Thursday, March 31, 2022

Release Blitz for Breaking the Speed Limit by Melanie Moreland

 

 

Men of Reynolds Restoration: Hard as Steel - Guaranteed Performance

 

Breaking The Speed Limit by Melanie Moreland is now live!

 

Single, but unsettled, Stefano Borelli, spends his days creating masterpieces loved by his clients. Surrounded by family and friends, his loneliness still plagues him.

Until she bursts into his life. A stubborn woman with too much baggage, too much to say, and a child in tow.

Far too much trouble.

Except, he likes her spark. The way she refuses to listen. How beautiful she is with her son. How right she feels in his arms.

The way she makes him feel whole.

Can he convince her to give love a second chance?

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: http://mybook.to/BreakingSpeedLimit

Audible: https://adbl.co/3uzo3dC

Narrated by: Maxine Mitchell & John Lane

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/GRBreakSpeed

 

Meet Melanie


New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of thirty-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.

While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.

Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She's learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.

Connect with Melanie

Website: https://www.melaniemoreland.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7355350.Melanie_Moreland

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Moreland/e/B00GV6LB00

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormoreland

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MelaniesMinions

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morelandmelanie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorelandMelanie

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melaniemoreland

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/melanie-moreland

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melanie_moreland/

Other: https://bingebooks.com/author/melanie-moreland

Verve: https://ververomance.com/app/melaniemoreland

Book Review for The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey

 The Wedding Veil by  Kristy Woodson Harvey 

Hardcover, 416 pages

Publication: March 29th 2022 by Gallery Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Womens Fiction

 


From Goodreads:  The New York Times bestselling author of Under the Southern Sky and the Peachtree Bluff series brings “her signature wit, charm, and heart” (Woman’s World) to this sweeping new novel following four women across generations, bound by a beautiful wedding veil and a connection to the famous Vanderbilt family.


Four women. One family heirloom. A secret connection that will change their lives—and history as they know it.

Present Day: Julia Baxter’s wedding veil, bequeathed to her great-grandmother by a mysterious woman on a train in the 1930s, has passed through generations of her family as a symbol of a happy marriage. But on the morning of her wedding day, something tells her that even the veil’s good luck isn’t enough to make her marriage last forever. Overwhelmed and panicked, she escapes to the Virgin Islands to clear her head. Meanwhile, her grandmother Babs is also feeling shaken. Still grieving the death of her beloved husband, she decides to move out of the house they once shared and into a retirement community. Though she hopes it’s a new beginning, she does not expect to run into an old flame, dredging up the same complicated emotions she felt a lifetime ago.

1914: Socialite Edith Vanderbilt is struggling to manage the luxurious Biltmore Estate after the untimely death of her cherished husband. With 250 rooms to oversee and an entire village dependent on her family to stay afloat, Edith is determined to uphold the Vanderbilt legacy—and prepare her free-spirited daughter Cornelia to inherit it—in spite of her family’s deteriorating financial situation. But Cornelia has dreams of her own. Asheville, North Carolina has always been her safe haven away from the prying eyes of the press, but as she explores more of the rapidly changing world around her, she’s torn between upholding tradition and pursuing the exciting future that lies beyond Biltmore’s gilded gates.

In the vein of Therese Anne Fowler’s A Well-Behaved Woman and Jennifer Robson’s The GownThe Wedding Veil brings to vivid life a group of remarkable women forging their own paths—and explores the mystery of a national heirloom lost to time. 

My Thoughts:  I am a HUGE Kristy Woodson Harvey fan.  I have read all of her books and always look forward to reading her books.  This book is a historical fiction.  It is a look into the life of the Vanderbilts and their family heirlooms of the wedding veil.   Every woman has worn the veil and had a good marriage and happy life since wearing the Vanderbilt veil.   In current time Julia in the runaway bride, escaping from a cheating fiancĂ©e.  The Biltmore, which is where the Vanderbilts lived, is her favorite place to visit and study the history of the family and the architecture.   

Everything about this book is amazing.  I devoured each page, loving the dual timelines.  The characters were wonderful.  The storyline had me falling into the story and never wanting to leave.  I felt like I was invested in Julia finding her happiness. I was intrigued by the Vanderbilt family and their family dynamics.  I absolutely loved Babs, Julia’s grandmother.   She was full of wit, experience, and advice without being pushy. 

