Babs Hightower's Blog, page 138
November 12, 2014
Interview with Author Katie O’Connor
Today I would like to welcome Katie O’Connor to the blog it is a pleasure to have her on. Please welcome her.
Babs….When did you know you wanted to write?
I started writing just out of high school. Things got derailed. Tried again a decade later. After a boatload of rejections I gave up. Then I saw a call for submissions from a publisher. Scratched out a story and edited the crap out of it and here we are. Four published stories, one picture book and now AN AGENT! (Oops sorry, got excited there.)
Babs…..What would you like your readers to get out of books?
Hope. I want everyone to know that no matter how bad things get there is always hope.
Babs…..Do you have a current project in the works?
I’m working on a small town romance series. I’ve got book one finished. Book two is written (very roughly) books three and four are started. I’m like that, I work on a number of projects at once. The series has a potential for at least seven or eight books. All of them will be interconnected, but each will also be a stand alone.I’m working on a bit of erotica too (because my mind is a very twisted place.)
Babs…..Do you have a ritual when you are writing? ie coffee, music, food etc
I don’t have a ritual as such but I love to write at the local breakfast place. The girls bring me coffee by the gallon and keep me fed. Sadly neither my pocket book nor my waistline like this. So mostly, I write at home, radio on, feet up, coffee close at hand. I do my best work at our holiday place up north. Nothing fancy, just a trailer without plumbing parked in the trees. Primitive but beautiful.
Babs…..Hobbies outside of writing?
I doodle a bit, crochet baby blankets and quilt. And of course I read everything I can get my hands on.
Babs….What book or books are you currently reading?
I read a book about every three to four days. My current passion is for Holiday Romances. I do love a good Christmas love story. I’m also reading Lee Child’s Jack Reacher stories. Not my usual fair but I am enjoying them. They are a bit of something different, recommended by a close friend.
Babs….If you could be one character from one of your books who would it be?
I don’t know that I have a preference. On different days I want and need different things. (Drive my hubby crazy.) I try to be happy with the blessings I have.
Babs…Favorite drink?
Hmm, that’s a tough one. Okay, not really. Coffee or alcohol. I love a good scotch in the evening.
Babs…..What is your favorite ice cream?
Not much of an ice cream fan, unless it is in a root beer float.
Babs….What is your favorite food?
Anything not nailed down. I freely admit that I am a foodie and love to eat.
Babs…Anything else you would like to add?
My latest release is Rekindled Fire, a contemporary romance about refound love. Available in print and paperback.
http://tinyurl.com/Rekindledfirekindle
Since the day Beth Watson lost her husband eighteen months ago, she has harbored a terrible guilt that his death was her fault. Could her unwilling attraction to another man have gotten her husband killed? Or was it just a tragic car accident?
Peter Holden struggles to remain strong and steadfast for his children while juggling too many balls. The fact his wife dumped him for his best friend isn’t helping matters. When an emergency arises and he has no one to help out with his kids, he calls the one woman he swore he would forever avoid, his old friend Beth.
If she dares to step in and help, can they get beyond the past? Or will fantasies of what might have been ruin any hope for their future together?
https://www.facebook.com/KatieOConnorWrites
https://twitter.com/katieohwrites
https://www.goodreads.com/KatieOConnor
http://katieoh.blogspot.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/katieoconnor
The post Interview with Author Katie O’Connor appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
November 10, 2014
Cowboys & Christmas Blog tour by Shanna Hatfield
Welcome to the Cowboys & Christmas
Blog Tour!
A kickoff of two new holiday romances by Shanna Hatfield
and a fundraiser for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund
There’s Something About A Cowboy
What is it about a cowboy that inspires giddy thoughts of romance in otherwise sane and sensible women?
It could be the way they make a pair of jeans look just right. If you haven’t ogled a pair of fine-fitting Wranglers at a rodeo, please take yourself to the nearest medical facility to make sure you’ve got a pulse.
It could be the dusty boots on their feet. The dirtier, the better. We want a hard-working, real man, after all. Not one who just dresses like a cowboy on the weekends.
It could be that Stetson on his head. There’s something about a man sweeping off his hat in a gesture of polite recognition that makes our knees wobbly and our thoughts scattered. Also, there is something entirely endearing about a man with a hat-ring in his hair.
It could be the little swagger in his walk. Most of the cowboys I know don’t work to put it there. It’s a byproduct of injuries, too many hours in the saddle, and walking in those dusty boots.
It could be the manners they exhibit, no matter how rough and tough they might be. You show me a raised-in-the-country cowboy and I’ll show you a man who respects women and elders, says “yes, ma’am,” and holds doors open. I don’t care how independent and strong of a woman you are, when a good-looking cowboy tips his hat and holds a door open for you, it makes you want to swoon.
For me, it’s such fun to write about cowboys and the women determined to resist their considerable charms.
In The Christmas Cowboy and Wrestlin’ Christmas, the first two books in the Rodeo Romance series, neither heroine wanted to fall for a cowboy. In fact, they fought quite a valiant battle – but as they say, sometimes resistance is futile.
Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund®
Now through Dec. 24, Shanna will donate 10 percent of the net proceeds from all book sales to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. 
The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period.
Where to Find The Books
Start the Rodeo Romance Series with The Christmas Cowboy.
Kindle | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple | Audible
You’re Invited to PARTY!
You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party Thursday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more! Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty
The third book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series releases that day! The Christmas Calamity takes readers back to Hardman just in time for the holiday season. Preorders are available now for just $1.99 on Kindle. You can reserve your copy here: http://amzn.com/B00OGOO994
In addition, the first book in the Hardman Holidays series, The Christmas Bargain, will be available free that day, as well!
Enter to Win Prizes!To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, autographed books, chocolates, original western artwork, and more fun goodies, fill out this form.
http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes
About Shanna Hatfield
A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.
Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America.
Find Shanna’s books at:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple
Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:
ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter
The post Cowboys & Christmas Blog tour by Shanna Hatfield appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
November 9, 2014
Author Clarissa Johal
For Immediate Release: Paranormal Gothic Horror STRUCK by Clarissa JohalAbout STRUCK:
After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift–one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister… for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.**Sapphyria’s Book Promotions is currently seeking reviewers for this title. Please fill out the form at http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/looking-for-reviewers-for-struck-by.html**
Book Details:
Title: STRUCK
Genre: Paranormal Gothic Horror
Author(s): Clarissa Johal
Publisher: Musa Publishing
http://www.musapublishing.com/
Cover Artist: Kelly Shorten
ISBN: 978-1-61937-690-8
Number of Pages: 255
Price: $4.99
Read An Excerpt:
A bolt of blue-white lightning snaked from the sky and hit the ground in front of her. The thunderclap that shattered the air was deafening. Gwynneth slammed on her brakes and skidded. It was a slow skid, or it seemed to be. Spinning around and around in a circle, she felt like she was watching herself from afar. Time felt like it was slowing. Oddly enough, she found herself wondering if there would be white or red flowers on Hannah’s casket. Or maybe none at all.
Gwynneth’s face smacked against the steering wheel. Reality hit her along with the pain. She had forgotten to wear her seatbelt. She pressed her fingers lightly to her throbbing temple and winced. “Shit!” Thankfully, she was in one piece. Gwynneth opened the car door. Lightning lit the area and bathed her senses in a flash of blue-white. Icy rain hit her skin. Stupid! You left your jacket back at the funeral home. She ran around the car and checked all the tires. The back one was flat, and on top of that, her car was quite obviously stuck in a ditch. “Great.” She had no spare tire, she knew that for sure. She also had no idea which way led back to the retirement home. Her headlights cast a weak glow through the rain. Soaked to the skin and shivering, Gwynneth peered into the darkness. A muddy road meandered across saturated fields and off into nothingness.
