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Saturday, June 30, 2018

Books we Didn't Finish - June edition



Mirror Mirror:   In the foreward, the author says she tried to write a book about the chaos of the teenage years.  But, I had a feeling that she hasn't hung around any teenagers in a long time.  I have a teenager.  While there is angst, none of the ones I know say the f-word at the end of every sentence and they aren't all trying to get high or drunk.  This just wasn't for me.

Find Me: I started this book 3 times, which is never a good sign.  I got about 30% in and was really bored.  I didn't like "Jar".  The back and forth between the diary and the present was OK, but not enough to keep things interesting.

Sunburn: I tried several times to read the book.  I found it confusing as the characters all sounded the same.  I DNF'd at 30%.  I was really bored and no interested in finishing.

The Hunger:  I hung in until about 50%.  I gave up because it just wasn't going anywhere.  I got tired of the bickering between the travelers.  There was nothing creepy about the book.  It was a neat idea, but poorly executed.

Friday, June 29, 2018

Happy Blogaversary! - Giveaway!




Happy 8th Blogaversary to us! 

 As a thank you to our readers, we are having a giveaway. We are giving away a mystery box filled with ARCs  and a $20.00 GC to Amazon. (US only for the box of books)

 2 lucky winners will be chosen. To enter fill out the rafflecopter below.  


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Thursday, June 28, 2018

Spotlight: The Paris Wedding by Charlotte Nash

Author: Charlotte Nash
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Date of publication:  Reprint edition (June 12, 2018)

In Australian bestselling author Charlotte Nash’s U.S. debut, a young woman attends her ex-boyfriend’s Paris wedding and discovers more than she ever dreamed in the ultimate city of love.
Imagine you are invited to Paris, the City of Love, to witness the wedding of your first love to a woman you’ve never met. Would you go?

It’s been ages since Rachael West has seen the man she once believed she couldn’t live without. Receiving his wedding invitation was bittersweet—she was oddly touched he’s asked her, but knows that facing him on this day would be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
But her friends and family convince her to attend. After all, it’s an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris! Surely she can get through that one day, and discover all the delights of that magical city the remainder of the time.

So Rachael leaves her small town, setting off for the City of Lights with her best friend, two feuding neighbors, and a suitcase full of home-sewn couture in tow. She’s determined to let Paris work its magic—and it does by way of a handsome photojournalist. And before her adventure is over, Rachael will be faced with yet another choice. But this time, hers isn’t the only happiness at risk . . . .

Purchase Links

About Charlotte Nash
Jen Dainer,
Industrial Arc Photography

Charlotte Nash began stealing her mother’s Jilly Cooper novels at the age of thirteen and has been enthusiastic about romance ever since. She started writing after graduating from medical school, and her romantic stories set in amazing places are now published around the world. She lives with her family and chickens in a cozy cottage on the east coast of Australia.

Find out more about Charlotte at her website, and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Tour Stops

Tuesday, June 12th: Instagram: @jackiereadsbooks
Wednesday, June 13th: BookNAround
Thursday, June 14th: Stranded in Chaos
Friday, June 15th: Instagram: @megabunnyreads
Monday, June 18th: Jathan & Heather
Wednesday, June 20th: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, June 25th: Instagram: @worldswithinpages
Tuesday, June 26th: Broken Teepee
Wednesday, June 27th: Instagram: @writersdream
Thursday, June 28th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, June 29th: Literary Quicksand

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Blog Tour: Anything for Love by Melissa Foster


Author: Melissa Foster
Date of publication: June 2018


After Charlotte Sterling loses her last family member, she moves to Sterling House, her family’s Colorado mountain inn, to live a solitary life. As an erotic romance writer, her days and nights are filled with passion and intrigue—even if only fictional. She loves her busy, quiet lifestyle, and she learned early on that real men can’t live up to the fictional heroes she creates—until ruggedly handsome Beau Braden arrives to do some work at the inn and, for the first time in forever, she’s intrigued by a real man.

Beau lost his first love years ago, and he’s never let go of his guilt over her death. As he nears the anniversary of his loss, he is on the cusp of becoming the star of a home-renovation reality show. Escaping the painful memories of his past to work at the defunct old inn is just the promise of solitude he needs to clear his head before diving in to the all-too-public career. But he didn’t count on being attracted to the whimsical, adorably sexy innkeeper.


Neither Charlotte nor Beau is looking for an attachment or a fling. But the more they learn about each other, the closer they become. Romantic evenings lead to intimate conversations, and neither can deny their deep connection or the passion it sparks. They’ve never fully healed on their own, but together maybe anything is possible.

Anything for Love was a really enjoyable and fun romance.  The book features Charlotte and Beau.  Both are are convinced they don't need love.  Thankfully, fate has other plans.  The book opens with one of the funniest scenes I have read in a long time.  It set a great mood for the rest of the book.  I have to admit that after reading about Charlotte's writing process, I now wonder if some of my favotire romance authors use blow-up dolls for inspiration.  I loved Beau and Charlotte together.  They had great and witty banter.  It was fun watching Charlotte try to get Beau to be less serious and Beau try to keep Charlotte off balance.  I'm not going to spoil anything else.  I'll just recommend picking the book up. It works well as a stand alone, so even if you haven't read any of her other books, you'll be fine.


For a sneak peek visit the author's website: First Chapter - https://melissafoster.com/anything-love-sneak-peak/


Buy Links:
➜PAPERBACK: http://smarturl.it/AFL_Pb 

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Author Info

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

Author Links:   


Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Murder Takes the High Road by Josh Lanyon

Author: Josh Lanyon
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of publication: April 2018

Librarian Carter Matheson is determined to enjoy himself on a Scottish bus tour for fans of mystery author Dame Vanessa Rayburn. Sure, his ex, Trevor, will also be on the trip with his new boyfriend, leaving Carter to share a room with a stranger, but he can’t pass up a chance to meet his favorite author.

Carter’s roommate turns out to be John Knight, a figure as mysterious as any character from Vanessa’s books. His strange affect and nighttime wanderings make Carter suspicious. When a fellow traveler’s death sparks rumors of foul play, Carter is left wondering if there’s anyone on the tour he can trust.

Drawn into the intrigue, Carter searches for answers, trying to fend off his growing attraction toward John. As unexplained tragedies continue, the whole tour must face the fact that there may be a murderer in their midst—but who?


In the Murder Takes the High Road, Carter is taking part in a tour of Scotland visiting the places his favorite author writes about in her books.  A murder and disappearance takes place and he works to try to solve what is going on.   I'm not sure if I mis-read the synopsis when I got book  For some reason, I was expecting a cozy Scottish mystery.

For me, the book was just OK.  It did start off with that "cozy" mystery vibe and I liked Carter.  However, it ended up turning into a kind of underwhelming romance with a boring mystery.  The "romance" came out of nowhere and was a bit more involved than I was expecting.  I don't mind M/M graphic sex scenes, but it just didn't fit with the atmosphere of the book.  Maybe a fade to black would have been more fitting? It just felt forced and unnecessary.

There were way too many people introduced in the book to keep track of them.  They all blended together after a while. Except Trevor.  He cropped up constantly and was annoying.  Seriously, how many times did he have to approach Carter to discuss him being on the tour and how much he knew Carter wanted him back?  It got old very quickly.   As I said before, the mystery was just OK/  I did find myself skimming more than I would have liked.   This is the fist book by this author that I have read.  I'm not sure if this is his usual style of writing.  I may give him another try in the future.

Monday, June 25, 2018

Blog Tour: Review & Excerpt of Back to the Start by Elle Keating



Title: Back to the Start
Author: Elle Keating
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Dangerous Love
Release Date: June 19, 2018

Jake McGinnis has the life he has dreamed of since childhood: a professional football career with adoring fans, financial security, and the unwavering support of his family. From the outside looking in, he has everything. But nothing could be further from the truth. Because there isn’t a day that goes by that Jake doesn’t think about his first love... and what his world would look like if she was still by his side. When he hears that she is relocating to start a new job less than a mile from him, the pain of their breakup feels fresher than ever. For eight years, he has wondered why their relationship ended and now she's settling in his city. A city that isn't big enough for the two of them.
For Morgan Kelley, moving to Philadelphia means living closer to her family and practicing veterinary medicine with two of her closest friends. It’s also her chance to start over and move on from her failed marriage. There’s only one con: the close proximity to Jake McGinnis. Once upon a time being near him was all she wanted, but now he is practically a stranger... and it's all her fault. Faced with awful memories and the possibility of bumping into him at her favorite coffee shop, Morgan is haunted by the real reason she once broke both of their hearts. Deep down, she knows she won’t be able to embrace this new chapter of her life without finally telling Jake the whole truth.  
But how will he react when she shares her secret? Their love story once felt inevitable, unshakable. Is this where it ends for good, or is it the beginning of a second chance
My thoughts:

It's been a while since I have sat down and been sucked into a book so completely that I stayed up really late to finish it.  (and I mean really late!)  Back to the Start  was such an emotionally beautiful second chance story.  I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. 

