Giveaway – A Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi #CunningTour @astrid_arditi @MasqTours.

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Author: Astrid Arditi
Publication Dates: June 8, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
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MY REVIEW
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A Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi is her debut novel. I am not afraid to try a new author, in fact, I am always on the lookout for one. You never know where that hidden gem may come from and I found one here.
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The cover is so pretty, but it was the blurb that really grabbed me.
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A woman scorned does not bode well for Tom.
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The first pages had me cracking up, all the while thinking, the bitch is crazy. 😈
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I want to jump into the pages and punch both their lights out. Tom is a douche and Sloane is a wimp. He really needs to man up. Ethan, hmmm, a hunky IRS agent and Sloane’s life gets more interesting…and humorous once he enters the story.
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I cursed and laughed my way through a Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi. Her writing makes me think of Janet Evanovich. The more I read, the more I couldn’t help but laugh at her misconceptions and naivety. She is one of us…a real person with all her insecurities alive and well.
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The two little girls are cute as hell with tons of personality, lovable bundles of joy.
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And we cannot forget Sloane’s trusty sidekick, Claudia. She reminded me of Rosie on Will and Grace, if you have ever watched the TV show, you can imagine her personality ‘shining’ through.
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A Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi is a funfilled romp, full of mystery and romance, with delightful and heart-grabbing characters. Seeing this is Astrid’s entrance in the writing world, I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with next.
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I received an ARC of A Cunning Plan from Astrid Arditi in return for an honest review.sted: 
Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars
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SYNOPSIS

Determined to put her family back together, Sloane Harper stalks her ex husband and his annoyingly stunning mistress, Kate Stappleton. But she’s not the only one.

Handsome IRS agent Ethan Cunning is surveying Kate too, but for entirely different reasons. He is attempting to nail Kate’s playboy boss.

Ethan and Sloane decide to help each other, which sends Sloane’s wobbly life spinning out of control. She’ll have to face danger, humiliation, and – scariest of all – the dating scene, to lure her daughters’ father home.

Losing control was the best thing to happen to Sloane…until it turned lethal.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GoodReads

Author Bio

 photo Astrid Arditi.jpgAstrid Arditi was born from a French father and Swedish mother. She lived in Paris and Rome before moving to London with her husband and daughter back in 2013.

After dabbling in journalism, interning at Glamour magazine, and teaching kindergarten, Arditi returned to her first love: writing.

She now splits her time between raising her kids (a brand new baby boy just joined the family) and making up stories.

A Cunning Plan is Arditi’s first published work.

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Book Trailer – Lies I Live By, Sabel Lauren @laurensabel



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Not only does Lies I Live By look like a great read, the Lauren Sabel’s bio looks interesting too. Be sure and check her out.

Lies I Live By
Lauren Sabel
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: May 31st 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Romance, intrigue, and action collide in this psychic twist on the classic spy novel.

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Callie Sinclair is literally out of her mind; as the government’s youngest psychic spy, she finds valuable information for top-secret missions. Her work keeps her headaches at bay, but it means she must lie to everyone she loves, including her longtime boyfriend, Charlie.

When a new psychic arrives at the office, Callie can’t help but flirt; Jasper already knows her in a way Charlie never will.

But as her love life gets more complicated, so do her visions. People halfway around the world seem to be in danger…and people in her own backyard, too. If Callie can’t find a way to alter future events, she could lose the people she loves—and her mind. Literally.

Lauren Sabel’s enthralling, romantic novel captures the thrill of exploring a unique power in a dangerous world.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

BOOK TRAILER:

Author Bio:

Originally from the Rocky Mountains, Lauren Sabel has returned to the cool mountain air of Boulder, Colorado after living in several wonderful cities that she will always love and continue to visit year after year.

Lauren loves her husband, her kids, her family, her friends, and stories that end happily. She also loves digging into her mind and revealing tiny gems she didn’t know were there.

Lauren learned to mind dig while getting her MFA in Creative Writing from Naropa, a Buddhist college in Boulder, Colorado. Before Naropa, Lauren studied film in Rome, where she developed her love of crypts and other beautiful creepy things. She also worked in the film industry in New York and San Francisco, focusing mainly on film festivals, as she can never pass up a good party. In San Francisco she worked for Chronicle Books, where she was inducted into the fascinating world of book publishing.

