Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Jury Duty Is Murder organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Kate Damon will award a $25 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.
Jury Duty Is Murder
by Kate Damon
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Genre: Cozy Mystery
Synopsis
The verdict is in; a famed athlete is headed for prison. The jurors have done their job and are free to go back to their lives.
But after being sequestered for four months, life as some knew it no longer exists.
HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed by a careless driver. Exotic dancer, CEECEE LAINE, discovers that her boyfriend is two-timing her, and she no longer has a job. Actor ALEX MANNING learns his career is down the tubes, and 72-year-old, HELEN RYDER, discovers her family is plotting to put her in an old folks home.
Then things take a turn for the worse. When former jurors start dropping like flies, CeeCee, Helen, Harold, and Alex are convinced there’s a killer on the loose. Now the feuding foursome must find him before he kills them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.
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Enjoy this peek inside:
The ringing telephone woke me up. Without opening my eyes, I felt around until I touched the nightstand and finally, my phone. “Hello.”
“Wake up.”
I groaned. “Alex, what do you want?”
“I need you to wake up.”
I forced myself to sit up. The clock on the radio said it was after ten. “This better be important.”
“Something is terribly wrong,” Alex said. “It’s the thirtieth and nobody’s dead.”
“Hallelujah.” I hung up and dived back into my pillow. The phone rang again, and I groaned. Only Alex would think that no dead bodies meant something was wrong.
I rolled over and grabbed the phone. “Now what?”
“No one’s dead.”
~~~~~
About Author Kate Damon:
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When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy RVing, spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.
Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 40 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.
Not counting the book she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-12), 72 pages Genre: Children’s Fiction Publisher: Daisy Butterfield Press Release date: September 30, 2024 Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA and Canada) and ebook (EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Nov 18 to Dec 13, 2024 Content Rating: G:The story follows Daisy during an afternoon at her grandparents house making snacks, planting the garden, playing cards, and enjoying the warmth and love of her grandparents.
Book Description:
Welcome to Grammie and Pupa’s House!
The door is always open and everyone is welcome in as the smell of fresh baked pies and cookies lingers in the kitchen air. So, pour a cup of tea and sit down and relax. It is my pleasure to share with you a day in the life of Grammie and Pupa as seen through the eyes of their granddaughter, Daisy.
Oh my, this delightful story brought back some special memories. Daisy was such an endearing character and it was special to walk in her footsteps and remember the wonder of visiting my own Grandma. She had a little house on a small lake and we’d play games, eat her yummy food and read together.
Grammie and Pupa are wonderful grandparents and Daisy is a sweet young girl. Young ones will have their own memories while reading it with their grandparents or parents. I adored it!
5 STARS
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Meet Author Daisy Butterfield:
I was born in a small New England town. Growing up I lived just two houses away from my grandparents, and spent countless days hanging out with Grammie and Pupa playing games and gardening. I loved flowers, and still do. I would roam the fields picking wild Lupine, Queen Anne’s Lace, and, of course, Daisies. This book is a legacy to my grandparents, a way of saying thank you for the sweet memories. May you make sweet memories with your little ones as you read this book with them.
Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for One Night Stands And Lesson Plans organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author M. Jayne LaDow will be awarding a $25 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.
One Night Stands And Lesson Plans
by M. Jane LaDow
Genre: Romance
Synopsis
In the close-knit town of Marchfield, where gossip spreads faster than a teenager’s texts, English teacher Audrey Fremont and Algebra instructor Oz Taylor find themselves at the center of a scandal—and a romance neither saw coming.
A few too many drinks at Happy Hour and a glimpse of his infuriatingly sexy shoulders lead to a one-night stand that should have ended there—but didn’t. Relentlessly organized and a bit of a perfectionist, Audrey is horrified to discover that Oz is one of her new coworkers. Yet, stolen glances in the hallway, moments in the copy room, and snarky banter make keeping it “no strings attached” nearly impossible to maintain.
