Monday, June 30, 2014

The Captive by Grace Burrowes


Book Information

Author: Grace Burrowes
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance


Summary

Captured and tortured by the French, Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia, survives by vowing to take revenge on his tormentors. Before the duke can pursue his version of justice, Gillian, Countess of Greendale, reminds him that his small daughter has suffered much in his absence, and needs her papa desperately.

Gilly endured her difficult marriage by avoiding confrontation and keeping peace at any cost. Christian's devotion to his daughter and his kindness toward Gilly give her hope that she could enjoy a future with him, for surely he of all men shares her loathing for violence in any form. Little does Gilly know, the battle for Christian's heart is only beginning.

Excerpt

The countess brought Christian’s hand up, holding the back of it against the extraordinary softness of her cheek. Until he’d taken liberties with her in the library, he’d forgotten how wonderfully, startlingly soft a woman’s cheek could be. As soft as sunshine and summer rain, as soft as the quiet of the English countryside.

“Shall we sit?” he asked, though she’d likely release his hand if they sat. He was a widower, though, and she ought not to begrudge him simple human contact when he’d been so recently bereaved.

She let him lead her to a shaded bench near the roses, the morning air faintly redolent of their perfume. When Christian seated her, the countess kept his damaged hand in hers.

“I was not allowed to garden at Greendale,” she said, fingers drifting over his knuckles. “The estate had gardens, because his lordship would not be seen to neglect his acres, but I was forbidden to walk them, or to dig about in the good English soil, or to consult with the gardeners regarding the designs and plantings.”

Based on the studied casualness of her tone, this prohibition had been irksome.

“You are free to garden here all you like,” Christian said. “I ask only that you not disturb my mother’s roses.”

“They are lovely.”

“She was lovely.”

Another silence, while Christian became aware of his surroundings beyond the small hand holding his. The roses were in their early summer glory, and why Polite Society insisted on staying in Town through most of June was incomprehensible, when the alternative was the English countryside. The sunshine was a perfectly weighted beneficence on his cheek, the scent of the gardens heavenly, and the entire morning aurally gilded with the fluting chorus of songbirds.

He wanted to kiss the lady beside him again, not in thanks, not as a good-night benediction, but for the sheer pleasure of the undertaking.

Buy Links

Amazon - http://amzn.to/1i9Rbhv
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1f76x6K
iTunes - http://bit.ly/1gRGnQA

Author Biography

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

Social Media Links

Website: http://graceburrowes.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Burrowes/115039058572197
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraceBurrowes
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4152482.Grace_Burrowes

Betrayed by Rebecca York

RebeccaYorkBlitz
Book Information

BETRAYED
Author: Rebecca York
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Summary

There is a spy in S&D systems who is leaking top-secret information that could lead to extreme disaster. It's up to Shane Gallagher to uncover the mole and set things right.

Systems analyst Elena Reyes had no intention of stealing company secrets until her brother's life was threatened by the cruelest of mobsters. When Elena finally confesses her deeds to Shane, he's ready to do everything he can to keep her out of danger. But will Shane's help be enough to protect them, or will his good intentions leave them all for dead?
RebeccaYorkQuote1

Excerpt

Elena had never thought about seducIng a man. She wasn’t even sure of her moves. But she knew that Shane wanted her, even if he wasn’t prepared to admit it. She also knew he felt protective of her, which was probably part of the conflict he must be feeling.

Before he could come up with another objection, she cupped the back of his head with her hands and brought his face down as she raised her own head toward him.

She hadn’t been sure what would happen. Or perhaps she’d been afraid that he’d wrench himself away from her. But the danger must have affected his emotions as well as her own. When their lips met, it was as though someone had tossed a match into a pile of gasoline- soaked kindling. Invisible flames rose as heat flared between them.

She heard him growl her name and felt him gather her closer as he kissed her with purpose, running his hands up and down her back.

The heat coming off him made her dizzy. She should be afraid, but she kept kissing him, letting him feel all the passion that she’d held inside herself for so long.

Opening her lips, she invited him to explore her mouth, then did the same with him, absorbing his taste and the way the mouth-to-mouth contact sent shock waves to every part of her body. 

“You know that you’re playing with fire?” he asked. 

“I know what I want.”

“Then take off your clothes.”

Again, a dose of reality. Was she ready to get undressed in front of him? Or was she going to back away—the way he hoped she would.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of scaring her off. Not because she was trying to score any points, but because what she wanted hadn’t changed, even if he was trying to make her take a step back.

She did step back, but only a few feet. She kept her gaze on him as she reached for the hem of the T-shirt and pulled it over her head, then let it drop on the floor so that she stood before him naked to the waist…

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Buy Links

Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1rlPwaU 

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rebecca York’s writing has been compared to that of Dick Francis, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Maggie Shayne. Her award-winning books have been translated into twenty-two languages and optioned for film. A recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, she lives in Maryland near Washington, DC, which is often the setting of her romantic suspense novels.
Rebecca_York

Social Networking Links


Sunday, June 29, 2014

Courting the Devil by Kathy Fischer-Brown

Please join Kathy Fischer-Brown as she tours virtually for her Serpent's Tooth trilogy - Lord Esterleigh's Daughter, Courting the Devil, & The Partisan’s Wife - and her novel Winter Fire. Blog tour includes a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. See below to enter.

My Review:
Five Stars
Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Tours for an honest review


This is my second book by Kathy Fischer-Brown and I'm glad that I enjoyed it as much as  "Winter Fire."  Her writing is engaging and the story line flows.  The heroine in this story, Anne Darvey, was a great character.  The historical setting is the American Revolution and although this is the second book in the Trilogy I read it as a stand alone.  I didn't feel that I missed out on any essential parts of the story.  Although there are parts of Anne's story that are told in the first book, I essentially understood that Anne was sent to the U.S as an indentured servant despite the fact that she is the daughter of and English Lord.  Anne is sent to live on a farm which is right in the middle of the conflicts that are facing the U.S during this time period.  Anne is determined to find her lost love whom she was separated from previously.  I loved Anne's bravery and her determination, although it was obvious that she was dealt some very unexpected turns in her life she never lost focused on her goal.  I know that I would have benefited more form the story if I read all books in the trilogy that is why I will add the other two to my to-read list.  If you're looking for a book that delivers a strong heroine, great history (American Revolution/ turmoil of the soldiers and the American Indians) this is a perfect read for you.  I really enjoyed Fischer-Brown's writing and the entertaining plot she created.  Great read and great adventure

Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter: Book 1, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

01_Lord Esterleigh's DaughterPublication Date: June 13, 2012
Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

As a child, Anne Fairfield dreams of the father she never knew, the hero who died fighting the French and their Indian allies in a land across the sea. Her mother’s stories, and fantasies of her own devising, sustain and nurture her through a poor and lonely existence. Until one winter night, a strange man comes to call, and the life she has known comes crashing down like shattered glass.

Forced to confront sordid truths, secrets and lies, the headstrong young woman begins to learn that, like generations of women ruled by their hearts, she is destined to follow in their footsteps.

Set against the backdrop of 18th century England, Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter is the first book in “The Serpent’s Tooth” trilogy, which follows Anne from the rural countryside, to London society and into the center of the American Revolution.

Praise for The Serpent's Tooth

4 Stars “Jane Austen showed us the gentle side of 19th century England; Kathy Fischer-Brown sets her work a century earlier and shows us how envy, revenge, and greed can work to effect long-term changes on one young woman…. The author does a wonderful job of showing all these complications clearly, with apt description, and I could easily see this series as a movie-maybe one day I will. So, if you are a fan of dark gothic themes, enjoy seeing the underbelly of British society and what goes on behind the scenes, as it were, I highly recommend you buy this trilogy.” — Long and Short Reviews

4 ½ Stars “...This is a dark novel that deals with the resentment and anger of a girl who has been misled and cannot seem to get past her grief …. While not a typical romance, this is a fascinating, complex story that I completely enjoyed. It is well written and entertained me with mystery, suspense, scandal, sinister characters and first love.” — Romantic Historical Lovers

Must Read “… the first book in 'The Serpent's Tooth Trilogy' [is] a very well written plot filled with romance, suspense and danger. The author's characters were developed well and believable…. Recommended for all suspenseful historical romance fans.” — My Cozy Corner Reviews

Buy the Book

Amazon US Kindle
Amazon US Paperback
Amazon UK Kindle
Amazon UK Paperback
Amazon Australia Kindle

Courting the Devil: Book 2, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

Courting the DevilPublication Date: August 31, 2012
Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Four years after a near fatal blunder uproots her from her home and inheritance, Anne Darvey, daughter of the Marquess of Esterleigh, finds herself an indentured servant on a farm near Fort Edward in New York, as the British army advances toward Albany. Driven by guilt over the pain she has caused her father and grief over her lover’s death, she sets out to deliver a message. The consequences lead to the discovery that all is not as it seems, and sets in motion events that lead to love and danger.

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Courting the Devil is the second book in “The Serpent’s Tooth” trilogy, which follows Anne from her childhood in the rural English countryside, to London society, and into the center of the American Revolution.

Praise for Courting the Devil

5 Stars “I liked this book even better than the first, perhaps because there were more kind, decent--even funny--characters than were in the aristocratic snake pit depicted in the first novel. The author's knowledge of this theater of the American Revolution is accurate; she knows the period well. Her characters are three-dimensional, proper 18th Century people in a well-researched setting….” — Juliet Waldron, author of Mozart’s Wife

... a high caliber historical drama. I commend Ms. Fischer-Brown on her research and attention to detail. It moves well with interesting characters and story lines....Two thumbs up for Courting the Devil.” — Writer Wonderland

4 ½ Stars “…kept me in suspense and filled with anticipation of what was to come. This book was written with gentle reminders and hints of the past without rehashing the original story and the scenes were descriptive and engaging....I like the Anne of this book a lot more than the previous book. It is clear she has grown up a bit and sees things differently.” — Romantic Historical Lovers

Buy the Book

Amazon US Kindle
Amazon US Paperback
Amazon UK Kindle
Amazon UK Paperback
Amazon Australia Kindle

The Partisan’s Wife: Book 3, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

01_The Partisan's WifePublication Date: February 6, 2013
Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Faced with an impossible choice, Anne Marlowe is torn between her husband’s love and the hope of her receiving father’s forgiveness. As American forces follow up on their tide-turning victories over the British at Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights, Peter is drawn deeper into the shady network of espionage that could cost them both their lives.

Is his commitment to “the Cause” stronger than his hard-won love for Anne? Will her sacrifice tear them apart again...this time forever? Or will they find the peace and happiness they both seek in a new beginning?

The Partisan’s Wife follows Anne and Peter through the war torn landscape of Revolutionary War America, from the Battle of Saratoga to British-occupied New York and Philadelphia, and beyond.

Praise for The Partisan's Wife

5 Stars “In The Partisan's Wife, the last book in the trilogy, the author picks up where the second book left off. I have to admit that I am totally impressed with the author's research into the time period her books are written in, everything was just perfect. With more twists and turns, the author finishes off the trilogy with an unexpected ending. I would Highly recommend the trilogy for all suspenseful historical romance fans, but be sure to read them in order so your not missing out on anything.” — My Cozy Corner Reviews

5 Stars “This is the last book of the trilogy. The historical research is outstanding. Kathy does a great job with the characters and story, everything is very believable. The whole trilogy is a read I would recommend to any one that loves historical fiction.” — Goodreads Review

4 Stars “The story itself was wonderful. It was beautifully told with lots of detail and exciting pace. I found myself staying up late at night just to see what was going to happen next, and in the moments that I couldn’t read I was always thinking about it. The Serpent’s Tooth Trilogy is an excellent read that you shouldn’t let pass you by!” — Unabridged Chick

4 Stars “…the author wrote such descriptive details of the surroundings that I was able to paint a vivid picture of what each of our characters endured. Overall this was a very different type of romance story. The author had a unique idea and created a compelling story around it…. I really enjoyed these books and am glad Anne finally understood what it is she wanted and was able to move on.” — Romantic Historical Lovers

4 Stars “I absolutely loved this book! The attention to detail was incredible…. From the actions and speech patterns of her characters to the way the settings were depicted, I could feel like I was living during the Revolutionary War, watching the story as it unfolded….” — Once Upon a Book

Watch the Book Trailer


Buy the Book

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Amazon UK Paperback
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Winter Fire

LPublication Date: November 6, 2010
Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

When Ethan Caine pulled the unconscious woman from the half-frozen creek, he had no idea that his world was about to explode. Dressed in quilled doeskin of Iroquois design, she stirred up dark secrets from his past. At the same time, she was everything he desired. But she was more Indian than white, and on the run for murder. He needed to know the truth. He needed to find it within himself to trust her.

Banished by the Seneca Indians who adopted and raised her, ostracized by the whites in the settlement, Zara Grey wanted only to be accepted. “Ethancaine” treated her with kindness and concern. It was easy to trust him. But her Indian ways disturbed him, and in her heart she would always be Seneca.

