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

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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?

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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.

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The Quarterback’s Secret by Kylie King-Review Tour

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The Quarterback’s Secret by Kylie King-Review Tour

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

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/2OmNjSc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 2019

Zach Taylor is in his prime. He’s star quarterback for his college and, of course, all the girls clamor over him. Life is going great for the campus star…that is, until his best friend’s little sister transfers to the school.

Zach remembers little Janie Fuller all too well. She’s the same girl who snuck around with him at night behind her brother’s back, and the same girl who asked Zach to be her first.
Zach doesn’t remember many girls’ names, but he will never forget what he did with little Janie. Now she’s all grown up, and she knows exactly what she wants: her brother’s best friend.

Zach & Janie’s past soon catches up with them, and the secret crush they harbored years ago returns full force. Neither of them will be able to resist one another, and their struggle to keep their forbidden affair under wraps will be much harder than they expected.

•••••••

REVIEW: The Quarterback’s Secret begins with Janie Fuller beginning college where her big brother attends and plays football. Her dad also fixed it to where she will be the water girl for the team. That normally wouldn’t be a problem, but her brother’s best friend, Zach, who broke her heart in high school, just so happens to be the quarterback. Janie hasn’t heard from him since he left for college. She tells herself that she can handle seeing Zach, that she’s over him and she will be fine.

When Janie arrives at college and gets settled in, she heads over to the football field, where her brother is glad to see her. However, when Zach sees her, she can tell immediately that he’s surprised. Seems he didn’t know she was coming there, let alone be the water girl for the team.
It only takes a little bit for Zach to approach Janie. She rebuffs him, but very soon finds herself falling for him all over again. Zach explains why he did what he did, and her brother played a big part in that decision, seeing as how said brother had no idea that his best friend was hooking up with his little sister in high school.

Janie and Zach start to enjoy each other’s company, albeit a secret affair. Neither of them wants to hurt her brother, but it doesn’t take long for Janie’s insecurities to kick in when it comes to Zach old womanizing ways. When Janie stands Zach up after a game, he knows there’s only one way to keep her: reveal their secret to her brother and his best friend.

The Quarterback’s Secret is a short, fast-paced story of second chance love. With it being so short, there really wasn’t a lot of character development. With that said, both main characters were nicely written, as were the secondary characters. If you’re a fan of the new adult genre with a lot of steam, you’ll enjoy this one. Well done, Kylie King.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

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Summer on Moonlight Bay by Hope Ramsay-Review and Giveaway

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Summer on Moonlight Bay by Hope Ramsay-Review and Giveaway

SUMMER ON MOONLIGHT BAY
Moonlight bay #2
by Hope Ramsay
Release date: August 6, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 6, 2019

Only one thing can make veterinarian Noah Cuthbert return to Magnolia Harbor-his mother’s failing health. He’ll do anything to help his family, including taking a short-term gig at the local animal clinic. What he doesn’t count on is getting up-close-and-personal with the clinic’s new manager, a woman whose love and compassion for every stray that crosses her path has him rethinking his plans to head back to his big-city life…

After her time in the Navy, Lia wants nothing more than to settle down. The quaint seaside town is just what she’d been hoping for, and not just because her new boss is movie-star handsome. As they grow closer, Lia starts wondering if Noah could be the one. But when a town crisis forces Noah to take a stand that jeopardizes their new-found happiness, can Lia convince him that home doesn’t have to be a four-letter word?

•••••••••

REVIEW: Summer on Moonlight Bay begins with Lia DiPalma finding herself lost on the outskirts of Magnolia Harbor. She is fresh out of the Navy and looking for a place to call home. After hearing so much about the place from her Commanding Officer, Chaplain Micah St. Pierre, she decided that she would head there to see about going to work for Micah, who has his own church now and is no longer in the Navy either. Lia spots a dog in the middle of the road that has been hit by a car and stops to check on him. She finds the dog needs help immediately and finally finds her way into town, only to find that the vet clinic isn’t open for business. She does, however, find that there is a nice lady there who has her bring the dog into the clinic to see what they can do for it.

