The Top Twenty Books of 2017

Yes it's that time of year again when everyone lists the best of the best and The Reading Frenzy is no different. As usual its a melting pot of genres. Wow what a hard decision and not one done lightly. So without further ado I present 

The Reading Frenzy's Top Twenty Books of 2017

note- these are in alphabetical order not order of importance!

#Giveaway- The Duke of Ice by Darcy Burke - Social Butterfly Blog Tours

The Duke of Ice, an all-new historical standalone from USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke, is available NOW!

Title: The Duke of Ice

Author: Darcy Burke

Genre: Historical Romance

Publishing Date: December 26th, 2017

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2AHu8eE

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/DukeofIce

iBooks: http://apple.co/2Ap6DD8

Nook: http://bit.ly/2BkW3Rn

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zcHSf5

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ytxfRD

Synopsis:

Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.

Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?

Review - The Captive Knight - Interview with Lisa Ann Verge aka Lisa Verge Higgins

Today I'm so happy to be featuring fabulous author and friend, Lisa Ann Verge aka Lisa Verge Higgins. She has been a part of my reading life for a long time and responsible in part for my love of reading. She's participated in group reads way back on the B&N forum, and the Goodreads forum too and meeting her is on my bucket list. 
She'll be chatting about what she's been up to for the last little while, about her new historical romance, The Captive Knight and what's up next too. So put your feet up, stay awhile and enjoy!

ISBN-13:  978-1940963150
Publisher: Bay Street Press LLC
Release Date: 11-14-2017
Length: 305pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo

Overview:Another passionate romance from the RITA-nominated author of eighteen novels, Lisa Ann Verge

"Electrifying reading." -Rendezvous

"A spirited heroine, a chivalric hero--exciting and passionate." -Roberta Gellis, bestselling author of Masques of Gold

After her dowry castle is seized as a prize of war, Aliénor's hopes for her future are shattered. No dowry means no marriage, no escape from lifelong servitude, and no protection for her beloved, crippled brother. But everything changes when her father captures a prisoner: The very same rogue knight who stole her lands.

Jehan is the sole survivor of a family whose English sympathies have taken a grim toll, leaving him nothing but his sword and good name. Now, beaten and bloody in his enemy's dungeon, he refuses to give up the stolen lands that have finally brought him a measure of security. Not even for the lovely, headstrong heiress forbidden to him by two warring kings--a recklessly brave woman his heart cannot ignore.

"Verge is a tale-teller whose writing is stunningly real." -Affaire de Coeur

Sophia Rose Reviews The Darkest Thread by Jen Blood

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and are ready to get down to the business of mystery, mayhem and murder reviewed by the wonderful Sophia Rose.
Enjoy!

The Darkest Thread by Jen Blood, Narrated by Elise Arsenault

#1 Flint K-9 Search and Rescue

Mystery

Publisher:  Tantor Audio

Published:  10.24.17

ASIN:  B076B3Z19M

Time:  9 hours 31 minutes

Rating: 4

Format:  Audio

Source:  Tantor Audio

Sellers:  Amazon/Barnes& Noble/Kobo

ADD TO: GOODREADS

GoodReads Blurb:

When teenage sisters go missing in the mysterious “Bennington Triangle” of Vermont, an area renowned for its disappearances and strange occurrences over the past hundred years, FBI agent Jack Juarez brings K-9 handler Jamie Flint and her dog Phantom in to assist with the search. When Jack realizes the case shares haunting similarities with the murders of the missing girls’ aunts ten years before, it becomes clear that he and Jamie are dealing with much more than two girls who simply wandered off the beaten path.

Merry Christmas

From My House to Yours

May the Gifts of the Season brighten your day and add joy to your life
Wether you share the holiday with family and friends, volunteering to make sure others find cheer or some other special way I hope it's a Very Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza

I can't believe we've come to the last post for the 2017 Ho Ho Ho Harlequin Holiday Extravaganza. It's been a blast for me and I hope you enjoyed the recipes, messages and all the good Christmas tidings plus of course the fabulous giveaways. There's still time to enter a giveaway or two and the grand prize will run through Christmas day.
Thanks to all my authors for your generous participation, thanks to my readers for supporting the blog and a Huge Thank You to Harlequin, the publisher that makes the world go round.

This post I'm showcasing the corporate face of Harlequin.

Until next year stay safe, be well and read Harlequin!!!

Enjoy!

The Giveaway

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganze - A Fortunes of Texas Christmas - Helen Lacey

It's day 9 of my blog christmas party featuring Helen Lacey and A Fortunes of Texas Christmas. Helen is giving away 2 copies of the book full details below.
Sadly the celebrations ends tomorrow but we're going out with a bang and another post featuring Harlequin so be sure and stop by.

Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9780373623907
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 11-21-2017
Length:224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Publisher

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

OOH-LA-LA! A FRENCH FORTUNE!

The Yuletide season brings something tr?s magnifique to Austin, Texas, in the form of sexy French entrepreneur Amersen Beaudin. The sexy but standoffish playboy has zero interest in meeting his newly discovered Fortune relatives, least of all the man who is his biological father. But when matriarch Kate Fortune dangles an all-too-attractive business proposition, he is too intrigued to stay away. And once he meets Kate’s beautiful gardener, Robin Harbin, he starts to rethink his holiday plans…

A spicy affair with the blonde, blue-eyed Texan is now at the top of Amersen’s wish list. But all Robin wants for Christmas is the flirty Parisian’s heart and soul. Can she convince him that love—and family—can lead to a joyeux No'l?

Helen is giving away 2 Print copies of
A Fortunes of Texas Christmas
Open Internationally
Please use Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - Their Christmas Angel - Tracy Madison

The holiday bash is rolling right along and it's already day 8, time flies. Today Tracy Madison is sharing a favorite family Christmas recipe and she's offering a copy of her very first Harlequin book Miracle Under The Mistletoe, details below.

Tomorrow is my last author Helen Lacey who has a Holiday message a recipe and my review of her Christmas book, A Fortunes of Texas Christmas.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9780373623853
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-17-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Publisher

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

"Watch out, Daddy!" 

When Parker Lennox brakes to an icy halt, he narrowly misses hitting…a Christmas angel?

Wait, that's Miss Bradshaw, his daughters' music teacher. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But one look in those angel eyes and the single dad and widower falls hard. Parker never thought he'd feel this way again…where every day feels like Christmas!

Nicole Bradshaw is no angel—at least not yet. This cancer survivor has plenty of life to live…and a planned pregnancy to prove it. So when Parker literally slides into Nicole's life, it's like she's opened her presents early. She loves what she's getting, but can Parker accept that she survived the cancer that took his wife…and love a child that isn't his?

Tracy is giving away one copy of
Miracle Under The Mistletoe
US ONLY
Please Use Rafflecopter form to enter
Good Luck!

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - His By Christmas - Teresa Southwick

Welcome to day 7 of the blog bash today I'm featuring His by Christmas by Teresa Southwick and Teresa has a very special Christmas message for us.

Tomorrow is Tracy Madison's turn

Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9780373623846
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-17-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Harlequin

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:
From Four Weeks to Forever  

Parasailing. Hang gliding. Rock climbing. That's what hard-driving exec Calhoun Hart had planned for his monthlong Caribbean jaunt. Until a skydiving accident puts a crimp in his plans—and puts him back into work mode. First order of business: fly in a personal assistant. But how's the once-burned bachelor supposed to resist the serene, superefficient redhead who has more than his bottom line working overtime?

Justine Walker could do a lot worse than this tropical Eden. And working with Cal is reaping unexpected benefits. Like helping the widow heal from a tragic loss…and showing her sexy, never-stops-to-smell-the-roses boss how pleasurable downtime can be. But once vacation's over, are they ready to take a leap of faith and keep paradise in their hearts forever?

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas - Karen Rose Smith

It's week two of my holiday blog bash featuring a plethora of Harlequin authors and their holiday novels. Today I'm featuring Karen Rose Smith and her The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas book. Karen has a holiday craft project she wanted to share with my readers.
Tomorrow is Teresa Southwick's turn and she has a special holiday message.
Enjoy!!

ISBN-13: 9780373623815
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-17-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

COZYING UP WITH THE COWBOY 

Rust Creek Ramblings 

Ah, wintertime in Rust Creek Falls! It's the perfect time of year to snuggle up by the fireplace and indulge in some juicy gossip. Speaking of snuggling, did you hear that Eli Dalton and Hadley Strickland were forced to spend the night together in an abandoned barn during our recent snowstorm?

While it may have been a horse in distress that brought the lovely veterinarian out to the Circle D, we're betting handsome, steady Eli will draw her back. We believe the rancher could melt fair Hadley's frozen heart—if she can find the courage to reveal her past. So hang the holly, dear readers, and remember that this is the season for miracles. Could a holiday proposal soon be in the works?