For the past eight years, Lauren has been teaching college students the joys of creative writing, whether they like it or not.

In 2008, Lauren was published in Undiscovered Voices, an anthology of the best new writers for children in the U.K., where she was living at the time. Then life got very exciting very quickly. She signed with Jodi Reamer Esq. at The Writer’s House Agency in New York, and they made magic happen, and that magic is named Katherine Tegen. (aka: Katherine Tegen Publishing, Harper Collins).

Lauren’s first book, VIVIAN DIVINE IS DEAD was published June 3 2014. Lauren’s second book LIES I LIVE BY was released by KT Books on May 31 2016. She’s currently working on her next book, which she can’t wait to tell you about (but has to wait just a little while anyway).

Lauren believes that being a teenager is an act of courage, and is proud of anyone who manages to stick through it, despite the pain. 🙂

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Romantic Suspense – Scar Tissue by M C Domovitch @Moniquedomovitc @pumpupyourbook

 

Scar Tissue by M C Domovitch has such a creepy cover, I had to find out what’s inside.
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I mean…she keeps looking at me…calling to me.
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Do you believe eyes reveal the secrets of the soul?
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Scar Tissue
TitleScar Tissue
Author: MC Domovitch
Publisher: Lansen Publishing
Pages: 396
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller/Paranormal
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MY REVIEW
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The cover for Scar Tissue by M C Domovitch is calling to me, that eye drawing me into the book, making me have to know what’s inside. Add to that a paranormal romantic suspense thriller and I am sold down the river.
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The opening lines had me hooked…
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Ciara had been kidnapped, raped and tortured, but…somehow…escaped. Then, to top it all off, she was hit by a car and now has amnesia. What more can possibly happen to the poor girl? Well…let’s read on and find out, because I have a feeling her journey is far from over.
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Her boyfriend was due to inherit millions, but a morality clause was creating problems for him and his siblings. Could one of them be behind the kidnapping? Power and greed does strange things to people, bringing out their ugliest sides. OR, could it be The Cutter, a serial rapist on the loose.
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I occasionally got pissed off at Ciara. I wanted her to step up and slap someone once in a while, instead of letting them walk all over her. I hate when authors make a woman so meek and mild, afraid to stand up for themselves…but M C Domovitch has her reasons. You will have to read Scar Tissue to find out for yourself.
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Ciara has terrible headaches. Could the Scar Tissue be the cause or is there more going on than meets the eye? She decides to take self defense classes and train in make-up artistry. The self defense classes make sense, but is the training in the art of totally changing your appearance going to play a bigger role than just making a living?
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When she gets a job at a mortuary, making up the dead, it made me think of the TV show, Mike and Molly, and the character of Victoria. One day, as she is going about the business of beautifying a dead body, she forgets to wear her gloves and…WOW! I don’t know what I was expecting from the story, but it wasn’t that and I am loving it. Now, the potential for Scar Tissue rises to an even higher level and I can hardly wait to see where M C Domovitch is going to take me..
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Scar Tissue is wrapped up in an interesting ending and I see so much potential for Ciara to go into a series, to develop and use her talents to solve crimes, so I am curious to see if M C Domovitch has more in store for her. I hope so!
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I received a copy of Scar Tissue from M C Domovitch in return for an honest review.
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Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars
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ABOUT THE BOOK
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When successful model Ciara Cain wakes up in hospital, remembering nothing of the weeks she has been missing, her only clues are the ugly words carved into her skin. According to the police she was a victim of the Cutter, a serial killer who has already murdered three women. For her protection the police and her doctors give a press conference, announcing that because her amnesia is organically caused, her memory loss is permanent. But, whether her memory returns or not is anybody’s guess.

Overnight, Ciara’s glamorous life is gone. Her scars have killed both her modelling career and her relationship with her rich boyfriend. With nothing to keep her in New York, she returns to her home town of Seattle, moves in with her sister and goes about building a new life. But when her sister lets it slip that Ciara’s memory is returning, the killer comes after her again. If Ciara is to stay alive, she must keep one step ahead of the Cutter.

