Archive for January, 2023

Reading, Read, Peaceful, Woman, Dusk, Outside, Outdoors

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Sunday Post

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

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Some chit chat.

Wasn’t it just Christmas? Time sure flies. Finally started taking down holiday decorations. It’s so much more fun putting them up. LOL Now I’m decorating for Mardi Gras. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler – Let The Good  Times Roll. I’m not planning on attending any balls but might take in some parades and catch some loot!

Looking forward to chatting with you and have a great new week!

Free vector graphics of Mardi gras

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This weeks reviews.

     

     

   

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Here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

The Silver Stag (The Wild Hunt Book 1) by [Yasmine Galenorn]  Oak & Thorns (The Wild Hunt Book 2) by [Yasmine Galenorn]  Iron Bones (The Wild Hunt Book 3) by [Yasmine Galenorn]

A Shadow of Crows (The Wild Hunt Book 4) by [Yasmine Galenorn]  The Hallowed Hunt (The Wild Hunt Book 5) by [Yasmine Galenorn]  Gypsy Magic: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel: (Poppy's Potions) (Haven Hollow Book 1) by [J.R. Rain, H.P. Mallory]

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Other posts on my blog this week.

Family Pride by Deborah A. Bailey ~ Excerpt And Giveaway

Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Skull’s Vengeance by Linnea Tanner ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Any Fin For Love by Petie McCarty ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Walking In A Winter… Wonderbound ~ Reviews And Giveaway

Moving Is Murder ~ A Middle Age Is Murder Mystery by Nellie H. Steele

Errors And Exorcisms by Annie Anderson ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

ZITA WEST GIVEAWAY

Of Mushrooms And Matrimony ~ A Tish Tarragon Mystery by Amy Patricia Meade

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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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Of Mushrooms And Matrimony

A Tish Tarragon Mystery

by Amy Patricia Meade

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Of Mushrooms and Matrimony (A Tish Tarragon Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Severn House; Main edition (January 3, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 144830654X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448306541
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B8ZMBLCL

Tish Tarragon is catering for a wedding, but the weekend goes from sweet to sour when a guest at the venue is poisoned.

 

Literary caterer and owner of Cookin’ the Books cafe Tish Tarragon is pushing thoughts of her impending eviction aside to prepare an appetising welcome buffet for a wedding weekend at Abbingdon Green Bed and Breakfast. While there, Tish witnesses one of the guests, controversial TV chef and restaurant critic, Gunner Randall, threatening staff after missing breakfast and making do with a mushroom omelet.

 

When Randall is found dead the following day, it soon becomes clear that poisoned mushrooms were behind his demise. With no shortage of potential suspects and motives, can Tish and her new beau, Sheriff Clemson Reade, uncover who was enraged enough with the unsavoury star to silence him for good?

 

About Amy Patricia Meade 

Author of the critically acclaimed Marjorie McClelland Mysteries, Vermont Country Living Mysteries, and Tish Tarragon Mysteries, Amy Patricia Meade is a native of Long Island, NY, where she cut her teeth on classic films and books featuring Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

After stints as an Operations Manager for a document imaging company and as a freelance technical writer, Amy left the bright lights of New York City and headed north to pursue her creative writing career amidst the idyllic beauty of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

After five years living in Bristol, England, Amy now resides in upstate New York.

When not writing, Amy spends her time working for her musician husband, watching classic films, testing new recipes, belly dancing, and cleaning cat hair from her lap.

Author Links:  Website / Facebook / Instagram

Purchase Links – AmazonB&NKoboIndieBound

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

January 4 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

January 5 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 5 – Ebook addicts – SPOTLIGHT

January 6 – Books to the Ceiling – SPOTLIGHT*

January 6 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – Bootsie’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – RECIPE

January 11 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 13 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 15 – I’m Into Books – RECIPE

January 16 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

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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.

 

ZITA WEST GIVEAWAY

Posted: January 7, 2023 in giveaways
Tags: ,

Welcome To The Zita West Giveaway!

This giveaway is part of our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide. Stop by to see all the great giveaways and products!

Preparation is key and ensuring both partners are in the optimum shape both physically and emotionally can greatly increase the likelihood of pregnancy.

Be The One Lucky Winner To Take Home A Zita West Prize Pack Worth $92! Don’t Miss This Amazing Opportunity And Enter Now For Your Chance To Win.

Giveaway Details

Prize

Zita West Prize Pack

Vitafem

 It’s a simple and effective way for women to ensure they get the essential nutrients they need while preparing for pregnancy.

Vitamen

Vitamen is specially formulated to help support male fertility and to help prepare a man’s body for conception and is the first supplement we recommend for men when trying for a baby.

Restore And Renew Lavender Bath Therapy Oil

This special aromatherapy blend is rich in Lavender which helps you to relax your mind and body and, in turn, helps with anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and body aches.

Hosts

Co-Hosts

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A Rain of ThoughtDeliciously SavvyGiveaway Gator, Golden Goose GiveawaysHome Jobs by Mom, MarksvilleandMeMy Silly Little GangPink Ninja Blog, Tales From A Southern MomThe Stuff of SuccessThis Frugal Family, The Frugal Grandmom, Versatileer

Sponsors

WEBSITE ~ PINTEREST ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ YOUTUBE ~ INSTAGRAM ~ AMAZON

Good Luck! Enter Below

For a chance to win an incredible Zita West Prize Pack, US residents aged 18 and over can enter the competition from December 27th 2022 – January 31st 2023. One lucky entrant will be chosen! No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This giveaway is not endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media networking site. The chosen winner has only 48 hours to act on the notification email before their opportunity expires and a new winner is selected. Don’t miss out! Once the lucky winner is chosen and verified, we’ll post their name on our giveaway form for all to see! The sponsor will be responsible for sending the winners their prizes.

Are you a blogger wanting to gain exposure? If so, click here and get your link added at no cost to one of our giveaways. Just share the giveaway post with your followers and report back after doing so!

Are you a company or brand wanting to partner with Home Jobs By Mom? If so, feel free to reach out – I’m here and ready to answer any questions. Plus, if you want the inside scoop on new giveaways and blogger opps, just click here! Don’t miss out on all these amazing opportunities – join me now.

Thank you so much for visiting today!

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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.

 

Errors and Exorcisms

by Annie Anderson

 

(The Wrong Witch, #3)
Publication date: January 5th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Savannah is a Hell of a city…

After a quick jaunt to the Fae realm, I’ve come home to find my city on fire, my mate nowhere to be found, and demons running in the streets. Now, I have to help close a portal to Hell while also trying to figure out why my wonky powers are destroying reality as I know it.

And I will. Right after I find my wolf…

Errors and Exorcisms is the third book in The Wrong Witch series. If you enjoy fated mates, enemies-to-lovers, and steamy paranormal romance, then this is the series for you.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

In-laws really were the worst.

Sure, most people had clashes in personality, the odd conflict here and there, but me? I got the raw end of the deal when it came to my wife’s family. Then again, Wren could have probably said the same shit about mine—and she’d have been right, considering the throat-slitting event at our first family dinner.

But at present, she wasn’t dealing with homicidal witches hell-bent on eviscerating her from the inside out, and I was, so…

When I woke up this morning with Wren in my arms, I never thought my day would end like this. We were supposed to make sure she was ready to go to the ABI. We were supposed to laugh and joke and make love and go to bed and wake up tomorrow and do it all over again.

I wasn’t supposed to run all over Savannah trying not to get us both killed.

I wasn’t supposed to realize we both wouldn’t make it out of here.

I wasn’t supposed to tell my best friend to take her away from me.

I wasn’t supposed to tell her goodbye.

I wouldn’t trade it now. Because Wren was safe, and these women would never touch her again—as long as I could hold them back.

Dodging the blade, I nearly ran into Wren’s cracked-out mother, who was doing her level best to electrocute me to death. All things considered, I was pegging Wren’s family as the raw end of the deal. Especially since they were the reason I was never going to see her again.

“What’s the matter, Fido?” Margot simpered as she clutched a crackling ball of power in her palm. “You afraid of a little shock?”

A shock? No.

Getting roasted from the inside out? Absolutely.

Several decades my senior, the Bannister witches could make me a stain on the floor if I gave them the chance. It wasn’t like our families had ever gotten along, but ever since Eloise Bannister found out I was married to her granddaughter, I’d known my days were numbered.

I just didn’t think it would be this soon.

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Author Annie Anderson:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

 

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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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Moving Is Murder

A Salem Falls B&B Paranormal Cozy Mystery

A Middle Age Is Murder Mystery

by Nellie H. Steele

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Moving is Murder: A Salem Falls B&B Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Middle Age is Murder Cozy Mysteries)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting –  Fictional town of Salem Falls
Independently Published (December 25, 2022)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 317 pages
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B9CBYX5W

A new hometown. A murdered aunt. Mysterious talking animals. Divorce just turned interesting.

Ellie Byrne’s pending divorce from her cheating husband threatens to leave her broke and homeless. But when she inherits a bed and breakfast in the unique town of Salem Falls, her prayers may be answered.

