Archive for the ‘Excerpt’ Category

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction By Teresa Trent ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: April 24, 2025 in Cozy Mystery, Excerpt, giveaways, Historical, reviews
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I Can't Get No Satisfaction by Teresa Trent Banner

I CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION
by Teresa Trent
April 7 – May 2, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
The Swinging Sixties Mystery Series

 

After finding herself in the middle of murder investigation in her last two secretarial jobs, Dot finds the only place that will hire her is her local funeral home.

Why not? At least there all the clients are safe from what the town calls her murderous “Curse of Camden”. It is 1965 and Dot is planning her wedding with a Twiggy like mini-bridal gown, but secretly she’s not so sure it’s a good idea. If she really is cursed, what might happen to the one she loves? Is she willing to put him in danger? She and Ben put wedding planning on the back burner when one of the town’s teenage girls gets hit by a drunk boater who gets away. The closer they get to the answers, the more Dot feels the curse is coming for Ben.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery

Published by: Level Best Books Publication Date: February 2025 Number of Pages: 215 ISBN: 978-1-68512-870-8 Series: The Swinging Sixties Mystery Series, Book 4 | Each is a Stand Alone Novel

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

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MY REVIEW

I’ve never been one to shy away from jumping into a series without having read some of the previous books. Especially if I’ve enjoyed other books from an author. Teresa Trent is one of those authors.  She writes fun cozies with characters that are so genuine I feel like I recognize them. So, being the fourth in the series, I had no hesitation on taking that leap.

This is a Swinging Sixties Mystery series. I was just a young lass in the sixties and lots of memories came flooding back. Teresa put me in the era. I remembered metal cups that had that metallic taste when you drank water from them. The big hair-dos, the bold colored clothes, and don’t get me started on the music.

Dot was a woman after my own heart. She had a mind of her own but had lots of thoughts in her head. She really did think things through. Especially since she’s earned the moniker, ‘the Curse of Camden.’ She seems to attract dead bodies through no fault of her own. Figuring if you can’t beat em, join em, she becomes something of a detective.

Starting her new job at a funeral home, the curse rears it’s ugly head. Lo and behold, another dead body. Time to put on the sleuthing hat, and this time Dot’s not going it alone. Her fiancee is right in the thick of things and this puts both of them in the killer’s crosshairs. Cross your fingers that they make it to the altar alive.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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After leaving Oliver, I decided to speak to the marina owner one more time to try to figure out who took the boat used in Henry’s murder. Grabbing a sandwich at my apartment, I called Ben to see if he would like to go along with me. He was covering court this week for a reporter on vacation, so I was lucky to catch him at his desk.

“Yes, I’d love to go with you, and as luck would have it, the judge rescheduled the court case.”

Even though some people might think a reporter’s life is glamorous and full of intrigue, Ben was covering a case of stolen pigs for The Camden Courier. Shorty Wyckoff, a pig farmer, claimed Bill Wheeler, another pig farmer, snuck up in the cloak of darkness and loaded up an 1100-pound sow into the back of a pickup truck. What made her so valuable was her nickname, Fertile Myrtle. It was reported that she could get pregnant with only one try, and the results were dozens of little piggies. The newspaper had dubbed the case “Makin’ Bacon Caper.” It was a popular series of articles, considering it was one step up from the farm report and featured the sex lives of pigs.

“I’ll pick you up, but I have to warn you, ol’ Bernice isn’t doing too well. I think she’s on her last breath.” “Ol’ Bernice, a 1955 Oldsmobile, had several dents, bald tires, and a constant wheezing coming out from under the rusty brown hood. “Should we take my car?” “Nice of you to offer, but I want to take Bernice today. I have plans for her.” Besides setting her on fire or pushing her off the nearest cliff, I wasn’t sure what he had in mind. I knew Ben had arrived when I heard the familiar wheezing and sputtering of Bernice in my driveway. Ben and I returned to the marina, but this time the marina owner was nowhere to be found. The marina office and residence stood atop a small hill overlooking the glistening waters of the bay. Selma, the guard dog Shep had praised, did not bark or even growl, but playfully nudged her snout against my hand, her tail wagging vigorously in excitement. We knocked on the glass panes of the marina office, and after not getting an answer, I clasped my hands around my eyes and, leaning on the glass, looked inside. As I drew closer, I could hear the low rumble of jazz, heavy on the bass. It created a melodic backdrop with the gentle lapping of the waves. “I think he must be farther back in the house. I hear a stereo.” Ben put his ear to the glass and then turned around to face the parking lot. “Hmmm. How many cars do you see parked here?” I turned back and scanned the parking area. “Three.” “Right. Ours, his, and whose is that?” He pointed at a wood-paneled station wagon. It was the kind of car a family with children would use. “I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone else around here. Maybe someone has taken their boat out.” “Maybe, but when we were here last, there were twelve boats in twelve boat slips. Today I only see eleven. Considering Bubba Jenkins’s boat – was just impounded for a murder investigation. I would say all the remaining boats are here.” “Which means whoever is driving that station wagon is inside, listening to jazz with Shep. Let’s try knocking at the backdoor,” I said. We made our way around, and as we did, the sound of the music grew louder, along with a few other sounds. Ben smiled and blushed a little as we heard rhythmic moans coming from an open window. “They must be big music lovers.” I giggled. “Regular jazz nuts.” There was no doubt about what they were doing, and from the sounds of it, things were going quite well. Ben raised his hand to knock, but then stopped. “Not the best time.” “Yeah. Maybe we can figure this out on our own. I don’t think I could erase a memory of hot and sweaty Shep, but I am curious about who he has in there with him.” “Let’s go look at the boats.” We walked around the house to the parking lot. Selma followed along, her tail still wagging. As the jazz and the sound of other things faded in my ears, I asked Ben, “What exactly are we looking for?” “I’m not sure, just something out of the ordinary. Maybe Henry’s killer left something important on the dock.” “You mean like his I. D.? That would make things easier. Do you know a lot about boats? We didn’t do much boating at our house, although I have been waterskiing with friends.” “A little.” He shrugged. “Not much. We need to concentrate, and hearing about you in a bathing suit is not making my thoughts flow.” I giggled. “Billie Holiday will do that to a person.” We walked on the wooden pier as the surrounding water was still. There was little call to take a boat out on a weekday. The boats were in a variety of sizes, but most were small speedboats, with a pontoon moored at the end. Inside a few boats, there were remnants of beer bottles and sandwich wrappers. “Not very tidy, these boat people, and from the looks of the empty beer bottles, there are several drunk drivers out on the lake at the same time. No wonder Betty Weaver got hit,” I said, walking to the end of the pier. The pontoon was covered with a canvas drape. Looking underneath, the insides were as neat as a pin. “Look at this,” Ben said, crouched down by the tip of a small speedboat. “It looks like they’ve sustained some damage here.” On the side of the boat, a scrape had cut through the sleek paint, making a line through the boat name, Lucky Me. Not as lucky as the boat owner might have thought. “So, somebody isn’t very good at putting the boat back into the dock. I hardly think that has anything to do with boat thefts.” Ben nodded. “You’re probably right, but we know there has been a boat thief out here. What’s to say this person only used one boat?” “You mean like a serial boat thief?” Could a person get away with stealing different boats periodically from the marina? Was starting one boat as easy as starting another? “Think about it,” Ben said. “Just how many days a week are Romeo and Juliet in there playing Billie Holiday on the stereo?” The boat dock was at least fifty yards from the combined house and office. Someone could be out here starting a boat, and if the marina owner was busy, he would hear nothing. “He wouldn’t hear it, and Selma, the guard dog, gets put outside on occasions, so happy for a visitor, she doesn’t even bark.” Ben snapped his fingers. “Bubba Jenkins is Al’s friend, right? We need to talk to him. He might be sitting on information.” “You know, Al has mentioned him, but I’m not sure what he does.” “Then we’ll have to ask him.” As we turned to head back to Ben’s car, the sound of a screen door opening peeled through the air. Shep, his cheeks rosy and his shirt half on, edged around from the back of the house and immediately spotted Ben’s car. His gaze shifted to the dock. “Can I help you, folks? How long have you been standing out here?” I walked forward. “We tried knocking, but there was no answer.” “Yes, you must have been busy,” Ben said. Shep lifted his chin slightly. “Working on the books. Guess I got involved. Numbers are not my thing.” We knew just what his thing was. Ben walked forward and extended his hand. “Ben Dalton, Camden Courier.” Shep reached out with a measured amount of enthusiasm. “I remember you. What can I do for you this time?” “We were wondering if you could provide a list of the boat owners here at the marina. I would also like to get in touch with Bubba Jenkins. Ben said this with such efficiency. Shep let go of his hand and stepped back. “Why would I do that?” Ben swept his hand back toward the boats. “In the interest of the investigation. Two deaths on the water don’t exactly put the security of your marina in a good light.” Shep raised a single finger in the air and shook it at Ben’s face. “Lookie here, son. If I hand over a list like that, it will be to the police, and only the police will get it. Hear me? You and your lady friend need to quit nosin’ around here. If I see you again, I’ll call the cops on you for trespassing. Get me?” “This is public property. There’s not much you can do.” “Watch me.” “You seemed more than willing to let people nose around and steal other people’s boats. I think you’re a little late with your righteous indignation,” I said. “Yeah, well, a tiger can change its spots. I don’t need a lot of folks here getting into my business.” He glanced up at the house. “Talking to you has been a mistake, and now I’m fixing it. Out with you.” As we made our way to the car, Ben turned and spoke. “We’re leaving, but remember, if you ever want to talk…” “Out!” *** Excerpt from I Can’t Get No Satisfaction by Teresa Trent. Copyright 2025 by Teresa Trent. Reproduced with permission from Teresa Trent. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Teresa Trent:

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Teresa Trent

Teresa Trent started out teaching English in Colorado, but life and children intervened, and with all that new spare time, she began writing. Besides The Swinging Sixties Series, Teresa has penned the Pecan Bayou, Piney Woods and Henry Park Mystery Series and always has a little idea in the back of her mind for the next one. She is also the author of several short stories and is teaching writing at her local library encouraging new writers. Teresa lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and son. Her podcast, Books to the Ceiling, features authors with new mysteries on the market.

Catch Up With Teresa Trent:

TeresaTrent.com Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub – @TeresaTrent Instagram – @teresatrent_cozymys Threads – @teresatrent_cozymys X – @ttrent_cozymys Facebook – @teresatrentmysterywriter

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway! Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Teresa Trent. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

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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.

The Last Door, Ajar By Michael Holly Barrett ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 24, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, Historical
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Last Door, Ajar organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Michael Holly Barrett will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

The Last Door, Ajar

By Michael Holly Barrett

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

It is 1945. The infamous Max Smartz, superspy; Eva Braun, wife of Adolf Hitler; Joseph Goebbels, propaganda minister; and Otto Klugg, intelligence officer, do not die at the end of World War II, but trick the guards in the Fuhrerbunker tunnels, allowing them to make their escape. Their escape plan is to reach war-neutral Southern Ireland, where Maxwell Smartz has an established base and is familiar with rural south Kerry and its people. They evade capture and eventually reach France. Here, they meet with a good friend and colleague, an undercover agent called Maurice Le Blanc, who asks them to assist him in retrieving some stolen gold bars.

After finding the fortune, the friends attempt to retrieve it in an old Dutch van but are continually thwarted and risk losing everything. To complicate matters, they learn that Max’s brother, Victor, has been incarcerated in the notorious Spandau prison and is being tried for Nazi war crimes. They hatch a plot to save him, but is it worth the danger of going back to Berlin and being caught?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Just the week before, her own death rehearsal, the one she secretly vowed not to carry out. There will be no stage debut for this actress, she kept telling herself. Hitler returned to their sitting room in a fit of giggling uncontrollably, dribbling at the same time; she hadn’t seen him like that in a very, very long time. “What, pray tell, is the matter with you?” she wanted to know, and he tried to tell her between fits of coughing and laughing; the more he recalled the more he laughed at his own recollection of what just happened. “Sit down,” he ordered her. “That Goebbels, he is a dummy and a genius at the same time. Both in equal parts. I told him what I was about to do, using my own German Shepherd dog, Blondi.” Blondi was given to him by Martin Bormann in 1941, as a gift. “Joseph knows I loved Blondi, I told him I was testing the efficiency of the cyanide tablets given to me by Doctor Shultz. He understood, as I thought, because he turned to me and said, ‘I’ll take care of it for you, as I know of your fondness for Blondi. OK, Mein Fuhrer, just go, leave it to me’. I thanked him, I went for a walk upstairs to the Reich Chancellery, and sat down and took in some fresh air. It must have taken at least a half hour before I decided to return downstairs again, and who came charging out of the guest room — only Blondi jumping all over me, so glad to see me. Then Joseph must have heard the commotion and he came bounding out too, all smiling and happy with himself.

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About Author Michael Holly Barrett:

My humble beginnings in a terrace house with an outdoor toilet and indoor rats. The drinking water was got from a public pump in the street. We were all sailing in the Titanic,Third Class, but we were not aware of anything better. We had so much fun, swimming in the river. As kids we had wonderful imaginations.The only luxuries we ever saw were in the Cinema, usually American films, people smoking and drinking alcohol.

Everyone in the town of County Cork, Ireland seemed to be in the same boat; we made the best of it until the swinging sixties came along and changed everything. In spite of our poverty, I managed to get a College education. But opportunities were as scarce as rich Uncles. The Christian Brothers were brutal, and handy with the cane, in National School. I was lucky like many fellows my own age to get an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic. Soon developed a taste for Alcohol, and got into trouble pretty soon, was lucky again to find A.A. and get my act together in 1978.

My hero died in 1977, Elvis Presley, the music stopped, the sixties was over, the Beatles were broken up, CCR, too. So getting sober was the best thing to do, under the miserable circumstances. I got a job as a Pipe Welder with ASME 1X certificate and began working around Europe, finally settling in warm Spain, Barcelona and met a Catalunya woman. Started writing for the first time, mostly comedies, Peter Sellers style, another hero of mine.

This is my second published book, I also self published earlier works Like ,’Gorilla Days in Ireland’ by Michael Barrett, on Amazon. The Frankie Stein Enigma, and others, I paint oil and acrylic pictures, write mountains of poetry, sing and play the guitar.

‘ I do just about everything, that doesn’t make any money for me.’ But love doing what I do, writing poetry is mind stimulating, energising.

My favourite actors are William Holden, Warren Oates, Gregory Peck, and favourite detective the great Peter Falk in Columbo, a genius and Clouseau, Peter Sellers, and Peter Ustinov.

Facebook / LinkedIn / Amazon / Amazon CA / Booktopia / Abe Books / Betterworld Books

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Harrowing Adventures Of New Eden By Dell Vans ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 24, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, middle grade
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I am so excited that THE HARROWING
ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN by Dell Vans is available now and that I get to share
the news!

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If you haven’t yet heard about this
wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

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This blitz also includes a giveaway
for a $10 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours and a finished
copy of the book. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info
below.

 

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THE HARROWING ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN

by Dell Vans

 

 

Pub. Date: April 22, 2025

Publisher: Phoenix Moirai

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 360

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Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/u/3JwpBQ

Buy direct from the publisher! 

 

Judy is a quiet young girl who tries
to avoid her father’s frequent outbursts. After a particularly abusive episode,
her brother Josh reveals a secret: he’s been communicating with their older
brother, Danny, through a special rock outside their neighbor’s home. Danny also
sent Josh a map to a location in the woods outside their home, which he is
gung-ho at finding. But the woods are supposed to be off-limits! What should
Judy do? Eager to see their brother again, Judy reluctantly agrees to follow
Josh to the location, if only as an escape from their home. Upon leaving the
next morning, their father chases after them. When they arrive at the location,
Danny is nowhere to be found. Instead, they find a hole. To escape their father
once and for all, they jump into the hole, only to realize it’s actually a
portal to Eden. Yes, that Eden! 

Luckily, Josh and Judy run into a
couple of elves named Robin and Joralf. Judy and Robin are excited to meet each
other, but Josh has his doubts. Meanwhile, Joralf feels the children’s sudden
appearance will have dire effects throughout the land. Evel threatens to enter
the land and cause an imbalance throughout the garden, which would lead to
Eden’s complete desctruction. Joralf encourages the children to return home
immediately, but Judy doesn’t want to go home. However, she doesn’t want to be what
kills all of Eden’s inhabitants—mermaids, jackalopes, kalavinkas, Nephilim, and
so much more—either. There’s a problem, though: Judy accidentally broke the
crystal that operates the portal! There’s only one other option; the group must
find the Archangel Uriel before Eden collapses. It’s going to take a lot of
determination and resolve to fight through roaring rivers, major lightning
storms, deception, killer birds, and mutinies to get there. 

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Can Josh and Judy find Uriel before
the building natural disasters tear Eden apart? Follow Judy through the portal
and find out!

 

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

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Meet the Protagonists by Dell Vans

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I was recently asked to share an excerpt
from The Harrowing Adventures of New Eden to introduce readers to the
characters Judy and Josh. It took me exactly 3 hot seconds to open the
manuscript, hold ctrl F on the keyboard, and type the words, “Don’t look at
her. She’s not gonna save you.” There was no doubt in my mind which scene would
give readers a glimpse into the world of Judy and Josh.

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The following is an exchange between Judy
and her father, Carl. He’s been told by Judy’s mother, Jenna that Judith has
been working overtime trying to make their family look bad, as if Jenna herself
hadn’t been doing a fine job of that all on her own. The altercation that
followed is the moment Judy and Josh decide to leave. This scene was the
catalyst that exploded into their harrowing adventure. Enjoy!

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His rage grew in response to Judy’s blank expression. “You
think you can make your mom look bad in front of that teacher?” he asked.

Ah, thought Judy. The bush-hiding incident. She
wondered what creative edits her mother had made when relaying the story to her
father this time.

“You hide in the bushes and scare your poor mother half to
death. Then you cry to your teacher that she forgot you? She’s been home the
past two days waiting on your poor, sick brother hand and foot, and you decide
to pull a stunt like that?”

Anger slammed into the back of Judy’s teeth again. She looked at
her mother once more, who sat smugly satisfied in her favorite chair.

“Don’t look at her. She’s not gonna save you,” growled
her father. 

Yeah, no kidding, thought Judy. “Dad, I didn’t…” Judy tried to
defend herself—or at least try to diffuse the situation. However, her efforts
were cut short by the sound of a beer can whizzing past her head. It exploded
against the wall behind her. The frothy contents splattered in Judy’s hair,
dripping down her neck and the side of her face. Her father clenched his fists
and took a stumbling step toward her. Judy stood frozen in shock. He’d never
done anything like this before. Yell, scream, cuss, punish, sure, but this…
never.

She flinched as Josh came whirling around the corner, jumping in
front of her and grabbing the first thing he saw that could be used as a
weapon: a pink polka-dotted umbrella sitting on the shelf by the front door.

Carl was startled at first, then tickled by the sight of his son
carrying a pink umbrella like a weapon. Then he noticed something he hadn’t
before. Thirteen-year-old Josh had gotten quite tall and had shed the look of a
child. He was becoming strong and formidable. Carl stared into his son’s eyes.
Josh didn’t appear the slightest bit afraid, though he almost certainly was.

“You two get out of my sight. You disgust me,” their
father said, finally breaking eye contact with his son. Josh stood his ground a
moment longer, reveling in this subtle shift of power.

Judy pulled on his arm. “Let’s go, Josh. Josh! Let’s get
out of here!”

“Yeah,” said Josh, his jaw remaining tightened. “Let’s get out
of here.”

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About Author Dell Vans:

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Dell Vans is
an American author best known for her whimsically grounded approach to
storytelling. Her debut novel, The Harrowing Adventures of New Eden,
released in March of 2025, is her siren song to the dreamers and high school
zine poets of the world. While she continues work on the next harrowing
adventure, Dell resides with her husband and four children in Madera, a city in
central California known for its agriculture and everyday heroes. Dell credits
the teachers at Madera Unified School District for encouraging her passion for
writing and giving her a life-long love of learning.

Twitter (X) | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours, International.

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HARROWING ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN, US Only.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Only In September By Cynthia Flowers ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 23, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, women's fiction
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Only In September organized by Goddess Fish Promotions to celebrate the release day of ONLY IN SEPTEMBER by Cynthia Flowers.

Author Cynthia Flowers will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

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When Jacqueline follows her trusty Labrador Bailey down a hidden path to the beach, she’s unaware that her vacation plans on a small island off the New England coast has already taken her life in a new direction. Running into an unassuming local beach comber stirs new thoughts, desires, and a self-determination she never knew she possessed. Jacqueline will need to trust her instincts and make the most of what fate has in store if she wants the future that, until now, she has only dared to dream of.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Hours later, the sound of clanking wine bottles in Jacqueline’s beach bag announced her arrival. Michael turned to her with feigned surprise.

“Fancy meeting you here,” he teased.

She raised her beach bag. “Where should I put these ladies?”

“Under the deck next to the cooler should be fine,” he directed.

Everything seemed set up. A blanket laid with plates, flatware, wine glasses, and nearby a cooking fire pit.

“It looks like you’ve been here for a bit. Is our sumptuous gourmet meal in there?” She pointed to the soft-pack cooler tucked under the deck.

“Oh yes, our Michelin three-star gastronomic feast awaits!” he announced with a wink.

Little was spoken while they ate. Instead, they each emitted sounds of contentment with every other bite.

“Well, I can’t say that you outdid yourself because this is the first meal of yours that I’ve eaten. However, I can say that it outdoes anything I ever made for a picnic dinner.” She raised her empty glass of Sancerre.

He acknowledged the praise with a humble nod and reached to refill her glass.

She pulled her glass away before he could pour. “I think I’ve reached my limit. Even though it’s a small island and I know my way home, I’d rather be safe than sorry. Besides, where are the pooches?”

“Oh, they’re at the beach just below us.” He motioned as he helped Jacqueline up, so she could see.

“Wow, a full moon. Look, it’s lighting up the ocean all the way out to that small fishing boat.” She pointed. “I could sleep out here all night.”

“Funny you should mention it. I did bring two sleeping bags just in case. They’re stowed under the deck,” he said with a bashful grin.

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About  Author Cynthia Flowers:

Cynthia Flowers, a recently retired advertising professional, now grant writer, resides with her husband and four-year old Labrador named Eddie, at their “sanctuary” in Upstate New York, Although previously published, this is Cynthia’s first book of fiction. Early on in grade school, Cynthia looked forward to creative writing class and enjoyed reading her stories aloud to her eager classmates.

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Risky Pursuit By Nancy G. West ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 23, 2025 in Cozy Mystery, Excerpt, giveaways, YA
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Risky Pursuit
by Nancy G. West


Risky Pursuit
Young Adult/Cozy Mystery
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fire & Ice Young Adult Books (March 25, 2025)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 330 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8886533804
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F285GVPD

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High school senior Decker Savage, burdened by his baby brother’s death and dreading his parents’ impending divorce, sees his mother with a scruffy stranger and follows him to a dark house. He hears shouts upstairs, a man hits the floor, and the culprit escapes. Decker follows the victim’s ambulance. Through their mutual love of baseball, they become friends; but the elderly man can’t remember who attacked him, and Decker fears the assailant will return. His grades crater, his relationships go south, his baseball skills are erratic, and by entering the man’s house, he broke the law.

He suffers anonymous attacks and receives threatening notes. If he doesn’t forget the man and the house, he, his family, and his friend will be the next victims. Will Decker be able to uncover the culprit’s identify, solve the mystery, and stop the attacks?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Decker Savage’s unstable world gets worse . . . .

 

Chapter One

Decker Savage entered the dimly-lit Broadway Café and made his way to the back. He settled in a worn booth, unable to tell where the depressive gray bubble around him ended and the dreary diner began. His family was disintegrating.

      His last high school semester started mid-January, but Christmas lights still hung from the muddy-orange ceiling. A waiter sauntered up.

      “Get you something?”

      Revive my baby brother? Make Dad move back home? Ease Mom’s stress? “A Coke, I guess. Thanks.” He pointed at the ceiling. “Celebrating?”

        “Manager left them up for the 2012 Super Bowl on February 5th.”

        Just before his nineteenth birthday. Whoopee. Frigid wind whistled outside through leftover holiday decorations. They’d probably stay up through February, too. The 1950s Schwinn bicycle hanging from the ceiling added rusty chrome to the dinge. Interesting touch. Lyrics from Katy Perry’s “Fireworks” blasted through corner speakers, “…like a plastic bag drifting through the wind. …” Trapped inside that bag, drifting, he lacked energy to punch his way out. “…one blow from caving in…”

            Empty tables squatted around, but anonymous men drank in somber booths planted at the side of the room under dim bulbs strung from the ceiling. A couple guys from school slouched in a booth. He had no desire to socialize and didn’t know them anyway. They weren’t baseball players. With their hoodies up, cell phones highlighting their shrouded faces, they resembled thirteenth-century monks. Nobody came here but kids and losers. He didn’t know why he came.

The front door creaked open periodically, the weak light inside barely enough to reorient patrons who came in from the suburban business corridor and melted into the dark, seeking solace. A man in the front booth nearest the door crouched in the corner of his booth, stringy hair lapping over his collar, his fedora stretched down over his forehead. Each time the door opened, the scruffy man cringed lower, pulled the hat over one eye and stared warily at the door. Who did he fear? The drug lord he owed money? A cop?

           A woman entered, her shadow backlit from outside. The man in the booth sat straighter. Decker squinted, wondering who she was. When a sliver of light crossed her face, his breath caught. It was his mother.

            Decker slid lower, chest tight, and followed her with his gaze as she made her way to the stranger’s booth. Wide-eyed, he watched her lower herself into the seat across from him. When her mouth curved into a hesitant smile, his jaw dropped. Why would she meet this disheveled man who didn’t bother to get up when she approached? They talked intently, the man curving toward her, his bulk blocking his mother’s face from Decker’s view. With Adele belting out “Someone Like You,” he couldn’t hear a word they said. Heads down, they concentrated on each other. He couldn’t stretch to catch more of her expression or she would see him. He thought she smiled once. She hadn’t done that in a long time. Why would she meet a strange man in this murky place? Was he the cause of their crumbling family? He sat frozen, unable to decide what to do.

             He could confront them but what would he say? Ask Mom why she was there? Storm up like her silly-ass protector and ask the guy point-blank who he was and what he was doing with his mother? Right. He hated confrontation. He always had. He despised his trait of hanging back. Dad got pissed off when he didn’t act. He’d never been adept at hand-to-hand combat; the guy might rear up and clock him.

            Breathing fast, his jaw tense, confusion and anger pulsed through him. He knew he was a factor in his parents’ probable divorce. If this character was involved, it was even worse. Could his mother be so fickle? So disloyal to his father to take up with this lowlife? His stomach knotted. He compared the man’s head and shoulders to Dad’s. The guy appeared solid, but not that great a specimen. He squinted daggers at the back of his stupid hat. She’s not your girlfriend, creepo. She’s Dad’s wife.

           What could she possibly have in common with this man? Did she think Dad was having an affair, and this guy was some PI she hired to track him? They were strategizing? His head started to ache. The scumbag shifted his weight in the booth like he was about to stand. Decker tensed. The snake might be about to leave.

           Before Decker could make a move, two girls bounced into the diner laughing—buddies of Ashley, the girl he liked and had just gotten to know. If they spotted him, they’d give him away. It’d be hard to explain why he sat in a dingy diner spying on his mother. He had to get out of the booth before anybody recognized him. He slouched farther down, raised his arm to cover his face, and squirmed toward the edge of the seat. From the corner of his eye, he saw the stranger with his mom spring up and shoulder his way toward the front door. He caught surprise on Mom’s face. She pressed back against the cushion, looking perplexed. Her lips thinned and quivered. Then her eyes filled and she banged her fist on the table. She slipped from the booth, stood straight, took a deep breath, and followed the man outside.

            Decker slid his feet outside the booth. As soon as his body cleared the table, he doubled over and headed for the back of the diner. The waiter hollered at him. “You all right?” Thank God he didn’t use Decker’s name. He pointed to his stomach and gestured with a circular hand motion. “Oh, yeah,” the man said. “Nothing worse. Bath room is back there. Hope you make it.”

            He crossed the room stretched across the back of the diner past the U-shaped booth with its plastic covered table. Covers of albums he used to like shone through scratched laminate. He swiveled between the table and a pool table and headed for the bathroom, trying not to draw attention. He spotted a third door on the back wall near the restrooms. If it was an exit he could get through, he could ease around the side of the building and catch the man before he took off in his car. What if his mom caught up to the guy? What if he grabbed her? His stomached roiled. It wouldn’t take much for him to throw up. He slipped into the bathroom, made a retching sound and struggled to quell his nausea. He flushed the toilet and ran water, the force clanging rusty pipes. He thought he made enough racket but should wait a few seconds before opening the door. What if one of the girls decided to use the adjacent bathroom? Hearing no footsteps, he cracked the door. Ashley’s friends perched in a booth toward the front of the diner, engrossed in conversation. He had to make a move. He inched toward the third door hoping it was an exit, leaned against it, and squeezed through.

     Moist frigid air attacked his lungs. The man had trekked from the front of the diner around the side of the building and plodded steadily uphill. He saw no sign of his mother.  If he raced across the vacant lot behind the diner toward the dense wall of trees marking the property line, moonlight shining off the diner roof would highlight him. He slipped off the back steps, crouched to the right and held his breath, hoping the overhang hid him in darkness.

            Between the church on the left and houses on the right, the man leaned up the hill with purposeful strides. Decker picked a moment he thought was safe, sprinted across the vacant lot, hid in a thicket of trees near the street, and watched the man tromp up the steep hill in freezing weather. Nobody walked in San Antonio’s slushy winters if they didn’t have to. Why would he try to escape on foot? Didn’t the creep drive a car? Did he ask Mom to meet him?  He obviously upset her. Was this creep going to meet her somewhere else?

     Could he be one of Mom’s clients? His type wasn’t usually interested in design or decoration. He didn’t bother to fix himself up. His heart beat wildly. Should he follow the burly man no matter what? Despising himself for vacillating, he took a deep breath and made a dash to the next thicket. He watched the stranger trudge farther up the dark street and forced his body to move after him.

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About Nancy G. West

 

Nancy West is a recovering business major who discovered that creating stories is a lot more fun than accounting. Her novel of psychological suspense, Nine Days to Evil, won the Clue Award, and The Plunge, a mystery/suspense novella, was a June 2019 selection for ALA’s book club and is Book 1 of the spinoff series, Aggie Mundeen Lake Mysteries. Her Aggie Mundeen Rom-Com Mysteries included a Lefty Award Finalist, Chanticleer Awards, and a Raven Award from Uncaged Book Reviews. She loves writing stories about ordinary teens and adults thrown into dangerous, suspenseful situations…a literary thriller, like Risky Pursuit.

Author Links: Contact Nancy / Website / Facebook

Purchase Link – Amazon /

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 22 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

April 23 – FUONLYKNEW – EXCERPT

April 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – Frugal Freelancer – EXCERPT

April 26 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

April 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

April 28 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

April 29 – Boys’ Mom Reads!  – EXCERPT

April 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 1 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 2 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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Hall Of Shadows By Mariah Stillbrook ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 22, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, horror
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Welcome to my stop in the virtual book tour for Hall Of Shadows organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Mariah Stillbrook will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

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Hall Of Shadows

By Mariah Stillbrook

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Genre: Horror

Synopsis

In the quiet life of Tess Moreau lies a remarkable power-her touch revives ashes, defying nature’s laws. When she uncovers a mysterious book linked to her grandmother and a witch’s coven, her journey begins. Guided by a cursed deck of oracle cards, Tess delves into The Hall of Shadows, a realm crafted by her ancestors. With each dimension traversed, she uncovers her true lineage-a descendant of mythical beings. As Tess’s humanity wanes, her destiny beckons. At journey’s end, she faces a choice: preserve or destroy the hall. In a tale of magic and identity, Tess’s odyssey may end, but her legacy is just beginning-a testament to the power within us all.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The thing about being a smudge of darkness against a black backdrop is that no one ever sees you. That is until there’s smoke. I’ve always been a creature of the night. Not like a vamp—although that would be kind of badass. I wouldn’t ever want to be like the sparkly ones, but I wouldn’t have an aversion to the cult classic: razor sharp fangs with no morals kind. Like They Thirst or Salem’s Lot, but maybe with a little more humanity left inside the creatures. I could totally rock alongside The Lost Boys.

I’ve always clung to the shadows. It’s safe there. You know, like the night sky, or the stars. The twinkle of just that small bit of light breaking through this world. It knows me, unlike this place. This place is crawling with filters that no one else seems to notice—colored lenses that sharpen the edges of what most people, if given the chance, wouldn’t want to see. My Grandma Reanin used to say the same things. I guess that’s why I make so many people uncomfortable. I look for the details most people find cringy. Imagine if they knew the truth about me.

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About Author Mariah Stillbrook:

Mariah Stillbrook is the witchy author of In the Pines, Hall of Shadows, and The Lost Erwain. Originally from Iowa, she lives in Colorado with her white German shepherd, husband, and little girl. She spends most of her days writing, reading, and enjoying the occasional hike. In her late twenties she realized that her writing was missing something, magic. She now focuses her writing on urban fantasy and horror in both adult and young adult genres.

Social Media: Linktree / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok 

Threads / Bluesky / Twitter / Website

 

Buy On Amazon

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A Dead Man Speaks By Lisa Jones Gentry ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 22, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mytery/Thriller, Paranormal or fantasy
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A Dead Man Speaks

by Lisa Jones Gentry

 

(The Clive January Mystery Series, #1)
Publication date: November 29th 2024
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller

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Introducing the first in a new paranormal crime mystery series set in 1980s, New York City on Wall Street

Clive January is a driven, self-made Black man, a ruthless, wildly successful investment banker who had it all – until he is shot and killed from behind by an unknown assailant. As Clive lies in a pool of blood, his life slowly ebbing away, he hears voices, unearthly beings tormenting him, telling him that he will burn in hell, unless he finds out who killed him. Now before it’s too late, his ghost must solve the crime of his own murder and his only choice is to work with the white racist cop assigned to his case, Detective Bob Greene.

Their relationship begins in hate and distrust, but soon they each realize that they have more in common than they could ever believe. And in the wrenching ending, they discover the truth that frees them both.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Lisa will be at the LA Times Festival of Books on Saturday April 26th at 12 noon!

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Enjoy this peek inside:

I slipped into my car, the creamy leather seats enfolding me as I whizzed down the expressway…the smell of the ocean filled the car…an aphrodisiac, teasing my senses. I thought about her waiting for me…opening the door…And then I saw her face, the light green eyes clouded against her golden, taffy-colored skin, the thick mop of dark, curly hair framing her face. How often had I held her, how often had I seen her lips part in that same half-teasing, half-defiant smile…

“Hi…”

I grabbed her, wanting to make love to her before I told her. But she smiled playfully, pushing me away. “Look what I got.”

She pulled out a gram of icy, white coke, licking the edge of the paper hungrily. “To celebrate.” Would she still want to celebrate when I told her that I’m leaving, but not with her? All the years between us, but I still can’t do it; I still can’t surrender my soul to her. Would she understand this time, too?

“Here, Clive. It’s good…” A sucking noise. The dull light glinted against the pipe, trembling ever so slightly. She must really be fucked up.

“Almost as good as the first time…remember…”

That’s what she always said. Ssssssssssssss, a nice long one. My eyes shut tightly, letting the feeling curl over me like a woman’s touch, soft, seductive, and always so deadly.

“I’m gonna get some champagne.” She leaned down over me, kissing me slowly. I could taste the coke on her lips. Her hand rubbed my cheek. Tiny, soft hands.

My eyes followed her small body weaving out of the room, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. I closed my eyes again, going over every detail of my plan in my mind for the hundredth or maybe thousandth time; I’d lost track now. Every step sharpened by time and urgency. One more week, and I’d have the final payment and my freedom from a life that was no longer mine.

I was finally starting to relax; the blow was starting to kick in. It always took longer when I was tensed up, but now the tingly feeling was rushing through me. A sharp, searing pain was suddenly tearing through my back, ripping the breath out of me. I doubled over. It felt as if someone had taken a thousand knives and exploded them in me. And it was all a blur, except for blood everywhere: on my chest, covering my hands, the white carpet, and the room’s empty.

And I realize, I’d been fuckin’ shot…somebody’s…but now the room was spinning. I knew this was it. The dark curtains were enveloping me and then the light…like the light at home, soft…beckoning…taking me to the place I thought I’d forgotten. And then I smiled, I understood now, all the years, all the money…the lies, but you could never escape, it would always pull you back…

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About Author Lisa Jones Gentry:

People would consider Lisa Jones Gentry, the author of “Forbidden Love” a true renaissance woman, because the former entertainment attorney, became an artist, author, creative executive, and writer-producer for film, television and digital content…

Lisa discovered her passion for the creative side of the business while serving as broadcast counsel at CBS in New York City, where she was the lead attorney on deals ranging from multi-millions to billions, such as the Olympics and Major League Baseball deal. But her Hollywood calling changed from “behind-the-deal” to “behind-the-laptop”, and ultimately moved to LA to break into the business as a writer-producer. As luck would have it, the first film script that she and her writing partner wrote was optioned by Paramount.

For the next four years they had several screenplays and teleplays optioned and set up at networks and studios, including development deals. She then took that creative experience and brought it to her position as EVP of Development for the stalwart Western International Syndication, formerly a division of renowned Western International Media, once the largest media buying entity in the world. Charged with expanding the company’s traditional roster of syndicated programming into network and cable, she executive produced over 100 hours of television in various formats and genres, airing on broadcast and cable. She also structured a joint venture between French broadcasting giant TF-1, Stephen J. Cannell Productions and Western for the international distribution of a one hour dramatic series.

Though “behind-the-deal: again, she didn’t stop her work behind-the-laptop and during that time wrote her first novel, “A Dead Man Speaks.” It garnered her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Debut Author, followed by a Literary Critics Award nomination for best general fiction. And her creative roll continued with a First Look Deal for Lisa and her writing partner at Sony Pictures under their Screen Gems banner.

With the cataclysmic changes in the “business,” like many other writers and producers, it wasn’t long before Lisa expanded her focus to digital media and due to her writing and executive experience was recruited to be the CEO of Comedy Express, a start-up broadband network targeting the young adult male demo. Ultimately, Comedy Express was acquired by the famed National Lampoon.

Following the acquisition of Comedy Express, Lisa not only managed to write another book – this time as a co-author of the nonfiction, “So You Want to be A Lawyer,” now in its second printing –she continued her expansion into digital media and technology and worked as Co-CEO of another early stage start-up company that launched two 24/7 television networks on cable, IPTV and satellite networks outside the US in Europe and Asia. Today, Lisa is a frequent speaker on technology and digital media, at the Tribeca Film Festival, the FCC start up conference and many other venues.

As if all that she’s done isn’t enough, Lisa is also an accomplished artist, and has been exhibiting and selling her work for several years. She has had worked featured in television series and TV Movies and buyers of her work have included on air talent, Arthel Neville and television Executive Producer, Samm Art Williams.

And while she loves exploring her artistic side, Lisa has no intention of slowing down her writing, as she continues to flex her creative muscle with several TV and film projects that she’s developing as well as her current book, “Forbidden Love,” the true love story of a white nun and a black priest in the segregated fifties as told by their son Joe Steele.

Website

 

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The Spring In My Heart By J. L. Lora ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 21, 2025 in Excerpt, Freebies!, giveaways, Romance
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You won’t want to miss the newest steamy standalone romance in the Love for All Seasons series. In the Spring in My Heart by J.L. Lora, Lux and Oliver navigate the delicate balance of trust and vulnerability. Just when it seems they’re overcoming their complicated history, their exes lurk in the shadows, forcing them back to square one. Check out an excerpt, grab your copy and enter the giveaway!

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The Spring in My Heart

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Amazon |  B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

They’ve tip-toed the edge of desire, but that unforgettable Noche Buena left them shattered and longing for the dreams that slipped away…

Lifestyle influencer Luciana “Lux” Blake’s life is a collage of picture-perfect moments—if you follow her Instagram account. But her world crumbles when her baseball-God-boyfriend cheats with yet another groupie. She swears off men until her brother pushes her to work with his friend Oliver—with whom she shares a sexy history—on a renovation that turns every moment into a minefield of awkward tension and lingering passion.

Haunted by his past, Oliver Amador built impenetrable walls around his heart. He’s devoted himself entirely to raising his daughter, determined to become the father he never had. It’s been a relatively simple task to keep the sucio, his sensual alter ego, separate from the doting father—until life throws him a curveball named Lux. She’s the only woman who tempts him to dismantle the barriers and open his heart, but the fear of being hurt again is a constant battle within him.

Lux and Oliver navigate the delicate balance of trust and vulnerability. Just when it seems they’re overcoming their complicated history, their exes lurk in the shadows, forcing them back to square one.

Can they break through the past’s stronghold and turn their sizzling connection into forever love?

The Spring in My Heart is the sultry fourth book in the A Love for All Seasons contemporary romance series. If you crave deeply flawed characters, intense chemistry, and unforgettable moments, then you’ll be captivated by J.L. Lora’s compelling tale of love and longing.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

She turns around, and our gazes meet. Her eyes round for a second, and then her gaze slides over me like mine did over hers just minutes ago. “Hi. I didn’t realize you were here already.”

The itch to get closer to her is instant, but I squelch it and smile at her like none of this is a big deal.

“Hello, Luciana. I got here early to take photos so I could visualize the plan better in the design stage. I also want to anticipate any issues with the outdoor structure.”

Yeah, get down to business quickly so we can get it over with.

She looks away for a brief moment, her gaze beyond the park, and then it’s centered on me again. “Did you notice anything?”

“Some minor stuff. I’ll have to draft permits for the outside as well. The city will have to come merge the pipelines.”

She gnaws on the corner of her lip. “Is that going to be hard?”

I shake my head, trying to shake the memory of those lips against my mouth and my neck.

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Grab the prequel for FREE

One Christmas Eve, a chance for healing awaits lifestyle influencer Luciana “Lux” Blake in “A Noche Buena for Lonely Hearts,” a heartwarming holiday romance.

Luciana is surrounded by holiday cheer that feels painfully out of reach. While she hides her heartache behind a flawless façade, past trauma crashes the fiesta, prompting her to escape familial chaos.

Fate intervenes when she bumps into family friend Oliver Amador, a sexy single papi, longing to escape the shadows of his pain.

When he offers her a ride, their journey takes an unexpected turn, setting the stage for a magical Noche Buena. One that promises to change everything…

 

 

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

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About Author J. L. Lora:

J. L. Lora is a Dominican-American author of contemporary and romantic suspense. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters—people living in the gray areas of life—playing the cards life has dealt them. Her stories manifest her love for badass alpha heroines and take-your-breath-away alpha men.

 

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Unspoken Words By Linda Joyce ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 21, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, women's fiction
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2

 

 

Unspoken Words

by Linda Joyce

 

Publication date: April 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Women’s Fiction

What happens when the truth you’ve hidden becomes the key to your greatest fear—and your greatest hope?

For years, Jane Landry has carried a secret that could break hearts and heal them all at once. Her son, Christopher Marcus, is the light of her life—but he’s also the boy no one knows about. Not his father, her ex-husband Mark, nor his wife Maggie, or his sister Suzanne, Jane’s best friends from childhood. Now, with a cancer diagnosis threatening her future, Jane must summon the courage to confess her secret. She prays they’ll embrace Christopher as family before time runs out.

But just as Jane takes the first step, tragedy strikes—Mark is killed in an accident after learning he has a son. The devastating loss leaves Jane grappling with how to face Maggie and Suzanne, the two women she’s avoided for years but now desperately needs. Her truth risks alienating them, yet the stakes are higher than ever. Christopher needs a home. Jane needs to know her boy will be loved when she’s no longer there to protect him.

As Jane uncovers the secrets Maggie and Suzanne have been hiding, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying the weight of the past. Old wounds, unexpected betrayals, and the search for forgiveness weave together in a story about love, loss, and the lengths we’ll go to for family.

Set against the vivid backdrop of New Orleans, Unspoken Words explores the messy, beautiful journey of redemption and the bonds that hold us together—even when stretched to their breaking point.

Discover a story that will break your heart, heal your soul, and stay with you long after the final page.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Katrina had destroyed my city in August of 2005. Afterward, she huffed away like a diva without a backward glance. Her coming and going from the city I loved had proved more dramatic than my own.

I paid the cabbie for the wild ride and then stood on the sidewalk in front of the entrance to the mausoleum. My hands shook when I slipped the strap of my purse over my shoulder. My knees wobbled, but I remained upright. My heart thudded like a bass drum in a second line parade.

Thudding so hard it cut off my breath. Paralyzed, I stood in the merciless Louisiana sun.

Humidity clung to my skin like olive oil on a sweet potato before roasting in the oven. My reflection in the mausoleum’s glass doors showed a tidy dress, tidy shoes, tidy hair.

Outside, calmness.

Inside, untidy screams.

I swallowed back a ball of fear, took a first unsteady step, then another. Plodding, I entered the building and nodded to the guard at the reception desk.

“Need help finding a loved one?” He scrutinized me as though he recognized me.

“No, thank you.”

“Sign in here.” He rose and pointed to an open guest book.

I wrote Jane and started to write Maucele beside it to prove I had every right to be there but changed my mind and scribbled Landry instead.

My father had told me where to find Mark. I searched for the correct aisle. My leather flats shruffed against the hard marble floors. Mausoleums reminded me of morgues I’d seen on TV, not burial grounds. A collection of people who were dead—they couldn’t hear if I made noise. But I continued on my tiptoes just in case.

Finding the correct hallway, I let go of a raggedy breath and claimed a seat in the middle of a long, cold granite bench, then extracted a week-old envelope from my purse.

Did the words inside hold the truth of what Mark wanted?

Clutching the official message, I fought against the impulse to wad up the paper and throw it at him, the same way I’d thrown heated words the last time before we parted. Then, he’d been alive. Able to fight back. I wanted him to fight now.

Anguish spewed like liquid from a shaken can of Nehi soda. “NOoooo! NOoooo! NOoooo! Dammit, Mark.”

“Miss Landry, are you okay?” The guard’s voice echoed down the wing of the mausoleum along with the sound of footsteps beating a path in my direction. “Ma’am?”

“I apologize. Grief hit me.”

“Excuse me? Who hit you?” He frowned as though I were a naughty child.

“Never mind. I’ll be quiet.” My inner pain fought for further release, but my outer calm took control.

His eyebrows became a unibrow. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave if you are unable to contain yourself.”

“It won’t happen again.” I waved apologetically.

His toe-to-head scan told me he was trying to decide if he had a dangerous mental case and needed backup.

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About Author Linda Joyce:

Linda Joyce believes stories are as integral to her life as breathing. She shares the joys and agonies of characters and often wishes their stories would continue far beyond “The End.” She lives metro-Atlanta with her very patient husband and their three fur babies—Jake, Maxence, and Sugar. Linda’s addicted to Cajun food and Japanese food. She’s a fan of smooth jazz. She will deny traditional jazz music hurts her ears—that could get her banished from her hometown, New Orleans. Her current life’s adventure includes learning enough Kanji to be able to read a Japanese newspaper.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Spies Like Me By Doug Solter ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 20, 2025 in Excerpt, giveaways, thriller, YA
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Spies Like Me

by Doug Solter

 

(The Gems, #1)
Publication date: October 4th 2016
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

They offered Emma revenge…

When she discovers her father’s plane crash wasn’t an accident, sixteen-year-old Emma wants to punish those responsible. Even if it means becoming a spy for a mysterious organization known as The Authority. They want Emma to join the Gems…four teenage girls with unique skills…who know how to handle dangerous spy missions around the world…like storming a mountain stronghold to stop terrorists from incinerating the world’s food supply.

The Authority thinks Emma is the missing link to make this team work.

Emma thinks The Authority is her only chance for revenge.

Spies Like Me is the first novel in The Gems Young Adult spy thriller series, although all books in the Gems world can be read as standalone adventures. This is a fast-paced action story with diverse characters, cool spy gadgets, girl-power bonding, deep family secrets, ruthless villains, twists and turns, and a romance with a complex boy to figure out.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Only 99c for a limited time!

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The school’s auditorium stage was bathed in colors. White for the actors. Orange for the wooden set representing the faraway pyramids of Egypt. Blue to emphasize the painted sky backdrop above it all. It was the opening night performance of The Spy Who Loathed Me.

Emma Rothchild strutted across the stage in a gorgeous floor-length silk dress, her costume for this scene. Tonight, she craved the eyes of the audience and knew this dress guaranteed their full attention.

Emma was deep into character. She was Russian spy Olga Tetrovich. Emma had studied online videos of Russians speaking candidly and mimicked their accents as best she could. Her drama teacher had complimented Emma on her dedication to the craft.

The MI6 spy George Bond followed Olga on stage, but hid behind a fake tree. The actor’s rich brown skin might be a shock to the 007 spy traditionalists in the audience, but Emma hoped that his performance would win them over. Bond was following her in this scene, thinking she would lead the English spy straight to the microfilm that was stolen from him by a Brazilian dwarf named Tatu.

From a souvenir stand, Emma picked up a clay model of the pyramids, something a tourist would buy at a market. She smashed the stage prop against the table in dramatic fashion and held up the roll of microfilm hidden inside so the audience could see it.

George Bond made his move. He crept up behind Emma without detection while she slipped the microfilm into her small hand purse. Emma’s hand came out holding a cap-gun revolver. She pivoted on her heels, making her dress swoosh around her ankles, and aimed the gun at Bond. The move looked great in rehearsals.

“I don’t think so, Mr. Bond,” Emma said, with her gentle Russian accent. “Our brief partnership is at an end. I have what my government wants. Now I will take my revenge. Do you remember that man you killed in Vienna?”

“Yes, I do,” George Bond said.

“He was my lover.”

Emma waited for Bond’s next line.

But the actor hesitated.

Emma was about to lose it. Did Lewis forget again? They’d rehearsed this scene, like, twenty times.

“What do you have to say about that, Mr. Bond?”

The line was an ad-lib, something to draw the next line out of the boy’s mouth.

Lewis’s face was a river of sweat as his eyes glazed over, the actor turning himself into just another tree on stage.

“Your silence is a good enough confession for me. Any last words before I fire?” Emma went off script, but Lewis could pick his line up there. She was trying to help him.

But the boy shook his head. Lewis wasn’t taking the hint.

Emma pulled the trigger and the gun hammer snapped forward. She squeezed the trigger numerous times in a series of loud snaps. Emma dropped the weapon. “You planted that empty gun in my handbag, didn’t you?”

Lewis nodded. Okay, he’d reacted to that ad-lib.

It was a sliver of hope, so Emma went with it. “Then I’ll have to kill you with my bare hands.” Emma approached Lewis with her arms raised in a karate-looking stance. The boy blinked, still trapped inside his scary place. What could Emma do now? Physically attack him? Bond was supposed to seduce the Russian agent, not have her attack him.

Then a breath of inspiration hit her.

Emma grabbed Lewis’s shoulders. She guided him over to a bench on the set and made him lie down. Emma plopped her body on top of Lewis and pretended to struggle with him. Emma whispered into his ear, “Now get up and glare at me, Lewis.”

His eyes blinked again. Lewis rolled out from under her and stood on stage. Emma pressed her back against the seat of the bench and stayed there while Lewis glared.

Emma labored her breathing, as if she were being seduced. “Oh, why can I not kill you, Mr. Bond? What power do you hold over me?”

Lewis didn’t move, his glare frozen on his petrified face.

Emma knew this would work better if Lewis helped sell it, but…she lifted herself from the bench like a graceful ballerina, trying to act seduced by Bond’s man-powers. “Why can I not kill you, Mr. Bond?” she repeated.

Emma went for his lips, kissing Lewis with passion, as if the male spy had successfully messed with her brain. As Emma eased her lips away from his…life came back into Lewis’s eyes. He gripped Emma and pulled her towards him and they kissed again.

Finally, the boy was acting.

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About Author Doug Solter:

Doug Solter has worked behind the scenes in television for over twenty-five years. He began writing screenplays, then made the switch to young adult fiction. Doug respects cats, loves the mountains, and one time walked the streets of Barcelona with a smile. Doug is a member of SCBWI, IBPA, and Pennwriters.

If you would like to know when his next book will come out, please follow him on Amazon or visit his website at dougsolter.com and sign up to receive emails about new releases and special giveaways.

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