I loved Morgan and Jake and was rooting for them to work things out.  My favorite parts of the book were the flashback to when they were younger.  Watching them go from adorable children to awkward teens was a lot of  fun.  It made their relationship make so much more sense.  The ending was perfect for them.  I won't give away anymore than to say it's a definite must read for second chance romance lovers.  You won't be disappointed.   Even though ti's the fourth book in the series, it works well as a stand alone.  I definitely want o go back and read the others in the series.  



BUY BACK TO THE START: Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Enjoy this excerpt:

Bacon?
Morgan reached for her phone, but it wasn’t in its usual place on her nightstand. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Her head pounded as she remembered the events of last night.  She didn’t want to know how many shots she’d had. It must have been a significant amount because she remembered dancing to Wham and that would not have happened if she wasn’t shitfaced.
Morgan got out of bed and was halfway to the bathroom when she took notice of her sleeping attire. She was wearing a gray t-shirt she hadn’t worn in months and underwear. Everything hit her at once and she suddenly remembered how she had gotten home, who had apparently put her to bed…and who was in her kitchen right now cooking breakfast.
Morgan quickly went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and threw on a pair of sweatpants. She crept downstairs and rounded the corner…and stared at the beautiful man in her kitchen. His back was to her as he stirred something on the stove. He was wearing jeans and a white cotton t-shirt that showed off his bulging biceps. She had always loved his body. Even during those awkward teenage years, she had thought he was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen.
“How are you feeling?” he asked. He didn’t turn around. Jake continued to stir whatever was in the pot.
“I’ve been better,” she said. Morgan spotted her purse on the kitchen counter and immediately dug through it and found the last of her Advil. She popped two pills and chased them with a glass of water. Though her head throbbed, her stomach was surprisingly ready for whatever Jake was making for breakfast. But before she could take a single bite, she needed to ask Jake a few questions.
“Where did you sleep?”
Jake tapped the wooden spoon on the side of the pot. Morgan watched a few teaspoons’ worth of creamed chipped beef fall back into the pot. He then opened the oven door and produced at least a dozen fresh-baked biscuits. Her stomach rumbled at the sight of one of her favorite meals of all time.
“In your bed,” he said, plating their breakfasts. With her biscuit covered in creamed  chipped beef, he handed her the plate and a fork and flashed her a smile that left her uneasy. Morgan wasn’t worried that Jake had taken advantage of her in her drunken state. He would never do that to her or any woman. No, what she was fucking scared of was what she may have said while she was three sheets to the wind. Morgan placed her plate on the breakfast bar and took a seat on one of the stools.
“Did we…I mean, did I…”
“No.” His tone was absolute and for a foolish moment she breathed a sigh of relief. But her relief was short-lived. The heat in his eyes shook her and she looked down.
Start eating. Do something. Just don’t look at him again.
“I slept next to you just in case you needed my assistance in the middle of the night.”
Morgan winced. “I was that bad, huh?”
“You don’t remember me carrying you up the stairs?” he asked. She fought the urge to look at him as she shook her head. “Or putting you to bed?”
She closed her eyes. Morgan wasn’t a lush on a regular basis, but hell if he didn’t make her feel like a teenager drinking on a fake ID. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“Just being a good friend,” he said.
Morgan could hear Jake round the breakfast bar. With her eyes closed her other senses were magnified, and she soon felt him behind her. “So you’re okay with being friends again?” she asked.
Jake spun her around on the stool and she was instantly face-to-face with the only man she had ever loved. “Maybe you should ask yourself that question.” Jake placed his hand over her heart. “Tell me, do your friends make your heart race like this?” Jake trailed two fingers to her bottom lip. “Or make your lip tremble like it is right now?” He leaned in close. His own intoxicating scent mingled with her shampoo, and she realized that he had made himself at home and had taken a shower. His lips curled to form a grin. He knew he had her. That strength she had gathered over the past two weeks, that shield of resistance she had carried in front of her like some silly badge of honor had been stripped away.
Jake released her quivering lip and reached behind her. Morgan heard keys scraping against her granite countertop. Just inches from her mouth he said, “Eat your breakfast, Morgan.” He looked at her beneath his long silky lashes for a moment and then left her townhome.