She sloshed back to her car and quickly turned the engine off. She certainly didn’t need a dead battery on top of a flat tire. “Okay, Gwen,” she said aloud, “you need to figure out what to do.” Rain ran in rivulets down her face and her tie-dyed T-shirt stuck to her like a second skin. I’m a soggy, shivering rainbow. She started to walk and cursed the fact that her cell phone wasn’t charged. Seth was always bugging her about that. “Suck it up, Gwen. It rains in Oregon too.” The inky blackness was disconcerting. Lightning intermittently illuminated the area like the flash of a camera.A snapshot of a road to nowhere. Gwynneth hoped that she was at least walking in the right direction. Her teeth were chattering so hard she was in danger of biting her own tongue. Thunder rolled up her spine and along her scalp like probing fingers.
Her thoughts wandered back to Hannah. A diary. I wonder what she wrote about? She wouldn’t read it, of course, it was private. I’m sure she just wants me to throw it away so her children don’t either. A pang of loss sliced through the cold and Gwynneth shook it off. They had spent countless hours chatting and Hannah never mentioned a diary. She bit her lip. If she could only turn back time, Gwynneth would have told her how much their time together had meant. Hannah had always encouraged her to start painting again, but also understood why Gwynneth couldn’t.
A loud ‘crack’ sounded and an iridescent white light surrounded her. Two things registered: a searing pain that ripped down her back and the ground which seemed to be pulled away from her at an alarming speed.
* * * *
Blackness.
Pain shot through the back of Gwynneth’s head as she opened her eyes. Somebody was standing over her. She tried to focus on the face, but it hurt too much. A cool hand slid across her forehead. She opened her eyes again.
Pale, almost white eyes. High cheekbones, aquiline nose, and a well-shaped mouth. Long, white hair. Ageless. Beautiful, like a Michelangelo. All of those details registered with clarity before agony ripped through her body. She arched her back and cried out. The man murmured something into her ear which she couldn’t understand. She could feel the vibration of his voice and his breath on her neck as he gathered her in his arms. She opened her eyes and saw lightning fork to the ground silently behind him. She blacked out again.
Purchase Links:
Amazon Struck
Musa Publishing: STRUCK
Barnes and Noble: STRUCK
About the Author:
Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant, zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking photographs of gargoyles. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.
*Member of the Author’s Guild
Coming April 28, 2015 from Permuted Press
VOICES, a paranormal psychological horror
STRUCK, a paranormal gothic horror
(2014) Musa Publishing
BETWEEN, a story of the paranormal
(2012) Musa Publishing
*Second place in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll 2012
*Paranormal Reads gives BETWEEN 4 out of 5 Bats
PRADEE, a young adult fantasy
(2010) CreateSpace
*Second round finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award Contest 2012
Short stories:
PIGEONS, published in the literary journal Susurrus
THE ROPE, published in the literary journal Susurrus
Non-Fiction:
A WAY OF LIFE, published in The Sacramento Bee
Find Clarissa Online:
Author Website: http://clarissajohal.com/
Blog: http://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarissa.johal.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarissaJohal
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4502113.Clarissa_Johal
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Clarissa-Johal/e/B003KVTMPK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1389927184&sr=1-2
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarissajohal/
Praise for STRUCK:
Lovely Reads: 5 Stars
This book grabs you in right away and hold your attention throughout the book. Gwen moves in with a friend and gets a job at a retirement home. Sounds like Gwen has a good and normal life, which is good for her right now. Gwen gets to meet Hannah who is a lovely old woman and they get pretty close. One day Hanna just passes unexpectedly and now things are going to shift.
A storm comes and Gwen is struck by lightning. That alone is scary enough. But how scary is it when you wake up and learn of Julian? Uh he shows her some rather unpleasant things that well, I wouldn’t want to deal with. Seth is her friend and he is kind and protective. How would he or any of her friend feel if she mentioned Julian? Maybe it would send her to the nut house if she talked. Gwen will have to say something before her friends just explode with worry, she can’t just sit there doing nothing. Gwen isn’t as open as I would have liked, so it left her friends out and I wish she would have given them more. Though it all somehow worked and didn’t change how I thought of the book.
