Giveaway – Spring at the Little Duck Cafe @Rosie_Green1988 @GoddessFish

Posted on January 16, 2020 by fundinmental

Welcome to my tour stop for Spring at the Little Duck Pond Cafe. I hope you enjoy learning about this cute read. “Readers will be able to read the whole series on Kindle Unlimited”

Spring at the Little Duck Cafe by Rosie Green

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB

Fleeing from a romance gone wrong, Ellie Farmer arrives in the pretty village of Sunnybrook, hoping for a brand new start that most definitely does not include love!

Following an unscheduled soak in the village duck pond, she meets Sylvia, who runs the Little Duck Pond Cafe. Renting the flat above the cafe seems like the answer to Ellie’s prayers. It’s only for six months, which will give her time to sort out her life, far away from cheating boyfriend Richard.

But is running away from your past ever really the answer?

Clashing with the mysterious and brooding Zak Chamberlain, an author with a bad case of writer’s block, is definitely not what Ellie needs right now. And then there’s Sylvia, who’s clinging so hard to her past, she’s in danger of losing the quaint but run-down cafe altogether.

Can Ellie find the answers she desperately needs in Sunnybrook? And will she be able to help save Sylvia’s Little Duck Pond Cafe from closure?

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EXCERPT

I have never climbed a tree in my life.

But I suppose there’s a first time for everything.

It’s a gaspingly cold mid-January morning with an ice-blue sky overhead – not exactly the ideal conditions in which to be lurking on the pavement outside a stranger’s house, nervously eyeing up the oak tree in their garden.

Camera gripped in my freezing hands, I stamp my feet and blow out misty breath as I psyche myself up to be bold. I’ve driven sixty miles from Newtown, where I live, to the pretty, chocolate-box village of Sunnybrook in Surrey – with the ultimate goal of climbing this very tree and taking photos of the view from up there.

The tree is almost exactly how I pictured it in my imagination – old and gnarled with broad, evenly-spaced branches. My eye homes in on one branch in particular. It reaches out to the left, a little over six feet from the ground; the perfect place to sit and gaze out over the village green and the duck pond. (As I knew it would be.)

Tears fill my eyes. But I’m smiling, too.

It’s all in a good cause.

Stop dithering and just do it!

When I push it open, the garden gate swings inwards without creaking and the windows remain blank. I drop my bag by the gate and head for the tree.

It’s amazing how fear can give you almost super-human powers. Under normal circumstances, I’d need someone to give me a bunk-up into this tree. But today, with adrenalin pumping through my system, I manage to swing myself up there with no problems at all . . .

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Spring at the Little Duck Pond Café is the first in Rosie’s brand new series of novellas centred around life in a village café. Each novella is a ‘stand-alone’ read.

You can connect with Rosie Green on Twitter: @Rosie_Green1988

Amazon purchase link: https://amzn.to/2W8uXF7

NOTE: Book is free

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rosie-Green/e/B07CZYV7DW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

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Giveaway – The Fixer Upper by Maggie Mae Gallagher @magmaegallagher @GoddessFish

Posted on September 2, 2019 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Maggie Mae Gallagher will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Abby Callier is more in love with Shakespearean heroes than any real man, and she’s beginning to wonder if there is life for her outside the pages of a book. It doesn’t help that her esteemed parents tend to view her as they would one of their science experiments gone wrong. On the eve of finishing her dissertation, she escapes her staid existence to live in the house she inherited from her Great Aunt Evie in the small town of Echo Springs, Colorado. Because, let’s face it, when a woman starts comparing her life to horror films, it might be time for a break.

Sheriff Nate Barnes believes in law and order and carefully building the life you want. In his spare time, he has been remodeling his house in the hope that one day it will be filled with the family he makes. But Nate doesn’t like drama or complications and tends to avoid them at all costs. And yet, when Miss Abigail Callier, his newest neighbor, beans him with a nine iron, he can’t help but wonder if she might just be the complication he’s been searching for all along. It doesn’t hurt that he discovers a journal hidden away by the previous tenant and decides to use Old Man Turner’s advice to romance Abby into his life.

Abby never expected her next-door neighbor, the newly dubbed Sheriff Stud Muffin, to be just the distraction her world needed. The problem is she doesn’t know whether she should make Echo Springs her home, or if this town is just a stopover point in her life’s trajectory. And she doesn’t want to tell Nate that she might not be sticking around—even though she should because it’s the right thing to do, the honest thing—because then all the scintillatingly hot kisses with the Sheriff will come to an abrupt halt. Did she mention that he’s a really great kisser?

Read an Excerpt

The Carruthers’ property was on a half-acre of land. The two-story home had fallen into disrepair. The pale blue paint was cracked and peeling in places. One of the black shutters had slats broken out of the middle. Jed was a mechanic at one of the local garages, who liked his whiskey more than he did working. And it showed. His wife, Clare, had taken herself and the kids to her parents’ house, which was only three miles away.

Nate knocked on the door. “Jed, this is Sheriff Barnes. I need you to open the door and come out with your hands in the air.”

“Fuck off,” came a slurred shout from inside.

Nate sighed. From the sounds of it, the man was already well on his way to being shitfaced. “Jed, don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be. I have a warrant for your arrest. If you come with me now, peacefully, it will help your case.”

Deputy O’Leary stood off to the side of the front door of the ramshackle home with its screen door torn in spots. When there was no response from Jed, Nate nodded at O’Leary, who made his way around to the back to ensure the idiot didn’t try to go out the back door and escape.

“Jed, I’m going to give you to the count of five and then I’m coming in.”

There was a shout from O’Leary around back. Nate took off and sprinted to the edge of the porch, just in time to watch Jed, in a pair of white boxers and nothing else, race around the corner and head toward the street.

“Halt, Jed.”

Shit.

Nate charged after him on foot. This was why he ran six miles a day—so he could catch morons like Jed who thought they could outrun the police. Nate snagged him by the neck and wrestled him down to the ground. He took an elbow to the chin and swore before he had Jed pinned on the ground with his hands behind his back. Not quick enough, he thought as he slid the cuffs on Jed’s wrists.

“For that stunt, I will be adding resisting arrest and assault on a police officer, Jed.”

“Piss off, pig!” Jed yelled, uncowed by the fact that he was handcuffed. From the smell of him, he had started early on the Jack Daniels.

Nate shook his head and began reading Jed his Miranda rights. His chin throbbed like a son of a bitch and it wasn’t yet noon. So much for having a slow and easy day.

About the Author:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Visit her website here: http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com

Visit her on social media here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagMaeGallagher/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magmaegallagher
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7846308.Maggie_Mae_Gallagher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/maggiegallagher
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-mae-gallagher

Don’t miss these exciting titles by Maggie Mae Gallagher!

The Mystic Series

REMEMBER ME: https://amzn.to/2GuwEpY
CASKET GIRL: https://amzn.to/2Dmw9MD

The Cantati Chronicles

RUPTURED: https://amzn.to/2GueJ2L
ANOINTED: https://amzn.to/2Gu0Xgm
ASCENDED: https://amzn.to/2VRGSpz

And if you like your romance with a bit of spice and kink be sure to check out Maggie Mae Gallagher writing as Anya Summers on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/

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You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Giveaway – Julian Fox by E J Miranda @AuthorEJMiranda @GoddessFish

Posted on August 23, 2019 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. E.J. Miranda will be awarding a 1st prize: $50 Amazon e-gift card, and a 2nd prize: $40 Amazon e-gift card, to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It is said that dreams are just that: only dreams. But believe me, this is not always true. Some dreams are as real as the dreamer.

Thanks to their dreams, dreamers can receive the special visit of eternal wisdom that has inspired the creativity of great inventors, scientists, musicians, and even writers throughout the ages.

This creative wisdom is not always the type that appears to the eager conscience. Sometimes, a Defiler, a destroyer of dreams, is the one who tries to appear before the dreamer. These creatures were once humans, but they allowed their pain and desire for revenge to take over and seek the same miserable fate for the one who dreams.

You must not fear — Dream Guardians, also known as Kelsdrant, will always protect the one who dreams, even with their own life. They are people of flesh and bone, just like you and me, or at least they are on Earth.

The following story is dedicated to the fun, extravagant, and enlightening life of Julian Fox, the Dream Guardian.

Be prepared, dear reader. It is time to dream, laugh, reflect, and even maybe cry.

Welcome to the Land of the Wise Dreams.

Read an Excerpt

from Chapter 1: The Fox Family

There is no perfect family. This is a universal truth, but if the imagination of a pair of mischievous minds is added to reality, the result can be an explosive combination that shuts the door to normalcy.

Sonia and William’s marriage is an example of how patience can be extended to the absolute limits. After all, parental love can only tolerate so much nonsense from the ingenuity of their children, especially when they happen to be Julian and Nicholas Fox.

This outlandish story begins at the crazy end of a pleasant vacation. The two brothers, Julian and Nicholas, were enjoying the afternoon heat near the banks of the river that crossed their ranch. They lay in the shade of an enormous tree, listening to the torrent of water as if it were a magical lullaby.

Julian, the eldest, was twenty-one years old. He had just completed his university studies and the memories of experiences with his classmates were still fresh in his mind. Nicholas, the youngest and last of the two children, was twenty years old and he was still studying in college.

They stayed silent for several minutes with their eyes closed, hoping that a miracle would occur and the family vacation would continue for a while longer. But, resigned to returning home in just two days, they decided to make the most of nature’s sweetness.

About the Author: E. J. Miranda is an avid reader, an enthusiastic traveler, and a passionate author. Her great sense of humor and love for nature have granted her a rebellious writing style: Her approach describes the adventures of life but in such a way that each reader can have an individual take on the matter. Her inspiration comes from her curiosity about other countries’ cultures and peculiarities. A few countries in particular that spark her curiosity are Colombia, Italy, Costa Rica, England, Belgium, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. Her favorite places to visit are historical sites and museums, locations that allow her to explore important and even overlooked details. She currently lives with her husband in Colombia but frequently travels to Houston to visit her daughter and son. E.J. Miranda has a degree in tax accounting, but she prefers interacting with people to calculating their taxes. To learn more about her life and work, visit http://www.ejmiranda.com.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46288494-julian-fox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorejmiranda
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EJMirandaAuthor

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/julian-fox-the-dream-guardian-e-j-miranda/1132532225
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julian-Fox-Dream-Guardian-Miranda/dp/173379820X/ref=sr_1_1

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You can see my Reviews HERE.

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Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Giveaway – Pale Riders: Zombies vs Dinosaurs by James Livingood @longtailwriting @GoddessFish

Posted on October 17, 2016 by fundinmental

The bright red cover for Pale Rider: Zombies vs Dinosaurs made me pause.

Then I saw the title and all the other goodies and thought this is a perfect read for me.

Pale Rider: Zombies vs Dinosaurs

by James Livingood

GENRE: Science Fiction & Fantasy

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BLURB

Two worlds collide in this action novelette. Zombies have destroyed civilization. Gasoline fuel is no longer an option, but humanity must find a way to survive. In response to trying to restore our way of life, we engineer franken-monsters. Because of their small brains and massive sizes, these beasts make quick work of farming and clearing land. These large creatures are immune to the zombie virus and perform excellently in loud conditions. They are easy to train. They behave like war horses, prone to help charge in and defend our livelihood.

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EXCERPT

Blues often hunt for weaker and sick humans. Standing your ground and appearing strong will scare off blues. In the beginning, we had become so used to being the top of the food chain, that the thought of being hunted was frightening. Most of the population ran, and that led to massive feasts. Furthermore, our distaste for mandatory physicals meant pockets of blues formed. Gun owners and others brazen enough to stand their ground often kept their ground. Yet, as humans became replaced, the blue’s tactics became more complex. Soon, only standing your ground with a gun was not enough. The practice still works in isolated regions, but the best escape from a blue is to retreat to a safe city.

New Eye City was formed for just that reason. Survivalists knew how to build flash communities, which would then focus on walls. As many of you know, gasoline fuel was no longer an option as the infrastructure collapsed around humanity. Cars, trucks, and farming equipment gathered rust from disuse. Humanity needed a new approach to surviving.

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ABOUT JAMES LIVINGOOD

James was born in Montana, raised with three brothers, and provided trouble for two parents. In his 20’s he fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. He then moved out to Seattle after college and started a life. In 2014, he started to write full time.

