Tag Archives: romance

Giveaway – Shy Girls Can’t Date Billionaires by Milly Rose @XpressoTours

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Shy Girls Can’t Date Billionaires
Milly Rose
Publication date: September 5th 2022
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Young Adult

I never existed until the wrong guy took notice…

I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.

After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.

Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiseled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.

When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.

He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?

You will love Christie and Ash. They are stuck together in forced proximity, becoming practically roommates. He is a billionaire, alpha male type who is learning to love. She is the new girl in school, dealing with past trauma. Together they will go from enemies to lovers in an adorable young adult romance.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

“Hi,” Thomas says, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s your first class?”

I stare at him as bags pull under my eyes. My lack of sleep and the adrenaline from panicking have taken their toll.

He unfolds his arms and tilts his head. “What’s up?” he asks.

I smooth my clammy palms over my blazer and fidget in my shoes.

“I told you, you don’t need to panic,” Thomas says, stepping closer to me. “This school is a piece of cake.”

I run a hand over my hair and turn my face away from him. I’m gonna lose it again. My insides contort with another urge to launch over a toilet bowl.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, placing a hand on my arm.

I jolt in surprise.

He removes his hand and takes a step back. “Sorry,” he says.

I look away. “It’s okay.”

Thomas smiles. “Glad you got your voice back.”

I blush, and mumble, “Me too.”

“Why do you look so freaked out?” he asks. “They showed you where to go, didn’t they?”

I shake my head. “Not exactly.”

“What happened when I left? Ms. Thornesmith usually handles everything, so I figured you wouldn’t have an issue.”

I fidget in my shoes again and turn my head in the other direction, staring at the closed bathroom door.

“A girl offered to show me around. Somewhere along the way, we kinda parted ways… I don’t have my schedule, and I don’t know where I’m going.” Huffing, I pause my ramble to throw my arms in the air. “I don’t know what classes I have… and I’m just lost again, like usual.”

“Don’t sweat it,” he says. “I’ll take you back to admin, and we’ll get you a new schedule. Then I’ll show you around.”

I cross my arms and let out a tired, “Humph.”

“What?”

“You’ll show me around?” I say, looking at the floor. It is as confrontational as I get. It’s shocking the words have come out of my mouth.

I doubt he’d help me. Why would he?

“Christie, you need to know where you’re going. I’ll show you where to find your classrooms. It’s not a big deal.”

“It was a big deal earlier,” I say.

It’s baffling that I’m continuing with this conversation.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” he says, taking another step back. “My parents kind of threw this on me. I already had plans for this morning that I needed to follow through on.”

“Fine, whatever,” I say, crossing my arms in frustration. “You could have at least told your parents or me that you couldn’t show me around. If you had said you couldn’t help me, my mom would have come with me.” I pull my arms tighter across my midsection. “It’d be better than being alone.”

“I’m sorry you felt alone,” he says, taking a step forward. “But, be honest, you don’t exactly enjoy my company. I assumed you’d be relieved when I left.”

His words surprised me. I look up to meet his eyes, finding them filled with sincerity.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

He puffs a laugh and slides his hand into his trouser pockets. “Don’t act like you don’t hate when I’m around.”

I place a hand over my heart. “Me?”

“You’re always judging me.”

“I haven’t said anything bad to you.”

A nervous laugh seeps out of him. “You don’t have to say it. It’s in your eyes. I know you can’t stand me.”

Author Bio:

Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.

GET A FREE BOOK HERE >> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cod6m6wfzw

(You will sign up to Milly Rose’s Newsletter and are free to unsubscribe anytime!)

Follow along on Instagram + Tiktok @shy.author.milly.rose


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Giveaway – Welcome To Visanthe by L M Sanguinette @XpressoTours

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Welcome To Visanthe
L.M. Sanguinette
Publication date: September 2nd 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

THE SHADOWS HAVE AWAKENED…

Raised on a small unassuming island in the Caribbean, with the kind of sleepy town lifestyle better suited to old fishermen than fiery young troublemakers, Savara believes she has her world all figured out—and hates it. Yet, on her eighteenth birthday—the anniversary of her parents’ death—she wakes up to find the only world she has ever known might have all been a lie.

An unexpected death and the appearance of a mysterious off-worlder force Savara to question everything she has ever known as she and Jasper—her “only adventurous in books” best friend—are thrust into a new world, faced with a task that will not only determine their fates, but the fate of an entire nation. The shadows of a long-forgotten past have awakened with a thirst for blood. Will she be able to stop them from devouring everything in their path? Or will she fall victim to her own demons?

Join them on their journey to a world of elemental magic, where the lines of good and evil have been distorted, and truth is most often paid for in blood.

