an absurd gig for a man who makes Oscar the Grouch look like a people-person.

Still, I’m a hard worker. I’ve made a fortune off my scientific discoveries, and if I can engineer groundbreaking drugs, I can do anything, right? Not according to Sonya Rossi, the spa’s smoking hot and relentlessly perky manager. My grumpy approach is testing even sunshine-y Sonya’s patience. Meanwhile, I’m not sure whether I want to rain on her parade—or kiss the smile off her face.

Then the universe throws another curveball, putting us under the same roof. The closer Sonya gets, the more I like it—and her. I want to get to know her better and let her see the side of me I never show people. Until now, I’ve only believed in what I can touch, sense, and prove. I definitely don’t believe in love… but Sonya’s making me wish I could.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, under-one-roof, forced proximity standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

The person behind the desk is a stranger.

It’s a man with long, wild reddish-brown hair, a beard that hasn’t seen a trim in probably months, and thick, assertively male eyebrows with a whole zip code of their own. He’s sprawled out, wide legged, in the receptionist’s chair, dwarfing it.

He’s also vaguely familiar, which means he’s probably the groom Hanna said she’d send my way, a guy whose bride put her foot down at the eleventh hour and demanded he spend a day getting “the works.” Lily must have left the door open when she came in, and he helped himself to a warmer place to wait, even though it’s not yet ten.

“There are plenty of chairs in the waiting area if you need a place to sit!” I call out cheerily, gesturing at the comfy armchairs on one side of the room. “That one’s mine.” I approach the desk. “Let me block some time out for you. You’re in luck because we’ve got plenty of room for walk-ins this morning. I’ve got someone who can do the hair and beard, and I can do your eyebrows if you want that, too.”

His eyes widen. “What’s wrong with the hair, beard, and eyebrows?”

Yikes. I definitely got the wrong end of that one. “I’m so sorry! I was expecting a client with a beard this morning, and I totally assumed you were him. But you’re…obviously not. You must be here for something else. Massage? Or a dip in the springs?” Ugh—it’s never good to start the day off insulting a potential client, even if he’s sitting in my chair. “There’s a ten-percent-off coupon here with your name on it, an apology for my making assumptions about who you were—”

“No.” He scowls. “I’m not here for any of that. I’m here because due to circumstances beyond my control and yours and probably even God’s, I’m your new receptionist.”

I laugh, reflexively. And then I realize I’m the only one laughing and my laughter sort of…falls off a cliff.

“Yeah,” the bearded stranger says. “It’s not even remotely funny. Although I think my grandfather would have disagreed. I’m pretty sure he’s laughing all the way to hell.”

“Your grandfather,” I repeat. I’m so lost, I couldn’t find my best self with a compass and map.

He stands and holds out a hand. And I realize he actually wasn’t manspreading. He was taking up all that space in the chair because he’s legitimately huge—at least six-two and built like a warrior god. He wears worn jeans and a T-shirt that reads, I’m a chemist. To save time, let’s assume I’m never wrong.

“Quinn Hott,” he says. “Hanna’s brother, Fox Hott’s second-youngest grandkid. And your new receptionist.”


Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

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Scrumdiddlyumptious – Vampire In The Jungle by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance #VampireInTheJungleIsLive

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MY REVIEW

Vampire In The Jungle is the second book in Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s Immortal Series. The characters are to die for and I found myself laughing at these unique supernatural creatures antics. The creative writing keeps the story flowing smoothly for nonstop action.

The book comes with a WARNING…a hilarious warning that I highly recommend you hop over and read in the preview, regardless of whether or not you grab the book. I think it will add some cheer to your day. Did I make you curious? I hope so.

Cimil should be the Goddess of Chaos, seeing she thrives on it. LOL She creates chaos, then trades for the means necessary to put an end to it.

Vampire in the Jungle by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is all about Damien being coerced by Cimil into finding Maxton, the last vampire, and bringing him back to her. She has a plan and it comes with a price. Who will be able to stop her evil plan? Where are all the other Gods and Goddesses? Do Gods and Goddesses retire?

Going to whine about me now, brother? You are such a pussy. Some people have three,f our, even five souls inhabiting them. You though? Just one extra. And he’s awesome. You’re also welcome. Damien ignored the evil twin residing inside him…

He may have an evil twin, but the real him is a pushover and his supernatural friends know it. He may say no to them, but they never accept it.

Vampires may have a vicious reputation, but when it comes to rollercoasters…do vampires vomit? What do you think?

To know how all this came to be, you need to read the first book in the Immortal Tailor Series. For that reason, I will not go into the details and spoil it for you, but I highly recommend beginning at the beginning. I have read many of her books and she is able to keep me involved in every way, leaving me wanting more.

The action is nonstop, the humor is over the top, along with the one of a kind supernatural creatures with very large personalities. Every time I visit them, I brace myself for a fabulous adventure into the unknown and tons of laughter.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Vampire In The Jungle by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes Vampire in the Jungle, a Paranormal Rom-Com.

“Bring me that vampire! Or else!”

When a powerful goddess gives Damien one week to deliver the world’s last vampire, he only has one question: “Why is the vampire hiding in the jungle?”

Damien isn’t sure, but he knows what’ll happen if he fails: the insane goddess will execute the only two women Damien’s ever cared for. (It’s complicated.)

Also, there’s the small matter of his assistant, who believes her destiny is to become a vampire herself. (It’s very complicated.)

Unfortunately, the vampire in question hates the modern world, has a severe attachment to his lair, and he makes it a point to kill anyone who gets too close. No mercy.

Can Damien and his crew of supernatural oddballs convince this deadly vampire to come out of hiding before it’s too late?

  • Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Supernatural, Vampires
  • Format: 220 pages, ebook
  • Expected publication: September 8, 2023 by Paper & Silver, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • Series: The Immortal Tailor

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

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

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

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

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MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

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