REVIEW & EXCERPT of The Birthday List by Devney Perry

     

Happily married to her college sweetheart, Poppy lived a blessed life with the husband of her dreams. Then everything changed. She is no longer a wife. She is no longer the envy of her single friends. Now, people look at her with pity as they whisper a single word behind her back.

Widow.

Years after her husband’s tragic death, years of pain and sorrow and wishing for the life she’ll never get back, Poppy decides to finish Jamie’s birthday list. She’ll do the things he wanted to most. Because maybe, just maybe, if she can complete his list, she can start to live again.

Poppy expects going through the birthday list will be hard. She expects it to hurt. But what she doesn’t expect is Cole. Could the man who delivered the news of her husband’s death and shattered her heart be the one to help her put it back together again?

My Thoughts…

Once I started reading The Birthday List I could not put the book down.   I was sneaking away to read a few more pages, a few more words, or hopefully a few more chapters.   

The characters pulled me in.   Poppy was the perfect widow, if there is such a thing.     She loves her husband and wants to finish his wish list and hopefully be able to move on with her life.     Then I met Cole.   Sigh, talk about the perfect man.    Not only is he instantly attracted to Poppy but he is the most accepting, understanding, welcoming man I have ever read about.    He understands that Poppy has to do the wish list in order to be open to a relationship with him.    I LOVE that he willingly agrees to help her with the list.   

While the restaurant Poppy opens is not the focus, it is a major place in the book.   I could easily relate to the crowds, the quirky customers, the customers who become friends, and the hard work put into running it.   My family has owned a family diner for many years and I have firsthand experience at the hours, the work, and the fun of working with family.

The lesson I learned while reading The Birthday List is that it is okay to not forget the love ones who passed away but it is just as okay to keep living.     Life is important and if those who passed love you they would want you to keep living.     I am lucky enough to not have a lot of experience with the death of loved ones but I am hoping this will stay with me as I continue living my life.  

While this could have been a sad, poor me story I found it more uplifting, loving, and a living story.   I recommend picking up your copy.    The Birthday List will be a book that you will not be able to put down and the story will stay with you long after you are done reading.

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 Turning to the door, I smiled, ready to greet my late-evening customer, but faltered as the door closed behind him. Cole Goodman was walking my way. My belly dipped as I took him in. His aviator sunglasses were perched on top of his chocolate-brown hair. A black polo stretched across his broad shoulders and pulled tight across his muscled arms. His pale-blue jeans molded to his Herculean thighs before draping down to his black, square-toed boots. The leather belt on Cole’s trim waist held both a shining badge and a holstered gun. Cole smiled and locked his light-green eyes on mine as he crossed the room. His straight, white teeth made my breath hitch—something that had happened last night more times than I wanted to admit. Molly, who had turned around from her seat to greet our customer, spun around so her back was to Cole. Her cheeks flushed as she whispered, “Wow.” Wow was right. Cole Goodman was—simply put—gorgeous. He could give a woman a speeding ticket and get a thank-you in return. He inspired women to attempt push-ups in a karate class just for the chance to watch him sweat through his gi. Cole made grown women blush like teenagers and giggle in corners, like those girls at the dojo last night.

           

 Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.

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REVIEW of Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: April 3rd 2018 by Berkley

Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful."--#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

Named A Highly Anticipated Book for 2018 by InStyle.com, Elite Daily, and Hello Giggles!

The author of The Garden of Small Beginnings returns with a hilarious and poignant new novel about four families, their neighborhood carpool, and the affair that changes everything.

At any given moment in other people's houses, you can find...repressed hopes and dreams...moments of unexpected joy...someone making love on the floor to a man who is most definitely not her husband...

*record scratch*

As the longtime local carpool mom, Frances Bloom is sometimes an unwilling witness to her neighbors' private lives. She knows her cousin is hiding her desire for another baby from her spouse, Bill Horton's wife is mysteriously missing, and now this...

After the shock of seeing Anne Porter in all her extramarital glory, Frances vows to stay in her own lane. But that's a notion easier said than done when Anne's husband throws her out a couple of days later. The repercussions of the affair reverberate through the four carpool families--and Frances finds herself navigating a moral minefield that could make or break a marriage.

My Thoughts…

Other People’s Houses is such a realistic story.   Maybe not all the storylines would be happening at the same time, but it is the idea that closed doors every family has their own world happening.    As the neighbors look on, there are things that should be kept private yet in a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone it is close to impossible.     Many times the happenings behind closed doors become more drama than they have to be just because of other’s opinions, “help”, or just plain nosiness.      

