The White Picket Fence by Karen Rose – a Review

The White Picket Fence by Karen Rose – a Review

 

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Description:
Tino Ciccotelli is a sketch artist who discovers his newest client, a victim of a vicious assault, is his former high school art teacher. He is devastated to see her injuries and determined to help the police catch her attacker, but he must also deal with the return of her niece, his first love who left him when their lives were just beginning.

Charlotte Walsh has always regretted leaving Tino, her fear of being stuck in marriage like her parents driving her away from Tino and his dreams of a house with a white picket fence. Her life did not play out as she’d expected and, after an assault by a stalker, has returned to Philadelphia, only to have her aunt targeted for violence.

Now she and Tino must work together to find the man who left her aunt for dead, but soon realize the killer’s true target is much closer than they think.

 

Review:

The White Picket Fence by Karen Rose is a novella based on her romance suspense series (30.5). An old favorite returns, Tino Ciccotelli; who is a sketch artist, passionately dedicated to helping victims identify those who were assaulted.   Tino returns to Philadelphia, to help a former high school art teacher who was brutally beaten; together Tino and the teacher are able to draw what she remembers. Tino is also faced with seeing his former girlfriend, watching over her aunt; she was his first love, who left him 17 years ago.

Charlotte Walsh has never forgotten Tino, and always regretted leaving him; which was due to her family and wanting to be free.  Charlotte was very close to her aunt, and she is devasted by the assault by an unknown stalker.  Charlie was a food critic, and one day she gave a bad review, which led her to be assaulted; the attacker was sent to jail.   Her life was difficult, especially with her continued damage of her attack; now she worries about her aunt. 

Tino and Charlie slowly begin have feelings again, but they both try to keep it at a distant, since there is someone out there who is determined to find Charlie.  Tino will get his brother, Vito (a detective) to help find out who is behind the threat against Charlie.  They learn that the man who attacked Charlie a few years ago, was murdered in prison. This leads to another person who is killing those close to Charlie; some one from the past, who will stop at nothing to kidnap her. Tino was determined to protect Charlie at any cost, despite Vito trying to keep him from getting involved. Will Tino save Charlie? 

I really liked Tino and Charlie together, and hoped they would find a way to start again.  It was also very nice to see Vito and Sophie again, as they were wonderful together. As we get closer to the end, all hell breaks out, as both Tino and Charlie’s life is in danger, with a twisted killer on the loose.  The White Picket Fence was a terrific read, that had us holding our breath.   The White Picket Fence was so very well written by Karen Rose.   This was a fast paced and exciting thriller, which I suggest you read. 

Reviewed by Barb

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To Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana De La Rosa – a Review

To Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana De La Rosa – a Review

 

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Description:
For Finlay Swinton, Viscount Firthwell and only son of a powerful earl, life has been a lark…until he discovers a terrible family secret that could ruin him. Determined to make a name for himself free of scandal’s shadow, he runs for Parliament. However, he encounters Charlotte, the mysterious woman who disappeared after their one night together, and he finds it impossible to stay away, despite her working class status and Jewish faith that threaten to destroy his chance for success.

Widowed, penniless, and desperate, Charlotte Taylor secures a teaching position at a foundling home and relaxes into a predictable existence. That is, until Finlay, the man she shared one romantic night with, reappears, a specter from her past. He ignites her passion, even while he threatens the precarious foundation on which she’s rebuilt her life. But when those from her past return to endanger her hard-earned security, she’ll have to reveal his secret or go to prison.

Each book in the Once Upon A Scandal series is STANDALONE:
* To Love a Scandalous Duke
* To Resist a Scandalous Rogue

 

 

 

Review:

How to Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana De La Rosa is a historical period romance. This story begins in London 1828.

Charlotte is recently widowed and penniless. Her husband died in India of cholera. His parents showed up in India and told her he had left her nothing. They took all his money and his possessions, and she was forced to gather what she could and managed to sell her wedding ring to book passage back to London.

Finlay is the Viscount of Firthwell and heir to the Earl of Rockhaven. His father is traveling the continent to avoid a scandal of his own making. While Finlay isn’t fond of his father, he has other problems. Rebuilding his father’s earldom and trying to build a better name for himself. He also has learned recently his mother had an affair and he’s not actually the Earl’s son, but no one else knows this. He found it in his mother’s diary after she died. His twin sister Alethea just married their childhood friend, Declan, Duke of Darington. He has also decided on a political career, if he can keep the scandal secret.

They meet one night by accident. She was offered a job by her cousin Eliza. Charlotte thought it was to be a maid, but the women were to be entertainment for the Earl of Belling’s party. She declined the job and was going to leave the house in the morning, but she wanted to just sit in the gardens for a little while. While she was there Finley, who was invited to the party, was escaping the activities and came into the garden. They struck up a conversation and talked for a long while, sharing a bit of whiskey from Finley’s flask. Enjoying herself and a bit in her cups, she stayed the night with Finley. However, happy and fulfilled as she was, she knew she couldn’t be a mistress, so she left without saying goodbye.

A year later, Finley learns Charlotte is working as a teacher at The Little Windmill House, a foundling home Lady Campbell and her brother founded. His sister had taught there until her marriage. Neither of them had managed to forget the other over the year. The attraction was strong.

That’s the basic setup. There is, of course, much more and interesting threads to the plot. But I will leave those for you to read for yourself. In all, this is a very interesting and romantic story. It’s cleverly plotted so things come together slowly with a lot of anticipation. If you are a fan of historical romances, this one has some interesting side threads about religious acceptance, the awakening of independent women, and the times. I enjoyed reading it, hope you do too.

Reviewed by Georgianna

Copy provided by Publisher

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BAD SAINT (All The Pretty Things Trilogy #1) by Monica James-a review

BAD SAINT (All The Pretty Things Trilogy #1) by Monica James-a review 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 7, 2019

I was kidnapped on my honeymoon by three masked men.

Blindfolded.
Bound.
Destination unknown.

I was told to stay silent and abide by their rules. But they didn’t realize I wasn’t a victim…not anymore.

The open sea was my backdrop for nine torturous days. During that time, glimmers of my fate were revealed by a man with the mysterious chartreuse-colored eyes. He should have scared me, but he didn’t.

He intrigued me. And I intrigued him.

He punished me when I didn’t listen, which was every single day. But beneath his cruelty, I sensed he was guarding a grave secret.

I was sold.
And in a game of poker, no less.

My buyer? A Russian mobster who likes to collect pretty things. Now that I know the truth, I only have one choice.

Sink or swim.

And when one fateful night presents me the opportunity, I take it. I just never anticipated my actions would leave me shipwrecked with my kidnapper.

He needs me alive. I want him dead.

But as days turn into weeks, one thing becomes clear—I should hate him…but I don’t.

My name is Willow.
His name is Saint.

Ironic, isn’t it? He bears a name that denotes nothing but holiness yet delivers nothing but hell. However, if this is hell on earth…God, save my soul.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: BAD SAINT is the first instalment in Monica James’ contemporary, adult ALL THE PRETTY THINGS dark, romance trilogy focusing on Willow Shaw, and thirty-three year old, Saint Hennessy.

NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some trigger for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person perspective (Willow) BAD SAINT follows in the aftermath of Willow Shaw’s abduction while on her honeymoon in Greece. Unaware that her husband had gambled and lost, Willow is the ultimate payment for indebted sins. At the mercy of her kidnappers Willow’s life is threatened on numerous occasions but for not the actions of one of her abductors Willow’s life would be forfeited, her body no longer her own. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Willow and Saint, and the fall-out as a storm lands our couple on a deserted island where Willow discovers there is more to Saint then she could have ever imagined.

BAD SAINT is a story of secrets and lies; of sexual slavery, payment for a debt, intimidation, assault, recklessness and death. Frightened yet strong, willing to stand up to her captors Willow battles between her head and heart fearing life as she knows it is spiralling out of control.

Monica James’ pulls the readers into an intense, raw and gritty story of payback and vengeance; of power and control; of repercussions, suspense, danger and more. The premise is tragic, impassioned and fascinating; the characters are strong, resilient, animated and energetic. BAD SAINT ends on a cliffhanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

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Dark in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

Dark in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

 

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Description:
It was a stab in the dark.

On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan’s neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel’s best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel’s blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.

Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime—from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn’t think it’s coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else’s imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.

The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer’s deranged private drama—and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.

 

 

Review:

Dark in Death by J. D. Robb is the 46th book in her fantastic In Death series. I am one of the proud fans who can say that I have read every single book, including novellas in this series…..and I never ever want it to end.  I have said this so many times…I love Eve & Roarke; the best literary couple ever. Ok, now let’s move on to my review. 🙂

Dark in Death begins when Eve has just gotten home from a long day at work, when her phone rings to summon her to a murder scene.  Eve and Peabody will begin to investigate the gruesome death of an actress in a movie theater, which was showing the film Psycho.  The actress was stabbed in the back of her neck with an ice pick, and there were no witnesses, since everyone in the theater was engrossed in the wild violent shower scene of the movie.  

A well known author comes forth to mention that the murder scene resembles one of her books.  In a short time, Eve will realize that this is not the first murder, as a recent death also resembles another of the author’s books.  The race is now on to find the now serial killer before they kill again.

Eve and Roarke begin to read the author’s books to find clues to who & how will be next.  I thought this was a great theme, especially since Eve Dallas written by J.D. Robb is also a murder themed series.  It was kind of a different storyline for Robb (aka Nora Roberts), and yet very interesting.  

What follows is an intense and suspenseful case, with the team desperate to find the murderer.  As they get closer to discovering the identity, the culprit will be a step ahead of them to slip away.  Just when Eve warns people that they could be the next target, to her dismay, they did not listen and another murder happens.  Eve, Roarke, Peabody and the team are able to identify the murderer, but will they be able to stop the next murder in process?  I will not give spoilers, as saying too much more would ruin it for you.

Dark in Death was another wonderful intense, exciting murder mystery in the wonderful world of Eve and Roarke, and the great supporting cast that surrounds them.  It was nice in calmer moments to see Nadine again, as well as Mavis, Leonardo, Bella, not to mention the regulars we have come to love; Peabody, McNab, Feeney, etc.    I loved the scenes with Eve and Roarke cuddling on the sofa by the fireplace reading the books, and with Summerset on vacation, deciding to test out having sex in the other rooms.  Those were the light fun moments, as they are so great together in every way.  Sigh  I love them,  andeven Galahad their cat. lol

Dark in Death was so well written by Robb, and there were some hold your breath moments that kept us on the edge of our seats. If you have not read this series, you are missing one of the best thrillers, with a super couple, and awesome secondary characters.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Rock Addiction (Rock Kiss #1) by Nalini Singh-Blog Tour and a dual review

Rock Addiction (Rock Kiss #1) by Nalini Singh- Blog Tour and a Dual Review

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Rock Addiction
Rock Kiss .5
by Nalini Singh
Genre: NA, contemporary, romance, rock
Release Date: September 9, 2014

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About the book: Release Date September 9, 2014

A bad boy wrapped in a sexy, muscled, grown-up package might be worth a little risk…

Molly Webster has always followed the rules. After an ugly scandal tore apart her childhood and made her the focus of the media’s harsh spotlight, she vowed to live an ordinary life. No fame. No impropriety. No pain. Then she meets Zachary Fox, a tattooed bad boy rocker with a voice like whiskey and sin, and a touch that could become an addiction.

A one-night stand with the hottest rock star on the planet, that’s all it was meant to be…

Fox promises scorching heat and dangerous pleasure, coaxing Molly to extend their one-night stand into a one-month fling. After that, he’ll be gone forever, his life never again intersecting with her own. Sex and sin and sensual indulgence, all with an expiration date. No ties, no regrets. Too late, Molly realizes it isn’t only her body that’s become addicted to Fox, but her heart…

•••••••••••••••••

Sandy’s Review

ROCK ADDICTION is the first storyline in Nalini Singh’s new adult, contemporary Rock Kiss series focusing on the members of the American rock band Schoolboy Choir. This is sexy, pierced and tattoed lead singer Zachary Fox and demure librarian from New Zealand Molly Webster’s storyline.

Told from close third person POVs, the focus of the storyline is the building relationship between Molly and Fox (as he likes to be called). For Fox there is an immediate attraction-a possessive pull where he instantly knows that Molly is ‘his’. His response is visceral and within a matter of a few minutes, Fox stakes his claim with the other members of the band. Molly on the other hand is a shy, quiet, librarian with low self-esteem and no confidence, whose goal in life is to remain out of the public eye. A horrendous childhood has left Molly with a fear of the media. Molly promises herself one wild night of passion but Fox has something more permanent on his mind. With only one month to claim Molly as his own, Fox fights an uphill battle every time Molly’s inner voice reminds her of their limited time together.

Molly is a naïve, twenty four year old whose history with men is limited and virtually non existent, and in this her emotional reactions were confusing for the reader as well as the new man in her life. There was something almost bi-polar with Molly’s personality when it came to her emotional maturity or lack thereof; or perhaps it was her painful and continuous revelations about her inexperience with men. Numerous misunderstandings and jealous rages seem to be the highlight of Molly’s days. Molly’s past issues control her choices at work and at play.

Zachary Fox is no longer the typical bad boy of rock and roll-he doesn’t drink or do drugs; and there have been no women in his bed for a very long time but that’s not to say he didn’t enjoy the lifestyle before. His early years have also left him with some baggage but he has grown to accept that he cannot change what has happened in the past-but make no mistake, Fox is not without a temper and when he doesn’t get his way, he makes his feelings known. The combination of Fox’s rock and roll lifestyle and experience, and Molly’s naivety did not make for happy bedfellows especially in the early stages of the storyline. Fox is a man who is determined to make their relationship work but Molly’s emotional drama is sometimes too hard to handle.

The relationship is one of insta love/lust especially for Fox. The sex scenes are numerous and frequent. Our couple spent more time having sex than getting to know one another. If their attraction is purely physical, how can a happily ever after be on the horizon? Even our heroine questions if there is anything beyond sex for the couple.

The secondary characters are colorful but stereotypical including the other members of Schoolboy Choir (David, Abe and Noah). We are introduced to Molly’s sister Thea who does PR for the band; and Molly’s best friend Charlotte who is always a phone call away every time Molly’s self esteem takes a dive.

The world building follows the members of Schoolboy Choir on the road, behind the scenes, their private lives and run-ins with the paparazzi and the law. There is the drama of jealousy, addiction and a horde of groupies at every opportunity as well as a hint of what is to come.

ROCK ADDICTION is an entertaining storyline with a HEA but a storyline that fell a little short of my expectations. Nalini is an amazing author of the paranormal but it did not translate well to a contemporary, new adult storyline.

 

Barb’s Review:

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh is the first book in her new erotic romance series, Schoolboy Choir. I am a huge fan of Nalini, loving her Psy/Changeling and Guild Hunter series. I really looked forward to this book, and Nalini always has wonderful hot steamy sex scenes in those series. Having read Rock Addiction, I have mixed feelings.

The storyline had an excellent premise with a rock band, the lead singer and the innocent young girl he falls for. Nalini always creates great leading and secondary characters, and it’s no different in this book.I liked Molly, the sweet innocent librarian, who found her wild fantasy coming true having what she thought was a one night stand with a Rock god.

Fox, is the hot sexy rock god, and he knew the moment he saw Molly that she was different, and he was determined to have her at any cost.   The rest of this wonderful cast was very very good. Molly’s sister, Thea and her friend Charlie were great. Fox’s bandmates (David, Noah, Abe) were awesome, and I am sure each will have their story told.

Needless to say, the one night stand becomes more then either expected. Both Molly and Fox had their own childhood issues, which effected their lives. They work together to overcome those issues, and as well as the unwanted attention that fame brings to their privacy. It was a great ending, very nicely done.

With that being said, I would like to note what I was not crazy about in this book. In Nalini’s other series, her wonderful steamy sex scenes complimented the storyline, with her fabulous couples. In Rock Addiction it was kind of opposite. I did enjoy the storyline, and the characters. But I prefer my books to have the storyline be the main part of the book, with this book it was about 85% sex. I enjoy reading all of Nalini’s stories, but the sex scenes in Rock Addiction were in my opinion  an overkill, making it more redundant then fun.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

excerpt

FOX HADN’T BECOME THE LEAD singer of one of the best-selling rock bands in history by being a shrinking violet. No, he went after what he wanted, no holds barred. And the raw promise he could feel between him and Molly? He had to know where it would lead, the need so strong he hadn’t felt anything like it since the day he’d figured out that music was his escape, the air in his lungs.
Which was why he was leaning against the wall beside Molly’s apartment at five that afternoon, a guitar by his side.
The elevator doors opened at a quarter after the hour, Molly going motionless two steps outside of it, the doors closing silently at her back. Yeah, she hadn’t expected him, but Fox was ready to work with that. Waiting patiently as she took a deep breath and completed the trek down the corridor, he drew in the scent of her, his gaze lingering on the fluttering pulse in her neck.
“How did you get past security?”
Fox smiled slowly at the blurted-out question, wondering if Molly knew how bad she was at hiding her emotions. He liked it, liked that he saw the real Molly, not an illusion she’d created to tempt him—not that she had to do anything but smile to tempt him. “I told you the security sucks.”
Unable to resist, he reached out to run his finger down one creamy cheek flushed with a mix of surprise, passion, and, he was certain, sweet, hot feminine anger. His guess was borne out when Molly unlocked her door with jittery hands and put down her handbag on one corner of the bench, her fingers trembling before she curled them into her palms. “You’re breaking the rules.”
“What rules?” Closing the door, he leaned back on it and willed her to face him. Much as he loved the shape of her from the back, he liked watching those expressive eyes whisper her mood to him.
Shoulders tight, she turned. “This was supposed to be a one-night stand.”
“Ah.” Folding his arms over the plain black of his T-shirt, he said, “How about a one-month stand instead?” He knew he had to play this exactly right. Molly was wary of him, and yeah, he could understand why. To have her in his life beyond a fleeting instant, he’d have to win her trust.
She jerked up her head. “What?”
“Why not? I like you. You like me.” He smiled—because the reason Molly had needed to jerk up her head was that she’d been staring at his chest. “Admit it.”
Sitting down on the bench, she began to unzip her boots, very obviously not looking at him. “You’re okay for a rock star.”
He wanted to bite her, then pet her until she was limp and languid in his arms. “We burn up together.” Deliberately modulating his voice—his instrument—for maximum effect, low and bedroom rough, he saw her fingers stutter on the zipper. “I’m here for a month. It’s an easy equation.”
When the words “Let me think about it” fell from her mouth, he thought she might’ve been as startled as he was, her lips parting on a slight gasp—as if to call back the declaration.

Series Spotlight

Rock Courtship
Rock Kiss #2
by Nalini Singh
Genre: NA, contemporary, romance, rock
Release Date: September 30, 2014

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ KOBO /

What happens when the Gentleman of Rock decides to play dirty?

A drummer for the hottest rock band on the planet, David has a single, powerful weakness: Thea, the band’s publicist and the woman who steals his breath away with her every move.

Only problem is, Thea doesn’t date clients—or musicians. Emotionally scarred by a cheating ex, she’s not about to risk her heart with a man who has groupies buzzing around him like flies. Even if his sexy smile ties her up in knots.

What she doesn’t know is that David is a one-woman man…and he’s madly in love with her. David’s determined to prove he’s worth the risk, and willing to court her, step by exquisite step. Thea’s about to discover just how long and hard this handsome drummer can play.

 

About the Author Black and Green

nalini bioNEW YORK TIMES AND USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a hot and wickedly tempting rock star. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Once Rock Addiction is out, swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the book.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

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Description:

Marilee Harper is desperate to find another job after she accidentally set fire to the home of the richest woman in town. Converting an old hospital into a bed and breakfast seems like a golden opportunity. But faucets and lights turn themselves off and on, and old baseballs fly without help. Stressed and aggravated, Marilee wants nothing more than to redeem herself, even if it means hands off her sympathetic boss!

John Smith has every confidence in the bossy, strong woman he hired to launch his bed & breakfast. She handled difficult customers at the bank and now she’s handling electricity and plumbing and whatever unseen force keeps throwing baseballs. Who can blame him if he starts to admire the woman in more than strictly professional terms? But when the angry, treacherous King of the Fairies shows up, can Marilee become his champion?

 

Review

Restless Spirits is my second book by Kathy Bryson, and I have to say, I loved it.

It was good to catch up with old characters.  It basically starts where the last book ends.

Marliee is a bit accident prone, but she’s a great character. I will admit to not being a fan of Marilee’s in the first book, but reading her book, I grew to like her more. 

Not sure about the relationship with her mother, but as the story goes along it gets better. You see why they have an antagonistic relationship in the beginning. The incident where she almost runs her new boss was funny.

And from there on, its a roller coaster of a ride, as Marilee begins a new career in a (haunted) B&B.  It was a little slow in places, but well worth persevering. As always attention to detail is important and the characters who come to life on the page.

John Smith is a great character. He seemed to be a perfect balance for Marilee. He is calm to her chaotic.  Their working relationship soon turns into romance. And their first kiss was a lot of fun to read.

It’s a great read, with mystery and a few ghosts thrown in.  A great afternoon read 🙂

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Author

Guest Post-White and Mint

How Far Would You Go, Especially For A Good Man?

Thank you so much for having me at The Reading Cafe today. There is nothing I love better than a good book and a nice, hot cup of something warm, even where I live in hot and sticky Florida!

We all have little indulgences and they usually don’t do us any harm. But in my latest book, Restless Spirits, Marilee Harper indulges in a cigarette and accidentally sets fire to her best friend’s house. Oops! Since her friend is a wealthy woman and the darling of the bank and town where Marilee works, this presents a problem.

When you go too far, the only thing you can do is change direction. So Marilee takes a job managing a B&B. The building once housed a hospital for the terminally ill, and now it shows all the signs of a classic haunting. But if ghosts weren’t enough, Marilee also has the challenge of working with her difficult mother, a cook who channels Elvis, and contractors who act like paparazzi!

Marilee’s character was so much fun to explore. How does a modern, competent, professional – well, except for that one little arson incident – deal with the supernatural? Marilee’s usual practical directness doesn’t always succeed! What was more difficult to write were some of the customer service scenes. Like Marilee, I may have gone too far on the phone once or twice.

The real challenge for Marilee, however, turns out to be her boss. He’s cute, charming, compassionate, and crossing a line. Would you date your boss or is that going too far? What if, as Marilee discovers, it’s not just a case of lust, but of true compatibility, even love? John makes her happy, believes in her, and helps her manage all the mysterious occurrences that persist at the B&B.

Then the haunting goes too far and John goes missing, taken captive to the Otherworld. Which leads me to the question of the day – how far would you go for a good man? Maybe I’m just an incurable romantic, but I’ve always been drawn to the story of the lover who defies death. From the Greek Orpheus to the Celtic Tam Lin, there’s always been that one person who crosses over to the land of the dead to reclaim his or her love, challenging even the gods.

Both my books, Feeling Lucky and Restless Spirits, share the same background in fairy folklore though each can be read independently. Shakespeare may have brought a long-standing feud to light in 1590-something with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but it’s heating up in the modern-day Midwest. As if the ladies of Fayetteville didn’t have enough to manage with jobs and family, they also have to deal with fairies squabbling over a practical joke about falling in love with a donkey? Talk about going too far!

As for Marilee – oh she’s headed off to the Otherworld, armed with a short temper and a cast iron frying pan. Hmm, this may not end well!

 

about the author
me_smilingKathy Bryson knew she wanted to be a writer when she finished reading through her school and local children’s libraries. She spent 20 years honing her writing skills on marketing brochures, websites, and several unfinished manuscripts before going into teaching and finishing a book with all the stuff she enjoys most – from coffee to love to Shakespeare! Kathy lives in Florida where she caters to the whims of two spoiled cats and wonders what possessed her to put in 75 feet of flower beds.

Her first book, Feeling Lucky, won the 2014 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award for Best First Book.

You can follow her on the following links:

Blog / Amazon / Facebook / Goodreads / Google+ / Twitter

 

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Kathy is graciously offering an e-copy (amazon kindle format) of RESTLESS SPIRITS to ONE (1) commenter at The Reading Cafe

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J.E. Fishman-Review, Interview and Giveaway

J.E. Fishman-Review, Interview and Giveaway

JE Fishman Banner

The Long Black Hand
Bomb Squad NYC: Incident #3
by JE Fishman
Release Date: April 2, 2014
Genre: suspense, mystery, fiction, law enforcement

The Long Black Hand

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THE LONG BLACK HAND (Bomb Squad NYC: Incident 3) by J.E. Fishman

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 2, 2014

Bomb Squad Commander Lieutenant Joseph Capobianco fields an unusual request from a friend of the mayor’s: Do a bomb sweep at the famed Julius School of Music and at the luxurious apartment of their visiting star tenor, Claudio Spotto. At first the team that Joe sends finds nothing in the way of bombs, but other signs of trouble mount rapidly. Someone doesn’t want Spotto to remain in New York — and that someone is threatening violence via bomb.

The commander soon realizes that this case has echoes of the Bomb Squad’s origins in extortion from the Black Hand, evoking threats made nearly a hundred years before against the great tenor Enrico Caruso. What does this new Black Hander know about these parallels? Is this a personal challenge to Joe’s early tenure as Bomb Squad commander? And, as the Black Hand grows bolder, can Joe’s team stop the extortionist before someone dies in the escalating violence?

REVIEW: THE LONG BLACK HAND is the third instalment in J.E. Fishman’s contemporary crime thriller series Bomb Squad NYC. With the focus on the members of the NYC bomb Squad this is Commander Joseph Capobianco’s story. When a favor is called into Capobianco’s office, he has no idea that the situation at the prestigious Julius School of Music may be connected to a century old threat against the original Bomb Squad members. Mysterious notes, crude pipe bombs, illegal fireworks and jealous lovers all roll together to make the Bomb Squad’s job a little tougher. Add a famous Italian tenor and you have the makings of an international disaster.

The focus of the storyline are the threats against guest tenor Claudio Spotto and the connections to the famed Julius School of Music. The reader is pulled into an investigation that will uncover an affair that is not so secret; a singer whose star has never quite reached the top; and a connection to the past that very few outside of law enforcement-are aware.

J.E.Fishman writes an intelligent, compelling and well paced story of mystery and suspense; where secrets are revealed and jealousy ignites a powder keg of betrayal; where family connections and political favors blur the lines of right and wrong. Commander Capobianco is a loving family man whose personal and public life find middle ground-a hard concept for many public figures these days.

The secondary characters are colorful, realistic and spirited. Told from third person point of view and two to three different perspectives THE LONG DARK HAND reveals the trials and tribulations of law enforcement and the unknown threats to our everyday lives. The world building continues with the familiarity of the NYC Bomb Squad members from previous storylines.

Like his previous instalment in the series J.E. Fishman ends the story rather abruptly. There is no epilogue or resolution, which is a little disconcerting. It doesn’t change up the storyline but it does feel like there is something missing-closure.

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview yellow:black

TRC: Hi Joel and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your new Bomb Squad NYC series.

JE FishmanJoel: Thanks. I’m delighted to have you asking me tough questions. By the way, what do I win if I answer correctly?

TRC: Um…nothing? *snort*

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

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Joel: I’m one of the luckiest people alive, but I still get overcome by neuroses on a regular basis. Is that normal?

If you meant professionally, I’ve worked in and around publishing for most of my adult life, which may explain the neuroses. Deep down, all I ever really wanted to do was to tell stories. Life circumstances finally conspired to allow me to do that about six years ago, when my wife and I sold a house and a business and moved from Westchester County, New York, to the Brandywine Valley outside Wilmington, Delaware. Since then I’ve published seven books.

TRC: Your bio says you are a former editor, literary agent and a ghostwriter. What do each of these titles entail?

Joel: I was an acquiring editor at Doubleday, where I covered business, sports, popular science, and narrative nonfiction, mostly. I’d field queries and manuscripts from agents, pitch what I liked to the editorial meeting, negotiate purchase of those books if I got the go-ahead, edit them, position them with the marketing and publicity teams, and finally see them into distribution. In that role I worked with many journalists and experts in their field, as well as a few well-known sports figures, such as Jim Kelly, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills at the time, and Ronnie Lott, who was a free safety for the San Francisco Forty-Niners. I tried to buy a book by Wilt Chamberlain once. Although it didn’t work out, I had the distinct privilege of walking down Fifth Avenue with him on the way to lunch. A guy steps in front of us on the sidewalk, points, and says, “You’re still the best there ever was, Wilt.”

Cool, right? But it was all very corporate and getting more so. It occurred to me that I spent more and more time pitching books within the publishing house, so it was a small step to pitching book projects to other houses. I decided to leave and establish my own agency, which mostly represented journalists – New York Times, Wall Street Journal, San Jose Mercury-News, etc. Eventually I sold the agency to Jane Dystel. Years later, she became my agent.

The ghostwriting thing was more of an interlude. Ironically, I took it on to get myself writing, as I was distracted by another business at the time. But it didn’t really get me into the fiction-writing flow just then, because the distractions of business and life remained, and the ghost writing was time-consuming.

TRC: What is the purpose behind the business of ghost writing?

Joel: The purpose is to make money by providing expert authors the writing skills they often lack.

TRC: BOMB SQUAD NYC is your latest series focusing on the people who work in the bomb squad unit headquartered at a fictionalized police precinct in New York City. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the series?

Bomb Squad NYC 1-3

Joel: I wanted to do a series with all the urban grit of old-line police procedurals like those of Ed McBain, but modernized and with more of a thriller element introduced. The NYPD Bomb Squad is the oldest, busiest, and most technologically sophisticated bomb squad in the world—plus, they’re operating out of a headquarters in one of Manhattan’s hottest neighborhoods, the West Village. I’m telling this elite squad’s story in a fictionalized way, of course, but they’re true heroes. What interests me is portraying them as real people, flawed and vulnerable, who set aside their personal challenges and their troubles to keep eight million citizens safe from bombings. And, this being New York, there’s always the threat of another bomb going off.

The series shares three things with the real-life NYPD Bomb Squad: their history, their equipment, and most of their procedures. The rest is fictionalized.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of each of the following:

Joel:

A DANGER TO HIMSELF AND OTHERSClick HERE for our review.

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The central character is Manny Diaz, one of the newest guys on the squad, but with an extensive army EOD (explosives and ordnance division) background. Veterans with prostheses are blowing themselves up in front of army recruiting stations, and Manny doesn’t believe these are suicides. He has to buck his sergeant and his own demons to find the truth before someone else gets killed.

DEATH MARCH- Click HERE for our review.

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In Death March, there’s a credible terrorist threat against the Thanksgiving Day parade. Somehow three dozen detectives have to defend the two-and-a-half-mile parade route. Manny’s sergeant from the first book, Sandy Kahn, ends up having to outthink the terrorists. Two other characters, Kenny Ridley and Cam Fowler, also end up laying their lives on the line.

THE LONG BLACK HAND
In this one, Bomb Squad Commander Lieutenant Joe Capobianco is tormented by extortion threats against a famous tenor visiting the Julius School of Music near Lincoln Center. The case harks back to the earliest history of the Bomb Squad, when an organized crime group known as the Black Hand planted hundreds of bombs a year and extorted money from the great tenor Enrico Caruso.

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

Joel: Who knows? My attitude is: Read all you want. I’ll write more.

TRC: Will the characters overlap with each successive storyline?

Joel: Yes, as you can see from my descriptions, there are overlaps, but it’s not a single-detective kind of series. More of an ensemble cast, with different characters stepping forward for different cases. That’s how it is in real life, and in totality it will give readers a portrait of an entire squad.

TRC: Will we see a resolution to Manny’s personal problem in a future storyline?

Joel: You mean, you didn’t think his problems resolved at the end of the first book? Ha! I don’t think most people’s problems resolve in real life—more like they e-volve. I think you’ll definitely see Manny change over time. But I caution you that he’s not a major character in another book for a while.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?

Joel: Well, I got the idea for this series because NYPD Bomb Squad headquarters is a couple of blocks up the street from my apartment in New York, but I didn’t personally know a single cop—big challenge there—and most information on bomb squads is pretty closely held. I started out researching on the internet and through books, but I knew I had to drill deeper. Fortunately, a friend eventually introduced me to the FBI’s leading bomb tech, who in turn introduced me to the squad’s commander, Lieutenant Mark Torre. He became my technical consultant and opened up a whole world to me.

TRC: Are the storyline characters based in reality or a combination of fact and fiction?

Joel: There’s no character based on a particular real-life person, but I’ve gotten to know how these guys really think and the challenges they face, so I hope that comes across.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in the series, which models or actors best represent your ideal image?

Joel: I’m terrible at questions like that! It needs actors who can do real, down-to-earth, and gritty with New York accents. People—at least, in my opinion—like Edward Norton, Matthew McConaughey, Mark Wahlberg, maybe Sean Penn. There will eventually be a female character—no women in the Bomb Squad at the moment, in real life or fiction—and I’d like to see Ellen DeGeneres playing that character straight. I don’t mean sexually straight, mind you, but unfunny.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Joel: Well, the million-dollar question for all novelists isn’t so much how you keep it unpredictable but how you keep it unpredictable while having it make sense in the end. It’s easy to have something be unpredictable and conclude with complete nonsense, but having the reader sit up and say, “Of course! How did I not see that coming?!”—that’s the trick, isn’t it? A lot of it is about introducing key elements while distracting the reader from their significance at first. The most important thing is to respect readers’ intelligence. If you let them get a step ahead of you, their experience of the story may be doomed.

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

Joel: I like to start with premise, so in the beginning that’s me directing. What if I dropped a guy like this in a situation like that? But characters are built one decision at a time, and once you’ve had them make a few decisions, a lot of doors close. At some point, then, the characters have to act “within character,” and you can’t fully direct that. You have to let it happen or their actions will ring false.

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 writers fail in this endeavor?

Joel: Great question. There isn’t any one thing. Some comes from point of view. Even though this series is written in the third person, it’s a close third, so the reader is over a given character’s shoulder and in his head—not only thinking, but feeling with him. But there are lots of smaller things, too. Using all five senses, for example. And withholding information. We live life blind. For the most part we have no idea what’s going on inside another person’s head. When someone does something slightly unexpected, it hits us in the gut as much as the brain.

TRC: Writers Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Joel: There’s only one way. You sit down and write. You accept that you might not do your best work that day, but imperfect is better than nothing. And you remind yourself constantly that you can always go back and fix your mistakes later. (Presuming, of course, that you actually will.) Expectation of perfection is the main enemy of productivity.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Joel: I like to tell people a premise or a scene and see whether their eyes light up. I’m also fortunate to have an experienced editor on my team, Patrick LoBrutto. He has no stake in lying to me, because if he does so, it only makes more work for him later!

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Joel:
1. See my daughter graduate from high school a complete and happy person.
2. Continue to love and appreciate my wife more every day.
3. Yeah, write a mega-bestseller.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Joel: Incident 4 in the Bomb Squad NYC series. It’s called Blast from the Past. Kieran Lehane, a dog handler who’s the oldest member of the squad, never believed the official explanation for the destruction of Flight 699, which blew up five minutes out of JFK. The story begins when he goes to a hearing on the subject, and since he’s late from work he has to bring his dog. As the hearing is breaking up, the dog alerts: there’s a guy in the hearing room with explosive residue on his person! Lehane gives chase but the guy gets away. But Kieran’s a stubborn guy. You can bet that won’t be the end of it.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Joel: Um. If you buy all my books I’ll be your best friend?

TRC: 😉

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Anything the great sushi chef Masatoshi “Gari” Sugio puts in front of me.

Favorite Dessert
Chocolate chip cookies from Jacques Torres

Favorite TV Show
Breaking Bad

Last Movie You Saw
The Wolf of Wall Street

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark—and the higher cacao content, the better

Secret Celebrity Crush
Go ahead. Get me in trouble. Gwyneth Paltrow.

Last Vacation Destination
Virgin Gorda, BVI

Do you have any pets?
Yep. Two French bulldogs, a Labrador-ish rescue dog, an evil calico cat, and several horses.

Last book you read
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Pet Peeve
People writing about New York who don’t know New York.

TRC: Thank you Joel for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of the BOMB SQUAD NYC series. We wish you all the best.

Joel: Thank you very much.

Giveaway-Black and Yellow

Shelton Interactive and Joel are offering a paper copy of A DANGER TO HIMSELF to two (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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

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

4. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. The giveaway is open to USA and CANADA only.

6. The giveaway runs from April 17 to April 21, 2014

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Forever With You (Fixed #3) by Laurelin Paige-a review

Forever With You (Fixed #3) by Laurelin Paige-a review

Forever With You  Jan 14

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FOREVER WITH YOU (Fixed #3) by Laurelin Paige

ABOUT THE BOOK: January 13, 2014

Alayna Withers relationship with Hudson Pierce has tested both her and his ability to trust. They decide that the only way they can move forward together is with open doors and transparency. It won’t be easy for the scarred lovers, but they’re committed to each other more now than ever. Alayna, in particular, has grown through their trials, and has emerged more confident and faithful to the man she loves.

But while the pair is focused on the future, their past shows up again to threaten their fragile bond. Promises that were made are broken, and Alayna learns that Hudson still has very potent secrets—secrets that will tear them both apart. As much as she feels for him, her ability to forgive and forget is tested beyond her limits.

Even though she found the only man who could fix her, a forever with Hudson seems more and more out of reach.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: FOREVER WITH YOU is the third and final storyline in Laurelin Paige’s contemporary, new adult, erotic Fixed series focusing on Alayna Withers and Hudson Pierce. Although this is the end of Alayna and Hudson’s arc-Laurelin is continuing the series with one of the characters introduced in Forever With You.

The storyline continues from the previous two instalments but focuses on Alayna’s need to uncover the truth behind Hudson’s relationship with a woman he claims is only a friend. The deeper Alayna digs the more she becomes unglued only to discover that everything about her relationship with Hudson has been a lie.

Laurelin Paige pulls the reader into an emotional storyline that will make you think. Alayna and Hudson both have issues of trust but what Alayna uncovers will blow your mind. What you thought you knew is not what you will expect.

FOREVER WITH YOU is an emotional storyline about the extent of one family’s dysfunctional nature and the extent of which has affected the next generation. The final resolution was difficult to accept under the circumstances but this is fictional story with a HEA- one that did not sit well with this reader.

Freed Series

Click HERE for our review of FIXED ON YOU (book 1)

Click HERE for our review of FOUND IN YOU (book 2)

Review by Sandy

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