The darkness Gwen faces is difficult and it will win if she doesn’t do anything about it. It was the type of darkness I don’t typically read, and yet I couldn’t put the book down. It was something that grabbed your interest and made you go on until you had nothing left to read. Plus even after being able to go home, Gwen isn’t free of this darkness. Her little buddy still comes around and won’t just stop because she is home. So he offers her something. Gwen has no idea what she will do. Is he good? Or is he just playing a mean trick?
I so loved this book and didn’t put it down until the very end. I really wish there was something after this book. It just needs to be continued and give me some more Gwen. These characters were written really well and the overall story flowed just right and it knew when to really grab you. This is something different for me to read and I actually liked it! Which is great because I can be picky of new reads! So everyone should give this book a chance, something different can be a good thing.
I hope to read more books from Clarissa! I give this one 5 stars!
Bibliophilic Book Blog: 4 stars
Gwynneth (Gwen) works at a retirement home and lives with her best friend, Seth. After Gwen gets a call about one of her favorite residents dying, she goes to the funeral home to pay her last respects. Leaving the funeral home, she’s struck by lightning. Waking in the hospital, Gwen has a faint memory of an unknown man rescuing her and an odd burn mark on her back. Gwen’s mysterious rescuer comes back to her and offers her the ability to hold back death – but will the price she’ll pay be worth this so-called gift? STRUCK will get beneath your skin from the very beginning. Gwen’s a likable character with a difficult past and tenuous future after meeting Julian. I liked the secondary characters, especially Fenten and Poppy. The characters were definitely all well-developed and engaging. While I understood some of Gwen’s choices, I wished she’d have been more open with her friends about Julian because there is power in numbers. STRUCK flowed well, with no choppiness or dangling plot strings. Following along with Gwen as she explores and delves into this new darkness, you’ll be intrigued and entranced. STRUCK is a good book with a solid plot and great characters.
Bex ‘n; Books: 5 Stars
This is a spooky thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won’t be able to put it down because you must finish it to see what happens, even if it keeps you up late at night to do so.
Gwen has had a string of bad luck but then she moved to her new town only to get struck by lightning. When this happens, she starts seeing all kinds of things that aren’t natural. Little does she know, she isn’t crazy. Her roommate begins seeing her change and is afraid he is going to lose her but to what, he doesn’t know. Seth tries to get her to open up and tell him but Gwen thinks she is starting to go crazy.
This is a story that will have you feeling all the strange things that happen to Gwen and you start to hope she can fight the things so she can survive. Everything that happens to her is real and not in her head. Once her friends step in, they all learn about her battles and she finally accepts that she doesn’t have to fight alone.
Is this a battle of other world beings, something that Gwen can fight? Is she strong enough to really overcome this battle and not lose everything she loves? These questions are answered but you won’t get those answers until the very end. Loved this spooky, mysterious, thriller until the last page. Don’t think about it too much or you won’t be able to sleep at night. The shadows may get you!
In D’Tale Magazine: 3.5 Stars
GOTHIC HORROR: Gwynneth Reese discovered her boyfriend was cheating on her, so she packed up her things, moved to San Francisco and became roommates with her best friend, Seth. Ignoring her painting and Art History degree she starts work at a retirement home and realizes she loves it. She’s upset when one particular resident passes away alone on a stormy night. Gwynneth drives over to the funeral home to pay her respects, but on her way back she crashes into a ditch and gets struck by lightning while walking along the road. It’s a miracle she survives, but strange and scary things are now happening to her and they seem connected to her dead friend. As she begins to question her sanity Gwynneth has to figure out what is going on, how to stop it and somehow stay alive.
A fascinating combination of horror and fantasy with a dash of romance, this tale will have one eyeing thunderstorms with extreme wariness. Seth is a strong character, as are the other secondary people in Gwynneth’s life, but Julian is never really satisfactorily explained. However, while Gwynneth is a well-developed character it is easy for the reader to grow frustrated with some of her more ill-conceived decisions, decisions that make one want to grab her by the shoulders and shake some common sense into her. An intriguing plot is complicated by confusing images and unexplained things that slither. A tightening of the plot added to further clarification of Julian and his slinking creatures would make this a truly hair-raising story.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How did you come up with the idea for STRUCK?