Praise for Winter Fire

5 Stars “This historical story will take you back in time and capture your heart in an era of hard times, of family ties and of a love that is meant to be. I can't say enough how great this story is. It is well plotted and flows so easily that before you know it… You can't put it down. You have to see what will happen next. I "HIGHLY" recommend this book!! You can't go wrong on this one.” — Amazon reader review

5 Stars “I liked this book so much, I read it twice. Moves along well and keeps your interest. Would recommend it.”— Amazon reader review

4 Stars "Kathy Fischer-Brown recreates the terror of the Indian wars and vividly evokes the wonder of newfound love." — Faith V. Smith, Romantic Times

"Winter Fire is a beautifully written, well-researched novel of passion and honor...If you're looking for an adventure, a history lesson, and a touching romance, you'll find it wrapped up in Winter Fire. I highly recommend this wonderful tale." — Jani Brooks, Romance Reviews Today

4 Stars “Kathy Fischer-Brown … does an excellent job of weaving in the cultures clashing against each other, the unfounded prejudices of societies that don't understand each other, while still keeping the focus on the romance. This is a touching story, the characters are vivid, the history is accurate, and the details really give the story a sense of place.” — The Romance Studio

Watch the Book Trailer


Buy the Book

Amazon US Kindle
Amazon US Paperback
Amazon UK Kindle
Amazon UK Paperback
Amazon Australia Kindle

About the Author

As a child Kathy wanted to be a writer when she grew up. She also wanted to act on the stage. After receiving an MFA in Acting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts03_Kathy Fischer-Brown and playing the part of starving young artist in New York, she taught theater classes at a small college in the Mid-West before returning home to the East Coast, where over the years, she and her husband raised two kids and an assortment of dogs. During stints in advertising, children’s media publishing, and education reform in the former Soviet Unions, she wrote whenever she could.

Her love of early American history has its roots in family vacations up and down the East Coast visiting old forts and battlefields and places such as Williamsburg, Mystic Sea Port, and Sturbridge Village. During this time, she daydreamed in high school history classes, imagining the everyday people behind all the dates and conflicts and how they lived.

Claiming her best ideas are born of dreams, Kathy has written a number of stories over the years. Her first published novel, Winter Fire, a 1998 Golden Heart finalist in historical romance, was reissued in 2010 by Books We Love, Ltd., which also released Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter, Courting the Devil, and The Partisan’s Wife.

When not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, photography, playing “ball” with the dogs, and rooting on her favorite sports teams.

For more information visit Kathy Fischer-Brown's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, May 5
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter)

Tuesday, May 13
Guest Post at The Bookworm

Friday, May 16
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter)

Monday, May 19
Review at Just One More Chapter (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter)

Tuesday, May 20
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, May 27
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise (with Louise Turner and Juliet Waldron)

Monday, June 9
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Thursday, June 12
Review at Book Nerd (Winter Fire)

Monday, June 17
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter)

Wednesday, June 18
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time (Winter Fire)

Wednesday, June 25
Review at Closed the Cover (Winter Fire)

Monday, June 30
Review at Book Nerd (Courting the Devil)

Giveaway

To win a $20 Amazon Gift Card please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on July 1st and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Alethea Williams - Walls For the Wind - Virtual Book Tour


WESTERN HISTORICAL
Date Published: April 1, 2014


Can an angel survive Hell on Wheels? When KIT CALHOUN leaves New York City with a train car full of orphans from the Immigrant Children’s Home, she has no clue she might end up as adoptive mother to four children in rip-roaring Cheyenne, Wyoming. At twenty-two, Kit has spent most of her life in the Children’s Home. Now she acts as one of America’s first social workers, serving as liaison between the home, the courts, and the children of the streets.

Kit has little doubt she is easing the plight of the homeless children, until the transcontinental railroad begins to span the country and she is chosen to accompany orphan trains to distribute city children as fast as the rails are laid and farms are carved out of former Indian lands. Eastern cities are overrun with homeless children, their parents sick with consumption or dead of accidents and disease. The farmers who take in the children are required to sign a pledge to clothe, feed, and educate them in return for their labor. Is this distribution of urban children to rural environs beneficial, as the churches that sponsor the dissemination insist? Kit begins to have misgivings.

Family ties are deliberately broken so that single children will have a better chance of being placed. Even so, Kit swears an oath to a dying woman that she will keep her son and daughter together. But when their train passes beyond the last settlements in Nebraska, Kit is left with no other choice. HANNAH and HELMUT, and teenagers CONNIE and THOMAS, become Kit’s sole responsibility.

The first time handsome PATRICK KELLEY lays eyes on Kit inside the Casement Brothers store where he works in Julesburg, Colorado Territory, he wants her for his own. But circumstances, and a spectral-looking demented gambler as well as Kit’s certainty no one in his right mind would want her cobbled-together family, conspire to keep them apart. When Patrick and Kit and her brood ride Hell on Wheels into Cheyenne, they’re all forced to leave behind everything they knew and find ways to survive and thrive in the raw new American West.
EXCERPT:
Cheyenne, Dakota Territory, January 1868

Panic bloomed, threatening to choke Kit as she gasped for breath. Where could she be, the small girl brought all the way out to the wilds of Wyoming from New York City? So certain she could make the best decisions for the little golden-haired girl, Kit had gone against her own upbringing as well as the stern advice of those older and wiser in order to make this journey west. Now here was her little family plunked down in the raw boomtown of Cheyenne, and she had lost not only her own direction but also the child entrusted to her care.
Where could Hannah be? Where?
The streets slimy with melting snow and horse manure, Kit struggled to keep her footing as she ran frantically up one and down another, screaming Hannah’s name. Unable to think where to look next, at last she stood helplessly wringing her hands. Tears made slow, cold tracks down her face.
A door opened behind her, and a voice full of concern said, “Kit. As luck would have it, I was just coming to look for you.”
And wouldn’t you know it? The voice of the very man who seemed to turn up at every instance of her bad luck. Indeed, he might be the root cause of her ill luck ever since she left New York City. And to think he had once promised to be her salvation, did Patrick Kelley of the dancing Irish green eyes.
But what were his true intentions as he took hold of her arm? To save her? Or to be her final ruination, as she suspected?
“Let me go.” She tried to wrench her arm away. “Hannah is missing. She’s lost. I must find her!”
“Ah, leannán, don’t take on so,” he said in a soft, cajoling voice. “Hannah is safe and sound. I have her.”
Kit’s bones suddenly felt soft, as if they had turned to mush, and her knees started to sag. Ah, God, and wasn’t her luck running true? Patrick Kelley, the very man! Of all the places in Cheyenne that Hannah might take refuge, of course it would turn out to be with saloon-keeper, and the means of the erosion of many a young woman’s morals, Patrick Kelley.
“Come inside, please, Kit,” he insisted, tugging her arm. Her feet were frozen inside boots soaked with street muck. She felt herself weakening toward him, the warmth and light of him, and of the place behind him, beckoning seductively to her.
She had come so far, all the while thinking she knew what she was doing. Most of a year had passed since setting out. She had followed a path on a journey of more than two thousand miles, a path of righteousness that she thought would answer all eventualities.
And then her path, and the paths of the children, crossed Patrick Kelley’s.
Now once more she must break down and choose between her lofty principles and a future tied to Patrick Kelley. And she found, to her utter consternation as she stared into eyes the color of shamrocks, she…still…couldn’t… decide.
My review
A copy received from Reading Addiction Virtual Tour for an honest review
four stars

This was my first time reading Alethea Williams and what a treat! I loved this story! This book was all heart and soul!  The author captured both my imagination and my heart with her main character Kit Calhoun.  Kit was a fantastic character. She grew up in a children's asylum and has many demons to battle. I loved reading about this character and this time period.  This is a fantastic book! I highly recommend it and really enjoyed it!

Virtual Book Tour - June 25 - June 29

June 25 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Kick Off
June 25 - A Life Through Books
June 26 - Pure Jonel
June 27 - Texas Book Nook
June 28 - Book Nerd
June 29 - My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
June 29 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up



Alethea Williams

Alethea Williams: Western history has been the great interest of my adult life. I've lived in Wyoming, Colorado, and Oregon. Although an amateur historian, I am happiest researching different times and places in the historical West. And while staying true to history, I try not to let the facts overwhelm my stories. Story always comes first in my novels, and plot arises from the relationships between my characters. I'm always open to reader response to my writing.

Website: http://aletheawilliams.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AletheaWilliams.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/actuallyalethea
Blog: http://www.actuallyalethea.blogspot.com/
Google+: google.com/+AletheaWilliams
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5753104.Alethea_Williams
LinkedIn: http://lnkd.in/by89znA
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Alethea-Williams/e/B0077CD2HW/
The Romance Reviews author page: http://www.theromancereviews.com/ActuallyAlethea


BUY LINKS
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Walls-Wind-Alethea-Williams-ebook/dp/B00JFIW2ZE/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/walls-for-the-wind-alethea-williams/1119074637
Other: Whiskey Creek Press: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1207&zenid=a9be6d68b403863f2e460d3c22456162



Thursday, June 26, 2014

If I Say Yes by Brandy Jellum

If I Say Yes
Say Something #1
By: Brandy Jellum
Released May 20th, 2014


Blurb
Elizabeth Lewis was the child of Hollywood’s darling couple, until her father murdered her mother.
Six years later, she has traded her flashy, luxurious lifestyle for one of safe anonymity as a literary agent. With a different name and appearance, Liza Winter is living the life of her dreams—one where she’s known for who she is instead of what her father did. Except her apartment should be condemned, her car only starts when it wants, she hates the romance genre she has been assigned, and the CEO’s deliciously attractive nephew is out to ruin her carefully laid plans.
Reid Harder has never met an obstacle he couldn’t overcome. When his new position in the romance department comes with a benefit his uncle didn’t mention, he decides to wage a war against the intelligent, beautiful Liza to destroy every argument she has for turning him down. Still, the closer he gets to winning the prize, the more he realizes that the woman is keeping secrets that may endanger not just her life but his.
Will Liza overcome her mistrust of Reid to reveal her secrets before he learns the truth and walks away? Or will a grudge-wielding apparition from her past make her the next deadly Hollywood headline?

My Review
Four Stars
Copy received from Tasty Book Tours for an honest review
I get giddy everytime I discover a new author that I love!  Brandy Jellum is definitely that kind of author!  This story "If I Say Yes" was so well-written and the plot so well- paced that I flew through this story.  The story is easy to get into from the first page.  At first I thought that the idea of a woman hiding her true identity because her parents were high-profile would be too much, but the story line was believable and enjoyable.  I loved the characters! Liza was a great heroine.  Her worries and concerns were believable.  Reid was a great male character.  He was a little too self-assured sometimes but he had great chemistry with Liza.  I also loved that there was a theme of mystery surrounding the story.  But the romance and the chemistry were well balanced.  I really enjoyed and highly recommend this story.  I will be reading other books by this author!  

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/05/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for-if-i.html

Link to Book at Goodreads: hhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18131188-if-i-say-yes?ac=1

Buy Links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1iB0yYt
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1fQV7ik

Author Info

Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun).
At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book.

Author Links
Website: http://brandyjellumbooks.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brandy-Jellum/308997629251248
Twitter: @Brandy_Jellum


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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Alison Morton's Successio

Follow Alison Morton's Book Blast for SUCCESSIO, the third book in her Roma Nova Series, from June 16-27 for a chance to win your own autographed copy and bookmark!



SuccessioPublication Date: June 4, 2014

SilverWood Books

Formats: eBook, Paperback



Genre: Alternative Historical Thriller



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Roma Nova – the last remnant of the Roman Empire that has survived into the 21st century – is at peace. Carina Mitela, the heir of a leading family, but choosing the life of an officer in the Praetorian Guard Special Forces, is not so sure.



She senses danger crawling towards her when she encounters a strangely self-possessed member of the unit hosting their exchange exercise in Britain. When a blackmailing letter arrives from a woman claiming to be her husband Conrad’s lost daughter and Conrad tries to shut Carina out, she knows the threat is real.



Trying to resolve a young man’s indiscretion twenty-five years before turns into a nightmare that not only threatens to destroy all the Mitelae but also attacks the core of the imperial family itself. With her enemy holding a gun at the head of the heir to the imperial throne, Carina has to make the hardest decision of her life…



Praise for Successio



“If there is a world where fiction becomes more believable than reality, then Alison Morton’s ingenious thrillers must be the portal through which to travel. Following in Caesar’s footsteps, she came with INCEPTIO, saw with PERFIDITAS – and has well and truly conquered with SUCCESSIO!” – Helen Hollick, author and Managing Editor Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews



“Alison Morton has done it again. SUCCESSIO is the latest in her series of powerful tales of family betrayals and shifting allegiances in Roma Nova. Once again, I was gripped from start to finish.” – Sue Cook, writer and broadcaster



Watch the Book Trailer







Roma Nova Series



Book One: Inceptio

Book Two: Perfiditas

Book Three: Successio



Buy the Book



Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

IndieBound



About the AuthorAlison Morton



Alison Morton writes Roman-themed alternate history thrillers with strong heroines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French, German and Economics, a masters’ in history and lives in France with her husband.



A ‘Roman nut’ since age 11, she has visited sites throughout Europe including the alma mater, Rome. But it was the mosaics at Ampurias (Spain) that started her wondering what a modern Roman society would be like if run by women…



INCEPTIO, the first in the Roma Nova series, was shortlisted for the 2013 International Rubery Book Award and awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion® in September 2013. The next in series, PERFIDITAS, published October 2013, has also just been honoured with the B.R.A.G. Medallion®. Alison is currently working on the fourth book.



Connect with Alison Morton



Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon UK Author Page

Amazon US Author Page

INCEPTIO Facebook Page

PERFIDITAS Facebook Page



Follow the Successio Book Blast



June 16: Flashlight Commentary & Princess of Eboli

June 17: Kincavel Korner, Mina's Bookshelf, & Literary Chanteuse

June 18: Kinx's Book Nook & Svetlana's Reads and Views

June 19: So Many Books, So Little Time, The Lit Bitch, & West Metro Mommy

June 20: Historical Fiction Obsession

June 21: A Bookish Affair & Broken Teepee

June 22: Just One More Chapter

June 23: The Little Reader Library & The True Book Addict

June 24: A Bibliotaph's Reviews & Historical Fiction Connection

June 25: Historical Tapestry & The Maiden's Court

June 26: Book Nerd & Passages to the Past

June 27: CelticLady's Reviews



Giveaway



To win an Autographed copy of SUCCESSIO & Bookmark please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US/ International residents.



Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on June 28th and notified via email.

Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.




a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Finally by Miranda P. Charles


From June 16th to June 27th, author Miranda P Charles will be blog hopping to celebrate her new release, Finally.  There is a Tour Wide Giveaway for a Two Digital Copies of FOREVER, Time for Love Book OneSo follow the entire tour and leave a comment for your chance to win at each of the tour stops:  Link to Follow Tour

Finally  Time for Love #2
By: Miranda P. Charles



A pact with her best friends had Sarah Daley promising to make time for love after a long period of retreating from relationships. But before she embarked on finding her happily-ever-after, she wanted to do something she'd never done before--experience a short, hot fling. And the hunky Jeffrey Carmichael, grandson of the elderly lady who'd hired her as a private nurse, was the only guy who attracted her for that purpose.

Jeffrey Carmichael had long discovered that flings, not commitment, were what worked best for him. After being dumped by an ex-fiancée shortly after the most devastating period of his life, he'd decided that serious commitment wasn't all it was cracked up to be. So when he was presented with an opportunity to start a casual relationship with his grandmother's fun and pretty nurse, he simply couldn't resist.

When love entered uninvited, could they admit to wanting something more than temporary? And when Jeff couldn't avoid welcoming his ex-fiancée back into his life, could Sarah push aside her ghosts of the past and learn to trust again?

Review:
Four stars:
Copy received from Tasty Book Tours for an honest review
This was the perfect book to kick off summer.  The story line was light and fun. The main characters, Sarah and Jeffrey, were relate able and likable.   Both Sarah and Jeffrey have been hurt by love in the past and neither believe in love or commitment.  When the decide to indulge on a short fling while they are on a cruise (Sarah takes care of Jeffrey's grandmother) they want to believe that what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise, but it is not the case.  As Sarah and Jeffrey come to terms with their feelings for each other they also have to come to terms with letting their guard down and letting love in.  Fun and great romance for summer reading!

About the Author

Ever since I was a young teenager, I have loved reading romance novels. My auntie used to send me boxes of her books and I would devour them one after another.
Every so often, I would read a mystery or a suspense or a paranormal novel as I love those genres too. But romance is still my favourite. :)
For many years, I wrote technical and non-fiction materials for professional use and had only dreamt about writing a novel. Then, one day, after a period of binge-reading sexy romances, I decided to sit in front of my computer and start writing my first fiction book. The result? My debut novel Will To Love, the first in the hot and sexy Lifestyle by Design series. After that, I knew that I would love to tell more beautiful love stories through my books.
I live in Sydney, Australia with my amazing husband who lovingly cheers me on in my journey as a novelist.

HFVBT Presents Antonia Hodgon’s The Devil in the Marshalsea Blog Tour, June 10-July 11

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Tour Hashtag: #DevilintheMarshalSeaTour
Publication Date: June 10, 2014
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Formats: eBook, Paperback
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Thrilling new historical fiction starring a scoundrel with a heart of gold and set in the darkest debtors’ prison in Georgian London, where people fall dead as quickly as they fall in love and no one is as they seem.
It’s 1727. Tom Hawkins is damned if he’s going to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a country parson. Not for him a quiet life of prayer and propriety. His preference is for wine, women, and cards. But there’s a sense of honor there too, and Tom won’t pull family strings to get himself out of debt—not even when faced with the appalling horrors of London’s notorious debtors’ prison: The Marshalsea Gaol.
Within moments of his arrival in the Marshalsea, Hawkins learns there’s a murderer on the loose, a ghost is haunting the gaol, and that he’ll have to scrounge up the money to pay for his food, bed, and drink. He’s quick to accept an offer of free room and board from the mysterious Samuel Fleet—only to find out just hours later that it was Fleet’s last roommate who turned up dead. Tom’s choice is clear: get to the truth of the murder—or be the next to die.
The Devil in the Marshalsea
My review:
Five Stars
*Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Tours for an honest review.review AND giveaway at http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com
This was such a fantastic read! Antonia Hodgson really makes a name for herself in “The Devil in the Marshalsea”.  The writing if fantastic.  The story intertwines very smoothly and the plot is fantastic! The very first pages of the story are attention grabbing, I wanted to finish this book in one sitting but that would have been impossible.  The Marshalsea goal was really an interesting place… I felt the same when I visited Alcatraz… you know it’s (was) a terrible place but you can’t help but be fascinated with all the stories that surround it.  The same occurred with the Marshalsea prison.  It was really a terrible place but so fascinating.  The main character Tom Hawkins is a typical anti-hero.  He is wild and refuses to follow the rules of society.  When Tom finds himself in this prison many different elements of his character begin to show.  Although at the beginning it was easy to write him off as a man of no character or principal.  The mystery surrounding the killer was also fantastic.  The writing was very subtle and so were the clues.  Our unconventional hero must find out who the killer is if he has any hope or claiming his freedom.  This was a highly enjoyable novel and incredibly well written! 


Praise for The Devil in the Marshalsea

“Hodgson…conjures up scenes of Dickensian squalor and marries them to a crackerjack plot, in her impressive first novel…Hodgson makes the stench, as well as the despair, almost palpable, besides expertly dropping fair clues. Fans of Iain Pears and Charles Palliser will hope for a sequel.” –Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
“The plot develops almost as many intricate turns as there are passages in the Marshalsea…Hodgson’s plotting is clever…the local color hair-raising.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Satisfyingly twisty debut thriller…so well detailed that one can almost smell the corruption, and the irrepressibly roguish Tom makes a winning hero.” —Booklist
“Historical fiction just doesn’t get any better than this. A riveting, fast-paced story…Magnificent!” —Jeffery Deaver, author of the bestselling The Kill Room and Edge
“Antonia Hodgson’s London of 1727 offers that rare achievement in historical fiction: a time and place suspensefully different from our own, yet real. The Devil in the Marshalsea reminds us at every turn that we ourselves may not have evolved far from its world of debtors and creditors, crime and generosity, appetite and pathos. A damn’d good read.” —Elizabeth Kostova, author of The Historian and The Swan Thieves
“A wonderfully convincing picture of the seamier side of 18th-century life. The narrative whips along. Antonia Hodgson has a real feel for how people thought and spoke at the time—and, God knows, that’s a rare talent.” —Andrew Taylor, author of An Unpardonable Crime and The Four Last Things

Buy the Book

About the Author

Antonia Hodgson is the editor in chief of Little, Brown UK. She lives in London and can see the last fragments of the old city wall from her living room. The Devil in the Marshalsea is her first novel.
For more information please visit Antonia Hodgson’s website. You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.
Antonia Hodgson

The Devil in the Marshalsea Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 10
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, June 11
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, June 12
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Monday, June 16
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Friday, June 20
Interview at Reading the Past
Monday, June 23
Guest Post at Kinx’s Book Nook
Wednesday, June 25
Review & Giveaway at Book Nerd
Monday, June 30
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes
Tuesday, July 1
Review at Mina’s Bookshelf
Thursday, July 3
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Monday, July 7
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day
Tuesday, July 8
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict
Wednesday, July 9
Spotlight at Layered Pages
Friday, July 11
Review at Princess of Eboli
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Callum by Sawyer Bennett!

New Release from Sawyer Bennett Callum (Pittsburgh Titans, Book #12) Synopsis: Callum Derringer was hired by the Pittsburgh Titans ...