Macmillan audio review of Mr. Dickens and his Carol by Samantha Silva Narrated by Euan Morton

I don't usually post on Saturday and I'm right in the middle of a holiday bash but I just had to get in this one Christmas audio review in time for gift giving because this is the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for those who love the Christmas Season and who love the extra something an audio book gives to listeners. Wether you listen to this while commuting or play it out loud for the whole family to hear it's the perfect way to celebrate the holiday.
This is this author's debut novel and the narrator Euan Morton is taking a sabbatical from narrating while he plays King George on Broadway in Hamilton.
Yeah I know you're interested now

Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel
By Samantha Silva
Macmillan Audio
Narrated By Euan Morton
Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
Release Date: 10-31-17

Buy it: Amazon/B&N

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

“A charming, comic, and ultimately poignant story about the creation of the most famous Christmas tale ever written. It’s as foggy and haunted and redemptive as the original; it’s all heart, and I read it in a couple of ebullient, Christmassy gulps.” —Anthony Doerr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All The Light We Cannot See

Laced with humor, rich historical detail from Charles Dickens’ life, and clever winks to his work, Samantha Silva's Mr. Dickens and His Carol is an irresistible new take on a cherished classic.

Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer’s block sets in.
Frazzled and filled with self-doubt, Dickens seeks solace in his great palace of thinking, the city of London itself. On one of his long night walks, in a once-beloved square, he meets the mysterious Eleanor Lovejoy, who might be just the muse he needs. As Dickens’ deadlines close in, Eleanor propels him on a Scrooge-like journey that tests everything he believes about generosity, friendship, ambition, and love. The story he writes will change Christmas forever.

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - A Cowboy Family Christmas - Judy Duarte

We've come to the end of week one of the holiday blast but don't despair not only does Judy Duarte, today's featured author have a fabulous book to showcase but she's also got a really cool prize package, details below. 

So sit back and enjoy day 5!

ISBN-13: 9780373623822
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-17-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Dear Santa,

I've been a good girl. Well, mostly.

These days, I'm usually the one dishing out advice. But the readers of "Dear Debbie" don't know that I've never been the love of anyone's life. As soon as I landed at the Rocking Chair Ranch, though, my luck started to change…thanks to one special guest. Promoter Drew Madison wants to shine a spotlight on the ranch's retired cowboys. But I'm the one who feels aglow every time he glances my way. And the electricity between us? It sure could light up every town in Texas! Still, after he discovers my secret, I'm afraid that I'll be thrust back into darkness. Now I only want one thing for Christmas: for Drew to give me—no, us—a second chance…

—Lainie

Judy is offering a very special
Mystery Christmas Package
Open Internationally
Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!!

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - The Rancher's Christmas Song - RaeAnne Thayne

Moving right along it's day 4 of the Harlequin Holiday bash and today I have a special treat, a holiday tale from NYT bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne and my review courtesy RT Book Reviews.
RaeAnne is sponsoring a special gift details below!

ISBN-13: 9781488014536
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-17-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Harlequin

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Keep a song in your heart this holiday season… 

Music teacher Ella Baker’s plate is already full. But when single dad Beckett McKinley’s wild twin boys need help preparing a Christmas song for their father, Ella agrees on one condition: they teach her to ride a horse. She’s hoping that’ll help mend her strained relationship with her rancher father; it certainly has nothing to do with the crush that’s lingered since her one and only date with Beck. 

It isn’t disinterest spurring Beck to keep his distance—if anything, the spark is too strong, with Ella reminding him of his ex-wife. Soon what started as an innocent arrangement is beginning to feel a lot like family. But with the holidays approaching, Beck and Ella will have to overcome past hurts if they want to keep each other warm this Christmas… 


Don’t miss other heartfelt stories from the fan-favorite The Cowboys of Cold Creek mini-series!
The Holiday Gift
A Cold Creek Christmas Story
The Christmas Ranch

RaeAnne is giving away
a $10 Amazon Gift Card &
a copy of A Rancher's Christmas Song
US Only
Please Use Rafflecopter form to enter
Good Luck!!

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - Married Til Christmas - Christine Rimmer

Its day three of the holiday blog bash and we're rolling right along. Today it's the amazing Ms. Christine Rimmer who's being featured along with her festive holiday release, Married Til Christmas. Christine has a post about Decking The Halls and she's also sponsoring a giveaway of A Bravo For Christmas, details below.
Tomorrow is RaeAnn Thayne and her Christmas tale plus my review.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-0373623860
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 11-21-2017
Length: 224pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Harlequin

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

An impulse wedding…
Strong, sexy Nell Bravo won’t be fooled again. After all, Declan McGrath already shattered her heart into pieces—not once, but twice. When alluring CEO Deck sweeps Nell off her feet in Las Vegas, though, she tumbles headlong into an “only in Vegas” fling with her first love. But Nell sure didn’t bargain on a Vegas wedding!
…a lifetime of love?
It’s taken a long time for Deck to finally capture the one who got away. And this time, he’s charmed her straight to the altar. But Nell will stay married to him only until Christmas Day—unless Deck can prove that this time, it’s for keeps. With the clock ticking, can Deck convince Nell that he truly is her one and only…or has Mr. Love-’Em-and-Leave-’Em broken a Bravo’s heart for the last time?

Christine is offering a signed copy of
A Bravo For Christmas
US ONLY
Please use Rafflecopter form to Enter

#Giveaway #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - Moonlight Over Manhattan -Sarah Morgan

Welcome to day 2 of my Harlequin Holiday Bash, today I'm featuring the fabulous Brit Ms. Sarah Morgan who I've been loving for years and who writes fun, sexy romances just like the one that's featured today, Moonlight Over Manhattan, book # 6 in her From Manhattan With Love series.
Sarah is sharing a special Christmas tradition with us and she's sponsoring a giveaway of this fabulous book details below.

Christine Rimmer is up tomorrow with post about her favorite holiday decoration + a Giveaway too.

Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9780373804030
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 11-28-2017
Length: 400pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound/Audible

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Sarah Morgan is back with more love and laughter in her acclaimed series, From Manhattan With Love, which Publishers Weekly calls a “sweep-you-off-your-feet romantic experience.” 

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list—dealing with Madi’s temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi—how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple—he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there’s nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan’s kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all—letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Sarah is offering one print copy
of Moonlight Over Manhattan
Open Internationally!!
Please use Rafflecopter form to enter
Good Luck!

#Giveaway 5th Annual #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza - Harlequin More Than Words

Hello everyone and welcome to my 5^th Annual Ho Ho Ho Harlequin Holiday Extravaganza. This year I’d like to start by saying Happy Holidays and thank you to all my readers and blogger friends who make me laugh, make me cry and keep it real while giving me inspiration.

For the next two weeks there will be giveaways, recipes, holiday messages and a lot of holiday fun. Some giveaways are only US and some are open internationally so there’s something for everyone.

I’d also like to showcase my main sponsor of the holiday blog bash and the publisher it’s named for, Harlequin. You’ll learn all about Harlequin the company at the end of the bash but today I want to tell you about the philanthropic side of the publisher that makes the world go round and their More Than Words program.

So welcome again to day one of my holiday blog bash
Up tomorrow is Sarah Morgan with a holiday message and a #Giveaway open internationally

Enjoy!

Harlequin is sponsoring the following for the
Grand Prize #Giveaway
US & Canada Only
1 Graydon House Tote Bag
       1 On Second Thought Tote Bag
 1 Harlequin cup with straw
1 copy of each
A Snow Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
Miracle on Fifth Avenue by Sarah Morgan
House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick
Something Like Happy by Eva Woods
Christmastime Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Showcase - A-List by D.P. Lyle Oceanview Publishing

Today I'm excited to be showcasing D.P. Lyle's latest novel, #2 in his Jake Longly series. I love that cover!
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781608092703
Publisher: Oceanview
Jake Longly #2
Release Date: 12-12-2017
Length: 320pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Nothing is easy in The Big Easy

PI Jake Longly and Nicole Jamison head to New Orleans at the behest of Nicole's uncle, movie producer Charles Balfour, when his megastar, A-list actor Kirk Ford, awakens in his hotel bed with the body of Kristi Guidry, a local college coed. Ford, in the Big Easy for a location shoot, remembers little of the evening and nothing of the murder. And, to make matters worse, Kristi is the niece of a local mafioso-type who will do whatever is necessary to avenge her death. Balfour is losing money every day the filming is stalled—he needs his actor cleared, and quickly.

Surrounded by glitzy Hollywood stars and intimidated by seedy underworld characters, Jake and Nicole encounter nothing but obstacles. Something isn't right. The facts don't fit. Who would want Kristi dead? Why frame Kirk for the murder? Everyone has an opinion, including Kristi's friends and ex-boyfriend, the local homicide detectives, and a fortune-teller. The clock is ticking as Jake and Nicole struggle to decipher who's lying, who's telling the truth, and exactly who schemed to murder Kristi Guidry. Nothing is easy in The Big Easy.

#Giveaway Showcase Blood Truth Matt Coyle

Today I'm showcasing Matt Coyle's latest, #4 in his Rick Cahill crime series Blood Truth.
Matt's publicists AuthorGuide is sponsoring a giveaway, details below.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781608092871
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Release Date: 12-5-2017
Length: 368pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

A hard-boiled PI novel for fans of Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald and Dashiell Hammett.

Rick Cahill has long feared the truth about his own blood—the blood of his father coursing through his veins.

When a long-hidden safe unlocks clues about why his father was kicked off the police force twenty-seven years ago and then spiraled into an early drunken death, Rick determines to find the truth even if it proves the one thing he's always feared.

But as he grapples with his father's past, the woman he still loves pleads with him to find out if her husband is having an affair—or is involved in something much more sinister. Could the truth send her back into Rick’s arms? Would he have a last shot at happiness?
He may never get the chance to find out, as killers who will do anything to protect their secrets lurk in the shadows.

Giveaway is for one print copy
Blood Truth
US ONLY
Please use Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!

Showcase The Wicked Vampire by Kate Baxter The Last True Vampire Book #6

Today I'm showcasing Kate Baxter's #6 in her The Last True Vampire series, The Wicked Vampire (aren't they all) :)
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250125439m
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
The Last True Vampire #6
Release Date: 12-5-2017
Length: 384pp
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ Kobo/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

OVERVIEW:

He was one of the most feared creatures in the supernatural world, and yet, she was drawn to him unlike any other. His scent ignited her thirst. The sight of him drove her mad with want…

Lovers forever—or enemies to the death?
Sasha Ivanov was born to be wild. A vampire party girl, she stalks the L.A. clubs at night. Dancing. Drinking. Indulging her darkest appetites. Never sated, she’s always looking for more: more danger, more excitement, more blood. But when she enters a supernatural fight club—and is tethered to her mortal enemy—Sasha realizes she’s playing the most dangerous game of all…

Ewan Brún was born to kill vampires. A powerful berserker and unbeaten champion, he doesn’t need a weapon to be deadly. He is the weapon. But when his soul becomes captive to the most beautiful vampire he’s ever seen, he is all but powerless. He cannot resist Sasha—and cannot fight his desires. Is their love strong enough to defeat the gathering forces of darkness that threatens to destroy them both?

“The chemistry is electric.”
—San Francisco Book Reviews on The Last True Vampire

#Giveaway Review Dark Winds Rising Interview with Mark Noce

Today on the blog I'm interviewing the amazing author of Dark Winds Rising a sequel to his debut Between Two Fires, these were both unforgettable reads and I knew I had to find out more about this master storyteller.
Mark's publisher St. Martin's Press is offering book 1, Between Two Fires as a giveaway. Details below.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250072634
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Queen Branwen, Book 2
Release Date: 12-5-2017
Length: 304pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

OVERVIEW:

Mark Noce returns to Medieval Wales with Dark Winds Rising, his second book about the Braveheart-like Queen Branwen in this epic historical series.

Three years after uniting the Welsh to defeat the Saxons and settling down with her true love, Artagan, Queen Branwen finds her world once again turned upside down as Pictish raiders harry the shores of her kingdom. Rallying her people once more, she must face her most dangerous foe yet, the Queen of the Picts. Ruthless and cunning, the Pictish Queen turns the Welsh against each other in a bloody civil war.

All the while Branwen is heavy with child, and finds her young son’s footsteps dogged by a mysterious assassin who eerily resembles her dead first husband, the Hammer King. In the murky world of courtly intrigue, Queen Branwen must continually discern friend from foe at her own peril in the ever-shifting alliances of the independent Welsh kingdoms.

Branwen must somehow defeat the Picts and save her people before the Pictish Queen and the assassin destroy their lives from the inside out. Just as the Saxons threatened Branwen’s kingdom from the landward side of her realm in Between Two Fires, now the Picts threaten her domain from sea in this thrilling sequel. But she soon finds that the enigmatic Picts are unlike any foe she has faced before.

Mark Noce bases his novel on primary sources, as well as myths and legends that help bring the Dark Ages to life. Set in a time and era in which very little reliable written records or archeological remains have survived, the characters and some of the place names are fictional, but the physical environment, the historical details, and the saga of the Welsh people is very real.

This continuation of Branwen's story combines elements of mystery and romance with Noce's gift for storytelling.

The Giveaway is for one print copy
of Queen Branwen book 1
 Between Two Fires US ONLY
Please use Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!

Click on the book to see my review

#Giveaway Showcase So Over You by Kate Meader Simon and Schuster blog tour

Today is my stop on the So Over You by Kate Meader blog tour.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781501168567
Publisher: Simon&Schuster/Pocket e-books
Chicago Rebels #2
Release Date: 12-4-2017
Length: 400pp
Buy It: Kindle/Nook/Kobo/Audible

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels...

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won silver at the Games, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then... let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice...

Kate is giving away
a $25 Amazon Gift Card to
Celebrate So Over You
Go HERE to enter
Good Luck!