For More Information

Book Excerpt

 It was the pain that pierced the fog in her brain.

It seemed to come from all over her body, more intensely from her right leg,
where it pulsated to the rhythm of her heart. She tried to open her eyes, but
her lids felt…so…very…heavy. It was easier to fall back into the haze inside
her mind. She floated there, vaguely aware of somebody calling her name.
“Ciara, it’s me.” The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it. “Please wake up.”.”” She drifted off again.
Time had lost all meaning. She wandered in and out of a great void. She might have been sleeping for minutes or days. Occasionally her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds, only to grow still again. One day when she opened her eyes, the fog had lifted. The first thing she saw were old acoustic ceiling tiles. Puzzled, she blinked. A beeping caught her attention and she shifted her gaze to the side. Next to her was a monstrous machine.
Tubes were running from it to her and back again. Where was she?
She tried to speak, but there was something in her mouth. She moaned, and then a woman was bending over her, her eyes full of tears.
“Ciara. Can you hear me?” Her sister? Deirdre was here? All the way from
Seattle? She must be in a hospital. If she was sick, whatever she had was
serious.
“If you can, squeeze my hand.” She strained to move, but her limbs were great weights. Her movements were sluggish. But she must have squeezed because suddenly Deirdre was yelling, “She’s awake. Ciara is awake.” But she was asleep again.
Over the next few days, there were more and more moments of awareness. The tube in her mouth was removed and she was given ice
chips, and then water. She couldn’t seem to get enough.
“Good morning, young lady,” a doctor said.
It was morning? She’d had no idea. He shone a penlight in her eyes. She vaguely remembered him doing this before. She must have drifted off again, because she blinked and he was gone.
A different doctor came to visit. He wore surgical greens. He too peered into her eyes with a light and then asked her a number of questions, starting with her name.
“Ciara Kelly,” she said in a voice she barely recognized. From a corner of her room came an excited voice. “Oh, my God! She’s speaking. That means she’s fully out of the coma, doesn’t it?”
She hadn’t dreamed it. Her sister truly was right here in New York.
This is New York, isn’t it?
“It’s still too soon to be certain, but things look good so far.” The doctor continued with his questions. “Can you count backward from one hundred for me?”
She had to think hard. “One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight.” Had she gotten that right?
“Very good.” After another half dozen questions, the doctor smiled at last. “Welcome back, Ciara. You’ve had a lot of people very worried for a long time. Do you remember what happened?”
“I was in an accident?” she guessed.
“That’s right. Do you remember it?”
She wrinkled her brow in concentration. “I was at a photo shoot for Prêt-a-Porter,” she said, naming a popular magazine.
“Oh, my God. I was supposed to fly to Milan today. I’ve got to get out of here.
My agent will kill me if I miss my flight.”
“You already missed that flight,” her sister said. “You’ve been in a coma for a while.”
“In a coma?” Ciara looked at her blankly. “How long of a while?”
There was a hesitation, until at last Deirdre said, “Seventeen days.”
“Seven…” That was impossible. Why, that photo shoot was only yesterday. She was sure of it. She’d been looking forward to her flight to Italy and auditioning for all the glamorous designer shows. Could that really have been over two weeks ago? She suddenly noticed her forearms.
She hardly recognized them as her own. They were so thin.
She must have lost a ton of weight. Her first reaction was one of joy. Even her agent would have to agree she was thin enough now. She imagined what she might say when she saw her. Why Ciara, you’re a perfect size two. Armani will adore you.
But from what her sister had just said, the collections were already half
over. And come to think of it, she had no idea what kind of shape she was in.
How badly was she hurt? Could she even walk? She flexed her toes and was
relieved to see movement under the bedsheet. At least she wasn’t paralyzed.
“What’s wrong with me?” At the same time she became aware of a dull pain in her right leg. “Please tell me I don’t have a broken leg. I don’t have time for that. I have to get back to work.”
Deirdre came closer, placing a comforting hand over hers. “Work will have to wait. You have some healing to do first. You were pretty banged up when you were brought in. You had a compound fracture of the leg, not to mention a lot of cuts and bruises. But, didn’t I always tell you, you have a really hard head, Ciara Kelly, because with the blow you got you should have had a broken skull. Instead, all you got was a concussion.”
The doctor took over from there. “But as far as concussions go, yours was a beauty. Your leg will be fine. We had to put in a few screws, so from now on you might beep when you go through airport security.
Your cuts are healing nicely. All in all, you are one very lucky young lady.”
He called this lucky?
“What about my head? Am I… Will I…” She could deal with all of that, but the thought of having a brain injury was too much.
“You did have a brain bleed when you came in. But we were able to treat it without surgery. You’ve had an MRI, and from what we can tell, except for a tiny bit of scar tissue in the posterior cingulate cortex, everything is fine. If you had lingering problems, they most likely would have shown up by now.”
“Posterior cingular…What does that area of the brain do?”
“The posterior cingulate cortex,” he repeated with a teasing smile. “That’s an area most people have never heard of. It’s one of the most metabolically active regions of the brain, but the simple truth is nobody really knows what its true cognitive role might be.”
“Are you telling me I might have brain damage, and you don’t know how it might affect me?”
The teasing glint was gone, but his tone was still light. “No idea whatsoever.” He picked her chart and scribbled a few words. “But we’ll keep an eye on you and if we notice anything, we’ll deal with it then.”
Her sister gave him a reproving look. “You’re fine, Ciara. Don’t worry about it. They’ve taken every possible test and everything looks perfectly normal.”
A nurse walked in at that moment, signaling for the doctor’s attention. “The police are sending somebody over to question the patient.”
“The police?” Ciara said. “Of course. The accident.” They’d want her version of what happened.  “Why can’t I remember anything between the
photo shoot and waking up here?”
The room became quiet. “That’s not abnormal,” the doctor said at last. “You’ve only been fully awake for a few hours. It could take days, maybe even longer before everything comes back to you.” Ciara nodded, her eyes darting from the doctor to her sister. She had the feeling they were keeping something from her.
About the Author

 

M C Domovitch is the author of nine novels, four of which were published under the name of Carol Ann Martin (by Penguin), another two under the name Monique Domovitch (by Carina Press) The other three are published as M C Domovitch, Scorpio Rising, The Sting of the Scorpio (Both now republished in one single tome) and Scar Tissue. The decision to use a different pen name was based on her departure from cozy mysteries and entering the Romance and Romantic Suspense genres.
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Before becoming an author, Monique had multiple careers, beginning with modeling. She won a modeling contest in the 70s and became one of Canada’s top models. After retiring from the fashion industry, she studied finance and joined an investment company. This led to a new career as host of her own television show about investing, with the television network, WTN. Following her retirement from finance, she decided to pursue her true passion, writing. At a writing workshop at San Diego’s Writers’
Conference, one of her unpublished books caught the eye of a publisher and of an agent. And the rest, as they say, is history.
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Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their dogs. They divide their time between homes in Victoria and Toronto Canada and Key Largo Florida.
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For More Information

 

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Giveaway – Shotgun Justice by Abi Morgan @AngiMorganAuthr

 

by Angi Morgan
Series: Texas Rangers: Elite Force, #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 23, 2016

 

 

DUTY, DESIRE AND WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE

As a Texas Ranger, it was Jesse Ryder’s duty to protect her. As a man, it was all he could do to avoid the temptation of Avery Travis. The Snake Eyes Killer was on Avery’s trail, but the independent deputy didn’t want Jesse’s help. And he couldn’t blame her; he had walked away from her the night she’d offered him everything.

Avery knew Jesse would always think of her as his best friend’s little sister. However, she was fully capable of taking care of herself…and knowing what and who she wanted. Their lives might be in jeopardy, but the true tragedy would be to never have one more chance with the sexy Ranger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduced to Harlequin romances by her grandmother, she went through Junior High waiting for the next visit to “Mommie’s” house. There, she’d search through the inside cover corners for checkmarks, aunt’s initials, and her favorite phrase: Okay for Angi. That’s right, her aunts and grandmother censored which stories she could borrow. Reading gave her a love for the Harlequin name and story. She still has a lot of her grandmother’s books. Angi keeps reading and thinking romance, falling in love with the “Happily Ever After” for each hero and heroine.