Kristy Woodson Harvey is a must-read author and I recommend all her books.   The Wedding Veil is her first steps into historical fiction and my favorite so far.

**Thank you Kristy Woodson Harvey for a print copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble


Meet Kristy Woodson Harvey: 
(Taken from her website)  Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of nine novels including Under the Southern Sky, The Peachtree Bluff Series, and the forthcoming The Wedding Veil. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing, a finalist for the Southern Book Prize, her work has been optioned for film and her books have received numerous accolades including:

  • Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads
  • Southern Living’s Best Spring Break Reads
  • Southern Independent Bookseller Association’s Okra Pick
  • Parade’s Big Fiction Reads Every Book Club Will Love
  • Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks
  • Us Weekly’s Sweet Reads for Right Now
  • Woman’s WorldBest Books
  • PopSugar’s Ultimate Summer Reading
  • USA Today Happy Ever After’s Best Women’s Fiction
  • New York Live’s “Ashley’s A-List”
  • Deep South Magazine’s Summer Reading List
  • Raleigh News & Observer‘s “The Best Reads of Summer”
  • Charlotte Observer’s “Summer’s Best Books”
  • Bustle’s Books to Read and Discuss With Your Mom and Grandma
  • Huffington Post’s Summer Reading: Women’s Fiction Style

She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life. Design Chic is the inaugural member of the design blogger hall of fame, sponsored by Traditional Home, and winner of Amara’s Best Luxury Blog, as chosen by Roberto Cavalli. She also loves connecting with readers on kristywoodsonharvey.com.

Harvey is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism and holds a master’s in English from East Carolina University, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Southern LivingTraditional HomeParadeUSA TodayDominoOur State and O. Henry. She has been seen in Today.comWomen’s Health,The Washington PostUS News and World ReportThe Huffington Post,Marie Claire’s The FixWoman’s World, Readers’ Digest, Bustle, New York Live and North Carolina Bookwatch, among others.

Kristy is a co-founder and co-host of the hit weekly webshow and podcast, Friends & Fiction, with fellow authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe. She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy Writers, serves on the board of The University of North Carolina’s Library Board, the Beaufort Historical Association, and is a member of the University of North Carolina’s Women’s Leadership Council. She is a frequent speaker at fundraisers, book conferences and private events. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and seven-year-old son where she is working on her next novel.

Praise for Kristy Woodson Harvey:

“The Secret to Southern Charm is a compelling, beautifully drawn tale of love, hope and small town secrets.  The richly detailed backdrop of a charming coastal town and the struggles and joys of four generations of women solidifies Kristy Woodson Harvey’s spot as a rising star of Southern Fiction.” —Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times Bestselling Author of Beach House for Rent

“A major new voice in Southern fiction.” —Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author

“Harvey pulls the reader into the hearts and souls of her characters.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author

“One of the hottest new Southern writers.” —Parade.com

“Southern fiction at its best. . . . Beautifully written.” —Eileen Goudge, New York Times bestselling author

“Sweet as sweet tea on the outside and strong as steel on the in- side. . . . Kristy Harvey is a natural.” —Ann Garvin, author of On Maggie’s Watch and The Dog Year Praise for Slightly South of Simple

“Kristy Woodson Harvey really knows how to tell a southern tale. Every single time her stories unwind gently, like a soft wind in Georgia, then that wind catches you off guard and throws you into her characters’ tumultuous lives. Slightly South of Simple is the same. One gracious, old home inherited from Grandma, one mother who has so many secrets if the walls talked they would pour out like lemonade on a hot summer day, and three head- strong sisters, all working their way through the chaotic mess and joy of life, together. I loved it.” —Cathy Lamb, New York Times bestselling author

“Kristy Woodson Harvey cuts to the heart of what it means to be a born-and-bred Southerner, complete with the unique re- sponsibilities, secrets and privileges that conveys. Discover four women who are at once different yet utterly the same, and a town that you won’t ever want to leave. Interior design, family secrets, life on the coast . . . it’s easy to see why everyone is buzzing about Slightly South of Simple.” —Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife and The Same Sweet Girls

“Heartfelt and warm, Slightly South of Simple deftly explores the familial ties that bind us—and those that have the power to break us. Kristy Woodson Harvey’s cast of characters—and the charming beach town of Peachtree Bluff—will crawl into your soul and stay there.” —Colleen Oakley, author of Close Enough to Touch

“Fans of Nancy Thayer and Patti Callahan Henry will devour this story of the first of three sisters, the men in their lives, and the mother who bonds them all.” —Booklist

“Harvey’s devotion to realistic character development pays off by the end of the novel, which provides clear resolutions to some plots and leaves other hanging in a way that practically begs for a sequel . . . Slightly South of Simple is so warm, inviting and real . . .” —Bookpage

“My prediction is that writers come and writers go, but Kristy Woodson Harvey is here to stay. The warmth, wit, and wisdom of this novel pave her way into the exclusive sisterhood of southern writers.” —Huffington Post

“With a charming, coastal Southern setting, Slightly South of Simple is a heartfelt story about the universal themes of love, loss, forgiveness and family. I’m thrilled to hear that this book is part of a series and look forward to getting to know this cast of strong Southern women even better.” —Deep South Magazine

“Harvey, considered to be the ‘it girl’ of Southern fiction, intro- duces the first novel in the Peachtree Bluff Series this spring. Child, this book is everything! We’re hoping to see this soapy read on the Hallmark Channel.” —Jamey Giddens, Daytime Confidential

“Full of heart, emotion, and Southern charm . . .” —PopSugar

“If you’re looking for a new series to get lost into, this story of three sisters and their mother will have you flying through the pages.” —Glitter Guide

Book Review for What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline

 What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline 

 Hardcover, 400 pages

Publication: March 29th 2022 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Genre:  Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction, Crime

 


Taken from Goodreads:  From #1 bestselling author Lisa Scottoline comes a pulse-pounding new novel.

Your family has been attacked, never again to be the same.
Now you have to choose between law…and justice.


Jason Bennett is a suburban dad who owns a court-reporting business, but one night, his life takes a horrific turn. He is driving his family home after his daughter’s lacrosse game when a pickup truck begins tailgating them, on a dark stretch of road. Suddenly two men jump from the pickup and pull guns on Jason, demanding the car. A horrific flash of violence changes his life forever.

Later that awful night, Jason and his family receive a visit from the FBI. The agents tell them that the carjackers were members of a dangerous drug-trafficking organization - and now Jason and his family are in their crosshairs. The agents advise the Bennetts to enter the witness protection program right away, and they have no choice but to agree. But WITSEC was designed to protect criminal informants, not law-abiding families. Taken from all they know, trapped in an unfamiliar life, the Bennetts begin to fall apart at the seams. Then Jason learns a shocking truth and realizes that he has to take matters into his own hands.

 

My Thoughts:  A family disappears from their home and town without a word to anyone.  Of course, rumors start to spread but the family has been directed to contact no one and do not use any social media that can be traced.  Someone horrible is after them and the FBI is doing all they can to keep them safe. 

There are so many levels to this plot.   Just when I thought I was figuring it out something else would be revealed that would make me questions what I thought I knew.  There were secrets on top of secrets, and I had no idea who to believe and who was just trying to through me off.   Everyone in the book had a secret.

I enjoyed that the father became the one who decided to solve the mystery of who was after them and why.  I liked that he took things into his own hands and put his own life at risk just to keep his family safe.  There were times I questioned his choices but somehow it all came together, and the father became a hero. 

What Happened to the Bennetts took me on a ride.  The twists and turns kept me turning pages and devouring each chapter needing to know what was going to happen next.  Lisa Scottoline is a must-read author for me and I am thrilled that she wrote a book that I could not put down.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble




Meet Lisa Scottoline
(taken from her website)  Lisa Scottoline is a #1 Bestselling Author, The New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels, including her latest work, Eternal, her first-ever historical novel.

She also writes a weekly column with her daughter Francesca Serritella for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective. These stories, along with many other never-before-published stories, have been collected in a New York Times bestselling series of humorous memoirs including their most recent, I See Life Through RosĂ©-Colored Glasses, and earlier books, I Need A Lifeguard Everywhere But The PoolI’ve Got Sand in All the Wrong Places; Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?; Have a Nice Guilt TripMeet Me at Emotional Baggage ClaimBest Friends, Occasional EnemiesMy Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space; and Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, which has been optioned for TV.

Lisa reviews popular fiction and non-fiction, and her reviews have appeared in The New York TimesThe Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Lisa has served as president of Mystery Writers of America and has taught a course she developed, “Justice and Fiction” at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her alma mater. Lisa is a regular and much-sought-after speaker at library and corporate events. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Lisa’s books have solidly landed on all the major bestseller lists including The New York TimesUSA TodayThe Wall Street JournalPublisher’s WeeklyThe Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times, and Look Again was named “One of the Best Novels of the Year” by The Washington Post, and one of the best books in the world as part of World Book Night 2013.

Lisa’s novels are known for their emotionality and their warm and down-to-earth characters, which resonate with readers and reviewers long after they have finished the books. When writing about Lisa’s Rosato & Associates series, Janet Maslin of The New York Times applauds Lisa’s books as “punchy, wisecracking thrillers” whose “characters are earthy, fun and self-deprecating” and distinguishes her as having “one of the best-branded franchise styles in current crime writing.”

Lisa’s contributions through her writing has been recognized by organizations throughout the country. She is the recipient of the Edgar Award, the Mystery Writer’s of America most prestigious honor, the Fun, Fearless, Fiction Award by Cosmopolitan magazine, and named a PW Innovator by Publisher’s Weekly. Lisa was honored with AudioFile’s Earphones Award and named Voice of the Year for her recording of her non-fiction book, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog. Each follow up collection, including the most recent, I See Life Through RosĂ©-Colored Glasses, has garnered both Lisa and her daughter, Francesca, Earphones Awards as well. In addition, she has been honored with a Distinguished Author Award from Scranton University, and a “Paving the Way” award from the University of Pennsylvania, Women in Business.

Lisa’s accomplishments all pale in comparison to what she considers her greatest achievement, raising, as a single mom, her beautiful (a completely unbiased opinion) daughter, an honors graduate of Harvard, New York Times bestselling author, and columnist, who is currently working on her first novel.

Lisa believes in writing what you know, and she puts so much of herself into her books. What you may or may not learn about Lisa from her books is that she is an incredibly generous person, an engaging and entertaining speaker, a die-hard Eagles fan, a good cook, and a vegetarian. She loves the color pink, has an incredible design sense, has recently taken up gardening and golf, and her musical taste includes everything from U2 to Sinatra to 50 Cent, she is proud to be an American, and nothing makes her happier than spending time with her daughter.

Lisa is also a regular softie when it comes to her furry family. Nothing can turn Lisa from a professional, career-minded author, to a mushy, sweet-talking, ball-throwing woman like her beloved dogs. Although she has owned and loves various dog breeds, including her amazing goldens, she has gone crazy for her collection of King Charles Spaniels.

Lisa first fell in love with the breed when Francesca added her Blehneim Cavalier, Pip, to the mix. This prompted Lisa to get her own, and she started with the adorable, if not anatomically incorrect, Little Tony, her first male dog (Lisa wrote a “Chick Wit” column about this). Little Tony is a black and tan Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But Lisa couldn’t stop at just one and soon added her little Peach, a Blehneim King Charles Cavalier. Lisa is now beyond thrilled to be raising Peach’s puppies, Daniel Boone and Kit Carson, and for pictures, be sure to follow Lisa on Facebook or Twitter. Herding together the entire pack is Lisa’s spunky spit-fire of a Corgi named Ruby. The solitude of writing isn’t very quiet with her furry family, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Not to be outshined by their canine counterparts, Lisa’s cats, Vivi and Mimi, are the princesses of the house, and have no problem keeping the rest of the brood in line. Vivi is a grey and white beauty and is more aloof than her cuddly, black and white partner, Mimi. When Lisa’s friend and neighbor passed, Lisa adopted his beloved cat, Spunky, a content and beautiful ball of fur, who lived to a ripe old age.

Lisa’s loves the coziness of her farmhouse, and no farm is complete without chickens. She has a chicken coop which she populated with chicks of different types, and is overjoyed with each and every colorful egg they produce. Watching over Lisa’s flock are her horses, which gladly welcome the chickens and all the excitement they bring.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Book Spotlight for Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto

 Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto 

Paperback, 304 pages

Publication: March 29th 2022 by Berkley Books

Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Cozy Mystery

 


Taken from Goodreads:  The aunties are back, fiercer than ever and ready to handle any catastrophe--even the mafia--in this delightful and hilarious sequel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties.

Meddy Chan has been to countless weddings, but she never imagined how her own would turn out. Now the day has arrived, and she can't wait to marry her college sweetheart, Nathan. Instead of having Ma and the aunts cater to her wedding, Meddy wants them to enjoy the day as guests. As a compromise, they find the perfect wedding vendors: a Chinese-Indonesian family-run company just like theirs. Meddy is hesitant at first, but she hits it off right away with the wedding photographer, Staphanie, who reminds Meddy of herself, down to the unfortunately misspelled name.

Meddy realizes that is where their similarities end, however, when she overhears Staphanie talking about taking out a target. Horrified, Meddy can't believe Staphanie and her family aren't just like her own, they are The Family--actual mafia, and they're using Meddy's wedding as a chance to conduct shady business. Her aunties and mother won't let Meddy's wedding ceremony become a murder scene--over their dead bodies--and will do whatever it takes to save her special day, even if it means taking on the mafia. 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

 


Meet the Author (Taken from Goodreads):
  Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids.

Book Review for The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

 The Diamond Eye  by  Kate Quinn 

Hardcover, 448 pages

Publication: March 29th 2022 by William Morrow & Company

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII, Russia

 


From Goodreads:  The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.


In the snowbound city of Kiev, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever. 

My Thoughts:  I am a WWII book junkie.  I especially love reading a fiction book based on a true story with a unique storyline.  The Diamond Eye is exactly that.   The story tells of the well known horrors of war but this story is unique because it is told from the point of view of a sharpshooter.  A woman sniper.  It was rare for women to be on the frontline during WWII but Mila is not only on the frontline, she is a sniper with over 300 kills. 

I did not know as much about Russia’s part in WWII as I thought I did.  I was amazed at the smaller sizes of their military and that they had many women involved not just in the medical aspect but in the fighting aspect of the war.  The Diamond Eye is rich in history and it is history I will remember because of the way Kate Quinn wrote the book.  She made the characters real.   The storyline flowed perfectly with great details given so I could picture what Mila was having to live through. 

I have been a fan of Kate Quinn for a while and The Diamond Eye just cemented her in the must-read list of authors.  I highly recommend this book for any historical fiction reader.  I am sure this will be in my top books of 2022 list.

**Thank you William Morrow Books for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

 


Meet Kate Quinn
:  (Taken from Kate’s website)  Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” and “The Diamond Eye.” All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with three rescue dogs.

 

 

 

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Book Blitz for Love You Wrong by Julia Kent with a GIVEAWAY

 

Love You Wrong
Julia Kent
(Love You, Maine, #0.5)
Publication date: March 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Two young do-gooders working to change the world find friendship and maybe more in a cutthroat business, but when the stakes are higher than they ever imagined, will a betrayal bring them together—or ruin everything?

Kellan “Kell” Luview is a new man. He left his tourist-trap small town and his dad’s business behind in rural Maine for a position at an environmental policy think tank in Washington, D.C. More comfortable climbing trees than talking about them, he’s determined to stretch his wings as he builds a new life with an ambitious girlfriend and smart friends who are just as dedicated as he is.

Despite his love for his work and the excitement of D.C., he feels pulled in too many directions when his girlfriend Alissa starts acting weird, his best friend Rachel needs an embarrassing, public rescue, and his mom hints that things are not going well at home in Luview–“Love You”–Maine, where every day is Valentine’s Day.

As a shocking betrayal shakes the very foundation of everything he believes in, Kell must decide who to trust, who to challenge, who needs him most—and figure out fast whether Rachel’s warnings about his girlfriend are credible.

Or yet another tactical maneuver in a city founded on them.

Unraveling the mystery of who to believe pits Kell against Rachel in a battle where the truth is uncertain and hearts are just collateral damage as ambition rules over feelings.

But Kell’s had enough.

More than enough.

Time to decide what kind of man he is—and who to trust.

Love You Wrong is a novel-length prequel (40,000 words), introducing New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Julia Kent’s new Love You, Maine series. If you love rom coms about friends who are meant for more, deep intrigue, big misunderstandings, tests of loyalty, and small town/big city clashes, then pick up this prequel and try out a new-to-you series.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

They all burst into derisive laughter that hurt Kell’s heart a little.

All except Rachel. She didn’t laugh. Instead, she tilted her head and studied him.

Aha. An ally.

Until she opened her mouth and said, “I think that a tourist trap in the middle of backwoods Maine, where everything’s red, white, and pink, all heart-shaped gooey schlock, is so environmentally wasteful.”

Oh, great. Here it came again. They’d been arguing about this all year.

“She has a point,” Alissa said, but this time, something deep inside Kell couldn’t take it. Maybe the beer hit him wrong, or the stress of waiting for job offers was getting to him. Perhaps Alissa’s mixed signals got under his skin. Or maybe he just was tired?

No. It was definitely Alissa’s mixed signals.

Instead of arguing, he stood and tossed a twenty on the table, feeling the tight smile on his face.

“I gotta run. More job applications, you know.”

“Come on, Kell. Don’t be like that,” Alissa insisted, grabbing his arm.

He gently extracted himself. “I have to FaceTime with my niece in an hour anyhow.”

“You’re leaving happy hour so you can babble at a baby?” One of Alissa’s eyebrows had risen with so much judgment, it clinched his decision.

“Bye, all.” He kissed the top of Alissa’s head. “Text me.”

And he walked off toward the crosswalk, not quite angry, not quite hurt, not quite… anything.

Except confused.


Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.
From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

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Book Blitz for Iron & Ink by Melanie Munton with a GIVEAWAY

 

Iron & Ink
Melanie Munton
(Brooklyn Brothers, #5)
Publication date: March 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

We are the Rossetti’s.

The exiled “sixth family” of the New York mafia. We’re the good guys.

People don’t fear us…much. They respect us.

The five of us? We’re the Brooklyn Brothers.

And we protect what’s ours.

After a gunshot wound to the chest, I died on an operating table. Then I came back to life. Yet the thing that’s going to take me down is a redheaded Irish bartender who has a pension for trouble and drinking me under the table. Ash Donahue is brave, beautiful, and scarily street wise. In fact, she’s the only woman I’ve ever met who seems remotely capable of handling the kind of baggage a man like me comes with.

Not to mention, she has secrets that could very well rival my own.

I’m a soldier, a warrior. That’s all I’ll ever be. No woman wants to be strapped with that for the rest of her life. But every time we remind ourselves why we’re completely wrong for each other, we end up tangled together in the stock room. Or on top of the bar. Or against a wall.

That all changes when I find out what brought her to my city. How could she not tell me her uncle is the Irish mob boss? And how am I supposed to protect her from him and my family from our countless enemies, all at the same time?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Ash

The stock room wasn’t refrigerated, but I still pressed my forehead against some beer bottles for relief. The glass was marginally cool, and I would take anything to help diminish the flames culminating south of my belly button.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me and spun around, pulse skittering out of control. Rome’s body was inches from mine, close enough for his heat to permeate the space between us and turn my flesh feverish.

His deep grumble rolled over my skin. “Need a hand?”

Yes, but not with the beer.

“I, um, think I’ve got it. Not my first time.”

His eyes rolled closed, a soft groan escaping his mouth.

“I meant with the restocking—”

“Stop talking, Ash.”

I did. And waited to see what he would do. Because in that exact moment, I realized I would let him. Whatever he wanted. Vibrations were pulsing off of him, almost like he was fighting his own restraint. He inched forward slightly, bringing our chests within grazing distance.

And wow.

Rome was huge. Much taller than my willowy five-foot-seven frame and nothing but rock hard muscle wrapped around a broad, warrior-like frame. I wanted to shove the leather jacket from his shoulders and rip that gray t-shirt off so I could see just how much of his body those wicked tattoos covered.

My breath hitched when he raised his arms. Instead of touching me with them, he pressed his hands against the shelf of beer cases at my back. He caged me between those muscular arms, making it clear I wasn’t going anywhere until he was ready to let me go. His breathing was labored, same as mine. I wondered if his heartrate was as out of control as mine too.

“I don’t usually say much.”

I nodded in understanding. I wasn’t asking him to be chatty. Or to be anything other than what he really was.

“But I’m finding myself wanting to say a whole damn lot around you.”

“Like what?” I whispered.

He tilted his head, running his nose from my temple down to my jaw. “Like telling you about some of the things I want to do to you.”

“Such as?” I was breathless.

It was like he was relieved I’d asked. “These jeans you wear sit really low, Ash. Too fucking low.” The scruff of his beard brushed my cheek, though it wasn’t coarse and scratchy. “It makes me think there’s no room in there for your panties. I want to push them down even lower, just to check.”

Beer bottles clinked as my head fell back, leaving my neck exposed. “How’d you know?”

“How did I know what?”

“That I’m not wearing any?”

Goddammit, woman.”

My hips were squeezed, moved, and situated in between his. My thighs cradled the thick ridge in his jeans that rubbed against my sex so emphatically, I was already throbbing down there. Dripping down there. He was grinding it against me in slow, small thrusts that felt more like a rough petting.

I’d never been so singularly hot for someone in my life.

“What else do you want to do?”

“You just short-circuited my brain,” he growled. “And you expect me to still have the ability to think?”

He claimed he didn’t talk much, but he was really good at it.

“Power through, tough guy.”

Careful. You get too close to fire and you’re going to get burned…


Author Bio:

Melanie grew up in the Midwest, but she loves living in the Southeast (where the beaches are!) now with her husband and daughter.
Melanie's other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible.
She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together...ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty.
At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love.
Go visit Melanie's website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!

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Book Review for The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White

 The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White 

Hardcover, 384 pages

Publication: March 29th 2022 by Berkley Books

Genre:  Mystery Thriller, Paranormal

 


Taken from Goodreads: The first in a new spinoff series of Karen White's New York Times bestselling Tradd Street novels.


After a difficult hiccup 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, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who can--even if he's the last person on earth she wants anything to do with, ever again. Because Beau Ryan comes with his own dark past, a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina, and the unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole Cottage Nola is determined to make her own whether or not the resident restless spirits agree... 

My Thoughts:  I was so sad when Karen White ended her Tradd Street novel but even more excited when I heard she was starting a new series featuring Nola.  But… would the new series live up to the original?  YES!  It lived up to it and is just as amazing.   The paranormal appearances were perfect, and Noal and the other characters have a wonderful story to tell. 

I was so intrigued by the house Nola was compelled to purchase.  From the first steps inside there was no doubt that there was another presence there.   I needed to know what the presence was and how was it connected to Nola and Beau.  I loved putting the clues together to solve the mystery and am happy to say that I had it mostly put together. 

Mimi, Beau’s grandmother, was interesting.  Her character is one that I am hoping for more of in future books in this series.  I feel like she has a lot more to share.   Her story has to have more to it, her life has to be very unique and interesting.

The ending... AMAZING!  Leaving me ready for book two.   What a twist.  I had no idea that was where the story would end.

**Thank you Dache' J. Rogers at Berkley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble


Meet Karen White: (Taken from Karen’s website) Karen White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 31 books, including the Tradd Street series, The Last Night in London, Dreams of Falling, The Night the Lights Went OutFlight Patterns, The Sound of Glass, and A Long Time Gone. She is the coauthor of All the Ways We Said Goodbye, The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room with New York Times bestselling authors Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. She grew up in London but now lives with her husband near Atlanta, Georgia.


More About Karen

With almost two million books in print in fifteen different languages, Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 29 novels, including the popular Charleston-set Tradd Street mystery series.

Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mysteryin her hands.

Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set.  Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.

Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.

Karen’s next book, The Shop on Royal Street, is due out March 29th and is the first book in a brand new series set in New Orleans and starring Nola Trenholm from the Tradd Street series.  Following on May 17th will be the publication of the fourth collaboration with Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig, The Lost Summers of Newport.

When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, singing, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and a spoiled Havanese dog, Sophie, and divides her time between Atlanta, Georgia and the northwest Florida coast.