Frances was the know all in her neighborhood.   Probably due to the fact that she was the stay at home mom that everyone turned to when they needed help.    She was given an inside look, through the kids especially, behind the walls of her neighbors.     She tried to help everyone,  she had her nose in everyone’s household, but she was not the gossip.   She knew what was happening, she was willing to help, and she didn’t spread their gossip around.   

The other characters all tell their story but Frances is the main narrator.   I liked being able to hear firsthand what has happening in their lives and getting an inside look at their lives.     Some of the problems were heavy, some were not so heavy, but all were realistic to the real lives in US.   I laughed, I blushed, and I felt compassion for most of the characters.    I am recommending this book to anyone who enjoys getting an inside look at the lives of others.

Thank you Ryanne Probst at Berkley Publishing for a copy of the group in exchange for an honest review.

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EXCERPT...

Frances pulled into the elementary school lot and Ava got out, sighing as if she were a fourteen-year-old Victorian child disembarking for her day down the mine. She pulled open the door and swung her arm wide.

“Medium-size children may now escape. Mind the gap, and watch out for speeding moms on cell phones.”

The children had already unbuckled and piled out, high-fiving Ava as they passed her. Kate stopped, and Frances turned to see what was up. The little girl’s face was a study in conflict.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

Kate looked at Frances, and her chin wobbled.

“I left my toilet roll tubes at home.”

“Oh.” Frances looked at her eldest child. Ava shrugged, looking back inside the open minivan.

“They aren’t in the car.”

“Oh, OK.” Frances smiled at Kate. “I’m sure the teacher will have lots of extras.” She herself had, over time, sent in three thousand toilet roll tubes. For all she knew they were building a particle collider out of them, or an accurate re-creation of the New York subway system. Let’s hope they didn’t use the obvious choice for subway trains.

“No, I have to have my own ones.” Kate’s eyes were filling with tears, her shit-fit indicator was dropping to DEFCON 3. “It’s for the class project. Everyone else will have them.”

Frances weighed her options. On the one hand Kate was only six, and would not only survive but would forget the trauma of not having had toilet roll tubes. But on the other hand, she was a member of the Yakuza-esque organization known as Miss Lollio’s First Grade Class, whose members fell on the weakest like wolves on a lamb. Forgetting to bring toilet roll tubes and having to borrow some was a Noticeable Event to be avoided at all costs. It wasn’t on the level of peeing oneself, of course, it wasn’t going to give rise to a nickname you couldn’t shake until college, but it wasn’t great.

“My mommy put them in a bag, but she forgot to give them to me.” A note of accusatory steel had entered her voice. Frances gazed at the little angel, whose mother had been heard calling her Butterblossom. Kate’s eyes had gone flat like a shark’s. She knew she would get what she wanted, the only question was when. I am younger than you, old lady, her eyes said, and I will stand here until age makes you infirm, at which time I will push you down, crunch over your brittle bones, and get the toilet roll tubes I need.

“Alright, Kate. I’ll go back and get them after I drop Ava, OK, and bring them back to school for you.” Frances knew she was being played, but it was OK. She was softhearted, and she could live with that.

“Suckah . . .” Ava headed back to her seat, shaking her head over her mother’s weakness, a weakness she loved to take advantage of herself.

“Thanks, Frances!” Kate beamed an enormous smile, turned, and ran off—the transformation from tremulous waif to bouncy cherub instantaneous. Behind her in the line of cars, someone tapped their horn. OK, the brief honk said, we waited while you dealt with whatever mini crisis was caused by your piss-poor parenting, because we’re nice like that, but now you can get a move on because we, like everyone else in this line, have Shit to Do. Amazing how much a second of blaring horn can communicate.

Frances waved an apologetic hand out of the car window, and pulled out of the gate.

She dropped the other kids and was back at Anne’s house in a half hour. Having carpool duty wasn’t the onerous task the other parents thought it was: All three schools were close to home, and all four families lived on the same block. As Frances ran up to Anne’s door she looked over and saw her own cat, Carlton, watching her. She waved. He blinked and looked away, embarrassed for both of them.

She knocked softly on the door, but no one answered. Maybe Anne had gone back to sleep. She turned the handle and pushed open the door, peering around. Yup, there was the bag of toilet roll tubes. She grabbed it and was about to shut the door again when she saw Anne lying on the floor, her face turned away, her long hair spilling across the rug.

“Anne! Holy crap, are you OK?” But as she said it her brain started processing what she was really seeing. Anne, on the floor, check. But now she’d turned her head and Frances realized she was fine. In fact, she was better than fine. Frances had instinctively stepped over the sill and now she saw that Anne was naked, her face flushed, a man between her legs, his head below her waist.

