Tag Archives: Time Travel

Mojitos with Merry Men by Marianne Mancusi – a Review

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Mojitos with Merry Men by Marianne Mancusi – a Review

 

Mojitos with Merry MenAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords

Description:
Chrissie Hayward, NYC fashion photographer and thoroughly modern gal, has never been one to swoon over fairytales. So when a mysterious gypsy tells Chrissie that she is a “gentle soul who would tame an outlaw’s thirst for revenge,” she’s not totally convinced the woman isn’t a couple of beans short of a frapuccino. But when Chrissie finds herself suddenly transported back in time to rescue her crazy coworker Kat, she’s ready to believe anything is possible! If only she’d known she was going to meet her “true love,” a hottie in Sherwood Forest, Chrissie would have worn better shoes!

But it turns out Robin of Locksley, aka the real Robin Hood, isn’t exactly a Prince Charming. That bit about robbing the rich to feed the poor? He evidently hasn’t gotten the memo yet. In fact, he’s less a folk hero and more a brooding bad boy. Not to mention his not-so-merry men who are under the impression that Chrissie is actually a boy. I mean, sure, she’s not exactly stacked, but still! Nonetheless, Robin is loyal, brave, and handsome as sin. If Chrissie could just get him with the program, she knows she could right his wagon and get these boyz’n the wood to be heroes of the realm instead of twerps in tights. But if she’s not careful, Chrissie may find this prince of thieves stealing her heart…

 

 

Review:

Mojitos with Merry Men by Marianne Mancusi is the 2nd book in her Timeless Love series. Chrissie Hayward, our heroine, is the photographer for Kat, our heroine in the first book, in the Medieval fair.   She gets a desperate call for help and despite Kat’s silly tail about being stuck in the future, Chrissie will go to the gypsy for help.  Shortly thereafter, Chrissie herself is whipped back in time to Sherwood Forest, and Robin Hood.  The gypsy wants Chrissie to get from King Richard a drop of blood from the Holy Grail, which will help bring Kat and her gang back to the present.

Chrissie is very pretty, but thin and flat-chested, allowing her to disguise herself as a boy, and join Robin’s team.  Chrissie is surprised to find Robin not quite the hero everyone thinks  he is, but in no time, she has him doing what he was meant to do, and becoming a hero.  In the mix, she learns that Maid Marian has left him, and she too is not who we thought she was, betraying him along the way.   But Robin begins to worry why he is having feelings for the boy, and is happy to find out she is in fact a lady.  This was somewhat humorous, as Chrissie also realizes that she is falling in love with Robin.  She has to decide if she wants to stay in the 12th century or go back home where she really has nothing.  Chrissie must also bring back the vial of blood.

This was a cute time-travel romantic comedy.  I enjoyed the camaraderie between Chrissie and the merry men of Robin Hood’s team.  If you enjoy lighthearted romance, with time travel and some fun humorous moments, then I suggest you read Mojitos with Merry Men.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Cocktails in Camelot by Marianne Mancusi – a Review

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Cocktails in Camelot by Marianne Mancusi – a Review

 

Cocktails in CamelotAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
Katherine “Kat” Jones is not your typical damsel in distress. She’s an outspoken New York City fashion editor, whose job is to claw through the hype and sniff out the trends. But an assignment at a medieval fair suddenly gets out of hand when Kat finds herself not at a modern fair but back in the actual time of King Arthur’s court. Suddenly Kat needs every ounce of her 21st century wits to navigate the legend. After all, surviving a magical plot, an evil prince, and a case of mistaken identity—all without changing history or scuffing your Manolos—takes some doing!

Luckily, she’s got her very own knight in shining armor, Lancelot du Lac, on her side. The honorable-to-a-fault and devastatingly handsome champion insists on helping her out, even though she’s not quite sure she wants him to. After all, shouldn’t he be off romancing Queen Guenevere or something? Will Kat manage to stay out of trouble long enough to get back to her beloved cappuccinos, cosmopolitans and cashmere? And what will Lancelot’s forbidden love mean for the kingdom of Camelot?

 

 

Review:

Cocktails in Camelot by Marianne Mancusi is a time travel story going back to the days of King Arthur’s Court.  Katherine (Kat) Jones, our heroine,   is a fashion editor in modern times.  When she is assigned to attend a medieval fair, she angers a gypsy with her flip attitude and is cursed.  When she wakes up, Kat is actually in the real medieval times, where she meets King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Guenevere. 

At first Kat still thinks she is at the fair she attended, until she realizes she has time travelled.  Everyone there, who hears the strange language spoken by Kat, thinks she is a spy.  She manages to escape, and with Lancelot’s help she uns away, ending up meeting Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.  Nimue will proceed to tell her she must seduce Lancelot.  Why you ask?  Because Nimue and Merlin can see the future, and they want to save Guenevere from being burned as a witch traitor for sleeping with Lancelot, and betraying Arthur. 

She goes back to King Arthur’s court, with Lancelot and Guenevere and manages to make friends, and fall in love with Lancelot.  What follows is a cute story, that was funny at times with Kat use of modern day slang.  It is Lancelot and Kat’s hidden romance that will accidently lead the way of endangering Guenevere and Lancelot’s lives.

It was an interesting story, but one that I felt was overdone in some ways.  Kat’s quips and mistakes ended up being more annoying then fun to me. I did enjoy Kat and Lancelot’s romance.  I loved Guenevere, as she and Kat became fast friends. It was cute at times, and the ending was a bit exciting, as we wondered how Kat will help Lancelot and Guenevere.  We also wondered if Kat will find her way back home to the present.  If you like a nice but different romance, with a blend of modern day and time travel, you should give this a try.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

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Indiana Belle (American Journey #3) by John A. Heldt-a review

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Indiana Belle (American Journey #3) by John A. Heldt-a review

Indiana Belle

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 14, 2016

Providence, Rhode Island, 2017. When doctoral student Cameron Coelho, 28, opens a package from Indiana, he finds more than private papers that will help him with his dissertation. He finds a photograph of a beautiful society editor murdered in 1925 and clues to a century-old mystery. Within days, he meets Geoffrey Bell, the “time-travel professor,” and begins an unlikely journey through the Roaring Twenties. Filled with history, romance, and intrigue, INDIANA BELLE follows a lonely soul on the adventure of a lifetime as he searches for love and answers in the age of Prohibition, flappers, and jazz.

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

INSERT LARGE PIC OF EMPTY TISSUE BOX …. Sniff … oh boy that was an absolute fantastic book!

Indiana Belle by John Heldt is a time traveling/mystery/suspense/history/romance novel that happens to be the third book in his “American Journey”series .. oh and it’s really really good. While this novel can be read alone, please read the first two books an then pick up the rest of John’s books while you are at it. Aside from Outlander, I am not a time travel fan, and John Heldt has made me a believer in this genre. I am a history lover however, and every time I read his books, I am swept right back in time with the main character. He hits upon some serious history in the 1920’s when prohibition and jazz were in full swing, and the KKK was rampant.

Cameron Coelho is a student collecting research on a project. He opens a package that was sent his way only to find the most captivating image of a woman who existed in 1925. Candice Bell is this woman who worked as an Society Editor in 1925, and Cameron cannot shake that he needs to dig deeper in the past. You see, Candice became a murder victim and her case was never solved. Digging deeper has lead Cameron to good ole professor Geoffrey Bell (notice victim and professor share the same last name) .. the time travelling professor.

Deals are struck and before we know it, Cameron is back in 1925 (I do it no justice in this simple sentence, but if I were to write out what this story entailed, I would have written my own version of it as it cannot be summed up so easy) and begins to track down his source. Here is where the problem lies with time travel though … what happens when you are placed in a situation where everything inside you wants to change the history you know is going to happen. What kind of aftermath has to be dealt with in order to save a life .. a life you grow to love?

So full of angst .. but really solid, hearty angst, not teeny bopper angst. I have to applaud John for hitting his mark every single time he releases a book. I felt every possible emotion he wanted me to feel, and his heros/heroines are so unbelievably rich in character you have no choice but to feel a connection to them. But it is not all that, that sticks out. It’s the attention to detail he offers by inserting his story in a true piece of history and enabling it to thrive. When you are in 2017 .. that is where you are. When you go back with Cameron to 1925, you see the styles, taste the drink, dance the steps and fear the KNOWN.

Thank you John for allowing me to be part of your creative world. You excite me with a new release as I kind of know what I can expect by now .. then you offer me more!

If you are a time traveling fan, John Heldt is a perfect fit for you. If you like suspense, romance, mystery .. he does that too! LOL

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reading Order and previous reviews
September Sky
Mercer Street
Indiana Belle

Copy Supplied by the author

Reviewed by Rachel T

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Mercer Street (American Journey #2) by John Heldt-a review

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Mercer Street (American Journey #2) by John Heldt-a review

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 21, 2015

Weeks after her husband dies in the midst of an affair in 2016, Chicago writer Susan Peterson, 48, seeks solace on a California vacation with her mother Elizabeth and daughter Amanda. The novelist, however, finds more than she bargained for when she meets a professor who possesses the secret of time travel. Within days, the women travel to 1938 and Princeton, New Jersey. Elizabeth begins a friendship with her refugee parents and infant self, while Susan and Amanda fall for a widowed admiral and a German researcher with troubling ties. Filled with poignancy, heartbreak, and intrigue, MERCER STREET gives new meaning to courage, sacrifice, and commitment as it follows three strong-willed souls on the adventure of a lifetime.

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

Oh John Heldt … is there anything you write that I won’t fall in love with? NOPE! LOL

I have come to expect one heck of a journey when I pick up a John Heldt novel, one that brings time travel, history, shock, love, sniffly “I just peeled an onion” moments, the need for a box of kleenex, nods of the head and a deep satisfaction that all is how it should be. Mercer Street is the second book of John’s American Journey series and like his first one I was completely smitten and captivated.

Susan Peterson has recently become a widow and decides to take a vacation in hopes of some healing. Bringing along her mother Elizabeth and her daughter Amanda, little does Susan realize that this vacay is going to throw her back into history and change her life forever. After meeting with a professor who is an expert on time travel, all three ladies soon find themselves on their own time travelling journey… together!

Thrown back into 1938 with New Jersey as the backdrop, Susan, Elizabeth and Amanda are not only flabbergasted at the experience of time travel, but completely at the mercy of what 1938 means. Pre WW2, being women, each having a different perspective on life as naturally three generations would, it was incredible to read these women navigate from 2016 to 1938.

As we bounce from one woman’s story to the other it amazed me how different their experiences were. Elizabeth befriends her parents as young immigrants (and meets herself as a baby .. that was weird …lol). Susan, after finding out her husband was unfaithful, has a tendency to have issues with trust. When she finds herself falling in love with an admiral, these issues surface. Amanda falls in love with a German and this brings much left to be desired as a war is brewing, and German’s were not on the same side as Americans.

SO MUCH MORE than all of this to the story (it’s hard to touch on details without giving too much away), and while all three main characters have their own spotlighted stories, it is amazing how weaved together these three individuals are. They each require healing in their own way, and they each seek to find something poignant and meaningful. I dare say they find all and so much more. One thing I came away with while reading this, is a mother will never stop being a mother. In spite of all good intentions, advice and suggestion wasn’t always adhered to, but a sense of learning and acceptance can be seen in all three strong willed women.

I often imagine how hard it has to be to be thrown back in a time, and want to do everything one can to prevent a harsh history from happening. I am glad this struggle is touched upon. John writes complex characters and story line that in my opinion are completely refreshing and engaging. His descriptions blow me away and I feel like I am experiencing the time as much as his characters are.

THANK YOU John for writing another captivating time travel novel. I have never made it a secret that I am not a huge fan of time travel, but you have erased any doubt I had and set a bar that is very high to match. I always look forward to reading one of your books and I sure hope there is more to come!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Rachel T.

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First Time With a Highlander by Gwyn Cready – Review, Spotlight & Giveaway

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First Time With a Highlander by Gwyn Cready – Review, Spotlight & Giveaway

 

First Time with a HighlanderAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
Serabeth’s no-good fiancé is dead, and she needs a husband fast, or she’ll be ruined. Her indignant and handsome captive will do just fine, if she can keep her mind focused on the business at hand…

Gerard is a love-’em-and-leave-’em ad exec who opens the door to a wild party in 21st century New York and wakes up in 18th century Edinburgh with a hangover and a beautiful, disinterested new “wife” who says he has “served his purpose.”

