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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.
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.
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
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*
MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS
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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”.
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.
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 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.
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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.
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.
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!
MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS
ABOUT 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*
MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS
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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!
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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
GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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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.
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.
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Where We Belong
Shann McPherson
Published by: HQ Digital
Publication date: February 21st 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
An emotional, compelling page-turner from your next romance obsession, Shann McPherson, about the power of friendship and finding love where you least expect it.
When Alice ‘Murph’ Murphy’s beloved mother died, she promised to keep the family bakery in Graceville, Georgia afloat—even if it meant letting her high-school sweetheart, Nash Harris, go. For years, Murph has been biding her time, waiting for Nash to come back for her.
So when he strolls into Piece O’ Cake, Murph’s heart skips a beat—until he hands her an invitation to his wedding… There are painful secrets in both their pasts that only the two of them share, and Murph can’t bear the thought of Nash belonging to someone else.
There’s only one thing Murph can think of to do: fake a relationship with local bar owner and old friend Harley Shaw to remind Nash of what he’s losing, and win him back for good.
Nash is Murph’s best friend, a vivid reminder of her childhood and all the things she’s lost—but the more time Murph and Harley spend together, the more the lines between real and pretend begin to blur. Can Murph choose between the one who got away and the one who never left—and heal her aching heart?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks
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EXCERPT:
I push my glasses up my nose for the millionth time, and while holding my breath and with one eye narrowed, I wipe a tiny smudge of frosting from the silver turntable holding Mr. and Mrs. Robertson’s fiftieth wedding anniversary cake. It may have taken me two full days and most of last night, but I’ve finally finished. Exhaling the breath I’ve been holding for a beat too long, I take a step back to really appreciate my craftsmanship. Four layers of lemon and blueberry perfection, covered in a fluffy whipped buttercream frosting, decorated with beautiful red roses, delicate peonies, and a smattering of baby’s breath, all of which have been hand-piped by yours truly.
I place a hand on my hip, smiling proudly. “Alice Murphy, once again you’ve outdone yourself,” I whisper under my breath, mentally high-fiving myself.
The bell above the door to the shop jingles, pulling me from my musings, and I walk through from the kitchen to the front of the store, still smiling at the thought of my latest masterpiece.
“Welcome to Piece O’ Cake,” I sing in a cheerful customer service voice. “How can I help yo—” Stopping dead in my tracks, my eyes go wide as I gawp at the unexpected figure standing in the middle of the shop. He’s shadowed by the afternoon sun shining in through the windows, backlighting him to nothing more than a darkened silhouette, and I blink hard, unsure whether or not I’m imagining things. But then he speaks. And I would know that voice anywhere. This is definitely not my imagination playing tricks on me.
“Hey, Murph.” The shadow takes a step forward, coming in to the glow of the overhead lights, and I’m immediately enamored by that all too familiar grin.
“N-Nash?” I gasp.
His smile is bright and those eyes. I’d remember those eyes anywhere after spending such a big part of my life dreaming about them.
“Oh my God!” I scream, covering my mouth with trembling hands until I finally come to, ripping off my apron before practically throwing myself over the counter. Jumping up, I wrap my arms around his neck, and emotion gets the better of me as I stand there in the familiarity of his warm embrace with tears of happiness streaming down my cheeks.
He’s here.
The love of my life.
He’s home.
Author Bio:
With big dreams of being a published author since she was an eleven-year-old girl writing Beverly Hills 90210 fan fiction before fan fiction was even a thing, Shann McPherson has been writing angsty, contemporary romances for most of her thirty-something years.
Living in sunny Queensland, Australia, when she’s not writing Shann enjoys making memories with her husband and cheeky toddler son, drinking wine, and singing completely off-key to One Direction’s entire discography.
GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Heaven for Now by Ken La Salle is book III in the Heaven series. His work is thought provoking, making me ask the question, what is my version of Heaven?
The series has some wonderful covers that hint at the story inside.
If you would like to read my review, you can find it HERE. You will also have another chance to win a copy for yourself.
GUEST POST
I have been reading Ken La Salle’s stories for a while now and he covers many genres. He never ceases to entertain me. I just finished reading Heaven for Now, Book III in the Heaven series. He leads an interesting life, going on his own life affirming adventures and I think you will find his thoughts on Romance interesting. I know I did.
I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel.
But having gone through one divorce and having stood by my best friend as he lost his wife to leukemia, I guess I know something about heartbreak and loss.
How or why the idea for Heaven Enough originated as I hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail just outside of Warner Springs is something I’ll probably never figure out. The story came to me all at once and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a simple, quiet story about a man who had lost everything, which is how you feel when you lose someone you love. Heaven Enough felt like such a departure for me that I even drove my wife, Vicky, out to Warner Springs and pitched the idea to her beside that same trail.
Most of my previous stories had been quite a bit louder.
And Heaven Enough picked up a few readers and a lot of great reviews. The book holds a special place in my heart precisely because I don’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel. Instead, I wrote the kind of love story that is born out of loss and pain and regret. Not a fairy tale but something real.
And when a few readers began asking me what happened after the events in Heaven Enough, I began to wonder as well. I had not planned a trilogy but that didn’t really matter. I wanted to see it happen.
You should know that I had a good laugh at the notion that I, an author who has forever disparaged any romantic fiction, would be releasing a trilogy of… again, not romance novels. How about this, instead: A trilogy about adult, grown up people who have been hurt by love, wondering if love is worth all the hype, and discovering that the value of love and meaning of life can only be measured by how much you’re willing to open your heart.
At least, those are my thoughts. Coming from someone who doesn’t know the first thing about writing a romance novel, you should expect the Heaven series to take you in different directions and even surprise you at times.
I’ve already been asked if Matt Murphy will return and I can assure you he will. But I’m gonna give him a few years off to rest. He’s gonna need it. Heaven Enough, Heaven Denied, and Heaven For Now are all available pretty much everywhere in ebook and paperback and you can also find Heaven Enough in audio wherever audiobooks are sold online.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts Ken. I look forward to our next adventure, be it zombies, cookies, horror or romance. Bring it on!
GOODREADS BLURB
What would it be like to have heaven enough?
When Matt Murphy
married his second wife, Heather, Paul and Neal were by his side. Neal,
the brother of his first wife, Diva, had unwittingly sent Matt after
Heather. Paul, also known as the cross-dresser Babette, was the only
other person who knew Heather before her death.
Seeing two strands of his life come together at his wedding and fall in love made sense to Matt, somehow.
But
it didn’t make sense to Neal. As far as Neal had been informed, he
wasn’t gay. Though he could never deny his love for Paul, how can Neal
grasp what such an admission would mean in his life?
Now, Paul has
disappeared and Matt agrees to look in his last known location, Puerto
Vallarta, home of sand and sun and – despite Matt’s searching –
absolutely no sign of Paul. And when Matt Murphy meets Marisol Saucedo, a
physical trainer who makes her living by teaching her students to beat
people up, his search for Paul stops as his fascination for Marisol
blooms.
What will become of Paul and Neal? How will Matt make sense
of their lives when he can’t make sense of his own? Is love enough when
it requires a leap of faith into a scary, new world? Can you use logic
to find the answers? Or is it better to simply surrender to the moment,
to the inebriating temptation that is love?
Any decision will change their lives forever…
ABOUT KEN LA SALLE (From Amazon)
Author and Playwright, Ken La Salle grew up in Santa Ana, California and has remained in the surrounding area his entire life. He was raised with strong, blue collar roots, which have given him a progressive and environmentalist view. As a result, you’ll find many of his stories touching those areas both geographically and philosophically. His passion is intense humor, meaningful drama, and finding answers to the questions that define our lives.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Goodreads
GIVEAWAY
Ken La Salle is offering one copy of Heaven For Now to one lucky reader. Entry is easy peasy. Simply answer the question:
What, to you, is the most important element in a romance novel?
You will also have a second chance on Wednesday, 3.26.20, so be sure and come back.
Giveaway ends 3.4.20.
MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS