Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 134

Review: DELAWARE DREAMBOAT by Ann Omasta and Callie Love

A woman lost atsea…with amnesia. Fortunately, a dreamboat comes to the rescue. Too bad the manthat rescued her remembered her as the vicious she-devil. But she remembersnone of it. He doesn’t like or trust her, but she takes an instant liking andtrust to him. Still, no matter how much he hates her, he can’t shake off thephysical attraction he feels toward her. And he also feels a need to protecther from the people that did this to her.

The first nightturns out to be hot one. But what will happen when Maya’s memories finallyreturn? Will she go back to her life in Connecticut or stay with Rowan inDelaware?

A sweet andsexy love story!

 

Rating:4 stars

Review: MASQUERADE by Chloe Clark and Hazel Kelly

A masked sex party. What could gowrong?

As she’s being dragged to one by abold friend, one woman couldn’t be more nervous.

This was slow at first as shemostly talks about how awed she was about the mansion. There were some “chanceencounters,” but, for the most part, the whole thing was very slow andunamusing.

 

Rating:2 stars

Blog Tour: FLAWLESS WITNESS by Merida Johns

Flawless Witness

by Merida Johns

 

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GENRE:   women's fiction, women's domestic suspensefiction, women's psychological fiction, domestic abuse

 

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BLURB:

 

Suzanna Jordan suppressed the memories ofJonathan’s abuse for thirty-six years, but when a tell-all journal surfacesafter his death, a legacy of cruelty haunts her from beyond the grave. But willJonathan’s darkness, bared for all to see, drag Suzanna into despair, or willthese revelations free her soul to bear witness to his abuse and finally offerher the closure she so desperately seeks?

 

NOTE TO REVIEWERS: This story containselements of sensitive material often associated with narcissistic behaviorssuch as egocentrism, emotional abuse, betrayal, and exploitation.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Although Jonathan set the snare and wrote the ledger ofinjuries in indelible ink, I continue to try to erase them. I don’t resent himfor what he did to me. Grudges are abusers’ potent brews, perpetuating endlesssubjection and cruelty on their targets. But I don’t overlook, excuse, orjustify my former husband’s transgressions and the tsunami of terror he spewed.I reread the obituary and want to believe that in death Jonathan’s demons arevanquished, and he is at rest. But I don’t underestimate the strength of hispersistence. I fear Mr. Hyde may reach from

the grave and wield more wicked wrongdoing.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

MeridaJohns writes about the human experience—which often is messy. She shows howordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, andstruggle with doubt. But despite this, they gather the strength to act on theiraspirations and achieve flourishing lives.

“Myinsight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017with fellow life coaches when I asked, ‘What would it be like to help peopleachieve a flourishing life through storytelling instead of another self-helpbook?’

Afterthat phone call, I got started answering that question. Five yearslater, the result is the publication of my debut novel Blackhorse Road and a second novel, Flower Girl. Both works are women’s fiction, and thedriving force of the stories is the protagonist’s journey toward a flourishinglife.

Now,I’m thrilled about the recent release of Flawless Witness—astory of a woman who has suppressed the memories of her ex-husband’s abuse forthree decades. But when a tell-all journal surfaces after his death, a legacyof cruelty haunts her from beyond the grave.

Beforewriting fiction, I was a professor, author of health informatics and leadershiptextbooks, and leadership coach focusing on helping women break the glassceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. 

My husbandand I reside in the beautiful Midwest countryside. This is where Ifind the serenity and space for bringing to life thestories of everyday people who face and overcomeextraordinary challenges by finding and following their North Star.

https://www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com

Twitter:  @MLJohnsAuthor

FB:  https://facebook.com/MeridaJohnsAuthor

IG: https://www.instagram.com/meridajohns/

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/meridajohns 

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Flawless-Witness-Flower-Novella-Sequel-ebook/dp/B0BV52VGZB/

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GIVEAWAY :

 

Merida Johns will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnesand Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: CANYON OF SHAME by Faye Duncan

The Bungalow Heaven Mystery Series Book 2

Mystery

Date Published: July 21, 2022

Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

 

In Canyon of Shame, the second part of The Bungalow Heaven Mystery Series, detective Peter McGinnis from the Pasadena homicide unit has to solve the murder of a forty-year-old woman whose body was discovered in Eaton Canyon. What at first appears like a routine investigation, turns into a career and reputation salvaging operation for the detective, who is not only the main witness in a prominent Black Lives Matter case, but who becomes more and more entwined with the case the more facts he uncovers.

 

Chapter One

It was early ona Sunday in September. The sky was as blue as hydrangeas. McGinnis, who kepthis receding salt-and-pepper hair protected from the carcinogenic sunrays undera linen newsboy hat that matched his tweed blazer, steered his 1970s FordFutura down the sleepy residential street of Michigan Avenue, heading towardNell’s Café. He and Nell had decided to spend the night separate since she hadto get up at the crack of dawn. Still, he at least wanted to stop by beforeheading off to the racetracks. They were both busy people, and he had learnedin his fifty-seven years that one way of making a relationship work was bysimply showing up, even if that was all you did.

He pulled hisold Futura to the curb and parked. He stepped out slowly, hoping nobody wouldnotice how he was pulling himself up by using the frame of the door. The 310pounds above his belt made such transitions increasingly difficult for thesix-foot tall homicide detective. Huffing and puffing, he closed the rusty doorcarefully, making sure he didn’t unhinge it. He walked to the café and pushedopen the glass door.

Nell, who wasbehind the counter, looked up as soon as the door opened, and smiled. “Morning,Peter. How did your night go?” She dropped the dough she was kneading, came outfrom behind the counter, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Not as good asit would have with you by my side,” he said.

As tough as hecould be while working, he had a soft spot for ginger-haired Nell. He feltfortunate to have found her after all that he had been through with Lauren.

“What are youup to today?” Nell asked, running a hand through her untamed curls.

“Clocker’sCorner. See if I can get a good tip for the races. Might as well risk a littlebit, seeing that my career will most likely be over on Wednesday,” McGinnissaid sarcastically.

“Why?” Nell’sforehead wrinkled.

McGinnis ledher behind the counter so he could speak more quietly. “They asked me totestify. You know, the Tyrone Bastille case.”

“You mean theone who is now paraplegic because your colleague broke his back in the SevenEleven shop on Rosemead?”

“That one.”

“Why would yourcareer be over? You’re doing the right thing!” Nell switched a button on theespresso machine and steamed some milk for a cappuccino. An angry frownreplaced her usually bright expression.

“Just becauseI’m doing the right thing, doesn’t mean I’ll still be working there next month.Chief Bartholdo ordered the video to be destroyed. The only reason I agreed totestify is because Michael is my buddy. Otherwise, I would never do somethingthat could harm another colleague. Michael’s been with the Pasadena police forthirty-nine years. That’s two years more than I’ve been there. He was in thepatrol car with Fred when they took the call. Michael has the whole thing oncamera and refused the chief’s order to destroy it. That’s why he’s without ajob now.”

Nell served thecappuccino to a customer across the counter. “Last I checked, we live in acountry ruled by law and order. If you do the right thing and don’t break anylaws, you will be fine,” she said, then began filling a medium cup with darkcoffee. She searched for a lid.

“That onlyapplies if you don’t work for a guy who has a history of violence himself.Everybody at the Pasadena police knows about the skeletons in Bartholdo’scloset.”

“No wonder he’strying to protect the guy who broke a black man’s back!” Nell said, fiddlingwith the lid. She handed him the lid and the coffee. “Want some hot coffee?Take it before I spill it.”

McGinnis tookthe cup. “Thank you, dear. You read me like a crime novel, don’t you?”

She smiled.McGinnis put the coffee cup on the counter and carefully put the lid on.

Nell tookanother customer’s order, then said to McGinnis quietly, “That leave any timeto see you in between?”

“How abouttonight?” McGinnis asked before taking a sip of the hot coffee.

Nell smiledfrom cheek to cheek. “That a date?”

“A date it is,”McGinnis said, breaking into a smile that could cheer up a serial killer.

Nell almostsang as she addressed the next customer. McGinnis squeezed out from behind thecounter and headed toward the door.

“By the way,nice outfit!” she yelled after him.

“See youlater!” McGinnis turned around and left Nell’s Café. 

About the Author

Faye Duncan is a writer from the San Gabriel Valley, California. She is the author of Murder on Wilson Street, the first part of The Bungalow Heaven Mystery Series. She has published several short stories and volunteers as a script reader for International Film Festivals. Faye has an undying passion for ballroom dancing and lives with her son Max and her two dogs, Sammie and Lamby

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Publisher

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Blog Tour: CLEAN WIN by Kevin R. Doyle

Clean Win

by Kevin R. Doyle

 

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GENRE:   Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

LauraMosby is like a lot of young women, working in a job she doesn't like, lookingfor a way out, and doing her best to enjoy her privacy. When she dies a violentdeath at the hands of an intruder, it's at first brushed off as a standardhomicide. But when Lieutenant Santiago, the supervising detective, comes acrossevidence linking her death to a local politician, he begins to see the faintthreads of a much nastier scheme. Desperate to shield his people from potentialharm, he turns to Sam Quinton, full-time gym owner and part-time privateinvestigator, to help solve Laura's murder and help the police department evadethe wrath of City Hall.

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

We sat there for another minute or two before I prodded thecop. “Laura Mosby.”

           

“Right.” Santiago sat a little straighter, as if pullinghimself back on track. “We’ve got a possible suspect.”

 

“From what the local news has reported, you’ve had more thanone possible suspect.”

 

Santiago nodded. “A former boyfriend, another even moreformer boyfriend, and a low-rent cousin who lives out of state.”

 

“But?”

 

“But they were all dead ends. And now we’ve got someone newto look at.”

 

“Which I’m guessing has something to do with why you’reslumming enough to visit me this morning,” I said. “So why not get to it. Who’sthe new favorite?”

 

Santiago looked away as he pressed his hands flat on histhighs. Despite our not-so-hot relationship, I decided to give him the time heneeded.

 

He looked back my way, his expression as calm and controlledas I’d ever seen him.

 

“Bob Marlow,” he said, so quietly I almost missed it.

 

I blinked a couple of times, processing the name.

 

“Bob Marlow,” I repeated a few seconds later.

 

“Yeah,” Santiago said, giving me half a nod.

 

“As in Mayor Bob Marlow?”

 

Only a quarter of a nod this time, if that. “Yeah.”

 

“As in recently-announced candidate for governor BobMarlow?”

 

No comment this time, except for Santiago giving me adead-level stare.

 

“Well, shit,” I said.

 

“Yeah,” Santiago said.  




 

 

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 Review: An unsolved murder of a hairdresser. There have been several suspects with dead ends. Their latest suspectwas a city mayor. A cop friend wanted to enlist the help of Detective SamQuinton to find further proof to convict the mayor or clear him of the murder.

The investigation kicks off to apromising and captivating start. I just enjoy these murder mysteries withtrying to figure out what happened and who did it.

Sam Quinton was your typicalbeat-nick P.I. that can get the answers and can get down n’ dirty if need be.His thinking was quick, candid, and gruff.

“If you’d been ready for it, Iwould have hit you a whole lot harder and you’d still be down.”

You get such a kick from Sam’s slyinvestigative skills. But what really draws you in is the murder mystery. Couldthe mayor have killed that girl? It would be too easy if it was the mayor. Butif it wasn’t him, then who? Was this a cover-up or a set-up?

A great read from start to finish!Hooray for Clean Win!

 

Rating:5 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

A high-school teacher, former college instructor, and fictionwriter, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’salso written three crime thrillers, The Group, When You Have to GoThere, and And the Devil Walks Away, and one horror novel, TheLitter. In the last few years, he’s begun working on the Sam Quintonprivate eye series, published by Camel Press. The first Quinton book, Squatter’sRights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PINovel.  The second book, Heel Turn,was released in March of 2021, while the third in the series, Double Frame,came out in March of 2022. The fourth Sam Quinton book, Clean Win, willbe released in March of 203.

 

Website: kevindoylefiction.com  

Facebook:facebook.com/kevindoylfiction

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6473241.Kevin_R_Doyle

 

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Win-Quinton-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0BN6X7WNW/

 

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GIVEAWAY :

Kevin R. Doyle will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnesand Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: AQUA PAWS by Patricia Allieri

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Aqua Paws by Patricia Allieri
Category:  Children's Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 39 pages
Genre:  Children's Book
Publisher:  Aqua Kids Books
Release date:  Apr 4, 2023
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.Book Description:

Splish! Splash! MEOW! Most cats hate water, but not Aqua Paws. He loves it! There’s just one problem: he’s terrified of crabs!

Then Aqua Paws finds himself in a sticky situation, and the only one around to help is a crab. Can Aqua Paws push his feelings aside before it’s too late? Full of whimsical sea creatures beautifully illustrated by Stella Maris, Aqua Paws also warns of the dangers of ocean pollution. A story that your child will fall in love with, that helps teach a valuable lesson at the same time.Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N 
add to goodreads
Review: Aqua Paws loved the water. But there was one thing he didn’t like about: the crabs! Then his friends talk Aqua Paws into facing his fears and let the joy of the water take him in. Oh, the awesome things he saw. Vibrant fish. Mega blowfish. And, of course, crabs!But what happens when Aqua Paws finds trouble and an unlikely specimen saves him?The illustrations were colorful and lovely. The pictures had this watercolor style that worked very well. A wonderful water adventure and a great motivation to preserve the oceans! Highly recommended. Rating: 5 stars

Meet the Author:

Patricia writes stories about the ocean, cats, and friendship. With beautiful illustrations and heartfelt characters, she aims to entertain and inspire readers to feel brave, adventurous, and appreciate the environment. Patricia’s memorable characters include Aqua Paws and Purple Beak with many more on the horizon. Her fiction picture book, AQUA PAWS, has subtle hints of pollution in our oceans and children can help by collecting the harmful trash. Patricia lives in Texas with her husband. She treasures time with her two grown daughters and her grand babies Tate (Tater-Tot) and Pierce. Her love of animals, the beach and the environment is undeniable.


connect with the authors: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram 
Enter the Giveaway:AQUA PAWS Book Tour Giveaway

Review: MASQUERADE by Adam Nicholls (Book 2)

A prostitute. A knife through theneck. And a dead young man. It seemed like just another murder scene…except thebody had a message carved into it: “Mason Black is a murderer.”

It was a case he had no choice butto take…if he wanted to stay out of the spotlight. Could this have had anythingto do with this old case on The Lullaby Killer? Could what happened on thatcase lead to Mason’s arrest?

Story is so gripping right fromthe start. Mason Black is one tough, kick-@ investigator. And while he’s tryingto clear his own name, there’s another killer on the loose known as Lady Luck,who’s been sending her own messages. Time becomes even more vital when Mason’ssister gets kidnapped by Lady Luck. Will Lady Luck get her revenge? Can Masonstop the killer and keep the police from finding out his dark secret?

It's another dangerous game ofcat-and-mouse. Well-written and enthralling! Just an exciting thriller!

 

Rating: 5 stars

Review: MANIAC by Adam Nicholls (Book 4)

The Friday Killer is the latestmaniac in this next Mason Black thriller.

“Chasing lunatics around the cityis a young man’s game, and I’m closer to fifty than forty.”

When a man asks for his help tofind his missing daughter, Mason, for the first time, refuses in considerationfor his own family. But Mason just couldn’t help his curiosity, especially whenhe discovered the first letter of each victim’s name spelled out “Friday.” TheFriday Killer.

Things change when his daughter’sfriend is kidnapped by the killer and her daughter makes him promise to findher. “To make one promise, he would have to break another [to his wife.]”

The daughter, Amy, was wrackedwith guilt over the deathly fate of her friend—the Y girl in the Fridaycycle—and so would do anything to help Mason catch this killer.

A father-daughter team was in thechase for this ruthless killer.

Another exciting and thrillerread!

 

Rating:5 stars

Review: MANHUNT by Adam Nicholls (Book 3)

Mason Black’s newest case: lookinginto the kidnapping of a man’s wife and daughter. Soon after, a severed headbelonging to the missing woman was found. It was the work of Anarchy, thenewest serial killer on the hunt.

As more victims were suffering atthe hands of this sick and twisted killer, Mason was losing focus as his ownpersonal life unravels with his sister leaving and his daughter feelingneglected.

It’s another excitingcat-and-mouse game, and Anarchy had every intention of testing Mason’sdurability.

Such grueling, action-packedtests. So many interesting twists and turns. A thrilling read!

 

Rating:5 stars

Review: MALEVOLENCE by Adam Nicholls (Book 5)

Mason Black, a privateinvestigator, was down to one child after losing his daughter a few months agoon a case. Instead of sitting at home blaming himself and wanting his wifeback, Mason decides to work another case: the hunt for a terrorist.

It all began with an explosion atAlcatraz that killed hundreds, including the wife and kid of a grieving man,who was the target of a madman known as The Educator. Mason’s journey islittered with random explosions on this case.

This was amilder, slower read, but still with an equally exciting hunt. A good read!

 

Rating:4 stars