“Shit . . .” Frances dropped her eyes, began to back out, “Sorry, Anne, Kate forgot her toilet roll tubes . . .” Stupidly she raised her hand with the Whole Foods bag in it because, of course, that would make it better, that she’d interrupted Anne and Charlie having a quickie on the living room floor. It was OK, because she was just here for the toilet roll tubes. Nothing to see here, move along.

The man realized something was wrong, finally, and raised his head, looking first at Anne and then turning to see what she was looking at, why her face was so pale when seconds before it had been so warmly flushed.

Frances was nearly through the door, it was closing fast, but not before she saw that it wasn’t Charlie at all. It was someone else entirely.

Frances closed the door and heard it click shut.

COVER REVEAL of Rusty Nail by Nazarea Andrews

 

Today we are celebrating the cover reveal of RUSTY NAIL by Nazarea Andrews. Rusty Nail is an adult contemporary romance, standalone novel, and it is the second book in the brand new River Street Bar series. It releases on May 10th. Pre-order links will be live soon. You can sign up for Nazarea's newsletter for exclusive details.

 

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RUSTY NAIL by Nazarea Andrews

A Standalone Contemporary Romance

(River Street Bar series, #2)

Blurb:

In a small town, rumor is everything…

Life came easy to him.

Town playboy Aidric Jones has it all: money, women, a life without responsibility. Until his house burns down and a daughter he doesn't know lands on his doorstep. No one expects him to step up, to grow up, but he finds disappointment is different when someone is counting on him.

And everyone is whispering…

Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks everyone knew Olivia Buckley was going to end up pregnant and stuck in River City with a deadbeat boyfriend. Now she’s a single mom working for her parent’s construction company, unable to escape a reputation she hates. She’s fighting like hell to make a life for herself and her son, to prove everyone wrong.

They’re two people with nothing in common except a falling down house, two angry kids, and a town full of rumors--but maybe that’s enough

They’ll give them something to talk about…

EXCERPT:

When I step into the cafe, I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for.

The meeting I’d set up with the owner of Buckley Contractors and Construction had been vague at best, but they were who Natalie used to renovate her home a few years back so I was hoping this panned out.

I order a caramel macchiato and glance around the room.

“Aidric,” a clear voice calls and I twist.

Oh.

Oh.

“Olivia Buckley,” I murmur, approaching the tiny table with a slow smile twisting up my lips.

I remember Ollie from high school, though she was a few years younger than me, and I’ve seen her, over the years--the town is too small to not run into her. But I was never close to her, and after she had a little boy two months after graduation, everything I knew about the smart, pretty girl vanished.

There was only a serious single mom intent on doing the best she could for her son.

“How are you?” I ask, and she lifts an eyebrow.

“This isn’t time to catch up, Aidric,” she says, her voice dripping amusement.

“Why are you here?” I ask, but it makes a twisted sort of sense and I answer my own question. “You took your father’s company.”

She nods, something proud and unspeakably tired in her gaze.

“Interesting,” I say, softly. “Then I assume you know why I’m here--what I want.”

She frowns at me. “You still--you don’t mind hiring me?”

“Why the hell would I? John Buckley built a strong company and if he left it in your hands, I’m not sure I have anything to worry about.”

“He isn’t part of the company anymore, though.”

I frown and give Ollie a severe look. “Are you trying to talk me out of hiring you?”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binge watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. N is a self-professed geek and enjoys spending her spare time lost in her favorite fandoms and can often be found babbling about them on social media. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.
 

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SPOTLIGHT of Swimming Between Worlds by Elaine Neil Orr

Published April 1st 2018 by Berkley Books

From critically acclaimed writer Elaine Neil Orr, a Southern coming-of-age novel that sets three very different young people against the tumultuous years of the American Civil Rights movement.

The lives of one young woman and two young men collide in a small neighborhood in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Kate, a recent college graduate, is still reeling from the deaths of her beloved parents when the discovery of hidden letters forces her to re-examine everything she knew about her family. Tacker, a young engineering student and all-around boy-hero, has returned from a West African odyssey where he fell in love with the local culture but was sent home in shame. Kate's and Tacker's stories come together when, on the same day and in different moments, they encounter a young African-American man named Gaines. The relationship that develops between the three is complicated, as each one searches for love, freedom, and new beginnings. 

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About the author

Elaine Neil Orr is professor of English at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where she teaches world literature and creative writing. She also serves on the faculty of the low-residency MFA in Writing program at Spalding University in Louisville. Author of A Different Sun, two scholarly books, and the memoir Gods of Noonday: A White Girl's African Life, she has been a featured speaker and writer-in-residence at numerous universities and conferences and is a frequent fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She grew up in Nigeria.

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY of Before I Let You Go by Kelly Rimmer

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: April 3rd 2018 by Graydon House

The 2:00 a.m. call is the first time Lexie Vidler has heard her sister’s voice in years. Annie is a drug addict, a thief, a liar—and in trouble, again. Lexie has always bailed Annie out, given her money, a place to sleep, sent her to every kind of rehab. But this time, she’s not just strung out—she’s pregnant and in premature labor. If she goes to the hospital, she’ll lose custody of her baby—maybe even go to prison. But the alternative is unthinkable.

As weeks unfold, Lexie finds herself caring for her fragile newborn niece while her carefully ordered life is collapsing around her. She’s in danger of losing her job, and her fiancé only has so much patience for Annie’s drama. In court-ordered rehab, Annie attempts to halt her downward spiral by confronting long-buried secrets from the sisters’ childhood, ghosts that Lexie doesn’t want to face. But will the journey heal Annie, or lead her down a darker path?

Both candid and compassionate, Before I Let You Go explores a hotly divisive topic and asks how far the ties of family love can be stretched before they finally break. 

My Thoughts…

I started this book with mixed feelings.    There was no doubt that it would be a tough story to read.    Kelly Rimmer wrote about drug abuse, sexual abuse, cult living, loss of a father, and having to grow up too fast.   There is nothing easy about any of those topics but she managed to take care and write a truthful and hard story without making lite of them.  My eyes were open with the loss of a father and how it can change everything in your life.   My heart was filled and then broke with the love between the sisters.      I had tears, I smiled, I giggled, and I sighed all while enjoying every page of Before I Let You Go.

Lexie drove me nutty.    She had been in charge of her life, 100% in charge, for so long that she refused to ask or accept help from anyone.   It was a constant issue between her and her fiancé, it was a problem with her career, and it was a problem in her life.    I wanted to her to ask for help, I needed her to ask for help, but I understood why it was so difficult for her to do so.    If she gave up any part of the control her life could spiral out of control.   As a child, after her dad died, she didn’t have control and she lost control, having the roughest years.   Her fiancé was a hero to me.   He put up with her inability to ask for help, he accepted that her sister needed help, and he didn’t pressure her to live life his way.   He accepted her as she was with her flaws and supported her.  

Before I Let You Go is not easy to read.   It is tough, it is raw, and it is heartbreaking.   Yet, I am so very happy to have had the chance to read this story.     The story made me think and made me open my heart to some amazing characters.   

                           

Thank you Katie Olsen at Little Bird Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  

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RELEASE LAUNCH of The Secret Thief by Nina Lane

       

Behind his beautiful eyes Lay a thousand secrets and lies. But my own secrets are all laid bare The twisted reality of a disgraceful affair. I once deciphered the mysteries hidden in art Then mistakes and desire tore me apart. Now I'm shipwrecked at the end of the earth Desperate again to prove my worth. The lighthouse keeper is a stranger to me Yet one night with him sets me free. We find ourselves united by the stars above Both of us needing the salvation of love. Until our secrets and shame continue to build And what was flourishing will soon be killed.

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The minute Flynn opens the workroom door, my whole body zings with excitement and anticipation. Even with his dark frown, the remoteness surrounding him like an aura, the clipped tone of his voice, I react to him as if he were stroking my hair and whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Jeremy hadn’t come close to eliciting anything even close to this…which is exactly the reason I’ll go out with him again, if he asks me. Jeremy is solid, grounded, honest. Everything about Flynn is a mystery and a fantasy. I’d gotten caught up in a fantasy with David—whose “mystery” had been a lie—and I’d paid the price. Never again. “How was your weekend?” I set my satchel and lunch bag on the desk. “Fine. Yours?” “Great.” I give him a once-over, looking for evidence of an encounter with a chick, but while he looks edible in his worn jeans and T-shirt, like a warm, rumpled bed I could nestle right into, his demeanor is as impassive as ever. Does he ever smile? Every now and then I’ve caught a glimpse of amusement, a twitch of his mouth, but I’ve yet to see him fully smile. “Any special instructions for today?” I turn on the laptop computer and open my notebook. “Stay away from Jeremy King.” Shock bolts down my spine. I jerk my head up to stare at him. He’s watching me with a narrowed gaze, his mouth set in a stern line. “Um…what?” I can’t get another word out. “Stay away from him,” Flynn repeats. “He’s not good for you.” Irritation breaks past my shock. “How would you know who is or isn’t good for me? You’ve barely said twenty words to me the whole week I’ve been working here.” “I don’t need to say anything to know the facts.” His tone hardens. “I don’t want you around him.” “Well, you have no right to tell me that,” I retort. “How did you know I went on a date with him anyway?” His jaw tightens. “You think people around here don’t take notice when their favorite son is out having dinner with the new girl in town?” Christ. I experience a sudden longing for the cold anonymity of a big city. “I know people are talking about me,” I snap. “But I refuse to let gossip dictate what I can and can’t do. And for your information, Jeremy knows about what happened to me, and it didn’t seem to bother him.” “That’s not the point. You can’t work for me and see him.” My shoulders tense. I focus on the computer, hitting the key to bring up the database software. “My date with Jeremy has nothing to do with my work here,” I reply stiffly. “I didn’t, and won’t, tell him anything about the job or the fact that you’re my employer. You don’t need to worry about breach of contract.” “This isn’t about the damned contract.” His voice is suddenly sharp. He steps closer to me, his soapy, warm scent filling my nose. I hold my ground, not wanting him to see me weaken even though I’m melting inside at his nearness. Impassive though he is on the exterior, I can almost feel the energy coursing through him, his heavy strong heartbeat, the rush of his blood. “I don’t want you around King,” he repeats. “Does your animosity have something to do with him wanting to sell the lighthouse?” “I’m not answering questions.” His gray eyes turn the color of metal. “I’m telling you to stay away from him.” My pulse races. “You don’t have that right.” “I’m your boss.” “That doesn’t mean you can make that demand.” The words snap out of my mouth without thought. “And if you think you can threaten to fire me over this, then step back, mister, because I’ve been through the worst wrongful termination I can imagine. And even though my employer fucking won that battle, I still have plenty of fight left in me. I’ll put on my gloves and go another round with you, if I have to.” Wow. Go, Eve. I’m breathing fast, and my knees are quaking with sudden fear that he’ll make me prove my bold statement. I dig my fingernails into my palms. The air between us sparks with electricity. I force myself to hold my ground, to look directly at him and— Admiration flashes in his eyes, like a silver comet streaking across the sky. His stern expression doesn’t change, but that brief glimpse of warmth eases the tension knotting my shoulders. “I’m not going to fire you.” His voice is measured and controlled. “But I will not have you seeing King.” “You don’t like him, so that means I have to stay away from him?” I ask. “Sorry, no. He’s one of the few people in this town who has been nice to me, and I enjoyed our date. I refuse to discount the possibility of Jeremy being my first real friend here.” Flynn’s jaw clenches. “He wants to be more than your friend.” “I know.” I put my hands on my hips and look him in the eye. “He even kissed me.” Anger crashes over his features, and a vein throbs in his forehead. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was jealous. But I do know better. He’s mad because I’m refusing to do something he wants me to do. Despite, or maybe because of, his isolated lifestyle, Flynn is clearly a man accustomed to getting what he wants. “He kissed you.” The word grind out of his mouth like broken glass. “Yes. And I kissed him back. Like our date, it was nice. Nice hasn’t been the norm in my life lately.” “I could kiss you,” Flynn retorts, his hands fisting. “But it wouldn’t nice.” “Oh yeah?” My heart kicks into gear, blood rushing through my veins. “What would it be, then?” He pulls in a breath, his gaze settling on my mouth. “Hot.” “Prove it.” Borne of my endless nighttime fantasies, the dare flies out of me without thought of the potential repercussions. Before I can take another breath, he grabs my shoulders and pulls me against him. I freeze, stunned by the reality of a moment I’d imagined more times than I can count—the sensation of his body against mine. And God, he feels exactly the way I’d imagined, a solid wall of heat and muscle pulsing with life. Rock-hard arms that could wrap around me so tightly nothing would get past them. He stares down at me, his steel-like gaze sparking with intent like iron striking stone. I can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t think. Then his mouth crashes down on mine, an onslaught, a possession, a claiming. Hunger bursts through me, a desire so sharp and intense it destroys all my defenses in one fell swoop. I moan, everything inside me weakening and aching for more. He slides a hand to my lower back, fitting our bodies together. I yield everywhere, my curves softening against him, any thought of resistance dissolving in a haze of disbelief and craving. I part my lips tentatively, let him inside. My head spins with the taste of him—something decadent and forbidden. Our tongues touch, breath mingling. Arousal floods me, swift and hard, as if all the fantasies in which I’ve indulged have primed me for this moment. I bring my hands up to his face, his stubble coarse against my palms, slide them down to the sides of his neck where his pulse throbs heavily. He’s like the sea—mysterious, unpredictable, powerful. I could get lost in him, drown, let him sweep me away to a distant land where no one knows who I am and what I’ve done. He lifts his head, breaking our kiss and stepping away from me at the same time. Heavy breaths saw from his chest, and his eyes are darkened to black. I bring a shaking hand to my mouth, suddenly unsure if the kiss just happened or if I’m like Alice in Wonderland, spinning downward, lost in my intricate imagination.  

     

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she's that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter  

RELEASE BLITZ of My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton

by Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie

ebook, 672 pages

Expected publication: April 3rd 2018 by William Morrow Paperbacks

From the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter comes the epic story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton—a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Haunting, moving, and beautifully written, Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right.

A general’s daughter…

Coming of age on the perilous frontier of revolutionary New York, Elizabeth Schuyler champions the fight for independence. And when she meets Alexander Hamilton, Washington’s penniless but passionate aide-de-camp, she’s captivated by the young officer’s charisma and brilliance. They fall in love, despite Hamilton’s bastard birth and the uncertainties of war.

A founding father’s wife...

But the union they create—in their marriage and the new nation—is far from perfect. From glittering inaugural balls to bloody street riots, the Hamiltons are at the center of it all—including the political treachery of America’s first sex scandal, which forces Eliza to struggle through heartbreak and betrayal to find forgiveness.

The last surviving light of the Revolution…
 

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PRAISE FOR MY DEAR HAMILTON

“My Dear Hamilton is a superbly written, meticulously researched homage to the birth of America as seen from the eyes of a woman who helped bring it to life. Eliza Schuyler Hamilton is much more than a Founding Father's wife; she's a passionate patriot who finds the strength to steer her tempestuous husband away from his own worst instincts even when he betrays her. At once a wartime drama, a woman's coming of age, and a lesson on politics that resonates in today's world, My Dear Hamilton is the book of the year.”

— Kate Quinn, USA Today bestselling author of The Alice Network

“Following their stunning success in America’s First Daughter, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie have penned an unforgettable story of the woman behind Hamilton… MY DEAR HAMILTON is a masterpiece that is both intimate in detail and epic in scope—a triumph!”

—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale

“Not since I read Erik Larson’s Dead Wake have I had such an edge-of-my-seat immersion into historical events. No study of Alexander Hamilton would be complete without reading this book and learning the true source of the great man’s strength—his wife.”

—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Sound of Glass & The Forgotten Room

“Eliza Hamilton assumes her rightful place as one of America’s founding mothers as she guides first her husband and then her fledgling nation into the annals of history. My Dear Hamilton is historical fiction at its most addictive!”

—Stephanie Thornton, author of The Tiger Queens

“An incredible, surprising, and altogether lovely tribute to the woman who stood beside one of the most unknowable, irascible, energetic, and passionate men wo contributed to the foundation of this nation.”

—Lars Hedbor, author of The Path: Tales from a Revolution

“My Dear Hamilton is a fascinating work of historical fiction, beautifully crafted and richly detailed. If you think you already know Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, her role in the founding of our country, her marriage, and her heartbreak, you’ll marvel at the woman you meet in this compelling novel.”

—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and Enchantress of Numbers

“From the first pages of My Dear Hamilton, the words ‘In the secret seethings of my discontented heart’ I was pulled in and swept away by this epic tale. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this stunning novel captures the courage, strength, and kindness of the remarkable woman behind Alexander Hamilton. A fascinating read!”

—Ellen Marie Wiseman, international bestselling author of The Life She Was Given

RELEASE LAUNCH of Hot Daddy by Lila Monroe

   

Welcome to the Billionaire Bachelors series, where the sexiest men in the city are about to meet their match… Playboy CEO, Cal McAdams, lives life in the fast lane: hot women, hotter deals, and… a fake fiancee? I signed on to help reform his reckless image and win custody of his god-children, but I wasn’t expecting to come face-to-face (and mouth-to-mouth) with my wild Vegas hook-up from three years ago. AKA, 6”3 of tanned muscle, sharp suits, and ‘undress me’ eyes. AAKA, the best thigh-clenching, bed-shaking sex of my life. AAAKA, the man who couldn’t be more off-limits if he had a uranium belt wrapped around his, um, assets. I’ve never been one to break the rules, but Cal has me wanting to rip them up - and roll around naked on the scrap paper. But with just three weeks to turn this bachelor into a DILF, can we keep our crazy chemistry from derailing his plans? Or will gold-digging relatives, rambunctious pre-teens, and a little thing called love leave us both crashed out of the race? Find out in the new sexy, hilarious romantic comedy from Lila Monroe!  

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 I’ve been stranded at the hotel bar in Vegas alone for exactly twenty seconds before a guy sidles in beside me. “Buy you a drink?” I glance up. He’s at least twenty years my senior, with pleated khakis and an obvious comb-over. I shake my head and smile tightly. “Got one, thanks.” “Aw, come on now,” he says, plunking himself down in the empty seat beside me. “You in town for the conference?” Then, in spite of the fact that I haven’t asked: “Medical devices.” His name is Greg, he continues; he sells surgical equipment and has a hundred dollar per diem he hasn’t blown through yet today, if I want to rethink that drink offer. “I’ll spring for nachos too,” he says magnanimously. “I’m a generous guy.” I’m sweeping the room for the closest exit, contemplating an escape worthy of Danny Ocean himself, when a hand lands on the back of my barstool. “Hey babe,” a deep voice says casually. “Making friends?” I whip around. This guy would look right at home with Clooney and Pitt. He’s tall and dark-haired, wearing a shirt rolled halfway to his elbows and an expression that clearly says, just go with it. “I got my ass beat at roulette,” he continues with a sheepish grin. “There goes private school for the kids, right?” He sticks his hand out to medical device guy. “Cal. The husband.” I almost choke on my paloma. Still, something about the sheer ballsiness of this particular play--and, okay, how hot this guy is--has me playing along. “Hey hon,” I say, laying a hand on his pleasantly solid bicep. “Greg here was just telling me all about the free swag at the medical device conference in town.” Greg’s gaze darts from me to Cal, then back again. “I guess I’ll leave y’all to it, then.” “Good to meet you,” I lie, smiling my cheeriest smile. Once he’s gone I turn to Cal. “So, on a scale of like, one to Disney Princess, how badly did I look like I needed rescuing?” Cal tilts his head to the side, considering. “I mean, your undisguised expression of misery kind of gave it away.” “Maybe that’s just how my face is!” I protest, laughing in spite of myself. “Resting miserable face.” “Eh. Maybe.” Cal shrugs, all confidence as he settles himself onto Greg’s recently vacated barstool. “You don’t look so miserable now.” Right away I feel my cheeks flush. It’s been a long time since I flirted—or, more accurately, since I was competently flirted with. “So how many kids do we have, exactly?” “Not too many,” he reassures me, nodding at the bartender for another beer. “Like six or seven, max.” “Six or seven!” I snort. “And here you are just gambling their lunch money away like some kind of degenerate.” Cal nods gravely. “I’m a real scoundrel,” he agrees. “Clearly.” I stick my hand out. “Jules Robinson.” “Nice to meet you, Jules Robinson.” He gives good handshake, firm but not bone-crushing, all long fingers and the faintest scrape of callus on his palm. His eyes are a deep, friendly brown. “So what brings you to Vegas?” he asks. “I’m with a girlfriend,” I explain. “Or I was, anyway. At the moment she’s out on an... exploratory mission.” Cal grins. “Sounds exhilarating.” “Oh, I’m sure it is,” I assure him. “What about you? What are you doing in town?” “Auditioning for Thunder from Down Under,” he says immediately. Then, off my laugh: ”Callback, actually. I aced the first round, they couldn’t get enough of me.” “Right, no, obviously.” The ads for the all-male revue were plastered all over the strip when we got here this afternoon: beefy, longhaired guys in bow ties, cummerbunds, and not much else. “So what’s your character?” I ask, rattling the ice in my mostly-empty glass. “Sexy fireman, sexy cop…?” “Sexy medical device salesman,” he deadpans. “See, you’re laughing, but I have a whole bit I do with the x-ray machine. It’s a real crowd pleaser.” Casino bars don’t ever really empty out, but this one is taking on a distinct after-hours vibe, low light and quiet conversations; the Bud-guzzling bachelor party bros are long gone. When I finally check my phone to see if Kelly’s texted—she has, she’s safe, and she’s having a truly epic time with her mountain man—I realize it’s after one. “Holy shit,” I blurt. “How’d it get to be so late?” Cal raises his eyebrows. “Keeping you up?” “What? No!” I blurt, immediately embarrassed by how eager I sound. “We just had an early flight out this morning, that’s all. I’ve been up for like twenty hours.” “I’m teasing you, princess.” He smiles at me then, slow and easy. It’s the most intimate smile of my entire life. It’s a smile like sitting in front of a campfire in October and reading the paper in bed on Sunday morning; it’s a smile, frankly, like getting good and fucked by a man who knows you down to your most essential particles. “You wanna get out of here?” he asks. I knew it was coming but still there’s something bracingly scandalous about the idea, being propositioned by a total stranger. I’m imagining it now, I can’t help it: that broad chest pressed against mine and his capable-looking mouth on my neck, long fingers reaching down between my legs and— “Tempting,” I tell him truthfully, laying a palm against my flaming face. “But I probably shouldn’t.” To his credit Cal keeps smiling, a little rueful; he doesn’t try to convince me, either, just touches my arm and catches the bartender’s eye to settle up. “Fair enough,” he tells me, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. “Well, it was really nice to be married to you for five minutes, Jules Robinson.” “Yeah,” I agree, feeling my whole body get warm. “It was nice to be married to you for five minutes, too.” I’m surprised by the sharp pang of longing behind my ribs as I watch him go a moment later, the strange sense that I’ve somehow given up more than just a roll in starchy white hotel sheets. Still, it’s not like I’m about to just get up and follow him out of here. He probably does this every night, sure. But I’ve never had a one night stand in my entire life. I’ve never had a one-night stand in my entire life. The thought stops me—after all, I’m a grown-ass woman with a newly minted law degree, aren’t I? I’ve got nobody to answer to but myself. And this is Vegas. What happens here, et cetera. I swallow down the rest of my tequila, set the glass back down on the bar. “Hey Cal!” I call, slinging my purse over my shoulder and hopping down off my barstool as quickly as my tiny dress allows. “Wait up.”        

VERY IRRESISTIBLE PLAYBOY (Billionaire Bachelors #1) – available now. Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Kobo | GooglePlay              

About the Author

Combining her passions for books, sex, and well-fitted suits, Lila Monroe wrote her first romantic comedy, The Billionaire Bargain, in 2015 and hasn’t stopped since. She loves writing about smart alpha men, and the strong and sassy women who try to tame them.

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY of Blood Will Tell by Colleen Myers

Ever wonder what would happen if TWILIGHT met DIVERGENT? Find out Colleen Myers’s BLOOD WILL TELL, book 1 in her new Blood Series!

Title: Blood Will Tell

Author: Colleen Myers

Genre: YA Dystopian/Fantasy

Series: Blood, Book 1

Release Date: April 2, 2018

Format: Digital eBook

ISBN: TBD

Synopsis:

Unbeknownst to eighteen-year old Isabelle, her dad inserted a vital DNA sequence into her blood that made her resistant to the Immortalus virus, but unlocked other capabilities that prove to be the key to the war between the human and vampire race.

My Thoughts…

At one time all I read what vampire books.   I thought I had read it all.   Blood Will Tell proved that there is more to tell about the world of vampires.     I love this mix of vampires, DNA mutation, and romance.

   

Isabelle is a great character.   She grew up in a world that she didn’t know about; her parents hid what was happening in the world from her.   As she grew up she learned about the rest of the world and how it changed around her.   I enjoyed watching her open her eyes, realize who was working against her, who was working with her, and who she could truly trust.   Although at the end of the story I was not entirely sure who she should trust and who was just telling her what she thought she wanted to know.   

The romance of Isabelle and Roke and Alex was intriguing.   I thought I knew who the best guy was for her.   I am not sure even now that I finished the book.   I liked how the men called her out on her feelings.    They made her think about what she wanted and examine her heart.      While I do think she was stringing them both along, I don’t think that she was doing it intentionally.   

I am excited for the next book in The Blood series.    Colleen S. Myers is an author that I am putting on my must-read list.     

Exclusively on  Amazon and available with Kindle Unlimited!

Add Blood Will Tell  to your GOODREADS TBR pile!

About Colleen:

Colleen S. Myers was raised in a large catholic family in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she grew up on Harlequin teen romances and stories from her mother’s days as a paramedic. She went on to attend Allegheny College majoring in Biology and English.

After college, Colleen spent a year in service in the Americorp giving back to the community at a local Pittsburgh Women Infants and Children Clinic (WICC) before attending Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine on a military scholarship.

Upon completing medical school, Colleen attended residency at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and was on base in Washington, DC during 9/11. She earned three meritorious service awards from the military. After serving seven years of active duty, she promptly landed a position at the VA to provide fellow veterans with optimum medical care. Still an avid fan of romances into adulthood, her love of the genre inspired her to hone her craft as a writer, focusing on contemporary romance and science fiction. Her background in medicine and the military provides an inspiring layer of creative realism to her stories and characters.

Her first book, Must Remember, the first book in the Solum series, is published by Champagne Press. The sequel, Can’t Forget, coming in June 2016, is the recipient of the 2015 RWA New England Readers Award.

Colleen currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and son, and spends her spare time writing. She is also working on a new contemporary romance.

Connect with Colleen: Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

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