Babs Hightower's Blog, page 78
December 7, 2015
Release Blast: FOOLING AROUND WITH CINDERELLA & Giveaway
Enter to Win a
Custom Pink-Beaded Cinderella Charm Bracelet
FOOLING AROUND WITH CINDERELLA
Storybook Valley #1
Stacy Juba
Released November 9th, 2015
Self Published
What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella’s toes?
When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom.
First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun.
BUY NOW
Amazon | B
& N | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords
Stacy Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme
Park and spent part of her honeymoon at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a
burger, went on fast rides, and threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In
addition to working on her new Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series,
Stacy has written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette
for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has had a novel ranked as #5 in the
Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List.
When she’s not visiting
theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides that spin and exotic hamburgers),
or writing about them, Stacy helps authors to strengthen their manuscripts
through her Crossroads Editing Service. She is currently writing the next book
in the Storybook Valley Series, Prancing Around with Sleeping Beauty.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post Release Blast: FOOLING AROUND WITH CINDERELLA & Giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 6, 2015
Trapped with the Blizzard by Adele Huxley Blitz, Tour & Giveaway
A new danger lurks in the storm…
All I wanted was the perfect quiet Christmas in our new home with my growing family. A huge tree, cookies, carols, you know… some basic frickin’ Yuletide cheer. Of course, because we’re Liz and Bryan “The Blizzard” Marsh, nothing can go to plan.
First, we agree to take in Bryan’s cousin Dani for the winter. In the cult of moody teenagers, she is their Queen. I’d hoped we could connect, but to say we haven’t gotten along would be the understatement of the century.
Then there’s the Rocky Mountain Pyro, a local arsonist who is torching buildings all over town. Cops can’t stop him and no one knows what to do. I don’t care what Bryan says. Even though we haven’t been directly targeted, I know we’re linked in some way.
And to top it all off, Mother Nature has veered the storm of the century right to our front door. With a three-day blizzard barreling down on Tellure Hollow, we’re forced to evacuate everyone in town to the Powder Mountain lodge. As the resort caretakers, Bryan and I try to make Christmas as comfortable as we can.
Once we settle into the lodge to wait out the storm, strange things start to happen. It’s only when we’re completely snowed in I start to wonder… Maybe by trying to keep everyone safe from the storm, we’ve put them at even greater danger.
Trapped with the Blizzard is a standalone romantic thriller that takes place after Devoted to the Blizzard. The books in the Tellure Hollow series can be read individually, but are best read in order. This book is a great combination of contemporary and new adult romance featuring two main couples of different age ranges. This novel contains adult language, sexual situations, and violence. It’s intended for adults.
Liz
December 21st
“Another fire has turned deadly. A 19-year-old woman has been found dead after a nighttime blaze in Tellure Hollow started late last night. Jen Wachowicz is live at the scene but first, a look at the weather. Dan?”
The broadcast flipped to a middle-aged man with a middle-American accent. “Thank you, Hillary. As you can see, this storm is a monster and still hasn’t finished growing yet. We’ve been keeping an eye on it and the system seems to have shifted slightly. The jet stream is dipping down from the north a lot further than we originally expected while this swirl of moisture from the south is going to sit and rotate. This could mean one of two things.” The TV flashed with a graphic depicting two possible paths the storm could take. One showed the storm system shearing off to the north, missing us by hundreds of miles. The second, less likely track put the storm almost dead center on Tellure Hollow.
“The storm has the potential to dump two to three feet of snow in some locations,” the weatherman continued. “Other spots, mainly in the mountains, may see twice as much. There are a lot of variables at work with this storm, so there’s plenty of opportunity for this track to change. Anyone in this area,” he said, gesturing to a broad swath of the Rocky Mountains, “should keep an eye on this evolving situation.”
“Dan, what’s the timing of this storm?” Hillary asked.
“Well, Bing Crosby would be happy,” he said with a fake smile. “Timing for this storm in our area should mean we’ll have a very white Christmas. Back to you.”
“Thank you, Dan. As we reported at the top of the hour, the small mountain town of Tellure Hollow is rocked by yet another fire, this time, with deadly consequences. We now go live to Jen at the scene. Jen?”
The young reporter had her finger in her ear, the bright lights washing out the layers of makeup plastered on her face. Wide-eyed, she jumped at the introduction. “Yes, thank you, Hillary. Residents are shocked by the latest development in the ‘Market Price Pyro’ arson spree. The charred remains of the building you see behind me is all that is left of a vacation rental. 19-year-old Rachel Swank, a Denver native, was staying in the cabin with five others. The teenage friends had minutes to escape when the fire broke out in the early morning hours.”
The TV cut to a prerecorded scene. A distressed young woman with tears streaking her face stood wrapped in a rough blanket. She stared at the cabin in disbelief as she spoke into the microphone. “My boyfriend smelled the smoke first. We were able to crawl out on the deck. By the time we realized Rachel wasn’t with us, it was… there was no way.”
The camera returned to Jen’s somber face. “Firemen have confirmed the smoke detectors were stripped of batteries prior to the fire. Because of the incendiary materials used to start the blaze, and the letter found pinned to a tree at the scene, police are pinning this fire on the same arsonist who has plagued the area for weeks. Residents are asked to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior.”
I turned off the TV, set the remote on the table with a trembling hand, and spoke without looking at Bryan. I was afraid if I did, the tiny hold over my emotions might crumble.
“You recognized the cabin, right?”
He sighed and leaned forward to put a hand on my back. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
I rolled my eyes. “How many times have we gotten ourselves into trouble by ignoring the obvious? There’s a connection here. I can feel it.”
“Maybe there is, but that doesn’t mean we have anything to do with it. Other things can happen in Tellure Hollow that don’t involve us, you know?” he quipped. “The world doesn’t revolve around us.”
I didn’t completely believe that, but I snorted despite myself. “Of course it does. We’re the most important people in this town,” I chuckled quietly.
“Come on,” Bryan comforted, sliding an arm around my waist. “Don’t borrow trouble. Let’s get Jack fed, start dinner, and enjoy a quiet night.”
“A quiet night?” I scoffed. “With Miss Moody stomping around upstairs? What if she brings the cloud down with her?” Still, sitting so close to him was giving me all sorts of ideas.
“We’ll put on America’s Got Talent or something equally lame to scare her back to her bedroom,” Bryan added.
“Well, aren’t you full of solutions?” I bumped his shoulder with mine, still trying to shake the sinking feeling in my gut.
“That’s me, solving the world’s problems, one compromise at a time.”
Trapped with the Blizzard Giveaway
The post Trapped with the Blizzard by Adele Huxley Blitz, Tour & Giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 5, 2015
Murder Fir Christmas by Joyce and Jim Lavene, review & giveaway
Murder Fir Christmas
by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Murder Fir Christmas
(Christmas Tree Valley Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Print Length: 208 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (December 1, 2015)
ASIN: B016APS2PI
Synopsis:
Down the mountain from Sweet Pepper, Tennessee is Christmas Tree Valley, a place filled with hundreds of Christmas tree farms where generations of growers have made people’s lives brighter. Yet even here in this quiet, postcard-perfect corner of the world, darkness and murder can still stalk the night.
Federal Wildlife Agent Bonnie Tuttle has always had a special gift with wild animals. It was one of the reasons she decided to train with the wildlife agency. She’s spent the last ten years in Alabama working, but her mother needs her home and she’s back despite all the bad parts of her life she hoped to leave behind.
Her first day home begins with a fire on the island in Sweet Pepper Lake and the death of Harvey Shelton, the wildlife agent she’s supposed to replace. Bonnie manages to rescue dozens of animals from the fire – including a wolf pup that was shot with the same bullet that killed Harvey.
Now she’s hot on the trail of Harvey’s killer and trying to reintegrate the wolf back into the wild even though he seems to want to stay with her. Yet old memories persist in the small community where she grew up, and the killer now seems to believe that she has what he killed Harvey for. All she has to do is figure out what that is before it’s too late.
Christmas Recipes included!
First I want to say how sad I am that Joyce is no longer with us. She will be missed.
My thoughts: This is the first in the Christmas Tree Valley Mysteries. I was not disappointed in the least. You will recognize some of the characters from other books they authors have written and that makes the story even better. When Federal Wildlife Agent Bonnie finds out about a job back home where she can take care of her mother she jumps at the chance. She has to help rescue animals at Sweet Pepper from a fire. Harvey was killed and the suspect was as well. Now Bonnie has to find the killer along with taking care of her mom amongst other things.
The book was wonderful seeing Bonnie again and the way she handles herself with the Tree Farm and more.
About The Authors –
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.
Author Links
www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene
http://amazon.com/author/jlavene
https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene
Purchase Link:
The post Murder Fir Christmas by Joyce and Jim Lavene, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Blast- The Poppy Peters Mystery Series by A. Gardner & giveaway
SOUTHERN PEACH PIE AND A DEAD GUY
(Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 1)
Book Summary:
After an injury derails Poppy Peters’ ballet career, she gathers the courage to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and attend Calle Pastry Academy in a small-town in Georgia. Poppy has her work cut out for her not only fitting in with her charming (and not-so-charming ) Southern classmates but also proving her worth to her teachers after her first publicly humiliating attempt a making the school’s famous peach pie. But Poppy’s pastry problems go from bad to worse when she’s suddenly accused of stealing expensive black truffles, and her attempt to clear her name goes awry…resulting in her finding a dead body instead! If Poppy’s going to survive this culinary experience, she’ll need to find the missing truffles and track down a killer, all while honing her baking skills to compete in the school’s dessert competition for a coveted pastry internship in Paris. Can Poppy prove she’s one tough cookie? Or is her life about to crumble?
**Recipes Included**
CHOCOLATE MACAROONS AND A DEAD GROOM
(Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 2)
Book Summary:
When Poppy Peters takes an internship in Paris working for a top pastry chef, she realizes that bakery life isn’t all cupcakes and frosting. The sous pastry chef dislikes foreigners, her mentor only speaks French, and to top that all off she finds the groom of the wedding she’s catering dead in his own backyard. But Lord Dovington wasn’t just a handsome royal waiting to sweep his bride-to-be off of her feet. He was also a well-known playboy with a long line of vengeful exes.
Now, as one of the prime suspects, Poppy must prove she’s innocent . . . and that her recipe for chocolate macaroons isn’t to blame. But the clock is ticking, and with a missing diamond, a break-in, and a hot batch of reporters on her tail, Poppy has a lot of sifting to do. Will she find the killer before she too gets baked?
**Recipes Included**
BANANAS FOSTER AND A DEAD MOBSTER
(Poppy Peters Mysteries Book 3)
Book Summary:
Reluctant sleuth Poppy Peters is back in Georgia, and her last semester of pastry school is no icing on the cake when a body is discovered at the local farmer’s market, and the murder weapon has Poppy’s name on it. Not to mention, the victim belonged to a deadly southern crime family. Now, Poppy is being tailed by the mafia, and it doesn’t help that the school’s new pastry instructor has her working with her worst rival. But after a heart-stopping car chase, a frightening discovery at an old jam factory, and a spontaneous trip to New Orleans, Poppy discovers a secret that makes her past feats look like a piece of peach pie. Poppy’s chances of making it to graduation day are about to go up in flames just like her Bananas Foster.
**Recipes included!**
Praise for the Book
“A sweet and satisfying mystery that will leave you hungry for more! A. Gardner’s Poppy Peters Mysteries have earned a place on my keeper shelf!”
~ Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling mystery author
“Charming cozy mystery featuring likable characters.”
~Debbie Wiley, Fresh Fiction
“A. Gardner cooks up one fabulous mystery with this Southern suspense.”
~Pauline Michael, Night Owl Reviews
Excerpt
My first encounter with a southern guy isn’t going so well. So far I’ve admitted I have never tried sweet tea, and my big toe is a little too long for the shoes I am wearing. Nice one, Poppy. Now he is going to think I am a weird westerner with a foot fetish. I try hard not to look down at my black, high-heeled boots. Why am I the only one on campus wearing any black?
“My name is Cole,” the man says with a grin on his face. I reach out to shake his hand. My palms are sweating just like every other place on my body. I haven’t even turned thirty yet, and I’m already having hot flashes. It is going to take me some time to get used to this heat.
“Poppy Peters,” I reply. I wipe my forehead and underneath my eyes. I bite my lip when I see a bit of smeared mascara on the side of my finger. It is so humid my makeup is melting off. “Is it always this hot here?”
