Sydney Winward's Blog, page 18
June 19, 2020
My Review of His Small-Town Girl by Lacy Williams
My Review
She’s running from a stalker. He wants to escape Sutter’s Hollow and leave his past behind forever. But when fate brings them together, will they be able to deny the attraction they feel for one another?
This was a cute, touching story in a small-town setting. The characters were built well with great depth and backstory. I liked how the mistreatment and neglect of horses is compared to Molly’s trauma. Cord had plenty of layers that Molly had to peel through to find the man beneath. She had plenty of her own walls as well.
I was confused that in the beginning, the story stated that Cal was the one who drove the car that caused the crash and Cord had brought the beer. Later it said it was Cord who crashed the car, and Noah had brought the beer. It’s a bit confusing considering there is another story about Callum. He fled the town as if the accident had been completely his fault, which wouldn’t make sense if he wasn’t the one to blame. Because this was an important turning point in the story, I think it’s important to have these details straightened out.
Despite the inconsistency and confusion, I did enjoy this book. I liked the characters and the slow-burn romance. This was an enjoyable read.
My rating: 4 stars
Favorite Quote
He returned the wheelbarrow to the barn. As he parked it, he accidentally kicked over a bale of hay, knocking it from a pile. The hay bale split open at his feet. And left uncovered a barn cat and five mewling kittens. Newborns, judging by their closed eyes and tiny size.
No.
Just… no.
Blurb
Molly arrives in Sutter’s Hollow out of gas and out of options. The rundown ranch seems like a perfect place to hide. Except the man who owns it seems just as dangerous as what’s chasing her.
Cord’s mantra growing up? Get out of Sutter’s Hollow. Now he’s back in town, but only long enough to get rid of his grandma’s ball and chain—the ranch. He doesn’t need a complication like Molly, who reminds him of an injured baby bird. He’s no protector. So why can’t he tell her to get lost?
June 17, 2020
Author Interview with Julie Thorpe
Julie, I am so excited to have you on my blog today! I’m looking forward to getting to know a little more about you. For the first question, what is the first book that made you cry?
I can’t remember the first book that made me cry but the one book that makes me cry every single time without fail is Me Before You. I relate to the character of Lou Clark in many ways and the way the author writes the emotions always get to me.
That book makes me cry too. And the movie. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m friends with several authors but two of the ones I chat and discuss my work or their work with all the time are A.R. Ford, Sally Dawes and Annie Jones. A. R. Ford helps me tremendously with reading my stories before anyone else does and offering me advice on how to word things better or on editing and plot holes. She’s probably my closest writing friend. She writes darker stuff than I do but I really love it. Sally and Annie are both English authors like myself, so we all read and review each others books as we all enjoy each other’s styles and we want to help each other as much as we can.
What does literary success look like to you?
Literary success to me is knowing that I make other people happy with my stories. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
That’s a great goal! With that in mind, do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Yes. I read all book reviews that are left for me. For the most part, I get good reviews and they make me feel really happy that other people are enjoying the stories that I write. I have received a bad review to one book and at first, it really hurt because the person dissected exactly what they didn’t like about it. Consequently, I felt miserable for a couple of days but then I pulled myself out of my funk and remembered that not everybody is going to like my stories and that I shouldn’t let it get to me. So now, I don’t.
I can definitely relate. Sometimes you just have to allow yourself to be sad for a bit before moving on. But it’s the good reviews that you should concentrate on the most! Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yes. There is a small piece of information about myself in every book that I write. I find it better to talk about certain things when you draw from your own experiences so I write about my own experiences at certain points in the stories. And yes, that includes the latest paranormal story 
June 16, 2020
Book Review of Immortal Dawn by Julie Thorpe
My Review
“I would never take the sun for granted. It was precious to someone like me who had been born into darkness.”
When vampire, Amiria, learns that the king wants to kill her in order to rule over the world, she runs to protect not only herself, but to also keep the entire world’s population safe. But is running only delaying the inevitable? Is all her effort in vain? Can she follow her heart and still protect the man she loves?
Immortal Dawn is a book about love, trust, and sacrifice. Even in the darkest of dark, a small flicker of hope remains and can conquer all. The story was enjoyable, and there were great descriptions throughout the book. Amiria was a very interesting character. The sacrifices she made really showed just how far she was willing to go for others.
Favorite Quote
“Noah, when was the first time you saw me?” I asked, deciding to jump straight to it.
I saw the hesitation flicker across his eyes and I knew before he spoke that he was going to lie.
“Well, when you came here of course.”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” I replied firmly, crossing my arms across my chest as I stared down at him. “I’d very much like the truth please. When was the first time you saw me?”
Blurb
Amiria isn’t like every other vampire. One fateful night, she discovers her true heritage which sets in motion a life of hiding and fear. A friend protects her from afar as she navigates her new world until she stumbles upon the man she was destined to be with. Will Amiria let him help her? And when the King of the Vampires captures her, who will survive?
June 15, 2020
My Writing Process
This week I got to thinking about how everyone’s writing process is different from plotting to editing to publishing. I thought I’d share my process and how well it works for me!
Pre-Writing
This includes coming up with the characters, the setting, and the plot. I am a very visual person, so I often spend a lot of this time on Pinterest trying to find the right character inspiration images that best reflect what I had in mind for my characters. At this point, I have a vague idea of the setting and how the plot will unfold.
Also during this time, I will get random dialogue inspiration and I will have to quickly jot it down before I forget it. Sorry, hubby! Sometimes I just have to turn on the lights at 3 a.m.
First Draft
This is basically telling myself the story. Yes, there will be plot holes. Yes, there will be inconsistencies. But when I finally finish the last sentence of the book, the euphoria is amazing! I just finished a book! That’s something I should be proud of.
Second Draft
I don’t waste any time to start going through the second draft, as I don’t want to forget any details. In the second draft, I will fix inconsistencies, close plot holes, and do a light edit.
After I’m done with that? I set it aside. You heard me correctly. I just set it aside! The next time I look at my project, I need a fresh set of eyes.
Third Draft
All right, so my book has been set aside for a week or two, sometimes longer (if I am immersed in another writing project). Now what? The third draft is my least favorite round of edits. This is where I revise, reconstruct, and rewrite sentences and paragraphs. I add and trim. I incorporate feedback from beta readers. It’s awful. I hate the third draft. But the rigorous process really does make it so much better in the end.
Fourth Draft
This doesn’t take very long, as this is a quick sweep to find any remaining typos or grammatical errors. I combine this draft with formatting it in Word. After I’m finished with these drafts?
Then I send it to my editor and do it all over again.
If you aren’t completely sick of your story by the time the editing process is done, then you’re not doing it right! 
June 12, 2020
Book Review of The Cauldron Stirred
My Review
Everything in Ireland screamed “home”. Even the guy whose soul recognized Ashling’s the moment he laid eyes on her. When dark forces are at work, will Ashling be able to awaken her inner power in time? Will she be able to reach the heart of the person whose destiny is closely intertwined with hers?
I could not put this book down. I loved the characters, the setting, the lore. The author weaves magic as she writes details and descriptions into the book. From page one, I was captivated and drawn into the story, and I quickly found myself rooting for the hero and heroine to get together. There was amazing sexual tension between Aengus and Ashling, written so well in a slow-burn romance.
I definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
My rating: 5 stars
Favorite Quote
He grinned. “I didn’t want you to know too much about the workings of the Otherworld. Besides, I needed an excuse to spend more time with you. Against my better judgment, of course.”
To our left, Eamon cleared his throat. “This is your better judgment speakin’.”
Blurb
Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.
At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.
But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.
June 10, 2020
Book Review of A Merman’s Choice
My Review
“A merman’s joy always came out as music.”
What an enjoyable read! A determined heroine wants to uncover the secrets of the Morvann Islands, but little does she know that she’s getting a little more than she bargained for. She not only has to face fears of past trauma, but she must learn that love takes many forms. Literally.
A Merman’s Choice has an awesome opening, with amazing metaphors throughout the book. I love that the merpeople sing to reflect their emotions, and I especially love their culture and way of life.
Full of mystery, intrigue, and awesome characters, A Merman’s Choice is definitely a book you want to pick up if you like merpeople and a heart-stopping romance.
My rating: 5 Stars
Favorite Quote
Alex’s creativity enchanted him, and it was far safer for her to invent new legends than to discover that the old ones were real. “What will you write?”
A curtain of blond hair slid forward, hiding her face. “I might write about a girl who got shipwrecked on a mysterious island. She met a man who put a spell on her, until she couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
Her sudden admission knocked the breath out of him. The forbidden longing flared in his heart and in his loins. He dared not speak. The wrong move could scare her off.
Blurb
For centuries the shape-shifting mermen of the Morvann Islands have lived incognito among humans. But one of them, Yann, has developed some bad habits. Like rescuing humans, even when doing so risks revealing his true nature. When he fishes Alex out of the sea, he doesn’t expect her to reappear eight months later, and turn his life upside down by asking him to be her guide.
Alex is determined to fulfil a promise to her dying grandmother, by gathering pictures and stories of the Morvanns. But she soon discovers that, on these remote Welsh islands, legends have a habit of becoming true!
Over the course of a few days, Yann and Alex grow close. But some mermen hate humans. Their hostility, and Yann’s secret, threaten to tear the couple apart just as they are discovering that they are soul mates. Can Yann overcome the obstacles in his path and make the right choice?
Favorite Poems, Short Stories, or Novellas
As far as poems go, I pretty much love anything by Lord Byron. They speak to me on a personal level. I also really like some rhyming kids books like the Pout Pout Fish or Giraffes Can’t Dance haha! I don’t ever read short stories, but I have read plenty of novellas. Here are just a few I have enjoyed recently!
[image error] Fenady Clark’s dream of owning an ice cream parlor has inspired her through some of life’s hardest challenges. Just when the grand opening’s within reach, that wicked rogue, Sebastian Bane, opens shop and starts serving Fenady’s designer flavors, all renamed. She suspects he’s using black magic to poach her recipes, and if she weren’t a good witch instead of a bad witch, she’d whip up a spell and retaliate.
Amazon
[image error] From the USA Today Bestselling author of the Longing for Home series, MY DEAREST LOVE is set in the beloved world of Hope Springs.
Ian O’Connor spends his days in the purgatory of a New York textile factory, enduring the dangerous conditions to keep his family afloat. Somewhere in the vast, dark corridors of his daily prison is an angel. He has seen her only once but is determined to find her again.
Biddy Dillon has lost her home and her family. Loneliness chips away at her fragile hopes until she meets Ian, whose soft-spoken kindness touches her heart. For the first time in years, she begins to believe in the possibility of good things to come.
When tragedy conspires to pull the couple apart, they must decide if theirs is a future meant to be built together, or if fate has other plans.
Amazon
[image error] Tandy Blakemore spends her days running her New England ice cream parlor, single-parenting her teenage son, and trying to keep her head above financial water. No easy feat when the shop’s machinery is aging and her son is thinking about college. Tandy hasn’t had a day off in a decade and wonders if she’ll ever be able to live a worry-free life.
Engineer Deacon Withers is on an enforced vacation in the tiny seaside town of Beacher’s Cove. Overworked, stressed, and lonely, he walks into Tandy’s shop for a midday ice cream cone and gets embroiled in helping her fix a broken piece of equipment.
Can the budding friendship that follows lead to something everlasting?
Amazon
[image error] Stalked and on the run, Julie Roy’s life is in shambles. An unexpected detour in a quiet Vermont town ignites a surprising and romantic spark with the local furniture maker.
Joe Bascomb’s skill of knowing when to be patient is put to the test when he meets Julie. Her kindness is a gift, yet he senses she is hiding from something or someone.
When Julie’s determined stalker comes to town, she is ready to pull up stakes—despite her desire to stay. Joe realizes he will have to break down her fear as well as the walls around her tender heart. Can he keep her from running again in order to give their love a chance?
Amazon
[image error] A Christmas Novella from the bestselling Hearthfire Romance series by Michele Paige Holmes: Five months isn’t enough time to grieve the death of her husband and marry again, but when the unexpected opportunity to take her sister’s place as the bride of wealthy New York businessman, William Vancer, presents itself, twenty-four year-old Charlotte Holbrook agrees. Their marriage of convenience will provide a secure future for her son, while William will be able to claim the inheritance he needs to expand his company westward. To begin their perfect and perfectly safe arrangement, William allots the last twelve days in December to become acquainted with his new family—a task more easily accomplished than he had imagined. For in Charlotte he finds a tender heart and companion, while stepping into the role of father to her son, brings William a great measure of joy as well. Before the twelve days have passed, he finds himself wishing their marriage of convenience could be something much more. For Charlotte, every day with William is one of overwhelming gratitude, as he anticipates and provides for her needs, as well as the fondest desires of her heart. More than material comforts, William offers friendship as well, and a loving concern that Charlotte has gone too long without. Guilt ridden, she struggles with her growing attraction and wonders how she can ever remain loyal to her first husband, while allowing herself to love William as he deserves.
Amazon
[image error] Samuel dreamed of being a lot of things, but a monster trapped in a forest realm never entered his mind. The Blacknoc Curse wasn’t supposed to be true, only a children’s story meant to persuade them away from evil. Yet, here he was tasked with hunting cursed kids. There’s nothing left for Samuel except the horror surrounding him.
Layla, a young girl tormented by the same curse, is dropped into the terrifying forest every night, running from the monsters intent on taking her life. She meets Samuel and vows to save all the children, especially Samuel, from their torment.
Working together can they defeat the Blacknoc Curse?
Amazon
June 9, 2020
Cover Reveal of Bloodbond!
I am so excited to finally be able to reveal my cover for my upcoming release, Bloodbond! It’s the 2nd book in the Bloodborn series, a story about learning to love and trust again, about overcoming prejudice and becoming the person you were meant to be.
Blurb
Zachariah Degore spent ten years locked under ground as a feral vampire. Now he has to redefine what it means to be healthy and whole. With his human life behind him, he starts anew in the vampire city of Ichor Knell with the vampire shah as his kin. He must prove he is worthy of his place in this new world.
Laurel Covaci is vampire elite, she would never court a feral vampire. After two hundred years she has yet to find a mate who meets with her satisfaction. She hides the pain of past hurt and abandonment behind a cold façade. Zach is confident that Laurel is the vampire for him, but can he break through her icy walls and convince her he’s the mate she’s been waiting for?
June 7, 2020
Book Review of Bear with Me
My Review
I loved this book! The writing was great, the story spectacular, and the characters were interesting. This book is unique in that it has a heroine who has sensory processing disorder. Alison can hear the buzzing of fluorescent lights and restaurant coolers. She can’t feel sensations on her skin as much as others can. And textures in her mouth are difficult to cope with, which has her sorting her food before she eats.
I love Alison’s special gift. Her tears make pumpkins grow. Her touch gives life to plants. Her power grows and heals, which is a strong theme throughout the book when it comes to family. The story focuses on family relationships, about rekindling love in a marriage and putting family above work, above career goals, above your own needs.
I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the Strawberry Shifters Series and finding out what happens next!
My rating: 5 stars
FAvorite Quote
Or maybe I need to bring the talking cat… I look over hoping he is a figment of my imagination… yep, he’s still there.
“I love how every time he looks at me, he freaks out. Check this out! Roar!” The cat says while flashing his teeth but doesn’t move from my back. I startle and he rolls around on the ground with laughter.
Blurb
Blue eyes, dimples, and silky brown hair; Grant Luther has all of Alison’s weaknesses. When he asks for one last chance to save their marriage, she agrees to relocate their family to isolated Strawberry, Kentucky in pursuit of his career dreams.
Grant views Alison’s sensory issues as limitations and protects her from outside threats. When he finds his new job includes changing him into a shifter in a war against the soul-sucking Sluagh he vows to keep the changes a secret.
What he doesn’t know is Alison has been hiding a magical secret of her own. One that makes her a target of the Sluagh. Will Alison emerge from Grant’s shadow to protect her family? And can Grant learn that being different can be a strength not a weakness?
June 6, 2020
Book Review of Spooky Tutti Frutti
My Review
This was such a fun, short read! Suzie’s spirit can’t rest until she serves up the perfect blend of tutti frutti to Cal, who both died in a boating accident fifty years ago, and Celia Rossi can help her do just that. But the original recipe is lost. How can she help the deceased woman move on to the next life?
Spooky Tutti Frutti is a perfect blend of paranormal, mystery, and delicious frozen treats that will have readers’ mouth watering for more. Where’s the nearest ice cream shop? I’m suddenly in need of something fruity and frozen.
My rating: 5 stars
Blurb
A midsummer sailboat race is coming to Annapolis, and Celia Rossi’s 1950s-themed ice cream parlor will have a booth at the waterfront celebration. To keep her business flourishing, she needs to impress both locals and tourists on the festive day. But how? She receives unexpected help when she hires a part-time worker who pops up out of nowhere. Suzie Conroy proves to have an almost magical gift for the craft of artisanal ice cream, yet she acts clueless about some ordinary details of everyday life. And why is she so determined to churn up the perfect batch of tutti frutti?