Welcome to Visanthe.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

When she was younger, Savara used to listen to the stories her uncle would tell with rapt attention, wishing that they were real. Fantastical beasts, fires that lived, oceans that sang, people who moved like gods… Sometimes she even wished to be one of them, the people who could move stones with their mind, summon fire at the twitch of their fingers, create gigantic waves or powerful winds with the flick of their wrists, or even steal light from the world around them.

“My uncle used to tell me stories…” she said cautiously, unwilling to divulge too much of her memories. “I think they were about this place. About the creatures that call it home, and what they’re capable of…” When the man didn’t reply, she added, “They weren’t just stories.” Savara waited for an answer to the not-quite-question that might ease her worries.

His pause felt eternal. The flickering of the lamp’s flame filled the space where words should’ve been. Finally, he took a breath. “No.”

Back then, his stories seemed to resonate with something inside her, which she mistook for longing. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Besides, from what she now remembered, none of his stories ever ended well.

“They weren’t happy stories,” she continued.

“Not all stories are happy, no matter the world.”

Thinking back on all the strange tales her uncle had filled her head with over the years, she realised that part of the pleasure in stories is that they are just that, stories, things to imagine without facing consequences. No one gives a second thought to the monsters that lurk in the shadows so long as the hero is safe at the end. But hearing a story is different from living it. She couldn’t simply close the book when she got scared or skip to the end to know everything would be alright. Savara didn’t like the new sensation taking root in the pit of her stomach, the one that left her wondering what exactly it meant to not be human, and in Jasper’s case, to be one in a world that wasn’t.

Author Bio:

L. M. Sanguinette was born on a small island in the Caribbean, where the palm trees watched over her like giants and the sea crept up to her feet to say “hello”. Nowadays she can be found in one of the many hidden coffee shops of Madrid conversing with the spirits of the old city.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram


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5 Stars for Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

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I have been reading Ashley Fontainne’s novels ever since I won some. She is a must read author for me. AND, what an amazing cover!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WOW…Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen can sure pen a novel. I only have a half page of notes, because the power of Doodahville was so intense, gripping me, not letting me stop to even jot a note or two. All my emotions came to life, at times overwhelming me.

An impending death, and Gail, Kevin, and daughter, Kassandra are off to Daltville, Arkansas. A small town, small minds, small everything.

I quickly grew to love Gail. She is badass, take no prisoners, kick your ass, leave me and mine alone. At times she cracked me up, other times I wanted to be beside her fighting the good fight.

Kevin and Lurlene are no slouches in planning ahead. Kassandra is a teenager moving from Southern California to small town Daltville, as if teenage angst isn’t already enough. It is a culture shock. At times she feels like life is over for her, but there are also many benefits, which she will learn in time.

The kitten…HA HA HA HA HA.

Racism rears its ugly head on many of the pages. It is the south, so I find that is no surprise and I love the way she handled it in the novel, along with all the nasty secrets and ongoing issues from them.

I have read a lot of Ashley Fontainne’s work, and she easily crosses genres. Her mother, Lillian Hansen did a fabulous job in this collaboration.

Looking at the fun cover, I underestimated the power of Doodaville. Southern living, fraught with danger and secrets that come to light with disastrous results for some, for others freedom. The marvelous characters rise above their situations, sharing love and hope with those who need it. I also went down memory lane from the 1980s. Many scenes were taken from Ashley’s personal experiences, so maybe that’s why they read like true life.

I CAN SEE THIS AS A GRAND MOVIE (along the lines of Gone With The Wind) OR A TV SERIES.

WARNING: Tissues may be required.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Filled with powerful scenes and great characters! Brings the ’83 Old South to vivid life. One of my all-time favorite reads! Loved it! ~ Janelle Taylor, NY Times Bestselling author

The summer of 1983—the era of big debt, big hair, and big dreams. Seventeen-year-old Kassandra Lawson is excited about starting her senior year of high school. She has a crush on a local hunk, and her best friend, Valley Girl extraordinaire, Liz Hendricks, insists on helping her snag the hot guy—for sure!

July starts out uneventful for Kee and her parents. Her father, Kevin, is a partner at a CPA firm, and her mother, Gail, works as a secretary at the police department. The small family lives an idyllic life in sunny Hacienda Heights, California.

1983 also brings upheaval and strife for the Lawson clan. A death in the family forces Kevin and Gail to make the painful decision to pack up and move to Kevin’s hometown of Daltville, Arkansas.

Each face daunting challenges adapting to their new lives. Gail and Kee aren’t quite sure they can handle the culture shock. They encounter social and racial issues they never faced on the West Coast, strange food, weird dialects, odd customs, and wicked secrets that have the potential to destroy their family.

More than just a coming-of-age story, Surviving Doodahville explores family bonds, racial barriers, and just how much a person is willing to sacrifice for others. The tale is full of humor, action and a touch of mystery, making it a fun romp into the past.

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Ashley Fontainne

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

Website  / Facebook  /  Pinterest

MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Where You Are by Felice Stevens @XpressoTours @FeliceStevens1

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Where You Are
Felice Stevens
Publication date: August 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Former model and B-list actor (B meaning really bad) Isaac Seidel is now a NYC firefighter on special assignment in the one-horse town of Serenity, Pa. But all work and no play makes Isaac a dull boy, and when he hooks up with the most explosive one-night stand he’s ever had, it looks like country life might not be so boring after all.
Especially when the guy he thought he’d never see again turns out to be one of the volunteer firefighters he’s expected to train.
Levi Everett is a master at pleasing everyone—except himself. He’s spent his whole life hiding who he is and what he wants. It’s a lot more complicated now that he’s going to be seeing gorgeous Isaac Seidel every day. How is he supposed to pretend he’s straight when he and Isaac can’t keep their hands off each other?
Isaac has made it clear he’s only interested in friends with benefits, so when he returns home to NYC, Levi knows he’s gone forever.

Until he isn’t.

Trust doesn’t come easily to Isaac—he’s been hurt and used before. But Isaac is unable to forget the man he left behind, and in a shocking move, he makes Levi an offer that could change their lives forever. Now it’s up to Levi to put himself first, risking the love of his family, to go after his dreams—dreams that were unimaginable before Isaac but are now within his reach.

Because love is wherever Isaac is, and it’s the only place Levi wants to be.

Where You Are is a sweet and steamy, age-gap MM romance featuring two smoking hot firefighters who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other or their clothes on whenever they’re together. It’s filled with found family, first time love, a swoony happily ever after, a well-meaning but nosy mother, and plenty of good old country fried chicken.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Is this seat taken?”

Levi’s grip tightened on his bottle of Stella before answering the man who stood by his side. He was gorgeous—tall and dark-haired, with a gleam in his blue eyes and a slightly wicked but charming half smile tugging at his lips. He looked somewhat familiar, but Levi knew if he’d ever met him, he would’ve remembered.

“No. It’s not.” Anxiety sang through his blood as the man slid into the empty seat next to him.

“Great. My first time here. Seems like a cool place. Not many like it, I’m gathering.”

Levi swallowed. “Uh, yeah, me too. And I don’t think so.” Nervous and unsure what he should say or do, he kept quiet.

“Hey. Don’t worry. I’m not a serial killer or anything.” The man appeared to be nice, but Levi wasn’t taken in.

“Would you tell me if you were?”

The man laughed. “No, I suppose you’re right.” He pulled out his driver’s license and held it up. “See? That’s me.”

Isaac Seidel.

Levi noted the address in New York City and wondered what he was doing in the middle of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “I wasn’t fishing for information. My name’s Levi, by the way.”

“I know you weren’t.” Isaac signaled the bartender. “Another beer, Levi?”

Levi shrugged. “Sure. Thanks.”

He watched Isaac chat easily with the bartender as he opened their bottles of Stella. And despite his teasing about serial killers, Levi couldn’t help a frisson of fear. Was he crazy to do this? Maybe there was someone in town.…God, he hoped he wasn’t going to throw up from nerves. He hadn’t done that since he was a little kid.

“Here’s to new friends,” Isaac said, then raised a brow. “And maybe more?”

“New friends. And maybe.” He clinked Isaac’s bottle and took a swallow. Warmth settled in his belly, and he took another sip, feeling Isaac’s steady blue eyes on him. Seemed like Isaac had the same thing on his mind, and a thrill built up inside Levi at the thought of Isaac being his first.

“What do you do, Levi?” Isaac’s appreciative gaze ate him up, and Levi’s breathing accelerated. “You’re in fantastic shape.”

“I own a bar with my brother, so lifting all those cases of beer and liquor helps.”

“I’ll bet. No need for the gym.”

“We don’t even have one in my little town. You’d have to travel a few miles to get to one. But most of the young guys who work on the farms don’t need it, or they lift at home.”

“Makes sense. All that country living.” Isaac finished his beer. “In the city we can run in the park or work out, but most people belong to a gym.”

Figuring he needed to add something to the conversation to let Isaac know he was interested, he cleared his throat. “You’re in pretty good shape yourself.”

Isaac let loose that crazy, sexy smile. “Thanks for noticing.”

About to ask what Isaac did for a living, Levi froze when Isaac set his bottle on the bar and leaned in close. The cool scent of his aftershave sent a hot punch of lust through Levi, and he found himself swaying toward the man until their lips almost touched.

“Care to take a walk with me?”