Website / RSS / Facebook / Author Google+ / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon Page / Buy

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GIVEAWAY

James will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment. The more your comment the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour Here.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
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Giveaway & Review – Bewitched by Nancy Fraser @nfraserauthor @GoddessFish

Posted on October 11, 2016 by fundinmental

The fun cover of Bewitched by Nancy Fraser was impossible for me to resist.

I love all the colorful elements.

Bewitched by Nancy Fraser

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GENRE: Vintage (1960s) Historical

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MY REVIEW

The cover for Bewitched by Nancy Fraser immediately caught my eye. I am a sucker for a pretty cover, so how can I resist such a fun, colorful one. Bewitched is a quick and entertaining romance.

A new man moves into the neighborhood and love is in the air.

He peeks out the window at her. She peeks out the window at him. Have you ever snuck a glance at some cutie, only to see he/she is sneaking a glance at you?

This light, yet sexual tension filled romance is predictable, but the bumps along the road leading to the happy ever after are filled with fingerpaints and upchucking, childhood hijinks, courting and falling in love.

I loved the characters from the beginning. She’s sweet, he’s hot and the peripheral characters play their part in fleshing out this fun filled novella that I would highly recommend.

I received a copy of Bewitched from Nancy Fraser.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

BLURB

Chicago, Fall 1964
Allison Stiles is the epitome of responsibility. Guardian to her two rambunctious younger brothers, she also runs a home daycare. While she doesn’t have time for a vacation, she really needs a diversion.

Enter Eric Thomas, her new neighbor. Tall, dark and handsome and just what she needs to get her mind off her responsibilities, even if only for a short time.

Moving into the house he inherited from his uncle was not part of Eric Thomas’ plan. Yet, starting a new business ties up a good portion of his capital, so he forgoes the fancy downtown apartment for the quaint Rogers Park neighborhood.

Now if he could just get his mind off his sexy neighbor and back on the business at hand.

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EXCERPT

Allison Stiles gathered up a book by her favorite romance author in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, then crossed the padded alphabet flooring and stepped out onto the enclosed front porch of her Rogers Park home. The neighborhood was old but well kept, the people warm and inviting. The shouts of children playing in the street drew her attention for a brief moment.

She wrapped a thin shawl around her shoulders and settled comfortably into the double-wide porch swing, set her teacup on the nearby window ledge, and opened her book to the first page. Given the week she’d had, she welcomed this chance to unwind, to do nothing but kick back and relax.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do with these two. They’re headed for juvenile hall, I tell you that.”

Principal Garner’s harsh rebuke swirled around inside her head like the colors from a child’s kaleidoscope, forcing her to set aside the book in favor of a sip of calming, herbal tea. As much as she hated to admit it, the man was right. Benny and Phillip were a handful and quickly getting on the edge of her very last nerve.

“We’re sorry, Sis.” Benny’s apology filled her thoughts.

“We didn’t mean to do anything bad. Honest.” Phillip’s younger, softer voice tugged on her heartstrings.

Her brothers’ penchant for trouble and the subsequent call to the principal’s office was just the icing on the cake. She’d spent the entire week wiping runny noses and disinfecting child after child in an effort to keep this first round of seasonal flu from infecting her and everyone around her. She needed more than a cup of tea and a great read. She desperately needed a vacation. Unfortunately, her obligations didn’t allow much down time.

At the very least she needed a distraction of some sort.

The loud slam of a car door and a man’s muttered curse pulled her from this latest bout of self-pity and to the closest window. With the tips of her fingers, she slid the hand-made paper skeleton aside and stared out across her toy-strewn yard.

There in front of her, his arms filled with boxes, minus the one he’d dropped on the ground, stood the most handsome man she’d ever seen. A real-life Adonis, complete with dark, wavy hair and broad shoulders. When he turned toward the porch, she was gifted with an unencumbered view of his narrow hips and taut backside, both of which were encased in a pair of impossibly tight jeans.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat and licked her suddenly-dry lips. As distractions go…this one was darned-near perfect.

ABOUT NANCY FRASER

Like most authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published twenty-two books in both full-length and novella format. Nancy will release her 25th book in early 2017. She is currently working on a Valentine’s Day novella, her next Rock and Roll novella, and a story about a racy Scot titled “Kilty Pleasures”.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Nobles

GIVEAWAY

Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC, a second prize of a $5 gift card and a third prize of a digital copy of a novella titled Only Yours to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
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Save

Giveaway – Victoria At Sea by M Kate Quinn @mkatequinn @GoddessFish

Posted on September 26, 2016 by fundinmental

The lovely cover of Victoria At Sea by M Kate Quinn reminds me of myself, sitting on the beach with a camera, kindle and cocktail, enjoying the summer breeze.

Soooo, let’s set sail and see what’s in store for Victoria.

Victoria at Sea by M. Kate Quinn

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB

Why has no place in what the heart knows for sure.

On the eve of their wedding Victoria Gliden and fiancé Owen Walker call it quits. He accuses her of not being able to get over her deadbeat father’s vanishing act when she was a child and she and her cold feet run and don’t look back.

An interior designer, Victoria, has an important meeting on Cancun that could garner her a promotion and the plan was to incorporate her presentation with the honeymoon cruise that’s journeying to the island. Since she’s sure Owen is on his way to Portland to escape the aftermath of their ruined wedding, Victoria takes the honeymoon cruise anyway. Only Owen has the same idea and they’re stuck with each other for six days, five nights.

Tony Gliden, Victoria’s father, dies in a freak accident and is sent back to earth disguised as a crotchety old man with the mission to convince his daughter to believe in love. So, he, too boards the ship.

At sea, destiny takes a detour when Victoria befriends the quirky old man with kind eyes and together they join forces with a quartet of unabashed women in their fifties who drink pink martinis and flirt with the wait staff but are wiser than they look. While trying to dodge Owen, Victoria’s new acquaintances help her face old wounds and confront new fears.

Most of all, Victoria and Owen both realize it all boils down to one word—why?

By journey’s end will two broken hearts get their answer?

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EXCERPTS

Words spilled from Owen’s lips before he had the chance to think. “I don’t know, Vic, maybe on some level I was meant to be here on this ship.”

She didn’t respond, kept her tooth locked down on that lip. But, her eyes were windows to some distant place he longed for. So, he and his glass of vodka let more words tumble free. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you really did this.” He gulped his drink in an effort to shut himself up, but it was fuel to his fire. “That you did this to us.”

“Don’t.” Victoria grabbed the fancy clutch that she’d squeezed into a misshapen blob of sparkly fabric.

“You know what?” He couldn’t stop and suddenly he didn’t want to. “It’s just too bad you’re so ridiculously afraid of veering off that rigid path you’ve carved out for yourself. That’s got to be a tough trek, Victoria. You must be exhausted.”

She stood up from the bar stool, chin held high, eyes swimming.

“You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question. Owen knew the answer too well.

“Um, yes, I uh, promised my friends that I’d meet them.”

“Well, I guess I’ll see you back at the suite then, huh?” Pent-up energy raced around in him banishing every urge he had to stroke her hair, pull her to him, make them right again. His tone was caustic and it felt good and lousy both.

For each millisecond that he held her gaze, Victoria squirmed, her hands wringing that now pretty ugly evening bag, that tooth all but drawing blood as it pressed the pink flesh of her lower lip. She broke the stare and darted away as though she were being chased.

Owen’s heart squeezed like a fist had wrapped itself around the muscle. A tear pricked his eye. Victoria could run all she wanted, but for the first time in almost two days something finally made sense. She loves me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Born to a feisty Italian mother and a gentle blue-eyed Irishman, I was given the name “Marykate,” inspired by Maureen O’Hara’s character in the movie, The Quiet Man, an old-time favorite love story that co-starred John Wayne. With a grandmother Catherine and an Aunt Mary the name was an obvious choice.

I’ve been writing stories all my life. There’s an old Macy’s box in my attic filled with my writings from childhood, now smudgy-looking pages produced on my portable Olivetti Underwood typewriter, an eighth-grade gift from my Grandmother Catherine.

I am a recent First Place winner of a short story contest sponsored by Reader’s Digest Magazine and write a column entitled “Boomer Humor” that appears monthly in my neighborhood newspaper.

My husband and I are our own love story. We have a slap-happy middle-aged second marriage with a combined total of six grown children, one delightful granddaughter, another precious little baby on the way and one ridiculously spoiled, amazingly handsome cat named Sammy.

Website: www.mkatequinn

Twitter: @mkatequinn

Facebook: Fans of M. Kate Quinn

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/M.-Kate-Quinn

Goodreads Author Page: www.goodreads.com/author/show/4128663.M_Kate_Quinn

Blog: www.mkatequinn.com/blog

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GIVEAWAY

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You may see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Barrier by D C Renfroe #DCRenfroe

Posted on September 15, 2016 by fundinmental

Barrier by D.C. Renfroe

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GENRE: Romance Thriller

RELEASE DATE: October 10, 2016

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BLURB:

When Claire Luna is kidnapped and taken to a remote island, her predictable life is torn to shreds. She thought she understood grief, loss and loneliness. But nothing prepared her for the island.

Tucker Knight had his world turned upside down when he was a young teen. He’d known love, security and normality. But things changed, and somehow he lost his innocence along the way.

Barrier takes you on a compelling, thrilling and sometimes brutal journey of Claire and Tucker, who in a bid to control their destiny, must learn about trust and submission. And also about love.

The island is under the control of Dr. Stephen Bell, a scientist obsessed with the secrets of humanity through genetic engineering. Claire is part of his obsession, and quickly comprehends Bell’s twisted intentions. She is forced to decide between submission and life-altering consequences. In her desperate attempt to survive, Claire surprises Bell and Tucker with her strength to fight.

But, can she trust Tucker? Is he her enemy or her savior? Claire understands that to surrender means to survive, but can she endure? Tucker can’t help but be enamored by the spirited and determined Claire, but to survive, he must face and overcome his haunting past. Up until Claire’s arrival on the island, he had never thought himself capable, or deserving, but perhaps this was his chance to finally do the right thing.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I began writing many years ago and put it aside to raise a family. I put myself through college working toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, which I have almost completed. I took every writing class that was offered and finally put pen to paper after dreaming of completing a novel for almost twenty years. In the meantime, I worked as a freelance journalist for a local newspaper briefly and wrote a personal blog while living in south Florida. I currently work as an Instructional Designer based in Austin, Texas. I am a mother of four and truly believe they are my greatest creation! Two of my children inherited my love of writing and I encourage them to write every chance they get!

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GIVEAWAY

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better yourchances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Giveaway – Prodigal Son by Lisa Beth Darling @lb_darling @GoddessFish

Posted on August 31, 2016 by fundinmental

Prodigal Son by Lisa Beth Darling has a pretty cool cover. Does it remind you of anything? A work of art perhaps?

Be sure and read the excerpt then enter the giveaway at the end of the post.

By the way, what kind of pizza is your favorite?

Prodigal Son (Sister Christian, 4) by Lisa Beth Darling

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GENRE: Contemporary Fiction

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BLURB

In the final installment of the Sister Christian Series, the Court has demanded a hearing regarding Hannah’s capacity. Hannah and Nick are falling deeper and deeper in love. Looking forward to a bright future together they begin planning their life together. A shadowy stranger from the past has set his sights on Hannah and her 3.5 million dollar trust fund. Is he really Rick MacNeill, the son Hannah thought died in the terrible fire at Saint Anne’s? Is he someone sinister? The last of the family secrets come to light in this roller coaster ride of suspense, love, betrayal, and faith.

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I love pizza, so I chose the third excerpt offered. Now I’m hungry!!!

EXCERPTS

Grabbing a second piece of pizza and again settling into the comfortable chair Mason answered, “I’m not bi-polar I’m just a temperamental geni—” the pizza fell from Mason’s hand to the paper plate.

Nick felt movement and thought Aphrodite was going after the food again but when he moved his hand to shoo her away Mason grabbed his wrist to stop him. His eyes shifted upward to meet Mason’s gaze and saw him raise a finger to his lips before he pointed to the bed. Nick looked down to see it wasn’t Aphrodite moving on the bed it was Hannah’s fingers and they were going for the pizza sitting on the flat of his stomach. Nick’s mouth opened and Mason’s grip tightened to silence him. Both of them sat frozen watching Hannah’s slow hand make its way toward the cooling slice of cheese and pepperoni. In their current positions only Mason could see Hannah’s face, her eyes looked a little clearer but her expression was still blank until her fingertips touched upon a slightly burnt slice of pepperoni.

Hannah snatched the pepperoni from the top of the pizza along with a gooey strand of melted mozzarella and popped it into her mouth like a thief in the night making off with someone’s family jewels. A splash of tomato sauce burst off it as she chomped down nearly biting her fingertip. It stuck on the corner of her mouth with a strand of cheese clinging to it.

Even though he was slightly awestruck, Mason had enough experience with family members to anticipate Jackson’s next move even before he thought of making it. He wrestled the man’s arm to the mattress to keep him from jumping up and shouting out something that would startle her. “Not a sound,” Mason whispered. “Don’t move.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lisa Beth Darling is 49 years-old, lives in her hometown of New London, CT with her husband of 30 years, Roy and is mother to their two daughters. She is the author of more than fifteen novels along with several short stories and non-fiction books. When she’s not writing she likes to garden and is an avid movie buff.

Author links: Website / Blog / Twitter: @lb_darling / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Links: Kindle/Amazon (paperbacks available on Amazon)

Nook / iBooks / Smashwords

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Lisa will be awarding a digital copy of Prodigal Son to 3 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
To see all my reviews, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

prodi

Giveaway – Clementina by Simon Cann @simonpcann @GoddessFish

Posted on August 8, 2016 by fundinmental

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Simon Cann and share his novel, Clementina. Welcome Simon…now, take it away.

What is something you’ve lied about?

I never lie.

…wait a minute…

Who is the last person you hugged?

I plead the fifth.

What are you reading now?

I’ve just started Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan. He’s a great writer and the Poke Rafferty series is a great series.

How do you come up with the titles to your books?

Some books start from the title—for instance, the title The Murder of Henry VIII came before the book. Others, for instance Clementina, come after a struggle and several renaming ceremonies.

I wish there was a solid scientific method for finding titles, but the truth is that finding a good title is more matter of luck for me.

Share your dream cast for your book.

I’m not sure whether that’s legal under English law.

Clementina by Simon Cann

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GENRE: Crime Thriller

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BLURB

Leathan Wilkey has been hired to babysit Clementina, a seventeen-year-old whose rich daddy is going through a messy divorce and is over-compensating.

Leathan soon tires of her spending habits, her selfie obsession, and her social media preoccupation as his ward drags him from shop to boutique to jeweler, approaching each with the self-possession that comes from a lifetime of getting her own way and never once having to worry about money.

But when Clementina snaps her fingers and her boyfriend doesn’t come running, something is up. He doesn’t appear because he’s been murdered.

When Leathan investigates, he finds that the boyfriend has no background and met Clementina through a connection made by daddy’s business partner.

Daddy’s business partner who has been slowly and progressively putting daddy in a vice, grabbing more of the business, and who is now menacing Clementina directly to manipulate daddy.

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Excerpt

Johnson McElroy and Orville Michael Mallet seemed pleased to have fixed a problem. A problem where I was having trouble understanding what really made it a problem.

The two men—one groomed to look like a logical and rational arguing machine; the other determined to display his individual creativity, which looked exactly the same as everyone else’s individual creativity—shook my hand at the door.

“You know the way out,” I said, as if I had a clue. I only knew how to enter and leave if I was driven by Reece.

The two headed for the elevator and I made my way through the cavernous entrance hall back to the open living space and the kitchen area. The kitchen area, which had more floor space than most apartments I had lived in.

“I should have a word with Clementina,” I said to Angeline Bautista, the housekeeper who had remained invisible while the two company men had been present.

“She’s gone out,” said the housekeeper.

“When?”

“While you talked.”

“Where?”

She shrugged.

“What did Reece say?”

She looked confused.

“Reece—the driver. What did he say?”

The confusion remained. “Nothing.”

“But he must have said something when he came up.”

“He didn’t come up,” she said.

“She went to him?” I could feel the hesitation in my speech as my brain tried to catch up with the situation and make sure my language was unambiguous for the non-native English speaker.

“No. She went out on her own,” said Angeline.

“When?”

“While you talked,” she said with greater emphasis.

“How long ago?”

She tilted her head from side to side. “Ten minutes?” she said. More a question than a statement.

I pulled out my phone and called Reece. “Does Clementina go out on her own?”

“Nope,” said Reece. “Daddy says no.”

“Well, she has.”

Reece swore under his breath. “I’ll be up.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Simon Cann is the author of the Boniface, Montbretia Armstrong, and Leathan Wilkey series of books.

In addition to his fiction, Simon has written a range of music-related and business-related books, and has also worked as a ghostwriter.

Before turning full-time to writing, Simon spent nearly two decades as a management consultant, where his clients included aeronautical, pharmaceutical, defense, financial services, chemical, entertainment, and broadcasting companies.

He lives in London.

Website: http://simoncann.com

The book will be free on Amazon from Monday 25 July to Friday 29 July (inclusive).

B/N / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments, I’ll drop by to see what’s shakin’.
Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Save

Giveaway – Friend of the Devil by Mark Spivak

Posted on August 5, 2016 by fundinmental

Welcome. Mark Spivak is inviting you to meet the Friend of the Devil.

Friend of the Devil by Mark Spivak

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GENRE: Thriller

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BLURB

In 1990 some critics believe that America’s most celebrated chef, Joseph Soderini di Avenzano, sold his soul to the Devil to achieve culinary greatness. Whether he is actually Bocuse or Beelzebub, Avenzano is approaching the 25th anniversary of his glittering Palm Beach restaurant, Chateau de la Mer, patterned after the Michelin-starred palaces of Europe.

Journalist David Fox arrives in Palm Beach to interview the chef for a story on the restaurant’s silver jubilee. He quickly becomes involved with Chateau de la Mer’s hostess, unwittingly transforming himself into a romantic rival of Avenzano. The chef invites Fox to winter in Florida and write his authorized biography. David gradually becomes sucked into the restaurant’s vortex: shipments of cocaine coming up from the Caribbean; the Mafia connections and unexplained murder of the chef’s original partner; the chef’s ravenous ex-wives, swirling in the background like a hidden coven. As his lover plots the demise of the chef, Fox tries to sort out hallucination and reality while Avenzano treats him like a feline’s catnip-stuffed toy.

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EXCERPT

He perused Chateau de la Mer’s large and mostly incomprehensible menu. Changed every few weeks, handwritten in Avenzano’s elaborate cursive before being photocopied, it closely resembled an annotated Medieval manuscript. David was introduced to Guillermo Montoya, a tuxedoed waiter from Spain with a thick, bullet-shaped head, who offered to have the kitchen prepare a tasting menu.

Montoya presented David with a sculpture of dried vegetables in the shape of a bird’s nest, filled with a combination of wild mushrooms and chopped truffles, bathed in an intensely reduced demi-glaze. The carrots, zucchini and peppers had been cut into paper-thin strips, intertwined and allowed to dry, yet retained a surprising intensity of flavor.

David consumed a dish of tomato, basil and egg noodles, bathed in a light cream sauce, perfumed with fresh sage and studded with veal sweetbreads. This was followed by an astonishing dish of butter-poached lobster, remarkably sweet and perfectly underdone, flavored with sweet English peas and garnished with a ring of authentic Genoese pesto.

He was served a slice of Avenzano’s signature Bedouin stuffed poussin—a turkey stuffed with a goose, in turn stuffed with a duckling, in turn stuffed with a poussin, or baby chicken, with a core of truffled foie gras at its center, covered with an Etruscan sauce of chopped capers, raisins, and pine nuts. This dish had been the source of much controversy over the years, since it bore a close resemblance to a Louisiana terducken. It predated the terducken, however, and was supposedly inspired by a creation first served to the French royal court. For good measure, Avenzano had added influences of Middle-Eastern cuisine.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links

Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and was honored by the Academy of Wine Communications for excellence in wine coverage “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group; his running commentary on the world of food, wine and spirits is available at the Global Gourmet blog on www.palmbeachillustrated.com. He is the holder of the Certificate and Advanced diplomas from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Mark’s work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Men’s Journal, Art & Antiques, the Continental and Ritz-Carlton magazines, Arizona Highways and Newsmax. He is the author of Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press, 2012) and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle (Lyons Press, 2014). His first novel, Friend of the Devil, is published by Black Opal Books.

Website / B&N / Amazon

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GIVEAWAY

Mark will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway