Category Archives: Interviews

Andre, The Kingslayer by Aubrey T. Copeland-Review and Interview

Posted on by
11

Andre, the Kingslayer by Aubrey T. Copeland-Review and Interview

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 3, 2019

The year is 1427. The Great Revolution has been raging for eight long years, effecting every aspect of life in the Isobellian Empire. Countless are dead, and thousands of families have been torn apart. But the Empire still has hope to be freed.

Andreas Bellbrook is the Kingslayer: a prophesied hero destined by fate to steal the legendary sword Excelsior from the Black King Tiberius. With it, Andre will end the war by killing the Black King despite his immortality.

But Tiberius has grown wise to the Kingslayer’s destiny, and will stop at nothing to see him killed.

Soon, Andre is swept into a war that he wants no part in, and the only way for him to survive is to join the national resistance and steal the legendary sword with their aid. Before long, Andre’s life will depend on their victory.

••••••••••

REVIEW:“The war was almost over.
After eight long years of endless battles, the king would soon be dead. The reign of Tiberius would be known as the darkest in the history of the Empire. Never before had a king been so hated, and never had such hatred been so deserved. But thanks to a man named André (also called “the Kingslayer”), the Black King Tiberius would soon be a memory…..”

Wow!!
That was really good. Although the footnotes that were added after each chapter, were a little confusing at first, but explained much without writing it into the story, so you could skip the footnotes and not really notice too much.

After eight long years the bitter war would soon be over. The most hated king in the Isobellian Empire was Tiberius. He was a cruel and vicious ruler.

Andre is professed to be a kingslayer. (Either a slayer of kings or going to be a slayer)

We then face a long and deadly gave of cat and mouse, Andre must find a special sword in order to kill the “Black King” looking forward clues as to the whereabouts of the sword, all the while avoiding the imperial knights looking to end the legend.

It’s really well written and flows seamlessly from one chapter to another.
The battles are described well. And we get that sense of urgency. Andre needs to find the sword. And he needs to fight the black knight

The supporting characters are written about well. We have a few, that seem more important, a princess that needs to be saved.

It has magical elements in the story also. Wizards, wands and spells. A ring that give the wearer immortality. And a sword that can kill a King!!!

Copy supplied for review

? Reviewed by Julie B

TRC: Hi Aubrey and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the recent release of ANDRE, THE KINGSLAYER.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please
tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Twitter/Amazon Author Page/Instagram/

Aubrey: I am a writer from central Arkansas, who is always down for a good book and a nice beverage. I love animals. I love the simple things. And yes, that includes writing. 🙂

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Aubrey:Honestly, it was probably J.R.R. Tolkien. If he had never been published as a fantasy writer, it’s likely I never would’ve written a single word of fiction. So, you can blame my work on him, though only indirectly.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Aubrey:The biggest challenge was the editing process. It is so difficult to find an editor that’s worth the money. Aside from that, another challenge was funding the book’s publication (since I am an indie author). Self-publishing a book that’s a quality product isn’t an easy task. That’s for sure.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of  Andre, the Kingslayer?

Aubrey:It’s a high fantasy that focuses on a man named André. He is the subject of a prophecy that says he will end Isobellia’s civil war by stealing a religious artifact (a sword called Excelsior), and by killing the Black King Tiberius with it. In order to do this, André must befriend all sorts of interesting characters, but I’ll keep you in suspense on what kind of characters exactly.

TRC: Do you have plans to write a series focusing on the adventures of Andreas Bellbrook, the Kingslayer?

Aubrey:I don’t currently plan on writing a series. I have an idea for a sequel, but it’s so obscure at this point that it may not ever happen.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning Andre, The Kingslayer

Aubrey:That’s an interesting question. I spent virtually no time researching or plotting the book before I wrote the book, but I spent a ridiculous amount of time editing it after the fact. During that time, I did research that I should’ve done at the beginning to make the book better. The whole process took about thirteen years, which is ludicrous because it’s not a huge book.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Aubrey:I do. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but we all do it. So yes, the cover image is a crucial part of the book as a whole.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Aubrey:I’ve never really thought about it in those terms. Usually, I just come up with an idea and see where it goes. So, I suppose I do a little bit of both, depending on the story.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen?  Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Aubrey:I think you need to make the reader want to know more information. In a way, you should strive to make them curious about what is going on. I think that curiosity sells. If you can make them curious, you’ll make them want to keep reading.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Aubrey:I can’t write while listening to music. As someone with a severe case of ADHD, I find it way too distracting. So, no music has ever influenced the storyline of my books or my characters.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Aubrey:That writing a book is easy. In a way it’s very easy, but writing a book well—which is key—is quite difficult. If it was an easy task, I think more people would do it.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Aubrey:I can blow bubbles with my tongue! 😀

TRC: Who is your favorite author (living or dead)?

Aubrey:That’s a tough one. There are so many good writers out there. I’ve always enjoyed J.K. Rowling and Brandon Sanderson, but I’ll go with J.R.R. Tolkien because he influenced the entire genre in which I am writing.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Aubrey:Still trying to figure out my next project! Let’s wait and see, shall we?

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Aubrey:The only thing I can add is a big thank you for taking the time to conduct this interview. It makes my job easier.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food Pizza 😀

Favorite Dessert Ben and Jerry’s

Favorite TV Show Smallville!

Last Movie You Saw Ad Astra

Dark or Milk Chocolate Milk

Secret Celebrity Crush Scarlett Johansson

Last Vacation Destination The Rocky Mountains

Do you have any pets? I have three cats and two dogs. 🙂

Last book you read The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

TRC: Thank you Aubrey for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of Andre, the Kingslayer. We wish you all the best.

Share

Camp Lake by John A Heldt-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Posted on by
15

Camp Lake (Carson Chronicles #5) by John A Heldt-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

CAMP LAKE
The Carson Chronicles #5
by John A Heldt
Release Date: September 30, 2019
Genre: time travel, romance

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: September 30, 2019

Phoenix, Spring 1983. For the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, it has come down to this. Find the parents they have chased through time for more than two years or go home and resume their lives without them.

While Adam and Greg remain in Arizona and Natalie searches the country for leads, Cody and Caitlin travel to a summer camp in Maine, where their mother and father met as counselors. The twins, now 19, hope to intercept the older versions of their parents even as they work beside the younger ones.

All of the Carsons prepare for a reunion that seems inevitable. Then tragedy strikes one family member and seductive strangers pull two others in unhelpful directions as a summer of promise turns into one of uncertainty and sacrifice.

Filled with humor, romance, and heartbreak, CAMP LAKE, the poignant conclusion of the Carson Chronicles series, follows the lives of several spirited adults as they confront choices and change the era of big hair, space shuttles, and video arcades.

••••••••

REVIEW:CAMP LAKE is the fifth and final instalment in John A Heldt’s CARSON CHRONICLES time travel romance series focusing on the Carson family.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Carson Chronicles focuses on the Carson siblings, a family of time travellers, as they search for their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. Months earlier, the siblings discovered their parents had disappeared but an itinerary of places and timelines found the family on a journey of their own. Starting in 2017, the siblings travelled back in time to 1889, 1918, the tumultuous era of 1943-44, 1962 where the Cuban Missile Crisis is about to unfold, and presently arriving in 1983.

Told from several third person perspectives CAMP LAKE is the culmination of twenty-eight months ‘on the road’ as the Carson siblings search for their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. The year is 1983, and the family have crossed paths on numerous occasions without running into one another. At Camp Lake, a summer camp where Tim and Caroline Carson first met and fell in love, twins Caitlin and Cody Carson, as well as Caitilin’s lover Dennis Sawyer, find themselves working as camp counsellors, where they will meet the younger version of their now missing parents. But things don’t go according to plans when their parents’ romance is threatened by someone else.

At Camp Lake, Cody, the lone single sibling, believes he has met his future, in the past. Karen O’Reilly, the camp botanist, pulls Cody in like a moth to a flame, but not all is well in Karen’s world, and Cody is about to discover that his previously shattered heart is about to be broken, once again.

Meanwhile, Tim and Caroline Carson believe they have located their children but once again, paths will be crossed, as the siblings continue their search one step ahead of, or behind, their missing parents.

CAMP LAKE and the Carson Chronicles is an imaginative and original series; a cleverly written story of family, struggle, memories and love. Unlike the previous instalments, 1983 is but a year wherein the family takes center stage-history is barely afforded a mention. An engaging and enchanting story line, CAMP LAKE and the Carson Chronicles is an energetic, animated and brilliant addition to your reading library.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
River Rising
The Memory Tree
Indian Paintbrush
Caitlin’s Song

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

As one who has written fifteen novels that blend both fact and fiction, I know firsthand the importance of getting it right. Writing about time travel, after all, requires more than describing the means of travel. It requires accurately depicting the past. It requires meeting the standards of quality historical fiction.

The challenges are often daunting, particularly when writing about the recent past, as I have done on multiple occasions. When writing about places and times that are in the living memory of many readers, you have to make an extra effort to get even the little things right.

When I wrote my first novel, The Mine, a story set mostly in Seattle in 1941, a few older readers gently reminded me that chocolate-chip cookies were more commonly called “Toll House cookies” and that aluminum foil was generally called “tin foil,” even after aluminum replaced tin as its primary component. Since that time, I have done what I could to ensure the historical accuracy of my books, which have spanned eras ranging from the 1880s to the 1980s.

Like many writers of historical fiction, I favor primary sources, such as newspapers, documents, letters, photographs, and oral histories. I generally find eyewitness accounts of events and eras, produced by those who lived through them, to be more compelling than even the best research compiled decades – or even a few years – after the fact.

Even so, I don’t limit myself. When preparing to write about times I did not experience, I will often sample the movies, music, and literature of the day. I find it easier to describe Americans of the 1950s and early 1960s, for example, if I immerse myself in the very things that drove them to theaters, concert halls, and libraries.

On some occasions, I look closer to home. When writing The Journey, set in 1979 and 1980, and Camp Lake, my newest book, set in 1983, I relied mostly on memories of — and mementos from — my senior year of high school and my experience at a summer camp in Maine.

No matter where I turn for answers, however, I follow advice that has been around for decades. When writing historical fiction, even in the context of time travel, pay attention to details. Note the nuances and the particulars. Sweat the small stuff.

~~John A Heldt~~

Follow John: Goodreads / Facebook / Website/Blog/ Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / Tumblr

 I’m a married father of two grown daughters and a son and, as of August 15, the grandfather of a delightful little girl named Stella. Before turning to novel writing in 2011, I worked as a sports writer and editor for several newspapers in Oregon and Washington, where I was born and raised, and several more years as a reference librarian in Montana. I love traveling around the western United States, watching sports, cooking, and experiencing the great outdoors. I currently make my home in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.

 

 

John A Heldt is graciously offering the complete CARSON CHRONICLES 5 ebook time travel  series (mobi or epub)  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow John A Heldt on Facebook .

4. Please follow John A Heldt on Twitter.

5. LIKE The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. LIKE The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW the Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

9. Giveaway open internationally

10. Giveaway runs from October 6 to 11, 2019

Share

Christmas From the Heart by Sheila Roberts-Review,Interview & Giveaway

Posted on by
22

Christmas From the Heart by Sheila Roberts-Review, Interview, & Giveaway

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 4, 2019

Sometimes you need to look beyond the big picture to see what really matters

Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has helped generations of families in need in Pine River, Washington, but this year might be the end of the road. Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart.

Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that.

With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission.

When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?

••••••••

REVIEW:CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, holiday romance story line focusing on CFO of Hightower Enterprises Guy Hightower, and Olivia Berg, manager of the charity Christmas From the Heart.

Told from three third person perspectives (Olivia, Guy and Morris) CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART follows Olivia Berg’s battle to procure and maintain donors for her struggling charity Christmas From the Heart. When Hightower Enterprises, their oldest and most prolific donor, pulls out of the charity drive, Olivia becomes aggressive in an effort to ‘guilt’ Guy Hightower into donating to her organization. Months will past, as the holidays approach, and Olivia continues to vent about Hightower’s non-participation in the holiday event. Several days before Christmas, Olivia will ‘rescue’ a stranger from the side of the road, a stranger with whom Olivia will begin to fall in love. Enter Guy Hightower aka Joe Ford. What ensues is the building friendship between Olivia and Guy, and the fall-out when Joe Ford’s true identity is revealed.

Guy Hightower had no desire to spend his Christmas holidays in Pine River, Washington, but a detour on his way home to visit family, resulted in Guy’s car needing repairs, and our hero, face to face with a woman he has battled, online, for months. Olivia Berg continues to struggle to gather money for the Christmas charity but when a seemingly well-to –do stranger lands in Pine River for the holidays, Olivia pulls out all the proverbial stops, in an effort to wine and dine for friendship and money. Meanwhile, our heroine, continues to wait for the ‘one’ believing ‘Joe Ford’ is the one to give her, her own, happily ever after.

The relationship between Olivia and Guy is an enemies to friends to something more but Olivia has no idea that the handsome stranger is the man she has ‘hated’ for close to a year. Ever persistent, Olivia battles between head and heart with her attraction to a man who is only in town for a short while, an attraction that is complicated by the affections of her home-town friendship with another man who is willing to give Olivia everything and more. There are no $ex scenes; the romance is almost non-existent; the hero keeps his distance knowing he has lied about his identity, and herein lies the problem-I didn’t feel the attraction between our leading couple. There is no romance, no love, no physical contact therefore the palpable sexual energy is missing.

The secondary and supporting characters include Guy Hightower’s Pine River rival, Morris, a man who has loved Olivia Berg for most of his life. Morris isn’t willing to sit back and let ‘Joe Ford’ take the woman he loves but Olivia struggles with her attraction to ‘Joe’ and the sure thing back home.

CHRISTMAS FOR THE HEART is a charming story; a sweet look at small town lifes.

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:Hi Sheila and welcome to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART?

Sheila: Thank you, and thank you for having me.

TRC:We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Sheila: I live in the Pacific Northwest and have been happily married for about a million years. Before I stumbled into my writing career I was busy trying to make it as a songwriter. That didn’t work out as planned but that’s okay. I love sitting around making up stuff!

TRC:Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Sheila: I had been writing stories since I was a child, so I guess you’d say I was already priming the pump back then. I’ve had some wonderful friends along the way who encouraged me when the going got tough and will always be grateful to my friends Susan Wiggs, Debbie Macomber, and Jill Barnett for their support.

TRC:What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Sheila: I can’t say that I struggled very much with this story. I loved my characters and
it was simply fun to write. But then, Christmas is my favorite holiday and I love Christmas stories.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of CHRISTMAS FORM THE HEART?

Sheila: This is a Scrooge story, with this particular Scrooge stuck in the home town where the woman whose charity he left hanging lives. (Strictly a business decision, you know. Nothing personal.)I’m happy to report that my modern day Scrooge learns his lesson.

TRC:Is the story part of a series?

Sheila: This particular book stands on its own.

TRC:What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching plotting before beginning CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART.?

Sheila: No matter how easy you think a book is going to be to write, there’s always research to do. For this one it was researching the distance from one place to another, calculating how long it would take to drive. And, of course, business details had to be run by someone as I am not a corporate girl. In fact, I remember my husband once shaking his head and telling me I’d never have made it in the corporate world. Good thing I was happy in the world I’m in!

TRC:How difficult is it to write a ‘holiday/Christmas’ story line- off-season?

Sheila: I’m always happy to celebrate Pre-Christmas with a story so this was fun.

TRC:Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the
process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Sheila: It’s hard to speak to that with any authority since I’m neither an artist nor a marketing expert. All I can say is I personally am always attracted to a pretty cover.

TRC:When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the
characters?

Sheila: I direct them and they so as they’re told. ? One of the things I love about being a
writer is the fact that it’s the one place I get to be completely in charge!

TRC:The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they
experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must
do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Sheila: I think a writer really needs to be able to step onto a character’s heart and
mind. If you do that then your character’s feelings and behavior will ring true. Sometimes writers focus on all bad in their villains and all food in their heroes, and that tends to make characters one dimensional because we’re all a mix of good and bad, wise and foolish.

TRC:Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Sheila: I’ll sometimes listen to music… always instrumental though. Otherwise, I get
distracted and start singing along!

TRC:What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Sheila: That what we do is easy.

TRC:How should authors measure a book’s success?

Sheila: If readers enjoy reading what you wrote then you’re a success.

TRC:What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Sheila: I’m pathetically impatient.

TRC: Who is your favorite author (living or dead)?

Sheila: Oh, good grief, I have a ton! John Grisham, Lee Child, Donald E. Westlake, Susan
Wiggs, to name a few.

TRC:On what are you currently working?

Sheila: I’m actually working on next year’s Christmas book! Ho, ho, ho.

TRC:Would you like to add anything else?

Sheila: Only that I am so grateful to be able to something I love so much for a living.
Thank God for readers. They make that possible.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Thai

Favorite Dessert
Cake!

Favorite TV Show
Dancing with the Stars

Last Movie You Saw
In the Theater? The Greatest Showman

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Both

Secret Celebrity Crush
Johnny Depp

Last Vacation Destination
England

Do you have any pets?
Not any more. The only animal in my house now is my husband!

Last book you read
Blue Moon by Lee Child

TRC:Thank you SHEILA for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART. We wish you all the best.

Sheila Roberts and Harper Collins are graciously offering a paper copy of CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1.  If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into The Reading Cafe, please refresh the page, at the top of your computer.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Sheila Roberts on Facebook

4. Please LIKE and Follow HARPER COLLINS on Facebook

5. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. Please like THE READING CAFE on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please follow THE READING CAFE on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

9. Giveaway open to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from September 29-October 4,2019

Share

The Year of the Fox by Merren Tait -Review, Interview & Giveaway

Posted on by
15

The Year of the Fox (The Good Life #1) by Merren Tait-Review, Interview & Giveaway

ebook only 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 4, 2019

I started My New Life with a wild leap of faith and a screw driver in my back pocket. Turns out I needed a power tool arsenal…

Nancy Myers is having a hard time. She’s broken-hearted, homeless and unemployed. And she’s just turned forty. But Nancy has a secret weapon. Desperation.

Relying solely on her finely-honed ability to make stuff up as she goes along and the battery life of her cordless drill, she’s determined to make a fresh start (one that on no account features men of the falling-in-love-with variety).

After purchasing a rural property on a whim at the foot of the Southern Alps in New Zealand, Nancy attempts to settle into country life. She finds the vista of the mountains healing. She also finds a tall, dark and gumbooted stranger (who proves to be therapeutic in other ways).

But when she discovers her precious view is about to be taken away, Nancy faces a hard choice. Should she play saboteur to protect her own happiness, even if it means losing the man who just might possibly be the key to it?

Maybe her fresh start is actually a false start. Or maybe she’s learning a thing or two about how to be a kick-arse, self-reliant woman.

•••••••

REVIEW: The Year of the Fox begins with Nancy Myers having packed up and moved out of the city to some land she purchased in a rural town. She is still having issues with a breakup that left her reeling and needs a fresh start. Her plans are to build a house on the property that has a stunning view of the Southern Alps. As she starts to put her plans into motion, she is full of self-doubt. One day in particular, Nancy decides to take a little hike to explore the land around hers and comes upon a pond and decides to take a dip. It only takes a few minutes for a man, Angus, to appear to inquire what she is doing on his land and in his pond. She is mortified that she has been caught skinny dipping and tries to extricate herself from said pond with as much dignity as she can muster.

Angus is going through a lot personally, but finds his interest piqued by his new neighbor. As he and Nancy become friends, he ends up hiring her to work part time on his farm. He needs the help and she needs the money. Seems her savings is being depleted faster than she had planned for and she is desperate to see her home built. However, when she finds out that her view of the mountains will be lost due to plans that Angus and his family have for the surrounding land, she finds herself torn between being attracted to someone who has made it clear he is not looking for anything long term with her and her dreams going up in smoke.

The Year of the Fox is a nicely written story with great characters. Nancy is laugh out loud funny at times. Her dogged determination to make a new life for herself will tug at your heartstrings one minute and leave you laughing the next. She finds herself torn with decisions that have to be made and one particular realization literally caught me so off guard that I went back and read certain passages to see how in the world I could have missed something that ends up having such a huge impact not only on her life, but Angus’ as well. Angus leaves you wanting to thump his ears a couple of times, but ends up being a wonderful character as well. His loyalty to his family and the development of their land endears him to the reader. The secondary characters are very well written and leaves you wanting more. If you’re a fan of romance with a lot of steam and a lot of humor, you’ll not go wrong with this one. This is the first I’ve read by this author, but look forward to more. Well done, Merren Tait!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie

 TRC:  Hi Merren and welcome to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of THE YEAR OF THE FOX

MERREN:Thank you. It’s a big deal for me – introducing my first book baby into the world. I’m very proud of it.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please
tell us something about yourself?

FOLLOW: Goodreads /Facebook /Website /Instagram /

Merren:  I am from New Zealand and live at the foot of a mountain on the west coast of the North Island. As a teacher and librarian, I’ve been lucky enough to have had a twenty-year career being surrounded by books. Now I’m lucky enough to get to create them.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Merren:My love of literature. My entire life path as been made in the pursuit of it and I get daily inspiration from what others write. But I guess the catalyst was the wartime love story of my maternal grandparents. I’ve always wanted to write a version of it (with a lot of artistic license) and have had a notebook of ideas I’ve been nurturing for years. I’m getting closer to telling it.

TRC:  What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Merren:I chose to self-publish purely to ensure The Year of the Fox found an audience (traditional publishers take 1% of submitted manuscripts, so I didn’t rate my chances). As a result, I’ve had a very steep learning curve because I’ve had do everything that a publishing house does – organise editing, formatting, book covers, marketing, distribution etc etc etc. I feel very empowered by it, however, and I like that I am completely in control of my intellectual property.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE YEAR OF THE FOX and The Good Life Series?

Merren:The Good Life gets its name from a British TV show from the 1970s that followed the fortunes (and comic misfortunes) of a couple who seek to become self-sufficient. The Year of the Fox is the first of several novels that tell the story of women seeking a change from an urban-led lifestyle to a rural one. In this first book, the main character, Nancy, is on the rebound from a humiliating break-up and makes an impulsive decision to buy a large property near the Southern Alps. She has little experience with country living and livestock raising, and her sometimes clueless approach leads to hilarious misadventure and, ultimately, triumph. At its heart, The Year of the Fox is about female empowerment.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Merren:I have another three books in my head at the moment, but I would like to write at least six.

TRC: From where did you get the idea for THE YEAR OF THE FOX?

Merren:From my own misadventures with country living. I lived in a bus for a year on my rural property without running water and electricity. It was very basic living and I had to be very resourceful. Sometimes I failed to make things work and the outcomes provided very entertaining stories for my friends. When they encouraged me to write my tales down, I found I couldn’t stop and an idea for a novel started unfurling in my head.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning THE YEAR OF THE FOX?

Merren:Absolutely none. I made the eternal mistake of making it up as I went along, which meant several serious rewrites. I won’t make that mistake again.

TRC:  What was the most challenging scene to write?

Merren:I thought the sex scenes would be difficult; that I’d feel self conscious writing them. But nope. I had no problem at all (I even rang my mum when I’d written the first one and read it to her to see what she thought) and I’m happy I was brave enough to keep the bedroom door open. I must have done a good job on them, because I get plenty of comments on how enjoyable (and steamy) they are.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Merren:Absolutely. Cover image is critical to attracting the attention of readers. I really love mine. I think it’s striking, but it’s been a bit of a gamble as it doesn’t necessary say “chick lit”. Interested readers have to get the clues to its genre from elsewhere.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you
direct the characters?

Merren:It’s a bit of both, I think. My books (my second novel is well underway) are character-driven and while I might have set character types in mind when I introduce them to the page, the action they create tends to develop as I write planned scenes. Sometimes the characters surprise me with what they do or say or feel.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Merren:Creating sympathetic characters. The reader needs to be able to identify on some level with the main character. Novels can work with protagonists that are unlikable, but it’s rare and takes great skill. I’ve just put down two novels partway through because I simply didn’t care enough about the main character. I wasn’t interested in their story and I couldn’t make an emotional investment with them on any level.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Merren:No. I am a musical person and I find it difficult to concentrate on anything other than the music when it’s playing. I can write to my heart’s content in crowded, loud cafes, but music playing frustrates the heck out of me.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Merren:That writing is either an indulgence (which is incredibly disrespectful to the art form), or an author can earn a living from their writing. I don’t think people realise how little the average author makes. They tend to be genuinely shocked to learn that traditionally published authors only receive 10% royalty on sales of their books. I believe New Zealand authors who are traditionally published earn between $10,000 and $12,000 a year from their writing on average, and it’s a similar number in the UK. My advice to aspiring authors? As glamorous and appealing as a book deal sounds, you are more likely to be able to quit your day job if you self-publish.

TRC: How should authors measure a book’s success?

Merren:By having readers tell you they love your book. Even if only one person is moved by your book – transported to a place that they grieve when they leave – you have succeeded.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Merren:I kiss my sheep. It’s true and I’m not ashamed. They do tend to have a healthy coating of mucus beneath their nose, though, so it requires dedication and a lot of love (something only a doting sheet mother would want to do, I imagine).

TRC: Who is your favorite author (living or dead)?

Merren:My favourite chick lit author is Janet Evanovich. My favourite book of all time is The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Merren:I’m drafting the second novel in The Good Life series, called The Songbird Plot. All the novels in the series are stand alone, so the characters are new and the setting is completely different. This one takes place on a fictional island 150km off the coast of New Zealand, and the isolated nature of the community has produced some pretty interesting characters (and hopefully lots of comedy).

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Scrambled eggs. Just as well really as I own a lot of chickens.

Favorite Dessert
Creme brulee. I can say no to any other dessert (and I often do), but that one is my undoing.

Favorite TV Show
Doctor Who

Last Movie You Saw
This Mountain Life – doco about people’s passion for the mountains of British Columbia in Canada. Riveting. Beautiful.

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush
Michael Fassbender. Of course.

Last Vacation Destination
Australia. Did some scuba diving. Saw lots of sharks. I can die happy.

Do you have any pets?
Two sheep, five chickens and one cat

Last book you read
Daisy Jones and the Six

TRC:  Thank you Merren for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE YEAR OF THE FOX. We wish you all the
best.

Merren Tair is graciously offering an e-copy of THE YEAR OF THE FOX to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE Merren Tait on Facebook

4. Please LIKE The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway open internationally

9. Giveaway runs from September 6-10, 2019

Share

The Legacy/ Fae Hunter by Amelia Shaw-Reviews & Guest Post

Posted on by
9

The Legacy / Fae Hunter (Slayer Academy) by Amelia Shaw-Review and Guest Post

THE LEGACY
Slayer Academy Year 1
by Amelia Shaw
Genre:new adult, paranormal
Release Date: July 1, 2019

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

From nerdy bookworm to Fae Slayer in training.

My life is carefully planned, and blissfully free of surprises. I hate surprises.

Discovering I come from a long line of Fae Slayers and must give up my position at a prestigious college to attend a Slayer Academy?

Worst. Surprise. Ever.

I’m a nerd. A bookworm. I slay with words, not swords.

Fighting to stay at the top of the class is nothing compared to fighting to survive.

If the deadly weapons and mysteriously hot, but possibly evil guys don’t kill me, then six months without cell reception might.

He haunts my dreams… His eyes pierce my soul.. but will my sword have to pierce his heart?

Megara’s battle to survive Slayer Academy has just begun. Weapons classes, unexpected passion, and forbidden love await in The Legacy…

The legacy is the first book in a New Adult, college-age paranormal academy series. Expect magic lessons, a bookworm heroine, a sexy scene or two,and a slow-burn forbidden love romance

***Author note – this series is three novella length urban fantasy books. Recommended 17+ due to language and love scenes.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: Reading the back cover, I got the impression of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I liked that show, so I flipped the kindle open and dived in…..

Megara (or Meg to her friends)is not a kick ass warrior woman, Meg is a book worm, she’s not use to fighting and certainly not monsters. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s go back …..

Meg is off to do a gap year before deciding what’s next in her life she very excited. But her whole world is about to change, and in her opinion, not for the better.

She’s unaware that both her parents are Fae slayers (and are pretty good at their job) and it’s time for their daughter to leave this life and enrol in Slayer Academy, to say that Megara is shocked and displeased is an understatement…… she’s thinking it’s a big joke, but as it sinks in, she realises her family are serious, they are going to shop her off to some school….

Arriving at the front of the academy Megara is in awe of the building, but she’s also a little apprehensive, it doesn’t look too friendly, and the nerves Meg had been suppressing, come back big a bang (this is all some terrible dream).

We meet other class mates (and that wasn’t a great first meeting) they aren’t impressed, the Callum’s are great warriors and hunters of the Fae, and Meg, well she’s a big disappointment!!!

We then read all the fun times (not) with weaponry (she’s no good with swords) and her hand to hand skills are a joke!!! But the other lessons, Meg is a keen student and makes the grades.

And it’s not teenage angst unless there is a love story…. and this one will be a forbidden one, why? Is Fiore Fae ? And if so, that’s a big NO NO in the slayer world, they can’t and shouldn’t be together, but you try telling a teenager NO?and Fiore (that’s the hunks name) is definitely worth disobeying everyone for. There is just something about him (besides being hot) there is a connection Megara has never felt with anyone before. But there is also that element of danger that keeps Meg from falling too deep.
We also have Brutus (a student at the school) there is definitely a spark between them, so we could have a love triangle?

Oh and did I mention a Legacy? (Well the title does give it away) it’s her legacy, five generations of her family have attended and have slain the evil Fae. Is there more to her legacy (I have a feeling there is)

So if you like heroines that’s aren’t warriors, that are nerds first and foremost, then you definitely need to pick this book up.

And book two….. if it’s half as good as this one, then I’m in.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

__________

FAE HUNTER
Slayer Academy Year 2
by Amelia Shaw
Genre:new adult, paranormal
Release Date: August 1, 2019

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

From Fae Slayer to renegade rebel.
Slayer Academy 101:
•The Fae are evil
•A Slayer must trust their instincts.

Well, my instincts are flashing like a neon sign—the Academy can’t be trusted.
I’ve glimpsed the true heart of a Fae prince. Fiore is kind, merciful and saved my life.
Now he’s missing.

Journeying to the Fae realm is treacherous, especially with Nyeer, the Fae prince who tried to kill me.
But loathing soon turns to lust and Nyeer strips away my defenses—along with my clothes— until my heart’s in just as much danger as my life.

This Fae Slaying gig is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Magic lessons and weapons classes were child’s play compared to the fight to rescue Fiore and protect the Fae Kingdom.
And to save three Fae princes, their Kingdom’s only defense… I may have to give them up forever.

Author warning: This book is much hotter than book 1. ***Fae Hunter is the second book in a College-age Paranormal Reverse Harem Academy series.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: Reading the description I got the distinct impression our Meg is turning into a little slut!!! (Well she slept with Brutus, she’s been having sexy dreams about Fiore, and now she’s turned her attention to Nyeer) I can’t keep up with the girl?

We start this book at the beginning of a new term, Meg has just spent the last two weeks at her parents, catching up with her BFF and family. But now she’s back, her mission is clear …… Find evidence that the Fae aren’t as bad as the history books say they are.

Megara/Meg has decided that she’s not going to hunt and kill the evil Fae, she’s going to find out what the truth is, and she feels like the Fae have had a raw deal for centuries. But proving it will be difficult, she can’t tell her roommates, she can’t tell Brutus (sparring partner and part time lover) she can’t even ask the librarian. She’s on this mission alone. She just needs to speak to Fiore or Nyeer (one of the Fae leaders)

She gets her wish sooner than she anticipated, a portal opens and a figure emerges…..

Fiore is missing!!! Meg needs to do something, she feels like it’s her fault. She needs to do research whilst waiting for Nyeer to return in three days time.

After meeting up with Nyeer, he takes her back to his castle (he is one of the three princes that rules the Fae kingdom, Fiore being one of the others)
Teaching Meg defence movements has her all hot and bothered, and before you know it Meg and Nyeer are going at it like bunny rabbits (this not I found a bit disconcerting, if there is a connection between Fiore and Meg, why is she in bed with Nyeer?)

The third prince (Everly) makes an appearance at the castle and is disgusted that no one is looking for the third Prince (Fiore) Meg is feeling really guilty and steps up the attempts to find Fiore……
With luck and a little magic, they find where Fiore is being held, and plan a rescue.

Do they rescue Fiore? Will Megara have to chose? And who will it be?
And boy is it a cliffhanger ending……

This book is more racier than the first, it felt like it was heading towards a reverse harem (three guys one woman)

copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B?

Hi guys! Thank you so much for asking me to do a post today. I’ve been writing on and off for ten years, and have been published for the last six years or so.

Follow: Facebook / Website / Bookbub Instagram /

I write under several pen names, and my other PNR one is Tamsin Baker, but I leave that pseudonym for more of my LGBT or unusual projects now.

My latest series is – the Slayer Academy.

A college aged- New adult, Paranormal Academy serial. A trilogy. It’s my first ever New adult story, so it’s been challenging to get the themes and language right.

Not to mention the fact I’d never written about the Fae before. I loved the idea of the touch of magic, other realms and beautiful men. I mean- who doesn’t? But getting the balance right was hard as well.

Question 1. Cover Images-do you believe a cover image can make or break a book sale?

I do. I am a massive cover art collector. I love pre-mades and have over ten files sitting in my old downloads that I know I’ll never use- but HAD to buy them at the time. Without thought to market or genre- I just wanted them.

I think you have to have an appealing cover- but it also has to tell the person looking at it- exactly what the book is about in the two second glance we give a new cover.

I do like my covers for this series- but since launching them I’ve acknowledged that I will need to hire a higher priced, more photoshop trained designer for my next series.

Question 2. Balancing writing and family.

Hmmm… well, to answer this question correctly, I will have to reveal that I live in an unusual family situation. My relationship is a closed poly triad, with my husband and our live in partner/girlfriend. My husband has four grown children, I have two biological children and I help raise my girlfriends two children. So in short, we have three adults, four children under ten and I have a day job as well.

How do I balance it all? Prioritise. I have a cleaner- my girlfriend and I share the washing, the cooking, the shopping. I try to write in pockets of time I have when my kids are asleep, at school, or at their fathers.

My writing is a passion, a need, a must. I can’t… not write. So, like with all passions, I think you find the time. Even if it means I don’t watch much tv, but I always have quality time with my kids and my partners.

That’s my priority as I work towards publishing and writing full time.

Thanks for your time! And I hope you enjoy one, some or ALL of my books!

Tamsin Baker aka Amelia Shaw aka Fiona Myers

 

Share

A Highlander Walks Into a Bar by Laura Trentham-Review, Q&A & Giveaway

Posted on by
26

A Highlander Walks Into a Bar by Laura Trentham-Review, Q&A & Giveaway

 

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Google Play / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Isabel Buchanan is fiery, funny, and never at a loss for words. But she is struck speechless when her mother returns from a trip to Scotland with a six-foot-tall, very handsome souvenir. Izzy’s mother is so infatuated by the fellow that Izzy has to plan their annual Highland Games all by herself. Well, not completely by herself. The Highlander’s strapping young nephew has come looking for his uncle…

Alasdair Blackmoor has never seen a place as friendly as this small Georgia town—or a girl as brilliant and beguiling as Izzy. Instead of saving his uncle, who seems to be having a lovely time, Alasdair decides he’d rather help Izzy with the Highland Games. Show her how to dance like a Highlander. Drink like a Highlander. And maybe, just maybe, fall in love with a Highlander. But when the games are over, where do they go from here?

 

 

Review:

A Highlander Walks in a Bar by Laura Trentham is the 1st book in her new Highland, Georgia series.  We meet our heroine, Isabel (Izzy) Buchanan at that start when she picks her mom up at the airport.  To Izzy’s surprise, her mom has an unexpected guest that she brought with her from her vacation in Scotland. Izzy will soon learn that her mom, Rose has found herself a Scottish highlander, Gareth, who has come to stay a bit with her in their home, Stonehaven. 

Izzy isn’t too thrilled, as she doesn’t trust Gareth, but it is time for Highland’s annual festival and she needs her mother’s help to set everything up. Gareth is willing to help also, and is very much infatuated with Rose.  Within a couple of days, we will meet our hero, Alasdair Blackmoor, to comes to visit his uncle to get him to go home, and immediately discovers that his uncle is posing as a Scottish worker; which makes Alasdair pose as a friend. Alasdair is determined to protect his uncle, but begins to see the change and happiness in Gareth.  What happens when Rose or Izzy learn that Gareth is the Scottish Earl of Cairndow, and is very wealthy?

Izzy finds herself attracted to the gorgeous Alasdair, and a slow built romance begins to start. Alasdair is also beginning to have feelings for Izzy, but he knows there is no future, since he will eventually go back to Scotland, as the heir to Cairndow. 

What follows is Izzy, Rose, Gareth and Alasdair helping to set up the Highland Festival, as well as getting to know many of the people in the town of Highland, Georgia.  Alasdair is also in the middle of trying to protect Rose and Izzy losing their property that his boss erroneously discovered.  Will this cause a rift between him and Izzy?

A Highlander Walks in a Bar was an enjoyable fun double romance, with a wonderful cast of characters.  Both Izzy and Alasdair had the same goals, protecting their family, but their relationship heats up quickly, with Alasdair trying to find a way to help his uncle, and Izzy.  They made a great couple, as did Rose and Gareth.  I enjoyed the festival proceedings and the townsfolk who went out of their way to help Alasdair win Izzy.  I also loved the town of Highland, Georgia and the wonderful Scottish flair.  Laura Trentham once again gives us a fun fast paced new series, in a wonderful new town, great couples & characters, and enjoyable fun stories.  I suggest you read A Highlander Walks in a Bar.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

“I brought home a surprise!” Rose Buchanan threw her arms out wide as if embracing the world. From the sto- ries she told to the way she entered the room, Rose was exuberant and entertaining and enjoyed being the center of attention.
Isabel Buchanan, who was perfectly content on the fringes, pushed her wavy hair off her sticky forehead with hands that trembled from the nightmare drive through At- lanta to the airport to pick up her mom. Her mom’s trip to Scotland had doubled as both research and vacation. The jammed stop-and-go traffic had left Izzy flustered and al- ready dreading their exit from the airport.
Rolling her stiff shoulders, Izzy stepped around the bumper of the car, popping the trunk open on the way. Her mom had a beautiful plaid scarf of greens and browns and blues tossed over her shoulder and what appeared to be new earrings. Either purchase might inspire her mother to gush, and she would expect reciprocal gushing from Izzy. Making an educated guess, Izzy asked, “Are those ear-
rings your surprise?”
Without waiting for an answer, she hauled one of her mom’s giant wheeled suitcases closer and prepared to

heave it into the back. The sooner they got out of Atlanta, the sooner she could get back to work planning the High- land festival. Or she might pour an extra-large glass of wine and escape into a book. A guilty pleasure, consider- ing how much she still had to get in order in three scant weeks.
“Allow me, please.” A bearded man who had been roll- ing cases to the curb stepped forward with a grin and an accent Izzy couldn’t place.
She checked her pockets and winced. No cash to tip the man, and no hope her mom had thought of something so inconsequential.
“Do you like them? They’re hammered silver.” Her mom flipped her bobbed matching silver hair to the side and displayed one earring with her fingers. “And as a matter of fact, I did buy them from a lovely shop in Edin- burgh, but I brought something bigger home. Something more exciting.”
“Your scarf? It’s lovely.” Izzy gave her mom limited attention while she watched the man load suitcase after suitcase into her trunk, fitting them together like a puzzle. More luggage than her mom had left with. She waved to catch the man’s attention. “Hang on. That’s not all my mom’s stuff.”
For the first time, Izzy really looked at the man. He was close to her mom in age, and good-looking in a bear- like way with a gleaming white smile highlighted by a salt-and-pepper beard. His full head of hair was a shade darker, but graying heavily at the temples. The expres- sion on the man’s face when he looked in her mom’s direction—a mix of adoration and amusement—cleared the fog of confusion.
Lord have mercy, her mother had brought back a six- foot, two-hundred-pound-plus souvenir from Scotland.

From A Highlander Walks into a Bar. Copyright © 2019 by Laura Trentham and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.


 

 

 Q&A A HIGHLANDER WALKS INTO A BAR

  1. What inspired you to write A Highlander Walks into a Bar?

It was actually a Buick car commercial from a couple of years ago where a grandson picks his grandmother up from the airport and she says saucily, “I did a lot of shopping in Italy.” From behind her luggage steps an Italian gentleman. Of course, my writer brain kept picturing what happened after the three of drove off and twisted it into an entire story but had to make up a town for them to return to!

Another big inspiration is a real-life place: Helen, Georgia, is a town that has transformed itself into a German village. It’s picturesque and they celebrate Octoberfest every year. I twisted that concept and made my little town of Highland, Georgia, into a Scottish village including an annual Highland Games that the Buchanan ladies put on every summer which is an important aspect of the book.

  1. Introduce us to your main characters!

Isabel Buchanan is the daughter who picks her mother up from the airport only to be surprised by the appearance of Gareth Blackmoor, who happens to be keeping his title of Earl of Cairndow a secret from everyone in Highland, Georgia, including Rose Buchanan, Isabel’s mother.

Alasdair Blackmoor is Gareth’s nephew and heir to the title and castle in Scotland. He’s been sent to round up his wandering uncle and to make sure he isn’t being taken advantage of by some pushy American women. Complications ensue, including love (of course!)

  1. Lots of aspiring authors out there. Any advice for them?

To become a better writer, you must write. Sounds simple, but I know so many aspiring authors who get stuck in their own head. They plot and make inspiration boards and talk about writing, but when the fingers hit the keyboard, they get mired in doubts. Just get the words down. They don’t have to be perfect; they don’t even have to be good, but you can’t fix a blank page!

  1. How is A Highlander Walks into a Bar different from your other books?

While it’s still a Southern small town romance, it has a definite rom-com vibe. Expect low angst and lots of laughs! I love to read reviews where they reader has literally laughed out loud at several points.

  1. I know asking someone’s all-time favorite book is a loaded question so what’s your current favorite read?

Two series I have loved lately are Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy (a fantasy retelling weaving medieval Russian history and folklore) and Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell’s mysteries (a Victorian butterfly hunter teams up with a taxidermist to solve mysteries. I mean, seriously, how can you beat that combo?!)

  1. Alright, the ultimate question: why should we read your book?

If you need a pick-me-up, good-time, laugh-out-loud book, then read A Highlander Walks into a Bar!

  1. Favorite quote or scene you wrote in A Highlander Walks into a Bar?

As the woman continued to stare at him as if he were the bearer of the bubonic plague, his smile faltered. He stuck out a hand. “I’m Alasdair Blackmoor.”

Although he registered a split-second hesitation on her part, she took his hand. “Isabel Buchanan.”

Her handshake was firm and no-nonsense, but her palm was soft and her hand small in his. On closer inspection, her eyes striated into all different shades of brown and amber, and freckles dusted her cheeks. He hung on to her hand for too long, but couldn’t seem to pry himself away.

Breaking the spell, she wrested her hand from his, pulling it into a fist. Was she planning on throat-punching him? He rubbed his neck and took a step back, out of the radius of her magnetic energy, and her reach. On her approach, she’d seemed birdlike, insignificant even, but up close, he was having a hard time not staring like a first-class prat.

He was punch-drunk with exhaustion. It was the only logical explanation.

She stuck her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, stretching her red V-neck T-shirt tight. His gaze dipped instinctively and then stuck around to read the print on the pocket over the soft curve of her left breast: Highland. The Heart of Scotland in the Blue Ridge.

She cleared her throat. His gaze shot to hers, and he blinked to try to refocus his thoughts. “I was admiring . . . I mean, reading your shirt.”

“It’s not a novel.”

His face heated. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d blushed this hot and fierce.

 

  1. What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always been (and still am) a huge reader. My youngest child started preschool and I wasn’t ready to go back to work in what I’m trained for (chemical engineering) so I sat down one morning and started writing a book. I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing until I was around halfway done and loving every minute! That book became a Golden Heart finalist, got me an agent, and is published as An Indecent Invitation, a Regency historical.

  1. What is a typical writing day like?

During the school year, I work while the kids are in school. I love the flexibility of being there to pick my kids up and drive them to soccer or gymnastics or chaperoning field trips, etc.

  1. Do you have any interesting writing quirks or habits?

My only habit is a bad one in that I drink *way* too much coffee while I’m writing! It’s become a ritual, I suppose.

  1. What has been one of the most surprising things you’ve learned as a published author?

How slow the industry can move, but also how quickly changes have come because of indie publishing.

  1. Can you tell us about what’s coming up next after this for you writing wise?

For my contemporary fans, I have my second women’s fiction releasing early February 2020, An Everyday Hero. The second book in the Highland, Georgia, series, A Highlander in a Pickup, releases late February 2020.

For my historical romance fans, look out for A Wicked Wedding in the Once Upon a Christmas Wedding anthology releasing in October 2019. And two more full length books in the Spies and Lovers series, A Sinful Surrender and A Daring Deception, coming sometimes in mid to late 2020!

  1. How can readers connect with you online?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraTrentham

Or join my reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1733284316920632/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraTrentham

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lauratrentham/

Sign up for my newsletter:  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/w7o6b1

Follow me on Bookbub for new release or sale announcements: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura-trentham

 


Laura Trentham is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance, including Then He Kissed Me and The Military Wife. She is a member of RWA, and has been a finalist multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.

 

 

 

 

Laura Trentham’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of A HIGHLANDER WALKS INTO A BAR to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE Laura Trentham on Facebook

4. Please LIKE The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from July 30 to August 4, 2019

 

 

Share

Jackson by Emily March – Review, Excerpt, Q&A and Giveaway

Posted on by
25

Jackson by Emily March – Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

 

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Google Play / BAM/ Book Depository

Description:
Sometimes it takes a new beginning
Caroline Carruthers thinks she buried her dreams along with the love of her life…until a stranger named Celeste dares her to chase a dream all on her own. Moving to Redemption, Texas, is chapter one in Caroline’s new life story. Opening a bookstore is the next. Finding love is the last thing on her mind as she settles into this new place called home. But when she meets a handsome, soulful man who’s also starting over, all bets are off.

to reach a happily-ever-after
Jackson McBride came to Redemption looking only to find himself, not someone to love. Ever since his marriage ended, he’s been bitter. Sure, he used to believe in love—he even has the old song lyrics to prove it—but the Jackson of today is all business. That is, until a beautiful young widow who’s moved to town inspires a change of heart. Could it be that the myth of Redemption’s healing magic is true…and Jackson and Caroline can find a second chance at a happy ending after all?

 

Review:

Jackson by Emily March is the 1st book in her Eternity Springs spinoff series, The McBrides of Texas.  Caroline Carruthers, our heroine, is emotionally going through the despair of her husband in the later stages of Alzheimer’s; he no longer knows who she is.  After his death, she decides to start a new phase in her life by moving to Redemption, Texas and open a bookstore/café.

Jackson McBride, our hero, has also had some hardships in his life, as he is still bitter over the ending of his marriage; as well as the downside of his music career. Jackson met Caroline, months before, when she went to Redemption to help a friend (Celeste) and it was Jackson who helped drive her home as her husband was dying.  Jackson and his two cousins (Boone and Tucker) inherited a small western town in a canyon outside of Redemption that is abandoned, and they decide to rebuild it. 

Around a year after the death of her husband is when Caroline moves to Redemption, and finds some friends she met earlier, as well as Jackson.  They become very good friends, as Jackson takes Caroline around to see all the changes and how great their new project is; in time a slow build romance will start, as their friendship becomes something much more.   But Jackson’s ex wife, who is a major singing star, loses people from her crew and friends in a tragic plane crash.   This will push his ex to lean on Jackson with their young daughter, whom he hasn’t had visitation rights for the time she was in Europe. 

I liked both Jackson and Caroline as they were both sweet, kind and likeable individually as well as a couple.   With the tragedy, which finds Jackson spending more time with his daughter and ex to help her through the hard times, and to get her back on track with their careers; it puts some concerns between Jackson and Caroline if his ex wants a permanent relationship again.  Caroline was very understanding and patient, and she also became very close to his daughter. There was a concern that Jackson would fall under his ex’s desire, but Emily March gave us a very nice happy ending for everyone.

I enjoyed the story very much, but I will add that though all books from the previous and this series read well as standalones, I became very confused when they had the grand opening of the town, and many of the people who were part of Eternity Springs attended; which was a bit hard not knowing who was who.

Jackson was very well written by Emily March, and all the characters were very likeable.  I expect the next two books will revolve around Boone and Tucker.  If you enjoy a simple sweet romance, I suggest you read Jackson.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

Nashville, Tennessee
Bang. The judge’s gavel fell and officially crushed Jackson McBride’s heart. He closed his eyes. Bleak despair washed over him. Up until this very moment, he hadn’t believed she’d take it this far.
He’d thought she’d come to her senses. He’d thought she would recognize that this proposal was not only nonsense, but truly insane. He’d believed that somewhere deep inside of her, she still had a spark of humanity. That she wouldn’t do this to him. To them. He’d been wrong.
Damn her. Damn her and the yes-men she surrounded herself with. Damn them all to hell and back.
The enormity of what had just happened washed over him. Oh, God, how will
I survive this?
On the heels of his anguish came the rage. It erupted hot as lava, and it fired his blood and blurred his vision with a red haze of fury. He’d never hit a woman in his life. Never come close, despite plenty of provocation from her direction. In that moment had she been within reach, he might have lived up her accusations.
It scared the crap out of him. That’s what she’s brought me to.
Abruptly, he shoved back his chair so hard that it teetered, almost falling over. He strode toward the courtroom exit. “Jackson? Jackson, wait!” his attorney called, hurrying after him.
Jackson waved her off and didn’t stop. There was nothing left to be said. Nothing left to be done. No place left to go.
No little girl waiting at home to hug and cuddle and kiss good night.
The tap on the toes of Jackson’s boots clacked against the tile floor of the courthouse as his long-legged strides ate up the hallway. He shunned the elevator for the stairs and descended three flights at a rapid pace, then headed for the building’s exit. In a foolish bit of positive thinking, he’d driven his SUV to the courthouse this morning. Now the sight of the safety booster seat in the back seat made him want to kick a rock into next week.
He didn’t want to go home to a quiet, empty house. He shouldn’t go to a bar. Alcohol on top of his current mood could be a dangerous combination. Somebody probably would get hurt.
He got into the car and started the engine. For a long moment he sat unmoving, staring blindly through the windshield, his hands squeezing the steering wheel so hard that it should have cracked. When his phone rang, he ignored it.
A couple of minutes later, it rang a second time. Again, he ignored it. When it happened a third time, he finally glanced at the display to see who was calling. His cousin. Okay, maybe he would answer it.
“Hello, Boone.”
“How did the hearing go?”
Jackson couldn’t speak past the lump in his throat, so he said nothing.
Following a moment’s silence, Boone got the message. He muttered a curse, and then said, “I’m sorry, man. So damn sorry.”
“Well, it is what it is.”
“You can take another run at it.”
“Yeah.” In three years. Three years. Might as well be three decades. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “So, how are things in Eternity Springs?”
“Good. They’re good. My friend Celeste Blessing visited my office a few minutes ago and spoke of her granite-headed cousin. Naturally, I thought of you.”
“Naturally,” Jackson dryly replied. But he felt a little less alone.
“Do you have plans this weekend? I could use your help with something.”
Pretty convenient timing. Knowing Boone, he had a spy in the courtroom. But Jackson wasn’t in the position to ignore the bone he’d been thrown. “I’m free. Whatcha got?”
“I’d like you to meet me at home.”
Jackson straightened in surprise. “You’re going back to the ranch?”
“No. Not there. I’m never going back there. However, I am talking about Texas. The Hill Country in particular. A little town west of Austin called Redemption.”
“Redemption, Texas?” Jackson repeated. For some weird reason, his heart gave a little skip. “Why there?”
“It’s a long story. Too long for a phone call. I’ll give you the entire skinny when I see you. When can you get there?”
After today’s debacle, Jackson had absolutely no reason to remain in Nashville. “When do you want me there?”
“I’ll be in later today. I’m in Austin now. I’ve been helping a friend with a project. I have a flight back to Colorado Sunday evening. The earlier you can get here the better, but I’ll make anything work.”
Jackson figured the distance and the drive time. “I’ll meet you tomorrow afternoon. Where?”
“Great. I’ll text you the info when we hang up. Bring camping gear.”
When a sound behind him had Jackson glancing up into the rearview mirror and the booster seat caught his notice, he made an instant decision. “Can’t. I’ll be on my bike.”
“You’re gonna ride your motorcycle all the way from Nashville?”
“Yes, I think I am.”
“Okay. I’ll bring stuff for both of us.” Boone hesitated a moment and added, “Hang in there,
Jackson. It’ll get better.”
No, I don’t think it will. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jackson ended the call and finally put his SUV in gear and backed out of the parking place. With the distraction of the call behind him, fury returned, and by the time he reached home, he felt like a volcano about to explode.
He threw a handful of things into his tail bag, filled his wallet with cash from his stash, and ten minutes after his arrival, he fired up his bike and took his broken heart and headed out of Nashville. He left behind his home, his work, and his one reason for living, his six-year-old daughter, Haley.
From Jackson. Copyright © 2019 by Emily March and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.  

 


Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America.

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

Emily March Blogger Q&A JACKSON

  1. You wrote a book! That’s pretty awesome. Why don’t you tell us a bit about what inspired Jackson and the rest of the books in the Eternity Springs world?

The saying “Write what you know” says it all in my case. I’m a small-town girl and my family and friendships are center to my world. I write about love and family and friendships. I have roots in both the Colorado Rockies and the Texas Hill Country, so it was natural for me to set Eternity Springs and Redemption there. The idea for JACKSON grew out of my interest in the music currently being written and performed in Texas. I’ve always thought singer/songwriters are romantic figures so I was excited to create a hero with this background. Unfortunately, I’m not a musician and I’m definitely not a singer, but I am creative so it was fun for me to explore that aspect of a character.

  1. Introduce us to your main character!

Okay. Well, Americana singer/songwriter Jackson McBride is a bit damaged when the book begins. His famous, talented and wealthy ex has won a custody battle that severely limits his access to his six-year-old daughter, so Jackson goes home to the Texas Hill Country to nurse his broken heart. He finds solace in Enchanted Canyon hiking the trails with the dog he rescues and working to bring a historic dance hall back to life. The last thing he expects is to find love again with a woman whose heart is as battered as his own.

  1. Walk us through a day in the life of Emily March.

Ready to be bored? Now that my daughter’s and niece’s weddings are behind me—they consumed me for months—I’m boring and happy about it. I split my time between Fort Worth where we have a condo downtown in a 1930’s passenger train station and our lake house in the Texas Hill Country. I recently gave up my office in town because I’m spending more and more time at the lake. My husband also offices out of our condo, so on days when we are both working in town, I’ve started riding the new TexRail train that runs from our building to DFW airport. It’s quiet and comfortable and I don’t have Internet to distract me. And at $5 a day, it’s much cheaper than office rent. 🙂 When I’m at the lake I’m either working or doing yard work. My new favorite toy is my power washer.

  1. Lots of aspiring authors out there. Any advice for them?

I’ve always thought that one of the most important things you can do for your writing is to read. And read. And read some more. Read across genres. You absorb so much about pacing and plotting and character development when you read. Plus, you get to READ! 🙂

  1. How is the Jackson trilogy different than your other series?

I don’t think it’s necessarily different from the rest of the Eternity Springs series. I write about love and family and friendship—that doesn’t change. Readers will still see old friends from Eternity Springs and a few scenes in JACKSON are set in Colorado. What’s new is we get to spend some time in the Texas Hill Country and meet a few new characters—Celeste’s cousin, Angelica, for example.

  1. I know asking someone’s all-time favorite book is a loaded question so what’s your current favorite read?

I’m a big fan of Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series and I’m reading her latest right now, STORM CURSED.

  1. Alright, the ultimate question: why should we read your book?

My goals as a writer are to touch a reader’s heart, to entertain her and make her laugh, to maybe cry a little and sigh with satisfaction upon reaching the end. With JACKSON, I believe I’ve achieved those goals.

  1. Describe yourself in 3 words.

Family. Family. Family. 🙂

  1. What is your most embarrassing memory?

Walking out of the junior high school cafeteria in seventh grade, not realizing that my very short dress—it was the 70’s—had gotten hung up in my underwear and I inadvertently flashed my rear end to the entire cafeteria—including the tables where the football players sat. Thinking about it even today gives me the hives.

  1. Favorite quote or scene you wrote in JACKSON?

I love the ending.  Jackson is a songwriter who has lost his music and when he finds it again…the song he sings to Caroline…just makes me melt.

  1. What is one piece of advice you would tell everyone?

Call your mother.

  1. What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always loved to read, so that is part of it, but my father was my primary inspiration. He was a fabulous storyteller. I grew up sitting at his feet and listening to him tell stories about his youth and his experiences in Europe during World War II. Listening to him tell his stories was my favorite thing to do. I didn’t inherit his talent for verbal storytelling, but I think I learned from him how to tell a good story on the page.

  1. Do you have any interesting writing quirks or habits?

Like I mentioned before, I’m pretty boring. My perks and habits are always evolving. The train writing thing is new for me. I usually write on a laptop and edit on a desktop. I listen to movie soundtracks when I write and always finish a book with The Last of the Mohicans.

  1. What has been one of the most surprising things you’ve learned as a published author

I’m always a little surprised and honored that readers are excited to meet me. Like I said…I’m a boring person.

15. What is your favorite state to visit?
Colorado, of course, because I must keep returning to Eternity Springs. 🙂

  1. What are hobbies or interests do you have?

We are lake people, so I love waterskiing and boating and fishing. As I write this we’ve just finished Memorial Day weekend at the lake, so I sort of feel like chief cook and sheet-and-towel washer, too. I love, love, love hosting big holiday gatherings of family and friends at the lake house, but I will admit I do tire of the mountain of laundry in the aftermath.

  1. Can you tell us about what’s coming up next after this for you writing wise?

I’m writing Tucker’s story. Fun fact for this—as part of my research I attended a survivalist training school for a weekend. I searched long and hard to find one where I could return to town to spend the night in a comfy hotel rather than sleep on the ground—I’m only willing to go so far for my art. I did learn to start a friction fire, though, something I’me VERY proud of. 🙂

  1. How can readers connect with you online?
    My website is www.emilymarch.com. I’m active on Facebook. My Facebook page is www.facebook.com/emilymarchbooks. You can also reach me by email at emily@emilymarch.com.

Emily March’s publisher is offering a paper copy  JACKSON to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow  EMILY MARCH on FACEBOOK.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway open USA only

10. Giveaway runs from July 5 to 9, 2019

 

 

Share

Robby (Cooper Construction #3) by Jen Davis-Review & Giveaway

Posted on by
18

ROBBY (Cooper Construction #3) by Jen Davis-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

ROBBY
Cooper Construction #3
by Jen Davis
Release Date : June 4, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, M/M, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 4, 2019

No one knows me–not the true me shaped by my sordid past. I cover the scars on my soul as well as I hide the ones on my skin.

I’m living proof that only the strongest survive on these streets. But I paid a heavy price for my survival.

Now I’m ready to move on, to forget my past. In my dreams, I do it with Matt. I’ve had my eye on him ever since he joined Cooper Construction. Like me, he keeps his true self hidden, locked inside a shy and silent shell.

Somehow, I break through. Touch the untouchable. But when love strips us both naked, the truths we reveal may end up tearing us apart.

•••••••••

REVIEW: ROBBY is the third instalment in Jen Davis’ contemporary, adult COOPER CONSTRUCTION erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women who work for Cooper Construction. This is foreman’s assistant Robby Jordan, and construction worker /architect student / single father Matt York’s story line. ROBBY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: ROBBY contains scenes of M/M sexual situations, as well as reference to abuse, drugs, alcohol and self-harm that may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Robby and Matt) ROBBY follows the building relationship between co-workers foreman’s assistant Robby Jordan, and construction worker /architect student / single father Matt York. Robby Jordan has been attracted to his co-worker for close to a year but single father Matt York is oblivious to Robby’s attraction, as well as his own tempered sexuality. Having always considered himself asexual, but desperate to prove otherwise, Matt’s one and only sexual experience resulted in his now one year old son. Lonely and needing a friend, Matt accepts Robby’s offer for online gaming, an offer that brings the two co-workers closer together. What ensues is the building relationship, romance and love between Matt and Robby, and the potential fall-out as Robby’s past conflicts with potential custody arrangements between Matt and the mother of his child.

Robby’s past is mired in abuse and rejection; alcohol and drugs but our hero has struggled to move on with his life including helping those who are unable or unwilling to help themselves. Matt battles his direction in life including his attraction to a man when he, himself, had never considered himself bisexual or gay. Using their work relationship as a conduit towards friendship and love, Robby begins a slow seduction of the man he has lusted after for over a year.

The relationship between Robby and Matt is one of immediate attraction but Matt struggles with who he is, and what he wants. Robby’s past is dangerous and dark, but a past that continues to haunt him both day and night. The $ex sense are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Brick and Olivia , Kane and Amanda; Matt’s friend and mother of his child Patty, and their son Jimmy, as well as a number of gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered youth who struggle for a place to live, and feel protected from life. The requisite evil has many faces.

ROBBY is a story of family, friendship, rejection and love; of finding where you belong no matter the path or choices that lie ahead. The premise is heart breaking, emotional and engaging; the romance is sensitive and provocative; the characters are broken, wounded but energetic and spirited.

Reading order and previous reviews
Brick
Kane
Robby

 

Pick up a FREE ebook copy of KANE: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Thanks so much, Sandy, for hosting me today. I’m beyond excited to be here in support of my new release, Robby. This book is my first male/male romance and I had an amazing time writing it. As a longtime romance reader, I enjoy almost all subgenres and I’ve always held a special place in my heart for male-male romance. I loved, loved, loved the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux, and some other early favorites for me included Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville and Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley. (What can I say? I have a type.)

It never occurred to me not to have LGBTQ characters in the Cooper Construction series, though the first two installments were m-f. Robby was such an important part of the first book, Brick, because he was a soft, gentle spirit who contrasted so sharply with the title character, who was this big badass who beat people up and killed folks for a crime lord. Robby saw the human side of Brick when few others did and they built a deep friendship which included Kane, the title character of book two.

Once I got through Brick and Kane’s stories, I knew Robby needed an HEA. But there was so much we didn’t know about him. His book is about how he came to be the man Brick and Kane befriended in the earlier novels. He is gentle and kind, but he’s been through fire. And I feel like that history is what led these men to connect. They all lived through hell and came out the other side so very different.

Another fun thing to explore was finding the perfect match for this character I love so much. Matt is a demisexual single father who doesn’t really understand himself or see the possibility of love in his life. He’s always struggled to find his place and to make interpersonal connections. With Robby, he finds a beloved friendship and a romance that takes everyone by surprise.

I hope deeply that readers of the m-f books in this series will follow these characters over to a male-male love story. I know many readers like only straight or LGBTQ content exclusively. But love is love is love is love. And what grows between Matt and Robby is just beautiful. (If you haven’t read the other two books, don’t worry. These all hold up as standalones. You can follow along just fine.)

A word of warning, though, if you’re new to my work, the content is dark. Trigger warnings for references to abuse, drug use, and self-harm. But this book also includes themes of self-acceptance, found family, and happy ever after.

Tell me. If you enjoy LGBTQ romance, which authors were among your early favorites? Or which series have you enjoyed which include both straight and LGBTQ romances?

Follow: Facebook /Goodreads /Website /Twitter /Instagram /

Jen started her love affair with romance novels, first as a reader, then as a reviewer and blogger. She launched the Red Hot Books blog in 2010 and jumped into Book Twitter shortly after.

She wrote her first books, a YA/NA trilogy under another name back in 2016. But Brick is her first foray into Adult Contemporary Romance.

Jen is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they’re raising two kids, a cat, and a dog who is afraid of his own shadow.

She spends her days working as television journalist and her nights curled up with a good book.

Jen Davis is graciously offering an ebook copy of any ONE book in her COOPER CONSTRUCTION series to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1.  If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into The Reading Cafe, please refresh the page, at the top of your computer.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Jen Davis on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. Please like THE READING CAFE on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please follow THE READING CAFE on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open internationally

9. Giveaway runs from June 2-6, 2019

Share