Empi Baryeh's Blog, page 25

#CoverReveal #ComingSoon FOREST GIRL by Empi Baryeh

#CoverReveal #ComingSoonFOREST GIRLGenre: Multicultural Romance


BLURB

Esi Afriyie has been in love with Michael Yaw Badu since childhood. When he receives a scholarship to study in America, all hope seems lost ... until he returns to Ghana ten years later. An arranged marriage contracted by their families makes her dreams come true, but does the reality of being Mrs. Michael Badu live up to the fantasy?

Michael may have married Esi, but he is in love with someone else—Forest Girl, a mystery woman he encountered just once in the forest. His heart belongs to her, and he doesn't need his beautiful wife awakening his carnal desires. He is even willing to sacrifice his marriage for another encounter with Forest Girl.

Reality is not what either Esi or Michael imagined. Esi is disillusioned; Michael feels trapped.

Will Michael give in and allow his heart to discover a love that was always meant to be, before it's too late?

#BookReview: Walk Like a Man by Suz DeMello

THE BLURB
Marti Solis is an accomplished physical therapist who works wonders with severely injured patients, but Jim Wellman is a macho football star who can't seem to get past her cute looks and smart mouth.

He's always flirting, and his recovery is hampered by complications from the poor care he received after the injury--by both the team doctor and the hospital where he spent the past eight months. His career in football is over, but Marti is determined to get him walking again.

Jim, however, is his own worst enemy, making injudicious comments to the press and trying to talk Marti into bed at every opportunity until her patience is sorely tried.

He understandably resents her seeing him at his most vulnerable even while he craves her undivided attention on a more personal level.

MY REVIEW

Jim is an injured quarterback recovering from an injury, and Marti is the physical therapist helping him. Marti's attraction to Jim is instant, but she resists since she doesn't want to jeopardise her job by dating her patient. Jim, however, is determined to make her see him as a man.

I liked Jim. He was very macho and this leaps off the page from his first appearance. He is used to getting his way and won't back down even if it means fighting with his physical therapist.

I love strong women, and Marti is a good example - good at her job, a strong sense of self and family. She has, however, sustained some emotional injuries from a past relationship and is low on trust.

I thought Jim fell too quickly for Marti, but then there is such a thing as love at first sight, so it didn't detract from the story. The romance between Jim and Marti is sweet and their relationship progresses at a believable pace.

The main thing that raised brows for me was at he end when Jim notices something about Marti that she doesn't and, thought it was cute, it didn't ring true.

Overall, it was a good read. I recommend it to anyone looking for something sweet and slightly different from the norm.

His searing kiss scorched her... #SexySnippet from Most Eligible Bachelor #ValentineRomance

Happy Sunday!
It's the month of love, so I decided that for the rest of the month, I'd share snippets from my debut novel, Most Eligible Bachelor, a romance kindled on Valentine's Day. Today's snippet follows directly from last week's snippet.

His searing kiss was nothing she could have imagined. It scorched her, inside and out. A soft moan escaped her throat before she could stop it. She melted into him, curling her fingers around his nape.

When he pulled away, her breath came in fast, shallow bursts. In stunned reflex, her fingers came to her lips, which felt swollen, having not been used for this purpose in a while. Weak-kneed and aroused, she sensed she only remained standing because of his strong arms around her.

If you enjoyed this snippet, get to know my hero more. Check out this hot seat Interview with Lord McKenzie.

...and please leave me a comment.






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Book Review: Love Me Unconditionally by Ola Awonubi

Blurb
Deola Banjoko has it all. A wonderful career, an accomplished fiancée and great plans for the future. But as the years pass and Deola fails to become pregnant, the foundations of the wonderful life they have built together begin to crumble, unable to withstand the pressures of life, family and cultural expectations.

Recovering from a broken heart, Deola takes up a chance to work in Nigeria. She crosses paths with businessman Femi Da Silva and ends up working as a consultant for his PR company. She soon learns that Femi has issues of his own, having been widowed ten years before, and tries to fight her attraction to him. 

Can Deola move beyond the pain of the past and the constrictions of societal pressures and find the unconditional love she is seeking?

My Review
This story delves into a very African society through the eyes of a Nigerian-born woman who lives in the UK and returns home following a bad break-up with her fiance of 5 years! (phew, long sentence). She meets Femi on the plane to Lagos and he turns out to be someone from her childhood - her brother's best friend.

Femi also has his demons. Widowed for 10 years, he still stays true to the memory of  his dead wife.

In a society where marriage and children are an aspiration for many, these two find themselves caught in the web of nagging and potential match-making plots of family and friends. Both Deola and Femi are strong characters with solid background that carry the story; and the story unfolds in a steady manner.

However, the two don't spend enough page time together IMO. Ms Awonubi spends nearly the first half of the book delving into their lives (individually) and their issues without putting them together, thus losing the opportunity to turn up the heat as her characters try to resist temptation while having to work together. It also means the hero and heroine have just about half the story time to explore their romance which makes the romance less satisfying than it could have been.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it*

His fingers feathered her cheek... #SexySnippet from Most Eligible Bachelor #ValentineRomance

Happy Sunday!
It's the month of love, so I decided that for the rest of the month, I'd share snippets from my debut novel, Most Eligible Bachelor, a romance kindled on Valentine's Day. Today's snippet follows directly from last week's snippet.

He smiled, really smiled, not the movie star grins he’d been flashing earlier. His gaze emitted pure heat wrapped around a hint of sadness. What in the world could make a man with his looks and popularity melancholic? Surely Lord McKenzie didn’t have the same kinds of problems as mere mortals.His fingers feathered her cheek, sending another wave of tremors through her. When his hand reached her chin, he lifted her face. Her mind barely registered what was happening before the space between them vanished.

If you enjoyed this snippet, get to know my hero more. Check out this hot seat Interview with Lord McKenzie.

...and please leave me a comment.






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#BookReview: Bound to Ransom by Kiru Taye @kirutaye

THE BLURB
Since the death of her mother, Gloria Rawlins's life has been a series of disappointments by the people she cares about; first by her father and then in a series of disastrous relationships that have shattered pieces of her heart one after another. She's no angel and refuses to make herself vulnerable to anyone again. Until one man threatens to strip away the wall shielding her heart.

Henry Coker is not afraid of challenges. Rejected by his father and raised by a single mother, he's had to work hard from the bottom up to prove himself to his peers and the world. But Gloria, the one person he desires above all others remains out of reach until an opportunity presents itself and he has the chance to buy her.

Desire like theirs cannot be hidden and passion sizzles between them. But making someone fall in love may just be a challenge too far.

Bound to Ransom is a story about breaking the cycle of self-destruction, finding redemption and the powerful love that endures.
MY REVIEWBound to Ransom is a Taming-of-the-shrew themed story that starts off way outside my comfort zone. Fuelled by unrequited love and a desire for revenge, Henry purchases Gloria in a bid to humiliate her as she had done to him in the past. This starts off with Henry asserting his dominance through sex play (remember what I said about my comfort zone?).

The story is well written, full of tension and passion. Ms Taye's writing style is fluid as she wrings the last drop of emotion from her characters. There is a good mixture of modern and traditional African culture, which adds to the story's allure. I found the characters to be well-rounded and interesting although my favourite character was a secondary character (whom I was happy to note gets his own story soon).

There is a whole lot of character development particularly for Gloria, who starts out as a Class A bitch. We see her fall from her high horse and learn many lessons in humility as the story progresses. As much as she has grown, I also couldn't shake the sense that the transition had left her broken. Sadly, I couldn't relate to her - neither to her bitchy self nor her humble self at the end.

Henry is relentless and a whole lotta sexy. As the story progresses you see exactly where he is coming from and why he took the actions he took. At the end of the story, I am sold on the fact that Henry loves Gloria. He proves himself to be honorable where a lesser man would have rejected Gloria after everything life had put her through. Unfortunately, I still find myself unable to accept his initial humiliations meted on Gloria's person. He may have demonstrated his love, and he may have been shamed by some events in the book, but he still didn't suffer the kind of humiliation/punishment that would have made my satisfaction complete.

His face hovered just inches away... #SexySnippet from Most Eligible Bachelor #ValentineRomance

Happy Sunday!
I got some awesome news yesterday. Most Eligible Bachelor, won the Book of the Year in the inaugural Ufere Awards! I'm still doing the happy dance.

I'm sharing a snippet from Most Eligible Bachelor once again, and just so you know, today's snippet follows directly from last week's snippet.

Here goes:

Was it stupid that she liked the way her name sounded on his tongue? She opened her mouth to say something – about how Valentine’s Day had been commercialized to the point of triviality, an occasion for errant lovers to feel better about neglecting their significant others, a day to buy enough credit for another year, one day to make the unloved feel even less loved – anything to hide how hard it was to hear those words, but nothing came out.

His face hovered just inches away. Her heart stutter-stepped; her breath snagged. Without explanation, she wanted to know the taste of his lips. She wanted to erase it all from her mind, her pain, his reputation. She wanted to simply believe he really was just the most eligible bachelor in town, and he had her in his arms.

If you enjoyed this snippet, get to know my hero and heroine more. Check out:

Hot seat Interview with Lord McKenzie.Character Interview with Chantelle Sah.

...and please leave me a comment.





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Permission to share this post on social media links below granted and encourage

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Summer Spirit Novellas #BoxSet #SALE #99cents @WTMOreads @SamJacobey

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          During his last family vacation before college, Charlie Phillips slipped through a crack in reality and fell into another dimension parallel to our own. There, he met the girl of his dreams, and quickly felt the connection between them, but soon he had tough choices to make.

          Are these magical creatures Angels here to protect us, or are they Aliens here to take over our world?

          A love story like no other, Charlie and Clarisse must unravel the truth about the universe – but they must be careful! Lives hang in the balance, with Karama and Keeper watching, waiting to see which side they choose.

          Get the full series in one boxed set – only 99 cents for Valentines or free on KU!

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Do you love AUDIO or paperback? You can pick up these instead –
The Angel Set Box Set 1-3Summer Angel #1 ➤ Dark Angel #2 ➤ Forgotten Angel #3
The Karma Box Set 4-6Karma's Minion #4 ➤ Karma's Revenge #5  ➤  Karma's Legacy #6
Box Set Books 7-9Keeper of Truth #7  ➤ Keeper of Lies #8 ➤ Keeper of Oblivion #9
Excerpt from Summer Angel:Copyright Samantha Jacobey and Lavish Publishing, LLC
The Dark Side

          Charlie felt chilled, a dark alley surrounding him. Blinking a few times, he could make out the graffiti covered walls that lined the narrow passage. To his left stood a large dumpster, filled with smelly garbage, some of which had fallen onto the ground and polluted the air. Coughing at the foul mixture, he leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath.
          “Where the hell are we now?” he demanded, more unhappy with their        journey at every stop.
         “We’re still in New York,” she supplied in a quiet voice. “Visiting one of my oldest charges,” she continued softly, “One I have tried so many times to help.”
          Following her gaze, he could make out a row of cardboard boxes leaning against a wall. The air was cooler in the shadow of the tall buildings, and he emitted a small shiver when he noticed the sound of rustling paper coming from inside the structure. “Is someone in there?” he gasped. He had heard of street people, but had never seen a homeless person beyond those who begged on corners back in Texas.
          “Yes,” she agreed softly, “He’s in there.”
          “So, why don’t you use your magic, and build him a place to live?” the boy scoffed more loudly, before realizing they might be heard. Inching closer to the makeshift sanctuary, his voice took on a lower disgusted tone, “What kind of Guardian Angel are you, if you let this happen to him?”
          Clarisse could hear the accusation, aware that he did not understand. “I cannot make the choices for him, Charlie. I can provide the path or the means, but in the end, it is up to the client to follow them. The woman you saw earlier; she had to choose to make the stop. That is what altered the future for them, and avoided the accident. She could have chosen to continue on, and I would have been powerless to stop it.”
          “So it is with this man,” her extended palm indicated her subject, “Many times, I have lain obstacles in his path. Tangents that could have led him to a better place. He chose to sidestep them. The choices we make dictate the lives we lead, Charlie,” her face grew drawn, and he could see the sadness pressing down upon her.
          “You’re saying he wants t’ live like this?” he glared at her incredulously.
          “Not in so many words,” she whispered, “I’m only saying, he chose not to take a different path. This is where we are, and this is how it is.” Her face shifted, fear taking the place of sadness, “Oh, no!”
          “What?” he bit angrily, “Another client you have failed t’ protect?”
           “No, Charlie,” she opened her palm, staring at her small white communicator, “It’s time. Come away, precious,” she stepped forward, and he noticed that her wardrobe had changed, and a long white gown flowed about her. Grasping his arm, she guided him away from the box, their backs to it.
          Hearing a commotion behind them, the young man paused. Turning to look over his shoulder, she gripped him tighter, preventing him from doing so. He could hear the cries for help, and frowned into her horror-stricken features.
           “Don’t look, Charlie!” she implored in a raspy voice.
          “What’s happening?” his eyes wide as saucers, he panted, hearing the sound of the cardboard shelter being ripped away and blows being laid upon its occupant.
          “Fate will claim him,” she confessed, a tear spilling over and moistening her lashes, “I am duty bound not to interfere.”
          The ruckus continued, striking fear into Charlie, his chest growing tight as he struggled to breathe. Staring into her clear blue orbs, her comrade felt confused, “But... you’re his Guardian Angel! Stop them!”
           “I can’t,” she cried, oblivious of the two men who had ceased their beating, and begun to paw through the remains, searching the body and its premises.
            Holding him, inhibiting him from seeing their actions, Clarisse trembled in the darkness of the alley. Sliding his arm around her slender frame, Charlie pulled her closer to him, his own horror overwhelmed with the urge to protect her. He could feel the warmth of her air brushing his cheek, keeping the heaviness of the shadow that surrounded them at bay. A moment later, the two men ambled up the narrow path, walking right next to the couple.
          “Did ya get a whiff o’ this stack o’ cash?” one of them wafted a fist full of bills, “Couple ‘o grand here, but it smells like ass!” he cackled.
          “Half o’ that’s mine,” the second man rejoined with a punch to the arm, “An’ I don’ care what it smells like! It all spends th’ same.”
          Charlie could feel his gut wrench at their degrading demeanor. “Oh my God,” he breathed, turning enough to see the bloody corpse and what remained of his home strewn across the pavement. “You hid us, so they couldn’ see an’ attack us, too,” he deduced, gripping her more firmly, “Like some kind o’ cloaking magic.” The very air around them seemed to grow even colder as he held her thin frame.
            Glaring at him in surprise, she inhaled deeply, holding it for an instant before releasing it loudly; “Sure, Charlie,” she nodded.
           Turning back to face her squarely, the young man jumped at the sight of a hooded figure, standing over her shoulder.
           “Well, who is this now?” the stranger spoke in a low moan, removing the cover from his head.
           Instantly, the girl stiffened, emitting a small cry. Spinning in her new friend’s arms, she placed herself between the two males, and shook her head slowly, her heart pounding at the surprise visitor.
           Looking him up and down, Charlie noted he wore a black robe, his skin equally dark; human shaped, but definitely something else. “Who the hell are you?” he demanded, his voice filled with bravado.
          “I am Gous,” the new arrival hissed.
           “Go away, Gous,” the blonde screamed, wiping at her tears while straightening herself to her full height, “You may have taken the beggar, but this one is mine!”
          Low laughter rumbled from beneath the dark cloth, “Is he now?” His beady brown eyes shifted to auburn, “What if I’m still hungry?” His dark lips parted, exposing sharp white teeth.
          “Can’t you fight him? I mean, what is he?” Charlie stood closely behind her, speaking quietly into the back of her head. His instincts on edge, he recognized the ebony stranger as a foe.
          “I am a Dark Angel,” Gous proclaimed, the sound of his voice grating on the boy’s nerves like nails on a chalkboard. “I am the minion of Fate.”
          Shifting, her white robes billowing around her, she called back, “You have no business here! Be gone, before I summon the Keeper!”
          The Dark Angel laughed at her challenge, “Are you frightened, boy?” His eyes had grown brighter, the red overpowering the brown, looking more like glowing embers. When Charlie failed to respond, he addressed his nemesis, “The beggar was always mine. I only took my time, allowing him to suffer before I devoured him. Watch yourself, Clarisse. I think you are mine as well,” he ended with a sneer.
          “I will never be yours!” her jaw clenched. Leaning closer to her, Charlie’s arms tightened around her waist as if to hold her from physically attacking the interloper. “Away with you!”
          Too frightened to speak, the young man waited. The hair on his neck standing on end, he watched a hand slide out of the robe, rising slowly to caress her trembling chin with an extended digit.
          “Enjoy your time while you can, Summer Angel. The darkness is coming, and there is nothing you can do to stop it!” His words filled with ominous foreboding, he turned his back on the couple, disappearing the instant his hood had been dropped back into place.






Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations anywhere at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.

I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.

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http://wtmowordsturnmeon.blogspot.com/

Do you sleep with everyone you interview? #CharacterInterview: Chantelle from Most Eligible Bachelor #Romance

Happy Valentine's day, people!
I trust you're having a wonderful, love- and romance-filled day. Any plans for today or the weekend?

I've decided to celebrate my debut novel, Most Eligible Bachelor , a Valentine's Day romance.

My heroine, Chantelle Sah, is a journalist and often does the interviewing, but today, I've decided to put her in the hot seat!

Hello Chantelle. I can't imagine that you feel comfortable right now, but please relax. The hot seat may be a tad hotter than the one you're used to, but I'm sure my readers are dying to learn a little more about you. So let's get started.

Tell us about yourself.

Well...My name is Chantelle Sah. I'm a columnist for Ͻdͻpa magazine, Ghana's number 1 fashion and lifestyle mag. For our April edition, I have to interview Ghana's so-called most eligible bachelor, Lord McKenzie, CEO of McKenzie contractors. If you ask me, he's overrated. Yes, he's good-looking, but he's probably just as shallow, and his playboy reputation precedes him. I expect this interview to be a pain-in-the-ass, but I have no choice, since I screwed up my last assignment.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Perfection is an illusion. I used to think I was perfectly happy, but it turned out to be a perfect illusion

What is your current state of mind? 

Panic. It's Valentine's Day. Let's just say this isn't my favourite time of the year.
Plus I have to spend it with Lord McKenzie.

What is your most treasured possession? 

I live for my job. Some people may call me boring, but there is it.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? 

See? This is why I don't like Valentine's Day. It's always love this and love that. Valentine's Day is just a day to mess with people's emotions.

What is your greatest fear? 

Falling for Mr Wrong. I did that once, and I'm still recovering. I can't do it again. 

What is the quality you most like in a man/woman? 

Unfortunately, it appears I'm attracted to confident guys with larger-than-life egos. Guys, like Lord McKenzie, but I'm not looking, so...let's forget I said that. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others? 

I abhor people who aren't real. Honesty is the key to everything 

On what occasions do you lie? 

As a journalist, I'm pro-truth. Besides, lies always have a way of coming out. 

Which is your favorite word or phrase? 

"No," according to Lord McKenzie 

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 

I'd give myself a radar that can spot a heart-breaker from a mile away

Thank you for taking the challenge, Chantelle. That wasn't so bad, was it? Good luck with your interview, and greetings to Lord. I have a feeling you're going to have a very Happy Valentine's Day 

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Reviews: The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James #PCBReviews

Hello readers! Welcome to our first Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review for 2018! We reviewed The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James, which whisked us to a little Yorkshire village called Luna Bay in the UK.

Here's the BLURB
Secrets never stay buried for long…

Lucy Harper has always been good at one thing: running from her past. But when her beloved Nana Lily passes away she has no choice except to return to the one place in the world she most wants to avoid…

Luna Bay hasn't changed much in the eight years she has spent in London. The little Yorkshire village is still just as beautiful, but the new pub landlord is a gorgeous addition to the scenery!

Lucy only intended to stay for a day, yet when she discovers that Nana Lily has not only left her a cottage but also 'The Broken Hearts Book Club', Lucy is intrigued. Her Nana never have mentioned the club and Lucy can't wait to get started, but walking into her first meeting she is more aware than ever that her past is finally catching up with her.

One way or another, Lucy must finally face the past she left behind – or spend the rest of her life on the run…


Having spent the past eight years in London running from a tragedy that happened in Luna Bay, her first instinct is to say no and hightail it out of there. However, she has nothing to get back to in London and her heart has always been in Luna Bay. She also meets Jake, a handsome bartender, with secrets of his own.

The story takes us through Lucy's decision to eavesdrop on one Broken Hearts meeting just to satisfy her curiosity, but as she hears the members' stories, she the reason her grandmother gave her the book club becomes apparent. However, the members aren't prepared to trust her with their deepest fears.

I enjoyed watching Lucy go through the process of trying to help members of the book club and in so doing finding her own redemption. I also enjoyed the romance between Lucy and Jake, and the revelation of Jake's secret.

I did, however, find Jake so frustrating in a typical male sort of way. Another frustration for me was the secret from Lucy's past that I felt was dragged too long before its revelation. I prefer when revelation is made in bits over the length of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, the characters and the British slang and quirks. I would definitely be checking out the rest of the series.

Don't forget to check out reviews from Prah and Constantine.