An 11th generation Texan, Angi utilizes her strong heritage to create passionate characters willing to risk everything. She writes Intrigues where honor and danger collide with love. When the house is quiet, she plots ways to engage her readers with complex story lines, throwing her hero and heroine into situations they’ll never overcome…until they find the one person they can love.

Angi had several jobs before taking the opportunity to stay home with her children and develop the writing she always wanted. Volunteer work led to a houseful of visiting kids and a joyful but on-the-go lifestyle. With their three children out of the house, Angi concentrated on her work, finding her dream agent and editor. She and her husband live in North Texas with only the four-legged ‘kids’ to interrupt her writing. Tex, Roxie & Little Dude keep Angi and her characters company, reminding her to occasionally take time off to play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When Murder Calls by Emelle Gamble

I would like to welcome Emelle Gamble and her novel, when Murder Calls, to fundinmental.

If you are a cozy mystery fan, this is an author you will want to check out.

Just looking at the wonderful cover drew me in.

When Murder CallsAdd me to Goodreads now.

Cover:  Tammy Seidick Design

MY REVIEW

When Murder Calls by Emelle Gamble is a cozy mystery that twists and turns and kept me guessing, my curiosity rising as the suspense builds. Who is the Grim Reaper?

Megan is a single parent with two small children and with a serial killer on the loose she is concerned for her children’s safety. Dead bodies are piling up around her and she should be more careful about who she trusts.

I think Jack is in for a surprise when he meets Megan.  They are drawn together, but Jack is hiding something. She has freed herself from a bad marriage and does not want to go down that road again.

As if a serial killer and a questionable man in her life aren’t enough, her ex husband and his fiance appearing on her doorstep is the last thing she needs. I can imagine how the anger threatened to overwhelm her, but she would not break down in front of her children. I love that Megan put them front and center.

Dean, the on again off again dad, suddenly appearing pissed me off more than the Grim Reaper. He thought he could drop in and play dad in complete disregard for Megan, not even giving her a heads up. I was super ticked and I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

Mystery, murders, a single woman with two small children struggling to finish school and create a better life for her and her kids, a hot looking man wanting to share that life, what more could we want in a cozy?

A serial killer is on the loose from the opening pages. I love serial killers. Several suspects pop up early, but I keep thinking they are too obvious. The suspense was slow boiling, but  Emelle kept me guessing and the pacing picked up as I neared the end.

When Murder Calls by Emelle Gamble is one of those of books where I would think it’s over, then something else would happen, then I would think it’s over, then something else would happen…The action and suspense continued into the last pages. I would have liked to have more of an ending, but I know all I need to know and I am good with that.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

From Goodreads:  Megan Summers, TV-ratings coordinator and single mom to two, was just getting her life in order when a killer – dubbed the Grim Reaper by the media – donned a badge and caused chaos in the cozy ocean side hamlet.

Everyone one she knows feels like a suspect, except for attractive new employee Jack Gallagher. Despite his odd obsession and his hidden agenda, he gave Megan support, shelter, and some romance she didn’t think she wanted.

But was the haven of his arms enough to shield her from the Reaper?

This cozy romantic suspense was originally published by Harlequin Intrigue in paperback.

ABOUT EMELLE GAMBLE

Emelle GambleFrom Goodreads:  Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry and attempts at ‘real literature’ all copies of which she has since, very sensibly, shredded. She took her first stab at romantic fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed, taught by fellow writer Carolyn Haines, in Mobile, Alabama. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She is now contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, which has always been their mother’s fondest wish.

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Children are Missing – Ultimate Fear by Kristine Mason Tour Giveaway

BBT_UltimateFear_Banner.

I am a mega fan of Kristine Mason’s, so when I saw the tour for Ultimate Fear I had to share it with you.

Have you read any of her work yet?

If not, and you love romantic suspense, this is an author you will want to check out.

Each novel will stand alone, even though they are part of the CORE series.

Cover_Ultimate_Fear1771e-addtogoodreadsblackCovertoCover Designs: Kari Ayasha.

MY REVIEW

The doll on the cover is pretty creepy, spine tingling. I found out, Kristine plans  all her covers ahead of time. I love them all. They are simple and uncluttered, speaking loudly to me – danger, Will Robinson, danger.

I am very bad. As soon as my copy hit my Kindle, I dropped everything to begin reading! Kristine’s writing keeps me on the edge of my seat, hardly able to contain myself.

Blood – the very first word in the book. This is why I love Kristine Mason’s writing. I know it’s going to be bad, but I am loving the bad……and the good I know will come. I am riveted from the very first word and it never lets me go.

My notes are so long, I don’t know how I am going to condense them down into a coherent review. I want so much to let you know the horror, heartache, anger and rage that someone goes through when the worst thing a parent can imagine happens. Some people isolate themselves, while others need the comfort of those close to them.

The POV shifts back and forth and I love being able to see through each characters eyes.

Wayne and Dimples are some messed up people. After he told her she could no longer have children, he promised her he would do whatever it took to make her happy. The only thing that would make her happy is to ‘replace’ their Elton. His promise took him so far over the line, he will never find his way back.

Detective Jessica Donavan works murders and suicides, since the kidnapping of her daughter, Sophia. It has been six years, two months and four days. Jessica had let the tragedy drive her and Dante, her husband, apart, instead of closer together. She is stubborn, full of rage and anger, unable to see past it. She seemed real to me. Who knows how we would react. Would we be able to see past our own pain and be able to help our mate cope?

Dante has gone from a badass SEAL to a Ghandi wannabe.

I love Dante. He is so patient with Jessica, taking her abuse and rage in stride, hoping they will find their way back to each other. He bends over backwards to show her that she is his world. Dante had been the first recruit into CORE – which is second only to the FBI and CIA. He always finishes what he starts.

Jessica had left the house. The memories were so bad, she couldn’t cope with them. She refuses to accept that, even though she can’t live with Dante, she can’t live without him either.

 Jessica would call to remind Dante to water the garden. Was that her excuse to stay in touch? I love the fact that Dante had put a timer on the sprinkler system for the garden, but he kept it a secret and used it to lure Jessica home, at least long enough to check on the garden.

Even though they live separately, Jessica kept in touch with another CORE employee, Rachel, their resident computer guru. Rachel kept her updated on missing children.

Dante thinks she is in deep psychological trouble, until he discovers she spends all her extra time, not just, looking for Sophia, but hunting down other missing children. She had been saving some, telling no one. She couldn’t hug her child, so she was determined to enable others with get their lost kids back. She has discovered a serial kidnapper. They will work together to chase him down.

I am already seeing their future. All the CORE men are sexy and deliciously yummy, all you want in an easy to love man package.

I loved the shower scene, each on different sides of the curtain. It seemed real. Their need to protect themselves, made it impossible for them to let down their defenses and communicate. Sometimes it is easier to if you are not face to face. Of course, we knew they will get back together, it is a romance suspense after all. The way Kristine has them work past their insecurities seems so real.

Kristine describes Jessica’s brown/green eyes to a Matuka fishing fly. Now that is some descriptive writing that enables us to visualize them. Funny Kristine, a fishing fly? LOL

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Photo from English Fly Fishing Flies Website

Kristine can segue from a deep passionate kiss in the here and now, to a gruesome crime scene they had visited earlier, seamlessly. It is writing like this that keeps even a lengthy book, so hard to put down. I can only read for so many hours before my eyes start crossing or my hubby says “Is that all you’re gonna do all day? Read? Life is too short, so let’s go out to the beach for dinner and a sunset.” Well, I can’t say no to that.

When the stories converge, an urgency comes with it. A woman and her child’s life hang in the balance. The kidnappers have Chloe. I have good feelings about the drug addicted pregnant prostitute. Sometimes we can walk through the Gates of Hell and come out better than we entered.

I should have seen the ending coming sooner, but I was so into what I was currently reading to look very far ahead. I was totally absorbed in this horrific story.

Ultimate Prey, Book Three of the Ultimate Core Trilogy is Lola’s story. Lola, is Dante’s partner and he is supposed to be training her. He is a bit neglectful, because he is spending so much time helping Jessica locate the serial kidnappers. I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read what’s up with her.

Sometimes we have to lose something to find what it is we’ve been really looking for.

“Always…and forever?”

How could she not realize she was his everything.

“Until the day I die.”

I received Ultimate Fear from Kristine Mason in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   5 Stars – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

BLURB

When a deranged mother’s grief drives her to replace her dead son over and over, obsession leads to murder…

Chicago detective Jessica Donavan will never stop looking for her missing daughter. Her obsession has destroyed her marriage, but the search is the only thing that helps keep her sane and her mind off of everything she’s lost—her husband and her baby girl. When she uncovers a string of unsolved disappearances and reappearances of a number of baby boys, Jessica turns to her soon to be ex, Dante Russo, a former Navy SEAL turned investigator for the private agency, CORE, to help her fit together the pieces in this perplexing puzzle. But as Dante helps her, she realizes just how much she still craves his support—and his touch.

Dante is still in love with his wife and would do anything to have her back in his life again. He’s been miserable since she left him to deal with the grief over their daughter’s abduction, never understanding how much he grieves as well. When Jessica tells him about the case she’s working, he jumps at the chance to take part in her investigation. He’s hoping not only to save their marriage and ease his personal pain over the loss of their daughter, but to stop a serial kidnapper from taking another victim.

As Jessica and Dante work side by side, pregnant women begin to turn up missing or dead, and they start to uncover the consequences of another woman’s unfathomable grief. The childless mother doesn’t just want a baby. She wants a newborn straight from the womb.

And when forced to confront the dark and twisted perversion of a mother’s obsession, can Jessica and Dante find their lives again…or merely more death?

BUY LINKS:  Kobo  /   Nook  /   Amazon  /   iTunes

EXCERPT

It was so hard to choose which excerpt to use. I love the multiple storylines Kristine creates, so, instead of the villain (which I found hard to hate) I wanted to share Dante’s POV.

(Hero’s POV)

As Dante entered the six-story brick apartment building, he thought back to the day he’d first met Jessica. He’d been twenty-three, in his fourth year with the Navy and on a two-week leave. His dad had owned a used car dealership just outside of Chicago, and he’d gone there that day to hang out and check out the new inventory. Jessica had stopped by looking for something inexpensive and reliable. Before his dad or any of the other salesmen could pounce on her, he had. Growing up around the dealership he knew cars, so pretending to be a salesman hadn’t been difficult. The thing was, he couldn’t have cared less if she’d bought a car from his dad, he’d been more interested in acquiring her phone number. Man, she’d been something else. Those eyes of hers had had him tongue-tied. They’d reminded him of an Olive Matuka fishing fly, dark brown with flecks of olive green. Her long and wavy dark blond hair had emphasized her eyes and that smile… BBT_UltimateFear_CoverBanner

He reached her apartment door. Damn, he missed that smile. He missed everything about her. The press of her naked body against his. Kissing her, holding her, loving her. He shoved the memories he’d been clinging to aside. Their marriage shouldn’t have to end. They were stronger than that, and after knowing and loving her for nearly seventeen years, he couldn’t picture not having her in his life. But he had no choice. Self-preservation demanded that he give up the fight and let her go before they ended up hating each other.

With that last thought in mind, he knocked on her door. After giving her a few minutes to answer, he called her cell. Before he broke into her apartment, he wanted to make sure she was indeed MIA. Otherwise she’d probably raise holy hell for invading her space uninvited. Since she’d never asked him inside before, he suspected there were things she didn’t want him to know about. Like how much her search for their daughter had escalated into a full-blown obsession.

When she didn’t answer his call, he opened up his lock pick kit and went to work. Twenty years ago, he’d never thought he’d be adept at picking a lock. Who knew it would take working as a criminal investigator to master breaking and entering.

The lock gave. He pocketed his tools, then turned the knob. His stomach tightened again. If Jessica was keeping secrets, now was his chance to discover them.

He inched his way into the small apartment, then froze. “Is that thing loaded?” he asked Jessica and eyed the .38 Special she pointed at his head.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AuthorPicI didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I realized my passion and found a career I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

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Website  /  Email: authorkristinemason@gmail.com  /  Facebook  /  Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosKristine will be awarding a $5 Amazon GC to 5 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

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