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Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Spotlight: Excerpt of Under the Northern Lights by S.C Stephens


Author: S.C. Stephens
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile. Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months. As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?

Enjoy this excerpt:

We both heard a loud clatter outside. Michael instantly snapped to his feet, his face intently focused as he listened for further sounds of trouble; he had no human neighbors to speak of, so things were generally silent here.

Fearful curiosity was killing me, and I was dying to ask him if he knew what was out there, but I didn’t want to disrupt his concentration. And it turned out I didn’t need to ask. Seconds later, I heard the deep, resonant, unmistakable growl of a bear.

Michael turned my way, his expression serious. “Stay here.”

He grabbed his high-powered hunting rifle, and my heart started thudding. Was he nuts? If there was a hungry bear out there, we should be barricading the cabin, not going out into the wilderness. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lips twisted in a frown, he told me, “All our food is out there, our meat. If I let the bear destroy it, we’ll have nothing to get us through the winter.”

I knew he was right, but still, I was terrified. “Okay … I’ll help.” I grabbed my gun and checked it for bullets. It wasn’t as powerful a rifle as Michael’s, but it might hurt the bear enough that it would change its mind about gorging on our food stash. Or it might just piss it off.

Studying my gun, Michael shook his head. “No, stay in here—guard the cabin.”

His answer made me frown. “The bulk of the food isn’t in here. There’s nothing to guard.”

His eyes softened then. “Yes … there is something to guard.”

My cheeks heated when I realized he meant me. “Be careful,” I whispered.

“Always am,” he stated; then he darted out the door.

Racing to the window, I peered outside, searching in vain for some sign of Michael or the bear. The moonlight wasn’t strong enough to illuminate much, and even though only candles were lit in the cabin, it was enough to wreck my night vision; I couldn’t see a damn thing out there. My nerves spiked, and my heart started racing. I felt like I was out there in the woods, possibly about to get mauled, and following Michael’s orders and staying put grew harder and harder with every second.

I strained my ears, listening for the bear since I couldn’t see it. Sounds of lumbering steps crashing through brush met my ear. Then I heard the dreadful sound of sharp claws raking down wood. With no electricity, freezers weren’t an option here. Michael stored his food the old-fashioned way, either drying it into jerky or curing it with salt. The prepared food was kept in his enclosed workshop, and while Michael had bear proofed the shop as much as possible, hungry bears were tenacious. With food being so close to its reach, the grizzly might not stop until it had ripped the door to shreds.

Knowing where the bear was outside calmed my nerves somewhat. I fingered my rifle, debating whether running out there would help Michael or hurt both of us. It was dark, and if Michael thought I was inside, he could shoot me just as easily as the bear. And verbally warning him would get the bear’s attention—attention I’d rather not have. No, it would be best to stay put and let Michael handle it. But still … that was hard to do.

I heard Michael shout then, yelling at the bear to leave. A gunshot rang through the night, startling small nocturnal animals and rattling the windowpanes. Another one followed shortly after, and fear trickled down my spine. Was that a warning shot? Or was the bear attacking?

Michael wasn’t shouting anymore, and the night was still, silent. Oh God, no … The ball of dread in my belly was too great to ignore, and I nearly tripped in my haste to get to the door. “Michael!” I screeched into the night as I flung the door wide.

A dark shape was suddenly right in front of me, and as I stared in shock, a gaping mouth of thick, sharp teeth opened, and a powerful roar pushed me back a step. I’d never been so close to a bear before, and my legs felt like water. I couldn’t move them, couldn’t move anything. My mind was trying to avoid the here and now by drifting off to happier times with my family, my friends. Death was once again staring me in the face, but even still, the part of me that was still cognizant of the present was awed and amazed by the ferocious beauty of the beast before me. There was a reason these creatures ruled the forest.

The bear rose up on its hind legs, visually warning me that it was bigger, stronger, and most likely hungrier. My eyes flashed to the various weapons it could use in an instant to end me—talonlike claws, ice pick–like teeth, or just its massive weight. All I had was a gun. 

Thinking of my own weapon jostled me from my state of panic. Raising the barrel, I chambered a bullet and yelled at the bear to back off. It seemed a poor tactic at this point, but I didn’t really want to kill the animal. If I could scare it into submission, I’d take that as a win.

The bear, however, was unimpressed by my shouting. Landing heavily on its front feet, it began lumbering toward me. Damn it, I was going to have to shoot. And hope my gun did more than anger it. With shaking fingers, I lined up my shot. “Please go away,” I murmured, putting light pressure on the trigger.

Like it heard me, the bear suddenly looked to its left. It growled again and took a step back, away from the cabin. I heard Michael’s voice, and then a gunshot rang out in the night. The bear roared again, then seemed to realize it was outmatched. It turned and ran, its winter bulk vibrating with each thundering step.

I was still shaking as Michael stepped into view. Disengaging the gun, I dropped it on the ground and flew over to him. Before I knew it, my arms were around his neck, and I was pulling his firm body into mine. Thank God he was okay. Thank God I was okay.

“Oh my God, Michael,” I murmured into his shoulder, inhaling his woodsy scent. “That was terrifying. I thought for sure…”

Once I fully comprehended that I was squeezing the life out of him, I froze, every limb rigid with tension I wasn’t sure if Michael would push me away or not, but then he surprised me by wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into him just as hard as I was holding him, maybe harder. As we held each other, the anxiety and fear started easing, and I was flooded with warmth; I’d never felt more at peace.

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About the author:


S. C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance. Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love story featuring insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the world of romance by storm in 2009. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since. In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block–reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children. 

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Monday, April 29, 2019

Review: The Broken Ones by Sarah A. Denzil

Author: Sarah A. Denzil
Publisher (audiobook): Tantor Audio 
Date of publication: May 2016

shadow follows Sophie. Watching. Waiting.

Her instinct tells her that it's someone she knows. But who? The man she met Internet dating? The nurse caring for her ill mother? Or is her mother faking her illness? The only thing she knows is that she can't trust anyone.

Sophie must delve into a dark history to reveal her stalker. But there are some stories that should never be told...


In The Broken Ones, Sophie lives with her mother who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's disease.  Sophie thinks that someone is stalking her.  Her mother keeps talking about a shadow that visits her in the night.  Sophie has started to question who she can really trust.

For the most part, I liked the book.  It definitely wasn't exactly thrilling, but it kept me guessing at least until about halfway through the story.  Sophie was kind of a sad sack character who had been taking care of her horrible mother.  She had spent her life trying and failing to get praise from her mother.  But the woman was just horrible.  Definitely not someone I would want to be taking care of in their later years.  At any rate, I had little sympathy for Sophie because she continued to allow herself to be treated horribly by her mother.

The thing that made me take off a star on my Goodreads rating for this book was the ending.  I have absolutely no idea what happened in the epilogue.  I can't even describe it because it would give away too much.  But it was so ambiguous and left me confused.  I am not a fan of that at all.  After spending time reading a book, I want a more concrete ending.  As for recommending this book, sure, give it a try.  It is a fairly short read.  Maybe you will be able to understand what really happened in the end.

Sunday, April 28, 2019

April Mini Musings



Wallflower Gone Wild:  This one was a really cute addition to the series.  I loved Olivia's attempts at being "a bad girl"  and Phinn's attempts to follow his friend's awful love advice.  I won't spoil it, but it was a fun read and one I would recommend. 

Werewolf in the Woods: I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book.  The cheese factor was turn up a notch as to almost be too cheesy for me. I think it was the addition of Bigfoot that threw it for me  For a species who wants to be anonymous, the wolf packs in this series do a horrible job of keeping things secret.  Not sure if I will continue with the series.

Hot Asset:  He's a wall street marvel. She's works for the IRS. What could go wrong?  This was a fun romance.  The heat between the two was intense, but it was a little insta-lovey. I loved the relationship between Ian and his two friends.  It's a quick romance and one I would recommend.

Make Me Yours: This is the third novella in the Make Me series.  I flew through this one.  I loved how the main characters were so different from each other, but they fit so well together.  Even though there as an unexpected pregnancy, I did like that they took time to get to know each other before going all in.  A great addition to the series and another one I would recommend.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Books I DNF'd in April



Guilt: So the beginning of the book was interesting. The way it was told, the reader isn't sure which twin died and which twin killed her.  Through flashbacks, we find about the relationship between the sisters and the boyfriend.  I was enjoying it until the  cutting was introduced.  At one point, the twin who cuts says her therapist taught her how to do it so no real damage was inflicted.  Yeah, no, that would never happen.  I gave up after that.

My Sister Rosa: I thought I was going to be reading a book about a teenager who thinks his little sister is a psychopath. I'm sure that story line is in there somewhere.  For the two thirds of the book, I read about a seventeen year old who is trying to make friends and get a girlfriend.  The parents where horrible and basically ignored their kids.  The book was a mess.

Forget You Know Me: I think I started this book three times before I finally got about 20% in and gave up.  I was really confused as to what was happening in the book.  No story is worth that much effort.

Night Visitors: This one was just weird and boring at the same time. I could see how the author was trying to go for the creep factor.  It just didn't work for me.  Part of my issue could have been that I was listening on audio and the narrator made the female voices sound the same.  It was hard to figure out who was speaking.  I would have switched to the ebook, but I wasn't interested enough to keep going.

Friday, April 26, 2019

Blog Tour: Review & Excerpt of The Careless Boyfriend by Erika Kelly


 

 

From award-winning author Erika Kelly comes the third standalone title in her smoking hot series about four elite athlete brothers raised in the Tetons by their eccentric, billionaire dad and uncle, The Bad Boyfriend Series! Don’t miss your chance to meet the swoony Gray Bowie in THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND! Grab your copy today!

Author: Erika Kelly
Date of publication: April 2019

Gray Bowie broke the bro code: he fell in love with his best friend’s girlfriend.

For years, he hid his feelings…until one terrible night, it all came to a head.

Since her life blew up in high school, Knox Holliday has spent her time honing her skills as a couture wedding dress designer. But, just weeks before her debut, a freak accident wipes out her collection. The culprit: her ex’s former best friend, Gray Bowie.

Gray does everything he can to get her career back on track. As they work together, they find forgiveness and start to stitch together something that looks a lot like love. But, at the very moment they realize they have a chance for something real, her ex comes back to town, bringing opportunities Gray can’t provide.

This time, Gray’s not going to step aside, so he can only hope Knox will hold onto his heart.

She’s his dream, but will he be hers?

 The Careless Boyfriend is the third in the Bad Boyfriend Series.  This is Gray and Knox's story.  So far, I have enjoyed this books in this series.  They all hold up well as stand alones.  While not my favorite of the series so far, I still enjoyed this one.  Will and Delilah and Ruby from The Heartless Boyfriend are still my favorite (Sorry Gray!)  What I liked about this one was that Gray was all in from the beginning.  He finally has what he has always wanted within his reach... Knox's heart.  Given the events in their past, I could see how it took her a bit of time to realize Gray was always it for her. Some of her decisions regarding Robert had me a bit disappointed, especially given what he put her through in high school.  At one point I was yelling at the book for her to open her eyes.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say more.  So go read it as well as the first two in the series.  I can't wait for Brodie's story!

Enjoy this excerpt:


“It’s just…my circumstances were so different from yours, you know? In my mind, it wasn’t even a possibility that you could be attracted to someone like me.”
“Well, hopefully that kiss cleared it up for you, because I’m still attracted to you, Knox, and I’m not gonna play games with you about it. The question is…” He trailed his fingertips along the inside of her forearm. “Are you attracted to me?”
Goosebumps exploded along her arm, racing up her neck, and cascading down her entire body, but she wouldn’t let Mr. Smugness see. “Please. We’re pals, nothing more.” But he wasn’t stupid. He had to hear the tremor in her voice.
“Hm. Interesting.” He leaned over her, looking into her eyes. “I had no idea your eyes were black. Oh, wait. They’re dilated.” He gently brushed his fingers over her collarbone, his thumb teasing her pebbled skin. “Are you…attracted to me?”
She squeezed her thighs together. “I mean, you’re okay and everything, but…” Her expression said, Meh.
“That right?” He shifted closer—but not quite touching.
His body heat, his scent, that intense look in his eyes…God. She tried to act nonplussed, but it didn’t work. Blood rushed up her neck, and desire pulsed between her legs.
“Let’s test it. If you’re not attracted to me, this won’t take but a minute.” He lowered his face into the crook of her neck. “Do me a quick favor? Inhale. Real deep. Get a lungful of my pheromones.”
“Shut up.” She tried to push him, but he was solid as granite.
“I just want to see if my scent works for you. Go on, breathe me in.”
“You’re such an idiot. Get off me.”
He lifted his head, bringing his mouth right to her ear. “I’m conducting an experiment, and I’m going to need you to stay very still. Quit squirming.” His lips brushed across her cheek—barely touching—until he reached her jaw line. Then, he glanced up at her. “Okay, that’s fascinating. I’d hoped for some pink, but you’re beet red. That’s way beyond blushing, sugar buns.”
“Okay, we’re done here.”
“Not yet.” He gently cupped her jaw. “There’s one last test.” The moment their gazes met, the mischief turned into pure, unadulterated lust. “This is the one that counts.” He brought his mouth over hers and kissed her.
Everything inside her turned creamy and hot. She wanted to slide her hands through all that thick, unruly hair, wanted to feel his hard, muscled body on top of hers.
But fear had a grip on her. It’s Gray. She didn’t want to know such extreme pleasure, get attached to a man who thrilled her, comforted her, wanted her, and then watch him walk away.
They didn’t have a future. Anyone could see that. What would happen after he left for his first competition? Got back into his familiar world of traveling from one country to another, one event to another?
She could have one night with him, maybe two. Three, four, what did it matter? Her heart and soul would get engage, and then he’d be gone.
Gray pulled away, the pad of his thumb on her mouth, looking utterly crestfallen. “It’s okay.”
What’s okay?
“I was just messing with you.” He started to roll away from her, and she realized she’d zoned out, let her fears stand on the mountain of her insecurities and plant a victory flag.
She grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back. His big, hard body fell half on top of her. God, did it feel good. More. Her hands threaded through his hair. “Gray.”
That was all it took to unleash him, just the sound of his name drenched in urgency and need. His mouth opened over hers, and he licked inside, his big hand clamping down on her hip and drawing her closer. He kissed with such fervor, she got swept away, the undertow so powerful it drowned her insecurities. She clutched his broad, powerful back. He feels so good.
His hand slid underneath her, caressing down to her bottom and then squeezing with such lust she literally writhed against him.

How had she ever thought he lacked passion? Holy smokes did he have it—and what a heady feeling knowing he had it for her.


Grab your copy of THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND in eBook or paperback today!

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

     

And don’t miss the first two standalones titles in The Bad Boyfriends Series, THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND and THE HEARTLESS BOYFRIEND! Grab your copies today!

THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND

THE HEARTLESS BOYFRIEND

     
Erika Kelly’s THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
April 22nd
Hopeless Romantic – Review & Excerpt
Obsessed with Romance – Review & Excerpt
Reads & Reviews – Review & Excerpt
April 23rd
BookedMercy – Review
Jennifer Mitchell, Bibliolater – Review & Excerpt
Ree Cee's Books – Review & Excerpt
The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt
April 24th
Books According to Abby – Review & Excerpt
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Melena's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Sofia Loves Books – Review & Excerpt
April 25th
The Butterfly Reads – Review & Excerpt
We Do What We Want Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
April 26th
Becky on Books – Excerpt
Defiantly Deviant – Review
From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt
Randa's Rants and Books – Review & Excerpt
April 27th
Book Loving Pixies – Excerpt
Ginreads – Review & Excerpt
Renee Entress's Blog – Review & Excerpt
April 28th
Bookishly Yours – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Review & Excerpt
April 29th
Heartbeats Between Words – Review & Excerpt
Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt
True Story Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
April 30th
CoensK Reviews – Review & Excerpt
My Book Filled Life – Review & Excerpt
Sweet Red Reads – Review & Excerpt
Wicked Babes Blog Reviews – Review & Excerpt
May 1st
Next Book Review – Review & Excerpt
Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt
May 2nd
Anne & Melissa's Book Love – Review & Excerpt
May 3rd
Coffee Shop Reads – Review
KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt
Spellbound Stories – Review & Excerpt
   

About Erika Kelly:



Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life--she just didn't know it. Raised on the classics, she didn't discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she's been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she's written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women's fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she's lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.      

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Blog Tour: Review of Rescuing His Secret Child by Maggie K. Black


Author: Maggie K. Black
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense;
Dateof publication: Original edition April 1, 2019

A train heist unearths family secrets
Trapped with armed hijackers aboard a speeding train, Nick Henry is determined to free the hostages—especially his ex-girlfriend and the son he never knew existed. The army corporal must use his training to save them, but this mission’s personal. Nick broke a promise to Erica Knight once, but he won’t let her down now, because something precious is on the line: his family

Rescuing His Secret Child is one of the Love Inspired series that can be read as a stand alone, but feature some recurring characters.  These books are great to read in an afternoon and give you just enough suspense and romance to keep you satisfied.  In this one, Nick is awakened by a five year old boy who is trying to steal his gun in order to save his mother.  It turns out that the mother is Nick's ex from six years before and Nick is his son. 

This was a fast paced story,  it takes place over jut a few hours.  I read it in one sitting. For the most part, I enjoyed it.  It's a clean Christian romance, but the religious part in no way overpowers the story.  Since it was so fast, I didn't feel like I got to know the characters as well as I would have liked.  But I enjoyed the action and the HEA.  I would recommend this one to those who lovex good clean romantic suspense.  It's was a fun read.


Purchase Links


TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, April 15th: Books & Spoons – Rescuing His Secret Child
Wednesday, April 17th: What is That Book About – Vanetta Chapman post
Thursday, April 18th: A Chick Who Reads – A Perfect Amish Match
Monday, April 22nd: Christian Chick’s Thoughts – Rescuing His Secret Child
Wednesday, April 24th: Book by Book – Lone Star Standoff
Thursday, April 25th: From the TBR Pile – Rescuing His Secret Child
Friday, April 26th: Empowermoms – A Perfect Amish Match
Monday, April 29th: Book by Book – Her Oklahoma Rancher
Tuesday, April 30th: Lori’s Reading Corner – Brenda Minton guest post
Wednesday, May 1st: Cheryl’s Book Nook – A Perfect Amish Match
Thursday, May 2nd: Read Love Blog – Margaret Daley guest post
Friday, May 3rd: Blooming with Books – Rescuing His Secret Child
Monday, May 6th: Mel’s Shelves – A Perfect Amish Match
Tuesday, May 7th: Books & Spoons – Lone Star Standoff
Wednesday, May 8th: From the TBR Pile – Lone Star Standoff
Thursday, May 9th: Empowermoms – Her Oklahoma Rancher
Friday, May 10th: Cheryl’s Book Nook – Lone Star Standoff
Monday, May 13th: Christian Chick’s Thoughts – Her Oklahoma Rancher
Tuesday, May 14th: Becky on Books – A Perfect Amish Match
Wednesday, May 15th: Blooming with Books – Lone Star Standoff
Thursday, May 16th: A Chick Who Reads – Her Oklahoma Rancher
Friday, May 17th: Mel’s Shelves – Rescuing His Secret Child


Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Blog Tour: Excerpt of Hide and Seek by Mary Burton


Author: Mary Burton
Release Date: April 23, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Special Agent Macy Crow is a survivor. After a vicious hit-and-run nearly kills her, she gets right back to work, and now she’s gunning for a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team. As an audition, she offers to investigate the recently discovered bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago.

While investigating with local sheriff Mike Nevada, a former colleague and onetime lover, Macy discovers a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance. As Macy interviews victims and examines old cases, she uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault—and then murder.

Macy and Nevada race to put this monster behind bars before he can come out of hiding. But the murderer’s had years to hone his skills, and soon Macy herself becomes a target. She’s no stranger to pain and terror, but will Macy’s first profiling case be her last?


Excerpt: Hide and Seek by Mary Burton

Vivid blue sky, white clouds, and golden fall leaves blanketed the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains and created a picture-perfect day in the valley. In Macy’s book, the beauty was wasted. If she had God’s ear, today would have been cold, overcast, and damp. Save the pretty days until she caught this killer.

As she drove south down I-81, Macy mentally replayed her ten minutes of regional research. In the last couple of decades, the Shenandoah Valley’s population had ballooned thanks to a growing university, its proximity to Washington, DC, and a thriving tourism trade peddling vineyards, Civil War battlefields, and railroad museums. Filling in the economic gaps were warehouse distribution centers, chain hotels, and strip malls.

The voice of Macy’s GPS cut through AC/DC’s Back in Black blasting from her playlist and instructed her to take the upcoming exit toward Deep Run. As she rolled onto Route 250, a sign for her go-to fast-food eatery gave her an excuse to stretch her legs before driving the remaining ten miles to the crime scene.

Parking, she gingerly rose up out of the car. Her leg hurt. Stretches weren’t optional any more. She grabbed her ankle and pulled until the bunched muscles in her thigh released. After a quick walk around the lot, she made a beeline for the restaurant bathroom.

She glanced into the mirror as she washed her hands. Even after five months, she still didn’t recognize the woman with the short hair and thin face.

Nevada was in for a rude awakening.

She wiped her face with a paper towel. “Macy Crow, you’re above ground and headed in the right direction. That’s what counts.”

At the counter, she ordered a supersize bucket of fries and a large soda. It wasn’t that she loved the food—okay, maybe she did love the fries—but the chain restaurant’s predictability and sameness was comforting after so many life changes.

A few fries later, she was in her car and backing out of her space when her phone rang. Nevada’s number appeared. She cleared her throat and sat a little taller.

“Agent Macy Crow,” she said.

“Ramsey tells me you’re on your way. Where are you?”

He was direct, rarely charming, and she always knew where she stood with him. “Fifteen minutes from the barn.”

“I’m here now.”

The transition back into a working relationship appeared effortless. Whatever they had was over and done. No hard feelings.

“See you soon,” she said.

En route on the interstate, she ate her fries and drained her soda. There were no guarantees on when the next meal would be.

The last few miles took her down smaller roads until she spotted the driveway marked by stacked stones. Gravel crunched under her tires as she passed a freshly cleared field. Over the rise of a hill, she saw the old barn encircled by yellow crime scene tape.

When she had been researching the area, slogans such as “Best Quality of Life” and “Raise Your Family in Deep Run” popped up on her computer screen. As she had read about the area, she had kept glancing toward her open case file filled with images of Tobi Turner’s scattered bones. Recent pictures had captured the barn surrounded by dozens of state and local law enforcement vehicles crammed side by side in the grassy field.

Now as Macy parked, she noted that all the vehicles were gone expect for a lone black SUV. She grabbed her Glock from the glove box, holstered it, and stepped out of her car. Her worn hiking boots sloshed in the damp muddy soil. She tugged on an FBI windbreaker and draped her FBI credentials around her neck. As a stiff breeze blew a lingering chill and autumn scents, she checked her pockets for latex gloves, sunglasses, a small pocketknife, and pendant light.

Edginess and excitement fused as she strode toward the stretch of yellow tape and searched for Nevada. She ducked under the tape and stepped inside the barn.

***
Enter the Giveaway!






Author Biography

New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Mary Burton is the highly praised author of twenty-six romance and suspense novels and five novellas. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three miniature dachshunds.

Social Media Links



Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Review: Haunted House by Jack Kilborn

Author: Jack Kilborn
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: April 2018

At Butler House, a series of grisly murders over a century have lead many to believe it's haunted. To one scientist, it's the perfect place for an experiment in fear. Eight people, each chosen because they lived through a terrifying experience, are offered a million dollars to spend one night at Butler House. They can take whatever they want with them-religious items, survival gear, and weapons. All they need to do is last the night. But there is something evil in this house. Something very evil . . . and very real. And when the dying starts, it comes with horrifying violence and brutal finality. There are much scarier things than ghosts. Things that will kill you slowly and delight in your screams. Things that won't let you get out alive.


Haunted House is the fourth and, I believe, final book in the Afraid series.  This one features characters from the first three books as well as a couple from another series.  I would love to say that this holds up well as a stand alone book, but it doesn't really.  You could read it first, but it really spoils who survives in the first three books.  

I thought this one was pretty enjoyable.  It did remind me of Endurance, but wasn't as over the top gruesome.  The house was really creepy and the scares would make good movie scenes.  The one thing that I liked was seeing how each of the survivors were affected by the events of their stories.  Often we don't get to see what really happens weeks or years later.  For most of them, it wasn't a complete HEA.  I definitely recommend this one, especially if you love haunted house stories.  



  

Monday, April 22, 2019

Blog Tour: Review of The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker

Author: Lucy Parker
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of publication: April 22, 2019

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.

The Austen Playbook is the fourth book in the London Celebrities series.  I had high hopes for this one as I have seen good things written about it.  I will admit that I wasn't a fan of the first book, Act Like It, but had heard that the stories get better as later in the series.  This is only the second of the series that I have read.  While it was slightly better than the other one, I still didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked.  The biggest issue was again, major lack of chemistry between the main couple, Griff and Freddy.  I never felt it; even in the end.  These two books are the only ones I have read by this author, so I'm not sure if this is usual for her main love interests.

The one thing I did enjoy about the book were all of the Jane Austen reference and character name drops.  I love Austen and am a big fan of her works, so that was a lot of fun.    I would recommend this one for fans of this author and the series.  For me, I like more heat in my romance.


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About Lucy Parker

Lucy Parker lives in the gorgeous Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she feels lucky every day to look out at mountains, lakes and vineyards. She has a degree in Art History, loves museums and galleries, and doodles unrecognisable flowers when she has writer’s block.

Her interest in romantic fiction began with a pre-teen viewing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Firth-style), which prompted her to read the book as well, and the rest was history.

Connect with Lucy

Lucy Parker’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Sunday, April 21st: @tlcbooktours – giveaway
Monday, April 22nd: From the TBR Pile
Monday, April 22nd: @_ebl_inc_
Monday, April 22nd: Book Reviews and More by Kathy – spotlight
Tuesday, April 23rd: Read Love Blog – spotlight
Wednesday, April 24th: What is That Book About – spotlight
Thursday, April 25th: A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, April 25th: Seaside Book Nook
Friday, April 26th: @book_hangover88
Monday, April 29th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Monday, April 29th: Becky on Books
Tuesday, April 30th: @girlandherbooks
Tuesday, April 30th: Rad Babes Read
Wednesday, May 1st: Into the Hall of Books
Wednesday, May 1st: A Holland Reads – spotlight
Thursday, May 2nd: The Lit Bitch
Thursday, May 2nd: Amy’s Book-et List
Thursday, May 2nd: Fuelled by Fiction
Friday, May 3rd: View from the Birdhouse
Friday, May 3rd: Books & Bindings