Giveaway – All That’s Hidden by Susan Golden @susangoldenbook @XpressoTours

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All That’s Hidden
Susan Golden
(Sugar Shack, #2)
Publication date: August 12th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

All That’s Hidden is a delightful story with intrigue, humor, and of course, romance. A perfect read for the beach or traveling on a plane. I fell in love with Sugar and Rupert!
-Lorence, singer/songwriter

Pet sitter turned entrepreneur, Jennifer Albright thinks she has it all: an expanding business, a new, blissful marriage to a very sexy husband, a dog named Rupert that people frequently think is a bear, and a parrot named Sugar that Jennifer’s pretty sure is psychic. But her idyllic life begins to unravel when a series of creepy incidents threatens to sabotage the launch of her doggie day care center, and the discovery of a hidden treasure thrusts her into the world of federal agents and international thievery. The chaos soon spills over onto her home life and Jennifer reluctantly begins to suspect that her seemingly perfect, unbelievably supportive husband is hiding something from her. There’s just so much that doesn’t add up.

Tech-mogul Ryan has found the love of his life in his adorable new bride, Jennifer. But trouble seems to follow her like a basset hound. When one strange twist of events offers Ryan an opportunity he feels he can’t pass up, he unknowingly launches himself down the road of suspicion and mistrust. But he’s got this covered. She doesn’t suspect a thing.

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT

Ryan got home about a half hour later. He dropped his jacket on the couch and headed over to where I was sitting at the kitchen counter. 

“Do I smell kabobs? Great, let me wash up and get out of this suit.” 

I poured Ryan a beer and began to plate the take out. It suddenly struck me that this was not appropriate mom behavior. Moms bake chocolate cupcakes and roasted chicken for Sunday dinner. They cook pancakes and tuna casserole. I burn pancakes and have no idea what goes into a tuna casserole. Well, I suppose I could buy cupcakes and the pre-roasted chicken at the Safeway is pretty yummy. Anyway, new babies don’t need cupcakes and I still have at least ten months before there would even be a baby. I could learn to cook. 

Are you serious? You just started a business. Where did this baby stuff come from? What if Ryan doesn’t want any babies? But I want babies. Since when? Since today, I think. I was suddenly very sad to think Ryan might not want any babies. Plural? Oh, good grief!

Ryan enjoyed his kabobs and Lebanese bread. I’d bought salad and rice too. See, I could plan a balanced meal, even if I couldn’t cook one. He washed it all down with his beer. The whole time he was eating, he was rattling on about his day and how he liked Darren. 

I usually found his comments interesting and insightful, but today I wasn’t listening. I love kabobs, but I nibbled on them and moved the rice around my plate. My mind was elsewhere. 

“…and that was when the flying saucer landed on the helipad and we all went out, got in, and took a ride to Mars,” I heard when I tuned back in.

“Uh-huh. Wait. What?”

“What’s the matter, honey? You worried about the business thing? You’re going to do great. Don’t worry.”

“Thanks. That’s not it. Umm…we’ve never talked about this. I was sort of wondering…how you feel about…kids.”

“Kids in general or specific kids? You mean other people’s kids, right?” I sure had his attention, but I got the impression he was not a fan of the conversation topic.

“Well, not exactly.” There were about ten seconds of dead silence. I was still staring at my plate, moving the rice around aimlessly, afraid I’d burst into tears if I looked at him.

Ryan reached out and grabbed the sides of the bar stool I was sitting on and spun me around to face him. He took my chin in his hand and tilted my head up. 

“Are you pregnant, Sugar Shack?” The inquiry was quiet and silky and expectant. He certainly didn’t sound angry. So, I took a chance and looked directly into those ocean blue eyes. I’d never seen them sparkle like that. He was definitely not mad.

“No.” It wasn’t much more than a whisper.

“You want to be?” I wasn’t expecting that.

“Umm. Maybe.” 

“What are we thinking here, six, eight?” He was grinning. My heart lifted.

“We should probably start with one and see how that goes.” I was grinning too.

“No point in putting stuff like this off. We should get started right now.” 

Ryan tugged my arm, pulling me off the seat of the stool, and slung me over his shoulder. I giggled as he patted me on the bottom and headed up the stairs. He banged the door shut with his foot and unceremoniously dumped me on the bed. 

“Lots of kids,” he soundly declared.

Author Bio:

Retired federal government employee turned accidental author.

Website / Facebook / Twitter


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Giveaway – Finding Jackson by Anne Holster @GoddessFish

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Welcome to my tour stop for Finding Jackson by Anne Holster.

Finding Jackson by Anne Holster

GENRE: NA Romance 

BLURB

It’s 1977 – Star Wars is breaking records at the box office, Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run tour is taking the country by storm, and born-and-bred Jersey girl Annalise Keller has fallen in love for the first and last time. Hot and charismatic with dreams of making it as a rock star, Keith “Ace” Foxx is everything a teenage girl dreams of. He falls as hard for Anna as she does for him and the two decide to run off to California in search of his big break. Fate has other plans though, and several years and three kids later, Ace has traded in his guitar for a job at the local post office and Anna has become a symbol of all he has given up. Ace spends most nights at the local bar, trying to drink away his anger and resentment.

Flash forward a decade, and their youngest child, Jackson, is headed nowhere fast. In a life filled with meaningless jobs and too much partying, music is his only true escape from the pain of a childhood that abruptly ended one rainy night. The accident had destroyed his family and left him with a slew of unanswered questions.

Everything changes the night Jackson meets Leah. Shy and reserved, she doesn’t smoke and barely drinks; she certainly doesn’t put out. Not exactly the girl from the Bon Jovi videos he watched as a kid. Yet, before he knows it, she has become his world.

Then, just when it looks like his dreams might come true, betrayal and loss once again threaten everything he holds dear. As Jackson struggles to keep his world from spinning out of control, he knows one thing for sure, the choices he makes now will either be the start of a whole new life, or it just might be the end of him.

EXCERPT

You hear people talk about this feeling, that once-in-a-lifetime, struck-by-a-thunderbolt feeling; you know, like when two cartoon characters are staring at each other and their eyes look like two big hearts bugging out of their heads. You hear about it but never really believe it could happen in real life. That is until it happens to you and then it completely consumes you, leaving you exhausted and worn out from falling for someone so hard so fast. It’s a high that you never, ever want to come down from. I think they call it love at first sight and, well, that’s exactly how I felt when I saw him. I can’t even explain why I was so taken with him – he definitely wasn’t what you’d call “classically handsome” – I just knew I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Anne Holster resides in Northern New Jersey with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis and reading angsty romance novels. She is currently working on her fourth book.

Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon Author

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

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Books From The Backlog – Born in Flames by Candace Knoebel @Candaceknoebel #booksfromthebacklog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Born in Flames (Born in Flames Trilogy, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?

Goodreads rating: 3.68 – Rating Details: 768 ratings  ·  151 reviews

I won Born in Flames and added it to my TBR on 9.24.12. Did you see that gorgeous cover? And dragons? What am I waiting for? LOL

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Giveaway – Historical Serenade @CaffeinatedPR

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Today I am excited to share the release of Historical Serenade: Seven Tales of Romance. This collection of historical romances will transport you from the comfort of your home. For a limited time you can own the digital edition for 99 cents. It is also available for Kindle Unlimited. Learn more, order your copy, and enter the celebratory giveaway!

Historical Serenade: Seven Tales of Romance 

From authors Lane McFarland, April Holthaus, Barbara Bettis, Dawn Marie Hamilton, Karen Muir, Ria Cantrell, and Ruth A. Casie comes a collection of Historical and Time Travel Romances. Let them serenade you with their spell-binding tales filled with danger, deception, revenge, honor and passion as we take you back in time on a journey spanning the Medieval Highlands through England’s Golden Age to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. HEART OF THE HIGHLANDS: THE RAVEN by April Holthaus As the king’s personal guard, Eamon MacLeish’s loyalty has never been questioned until a mysterious lass seeks an asylum for a crime, she claims she did not commit. Adelyn Scott would welcome death over marriage but had no idea her wish would come true when she discovers her husband’s body on the night of their wedding. As Adelyn and Eamon piece together clues surrounding her husband’s murder, Eamon must choose between his loyalty or his heart. SILVERHAWK by Barbara Bettis Seeking revenge again his father, Sir Giles kidnaps the man’s young betrothed, only to find himself thwarting her repeated escape efforts. Lady Emelin won’t let a blasted mercenary destroy her last chance at a home and family, yet when she learns they must track down English traitors, she reluctantly assists. Eluding searchers and enemies like, Giles and Emelin discover that their past goals don’t matter; only a future together will do. JUST WITHIN A HIGHLAND MIST by Dawn Marie Hamilton A trio of pesky pixies have plans for Gregor MacLachlan’s heart. While hunting, a wayward shot from his bow nearly hits a strange lass who appears as if by magic. Emily Smith follows a child in her care onto a forbidden mound in the woods and wakes in a strange bed, in a place and time not her own. Can she find love in the arms of the dark-eyed stranger who becomes her champion? DAGGER’S DESTINY by Karen Muir In Medieval England, after Lady Katherine de Grey’s family is murdered, she is rescued by a childhood friend, Sir Richard Weston, and they are forced to marry. Richard resents the edict and intends to petition for an annulment. But, Katherine has other plans. With each caress of her dagger, she empowers herself to fight for her destiny. All she has to do is convince her new husband that the woman he truly desires is already his wife. TO LOVE AN IMPOSTOR by Lane McFarland Disguised as Nicholas Barlow, a ruthless, old businessman during the day, the Flintlock Brigand’s leader at night, and Captain Randolf, in between, Nicholas ruins constables who failed to show Bristol’s orphans mercy. Diana Fleming, daughter of Bristol’s wealthiest gentry, returns to beg her father for help raising of ten orphaned children, but instead discovers her father died because of Nicholas Barlow. Now penniless and desperate, she’s determined to destroy the man who murdered her father. CELTIC PERIL by Ria Cantrell Tom Callum landed a spot with Celtic Storm as the lead singer and front man. When he reaches Scotland, he is drawn to seek his heritage and uncover the mysteries of his past. He is fascinated with a painting of a girl, Jenna Brandham of the Clan MacCollum, who lived more than six hundred years ago. Jenna tugs at his long forgotten memory. Tom will soon be plunged into a world of intrigue, deception and peril. The past and present collide in an adventure that brings danger at every turn. Only love will give Tom the strength he needs to thwart an attempt on King Richard’s life. Will Tom be able to survive his leap into the past? Will he be able to survive his return to the present, only to leave his heart behind? THE MAXWELL GHOST by Ruth A. Casie Traitors, deception, murders and ghosts run rampant at Caerlaverock Castle. Jamie Collins and Laura Reynolds, long-time friends find their destinies intertwined with hidden passions, but all is in jeopardy when Laura becomes the murderer’s next target. Jamie will find he needs some ghostly assistance to save Laura and declare his love. No magic…a love that lasts an eternity.

99 cent Boxed Set 7 Romances 

Available in Kindle Unlimited  Returns to $4.99 price April 30th, 2020

Enter the Giveaway

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A Sweet Romance – Always Kind of Love by Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

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NEW RELEASE. Hot off the press.

Amanda Siegrist writes some sweet romance, and also walks on the darker side with her romantic suspense. I enjoyed getting to know this characters and meeting the family. I look forward to more of the McCord series.

Always Kind of Love (The McCord Family #4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Always Kind of Love by Amanda Siegrist is a sweet romance that ends with a happy ever after. It was part of an anthology, but has been released on its own.

A second chance.

Nine years later…

A matchmaking attempt backfires in a big way.

Always Kind of Love by Amanda Siegrist is a quick read with a light touch. I quickly became involved with the characters, each having a story I want to know.

The only question is was left with…what about the fires?

Seeing this is a series, I think we’ll find out later and get more in depth with the McCord family, spotlighting each character in the future stories and I look forward to learnng their stories.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy Always Kind of Love by Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a heartwarming series that will make you swoon…and maybe even shed a few tears.

The last thing Ethan McCord wants to deal with is his old high school flame, even though his desire for her hasn’t diminished. Battling the burning blazes and an arsonist bent on destruction is nothing compared to fighting the temptation to rekindle the love he always wanted.

The entire McCord Family Novel series: (Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.)

♡ Protecting You (Book 1): Zane & Ava
♡ Trust in Love (Book 2): Austin & Sophie
♡ Deserving You (Book 3): Emmett & Deja
♡ Always Kind of Love (Book 4): Ethan & Penelope

Note: This book is a part of Risking Everything: A Steamy Anthology of First Responders.All proceeds are going to charity – the Stephen Siller Tunner to Towers Foundation.

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Amanda Siegrist

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

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Welcome to Dawnvel Academy – Dawnvel Druids by William Collins @WillCollins151

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I picked up Dawnvel Druids by William Collins on 11.27.19, after William approaching me on Goodreads. It was free on Amazon and looked like a quick read, so why not?

At the time I am writing this post, it was still FREE on Amazon, but check for the “0”.

The Dawnvel Druids

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Instead of being out doing teenage things with her friends on Friday night, Simone is scoring drugs for her father and battling supernaturals.

Bobby had come to Dawnvel Academy after hearing about the missing students. His favorite TV show was about solving murders done by supernaturals, but he’s not the heroic type. Will he rise above his fears? His first nite, another missing student.

Many supernaturals appear as Dawnel Academy and the town come under attack. Dawnvel Academy is an Otherworld gateway. Druids are the protectors, but a helpful weretiger, gargoyles, and ghost lend a hand.

How did Bobby get into the academy? He’s a foster child. Doesn’t know who his parents are. And who are the Perfect?

As the action picks up, Bobby finds his place, as will Simone.

There is the usual teenage angst of going to a new school, but Dawnvel is so much more and even though Bobby seems an unlikely candidate for what is to come, he must face it head on.

We have monsters and danger and though I found no book surprises, I enjoyed the Dawnvel Druids and look forward to finding out what happens next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

For fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and the Dresden Files.

As a druid, seventeen-year-old Simone Singh lives by three rules: gargoyles must be destroyed, her identity remains secret, and she can never attempt dark sorcery. Only now the number of gargoyles are growing, her identity has been uncovered and her best friend has been murdered by dark magic.

Simone and the damaged oddballs she calls friends pretend to be normal students at Dawnvel Academy, but are secretly gargoyle slaying, wand-wielding druids, who occasionally time travel.

On the same day her clan leader is killed, the new boy at Dawnvel, Bobby, sees her slay a gargoyle. Simone soon learns the hapless Bobby is a druid too, he just doesn’t know it. She decides to train Bobby whilst she leads the clan, which includes the tormented ex-boyfriend she might still be in love with and the pansexual party girl who has always loathed her. Worse, the dark druid is trying to knock them off one by one.

As she hunts down the killer hiding amongst them, Simone and Bobby’s friendship begins turning into something more, before Bobby displays signs of dark magic himself. She can’t believe anyone she cares for could be the dark druid, but the killer can only be someone she knows and trusts. Her own life and everyone she cares about is at risk.

Told from the dual viewpoints of Simone and Bobby.

ABOUT WILLIAM COLLINS

William         Collins

William Collins is a 26-year-old writer from the UK and the author of The Realmers Series and the short stories, Realmer Chronicles.

A Darker Shade of Sorcery is the first in the series, followed by Moonlight War Act I and Moonlight War Act II, already released.

The Fourth book in the series, Angels and Elves, is coming soon.

Goodreads / Twitter

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Out of the Darkness by Jane Blythe and Amanda Siegrist @jblytheauthor @amanda_siegrist

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I am a huge fan of Jane Blythe and Amanda Siegrist. I loved the first book in the series, Drowning in You, so to continue on and read about Miles and Jade is a no brainer.

Out of the Darkness

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Jade lives in a friendly neighborhood, so when Miles asked her over for pizza and a movie she jumped on it. She is a cop, working on a tough case and could use a break. She has no idea he has a huge crush on her.

Miles is a computer whiz. He is shy, a nerd, and she has doesn’t realize how much he will help when she needs it most.