“Welcome to Georgia.” Cole chuckles and shrugs as we walk towards the student bakery. Cole is one of the first students I bumped into at the registration office. His lemon-colored T-shirt shines bright compared to his dark skin, and his impressive physique makes me look at him twice. His eyes are intriguing—an even mix of blue and green.
As we walk, I can’t help but admire how lush the vegetation is on campus. Every tree outstretches towards the sidewalks, providing a much needed break from the glaring sun. The patches of grass remind me of ocean waves, if the ocean sparkled like emeralds. Even the flowerbeds near the Administration building had bundles of purple and orange wildflowers that couldn’t be contained.
“What’s that smell?” I ask. “And don’t say it smells like fresh meat. I heard a teacher in the Registrar’s Office use that joke about a hundred times.”
“I’ll show you.”
I follow Cole across campus until the heavenly smell of baked bread and sugary doughnuts grows stronger. I long for that smell sometimes. It takes me back to my schoolgirl days when I spent my weekends in the kitchen with Grandma Liz. My Grandma Liz came to Calle Pastry Academy when she was in her early twenties. I imagine her tiny frame and long, dancer legs. It’s a miracle that she came to this school and still stayed so thin.
Author A. Gardner
A. Gardner is a native westerner exploring the sweet bites of the south. After years of working in the healthcare industry, she moved across the country with her husband and adventurous baby boy. She is a mystery and romance writer with a serious cupcake obsession and a love of storytelling that began at an early age. When she is not writing, she is either chasing after her son, out for a swim, trying out a new recipe, or painting her nails bright blue.
$50 Blast Giveaway
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/20/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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December 4, 2015
Just in the Nick of Time $250 Christmas Cash Giveaway
The winner will be selected on December 23rd making it just in the nick of time to help with last minute Christmas shopping!
We’re giving away $250 in Paypal Cash! Or alternately you can choose a $250 Amazon.com eGift Code!
Sponsor List – Thanks to these awesome bloggers & authors for sponsoring this giveaway!!
Sponsor List
I Am A Reader
Taking Time for Mommy
The Discerning Reader
Raven Haired Girl
Unshelfish
Literary Winner
Nicole Tone
Here We Go Again…Ready?
Simple Wyrdings
Coupons and Freebies Mom
Author Devon Ashley
Julie Antonovich Reece
Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke
Nikki Jefford
Heather Gray, Author
Simply Sherryl
The HomeSchool Village
Jennifer Bardsley
Author Ednah Walters
The Page Unbound
Confessions of a Frugal Mind
Once Upon a Twilight
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Books R Us
Author Cindy C Bennett
Lori’s Reading Corner
Laurie Treacy, Author
Heather @ Townsend House
Author Erin Richards
Lise McClendon, Author
D’Ann Burrow
Heather Boyd, author
Cynthia Luhrs Author
Echo Ridge Books
Rachelle J. Christensen
Dorine White
Lucy McConnell
Taylor Hart
Patricia B. Tighe
Author Jeanette Lewis
Heather Justesen
Babs Book Bistro
Glistering Bs Blog
A Leisure Moment: A Casual Conversation about our Love for Literature
JL Weil
Giveaway Details
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 12/22/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or who can redeem an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Colin’s Quest by Shirleen Davies tour and giveaway
Description:Colin’s Quest, Book
One, MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Historical Western Romance Series
For An Undying Love…
When Colin MacLaren headed west on a wagon train, he hoped
to find adventure and perhaps a little danger in untamed California. He never
expected to meet the girl he would love forever. He also never expected her to
be the daughter of his family’s age-old enemy, but Sarah was a MacGregor and
the anger he anticipated soon became a reality. Her father would not be swayed,
vehemently refusing to allow marriage to a MacLaren.
Time Has No Effect…
Forced apart for five years, Sarah never forgot Colin—nor
did she give up on his promise to come for her. Carrying the brooch he gave her
as proof of their secret betrothal, she scans the trail from California,
waiting for Colin to claim her. Unfortunately, her father has other plans.
And Enemies Hold No
Power.
Nothing can stop Colin from locating Sarah. Not outlaws,
runaways, or miles of difficult trails. However, reuniting is only the
beginning. Together they must find the courage to fight the men who would keep
them apart—and conquer the challenge of uniting two independent hearts.
Excerpt:
“You’ve
changed since I last saw you.” Colin tightened his grip on her hand.
“Oh?”
“You’re
even more beautiful than I remember.” Turning her toward him, he stroked his
knuckles down her cheek, watching as her eyes glowed. She didn’t resist when he
moved his hand behind her neck to draw her close. “I want to kiss you, Sarah.”
“Aye,
it’s been too long.” She sucked in a breath, waiting, as he lowered his head,
brushing his lips across hers once, then twice before taking her mouth.
Pulling
back, he rested his forehead against hers.
“How many
boys have you kissed while you waited for me?” He knew asking wasn’t fair, yet
he couldn’t stop the words.
“I’ve
kissed only one boy. You. Is it so obvious?”
He made
no answer other than to place a trail of kisses down her face, stopping at the
corner of her mouth.
“More,
Colin. I want more.”
Seconds
turned to minutes as the kiss heated, their arms tightening around each other.
His hands moved to her hair, threading silken strands through his fingers as he
positioned her for better access. Tracing her lips with the tip of his tongue,
he encouraged her to open as his hands moved to her hips.
An
intense shudder heated her body, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she
squirmed to get closer. The force of the desire she felt shocked her.
Feeling
his hands tighten on her hips, sending an involuntary tremor through her and a
strange aching in her limbs, she moaned against his mouth.
Breaking
the contact, Colin pulled back, his breath coming in deep gulps. “We need to
stop, lassie. We cannot continue like this.”
Her grip
on him tightened, confusion replacing the passion he saw moments before.
His
strong hands cupped her face as his eyes locked on hers. “If we don’t stop, we
may do something you’ll regret.”
Her flesh
tingled as his warm breath fanned her face. “Do you not want me, Colin?”
He
mumbled a soft curse, realizing she thought his actions were a lack of desire.
“Nae,
lassie. I’ve never wanted anyone more.”
Her
tongue darted out to moisten her lips, her brows furrowing at his words. “I’ve
waited five years for you, Colin MacLaren. I’ll not wait a minute longer.”
Bio:
Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and
romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State
University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University
of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and
mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged
stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful
town in northern Arizona.
Author links
Website
Blog
Google+
Tsu
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The post Colin’s Quest by Shirleen Davies tour and giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
The Homespun Holiday by Sarah O’Rourke, review, excerpt and promo
Dr. Mackenzie Daniels was a loner. He had the divorce, a far-away family, and well-known cranky persona to prove it. And if he had his way, he would continue on his loner way, in spite of the attempts of the townspeople to infiltrate his life with their irritating, so-called charming ways. That was…until he met the beautiful Nurse Millicent Robbins.
Millie Robbins had done the love and marriage thing, and all she could say was that she got a beautiful daughter out of the entire debacle. Love was not in her long-term plans when she graduated from nursing school, thank you very much….until she found herself falling head over heels for the grouchiest but most gorgeous doctor she’d ever met.
Can Mack and Millie find their way to love in spite of their histories? Can happiness actually exist for two star-crossed lovers?
Join the entire town of Paradise for a Christmas celebration of lasting love!
Dropping his hands on his hips, Mack looked at the clock hanging above the plasma television. It was already half past five. She was expecting him by six. Since she only lived ten minutes away, he had plenty of time. Dropping into the leather recliner in the corner – the one where he sat and read at night – he dropped his head back against the chair. “Fuck,” he groaned out loud. He didn’t know whether he dreaded tonight or was excited by it. It had been years… literal years… since he’d taken a woman out on a date. Sure, he’d fucked women more recently than that, but those were chicks he’d picked up in a bar or at a medical conference … women that he’d had a few hours of shameless fun with before sending them on their merry way. Each one of them had been carefully selected and knew the score before their clothes had ever come off. If any of those ladies had been interested in more than the number of orgasms he could give them, he’d sent them off on their way with a wave and a smile.
Because he didn’t do long-term relationships anymore. He certainly didn’t fucking date.
Except, now, it appeared he did.
What the hell kind of voodoo magic had Millicent Robbins worked on him when he wasn’t looking that now had him contemplating more than a casual fuck with a woman?
Because he knew it could never be casual with Millie. And not just because she had a kid, either.
No, Millie was the type of woman with whom a man put down roots. That kind of guy bought a house. That type of man would get a dog. That man would help her raise a family. Holy shit, he’d already done two out three of those things, he realized with a horrified gasp.
Bolting to his feet, he darted toward his phone. He had to call this whole thing off before he found himself shackled to yet another woman that would end up hating him for his dedication to his job. He had to cut Millie loose before she looked at him and accused him of wasting the best years of her life waiting for him to be ready to concentrate on them instead of rushing off to take care of his patients.
He’d dialed the first three numbers of her phone number before he realized….
“Millie isn’t Tiffany,” Mack said out loud as he stared at the phone in his hand. Looking toward his Newfoundland dog, he grinned. “She’s nothing like Tiffany, is she?”
One sharp yap from Nugget confirmed what he already knew and he slowly replaced the phone on its base.
“Holy shit,” he whispered, sinking onto the couch as he stared at his huge long-haired dog. “Millie couldn’t be more different from Tiff if she tried.” First off, Millie wasn’t injected with as much plastic as a Barbie doll. Her tits still bounced when she walked, unlike his ex’s that sat like stone against her chest. Millie loved babies and kids. Hell, she even had one of her own that she loved with a passion that rivaled any parent’s love he’d ever seen. Tiff, on the other hand, couldn’t stand babies. Sad, since he’d loved children and had wanted them to have at least a couple of their own. She despised the idea of having to be responsible for another person. Although, in hindsight, he supposed it wasn’t really shocking since she could barely accept responsibility for the things she did. Most important of all, though, was the fact that he could never see Millie being unfaithful to him because she had something his ex-wife had always lacked. Something called integrity. If Millie wasn’t happy with him, she wouldn’t troll the local bars looking for an easy hook-up to dull the pain. Hell, no. Millicent would march right up to him, rip off his scrotum, and shake it over her head much like the Native Americans did when they’d taken a scalp from an enemy. Oh, Millie would probably give him the opportunity to make things right with her before she resorted to violence, but if that was unsuccessful, he had no doubt she’d go the other route.
His Millie could be a firecracker when crossed.
Fuck, now he was thinking of her with highly possessive pronoun usage? He was well and truly screwed.
Review:
I absolutely loved this story between Doc and Millie and you can not forget her wonderful daughter Paisley. The little girl is a hoot and you will find yourself laughing at all her antics. Doc hates Christmas and the town he is in. His ex wife did a number on him and you can’t blame him. You feel for Millie as her ex left after their daughter was born.
Millie works for Doc an OBGYN. She knows he is a tough nut, but she takes it upon herself to have some relatives come see him and he gets even in a good way. Paisley has Doc wrapped around her finger and when he finds out what she wants for Christmas he is bound to make it happen.
I would love to read other books by this author.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Sarah O’Rourke is actually TWO besties who live three states apart and write at all hours of the day and night! Born and raised in the Southern United States, they are overly attached to their one-click accounts, can’t make it through the day without copious doses of caffeine, and spend way too much time on the phone with each other. Between them, they have four children and eighteen years of marriage…one to a super soldier and the other to egomaniac engineer. They hate empty chocolate wrappers and writer’s block, love to talk to readers…and oh, by the way, they write about strong, kick-ass women and hot alpha heroes!
Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Website | Twitter
Email address: sarahrourkebooks@gmail.com
The post The Homespun Holiday by Sarah O’Rourke, review, excerpt and promo appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 3, 2015
DEAD TO THE LAST DROP by Cleo Coyle blog tour, review and giveaway
Dead to the Last Drop
by Cleo Coyle
Dead to the Last Drop:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
Series: A Coffeehouse Mystery (Book 15)
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Berkley (December 1, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0425276099
E-Book ASIN: B00U5LC1EM
Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Grind comes an exciting new installment in the “highly satisfying”* Coffeehouse Mystery series. *Publishers Weekly
After the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi to consult on the coffee service for a Rose Garden Wedding, she discovers a historic pot was used as a CIA “dead drop” decades before. Now long-simmering secrets boil over, scalding Clare and the people around her…
Clare’s visit to the nation’s capital is off to a graceful start. Her octogenarian employer is bunking with her in a charming Georgetown mansion, and she’s invited to work with a respected curator on the Smithsonian’s culinary salute to coffee in America.
Unfortunately, Clare’s new Village Blend DC is struggling to earn a profit–until its second floor jazz club attracts a high-profile fan, the college-age daughter of the U.S. President. Clare’s stock rises as the First Lady befriends her, but she soon learns a stark lesson: Washington can be murder.
First a stylish State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President’s daughter goes missing. Is she a runaway bride or is something more sinister in play? After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYPD detective boyfriend. Branded an enemy of the state, she must piece together clues and uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.
Includes great American recipes!
My thoughts:
Reading all the books in the series, I am always waiting on the next book to release. I can never say enough good things about the authors or this series. I am never disappointed and always on the edge of my seat to see what Clare gets herself into.
Clare goes to Washington D.C. to get Village Blend DC up and running. She wants the Jazz club to make money and the chef she has to tangle with doesn’t like to give up control.
We get a tour of DC of some great places and not so great places but she is trying to solve a a few things.
We can’t forget Mike Clare’s hunky boyfriend. They need each other to make things right.
This is the best book yet in the series and that is very hard to say as each one is wonderful.
As usual there are some great recipes in the back of the book as well.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
About This Author
CLEO COYLE is the pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. CLEO COYLE grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and New York Times bestselling media tie-in writer, Cleo lives and works in New York City, where she collaborates with her husband (also a bestselling author) to pen the Coffeehouse Mysteries for Penguin. Together Cleo and her husband also write the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries under the name Alice Kimberly. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, Cleo and Marc are bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, and MGM. In their spare time they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Cleo, her husband, and the books they write by visiting www.CoffeehouseMystery.com.
Author Links
Visit Cleo online: www.coffeehousemystery.com
Friend Cleo on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle
Follow Cleo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleocoyle/
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Release Blast: DIRTY LITTLE LIES by Cassie Cross & Giveaway
Enter to Win a
$50.00 Amazon eGift Card
DIRTY LITTLE LIES
Dirty Little Series#2
Cassie Cross
Releasing Dec 1st, 2015
Self Published
Ben Williams is a billionaire CEO at
the top of his game. He’s a handsome, eligible bachelor who could have any
woman…except the one he wants. Marisa Blake is the love of his life, the one
who got away. Ben is willing to do whatever it takes to win her back.
Marisa is a young entrepreneur whose
family is falling apart. Her parents are involved in a well-publicized scandal,
and both her and her sister’s names are being dragged through the mud. Just
when she thinks things can’t get any worse, Ben shows up at her doorstep. He
was her college boyfriend, and a serial cheater.
Great sex is the only thing they
ever had in common, and Marisa is determined to keep things physical. Still,
she finds herself falling for him. Again.
When a former classmate blackmails
Marisa with information that will destroy what’s left of her family, Marisa is
forced to make a decision: sacrifice Ben to protect her sister, or forsake her
family to follow her heart?
It’s not long before Marisa gets
caught up in some dirty little lies…
BUY NOW
Amazon
Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who
lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes.
Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for
most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably
find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80′s sitcoms.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Don’t Miss the first in the Dirty Little Series…
DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS
AMAZON
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Goth Girl, Virgin Queen by JoAnne Keltner, book feature
Book Information:Title: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen
Author Name: JoAnne Keltner
Genre(s): Young Adult Paranormal
Length: Approx. 298 pages
Release Date: December 3, 2015
Publisher: Solstice Publishing (http://solsticepublishing.com/)Tour Schedule:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-tour-schedule-goth-girl-virgin.html
About Goth Girl, Virgin Queen:
Calling Jackie Turov psychic makes her cringe. But Jackie’s no normal seventeen-year-old. She picks up emotions from people and objects like a freak. The emotions make her sick, and the guilt she feels for lying to her church when she was twelve causes her to deny her psychic abilities.
So Jackie goes goth to make others stay away from her and forget her past. But her past is soon resurrected when her jealous friend Trish invites a demon, a persecutor of healers, to steal away Jason’s love for Jackie. The demon causes Jackie to be bullied for the lie she told and puts her best friend, Jason, in danger.
Jackie must learn how to use her gift to protect Jason and herself and to heal the negative energies of those around her. To do so means she must overcome her guilt and accept who she is before the demon claims her soul.
Read an Excerpt:
The medicine cabinet mirror—dotted with rust and turning gray—made the powder foundation on Jackie’s face look ashen and her jet-black hair, blurry. She looked like a shadow of a girl. She smeared black lipstick on her lips and shook out her shoulder-length hair. Her straight-cut bangs veiled her mascara-lined eyes, and the layered ends of her hair stuck out in defiant wisps.
Some of the kids at school—the ones she didn’t hang out with—called her Goth Girl. Some, whose memories wouldn’t die, called her VQ for Virgin Queen.
Jackie preferred Goth Girl, to be one of the living dead, to be numb to the emotions that plagued her. But this was what she wanted, not what she got.
Goth Girl or Virgin Queen, she was a freak, absorbing the emotions around her like a sponge. Sometimes the emotions made her sick. Sometimes they made her see things.
Because of this, she kept to a tight-knit group of goth friends—Jason, Zeta, and Trish—and avoided social activities. She attended high school only because Mom wouldn’t let her homeschool. Mom was afraid she’d hang with Babu all day, making piroshki and doing needlepoint instead of studying. Jackie, afraid of what life offered a freak like her beyond high school, had to admit that hanging with Babu all day was tempting.
Typically, Fridays were movie nights for Jason and her, but tonight would be different. Tonight, she’d subject herself to a hodgepodge of emotions from crowds and rides and the very ground she’d walk on to protect Jason. For this, she would need physical and spiritual strength, which she sought from Babu these days.
Babu’s door was cracked, and Jackie slowly pushed the door open. “Babu?”
The room smelled of beeswax and down. A candle burned on the shrine on the dresser. The flickering flame animated the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir and cast shadows across the picture of Babu, Grandma, Mom, and Jackie. Although Babu didn’t speak English, and Jackie didn’t understand much Russian, Jackie knew Babu kept that picture on her shrine to pray for Grandma, who passed away several years ago; for Mom, who divorced Dad; and for the girl who saw the Virgin when she was twelve—for the girl she had become as a teen.
Babu sat in bed, a country quilt spread over her legs, her thumb pressed against a knot of her prayer rope, her head bowed sleepily, and her lips wording prayers.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” Jackie whispered.
Babu crossed herself and then smiled at Jackie, her gold eyetooth shining from the light of the bed-stand lamp. She patted the empty space beside her. “Sadees.”
Jackie sat down beside Babu at the edge of the bed and took Babu’s hand in hers. Babu’s hand was warm and knotted with arthritis. Jackie rubbed her thumb over the bumps on Babu’s knuckles; her black fingernails were a sharp contrast to Babu’s flour-white skin.
She wasn’t afraid to touch Babu’s hands and absorb her emotions. Jackie got a good feeling from her. Babu filled Jackie’s inner vision with white light. She renewed her spirit. And this is what Jackie needed for the commitment she had made for tonight.
“Kooda eedyosh?” Babu asked.
“I’m going out,” Jackie said as if Babu understood her. This is how they communicated: Babu telling her stuff she couldn’t understand, Jackie telling Babu stuff she couldn’t understand. Somehow they carried on fine this way.
“Eedyosh sdroozyamee?”
“I’m going with Jason.”
Babu rubbed the top of Jackie’s hand and ran her thumb over black fingernails. “Fsyevo kharoshevuh,” she said in a comforting tone and gently squeezed Jackie’s hand. Then she cupped her hands around Jackie’s jaws and pulled her forehead to her lips. Jackie imagined Babu’s kiss imprinted on her forehead and carrying Babu’s blessings and love with her tonight.
Book Links:Amazon http://amzn.to/1PZsh3T
Solstice Publishing: http://solsticepublishing.com/goth-girl-virgin-queen
Meet the Author:
JoAnne Keltner is the author of Goth Girl, Virgin Queen (Solstice Publishing, 2015) and Obsession (Musa Publishing, 2013 ed.). As an only child and avid daydreamer, she spent hours alone in her backyard on the South Side of Chicago, which she imagined to be everything from an alien planet to the Antarctic. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, four dogs, cat, and three chickens. When she isn’t writing or freelance editing, she’s obsessively streaming popular TV shows.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.joannekeltner.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/JoAnneKeltnerAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6896673.JoAnne_Keltner
Twitter: @JoAnneKeltner
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