Wednesday, July 17, 2019

#GiveAway ~ Fortune’s Folly By Cat Dubie ~ @CatDubie


Fortune’s Folly
By Cat Dubie

This post is conjunction with the Tours and Treats post on MadisonMichael.net

About Fortune’s Folly:
In 1867, Eden Fitzgerald marries, not for love or money, but to persuade her influential in-laws to obtain her father’s release from a contrived prison sentence. Cleverly evading those who believe she, like her father, is a smuggler and Fenian collaborator, Eden does what she can, what she must to achieve her goal. When legal methods are exhausted, she dons a mask, carries a pistol and, using her wiles, wits, even her seductive beauty, robs wealthy citizens to amass enough money to arrange her father’s escape.
Her life grows ever more complicated by the lustful attentions of several men who profess to love her, and the one man she loves but dares not trust. As her crimes worsen, culminating in what may be treason, and her enemies grow more dangerous and determined to apprehend her, she must run for her own freedom.

Genre: Historical Fiction with elements of spicy romance

Fortune’s Folly Amazon Buy Link:
Fortune’s Folly Excerpt:

Jack Carver’s bearded face appeared when he brought the flame to the stub of his cigar. Eden clenched her teeth. Was this her moment of truth? His gaze shifted and he stiffened, tossed the match, stomped it out. “Anyone following you?”
Muffled footfalls now sounded an irregular pace: three steps, pause, three steps, pause. She whispered, “Yes.”
“Meet me tomorrow at this address.” He gave her a scrap of paper. She crumpled it into her reticule, and when she looked up, he was gone.
Moment of truth averted. She released her breath and moved to the right as Flynn had instructed. With skirts bunched over one arm, she advanced until faint lights materialized at the end of the lane. She stepped into a puddle. Hopefully rain.
The footsteps began again, the stealthy gait of a hunter. Had she dodged one bad fate for another? She darted across the lane and flattened herself against the wall of a building, slid along its rough length and edged into a recessed doorway.
A hand covered her mouth, an arm pulled her backward through a door that had opened without sound and closed the same way. A key turned in the lock. Unable to see anything, her heart thundering, she dug her nails into her assailant’s hand and bit at his fingers.
“Behave yourself,” Alex Banning breathed in her ear. “Don’t make a sound or Cavendish will hear you.”
Her instant relief she wasn’t about to be attacked by a ghoulish murderer was tempered with dread. Alex was the last person she had expected—or wanted—to see. He released her and she took a shivery breath. Someone thumped on the door, shook the handle. Low mutters, then footsteps faded.
Alex moved to the door and listened. “He’s gone. Let’s go.”
He unlocked the door. Eden held back. “Wait. Why are you here? Why is he here?”
“No time to chat. Keep behind me, close to the shadows. Your gown is a damn beacon.”
She crossed her arms. “I’ll not go anywhere with you.”
“You have no choice. You’re my prisoner.”
He opened the door, seized her wrist and charged toward the lighted street. She lifted her skirts again to keep from dragging them through filth. Without pause he hustled across the thoroughfare into another stinking alley. She was hot and out of breath when he stopped by a rickety wagon hitched to an ancient nag.
Their dash across the street revealed a man who looked nothing like the fastidious Captain she remembered. Unkempt hair, ragged beard, shapeless and threadbare clothes—a disguise? He tugged a cap over his head and lifted the wagon seat. “Get in there.”
Astonished and unnerved, she stared at the narrow box. “No. No, I won’t.”
Without a word, he hoisted her into the space. She banged elbows and shoulders, and scrambled to sweep up her voluminous skirts. He tucked in loose flounces and lowered the seat, leaving her in darkness. A tight confined darkness.
The wagon creaked and groaned when Alex settled on the seat. He rapped it with his fist. “Everything all right in there?”
“Of course not.” The words fell back at her from the wood, perhaps four inches from her face. Little cracks admitted glimmers of light, and the feeling of being in a coffin faded. But where was he taking her? Was she truly his prisoner? If so, what did he want?
Would she be locked away, imprisoned like Da? What would happen to her boys? Her innocent babies…
No. No panic. They were Fontaines and would be taken care of. And she meant to get free, no matter how many new lies she had to tell Alex.
The wagon jerked forward. “Keep still. This won’t be long

About the Author:

Cat Dubie was the girl who always had her nose in a book, the one who read with a flashlight under the covers or, when the moon was full, sat by a window for hours laughing, crying, loving characters whose adventurous lives wouldn’t let her sleep.
She has traveled the world in books. She has traveled back to the dawn of time and far into the future in books. Her keen interest in history determined the nature of her books, and the first Historical romance novel she read, settled the genre.
After working for various levels of government, she retired and now lives in the beautiful province of British Columbia, where she indulges in her need for creating stories about romance, adventure, passion, mystery, love ...

Social media links:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, July 5, 2019

#Review ~ Home at Chestnut Creek by Laura Drake ~ @PBRWriter @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub

Home at Chestnut Creek: Two full books for the price of one by [Drake, Laura]
My Review:

Laura Drake became a must-read author for me with her very first book. Ms. Drake has such a talent with completely breaking my heart and then putting it back together by the end of the book. This lady has a supreme talent with stories that have me laughing, crying and feeling all the emotions right along with the characters. Home at Chestnut Creek is a fabulous example of Laura Drake's incredible talent. 

Nevada Sweet is a rough and tough lady that is used to taking care of herself and not looking for help from anyone. She just doesn't know how exactly to allow friends to get close and she is always ready to run. Of course, there is a big reason and a lot going on in her life that has made her this way. Nevada could easily rub anyone the wrong way but she has a heart under that rough exterior that a few people have had a chance to see. I don't want to tell you too much about Nevada's past. Let's just say it wasn't a good life and she has a good reason to be a tad bit jumpy. 

Joseph "Fishing Eagle" King is one of those good guys that is just too great to be true but is. He's a true friend, a great employee, and has been through a lot in his life. He is dealing with issues in his past that he is not proud of. He is determined to marry someone from his Navajo community to full fill a promise to his grandmother. 

Nevada and Fish don't start off on exactly the best of terms. Fish learns quickly that Nevada wants to stand on her own two feet and doesn't want to accept help from anyone and she sure doesn't want any charity or lasting friendships. However the more time they spend together the more they start to grow close. Neither of them is looking for a relationship and they both try to fight their attraction. I truly enjoyed watching these two get to know each other and form a deeper connection then either planned on. They might have a happily ever after if they can work through some issues together and get past the danger in Nevada's past.

This is the second book in the Chestnut Creek Series. Home at Chestnut Creek stands on its own just fine so no worries if you have not had a chance to read The Last True Cowboy. I have had the pleasure of reading The Last True Cowboy and I was so excited to see how things were going for Carly and Austin. It was nice to catch up and to see these two and the baby. 

Carly really is a true friend to Nevada and Nevada finds herself valuing the friendships she is making in Unforgiven. That makes her fear the danger from her past even more. If her past catches up with her she fears it will hurt her friends. I won't tell you any more on that but I will tell you that there is a lot of suspense in this book and drama. You are going to want to read this fabulous story for yourself. So hurry go grab your copy now and devour it like I did. 

I can't wait to see what Ms. Drake might have in store for us next. Whatever it is I know I will be anxiously awaiting her next story. 

I was given the opportunity to read this incredible book and it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you. 

You may find more of my reviews on Laura Drake's work here: https://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/search?q=laura+drake&max-results=20&by-date=true

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/30joW95

About Home at Chestnut Creek:

Home at Chestnut Creek: Two full books for the price of one by [Drake, Laura]First rule of life on the run: never get attached. Nevada Sweet knows that better than anyone-it's just too dangerous to stay put. And until now, she's never wanted to. But she gets more than she bargained for when she walks into the Chestnut Creek Café looking for a job. Despite the protective wall she's built, her coworker Joseph has her imagining a life she isn't yet convinced she deserves...

While Unforgiven, New Mexico has always been home, Joseph "Fishing Eagle" King still feels like an outsider-no matter how much he tries to give back to his Navajo community. Beneath Nevada's biting wit, he glimpses a similar vulnerability. Against all odds, Joseph finds himself falling for her, and it's clear she's not as unaffected as she pretends. When her past finally catches up with her, she'll have to decide whether to keep running, or fight for what's hers.

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/30joW95

#SpotLight ~ We Are One by Muriel Gladney ~ @pauletteharper



We Are One 
by Muriel Gladney  
  
Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a two-week book tour for We Are One by Muriel Gladney. The book tour will run June 24-July 5, 2019. Book a tour here.


About The Book:

We Are One presents an unchanged, endless, truth—women were not created to live in disappointment, disillusionment, and defeat.  We Are One is bursting with inspiration and encouragement as each chapter utilizes the raw, true life, experiences of several women who endured personal pain and yet came through empowered and victorious.  How? Through the use of a key that a woman never knew she had. We Are One unveils the key.  It will heal a woman’s soul, as item powers her to live a life that is not defined by trials and persecution. Women will know the power of a woman’s purposed influence and thus her eternal value.

Genre: Non-Fiction
ISBN-10: 1644387190
ISBN-13: 978-1644387191

Purchase a Copy:


Meet Muriel:

An abusive childhood had led me to become a full-blown atheist by the time I was 16. God introduced Himself when I was 52. This journey to true life is recorded in my book: Mine: An Everlasting Promise of Love, Deliverance, and Wholeness.

Now 76, I have spent the last twenty-four years learning to walk free in the shoes of being a child of God, while also honing my God-given skills as an ambassador and writer for Jesus, author, and speaker. After moving to California, I returned to college at the age of 61. There I received an Associate Degree in Arts with honors, functioned as a reporter and Editor-In-Chief of the college newspaper, along with receiving numerous rewards for writing, such as the 0CCWF Beverly Bush Smith award. I am also published in God Encounters, a book by author James Stuart Bell. 


Connect Socially:

Tour hosted by Write Now Literary



Wednesday, July 3, 2019

#Review ~ The Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis ~ @jillshalvis

The Lemon Sisters: A Novel by [Shalvis, Jill]

Review: 

I read The Lemon Sisters in two settings. I would have finished in one but the water in the bathtub had turned incredibly cold. This book is certainly one that is impossible to put down. Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite authors and I always enjoy her books this one is just plain awesome!

Brooke Lemon is the wild living, adventurous sister that from the outside has led life just the way she wants to. She has not had an easy life though and she isn't doing just what she wants to do. Brooke has issues from her past that no one knows about. She's suffered some major losses and has dealt with them in her own way but they are still very much a part of her. 

Mindy is the older sister and the one who has her life all put together, everything in order, and can handle anything and everything that life throws at her. That is what everyone thinks anyway. On the inside, Mindy is barely hanging on and when she shows up at Brooke's down in the middle break down, Brooke steps in to help. 

Brooke takes her niece and nephews home, which also happens to be the house that Brooke grew up in. She isn't expecting to find her high school sweetheart, Garrett still living next door. Brooke and Garrett's reunion starts off to a rocky start. It was fun to watch these two sweethearts get to know each other again and to work their way through their past. I always enjoy second chance romances and this is a good one. These two love each other so much and feel so many many things from their past. They have a lot to work through but they just may be able to find that happily ever after that they had planned on so many years ago. 

Mindy takes her time away to try to deal with her insecurities, to recoupe from her life that looks like perfection but takes so much energy and coordination that it has become way too much for Mindy to handle all on her own. She also thinks her husband doesn't love her anymore. Oh my, this is just a mess of emotions that really touched my heart. There is a lot of mending that needs to be done but her husband, Linc is an awesome guy and he steps up to bat. Mindy and Linc have some things to work through and balance to make it all work. They truly do love each other and they adore their children. With some help from Brooke and Garrett, they just might be able to get everything done that needs to be done and yet enjoy each other and their kids. 

Overall, I LOVED this book. It held my attention from the first page and I was still completely engrossed on the last page. I loved watching Brooke and Mindy find the closeness they shared as young girls. It was sweet to watch Aunt Brooke get to know her niece and nephews so much more. The kids are positively adorable! 

If you love stories that include wonderful family interaction, romance (a double romance with this one), and incredible characters this is one you have to grab now! If you are a fellow Jill Shalvis fan you're going to love this book. It is Ms. Shavis at her fabulous best. 

I was given the opportunity to read and review this fabulous story and it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you. 


Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2XL5iVT

~♥~♥~♥~♥~

About The Lemon Sisters:

The Lemon Sisters: A Novel by [Shalvis, Jill]Brooke Lemon has always led the life she wanted, wild adventures—and mistakes—included, something her perfect sister, Mindy, never understood. So when Mindy shows up on Brooke’s doorstep in the throes of a break-down with her three little kids in tow, Brooke’s shocked.
Wanting to make amends, Brooke agrees to trade places, taking the kids back to Wildstone for a few days so Mindy can pick up the pieces and put herself back together. What Brooke doesn’t admit is she’s just as broken . . . Also how does one go home after seven years away? It doesn’t take long for Brooke to come face-to-face with her past, in the form of one tall, dark, sexy mistake. But Garrett’s no longer interested. Only his words don’t match his actions, leaving Brooke feeling things she’d shoved deep.
Soon the sisters begin to wonder: Are they lemons in life? In love? All they know is that neither seems to be able to run far enough to outpace her demons. And when secrets surface, they’ll have to learn that sometimes the one person who can help you the most is the one you never thought to ask.

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2XL5iVT

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

#NewRelease ~ RAZE Riven Series Book 3 By Roan Parrish ~ @RoanParrish



RAZE

Riven Series Book 3

By Roan Parrish

About Raze:


Sometimes the walls we build to save ourselves have to come tumbling down.

For the last ten years, Huey has built his life around his sobriety. If that means he doesn’t give a damn about finding love or companionship for himself, well, it’s probably better that way. After all, the last thing he wants is to hurt anyone else. Until Felix Rainey walks into his bar, fresh-faced, unbearably sweet—and, for some reason Huey can’t fathom, interested in him.

As the eldest of five kids, Felix Rainey spent his childhood cooking dinner, checking homework, and working after-school jobs. Now in his twenties, he’s still scrambling to make ends meet and wondering what the hell he’s doing with his life. When he meets Huey, he’s intimidated . . . and enamored. Huey’s strong and confident, he owns his own business—hell, he’s friends with rock stars. What could he ever see in Felix?

As Huey and Felix get closer, the spark catches and soon they can’t get enough of each other. But Huey’s worked hard to avoid intimacy, and Felix threatens his carefully constructed defenses. Huey realizes he needs to change if he wants to truly put his past behind him—and build a future with Felix.

Ballantine Group; Loveswept
On Sale: July 2nd, 2019
ISBN: 9781984818331 
Pages 316 
Price: $4.99

Raze Buy Links:




About the Author: 

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre. When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.