Archive for November, 2022

 

Today I am sharing an excerpt from The Red Slippers by USA Today Bestselling author Ruth A. Casie. This historical romance is a standalone novella in her Druid Knight series. Grab some hot cocoa and check out the Red Slippers and be sure to enter the giveaway!

The Red Slippers

 

It would take magic for Cosette to believe in her abilities.

It would take Avery to conjure up the spell.

Cosette Binet has dreams of being a ballerina. When she learns the Paris Opera Ballet needs additional dancers, she applies. While practicing for her audition, she dances into the arms of the handsome artistic director and dancer, Avery Dubois. The subsequent audition is magical. It is a dream come true.

Avery Dubois is enchanted by Cosette and impressed with her talent. He offers her a well-deserved place in the corps de ballet. His keen eye sees a great dancer as well as a woman he could love.

Cosette captivates the audiences as she has captivated Avery’s heart. She is chosen to dance more roles but is plagued with doubt. When she has difficulty dancing she is sure she is not good enough for the ballet or for Avery. But Avery believes her doubt is a self-fulling prophecy. While trying to help her, he comes upon a pair of worn red ballet slippers. He gives them to Cosette telling her they are the shoes of a great dancer and are filled with magic.

Do the red slippers hold the magic to make Cosette a great ballerina and remove her doubts about Avery’s love?

*available in KindleUnlimited

Check out this peek inside:

 

Tomorrow. Once the performance was over, everything would end. No more Suzanne, which was a welcome relief. But no more dancing. No more Avery.

Cosette turned to say goodnight, but the passion in his eyes stopped her.

He took her in his arms and cupped her head. His gaze was a soft caress. She was afraid to move. Afraid she would break the spell.

“You are dear to me, princess.”

Her heart wasn’t doing pirouettes. It was beating a quick staccato tempo. Her eyes closed. She waited. Anticipated.

Soft velvet lips covered hers. There was no resisting him. His kiss sent a shudder through her, tossing her mind in a wild swirl and taking her body with it. She put her arms around him and pulled him closer shocked by her own eager response.

Please, don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.

He raised his mouth from hers. The cool air touched her lips that still burned for him. The passion and tenderness that filled his eyes fanned the fire of desire.

For several heartbeats neither of them moved. Neither wanted to say good night. Over the weeks, the eagerness to be with him hadn’t subsided. It grew stronger. This couldn’t be the end. The very thought brought her to tears.

He leaned his forehead against hers. “Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow will be here soon. I can’t wait to see you dance. But, princess, I don’t want tomorrow to be the end of our time together.”

Her heart shuddered and her pulse pounded as he voiced what she was feeling.

“Neither do I.” Her voice was a whisper.

About Author Ruth A. Casie

RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author of historical swashbuckling action-adventures and contemporary romance with enough action to keep you turning pages. Her stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. She lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at an international bank where she was a product/marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now-writing romance. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures.

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One lucky winner will win a signed copy of The Knight of Runes (Book 1 in the Druid Knight Series). If an international winner is drawn, they will receive a $10 gift card and signed bookplate. Giveaway ends December 7, 2022.


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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Stripes

Devil’s Boneyard MC 12

by Harley Wylde

Genre: MC Romantic Suspense

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Melina — Men have never given me a reason to trust them. The Bratva taught me men are brutal. Selfish. And take what they want. Death would be better than tying myself to one ever again. Then a Russian biker swoops in to save me. As much as I want to believe everything he says, how can I? I’ve only known pain at the hands of men. I want him to be different… but any hope I had died long ago.

Stripes — She thinks she’s broken. I see a survivor. A strong woman who’s still standing despite what’s been done to her. It will take time, but I’ll help her heal. Prove not all men are evil. I’ll give her a reason to keep living. Never again will someone cause her pain. If they do, they’ll answer to me. My hands are already stained with blood. What’s a little more?

WARNING: Recommended for readers 18+ due to language, violence, and adult situations. Stripes is part of the Devil’s Boneyard MC series and contains darker content some readers may find objectionable. Stripes can be read as a stand-alone story, even though it’s part of a series.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * ChangelingPress * Bookbub * Goodreads

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What Goes Into a Harley Wylde Book?

That’s a rather loaded question because it really depends on the book itself, and the characters. In the case of my latest release – Stripes – I felt completely drained by the time I finished writing it. Melina’s character had such a traumatic beginning that it left her feeling broken and hopeless. I felt all of her emotions, as well as those of Stripes, and had to take breaks to get through it in one piece.

Other books challenged me in other ways. Rooster, which is in the same series, has quite a bit of humor tossed in – mostly of the sarcastic variety. The book was fun to write, and more upbeat than most of my stories, but it had it’s own set of challenges.

What I can say you will certainly get with every book I write is this… a guaranteed happily ever after, no cheating, and no cliffhangers! Why? Because that’s what I enjoy in a story. Cliffhangers are a no for me, unless I can know I can pick up the next book almost immediately. So I don’t like using them in my own books. And I don’t personally find cheating books sexy, so I just can’t write one. There’s nothing wrong with someone enjoying those types of stories, but they aren’t for me. I’d end up incredibly angry with my characters if I wrote one of those.

My books almost always have an age gap couple as well, and the bulk of my books are either motorcycle club or mafia romances. That’s not to say all of them are… I’ve also written a handyman, a mechanic, a police officer, an assassin, and a rockstar.

But I promise I’ll bring the heat, a bit of drama, some suspense or laughter (depending on the characters), and will leave you smiling by the end.

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🤩 SNEAK PEEK ✨

Copyright 2022, Harley Wylde

 

Melina

 

Marriage to Ruslan had been nothing but pure hell since day one. He’d given me two beautiful daughters, and I wouldn’t wish them away for anything, but every other moment of our lives had been only pain and humiliation. I’d learned early never to speak back, and to never ask questions. If he told me to do something, I did it, regardless of whether I should.

Which was how I found myself in trouble.

I bowed my head, refusing to make eye contact with Feliks Sobol. The higher ups had left him in charge for some reason, not that it mattered. When Ruslan forced me to aid him in his thirst for power, I’d known it wouldn’t end well for me. But I’d done it, because the alternative would mean letting him kill me, and leaving my girls vulnerable. I’d have done anything to keep Yulia and Oksana safe. Although, I had a feeling Ruslan had embellished my involvement. One last chance for him to make my life hell.

“Melina Romanov, do you know why you’re here?” Feliks asked.

Nyet, Mr. Sobol.” No one had told me outright why I’d been brought in. The fact my husband hadn’t returned home had left me uneasy. They had to have caught him, and now I’d pay the price as well. Ruslan wouldn’t go down without a fight, and nothing would delight him more than knowing the Bratva would destroy me.

“Your husband is guilty of breaking multiple laws. He tried to cheat the Bratva, and he’s failed. At this very moment, he’s being tortured to gain more information on those who aided him.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. “Your name came up.”

I clenched my hands. It didn’t surprise me. Anything Ruslan had asked me to do could possibly have tied into his human trafficking ring. I wouldn’t have known since he told me very little. Although, I did know what he’d been up to. He hadn’t kept it a secret from me. In fact, I thought he got off on letting me know about the women and children who would suffer at his hands. If I’d gone to anyone without proof, they wouldn’t have believed me.

“Nothing to say?” Feliks asked.

“Will it matter?” I doubted it. If my husband hadn’t cared what I had to say, why would this man? In the Bratva, women were to be seen and not heard. We were merely a decoration, or a means to gain power through political marriages. Nothing more. Except in my husband’s case, we were meant for twisted forms of entertainment. The louder we screamed, the more he got off on the pain he inflicted.

“For your crimes, you’ll spend the rest of your days in one of our brothels. Seems fitting, doesn’t it? You’re guilty of helping Ruslan Romanov steal women and children and selling them into sexual slavery. Now you’ll be in the same predicament. Just so we’re clear, it won’t be one of our upscale places.”

I swallowed the knot of fear lodged in my throat and gave a short nod. Pleading for my life wouldn’t do me any good. Telling him I was innocent would only fall on deaf ears, or perhaps anger him. The thought of being used by countless men made me sick. I’d been a dutiful wife, and I’d been a virgin when Ruslan married me. I’d never been with anyone other than him. Of course, being in his bed had been far from pleasant, but I had a feeling my life would be much worse now.

“This is rather disappointing,” Feliks murmured. “I’d hoped for some sort of reaction. Do you enjoy being a whore? Is that why you aren’t crying and begging for me to spare you?”

Bile rose in my throat when I contemplated what my life would be like moving forward. I hadn’t liked my husband touching me. The thought of strangers paying to use me made me want to throw up. All my choices had been taken from me. I hadn’t had many to begin with. As long as they could pay, they’d be permitted to do whatever they wanted with me.

“Still nothing?” Feliks asked, pursing his lips.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I admitted. “Begging won’t do me any good. Saying I’m innocent won’t either. Whether I speak up or remain silent, my fate will remain the same.”

“Smart woman.” Feliks smiled, but the sight chilled me to the bone.

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Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.

When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.

You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Enter to win a Swag Pack or $10 Amazon – 1 winner each!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Maz, Origin organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author T. L. Ford will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Maz, Origin

by T. L. Ford

Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis

Entering the witness relocation program after lawfully escaping a massive walled-in prison, teenage Merrill tries to fit into our society. Her background and decisions may not let her.

 

Maz, Origin is a story of growth and love, guilt and innocence, and changing goals. What is morally right and what is legally right? What’s legal for humans may not be for aliens…

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Enjoy this peek inside:

I heard shots being fired from below.  They were aiming at the helicopter or the guy that landed on the scaffolding above me.  The sign offered some level of protection, but they’d move into position directly below shortly.  “It’s ok, miss, we’ll have you out of here in a jiff.  Are you hurt?”  The man began to wiggle through the bars, which was no small feat because he was wearing some sort of heavy armor.

 

He reached down toward me, and I hesitated, terrified of grabbing that hand and leaving my life behind.  He clenched his teeth in frustration and urged me, “Come on, miss!  Just take my hand.”

 

Gunfire from below decided for me.  I lifted my good arm, and he latched onto me.  As he jerked me upwards, pain shot through my shoulder and abdomen.  I gave up life and slipped into darkness.

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About Author T. L. Ford

  1. L. Ford is a programmer, writer, and artist. She spent most of her professional career supporting the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in southern Maryland.  Her science fiction novels imagine possibilities while focusing on society and personal relationships and decisions.  Her fantasy novels are heavily influenced by Dungeons & Dragons and are light “weekend reads”.  She’s also created two art books, a thriller novella, and an interactive math iBook.  She enjoys sailing, hiking, and spending time with her family.

 

Author Links: Website / Cattail.Nu / Facebook / Instagram

 

Buy link: Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Sisters of the Crimson Vine

by P.L. McMillan

Genre: Folk Horror

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John Ainsworth nearly died in that car crash.

Soon he’ll learn there are worse fates.

After a brutal accident, John awakens in the dilapidated Crimoria Convent under the care of thirteen unconventional nuns. Grievous injuries trap him within the borders of the ruined sanctuary and its strangely successful vineyard. When his body starts healing faster than nature allows, John’s questions quickly pile up.

A pair of Church auditors arrive to look into the convent’s finances. It’s obvious the pair are unwelcome guests, but John has bigger concerns. The order’s annual ritual draws near and John begins to discover things that make him wonder if any of them are truly safe in the hands of the Sisters of the Crimson Vine.

A taut braid of repressed desires, implied deviance, and eldritch horror. McMillan coyly lures us to a finale as repulsive as it is compelling.” – Stoker award-winning Jamie Flanagan, co-writer of The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass

In her masterful debut novella, Sisters of the Crimson Vine, P.L. McMillan cultivates dread like a fine wine. The more we sip, the deeper we sink into this insidious tale grown from the seed of Jackson’s “The Lottery” planted in a Lovecraftian terroir and harvested in Ari Aster’s Midsommar. Like the title characters’ famed libation, you will not be able to stop reading once you imbibe. A drunken sense of imbalance and uncertainty remains with you until the very end. Lovers of the occult will be pleasantly satiated by P.L. McMillan’s gothic offering.” – Stoker award-winning EV Knight, Three Days in the Pink Tower

Sisters of the Crimson Vine by P.L McMillan is folk horror at its very best. The visuals, tension and mood created then intermixed with undeniable dread and mystery rides the very edges of illumination and darkness. P.L explores themes of religious hypocrisy and the power of women and sacrifices made to survive. She expertly subverts older tropes into something terrifying and new. This book is as vivid and twisted as any Aster movie.” – Brenda S. Tolian, Blood Mountain


Sisters of the Crimson Vine is a perfectly paced suspenseful story that will make you want to savor every word. Invoking the ominous folk horror atmosphere of the Wicker Man and Midsommer, P.L. serves an unsettling tale of the supernatural bond between women and nature and the power and price of living free from patriarchal dominance.” – Joy Yehle, author and host of The Burial Plot horror podcast.

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Amazon * TimberGhostPress * Goodreads

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** See the author read an excerpt from the book HERE! **

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P.L. McMillan writes dark stories and loves cosmic and gothic horror in particular. Her works have been published in Sanitarium, Hinnom Magazine, Fundead Publications, among others.

To her, every shadow is an entry way to a deeper look into the black heart of the world and every night she rides with the mocking and friendly ghouls on the night-wind, bringing back dark stories to share with those brave enough to read them.

“Someone suggested to me that McMillan might be one of the next great cosmic horror writers and if [The Space Between] is a good indication of her talent and imagination, I’d say they could well be correct.” – The Miskatonic Review

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Young-Adult Fiction (18 +), 286 pages
Genre:  Action-Adventure/Fantasy
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   July 30 2022
Content Rating: PG. The author thinks the book is G-rated. A reviewer said it had some curses. Some may consider “Holy crap” is a curse.

 

“If I were to give a book to every young adult in this world, I would give them Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman without blinking. I absolutely loved every moment of this uplifting and fascinating story. It’s filled with valuable life lessons, adventure, peril, and highly relatable and lovable characters.” Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite

“Harry Potter meets Sky High. If you’re a fan of young adult stories where protagonists go to mysterious schools to train their superhuman abilities, don’t miss out on Grady Whill and The Templeton Codex.” Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Reader’s Favorite

“Carole P. Roman has created a world that is unique, inhabited by characters that young people can easily relate to because of their similar concerns about growing pains… This book has a strong message and theme that deserves to be read.” 
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Reader’s Favorite


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MY REVIEW

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I’ve read many of Carole’s books and enjoyed them all. This book and it’s character’s are my favorite now.

While this is a fantasy about learning their hidden talents and how to harness them, Grady and his friends also have to face all of the coming of age middle school challenges and angst. It sure brought back memories.

Take a look at the wonderful cover for this book. It’s perfect for the adventure inside.

Action, adventure and mystery along with realistic and likable characters made this a swift read. Read it straight through and enjoyed it so much I wanted it to be longer. I can only hope this is a series so I can dive back in and cheer these characters on.

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5 STARS

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Book Description:

Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open! The prestigious institution is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.

Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.

​If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?

Buy the Book:
Audible ~
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B&N ~ BookBub
add to goodreads
Also from the Pen of Carole P. Roman:

 

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Giggles Galore Jokes, Riddles and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Children’s Fiction , 170 pages
Genre:  Humor
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   August 2022
Tour datesNov 7 to Dec 2, 2022
Content Rating: G.

Book Description:

What’s more fun than a rainy afternoon?

A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore!
Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.

Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.

Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles.
There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.

Lastly, join Carole P. Roman’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.

A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
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Interview with Author Carole P. Roman
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1- How long have you been writing?

I began writing in 2011 with my first book Captain No Beard An Imaginary Tale of a pirate’s Life.

2-Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

Every day I meet with my sons, and we kick around ideas for storylines. We serve as each other’s beta readers as well as inspirations.  Writing Grady brought back the smell of gym locker, sweaty socks, and everything else associated with being the mom of teenage boys.

3- What advice would you give budding writers?

Set realistic expectations. Don’t quit your day job, and realize that your book is not for everyone.

4- If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I think I identify with Grady more than any other character. I have felt that pit of insecurity lodge itself in my gut, making me question everything I do. I love his loyalty and how he stands up for his autistic friend. I hope I was that kid in school.

5- Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

I either feel like writing or not. When I don’t, I will sit at the keyboard and just write. I’m always surprised at what I produce, even though I wasn’t in the mood.

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Meet the Author:

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.

Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.

She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.

Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.

Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.

She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.

Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.

connect with the author: website twitter facebook bookbub ~ goodreads

 
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GRADY WHILL AND THE TEMPLETON CODEX Book Tour Giveaway

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Baggage Claim

by Juliana Smith

 

Publication date: November 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. But a phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend. That is until she meets a handsome—albeit annoying—stranger on the plane who makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

Finn Beckett has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he’s seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an offer: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever.

Olive and Finn spend the next two weeks going on spirit-filled Christmas dates with her family. Their ruse is working perfectly, but Finn can’t help but notice Olive is holding something back. Something that could ruin everything.

Their relationship may have taken off smoothly, but with all this turbulence, will they ever make it to baggage claim?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Olive,” I said, her name like a prayer. I didn’t have anything else to say; I only wanted her to see me.

Her bright green eyes lifted to mine, and I melted. My hand reached under her chin and rubbed my thumb across it. So beautiful. She took a step closer, her chest brushing my midsection, and I nearly groaned from the simple contact. She leaned into me like she was on autopilot, and I was her only destination. I cautiously slid my hand from her chin to the back of her neck. She swallowed, and the movement of her throat pulled me in like runway lights calling me home. I moved closer, hesitantly, our faces only inches away. She would have stopped me, right? She would have given me that sassy attitude and pushed me away if she didn’t want this. The Olive I knew wouldn’t let me get this far. I paused, unsure.

“Tell me to stop.”

I needed to hear it. To hear her yell at me. To have her say, “I told you no kissing,” and give me a shove. If she didn’t, I would take her on this bed right now, without a care of who else was in the house.

She grabbed my white button-down and pulled me impossibly closer. “No.”

It was quiet, barely a whisper. I tightened my grip on her neck and leaned forward.

This was it. Everything you have thought of nonstop since that flight. I was going to kiss the hell out of her. I was going to leave her lips swollen and numb until she was dizzy and floating.

I tilted her head up with my spare hand and inched my lips toward hers slowly,

ready to throw all caution to the wind.

“Finn.” She moaned my name before my lips were even on her, and I forced my heart not to explode. We were a dyad, two halves of the same whole. She was the best I ever had, and I hadn’t even had her yet. My lips were a centimeter from hers. Finally. Finally.

 

Author Juliana Smith:

Juliana Smith is an author in a small town in Alabama. She is a full-time realtor, and part-time author, but she spends a lot of her time with her husband and daughter. Juliana writes heartfelt romance filled with laughter and warm fuzzies. She can usually be found in a Chic-fil-a drive-thru or listening to Star Wars theory podcasts, often at the same time.

Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter

 

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Danger In Edinburgh

The British Book Tour Mysteries

by Emma Dakin

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Danger in Edinburgh (The British Book Tour Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Scotland
Camel Press; 1st edition (September 14, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1684920248
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1684920242
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09YMWP92G

Claire Barclay, owner and tour guide of The British Mysteries Book Tours, leaves her house in Hampshire and her significant other, Mark Evans, puts her dog Gulliver into her van and heads off to Scotland for the start of a fortnight tour.

 

She expects to lead her guests to various literary sites where authors set their stories. She had just settled everyone into their luxurious Edinburgh hotel when, on a quick outing with Gulliver, she discovers a body. A young woman has been the victim of the serial killer who targets university students.

 

She calls Mark. But Mark, although a Detective Inspector of the Major Crimes Investigation Team, has no jurisdiction in Scotland. He can only sympathize and advise—and protest her involvement. Her guests meet for breakfast every morning at the Magpie Café where Claire finds characters who live or work nearby, including the local beat copper Sheila McKinnon and Detective Inspector Derrick Hamilton. Christopher, an accountant, brings his dog Suzy. Ryan, a neglected teen, slips in for free food and Bert Anderson, a middle-aged entrepreneur, cheerfully tries to interest everyone in investment schemes.

 

The waitress is Isla, a university student, who is researching a paper on psychopaths.

 

All the guests speculate on the murders and attract the attention of the inspector. Claire is frantic to protect her guests from police investigation. At the end of the tour, after she has put her charges safely on their respective planes and trains, Claire takes a last walk with Gulliver and meets one of the café regulars. She sees irrefutable evidence of murder and is so surprised that she betrays her knowledge and puts her own life in jeopardy.

 

About Emma Dakin 

 

Emma Dakin lives in Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast of British. She has over twenty trade published books, including a 2022 Award winning memoir Always Pack a Candle: A Nurse in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, but continues to enjoy writing The British Book Tour Mysteries. Her love of the British countryside and villages and her addiction to cozy mysteries keep her immersed in discovering the different cultures of the country and the different dialects. She gives us characters who live and work in those villages, isles and cities. She introduces readers to the problems that disturb the idyllic setting. Research is essential to give the reader an authentic setting. It was necessary for Emma to sit in The Whiski Bar on The Royal Mile, to tour Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood and to play her fiddle in the Tay Inn. A trip to the Highlands and the iconic isle of Iona were vital. When not writing or traveling, she paddles with her outrigger crew on the waters of the Pacific Coast and walks her dog who is much less obedient than Claire’s fictional Gulliver.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

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Book Details:

Book Title:  ‘Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate; Holidays, Special Occasions and Other Times Our Celebrations Get Out of Hand  by Dorothy Rosby
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+) ,  258 pages
Genre: Humorous Essay
Publisher:  Unhinged Press
Release date:   November 2022
Content Rating:  G – appropriate for general audience as defined above

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MY REVIEW

 I was going to share some of my favorite quotes from the book, but there were just too many. I love it when an author can make me snort and I did a lot of that. Also some laugh out louds and chuckles.

I’m sure you can relate to how the human condition almost forces us to take a festive occasion and blow it all out of proportion. To make it bigger, shinier…..than the last time. I’m sure guilty of it. Author Dorothy Rosby shares some very funny situations from a bunch of different occasions that will have you relating and laughing too. A great read to lift my spirits after a couple of surreal years caused by the pandemic. Thanks so much Dorothy!

4 STARS

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Book Description:

Christmas comes but once a year; chaos never ends! Happy Halloween, merry Christmas and joyful Lumpy Rug Day. We didn’t make that up. Lumpy Rug Day is celebrated every May 3, though “celebrated” might be too strong a word. It’s the American way to create a celebration for everything, then turn it into a chore or worse, a nightmare. ’Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate is a collection of humorous essays about holidays, special occasions and other times our celebrations make us feel not-so-celebratory. It’s understanding for those who think Christmas form letters can be honest—or they can be interesting. And it’s empathy for anyone who’s ever gotten poison ivy during Nude Recreation Week or eaten all their Halloween candy and had to hand out instant oatmeal packets to their trick-or-treaters. ​

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Guest Post
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Empathy for Those Who Get Depressed after Reading Other People’s Christmas Letters 

By Dorothy Rosby

Holidays and other special occasions are hard on my self-esteem. The only thing that makes me feel more inadequate than reading everyone else’s Christmas letter is trying to write my own. Have I really not accomplished a single thing this year—except taking last year’s Christmas tree down by St. Patrick’s Day.

    Then there was the year my oven quit working right before I was set to serve Thanksgiving dinner to a dozen people. And the year I didn’t get my Christmas shopping done and wound up buying five gift cards, a chia pet and a talking trout just before the mall closed on Christmas Eve. And the year I ate all the Halloween candy and had to give instant oatmeal and Ramen noodles to my trick-or-treaters.

    I don’t think I’m the only one either. I mean I don’t think I’m the only one who feels inadequate during holidays and special events. I probably am the only who’s ever handed out instant oatmeal to their trick-or-treaters.

We heap a lot of stress on ourselves in the name of celebrating. I think it’s because we set our expectations too high. We think our Christmas gifts should be purchased, wrapped and placed under a beautifully decorated tree by December 15. We think we should be able to keep our New Year’s resolutions until at least January 5. We think we should be as thin as we were in high school when we attend our 20th class reunion and that we need 12 attendants and 400 guests at our wedding. Why? Let’s give ourselves some grace when the next holiday or special event comes up. Celebrations should be fun. And anyway, oatmeal is good for children.

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Meet the Author:

Dorothy Rosby is a syndicated humor columnist and the author of four books of humorous essays. She’s the 2022 global winner of the Erma Bombeck Writers Competition, sponsored in part by the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, 20 miles from Mount Rushmore, something she’s very proud of though she’s not on it—yet.

Connect with the Author:  website  ~  twitter  ~  facebook  ~ bookbub ~  goodreads
 

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TIS THE SEASON TO FEEL INADEQUATE Book Tour Giveaway

 

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Book Details:

A Dress the Color of the Moon

 by Jennifer Irwin

Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  360 pages
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher:  Glass Spider Publishing
Release date:  October 30, 2021
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M: Though this book deals with sexual addiction, it does not contained explicit sex scenes and the language is tame. The book’s focus is on the protagonist’s path toward recovery from an addiction.

Book Description:

Prudence Aldrich is a sex addict. Five weeks ago, she checked into the Serenity Hills rehab center to prevent that addiction from ruining every important relationship in her life. Now Prue must face the trail of destruction she left behind, including mending the broken bond with her teenage son, finalizing the divorce from her husband, Nick, and using a newly learned set of skills to ward off her insatiable cravings for male attention-a compulsion that puts her friendship with lifelong pal Lily to the test.

​Adding ever further complications to the hurdles in her path is the arrival into town of Alistair Prescott, her in-rehab romantic obsession, and the one person in the world most capable of throwing Prue off her recovery. Meanwhile, Serenity Hills counselor Mike Sullivan is undergoing a crisis of his own-one that will drive him to the rediscovery of a lifelong passion . . . and causing him to cross paths again with Prue, his former patient.

A Dress the Color of the Moon tracks the rocky and sometimes disastrous path to recovery-a recovery that will require Prudence and her friends to face down the demons of their pasts while learning to accept the fearful uncertainty that comes with living life on your own two feet.

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Interview with Jennifer Irwin
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In your book you make a reference to the fairytale Donkeyskin. How did you come up with this idea?

The fairytale Donkeyskin refers to a father wanting to marry his daughter which is of course, completely unnatural. The DRESS series is about one woman’s journey to heal from her childhood trauma, and I felt the two stories were thematically quite similar. This is also how I came up with the titles for my books as referenced in the fairytale.

Where do you get inspirations for your stories?

Most of my inspiration comes from personal experience which I then expand from there. I’m also fascinated by people’s perception of others and the idea that nothing is ever as it seems.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Try to write every day and don’t get too worried about your writing being perfect. Also, connect with other writers and maybe join a writing group. I also recommend getting involved with NANOWRIMO.

What is your next project?

I’m currently pitching my third novel The Ad Agency to agents at the Kauai Writer’s Conference. This is an unlikely love story between two people who work at an ad agency. The story takes place in NYC in 1987.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

A Little Life

What is your writing schedule?

I write every day after I finish my other job at 3:00pm and stop writing at 6pm which is when I work out.

Where do you write?

I’m very sensitive to my environment so I make sure that I find my writing place to be aesthetically appealing and comfortable for me to really focus. I have a beautiful office in my house which has a sliver of an ocean view and a cabinet with some of my favorite family heirlooms and framed photos of my favorite humans.

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Meet the Author:

Jennifer Irwin’s debut novel, A Dress the Color of the Sky, was published in 2017 and has received rave reviews, won seven book awards, and was optioned for a feature film. Jennifer’s short stories have appeared in numerous literary publications including California’s Emerging Writers: An Anthology of Fiction. Jennifer is represented by Prentis Literary and currently resides in Los Angeles.

connect with the  author: website facebook twitter instagram ~ youtube bookbub goodreads
 
 
 
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Hunted

by V.M. Nelson

 

(The Dhampyr Series, #1)
Publication date: October 25th 2022
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Tasi, an eighteen-year-old, head-strong, blood-drinking, dhampyr, has been hidden away in a small town in Maine since the death of her parents. Though she had trained to fight and kill vampires, she never believed those skills would be useful in her mundane life. That’s where she’s wrong.

In one moment, her life changes forever, and her aunt’s final words ring in her head.

They want your blood.

Now orphaned and charged with protecting her sister, Emily—a sister who doesn’t know what they are or that she’s about to endure a life-threatening change—Tasi has no other choice but to follow directions left for her. She is to find an ally who lives in New York City. This is the only way Tasi will figure out why she and Emily are being hunted before they end up drained of their blood.

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SNEAK PEEK:

What started out as a routine task to find blood turned into an onslaught of pain. I rubbed my eyes, allowing the darkness that filled my head to fizzle away. My hands, tender from scraping against the gravel, grasped at the cold metal fence. I flinched as my cuts burned against the steel. I’d done this to myself. The thumping under my skin and my lack of balance were all a result of ignoring my need to feed.

Now here I sat, watching my blood as it dripped down my leg and pooled onto the sidewalk. A tingling sensation ran through me as I flicked out the tiny shards that had embedded themselves in my skin. My body helped to push them out in an effort to heal itself. This was not part of tonight’s plan. I stared back up at the fence—my nemesis. Razor-sharp wire wrapped itself around the top of the rusty, twelve-foot-high chain-link barricade.

Take the shortcut, Tasi. It’ll be quicker and safer, Tasi. What a stupid idea.

Under normal circumstances, I could dart up the fence, hop over the barbed wire, and gracefully land on my feet. My overall dexterity might have won me a gold medal in gymnastics, but that was so not happening in my current condition.

An ache thundered through my body as I reached for the fence again. I hoisted myself up for the first time since tumbling off. With one last labored breath, I ran my hands down my pants, dislodging the remaining rocks from my newly healed skin. Nearby, a rustling sound echoed through the alley. My breath caught. The metal garbage cans clanked together as if they were being tossed around. If I were human, I wouldn’t think twice about the commotion. Lucky for me, I knew better. It was probably setting up to kill its next victim. There were a few shady-looking dive bars and run-down nightclubs in this area. The repetitive pounding of music stemming from different directions would drown out all screams. This was a perfect feeding ground.

Over the past few months, these creatures had become my reality. Since I was thirteen, I’d known of their existence, but only recently had I been in the same vicinity as them. And when they were around, you didn’t want to be, so it was time to go.

With a quick pivot in the opposite direction, I ran. I didn’t get farther than a few feet before my shoelace caught in the grate and my chin scraped against the ground. More blood dripped from my body.

Tasi, seriously—what else can go wrong?

Wrapping the shoelace around my fingers, I yanked until it released itself. By the time I tucked it into my shoe, it was too late. It had heard me. The pounding in my ears was no longer from the nightclubs but the pavement, and it was getting louder. I’d piqued its interest. Rather, my blood had piqued its interest.

Author V. M. Nelson

V. M. Nelson is the author of The Dhampyr Series. She writes upper young adult paranormal, urban fantasy with a touch of romance thrown in. When she isn’t writing, you can find her playing video games.

Virginia resides in Minnesota with her partner and three children. She has always had an obsession for myths, legends, and fairytales. If asked, she would prefer to live in an alternate universe with vampires and fairies.

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