Thursday, December 31, 2015

Review: "Let It Snow" (Hope Falls) by Melanie Shawn


Synopsis:
Thirteen years ago…his world fell apart after his soul mate left him in the middle of an unforeseen tragedy that would bind them together forever. Ever since, sexy Fireman Jake Maguire busied himself by putting out fires in buildings and starting them in women, all in an attempt to extinguish the fire she set off in him all those years ago.

Thirteen years ago…she made the hardest decision of her life. For every tear, every heartache, Tessa Hayes reminded herself that she made that sacrifice out of love. Sweet, caring Tessa always put the interests of others before her own, no matter what the cost.

She sacrificed her heart for his life. He lived without living. Now they had the chance to mend their broken hearts together...but would Tessa and Jake have the courage to do it?

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Review:
Let It Snow is a great second-chance love story. I love Jake. He's strong and brooding. He's harbored his feelings for Tessa since the day she left and fights his feelings for her from the minute she returns to town. I love his relationship with his family and friends - it's clear they would all do anything for each other.

Tessa is a bit of a hot mess in this story. It's like she can't catch her breath from the minute we meet her, crossing her legs while driving down the highway in search of a bathroom (who among us hasn't been there - I loved it). She's also fighting her feelings for Jake and has been since she left. It takes most of the extent of this story for the two of them to realize the decisions they made as children didn't have to be the same decisions they make as adults. It's a sweet story of broken hearts and second chances, first loves and last loves, and small towns that have a character of their own. Another great installment in the Hope Falls series.

Links:
GoodreadsAmazonBarnes and NobleKoboiBooks

About the Authors:
Melanie Shawn is the writing team of sister duo Melanie and Shawna. Originally from Northern California, they both migrated south and now call So Cal their home.

Growing up, Melanie constantly had her head in a book and was always working on short stories, manuscripts, plays and poetry. After graduating magna cum laude from Pepperdine University, she went on to teach grades 2nd through 8th for five years. She now spends her days writing and taking care of her furry baby, a Lhasa Apso named Hercules. In her free time, her favorite activity is to curl up on the couch with that stubborn, funny mutt and binge-watch cable TV shows on DVD (preferably of at least eight seasons in length – a girl’s gotta have her standards!).

Shawna always loved romance in any form – movie, song or literary. If it was a love story with a happy ending, Shawna was all about it! She proudly acknowledges that she is a romanceaholic. Her days are jam-packed with writing, being a wife, mom aka referee of two teens, and indulging in her second passion (dance!) as a Zumba instructor. In the little free time she has, she joins Melanie in marathon-watching DVDs of their favorite TV programs.

They have joined forces to create a world where True Love and Happily Ever After always has a Sexy Twist!

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Review: "Holiday Hat Trick (Portland Storm)" by Catherine Gayle


Synopsis:
Mitchell “Q” Quincey, a journeyman playing for the Portland Storm, has three goals for his three-day Christmas break.

1. Move the rest of his gym equipment out of his ex-wife Mia’s house.
2. Get his lawyer to file a petition for joint custody.
3. Spend every last minute he can with his baby girl.

When he arrives on Mia’s doorstep, things don’t go as planned. With her whole family gathered for the holiday, the only way he can spend time with their daughter is to spend time with the whole clan. The compromise is doable, if not ideal, because he’s still in love with Mia and she won’t take him back.

Having her ex-husband show up completely unannounced at Christmas throws Mia off her game. The least Mitch could have done is called so she could have emotionally prepared herself to face him. Instead, the love and attraction she still feels for him combine to leave her fumbling for excuses. He’s always been able to leave her flustered, but now that he’s making himself part of the family again, she’s afraid she’ll lose her nerve and fall back into old patterns.

Things heat up on a snowy Christmas Eve, and Mitch decides to change his goals on the fly. With assists from Mia’s family and a bit of mistletoe, he might end up with a Holiday Hat Trick.

Genre: Contemporary Romance


My Review:
Holiday Hat Trick is a sweet holiday read. Getting to know Mitch in this family environment, you'd never know he was a tough hockey player. He's an alpha-male, most definitely, but sensitive and emotional. He owns his feelings and isn't afraid to show them. He's also a great father and uncle and that comes through clearly in the story.

I think showing Mia's perspective in this story is really interesting. Albeit a high profile, unusual marriage, the issues that she experienced were real - losing yourself to your marriage. And she hadn't even had children yet. How many women can say they lost who they were when they married and had a family. It was great to show how she has discovered who she can be and finds a way to do so with Mitch.

Links:
ATTENTION: As of this publishing, Holiday Hat Trick is FREE at most retailers. So click your preferred link and pick it up now!
Goodreads • AmazonBarnes and NobleKoboiBooksGoogle Play

About the Author:
Catherine Gayle is a USA Today bestselling author of Regency-set historical romance and contemporary hockey romance with a New Adult feel. She’s a transplanted Texan living in North Carolina with two extremely spoiled felines. In her spare time, she watches way too much hockey and reality TV, plans fun things to do for the Nephew Monster’s next visit, and performs experiments in the kitchen which are rarely toxic.

If you enjoyed this book and want to know when more like it will be available, be sure to sign up for Catherine’s mailing list. You can find out more on her website, her blog, at Red Door Reads, at Hockey Romance, at Facebook, on Twitter, and at Goodreads. If you want to see some of her cats’ antics and possibly the occasional video update from Catherine, visit her YouTube account.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Review: "Playing for Fun" by Tracey Alvarez



Synopsis:
PLAYING FOR FUN is the sixth story in Tracey Alvarez’s best-selling Due South books set against the stunning backdrop of Aotearoa, New Zealand. If you like Jill Shalvis, Marie Force, or Bella Andre, then you’ll enjoy diving into these heart-warming, sexy & seductive small-town romances with authentic men and women struggling to find their special someone.

Wanted: A woman for Ford.
Ford Komeke can’t deny he could use an up-skill in the dating arena. It’s a local in-joke that his game, as far as women go, sucks. Thanks to the meddling of New Zealand’s worst octogenarian matchmaker, he’s got an online dating profile, a new wardrobe, and a haircut from Stewart Island’s sexy hairdresser, Holly Parker. But since he’s well and truly mired in the friendzone with Holly, what’s the harm in exploring his options? A little jealousy could work wonders.

Offered: Dream job with a catch.
What do you say when you’re offered an un-turn-downable career opportunity? You say, hell-to-the-yeah! Only there’s a problem. To get the dream job Holly must leave Stewart Island and her two best friends, Shaye and Ford. But if Holly can distract Shaye with wedding planning and set Ford up with a nice girl so she can stop imagining him naked, neither will notice if she exits stage right. Neither will notice if her feelings for Ford stop being strictly platonic.

Warning: One kiss is never enough.
As addictive as the chocolate stash Holly hides in her fridge, one kiss forces them out of the friendzone—way out of the friendzone. Heat and hunger explode, but the ugliness in Ford’s past hold his heart hostage. Playing for fun or playing for keeps? Holly and Ford must decide because the consequences of falling in love means that someone’s heart or someone’s dream will ultimately end up shattered.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Review:

In all honesty, I struggled with this book at the beginning. It moved way too slowly for a long time at the beginning. Almost to the point that I considered putting the book down. It took a lot longer than I thought it should have to get to the meat of the story. There was just too much back and forth between Ford and Holly with "Ford this" and Holly that" But once it finally did, I enjoyed the book.

One thing I really enjoyed was Maori and New Zealand language and traditions. They were well placed in the story and really added to the depth of the story. I also really enjoyed the interaction with previous residents of Oban that we've met in former "Due South" books. It's great to check in and see how their lives how progressed, and what's happening in their lives affects the hero and heroine of the current story.

I also loved the octogenarian input into their lives. Adding a comic component like that in a book always adds to the richness of it.

The love story between Ford and Holly, once it finally got started, was sweet and wonderful and I was happy to see they finally worked through what were easy communication issues to dig to the root of what they needed to do to make themselves happy. Together.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:

About the Author:
I live in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand) where I’ve yet to be buried under my to-be-read book pile by our infamous wind—my Kindle’s a lifesaver! Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy (who doesn’t mind cooking dinner while his wife mutters to herself and hammers away at the keyboard), we have two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

As a teenager I devoured novel after novel in my maths class, which explains why I still don’t understand using the alphabet in equations. I discovered a stack of tattered paperbacks hidden in my mother’s wardrobe featuring scantily clad women wrapped around bare-chested hunks. Who needs a pimply-faced teenage boyfriend when you can have book boyfriends, right? So as a child I got my first taste of Happily Ever After in fairy-tales, but after reading romance—I was hooked.

Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, I’m now the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories I love to write. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—real Kiwi men, in other words.

When I’m not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, I can be found reading sexy books of all romance genres and nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars. What? You were expecting me to say free-dive training, hiking the world-famous Rakiura track on Stewart Island, and restoring classic cars? Nope, sorry. I’ll leave such excitement to my characters as they explore their worlds and find the love of their lives.

Website: http://traceyalvarez.com/

Monday, December 28, 2015

Review: "Forgetting August" by J. Berg



Synopsis:
Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn't matter that she's moved on, that she's about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can't hurt her-because he's in a coma. Except that he's not anymore.

August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she's the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man. 

Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever . . . 

Genre: Romantic Suspense
My Review:
***CLIFFHANGER WARNING***

If you don't like stories with cliffhangers, turn away now and come back in April 2016 when Remembering Everly releases.

*** END WARNING ***

That said, I've read a number of books with severe cliffhangers and while Forgetting August has a cliffhanger, I really felt so much had been resolved and the cliffhanger provides an interesting transition into the next part of the story - which comes six months from now.

August is a complex character with what every woman in a bad relationship hopes - that her boyfriend can just become someone different. He wakes up after two years in a coma and is a new, gentle man. I love the man he becomes in Forgetting August and how he goes about discovering himself and who he really is. And through his journey of self-discovery, Everly discovers things about herself that she'd buried so deep, they likely never would have otherwise seen the light of day. If ever there are two characters that belong together, it's August and Everly, despite everything they've been through as a couple, and each individually. I really believe that in the follow up - Remembering Everly - that they will find their way back to each other.

The author creates a wonderful, emotional story with flawed characters and secrets abounding. The reader will not see the cliffhanger coming and this reader audibly gasped when I read those final pages. So much has already happened, and so much is left to happen, that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat for the next six months!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:

About the Author:
I’m a California native, who lives in the South – Virginia to be exact. I still prefer sushi to fried chicken, avocados to okra, and I absolutely loathe humidity. I do love watching the seasons change though. My husband and I have been here for ten years, and I still get giddy like a school girl every time it snows.

I’m married to my high school sweetheart. We were married young, barely out of high school. Everyone told us we were crazy and stupid. We’ll be celebrating 12 years of marriage this year, and I love him more every single day. We’re living proof that true love knows no age limit.

We’ve been blessed with two beautiful daughters who continue to amaze and inspire me, and are probably making me go a bit insane. I’m obsessed with yoga and pilates and am a complete chocoholic. I apologize in advance for the amount of sweets in my book.

I’m absolutely obsessed with romance novels (duh) and probably could have built a vacation home with the amount of money I’ve invested in them over the years. Romance novels take you to another place, making your heart race, emotions swell, passion run free. After so many years of meeting hundreds of fictional characters and discovering their worlds, I found myself creating my own.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Review: "My Kind of Wonderful" by Jill Shalvis


Synopsis:

UNEXPECTED AND UNDENIABLE...

Bailey Moore has an agenda: skiing in the Rockies, exploring castles in Europe, ballroom dancing in Argentina. Now that she has a second lease on life, she's determined not to miss a thing. What she doesn't realize is that item #1 comes with a six-foot-one ski god hot enough to melt a polar ice cap. She doesn't want to miss out on him either, but Hudson Kincaid isn't the type of guy to love and let go. And as gorgeous as Cedar Ridge is, she's not planning to stick around.

As head of ski patrol at his family's resort, Hud thinks he's seen it all. But never has he run into someone like Bailey. She might look delicate, but her attitude is all firecracker. And her infectious joy touches something deep within him that he's been missing far too long. Now he'll just have to convince Bailey to take a chance on her biggest adventure yet . . . something rare and all kinds of wonderful.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Review:

I was a bit skeptical going into "My Kind of Wonderful" as I struggled a bit with the first book in the Ribbon Ridge series. But all of my concerns were for naught. This book was everything I look for in a Jill Shalvis novel and more. Hudson is the epitome of an alpha hero, but he's sensitive and completely tuned in to Bailey from the moment he meets her. His emotions run deep, especially his guilt and it casts a shadow over everything he does. Until he meets Bailey.

Bailey is strong character and I love her spirit. One would think she'd have used up that strength fighting her battles over the past few years, but she has come out stronger and more determined that ever. That determination comes through immediately in her dealings with Hudson and his entire family. She's just the type of strong personality he needs. She stands up to him and challenges him in ways he didn't know he needed.

I love the family dynamic of Hudson with his siblings, and also his mother. Her suffering is awful, but her kids are wonderful with her and when she is "present", she's got a wonderful free spirit about her. And I just have to say that the running family joke among the siblings was really quite hilarious and presented itself at just the right time in this story.

And not specifically related to "My Kind of Wonderful", I especially enjoyed the teaser for the next book in the series in the back. That's one book I've already one-clicked!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:

About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s sexy contemporary and award-winning books wherever romances are sold and click on the blog button above for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Review: "The Best for Last" by Maria Geraci


Synopsis:

Welcome back to a world where smart heroines and hot heroes collide in the picturesque beach town of Whispering Bay!

Kitty Burke’s biological clock isn’t just ticking, it’s gonging. But who wants to be tied down by marriage and a minivan when you have an amazingly sexy boyfriend who worships the ground you walk on? Sure, Steve has never said those three magic words. But, Kitty knows he loves her. Some guys just have a hard time expressing their feelings, right? Right.

After three failed marriages, Steve Pappas is in no hurry to walk down the aisle a fourth time. As a matter of fact, he has no desire to ever say “I do” again. He’s a successful self-made millionaire, but despite the best of intentions, marriage is one arena he’s been unable to conquer. Kitty is funny, sexy, and whip smart—everything Steve has ever wanted in a woman and more. Their life is perfect the way it is now. So why rock the boat and ruin everything with a piece of paper that doesn’t mean anything?

When Kitty’s aging playboy father unexpectedly decides to tie the knot, Kitty realizes she’s been fooling herself. She does want it all—marriage, kids, but most especially, a man who isn’t afraid to openly declare his feelings. Can she convince her commitment-phobic boyfriend to take the ultimate chance? Or will she be forced to settle for Happy For Now instead of Happily Ever After?

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Review:

The Best for Last is a humorous, fun, romantic, sexy book that brings you back to the beginning of the Whispering Bay series. A perfect read for a reader new to Maria Geraci and just right for a seasoned resident of Whispering Bay who wanted to know how Steve and Kitty got their start. I think I smiled the entire time I read this book, even during the times I felt like crying. I really loved how Steve couldn't win for losing with everything he was trying - it is so typical of a man unused to and uncomfortable with expressing his feelings. And Kitty's insecurities were also well done and fed into by the crazy, hilarious residents of Whispering Bay. What a great prequel to the series.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:

About the Author:
Maria Geraci was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised on Florida’s Space Coast. Her love of books started with the classic, Little Women (a book she read so often growing up, she could probably quote). She writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction with a happy ending. The Portland Book Review called her novel, The Boyfriend of the Month Club, “immensely sexy, immensely satisfying and humorous.” Her fourth novel, A Girl Like You, was nominated for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA ® award.

Her current addictions include watching the STARZ adaption of OUTLANDER to drool over Sam Heughan, hitting the beach on the weekends, and searching for the perfect key lime pie recipe (but not the kind they served on Dexter).

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Review: "Barefoot in White (The Barefoot Bay Brides)" by Roxanne St. Clair



Synopsis:
Meet the Barefoot Brides -- three destination wedding planners who are experts at arranging dreamy "I do's" but haven't found their own happily ever after...yet. All that's about to change in Barefoot Bay, a beloved tropical setting for heartbreak and happiness from New York Times bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire. 

Willow Ambrose has fought a battle with the scale for much of her life, but she has finally won the war. She hasn’t just cut calories -- she’s cut all ties to her past, too, and successfully carved out a new body and a new life. But when she comes face to face with someone who left an indelible mark on her heart years before, all that threatens to crumble. 

Navy SEAL Nick Hershey is on medical leave, doing a friend a favor as a stand in “man of honor” at a beach wedding. He might not be that interested in the nuptials, but the wedding planner catches his eye the minute they meet. When he realizes Willow is a girl he knew in college -- and a girl he unintentionally hurt to the core -- he knows he has some making up to do. 

Willow has learned how to beat every temptation...but Nick’s sweet as candy kisses just might be the one thing she can’t resist. However, the closer they get, the more the past threatens to tear them apart. Nick and Willow learn the hard way that they can’t change history, but does that mean they won’t have a future? 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Review:
I loved Barefoot in White. Second chance romances are some of my favorites and Roxanne St. Clair spins a great one. Neither Nick nor Willow expected to run into the other when they did, and it even took Nick a moment to realize who she was. Each had been affected by their previous interactions, which fell short of intimacy, and Nick spends most of the book convincing Willow that he's the right man for her.

I love Nick as a character. I love how Willow even points out to him, "you're always walking around naked." And he was. It's how she first caught Nick, performing a naked karaoke performance in his hotel suite. What a great way to run into each other again! And Nick spends most of the rest of the book trying to get Willow to take her clothes off while she's always telling him to put his on. This book has sweet moments, intense moments, and even some laugh-out-loud moments. Wonderful introduction to the Barefoot Brides and I look forward to reading the stories of Willow's wonderful business partners and friends.

Buy Links:

About the Author:

Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels of suspense and romance, including three popular series (The Bullet Catchers, The Guardian Angelinos, and Barefoot Bay) and multiple stand alone books.

In addition to being a six-time nominee and one-time winner of the RITA Award, Roxanne’s novels have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense three times, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and are routinely included as a Doubleday/Rhapsody Book Club Selection of the Month.

Roxanne lives in Florida with her family, and can be reached via her website, www.roxannestclaire.com or on her Facebook Reader page, www.facebook.com/roxannestclaire and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/roxannestclaire.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Spotlight: "Eclair Goes Geocaching" by Michelle Weidenbenner

Eclair Goes Geocaching

Cover Front - Cover 1 150dpi
AWARD WINNING and BESTSELLING Author

When seven-year-old Éclair goes geocaching for the first time, she finds a treasure that isn’t the one she imagined. Young readers will discover what geocaching is all about through Éclair's journey with her eccentric grandma.

This book will be hidden in geocaching sites around the US as a fun read for early readers. My hope is that young readers all over the US will learn what geocaching is through Eclair's antic with Grandma Stella.

Here’s what readers are saying: 

“This heartwarming, educational story will show children that even though things don't always turn out as we expect them to, sometimes they're even better than we could ever have imagined.” Mel Finefrock, Patchwork Poetry. 

“I loved it. The grandma was modern and fun! I liked how Éclair was curious and tender-hearted! Their relationship is touching and realistic!” Cindy Nash, Kindergarten Teacher 

"I love how adventurous Éclair and Stella are! I love geocaching and it was super fun to read about the awesome treasure hunt Stella took Éclair on." Olivia Rattie, 8 years old 

  “Éclair had so much fun geocaching that I would love to do that too. I can’t wait to read about her next adventure.” Katrena Strother, 8 years old 

  “Bored? Need something more exciting? Do what Éclair and Stella did. Try geocaching.” The Simon Mates, avid geocachers

Book available from...
Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com   Barnes and Noble   Kobo



Except from Eclair Goes Geocaching

Chapter One – What is Geocaching? 

“Éclair, would you like to go geocaching with me?” my grandma, Stella, asked.

I was only seven. I didn’t know what that was.

“We hunt for treasure that’s hidden in a box,” she said. 

I imagined gold and silver coins, bright-colored gems, and fancy jewelry.  “Yes, I want to go,” I said. I needed to find a treasure so Dad could have extra money to buy us a house. Then my two-year-old sister, Meggie, and I could live with Mom and Dad. In our own house. 

For now, though, Meggie and I lived with Stella on her farm. I loved living with Stella, but I hated being separated from Mom and Dad. Mom was sick and far away at a place to get better. Dad was looking for a new job closer to Stella’s farm, but he hadn’t found one yet. That’s why I really needed to find the treasure. 

Maybe I should dress like a pirate. They’re good at finding treasure.

Stella showed me something called a geocaching app on her phone. I think an app is kind of like a fun game. “This tells us where the cache boxes are hidden.”

 “Cash boxes?” Dad was always short of cash. I got so excited my heartbeat drummed in my belly.

Stella pointed to her phone screen. “See this map?”

I looked and nodded.

“It shows the location of a cache box hidden near my farm. We will hike in the woods on the trails to find the box using a GPS.” 

Did she say jeeps? Maybe we would ride in a camouflaged one with fat tires. 

She tapped the app, and a message appeared. “Here’s our clue,” she said. “Fee, fi, fo, fum.” 

“Huh?” It sounded like what the giant said in “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Did that mean we would have to fight a giant to get the treasure?

I secretly hoped so, because I wanted to be a hero. I knew what I would do. I would bring black pepper and throw it at the giant’s nose to get him to sneeze. It would give me time to escape with the loot. Loot was pirate talk for money.

Maybe I should bring Earl, my pet rock, too. I could throw it at the giant like David did when he killed Goliath. 

Meggie was going to stay home with Gretchen, our babysitter—the girl with purple stripes in her hair, a gem on the side of her nose, and a butterfly tattoo on her arm. She played games with us and acted silly whenever Meggie cried. One time when she babysat us, she made cookies and let us eat some of the batter. My stomach got so full it felt like a balloon, and an hour later it popped. I won’t say what happened, but the cookies didn’t stay in my tummy for long. I don’t want to eat cookie dough again.

Stella said to pack a backpack. I didn’t want to put too much stuff in my bag because there had to be room to carry the treasure home. 

Here was what I put in my backpack: the pepper shaker, Earl, two packages of peanut butter crackers, two juice boxes, a magnifying glass, and a picture of Mom and Dad. (I tried not to look at Mom’s picture for too long. I missed her.) 



Find out more about Geocaching from HERE 



Also Available Eclair Goes to Stella's
Hi, I’m Éclair and I’m seven. My sister Meggie is two. When mom got sick we had to go live with Stella, my dad’s mom, the one with maroon colored hair. I begged Dad not to make us stay with her because she beat her horse and was going to eat her rooster, but he didn’t believe me. Even after I pretended I was going to barf, he left us with Stella.

So there we were, Meggie and me, on a strange pink farm with a skinny horse, a mean rooster, and Stinky Stella who had a living room filled with dead deer heads.

What would she do to us?

Would we end up on her wall too?

Book available from......
Amazon.co.uk     Amazon.com     Barnes and Noble   Kobo

About the Author
AWARD-WINNING and AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR. GOLD Medal WINNER in the 2014 READERS' FAVORITE International Awards.
Bronze Medal Winner in Dan Poytner's Global eBook Awards.
Winner of the Kindle Book Promotion Awards

Michelle is a fulltime employee of God's kingdom, writing and encouraging writers every day. She's often a sucker for emotional stories, her sensitive side fueling the passion for her character's plights, often giving her the ability to show readers the "other" side of the story.

She grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters. Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital Michelle cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls. But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting--without drama, Michelle discovered having brothers wasn't so bad. They even taught her how to take direct criticism without flinching, which might come in handy with book reviews. 

Michelle is living her dream--writing every day and thanking God for the stories He puts in her path. When Michelle isn't writing she's winning ugly on the tennis court. She's known as "Queen of the Rim Shots." No joke. It's ugly.

CACHE a PREDATOR is currently hidden in geocaching sites throughout the US. If you'd like to see where there might be a novel hidden in your area, please log in to geocaching.com and search for trackables at IN SCRIBE--that's Michelle.

Eclair Goes Geocaching
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY
Eclair Giveaway
Win a Premium Geocaching Membership (worth $30) 
or $30 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash
(winner's choice)
Ending on Sunday 13th December at 11.59pm EST
Open Worldwide

Enter Below and Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Review: Sweet Cinderella (Klaus Brothers) by Penny Watson


Synopsis:
Just one night.

Hannah De Luca Andersen has been battered by the worst year ever, but even that can’t squash her love of the holiday season. She has one night to forget life’s hardships and enjoy the magic of an elegant Christmas gala. If she’s really lucky, maybe a handsome prince will ask her to dance.

Gregor Klaus, Director of Finance for Klaus Enterprises, has completely lost his Christmas spirit. One look at Hannah thaws his icy demeanor and gives him a new sense of purpose. If he can only figure out the key to Hannah’s heart, he might have the best Christmas of his life.

But one night isn’t enough for Gregor Klaus. He won’t be satisfied with anything less than forever.

Sweet Cinderella is a 28,000-word holiday novella, part four of the Klaus Brothers Series. It takes place at the same time as Sweet Adventure. 

Genre: Contemporary Romance - Paranormal

My Review:
Sweet Cinderella is the must anticipated next installment in the Klaus Brothers series. And yes, just like the name implies, the Klaus brothers are part of THAT Klaus family. All of the Klaus brothers stories have a touch of the paranormal - a secret city near the North Pole, magik, and elves all make this romance story a delight to read. Gregor is a wonderful character - the member of the Klaus family who doesn't like Christmas. And Hannah is the perfect match for him - a delightful woman who holds the spirit of Christmas in her heart despite her life challenges. And she's just the type of believe in the magik of Christmas and the Klaus brothers, because of a visit from a magical elf when she was just a child.

The author also gives us a quick check-in with the other brothers we have already grown to love, as well as a quick visit to the magical village at the North Pole. It's shorter than the previous books in the Klaus brothers series - this one is a novella - but a wonderful way to stay in touch with the series. And it made me want to go back and read the previous books again, just the remember the magik!

Links:


About the Author:
PENNY WATSON is a native Pittsburgher whose love of romance started at the age of twelve when she discovered Gone With The Wind in the middle school library. This resulted in numerous attempts at a first novel involving a young lady with windswept hair who lived in a tree house.

A biologist by training, Penny has worked at various times as a dolphin trainer, science teacher, lacrosse coach, and turfgrass researcher. After taking time off to raise her two spirited children, she decided to rekindle her passion for storytelling. Now she gets to incorporate her wide array of interests--including gardening, cooking, and travel--into her works of fiction.

Penny lives outside of Boston with one fly-fishing crazed husband, two lively Filipino kids, and a wiener dog.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Review: "Celebration After Dark" by Marie Force


Synopsis:

On the occasion of their 40th wedding anniversary, Big Mac and Linda McCarthy take a look back at how they came to be, while each of their children confront a new challenge in their own lives. Come to Gansett Island to celebrate the holidays and the anniversary of the island's most loved couple! More than 40,000 words. 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Review:

Fans of Gansett Island, and specifically the McCarthy family, have been long awaiting the love story of the couple that started it all - Mac and Linda. Told in flashbacks to when they met, Mac and Linda's love story is sweet and endearing. Interspersed with their memories of the past on the occasion of their 40th anniversary, readers get a check-in with each of their favorite McCarthy children. It's a great addition to the Gansett Island series and a fun way to show us how the McCarthys got their start. Mac and Linda are as wonderful as ever, and this reader loved seeing how the rest of the family is doing and catch up with weddings, babies, and other important life events.

Links:


About the Author:
With more than 4 million books sold, Marie Force is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 contemporary romances. Her New York Times bestselling self-published Gansett Island Series has sold 2 million e-books since Maid for Love was released in 2011. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Fatal Series from Harlequin’s Carina Press, as well as the New York Times bestselling Green Mountain Series from Berkley Sensation, among other books and series. Marie’s new erotic Quantum Trilogy was released under the name of M.S. Force in April 2015, and all three books were New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. The trilogy is now set to become a series.

While her husband was in the Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland and Florida, and she is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island. She is the mother of one young adult and one teenager and two feisty dogs, Brandy and Louie.

Spotlight: Krissy V's Christmas Blitz












A Taste of Christmas: Dublin Style 

 

My name is Nollaig, it’s the Irish word for Christmas. I hate my name. My parents loved Christmas and that’s why they gave me such a festive name, together with the fact that I was born on Christmas Day. 

However, my parents are no longer with us after dying in a car accident on Christmas Eve, five years ago. 

Now I hate Christmas all together. 

I always hated the fact that everyone got presents on my birthday. Now my parents are gone and ever since then I just don’t feel like celebrating Christmas. Everything about this holiday gives me sad memories. 

I need a miracle to happen over the Christmas holiday to make me change my mind about Christmas. 

Who knew that a quick shopping trip would provide me with the miracle that I so desperately needed? 

 

 

 











Sunshine at Christmas

Follow the Sunshine Girls as they go gallivanting on the Austrian mountains.As always, with these ladies, the fun starts at the airport ...
We follow them as they learn to ski and manoeuvre the slopes ... 
Along with the local heartthrobs they have for ski instructors ... 
Will they take the meaning of ‘On the piste’ literally?
Who will lose their heart in Austria? 
What trouble will our girls get
themselves into this time?
Stay tuned!
Step aboard the Sunshine tour!
Take a seat and lose yourself in Sunshine’s world! 










  Krissy V

email copy twitter wordpress png copy facebook instagram

Sign up for Krissy V's Newsletter here!

   

~ Hosted By ~