Noah Cuthbert is bound and determined to get his mother to leave Magnolia Harbor and move in with him in Charleston. His mother has multiple sclerosis and he worries about her being able to care for herself. His little sister, Abby, is there, but he hopes that she will go to college in the fall. IF she does, it will leave his mother all along. His mother has other plans. The island has always been her home, and she’s not leaving. When his grandmother calls to tell him that there is an injured dog that has been brought into the clinic, he reluctantly heads out to check the pup out. The clinic is state of the art, thanks to a wealthy beneficiary, but doesn’t have a vet on staff. He knows his grandmother wants him to run the clinic, but the last place he wants to be is Magnolia Harbor. Little does Noah, nor Lia, know how much that fateful phone call will change not only their lives, but the lives of a lot of people in Magnolia Harbor.

Summer on Moonlight Bay is a wonderfully written story of redemption and second chances. Lia is someone who has been looking for forgiveness for things that were totally out of her control but is the type of person who takes everything on herself. Her mother was a wanderer and never settled down anywhere and Lia thought that’s how she would be as well. Noah has a lot of similar issues with his father. Not that his father was a wanderer, but he was hard on Noah and his family. Lia and Noah really do fight their attraction to each other, knowing that they both carry some emotional baggage that they need to deal with. Of course, misunderstandings happen along the way and a rush to judgement or two derails things for a minute. However, when the two of them come together to face their long held personal issues, you’ll not only cheer, but shed a tear or two. The secondary characters are very well written as well and leaves you wanting to be a part of the Magnolia Harbor community. This story leaves you with a smile in your heart and a pep in your step. I had no idea it was part of a series until I went to write this review, but this can totally be read as a stand alone. (I have gone and bought the first book in the series though!) This is the first I’ve read by Hope Ramsay, but will definitely not be the last. Well done, Hope Ramsay! Very, very well done!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

FOREVER Romance is offering a paper copy of  THE COTTAGE on ROSE LANE and SUMMER on MOONLIGHT BAY by Hope Ramsay  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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Girl Watching You by J. A. Schneider -a review

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Girl Watching You by J. A. Schneider -a review

 

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: RELEASE DATE JUNE 27, 2019

A young woman, obsessed by a man she considers a predator, climbs a fire escape and thinks she sees a murder.

Out of work actress Ava Beck, reduced to working in a West Village flower shop, starts to watch womanizing hedge funder Peter Greer, who lives near. He likes to romance his girlfriends with flowers.

Ava notices bruises on his troubled-looking date named Chloe. Concerned, she follows them after work to Chloe’s studio, second floor in the rear of a brownstone. She hears them arguing, climbs up the fire escape just as Greer angrily sees her…and plunges into a world of stunning twists, murder and madness worse than any she could have imagined.

••••••••••

REVIEW: Girl Watching You begins with Ava Beck, an out of work actress, working in a flower shop. Since her sister’s death two years ago, she still finds herself going over the series of events that led up to her death. Ava knows down to her toes that it wasn’t an accident, and is doing everything she can to bring charges (that will stick) against her sister’s abusive boyfriend. Ava knew from the moment that her sister was killed who did it. Just so happens that the boyfriend was also a successful actor and had Ava blacklisted. Hence, she’s working in a flower shop, and has become a bit of a people watcher.

One person that has caught her eye is Peter Greer, who seems to change girlfriends often, and who also stops at the shop often to purchase flowers for his current flame. She notices one particular woman, whom she has seen a couple of times with Greer, has bruises and seems a bit disheveled. Although Ava’s boss has warned Ava about her “people watching” that has almost turned into stalkerish behavior, she takes it upon herself to find out exactly what is going on. While Ava is spying on Peter and the woman, she sees that things starting to get out of hand, only to have Peter see her. Or did he?

The next day, Ava discovers that the woman has been murdered. Once again, she thinks she knows who did it and sets out to “look” in on Peter. Little does Ava realize how much that decision will change the rest of her life.

Girl Watching You is a nicely written story, even though it comes across almost as a screenplay in parts of it. Ava seems a little naïve in the way she handles several issues in her life, but ended up getting her stuff together towards the last half of the book. The secondary characters are well written and it is the interactions between all of them that pulls you in. Just when you think you know who did it, Schneider twists it masterfully and leaves you guessing until almost the very end. If you’re a fan of suspense thrillers, you’ll enjoy this latest story from J.A. Schneider.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

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Falling With You by Carrie Ann Ryan-Review Tour

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Falling With You (Fractured Connections #3) by Carrie Ann Ryan-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 16, 2019

NYT bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan concludes a brand new series where second chances don’t come often, and overcoming an unexpected loss means breaking everything you knew.

The day I lost my best friend was the day I realized that I’d been living in the past. I’ve tried to find a way to heal, to mend that break. Somehow, I came through it partially whole. But I know I couldn’t have done that without Aiden Connolly.

The problem is, he once loved my best friend. And now she’s gone, and I refuse to be in that shadow, or worse, a replacement for someone we both loved.

~~

I left them all behind.

My brother.

My family.

My best friend.

And her.

Only Sienna Knight doesn’t realize what she means to me. But before I can make sure she knows, I need to figure out exactly what that is.

••••••••

REVIEW: Falling With You begins with Sienna Knight and her friends at their favorite hangout, which is owned by the Connolly brothers. There are four brothers to whom which two of her best friends just happen to be involved with. After a long day at work, Sienna tells them that she is going to head home. Aiden Connolly is leaving as well and offers to walk her to her car. She protests, but then gives in. On their way to Sienna’s car, Aiden realizes he has left his phone and reluctantly runs back to get it. About two seconds later, Sienna is brutally attacked and dragged into the alley. She tries to fight back, but they overpower her pretty easily. As she’s about to lose consciousness, the guy who is holding her abruptly lets go. She hears shouts and sees Aiden fighting with the attackers and they finally run away as others come running.

While Sienna is being checked out at the emergency room, all she can worry about is Aiden. When she finds out that he has broken his hand, she immediately goes into guilt mode. Aiden is a chef and she knows he can’t work with a broken hand. Sienna doesn’t get to talk to Aiden at the hospital and her friends and family take her home. She’s rattled and banged up, but she will be fine. At least physically…..

Aiden is mad…..at himself and at the world for what he feels like he let happen. Deep down he knows that it’s not his fault, but he can’t get the sight of Sienna being attacked out of his head. He ends up going back to work, giving orders and being a jerk in general.

Sienna has settled back in to work and finds a bit of solace in working with her physical therapy patients. Even though everyone is still worried about her, she is determined to not let what happened turn her into a coward. However, once Aiden and Sienna talk about the attack and know that neither is to blame, the know they have to face other issues. Namely, their attraction to each other and that ‘one’ night that they say should have never happened.

As the two of them navigate their now acknowledged feelings for each other, a misunderstanding threatens to derail everything. But, as an old secret comes to light and a new threat to Sienna emerges, they soon figure out that, together, they can get through the roughest of times.

Falling With You is an emotional read, that, like the other books in this series, deals with some heavy storylines. Sienna is a complex character. She is having a hard time with Allison’s suicide (which you learn about in the first book, Breaking Without You). She is also having a hard time with survivor’s guilt (in my humble opinion). She is doing her best to move on. Aiden is written with a little complexity too. Once his and Allison’s secret comes to light, you fall even harder for him. However, it’s when he and Sienna finally acknowledge their long held feelings for each other that truly melts your heart. If you’re a fan of friends to lovers, you’ll absolutely love this story. This is a story wrought with emotion, so have a few tissues ready, because you’ll fall in love with not only Sienna and Aiden, but the entire ensemble! Well done, Carrie Ann Ryan! Very, very well done!

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Breaking Without you
Shouldn’t Have You
Falling With You

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

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Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Fractured Connections, and Elements of Five series, which have sold over 3.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over seventy-five novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.

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One Night of Passion (Wicked Dukes Clubs) by Erica Ridley-Review

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One Night of Passion (Wicked Dukes Clubs) by Erica Ridley-Review & Excerpt Tour

 

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 14, 2019

Meet the unforgettable men of London’s most notorious tavern, The Wicked Duke. Seductively handsome, with charm and wit to spare, one night with these rakes and rogues will never be enough…

Lifelong romantic Thaddeus Middleton is on the hunt for a wife. He hopes to find a woman more attracted to him than to money. Instead, he finds himself drawn to a spitfire who isn’t interested in him at all! At least, that’s what she says when she’s not kissing him beneath the stars…

Miss Priscilla Weatherby will inherit a fortune… provided she remains unwed and scandal-free. Easy enough, until she meets a man more dangerous than haughty lords and heartless rakes. Thad is a sweet, sexy delight, whose passionate embrace will ruin everything—including her! She’ll sacrifice anything for independence. Even love

•••••••••

REVIEW: One Night of Passion begins with Thaddeus Middleton attending yet another soirée at Almack’s. He is determined to find a woman who is interested in him and not a title. Which is a good thing, because although he isn’t titled, he is a good man who believes in love and wants to make a good life for himself and the “one”. He has seen a few of his friends fall in love recently and that only makes him want it more.

Priscilla Weatherby is set to inherit a fortune from her absentee father as long as she remains unmarried up until her 25th birthday. She also attends the parties at Almack’s, but rebuffs any and all advances…until she meets Thaddeus Middleton. If she were looking to wed, he would be someone she could find herself interested in. He’s sweet, handsome and funny, which makes him dangerous to her plan.

Priscilla’s grandfather and father are adventurers and have been absent for most of her life. She longs to join them on their adventures, much to her grandmother’s chagrin. Having lost her mother when she was small, Priscilla has lived her entire life with her grandmother. When Thaddeus calls on Priscilla, she finds herself a bit surprised when her grandmother tells her she should marry him. Priscilla admits to herself, and Thaddeus, pretty quickly that their attraction is mutual, but she also tells him that she will never marry him. Not because of his lack of title, but because of her need for adventure and to be with her father.

Thaddeus finds himself heartbroken, but after some serious thought, knows just what he has to do to win not only Priscilla’s hand in marriage, but her heart as well.

One Night of Passion is a wonderful addition to The Wicked Duke series. Priscilla is a little naïve when it comes to her father, but once the truth is revealed, she knows without a doubt what she has to do. Thaddeus is a wonderful character. His sense of honor and loyalty will endear him to everyone. Their chemistry, however, pulls you in from the very beginning. I’ve enjoyed the other books in the series, but this is my favorite. If you’re looking for a sweetly developed romance that has amazing characters, this one is for you. Well done, Erica Ridley! Very well done!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie

 

 

Earlier this year, Mr. Thaddeus Middleton had realized he’d been placing all his attention on the same pool of ladies. The outgoing ones, the flirtatious ones, the ones who had known him for so long that every one of his dances was promised within moments of stepping foot in a ballroom. Such evenings were fun, but got him no closer to his goal. Worse, he might have spent the past decade skipping over all the most interesting women.
Thad had immediately declared this season the Year of the Wallflower.
By dedicating at least half of each evening to ladies he’d never danced with before, he’d met countless new friends… and no potential brides. But just because there had been no fireworks so far didn’t mean he was on the wrong track. In fact, the season had barely begun, and he’d already witnessed two unlikely love matches. Didn’t fortune come in threes?
He turned a slow circle, paying close attention to those in the margins. Although gentlemen carried no dance cards, Thad kept careful track. He still had a handful of unclaimed sets. Some young lady here tonight might be the one to spark the fireworks he sought.
There.
An excited tingle of anticipation rushed through him. Dark brown curls, gorgeous brown eyes, dusky pink lips, an enticing combination of soft skin and lush curves wrapped in a gauzy roses-and-cream evening gown.
He knew her name: Miss Priscilla Weatherby. They had been formally presented during her come-out four or five years ago, but hadn’t spoken since.
Although a reasonably familiar face at society gatherings, Miss Weatherby rarely stood up for more than a quadrille or two and tended to guard her company. As such, her name had never been linked to gossip—or bandied about much at all. She was almost as much a fixture as the gilded columns and crimson ropes partitioning the ballroom.
Not today. He rolled back his shoulders in determination. After being on the shelf for five years, Miss Weatherby had likely tired of being overlooked by unimaginative lordlings. If she had never danced a waltz, why, Thad would be honored to be the first to ask.
He strode in her direction with confidence and good cheer. Even if no spark marked the occasion, at least they would get a dance out of it, and possibly a few laughs. Miss Weatherby might well become the most memorable set of the entire night.
When he reached the pilaster whose shadow half-concealed her from view, Thad swept a glorious bow. “How do you do this evening, Miss Weatherby? Dare I hope room remains on your card for a dance?”
She gazed back at him with a fathomless expression. “Why?”
He blinked. “Er, because this is a ballroom. For dancing. The food might be wretched, but the orchestra is lovely. Unfortunately, it is impossible to dance a quadrille by oneself, so I wondered—”
“I know what dancing is,” she interrupted, her dark eyes locked on his with amusement and heat. “Why would you want to do it with me?”
Thad moved closer with interest. Now that the conversation had taken such an unprecedented turn, he wasn’t certain he wished to waste a thirty-minute set marking out the steps of a quadrille. Conversing with Miss Weatherby would be leagues more diverting.
“We needn’t dance,” he said at once, and gave her a full smile. “I’m happy to promenade, if you prefer.”
There was no sense hiding how intrigued he’d just become. Thad did not believe in playing games. Part of being in the right place at the right time meant not ruining the moment by feigning indifference.
She tilted her head. “Did I do something to make you think I’d be interested in perambulating about a ballroom on your elbow?”
“Er,” Thad said brightly. “That is…”
“Or did you come here because you judged me to be a wallflower, and therefore desperate for the attention of some impossibly handsome gentleman with courtly manners and a contagious smile?”
Impossibly handsome and courtly manners sounded wildly complimentary.
Thad suspected it was not.
“Er,” he said again. “Only a fool would believe all wallflowers—”
“Only a fool,” she interrupted, “would assume a woman not dancing must be heartbroken over a lack of suitors. Perhaps the woman received plenty of offers and simply said, ‘No.’ Just like this.”
Miss Weatherby stepped away from the pilaster and into the light, her upturned chin and plump lips suddenly close to his own. “No.”
With a flutter of eyelashes, she turned and walked off.
Thad stared after her, thunderstruck. Their encounter had been more sledgehammer than spark, but one thing was certain:
Only a fool would overlook a woman like Miss Weatherby.

 

Erica Ridley learned to read when she was three, which was about the same time she decided to be a writer when she grew up.

Now, Erica is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of historical romance novels.

The Dukes of War features roguish peers and dashing war heroes who return from battle only to be thrust into the splendor and madness of Regency England.

In Rogues to Riches, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Lovable rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind adventure.

The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a laugh-out-loud historical romance series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

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Under The Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens-Review & Giveaway Tour

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Under the Northern Lights by S. C. Stephens-Review Tour

 

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 30 2019

Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile.

Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months.

As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?

•••••••••

REVIEW:Under the Northern Lights begins with Mallory Reynolds and her annual trip into remote areas of Alaska to photograph animals in their natural habitat. Even though her family doesn’t approve of these dangerous trips, her passion for her craft fuels her. She loads her supplies and equipment into her small plane and heads out. A little while into the flight, an unexpected storm blows in causing her engine to stall. Mallory feels real terror for the first time as her plane crashes into the forest. Once she comes to herself, she knows she badly injured and in deep trouble.

Mallory manages to pull herself from the wreckage and sets up a camp of sorts. Knowing that there are wild animals lurking only adds to her terror. When one attacks, she fights with everything she has and can’t believe this is how it ends. However, when a mysterious stranger saves her life she is more than thankful. When she finds out that there is no way out until spring, she reluctantly accepts her fate.

Michael Bradley has been living in this remote part of Alaska for five years. He has lost his faith in humanity and in God. He lost someone dear to a senseless act of violence and withdrew from the world. Once he and Mallory get to know each other and settle into their routine to ride out the winter, he, more than once, finds himself having feelings he thought were long dead.

Under the Northern Lights has a great premise. Mallory’s annual treks into remote Alaska are admirable. She’s poised and independent and has a strong faith in God, from which she will not back down. Michael’s backstory is what grabs you though. Your heart will break for him, but at the same time, you want to pop him in the back of the head. I did like a lot of their interactions, especially their ‘field trips’ out into the wilderness to check his traps and such. Where it went a little wonky for me was their sexual chemistry, or lack thereof. I just felt that something was missing, almost like it is a little forced. With all of that said, it was an enjoyable read.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie

 

 

We both heard a loud clatter outside. Michael instantly snapped to his feet, his face intently focused as he listened for further sounds of trouble; he had no human neighbors to speak of, so things were generally silent here.Fearful curiosity was killing me, and I was dying to ask him if he knew what was out there, but I didn’t want to disrupt his concentration. And it turned out I didn’t need to ask. Seconds later, I heard the deep, resonant, unmistakable growl of a bear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

Social Media Links

Website: https://authorscstephens.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCStephensAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SC_Stephens_
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4372391.S_C_Stephens

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The Trouble with Vampires (Argeneau #29) by Lynsay Sands-a review

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The Trouble with Vampires (Argeneau #29) by Lynsay Sands-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 25, 2019.

For close to three thousand years the imposing, impossibly handsome Santo Notte has fought in armies across the world and battled his own, more personal enemies. Of all the places he might expect to encounter his life mate, a quiet corner of upstate New York doesn’t seem likely. But as soon as he makes contact with history professor Petronella Stone, while hunting down a suspected rogue immortal, he knows that she will be the greatest adventure of his eternal life.

He expects her to be surprised, confused, even overwhelmed. What he doesn’t expect is that Pet has a secret history of her own. There’s no mistaking the mind-blowing, mutual pleasure they share. But as Pet struggles to protect her nephew from a danger lurking too close to home, Santo realizes there’s another threat to her safety—him. And claiming their passionate future will be impossible until he leaves his past behind, forever

•••••••••••

REVIEW: The Trouble With Vampires begins with Petronella Stone, known as Pet, babysitting her nephew due to both parents being out of town. She finds herself a bit surprised to see that the neighbors are out of town and have rented out their home to a group of people (Marguerite Argeneau Notte and her husband, Julius, among others) vacationing. She’s also surprised when her nephew tells her that the neighbor across the street has company who doesn’t seem very nice and he’s a bit worried about the elderly neighbor. After she and her nephew have gone to bed, she discovers someone trying to break into her sister’s home and calls 911.

Santo Notte has been summoned to upstate New York in order to help track a rogue immortal. While surveilling the house across the street, he and his family (who are there to help track the rogue) see someone trying to break into the house next door and leap into action. Even though the rogue gets away, they take Pet and her nephew into their ‘rental’ to keep them safe and to make the necessary repairs to Pet’s house.

Once Santo realizes that he can’t read or control Pet, he knows she is his lifemate, but moves slowly as to not run her off for more than one reason. Not only does he not want her to run because he’s an immortal, it appears that he has been keeping a secret that he fears could put her in danger……from him.

The Trouble With Vampires is another great addition to the Argeneau series. I loved Pet. And I loved that she actually already knew about immortals. That particular backstory is one of the best yet in the series. I’ve been waiting on Santo’s story for a while now. His abduction and torture at the hands of an evil doctor, and ultimate escape, has shaped him into a bit of a brooding character. However, once he realizes that Pet is his lifemate, he tries to shake loose of the past in order to have a future with her. The chemistry between the two of them, as well as their understanding of each other’s backgrounds, will endear both of them to everyone who reads their story. The Trouble With Vampires is book number 29 in the Argeneau series, and I still love them. Every one of them. They are fun, poignant with just the right amount of steam. If you’re a paranormal romance fan, you will NEVER go wrong with one of these books. The entire Argeneau family, as well as their extended family, is one of the most endearing families in paranormal romance history, in my humble opinion. Well done, Lynsay Sands! Very, very well done!

Previous Reviews

The Lady is a Vamp
Immortal Ever After
One Lucky Vampire
About A Vampire
Runaway Vampire
Twice Bitten
Vampires Like It Hot

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Vickie K

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