That is, until she finds out her aunt didn’t just die on the property, she was murdered. And shortly after Ellie arrives, she finds herself the target of threatening messages and hostile attitudes from almost everyone in town. And after someone chucks a rock through her window, she begins to fear for her life.

Can Ellie discover which one of them offed her aunt? Or will the bed and breakfast she’d hoped would provide a fresh start put her in the grave?

If you love middle-aged heroines, talking pets, and quirky small town settings, you’ll love book 1 in this charming paranormal women’s fiction cozy mystery series.

About Nellie H. Steele 

Award-winning author Nellie H. Steele writes in as many genres as she reads.

Addicted to books since she could read, Nellie escaped to fictional worlds like the ones created by Carolyn Keene or Victoria Holt long before she decided to put pen to paper and create her own realities.

When she’s not spinning a cozy mystery tale, building a new realm in a contemporary fantasy, or writing another action-adventure car chase, you can find her shuffling through her Noah’s Ark of rescue animals or enjoying a hot cuppa (that’s tea for most Americans.)

Author Links
Check out all Nellie’s offers at www.anovelideapublishing.com/novels or at her blog, Nellie’s Book Nook, available at www.nelliesbooknook.com!

Webpage / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Instagram

Purchase Link – Amazon

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

January 4 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 4 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 5 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 5 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

January 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

January 7 – Sneaky the Library cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 8 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 8 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 10 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Girl with Pen – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

January 11 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Diana’s Book Journal – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

January 13 – Lady Hawkeye – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

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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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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND
from VAULT Comics Blog Tour hosted by
Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway! 

The Science Fiction, Fantasy, and spooky stories young readers imprint from VAULT Comics! 

Count on a flurry of activity around all WONDERBOUND
original graphic novel middle grade titles! 

Here’s a list of all of the titles & authors participating in the tour! Check out each individual
blog/Instagram/or booktok (schedule below) for more details on each book!

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GHOSTER HEIGHTS by Corey Landsell, Kelly Mellings, & Lisa Larose (Illustrator)

HELLO, MY NAME IS POOP by Ben Katzner & Ian McGinty (Illustrator)

KENZIE’S KINGDOM by Shea Fontana & Agnes Garbowska (Illustrator)

POIKO: Quests Stuff by Brian Middleton

THE BROTHERS FLICK: THE IMPOSSIBLE DOORS by Ryan Haddock & Nick Wyche (Illustrator)

THE UNFINISHED CORNER by Dani Colman & Rachel “Tuna” Petrovicz (Illustrator)

VERSE

VERSE BOOK 1: THE BROKEN HALF by Sam Beck

VERSE BOOK 2: THE SECOND GATE by Sam Beck

WRASSLE CASTLE

WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 1: LEARNING THE ROPES by Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, & Galaad (Illustrator)

WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 2: RIDERS ON THE STORM by Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, & Galaad (Illustrator)

WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 3: PUT A LYD ON IT! by Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, & Galaad (Illustrator)

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eBook Links: Click on the titles for links.

GHOSTER HEIGHTS

THE BROTHERS FLICK: The Impossible Doors

KENZIE’S KINGDOM

POIKO: Quests & Stuff

THE UNFINISHED CORNER

HELLO, MY NAME IS POOP

VERSE Book 1: The Broken Half

VERSE Book 2: The Second Gate

WRASSLE CASTLE Book 1: Learning the Ropes

WRASSLE CASTLE Book 2: Riders On the Storm

WRASSLE CASTLE Book 3:  Put a Lyd On It!

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 MY REVIEWS

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Unfinished Corner

MY REVIEW

 I always enjoy books that teach me something. I learned about Judaism and had a very fun and exciting adventure also. Lots of wonderful, genuine characters and great graphics made this a quick, exciting read.

4 STARS

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Wrassle Castle : Learning The Ropes

MY REVIEW

Lydia is quirky and determined. Living in the shadow of her famous brother, she’s determined to bust out and entering the wrestling competion could be her best bet. But her brother is accused of treason and her goal has changed.

I was totally in Lydia’s corner. She won me over and made me laugh. Wrassle Castle is a series I’ll continue reading. Friendship and adventure await. Equally fun was The Author’s corner at the end of the book.

4 STARS

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Wrassle Castle: Riders On The Storm

MY REVIEW

The story continues and Lydia is more determined than ever to continue rising in the ranks of wrestling. She’s just as determined to rescue her best friend and free her brother.

More fun, some problem solving and lots of exciting wrestling matches made this reader happy I continued with the series.

4 STARS

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Wrassle Castle: Put A Lyd On It

MY REVIEW

I started the last book with hope for a satisfying conclusion for Lydia, her friends and her brother. Got all of that, along with a deepening mystery and some great wrestling moves.

The title says it all. Good clean fun.

4 STARS

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Poiko: Quests & Stuff

MY REVIEW

Such a fun bunch of adventures. Poiko and Kenzie meet some interesting characters as they deliver packages and do a bit of problem solving along the way.

I adored these two and loved the graphics. A book that covers lots of life’s hurtles and how friendship helps smooth the bumpy road.

5 STARS

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Ghoster Heights

MY REVIEW

I wish there’d been more books like this when I was a young girl. Ghoster Heights is one I’d have begged my parents to buy for me so I could read it over and over. So much enjoyment to read and such expressive and colorful illustrations and genuine characters. Well, maybe not ghosts, as they aren’t real. Or are they? LOL Good clean fun and I’ve already read it twice.

5 STARS

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Hello, My Name Is Poop

MY REVIEW

Will Poupe has just two more days until school lets out for the year. Will he survive those two days? Could be a challenge when, on day one, he sits on the school bully’s lunch. Oops. That’s how he earns the name, Poop. And the story is one big can of worms after that.

Will’s poop powers were fun and kind of…eww.  Even if you can’t choose your superpower, you can learn from it.

Great graphics and sure did bring back memories of those long ago school days.

4 STARS

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The Brothers Flick

MY REVIEW

While this story is about boys, with girls rarely entering the plot, I still connected and was so wowed by the illustrations and strange occurrences going on. Devoured it in no time and surprised myself by how much fun I had.

5 STARS

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Kenzie’s Kingdom

MY REVIEW

When I was young I had an imaginary world that I could travel to filled with exciting people and creatures. I has such grand adventures. Kenzie’s Kingdom reminded me of that. I adored the story and the characters and loved the illustrations and world building.

4 STARS

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Verse: The Broken Half

MY REVIEW

At the end of the book the author shares that this book started as some fun doodling and morphed into a great fantasy adventure story. Boy, did it ever. I was sucked right in. Turning the pages and devouring the illustrations. Action packed, with loads of suspense and some great characters and world building. The ending was a cliff hanger and I sure was glad I had the second book so I could jump right back in.

4 STARS

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Verse: The Second Gate

MY REVIEW

I enjoyed this even more than the first book.  The characters have new challenges, the artwork is incredible and there’s never a dull moment. Whether as anime or real living breathing human actors, I think this series would be amazing on the big screen. I’d be first in line to see it.

5 STARS

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win finished copies of every book featured in the WALKING
IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND from VAULT tour, US Only.

1 winner will win eBooks of every book featured in the WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND from VAULT tour from iBooks, International.

Ends January 17th, midnight EST.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/12/2022

Lady Hawkeye

Feature WRASSLE CASTLE/IG Post

12/13/2022

Mythical Books

Feature KENZIE’S KINGDOM/IG Post

12/14/2022

Sadie’s
Spotlight

Feature POIKO/IG Post

12/15/2022

YA Books Central

Feature THE BROTHERS FLICK/IG Post

12/16/2022

Two Chicks on Books

Feature GHOSTER HEIGHTS/IG Post

Week Two:

12/19/2022

Little
Red Reads

Feature THE UNFINISHED CORNER/IG Post

12/20/2022

The
Book View

Review/IG Post

12/21/2022

Sandra’s Book Club

Review

12/22/2022

Pickagoodbook

Review/IG Post

12/23/2022

Locks, Hooks and Books

Review/IG Post

Week Three:

12/26/2022

Not
In Jersey

Review/IG Post

12/27/2022

Nonbinaryknightreads

Review/IG Post

12/28/2022

@carlysunshinebooks

IG Review

12/29/2022

@pages.for.sanity

IG Review

12/30/2022

Review Thick And Thin

Review/IG Post

Week Four:

1/2/2022

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

1/3/2022

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

1/4/2022

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic

1/5/2022

FUONLYKNEW

Review

1/6/2022

See Sadie Read

Review/IG Post

 

 

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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 organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Petie McCarty will be awarding an Autographed paperback copy of Cinderella Busted (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Any Fin For Love

by Petie McCarty

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

She could almost hear the fish laughing at her . . .

Cody Ryan’s father never missed fishing the annual Loon Lake tournament until his unexpected passing. So this year, Cody packs up her how-to fishing videos and her dad’s old johnboat and gives him one final entry.

Gage Connor needs some R&R away from his coast guard deployment catching drug smugglers along the Louisiana coast, so he borrows a bass boat from his buddy and heads to Loon, Alabama to do some fishing.

When Gage and Cody meet at Loon Lake, their attraction is immediate and intense—until the two discover there is only one boat slip left on the lake and they both need it, and there’s only one vacant hotel room left in Loon and they both want it. Thus, their competition begins. Both vow to keep their distance from the other to fight the temptation, but fate has other plans. The tournament pairing party picks the two-man teams and chooses Gage as Cody’s partner.

For two days.
Alone on a boat.
Working as a team.

Good things come to those who bait . . .

Enjoy this peek inside:

Billy then addressed the audience. “There is a three-rod limit. Y’all will have to make do. Absolutely no live bait. The first flight of ten boats goes off at 7:00 a.m., so don’t be late. There will be ten minutes between flights. If both contestants on a team have boats, flip a coin to see whose boat you use the first day, and then use the other boat the second day.”

“What?” Gage thundered, suddenly coming to life.

Cody wanted a hole to open in the stage and swallow her up. She knew whoever got stuck with her as a partner would be mad about her johnboat. She just didn’t think the stickee would be Gage.

Billy smirked at Gage. “That’s right. You flip a coin to see which day you fish from her johnboat.”

“No way,” Gage bellyached.

A rumble of laughter swept through the tent, and Cody fought back tears. She swallowed three times to get the lump back down her throat until she caught sight of Lila’s ear-to-ear grin, and then her blood simmered to a boil.

“That’s the way it is,” Billy said, clearly as pleased as his daughter. He turned back to the crowd. “If there’s only one teammate with a boat . . .” His sideways smirk at Cody had her hands balling into fists. “Then you use the same boat both days.”

Great. Now Zeke and Alvin were grinning ear-to-ear, and Gage looked ready to explode. Big surprise there. The man had finally shown his true colors.

Billy hadn’t finished. “We start at seven both days. Y’all will have exactly eight hours to fish. I repeat, the first flight of ten boats leaves promptly at seven. The weigh-in each day will commence at three o’clock, and you’ll be given your weigh-in bags just before your flight in the morning. If your flight leaves at 7:10 a.m., then you must be back to weigh-in at 3:10 p.m. You will be docked one pound of fish for each minute you are late for your weigh-in. If you are more than fifteen minutes late, you will be disqualified.” He glanced around the tent to be sure all entrants paid attention. “Each boat must have a live well, and no more than five fish can be held in the live well at one time.”

He hesitated and then looked as though a light bulb flicked on. He spun around to face Cody. “Do you even have a live well?”

Every face in the tent focused on Cody.

“Yes, I do,” she said indignantly. “I wouldn’t have entered your tournament if I didn’t. I read the rules.”

“What is it? An Igloo cooler with an aquarium pump?” he taunted.

She gulped. “Yes.”

A rumble of laughter shot through the crowd.

Eyes narrowed, hands fisted at her sides, Cody stared them all down. She spotted the two rows of females smiling in the back, all giving her the universal thumbs up sign, and her chin notched up higher.

Billy couldn’t resist a final jab. “Well, Mr. Connor, it looks like you’ll spend one day in a johnboat.”

 Author Petie McCarty:

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—”The Most Magical Place on Earth”—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her “day” job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and her cozy-mystery-with-romantic-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in No Angels for Christmas.

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
BookBub
Amazon Author Page

Amazon

Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

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 Skull’s Vengeance organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Linnea Tanner 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.

Skull’s Vengeance

by Linnea Tanner

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Synopsis

A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother and claim the throne. But to do so, she must learn how to strike vengeance from her father’s skull.

 

AS FORETOLD BY HER FATHER in a vision, Catrin has become a battle-hardened warrior after her trials in the Roman legion and gladiatorial games. She must return to Britannia and pull the cursed dagger out of the serpent's stone to fulfill her destiny. Only then can she unleash the vengeance from the ancient druids to destroy her evil half-brother, the powerful sorcerer, King Marrock. Always two steps ahead and seemingly unstoppable, Marrock can summon destructive natural forces to crush any rival trying to stop him and has charged his deadliest assassin to bring back Catrin's head.

 

To have the slightest chance of beating Marrock, Catrin must forge alliances with former enemies, but she needs someone she can trust. Her only option is to seek military aid from Marcellus—her secret Roman husband. They rekindle their burning passion, but he is playing a deadly game in the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to support Catrin's cause.