What the kilt?

 

 

Review:

First Time With a Highlander by Gwyn Cready is the 2nd book in her Sirens of the Scottish Borderlands series. This is a time travel Historical Romance, which takes place mostly in the 18th century (1706 Edinburg). Though the two main characters in the 1st book are part of this story, the book reads well as a standalone.

At the start, we meet Serafina Fallon, our heroine, who is in a bind financially. Her fiancée stole her cargo, leaving her with nothing. Both Abby and Undine (a witch?), whom we met in the first book, scheme to help her steal back her cargo. How? Undine will make a potion that worked to help Abby (in the first book) and bring a dead ringer for Serfina’s fiancée from the 21st century to help her claim back her cargo. Piece of cake……

Gerard Innes is a wealthy executive, who is a known womanizer. He wakes up after a night of wild partying in current day New York, and finds himself in a bed with a beautiful naked woman in 18th century Scotland.

Gerard adapts to his situation quickly, and immediately is attracted to the fiery redhead Serafina. Though Gerard is used to winning over most woman, Serafina is different. She is independent, strong, smart and determined to use Gerard to help her get back what she lost.

What follows is an adventure that will find them both putting themselves in danger to attempt to steal back the cargo. What is thought to be simple, turns into a major behind the scenes political scheme.

Serafina is fighting for her future, but despite her misgivings, she is also falling for Gerard. She knows he will leave soon, since he was meant to help for a day or two. Now she must protect her own life, as well as her heart. Gerard is between a rock and a hard place; he has fallen in love, and wants to bring Serafina back to the future with him, and the wealth that he has. But Serafina has her own pride, and will not leave her time. Will Gerard convince Serafina to go back with him? If not, would he stay in the 18th Century and try to amass his fortune again, with all his knowledge?

This was a good storyline, a nice romance, with some humor, and very likeable characters. However, I thought some of it was a bit slow, especially early on. I also felt it was a bit confusing and jumbled at some points. I would have liked it to be more cohesive. Overall, it was a good story, with a great theme. Who doesn’t like stories with men in kilts and that take place in Scotland, during the highlander days.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

sPOTLIGHT

This October the second in Gwyn Cready’s Sirens of the Scottish series, First Time with a Highlander, comes out! To celebrate, Gwyn’s here to tell us a little bit more about the inspiration behind her time-travel romances AND play a quick game of “Would You Rather.”

“People often ask me why I like to write time travel romance, and it’s a two-part answer, because there are really two questions in there—why do I like to write romance, and why do I like to write time travel.

I began to write with the intention of getting published in June, 1997 to honor my younger sister, who was a poet and photographer and who had died suddenly the month before. The sort of book I wanted to write was a book like the one a friend had given me a few months earlier—Outlander. At that time, I’d never read a romance before, and I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN. Jamie is the best sort of hero—devoted, funny, brave, smart, and supportive of the heroine. I was so hopped up on the first three Outlander novels, it was pretty much all I could talk about in the spring of 1997—and it was one of the things I talked to my sister about since her college boyfriend had been named Jamie and like the heroine in Outlander, my sister’s name was Claire. It was the last conversations I ever had with her.

So there I am, in 1997, wanting to honor my sister with a book, and certain the book I want to write is a romance like Outlander. Time travel fit in nicely for me. Outlander is a time travel novel, of course, but I’d been a time travel fan before that. The Back to the Future movies are my holy grail of time travel. I loved Somewhere in Time, of course, as well as the Terminator movies, Time After Time, and Groundhog Day. Time travel lets you quickly throw your character into adversity and see if he/she sinks or swims. The question you want readers asking in romance novels is “How, with all these challenges, will the hero and heroine still end up together?” Time travel adds another layer to that tension, specifically, “How will they end up together when each is destined to be in his/her own time?” In my mind, one of the most heroic things a character can do is give up his own time in order to be with the person he/she loves, and that’s always a tender and gripping moment to write in my books.

Which brings us to First Time with a Highlander. Serafina and Gerard were such fun characters to chase through a novel. As with Just in Time for a Highlander, the first book in the Sirens of the Scottish Borderlands series, I wanted to shake things up a bit by having the hero be the person who travels to the past. Gerard is an ad man—and since I spent twenty years working in brand management at a big pharma company, I know what ad men are like. The women in this series hold positions of unusual power for women in the eighteenth century, and Serafina is no exception. She inherited a shipping concern from her father, but her blackguard of an ex-fiancé has run the business into the ground. He’s ruined her socially and financially, but Serafina is not one to take things lying down. She uses herbs she’s, ahem, “borrowed” from a famed spell-caster to summon a man to help her claim the cargo from the ship’s final voyage before her fiancé can get his hands on it. She only needs a man for one night and…well, you can imagine what that leads to in the hands of an inexperienced spell user. But Serafina is willing to pay the price—in fact, she’s quite willing once the smart, dashing Gerard appears.

Would You Rather Question: Would you rather have a time machine that only goes back in time or a time machine that only goes forward in time?

Tough one. Going back, I have a chance to see my mother, father, and sister again. Going forward, I’d have a chance to see my kids in their careers, with their children and grandchildren. Let’s say back since I could also insert myself into Colin Firth’s life before he met that pesky wife of his.

 

About the author

Gwyn CreadyGwyn Cready is a writer of contemporary, Scottish, and time travel romance. She’s been called “the master of time travel romance” and is the winner of the RITA Award, the most prestigious award given in romance writing. She has been profiled in Real Simple and USA Today, among others. Before becoming a novelist, she spent 25 years in brand management. She has two grown children and lives with her husband on a hill overlooking the magical kingdom of Pittsburgh.
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Just in Time for a Highlander by Gwyn Cready – a review

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Just in Time for a Highlander by Gwyn Cready – a review

 

Just in Time for a HighlanderAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
It’s tough being a woman in a man’s profession, especially for Abby Kerr, the unexpected chieftess of Clan Kerr. Loathe to marry but in need of a strong arm, Abby wishes for a Scots warrior and gets . . . Duncan, the historical reenactment hobbyist.

Wall Street Impresario Duncan MacHarg isn’t bad with a fencing foil, but he’s no Highlander. When a misdirected spell plucks him from the 21st century, he lands in 1705 Scotland at the feet of the fiercest woman he’s ever laid eyes on…

 

 

Review:

Just in Time for a Highlander by Gwyn Cready is the 1st book in her new Sirens of the Scottish Borderlands series. Just in Time for a Highlander is a time travel Scottish Historical romance, but what makes this different than most time travel romances of this sort is that the man is the one thrown back in time. Most of the historical time travel books I have read, they have all been woman.

Abby Kerr is our heroine, who is the Chieftess of Clan Kerr. Abby and her clan are in the midst of trying to come up with funds to save her land, and to avoid war with the English. She is in desperate help for a strong arm warrior, and may be forced to marry her cousin, Rosston to save Clan Kerr. Abby’s friend Undine is a witch, who uses potents, charms and spells and one of these will bring Abby an unexpected gift.

Duncan MacHarg is our hero from current time, a successful financier and a Scottish Battle reenactor, who while playing in his fun battle, is caught into a spell and ends up in 1705 Scotland. It takes him a short while to realize that he is indeed in old Scotland, and becomes enthralled by the Clan’s leader, Abby. When Abby sees Duncan, at first she is not impressed, but soon realizes that Undine has brought her the strong arm she needs.

What follows is a story of Abby trying to avoid a war with English soldiers, keeping her clan safe, and hopefully avoiding a forced marriage. Duncan at the same time must try to earn the respect of Abby, Rosston and the members of the Clan. The romance between Duncan and Abby is scorching, even though both know at some point he will be sent back to his time, once he completes his forced mission to help Abby.

This was a nice romance, with a very likeable couple and the story had a nice theme. However, I had mixed feelings, as I thought the story was a bit disjointed at times, with some repetition, forcing me to skip a little at times. Overall it was a good story, with potential of being even better.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Souls Entwined by Anne B.Cole-a review

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Souls Entwined by Anne B.Cole-a review

Souls Entwined

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 28, 2014

When a cursed family heirloom sends Gretta Dobbs back in time, a hunky construction worker, Sam Daggett, suddenly finds himself love struck and joins her adventure. Their souls entwine within the bodies of young lovers on a Greek island in 1829, where they begin to unravel the mysteries behind Gretta’s ring all while avoiding a bloodthirsty pirate who is determined to seek revenge. Gretta and Sam must find the secrets needed to save her and her relatives from an afterlife in purgatory and return to their own lives—or risk becoming prisoners of the past, continuing the evil cycle of the ring’s curse.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: I wasn’t sure at first. But I persevered, and boy, I’m glad I did…. A great read.

Sam and Gretta are sent back in time, and they live through the bodies of a kidnapped sailor, Lorenzo and a young Greek woman, Anya. They are sent to solve the mystery of a generations old curse.. It’s a race against time to prevent Gretta from becoming the curse’s next victim.

Snapping back and forth between past and present, took a little adjustment, but it all made sense, eventually. The feelings between Sam and Gretta felt pretty realistic. It felt a little busy as Lorenzo, Anya, Sam and Gretta all battled for reading time, but I liked that, each character was an individual, but the melding between the male and female characters grabbed my attention. Attention to detail made this book a fun read.

I look forward to reading the next installment in this adventure. Do they end the curse ? Do both Lorenzo and Sam get their girls ??? Read it and find out.

I can highly recommend this book. 4 stars

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Julie B

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Hot Rock by Annie Seaton-Review and Interview with the Author

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Hot Rock by Annie Seaton -Review and Interview with the Author

 

Hot Rock Banner

Hot Rock
by Annie Seaton
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Genre: romance, time travel,

Hot Rock

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HOT ROCK by Annie Seaton

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 24, 2014

Megan Miller is on a dream trip to research her doctoral thesis at a rock festival in England. When she arrives in town she’s stunned that her temporary neighbor is the spitting image of her 70’s rock idol, too bad he’s also a world-class jerk. So why can’t she stop thinking about him? Seventies rock star Davy Morgan is a man with a secret: rockin’ in one time and living in another. He holds his privacy close to his heart, so when a beautiful girl who not only loves but truly understands his music moves in next door, he works overtime to keep her at a distance. Easier said than done. Megan follows Davy to the rock festival, but it’s not what or when it seems. The lure of the music draws them closer, but can their newfound love span across the decades, or will it get lost in time?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HOT ROCK is a paranormal, romantic, time travel storyline that spans 1971 to 2014. Australian sociologist Megan Miller travels to England to research for her doctoral thesis on the cult of the rock band only to discover that her rude and flamboyant neighbor is an identical likeness to 70s rock icon Davy Morgan-a musician Megan has researched in the past.

The storyline follows Megan as she is swept back in time to 1971-to the beginning of Davy Morgan’s career and the very music festival where both of their futures begin to unfold. While staying at a small, village cottage in 2014, Megan meets ‘David Morgan’-nephew to the rock icon Davy Morgan-and an immediate love/hate relationship begins. But when David disappears and Megan follows closely behind, our couple will take their friendship to the next level as Davy’s career and that of his band begin its’ rise up the charts in 1971.

The relationship between Megan and Davy is quick to develop as the storyline encompasses a few days in the life. From frenemies to lovers, our couple is pulled to one another like magnets and there is no stopping the future as it unfolds in the past.

Annie Seaton draws the reader into the fashion, music and discrimination of 1971: where Davy Morgan meets David Bowie; and where ‘peace, love and, rock and roll’ was the anthem of a generation.

HOT ROCK is a quick read, where one woman discovers that her love for the music and the man from 1971 knows no boundaries including the time line and several generations of rock stars and music.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview white:black

TRC: Hi Annie and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of HOT ROCK.

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

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Annie_Seaton_200x300This is me… straight from my bio… and it’s all true!

Annie: Annie Seaton lives on the edge of the South Pacific Ocean on the east coast of Australia and she is fulfilling her lifelong dream of working in the publishing industry.

As well as being a publicist and an editor, she is also a writer and has been delighted to discover that readers love reading her stories as much as she loves writing them.
Annie lives by the beach with her own hero of many years and since the children have fled the nest, they share their home with “Bob” the dog and two white cats.
When she is not writing, editing or promoting her authors’ books, she can be found in her garden or walking on the beach…or most likely on her deck overlooking the ocean, a chilled glass of wine in hand as the sun sets.

TRC: HOT ROCK is your February 24, 2014 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble /

Hot RockAnnie: Megan Miller is on a dream trip to research her doctoral thesis at a rock festival in England. When she arrives in town she’s stunned that her temporary neighbor is the spitting image of her 70’s rock idol, too bad he’s also a world-class jerk. So why can’t she stop thinking about him? Seventies rock star Davy Morgan is a man with a secret: rockin’ in one time and living in another. He holds his privacy close to his heart, so when a beautiful girl who not only loves but truly understands his music moves in next door, he works overtime to keep her at a distance. Easier said than done. Megan follows Davy to the rock festival, but it’s not what or when it seems. The lure of the music draws them closer, but can their newfound love span across the decades, or will it get lost in time?

TRC: Who or what was the inspiration behind HOT ROCK? Is the character of Davy/David Morgan based in reality-on any particular male rock singer (past or present)?

Annie: I’ve been a fan of seventies music since…the seventies! It seems that many of my favourite singers were Davids…so my fictional rock star had to be a David. I guess the music that Davy Morgan plays would be similar to David Bowie and in my mind, I imagined him to look like David Essex in his heyday!

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series or is this a standalone storyline?

Annie: This is a standalone book..which is unusual for me. All of my other books are in series.

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

Annie: When I write each day, I go back to the beginning and re edit what I have written so far. That way I can ensure that I am leaving enough clues, yet without giving too much away. I loved the creative freedom of writing the time travel in tis, but my editors kept a very close watch on the continuity…so that was easy to follow the different time periods.

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

Annie: Being an Aussie… I would have to say Chris Hemsworth.. but he’d need to have black curly hair! Johnny Depp would run a close second.

Anne Hathaway would bring that air of vulnerability to Megan’s character.

Outback AffairTRC: Outback Affair (October 2013) is the third storyline in your Affair series. Do you have any plans for another instalment?

Annie: Funny you should ask that. Many of my readers aare asking for another one and I’ve been thinking of a long lost brother…from before Tessa married. We’ll see.

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

Annie: That is such a good question. I used to be what is called an ‘organic writer’ otherwise known as a panster, but my editors prefer a good synopsis as soon as the book is contracted. Unfortunately my characters never do what I planned but I do think it enriches my stories .

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?

Annie: The old maxim ‘show versus tell’ is the key to his. It is so important to use words, settings and feelings that let the reader live in the character’s skin. I find this process quite easy as I also work as an editor and am constantly teaching my authors how to remove filter words and phrases that sets up a barrier between the character and the reader’s response.

I think writer’s fail when they provide too much narrative and don’t let the actions and events come out through the characters immersion in a scene.

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

Annie: As soon as I am stuck for an idea , I head to the beach. Water is my element and feeds my creative muse (as you can see by my Facebook photos) Many a scene has been written in my head as I walk along the beach.

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

Annie: It was easy to write this setting as I visited Glastonbury about eight years ago and had many photos that I took on that visit. I had to rely on my memory for the smells and sounds of the English countryside. I didn’t go to the rock festival so I relied on videos. There is a wealth of material on the internet for research.
I usually write in a quiet room, but I actually played a lot of Peter Frampton music as I wrote Hot Rock…to keep me in the zone.

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

Annie: I have a couple of fabulous writer friends …who I talk to every day on social media. We bounce ideas for each of our current stories and two of my friends read my manuscripts before they go to the editor.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Annie: I am working on three stories at once…yes I know…crazy writer! I have just commenced the third book in th Half Moon Bay series and am currently trying to get into Georgie’s skin. I am writing a historical book about a missing Emerald necklace (with pirates!) and I am working on a single title…a political romantic thriller set in the outback of Australia.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Annie: Thanks so much for having me visit. I love to hear from readers and answer every email or FB message that they send me. I love talking about my books and I have a reader’s group for each book.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food :Potato

Favorite Dessert: Tiramisu

Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory

Last Movie You Saw: Hmmm. Can’t remember…too busy writing. Probably one of the Pirates of the Caribbean!

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush: David Bowie

Last Vacation Destination: Hayman Island

Pet Peeve: Reality TV shows

TRC: Thank you Annie for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best.

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