Friday, July 29, 2022

Showcase: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee a new release from St. Martin's Griffin

Today I'm showcasing a new release from St. Martin's Griffin, Booked on a Feeling, Jayci Lee's latest rom-com.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 9781250621146
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: 07-26-2022
Length: 320pp
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Jayci Lee's romcom Booked on a Feeling features an overachieving lawyer. A failing bookstore. A childhood friend. And the chance of a lifetime…

Lizzy "Overachiever" Chung, Esq. has her life mapped out neatly:
* Become a lawyer. Check.
* Join a prestigious law firm. Check.
* Make partner. In progress.

If all goes to plan, she will check off that last box in a couple years, make her parents proud, and live a successful, fulfilled life in L.A. What was not in her plans was passing out from a panic attack during a pivotal moment in her career. A few deep breaths and a four hour drive later, Lizzy is in Weldon for three weeks to shed the burnout and figure out what went wrong. And what better place to recharge than the small California town where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack Park.

Jack Park didn't expect to see Lizzy back in Weldon, but now he's got three weeks to spend with the girl of his dreams. Except she doesn't know of his decades-long crush on her--and he intends to keep it that way. She's a high-powered attorney who lives in L.A. and he's a bookkeeper at his family's brewery who never left his hometown. He can't risk their friendship on a long shot. Can he? When Lizzy decides that the local bookstore needs a little revamp, of course, Jack is going to help her bring it back to life. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore there might be more than just friendship among the dusty shelves and books...

Sometimes the path to the rest of your life has been in front of you all along.

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews: The Tall Stranger by Louis L’Amour, narrated by Robert Petkoff

Today Sophia Rose is back to review one of her favorite authors in western fiction, The Tall Stranger by Louis L'Amour.
Enjoy!


The Tall Stranger by Louis L’Amour, narrated by Robert Petkoff

Western Fiction

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Published: 6.28.22

ISBN:  0593633989

Time:  4 hours 20 minutes

Rating: 4.5 stars

Narration: 5 stars

Format: MP3

Source: Penguin Random House Audio

Sellers:  Amazon


ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

Wagon trains heading west were forced to defend themselves against Indians, cope with injuries and illness, and struggle to find food. The group of easterners Rock Bannon was scouting for faced another problem. They were being deceived. When he warned them to remain on the Humboldt Trail, Sharon Crockett and the others refused to listen. Mort Harper, a stranger riding a beautiful black mare, had dazzled them with his charm and good looks. The southern route was the best way to go, Harper told them. But best for whom? Bannon wondered. That route led straight to the Salt Lake Desert. The conditions would be brutal. And if Harper wasn't steering them toward those deadly alkali flats, where were they headed? And what would happen once they got there?

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Books from my backlist review - The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White


Today I reach way back on the shelf and dust off a novel that I can't believe I let go this long, so at last I'm sharing my review of Karen White's new Royal Street series, set in New Orleans staring Nola Trenholm a spin off from her Tradd Street series.

Enjoy!


ISBN-13: 978-0593334584
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: 03-29-2022
Length: 384pp
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/IndieBound/Chirpbooks

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

Nola Trenholm is hopeful for a fresh start in the Big Easy but must deal with ghosts from her past—as well as new ones—in this first book in a spin-off series of Karen White's New York Times bestselling Tradd Street novels.

After a difficult detour on her road to adulthood, Nola Trenholm is looking to begin anew in New Orleans, and what better way to start her future than with her first house? But the historic fixer-upper she buys comes with even more work than she anticipated when the house’s previous occupants don’t seem to be ready to depart.

Although she can’t communicate with ghosts like her stepmother can, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who is able to—even if he’s the last person on earth she wants anything to do with ever again. Beau Ryan comes with his own dark past—a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina—and he’s connected to the unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole cottage Nola is determined to make her own...whether the resident restless spirits agree or not.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

#MacmillanAudio Review of The Hidden One by Linda Castillo Kate Burkholder #14

Today I'm sharing the latest installment of one of my very favorite mystery/thriller series, The Hidden One by Linda Castillo. It's got so much going for it and will appeal to a wide audience range.
Enjoy!

ASIN: B09GL1BVB8
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 07-05-2022
Length: 9 hours- 18 minutes
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Audible/Chirpbooks

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

This program is read by longtime series and award-winning narrator, Kathleen McInerney.

The discovery of an Amish bishop's remains leads chief of police Kate Burkholder to unearth a chilling secret in The Hidden One, a new thriller from bestselling author Linda Castillo.