About Elle:

Elle Keating is the author of romance novels with sexy heroes and fierce females. Her first book, Thrill of the Chase (Dangerous Love, #1), was published by Forever Romance’s digital imprint, Forever Yours, in 2015. Cut to the Chase (Dangerous Love, #2) soon followed. Most recently, Elle self-published Wanting More (Dangerous Love, #3) and a standalone novel, Keeping His Commandments.

An avid reader of gritty, dark romances, her favorite authors include Pepper Winters, Penelope Ward, and Anna Zaires.

When she isn’t torturing her heroes and heroines (don’t worry, there’s always a happily ever after), Elle is a public school administrator and enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children in New Jersey.


Connect with Elle: Website  |  Amazon |  Facebook  |  Goodreads | Instagram  




Sunday, June 24, 2018

Nights of the Living Dead - An Anthology edited by Jonathon Maberry and George Romero

Editors: Jonathon Maberry & George A. Romero
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Date of publication: July 2017

In 1968 the world experienced a brand new kind of terror with the debut of George A. Romero's landmark movie Night of the Living Dead. The newly dead rose to attack the living. Not as vampires or werewolves. This was something new...and terrifying. Since then, zombies have invaded every aspect of popular culture.

But it all started on that dreadful night in a remote farmhouse...

Nights of the Living Dead returns to that night, to the outbreak, to where it all began. New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry teams with the godfather of the living dead himself, George A. Romero to present a collection of all new tales set during the 48 hours of that legendary outbreak.

Nights of the Living Dead includes stories by some of today's most important writers: Brian Keene, Carrie Ryan, Chuck Wendig, Craig Engler, David J. Schow, David Wellington, Issac Marion, Jay Bonansinga, Joe R. Lansdale, John Russo, John Skipp, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Max Brallier, Mike Carey, Mira Grant, Neal Shusterman & Brandon Shusterman, and Ryan Brown. Plus original stories by Romero and Maberry!

In general, I'm not usually a zombie story fan.  Even  watching the movies, I have a hard time with because I don't like the lack of hopefulness.  However, when I saw this come up on my library's Overdrive site, I figured I'd give it a shot.  I like a lot of the authors in the anthology and I figured there had to be at least one good story.  

I was pleasantly surprised as to how much I enjoyed this set of zombie tales.  While I didn't love all of them, there really wasn't any one tale that I hated.  Among my favorites were "A Dead Girl Named Sue" by Craig E Engler, and  "The Girl on the Table" by Isaac Marion.  The editor, Jonathon Maberry's story, "Lone Gunman" was the creepiest of the lot.  The one that stuck in my mind the most was "You Can Stay All Day" by Mira Grant.  It was the most heartbreaking of them all.  

I highly recommend this anthology.  There is something here for everyone.  The various narrators were wonderful. Listening to it has almost made me want to seek out some more zombie tales.  


 

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Spotlight: Excerpt from Must Love Babies by Lynnette Austin

Author: Lynnette Austin 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of publication: June 2018

This baby's not the only one in need of a cuddle…

Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He's in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His sister's been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything and take care of his five-month-old nephew. That's the end of the bachelor lifestyle.

Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she sees that Brant's in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a beautiful man…?


Purchase Links:

Amazon:              https://amzn.to/2s7qHqK
B&N:                     http://bit.ly/2IFBK5u
iBooks:                 https://apple.co/2s41VaI


Enjoy this excerpt:

 If Molly Stiles had been a vintage car, Brant Wylder would have known exactly what to do with her. She wasn’t, and he didn’t.
But a man could look.
“Hey, you still with us?” his elder brother, Tucker, asked.
“Yeah.” Brant tugged at the annoying bow tie.
“Good, because we have a job to do, and so do you,” Tucker said.
“Understood.” Brant met his brother’s gaze. “Chill. This isn’t one of your Marine reconnaissance missions.”
“No, it’s not. Which means no sniper’s waiting to take a potshot at you, so stop whining.”
“I’m not whining,” he groused. “This wedding’s a waste of time. I’d rather go with you to pick up that car.”
“We’ve got it covered.” His younger brother, Gaven, slipped into the rental car. “You’ll check out those places we spotted yesterday, right? See if one of them will work for us?”
“Absolutely.” His answer was automatic, his attention on the petite bridesmaid he’d escorted down the aisle. The woman was so drop-dead gorgeous, she made his palms sweat.
“It’s important,” Tucker reminded him.
“Yep.” Brant eyed his watch. “That plane’s gonna leave with or without you two.”
Gaven started the car’s engine.
Riding shotgun, Tucker rested a tattooed arm on his open window. “Sure glad it’s dark. Anybody sees us in this four-door, plain-vanilla, sorry excuse for a car, our reputation’s shot.”
Brant laughed. “Drive safe.” He tapped the car’s roof, then took several steps back as it headed down the winding, oak-lined drive.
The taillights disappeared, and he was alone.
Well, as alone as he could be with a hundred and some other people.
Resigned, Brant turned back to the wedding reception. Because the temperature was in the balmy midsixties, unusual for January even here in Georgia’s Low Country, Magnolia House’s massive front door stood open. Light, conversation, and laughter spilled onto the restored antebellum home’s front porch.
At the bar, he ordered a club soda with a twist of lime and, popping cashews, chatted with a friend of the groom’s. All the while, he kept the brunette front and center on his radar.
She threaded her way through the small clusters of guests, paused to speak to several, then plucked a grilled shrimp kebab and a napkin from a passing waiter’s tray. Raising the appetizer to her Kewpie-doll lips, she headed outside. Alone.
Brant set his nearly untouched drink on the bar and nodded to his new pal. “You decide you want us to do something with that ’72 Chevy Chevelle, give me a call.”
Casually, he crossed the room and stepped into the night. Molly had wandered to the edge of the large front yard and stood in a pool of moonlight. The two of them had bumped into each other twice now, and she stirred up feelings in him—feelings he had no time for, yet itched to explore.
For such a petite thing, the lady had curves. Shiny, coffee-colored hair curled halfway down her back, and his fingers practically begged to mess it up. She smelled sexy as sin on a dark night and all but made a guy drool. Her pale pink, bee-stung lips cried out to be kissed…but instinct warned him Molly could be dangerous. Very dangerous.
Brant ran a finger under his bow tie again and swore beneath his breath.
He felt restless. Last night, he’d driven through town a little after eight. It had been quiet, buttoned-down, and locked up tight. The carpet rolled up early in Misty Bottoms, Georgia. He could live with that.
Good thing, because if things worked out right, he’d be spending a lot more time here. But right now? Instead of hanging around Magnolia House in this monkey suit, he could be flying off to Texas with his brothers or at their garage in Tennessee in his old jeans, replacing a clutch in the ’48 Chevy they were restoring. Heck, for what the daddy of today’s bride had shelled out, Brant figured he could rescue a whole fleet of cars.
Music drifted on the soft night air and entwined with the scent of roses and jasmine. Muted voices rose and fell. He slipped a hand into the pocket of his tux pants and, feet crossed, leaned against one of the massive columns. Life had been bumpy lately, but at this moment, it was pretty darn good.
A full moon added its magic to the star-filled Southern sky. As he picked out several constellations, he imagined even the seated queen, Cassiopeia, danced tonight with Orion, the hunter. No doubt every single woman here had hearts, flowers, and wedding rings on the brain. It tended to make a single man nervous.
Even so, he’d see if he could sweet-talk himself into a dance or two with sexy-as-all-get-out Molly.
At his previous wedding here, she’d tried her darnedest to escape the rush of single women desperate to nab the bridal bouquet. Now, she stood beneath a magnolia tree, her face tipped to catch the moonlight. The breath caught in his throat, and for one fanciful second, Brant imagined a mythical princess or fairy.
He shook his head. The woman was real, and he wanted a dance, wanted to hold her in his arms. A little flirting? Harmless.
Stepping out of the shadows, he made his way to her. “How about a dance?” Holding out a hand, he tipped his head toward the temporary dance floor in the backyard.
She hesitated.
“I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment, sugar. Just a single dance under the stars.”

Friday, June 22, 2018

Blog Tour: Garden of the Blue Roses by Michael Barsa


Author: Michael Barsa
Publisher: Underland Press
Date of publication: April 2018

Ominous, fantastic, and wonderfully malevolent…. I felt the spirits of Shirley Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Albert Camus’ Meursault, whispering to join the fun.”– ALICE SEBOLD, #1 best-selling and award-winning author of The Lovely Bones

A car lies at the bottom of an icy ravine. Slumped over the steering wheel, dead, is the most critically acclaimed horror writer of his time. Was it an accident? His son Milo doesn’t care. For the first time in his life, he’s free. No more nightmarish readings, spooky animal rites, or moonlit visions of his father in the woods with a notebook and vampire make-up.

Or so he thinks.

Milo settles into a quiet routine–constructing model Greek warships and at last building a relationship with his sister Klara, who’s home after a failed marriage and brief career as an English teacher. Then Klara hires a gardener to breathe new life into their overgrown estate. There’s something odd about him–something eerily reminiscent of their father’s most violent villain. Or is Milo imagining things? He’s not sure. That all changes the day the gardener discovers something startling in the woods. Suddenly Milo is fighting for his life, forced to confront the power of fictional identity as he uncovers the shocking truth about his own dysfunctional family–and the supposed accident that claimed his parents’ lives.

It's been a while since I have read a Gothic story.  I was intrigued by the synopsis for The Garden of Blue Roses.  After finishing it, I am not sure whether I loved it or not. I'll say I fall somewhere in the middle between love and hate.

 I will admit to having been confused as to what was happening through most of the story.   I chalk that up to Milo being a very unreliable narrator.  Since the entire story is told through his perspective, I was left to muddle through along with him.  At about the 2/3 mark, I finally started "getting it".  There were a few disturbing revelations that made the events make sense.  I also did like the ending.   
I think Gothic story fans will enjoy this book..  It did have a dark and creepy feel most times.  I also got the sense that it could take place at any time period since the house seems to be stuck in time.  Do they make rotary phones anymore? I'm not sure this book was totally for me, but I was glad I tried it out.  I think it was a well written debut and I look forward to more from this author.

Purchase Links


About Michael Barsa


Michael Barsa grew up in a German-speaking household in New Jersey and spoke no English until he went to school. So began an epic struggle to master the American “R” and a lifelong fascination with language. He’s lived on three continents and spent many summers in southern Germany and southern Vermont.

He’s worked as an award-winning grant writer, an English teacher, and an environmental lawyer. He now teaches environmental and natural resources law. His scholarly articles have appeared in several major law reviews, and his writing on environmental policy has appeared in The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times. His short fiction has appeared in Sequoia.

The Garden of Blue Roses is his first novel.

Connect with Michael

Michael Barsa’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, May 29th: SJ2B House of Books
Monday, June 4th: Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday, June 5th: Sweet Southern Home
Wednesday, June 6th: Write Read Life
Monday, June 11th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Wednesday, June 13th: @ladyofthelibrary
Thursday, June 14th: Broken Teepee
Monday, June 18th: Midwest Ladies Who Lit
Friday, June 22nd: From the TBR Pile
Monday, June 25th: @tbretc
Wednesday, June 27th: Books and Bindings
Tuesday, July 3rd: Kahakai Kitchen
Thursday, July 5th: Katy’s Library and @katyslibrary
Monday, July 9th: Patricia’s Wisdom


Thursday, June 21, 2018

Spotlight: The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (And Their Muses) by Terri-Lynne DeFino


Author: Terri-Lynne DeFino
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Date of publication: June 2018

A whimsical, moving novel about a retirement home for literary legends who spar, conjure up new stories, and almost magically change the lives of the people around them.

Alfonse Carducci was a literary giant who lived his life to excess—lovers, alcohol, parties, and literary rivalries. But now he’s come to the Bar Harbor Home for the Elderly to spend the remainder of his days among kindred spirits: the publishing industry’s nearly gone but never forgotten greats. Only now, at the end of his life, does he comprehend the price of appeasing every desire, and the consequences of forsaking love to pursue greatness. For Alfonse has an unshakeable case of writer’s block that distresses him much more than his precarious health.

Set on the water in one of New England’s most beautiful locales, the Bar Harbor Home was established specifically for elderly writers needing a place to live out their golden years—or final days—in understated luxury and surrounded by congenial literary company. A faithful staff of nurses and orderlies surround the writers, and are drawn into their orbit, as they are forced to reckon with their own life stories. Among them are Cecibel Bringer, a young woman who knows first-hand the cost of chasing excess. A terrible accident destroyed her face and her sister in a split-second decision that Cecibel can never forgive, though she has tried to forget. Living quietly as an orderly, refusing to risk again the cost of love, Cecibel never anticipated the impact of meeting her favorite writer, Alfonse Carducci—or the effect he would have on her existence. In Cecibel, Alfonse finds a muse who returns him to the passion he thought he lost. As the words flow from him, weaving a tale taken up by the other residents of the Pen, Cecibel is reawakened to the idea of love and forgiveness.

As the edges between story and reality blur, a world within a world is created. It’s a place where the old are made young, the damaged are made whole, and anything is possible….

Purchase Links

About Terri-Lynne DeFino

Terri-Lynne DeFino was born and raised in New Jersey, but escaped to the wilds of Connecticut, where she still lives with her husband and her cats. She spends most days in her loft, in her woodland cabin along the river, writing about people she’s never met. Other days, she can be found slaying monsters with her grandchildren. If you knock on her door, she’ll most likely be wearing a tiara. She’ll also invite you in and feed you, because you can take the Italian girl out of Jersey, but you can’t take the Jersey Italian out of the girl.

Find out more about Terri at her website.

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Tuesday, June 12th: Bibliotica
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Wednesday, June 20th: Ms. Nose in a Book
Thursday, June 21st: From the TBR Pile
Friday, June 22nd: 5 Minutes For Books
Monday, June 25th: Wining Wife
Tuesday, June 26th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Thursday, June 28th: Literary Quicksand


Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Blog Tour: Rock King by Tara Leigh

Today we are taking part in the promo tour for ROCK KING by Tara Leigh! ROCK KING is available now, and the second book in the Nothing but Trouble series, ROCK LEGEND, is available for pre-order and will release on July 17! 


ROCK KING by Tara Leigh - available now!

Author: Tara Leigh Publisher: February 2018 Date of publication: Grand Central Publishing

   I'm not who you think I am. Shane Hawthorne has it all. At least, that's what the headlines say about me. I have millions of fans, awards, more money - and women - than I know what to do with. But what you don't see is the wreckage I've caused. The memories and pain I can't escape, even when I pour them into music and spin them into gold. I tried to forget. To lose myself in booze and groupies. It didn't work. It hurt me and - worse - it hurt my band. That's the last thing I want to do, so I'm cleaning up my act... starting with Delaney Fraser. Gorgeous, smart, drama-free, and even nice - Delaney is the perfect "girlfriend." When I'm with her I don't have to pretend. It's like she sees the real me. And I can see a future with her. But that's dangerous. Because the truth is, Shane Hawthorne doesn't actually exist. He's a shield to hide who I really am. Fraud. Runaway. Addict. Murderer. And it's impossible to love a lie, right? 

The Nothing but Trouble series: Rock King Rock Legend Rock Rebel


In Rock King, Shane is on top of the world fame-wise, but he holds a deep guilt for something that happened years ago.  He is also an addict and needs help staying on the straight and narrow while he is on tour.  Delaney seems like the perfect "fake girlfriend".  Delaney holds some secrets herself.  

For the most part, I liked the story. I just didn't love it. I enjoyed Delaney the most out of the two MCs.  Shane was kind of an ass throughout the whole book.  I had a hard time warming up to their instant attraction.  My biggest issue with the story was the way Shane was dealing with his addictions.  Having his manager hire a "girlfriend" to keep him from his many vices while on tour was just not realistic.  The man really needed some rehab and counseling to help work on them. Especially in 2018 when most fans wouldn't blink an eye at hearing their favorite star had an abuse problem and was seeking help.  It's not uncommon and wouldn't risk his career.  In the notes after the book, the author acknowledges this is an unusual method, but it worked for the book.  I'm not sure it really worked for me enough to believe these wouldn't be an issue later on down the line in their relationship.  Despite this issue, it's a book worth giving a shot.  I look forward to reading Piper's story next.

ROCK KING purchase links

Kindle | Universal Link

iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Purchase in Paperback

 

Pre-order the next book in the series...

Pre-order Now - Releasing July 17!

 

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AUTHOR BIO:

Tara Leigh writes steamy contemporary romance featuring tortured heroes worth lusting after and the women they didn't know they needed. She attended Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Business School in New York, and worked on Wall Street and Main Street before “retiring” to become a wife and mother. When the people in her head became just as real as the people in her life, she decided to put their stories on paper. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children and fur-baby, Pixie.

AUTHOR LINKS: