Posts Tagged ‘romance’

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
~

My tease for today is from A.M. Hargroves newest release Kissing Fire.

Now available!

KissingFire amazon GR Smashwords

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Releasing April 15th!

This scene is from when Avery is interrogated by the airport gestapo! I had to include most of it as I loved it.

“How can you explain this?” one asked as he held up the wrapped box.

“The present from Melissa?”

“Don’t be a smart ass with us Miss. What is your name?”

“Avery Middleton.”

“Miss Middleton. How can you explain this?”

“It’s a gift from Melissa.”

The FBI guy groaned and rubbed his head. The door opened again and another TSA agent came in with one of those big German Shepherd guard dogs. The dog came up to me and I reached out my hand to pet it. I thought it was a handsome looking dog and I’d always loved animals.

“Hi there fella,” I said.

The damn thing nearly took my hand off as it growled and snapped at me, while the agent pulled it back by its leash. I screamed at the top of my lungs and everyone jumped to their feet as the room broke out in chaos. I leaped up on the table fearing the beast was going to chow down on me for lunch, as it was now foaming at the mouth while his saliva was gushing out and pooling on the floor.

“Are you all trying to kill me or something?” I hollered.

“That’s a bomb sniffing dog! You’re not supposed to pet the damn thing. It’s trained to attack!”

“Well, it would’ve been nice if ya’ll had told me! Dern, it nearly ate my arm!”

“It did not!”

“Did too! What kind of place are ya’ll running here?”

Leave it to Anne to have me laughing at and loving Avery.

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Welcome to my stop on the Scavenger Hunt for Gateway to Reality by Becca Campbell. Please, enjoy the post, enter the giveaway and read on for details about bonus entries in the scavenger hunt!

GATEWAY TO REALITY; A MIND-BENDING URBAN FANTASY TALE BY BECCA J. CAMPBELL

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Gateway to Reality, now available at Amazon US and Amazon UK and Barnes and Noble.  Keep reading for a chance to win one of three prize packs!

Description

Talented artists shouldn’t be waiting tables, scraping by, and living mediocre lives. But that’s exactly what art school graduate Wes Teague is doing.

Then he wakes from a bizarre dream, haunted by the sense that his life isn’t real. A harrowing truth presents itself–the real world lies in his dreams, not when he’s wide awake.

The dream world he enters each night is rich and vibrant. Chicago appears the same on the surface, but chaos runs rampant as gravity, physics, and other laws of nature become fluid, changing unexpectedly. There, Wes’s parents, brother, and sister are strangers. His girlfriend Emily doesn’t recognize him. Wes longs to return, to unlearn the truth about his dual reality.

Wes would sacrifice almost anything to get back to blissful ignorance in a false world.

But now he has feelings for the real Emily.

My Review

Are our dreams real or are our lives a dream?

That’s what Wes Teague is about to discover.

He’s a struggling artist waiting for his big break.

Then he wakes up one day and everything appears out of focus, like peering through a cloudy lens.

Everything familiar feels out of sync and his life feels ,just, wrong.

He’s about to learn his current life is a dream, and the bizarre dreams he’s been having are real life.

In the world of his dreams, he’s lost his love, Emily. In real life, she doesn’t even know him.

Whew, what a step out of reality.

I felt like Wes. It was overwhelming to contemplate the ‘real’ world. Everything was chaotic and seemed without purpose.

Why would he choose this world? Maybe because he can have a fresh start with the new Emily, and his job is to create worlds. What better task than to imagine other worlds and build them?

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But he still yearns for Emily. The Emily he loved and lost in his dreams.

Does he have a choice of which world to live in and which one should he choose?

Gateway to Reality is like peering through a kaleidoscope, dazzling you with its possibilities.

Rebecca gives you a love story and  a search for one’s self,  with a science fiction flavor. I can honestly say, I’ve never read anything like it.

The author showed me a new reality in a way I could understand without becoming confused. It kind of reminded me of The Matrix as far as the dreaming, but it also made me think of an old Twilight Zone episode where a girl could create different realities.

I enjoyed feeling like I had stepped out of this world to read Gateway to Reality, but I’m glad I’m still here in mine.

It is just a story….. right?

Four Stars for an out of this world story.

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Giveaway
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I’m really excited about the giveaway. For those of you who may not know, the majority of the story takes place in Chicago, and it is heavily intertwined with the Cloud Gate sculpture (aka the Bean). All that comes together in the big prize pack. Here’s a peek at the prizes:
  • Grand prize: Chicago theme prize pack (autographed paperback of Gateway to Reality, a journal with an artistic representation of Chicago on the cover, Cloud Gate button, Gateway to Reality button, Gateway to Reality postcard, Cloud Gate postcard, and Crown Fountain postcard. (US only)
  • Second prize: autographed paperback of Gateway to Reality and Gateway to Reality postcard. (US only)
  • Third prize: entire Becca J. Campbell eBook library (Gateway to Reality, Foreign Identity, Not the Norm, and Unmasked Alloy). (All countries)

 Enter the rafflecopter giveaway

Visit all of the stops, collect the clues, and Good Luck

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Happy Hunting!

The Scavenger Hunt Blog Tour

You can enter the giveaway now, but to really amp up your odds at snatching one of these prize packs, check out each site along the blog tour.

April 1st     Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews

April 2nd     The Peasants Revolt

April 3rd     Catharsis of the Bogue

April 4th     The Pen and Whisk

April 5th     Write for Life

April 6th     S.M. Boyce

April 8th     Paranormal Lounge

April 9th     Lisa Is a Bookworm

April 10th     Jade Kerrion

April 11th     Paper Book Princess

April 12th     Now is Gone

April 13th     Worlds Away Book Blog

April 15th     FU Only Knew

April 17th     Sarcasm and Lemons

April 18th     Brandon R. Luffman

Your Thirteenth Clue

Wes visits many worlds in the Existence. Here’s your challenge in this scavenger hunt:

Collect the names of the fifteen worlds in Gateway to Reality (one will be revealed each day).

Following the schedule above, collect a world name at each stop, and when you have them all, plug that list of 15 worlds into the giveaway below to win a BONUS TEN ENTRIES.

HERE’S YOUR THIRTEENTH WORLD:  Crestview Drive

Continue with your hunt tomorrow at Sarcasm and Lemons. Good luck!

About the author

Becca J. Campbell

An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca J. Campbell looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.

Becca’s journey into writing began as many of her other creative endeavors do – by daring herself to try something new. The question “what if I wrote a novel?” and some hastily scribbled notes on a church handout were the inspirations that jump-started her first book. Since then, she has written three additional novels and several shorter works.

As the wife of a musician and mother of three young boys, Becca’s life is never dull. Whether it is writing, painting or knitting, she enjoys making stuff that wasn’t there before. You can find her blog, Inspiration for Creation, at http://www.beccajcampbell.com.

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Keep a box of Kleenex handy.

This one will tug at your heart-strings.

Spare Change

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Literary Awards
 

My Review

In the early 1920’s Olivia Ann Westerly rebels against her father and moves out on her own, despite his threats to disown her. She never looks back. Working at the telephone company for many years, she sees her friends get married, and become mothers shortly after.  When she questions them about it, they say, sure, that’s what’s expected:

1) Get married

2) Get pregnant

3) Have a baby

4) Have more babies…

The thought terrifies her.

But she does fall for Herbert and excepts his proposal. But then she gets to thinking about what her friends told her, and breaks off the engagement.

“I told people the thought of being tied down to a man who expected a clean shirt and dinner on the table at the dot of six was something I simply couldn’t face; but the real truth of the matter is that I’ve grown petrified of babies. They look all cute and cuddly in their little pink and blue buntings, but I’ve seen what they do to women.”

So, that’s how it went, year after year, relationship after relationship. Until 1956.

That’s when Charlie Doyle steps into her life. His son, Benjamin,  is grown and married with a boy of his own, so children aren’t in the picture. So Olivia, at 58 years old, lets herself fall in love and get married.

What should have been the beginning of the rest of her life, ends abruptly when Charlie dies suddenly during their honeymoon. A massive heart attack takes him from her arms and her future.

She returns to Virginia and quickly realizes she can’t go home again, so she settles into Charlies apartment in Wyattsville and begins to make friends, until something happens that changes everything she ever believed.

Ethan’s mother, Susanna, never grew up. She was what you called a free spirit, fun to be around.

His father, Benjamin Doyle, was the opposite. He dished out tough love, sometimes violently.

His best friend is Dog, his loyal canine companion.

A violent argument turns deadly and Benjamin hits Susanna so hard, she never wakes up.  Ethan has been hiding in the woods, afraid to come home when he sees a man pull up to the house, Shortly after, the man comes out, attacks his father, and beats him to death before tearing off in his car.

When Ethan ends up placed in the murderers home, he steals off in the night with nothing but his dog. He comes upon a tired looking gas station and a kindly man who gets him a ride right to his grandfathers apartment building. Charlie Doyle’s apartment building.

That’s where Olivia finds Ethan and Dog, fast asleep at her doorstep.

This is where it gets fun. There are no pets or children allowed in the apartment complex and Olivia is scared of being kicked out. Also, she has no clue what to do with this stubborn, taciturn boy and his raggedy dog.

Soon enough, some friends learn she’s hiding them in her apartment, and before you know it, everyone is clambering to help her keep her secret.

One detective back home suspects Ethan knows what happened to his parents and keeps searching for him. The killer is looking for Ethan to silence him for good.

There’s no avoiding it. They will all meet again.

There is a lot I didn’t tell you about Spare Change. About Olivia’s trip home from her honeymoon and the mysterious and kindly woman who gives her advice or about her eccentric and mixed bag of neighbors. I can’t tell you everything or I’d spoil it.

I wanted to gather Ethan Allen up in my arms and take him home with me. He may be double tough but he’s just a boy. A scared little boy who’s just witnessed the horrifying deaths of both parents. He shows a taciturn front, but inside he’s scared.

Olivia. She deserves a hug and a big pat on the back. Here she is confronted with her worst fear, and she handles it so sensitively and wisely. I bet she didn’t know she had it in herself.

I was swept away by Bette’s writing. The South oozes from the pages. I swear she writes with a southern drawl.

Bette’s characters are so real, so genuine. They have the same fears and insecurities as you or I. They all have their flaws. They are so real you might think you recognize one as someone you know.

The ending. You are going to love the ending! It left me smiling as tears ran down my face. It is one of the best endings of any book I’ve read and filled me with happiness and hope.

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Five Hugs for Spare Change.

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Giveaway

I have one paperback copy to giveaway.

*****Us/Canada Only. Sorry to my International friends.*****

Good news!

I also have one e-book to giveaway.

***Anyone can enter for the e-book!***

To enter, please leave your email address, specify if entering as for the paperback or e-book,  and answer this question,

“Has a book ever made you cry?”

Giveaway ends April 19th.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonly and Good Luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette Lee CrosbyBette Lee Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006, when she won the National League of American Pen Women Award for unpublished fiction with What Matters Most. Her novel, Cracks in the Sidewalk, received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award and then went on to win the 2011 FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. In 2011 Spare Change received the Reviewer’s Choice Awards and it garnered a second Royal Palm Literary Award. Her books have earned numerous five-star ratings with readers acclaiming them as heartwarming and captivating.

Most recently, Bette completed a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as The World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic.

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Spare Change  The Twelfth Child  Cupid's Christmas  Cracks in the Sidewalk  What Matters Most  Life in the Land of IS...the amazing story of Lani Deauville, the world's longest living quadriplegic

January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Praise

Refreshingly intelligent and loads of fun!

I lost a few hours as I read this book. It’s a Young Adult novel that is refreshingly and astonishingly intelligent, and the love story is perfectly played out.

~Christine Ashworth, Amazon Review

The mystery was intriguing – I loved how Wendy Russo weaved in all her secrets throughout the book, how she incorporated just enough to keep you reading, while never actually divulging much of anything. I was guessing for most of it and that’s pretty hard to make me do.

~Julie, Clean Teen Reads

Wendy Russo has created a masterpiece.

~Ivan Amberlake, Author
Book Trailer

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Author Wendy S. Russo

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/5/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck ya’ll!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
~

My tease for today is from Broken Illusions by Ellie James

A Midnight Dragonfly Novel

Broken Illusions (Midnight Dragonfly, #2)

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A sexy, suspenseful paranormal thriller.

Here’s my tease.

“Love isn’t supposed to have conditions,” I said, staring at the dull haze of moonlight from behind the clouds. “Or rules. It’s not supposed to hurt.”

Chase stiffened. I felt it, even through the feather-light touch of his fingers.

 Love was something we didn’t talk about.

“How can it not hurt?” he asked quietly. “When someone else has that much control over you?”

I’m about two-thirds through with this one and it’s fun. I like books with a psychic element and this  has a lot of suspense and some light romance.

~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Have you seen the cover art for A.M. Hargrove’s upcoming new release Kissing Fire?

Well, I have it here just for you.

I love it! Check it out!

What do you think?

Read further to get the description and she’s also given us a teaser!

Make sure you read all the way through and catch sight of all of Hargrove’s other books too!

She has some amazing covers and I’ve read all of the books and can tell you, they are incredible!

KissingFire amazon GR Smashwords

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Releasing April 15th!

Kissing Fire….Description

Preston Mitchell, undercover DEA agent, has led a life of danger and obscurity. Knowing his job would never allow a normal relationship, he’s never opened himself up to any woman…that is until the lovely Avery Middleton stumbles into his life.

To the outsider, Avery has it all…wealth, family, connections and a great job. But on the inside, she’s miserable. Her social life is in the dumpster, the kooky gal next door has some zany plans for her and her selfish mother drives Avery to the point of insanity. Her only salvation is to get out of Charleston and start a new life. So that’s precisely what she does. She moves to Seattle and steps right into the path of hot and sexy, Preston.

Unfortunately for both of them, Avery ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and is now running for her life. But she’s not alone. She has a gorgeous DEA agent protecting her and suddenly finds herself irresistibly captivated by him. There’s only one problem. Preston carries more than his share of mental baggage, courtesy of his job. His covert missions have put him in places and situations he can barely stand to think about. Avery rocks Preston’s world because she is nothing like anyone he’s ever met and something extraordinary begins to happen between them.  But can their love survive in this world, where danger, intrigue and deception lurk on every corner?

KISSING FIRE Teaser

Boy oh boy, was Preston hot. Make that boiling. Scorching. Molten lava kind of hot. Messy dark brown, slightly wavy hair that was not long but not short either. And, oh what a mouth he had. His mouth made me want to jump on board and ride that train for life. His lips were the perfect kind of full and every so often, he’d run his tongue across them and I’d automatically squirm. His face was pure angular perfection…high cheekbones with those slight hollows beneath them, that were the perfect shape to accommodate my lips. But those eyes…my oh my. They were golden brown, like coffee with lots of cream. I could only imagine what they looked like right when he was…

Cheezits Ava, get your head out of the bedroom!

“Wouldn’t you agree Ava?” my brother was asking me.

I shook my head and swallowed. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“We were talking about the weather here in the summer and I was saying how much more pleasant it is than in Charleston?”

“Oh, yes it is.” Was my voice breathy sounding, or was it my imagination?

Preston was wearing jeans that rode low on his hips. They were tight and he had a superior set of buns. What would I pay to see those babies?

“Ava? What do you think?” someone asked.

“Buns!” I blurted out.

“Excuse me?” Caroline, my sister-in-law, asked.

Holy Toledo, did I just say buns out loud? What the hell Ava!!!

“Fun! Anything sounds fun!” I quickly said.

“Ava, you look a little flushed. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Hot! I mean no, I’m fine.” I looked across the room and my face totally flamed. Everyone was staring at me. I had unbuttoned my blouse and was fanning myself. I’d noticed that Preston had a gloriously hot tattoo of a sideways cross on his arm. I think I needed to go home.

“So Avery, where are you staying?” Caroline asked.

“Oh, I’m at the Four Sexy. Seasons! I mean the Four Seasons.”

Oh dear God, I need to get my act together here.

About the author and her books.
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A.M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

“Hello.” “Boss, is that you?” “Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?” “Er… right.  Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.” “Why ever would I want to do that?” “Because I quit you idiot!”

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

“Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?” “Sure… Having some car trouble?” “Not at all.  I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.” “WHAT?!” “It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.”

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks.  Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love. If you’re wondering, it didn’t happen EXACTLY that way, but….

Author links:

   Blog        http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com/
   Twitter      http://www.twitter.com/amhargrove1

Goodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1

 The Guardians of Vesturon Series

Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon Survival (The Guardians of Vesturon, #1)  Resurrection (The Guardians of Vesturon, #2)  Determinant (The Guardians of Vesturon #3)

The Praestani Novels

  Dark Waltz (Praestani, #1)

Edge Novels

  Edge of Disaster (An Edge Novel, #1)  Shattered Edge (An Edge Novel, #2)

I won Thread on Arrival by Amanda Lee from a giveaway on Lori’s blog escape with dollycas.

I fell in love with the soft, pastel colors on the cover art. I love a cover that is, well, cozy.

Thread on Arrival (An Embroidery Mystery, #5)

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It’s been almost a year since Marcy moved to Tallulah Falls and opened up her embroidery shop,  The Seven-Year Stitch. She’s made some close friends and even has a couple of love interests.

When she agreed to help her friend, Reggie, by teaching an embroidery class to abused women, she had no idea she’d become entangled in a hunt for lost treasure and a murder.

The town and its denizens reminds of Cabot Cove from Murder She Wrote. Everyone knows each others business and like with most small towns, news travels faster than the telephone.

Marcy is a smart business woman, a very loyal friend, and is either gifted or cursed with an impulsive nature. She dives into things quickly, wanting to help out, and often lands in hot water. Her close-knit (no pun intended) group of friends are often right in the middle of it with her.

In the beginning, there is a bit of a love triangle, but Marcy makes her choice fairly early on in the book. She’s not a player, doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. She just cautious after her last relationship ended badly.

The fact she has this giant wolfhound, Angus, really drew me to this story. If you don’t know the breed, they are one of the largest dogs, over six feet standing on their hind legs. Marcy, or Inch-High Private Eye, as her beau fondly calls her, is a tiny thing and her dog dwarfs her.

Angus is the first to know when Marcy chooses her man.

I giggle. “I’ve got a boyfriend, Angus!”

From the back seat, he woofed his approval before slurping my ear with his tongue.

I totally approve of her choice. He’s sexy, funny, and his more serious nature is a perfect match for the impetuous Marcy.

“Is this where I say something horribly corny like Yeah, but you’re a thief – you stole my heart?” he asked.

From murder, to a new beau, to a reality show, Marcy is right in the thick of things. Now she just needs to put the threads together, to solve the mystery before anyone else ends up dead.

As I got a little ways into the book, I realized this was a series and Thread on Arrival wasn’t the first book.  Imagine my surprise and delight to discover this was book #5 in the Embroidery Series. Four more cozy mysteries to read.

I had no trouble reading this book before the others. The author placed small bits of history from the other books throughout the story, kind of filling in the blanks. You could read this without having read the others and feel completely comfortable and satisfied.

Of course, I’ll be reading the other four books. Right at 300 pages, I read this in about three hours, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Almost forgot! When I was checking out other books by the author, I found out Amanda Lee is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. She has also written The Daphne Martin Series and the Myrtle Crumb Series.

Four Stars for this sparkling read.

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About the author

Gayle Trent

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym of Gayle Trent.

Series:
* Embroidery Mystery

(from Gayle Trent’s webpage)

“Thank you so much for stopping by my site!

I live in Southwest Virginia with my husband and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. I’m a full-time writer/editor/mom/wife and chief cook and bottle washer, and I love every minute of it. Okay, not the bottle washing so much, but the rest of it is great.

I’m happy to introduce you to my latest characters, cake decorator Daphne Martin and embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer.

Read more about Daphne and Marcy at my blog.

Who’s Amanda Lee?

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym Gayle is using for the new cozy mystery series featuring a heroine who owns an embroidery shop. The series is set on the Oregon Coast and features Marcy Singer, a spunky, thirty-something, entrepreneur who is handy with a needle.

Goodreads

Website

Twitter

The Embroidery Series

The Quick and the Thread (An Embroidery Mystery, #1) Stitch Me Deadly (An Embroidery Mystery, #2)  Thread Reckoning (An Embroidery Mystery, #3)  The Long Stitch Good Night (An Embroidery Mystery, #4)  Thread on Arrival (An Embroidery Mystery, #5)

Go here for more of Amanda Lee’s books.

And go here for Gayle Trent’s books.

I’ve always loved reading stories about firefighters and investigators. It’s fascinating and terrifying.

Fire and Ash sounds like it will keep me on my toes, staying one step ahead of the flames!

Fire and Ash by Anne Patrick



Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor.  When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her.  She’s now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
 
 
Reviews and Awards
“This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with.” ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
“A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick’s novel, “Fire and Ash” is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you’ll want to read again.” ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
“As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator.  Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots.”  ~ Onedesertrose’s Christian Book Reviews Blog
“As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn’t resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED” ~Review from ‘Fireboy’ at Christianbook.com


Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
‘Best Inspirational’ 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
 

Author Anne Patrick

 
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn’t working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. 



She loves to hear from her readers!

Book Blast Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/10/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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I love being a part of this Cover Reveal for The Last Hour by Charles Sheehan -Miles !

Isn’t it gorgeous?

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Title: The Last Hour

Author: Charles Sheehan-Miles

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Age Group: Adult

Cover Designer: Okay Creations

Expected release date: May 15, 2013

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Twenty-seven year old Carrie Thompson-Sherman has the life she always wanted: her PhD, a prestigious fellowship, and an amazing husband.

Her life begins to unravel as a jealous colleague puts her fellowship in jeopardy and a haunting secret Ray Sherman carried home from Afghanistan comes to light.

Hounded by a federal investigation and the ensuing media feeding frenzy, Carrie and Ray desperately lean on each other, until a disastrous accident puts both Ray and her sister’s lives at risk.

In the last hour, Carrie and Ray will each find themselves faced with a choice.

A choice that will change everything.

About the Author

Charles Sheehan-Miles

Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive. He is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America’s Future.

Charles Sheehan-Miles | Facebook | Twitter

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Welcome to my stop on the tour for Fare Well by Penny Piva hosted be Good Choice Reading Promotions .

I’m celebrating this newest release with my review.

Let’s get to know Madeleine.

Fare Well

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Available on Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Description

Thrown together at the funeral of a mutual friend, Madeleine’s three closest friends come from different parts of her life –her childhood, her former job, and a failed relationship. Tragedy and their fondness for Madeleine bring them together. Their fondness for each other forges new friendships that strengthen through sickness, a bad marriage, a crack in a seemingly-perfect life, and an unplanned pregnancy.

Through this all, Madeleine must overcome the pain of her former relationship and the loss of a once-successful career. With memories of her childhood friendship and her beloved nana running through her mind, she learns to live for the future—a new guy, a new job, and renewed, honest relationships

My Review

When I first met Madeleine, she was at a former co-workers funeral. Her and Amy used to teach at the same school.

Madeleine used to envy Amy for her size zero figure and her bubbling, genuinely caring personality. Never would she have imagined her being murdered. Now she’s at her house, listening to the comments usually spoken at these things, and hanging out by the food tables.

That’s where she is as she encounters each of her friends. Each one from a different time or place in her life. Seems they all feel a bit lost.

Madeline takes you on a journey, flashing back and forth to different remembrances in her life as she starts a new one. She’s sent her boyfriend Rob to California to pursue his dream, ending a nine-year relationship. She quit her teaching job of ten years. Now she’s alone, jobless, and at a loss. She’s also afraid.

Afraid of what the future holds, what new symptoms will appear.

She can’t tell her friends about her illness.

‘It wasn’t something she really wanted to reveal to anyone. Her mother hovering and her dad looking at her differently, like she might just break if pushed too hard or too far was more than enough. She wanted to be the same to everyone. She wanted her friends to treat her the same as always, obnoxiously or nicely…’

‘She’d keep up the secrets and lies.’

She wonders about Rose, her ex-beau’s mother, and why she’s injected herself into her circle of friends. What could she be up to? Is she just lonely?

Are they all just lonely? It seems like they are all needing each other and it seems like food is always a part of it. I guess that’s why they call it ‘comfort food.’

It’s not all serious. There are some lighter moments. Here’s a funny scene I really liked, and yep, it’s got food in it?

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“Please, my grandmother messes up frozen dinners. Can you imagine the pain she’d cause Mother Nature if we gave her real food to cook?”

“It’s a wonder you didn’t starve to death when you were a kid,” Madeleine joked.

“Why do you think I was always over here even when you weren’t? I was hungry! Thank God I learned how to drive so now I can forage for my own food.”

“At McDonald’s.”

“I’ve never been much of a hunter or a gatherer.’

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As you get to know Madeleine and her friends. you’ll learn they all have secrets.

I wanted to know what was going on with her friend Maria, what wasn’t she telling? Why was she sad?

And her friend Ellen, the policewoman. Why was she acting weird? What was she hiding?

How long could these friends keep hiding? Who would break and tell their secret first?

As their secrets were revealed, I felt connected, I shared their worries and their pain. They became as friends to me and I wanted everything to be okay for them. I wanted them to be happy.

Four Stars for this moving sojourn of friendship.

About Penny Piva

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Lives in Massachusetts with The Chef.

Teaches writing at several universities.

Laughs every single day.

Does not like olives or blue cheese or sushi.

Studied pastry arts at a superior university.

Only listens to audio books in the car when driving.

Eats pasta every Sunday (house rules).

Loves visiting New York City, Disney World, and Italy.

Has a fun website at www.PennyPiva.com.

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