Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 149
February 3, 2023
Blog Tour: LOVE ALL by Liza Malloy
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Liza Malloy will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
College students Nate and Olivia are a perfect match on the courts—and in the sheets. Everywhere else, they’re polar opposites and sworn enemies. But as the chemistry builds, a figure from Olivia’s past unexpectedly pops back into her life and the couple realizes they have more in common than they thought. Are these star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat their parents’ mistakes, or can they build a life together once the final set is played?
This book is a standalone, steamy, new adult/college, sports romance, 77k words. Tropes include enemies to lovers, he falls first, and billionaire.
Read an Excerpt
God, she was enchanting. Even up close, even in this dim lighting, even after playing tennis… Olivia was pure perfection. Olivia licked her lips casually, drawing my eyes to her mouth. I needed to know if her lips were as soft as they looked, couldn’t help but wonder if she tasted as good as she smelled. But I didn’t dare try.
So instead, I just stared.
Olivia stared back at me with the same intensity. I hoped maybe she would make the first move and breach the six inches between us. Instead, she spoke.
“I’d love to know what you’re thinking right now.”
My heart beat faster. “I’m trying to guess if you’d slap me if I kissed you right now.”
Her perfect lips curved upwards into a grin she tried to hide. “What did you decide?”
I considered my next words, then spoke slowly. “I decided that you’ve had plenty of time to turn away.” I leaned forward, placed my hand on her cheek, and when she still didn’t move, I pressed my mouth to hers.
Before I could even panic that I’d done the wrong thing, she kissed me back. Her lips were velvety smooth against my own, and they parted willingly, welcoming my tongue into her warm mouth. She tasted sweet, like oranges and cinnamon.
Her hand brushed against my bicep, startling me at first, then egging me on as she pressed her fingers against me, practically squeezing the muscle. I reached to place my other hand around her arm, missing and inadvertently grazing the side of her breast before landing on her arm. Still, she didn’t slap me.
The kiss went on and on. Olivia sure didn’t kiss like the innocent girl she claimed to be, but I wasn’t about to complain, either. Her lips fit perfectly against mine, and I was positive that the rest of our bodies would fit just as well.
All of a sudden, all the court lights flashed on, flooding us in full light. We broke apart in an instant, leaving only our fingers entangled. We both gazed down, as though neither of us had realized we were holding hands, and then we each winced from the light.
Review: Two college students on the tennis team. She was on scholarship and he was the rich, preppy schoolboy. Each having their own assumptions about the other, Nate and Olivia are very standoffish with a hard chip on the shoulder (particularly Olivia.) I enjoyed the snarky and witty exchange between them.
The two obviously had this fiery spark between them. They annoyed each other, but they also had a crush on each other. So, we had this love-hate thing going.
Poor Olivia was really struggling with everything.
“Between the relentless thoughts about Nate, the drama from my mom’s miserable dating life, and my stress about finances, alcohol sounded really good.”
Perhaps a little stress-relief would do the trick, thus, eliciting a no-strings arrangement. For being considered “steamy,” the sex scenes were pretty mild and tame. The narrative was easy to get into. It was fun watching Nate and Olivia dance around this thing between them with sarcasm, wit, and sex. The whole time they screw and confide in each other in secret, and they get closer even when apart. The reader easily connects with the characters—together and separately. As you get more into it, it becomes a Romeo-and-Juliet thing—two people from different worlds that want to tear them apart.
Story was a delightful combination of flirt, argue, and ignore. A good read!
Rating: 4 stars
About the Author:
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming.Website
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February 1, 2023
Blog Tour: ROCKY MOUNTAIN DOGS by Virginia Fox
(Rocky Mountain Romances, Book 3)
Romance
Date Published: 1.17.2022
Publisher: Dragonbooks Publishing House
Is that a vintage RV— painted top to bottom with paw print-shaped polka-dots — driving into town? You can bet your pupper’s next bubble bath it is! Get ready to plunge into the pages of the third book in the always pet-friendly Rocky Mountain Romances series.
When Kathrina gets chased out of her Seattle apartment because of its no pets policy, she packs up her business, Kat’s for Dogs Mobile Grooming, and heads to the mountain town of Independence Junction, Colorado.
In Independence Junction, pets are welcome, the local diner is the hub of social life, and Sam, that good-looking guy Kat met last summer, just happens to still be around. But oh no! Sam turns out to be a professional hockey player with an ego the size of the biggest mountain in the state. Not only is Kat a little man-shy, but she has no interest in wasting her time trying to tame that wild one.
However, when injured dogs start turning up in the woods, Kat must find a way to help. Before she knows it, Kat is tangled up in the small town’s dark side. Will she rescue the animals? Will she accept Sam’s help? Will the townsfolk finally have enough with whoever, or whatever, is hurting their dogs?
Welcome back to Independence Junction in Book 3 of The Rocky Mountain Romances series. Your quirky friends are waiting for you to join them for another small town suspense story, complete with a nice blend of laughter, mystery, and heart-warming romance along the way!
Praise for Rocky Mountain Romances Book 1:
“An enjoyable, mixed-genre romp with an intriguing main couple and colorful townsfolk.” – Kirkus Reviews
Book 3 excerpt
It was a bright, blue-sky day and Kat chugged down the highway in her elderly but gently used recreational vehicle. The outside was painted white and polka-dotted with black paw prints. Electric-pink letters read:
Kat’s for Dogs
Mobile Grooming
Kat and her traveling companions had just crossed the border from Utah into Colorado and were bound for Independence. In more ways than one, Kat thought, trying not to recall the turmoil she’d left behind.
She fumbled for her cell phone and called a number that went straight to voicemail. Hi! This is Jasmine McArthy. If you are calling about classes at the yoga studio, please—
Kat tapped her screen so the message cut off and started recording. “Hi Jaz! I’m just an hour away. I’ll call again when I’m entering town. Love you! Say hi to Pat for me.” She tapped End Calland brought up GPS again.
A quick glance into the back of the RV showed her traveling companions, two large dogs, napping contentedly in their crates.
BOOM!
Distant thunder sounded in the distance.
Both dogs lifted their heads.
BOOM BOOM!
“Woof,” went the dogs.
In a few minutes Kat was driving through snowflakes that got increasingly heavy the closer they came to the little mountain town. Wind gusted down from the rockies and buffeted the old RV. “Whoa, Nelly,” Kat said out loud. Nelly was the vehicle’s nickname. Half an hour later the snow drove harder and the wind rose to a howl.
CRAAK!
The little RV lurched left as Kat hit something invisible on the road under the snow. Nelly started to slide. The dogs yelped, and Kat took her hands off the wheel, hoping Nelly could snap out of it. But with a sickening crunch the RV slid off the road, half on the pavement and half in a ditch. The engine rattled and died. The dogs whined, then cocked their ears and made no sound. Only the wind wailed outside.
Kat sat in stunned silence. Beside her, the cell phone still had no bars of signal. She was too scared to cry.
And then out of the cold and dark, a light shone. Was someone coming to the rescue? Kat’s heart leaped with hope. “I’m here!” she cried, hoping her voice would carry through the windshield. “Please help me, I’m here!”
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January 31, 2023
Blog Tour: THE DANGERS OF LOVING A ROGUE by Jeri Black
The Dangers of Loving a Rogue
by Jeri Black
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GENRE: Historical Romance
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BLURB:
If not for deplorable timing, Celia Breckenridge might have avoided a pirate attack. She’s grateful for her rescuer, truly, however the stubborn man is sailing in the wrong direction! Most alarming still? The silver-eyed rogue is devilishly attractive and Celia must keep reminding herself she’s betrothed to another.
Jackson Beaumont had a plan: sail to the Caribbean; find a hidden cache of emeralds; return to society a wealthy man. Alas, he arrives in Charles Town with marauding pirates, a disgruntled heiress, and a hurricane at his heels. Rescuing the lady from pirates posed little challenge - allowing her to return to her betrothed is proving far more difficult.
But Jack won’t return to England without his fortune, and when it comes to another man’s bride, he’s not above a little plundering himself.
