Release Blitz for A Good Book by Jewel E. Ann

 

A Good Book by Jewel E. Ann is now live! 

Gabriella Jacobson has one goal for her freshman year of college: Get Matthew Cory to fall in love with her.

Lucky for Gabby, her best friend, Ben, is attending the same college on a music scholarship. He is the perfect resource—girls love him, and he's more experienced with relationships than her, since she’s never had a boyfriend.

When Gabby panics before her first date with Matt, she begs Ben to show her how to kiss. But Ben has a secret, one he’s been keeping from Gabby for years. He’s in love with her.

One kiss turns into two, leaving Gabby confused and scared that their friendship might not survive the unforeseen emotions. She avoids Ben until something unexpected changes his life forever, and he’s forced to drop out of school.

Gabby tries to contact him, but he won’t respond. And Matthew Cory, her sister’s ex-boyfriend and handsome law student, is ready to fill the void Ben left behind.

Now that Gabby has the man she thought she wanted, can she forget about the boy who kissed her twice?

Dive into this unforgettable coming of age romance today!

  Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://readerlinks.com/l/4489506

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4jplKSP

Meet Jewel E. Ann

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she's not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance. 

 

Connect with Jewel

Website: https://www.jeweleann.com

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Release Blitz for Scarlett and the Kiss Thief by Ivy Smoak

 

Scarlett and the Kiss Thief by Ivy Smoak is now live!

I've never been kissed.

Because I saved my first kiss for my best friend, Axel Stevens.

And he gave his away to someone else like it meant nothing.

I was hoping that reinventing myself over the summer would make him finally see me. But I'm just as invisible as ever. Doomed to never being kissed.

Until a masked stranger pulls me into a dark closet and steals the kiss I'd been saving so long for someone else. Instead of pushing him off of me, I pull him closer. I've never felt so desired in my life. But then he walks away without even telling me his name.

And then he starts texting me, promising to steal all my firsts.

Is my kiss thief Axel? Is it someone else I know? Or is it a complete stranger?

The only hint I have is that he's a member of the football team. But I'm going to do whatever it takes to unmask my kiss thief.

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/43EghlT  

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/Scarlett1     

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3XC3jBa 

   

Meet Ivy Smoak

Ivy Smoak is the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon #1 bestselling author of The Hunted Series. Her books have sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

When she's not writing, you can find Ivy binge watching too many TV shows, taking long walks, playing outside, and generally refusing to act like an adult. She lives with her husband in Delaware.

 

Connect with Ivy

Website | https://www.ivysmoak.com/   

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Book Review for The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

 

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

Published:  May 20, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Asian Literature

 

Taken from Goodreads:  From the New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide 

 She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don't know the whole story. 

 Portland, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of the notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she's a "shanghaied" victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival—being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment—she fears that far more than her own fate lay at stake. 

 As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a goldminers' massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets can prove even more deadly than the dark recesses of Chinatown.

 A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.

 

My Thoughts:  Kristina McMorris is one of the top historical fiction writers that I have read.   The history that she shares is not well-known events, but they happened, and they deserve to be recognized.  The Girls of Good Fortune is a story of racial divide and bigotry.  

There are two storylines.  Celia’s past and the kidnapping storyline.  It took me some time to get invested in the story but once I did, I could not stop reading.  I loved Celia’s grit and strength.   The world she lives in is dangerous for her.   She does what she can to keep herself safe but also stand up for the Chinese that have been done wrong.  The kidnapping storyline is tough to read.   I cannot imagine the fear she felt as she was forced to make choices that might cause her to never get back to her home.

The Girls of Good Fortune is an amazing historical fiction book.   I could not put it down once the story got going.  I am in awe of all the research that must have been done by the author.  I recommend this book to any historical fiction reader.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Release Blitz for Enemies by Piper Lawson

 

Enemies by Piper Lawson is now live! 

I made a deal with my worst enemy. Now, he won’t let me go.

I had a plan: sign a contract, escape to Ibiza, and rebuild my life.
It didn’t include Harrison King. A British billionaire with a sharp mind, a sharper tongue, and a reputation as ruthless as his business empire.

He’s the reason my world went up in flames. The last person I’d ever trust.
But he offers me a way out. One that comes with fine print and even finer temptation…and I can’t afford to say no.

Now, I’m in his world. Under his roof. Following his rules.
The fire between us is impossible to ignore, and the more I learn about the man behind the tailored suits and cocky smirk, the more dangerous he becomes...

Not because he’s my enemy.
Because he might be something more.

The Enemies Trilogy is a complete, sizzling, high-stakes billionaire romance filled with fierce chemistry, breathtaking twists, and irresistible tension. Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, powerful heroes, and heroines who refuse to back down.

 Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo! 

https://books2read.com/EnemiesbyPiper

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/44AF2je

Audio Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor & Shane East

Meet Piper

Piper Lawson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of smart and steamy romance.

She writes women who follow their dreams, best friends who know your dirty secrets and love you anyway, and complex heroes you'll fall hard for.

Piper lives in Canada with her tall and brilliant husband. She's a sucker for dark eyes, dark coffee, and dark chocolate. 

 

Connect with Piper

Website: https://www.piperlawsonbooks.com

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Book Review for Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan

 

Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan

Published:  May 20, 2025 by William Morrow

Taken from Goodreads:  A modern comedy of manners about two mothers, the best-laid plans, and one very memorable wedding

Penelope and Chase make a lovely couple. She’s a bubbly Southern Californian with a killer work ethic. He is smart and charming, with political aspirations. They are planning a spectacular California wedding, wrapped in peonies and thousands of little white lights. Everyone is excited about it­­­­­­—except their mothers.

The mother of the bride, suave, Greek-born Alexa Diamandis, was a single mother by choice and does not understand why any woman would ever get married. The mother of the groom, Abigail Blakeman, is a garden-club stalwart firmly planted in coastal Connecticut. She thinks the whole enterprise would be so much easier if the wedding were at the golf club. When a sudden twist of fate calls them into action, these two very different women are forced to take over the wedding planning.

My Thoughts:  I am a mother of the bride as I write this review.   There are so many thoughts and actions in this book that I could relate to.  I enjoyed watching Abigail and Alexa make the wedding happen while keeping the bride happy.   It is a hard place to be and they had a few missteps and even more successes.   

Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding is a fun read.    There was no urgency for me to finish the book, the need to know was not there, but I enjoyed the family dynamics.  There was a unique relationship between the MOB and MOG, it was entirely relatable. 

This is a fun and easy read.   The storyline flows easily and is very entertaining.   If you have ever planned a wedding you will find something to relate to. 

 

Thank you William Morrow 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

 

Meet Lian Dolan(taken from her website):  Lian Dolan is a writer and talker. She’s the USA Today Bestselling author of The Marriage Sabbatical, a People Magazine Best Book of the Week, published by  William Morrow in April 2024.  Her other books are Lost and Found in Paris, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife- all LA Times bestsellers. She’s written regular columns for O, The Oprah Magazine, Pasadena Magazine and Working Mother Magazine. She’s also written for TV, radio and websites.  In 2024, she was inducted into the Vroman’s Walk of Fame for her contributions to the literary and philanthropic life of Pasadena. Her next book, Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding, will be published in May 2025.

Lian is the producer and host of Satellite Sisters, the award-winning talk show she created with her four real sisters. Satellite Sisters began life as a syndicated radio show on ABC Radio, bringing lively talk and interviews to the airwaves. The Satellite Sisters interviewed everyone from Nora Ephron to Big Bird. The show was honored with 13 Gracie Allen Awards for Excellence in Women’s Media. From 2009 to 2023, Satellite Sisters remained a top-rated podcast for women. In 2017, Lian was honored as a Podcast Pioneer by Women in Podcasting.

A speaker who combines humor and heart, Lian has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Sunday Morning and The Today Show and many local TV stations. She’s been a featured speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books, the Santa Barbara Celebrity Authors Lunch, the Literary Guild of Orange County Festival of Women Authors and dozens of other events at libraries, book stores, schools and women’s organizations across the country.

Lian graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Classics. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband Berick Treidler and two adult sons who live nearby but don’t come over as often as they should

 

 

Book Review for The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines by Pippa Latour, Jude Dobson

 

The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines by Pippa Latour, Jude Dobson

Published:  May 13, 2025 by St. Martin's Press

Genre:  Nonfiction, Memoir, History, WWII

Taken from Goodreads:  After decades of silence, the last surviving World War II British spy reveals the real, untold story of her time as a secret agent in the deadly world of Nazi France.

From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Selling soap to German soldiers and hiding codes on a piece of ribbon, she sent back crucial information about troop positions in the lead up to D-Day, and continued her work until Paris was liberated. From her childhood as an orphan in South Africa to her years as an undercover agent, Pippa's story is that of a woman determined to honor her principles and risk her life to fight against the greatest evil of the 20th century.

The Last Secret Agent is a posthumously published memoir, co-written with journalist Jude Dobson. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.

 

My Thoughts:  The Last Secret Agent is a real life story told by the person who lived a life that books are written about.   Almost every WWII historical fiction book I have read has a SOE agent in the story.  The Last Secret Agent is a firsthand nonfiction account of Pippa Latour’s life as a SOE agent. 

The book was written as I would expect Pippa to speak her story.  I could hear her voice as I read her story.  I could see the life she was living in the descriptions of her words.  The amazing places she travelled, whether in her everyday life or during her journeys as a spy.  The places she travelled, the people she met, and the way she lived had me in awe of her strength and willingness to put herself on the line to do her part during WWII. 

I love that she kept her life as a SOE agent a secret from everyone until her son’s found her on the internet, only then did she tell her story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Meet the authors (taken from Goodreads):  PIPPA LATOUR was the last surviving SEO agent, serving in France until its liberation. For seventy years, Pippa's contributions to the war effort were largely unheralded, but she was finally given her due in 2014 when she was awarded France's highest military decoration, the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour). She died in 2023 at age 102.

 

Jude Dobson (taken from her website):  Although my first chosen career was as a registered nurse, I soon got sidetracked into television and have stayed in media since 1989. I was the presenter of six different prime-time lifestyle shows through the 1990s and eventually hosted my own, 5:30 with Jude. Here’s the list of TV shows I have presented over the years. Come the 2000s I then created my own broadcast projects which still saw me on camera here and there, but my focus really moved to being behind the camera. I did however get talked into going on Dancing with the Stars in 2019, which was somewhat scary. But hey, life is meant to be a bit scary at times.

In 2002, after 13 years of being a presenter fulltime, I set up my own production company, with the intention of pitching and producing broadcast content I wanted to make. This enabled me to grow a new skill set of producing, directing, writing, and researching. I also find the funders to make those ideas come to life. Essentially, I like taking things that interest me and making them into stories that others will hopefully find interesting too. I am, in short, a storyteller.

I am also the founder of the NZ parenting website, Raising Children. Bringing up little people is a hugely important job. Speaking of which, I’m married to Graeme, and the best productions in my life have been our three children – who are now lovely young adults.