Teaser Tuesday #79 – Perfectly Tortured by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7

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Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of booksandabeat.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Perfectly Tortured by Kristine Mason

Kristine Mason is at the top of her game with her lates twisted CORE novel of murder and a serial killer. If you love dark suspense and thrills that make you unable to put the book down, you will want to read her stand alone novels.

Perfectly Tortured (C.O.R.E. Above the Law, #3)

Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY TEASE

“And now she’s perfectly dead,” Adeline said on a laugh. “This one will be, too. You have no choice, lover. It’s either her or—”

“Don’t! Don’t you dare say her name.” He glared in the rear view mirror. “Understand?”

(page 40 on Kindle)

I will be reviewing Perfectly Tortured by Kristine Mason on 11.1.16, so be sure and stop by to check out this darkly delicious thrilling read!

GOODREADS BLURB

What happens when you fall in love with the sister of the serial killer you’re hunting? Something perfectly tortured…

ATL agent Harrison Fairclough has one thing on his mind: stopping a serial killer. He knows who the man is, where he lives and who he’s murdered. The problem? He can’t prove Liam Forrester is a killer without exposing ATL—an agency that isn’t supposed to exist. Needing to get close to Liam, and lead investigators to him before someone else dies, Harrison comes up with the perfect solution…he dates the serial killer’s sister. Except his plan quickly derails once he meets the curvy physical therapist. He’s drawn to her sensual smile, comes to crave her kisses and touch, until the body count rises.

Kiera Forrester’s schizophrenic brother, Liam, has occupied the past ten years of her life. He still does, so much that she’s moved to Florida to watch over him. When she meets her new neighbor, Harrison, she’s instantly attracted to the sexy web designer. But as their relationship heats up and Keira realizes she’s falling in love with Harrison, she’s afraid there’s no future for them. The dark secrets of Liam’s past can’t be hidden away, especially when those secrets lead to murder…

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Kept Me Guessing – Review for The Second Man by Emelle Gamble @EmelleGamble

I think Emelle Gamble has some great covers and the one for The Second Man did not let me down. It is a cover that grabs my attention, and I love that the girl is dominant, yet it hints at the romance inside.

Cover by Tammy Seidik

The Second Man

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The deadly mystery of The Second Man by Emelle Gamble begins in the opening pages. I love when the author puts their hooks in me right out of the gate. I have read a couple other books by Emelle Gamble and I think each book I read keeps getting better and better.

Jill’s school reunion is coming up and her bestie, Carly, is coming home from Europe with her husband and child. There will be two more men who will arrive and create all kinds of havoc for her, a triangle…of sorts.

I have an inkling of what’s coming, but Emelle Gamble does a great job of twisting and turning things, keeping me guessing. One minute I think it’s too obvious for this guy, then I’m sure it’s him. I never really thought it was the other guy, but who then?

All the time I’m reading, the suspense builds…slowly. I know something will be happening, yet I have more to learn about the characters and their motivations before I will find out.

I like that Jill didn’t immediately climb into bed with her old love, even though she wanted to jump his bones. She gives her ex the benefit of the doubt when he comes knocking on her door, even though she wants nothing more to do with him.

I am often accused of being cynical, but I think I am a realist. Why throw your trust out there willy nilly, especially after having been burned. What’s wrong with waiting for someone to prove their trustworthiness?

I can relate to her decision making process – slow and methodical. I mull it over and anticipate all the options, just like she does.

The characters are more complex than I anticipated and it kept me guessing what their actions would be. I love when I start out thinking people and events are so predictable and the author jerks me around, hopping from suspect to suspect, unable to be sure who the guilty party is until the end. Her writing misdirected me and when I found out, it was so obvious, all I could think was, good job Emelle.

I look at the very pretty cover and think this will be more of a cozy, but as I read along, I had to change my mind. The villain will bump off anyone that gets in his way or may discover his secret.

If you are looking for a great mystery that’s heavier than a cozy, yet doesn’t have blood and guts flying off every page, The Second man by Emelle Gamble is for you.

I received an advanced reading copy of The Second Man by Emelle Gamble in exchange for my honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  Jill Farrell’s college reunion is coming up, but she wants no part of it. The man she once loved, Swedish exchange student Max Kallstrom, is rumored to be attending, but that doesn’t tempt her as Max disappeared from her life the night before the graduation, and has never been heard from since.

When her ex-husband, Andrew Denton, knocks on her door and announces he wants to make nice, and, “oh, by the way, one of their class alumni might be a murderer”, Jill’s resolve to avoid the event hardens.

Jill shuts Andrew’s efforts to reconnect down, and tries to put Max out of her mind.

And that’s that, until a second man knocks on her door, and the emotions of a time long ago overtakes her. Max Kallstrom tells Jill she’s the reason he has come to California. He asks her to please let him explain why she hasn’t heard from him for fifteen long years.

She’s willing to listen to what he has to say, but immediately realizes that her memories must guide her through a wrenching and dangerous few days. While her heart remembers a handsome young lover, she and her classmates are all different people now, and the reality of a murdered friend proves she can’t trust everyone.

What’s not so clear is if she should trust anyone . . . especially Max Kallstrom.

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.

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

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MY REVIEWS FOR EMELLE GAMBLE

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New Release – Away From The Dark by Aleatha Romig @AleathaRomig @InkSlingerPR

away-from-the-dark-fb-banner

I am a ‘cover girl’ and this is a gorgeous one. I love the vivid, eye popping colors and the girl running through a forest…can never be a good thing. 😈

romig_awayfromthedark_21942-cv-ft-v8Women are disappearing. What is happening when they step into The Light?

Nine months ago, Sara Adams awoke with no memory. The man holding her hand told her she’s a member of The Light, a tight-knit religious group led by the terrifying and charismatic Father Gabriel. As a woman in the community of The Light, her duty is to be unquestionably obedient and to submit to the will of her husband.

But as Sara’s memory starts to return and she remembers her past, she sees that everything she’s been told is a lie. The Light is an insidious and dangerous organization, and its corrupting influence reaches well beyond the confines of the remote campus where Sara is being held.

With everything at stake, Sara struggles to sort out her true memories from her indoctrination. The desire to escape consumes her, but who can she trust? And what other followers of The Light were forced into this life, brainwashed to believe they belonged? The more she remembers, the mort it becomes clear that Jacob, the man who calls himself her husband, is keeping shattering secrets of his own.

But Sara cannot flee alone, leaving innocents behind. She must fight to extinguish The Light.

AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / AUDIBLE / B&N

away-from-the-dark-woman-in-mirror

Sara

Shrill screams echoed throughout our dimly lit bedroom, accelerating my heartbeat and pulling me from the terrible nightmare. I waited for more, until the realization struck. The screams were my own.

“Jacob?” I called, my voice shaking with dread as I reached for my husband. Instead of reassurance, my fingers met cold empty sheets. He was gone—still away at another campus.

What just happened? Was it a dream?

I clung to the covers as I puffed my cheeks and slowly exhaled. While each breath helped to still the chaos, the exercise wasn’t enough.

Who am I? Who is he?

Jacob’s questions from months ago came back. They were my security. They’d worked before.

I am Sara Adams and my husband is Jacob Adams.

Pushing the images from my dream, or nightmare, away, I imagined Jacob’s comforting embrace. Slowly I threw back the down comforter and willed the cool air to soothe my perspiration-drenched skin. From the way my heart galloped in my chest, I might have been running a marathon, not sleeping.

In my sleep I’d been battling to escape a vehicle, and then an explosion of heat.
It had been a dream, I reassured myself—a nightmare. The accident I’d had, nearly nine months before, had been different. I couldn’t remember it, but I’d been told that I’d been injured and gone unconscious. In the nightmare I had been out and away from the wreckage.

I shook my head.

It seemed so real.

In my dream I hadn’t been able to see past the darkness, yet I’d known I wasn’t injured.
My arms surrounded my midsection as the memories replayed like pictures in my mind. Someone was hurting me—purposely harming me, and there was a voice—a deep voice.

Jacob’s voice?

No. He wouldn’t hurt me.

My entire body shuddered as goose bumps peppered my skin. Sitting upright, I reached for the bedside lamp. With trembling fingers I turned the knob and my eyes adjusted as the soft light combined with the sun’s perpetual summer glow.

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on Jacob’s questions.

Who am I? Who is he?

This time I said the words aloud, praying that if I spoke the truth, the images would disappear. “I am Sara Adams. He is my husband, Jacob Adams.” I pulled myself from the bed and walked to the bathroom. Turning on the light and the faucet, I cupped the cool water and splashed my face. As I reached for the cup and began to fill it, a metaphoric dam that had been constructed to hold back my past burst.

My mind was flooded—no longer with simple images, but with scene after scene.

For the first time since I could recall, I knew the woman in the mirror.

I knew me.

Into the LightBook 1: Into the Light

An investigator’s search for a friend draws her into a world darker than she could have imagined.

Sara Adams awakes bling, unable to remember the most basic details of her life, but her darkness seems a blessing when she discovers the terrors of The Light.

Stella Montgomery investigates the news on the mean streets of Detroit, where she’s noticed a disturbing trend: young women are vanishing. When her best friend disappears, Stella investigates—despite warnings from her police detective boyfriend—following a twisted trail that leads her through the city’s most dangerous and forsaken precincts. There she uncovers something more sinister than she could have imagined: a shadowy organization known as The Light, led by the enigmatic Father Gabriel.

As Sara struggles to understand her place in these strange world she’s awakened to—an oppressive cult demanding unquestioning obedience—and her feelings for Jacob, the husband she can’t recall and whose harsh and tender attentions confuse and beguile her, Stella risks all to discover the truth. But enlightenment always comes with a price…

AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / AUDIBLE / B&N

aleatharomig1Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raise three children with her high school sweetheart and husband or nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. The standalone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.

In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romance with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK will be published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / AUDIBLE / BLOG / GOODREADS / PINTEREST / NEWSLETTER

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FREE Romantic Suspense at its Finest – Toni Anderson’s Cold Justice Series @toniannanderson

If you love romantic suspense or if you’re a Criminal Minds junkie, you have got to get your hands on Toni Anderson’s Cold Justice series! Both incredibly sexy and suspenseful, this series is a must-read. Find out about the fifth book in this stand-a-lone series, COLD IN THE SHADOWS, below!


ColdintheShadows_ToniAnderson_FINALAbout COLD IN THE SHADOWS

2016 Booksellers’ Best Awards Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

CIA Officer Patrick Killion is on a secret mission to hunt down the ruthless female assassin hired to kill the Vice President of the United States. The trail leads him to the Colombian rainforest and an earnest biologist, Audrey Lockhart, whose work on poison dart frogs gives her access to one of the deadliest substances on earth—the same substance used to murder the VP.

When Audrey is attacked by the local drug cartel, Killion steps in and hustles her out of harm’s way, determined to find out what she knows. His interrogation skills falter somewhere between saving her life and nursing her back to health as he realizes she’s innocent, and he ends up falling for her. Audrey has a hard time overlooking the fact that Killion kidnapped her, but if she wants to get her life back and track down the bad guys, she has to trust him. Then someone changes the rules of their cat and mouse game and now they’re the ones being hunted—by a cold-blooded killer who is much closer than they think.

Add COLD IN THE SHADOWS to your Goodreads list here!

Get your hands on COLD IN THE SHADOWS:

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Read an excerpt from COLD IN THE SHADOWS:

According to Patrick Killion’s favorite data analyst at the Agency, he was a half-inch short of being the perfect romance hero. As long as the inch she was talking about was his height and not his dick, he didn’t give a rat’s ass.

Today, at a measly five foot eleven and a half inches, he towered above the locals. His height, combined with his sun-bleached blond hair, meant he definitely did not blend in with the Colombian population. He didn’t bother to try.

The CIA dealt in threat assessment and probability levels, manipulation and human intel. Lockhart’s appearance, expertise, hidden Cayman Island bank account, and the fact she was in the right place at the right time for Vice President Ted Burger’s murder, made her his number one suspect. So, despite FBI ASAC Lincoln Frazer telling him to back off yesterday, he was still following her. He couldn’t walk away.

Last night he’d shaken the tree to see what fell out.

He ignored the twinge to his conscience. He’d been a little rough. He hadn’t wanted to risk her getting the drop on him. He had given her a get-out-of-jail-free pass and probably saved her life—that should count for something.

Except she hadn’t behaved as she should have. She hadn’t called her employer. She hadn’t grabbed a bag and run. Instead she’d reported the assault to the local cops and had gone in to work today. Maybe she’d been busy destroying evidence or delaying until the last possible moment before she made a mad dash for some small private airfield. Maybe she was overconfident about her abilities. Or maybe she was innocent.

It was the last “maybe” that bothered him.

As he stood in line for a ticket to the ecological park, a pretty redhead in a strappy top and high-heels eyed his neon orange T-shirt and red plaid shorts with a distasteful grimace. He’d committed a class-A felony and the fashion police were about to convict.

“Airline lost my luggage.” Killion raised his palms in a pitiful shrug, putting enough misery into his travel-worn appearance that the woman’s expression immediately shifted from disgust to empathy.

“That blows. How long ago?”

“Two days now. They swear they’ll get it to me sometime today—”

She gave a disbelieving snort. “Yeah, they once lost my luggage on a trip to Mexico and by the time it arrived I was getting on the plane home. Worse, they refused to reimburse all the clothes I needed to buy…”

Off she went, and he was in. Phase one of this mission accomplished. He walked into the conservatory as part of a group of American tourists, rather than as a single white guy traveling alone. They milled loosely about, looking at Lepidoptera specimens that fluttered about like giant-sized pieces of confetti.

A family of seven—five women who all looked like they’d rather be at the mall, an older man, and a teen who read every piece of information like he was cramming for a test. Killion stayed close to the stacked redhead because he looked like the kind of guy who’d stay close to a stacked redhead, but he also chatted to the others in the group, gleaning information. They were down from Florida, visiting family over Christmas. The Americans had arrived in a large minivan with an armed driver, but the driver stayed with the vehicle so they weren’t too worried about security. In this country, staying in one spot for any length of time meant you attracted attention—and not the, “Oh my, don’t you have pretty eyes” kind of attention.

It wasn’t a good thing.

Hot sun bore down on the forest canopy that shaded the ecological park. The small interpretive center affiliated with the Amazon Research Institute attracted local schools as well as the occasional tourist, but it was Monday, January 5 and schools were closed until after Epiphany. The place was deserted except for this little band of intrepid explorers. The ground steamed and sweat beaded on his skin as his adopted people wandered slowly from enclosure to enclosure. A rivulet of perspiration soaked into his shirt.

A huge yellow butterfly drifted over his head and landed on a piece of cut fruit on the feeder tray. The redhead barely contained her squeal of excitement and took twenty pictures with her little point-and-shoot. Killion’s point-and-shoot dug into his spine and held fourteen rounds. Their group finally headed into the amphibian enclosure where decaying damp earth mixed with traces of ammonia, and the musk of rotten leaves.

Welcome to the jungle.

His new friend grabbed his arm, pointed. “Aren’t they cute!” A minuscule, neon-yellow frog was stuck on the side of a glass tank.

“They may look cute”—said a familiar voice with just the barest hint of a Kentucky twang—“but one golden poison dart frog contains enough toxin to kill ten-to-twenty grown men.” Dr. Lockhart wore spectacles on a string around her neck and reminded him of the class nerd—the one all the guys had secretly lusted after but had been too intimidated to ask out on a date. The professor had unusual violet-blue eyes that showed clear signs of a sleepless night. He would have felt guilty, but more than one person had told him he was a heartless bastard who didn’t have a conscience. A sociopath by any other name.

He didn’t give a shit, so they were probably right. Hell, she should be thanking him. Being tied up and threatened sure beat the hell out of a trip to a Black Camp or a lifetime in prison—and those were the more civilized options.

Audrey Lockhart wore ubiquitous jeans over Birkenstocks and a tight white tank top that molded her breasts in a way that left little to Killion’s undeniably vivid imagination, all topped off with a thin purple shirt that she left open. She wasn’t carrying a weapon—unless she had a frog in her pocket. “I’m Dr. Lockhart, I study anurans and my specialty is the familyDendrobatidae—poison dart frogs.”

For all intents and purposes she appeared to be exactly what she said. A scientist, dedicated to her research. He rarely trusted appearances. That’s what data analysts, surveillance, and background checks were for—not to mention interrogation.

“I thought captive ones weren’t poisonous?” Killion pointed to a little guy about an inch long that was sitting at a precarious angle on a large green leaf. The creatures didn’t look real—they looked like miniature plastic toys. They certainly didn’t look like the deadliest creatures on the planet. He placed his hand lightly on the redhead’s back, and she sank against him, proving her taste in men was as terrible as his taste in clothes.

The professor’s eyes ran over him and his new squeeze, then away, dismissing him as just another tourist.

She didn’t recognize him from last night. There was no obvious guile in her gaze. No deception.

“You’re right in that individuals bred in captivity have no toxicity, but these specimens were pulled straight from the nearby rainforest where they are endemic and, trust me, you wouldn’t survive a close encounter.” Her voice was husky, sexy enough to raise his awareness of her as a female rather than a target.

He’d always had a thing for voices. And nerds.

She continued, growing more serious, “It takes years for them to lose their toxicity, and even touching a paper-towel that has been in contact with the skin of these particular individuals can kill you. They are extremely dangerous.”

“Death by frog.” His smirk didn’t reach his eyes. “Bet that ain’t pretty.”

The redhead laughed. The professor did not.

“We’re very careful how we handle them.” She looked stern now, like she was the teacher and he was the naughty schoolboy. And there was his vivid imagination going nuts again.

“Have you ever seen someone die after touching one?” asked his new friend.

“Thankfully, no.” The professor’s gaze was open and sincere.

What did he expect? Skull and crossbones instead of pupils? He’d been with the Company long enough to spot an operative with one quick glance, but this woman was an enigma. Either she was an incredible actress, or he was way off base in his assessment of the facts. Hell, maybe she was just another enviro-nut trying to save the planet—or, in this case, frogs.

“Do they taste like chicken?” he joked.

Those violet-blue eyes flashed. “I don’t know,” she bit out. “Would you like to try one?”

Ouch.

Her fiery response was hot as hell, but obviously she didn’t appreciate his sense of humor—he’d been told it was an acquired taste. He didn’t look away, instead used the opportunity to study her carefully. Her gaze was determined, but he could see fear at the edges—from the scare he gave her last night? Or did she live in constant fear, waiting for her time between the crosshairs? He didn’t figure being an assassin was particularly good for your long-term health. Someone, somewhere was always trying to tie up loose ends.

The information he had on Lockhart was solid, but facts didn’t necessarily add up to truth—something he’d learned during his time in Iraq. He needed to dig deeper, get closer. But didn’t dare tip her off. Hence his little tourist trip today. Like Lockhart with her frogs, he wanted to study her in her natural environment.

“Aren’t you scared, working with them?” His new friend asked in a voice that was as thin and high as her heels. “I mean, what if one hopped on you?”

“I’m more scared of people than I am of frogs.” Sadness touched one side of the biologist’s stern mouth.

Join the club, sister.

“I’d be terrified.” The woman shuddered beneath his palm and relaxed back into him. He removed his hand. God, he hated using people, and yet he was so fucking good at it.

“What d’you feed ’em?” He searched for questions a normal tourist would ask, rather than “do you stay and watch your targets die, or do you take off early to avoid traffic?”

“Ants, beetles, some plant material. We go out and forage in the jungle for fresh food every few days,” the professor told him.

“You go into the rainforest alone? Aren’t you scared of being kidnapped?” he asked.

K&R was a lucrative business throughout South and Central America, as well as many Middle-Eastern countries. One of his best friends was a former SAS soldier who worked full-time as a negotiator for the families of kidnap victims. This was prime territory for those who liked to extort a little extra pocket money with relatively low investment, so why was Dr. Lockhart immune? Were the local bad guys more scared of her than she was of them? Was she connected in some way? None of his sources had any information on the professor that he hadn’t already gleaned for himself.

“I don’t go into the jungle alone.” Lockhart’s gaze skewered him, seriously questioning his intellect—he got that a lot. “I’m extremely careful, obviously, but it’s no more dangerous here than in some parts of the States. I’ve never had any trouble in the rainforest.”

She’d experienced trouble somewhere though and not just his visit last night—he could see the echo of experience in her eyes. Men like him exploited weakness like that.

“You studied these things for long?” He sought to distract her from her memories.

She made direct eye contact this time in a way that told him she didn’t like him very much. Ignoring his question, she checked her watch and called out to the others to begin her demonstration. Four o’clock on the dot.

acdp-sale

Did you know the first book in the Cold Justice series is available for free? Get your hands on A COLD DARK PLACE!

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

MY REVIEW

I love a good thriller and A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson fits the bill.From the opening pages, man’s inhumanity to man rears its ugly head. Toni wastes no time in twisting and turning the plot, surprising me early, and I love it!

Just think…there are approximately 250 serial killers doing their damage in the US each and every day. Could it be your neighbor, a cop, your doctor or even, god forbid your husband? What a creepy thought. Do we ever really know anyone?

Toni Anderson gives us a serial killer, an FBI agent, more death than you want to know about and, of course, some romance.

What makes a person a target? That’s Mallory’s question, after her twin sister is taken. She felt a part of herself was missing. She becomes an FBI agent for that reason. She comes from money and doesn’t need the job, but nothing will stop her.

Alex is an ex soldier, now working in cyber security. Mallory uses him to quiet her demons.

“So you want to get hammered and fuck me blind so you don’t have to remember.”

“Yes.”

“You like that?”

“I’m a guy. Touch my dick and I’m happy.”

No truer  words were ever spoken. 😈 

Two damaged souls with secrets they don’t want to share.

Great dialogue – serious, torturous, evil, sexy and laughable.

As things become more dangerous and complicated, I become more engrossed in a story I was already very invested in. My favorite novels are suspense/thrillers and Toni keeps the twists and turns coming, and the suspense building at a rapid pace. Criminal minds on steroids!

My only complaint is when the woman does something so utterly stupid, ya know, like going down in the basement in a horror movie. But I think most every book I read has that scenario, so maybe it’s a requirement. Doesn’t matter, because I LOVED A Cold Dark Place and found it almost impossible to put down, but my eyes were blurring and it was getting late…or should I say early. I can hardly wait to get my hands on the rest of the series!

I did not read this for review, because I got it free some time ago, but I figured this was the perfect time to share it with you. If you are not familiar with her work and are a suspense lover like me, grab it for FREE TODAY!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

About Toni Anderson

New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense novels that have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, the Top 10 in Amazon and Kobo stores, and the Top 50 in iBooks. Her novels have won many awards. A former Marine Biologist from Britain, she inexplicably ended up in the geographical center of North America, about as far from the ocean as it is possible to get. She now lives in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children and spends most of her time complaining about the weather.

Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She’s addicted to reading, dogs, tea, and chocolate.

If you want to know when Toni’s next book will be out, visit her website (http://www.toniandersonauthor.com) and sign up for her newsletter. If you want to read other fascinating stories about life in a city that, during winter, is sometimes colder than Mars, friend her on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/toniannanderson).

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Instagram | Pinterest

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Giveaway – The Soul Catcher Series by Mary Abshire @maryabshire @RoxanneRhoads

Claiming the Evil Dead
Soul Catcher
Book 1
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: December 28, 2015
ISBN: 9781772336528
ASIN: B019YIILU4
Number of pages: 303
Word Count: 99,845
Book Description:
An evil vampire preying upon children is on the loose in Chicago. Destroying him isn’t enough. Half-demon Jessie Garrett wants to send his soul where it belongs…in Hell.
Jessie lives a normal life—office worker by day and paranormal investigator on the side. She keeps her true nature and unique gift hidden. When a vampire approaches her with knowledge of her ability, her world starts to change. Drake, a member of Vampires for the Ethical Treatment of Other Vampires, propositions her for a job.
Although Jessie doesn’t trust him, she can’t turn down the opportunity to serve the ultimate justice to an evil vampire. Trying to capture the devout killer comes with a few complications. But as she partners with Drake she learns not all bloodsuckers are bad and discovers the cold-blooded vamp is a temptation too difficult to resist.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt  Claiming the Evil Dead:
“Jessie Garrett,” he said, capturing my attention. “Twenty-four, single, computer technician, paranormal investigator…” He paused and directed his attention from the road to me.
I stared back at him and waited for him to say the word.
“Demon,” he finished.
“That’s not on my birth certificate.”
His lips twitched. “You’re a mystery to me.”
“Let’s keep it that way.”
I shifted one leg over the other. From my peripheral vision, I saw him watching me. I wore a knee-length black skirt with small, blue floral designs and three-inch black sandals. I’d selected the skirt thinking I would stay cooler. Now that I realized I had exposed my bare legs to his eyes, I wished I’d worn jeans.
“I have met a few demons in my existence, and I have to admit that none compare to you.”
I silently chuckled. What a sweet compliment. Maybe he had a warm personality hidden within that cold body of his. Maybe.
“Tell me, Jessie Garrett, where have you been hiding all these years?”
“You followed me and seem to know a lot about me. Why don’t you tell me?” I crossed my arms.
“How about a deal?”
“Another one?”
“Consider it an exchange. You tell me about yourself, and I’ll tell you whatever you want  to know about me.”
His proposal appealed to me. Since I was stuck in a car with him for the next three hours, and I had limited knowledge of vampires, why not cash in on a golden opportunity to learn more about him?
“Okay,” I said with a shrug. “But I get to ask the first question.”
He grinned. “Always a concession with you.”
I flashed a smile at him. He should have known that bargaining with a demon was never easy.

 

Catching an Evil Tail
Soul Catcher
Book 2
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: February 26, 2016
ISBN: 9781772337464
ASIN: B01C2A2IO6
Word Count: 84,720
Book Description:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett longs to liberate herself from the debt she owes the demon yearning to seduce her. When Jeremy asks for her help, she jumps at the chance to make a new deal with him—one that will guarantee her freedom. The only catch? She has to send the soul of a werewolf to Hell.
As if Jessie didn’t have enough trouble in her life, her vampire lover remains out of the country. After Drake fails to offer an explanation as to why he hasn’t returned, she starts to wonder if she should move on without him. But when he finally shows up and defends his absence, his justification stuns and terrifies her.
Love, trust, and loyalty are on the line. Torn between her feelings for her vampire boyfriend, a hot Alpha wolf, and a demon vowing to protect her, Jessie must figure out her heart’s true desires and the best course of action to stay alive.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Catching an Evil Tail:
I sat on the floor of my fancy suite with my back against the sofa, drinking my third bottle of expensive vodka. One minute, I hated the world and everyone, especially men. The next, I wanted to ball my eyes out over being alone. Remote in one hand and
bottle in the other, I flipped through the channels, searching for something violent, something horrific, or something that would appease my inner demon. One thing I knew for sure was that I hated Jeremy.
The time on the news channel showed it was past 1:00 a.m. Thanks to my pity party, I’d drowned into a world I hadn’t seen in a long time—not since college when Christopher and I split. Men—couldn’t live with them and couldn’t live without them. And
turning into a lesbian wouldn’t work for me. I needed a man to hold me, kiss me, and love me in the most passionate way. Why couldn’t I find such a man?
I gulped down another fourth of the bottle. The fiery liquor raised my temperature. Sweat beaded on my face and neck. As I lowered the bottle to my side, everything in the room started spinning while all worries and cares drifted away. Hell yeah, I was feeling damn good!
Hearing the click of the adjoining room door, I turned my head. The room spun,  but I managed to see two figures. They headed toward me.
“Wanna drink?” I held up the bottle as an offering. Two seconds later, I withdrew my offer. Screw sharing.
Jeremy squatted at my side. His body moved sideways and I busted out in laughter.
“Are we in an earthquake?” The words came out slurred.
“Is she drunk?” the man behind Jeremy asked.
I leaned sideways to get a look at the man, only my control didn’t exist and I nearly
crashed into the floor until Jeremy caught me. I laughed, then recognized the person behind Jeremy.
“Hey, I know you,” I said, pointing the bottle toward Ryan. “You’re Jeremy’s werewolf friend. Here, wolfie-wolfie.”
“How much has she had?” the werewolf asked.
Jeremy jerked the bottle from my hand.
“Hey, that’s mine.” I reached for it.
The room tilted and everything moved so fast that I gave up trying to reclaim my bottle before I could fell face-first on the floor.
“Here.” I pushed two empty bottles toward him. “You can have these, too. I don’t want them anymore.”
“Damn!” Ryan shouted. “I don’t think we should have left her alone.”
I giggled. “I had a great time.” I slapped my hand on my thigh. “With me, myself, and I.”
Jeremy’s fingers grazed my cheek as he brushed aside the hair from my face. “Where did you get the liquor?”
“Your fingers are so warm.” The snake tattoo on his arm captured my gaze.
He lifted my chin so my eyes met his. “Where did you get the bottles, Jessie?”
I drew in a deep breath. “I visited the lounge, and the manager served me a bottle. I asked if he’d sell me a couple, but he turned me down.” I jerked my chin away from him. Suddenly, the room started moving.
Jeremy put his hands on the sides of my face and brought my gaze back to his. “How did you get the bottles?”
Everything stopped spinning. “I showed him a little ass, and he sold them to me.” I smiled.
Ryan chuckled behind Jeremy, but the sound turned into a cough. “Sorry.”
I stared into Jeremy’s soft brown eyes. “You’re a fucker, Jeremy. A mean motherfucker.”
His lips pulled into a bright smile. “Now there’s the woman I love.”
I shoved him and he fell backward on his ass.
Fighting Evil
Soul Catcher
Book 3
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication:  March 15, 2016
ISBN: 9781772337747
ASIN: B01D1SF2FK
Number of pages: 271
Word Count: 86,480
Book Description:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett’s battles seem endless. While Jeremy, the demon out to win her heart, teaches her how to fight, Jessie’s relationship with her vampire lover, Drake, reaches a breaking point. Adding to her struggles, she must defend her life against a group of vampires who consider her a threat to their existence.
Held captive on a remote island with both Drake and Jeremy protecting her, she is tested in ways she’s never imagined. Jessie fights back; only her actions do more harm than good. The group offers her a choice, but no matter what she decides, her life will change forever.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Fighting Evil:
“Drake?” I gave him a questioning look with my brows closing in near my nose.
He approached me, threading his fingers through his long brown hair. His face was tight, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Dark eyes pierced me. “We need to talk.”
The tension claiming him had to be a result from my less than appropriate  appearance with Jeremy at the karate school.
“Is it about earlier?” I asked.
He stopped in front of me and gripped my shoulders. “What in God’s name were you doing without your clothes on?” His tone was deep, full of anger and concern.
“We were fighting. After he broke my neck—”
He growled, and he tightened his grip. “He broke your neck?”
“I made a stupid move—and that gave him time to remove my clothes. But when my bones healed, I beat the shit out of him. For once, I actually beat him.” I smiled, hoping Drake would find my accomplishment as worthy as I did.
The tightness in his face ebbed. “You created that bloody mess on his face?”
I lifted a shoulder. “He made me angry when he tried to take advantage of me.”
A smile spread across Drake’s face. “I hope I never make you that angry.”
“Don’t give me a reason, and you won’t have to worry.” Grinning, I recalled times when he had made me angry. After we’d first met, the ancient vamp and I had many communication issues. Add my lack of trust and our relationship went beyond tense. Yet, somehow, we worked out our problems and fell madly in love, a feat I never would have thought possible two months ago.
Drake’s gaze honed in on my mouth. He touched my chin and gently glided his thumb over my bottom lip, the repeatedly busted one. “I can heal this for you.” His voice was as soft as his touch and made my insides quiver.
My eyes drooped. “No, he’ll know.”
Slowly, he slid his hand down my arm, spawning an increase of goose flesh. “Are you saying we can’t even kiss now?”
Oh, I wanted to kiss his soft lips, enjoy the touch of his playful tongue, and feel his cool embrace wrapped around me. I hated we had to pretend we weren’t lovers. “Maybe when the cut is healed.” Denying a simple kiss felt worse than any hit or broken bone.
Drake wrapped his arms around me and crushed me to him. His energy passed through me in a peaceful wave. “My heart and soul long to be with you.”

 

I hugged him with all the strength I had while I breathed in his rosemary cedar wood scent. On the outside, his body was cool and solid, pleasing to my feverish flesh.  Inside, passionate love filled him. I wanted to hold onto him and his love forever. “You have no idea how much I want to forget about everything and just be alone with you.”
 
Love Conquers All Evil
Soul Catcher
Book 4
Mary Abshire
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: April 21, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338188
ASIN: B01EK4A916
Number of pages: 304
Word Count: 97,650
Book Description:
Hiding from the VETOV, Jessie and Drake move to a small town in Alaska—home to humans, demons, and werewolves. They soon discover a serial killer is on the loose and it’s a demon stealing good souls. Jessie longs to end the fiend’s rampage so she can send his soul to Hell. But finding the murderer won’t be easy, especially after she bumps into a werewolf who had kidnapped and tried to kill her.
Jessie reaches out to Alan, the Alpha she’d helped in Arizona. Alan and Drake work together to eliminate the threat against Jessie, but removing the werewolf may come with a steep price.
Over a roller coaster ride of events, Jessie battles for survival and her soul.
Through all her struggles, she maintains a feverish love for Drake. On Christmas Eve, he presents Jessie with a surprise. Eternity never looked better for the half-demon soul catcher.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt  Love Conquers All Evil:
Lightly biting my tongue, I paced in the room. A violent demon stabbed people, then stole their souls and money. Why would a person—no, a demon—do such a thing? How long had they been killing? Did they just start, or was it an addiction? And why weren’t people fighting back? Was the demon taking their souls first? No, that couldn’t be the answer since the demon stabbed some of the victims in the back.
“You still have not told me what is on your mind,” Drake said.
I stopped pacing near the door. “I’m thinking about the kind of demons who steal
souls.”
“You know what I am talking about,” he said, smiling. “Our agreement from earlier. You owe me an answer and I intend to get it.”
Get it? Oh, I could give it, but why not make him work for it? “And I seem to recall
telling you to give me what I want and I will tell you. Well, Mr. Dark Eyes, you still owe me.”
“Mr. Dark Eyes?” Drake slowly rose from the chair. “I owe you?”
I took a step back, placing myself in the doorway. Any closer and I’d run. He’d have to catch me and work for the answer.
“I fulfilled my obligation,” he said, his head slightly tilted to the side. His pupils swelled.
I licked my lips. “Only to an extent. We were interrupted.”
“You are teasing me.” He took a step toward me.
Grinning, I darted down the hall, then raced down the stairs. Footsteps came fast behind me. I had no hope of escaping him, but that was all part of the fun. And he knew it.
Drake caught me two steps past the staircase. He picked me up and my legs flew in front of me. He carried me into the bedroom, all while I laughed, screamed a little, and wriggled in his arms. Reaching the bed, he let go and I fell onto the soft mattress.
I quickly twisted around to face him. Below his curled upper lip, two sharp teeth said hello. Amusement played on his face. He grabbed my legs and yanked me toward him.
“Do you refuse to tell me after we agreed—”
“Refuse is such a strong word. I don’t refuse. I simply want something in return,” I
said with a playful smile.
He lowered his body over mine, then rubbed his solid cock against me. Damn, he felt so good and ready.
“I intend to get my answer,” he said before he pressed his lips to mine. He kissed me tenderly.
I raked my fingers through his soft hair, brushing it away from his face. “Show me how badly you want it.”

 

After a quick tug, my shorts came off. He showed me how much he wanted my answer, repeatedly, until my body was sore, throbbing with ecstasy, and totally exhausted.
 
 
Freedom From the Evil Dead
Soul Catcher
Book 5
Mary Abshire                
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: May 18, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338577
ASIN: B01FTR0J4U
Number of pages: 269
Word Count: 87,790
Book Description:
Drake and Jessie have spent a few years hiding from the group of vampires who believe she is a threat to their existence. When Drake learns the organization may be willing to negotiate, he decides to take a chance and meet with them. For over three years, Jessie waits for her vampire lover to return. She fears the worst and seeks to locate him from the only man who can help her.
Jessie bargains with Jeremy, the demon she turned away so long ago. But locating Drake comes with many sacrifices. After Jeremy nearly pays with his life, Jessie takes matters into her own hands. Willing to surrender her own existence, she leaves to free Drake.
Through great heartache and suffering, Jessie struggles to survive. Fury gives her strength and she vows revenge. Given freedom and a chance to live a normal life she’s always dreamed, Jessie must decide her future.
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt Freedom From the Evil Dead:
Jeremy poured more vodka. “I missed our days of drinking together. We had some good times.” He set the bottle upright.
I stared at the glass. “You know I wouldn’t be here unless I needed your help. I’m putting your life in danger by coming here.”
“Yeah, well…” He gave a casual shrug with one of his shoulders. “I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for blue-eyed half-demons.”
I almost chuckled. Almost, then I grabbed the shot and downed it. The fluid warmed me again.
“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m quite capable of handling any vampires,” he said.
“The skill is a handy one.” I nodded.
He chuckled. “Nice choice of words.” He crossed his arms. “Now tell me what I can help you with.”
I breathed in deeply. “I want you to help me find Drake.”
The amusement on his face disappeared. “Seriously?”
“I don’t know if he’s alive—”
“He’s been dead for several centuries,” he interrupted, and I paused.
“I need proof he’s still here or…not. No pictures. No videos. I need to see with my own eyes if they destroyed him, or if they’re holding him hostage. If they are keeping him against his will, then I want him freed. And if they did destroy him…” I paused to gather more air. “I want them extinguished. And if by all means possible, I want to send their souls to Hell.”
Jeremy stared calmly at me, then he rose. He started pacing. “Let me get this  straight. You want me to help you find your old lover, whom I despise. And if he’s been burned to ashes, you want me to help you get revenge.” He stopped to look at me.
“In a nutshell, yes.”
He chuckled as he grabbed the bottle and filled the glass. “Not only am I risking  my life, I would be putting others in danger.”
“I realize this.” The notion of harm to other people bothered me greatly and I vowed to minimize the risk as much as possible. But ultimately, I realized someone could get hurt, or worse.
He took the shot fast, then set the glass on the counter. “Then you know this will cost you.”
I lowered my gaze as I nodded. “I know.”
He rubbed his hand over his mouth, then scratched his cheek. “What do think?  Should I shave?”
I gave him a quizzical look. How could ask me such unimportant questions when we were in the middle of a serious matter?
“I…I don’t know. It looks good on you.”
“You think? Doesn’t it make me look older though?” He sat on the stool.
I shook my head, disliking his pettiness. “So what if it does? It looks fine on you.”
“So you like it?”
I tossed my hands up. “Yes. Yes. Can we get on with negotiations, please?”
He grinned and slowly dragged his gaze down to my chest. I rolled my eyes. It was only a matter of time before his naughty mind would start working.

 

 

 
The Evil Next Door
Soul Catcher
Book 6
Mary Abshire      
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: June 13, 2016
ISBN: 9781772338898
ASIN: B01GZLO9BI
Number of pages: 220
Word Count: 69,820
Blurb/Book Description: Jessie is enjoying life as she settles into her new home with Jeremy in New Mexico. She’s ready to fulfill her agreement with the demon, but the doctor delays her plans. While she continues to recover from her ordeal with the VETOV, she learns women on the Indian reservation next door are being abused, raped, and sometimes murdered. Jessie starts her own investigation and with the help of a Chief, she’s able to trace years of mistreatment to three men.
But Jeremy doesn’t want her risking her life. Seeking to protect her, he pleads with her to let him handle the issue. Tension between the two escalates as she takes matters into her own hands. When he proves his devotion to her in ways she never imagined, she discovers her true feelings for the demon. Together, will they be able to end the violence toward women on the reservation?
Evernight Publishing    Amazon   ARe    BN
Excerpt The Evil Next Door:
The screen door squealed before we reached the kitchen. Jeremy stepped inside, then closed the front door.
“Is everything okay now?” I asked as I approached him.
He secured the lock before he faced me. “I don’t want you investigating this matter anymore.”
Staring at him, I felt as if I’d been punched in the gut. “Have you no compassion  for those women?”
“I do, but your life means more to me.”
His response didn’t surprise me given the extremes he’d taken to save me and  provide me a good life. But his excuse still angered me.
“I can’t stop. Those women need help.”
“Not from you.”
“Then who?” I asked in an elevated tone while I threw up my arms. “The police don’t do anything. Nobody helps them. Women are—”
“Stop,” he said loudly. “I will not let you get involved. You are mine to protect and I will do it as I see fit.”
His words lit a fire within me. I wouldn’t stand by and let him tell me what to do. Did he think he could control me because I didn’t have any money, a job, or any friends outside his circle? I didn’t have any of those things, but I was alive and free. While I would honor our deal, I would not allow him to push me around. And I refused to be treated like a glass doll. Temper shooting through the roof, I balled my hands and stepped toward him.
“You do not own me. I own my life and my soul. Not you.” Fury strengthened my voice. Staring into his eyes, I moved closer and he stepped back. “If you think for one second you can control me, think again.” He bumped into the door and I stood inches from him. “I am not afraid of you.”
His eyes widened as realization slapped him in the face. He grabbed hold of my arms, then spun me around until my back hit the door. Before I could take my next breath, he covered my mouth with his. The kiss stunned me and I didn’t want it. I was too outraged. Then, he claimed my tongue and sucked on it. I tried to ignore the intensity of his desire and pushed my hands on his chest. He wouldn’t budge. He took hold of my wrists, then pinned them to the door. Body pressed to mine, he rubbed his groin against my belly. My nipples hardened while heat swelled within me. The feel of his solid erection transformed my anger in a flash. When he pushed his length against me again, I wanted nothing more than to have him buried deep inside me.
I moaned under his kiss while I struggled to breathe. My fight to stop him quickly ended, but he continued to pin me to the door. Body wet with need, I yearned for him. He
stroked my tongue and I returned the same care. He let go of my wrists, then slid one of his hands between us. While he sought to touch me, I did the same to him. I slipped my hand into his sweat pants and quickly found my prize. It was thick and hard and I never wanted to let go.

 

About the Author:
Mary lives in Indiana and is a lifetime lover of the paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy. When she’s not slaving away at her government job or binge watching TV, she creates fantastical worlds with vampires, demons, werewolves, angels, and other supernatural creatures. Dive into her books and find action, suspense, a dash of mystery, and seductive men with passionate hearts.
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GIVEAWAY

$15 Amazon Gift Card

3 winners total. Each winner can select ONE book from the series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A Tag Team Giveaway Event – Suicide Lake by Ashley Fontainne @AshleyFontainne

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Welcome to a Tag Team Tag Team Event & Giveaway!

This is where myself (Sherry at fundinmental) and Laura at fuonlyknew tag team authors and their books.

We share our reviews and giveaways, giving you two views and two chances to win!

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I am a huge fan of Ashley Fontainne’s and I am always eagerly awaiting whatever she comes up with next. That being said…check out Suicide Lake and the fantastic giveaway at the end of the post.

What a vibrant and gorgeous cover by One of a Kind.

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Ashley Fontainne is a MUST READ bestselling author, to me, so…when Suicide Lake came up for grabs, I was all over it! I like a little romance with my murder, so Suicide Lake held all the must haves for me. Another hit not to be missed for all mystery/thriller readers.

Poor Renee.

Such a dark and dismal life. She has finally given up. As I read about her, I thought I might even be tempted to walk out on that beautiful dock, check out the heavily polluted water, think about all the suicides that have happened before…and dived in myself.

Ironic that a dead body would save her.

The small town must have a “dick” for a sheriff. Isn’t that mandatory? LOL

I get angry for her. It’s not like she doesn’t try. No education, bad situations and  bad choices can take control of our lives, don’t you think? I am very suspicious when she is offered a job at the mayor’s office.

Ashley Fontainne has a way of stringing me along, letting me become complacent, thinking all is good…then BAM…she kicks my teeth in… my heart beats faster and fear and suspense build to an almost unmanageable level. Her endings are the cherry on top of the sundae.

My only complaint…I am so spoiled by her novels that start with action at a fever pitch and go from beginning to end, fell a little flat in Suicide Lake. The first half of the novel seemed a bit slow and not up to her usual standards. Could this be me? Could it be my mood at the time of reading? Does that ever happen to you?

Doesn’t matter, Ashley Fontainne and Suicide Lake rocked and I expected no less.

I received a copy of Suicide Lake from Ashley Fontainne in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 STARS

AMAZON BLURB:  Those who have secrets…

Renee Thornton is on the brink of despair, ready to take a final plunge and join the other tragic souls at the bottom of Bradford Lake—known to locals as Suicide Lake.

Beneath the murky waters…

Her plans change when she’s startled back to reality after a body brushes up against her from the depths below. Terrified, Renee runs away and slams into her old flame Cliff Simpson, a deputy with Whitten County Sheriff’s Department.

Will stop at nothing…

Strange events unfurl after the discovery of the corpse. Renee and Cliff find themselves caught up in a web of lies, deceit, and mystery.

To keep them hidden…

Now instead of being able to slip away silently and become another anonymous statistic, Renee finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. Is Cliff her ally or enemy? Who can she trust? What other secrets will rise to the surface?

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.

Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, which released in June of 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

GIVEAWAY

Ashley Fontainne always has great giveaways. Check it out:

  • 2 ebook copies
  • 2 signed paperbacks copies
  • 2 audio books copies

To enter, all you have to do is answer the question:

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A DEAD BODY? WOULD YOU WANT TO?

FOR A SECOND REVIEW OPINION AND CHANCE TO WIN THE GIVEAWAY, VISIT LAURA AT fuonlyknew.

Giveaway will run 7/22/16 – 8/3/16.

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  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!.

Ashley Fontainne’s writing is so spectacular, I am always anticipating the next book I will read of hers. Here are my reviews…so far:

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Giveaway & Review for Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman @candacemom2two

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Welcome to the blog tour for Falling for Sarah and Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman! The tour runs July 1-29 with reviews, excerpts, interviews and guest posts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Falling for Sarah is only 0.99 cents for a limited time!

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About SAVING SOPHIE:

Jewelry designer Sophie Burke has fled Maine for the anonymity of the big city. She’s starting over with a job she tolerates and a grungy motel room she calls home on the wrong side of town, but anything is better than the nightmare she left behind.

Stone McCabe is Ethan Cooke Security’s brooding bad boy more interested in keeping to himself than anything else—until the gorgeous blond with haunted violet eyes catches his attention late one rainy night.

Stone reluctantly gives Sophie a hand only to quickly realize that the shy beauty with the soft voice and pretty smile has something to hide. Tangled up in her secrets, Stone offers Sophie a solution that has the potential to free her from her problems once and for all—or jeopardize both of their lives.

MY REVIEW

WOW, on the edge of my seat, white knuckled reading. Action from the beginning to the end for Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman. This is the seventh book in the stand alone series and I didn’t find anything lacking by reading out of order, though now that I have read it I would have loved to have started at the beginning.

Eric is a wife beating bully…worse than the scum on the bottom of the pond. He knows just how to beat Sophie without it showing. I was only 7% in and ready to jump into my Kindle and beat the crap out of him myself! I love a book that gets my blood pumping and my emotions raging.

With the help of her only friend, Dylan, Sophie’s making a run for it.

The storyline is predictable…a damsel in distress and a hunky hero meet and fall in love. Sophie finds a janitor job at Cooke Security where Stone works. Of course, they will hook up, but the twists and turns, with the wonderful peripheral characters bring the story to life in a fantastic way that keep me reading…and reading…and reading…

Being with Stone, Sophie began to feel safe, able to trust a man again. Even though they are quickly thrown together, their relationship develops slowly, each enjoying the small things they learn about each other and do for each other. There will be some communication issues, but isn’t that real life?

A sense of danger and suspense lurks in the back of my mind, even as I get all warm and fuzzy with Sophie and Stone. Sometimes I almost forgot about HIM, though I know they will meet again, because Eric is pissed and he wants Sophie to pay. I can hardly wait until Stone meets him. LOL

At 39%, Cate threw a twist in there I didn’t see coming. Great job. I can hardly wait to see what other surprises are in store for me. All the juicy details and pacing kept the suspense at a high level, whether dealing with their relationship or the upcoming face to face meeting with Eric.

When Stone asked Sophie to kiss him, I almost melted into my lounger. So sweet and sexy.

My eyes teared up when I came to the happy ever after, even though I knew it was coming. That just shows me how fantastic the writing is and Cate Beauman’s ability to bring her characters to life make me totally invested in their outcome.

Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman contains everything required for a top of the line romantic suspense novel: passion, love, danger and death.

I received a copy of Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars


About FALLING FOR SARAH:

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Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she’s found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood’s A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee… until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss.

Sarah’s world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband’s memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won’t stop until he has what he prizes most.

CLICK HERE FOR MY REVIEW OF FALLING FOR SARAH

Only 0.99 for a limited time!

About the Author:

International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards.Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack.

Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.

For information on Cate’s new releases, monthly giveaways, and upcoming events, sign up for her newsletter at: http://www.catebeauman.com/author/home.html#!newsletter-sign-up/c9td

 

GIVEAWAY:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends August 3rd
Prizing is provided by the authors, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook 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!

To read in order:

While reading the series in order is recommended, it is not necessary. Each story is a stand alone title featuring new primary characters with limited overlapping secondary characters. Click the highlighted link below to check them out:

Book Eleven: Deceiving Bella, the story of Isabella and Reed (In production)

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Giveaway & Review for Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman @candacemom2two

Welcome to the blog tour for Falling for Sarah and Saving Sophie by Cate Beauman!  The tour runs July 1-29 with reviews, excerpts, interviews and guest posts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Falling for Sarah is only 0.99 cents for a limited time!

 

About FALLING FOR SARAH:

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Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she’s found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood’s A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee… until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss.

Sarah’s world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband’s memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won’t stop until he has what he prizes most.

MY REVIEW

Cate Beauman is a master storyteller, so I was very happy to have the chance to read Falling for Sarah. The rollercoaster romance with the lingering danger has captivated me.

Sarah has a new baby and her hubby will be home from deployment soon. Ethan, who owns Cooke Security, has been there to fill the gap until he returns. As he changes Kylee’s diaper, while Sarah showers, he talks to himself.

“This stuff’s like cement. I’d rather be in an alley with three Uzis pointed at my head.”

Paints a pretty sexy picture in my head. 😉 ,the macho man afraid of breaking the baby.

Then…their world came crashing down. My heart broke for Sarah.

I saw the conflict coming.   Sexual attraction and frustration. How long can they stay apart? Sarah and Ethan struggle to work through their feelings of doubt over moving on after the death of her husband, not wanting to lose their best friend. I want to slap them both upside the head with their on again off again, yes and no affair. Just get over yourselves. At times, I felt it went on a bit too long, but when you think about real life, how often have we all flipflopped over a difficult decision. I know I have.

A serial rapist is running rampant in her neighborhood and we all know where that will take us, but what a ride! Have you ever felt the hairs raising on the back of your neck, your spidey sense tingling, telling you someone is watching?

HE’s furious that he can’t get to her. All the serial killer cliches apply as he escalates to a fever pitch. He is obsessed, making plans for their special day. His sick and twisted thoughts made me think of Criminal Minds.

Oh no, I think I got on a ramble and I hope I didn’t share too much. What I talked about was predictable, so I don’t feel I spoiled anything. The real story is in the gritty details that kept me in suspense. I knew what’s coming, yet I could hardly wait to get there.

The pacing and suspense for Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman kept me reading from beginning to end. Cate’s ability to write a story I have read before and still keep me on pins and needles is what makes her an author that will be on my radar.

I received a copy of Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman in return for and honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

Only 0.99 for a limited time!
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 About SAVING SOPHIE:

Jewelry designer Sophie Burke has fled Maine for the anonymity of the big city. She’s starting over with a job she tolerates and a grungy motel room she calls home on the wrong side of town, but anything is better than the nightmare she left behind.

Stone McCabe is Ethan Cooke Security’s brooding bad boy more interested in keeping to himself than anything else—until the gorgeous blond with haunted violet eyes catches his attention late one rainy night.

Stone reluctantly gives Sophie a hand only to quickly realize that the shy beauty with the soft voice and pretty smile has something to hide. Tangled up in her secrets, Stone offers Sophie a solution that has the potential to free her from her problems once and for all—or jeopardize both of their lives.

I will be reviewing Saving Sophie Thursday, 7/21/16, so be sure and stop back if you want to see more from this fantastic author.
About the Author:

International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards.Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack.

Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.

For information on Cate’s new releases, monthly giveaways, and upcoming events, sign up for her newsletter at: http://www.catebeauman.com/author/home.html#!newsletter-sign-up/c9td

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends August 3rd
Prizing is provided by the authors, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook 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!

To read in order:

While reading the series in order is recommended, it is not necessary.  Each story is a stand alone title featuring new primary characters with limited overlapping secondary characters. Click the highlighted link below to check them out:

Book Eleven: Deceiving Bella, the story of Isabella and Reed (In production)

Save

Save

Save

Save

Giveaway – Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey

Chrys Fey came to my attention when I had an opportunity to read Ghost of Death. I LOVED it and vowed to stalk her, looking for my next read. Now…Chrys Fey is back with her latest Disaster Crime story, Seismic Crimes. Be sure and read to the end to enter the giveaway.

She also comes up with some fantastic covers. What do you think? Would you pick it up just by looking at the cover?

SeismicCrimes_w10160_750

Want to know how Chrys chose the name for her villain, read on:

 How I Got the Name for my Villain
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Chrys FeyI believe all antagonists need a good name. A name that breathes evil, that can cause chills or ooze authority if the villain is a leader. Jackson Storm is one of the bad guys in Seismic Crimes and the worst of the worst. He kills without a thought, and he has committed every crime in the book, multiple times over. For fun. The leader of countless lesser criminals, he is responsible for the deaths of many innocent people and law enforcement officers alike. He even had ties to a police-killing Mob in Cleveland, Ohio.
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When I first wrote him into Seismic Crimes, I had no idea what to name him, so I left a line everywhere his name needed to be. 
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Ex: “Donovan isn’t here, but I can help you look for that bra.” He sneered at her. “I’m ___________ and you would be…”
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After I finished Seismic Crimes, his name still eluded me, so I came up with the idea of holding a contest on Facebook asking my followers for their suggestions. I got many great options, but one stood out for this notorious criminal—Jackson Storm.
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Thank you, Sherry Snider Fundin! Yes, YOU!!! 😉
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Jackson, usually a surname, makes a great first name. I’m a fan of using last names as first names (Donovan), but when you add “Storm”, a name that symbolizes chaos, you have a strong name that perfectly fits a man who
controls a horde of criminals.
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YAY!!! The name just popped into my head when I read about the story and I was so excited when you chose Jackson Storm for your criminal. I love a good bad guy and the worst of the worst is the best. LOL Thanks so much, Chrys and good luck with this great series.
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Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.
 .
Author: Chrys Fey
Series: Disaster Crimes Series (Book Two)
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Format: Digital and Print
Page Count: 282
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 DIGITAL LINKS:
PRINT LINKS:
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BLURB:
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An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove hisinnocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
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Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
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When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?
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Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.
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DIGITAL LINKS:
Amazon CA / NOOK / KOBO 
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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chrys Fey writes amazing short stories, novellas. Check out my reviews:

Ghost of Death

Witch of Death

Hurricane Crimes

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Giveaway – Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush

 I am excited to have Rohn Federbush visiting fundinmental today. When I saw the setting for Hastings’ Dead, Michigan, I felt I had to share, seeing Michigan is my home state.

So…let’s get to it.

Hastings' Dead - Cover

About the Book
Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush

Amazon
Genre: Mystery / Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 10, 2015
Length: 136 Pages

MY REVIEW

Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush takes place in Michigan and the main characters attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor…GO BLUE. I hail from Michigan and root for the Wolverines during football season, so I was happy to spend some time in the small town of Hastings.

The villain is exposed from the very beginning, and boy is he messed up. I can almost feel sorry for him

David wanted to stay in Hastings and Diane wanted to stretch her wings and fly. Well…

Arancia, nicknamed Range, and Ben, her boyfriend, attend the University of Michigan, but head to Hastings, Arancia’s home, for the Christmas holidays. She missed her small home town and planned to return there after college to teach. Ben wanted the big city life, where a lawyer can make a name for himself.

Problems arise immediately, but Range refuses to acknowledge them. I had a problem with Range. She ignores what her instincts are telling her. Is she just naive? Or is there more to the story?

Her brother, Coco is quite the character and I love his feisty personality. He could understand Ben better than Range, because he felt the same way. Until…

Hastings’ Dead reads like a cozy mystery. If anyone is the hero, it will be Range, but the peripheral characters supply a large part of the entertainment and contribute their problem solving to the story.

There was even a laugh or two and I loved when the brides to be made their grand entrance for the wedding. Very nice touch and it still puts a smile on my face as I write this.

I had some trouble with the writing, especially when dealing with Range. I didn’t like her very much and could not figure out what she was thinking. Was everything tainted by her need to live in Hastings? Well…the end was not what I thought and that is always a good thing and I enjoyed it. I really wanted more depth to the story, but Rohn Federbush threw in a twist or two to keep the story lively. If you like a quick read, murders to solve, and some romance, Hastings’ Dead could be for you.

“Since when is love a bad thing.”

“When demands snuff out freedom.”

I received a copy of Hastings’ Dead by Rohn Federbush in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 STARS

SYNOPSIS

What’s a guy to do when people don’t see things his way?

“Hastings’ Dead” is set in a small Michigan town, where a University of Michigan student, Range Goloso, has promised her father she’ll return to teach grade school.

In college Range falls in love with Ben Adler, a New York based law student who can’t very well start a lucrative practice without a substantial client base. She defends a local artist accused of pushing his girlfriend off the church bell tower when she wanted to leave town. Actually Range is upholding her town’s reputation and realizes her dreams of settling down in Hastings might be dead.

Hastings’ Dead – Excerpt

Prologue

Hastings, Michigan – Summer
St. Rose of Lima’s Bell Tower

David Dahlton encouraged his best girl to follow him up the narrow staircase. “Diane, you’ll love the view.”

Diane Pettergill shook her head. How many times must she wear herself out following him up creaking staircases to capture yet another view of their hometown? “Who’s going to look at your pictures?’

David sat down on the top step, realizing he had a problem. Photography would rescue him from farming drudgery without leaving the secure confines of Hastings. “Maybe I’ll publish a book someday.”

She smiled at him. “That’ll be the day.”

“Don’t you want to see our town become famous?” He noticed he hadn’t thoroughly cleaned the mud from his shoes. Maybe Diane was reacting to the smell of recycled pig food.

“I’m more interested in our future than this stupid town’s.”

“You don’t want to live here after we marry?” David’s mind spun out of control. He thought she loved him, wanted to have his babies and see them grow up in town. “Wouldn’t you miss your parents and your sister?”

“Betty said you wouldn’t listen.” Diane tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “We could visit, you know.”

Their life wouldn’t be the same. “We’d be strangers to everyone—even to our own folks if we stayed away too long.”

“You are a stick in the mud.” Diane turned her back on him.

He listened as she slammed the side door to the tower. David climbed up to the landing under the bell. Hanging over the side nearest the front door, he called to her. “Come back. I don’t want to lose you.”

Diane stopped her retreat down St. Rose’s front walk. She stood with her back to him. Then shaded her eyes as she looked up. “I’m not ready to say goodbye either.”

“Wait for me.” He wanted to ring the bell for the celebration in his heart. Instead he took several hurried photographs in each direction. He’d need to come back to get more shots. They’d known each other since childhood. Out on Route 43, only a corn field separated their farm houses. Both their families were among the first settlers of Hastings.

Once he reached her, Diane apologized, offering her hand. “I’m sorry. I know you love to take pictures. But, don’t you want to photograph the entire world?”

“It’s been done.” David dropped her hand. “I want the world to love our town as much as we do.”

“What makes you think I’d be happy in this dinky burgh?”

“Dingy?”

“Small. I said dinky.” Diane stretched her arms out. “I want to unfold my wings. Do something important before I die.”

That’s when David got the idea he couldn’t share. “Okay,” he lied. “I promise this will be the last time you ever need to climb a flight of stairs for me to click my camera in all four directions.”

“I knew I could convince you.” Diane smiled. “College will be more fun, together.”

David followed her up the stairs again. However as soon as they had both reached the landing, David lunged at her. He knocked her down against the west ledge, away from the view of any onlookers in town. For a second he wanted to turn her around to get a good look at her fear, but he decided she might survive and ruin his life.

“Let’s see how far you can fly with those important wings of yours.”

David watched her all the way down. In the struggling three-story fall, her body flipped over.

Diane stared right into his eyes until she hit the very hard pavement in the parking lot.

About Rohn Federbush

Rohn Federbush retired as an administrator from the University of Michigan in 1999. She received a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing in 1995 from Eastern Michigan University. Frederick Busch of Colgate granted a 1997 summer stipend for her ghost-story collection. Michael Joyce of Vassar encouraged earlier writing at Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan in 1981.

​Rohn has completed fourteen novels, with an additional mystery nearly finished, 120 short stories and 150 poems to date.

The Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

Novel Book Tours

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!