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Excerpt One:
Meet
It occurred to her then that his amusement stemmed from the fact that she’d baldly stared at him for several moments while he waited for her to introduce herself. But my, what a spectacular figure this Jackson Beaumont made.
His arm swept out, gesturing to their surroundings. “Rather odd circumstances in which to meet a lady, but we shall have to muddle through.”
For heaven’s sake, he behaved as though they’d just been introduced at tea. Next, he’d take a pinch of snuff and comment on the weather. He watched her closely and she knew he expected her to speak, but her throat was swollen and parched. One would think her pitiful attempt at a scream would have indicated a difficulty. She raised her hand to her throat, attempting to communicate the problem.
He raised a brow and his lips quirked. “Forgive me. ’Tis obvious my attempt to set you at ease has failed.”
And then he smiled.
Not one of those swift quirks of the lips she’d seen before. Oh, no. This was a full smile, with wide lips and white teeth, and eyes gone crinkly at the corners. Her entire being stirred and preened and fluttered helplessly beneath it.
Lud, a man could kill a woman with a smile like that. What on earth was it doing on a swarthy sea captain? Her gaze swept him from head to toe again. Dangerous he may be, but also, without question, the handsomest man she’d ever laid eyes upon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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A love of history and happily-ever-afters lured Jeri Black from reading historical romances to writing her own. She earned a B.A. in Finance after working several years as a bartender. Spending countless nights with a variety of humanity has given her a unique perspective on the attitudes and exploits between the opposite sexes. Her lively, witty characters are a result. Jeri writes historical and contemporary romance and is a 2017 Golden Heart Finalist. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her husband and forty-year-old box turtle rescue named Klide—who likes strawberries, chasing bunny rabbits, and chewing on her shoes.
Links:
Coming 12.14.22
The Dangers of Loving a Rogue
FaceBook: authorjeriblack
Instagram: authorjeriblack
Twitter: @jeri_black
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GIVEAWAY:
Jeri Black will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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January 30, 2023
Book Blast: TITANIAN WARRIOR by Victoria Saccenti
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Victoria Saccenti will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
One woman holds the key to his destiny—and his people’s salvation. Hagen drags himself to the gates of Hell, body and soul shredded by the bloodlust that consumes all the unmated of his kind. Awaiting the painful atonement that will buy him ten more years to find his eternal mate—or face oblivion. But Hades himself kicks him out with the bloodlust still prowling, unsatisfied, in his veins.
Bargained away by her parents to Master O, a mysterious, cruel wizard, Faiza serves in his household, keeping her small magic a secret, plagued by wild, confusing visions of a strange, suffering man. Then the master brings home a wounded Titanian warrior whose touch sends ice, fire, and desire racing through her body.
When she learns Master O plans to use Hagen as a weapon to conquer all races, she devises a desperate plan to free him—a plan that opens a portal to a world she’s never known. And a destiny entwined with danger that could destroy them all.
Read an Excerpt
The wounded male groaned and flipped on his side. Burdened by the heavy weight, the pallet under him protested with loud creaks. Faiza scowled. The abrupt movement had reopened a cut on his brow, and a trickle of blood flowed to his jaw.
“To hell with Master.” Huffing, she stomped to the kitchen, tore another dishcloth in lengths under running water, and squeezed out the excess. As she returned to the male, she passed a strip to Lilith. “He’s too big for only one of us. I’ll clean one side. You take care of the other.”
Lilith nodded. Without making her usual smart comments or objections, she knelt quietly next to their guest and took care of his cheek and neck.
Faiza leaned closer to his jaw. She dabbed his skin. Instantly, he clutched her wrist. Fire and ice punched through his hold into her, and she was thrown back as icicles settled in her lungs and flames flared in her core.
“Ah!” Faiza yelped, eyeing the point of contact, convinced she’d see sores and burns, but her skin was smooth and its golden color hadn’t changed. She felt no pain except for an odd tingle under his fingers.
“Penance!” he shouted, rising close to her face. His deep voice resonated through the small room.
Then he looked at her.
Sparkling irises, full of magic and bright as searchlights bore into hers. He was not human, but not a god either. No deity aura surrounded him. Her mind spun as she fought to make sense of this marvel and every wild sensation he’d inspired in her.
About the Author:
Award-winning, multi-genre author Victoria Saccenti writes romantic women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and paranormal romance. Not one for heart and flower stories, she explores the edgy twists and turns of human interaction, the many facets of love, and all possible happy endings. After thirty years of traveling the world, she’s settled in Central Florida. She splits her busy schedule between family and her active muse at Essence Publishing. However, if she could convince her husband to sell their home, she would pack up her computer and move to Scotland, a land she adores. On a side note, in one form or another, Scotland appears in most of her stories.Website
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January 27, 2023
Blog Tour: THE PEPPER PEACH MURDER by Meg Benjamin
The Pepper Peach Murder
by Meg Benjamin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Roxy Constantine is the jam queen of Shavano, Colorado, and she’s fine with it. Not that things couldn’t be better. Her social life is a bust, and she’s still recovering from a bad experience as a line cook in Denver. But things are looking up when she meets local chef Nate Robicheaux. Roxy would like to get closer to Nate, but she’s fending off the unwanted attentions of another local, Brett Holmes, who won’t take no for an answer. When Brett threatens to derail Roxy’s appearance on a national cooking show, the two have a very public fight. A few days later, Brett is found murdered in his restaurant kitchen, and suddenly Roxy’s a prime suspect. Now Roxy, Nate, and her other friends must find out the truth about Brett’s background and his murderer before the town of Shavano decides Roxy’s reign as jam queen is over for good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
It would be better for him to hear it from you than to discover it on his own.
Nate’s voice still echoed in my ears. For a moment, I wished I’d asked him to come with me. But I had to face this on my own. It was my disaster, after all.
I climbed up the stairs to the front door, pausing for a moment to check the directory on the wall inside. The chief’s office was on the first floor, right down the hall. Once I turned in that direction, there’d be no going back. I’d be committed to confessing.
I walked down the corridor, feeling like I was going to the executioner’s block.
There was a receptionist for the chief’s office along with the county attorney and the sheriff. I didn’t recognize her, which was just as well. This visit wasn’t something I wanted shared on social media.
She looked up expectantly. “Yes?”
“I need to see Chief Fowler.” I was amazed that my voice was steady.
“Do you have an appointment?”
I shook my head. “He’ll want to talk to me. Tell him it’s Roxy Constantine.”
The receptionist picked up her phone and dialed a number, turning away from me as she spoke.
Of course, I wasn’t absolutely sure Fowler would want to see me. Maybe he’d be too busy. Maybe he wasn’t interested. Maybe…
The receptionist glanced up at me. “Go on in. He’ll see you now.”
So much for hope. I opened the office door and stepped inside.
Fowler was sitting at his utilitarian, city-issued desk. He gazed up at me with that same unsmiling, inscrutable look he always seemed to wear. I wondered if he ever smiled. Probably not at people like me, people he suspected of murder.
I cleared my throat. “I have some things to tell you.”
He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. “Sit down, Ms. Constantine. I’ve been expecting you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review: It’s time to sell at the local farmer’s market and that meant bringing several jars of the unique pepper peach jam. There’s no feat unturned for the “jam queen of Shavano, CO.” Roxy was going to sell out of the pepper peach if it killed her.
Story, for the most part, had a clever and witty narrative that was easy to get into. Roxy’s backstory on how she ended up in the jam business was shocking and unbelievable. Fortunately, that awful experience led her to something good, but, unfortunately, she was still suffering the traumatic effects from it. The opportunity to be broadcast on a cooking show gives Roxy the hope of possibly expanding her business. It was time to make more jam. Jam, jam, and more jam.
Although the narrative was nice and easy, it was also rather long and dramatically slowed down the story. This was supposed to be a mystery, right? A murder mystery? Well, where’s the dead body already? All Roxy talked about was jam and the people at the farmer’s market. Sure, there were some exciting scenes like the chef from her past coming back to assault her again. But, seriously, we were 10 chapters in and there was no murder. Usually, the dead body has shown up in like the first 2 chapters already. But I was getting nothing. At this point, this was starting to feel like a jip. You can only hear about jams to a certain point before it becomes redundant and stale.
Overall, this was a fairly nice read, but it just didn’t meet my expectations for a standard cozy mystery.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance. Meg’s Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing). Her new cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Along with contemporary romance, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Soul Mate. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers. Meg’s Web site is http://www.MegBenjamin.com. You can follow her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/megbenjamin/), Instagram (meg_benjamin) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/megbenj1). Meg loves to hear from readers—contact her at meg@megbenjamin.com.
The buy links for Pepper Peach Murder is https://www.amazon.com/Pepper-Murder-Luscious-Delights-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BKYJPN22/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PHU83N6E7I8N&keywords=meg+benjamin+pepper+peach+murder&qid=1668885185&s=books&sprefix=meg+benjamin+pepper+peach+murder%2Cstripbooks%2C105&sr=1-1
And https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pepper-peach-murder-meg-benjamin/1142562360?ean=9781509246922
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GIVEAWAY :
Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlog Tour: ROCKY MOUNTAIN STAR by Virginia Fox
(Rocky Mountain Romances, Book 2)
Romance
Date Published: 12.13.2022
Publisher: Dragonbooks Publishing House
Did someone say dance like no one is watching? Guess that’s the only way Tyler CAN dance now. Slip into the pages of the fun and feisty second book in the Rocky Mountain Romances series.
Tyler Carter has everything she dreams of—she’s the starring ballerina in a Cirque-du-Soleil type show, a splashy Las Vegas lifestyle, and there’s nothing tying her down. Until she injures her knee, that is.
Tyler flees to her family in the little mountain town of Independence Junction, Colorado, and pretends she'll get better, until forced to realize the truth. And forced to confront her past when she smacks right into Patrick West, the architect restoring the historic Wilkinson house.
Their attraction quickly rekindles because of a one-night tryst they had the summer before—one neither of them wants to admit to!
But something else gets rekindled. A stalker sets their sights on Tyler and leaves shocking clues indicating they know exactly who Tyler is, and that they want her dead. Will Patrick, Tyler’s brother, and a retired police dog be able to keep Tyler safe?
The fascinating and quirky citizens of Independence Junction come back in Book 2 of The Rocky Mountain Romances series to show how small-town relationships can bring out the best and worst in people.
Heart-warming with a splash of Vegas glamour, Book 2 successfully combines a new-and-old mix of family and townsfolk in a pressure-cooker plot that never lets up on chuckles, suspense, and romance.
Book 2 excerpts
Panting, Tyler braced herself, waiting to catch her breath. She hadn’t known working out with a punching bag would be so strenuous. And she was used to quite a bit from her own training as a dancer. Slowly, she lowered her arms. She could barely lift them. As she turned, her eyes fell on someone. An image of muscular arms around her waist and intertwined legs flashed before her inner eye. Heat shot through her body. Oh great. She was suddenly aware of scattered strands of hair that had come loose from her braid sticking to her sweaty face.
“You!” she gasped.
“I was thinking the same thing,” he answered.
Funny, she remembered the way he smelled, the sensation of his touch, but she couldn’t remember his name.
“Pat,” he said, as though reading her mind. “Patrick West.”
“Tyler—”
“Carter. I remember.”
They looked at each other, memories from the summer flooding back. Along with the dark good looks and toned body, Tyler remembered he was an architect. He was planning the restoration of a historic house in the area. Which explained why he was still in town.
He took off his jacket and sat on the floor. “I didn’t know dancers could work the bag,” he said.
“I didn’t know either, but it’s great for blowing off frustrations.”
He nodded.
She waited for a comment, but he said nothing, just waited until she slid down beside him, leaning back against the wall.
“You a boxer?” she asked out of the blue.
“A little martial arts,” he answered.
“So this dance studio is now a dojo?”
“You know the Japanese word for it.” He looked impressed.
“I work in Vegas with dancers, stunt people, and every kind of physical entertainment professional from all over the world. Of course I know the term.”
The slight, amused smile fell from his face. “If you need the space, I’ll find another place.”
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January 25, 2023
Blog Tour: THE LOW ROAD by Jo A. Hiestand
The Low Road
by Jo A Hiestand
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GENRE: British mystery
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BLURB:
Former police detective Michael McLaren arrives in Scotland, ready to immerse himself in the fun of the Highland Games and to enjoy a holiday with Melanie. But the old saying of plans oft going awry rears its ugly head: Simon Shaw, a member of McLaren's folk group, dies. Murdered a year to the day following his uncle's death.
McLaren is determined to find out who killed Simon. Needing justice for his friend is only half of his incentive. He also needs to appease his guilt for suggesting the group sing there in the first place.
As McLaren becomes immersed in the investigation, he wonders if the two deaths are linked, or have to do with the family or their clan. Perhaps Simon's former wife killed him, bent on revenge more powerful than mere divorce. Or was the killing tied to an old hunt for diamonds? After all, diamonds aren't only a girl's best friend. Sometimes they birth greed and murder. And entrap the innocent.
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Excerpt One:
The last vestiges of sunset touched the sky, the violet and indigo hues slowly turning to a somber grey that would soon melt into the thickening gloom. Dusk was yielding to the darkness that brought out night creatures and their sounds, but the piper seemed apart from that, like Melanie's blend of the Mystical and Celtic worlds. What is he doing here and where is he now? For the music again had shifted. It now came from behind the house, apparently on the road.
McLaren tapped on his mobile phone's torch app and played the beam several feet ahead as he jogged toward the sound. The grass brushed the sides of his boots in dry, wispy sighs. Dew would anoint the lawn, yews, and the cars come morning, but at this hour it was an easy tramp without the entanglement of sodden grass. It's just as well, he thought as he approached the verge of the road. I can do without damp boots and jeans.
As he left the lawn and stepped onto the gravel edge of the road, the music stopped. Not abruptly, as if someone had hit the pause button on a recording. It groaned and lost its voice. Like a last gasp, the way bagpipe music ended with the air leaving the bag. The silence was nearly overwhelming after the lengthy skirl he had heard. The timing was strange too, as if the crunch of his boots on the chert had signaled to the piper that McLaren was there to find him.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Jo A. Hiestand grew up on regular doses of music, books, and Girl Scout camping. She gravitated toward writing in her post-high school years and finally did something sensible about it, graduating from Webster University with a BA degree in English and departmental honors. She writes a British mystery series (the McLaren Mysteries)—of which three books have garnered the prestigious N.N. Light’s Book Heaven ‘Best Mystery Novel’ three years straight. She also writes a Missouri-based cozy mystery series (The Cookies & Kilts Mysteries, of which "A Trifling Murder" is the second book) that is grounded in places associated with her camping haunts. The camping is a thing of the past, for the most part, but the music stayed with her in the form of playing guitar and harpsichord, and singing in a folk group. Jo carves jack o’ lanterns badly and sings loudly. She loves barbecue sauce and ice cream (separately, not together), kilts (especially if men wear them), clouds and stormy skies, and the music of G.F. Handel. You can usually find her pulling mystery plots out of scenery—whether from photographs or the real thing.
Social Media Links
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jo-a-hiestand
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jo.hiestand.3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AnglophileJo
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/joahiestand
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/JoHiestand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoHiestand
Website: http://www.johiestand.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MysteryAuthorinSTL
Buy Links
Trade Paper – https://amzn.to/3r1RHH7
Ebook –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BjnsQx
iTunes: https://apple.co/3RRnYMB
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3eRpcJc
The book will be on sale for $0.99.
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GIVEAWAY :
Jo A Hiestand will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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January 23, 2023
Blog Tour: IN THE SHADOW OF THE APENNINES by Kimberly Sullivan
In The Shadow of The Apennines
by Kimberly Sullivan
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GENRE: Women's fiction, contemporary & historical
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BLURB:
An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams
The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.
At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.
Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.
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Excerpt One:
Pescina, Italy
25 April 1914
Where do I begin? Mamma blames it all on Father Ignazio. She says if only he had left me to the chores I was employed to carry out at San Berardo and the parish house, my cooking and cleaning would be much improved, and I would not be constantly scribbling on any piece of paper I could find and begging for books to read.
She worries I will never find a husband.
“What man wants a wife who only cares about book learning, when she should be tending the goats, washing the clothes, and baking the bread?” Mamma warns me every day.
Mamma says no peasant girl should study beyond the first years of elementary school. Writing the letters to sign your name and computations for simple transactions are more than enough for a female in our region. She calls it getting above oneself. To mamma, this is the worst sin.
Of course, we weren’t always peasants. We used to have some money, back before papà lost his property. It was never much, but our lives were so much easier back then. My brothers and I even had a tutor to teach us to read and write and to know our history and literature. Those hours were the highlight of my day. My tutor was very pleased with me.
It was hard on us when we lost everything. Only mamma said maybe it was for the best – at least for me. Now she could insist I concentrate on what was most important for girls.
I suppose I am lucky it was Father Ignazio who insisted I keep up with my learning. Mamma may often speak her mind, but she will never argue with our parish priest. She respects him too much, and she worries about punishment in the afterlife if she talks back to a priest. So mamma, who is quick to speak her mind on every occasion, bites her tongue until she draws blood whenever Father Ignazio praises my learning to her.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kimberly grew up in the suburbs of Boston and in Saratoga Springs, New York, although she now calls the Harlem neighborhood of New York City home when she’s back in the US.
She studied political science and history at Cornell University and earned her MBA, with a concentration in strategy and marketing, from Bocconi University in Milan.
Afflicted with a severe case of Wanderlust, she worked in journalism and government in the US, Czech Republic and Austria, before settling down in Rome, where she works in international development, and writes fiction any chance she gets.
She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and The Historical Novel Society and has published several short stories and three novels: Three Coins, Dark Blue Waves, and In The Shadow of The Apennines.
After years spent living in Italy with her Italian husband and sons, she’s fluent in speaking with her hands, and she loves setting her stories in her beautiful, adoptive country.
Site: kimberlysullivanauthor.com
Blog: kimberlysullivanauthor.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyinrome/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61629187-in-the-shadow-of-the-apennines
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B75M4J2P
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-shadow-of-the-apennines-kimberly-sullivan/1141833536
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/in-the-shadow-of-the-apennines
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GIVEAWAY
Kimberly Sullivan will be awarding a paperback copy of her book (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 22, 2023
Review: THE SECOND TIME AROUND by Mary Higgins Clark
A promise for a vaccine that would cure cancer cells. Soon after, word spread that it was all lies and that the creator that supposedly died in a plane crash cheated all the investors. Was Nick on the plane when it crashed? Or was he still alive? Was there another explanation for the failure of the vaccine, the disappearance of the money, and the plane crash? Or was it all just a con?
Now the widowed wife was being blamed for all the lies and stolen money. Would someone be so angry that they would burn her mansion with her in it? Desperate to clear her name, the widow asks stepsister, Carley, a financial reporter whom she hardly knew, for help.
Assigned to cover the story for Gen-Stone, Carley was determined to find the truth about Nick Spencer. Was he actually murdered?
So many people wanted Nick and Lynn Spencer dead. One distraught man was certainly out for revenge on all of them—including Carley.
Compelling and fascinating! A complex and multi-layered mystery that you just naturally sink your teeth into.
Rating: 5 stars
Review: WEEP NO MORE MY LADY by Mary Higgins Clark
Elizabeth Lange, an actress, was due to testify against her sister’s fiancé, Ted Winters, for her murder
“Never forget that without you as a witness, Ted Winters walks.”
To relax before the trial, Elizabeth goes to a spa in San Francisco. But was it wise to go to a spa owned by people going against Elizabeth’s testimony? It turns out that everyone involved—the fired agent, the rival actress, and even the accused Ted—decided to visit the spa, too.
In the midst was Alvirah Meehan, the lottery winner working undercover for a story. Turns out that everyone had a reason to want Elizabeth’s sister dead.
Fallen or pushed? That was the main question in all this.
Overall, this was a good mystery in typical MHC fashion, even there was some lag at times. Still, a good one!
Rating: 4 stars