 

Ultimately, in order to defeat Marrock, Catrin must align herself with a dark druidess and learn how to summon forces from skulls to exact vengeance. But can she and Marcellus outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia in their quest to vanquish Marrock?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

PROLOGUE

 

White Cliffs in Southeast Britannia,

Eve of Samhain, 31 October, 26 AD

 

Three human skulls hung over King Marrock’s stallion, dangling from a rope like ornaments. Feeling as invincible as a god, he rode to the precipice of the sheer cliffs and listened to the roar of the waves crashing below. Yet, the raven soaring overhead chilled him to the bone—an omen he was but mortal and could plunge to his death.

 

He embraced the warmth of Boudicca, his younger half sister, who sat astride his horse in front of him. A toddler full of mirth, she was a healer who could connect to the souls of the dead.

 

Whereas their mother accused him, also known as Blood Wolf, of being a soulless murderer.

 

On this eve of Samhain, Marrock knew the souls of the dead freely roamed among the living. He spotted his deadliest assassin, Gawain, searching for the wraith on the emerald hilltop. Gawain had a blue, triangular tattoo of a dagger’s blade on his forehead and deadly weapons underneath his black cloak—the royal insignia of the red dragon stitched to the front panel.

 

For Marrock, the Otherworldly dragon, with its leathery wings and fiery breath, symbolized perpetual power. It was said that where dragons trod, mystic energy flowed. The untamed beast guarded the portal into the Otherworld.

 

He yearned for the dragon’s mystic power—the power to summon forces from the earth’s molten underbelly to immolate his rivals.

 

Gawain pointed to a pile of rocks. “The sheepherder saw the wraith over there,” he said in his deep, gravelly voice.

 

Marrock handed Boudicca to him and then dismounted, pulling the rope of skulls off his horse and draping it over his shoulders. His family’s skulls served as a warning to anyone who threatened his sovereignty.

 

Until now, he had only been able to summon the deadly powers from the skulls of his stepmother and bastard sister; their souls were encased in the bone crowns. The soul of his father, King Amren, still eluded Marrock, even after he had sliced off his father’s head. If his father’s soul was indeed wandering the hilltop, he would imprison it in the largest empty skull he had.

 

Then, he would be able to unleash the collective forces from all three souls.

 

Glancing all around, he could not see his father’s ghostly figure in the thickening fog. Boudicca’s gleeful giggle roused his attention. He watched her waddle toward a mound of stones and place her tiny hands on the stacked rocks.

 

“Pa. Pa. Am,” she squealed with delight.

 

Marrock cast a glance at Gawain. “Did the sheepherder see the wraith disappear into those rocks?”

 

Gawain nodded. “Indeed, I believe so.”

 

Marrock transferred the roped skulls from his shoulders to the grassy ground and looked at Gawain. “Help me remove the rocks so I can see what is underneath.”

 

Gawain joined Marrock in the task of removing the white stones one by one. They inspected each rock for any defect before setting it aside.

 

Boudicca, mimicking the men, picked up flint pebbles and dropped them on the chalky ground.

 

After a while, they uncovered the gemstone handle of a dagger; its blade was embedded in a coil-shaped serpent stone. Marrock recognized the jewel-studded dagger as once belonging to his father. Intrigued, he gripped the handle with both hands and strained to pull it out, his muscles aching and his face dripping with sweat from the effort.

 

Suddenly, to his shock, the hilt turned sizzling hot. He jerked his hands away and inspected the blisters that had formed on his reddened palms. Hearing Boudicca’s gleeful babble, he looked down just as she gripped the dagger’s handle.

 

“Pa. Pa. Am,” she trilled.

 

To Marrock’s surprise, Boudicca’s hands did not burn.

 

A prickling sensation noosed around his neck as he recalled the original curse cast by his mother just before his father had executed her.

 

The gods demand that the scales be balanced for the life you take. If you deny my soul’s journey to the Otherworld by beheading me, I curse you to the same fate as mine. I prophesy your future queen will beget a daughter who will rise as a raven and join your son, Blood Wolf, and a mighty empire will overtake your kingdom and execute my curse.

 

King Amren had etched the words of the curse on the dagger’s blade using the Roman alphabet with the belief he could thwart the dark prophecy.

 

Marrock shuddered.

 

Does my father’s soul live in the dagger? Has he come back to exact vengeance on me?

~~~~~

About Author Linnea Tanner

Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

 

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include “Apollo’s Raven” (Book 1), “Dagger’s Destiny” (Book 2), “Amulet’s Rapture” (Book 3), and “Skull’s Vengeance” (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story, “Two Faces of Janus.”

 

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

 

You can follow her on her website HERE.

 

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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Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell. In Copper Waters a rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 2 till 15 January. You can see the tour schedule here.

Copper Waters

(Annalisse Series #4)

By Marlene M. Bell

 

Genre: Mystery / Suspense
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 5 December 2022

Blurb:

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

Links:
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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Nothing’s sinking in.” I pass the note to Alec and prepare myself. “Would you mind reading it aloud?”

“She and Ethan traveled together.” He gazes at me.

“Okay, we’d considered that.”

“Kate has business to conclude in New Zealand before she returns to New York. She asks me not to mention this to you until she arrives in the States but didn’t give a reason. Kate says she’ll meet you in person when she’s ready.”

“Seriously? Where does she plan to live? With me in Greenwich? The Goshen farm could be sold by now. Does she mention Jeremy finding her another place?”

Alec scans the page randomly. “No, she didn’t.”

I scratch my scalp and shake my head. “Then my sheep station trip to New Zealand is perfect timing. I have to leave now and see if I can catch her before she skips out. Ethan must know where Kate is. If it’s all the same, we’ll hang on to the tickets for our April trip, and I’ll buy my own way for this flight.” Tugging at my sweatshirt with clammy hands, I take the note from Alec and sail it into the flames, watching paper crinkle and burn on the log.

He steps forward, his chiseled profile gawking at the fire in disbelief.

“Were you ever going to tell me about Kate’s message?” A sob chokes my windpipe. “If it weren’t for Ethan’s invite, I doubt that we’d be talking about Kate.”

“Babe, I thought by staying neutral…” He twists his lips and looks at his shoes. “Seeing your reaction now; it was a mistake not to tell you.”

“That totally blows.” I ball my hands into fists. “More like you were afraid that I’d run down there to find her.” I’m mad enough to send smoke signals, so I take slower, calming breaths.

“If I’d told you… Yeah, I worried you’d run off. The ordeal in Italy, then Peter Gregory terrorizing you, and Helga has had barely enough time to settle around here. Your safety doesn’t include encouraging you to hop on a plane to another country so soon after a trauma like that. Waiting for Kate’s return felt right to me. At some point, I hope you’ll see things from my side. Kate put me in the middle, but it’s you I worry about.”

Willing myself to relax, I take his hand to get him to focus on me instead of the floor. “I know that.”

Peter Gregory, an old coworker from my past job at another gallery, is responsible for a young woman’s murder in Lecce, near the Mediterranean Sea on Italy’s eastern shore. Alec and I went to Southern Italy for a working vacation that spun us into solving more than one homicide in order for Alec to sell his dad’s Signorile Corporation, a sports car company.

“After a shower, I’ll give your mom a call from the car on the way home. I might have trouble getting a flight out on the spur of the moment, but if I do, I hope you’ll help me.”

“Anna, we should discuss this.” He catches my wrist. “I’d like to go along. Say the word, and I’m on that plane with you. Allow what’s happened with Kate to simmer. You might feel differently in the morning.”

Grasping Kate’s locket beneath my shirt, I slide the chain over my head and cup Alec’s hand, dropping the necklace there.

“Hold on to my locket while I’m gone. It’s the most precious thing I own. That way, you’ll know I’m coming back to you.” On my tiptoes, our salty kiss calls a loneliness— In a flash, two people are about to have a hemisphere drifting between them from outside influences that want to manipulate us. “Gen will be here to see Noah in a few hours, and you have him until Sunday. Let me go, Alec, and please wait for me at Brookehaven. I have to make this trip by myself. If there’s the slightest chance that Kate’s with Ethan or he knows where she is, I have to go. I’ve already lost precious time.” I start for the drawing room doors and remember something left undone. “Oh, and sorry for the sticky mess in your stable office.”

In a dead run, I’m biting a quivering lip. On the way to Alec’s bedroom suite, I send Chase a text to hold Ethan’s box and note for me at the gallery. True to form, Kate shoves us all out of our comfort zones, where I’m certain to find a disaster waiting for me to book a ticket to New Zealand in a mad rush.

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Guest Post

It’s 2012 when we arrive in Texas at our new home—with one-hundred-twenty sheep and lambs in multiple trailers. A 1500 mile drive we hope to never make again with so many animals! My husband and I didn’t know a soul in Texas except the previous property owner and a couple of her friends from the golf club and retirement community behind our acreage. We were introduced to so many of the neighbors during a welcome barbeque once the property closed escrow and became ours. Unfortunately, there were so many people here that night we forgot most of their names.

That meet and greet neighborhood get-together gave us the idea to begin a tradition on our ranch. We have a huge shop building at the top of the hill with old sycamore trees surrounding it for shade. The area presented the perfect venue for tables and chairs—ideal to hold Chili Cookoffs during the fall months. Autumn in East Texas is colorful beyond belief! We got to work on the event and invited the neighborhood including friends from the Holly Lake Ranch residents and our local volunteer fire department.

We combined the cook-off into a fundraiser for the department and asked the HLFD attendees to bring a few of their fire trucks and equipment for display since many of them were on call that Saturday evening. The group brought nineteen pots of excellent chili to sample and afterwards, we voted for four prize winners in various categories. In addition, I supplied three tables with silent auction gifts where all proceeds were given to the fire department’s general fund.

Everyone had such a good time while we raised several thousand dollars for the fire department. Since autumn is lambing time for our flock, we haven’t been able to make this a yearly cook-off as we’d hoped, but we’re often asked when we plan to set up another cookoff in the future. Pots of chili were the best thing to introduce ourselves to the area residents.

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Earlier books in the series:
Stolen Obsession (Annalisse Series #1) by Marlene M. BellSpent Identity (Annalisse Series #2) by Marlene M. BellShattered Legacy (Annalisse Series #3)

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About the Author Marlene M. Bell:

 

Marlene M. Bell

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romance are found at marlenembell.com. She also offers the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Author links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
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Amazon
Instagram

 

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There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Copper Waters. This giveaway is open to domestic USA residents only. One winner wins a prize package containing:
– An autographed copy of Copper Waters
– A New Zealand black-tipped wool throw
– Hammered copper tea kettle
– a $50 VISA card

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For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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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 Family Pride organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Deborah A. Bailey will be awarding a $30 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.

Family Pride

by Deborah A. Bailey

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

Book two of the Family Pride Paranormal Romance Series

After claiming Zora Mason as his mate, and fighting off a threat to the MacKinnon pride, Mac is more than ready to get back to managing his coffee bar and settling into mated bliss. But just when it looks like things are quieting down, Mac and Zora find more challenges ahead.

Plans for Zora and Mac’s official introduction to the pride, and the opening of the new coffee bar may be derailed when, gripped by a mysterious blood fever lingering after the leadership challenge, Mac is driven to the edge of his endurance as he fights to keep his inner lion under control.

Juggling her responsibilities in the business and her position as the mate of the pride leader becomes even more challenging when Zora is forced to confront her fear that Mac is changing into someone she doesn’t recognize.

As the fever pushes Mac to the edge, the revelation of an old, painful family secret proves to be the key to saving Mac’s life. Zora and Mac come up with a plan to end the threat of the fever forever, but that same plan may destroy them both.

Is their love strong enough to defeat the blood fever, so they can live happily ever after as mates?

Enjoy this peek inside:

Mac rubbed his forehead. “Look, I can’t help everybody right now, okay? I’m up to my eyeballs.” He went over to the table and checked his phone.

“Mackenzie! I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. You’ve never been like this before.”

Now Lena was the one calling him by his full name, and when she did it, she was one step away from going full lioness on his ass. “Grandma, just a month ago I was in a challenge, and I got mated. Now everybody wants me to do something for them. I’ve got a coffee bar to run and one to open!”

Instead of replying, she looked him up and down like she was appraising him. In lion form, she was a seasoned hunter and fighter. Though she was in her 70’s, age hadn’t slowed her down. In fact, her trim, toned body was the product of countless activities she busied herself with in both lion and human form.

“I see.” Lena came over to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down. “What did you and Zora have a fight about? The business?”

“Me and Zora? What? I–how did you know? Did she call you?”

Lena chuckled. “She didn’t have to. You’re wound up. I’ve seen you under pressure before, and you’ve never been like this. Mackenzie, you’ve been a nomad for most of your adult life. I knew it would be…challenging to get mated.”

“Please don’t say, ‘challenging.’ Especially not after what I went through with Eldon.”

“You did the right thing to take the challenge for your father. But now that you’ve tasted blood, you’ll never be the same again.” Lena crossed her legs. “Perhaps that’s the problem.”

“Grandma, I could’ve killed Eldon. When we were fighting, I wanted to tear him apart. Especially after he threatened Zora.” Mac ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve never felt that before.”

“It’s time to accept the beast inside you. Don’t be ashamed of it,” Lena said.

About Author Deborah A. Bailey:

Deborah A Bailey’s Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal & Science Fiction Romance novels include suspense, a bit of mystery and a lot of romantic heat.

Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference and have been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun and are included in, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales. She’s the author of non-fiction books, and articles for various online publications.

Visit her website for more information and subscribe to the newsletter so you’ll be the first to find out about giveaways, book launches and sneak peeks.

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Family Pride: Blood Fever and Family Pride: Love and Challenges will be on sale for 0.99 on Amazon, B&N, Apple & Kobo from 12/26/22 – 1/9/23

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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.