Sydney Winward's Blog, page 11
November 7, 2020
Witch in the Woods by C. M. Adler Book Tour-Review
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“Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived near an enchanted forest with her sister and her father. One day, while her father was gone selling firewood to the neighboring villages, her sister fell ill. Out of desperation, the young girl ventured into the forest for help and there she found a woman who gave her everything her soul desired…
Ambrosine lives next to an enchanted wood, which is no big deal when you know how to spot a magic hoax nest and trap nasty little night fairies.
And certainly no big deal when there is not even a witch in the woods.
When her little sister Rosaline encounters a strange new creature, she falls asleep and a dangerous fever dream threatens her life. With their mother dead and their father gone, Ambrosine gambles with the deepest desire of her soul as she fights to save her sister.
Based on the Grimm fairy tale, The Tale of the Rose, this is a highly entertaining and bone-chilling story of the first Witch in the Woods.”
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Sometimes you have to give up the thing you want most to save the person that means everything to you.
I have to say this is one of the best dark fantasy stories I’ve read. The world building was incredible. Every detail added more depth to the story. Each magical creature the author created was unique and interesting. I enjoyed the ambiguity of the ending, because as a reader, I get to guess what happens next. I love fairy tales, and especially fairy tale retellings that push the boundaries of what people know of them today.
True to the style of Brothers Grimm, Witch in the Woods is a dark fantasy novella that will keep your heart pounding through every page of the book. I definitely look forward to reading more from the author.
My rating: 5 stars
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CM Adler is the thriller and horror pen name for award-winning author Christine Nielson. Christine lives a life that’s certainly never boring, and if there is ever a dull moment, she fills it with more writing projects.
Nestled in the mountains of northern Utah, Christine spends her days with her three human children and her additional four-legged, furry brood. In a former life, Christine taught English and karate at a specialized boarding school. It was during those years that she developed a love of dark fantasy and learned to spin fire.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
November 6, 2020
Book Review of Mine to Five by Tara September
My Review
After a drunken night with a stranger, Melanie Thomas starts her first day at her new job the following day…only to find out the stranger is her new boss.
Mine to Five is a fun office romance with flirty banter and great chemistry between the hero and heroine. It was a short but enjoyable read, one with good romantic tension and fun quips. I would have liked to see more sweet than spicy, but I liked the book overall. If you enjoy office romances and secret relationships, you’ll want to check out this book by Tara September.
My rating: 3.5 stars
Blurb
Working beyond nine to five and barely getting by, Melanie Thomas is eager to celebrate the impending holiday season and to toast the start of her dream marketing job over drinks with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, he has different plans—like seeing other women.
Indulging in a pity party with tequila, Melanie confides in a sexy stranger at the bar. It’s almost Christmas, one night of letting go won’t hurt anything, right? Turns out it just might—when the stranger is her new boss. Determined to succeed at her job, Melanie won’t be scared away. This is her chance, even if her hot boss has her feeling all merry and bright and wishing for a less than professional relationship.
Matthew Ryans is burned out and on thin ice at the company he helped build unless he gets his head back in the game. Yet, his head, both upper and lower, are quickly becoming obsessed with his new assistant. Still, he can’t seem to fully begrudge Melanie’s distracting presence and the Christmas joy she brings with it. Especially considering that her enthusiasm has him reenergized. For once, he is longing for Mondays, but with his heart and job on the line he can’t risk blurring the lines no matter how strong the lure of holiday mistletoe is.
Will their holiday passion be able to fuel mutual career success, or will it only get in their way in the New Year?
November 5, 2020
Book Review of Becoming the Witch by J. M. Davies
My Review
I love paranormal stories, and one set in a historical setting sounded intriguing. However, I had a hard time reading this book. There were a lot of disturbing scenes and few reasons to like either the hero or heroine. Although I felt bad for the heroine for her loveless, cruel, and disturbing marriage, the romance behind her husband’s back didn’t sit well with me. The husband was a well written and believable villain. I was sad Elizabeth had to endure a marriage to him.
The writing style and descriptions are well done with a story that has a good flow. Although I wasn’t a big fan of the prequel, the first in the series has a promising premise. If you were to read this series, I’d say start at number one and not at the prequel.
My rating: 2.5 stars
Blurb
As Miss Elizabeth Marshfield, I’ve never had a choice. My marriage to Sir Charles Dempsey is arranged. Love plays no role in this, but my sizable dowry does. On my eighteenth birthday, as I promise to honor and obey, eerie voices unlock a curse and an ancient magic I didn’t know I possessed, and they won’t rest until I answer them.
My husband suspects I ‘m mad—and mad, I may well be. But this cold-hearted brute cares naught for me as his mistress warms his bed.
I don’t know who I am anymore. Even the blacksmith, Barnaby, can’t disguise his contempt, despite saving me from a fall from my horse. So why does this insolent man affect me so? He reveals he’s a Roma called Raven, and the birthmark of the moon I have branded on my wrist proves I’m entwined in his destiny. Even talking with him could mean the hangman. But my heart has spoken, and I know nothing will ever be the same.
For once—I will choose my fate, even if it leads to a noose around my neck.
October 31, 2020
Top 5 Paranormal/Fantasy Books I’ve Read This Year (So Far)
Happy Halloween! What better way to celebrate the holiday than by reflecting back on my favorite paranormal/fantasy books I’ve read in 2020? Can you believe it?? I’ve read 75 books so far this year. I’ve blown my reading goal out of the water. I’ve read some incredible books, some okay books, and a few books that made me cringe. Although the year isn’t quite over yet, and there’s still time for books to squeeze their way onto my list of favorites, here are my favorites in this genre so far.
#1- Kingdom of Thorns by Katherine Macdonald
Witty banter, an adorable hero you can’t help but root for, and a unique fairy tale retelling like you’ve never read before. I loved this book so so so so much, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
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#2- Spellbound After Midnight by Jenna Collett
This book had a perfect slow burn romance that kept me interested through every interaction and every mystery that unfolded within the pages. This is another fairy tale retelling, except it involves a murdered Cinderella, a killer on the loose, and a detective in need of a witch’s help to catch the murderer.
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#3- Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
I can go on and on about this book. Terrifying monsters. And I mean terrifying. It isn’t just a bullet to the head to take a monster out. More like a few dozen bullets. And a couple grenades. Not to mention Owen barely gets out of tough scrapes with his life again and again. This isn’t just on my top 5 favorite books of 2020. It’s on my top 2 list of favorite books of all time. Highly recommend.
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#4- Bear with Me by Marilyn Barr
There is so much to love about the world Marilyn Barr created in this book. There is magic. Shifters. Vampires. And more. James and Nate were my favorite characters, as their banter was so much fun. There were so many surprises and I really enjoyed turning page after page while watching the story unfold.
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#5- A Merman’s Choice by Alice Renaud
I read this book when I was craving a little bit of mermaid. I loved the merfolk and the culture. It felt real to me, as if I could sail a boat across the ocean and find myself lost in the underwater mysteries in this world.
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All of these were great books! I even bought several of the paperbacks to live on my lovely new built-in bookshelves. Next on my list of what I want to read? Something about werewolves or alpha wolves. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
October 28, 2020
How I Decide What to Read Next
When there are so many great books out there waiting to be read, how do I decide what to read next? Of course, I have a long list of books in my to-read pile on Goodreads. But even then, I don’t usually go down the list in order and read what’s on there.
The books I read, I often run into them randomly. For example, in a Newsletter I joined on a whim from Booksweeps, on a thread I found on Twitter, or it even coincides with whatever mood strikes at the moment. People even reach out and request for me to read their book in exchange for a review, and I often put those requests near the top of my pile.
Recently, my brain just ran into a wall, not wanting to read at all. But I’m hoping to come out of it as soon as I’m done with my current writing project. Here are the next two books on my to-read list, unless some random mood strikes before I get to them. I’m super excited to read them!
[image error]What if finding a husband meant losing her freedom?
Maydeline Shadow dreamed of adventures on the Five Seas, certainly not settling in the Northern Kingdom with any of her mother’s choice of suitors. But when her family’s secret is exposed, Maylie is forced by old rules to find a husband.
Taking matters into her own hands, she flees her colony and is thrust into an unknown world of magic, mermaids, and marauders with new and foreign rules. She must not only discover her own mystical abilities, but a wicked ploy to destroy her family.
If she chooses the wrong man, she could lose it all.
[image error]Can a human heart withstand the flames of a dragon’s soul?
For centuries, the dragons of Kalleen have ruled the skies. Blessed by the goddess of fire, those born of her power are destined to exist within two worlds, while fully belonging to neither.
As the youngest daughter of the dragon queen, Amelia has always been torn between her humanity and winged form. In meeting Stephen, she found a blossoming love that gave her hope of finding balance.
A dream destroyed when her sister, and future queen, sets her sights upon the same man.
Forced from her lover’s side, Amelia embraces a self-imposed exile, taking refuge in the northern mountains. In this new life of solitude, she banishes painful memories by retreating to her dragon form, sheltering the wounded girl within.
Yet it is an isolation that cannot last, as the new dragon queen’s cruelty bears down upon the kingdom, allowing an ancient enemy to rise. Drawn from her banishment by the pleas of friends, Amelia must choose. Will she embrace the destructive beast within? Or draw upon the frail humanity that lingers dimly in her soul, in a desperate attempt to help her people, and mend a broken heart?
October 27, 2020
Blog Tour Pumpkin Pies and Potions by Polly Holmes-Book Review
BLURB:
Witches, cats, pumpkin pies and murder!
I’m Evelyn Grayson and if you’d told me by the time I was 23, I’d have lost both my parents in a mysterious accident, moved in with the coolest Aunt ever, lived in a magical town, and I was a witch, I would have said you were crazy. Funny thing is, you’d be right.
Camille Stenson, the grumpiest woman in Saltwater Cove is set on making this year’s Halloween celebrations difficult for everyone, but when she turns up dead and my best friend is on the suspect list, I have no choice but to find out whodunit and clear her name.
Amongst the pumpkin carving, abandoned houses, and apple bobbing, it soon becomes apparent dark magic is at play and I must use all my newfound witches’ abilities to find the killer before another spell is cast.
Step into Evelyn Grayson’s magical world in the first book of the Melting Pot Café series, a fun and flirty romantic paranormal cozy mystery where the spells are flowing, and the adventure is just beginning.
If you like witty witches, cheeky talking cats, and magical murder mysteries, then you’ll love Polly Holmes’ light-hearted Melting Pot Café series.
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My Review
Murder, mystery, romance, and friendship. Pumpkin Pies & Potions follows a group of friends as they try to solve a murder, with new surprises that crop up along the way. Evelyn Grayson is a fun character with a big heart. There is nothing she won’t do to protect her friends, even if that means throwing herself in the middle of danger with hardly a thought for herself.
Although the story has a slow build-up, when the danger reached its peak, I found myself glued to the pages, wanting to know what happened next! I enjoyed the magic, spells, and humor weaved throughout the book, as well as the small bits of romance.
The ending set up a promise of more mystery to come in the series, with a love triangle I hope will unfold in the next book. Pumpkin Pies and Potions is a great first book to start out the Melting Pot Café series.
My rating: 4 stars
Excerpt:
Why didn’t I just tell Tyler to catch a cab home?
I rose up on my tippy-toes to see over the waiting crowd as the passengers exited the plane one by one. The butterflies in my stomach fluttered, fuelling an overwhelming urge to flee. I rocked from foot to foot, my muscles twitching. It had been several months since I’d face-timed Tyler, had he changed? Or would he look the same as he did complete with tattered dreadlocks and unkept beard. Six months is a long time to be travelling a third-world country. I guess he had his reasons.
A buff, toned man strutted toward me and his gorgeous grin stole my breath right out of my chest. I didn’t know where to look first. His broad shoulders, his humongous upper arms, his sexy square jawline or his dreamy cobalt blue eyes. Gone were the dreadlocks replaced with a short back and sides and not a hair in sight on his face. Smooth and sexy, sending my pulse into meltdown.
Tyler?
“Wow, Evie girl, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he said lifting me into a bear hug and spinning, my feet dangling half a metre off the floor. “How’s my favourite witch?”
I grabbed his shoulders and my palms barely fit around his tight bulge of muscle. The seductive scent of musk filled my nostrils and had my head spinning. What the hell happened in Nepal? Shock doesn’t even begin to cover it. “Tyler, I hardly recognised you. What happened to the dreadlocks and beard?”
Pumpkin Pies and Potions now on sale for 99 cents
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Polly Holmes is the cheeky alter ego of Amazon best-selling author, P.L. Harris. When she’s not writing her next romantic suspense novel as P.L. Harris, she’s planning the next murder in one of Polly’s mysteries.
Polly’s award-winning Cupcake Capers Series is rich in storyline and location with characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. She publishes her cozy mystery books with Gumnut Press. Pumpkin Pies and Potions is the first in her new paranormal cozy series.
Cupcakes and Corpses was a finalist in the Oklahoma RWA’s 2019 IDA International Digital Awards, short suspense category. Cupcakes and Curses claimed second place and Cupcakes and Cyanide gained third place making it a clean sweep in the category.
You can visit P.L. Harris/Polly Holmes at the following locations:
https://www.pollyholmesmysteries.com/
https://www.instagram.com/plharris_author
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/p-l-harris
https://www.facebook.com/plharrisauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/plharris_author/
Danger, Mystery and Romance with a hint of Cozy Sweetness: Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/217817788798223
Polly Holmes will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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October 22, 2020
Interview with Author Mike Torreano
Mike, thanks for joining us today! And congrats on your new release, A Score to Settle. Tell us a little more about you. Are you an outliner or a pantser?
Lord help me, but I’m a pantser. I’m thinking of writing a non-fiction work titled, The Perils of Pantsing. Not really, but while it’s easier for me to start a story by pantsing, I’ve found it often gets tougher the deeper into the story I go. I always have a fifty thousand foot level idea of where things end up overall, but a lot of times I find myself wondering what happens in the meantime. I can’t stay at the fifty thousand foot level long because we write at ground level. ‘What happens now’ is often my unwelcome visitor. That’s when I wish I was a plotter. But, starting with only the most general outline also allows my characters to round themselves out and my plot to do lots of unexpected things. Twists and turns are part and parcel of being a pantser, although I know plotters often encounter surprising happenings along the way, too. And I don’t even want to talk about how hard it is to polish a pantser story. Having said that, though, that’s what seems to work best for me.
Which element of novel-writing do you consider most challenging? (Plot, setting, characters,
dialogue, etc.)
Description. My novels are set in the Old West, with many scenes set outside amid spectacular scenery, so description is very important, and that’s where I have to pay the most attention. I do lots of research in order to ‘see’ my scene’s surroundings clearly before I can properly share those settings with my readers.
What comes first, character or plot?
For me, it’s plot. My characters reveal themselves as I create the story. As long as my plot holds together, the characters seem to fill themselves in.
What is your favorite part, and least favorite part, of the publishing journey?
I’m not very good at marketing and social media, which is a common problem for writers. I’m getting better at it, though. Writing is hard work for me, and lots of authors, and it’s gratifying to hear from readers that they appreciate the stories. I just have to do a better job of reaching more folks, but I am casting a wider net!
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
One of the biggest is thinking a manuscript is ‘ready’ before it really is. I worked on my first novel (still unpublished) for a year and a half before approaching agents/editors. For all my efforts, I am the proud recipient of nearly one hundred rejections or ignores. It took me a while to see through my pride and really dig into the writing’s weaknesses. Having said that, one of the rejections for this book actually led to my first contract, which I wouldn’t have guessed. (Long story).
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Other than sociopaths, everyone feels emotions strongly. Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to discover them in people, but if you make the effort, you will uncover them. That’s also the case with a novel’s characters⎯sometimes hiding a character’s strongest emotions makes them⎯and the gradual revelation of those emotions⎯more interesting.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
I do tend to hold some aspects of a character or a plot close to the vest, then gradually reveal those as the story unfolds. But I’m always careful to drop a crumb here and there to give the reader a clue or a foreshadowing about things to come. What bugs me are writers (mostly mystery) who don’t give their readers enough to go on so they can solve the ‘who dun it’ themselves. (Hear that, Agatha?)
Blurb
Broken after his family is murdered, rancher Del Lawson signs on to a cattle drive along the Goodnight Loving trail in 1870, unaware he’s still in danger. When he falls for a pretty Army nurse, the killers target her.
If he’s to recover from his grief and build a new life, Del must set out on a gritty hunt for the men who are hunting him.
Meanwhile, Del’s mother, Maybelle, doesn’t know her son survived that murderous night. When she discovers the gold the killers are after, she uses the treasure in an elaborate masquerade to take the murderers down.
Will mother and son’s plans reap justice-or destroy what’s left of the Lawson clan?
Excerpt
“Tell me your story, Del. We got time.”
Del tried to piece the last few days together. He told Sonny about leaving Rose and—
She interrupted. “That your woman?”
“If she’ll have me. If I ever see her again.” He told her about the search to find Tyson. Riding through Santa Rosa, the trickery about Lost Creek, Potter’s ambush south of town amid the sandstorm. Riding for Wilkins’ ranch and Shade being played out. The desperate walk to find Sinola in the dark.
“You’ve had quite the adventure, Del Lawson.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Mike Torreano has a military background and is a student of history and the American West. He fell in love with Zane Grey’s descriptions of the Painted Desert in the fifth grade, when his teacher made her students read a book and write a report every week.
Mike recently had a short story set during the Yukon gold rush days published in an anthology, and he’s written for magazines and small newspapers. An experienced editor, he’s taught University English and Journalism. He’s a member of Colorado Springs Fiction Writers, Pikes Peak Writers, The Historical Novel Society, and Western Writers of America. He brings his readers back in time with him as he recreates western life in the late 19th century.
A Score to Settle Links to Social Media
October 15, 2020
Book Review of Kingdom of Thorns by Katherine Macdonald
My Review
I can’t express enough about how much I loved this book. The interactions between Talia and Leopold had me chuckling so much, sometimes even multiple times on the same page. Leo was absolutely adorable, and I admire Talia’s courage and determination. The characters had so much depth to them, and the descriptions jumped to life on the page.
For as many Sleeping Beauty retellings that are out there in the world, this one is truly unique, not quite like anything I’ve read thus far. Unique, witty, and charming, this book is not something you want to miss out on. If you’re in the mood for fairy tales with exciting twists, I highly recommend reading Kingdom of Thorns.
My rating: 5 stars
Favorite Quote
“Nervous?” asked the old man.
“I’m about to enter a deadly forest by myself that has an impressively high mortality rate. Wouldn’t you be?”
The old man hooted. “Honest and amusing. You’ll do well.”
“I fail to see how either of those things will help me in there.”
“I don’t know, humour wards off insanity, or so I hear.”
“You’re really selling this experience for me.”
Blurb
Cursed at her Christening, Briar is doomed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel on her seventeenth birthday and plunge her kingdom into eternal slumber. Less than enthused about her fate, she fights to break it, but a hundred years later the kingdom lies at the centre of a forest of thorns. The curse is complete and only true love’s kiss will break it.
Volunteering in the place of his brother, Leo is determined to brave the enchanted forest and attempt to end the hundred-year-old curse. If he fails, the dark fairy, imprisoned within the Kingdom of Thorns, will be unleashed upon the world and a kingdom will fall to ruin.
Guided by a mysterious young ranger named Talia, he sets off on his quest, but the darkness isn’t the only thing that grows in the woods, and Leopold finds himself locked in a bitter fight for his life, his sanity… and his heart.
A tale of true love, inner strength, and the power of free will. No damsels in distress here; just action, mesmerising description, and delightful witty banter.
October 7, 2020
Shirley Goldberg and Her New Release Middle Ageish
Shirley Goldberg
Middle Ageish
Starting Over, Book 1
Book Release Date: August 26, 2020
Book Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Book Cover Artist: RJ
Book Genre: Romantic Women’s Fiction/Rom Com
Thanks for joining me on my blog today, Shirley! I absolutely love your cover for Middle Agish, and the concept sounds so interesting. This is your first book, correct? What are five things readers need to know about Sunny Chanel, your character?
1. Sunny’s husband announces he wants a divorce on their anniversary. Since she’s never hung around where she isn’t wanted, Sunny leaves her husband behind in Paris and starts over in New Haven, Connecticut. She goes back to school at age fifty to get her master’s in teaching.
2. She’s shoved into online dating by her best friend’s boyfriend, who thinks he’s helping her. She and her good friend have a dating contest to see who’ll be the first to date 25 men. There’s even a prize.
3. Her first online date throws a mushroom at the waiter and Sunny runs out of the restaurant.
4. Sunny lives in New Haven. I grew up there, lived and worked in New Haven as a teacher for many years.
5. Sunny is a fictional character, but bits and pieces of me are intertwined in her story. It’s a first novel, after all. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what’s real and what’s not anymore.
If that’s how one of her dates go, I’m sure I’d be horrified to learn about some of the others! Share a favorite scene from your book and tell us why it’s your favorite.
One of my favorite scenes is when two of the characters have a picnic dinner in a motel room. Sunny is living out her fantasy from an old Audrey Hepburn movie where Audrey and Albert Finney, looking oh, so young and fine, are too poor to go to restaurants. They eat in their hotel room and Sunny, craving that closeness, recreates the moment from the movie.
What are five things Sunny can’t live without?
Sunny can’t live without her sense of humor, her best friends, her students, her books and her independence. Family is a given.
You write a lot about online dating, so you must be an online dating expert. What advice would you give readers about online dating?
It doesn’t matter if you’re twenty-five or fifty, like Sunny. Here are six things you should know about online dating:
1. Online dating isn’t dating because nothing counts until you meet. No, emails don’t count as dates. Meet as soon as possible. These days, do one or two Zoom dates. It’s the closest thing to a first meet.
2. You need a great picture and a profile that doesn’t read like spinach. That is, bland and boring. Tell a story, even if it’s short. Get your friends to help you. Seriously.
3. Talk on the phone before you meet. It’s the best way to weed out the clunkers. No offense. Your clunker may be another person’s honeybun.
4. Most first meets are mediocre. Dating is a numbers game. Email or swipe on a lot of folks. They come and they go. Don’t take it personally.
5. Many people leave their manners at home when meeting someone for the first time. Don’t be one of those people.
6. Never give up. Your person could be around the corner.
7. For more dating tips, including distance dating ideas, check out my website.
These are some great online dating tips! Any advice for aspiring writers?
I’d give a would-be writer the same advice I give to my friends about online dating. Never give up. Your agent––or publisher––could be right around the corner.
Don’t write in a vacuum. Join a writers group or find a critique partner. It’s so much more fun to have a group plotting party, even if it’s a Zoom event.
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Excerpt from Middle Ageish
I slouched at my computer and peered at the screen. The letsclick.com dating site was becoming my best friend.
The first email in the lineup was from Luke. Soulmate Guy, I called him, because he was the first who’d talked about the soulmate thing—even though there were 7,000 other guys online clamoring for a soulmate.
Cute, too, with Jeff Bridges hair. Jeff still had hair, didn’t he?
A popcorn sound startled me––newbie dater that I was––and a cartoon bubble appeared on the screen with Luke’s image. Would you like to chat with Luke?
Well, that was a dumb question. I hit the yes button. Yes, yes I would. Chat was the site’s version of texting and this was my first time.
—Luke: Hey, got a few minutes? This messaging is friendlier than old school emails. How goes it? Back from vacation. Went to the island. So different there in the winter. Beautiful in a different way. Just came home from doing a little bar dancing. I stayed about an hour. Every once in a while, I do that on a tense night. This was my tense night.
—Sunny: Tense, shmense. What’s wrong?
—Luke: One of those old girlfriend things. We have a lot in common—biking, riding, skiing, and some total madness thrown in, but she doesn’t give me space. It’s complicated.
— Sunny: What’s with the old girlfriend thing? If you’ll be so kind as to be my dating mentor, I have a question. Dating mentor, is it wise to redate old girl/boy friends?
—Luke: Absolutely not, are you nuts? My prob is I don’t like being alone. I like sharing things with someone.
—Sunny: So what is it you look for in a woman? Really, I’m not fooling around here.
—Luke: I know you’re not. I’m taking your question seriously. Well, I’m past craving the 30 year olds with zero body fat and total flawless skin. That is a truly good thing since I’m 54 and they wouldn’t want me anyhow. But our bodies are important, the only one we have, so I can’t pretend I don’t care about the shape a woman is in. I like smiles, legs, arms, necks. You get the picture. Oh, can’t forget that erotic zone called the mind. That’s most of it.
—Sunny: Wow!
—Luke: I can’t stand it anymore. I’m signing off here so I can call you. Give me your phone number. Please. Now—
About the Author
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Shirley Goldberg is a writer, novelist, and former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, Crete, and Casablanca. She writes about men and women of a certain age starting over. Her website http://midagedating.com offers a humorous look into dating in mid life, and her friends like to guess which stories are true. Middle Ageish is her first book in the series Starting Over. Her character believes you should never leave home without your sense of humor and Shirley agrees.
Visit my website for another excerpt from the book. Sign up and grab a copy of Happy Hour, a short story about an online meet and a tiny misunderstanding.
MY SOCIALS:
https://www.facebook.com/midagedating
https://twitter.com/mylifeasadate
https://www.instagram.com/shirleygoldbergauthor/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54758920-middle-ageish
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3531427862?list=following
BUY MIDDLE AGEISH AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE:
Amazon: Middle Ageish
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Nook/Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yyuwpq6o
October 6, 2020
Garden of Hope Book Tour Review
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Can two lost causes find love in the arms of one another?
Lily, the peculiar youngest daughter of an earl, would rather spend her life as a spinster, tending to her garden–alone. But when her father falls critically ill, she suddenly faces the possibility of becoming a penniless relation living on the charity of her sisters unless she can find a husband–now. But facing her fifth Season and feeling unable to meet the requirements of a proper wife, Lily despairs of finding a kind and patient man she can trust enough to marry.
Henry, the war-wounded second son of an earl, needs to have a son to secure his family’s future. But worried about his condition worsening and leaving him crippled, he fears turning any future wife into a mere companion and nursemaid.
Both are unable to resist the pressure from their families to attend the Season and at least try to find a spouse. Can these two lost causes see past their own limitations and let love in?
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Garden of Hope is a very sweet tale of a crippled man with a very uncertain future ahead of him and a woman who might be just a bit too odd to catch the eye of a future husband. Can they look past each other’s faults to the person they are beneath?
I loved the characters right off the bat. Henry struggling to come to grips with his disability and Lilly pushing through her own insecurities. Henry even owns a pet squirrel! What a unique pet. And Lilly’s love of flowers is wholly endearing. I found myself laughing on more than one occasion when Henry’s surly sense of humor reared its head.
I had assumed James Astley would make an appearance in the book, as he seemed pretty important in the first chapter, but he didn’t show up. The story also drags in a few places with repetition when it comes to Henry’s concerns for not wanting to find a wife and the reasons why Lilly thinks she is not marriage material.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The author did a great job at showing how scary and uncertain life can be for someone who is autistic (though the term isn’t used in the book), as well as delivering the message that everyone deserves love, no matter how odd they might be.
My rating: 4 stars
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Daphne Bloom is an author of romances and cozy mysteries. She lives in a quaint Southern town with her family that lets her imagination run free. When she’s not watching the latest historical drama on TV, she’s usually curled up with her dog and a good book.
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