Over a decade ago, beloved Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus disappeared without a trace. When skeletal remains showing evidence of foul play are unearthed, his disappearance becomes even more sinister.

The town’s elders arrive in Painters Mill to ask chief of police Kate Burkholder for help, but she quickly realizes she has a personal connection to the crime. The handsome Amish man who stands accused of the murder, Jonas Bowman, was Kate’s first love. Forced to confront a painful episode from her past, Kate travels to Pennsylvania’s Kishacoquillas Valley, where the Amish culture differs dramatically from the traditions she knows. Though Bishop Stoltzfus was highly respected, she soon hears about a dark side to this complex man. What was he hiding that resulted in his own brutal death?

Someone doesn’t want Kate asking questions. But even after being accosted and threatened in the dead of night, she refuses to back down. Is she too close to the case—and to Jonas—to see clearly? There’s a killer in the Valley who will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Will they get to Kate before she can expose the truth? Or will the bishop’s secrets remain hidden forever?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews - The Barrister's Wife by Suzan Lauder, An Austen Retelling

Today I once again turn the blog over to my pal Sophia Rose whose reviewing, The Barrister's Wife, a storyline that she loves, an Austen retelling.
Enjoy!


The Barrister’s Bride by Suzan Lauder

Historical Romance

Publisher:  Meryton Press

Published:  5.9.22

ASIN:  B09ZB1MMN4

Pages:  370

Rating: 4 Stars

Flames: 3

Format: eARC

Source:  Meryton Press

Sellers: Amazon


ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

A pact that will change their lives forever…

Fitzwilliam Darcy is a successful young barrister with a bright future. His late uncle has guided his career, made him his heir, and even selected a bride for him—sight unseen—whom he’ll meet and marry upon her majority. Who could have predicted that making the acquaintance of Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Meryton would throw those careful plans into disarray?

Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t know what to make of “Fitz” Darcy, who intrigues and draws her notice like no other. Despite Fitzwilliam’s warnings, she allows Mr. George Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s older brother and master of Pemberley, to charm her. Little does she know that she, too, has been promised in marriage by her late father—to an unknown barrister, no less. What is she to do when her hopes to marry for love disappear in the blink of an eye?

Is George Darcy’s suit in earnest? Can this mysterious bridegroom of her father’s choosing become the husband of her dreams? With the danger of duels and deceit, what will come of the initial attraction between her and Fitzwilliam? Will she become the barrister’s bride?

Note: contains scenes with adult content.

Friday, July 22, 2022

Showcase of July releases from Oceanview Publishing

Today I'm showcasing the July releases from my favorite indie mystery publisher Oceanview.
Enjoy!



Thursday, July 21, 2022

Showcase: Bone By Bone: A Memoir of Trauma and Healing by Geralyn Ritter

Today I'm showcasing memoir by Geralyn Ritter who survived the tragic and deadly Amtrak derailment in May of 2015, 8 passengers died and more than 150 were injured. All information provided by Geralyn's publicist Smith Publicity.

Geralyn is donating 100% of her proceeds to trauma professionals, medicine, and survivors. 

Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1950465552
Publisher: The Core Media Group
Release Date: 06-24-2022
Length: 216pp
Buy It: Amazon / B&N 

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:


On May 12, 2015, Amtrak 188 derailed outside of Philadelphia. Eight passengers were killed and more than 150 were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the conductor had “lost situational awareness” and sped through the sharpest curve in the Northeast at more than double the maximum speed limit.

Geralyn Ritter was in the first car of Amtrak 188, and she was thrown from the train with such intensity that her abdominal organs were forced through her diaphragm into her chest. Unable to breathe on her own and suffering massive blood loss, she was not expected to survive. After weeks in the ICU, she endured dozens of surgeries over the next several years, PTSD, chronic pain, depression and opioid dependence. But if you saw her walking down the street today, tussling with her three sons, or ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange as a top executive for her company, you would never guess everything she had been through.

With humor, grace, and no-holds-barred honesty, Geralyn describes the journey back to life in her new book Bone by Bone: A Memoir of Trauma and Healing [Core Media Group, June 28, 2022]. Her gains were hard-fought and the scars run deep, even if they are well hidden. Drawing on the latest research on the psychological and physical effects of pain, Geralyn—a health policy expert, Executive Vice President of an S&P 500 healthcare company—describes how healing from trauma is a lifelong process, for both survivors and those who love and care for them. Geralyn dives into difficult topics including depression, polytrauma, and the strain that recovery put on her marriage and relationships. Yet she also shares the insights and resources that lit her way through this dark period, such as the support of her community and family, faith and prayer, honoring the lives lost, allowing herself to grieve, and offering genuine appreciation for the gift of each new day. She also shares what it was like to go back to work, endure the whispers of the doubters, and retake her place in the boardroom.

For readers of In Shock by Rana Awdish, Everything Happens For A Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler, and Together: A Memoir Of A Marriage And A Medical Mishap by Judy Goldman, memoir fans will find Geralyn Ritter’s Bone by Bone tells an incredible story of physical and mental hardship and the journey to recovery.

A support for those suffering from pain and trauma and their caregivers, Bone by Bone sheds light on their symptoms and side-effects, offers hope for recovery, and provides comfort in hearing the story of someone who has been there. Ultimately, this is a story of hope and survival against incredible odds that offers lessons in resilience for all of us.

Bone by Bone shares Geralyn Ritter’s powerful story of resilience to offer support and encouragement for those suffering from pain and trauma, as well as for their caregivers. It deals honestly with the long-lasting impact of sudden trauma and extends hope – from the perspective of someone who has been there. And back.

In a further effort to help others who have experienced traumatic events, Geralyn Ritter will be giving 100% of her proceeds to trauma professionals, medicine, and survivors.

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews: Rotten To The Core by TE Kinsey #8 Lady Hardcastle Mystery

Today I welcome Sophia Rose back to the blog to share her review of, Rotten to the Core by TE Kinsey, #8 in his Lady Hardcastle Mystery series.
Enjoy!


Rotten to the Core by TE Kinsey

#8 Lady Hardcastle Mystery

Historical Mystery

Publisher:  Thomas & Mercer

Published: 6.6.22

Pages:  333

Rating: 4 stars

Format: eARC

Source: Net Galley

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

Summer 1911. A scorching heatwave engulfs the quiet town of Littleton Cotterell and brings about an unusually early harvest. The villagers are thrilled, but events quickly turn sour when one of them turns up dead in an apple orchard, stabbed through the heart.

Amateur sleuth Lady Hardcastle and her trusty lady’s maid, Flo, suddenly have a juicy case on their hands. Might the mysterious stranger they recently met in the village be to blame?

When a second cider-related murder takes place, it quickly becomes clear that there’s more to these mysterious deaths than meets the eye. The daring duo uncover whispers of an ancient order and moonlit rituals. And evidence points to a macabre secret in the village stretching back years. A secret someone will do anything―anything at all―to keep hidden.

Something is rotten, that’s for sure. With the local constabulary baffled, Lady Hardcastle and Flo must use all their powers of wit and whimsy to get to the bottom of the dastardly deed. But can they catch the killer before any more people drop dead?

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

#Simon&Schuster audio review of Darius by JR Ward

OMG I'm so excited to be bringing you this review. Fans who have been there since the beginning of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series know the story of Darius, know how he died, know he's Beth's sire. And luckily all we didn't know the Warden has now given us in Darius, a prequel to the series, A Simon and Schuster audio original.
Enjoy my #Simon&Schuster audio review and a shout out to them for gifting me this audio review copy.

ASIN: B09WTPM76H
Publisher: Simon and Schuster audio
Release Date: 7-19-2022
Length: 6hours-57minutes
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Amazon/ Chirpbooks

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

In this powerful audio exclusive, #1 New York Times bestseller J.R. Ward shares the star-crossed love story of listener favorite, and original member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Darius.

Darius, son of Marklon, isn’t looking for love the night destiny comes to claim him. He’s also not interested in crashing his new car. But when a human woman runs out into the road and he must swerve to avoid killing her...everything goes off course.

Disillusioned by his King’s lack of leadership and the losses in the war against the Lessening Society, Darius finds purpose in protecting a woman he cannot make his own. Love finds a way, however—until the truth of what he is comes out and she leaves him in horror.

Unbeknownst to them both, Anne is carrying his young, a female who is destined to be Queen—and after a tragic reunion, he vows to protect their daughter. Resigned to perpetual sadness, he is determined to serve the memory of his beloved no matter the cost...unless by some miracle, fate sees fit to once again bring them together.

Monday, July 18, 2022

Review - I Let You Fall Interview with author Sara Downing

Today on the blog is very special as I'm interviewing Sara Downing from across the pond, a new to me author whose new book, I Let You Fall, I just loved. She was also generous enough to do a Q&A with me. 
Enjoy!

ISBN-13:  978-1631611858
Publisher: Quilla Books
Release Date: 06-20-2022
Length: 338pp
Source: Author for review
Buy It: Amazon (free for kindleunlimited)/ B&N/ IndieBound 

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

A contemporary tale of tragedy, selflessness, love, and renewal.

On a summer night in London, art teacher Eve Chapman finds herself in a hospital emergency room. She watches surgeons desperately operate on a young woman with a terrible head injury. But when the bandages are removed, Eve is horrified to find her own body on the operating table.

Trapped in a coma, Eve struggles to cope with the fact that no matter how hard she tries, her family and friends cannot see or hear her. But then she meets Luca Diaz, a handsome and comatose lawyer who can see her. He takes Eve under his wing and teaches her how to use her new abilities to help the living.

As the weeks pass, Eve struggles to find a way back to her body and to Nathan, the man she loves. But the more time she spends with Luca, the more she wonders if her old life is worth going back to at all.



I Let You Fall lifts the spirits of fans of romantic dramas like The Time Traveler’s Wife, In Five Years, and Afterwards.

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick

Today Sophia Rose is reviewing a Southern coming of age story
Enjoy!


The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick

Southern Fiction

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Landmark

Published:  7.12.22

Pages:  306

Rating: 3.5 stars

Format: eARC

Source:  NetGalley

Sellers: Amazon

ADD TOO: GoodReads



GoodReads Blurb:

The backwaters of Georgia hold many buried secrets. But they won't stay buried forever.

One hot, sticky summer in Bledsoe, Georgia, twelve-year-old Kay Whitaker stumbles across a stilt house in a neighboring marsh and upon Andy Webber, a boy about her age. He and his father have recently moved back to Georgia from California, and rumors of the suspicious drowning death of Andy's mother years earlier have chased them there and back.

Kay is fascinated and enamored with Andy, and she doesn't listen when her father tells her to stay away from the Webbers. But when Kay's sister goes missing, the mystery of Mrs. Webber's death—and Kay's parents' potential role in it—comes to light. Kay and her brothers must navigate the layers of secrets that emerge in the course of the investigation as their family, and the world as they knew it, unravels around them.

At once wickedly funny and heartbreaking, it is an immersive coming-of-age story narrated by a feisty, smart, yet undeniably vulnerable girl reminiscent of a modern-day Scout Finch—a character who will live in readers' hearts for a long time to come.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

#GIVEAWAY #Audible Review - See You Next Tuesday by Ken Harris a Partners In Crime Virtual Tour

Today is my stop on the See You Next Tuesday tour, read all about it, see what I thought about the audio version and don't forget to enter the #Giveaway at the end.

See You Next Tuesday by Ken Harris Banner

See You Next Tuesday

by Ken Harris

July 11 - August 5, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

See You Next Tuesday by Ken Harris

From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish

PI Steve Rockfish's father loses part of his retirement savings in an online romance scam while partner Jawnie McGee handles the firm's newest client who spins a tale of alleged spousal infidelity. Rockfish ignores his current case load and becomes fixated on tracking down those responsible for the fraud. Restitution is coming in the form of cash or broken bones. At the same time, Jawnie's surveillance of the cheating spouse reveals more acts of kindness than sex leading to a client who doesn't want to believe the good news.

Unbeknownst to the partners, each investigative path leads the partners to the Church of the Universal Nurturing II where the fraud is on a cryptocurrency level. Their new SunCoin is marketed as the only post-rapture currency accepted inside the pearly gates. After all, who wants to show up to the after party with out-turned pockets and not get past Heaven's paywall?

Church elders court Rockfish and his new-found Hollywood wealth with an old-fashioned honey pot. The danger level ratchets up as Rockfish counters by sending the firm's two new confidential informants undercover only to find the church's endgame grift is larger and deadlier than anyone expected.

Monday, July 11, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews - Much Ado About Persuasion by Barbara Cornthwaite

Today on the blog Sophia Rose is back reviewing one of her favorite genres, historical romance and a clever mash up of two Classic tales. 
Enjoy!



Much Ado About Persuasion by Barbara Cornthwaite

Historical Romance

Publisher: Celebrate Lit Publishing

Published: 5.3.22

ASIN:  B09DPCD3P7

Pages:  215

Rating: 4 stars

Format: eARC

Source: author

Sellers: Amazon


ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

Some duel with swords, others with ships. In love, however, they duel with hearts.

When Sir Walter Elliot, secret admirer of the Navy, invites officers to visit his estate, what could be more natural than for his two daughters to find themselves in love?

Elizabeth Elliot’s legendary, bitter pride clashes with Admiral Baldwin’s stubborn conceit until any hope of a match seems impossible. They say love conquers all, but does it?

All looks hopeful for Anne Elliot and the dashing Captain Wentworth, but when a cousin steps in and sets evil plans into motion, is their love enough to withstand the storm, or is it best to let the captain sail that ship… alone?

Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing meets Jane Austen’s Persuasion in this story about trust, disappointment, and disguises.

 

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Sophia Rose Reviews - Heroic Hearts a selection of short stories edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L Hughes

Today I welcome Sophia Rose back to the blog for her review of an urban fantasy short story collection.
Enjoy!



Heroic Hearts edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L Hughes
Urban Fantasy
Publisher: ACE
Published:  5.3.22
Pages:  365
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source:  NetGalley
Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

An all-star urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, and more . . .

In this short story collection of courage, adventure, and magic, heroes—ordinary people who do the right thing—bravely step forward.

But running toward danger might cost them everything. . . .

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher’s “Little Things,” the pixie Toot-Toot discovers an invader unbeknownst to the wizard Harry Dresden . . . and in order to defeat it, he’ll have to team up with the dread cat Mister.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs’s “Dating Terrors,” the werewolf Asil finds an online date might just turn into something more—if she can escape the dark magic binding her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’s “The Return of the Mage,” the Britlingen mercenaries will discover more than they’ve bargained for when they answer the call of a distress beacon on a strange and remote world.

And in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s “Comfort Zone,” the necromancer Chloe Saunders and the werewolf Derek Souza are just trying to get through college. But they can’t refuse a ghost pleading for help.

ALSO INCLUDES STORIES BY Annie Bellet * Anne Bishop * Jennifer Brozek * Kevin Hearne * Nancy Holder * Kerrie L. Hughes * Chloe Neill * R.R. Virdi

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

#GIVEAWAY Man of War - Audio Blitz, Audible Review #CaffeinatedPR



Today we are joining author T. J. London in celebrating the release of the full cast narration of MAN OF WAR. Narrated by Nicholas Boulton, Kathryn Vinclare, Patrick Zeller, Marnye Young, Tara Langella, Jason Clark, John Hartley, Dryw McArthur and James Chetham, this high seas romantic adventure is the prequel to The Rebels and Redcoats Saga. Huzzah! 

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

#GIVEAWAY Showcase - Wolf Bog by Leslie Wheeler a Partners in Crime Virtual Tour

Today is my stop on the Wolf Bog by Leslie Wheeler blog tour, another of the fantastic offerings from Partners in Crime Virtual tours
Enjoy!

Wolf Bog by Leslie Wheeler Banner

Wolf Bog

by Leslie Wheeler

July 1-31, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Wolf Bog by Leslie Wheeler

It’s August in the Berkshires, and the area is suffering from a terrible drought. As wetlands dry up, the perfectly preserved body of a local man, missing for forty years, is discovered in Wolf Bog by a group of hikers that includes Kathryn Stinson. Who was he and what was his relationship with close friend Charlotte Hinckley, also on the hike, that would make Charlotte become distraught and blame herself for his death? Kathryn’s search for answers leads her to the discovery of fabulous parties held at the mansion up the hill from her rental house, where local teenagers like the deceased mingled with the offspring of the wealthy. Other questions dog the arrival of a woman claiming to be the daughter Charlotte gave up for adoption long ago. But is she really Charlotte’s daughter, and if not, what’s her game? Once again, Kathryn’s quest for the truth puts her in grave danger.

Praise for Wolf Bog:

“Wheeler’s deep sense of place—the Berkshires—illuminates a deftly woven plot and a quirky cast of characters that will keep you glued to the pages until the last stunning revelation. It’s always a pleasure to be in the hands of a pro.”

Kate Flora, Edgar and Anthony nominated author

“When a long-lost teenager turns up dead, a cold case turns into hot murder. A deliciously intriguing Berkshire mystery.”

Sarah Smith, Agatha Award-winning author
of The Vanished Child and Crimes and Survivors

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Amateur Sleuth/Suspense
Published by: Encircle Publishing
Publication Date: July 6, 2022
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 164599385X (ISBN-13: 978-1645993858)
Series: A Berkshire Hilltown Mystery, #3
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble