Lucy Appadoo's Blog

It's A Matter Of Style

I’d like to give you a short introduction about the romance genre.

I typically write romantic suspense and have only recently branched out into the contemporary romance genre in A Tuscan Dream.

What is the Romance Genre?

Romance stories involve a central love story between characters with a happily ever after ending.

What are the sub-genres of romance?

Romantic Suspense

A story where the protagonists need to solve a problem, and is filled with action, suspense or mystery and the love story.

Contemporary Romance

A general love story at the time of writing or in current times.

Historical Romance

The novel occurs prior to the 1950s.

Erotic Romance

The intimacy is integral to the growth and progression of the romantic relationship, and not having this would destroy the plot.

Fantasy Romance

This sub-genre features fantastical, magical, supernatural and/or science fiction elements that are central to the plotline, characters, and setting.

These elements could include warlocks, fairies, witches, or fantastical story elements: time travel.

The setting usually occurs in a different world or alternative universe, but a few fantasy romance stories can also occur in the contemporary world.

Paranormal Romance

Focuses on paranormal phenomena and paranormal characters, featuring vampires, ghosts, angels, pixies, shapeshifters, psychics, werewolves, demons or zombies.

Romantic Comedy

Humour and romantic connection are the focus to the progression of the plotline with a happily ever after ending to the story.

Sports Romance

The central focus is on some area of the sports world. Normally, the main characters are athletes, coaches, owners, agents, and so on.

Young Adult Romance

The age group in this romance sub-genre would cater to readers from the ages of 12-18 years.

New Romance Release

I have a second contemporary romance release entitled Second Chances about a high school reunion and an old school bully from the female protagonist’s past. Can they rewrite the past and be together?

The book is currently FREE on Amazon for a limited time, and can be read for free on Kindle Unlimited. Here is the Amazon link. http://mybook.to/Secondchances

You can also read A Tuscan Dream for FREE on Kindle Unlimited here: https://mybook.to/ATuscanDream

A Tuscan Dream

I am sitting in a park, immersed in nature with the towering trees, blooming flowers, and the warm wind feathering my cheeks reminding me of an Italian village I had visited years ago. Then it leads to an idea for a book about how exciting it would be to visit Italy again, particularly Tuscany, as I had loved the city of Florence.

What if I had an Australian female character visit Tuscany on a working holiday where she meets a serious and stern architect? She hates him on sight.

The conflict starts as they work on building a villa until they start to connect and get to know each other.

Will it lead to a happily ever-after romance or will they remain enemies? You’ll need to read A Tuscan Dream to find out.

Inspirations

I truly savour those moments where I can participate in the world, interact with other people and my loved ones, read great books, watch inspiring and heart-felt shows and movies, meditate, and spend time in nature. Inspiration is everywhere, and my novel, A Tuscan Dream had to be written. Here is the blurb:

Working together in Tuscany, she wants it all, but can he give it to her?

Alessandra De Luca, 28, is an interior designer who has it all: great friends, a successful career, beauty, and captivating wit. She never imagined designing a celebrity’s new home in Tuscany, Italy. She didn’t envision working with an arrogant architect either.

Romeo Bianchi, 31, is a prolific architect with exacting standards and he isn't sure of the boisterous new designer brought on to his project by celebrity client Flavio. Too much is at stake for this woman to ruin things on his watch.

A casual intimate encounter inspired by the romance of Tuscany leaves Alessandra wounded and Romeo distant.

Can Alessandra and Romeo find a way to continue working together until the project is completed or will their Tuscan affair ruin everything?

My Social Media Sites

If you would like to see videos promoting my book, A Tuscan Dream, check out my posts on social media below:

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lucyappadoo22
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucyappadoo/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-...
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-appa...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LucyAppadoo

Platform

A Tuscan Dream is out on Amazon, and you can get it for free on Kindle Unlimited. Here is the link: https://mybook.to/ATuscanDream

Author Collaboration Promotion

It's the last day I'm participating in a joint book promotion with some amazing authors. This promotion is a compilation of 8 fiction books on Amazon. All for just $2.99!

This promotion ends at midnight EST. Don’t wait and risk losing out on grabbing your book/s. 👀 Happy reading! https://tinyurl.com/romanticsusp OR-
https://www.canva.com/design/DAE8l7yL...

Love-Obsessed Inspirations

I am excited to share my next book; Love-Obsessed, which features Gabriella as the female protagonist in Book 4 of the Friends In Crisis Series. It is discounted at 99c USD for a limited time.

Themes of the romantic suspense novel include murder, references to suicide, an obsessive stalker, love between old acquaintances, grief and loss, and a serial killer tormenting young women.

Love-Obsessed has a true love and an obsessive one.

A stalker roams Gabriella’s world and becomes obsessed. Will it escalate or is it harmless?

The story is about twisted secrets.

The novel shows a string of similar murders and two suicidal deaths. You be the judge. Is It suicide or murder?

I was inspired to write this story after reading Mind Hunter and Journey Into Darkness by John Douglas. The books discuss the profiles of serial killers, the criminal mind, and cases that are solved. This led to writing about an obsessive love that knows no bounds.

READ THE BLURB:

Gabriella Jamitson’s world is turned upside down when someone she knows dies in tragic but familiar circumstances, with a stalker watching her every move.

Jesse Warrier is Gabriella’s best friend’s brother and still grieving the death of his girlfriend Erica, convinced it wasn’t suicide. He’s determined not to let anything happen to Gabriella and to solve the mystery of Erica’s murder.

Police discover the two deaths might not be what they appeared. A cold-blooded killer could be to blame for a string of similar murders, and Gabriella might be next.
Will the truth be revealed and the villain caught before time runs out for Gabriella?

EXCERPTS:

The man bent forward and turned on the tap, waiting for the bathtub to fill up. When the water neared the brim, he turned towards his beautiful girl, her head lolling from side to side where she leaned against the bathroom wall. He stooped low and caressed her dark brown, matted hair. Her piercing brown eyes, beautiful buxom figure, and dainty, delicate hands aroused him.

The girl groaned, but her eyes remained closed due to the medication in her system. He entered the kitchen, uttered a few words to his companion reading on the couch, pulled a jagged knife from a drawer with a gloved hand, and returned to the bathroom. Putting down the knife and leaning forward, he pulled the girl up and gently submerged her in the warm water, the resulting splash in itself a piece of artwork. He smiled and got to work while kneeling beside the tub.

If only she had loved him.

____________________________________________

Gabriella swallowed and took the phone. She read through the article and gasped. “Oh my God!” The tightness in her chest. The palpitations as if her heart was about to explode. Her head spun as if she was about to faint, racing thoughts dried her throat. Her hands shook, and she struggled to breathe as she put down the phone and bowed her head. Joy reached out to her and caressed her hand. She knew when to talk and when to remain quiet, and Gabriella was thankful to have such an understanding friend who understood anxiety. Once she recovered, Gabriella turned to her friend. “Joy, this can’t be happening. It sounds exactly like Erica. This can’t be a coincidence, can it?”

____________________________________________

“Hey, sweetie. Why don’t you go get mummy a beer? I could really use one.”

The young boy wandered over to the fridge, picked out a bottle, and handed it to his mother. She scoffed. “How am I supposed to drink it from the bottle? Put it in a damn glass.” She shook her head as he took back the bottle. “God, I raised a dummy. You really don’t know anything, do you?” She smoked marijuana, the fumes surrounding the living room.

The boy coughed and fought back tears. “Sorry, Mummy. I’ll get a glass for you. “He returned with a glass of beer, but he filled it too high and some of the liquid fell on the tatty carpet. In one fell swoop, she slapped him hard across the face. He started crying and bowed his head, turning away from her after putting the glass in her hands.

“Can’t you do anything right? What is wrong with you? I swear, sometimes, I feel like selling you on the dark web. You’re that stupid. But I guess if I was rich, someone might take you off my hands. Now get the hell out of my sight!”

The boy nodded and rushed to his room. A wave of fury washed over him, and he vowed that one day he would be in control, and not his mother.

Purchase Links at Discounted Price – 99c:

http://mybook.to/Love-Obsessed (Amazon)

https://books2read.com/u/4jPKGX (Apple, Google Play, and Kobo)

I hope you enjoy the book.

In Rio's Shadows

My fascination with the Latin American culture led me to writing a romantic suspense book set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The book is out on all online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and Kobo.

Here is the blurb to whet your appetite:

Romance and terror in a tropical paradise.

Sun, sand, surf. How could Blanca Castellano turn down the offer of a promotion to beautiful Rio de Janeiro—especially when it’s a step up in her career in Madrid?

The job is a dream come true. A promotion, a new culture to explore, great colleagues to work with, including a sexy photographer named Carlos. There’s also a chance to make a name for herself by exposing a powerful story: child sex exploitation in Rio’s poverty-stricken neighbourhoods.

But the return to Rio also means the return of nightmares from Blanca’s childhood—nightmares that began after her first trip to Rio, as a child with her parents on vacation.

As Blanca and Carlos investigate child exploitation in Rio, the shadows of Blanca’s nightmares become dark memories of something she cannot yet understand. Shadows of Carlos’s past, too, stalk them—until they become a terrifying and dangerous reality. Together, Blanca and Carlos must learn the identity of a murderous puppet master.

If you like raw emotions and a plot that twists and turns from the beach of Ipanema through the sordid favelas and the soaring luxury of Leblon, you won’t be able to stop turning the pages in Lucy Appadoo’s first book, In Rio’s Shadows from the Women Of Strength Series.

Check out the purchase links here:
In Rio’s Shadows – Amazon
http://mybook.to/InRiosShadows

https://books2read.com/u/mq1qP8 (Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo)

Giveaway - Web Of Lies

I am running a Goodreads Giveaway for USA residents for your chance to win one of my digital romantic suspense novels, Web Of Lies.

I was inspired to write this story after reading about a real serial killer who was committing crimes in the 1970s and 1980s. I created a story around his crimes and enjoyed getting to know the characters who fought against him until the very end, risking their lives and those of others.

I enjoyed writing about the love developing between my female character, Jamie who is a doctor and my male detective character, Angelo

The tagline is - A gifted doctor. A caring detective. A chance to capture a serial killer, hell-bent on destroying them.

Good luck with the Giveaway.

Web Of Lies

Web Of Lies is my new romantic suspense novel, which is the third book of the Friends In Crisis Series. It features a caring doctor, a detective love interest, and a dangerous and manipulative serial killer and stalker.

Here are some teasers and the book links below:

The man beamed and gave her a thumbs-up. “Well, you can start now if you like. Come to my van and I’ll give you the leaflets.”
The girl again ignored her uneasiness at the man’s strange demeanour as she thought about the money that could pay for all her needs. The van was parked in an isolated part of the area, but she waited for the man to open the sliding door, knowing that her luck was about to change.

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Why hadn’t her mother picked her up from the party? She was lost and had no idea how to get home. Jamie fell to her knees, hearing footsteps behind her, but she didn’t see anyone. A dark cloud enveloped her world.
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“Hi, I’m scouting around for models to photograph. And you have just the face I am looking for. Are you interested in some quick cash?”
“Hell, yeah!” the pretty girl replied.
“Great! Why don’t you come with me? You can meet the photographer, who will gladly create a portfolio for you. Let’s go.”
Her eyes brightened and her energy surged. “Sure thing,” said the girl.

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Something tugged against her. Was she dreaming of Angelo lying beside her, wanting to share her bed? But when rough hands pulled off the blankets and ripped off her nightgown, she screamed. A gloved hand fell over her mouth but the man lying on top of her wore a balaclava with dark glasses and a thick jacket. She couldn’t see his eyes. The gloved hand stifled further screams as she wriggled her body, fighting against her attacker. He was too strong.
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In a futile attempt to put more distance between them, Jamie pressed her back into the rough bark. What would it feel like to taste his lips? She could lean in and they would share a kiss. She got lost in his eyes as if he was processing the moment. She waited to see if he would kiss her, more out of curiosity than anything.

Check out the Book Links Here:

http://mybook.to/EbookWebOfLies (Amazon)
https://books2read.com/u/3JXazE (Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo)

Twisted Obsession

My new romantic suspense novel, Twisted Obsession, was inspired by clients I'd spoken to in regard to domestic violence. I wanted to capture the essence of how this form of trauma impacts someoné's life and how to move forward from such trauma.

In my novel, Twisted Obsession, Liz the protagonist struggles to deal with her ex-boyfriend's release from prison as he had been previously violent and abusive. Along comes a love interest, and the triangle becomes dangerous for all. Innocent people die or get injured, and you'll come across an interesting twist at the end of the story.

You can get the novel for ONLY 99 cents for a limited time at these links below:
Amazon - http://mybook.to/TwistedObsession
Other Retailers - https://books2read.com/u/4DW8pk

My Top Ten Thriller Books

In this blog post, I focus on the inspirational and entertaining aspects of life by exploring ten books I’d read and enjoyed in 2019.

The benefits of reading include - escapism, problem-solving, entertainment, and a freeing and sharpening of the mind to explore different worlds.

Here is my list below:

1. Gone Daddy Gone by Cheryl Bradshaw - a story about a private investigator who searches for a killer when a loss is too close to home.
2. Hostile Witness by Rebecca Forster - a medical thriller about a young girl who is accused of a crime, and features a myriad of twists and turns to keep you turning the page.
3. She Wore Mourning by P.D Workman - a story about a private investigator who gets caught in the crossfire after the death of a young boy.
4. Don’t Look Back by Vicki Tharp - a romantic thriller novel about a killer desperate to have a woman and willing to kill anyone who gets in the way.
5. The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner - A story about a violent husband who escapes prison and is on a wild rampage to find his wife who has hidden her identity. He leaves a trail of bodies on his way to his wife.
6. Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen- An old boyfriend searches for his girlfriend and their child, but all is not what it first appears. Is he a friend or foe?
7. Serpenti by Brooke Sivendra - A story about a King who is in love with a woman that presents as an obstacle, and finds enemies surrounding his royal circle.
8. The Perfect Lie - Book 5 - I’ve read all the previous four books and enjoyed them all. This is a story about an FBI agent who has a psychopathic father and profiles crimes committed by serial killers.
9. Murder in Mind by Cheryl Bradshaw - A private investigator searches for a killer but risks her own life in the process.
10. Fateless by Meli Raine - A story about an organisation that has turned its members into enemies of the government, but two of its members who love each other, help others break free from the organisation and risk their lives.

To conclude, search for stories that inspire you to fight against obstacles, solve problems
and become resilient along with your characters.

I write romantic suspense/thrillers, so check out my Amazon Author Page here: amazon.com/author/lucyappadoo OR my website here: www.lucyappadooauthor.com.au

Romantic Thriller Novel - Haunted By The Past

This post will explore my current release, Haunted By The Past, a romantic thriller and suspense novel that features a forbidden romance, a dangerous villain, and a struggle to escape.

Meet Bella who is a 27-year old Psychologist wanting to expand her private practice but is halted in her efforts by a stalker. She eventually meets up with a hot detective, Marco who questions her about the murder of an old acquaintance.

Bella has a supportive group of friends and a traumatic background, with grief being a huge component of that trauma.

Her stalker escalates and she soon finds that her friends might be at risk too. She also works with an aggressive client and wonders about the real motivations behind his actions.

In this midst of her stalker situation, comes a series of murders that may be all connected. But she wonders why this is happening.

Bella develops feelings for Marco, but given that he’s taken over her stalker case, a conflict of interest hinders a romance between them.

Be ready for twists and turns and a surprise ending.

Here are some teasers to whet your appetite:

Her phone vibrated in her bag. She opened her eyes and rummaged into it to retrieve her phone. She clicked on the screen and words in capital letters stood out. Her heart almost got caught in her throat.
Reading the text, she froze at the words, “Liz is in an abandoned warehouse at this address in Carlton. Be there in forty minutes or she dies.”

2. Marco cleared his throat and turned away from the computer. “So were there any matches with the tyre tracks?”

“Nope, nothing. No visible footprints either. We know that it wasn’t a sexual crime as she wasn’t sexually abused, so are you thinking a hate crime?”

“It’s possible, given the way she’s presented herself.” He turned back to the screen. “We need to interview these friends of hers and rule them out. Possibly a huge waste of time, but even one of them might offer us a lead.”
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Haunted By The Past is only 99 cents for a limited time so check out the details below:

To find my books on Amazon and other online retailers, go to these links:

(AMAZON) – http://mybook.to/HauntedbythePast

(APPLE AND OTHER ONLINE RETAILERS) – https://books2read.com/u/bw2ZeY