Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 4

#Review: HOW NOT TO HATE THE DUKE by Jennifer Haymore

 

3 of 5 stars

Theo St. Clair, the Seventh Duke of Desborough, has found it far easier to run away from his father's cruel influence than to try and mitigate the previous duke's obnoxious ways. It's no wonder the people of the village and the ducal tenants have a hard time warming up to Theo. All they've ever known is cruelty from the duke. 

Georgiana Milford's home is adjacent to the duke's property, and all her life she's heard her parents say what cruel and vicious people the St. Clair's are, including the current duke. When she finds out that Theo will be attending the same house party, she isn't sure if she should stay or go. Her parents would be furious to know that the duke was in attendance, but despite that, Georgiana decides to stay. Will she take the time to get to know the current duke and judge him on his own merits instead of listening to others?

I really liked the premise of this story, but I wasn't enamored with Georgiana. She came across as bratty and too opinionated without listening to her own mind. Theo did not deserve her disdain especially since she kept saying that she knew how to judge whether men were interested in her beyond her substantial dowry. I was especially disappointed by her behavior at the chapel. Where was her backbone, especially since she professed to love Theo. I thought that excuse to drive the couple apart didn't make sense. I would have liked them to have struggled to make the tenants' lives better together. There are a couple of teasing scenes in the story that were very well done, but not enough to lift the book to 4 stars.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

#Review: REALM OF KINGS by Thea Atkinson

 

 5 of 5 stars
Whoa--hold on to your hats with this 4th installment in the Iron King's Assassin series. Master storyteller Ms. Atkinson has quite a few surprises in this book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Be prepared for the most daunting roller coaster ride you've ever been on, with one twist and turn after another.

Our girl Ava has been through the wringer lately and things are going to get a lot worse for our reluctant assassin. The Shadow Court's mob boss, Terran, is still determined to have Ava assassinate King Ferranus even though it means a death sentence for her. Terran is ruthless and doesn't care one whit for her well-being, but the dark enforcer certainly does. Blade has vowed to keep Ava safe and she wonders what that entails exactly. In the last book, Ava's feelings toward Blade were changing from murderous to something else, but what exactly? Is she falling in love with the hellhound, or more importantly, does she even have the capacity to love after the drug-addicted and vicious life she'd led up to this point.

One thing is clear. The most important thing to Ava is keeping her sister, Kit, safe from harm's way especially now that Flint has brought Kit into the Fae world. Kit has fallen hard for the gorgeous Fae and refuses to listen to Ava when she tries to explain how dangerous Flint is. To keep Ava in line, Terran plans on sending Kit with the Shadow Court entourage when they go to the king's celebration. Now Ava is in a quandary. How can she keep her sister safe without compromising the mission? Can she even keep herself safe? And what about the other brother, Stone? Ava was once attracted to Blade's gorgeous Fae brother, but has that attraction waned? Can she count on him as a friend?

There is so much more to unpack about this story, and I could go on and on about how much I love this series, but suffice it to say that this series does not disappoint. There is a momentous surprise near the end of the book that I never saw coming and I sat in shock as I read it. It was absolutely brilliant!!

This story is dark, with heart-pounding excitement, and will definitely get your adrenaline pumping. I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy, and all opinions are my own.

#Excerpt: KILO by Sybil Bartel

Kilo
Sybil Bartel
(The Alpha Elite, #9)
Publication date: February 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Breacher.

Navy SEAL.

Mercenary.

Being a breacher on the Teams wasn’t a job, it was my drug of choice. Detonating charges, the blast waves going through me, I lived for the rush of tactical explosive breaching. As long as I kept my brothers safe and didn’t eat a piece of frag, I never looked past my next mission… until I screwed up.

Miscalculating a blast zone, I took a hit. Then I was benched from active duty, told I’d taken one too many subconcussive blows, and forced into medical retirement.

Except the Navy wasn’t the only home for an explosives expert. Alpha Elite Security took me in, and I got to keep my addiction—right until a mysterious redhead walked into my blast zone and suddenly, I needed a new fix.

Code name: Kilo.
Mission: Detonate.

KILO is a standalone book in the exciting Alpha Elite Series by USA Today Bestselling author, Sybil Bartel. Come meet Kilo and the dominant, alpha heroes who work for AES!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

The elevator stopped on the twenty-sixth floor of the fifty-two-story hotel, and the doors opened.

I didn’t look at Alpha.

I didn’t need to.

We were both staring at the redhead as she barely glanced up and stepped onto the elevator.

Now I knew why the agent wanted to meet at the Four Seasons in Manhattan.

The target’s mistress. In the flesh.

I recalled that one line of intel I’d read.

Artist, depleted bank account, no recent address, born with dual citizenship, third acquired.

The elevator doors closed, and I did what that agent was incapable of.

I got real intel.

The smooth sheet of red hair was recently brushed. Her four-inch heels that were nothing more than a couple straps of thin leather were hurting her feet as she shifted from one foot to the other. The beige-colored dress, tight over her ass, was designer. The brand-name bag on her shoulder was more carry-all than purse, and she was fucking nervous.

Starving artists didn’t wear designer.

They also didn’t have perfect posture, smell like expensive perfume and look like they’d just walked off the runway of a fashion show.

This woman was well-bred.

Too well-bred to be mixed up with an arms dealer.

The doors opened. The noise of the lobby hit, and she slipped out, heading toward the restaurant.

I glanced at Alpha. We didn’t need to speak. My gaze quickly cut to the redhead. His chin tipped toward the opposite direction.

In a coordinated move we’d done countless times, we flanked out.

Alpha went right.

I moved left.

Heading away from the front entrance of the hotel, striding deeper into the crowd, my gaze was locked on her.

Everyone’s gaze was locked on her.

The crowd parted. Men stared. Women glared.

She looked past every one of them.

Head held high, back straight, shoulders proud, her hips and that sheet of silk hair swayed with every step in those high heels.

I closed the distance and hit her six.

Then I scanned the lobby one more time before I made my move.

She reached for the glass door of the restaurant.

I reached around her.

Covering her hand with mine, caging her in, I leaned down to her ear and issued an order. “Remember my voice.”

She flinched, her lush lips parted with a sharp inhale, and she lifted her head.

Amber eyes met mine in the reflection of the glass, and time fucking stopped.

Then she hit me with a soft, sexy voice. “Pardon?”

“You heard me.” Pulling the door open, I scanned the patrons in the restaurant before giving her the push she needed to start moving. “Walk inside.”

Slow, as if she was afraid to look, she started to glance over her shoulder.

I was already gone.

Author Bio:

Sybil Bartel is a USA Today Bestselling author of unapologetic alpha heroes. Whether you're reading her deliciously dominant mercenaries, bodyguards or military heroes, all of her heart-stopping, page-turning romantic suspense novels have sexy-as-sin alpha heroes!

Sybil resides in South Florida and she is forever Oliver’s mom.

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#Review: THE DUKE'S ALL THAT by Christina Britton

 

 4 of 5 stars

Iain MacInnes, Duke of Balgair, is shocked to receive a tattered letter telling him his wife was alive. For 13 years, Iain believed his wife had abandoned him for her dream of traveling; at least, that's what her father told him. He was devastated because he thought they had a love for the ages. Now, he needs to find her so he can divorce her, and his search leads him to the Isle of Synne.

Seraphina has been to hell and back, but she finally feels safe and has made a good life for herself and two younger sisters on the Isle of Synne, far away from her cruel and controlling father. She never told anyone about her marriage to Iain as it was wrapped up in heartache, believing that he took money from her father to disappear. When Iain shows up at her bookstore demanding she return to Scotland with him so he can obtain a divorce, she has no choice but to travel with him. Along the way, many secrets and misconceptions about each other are revealed and old feelings start to resurface. Unfortunately for Seraphina, she believes she's too damaged to ever be the wife of a duke.

This was an intriguing story, and, of course, that parrot played a starring role in the book. That was quite amusing. I found some of Seraphina's reasoning didn't make any sense and she was making poor decisions. Iain on the other hand, was clear in his feelings. The dark past that Seraphina suffered through is hinted at throughout the book and it was clear that it was all orchestrated by her cruel father. I was disappointed that her father did not seem to get any comeuppance for his cruelty, and that felt wrong. Thus, the book is rated 4 stars instead of 5. 

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy, and all opinions are my own.

#Excerpt: IN THE SHADOW OF A DREAM by Maci Aurora

In the Shadow of a Dream
Maci Aurora
(Fareview Fairytales, #3)
Publication date: January 30th 2024
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

With the promise of finally learning her mother’s secrets, Brinna Fareview and her family gather together. Only somewhere between the truth and lies, Brinna wakes to find she’s trapped in a space in between the world awake and the nightmares of her family. All of them are asleep. Learning she has the ability to move from dream to dream, Brinna tries to find a way out of the dream world, but she’s stuck, unable to fix what’s ailing her family. But then an unexpected thing happens, Lucian Uraiahs, god of day and light, walks into her dream.

While Lucian decided a long time ago that Brinna Fareview was a blight on his peace, he can’t seem to avoid her. She pops up at every turn, all because his brother is god-yoked to her sister. All Lucian wants is to disappear into the oblivion of the cosmos amidst his shame and guilt, but the unbidden feelings he has for Brinna can’t be contained. When Lucian is stripped of his powers for refusing to bend to his father’s will, he is imprisoned with only his guilt to keep him company. Except when he falls asleep, he dreams of Brinna and somehow becomes the only link to saving her, her family, and his brother from a spell that could destroy them all.

Brinna and Lucian must work together to uncover the secrets they need to break the sleeping spell, but the longer they share their dreams, the more they realize time is against them.

Join the Fareviews in book three of the Fareview Fairytales series, In the Shadow of a Dream, to discover the truth that has them trapped behind the hedge.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Luc grumbled and turned back to look at the hedge once more, walking its length when he heard women’s voices—sweet and lilting—coming from inside. He stepped back, searching for the elusive entrance.

“Remember when we were talking to Tarley the other day? About the man in the woods?” Aurielle—he knew her voice—replied.

“So romantic…” the other said, her voice soft and whimsical. Which left only two possibilities: Luc’s woodland fairy or the other sister, the one with the dark, soulful eyes. “Why are we doing this again?” she asked.

He wondered which one was with Aurielle and suppressed any hope it might be his singer.

“Well, I’ve met someone.” Aurielle snapped the words, because the other one seemed to be antagonistic about being dragged out into the woods.

He grinned at their bickering. Relatable.

“I have so many questions! You’ve been behind the hedge since–” The sister’s voice cut off abruptly, then she shouted, “The Great Nap Escapade?”

“So,” Aurielle said, drawing out the word, “you’re doing this for true love. And I promise, Brin, you won’t have to wait long.”

[…]There were words spoken Luc couldn’t discern, followed by Aurielle bursting from the hedge. She called out for Nix and disappeared across the road through the bramble.

“What if someone comes?” Brinna called, then groaned. “Annoying.”

He was going to talk to her! He swallowed as he thought about what to say. “Couldn’t agree more.” Luc couldn’t see her; she was still hidden within the hedge.

She gasped. “Who’s there?”

“The brother.”

Her head—like a disembodied apparition—appeared from the hedge, turning to look for him.

When she saw him, her eyes widened. It was the first time he realized her eyes were gray. “Whose brother?”

He hummed but said, “Since we’re both on lookout duty, we could make it interesting.” “Who are you, exactly?” she asked, stepping from the hedge.

Luc’s breath stopped up, caught up by both disbelief and utter excitement. […] “There you are,” Luc said, finally finding his voice.

She demanded his name.

“Lucian,” he said, turning slightly toward her, his shoulder leaning against the hedge—a terrible choice. He straightened and wiped the leaves from his shoulder.

“And you’re not here to meet my sister?”

“Stars, no,” he said, allowing himself to truly look at her as he shook his head, grateful, suddenly, that Nix asked him to be his unnecessary companion. “That would be my brother. Come closer.” He gave her a slight grin. “I don’t bite. Usually.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m fine right here, thank you.”

“You know my name, which gives you power. Will you not offer the same?” Though he already knew it, he wanted her to offer it freely.

“Brinna,” she replied and disappeared back into the hedge.

“Wait,” Luc called. “Where did you go?” The hedge didn’t have an entrance. “Where are you?” “Here,” she whispered, as if daring him to find her. Despite the low volume, her voice reached him, and he wondered, strangely, if it always would.

He used his godlight to sneak through the magical threads of the hedge, and his arms passed through, allowing him to grasp Brinna. Using her as leverage, he pulled himself inside.

She squealed—a cute little sound that seemed as if she was trying to be quiet about it—and stumbled into him, her palms pressed against his chest. Heat seared his skin underneath his clothes where her hands rested.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Unhand me.”

He did. Immediately. Swiping his hands over the place she’d touched to wipe away the sensation.

He hated the added impulse of wanting to wrap her up in his arms.

Ridiculous. He told himself he was curious about this hedge, given he’d never seen anything like it on his Roam.

He walked deeper into an arched passageway that stretched out in front of him with no end in sight, as if it curled in on itself. Surprised by the muted light inside, Luc glanced over his shoulder, where Brinna now stood framed by an arched entrance.

She followed him. “What is wrong with you?”

His internal glow warmed the darkness inside the hedge so he could see her features, which pinched with her frown. He wanted to press his thumb against her mouth, run the pad of it across her lips, but he swallowed the urge instead and looked away.

“If I keep walking, what will I find?” he asked, ignoring her question for one of his own.

“The cottage. Where I live.” She paused, then said, “You truly couldn’t see me? That seems… unbelievable.”

He hummed and looked around. “Perhaps if it wasn’t enchanted.”

“Enchanted!” She scoffed, an unflattering kind of snort, but Luc found it… cute. “You must be mistaken.”

He snorted back at her, incredulous. “I am not mistaken. Not about this.”

“You don’t make mistakes?” She offered a sharp laugh.

He’d begun to think this—trapping himself in proximity to her—was one. “Absolutely not,” he lied. The very large mistake in his immediate past had nearly cost him his brother, but she didn’t need to know about that.

“I highly doubt that.” She crossed her arms, her dark eyebrows arching over her pretty eyes. “Now, why are you glowing?”

“Why is this hedge enchanted?” he countered, realizing he should have doused his godlight so his father wouldn’t know, but he didn’t with her attention finally fixed on him.

They stood facing one another, the hedge seeming to close in around them. He only needed to take a step, and he’d be close enough to draw her into his arms, lean forward, and kiss her. The shrinking hedge and his overpowering urge to touch her made him feel like he couldn’t take a deep enough breath.

“How do you get out of here?” The shrinking hedge unnerved him, even if it was an illusion…Then he realized he couldn’t see the opening any longer. It had disappeared. He was trapped.

“I need to go,” he gasped.

Author Bio:

Romance author.

Lover of stories.

Maci Aurora has been writing stories since she was a child. When she was eleven, she fell in love with reading Sunfire Historical Romances about girls who made a difference in their lives and still fell in love. In high school, a friend introduced her to Lavyrle Spencer and Judith McNaught, and from there, her writing journey was cemented in telling stories about love. Having already published many novels (all of which are threaded with romance as upper YA and New Adult titles) under the pen name, CL Walters, Maci Aurora wanted to write stories that offered the same attention to story and characters but with additional steam.

Maci writes in Hawaiʻi where she lives with her husband, their children, and their fur-babies.

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#Review: IF THE DUKE DARES by Darcy Burke

 

4 of 5 stars

Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellesbourne, has decided it's time for him to marry. He is traveling to meet a potential bride, Persephone Barclay, but he meets an intriguing young woman at an inn on the way, who claims to be a widow. When Persephone's parents show up at the ducal estate without their daughter, they tell Acton she's ill and will join them in a day or two. When he sees her miniature, he realizes she's the woman poses as a widow back at the inn. Now, he's intrigued as to why she would run away and not even want to meet him. He's a duke, after all!

Miss Persephone Barclay didn't want to be forced to marry, especially not to a rake like Wellesbourne so she runs away from her parents to escape that fate. Unfortunately, the duke soon tracks her down and promises to protect her while she travels to see her Aunt Lucinda in Bath. Along the way, her feelings about him begin to change, but she's vowed she will never marry a rake and keeps him at arm's length.

This was a sweet story and I did love the banter between Acton and Persephone. The limits that Acton goes to trying to convince Persey that he's a changed man are delightful as he bumbles his way toward his goal. I loved Persey. She was witty, fearless, and independent, and I enjoyed that immensely. Persey's sister, Pandora, and Aunt Lucinda, along with Acton's mother and sisters, round out the story nicely.  Unfortunately, the fact that Persey's parents didn't face any comeuppance for their awful behavior of their daughters was a real detriment for me. Thus, the loss of a star to 4 stars.

I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of over sixty captivating, compelling historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Her novels have been translated into five languages and are also available as audio books. Join her Reader Club at https://www.darcyburke.com/join.

 

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming, teacher husband, artist daughter, and writer (yes!) son. They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, a rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, an adorable former stray who wandered onto their deck and into their hearts, and two bonded boys who used to belong to (separate) neighbors but chose them instead. You can find Darcy in her comfy writing chair, folding laundry (which she loves), or enjoying game night with the family. 

Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcyburke.com and follow her social media: 

Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/darcyburkefans, 

Instagram at http://www.instagram/darcyburkeauthor

Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/darcyburkewrite.

 

If the Duke Dares website link: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares

 

Buy links:

 

Amazon: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares-Amz

Apple: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares-App

Barnes & Noble: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares-BN

Google Play: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares-GP

Kobo: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares-Kobo

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#Excerpt: SLIGHTLY DELAYED AND SOMEWHAT HAPHAZARD by Amber Laura

Slightly Delayed and Somewhat Haphazard
Amber Laura
Publication date: November 16th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Miranda Monroe’s world just imploded. Not only did she just get dumped by her long-time boyfriend, but she got dumped in the most humiliatingly painful way imaginable. Very suddenly single, homeless, and heartbroken, she runs to the only person she knows will always be there for her.

Sam Church. Her best friend (and the man she’d once secretly been madly in love with).

Which is how she finds herself, emotionally spent and financially crippled, somehow agreeing to his outrageous offer: that she move into his guest bedroom. Temporarily, of course. Just until she gets back on her feet.

There’s only one problem. In the midst of mending her shattered heart, in the process of trying to find herself again (just who is Miranda Monroe?), her thoughts keep getting distracted, wandering in the most confusing and forbidden of ways…just down the hall from her.

Which is ludicrous. The most commitment-phobic person she’s ever met, Sam is off-limits to Miranda for all kinds of reasons. But mostly, because he’s her best friend—and she loves him too much to lose him. So why, suddenly, can’t she seem to stop fantasizing about him? Why can’t she stop hoping for something more?

Slightly Delayed and Somewhat Haphazard is a best-friends-to-lovers romantic comedy underscored with notes of healing fiction and the echoing sentiments of an adult coming-of-age novel.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

The story was outlandish.

At turns, both unbelievable and absurdly awful.

All the same, the story was true.

Leaning forward in her chair, her body braced as if for impact, Miranda Monroe watched as her words sank in. She canvassed the face before her. The high cheekbones tautening, those green eyes narrowing, clouding with confusion, with disbelief as they stared so questioningly back at her.

Waiting, Miranda carefully studied the face of Sam Church.

Her best friend and emotional benefactor. Her anchor.

He looked… gobsmacked, she decided. That was only to be expected. She turned her attention to the cocktail glass in front of her next; it was bleeding with condensation. Absently, Miranda stirred the quickly melting ice—but it was a lost cause. Especially since she had no intention of actually drinking her drink.

Probably should have been an odd choice, then, for her to end up at The Oasis Bar and Grill.

“That doesn’t—what are you talking about?”

Miranda smirked fatalistically as she peeked back up at Sam. “You know, I think those may have been my first words as well.”

“Noel got married.” His voice was incredulous.

“Mm. Yes. To Kourtney.”

“In New Hampshire?” He repeated.

“While on a business trip,” Miranda reminded him through numbed lips. All the same, the ache in her stomach intensified, restricted her breathing as she forced herself to relive the horror of those words again.

“Apparently,” she added, for good measure, “it seems that for the first time in his life, Noel decided to make an exceptionally grand gesture.”

Marry one woman while still dating (while still living with) another woman.

“Are you—are you okay?” A stupid question, to be sure, but Miranda couldn’t blame Sam for asking it. It was a hard situation for knowing what to say.

                                                        ….

It was supposed to be her.

Miranda was supposed to be the one marrying Noel. (Granted, he hadn’t technically asked but it had been an unspoken though long-expected part of their future.) Four years; that’s how long they’d been together. Pictures of them dotted the walls and shelves of their apartment—a perfectly happy couple smiling back at the camera. Furniture they’d agonized over and purchased together filled every nook and cranny of the place—marking it theirs and theirs alone.

And then, in one instant, an instant in which she’d had no say, they simply, they simply weren’t dating anymore. She was left alone. He was left with someone else’s ring on his finger.

Tears misted Miranda’s eyes. A few slipped past her lids, inking down her face. She brushed them away impatiently, sniffed the rest back in place.

He’d never let on. Never let on that he’d fallen in love with his co-worker. Miranda’s teeth ground together as a picture of Kourtney floated before her eyes. Long, willowy frame; stylishly arranged dark hair always draped just so over her shoulder; large oval eyes with an open, honest face. The snake.

Miranda had liked Kourtney. She’d welcomed her into their home. Into their social circle. Stupid fool that she was, she’d thought nothing of her and Noel’s inside jokes or shared smiles. She’d chalked it up to professional camaraderie. Frankly, she’d enjoyed not having to listen to his lengthy stories about this client or that one—she’d enjoyed the reprieve from acronyms and talk of policies and procedures she knew nothing about. She’d been happy to let them carry on without her.

She just hadn’t realized then what that meant.

(This excerpt is an abridged version of what appears in the book.)

Author Bio:

7 Fun Facts about Amber Laura:

1.If there’s creamer, I’m drinking coffee. And when I edit, there’s always creamer.

2.I do my best daydreaming on long car rides.

3.Some of my favorite stories came as follow-up answers to the question: “What if…?”

4.I’m the mother of a darling (if slightly overweight), 16-year-old cat. She’s kind of my mascot.

5.One of my favorite parts of writing is inventing new places—or traveling to spaces where I’ve not actually been. It’s magical and never disappointing.

6.Writing may be a solitary process, but then the characters always keep me company.

7.I’ve never quite figured out if I like to write by plot or the seat of my pants.

8.(Because I write, I don’t math.) When a scene isn’t coming together on a piece of writing, or a string of dialogue is falling flat, I like to close my eyes and picture the whole thing as though it were being acted out on a movie screen—and forty minutes later, I usually wake up!

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#Review: HER ADVENTURES IN TEMPTATION by Megan Frampton

 

3 of 5 stars

Painter Simeon Jones doesn't enjoy portraits, but he's got to pay the bills so when he's commissioned to paint a viscountess, he would finally have enough money for a while. Unfortunately, a scandal involving the viscountess sends him packing, but he's not alone. Lady Myrtle Allen, the viscount's sister, decides to flee the country estate with Simeon. They agree to a business arrangement--he'll accompany her to London and she'll pay him the lost commission. What could go wrong?

The books in this series have been a hit or miss for me. This one was kind of a miss. I thought Myrtle was so annoying. Is anyone really that clueless? I understand she's brilliant, but she grew up a lady and knows the proper behavior of interacting with the ton. I did like that she wanted to use her mathematical skills to help other women and that was admirable. I liked Simeon a lot more although he could be self-centered when it came to his art, but that can be attributed to his mother's teachings that he must pour all his attention into his artistry. I didn't really feel the romance between these two. It was more about an experiment to see if they could be more brilliant/artistic if they totally focused on it. to the exclusion of everything else. There are some graphic sex scenes, and the HEA didn't happen until the last 10% of the book.

#Review: IT TAKES A RAKE by Anna Bennett

 

4 of 5 stars

Miss Kitty Beckett has learned the hard way not to give her heart away because people always leave her. It's not always their fault, but the result is the same so Kitty has learned to protect her heart and keep everyone at bay. Except for her childhood friend, Leo Lockland who has always been there for her until he wasn't. Another abandonment for Kitty to endure.

Leo Lockland is a talented architect who left his village to pursue a career in architecture. He left in a hurry after finding out a devastating family secret and never said goodbye to anyone, not even Kitty. Now he's back and his feelings for the feisty miss have not changed. He loves her with all his heart, but she's not very welcoming to him when he returns. Now he must find a way to win her heart and make her his forever.

This was a cute story, although a bit far-fetched in some of the plot points. It took a while to warm up to Kitty until well into the book when the author reveals why Kitty keeps everyone at arm's length. I loved Leo more. He was kind, generous, and honorable and never gave up on Kitty. There is a bit of a villain in the story, but it was easily discerned what he was about. All in all, it was an enjoyable story, but there was no great passion, and I don't think I'd read it again.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy, and all opinions are my own.

Interview with Benoit Lanteigne, The Cyborg's Crusade - Day of the Deus Ex Machina

Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?

No, I don’t. Sorry, this is the most boring answer possible. I have nothing against tattoos, and I’ve seen several that I thought were very cool, but I’ve never felt the urge to get one myself; Not sure why.

 

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

The biggest change is that we’re not in lockdown anymore. That was… something. Other than that, it’s similar, except I’m about to publish my first book. That’s taking some effort, but it’s exciting! 

 

How long have you been writing?

Depends on how you look at it. If we’re talking about publishing books, I’ve just started. If we’re talking about writing just for fun, then since high school, roughly thirty years ago. I’ve been writing on and off since then, but nothing I considered publishing or sharing with anyone. The Cyborg’s Crusade is the first project I feel I need to put out there. In part, it’s because I feel it is something special. Mostly though, it’s a self-growth exercise. Publishing a book terrifies me, so I figured I should do it!

 

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Well, I’m only starting out publishing myself, so I’m not very comfortable giving publishing advice. I think I’ll go with this: Editing exists, so don’t worry about writing a good book with your first draft. Most writers can’t do that. Oh, I’m sure there are a few geniuses out there who crank out perfect first drafts, but for the majority (including myself), it doesn’t work that way. Just get a version of your story on paper as a starting point. It might stink, but from there, you revise, edit, rewrite, and eventually, after a ton of work, it will only emit a vaguely unpleasant odor instead. From there, you keep on editing. Once you feel comfortable enough, get some impartial beta readers involved, so you receive feedback. Feedback is tricky, some is good, some is bad. Filter out what you feel is good feedback and revise again based on it. If you can afford a professional editor along the line, it can do wonders.

 

Anyway, the short version is, writing is an iterative process. It doesn’t matter if the first draft is garbage as long as the last one is gold.

 

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

My first idea for The Cyborg’s Crusade was to have it set in the afterlife. The story started with James Hunter dying. While it turned out there was life after death, it wasn’t the heaven or hell his religion told him about. Instead, it was a war zone where multiple parties battled for control. Rose, the winged woman who helps him in The Cyborg’s Crusade, was the leader of one such party. The titular cyborg didn’t exist back then. The closest thing was a man in armor wrapped in chains. After a while, I just couldn’t get anywhere with this idea, so things changed a lot.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…

 

It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.

 

Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.

 

Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.

 

But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.

 

What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that's even an option...

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications. 

 

Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009. 

 

It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.

 

Website: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/ 

Newsletter: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/fanclub.html 

Social Media Link Hub: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/hub.html

https://www.facebook.com/people/My-Skeptical-Angel/100055656492122/

https://twitter.com/bl98 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS80WvrsYaBCOKBVgYwsXTA 

https://www.tiktok.com/@thecyborgscrusade 

https://www.instagram.com/thecyborgscrusade/ 

 

The book will be $0.99 during the tour. 

 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Crusade-Day-Deux-Machina-ebook/dp/B0CBZZRDZ4

 

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