Some stories begin as random scenes, some as characters, and some are born from asking the question, “What if?” I was hit with the idea of STRUCK while running on a forest trail near my house. It was during a thunderstorm and I wondered what it would be like to be hit by lightning. I write about ghosts and things that go bump in the night and in essence, those entities are energy. What if a portal was opened by a lightning strike? And what if that portal allowed the energy from those entities to escape? The idea was intriguing and I went to bed still thinking about it. That night, I dreamt I stood in a field, with lightning striking the ground all around me. But the lightning wasn’t just releasing electrical energy, the lightning was releasing negative entities from the Otherworld. I woke from the nightmare in a panic, thinking those entities had somehow attached themselves to me. And so a story is born.
I went on to research the effects of being struck by lightning, interviewed several lightning survivors, and began writing STRUCK. I’m continually amazed how a, “What if?” idea can expand into a novel.
What first inspired you to become a writer? And what compels you to continue your career as an author?
I wrote my first short story in grade six. I was asked by the teacher to read it aloud to the class, which terrified me. After I was finished, I realized that I actually had everyone’s attention! I was shy and we moved every year, so I was always the new kid. When you’re in that situation, it’s kind of like being invisible. Finding my voice through story-telling made me realize how powerful writing could be. As far as continuing—truthfully? I think I’d go nuts if I didn’t write.
What made you choose the genre of paranormal gothic horror?
I started out writing fantasy fiction. I was working on the second installment to my PRADEE series when there were two characters that kept showing up on the page, over and over. They didn’t belong in fantasy novel, nor did they belong in my story! But their backstory came to me so vividly, that I set aside my series and wrote my first paranormal novel, BETWEEN. I’ve been pulled into the Otherworld permanently now. The ideas come faster than I can write them down.
The post Author Clarissa Johal appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
November 8, 2014
Review of Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind
The eccentric Olive Kettering swore someone was trying to harm her. Too bad no one listened, though plenty wanted her dead. When Olive is shot and killed, Mrs. Jeffries has no problem speaking her mind to see justice served.
File Size: 604 KB
Print Length: 303 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0425235246
Publisher: Berkley (June 1, 2010)
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
My thoughts:
The eccentric Olive Kettering swore someone was trying to harm her. Too bad no one listened, though plenty wanted her dead. When Olive is shot and killed, Mrs. Jeffries has no problem speaking her mind to see justice served.
I love this series I put it down for a bit but had to get back to it as I missed them. Inspector Witherspoon is at it again along with his staff. They help solved the case of Olive Kettering home everyone disliked. The author does a great job of keeping the person guessing on who the murder is. Already reading the next one.
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November 7, 2014
Legacy Series by AJ Nuest
Today I have the pleasure of having one of my favorite authors on the blog, AJ Nuest. She is here to talk about her Legacy Series. Be sure to check it out.
Book I – A Furious Muse
Since the day of her birth, Princess Faedrah Austiere has been defined by her place within the kingdom. As the single heir to the half-blood gypsy king and his prophesied white queen, she is fiercely protected, shuttered inside an ivory castle and well-trained in the art of war. Yet neither her obligations as future queen nor the black infestation threatening her kingdom fail to hinder the mysterious pull of the antique armoire hidden in her parents’ bedchamber. And stealing the golden key for a leap through time is the only way to confront the dark lord haunting her dreams.
One face. The image of one defiant, relentless woman has been stuck in Rhys McEleod’s head ever since he was old enough paint her luscious curves on the canvas. But the day she walks into his life off the street—sexier than hell and itching for a fight—he’s not convinced she’s the same women he’s envisioned since childhood. That is, not until he spots the golden key around her neck—an object he’d never fully shown in any of his paintings.
Now if he could just persuade his lovely muse he’s not the enemy. Unless the elusive Faedrah Austiere learns to trust him, he’ll never have her in his bed—the one place he’s convinced she belongs.
Book II – The Sacrifice
The second Faedrah Austiere walked into his life off the canvas, everything in Rhys McEleod’s world stopped making sense. Not only does her story sound like a Grimm’s fairy tale, evidently he’s been cast as the villain. If that isn’t enough, the mirror inside that old, beat up armoire at her uncle’s condo is supposedly a doorway to another world. Ever since the pathway opened, something inside him has seemed…off. If what his muse says is true, they are headed for an epic showdown, but he isn’t about to let her go. Nothing is more important than Faedrah’s protection, even if her parents refuse to accept him.
Though certain their fates are bound by more than the golden key Princess Faedrah wears around her neck, it is paramount Rhys’ true identity be kept secret. Should news of his bloodline ever reach her kingdom, their entire quest to save her people could be lost. Their only hope to prove his loyalty is to steal the map to the dark lord’s Crystal Crypt. Yet her a plan endangers her beloved more than the accusations he faces in her kingdom and, to escape evil’s grasp, she and Rhys must take a leap of faith beyond her wildest imagination.
Book III – A Wizard Rises
The homecoming celebration held in honor of Princess Faedrah is fraught with perilous frustration. Her nightmares have returned thricefold and, to her horror, a horrendous blight has spread like a plague throughout the kingdom. Compounding her worries, Rhys’ arrival in her world has been welcomed with the exact horror-filled reaction she expected. Her beloved has been cast into the dungeons, and no amount of arguing with the king and queen will prove he’s her fated love.
Magical powers were supposed to be a gift, or so Rhys McEleod had always believed. Too bad the second he landed in Faedrah’s world the legacy he inherited slammed into his body like a weight. He’s got zero control and his constant visions of Faedrah fighting an evil entity aren’t helping. At least her parents made the right decision and stuck him away someplace safe. Until he can figure out his next move, prove himself an ally and uncover the clues to stopping Faedrah’s nightmares, he’s got no choice but to wait…and learn exactly what he’s become.
Book IV – A Time of Reckoning
Rhys had one job to do. One measly errand that shouldn’t have been a problem, given the nature of his powers. But when an old enemy reappears, detailing the result of his actions, Rhys is forced to make a choice between a future with Faedrah or dying before his time. Frustrated and out of options, he agrees to her suggestion they to leap forward in time to the future…even though a good chance exists his powers will be nothing but a memory in his world. Flying blind on a wing and a prayer, they prepare to fight for everything they love against a wizard of insurmountable power.
Faedrah does her best to gather their closest allies. The sides are squared in a war to control the future of both worlds. With the stakes so high, only one advantage has been cast in their favor. The sigil of utmost protection inherent in Rhys’ signature. If not enough to thwart the evil awaiting at the Austiere gates, she could find herself imprisoned in the future, while her kingdom and all those she has sworn to protect are lost to the mists of time.
The Golden Key Legacy Links
A Furious Muse
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/qcxmpzj
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/q3p888c
The Sacrifice
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/n453ks7
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/k3twy23
A Wizard Rises
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/kftaalh
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/m866chj
A Time of Reckoning
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/n2y8zbr
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/orb4k7t
Author Bio:
AJ Nuest is a multi-published, award-winning author who lives in the middle of a cornfield in NW Indiana. Her loving husband, two beautiful children and a bevy of spoiled pets have agreed to stay and, in exchange for three rations per day and laundry service, tolerate her lunacy. While she spends most days happily ensconced in crafting romance across a multitude of genres, an underground coup has been percolating. The dogs just informed her the cat is secretly vying for dictatorship.
Author Links:
Website: http://ajnuest.com
Blog: http://ajbooks.blogspot.com
Email: ajnuest@yahoo.com
FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/amyjo.nuest
Author FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/amyjo.nuest#!/pages/Tattered-Pages/259835887466
Twitter: @AJNuest
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajnuest/boards/
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November 5, 2014
The Dysfunctional Test by Kelly Moran
Blurb:
Thanks to her large, crazy Serbian family, Camryn Covic is an expert at shutting down her emotions in order to maintain her sanity. But when she loses her apartment, her job and her boyfriend all in one day, she hits her breaking point. Worse, if her family finds out she’s single again, her sister’s upcoming wedding will be a disaster. The bride-to-be has a plan, though. A plan that involves an old friend, a pretend relationship… and the probability of ending up in a padded cell. Troy Lanske agrees to the crazy plan only because Camryn was once his lifeline as a foster child. But she isn’t the idealistic girl he remembers. She’s become so jaded that she doesn’t even believe in love anymore. He sets out to restore her faith in happily-ever-afters, but his plan backfires when the fake relationship begins to feel all too real. Falling for the one woman he can’t have could mean losing more than just his honorary family. He could lose everything.
Review Quotes:
“What a book! It was brilliant. It’s a must read!” ~Coffee Time Romance, 5 cups!
“Great escape reading!” ~Library Journal
“Sexy, snarky, heart-tugging fun!” ~USA TODAY HEA
“A rollercoaster ride that will touch your heart and leave you in roaring fits of laughter.” ~Fresh Fiction
Buy links:
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/nlnrucz
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/oxcfeyo
Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/l9vymjj
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ph6k7sj
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/qcw7jm4
To find out more about Kelly please visit her website Author Kelly Moran
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Slow Hand by Victoria Vane
In rural Montana … Wade Knowlton is a hardworking lawyer who’s torn between his small-town Montana law practice and a struggling family ranch. He’s on the brink of exhaustion from trying to save everybody and everything, when gorgeous Nicole Powell walks into his office. She’s a damsel in distress and the breath of fresh air he needs.
Even the lawyers wear boots …Nicole Powell is a sassy Southern girl who has officially sworn off cowboys after a spate of bad seeds-until her father’s death sends her to Montana and into the arms of a man who seems too good to be true. Her instincts tell her to high tail it out of Montana, but she can’t resist a cowboy with a slow hand…
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Excerpt:
“Don’t you have to be in court soon, Counselor?” she reminded him in a voice that came out breathless.
“Yeah, I do,” he replied. “Guess I got a bit sidetracked. You’re turning out to be a big distraction, you know that?”
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such an imposition.”
“I said a distraction not an imposition. There’s a big difference. I didn’t realize until now just how badly I’ve needed such a distraction.” He stepped away with a reluctant sigh.
Her pulse still hammering in anticipation, Nikki exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized was trapped in her chest.
Wade spun toward his office. “Help yourself to the phone and anything else while I get cleaned up.” He paused again on the threshold. “Of course, you’re welcome to use my office if you need greater privacy.” He added over his shoulder with a look of devilment. “Or in the event any wild impulse overtakes you while I shower.”
He went to work on his shirt buttons. His collar was soon wide open revealing a generous show of muscular chest that make her hands itch to rip it off him. She diverted her gaze and curled her itchy hands by her sides.
“Have no fear, cowboy,” Nikki replied in a tone meant to disguise the warm flush that had come over her. “I corralled all my wild impulses long ago.”
“Did you, now?” He still stood in doorway, head cocked. “Somehow, I think you may have missed a few strays.”
“Maybe I need to make myself clearer. I have an aversion to cocky cowboys.”
Just keep telling yourself that, Nikki. Maybe if you repeat it often enough it’ll become true.
“Is that so?” His brows flew upward. “I can’t say I ever met a woman with an actual aversion to me.”
“Don’t take it personally. It’s nothing against you in particular, but to your type.”
“And what do you think you know about my type?”
“Since I don’t have a pole handy, enough to keep you at arm’s length. Besides that, this whole line of conversation is entirely inappropriate in light of professional ethics, don’t you think? You are my attorney, after all.”
“Well, darlin’”—he scratched his unshaven jaw—“there’s a little hitch to that.”
“What do you mean? You said you’d help me.”
“And I will, but you can’t engage my professional services until I know who you are.”
“I’ve told you who I am!” she insisted.
“Sweetheart, I’m a lawyer, and according to the law, your claim don’t weigh without authentication.”
“Authentication?”
“Proof.”
“So what are you saying? That you don’t believe me?”
“I’m not saying that at all. Only that our professional relationship will commence once you get your ID. In the interim”—his gaze slid over her in a way that threatened to melt her insides—“you’d best find yourself a nice, long, sturdy pole.”
More about Victoria Vane click here.
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October 5, 2014
Rescue me by Jaci Burton review
Sabrina Daniels is looking for a new life after a bitter divorce from a controlling husband. She finds the answer to her dreams of the future in Kyle Morgan, who’s looking for an investor in his Rocking M Ranch in Dreamwater, Oklahoma. It’s a fresh start for Sabrina, and she’s always wanted to own a ranch.
Kyle’s ranch is in trouble, but Sabrina is even more trouble, and he wants nothing to do with a woman who knows nothing about ranching. But Sabrina has the money, and she’s a reluctant solution to his financial problems.
Working side by side, Kyle and Sabrina find surprising common ground, and a sizzling chemistry neither can deny. They both have hearts in need of rescue, and love is the sweetest savior.
File Size: 422 KB
Print Length: 260 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Jaci Burton (February 6, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
My thoughts:
Sabrina shoes up on the ranch that she has invested in little does Kyle know she is the ones that is coming to his rescue. He takes on look and hates the fact she is pretty. He really doesn’t want her around but knows he needs her. Sabrina worms her way into his heart and the love begins but can he keep it all together and trust again? A great read and I look forward to more books by this author.
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October 4, 2014
Sweet Girl Titan # 1.5 Review
A SWEET GIRL
Nicola Hart grew up under the heels of her older brother and his best friend, Cash Garrison. Years of ignoring the spark between her and Cash didn’t keep their attraction from turning into a slow burn. Just shy of her twentieth birthday, Nicola needs to know: he wants her or he doesn’t.
HE CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM
She’s his best friend’s little sister. The definition of hands off. Cash has tried to ignore her for years. Instead, he’s looked at every pretty little thing who’s crossed his path, all to ignore the girl he seems destined to want. But when half the school is interested in Nicola, it’s time to stake a claim and hold the hand of the one he really loves.
Sweet Girl is the novel length prequel to best-selling Garrison’s Creed. Before Cash and Nicola can fall in love forever, they have to suffer through their first love.
The Titan Series:
Book 1: Winters Heat (Colby Winters)…….Great read as well.
Book 2: Garrison’s Creed (Cash Garrison)
Book 3: Westin’s Chase (Jared Westin)
Book 4: Gambled (Brock Gamble)
Book 5: Chased (Asher McIntyre)
Book 6: Savage Secrets (Rocco Savage)
Book 7: Sweet Girl (Prequel to Garrison’s Creed)…..great read.
Book 8: Hart Attack (Roman Hart)- coming Fall 2014
Book 9: TBD (Parker’s story)- coming late 2014
File Size: 2026 KB
Print Length: 200 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0991647459
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Mill Creek Press (July 7, 2014)
My thoughts:
A nice read actually I was surprised and the book leaves you wanting to know more. Nicola and Cash have been friends all their lives. Nicola has had a crush on Crash since she was a teen and he finally notices her. He wants more of a relationship and between ups and downs it actually happens and then Nicola is kidnapped. Will cash and her brother Roman, be able to find her? I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens.
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October 3, 2014
The Maverick of Copper Creek Review
Ash MacKenzie broke his share of hearts when he left Copper Creek all those years ago and struck out on his own. Tall, tough, and proud. That’s how Brenna always remembered him, and from the looks of things, he hasn’t changed much. Once, she thought he could save her-whisk her away from her rough childhood home and start fresh together. Now she knows better . . .
Ash isn’t planning to stick around town long. As soon as he uncovers the truth about his father’s death and makes sure the family ranch is safe, he’ll be back out on his own. And then he runs into Brenna Crane. It broke his heart to leave her once-a herd of stampeding horses couldn’t make him do it again. But Brenna has made a new life for herself, one that doesn’t include him. Now he just has to convince her to give their first love a second chance.
My thoughts:
Great new book to a new series. This author knows how to write western romances. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Ash broke Brenna’s heart once and she will not let him do it again since he has returned to town to see about his father’s death. Someone seems to be out for Ash or Brenna which was a nice twist. The love is still burning with them both can they survive long enough to make it happen.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review for an honest opinion.
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