HE was peeping through the window, watching his next victim. He likes Charlie a lot and thinks about not hurting her…but that won’t stop him.

As Jade and her partner, Carter, begin investigating Charlie’s disappearance, she felt sure it was the serial killer they were looking for. There had been three women found in the park and she was afraid Charlie would be the fourth.

The title is appropriate, because Jade is terrified of the dark. At times her fear paralyzes her, putting her in danger because of her inability to act.

We have plenty of suspects and as we begin to eliminate them, one by one. The clock is ticking. Will they catch him before he kills again? The suspense is building, because I do know what comes next. At least, I think I do. And it’s not good.

We all know Jade and Miles will hook up, so to say the romance is a slow burn works. Have you ever looked at someone and, all of a sudden, saw them in a completely different way, like they’re not the same person you always knew? That’s Jade.

When I hear a noise at Miles door…

Each book introduces us to a new couple that will face danger and fall in love and are able to stand alone. Out of Darkness contains all I need for a horrible mystery to be solved with enough danger to fill me with suspense and characters that will enthrall me to the very end.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Out of the Darkness by Jane Blythe & Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Don’t turn out the lights. Anything can hide in the dark.

Some childhood fears follow you into adulthood. Detective Jade Hawkins is smart, reliable, and successful at her job. At least that’s what she’d like everyone to believe, but, in reality, she leaves a tiny piece of herself with every victim of every case she works. She’s starting to wonder whether one day she will run out of pieces of herself to give, but when a case has her needing the expertise of a friend, she may realize that what she’s been searching for could have been right in front of her all along.

Miles Thomas isn’t shy to admit he’s an expert in computers. Women, on the other hand—that’s an entirely different story. When his friend Jade asks for help in her latest murder case dissecting the victim’s computer, he doesn’t hesitate. He loves computers; they’re his forte, but he also can’t deny Jade anything because he likes her way more than a friend. If only he had the nerve to tell her. He might be shy to admit his feelings, but he refuses to back down when he sees how much Jade truly needs him—no matter what he has to do.

The entire Conquering Fear Novel series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.)
Drowning in You (Book 1): Carter and Rose
Out of the Darkness (Book 2): Miles & Jade

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Amanda Siegrist

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – The Mocking Man by Leslie Georgeson @lesliegeorgeson @pumpupyourbook

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We’re happy to host the book blast for THE MOCKING MAN by romantic suspense author Leslie Georgeson. Leslie is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Be sure to enter on form below and good luck!


THE MOCKING MAN
By Leslie Georgeson
Romantic Suspense

THE PACT: Two friends. One pact. A dangerous plan with an elaborate deception. In a world where they must rely on each other to survive, how far will each of them go to honor the pact?
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The Mocking Man:

Deception.

Not a word I would have associated with myself fifteen years ago. Back then I was innocent and carefree, a teenage boy with big dreams.

Then my best friend Rafe was kidnapped, and my world fell apart. I foolishly thought I could save him.

I was wrong.

Now my entire life is a web of deceit. My every breath tainted by lies. I don’t like what I’ve become. But it’s essential for my very survival.

My job now is to stay in the shadows and keep Rafe’s sister Isabella safe. She can’t even know I’m here.

Then danger lurks closer. Somehow, I must protect her while keeping my secret.

But I get so caught up in my own twisted game that I eventually make a terrible mistake.

Now she’s a part of the pact. And I can’t let her go.

But what kind of life can I give her if I can never be anything more than the mocking man?

***This series is a romantic suspense duet. Book 1 is Alex’s story, and Book 2 is Rafe’s story. Each is a separate romance with an HEA (and no cliffhangers). However, events from book 1 lead to events in book 2. Therefore, it is recommended that they be read in order to get the full story. These books contain strong language, adult situations, and dark subject matters. Recommended for readers ages 18 and up.***




Amazon → https://amzn.to/2TLM1S0










Mr. Wilson could be watching me right now through the video surveillance he’d mentioned.
Be very careful, Izzy. You could go to jail if you get caught. 
My boss’s words about being unethical flashed through my mind. What I was contemplating now wasn’t ethical at all. It was dishonest. Wrong.
But I needed to find out if Alex was alive. I needed to find the mocking man. And I needed to do it today. So while Mr. Wilson slept, I was going to quietly snoop while I cleaned, and see if I could find something that might give me answers.
Video surveillance be dammed. If I moved around just right, carrying my supplies and acting like I was cleaning, then he wouldn’t know I was snooping, right?
A half hour later, I’d searched through this entire side of the villa and found no evidence suggesting Alex Davies might live here. Was I wasting my time here? Was Alex truly dead?
I tiptoed back into the kitchen. Then I went around past the sunroom area and down a separate hallway, checking each room. Nothing.
The last door to my right was closed. The sun wasn’t all the way up yet, so it was still a bit dark in the hallway. As I drew nearer, it became apparent the “closed” door actually stood slightly ajar. Just a crack. As if someone had forgotten to close it all of the way.
For some reason, that small opening called to me, saying, “Come check me out. There are secrets in here.”
And I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.
I gravitated toward the opening, eager to see beyond, taking no heed to my inner warnings that shrieked, curiosity killed the cat, Izzy. Be careful.
Gently pressing on the door, I pushed it open.
The room was shrouded in darkness, the curtains drawn.
A sense of eeriness crept over me as I tried to make out what I was seeing.
I stumbled back, a scream erupting from my throat.
What the…crap was that?








Leslie Georgeson writes romance and suspense, sometimes with a dash of sci-fi or paranormal tossed in to make things more interesting. She is the author of the military romantic suspense series, THE DREGS, which was nominated for the 2018 TopShelf Indie Book Awards. Her other titles include the UNLIKELY HEROES series, the UNDERNEATH series, the standalone romantic mystery, NO SON OF MINE, and the newly released romantic suspense duet, THE PACT. Book one, The Mocking Man, is now available on Amazon and book two, The Honest Liar, is scheduled for an early June 2020 release. Leslie lives with her husband and daughter on a quiet country acreage in Idaho.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://lesliegeorgeson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesliegeorgeson
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Leslie Georgeson is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

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  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Card.
  • This giveaway ends midnight April 10.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on April 11.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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Giveaway – The Plan by Whitney Dineen @WhitneyDineen @XpressoTours

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The Plan
Whitney Dineen
(The Creek Water Series #3)
Publication date: March 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Bead shop owner Amelia Frothingham has been keeping a secret from everyone she knows.

She pretends to be the ultimate care-free bohemian chick, but the truth is, she’s the world’s biggest control freak. Much to the delight of her Southern family, Amelia’s life appears to be smooth sailing. That is, until bad boy rockstar Huck Wiley mysteriously blows into town like a spring tornado.

Like every other woman under eighty with a pulse, Amelia’s intrigued. So when Huck starts showing up in her shop with flirtation in mind, she finds herself getting sucked into the rock god vortex. But her previous attempts at long-distance love have always ended on a sour note, so Amelia has vowed never to repeat the experience.

What Amelia doesn’t know is that Huck has a secret of his own, and he has no intention of returning to Los Angeles before he’s good and ready.

Will Huck stay in town, scattering the beads Amelia has finally gotten sorted? Or will he head back to his glamorous life and take her last chance at spontaneity and love along with him?

Find out in this deliciously funny romcom about love and life in Creek Water, Missouri!

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

By the time three thirty rolls around, I haven’t had a customer in over an hour, so I decide to run upstairs and make a cup of tea. Just as I’m about to turn on the television while I wait for the water to boil, the bell over the shop door rings. Note to business owners, the ticket to more foot traffic is leaving the store in pursuit of tea. I might need to write a book. I could call it “If You Make Tea, They Will Come.”

I turn off the pot and run downstairs to see who my customer is. When I hit the bottom step, I have a clear view of a person standing next to my brightly painted apothecary drawer full of carnelian beads. I’m either in the throes of a major hallucination or dreams really do come true. Huck Wiley, or someone who looks enough like him to be his identical twin, is standing under one of the three beaded chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above my workstation. He’s looking at the necklace I was just working on.

He’s wearing jeans so faded and torn they look like they’re ready for the rag bin, yet I’m willing to bet he spent more on them than most people spend on ten pairs. The rock god is sporting a vintage U2 t-shirt and a black leather jacket. I can’t see what his shoes look like because there’s a display case blocking my view, but I’d put money on biker boots.

The floorboards creak as I step forward. My disbelieving eyes focus like a thirsty wanderer lost in the desert having just spotted a distant source of water. Whoever he is, he turns and looks right at me. His smile is so bright I may have gasped out loud in response. Seven more steps land me directly in front of him.

“Can I help you?” My tone is prim, reminiscent of a school librarian daring a student to try to check out a book before paying his overdue fine.

“Hey there,” he croons in that voice, the one I know so well from having spent hours listening to his music. My mouth hangs open like I’m a drooling idiot, but I can’t seem to close it. “I heard you gave beading classes and I was wondering if you have a special session for kids.”

I temporarily forget that he and I speak the same language. Did he just ask me about beading classes? I must be experiencing a particularly vivid fantasy. Rock star Huck Wiley can’t possibly be a closet beader, can he? Wait, he said “for kids” … Maybe I fell asleep when I went upstairs to make tea and this dream is making up for last night’s ball and chain fiasco. If so, it’s a good one.

The vision in front of me releases an easy laugh, a real laugh. Huck Wiley is probably used to odd reactions from strange women, and let me say, I’m doing my darndest to behave strangely. “Would you tell me when those classes are?” he persists.

Forcing myself to behave as normally as possible, I robotically tell him, “I have one on Wednesday and Thursday right after school, so four o’clock. They last for an hour and the price of the class includes the materials for one bracelet. It usually takes four classes to complete a project.” I don’t mean to brag, but my acting skills have gone untapped until now and I managed to get that whole sentence out without tripping over my tongue.

He nods. “Would you be available for a private lesson during the morning sometime?”

I shrug awkwardly like I’m having some kind of seizure. “For now, or during the summer?” What kid isn’t at school during school hours now?

“My daughter will be doing online school and I’d like for her to have a break during the day. You know, other kids get recess and lunch, I’d like for Maggie to get out and about.”

My jaw drops wide open. My earlier attempts at appearing normal have failed me. I’m back to feeling like I’m in a science fiction television show and I’ve just leaped out of my body. It’s like I’m watching me have this conversation with the biggest rock star of our time from the ceiling. The part of me that’s escaped its confines wants to shout down to the rest of me, “Close your mouth, girl!” But I can’t, so I don’t.

Instead, I say, “I’m sorry, but are you Huck Wiley?”

“I am.”

“Why are you here?” I demand. “Don’t you live in Los Angeles or something?”

“Or something,” he answers evasively. Before he can say anything else, I reach across the counter and touch the man’s face. His slightly stubbly beard scratches at my fingertips and then I swear I don’t know what comes over me, but I pinch him.

He jumps back and releases a short bark of surprise, assuring me he’s not some figment I’ve conjured. “I’m so sorry,” I say, quickly regaining my senses. “I thought maybe I was dreaming you up or something.”

“I think you’re supposed to pinch yourself when you think you’re dreaming,” he says, looking at me like I might be an escaped mental patient.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Books From The Backlog – Velvet Rain by David C Cassidy @DavidCCassidy #booksfromthebacklog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Velvet Rain

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

He was born a miracle.
It will take one to save the world.


Kain Richards is the last of his kind—and a man on the run. So when this mysterious drifter falls for a beautiful and sensible Iowa farmwoman, he knows full well the perils of getting too close. And yet, for the first time in his miserable existence, life feels normal … feels real. But as those around him soon realize, reality is not what it seems. For when a tragic accident forces Kain’s hand, his astonishing secret—and godlike power—changes their lives, and the world, forever.

*** AUTHOR’S WARNING ***
VELVET RAIN CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND PROFANITY

Goodreads rating: 4.01   Rating details: 133 ratings  ·  40 reviews

I haven’t read any of his work, but this has been sitting on my shelf since 9.18.12. The last of his kind…what kind is that? I am curious. Velvet Rain is a bit of the supernatural, time travel, romance, science fiction, suspense and mystery, so I feel this should be a good one.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!