Author Bio:

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice’s Breakfast Club.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon / Pinterest / Bookbub


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Giveaway – Bear by Harley Wylde @XpressoTours

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Bear
Harley Wylde
(Hades Abyss MC)
Published by: Changeling Press
Publication date: August 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Faith – I fell for Spade when I was only sixteen. He got me pregnant, and moved me into a house with him. Then I saw his true colors. He beat me. Made me lose my baby. It’s been eighteen years and I’m still trapped, until I find the courage to take my girls and run. I didn’t count on finding another biker. This one seems different. He’s kinder. Gentler. And I think he may be just what we need.

Bear – No sooner do I tell my Pres I want to retire from the position of Sergeant-at-Arms than I catch a teen girl shoplifting. I followed her. Banged on the motel door, ready to tell the parents they’d f**ked up. Then a cute little pixie opened the door, and I knew I was a goner. Now they’re living in my house, I’ve given them my name, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Even take out another club.

WARNING: Bear is part of the Hades Abyss MC series and is intended for readers 18+ due to adult situations and bad language. Sensitive readers should proceed with caution. No cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Bear

I stared at my phone and the message I’d just sent to Fox, my club’s President. Aside from Spider, our previous President, I was the oldest living member in my chapter of the Hades Abyss MC, and I was feeling every one of my sixty-eight years. My bones creaked more often than not. My brown hair had gone silver. While I still kept in shape, I couldn’t maintain the definition I had in my younger days. Which meant it was time…

Need a new SAA. Time for me to retire.

He’d read the message two minutes ago. I still hadn’t received a reply or a phone call. I’d thought I would get at least one of those, if not both. That told me one of two things. He was either ignoring me in the hopes I’d forget about retiring, or he was just too damn busy to deal with it right now. Now that he had a family, he didn’t always drop what he was doing to answer the phone. And that was fine. Raven and their daughter, Harlow, deserved every bit of attention he could give them.

I put my helmet on the seat of my bike and went into the corner market. I’d given up cigarettes and beer, but there was one thing they’d have to pry from my cold dead fingers — jerky! I didn’t indulge as often as I used to, but I still got a taste for it once or twice a month. Today happened to be one of those days.

The bell over the door jingled as I stepped into the cool interior. Scanning the area, I clocked a teen girl two aisles over, an older man at the back, and a young couple at the register. Making my way down the center aisle, I checked out the jerky options and grabbed a package.

The teen girl shifted from foot to foot and kept casting glances around the store. The clerk hadn’t noticed anything was wrong. Yet. I hoped she didn’t do something stupid. Then again, teens were notorious for making bad choices. Looked like this one wouldn’t be any different. The second she thought no one was watching, she shoved a few things under her shirt and made a beeline for the front door. She actually made it into the parking lot and I shook my head.

“Just what I fucking need,” I muttered. I held up the package of jerky for the clerk to see and tossed some money onto the counter. More than enough to cover the price. “Keep the change.”

I went after the girl, keeping her in my sights. As much as I wanted to get on my bike to follow her, the Harley Davidson Freewheel wasn’t exactly a quiet bike. And yeah, I’d gotten a damn trike. The club had given me shit about it when I traded in my Street King, but I was getting too damn old for this shit. The trike put less strain on me, and I still got to ride with my club.

The girl left the parking lot and headed down the sidewalk. The longer I followed, the more I wished I’d taken my bike. When she went into a room at the local motel, I decided to give her a minute or two, then see if her parents knew she’d been shoplifting. Although, this place was a goddamn dump. There was a good chance she’d been following orders. Most people here were either drug addicts or prostitutes.

I knocked on the door and heard a hesitant, “Who is it?”

“Need to talk to the parents of the girl who just went into this room.”

I heard a thunk and a deep sigh. I wondered if the person on the other side had just banged their head on the door. The rattle of the chain let me know someone was about to open the door. I backed up a step so I wouldn’t scare whoever was on the other side. A petite woman with a gently rounded stomach opened the door. Dark circles under her eyes told me she hadn’t slept in a while. Not well, at any rate.

“Ma’am.” I gave her a nod. She blinked at me, then her gaze dropped to my cut. Her face paled, and she swayed. Figured she’d have that reaction. People either loved us or we scared the shit out of them. I held up a hand. “Easy. I’m not here to hurt you.”

“We don’t want any trouble,” she said, her fingers tightening on the door.

“The girl who just entered this room stole some stuff from a store down the street. I wanted to make sure her parents were aware of the situation.”

The woman closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. “Piper, did you steal something? Is he telling the truth?”

Holy. Shit. This woman was her mother? No fucking way. Older sister, maybe, but mom? The girl in question appeared behind her mom, and as I looked into the room, I saw another girl on the bed. Sweat coated her little face, and her cheeks were pink. Fever?

“Everything all right, ma’am?” I asked. “The three of you in trouble of some kind?”

The teen, Piper, narrowed her eyes at me. “We’re fine. The last thing we need is another biker in our lives.”

My eyebrows shot up. Interesting. Another biker. I had so many questions and not enough answers. In fact, they hadn’t willingly told me a damn thing yet. Everything I’d learned had merely been from observation.

“Did you steal something?” her mom asked, sounding exhausted.

“Cordy needs soup. The kind we can microwave. You said our money would be gone after tomorrow.” Piper folded her arms. “If we’re about to be living out of the car, I wanted to make sure she had something to eat first.”

Motherfucker. I couldn’t walk away and leave these girls in a dire situation. My club would kick my ass if I did. Hell, I’d kick my own ass.


Author Bio:

Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.
When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.

You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok / Bookbub


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Review – Sararonna’s Gift by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

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Saronna's Gift

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Saronna is being sold. It may sound harsh, but it works for her. Freedom. No veil, no division of men and women. Off Worlders have a different outlook on life than here on Kruegar’s World. The Threecon World travels the galaxy, each planet sharing their culture.

Saronna was being purchased for Duncan by his father. She had used her gifts to keep her father from getting rid of her, but it hadn’t worked on Vladimir Trushenko. She’s kept it secret…She’s a witch.

The cover tells of the life Saronna was born into, that women had only one purpose in life, to please man. Cruel customs, obedience, no education….unless taught secretly, and Saronna’s mother had taught her to read. There was a purpose to it.

Duncan has introduced Saronna to electronics, including an ereader, encouraging her to read and get an education. He even hires a tutor for her. I loved watching Saronna, her struggle, her sacrifice as she grew, learned, changed and became her own person, no matter the pressure put on her. I have a feeling that will be a good fit, once she figures out how she is being manipulated by those she is supposed to be able to trust.

I would surely be dead if I was born under such an oppressive system…my mouth would have been the end of me. LOL

And to think this goes on today makes me say, “I can’t believe this is happening in the twenty first century”. People can change, and I was happy to be along for Saronna’s ‘coming of age’, and she comes a long way, baby.

Carmen Webster Buxton has created a world for Saronna that is rich in detail, the characters are riveting, drawing me in, making me feel…almost…as if I am there with them, through the good and bad, wishing, hoping for the happy ever after ending that I have come to love so much.

Unputdownable. I read 463 pages in one sitting.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saronna’s Gift by Carmen Webster Buxton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Saronna Maynard never expected to be sold into an off-world household. She and Duncan Trushenko, her new protector, have very little in common. Saronna grew up in a small village outside of New Jerusalem, the largest city on Krueger’s World. Duncan grew up on many worlds, and has traveled the galaxy. He is dumbstruck to return from a business trip and find that his father has purchased a companion for him.

Saronna is terrified by the strangeness of the house and her sense of powerlessness, but in a very short time she realizes she might be better off—and safer—in Duncan’s house than in her father’s. For one thing, Duncan doesn’t believe in witches. Also, the more time she spends with Duncan, the harder it is for her to believe all men are as evil as her mother taught her. But safer or not, Saronna is still intent on keeping her secrets. After all, she’s still on Krueger’s World.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

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Giveaway – Autumn Chaos by Olena Nikitin @XpressoTours @olena_nikitin

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Autumn Chaos
Olena Nikitin
(Season’s War, #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

A mystery of a monster on the rampage ignites the passionate love triangle between a witch and two warriors with a help of a mysterious cat.

After ten years of peaceful solitude, exiled-mage-turned-village-witch, Lady Inanuan of Thorn, has her life turned upside down when a half-dead warrior is dumped on her doorstep. Soon she learns that no good deed goes unpunished in the Black Forest—not even if your friend is Leshy, the Forest God himself.

Expelled from her position as a court mage for her sharp tongue, Ina’s had ten years to learn how to survive in a harsh environment. The forbidden healing she performs links her life energy with her unexpected guest Marcach, captain of the guards, and Ren, his best friend, a traveller from lands so far away that many consider them a myth.

With unnatural monsters on the loose and unrest in the capital, everything points toward rebellion, and clues that both men discover indicate Ina’s involvement. Ina learns her magic is not what it seems, and her past comes back to haunt her.
An old mistake will see her dragged back to the court and thrown right into the middle of the political struggle. To make things worse, her heart succumbs not to just one man but two, and each expects the worst of her.

Will the woman who does not believe in love be able to choose? And can she clear her name and learn to control the Chaos before it burns the kingdom down?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Taking the life distraught her, but Ina didn’t have the time to think about it. The noise of the fight led to the entrance of another room. Well, the wreck of one, at least. Mar was there, struggling with three opponents that attacked him simultaneously. He was working hard with his axe and dagger. The weapons glided through the air in precise cuts, wounding the monsters. Ina’s hand closed on the peridot, and she drew on its power, deeper and deeper. Her sorrow turned to anger at the sight of the troll smashing heavy fists into Mar’s chest. Whips of pure fire coiled around her, animated by Chaos magic. Anger and Chaos poured into the stone, and a torrent flooded back, shaping the whips into vipers, beautiful and deadly, as Ina lashed them at the troll. Coils of destruction shot out, slamming into the attacking creature. The beast roared and turned to the source of the pain.

***

The light glowing in Mar’s eyes flared, feasting on Ina, magnificent in her magic. His beautiful distraction gave him the perfect opportunity again. His axe cleaved through the air, crushing one dog’s head, killing it instantly. Ina held her ground, her fire vipers lashing at the troll, leaving deep gashes of burnt tissue behind. The beast leapt backwards, trying to avoid the pain, but Mar was there to stop it. This formidable display of Ina’s magic terrified the remaining canine to turn tail and run, whimpering into the darkness.

“Ina, stop!” shouted Mar as he ducked to avoid a strike from the vipers, and Ina lowered her hands, letting the energy dissipate in the air. Again, the monstrous troll turned back to her, giving Mar the opening he needed. His axe rose high and cleaved its collar bone so deeply that he could see the heart pulsing through the gap. Then, with a final stab of the dagger, it was stopped dead.

The beast landed on the floor with a heavy thud, and without glancing at it, Mar ran to his woman. In the light of her pulsar, he saw she was crying, her body and hair coated with blood and fluid, his heart aching at her pain.

“Are you… wounded?” He asked and felt immense relief when she shook her head. There was something in his spitfire’s posture that held him back. “What happened back there?”

Ina shook her head and walked toward the exit, and her silence worried him more than he was willing to admit.


Author Bio:

Olena Nikitin is our pen name. We are an enthusiastic couple of writers who are fascinated by the fantasy/paranormal romance genre and decided to write a book we would love to read

Behind the Pen name:

Olga – is Polish, armed with a wicked sense of humour and typical Slavic pessimism she is the wicked witch from the East. She has written stories since childhood, initially mostly about her work. As an emergency physician, she always has a story to tell and often not much time to write.

Mark is a typical English gentleman whose charm, refined taste and an impressive collection of books were tempting enough to make Olga leave her homeland. Don’t tease him too much; this man has an impressive sword collection and he knows how to use it. He also can fix everything, including Polish syntax in English writing.

See more on our website: www.olenanikitin.uk

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Review – Protecting Raven by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Operation Alpha

Jane Blythe is a must read author for me, as you will see at the end of the post. I have read the first book in the Prey Security series and am eager to being Protecting Raven.

Protecting Raven is part of the Operation Alpha Fan Fiction for Susan Stoker’s SEAL of Protection, Delta Force Heroes, and Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Worlds. They all have at least one of Susan’s characters in them.

You can check out all the books at Aces Press and Amazon.

Protecting Raven (Prey Security #2; Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Protecting Raven by Jane Blythe is part of Susan Stoker’s Fan Fiction World. I have read numerous books by several different authors in the series and love what they have done with Susan Stoker’s characters. Jane Blythe hits a home run with Protecting Raven.

Max Hathaway left Raven after the abduction of their daughter by a Colombian sex trafficking ring. He had turned his back for a moment…and she was gone. His feelings of guilt haunted him and destroyed his marriage.

Prey Security is owned by all six of the Oswald siblings. I love them all being named after birds, a very creative and cute idea.

A new clue has come in and Raven is on her way to Colombia. She planned to call in reinforcements when she found the location of the auction. Max followed her to Colombia and will stick to her side like glue. So much danger, he vows to not let her out of his site.

Neither Max nor Raven have been able to move on in the ten years since Cleo has been missing. Could they have a second chance? Could they find Cleo after ten years? If they did, what would she be like? How damaged would she be?

I remember Raven from an earlier Jane Blythe book. She’s a badass, a survivor, a computer genius, but has vowed never to use violence again. It doesn’t mean she’ll go quietly into that good night.

I think Protecting Raven has more bite than Protecting Eagle. I do love the dark and gritty world Jane Blythe has created, which revs me up.

Most of the time I know what’s coming in most of the novels I read, but Protecting Raven did have those moments where I held my breath. There was a point where I began to devour the words, having to know…The horrors of sex trafficking, the disgusting traffickers, the tragedy the girls go through..Cleo was taken at three years old. I cannot imagine how I would feel, the rage, frustration, the terror of knowing your little one is being used horribly.

I know a lot of people are turned off by this kind of novel, but I dive right in. It is a fact of life that these things happen every day in the real world. Jane Blythe’s novels ring of truth, her characters of reality and I grieve with them.

I think one of the reasons I love romantic suspense so much is because amongst the danger there will be love, loyalty, romance and a happy ever after.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Protecting Raven by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Their daughter’s abduction destroyed their marriage.

Raven Oswald has never given up on her daughter, for ten years she’s used her computer skills to try to bring down the trafficking ring responsible for Cleo’s abduction. When she finally gets a viable lead she heads straight to Columbia to check it out. The last person she expected to follow her was her ex-husband. He left her not long after their daughter was taken and she hasn’t heard from him since, she doesn’t want or need his help.

Max Hathaway knows he messed up when he took his eyes off his three-year-old daughter that day at the park and guilt has been slowly consuming him ever since. But when Raven recklessly puts herself directly on the dangerous trafficking ring’s radar, the pararescueman has no choice but to follow after her. Whether she likes it or not he’s going to keep her safe, and maybe earn her forgiveness before the guilt eats him alive.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!

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Giveaway – Celestial Bodies by Patricia Leavy @GoddessFish

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I am excited to have Patricia Leavy visiting fundinmental to share her thoughts in this fun interview. What did you find most interesting?

What would we find under your bed?

Nothing.

What was the scariest moment of your life?

When my daughter was little, she fell down a big staircase in front of my eyes. It was terrifying. I rushed her to the hospital. Fortunately, by some miracle she was not hurt. This was over fifteen years ago and I remember it like yesterday.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?

I used to but I don’t anymore. However, I do make a playlist for each of my books filled with songs that help me mentally set the tone and get in the flow of that story-world. I listen to the playlist on writing breaks for the duration of writing the book. It helps keep me in that world.

What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

Finishing a novel that I’ve been working on off and on for a decade. I’ve published nearly 40 books, and written some in as few as ten days, but this one has always been slow going. I think it’s good though, and it’s different from my other work.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Celestial Bodies is a collection of six novels. Earlier versions of some of them have already been released. It took me anywhere from ten days to a month to draft each of the six novels, but then loads of time editing and revising. From when I started the first one to when the entire collection was released, that was about two and a half years.

No monsters under the bed, Patricia. LOL Thanks for sharing.

Celestial Bodies: The Tess Lee and Jack Miller Novels by Patricia Leavy

GENRE: Romance/Women’s fiction

BLURB

Heart-warming and wonderfully romantic, written with the sharp wit of Candace Bushnell and the sensitivity of Meg Donahue, comes best-selling author Patricia Leavy’s tour de force about learning to balance darkness and light in our lives.

Celestial Bodies is a series of six novels that follow the epic romance of Tess and Jack: Shooting Stars, Twinkle, Constellations, Supernova, North Star, and Stardust. An exploration of the power of love, each novel focuses on love at the intersection of another topic: healing, doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. While external threats occur in each book, this is ultimately a story about internal threats—the audio playing in our own heads.

Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find happiness in her personal life. Jack Miller is a federal agent who specializes in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself. The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on a beautiful love story that asks the questions: What happens when people truly see each other? Can unconditional love change the way we see ourselves? Their friends are along for the ride: Omar, Tess’s sarcastic best friend who calls her Butterfly; Joe, Jack’s friend from the Bureau who understands the sacrifices he’s made; and Bobby and Gina, Jack’s younger friends who never fail to lighten the mood. Along the way, others join their journey: the female president of the United States, with whom Tess bakes cookies and talks politics; the Millers, Jack’s childhood family; and many others. Celestial Bodies is about walking through our past traumas, moving from darkness to light, learning to live in color, and the ways in which love—from lovers, friends, or the art we experience—can heal us. Written as unfolding action, this collection moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy. It can be read for pleasure or selected for book clubs.

EXCERPT

Tess clung to Jack as they sped along the cliffside road on their Harley, winding around the last curve as they approached their house. When they arrived home, Jack carefully took off Tess’s helmet, kissed her, and grabbed the bag of fruit they’d bought at the farmers’ market. She pulled the scrunchie out of her hair, releasing dirty blonde locks down to her waist. They headed inside. “You thirsty, baby?” he asked.

She nodded.

He quickly tapped a coconut, stuck a paper straw in, and handed it to her.

“You’ve gotten so good at that,” she said, taking a sip.

“Yeah, just in time to go back to DC. I can’t believe we have to leave our Hawaiian paradise tomorrow morning. We’re crazy to leave Maui this time of year.”

“I know, baby. But we’ll be back in less than three months to throw Omar and Clay the tropical Valentine’s Day wedding of their dreams. Besides, it’ll be fun to see our friends.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

“Here, have some,” she said, handing him the coconut. “Let’s leave the pineapple out. We can grill it tonight for our Thanksgiving feast while we sit on the lanai and watch the sunset.” She kicked her shoes off, slipped her T-shirt over her head, and shimmied out of her shorts, revealing a hot pink string bikini. “Bet I can beat you to the ocean,” she teased, darting off.

Soon, they were splashing around in the warm water, the sun beating down on them. Jack wrapped his tanned arms around Tess and kissed her. They stared at each other, the energy between them electric.

“I could get lost in your big, brown eyes,” he said.

She smiled and said, “Come on, let’s dry off.” They walked to their pool and lay together on a chaise lounge.

“Jack?” Tess whispered.

“Yeah, baby.”

“I know you hold back sometimes, but you don’t need to.”

“Tess…”

“Baby, I know you do. There’s nothing that could ever happen between us that I wouldn’t want.”

He caressed the side of her face. “You’re so beautiful and delicate. I just want you to feel safe and loved.”

“I do and I always will.”

“You’ve been through so much. It wasn’t that long ago that Ray was stalking you; I know that brought up memories of your childhood abuse. I don’t ever want to be the cause of your pain or remind you of the ways you have suffered.”

“You couldn’t. You only push those thoughts further away. I trust you, Jack. Nothing could ever change that. I want to share everything with you. I’ve never felt as close to another human being as I do to you.” She ran her fingers through his wet, salty hair and said, “I still remember the first time we came here, before we owned this place. You took me in the shower and we were so free.”

He grazed his fingers along her cheek.

“I’m gonna rinse off,” she said. She untied her bikini top, let it fall to the floor, and headed for the outdoor shower.

Jack hustled out of his swim trunks and followed her. She flipped the water on, turned toward him, and smiled. He cupped her face in his hands, kissed her softly, and with one swift movement, swung her around and pulled her bathing suit bottom down. “Don’t let me hurt you,” he whispered. He pushed her against the wall and they made love passionately.

With his quivering body pressed tightly against hers, Jack kissed Tess’s neck and nibbled on her ear. Finally satiated, he turned the shower off and wrapped towels around each of them. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms as he carried her to a lounge chair. They resumed their tender kisses, Jack caressing the side of her face. He looked at her with unadulterated adoration.

“I love you so much,” he said.

“I love you too. More than anything.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a bestselling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chair of Sociology and Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She has published over thirty-five books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. Patricia has received dozens of accolades for her books. Recently, her novel Shooting Stars won the 2021 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite Contemporary Novel, her novel Film won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Inspirational Fiction, the 2021 NYC Big Book Award for Chick-Lit, and the 2021 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite Chick-Lit, her 3-novel set Candy Floss Collection won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Anthologies and the 2021 NYC Big Book Award for Anthology, and her novel Spark won the 2019 American Fiction Award for Inspirational Fiction, the 2019 Living Now Book Award for Adventure Fiction, and the 2021 National Indie Excellence Award for New Adult Fiction. She has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” She lives in Maine with her husband, daughter (when she’s not away at college), and her dog. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling.

  • Website: www.patricialeavy.com
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy
  • Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JF1BXB
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One Sentence Review – Shadow Hunter by Andrea Pearson @andreapearson2

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.

Shadow Hunter is my first book by Andrea Pearson and I feel like I read it out of order, even thought it is the first book. Is it a spinoff?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This action packed, demons running amok, kill or be killed paranormal and supernatural thriller had me intrigued from the first sentence of the blurb: Bound to destroy the woman he loves…but I kept tripping up over the tense and I felt like I was missing something…is this a spinoff from a previous series…was it Abel’s turn to tell his story?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Bound to destroy the woman he loves…

Abel hasn’t seen Lizzie in at least seven years, and his experiences since then have changed him significantly. He’s sure he’s moved past his earlier crush, that he’s immune to her carefree and bubbly personality, but the moment his eyes land on her, he knows he’s still in love.

Instead of a joyful reunion, though, he only suffers agony at being in her presence again.

Because he’s being blackmailed into murdering her.

And there’s no way out. The Shadow Prophet has vowed to kill everyone Abel holds dear if he doesn’t complete the job. Abel has tried everything he can think of to break the contract, but nothing has worked, and he has nowhere else to turn.

Complicating things further, he gets recruited by a second client to help Lizzie achieve an impossible mission. One where they must work closely together while hunting immortal demons. One that will either destroy him or force him to kill her before he’s found a way out—before he’s ready to do it.

But how can a man ever be ready to murder the woman he loves?

If you enjoy high-stakes fantasy action, romance with a hint of angst, and fast-moving paranormal stories, you’ll love Shadow Prophet, book one in an addictive fantasy series

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