With meddling friends and nosy colleagues already placing bets on their romance, Audrey and Oz can’t ignore the chemistry simmering between them. But just when Audrey thinks she’s got everything under control, a surprise confession from Oz leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about love.
In a town where everyone’s watching, Audrey and Oz must decide: will they keep playing it safe, or risk their hearts on a love that could change everything?
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Enjoy this peek inside:
The wind turned, and the warm night air chilled. Clicking open the locks on my car, I tried to get in and drive away. Slowly, I turned to scan the area for Oz. He stood by his truck, watching me with his hands in his pockets. His eyes were dark, and I could feel the heat of his stare.
I should have waved goodbye, hopped into Green Lightning, and headed home. I should have taken a cold shower and written in my journal all the reasons why we should Never Ever, Get Back Together. Thanks, Taylor Swift.
I should woman up.
But there he was, giving me sexy, smoldering eyes as he leaned against his truck. He looked like a modern-day cowboy, all hard and rugged after a day on the ranch. I have always had a thing for cowboys. They were hard, tough, weather and work-worn on the outside but warm and loyal on the inside.
The logical side of my brain warned me to stay away, but he’d lassoed me with an invisible rope. I stepped toward him and watched his eyes widen, and his chest rise as he drew in a deep breath. It was all the encouragement I needed to close the space between us.
I stood inches from him, staring into his eyes, searching for a sign. His mouth hitched up on the right side, and I felt myself rise up on my toes, my hands on his wide shoulders, and kiss him.
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About Author M. Jane LaDow:
M. Jayne LaDow is a playwright and author who leapt into writing romance after spending thirty-three years wrangling middle school English students. Her rom-coms are hilariously inspired by her years in education, where she was regularly pied in the face, sang classroom karaoke, and dressed up like characters from novels. She resides with her very patient husband, two brilliant yet snarky children, three cuddly rescue cats, a toe-biting tortoise, and a bearded dragon who judges her life choices from his terrarium.
(Winterstorm Village, #1)
Publication date: October 29th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Historical, Romance
At Winterstorm Village, a record-breaking blizzard always ends in a wedding before the season is over. This year promises to bring the mother of all snowstorms, and the residents couldn’t be more excited to see who’s next to tie the knot…
Rhett Parker hates Christmas. When the Mayor of Winterstorm has an unfortunate accident and ends up in a coma, Rhett is left hanging with the proverbial Santa Gift Bag. To make matters worse, the only one who can help him save their money-making tourist season is his office nemesis, Ms. Christmas cheer in a bottle, Parker Cruz.
Parker Cruz, the Mayor’s daughter, is determined to save Christmas now that her dad isn’t there to make it all happen. The only person standing in her way is the town’s Scrooge, the newly appointed Mayor, Rhett Parker.
She’s willing to do whatever it takes to make good on her promise to her dad. So, when a series of unlucky events strike, and the residents start talking about canceling Christmas, Parker does the unthinkable. She agrees to a fake date with her new boss.
Love is always in the air during the holidays at Winterstorm Village. So what if this year it’s all pretend? Or is it?
“Jesus, a date?” Rhett reached over and yanked the pen out of my hand.
“Hey.” I turned to glare at him.
“You need to slow down.” He tossed the pen over his shoulder. “What are you going to do when people want us to kiss?”
“Why would they even ask? That would be creepy. Relax, it’ll never come to that. At most, we’ll have to hold hands.” I stopped to inhale and give him a chance to catch up.
He rubbed the creases on his forehead as he paced to the fireplace and back. Every time, he glanced up at me, his intense gaze would settle on mine. He was really considering all the angles. How about that? We actually made a good team. I was the idea instigator. He was the executor.
“Proximity.” He finally said.
“What does that mean?”
“Can you handle it?” He cocked his head.
“What?”
He prowled toward me as his eyes darkened. Was he mad now? No, that wasn’t it. Rhett was doing the smoldering thing on me. Shit, I swallowed to ease my dry throat. Okay, I could do this. I was a professional. He stopped a mere two inches from me. We’d never been this close before. Oddly enough, I wasn’t repulsed by it. It was nice.
“I’m not nauseous.” I lifted my head to look at him. “You?”
He jaw clenched, then released, his gaze never leaving mine.. “It’s doable.” He nodded then reached behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder and followed his line of sight. “What are you doing?” I asked when he pressed the intercom button.
“Lila, can I see you in my office, please.” He released the button and turned to me. “Getting the ball rolling.”
“Lila is Mrs. Birdwhistle’s God daughter. She’ll be Lila’s first call. And then…”
“And then, the whole town will know.” He brought his hand up to my waist. “Last call to back out, Cruz. It’s now or never.”
“Never.” I placed my hand on his chest just as he leaned in to press his forehead to mine.
My heart drummed so hard, I swore I heard its echo against the walls. Once Lila barged in on us, we would have to follow through on our lie, all the way to New Year’s eve. How hard could it be?
“Omigod.” Lila dropped her iPad. “I’m sorry.” She bent down to retrieve it then fell to her knees while trying to reach for her Mac pen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to…um, the door was opened.”
“It’s fine. I was just leaving.” I tentatively stepped away from Rhett. I hadn’t considered how much touching we needed to do to convey our message. As it was, it already felt like I’d been in Rhett’s arms for a very long time.
For his part, Rhett slowly released my waist and let his fingers skim the length of my arm until they landed in my palm. Our bodies moved with such synchronicity, I didn’t have time to react to the goosebumps fluttering my skin or jerk away from him. I just stood there, spellbound.
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About Author Diana A. Hicks:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
As much as we may love our families and friends, they
possess the ability to drive us crazy!
The Moldy Orange Bandage:
Playbooks and Short Stories
by Lirio Blanco Show
Genre: Literary Fiction
As much as we may love our families and friends, they
possess the ability to drive us crazy!
In this pair of theatrical playbooks (with a few short
stories as an added bonus), two family-friendly plays for tweens and up
showcase two different dramas.
In The Moldy Oranges, married life between an
American husband and his Latin immigrant wife never proves dull . . .
especially when the mother-in-law lives under the same roof. And then, when
their trusted neighbor requests a mysterious brown bag be hidden in their
closet, it provides the trigger for family secrets, suspicion, and intrigue.
What is in the brown bag? A diary? Stolen jewelry? A secret detonator for a
kitchen stove, perhaps?
Based on the events of Atlanta’s 2014 ice storm, a group of
middle school girls are trapped in their after-school classroom, seemingly
abandoned by the last faculty member, who flees to protect her own family
during the crisis. Three girls and the class bully must learn to cooperate for
survival until help arrives in The Box of Bandages.
From architect/author Lirio Blanco Show, these stories
provide a peek into family life with an in-law, stranded girls struggling to
cope with a bully, as well as a handful of short animal stories . . . some
based on true events, some completely fiction. Who dares to say which is which?
(All four adults begin arguing incoherently with one
another. CARMEN begins pacing around the room,
watching with a suspicious look in her eyes. She kneels
down and picks up the oranges, one by one, from the
floor and carefully places them on top of the dining table. Calmly watching the argument as it escalates, she
then glances at the audience and rolls her eyes, sighing
heavily. She picks up a single orange and begins to peel
it, then begins to eat it. After a few bites, CARMEN begins coughing hard, puts her hands on her chest, as her
face begins to turn red. She motions to her throat, trying to signal the others that she’s choking. Suddenly,
CARMEN collapses on the floor and stops moving.
ALEXA turns toward CARMEN with a shocked realization that her daughter is lying on the floor.)
ALEXA:
Carmen! (Shrieking) Carmen?
(A deep silence overtakes the room, the lights dim, and
a spotlight on CARMEN starts to brighten.)
(ALEXA and KIRA kneel down next to CARMEN in
complete silence.)
ALEXA:
Mom, is she okay?
KIRA:
Oh God, she is alive, but her pulse . . . it’s so weak. She is purple. Oh God! What happened?
ALEXA:
(Crying) I don’t know! Mom! What are we going to do?
What are we going to do?
(REGINA pushes the two aside and kneels down over
CARMEN.)
REGINA:
Get out of my way, you two!
DONOFRIO:
Yes, let Regina check Carmen! She’s a nurse!
REGINA:
Her face is purple . . . blue . . . She must have eaten or swallowed something that has blocked her airway.
DONOFRIO:
But what?
(DONOFRIO begins walking, looking around, and notices the orange peels on the table.)
DONOFRIO:
She ate oranges! She ate oranges, but how could that
cause her to choke?
REGINA:
The seeds! The seeds, Donofrio . . . Come on . . . Help
me lift her. We need to proceed with the Heimlich
maneuver!
(DONOFRIO lifts up CARMEN while REGINA supports her from behind and then presses her chest to forcefully eject the seed. REGINA makes several attempts to no avail while ALEXA and KIRA are desperately crying in the background.)
REGINA:
Oh no! Oh no, Carmen! This . . . is not your day, sweetie, no . . . Not today. C’mon, Donofrio, lay her on the floor again . . . Come on!
(DONOFRIO follows her directions, and REGINA
starts thrusting her fists against CARMEN’s chest, al-
ternating with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After
three attempts, CARMEN starts coughing and spits
out the seeds. All surround her and give a collective
sigh of relief.)
CARMEN:
(Still coughing) What happened?
REGINA:
If it wasn’t for your little choking scene here, I was about to lay someone ELSE out in this room. Anybody
want to guess who?
(REGINA stares down ALEXA, who backs away.)
REGINA (CONTD.):
Or why?
CARMEN:
(Coughing less) No! No idea . . .
REGINA:
Because your mother started talking to me the same
way you talk to each other in this house—with dis-
respect to me and total disregard to my feelings.
That is why . . . and that my girl, that is not going to
happen . . . again!
ALEXA:
But Regina . . .
REGINA:
Oh no! No, Alexa . . . This time, you . . . and the rest of you . . .
(REGINA points accusingly at KIRA and DONOFRIO.)
REGINA (CONTD.):
. . . are going to be quiet . . . and listen to what I have to say. Get that child some water.
(DONOFRIO nods meekly and fetches a glass of water
for CARMEN, who is still lying on the floor. He kneels
down and gives it to her.)
REGINA:
Do you see this girl lying on the floor? She is the victim here! Yes . . . she is.
KIRA:
How dare you, Regina, talk to us like that?
REGINA:
My question to you, Kira . . . is how dare you talk to
your family the way you do? You talk to neigh-
bors . . . strangers on the street you never laid eyes
on in your life . . . with more respect than you talk to
your family. Why is that?
(KIRA tilts her head down meekly, in tears.)
REGINA (CONTD.):
I have been visiting this house for more than fifteen
years, and I know more than anybody else the great
love that bonds this family together. You all have
been through hardships and joyful events, but always
bickering about the most miniscule things . . . While
doing so, today, all of you might have lost the most
precious thing in all your lives . . . Carmen, this
sweet girl . . . who never harms anybody, a creature
full of love and innocence.
(REGINA pauses briefly, and silence envelopes the room.)
.
Albalis Vargas-Smith, a.k.a. Lirio Blanco Show, is an architect, painter,
muralist, and writer from Panama. She received her undergraduate and graduate
degrees in architecture from Universidad Autonoma de Centroamerica in San Jose,
Costa Rica. In addition, she received a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts from
Auburn University, Montgomery. She has more than twenty years of experience in
architecture, having worked both in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Atlanta area.
She has done theatrical scene and set design as volunteer work for community
theatre groups. Back in July 2016, Albalis went solo as an entrepreneur,
architect, and painter, founding the Vargas-Smith Studio. The reason? To spend
more time with her daughter. In 2020, she decided to finish a series of backburner
short stories and theatrical plays. One of the theatrical plays is presented in
this book. Currently, Albalis lives in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her daughter,
husband, her dog, Toni, and a precious bird, Ruperta.
Seneca James’ cousin, Evie, ends up in hot water, when she’s accused of stealing a wallet from an angry customer in Seneca’s Painted Wings Café. The customer also happens to be the local bank manager, who Evie pleads with for a much-needed loan, resulting in a public spectacle as the bank manager refuses, and ridicules Evie. When the manager later turns up dead inside the cafe, and Evie is the most likely suspect, it will take all of Seneca’s sleuthing and help from her best friend, Sheriff Cody Bales, to get Evie out of trouble.
About Ruth J. Hartman
Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people’s recliners. Not that the cats couldn’t get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else’s.
Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying.
Ruth’s husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at Ruthjhartman.com.
(Love At Last, #5)
Publication date: December 4th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Tommy O’Doherty, and I’m madly in love.
Too blunt, you say? Seriously, why lie?
Everyone seems to know about it already. The gossip about my major crush on my best friend’s neighbour has spread like wildfire.
And I have to admit, I didn’t do anything to stop it.
Not everyone is as good at pretending to be a playboy—even if the most they can handle is a PlayStation—like my weird colleagues and messy friends. Not everyone can keep it together when they meet the sweetest, most sensitive, and most wonderful creature on Earth.
Too bad she doesn’t see herself that way. Too bad she doesn’t believe my words, my kisses, my caresses, or my romantic gestures. Too bad she’s not ready to believe that what we have is real and that I’m not just her backup boyfriend, but the man who truly wants to be with her.
Even though I keep telling her that we are made to last, I’m starting to think she will never believe me unless I am willing to show her in a dramatic and obviously questionable way that I’m serious and that there is no better man for her than me.
Each book in the Love At Last Series is standalone:
– Last Call – About Last Night – One Last Kiss – The Last One – Made To Last
I walk into her place and shut the door, but I linger in the doorway as Ivy heads to the kitchen. She returns two minutes later with a vase full of flowers. She places them on the coffee table next to the couch and then looks at me.
“Did you really say you’re into me?”
“Totally. I said I’m totally into you.”
Ivy bites her full red lip, her eyes bright, emotional, and surprised. The perfume she’s wearing wafts through the air, making me lose my lucidity for a moment, and…
And she’s already messed up my head.
You know that, right?
All I need is that twinkle in her eye, that slight flush on her face as she realises I can’t take my eyes off her. All I need is that anxious breath that seems to be a reflection of my own. All I need is this silence, filled with images to capture and moments to write about. All I need is to know that she wanted this as much as I wanted it.
I don’t know how long it takes to realise that the person in front of you is the one you want next to you. I’m already there.
Am I completely insane, or am I unexpectedly wise?
Only time will tell.
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About Author A. S. Kelly:
A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.
(A Twinkle Falls Novel)
Publication date: December 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
A sweet, inspirational, small town romance with holiday cheer and a happy ending.
Kylee Croft is a single mom to the sweetest little girl anyone could ask for. Growing up in Paris, the most romantic city in the world, to Kylee it felt like a rite of passage to one day marry the man of her dreams.
Now living in Twinkle Falls, she appreciates the ease of small town life and how people look out for one another, though getting to know the sister and father she never knew existed is the icing on the cake.
Trace Holburg was one happy man after marrying his first love seven years ago. Soon after, his family felt complete with the birth of their twins. But he received a rude awakening when his soon to be ex-wife left him and the boys for a life of alcoholism. After the divorce and getting sole custody of his boys, he swore he’d never marry again.
Kylee has been dating Trace for over a year but worries the man she’s fallen madly in love with is pulling away from her. To complicate things even more her daughter’s biological father shows up in Twinkle Falls.
Can this couple make peace with their past and find a future together, or does their fate lie elsewhere?
“Man, I suck at this,” I blurt out, while on a jog around the perimeter of the Fall Fair with Jesse. We started hanging out years ago after our sisters became BFFs.
“O-kayyy…” He elongates the word, briefly cutting his eyes in my direction. “Do you care to elaborate?”
“Ugh, at romancing a woman. It’s like I forgot how to do it, since I haven’t dated for years. Before Kylee, Roxanne was the only woman I’d ever loved. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m sure Roxanne put the moves on me first. Which means, I have no game. Dang, I’m doomed.”
“I assume you’re talking about romancing Kylee? Tell me what happened before I give my opinion on the situation.
Shaking my head as we run past a seven-foot scarecrow and two smaller ones along the jogging trail, I try explaining. “It’s bad; really bad,” I huff. “One minute, we were sipping wine and cuddling on the sofa after an amazing French meal she made, and the next, something completely different than what I had planned to say came pouring out of my mouth.”
“Oh, gosh, what’d you say?”
“I said something like… if it’s not clear that I want us to have a future together and to, uh, share a house so we can do more stuff like this—”
“Stop!” We quit running as Jesse steps to the side of the trail. “You’re right, you do suck at this.” He chuckles. “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard a guy say to the woman he loves. What was her response?”
“It wasn’t great. She didn’t say anything at first, so I added, unless it’s not something you want. Finally, she grabbed my hand and said she’d love for us to live in the same house, but then she looked confused after she said it.”
“Man, I can definitely see why. You need to watch some romance movies or something because you’re right, you have zero game with the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
“Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy,” I quip. As we resume running, I’m suddenly feeling worse than I did before.”
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About Author Freda Ann:
Freda Ann is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit #1 in multiple categories after release.
She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you’ll wish you could visit.
After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.
To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.
A River of Resentment (A Hollow’s Glenn Coven Mystery) by Kristen King
A River of Resentment (A Hollow’s Glenn Coven Mystery) Paranormal Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series Setting: A small mountain town with elemental magic Publisher : Silvester & Eve Publishing (December 18, 2023) Paperback : 392 pages ISBN-10 : 1963304993 ISBN-13 : 978-1963304992 Digital Print length : 328 pages ASIN : B0CPQX5BHJ
. When dangerous black magic surfaces, only the strength of a powerful coven can contain it.
With winter coming quickly to Hollow’s Glenn, the town anxiously prepares for the annual Night of Lights event. But planning gets disrupted when water witch Simone discovers the body of a local businessman in the icy town river. She and her cousin, Autumn, must figure out how the mysterious murder connects to the dark vines of magic seeping through the cold waters.
As they bring the founding families together for the first time in decades, the girls try to fight the growing black magic while uncovering who is to blame for the most recent death. Will they find the killer before more accidents claim the lives of others in Hollow’s Glenn, or will the girls themselves become victims to the dark waters?
A River of Resentment contains tropes such as:
– a cozy mountain town
– craft shop owners
– local coffee shop that everyone loves
– a coven of amateur sleuth witches
– elemental magic
– a cat familiar
– founding magical families banding together
– seasonal events happening around town
– a budding side romance
– mysterious red herrings
This is the second book in the paranormal Hollow’s Glenn Coven Mystery series, and it can be read as a stand-alone mystery. If you love Iris Beaglehole, Nancy Warren, and Ellie Alexander, then you’ll love this series that blends cozy mountain magic and small town amateur sleuths.
Entangle yourself in the power of water energy with this captivating story of family ties, spellbinding witches, and the strength of a small town overcoming all that threatens it. Grab your copy today!
About Kristen King
Kristen King is an Amazon bestselling author of paranormal cozy mysteries. After many years blending project management, art/design, and coaching, she now lets her water energy lead the way through creative fiction writing. She finds that a good dose of magic sets the coziest tone for any day. When not channeling her writing muse, Kristen spends time snuggling in her mountain home next to a cozy fire and her calico cat. She loves to lose herself in taking photos, baking for her family, and pulling tarot cards or charging crystals by the light of the moon.
(Kingdom of Lies & Truths, #2)
Publication date: December 4th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance
I married him for safety.
He married me for love.
That is where our problems lay.
He thought he knew me. He didn’t.
Our love was never a fairy tale. Our stories were dark and twisted and morally gray, with survival being our motive.
That meant watching out for myself first and last. But being Marcello’s wife is harder than I thought. In our story, I am the villain, while he played the knight, my protector.
*All The King’s Men is the second book in the Kingdom of Lies & Truths series and can be read as a standalone. It is a dark new adult mafia romance that includes scenes that may be disturbing to some. Recommended for readers 18+.
“My house! You put my house up for sale?! My family possessions. My things!”
“Your things are here, Eden. I had them moved here, and I had your family things moved to storage until you decide what to do with them.”
“I want them in the fucking house I grew up in! Who the fuck told you to move my things and sell my home!”
“Your grandfathers and I agreed that now that you are a married woman, the house was not needed.”
“You mean, they told you to get rid of it and you agreed? Without consulting me!”
“Pussyc ¾”
“Do not call me that!” I snapped, pointing at him.
As if weighing me and my anger, Marcello nodded. “They thought it best that we get rid of it because it represents the house of a traitor to this family, and your grandfathers do not want that shame to follow you. That is why I agreed, Eden.”
Shame. That was what would follow me forever. Shame and being the daughter of a traitor. The only thing saving me was my mother’s side of the family, and Marcello, whether I liked it or not.
How did everything go to shit? Bending to hug my knees, I hid my face to hide my tears. How did I go from being free and running one of the biggest businesses in the underworld to being a traitor’s daughter and jobless.
I had been so careful in my life. Only for it all to be fucked up by someone else and their mistakes.
“Eden,” Marcello whispered my name, crouching on the floor.
Allowing the comfort of his hand rubbing my shoulders, I sniffed and wiped at my tears before facing him “Sins of the father, right…”
“I’ll carry your sins for you.”
Huffing a chuckle, I pressed my forehead to the side of his face. “If only you could.” As I pecked his kiss, I was reminded of the sweet boy I had taken advantage of.
I gave in to the distraction he offered and opened my lips, melting into our first kiss in years.
He tasted of coffee or chocolate, I couldn’t tell. Only that the second I gave permission, his tongue swept over mine in a slow, cautious dance, and we stared at each other, measuring and deciding if it was safe to continue or stop.
But stopping was not an option. I didn’t want to stop. His mouth felt too good, too warm, too familiar to stop, and I knew he felt it too. The fire that blazed in his eyes told me as much, and I tilted my head for him and closed my eyes.
As our slow, sensual kiss deepened, Marcello’s fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. Our tongues slid together, lips pressing and nibbling, igniting a yearning that pulsed through me. Overwhelmed, I shifted, straddling his lap, his growl vibrating against my lips as he pressed me down onto his arousal.
“No,” I whispered, breaking away abruptly. “We are still fighting.”
His frustration was palpable as he gripped the back of my neck. “We’re not fighting now, are we?”
.
About Author Empress Chang:
Writing under the pen name Empress Chang, she is referred to as an overly dramatic, outgoing yet shy individual by her friends and family. Half Chinese Jamaican, Chang was born and raised in Jamaica.
Writing stories about her dogs and princesses at a young age, Chang discovered romance books in high school and started writing her own believing that romantic happy ever afters are necessary for a healthy and happy life.
She is a huge believer in the simple things in life, and her life’s main goal is to be happy. This includes sunny beaches and junk food (of course)!
When Chang is not writing, she is usually reading, watching a series that has hooked her attention and demands to be binged, or is spending time with her supportive, loving husband.
