Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm has a gorgeous cover, don’t you think?
About the Book:
Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner.
Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim.
The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…
I grew up visiting the island of St. Croix with my family. As an adult, I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. I always wanted to write a fiction story that took place there, but I never too the time to write until recently.
Excerpt:
Megan peered out at the vast expanse of ocean gleaming in the bright morning sunshine before her. The turquoise waters seemed to go on forever. From the Caribbean Airways in flight map, she had noted theislands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. John were in the far off distance. She had been told a faint view of the densely populated St. Thomas could sometimes be seen on a perfectly clear day, but no matter how she strained her eyes, she couldn’t quite see it today.Had Maddy hopped on a sailboat and continued her travels to another island as the police officer had suggested? It wasn’t like Maddy not to check in. Her cell phone had been going straight to voice mail since the last photo Maddy had sent, and according to the cell company, the cell phone was out of service range.
Something had happened to her sibling. The last communication with Maddy had been an unexplained picture of an iguana. No message, no text, nothing. Just an enormous, slimy, dragon-resembling lizard. Megan sunk her head to her chest.
Where in the world was her sister?
“Everything okay, Miss?”
Startled from her hopeless thoughts, Megan sat upright at the sound of the low voice. Her eyes scanned the length of the man standing before her, and she pursed her lips together. She guessed he was probably about six-foot-two.
As she sat silently, observing him, the man repeated his question, “Are you okay?” His tone bordered on cautious, but concerned.
“Everything’s fine,” she finally managed with a tight voice.
With a smile, his concern faded away, and he reached behind his back to untie a grease-spotted apron. He folded the apron up, pulled out a chair at the table right next to Megan’s, about a foot and a half from her, and sat down.
An internal alarm went off, making Megan feel extremely uncomfortable with his proximity, and she fidgeted with her hands as he stared at her, finally forcing them into her lap. How could a voice so soothing go with a gruff-looking character like him? And what in the world was he doing sitting down so close to her?
About the Author:
Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.
The title and cover for Stranger Than Fiction by Emelle Gamble are attention getters. They drew me in and I could not resist.
I love covers and think this one tells me there is trouble on the horizon.
Cover: Tammy Seidick
What does it say to you?
MY REVIEW
Claire had the feeling something was wrong…and she was right.
Claire is a buyer at a publishing house. Mr Harrison, her boss, sent her to investigate an accusation that a book they were getting ready to publish had been stolen, printed under another name. The dreaded word…plagiarism has reared it’s ugly head.
Claire considered herself boring, but to me she was one of us. You know, we are not rich, nor are we famous. We are just the average Joe helping the world go round. We all have a life and living it is not always exciting or adventurous.
The mystery grows the more I read. I’m not sure which characters are good or bad. Emelle Gamble is not giving me many clues to help me either, but I did know who the killer was early on. That’s okay, it’s all about the journey for me.
Hmmm…could we have the beginnings of a romance? I think so. But, is the player being played? Their affection in the office almost made me burst out in laughter. Love it.
The suspense is there and I am afraid for Claire. My only complaint is that when the suspense built, the pacing would slow, interrupting the flow.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB:A Classic Tale of Romantic Suspense…Set in Manhattan and Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island in 1993….
If books could kill…Plagiarism is an ugly word. And Tony Nichols keeps repeating it. Claire Kennedy is forced to consider that her bestselling, reclusive author might have stolen her latest mystery novel from one of Tony’s college students. Was Claire’s reputation, and the future of her employer, Cauldron Press, in jeopardy? Or is Tony masterminding a hoax?
The mystery takes a terrifying turn when these uneasy allies, who each realize they are more than a little attracted to one another, discover a corpse. Claire realizes that the truth behind The Poison Pen Pal’s creation not only threatens her career, but her life.
We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham! BLOOD ON THE BAYOU is A Cafferty & Quinn Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!
Just the name, Blood on the Bayou, makes me want to read this, but I am also a huge fan of Heather Graham. No way could I resist a trip to New Orleans. I am very familiar with the place. I have walked the streets, ate in the restaurants, listened to the music and drank the drinks.
The mix of cultures and myths and legends that surround the Bayou are full of superstition and monsters and a great location to dump some bodies. Critters and the elements will make quick work of any evidence left behind.
This novella builds in suspense and mystery as the body count grows. The creep factor rises. I race through the pages trying to figure it out. We have plenty of suspects to choose from, and the winner is…
I received a copy of Blood on the Bayou by Heather Graham in return for an honest review.
5 Stars
EXCERPT
Michael Quinn heard the hysterical crying the minute he entered the police station. The young woman creating the commotion was inside Detective Jake Larue’s office. Someone else was trying to soothe her while not becoming hysterical herself.
“This one is right up your alley,” Larue told him as he approached.
“My alley?”
“That young woman is certain she saw a rougarou. She was on a bayou tour in Honey Swamp last night.”
He smiled. No kid grew up in Southern Louisiana without hearing about the rougarou. Every region of the world had their own particular brand of monster. The rougarou belonged to the Cajun region of Southern Louisiana, stretching right into the city.
“Honey Swamp?” he asked. “Doesn’t a problem in that area go to the Pearl River police?”
“Yep,” Larue said. “But she’s here because she believes the rougarou followed her home, showing up in the window of her hotel last night.”
He arched a brow at the ridiculousness of the statement. “I’m assuming there’s more.”
“A dead man in the swamp. Head bashed in, throat ripped.”
Which grabbed his attention.
“I want you to talk to them,” Larue said. “I told them that you’re a rougarou expert and that you’ll get to the bottom of things. They were out on some night ghost tour in the bayou and their boat came upon the dead man. Right now, she’s so hysterical that she’s not making sense. But you rougarouexperts are used to dealing with that.”
He shook his head at Larue’s sarcasm. He was no more a rougarou expert than someone was a ghost expert. Once upon a time, he’d worked with Larue as partners in the NYPD. Before that, Quinn’s life had been anything but normal. He’d actually been a pretty horrible person, not as in deadly or criminal, but as in vain and egotistical. His prowess in sports had led to excess, which eventually led to him being declared legally dead.
Which changed everything.
About BLOOD ON THE BAYOU: A Cafferty & Quinn Novella
From New York Times bestseller Heather Graham…
It’s winter and a chill has settled over New Orleans, binding a stream of blood that leads a tourist to a dead man, face down in the bayou.
The man has been done in by a vicious beating, so violent that his skull has been crashed in.
It’s barely a day before a second victim is found . . . once again so badly thrashed that the water runs red. The city becomes riddled with fear.
An old family friend comes to Danni Cafferty, telling her that he’s terrified, he’s certain that he’s received a message from the Blood Bayou killer–It’s your turn to pay, blood on the bayou.
The two quickly become involved, and–as they all begin to realize that a gruesome local history is being repeated–they find themselves in a fight to save not just a friend, but, perhaps, their very own lives.
About Heather Graham:
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards from Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Genre: Mainstream Suspense, Strong Romantic Elements Cover Designer: Steven Novak
Release Date: January 15, 2016
A nightmare waits in the alley…
Stabbed in an alley behind the Black Cat Blues bar, private investigator Jimmy Daniels clings to life just long enough to tell Maggy Malone a secret.
Maggy, a curvy, Blues singer with a sultry voice and a razor sharp mind is starting her life over after a lousy marriage. Reluctant at first to get involved with a murder, she tells no one the secret.
But when the murderer stalks her, she changes her mind.
Maggy teams up with Jimmy’s brother, Logan, a handsome suit with a tidy view of life. They figure out the killer is looking for gold buried on Gabriola Island by the notorious, cult-leader Brother XII.
As the murderer tracks down the gold, the body count rises. Will Maggy catch him? Or will she be his next victim?
And the lady sings the blues…
Black Cat Blues
An Award Winning Suspense set in the Pacific Northwest.
Vancouver Blues Suspense Series, Book 1
The opening…Walking through a dark alley at three-thirty in the morning wasn’t smart, but Maggy Malone didn’t have a choice, or at least not one she liked. A bone-numbing, cold wind off the Salish Sea hit her face as she opened the back door of the Black Cat Blues bar. Pulling her jacket close to her body with one hand, and holding her guitar case in the other, she descended the stairs into the inky darkness of the night. But her first step, she checked over her shoulder.
Vancouver in November—endless grey skies and drizzle. The waning moon slipped behind layers of dark clouds leaving her little light to help her on her way. She quickened her pace. A warm glow beckoned from the street lamp, just a hundred yards away. Her scalp tingled as if a dozen spiders slipped across it. She took a deep breath of the salty night air.
What the hell. She could handle a few minutes of fear. Singing in the best blues bar on the coast had been her life dream. If it meant getting up close and personal with the creepy, back alley on occasion, then so be it. Her shoulders tightened.
Stepping over dirty needles, used condoms and Micky D wrappers left behind by the people who shared the alley, the prostitutes, the addicts and the homeless, she tried not to let the sadness of their lives reach inside her. But the stagnant stench of rotting garbage and urine turned her stomach. If only it would really rain, then the city would be washed clean.
Where are the street people? Usually there’d be one or two around at this time of night, huddled against the cold brick walls with only a blanket to keep out the cold and misfortunes of the night. Something felt wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it… but something. She looked over her shoulder again. No one.
A chill crawled slowly up her spine. She adjusted the weight of her canvas guitar case into her other hand, and prepared herself to run. She wasn’t sure what she would be running from, but just in case. A woman in an alley has to be ready.
It had been a long night. She should never have descended into this God forsaken alley. Friggen Frank. It was his fault. She took a deep breath, as her eyes darting in every direction. The feeling of darkness, much darker than the night around her kept picking at her senses. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t swallow.
I’m just scaring myself. The lights of the street were only a few yards away. Everything will be fine.
Then she saw the body lying still in a pool of blood. A silvery spike protruded from his chest. Her breath stopped. It was the handsome stranger she had seen in the bar an hour ago. Maggy ran to him.
She checked his breathing. It was shallow, but he was still alive.
She punched 911 into her cell phone.
Waiting for the connection, she yelled into the dark night, “Help.” But no one came running.
Alone with a dying man. Was his murderer close by? No one gets a spike in their chest by accident. Was the murderer watching her? Tiny hairs on the back of her neck rose.
“911. State your emergency.” The operator’s toneless voice cut into the night.
“There’s a man. He’s been stabbed…” Maggy took her scarf off and pressed it on top of his wound around the spike. Could she stop the flow of blood? “Hurry.”
“Where are you ma’am?”
“In the alley behind the…” Her own voice sounded dry and robotic. She needed to get the words out. “The Black Cat Blues bar on Fifth.”
“An ambulance is on the way.”
Maggy looked at the man. Would they make it in time?
“You need to apply pressure to the wound…”
I’m friggen doing that. Bright red blood oozed through the scarf and onto her hand. The man’s face paled as his life force drained out of him. She put down the phone, swallowed hard, and used both hands to apply steady pressure on her scarf. “Hang in there, buddy. Don’t die on me.”
His eyelids moved just a fraction. But they moved.
Swollen and cut, his face looked like it had taken a beaten. She leaned down to listen at his mouth. His breathing was faint and ragged. Seconds ticked by slowly.
Then his lips moved. Maggy leaned in.
“Tell Logan,” he rasped. She waited for him to say more. Pain flooded his eyes. His lips trembled, but no sound came out.
She could barely breathe herself. The man’s life was sliding away in front of her, and there was nothing she could damn well do to stop it. She pressed down anyway, and his blood seeped through her fingers.
“Tell Logan,” he repeated. She bent closer. “The Emer…old…”
He made a horrid gurgling sound and a gush of blood flowed from his mouth. His muscles jerked and quivered. He was fighting to live, as his organs shut down.
As the sound of sirens pierced the night, Maggy sat up and met his dead eyes. Shivers ran through her body. Tears streamed down her face.
“May you find peace,” she said. She closed his eyes and waited.
Jo-Ann Carson has lived most of her life on islands off the west coast of Canada, surrounded by snow covered mountains, lush rain forests and pristine beaches.
Growing up, she dreamed of traveling the world like James Bond, searching for relics like Indiana Jones, and finding true love, so it’s no surprise that in her Mata Hari Series she combines elements of adventure, danger and steamy romance.
In her Vancouver Blues Series she slides into the realm of Urban Noir and explores the dark side of the city. These books are mainstream suspense with strong romantic elements and are very-Vancouver.
Speaking in Bones is another Kathy Reichs winner for me. I am an avid fan and watch all the Bones shows on TV too. I just cannot get enough of Temperance Brennan.
I am a huge fan of Temperance Brennan and Kathy Reichs, so I am always eager for the next book, Speaking in Bones. How Kathy Reichs is able to come up with a fresh case of crime is always a pleasure for me to read about.
This time, we have some help, or do we?
Websleuths – amateurs compete online to solve cold cases.
Hazel (Lucky) Strike, one of the websleuths thinks she knows who the unidentified body is and calls Temperance to tell her. She thinks it is a woman by the name of Cora Teague. Little did Hazel realize, she should have kept a low profile.
Ryan and Temperance make a fantastic team, but are plagued with personal problems. He had walked away, but was back, proposing marriage. What answer will Temperance give him?
Temperance’s mother is alone, fighting cancer and loves a mystery. She’s an insomniac and deft at searching the internet. I love this strong and determined character. She does not dwell on the bad, but continues living. She discovers something and places a call to Temperance, early in the morning, jolting her into work mode.
The explanations for some of the technical aspects make it easy to follow along. Even if I don’t understand everything, I don’t feel it hurts the story in any way.
Speaking in Bones is another great mystery and I love following along with Temperance as she discovers the answers. Her relationship with Ryan keeps me wondering…when will they finally get together. I have always believed they would. They are perfect for each other..yin and yang.
Imagine never knowing where your loved one is, just gone. Thank goodness Temperance never gives up until she has the answers.
So much is going on that I struggle to predetermine the outcome. Not knowing what the ending will be keeps me waiting for her next book, her next unknown study in the evil that men/women do.
I received of copy of Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs in return for an honest review.
I am so excited to share Kristine Mason’s Perfectly Toxic.
For all you hardcore thriller lovers, this is a MUST READ!
Sooo, buckle your seatbelts because this will be a wild ride into the mind of one of the most wickedly evil villains I have ever had the “pleasure” of meeting.
Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason is a thriller that stars Melanie Scarlet. I love the CORE and am so excited to finally read Mel’s story. The language and sex scenes are pivotal to the story and I think Kristine handled them well.
“I think I broke her.”
With a start like that, I knew I was in for a horrific ride into the twisted psyche of Adeline. I can hardly wait to dive into all the creepiness to come, and I know there will be plenty of it. As I read along, mini movies played in my head. When I was done reading, I felt like I needed to take a shower.
Well, what can I say about Perfectly Toxic. I had three pages of notes, but it just wasn’t working for me. So…I tossed them out and here I am, just telling you about my feelings about this, hmmm, horrifying thriller and the sadistic, psychopathic, crazy as a loon villain, Adeline and her cohort, Rodney.
I laugh at Frankenstein. that was a comedy compared to what these two were up to. What they were doing goes so far past that, I am finding it difficult to put into words the events in Perfectly Toxic. The lives lost and the torture suffered under their hands remind me of the evil men behind human testing during the holocaust. Both of them belong under the jail, not in it.
The most repulsive thing of all, Adeline revels in it. She loves to watch her toys squirm. There is nothing she won’t do to get what she wants. Feelings…what are those? She sure doesn’t have any warm and fuzzy ones. She is ice cold and beware, to be near her could be hazardous to your health. She is very smart, well educated, manipulative and broken. Something is very wrong with her. OMG, she is not just a psycho, she is bat shit crazy and evil beyond words.
I love all the CORE characters, but I can relate well to Mel, an ass kicking, swamp raised, don’t look at me cross eyed kind of gal. She is the Ice Cream lady. She is also a cleaner. You need something to disappear, just contact Mel. She hides her girlie girlness behind a really sharp knife. She’s the type to stab you with the knife, then cook dinner with it. She is married to Cash, but it doesn’t seem to be going so well. They are both stubborn and have strong personalities. She hangs with men more than women and I do that too. I love that she goes to the dock when she has heavy thinking to do. The water calms her and it has the same effect on me. I have spent many a day Sitting on the Dock of the Bay…wasting time.
Mel’s cousin, Bobby turns up missing and the mystery begins.
When Mel takes Harrison to meet Cash for help, the scenario could be hazardous to Harrison’s heath, but it is laughable. The who’s dick is bigger scenario had me cracking up. Cash’s mantra to control his anger is Unicorns are magical. Imagine seeing a huge hunk of a man repeating those words over and over. His therapist had called his and Mel’s relationship – TOXIC.
Cash buys Mel flowers from the gas station just because. I can relate to that. Mr Wonderful, my hubby, brings home flowers from the grocery store. The element of realism is coming through loud and clear. I love their snarky and sensual dialogue.
Cash’s housemate is a German Shepherd named Dolly. They served in the Army together and she is the one who came home in a wheelchair. I love dogs, so I had to mention her.
Kristine ramps up the suspense as the search for Adeline takes on new meaning. Each of Kristine Mason’s stories read as the most twisted Criminal Minds on steroids episode. They are unique and original.
I am totally engrossed in the love story and then Kristine shocked me, woke me up and the pacing reached a level of urgency I hadn’t felt before.
I would love to be one of her characters, kicking ass, fighting evil and having some hot and heavy sex with a stud. What an adventure and one I only live through in Kristine’s words, hanging on each one.
NOW, we get to the best part, the last quarter of the book. I know how the story will end, villain 0 vs good guys 1 and the guy gets the girl, but, man oh man, the rollercoaster ride to get there leaves me breathless. The nail-biting, rapid breathing, sitting on the edge of my seat is the suspense reading an armchair junkie like myself lives for. I read a lot of mystery and suspense thrillers and it is books like Toxic and authors like Kristine that feed my need for thrills.
I can’t believe that the story lasted only six days. So much happened, so many emotions ran AMOK as I read, my head was spinning. I had to turn around and read it again. I would apologize for rambling on and on, but eh, I can’t help myself.
I received a copy of Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason in return for an honest review.
5+++++ Stars
BLURB
What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…
Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.
To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.
Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“You’re seriously not staying here?” Since she’d left him, there hadn’t been a time that she hadn’t stayed with him when she’d returned to Tallahassee. And those times had been great, until the topic of their marriage and his job had come into play. Then they’d fight, she’d leave and they wouldn’t speak for weeks. A vicious cycle, but one he’d become familiar with—until now. She was changing things up on him, and he didn’t know how to react. He did, but his therapist would likely have a frickin’ stroke.
“Well, you’re seriously not going to change and I seriously want a divorce. So, yeah. I think it’s best if I stay at a hotel.”
He pulled her close. “Stay with me.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “No.”
He pressed his body against hers and slid his hand along her rear. “Give me a few days.”
“I’ve given you two years,” she said, breathless, her gaze shifting from his mouth to his eyes.
She had him there, and he had nothing to counter her argument. She had given him two years, and he arrogantly figured she’d eventually come back to him.
“You’re right,” he said honestly.
“I’m right?”
He nodded and walked her backward. “I don’t want a divorce, but we can’t keep going on the way we’ve been.” He pressed her against the foyer wall. “Give me the time you’re here to prove we can make this work.”
“I’m here to find Bobby, not deal with our marriage.”
“I know, baby. We’ll find him. I promise. I’ve already put word out on the street that we’re looking for him.” He leaned closer. “Just give us a chance.”
Her eyes filled with tears again. “I can’t keep doing this. It hurts too much.”
Knowing he was hurting her left him hollow and shameful. “I’m sorry.”
She punched him in the arm. “You’ve said you’re sorry more times than I can count. Do something about it.”
He kissed her.
She pushed him away. “Not with sex.”
“That’s right. You have your period.”
“I lied.”
“And I just want to kiss you.”
She stared at him, her eyes unreadable. “Sometimes I hate you,” she said, then shoved her hands through his hair and captured his lips.
His therapist would tell him to end the kiss, that they weren’t solving anything, only prolonging the hurt. His therapist could go fuck himself. He had his woman in his arms and she was kissing him. Running her hands through his hair in that possessive way he loved. Pressing her breasts against his chest as if she couldn’t get close enough. Skimming her tongue along his in a way that him hard and ready.
The damned horn beeped again. Mel tore her mouth away from his, then gave him a push. “I’m leaving.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT KRISTINE MASON
Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.
Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.
Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!Connect with Kristine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kristinemasonauthor, Twitter https://twitter.com/KristineMason7 or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
Kristine Mason will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.
For those of you needing to take a break from the horror of October, here is a romantic mystery set on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
THE HOUSE AT HOMECOMING COVE by Ginny Baird
From New York Times Bestselling Author GINNY BAIRD
A breathtaking romantic mystery set at the Virginia Eastern Shore…
Seeking out solitude in which to work, New York City music composer Melissa Carter rents a century-old farmhouse on the Virginia Eastern Shore. There, she meets a loner with rugged good looks and smoldering gray eyes, who has long-term ties to the property. When strange things start occurring at the historic home, the handsome groundskeeper comes to her aid, but is Melissa really safer in his arms?
When Stone Thomas meets a pretty northerner with a musical gift, he’s immediately drawn to her. He’s also determined to protect her from the increasingly odd happenings at the fifty-acre farm where he’s employed. Soon, Stone finds himself wondering whether he and beautiful Melissa might share a future. Yet the secrets of Homecoming Cove threaten to drive them apart.
Her words came out in a whisper. “Thank you for everything. For coming to my rescue, for…” She was saying goodbye, yet her chin tilted toward his and she took a step closer, her lips barely parted, inviting. She peered up at him and met his gaze with a look that was surprisingly heated, decidedly predatory. There was no mistaking it. Melissa wanted him too. That was all the encouragement Stone needed to take her in his arms and bring his mouth down on hers with a hungry desire that surpassed all expectations.
Melissa gasped with delight and sighed into his kiss. Stone’s empty mug slid from her grasp and landed somewhere on the sofa. Stone pressed his eager body to hers and ran his hands up her back, threading his fingers through her hair. She was glorious, beautiful, her gaze sparking with reciprocal passion. Stone groaned and kissed her again, savoring the taste of her, delighting in the sweetness of her body molded to his, as his blood pumped harder and his heart beat like a kettledrum gone out of control. It was more than a kiss; it was like coming home.
“Stone,” she said breathlessly. He opened his eyes to find his cheeks nestled between her palms.
She looked up at him her face flushed with longing. “I think you’d better go.”
“Yeah,” he said, his pulse pounding. “I’d better go.”
Thunder boomed and rain slapped the windowpanes, while the fire hissed and moaned.
Neither one moved.
“Melissa,” Stone whispered, brushing his lips over hers. “You and me… It’s like… I don’t know.”
“I know,” she replied, meeting his kiss. “I feel it too.”
Praise for Ginny Baird Paranormal Ghost Romance
The Ghost Next Door (A Love Story)
“A fine suspense and you just won’t believe how it ends.” ~ Barbara Baker
“The twist at the end took me by surprise! Great job to the author!” ~ Melinda Burchett
“Wow…wow…wow!! I did not see that coming.” ~ Mary Ann
“This is a mind bender! Very well done!” ~ Sandra D. Griffin
The Light at the End of the Road
“A gripping tale with a hint of paranormal.” ~ Dawn Pearson
“New, refreshing twists and turns.” ~ Anna Gibson
“Ms. Baird has again exceeded any expectations.” ~ Dianna Plano
“Wow. I mean, WOW. This is not your normal romance…” ~ Anita Slaugh
Author Ginny Baird
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance about single women facing everyday challenges. Known for featuring holidays and family themes in her work, Ginny frequently portrays the struggles of single parents or others who’ve given up on finding true love.
Ginny has two novella series, The Holiday Brides Series (holiday romance) and The Summer Grooms Series (summer romance), a Romantic Ghost Stories series (paranormal ghost romance), and additional single titles available. She is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, a Top 10 Best Seller on Kindle, NOOK and iBooks, and a #1 Best Seller in several Romance and Women’s Fiction categories. Visit Ginny’s website www.ginnybairdromance.com to learn more about her and her books.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Perfectly Twisted (Book 1 C.O.R.E. Above the Law) (C.O.R.E. Series) by Kristine Mason
I am a super huge fan of thrillers and Kristine Mason is at the top of her game in Perfectly Twisted, her latest chapter of the stand alone CORE series. I have read all of her books and find myself on pins and needles waiting for the next one, but first…
Are you curious about the snake on the cover? You should be! I LOVE it.
With each novel Kristine Mason writes, her creativity and imagination shines brighter. Perfectly Twisted is a perfect title for this romantic suspense thriller. I don’t know how Kristine produces such brilliantly written novels that should be at the top of any thriller list, but I am glad to have found her and be able to share her with you. The story is not for the faint of heart and I would highly recommend it to adult readers.
The Reverend uses his position for his own wickedly evil purposes, him and his son laugh at the gullibility of the congregation they serve. The things they do are so horrendous they defy description by me, a lowly reader. I wonder how Kristine comes up with her storylines and makes them so believable.
The Above The Law CORE group operates on the edge, keeping a low profile and dealing with situations that may cross the line. Lola, Ryan, Harrison, Vlad, Mel and Barney walk a fine line but believe in doing the right thing. It’s just sometimes the right thing requires more than the law allows. Each member is chosen for their particular expertise and function as a fine tuned instrument. They are as close as any family could be.
I love Kristine’s ability to make her characters come alive on the pages. I fall in love with her powerful, yet loving male characters. Her male protagonists are to die for and they would gladly do it for their brave and courageous women partners. Her female characters I want for my best friends.
Perfectly Twisted’s romantic couple being spotlighted are Shane and Beth. I feel for Shane who paid for a crime that never would have happened if he wasn’t in the wrong place at the wrong time. Deputy Beth Price risks her job to be with him. Little does she realize his dalliance with the law is just the tip of the iceberg.
Kristine Mason’s characters are complex. You will find that you either love them or hate them, root for them or root against them, and sometimes pray at the end some of them no longer walk the earth.
After reading Perfectly Twisted, I can’t help but wonder how many perverted and depraved sickos run around at any give time? The question in Perfectly Twisted is how many sickos are operating in the same place at the same time. Is there more than one? Is there a copycat?
The game of cat and mouse is afoot. Who will be left standing?
The sweet and sexy banter has a humorous flavor even during the horror. I never used to be much of a romance fan, but Kristine Mason is one of the amazing authors I have found that I cannot help but let the love, romance and passion wash over me while I swoon and drown in it. The sexual situations read as romance and passion more than just the physical act.
You may have played strip poker, but have you ever played strip scrabble. It is writing like this that elevates Perfectly Twisted to such a high level for me. I love a little humor with my horror.
When I finally found out who the necrophiliac was it made sense, but I am still shocked. I didn’t see it coming. Kristine goes that extra mile of creepiness! We can label this as a horror/suspense/thriller.
Mel has become one of my favorite characters. She carries a knife and knows how to use it. Need a body disposed of? A car or a boat? Just give Mel a call. When I saw Mel’s story is next I was ecstatic. I can hardly wait. Her whole persona spoke to me – she’s a real badass and I want to know her better. I wonder…
If you are a romantic suspense fan of the dark kind, Kristine Mason is an author that MUST be on your reading list and Perfectly Twisted is one of those novels that stuck with me long after reading it. I love novels with serial killers and her writing is so thought provoking that at times I forget it’s not real. I am so engrossed, that I feel a real sense of loss when the last page is read.
I received Perfectly Twisted by Kristine Mason in return for an honest and unbiased review.
5 Stars
SYNOPSIS
What do you get when you mix a snake-handling reverend, a necrophiliac, a cop, and an ex-con? Something perfectly twisted…
Sounds like the start of a bad joke? Not to Shane Monahan. The ex-con and newest recruit to the underground criminal investigation group, A.T.L. or Above the Law, has it bad for Collier County Deputy Beth Price. But ex-cons and cops don’t mix, especially when this particular ex-con is looking at going back to prison for his involvement with A.T.L.
All Beth wants is a fun distraction from the stress of her job and law school. She thinks she’s found that when she meets Shane during an airboat tour through the Florida Everglades. But Shane’s a felon, a man who could destroy her career as a deputy, and jeopardize her future as an attorney. She doesn’t know what to do—until dead bodies start showing up around the county.
When three abused corpses are found with snake remains inside them, the discovery brings a murderer out of retirement. The Reverend, as he calls himself, doesn’t like his kills being mimicked, especially by a man who abuses the dead—after all, the Reverend does have a reputation to uphold and a congregation to scam. Now it’s time to teach his copycat a deadly lesson…
I 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.
The Celeste Files of the Psychic CORE series are paranormal and supernatural novels that star Celeste, from the very first book in the CORE Shadow Trilogy, Shadow of Danger. I love the mix of psychics and ghosts, with murder and thrills. Check them out below.
Perfectly twisted is the beginning of another series, CORE Above the Law, that takes the characters even further than I thought they would go. I am LOVING it!!!
I am so excited to be sharing this super sale of Kristine Mason’s Core Trilogy – the beginning creation of an thrilling selection of romantic suspense, with a paranormal twist, that you will want on you shelf, whether in the physical form or your ereader. They can all stand alone, but you won’t want to miss any of them, so let’s start at the beginning.
I have read all her books (look for my review links below) and became an immediate fan.
Kristine develops complex characters that you will want to revisit over and over again. They do meet the new characters in each of the continuing novels, so you can keep up with what’s going on in their life and what trouble has been seeking them out. Each novel has a dominate male and female that…may fall in love. The peripheral characters are almost as important in their contribution to the story.
It all starts with Celeste Risinski, a clairvoyant whose visions bring horror, fear and danger into her life. You will want to keep your eye on her because she has a lot to share. She is a strong and determined, loving and sacrificing woman who overcomes the terror that sometimes rules her life.
You will also meet many other characters to fall in love with and they too pop in and out of Kristine Mason’s other stories. These romantic suspense novels will have you feeling the characters are family.
Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through her psychic visions. Called in by the local sheriff to help stop the killer, John Kain, former FBI agent turned investigator for the private agency, CORE, has no use for psychics. But as more dead bodies are discovered, the criminalist reluctantly turns to Celeste for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart.
What happens when negligent plastic surgeons get a taste of their own medicine…?
When investigative reporter Eden Risk receives an unmarked envelope containing a postcard ordering her to watch the enclosed DVD or someone else dies, she turns to CORE for help. But that help comes with a catch. Her former lover Hudson Patterson is assigned to the case. And as more DVDs arrive, they not only find themselves knee-deep in a twisted investigation, but forced to deal with their past and the love they’d tried to deny.
Welcome to Hell Week. You have seven days to find him…
At Wexman University male students will do anything to join a top fraternity. They’ll prove their worth during Hell Week by participating in a variety of pranks. But those shenanigans aren’t so funny when pledges start disappearing. CORE agents Rachel Davis and Owen Malcolm are on the hunt for a killer who’s kidnapping and murdering pledges. Time is ticking. They have only seven days to find the latest missing pledge and catch a killer. Seven days before the body count rises with another victim. Seven days to fight their attraction for each other before one of them ends up hurt.
I 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.
Thank you internet, blogging and bloggers, independent authors and publishers, Amazon (well, you know I had to give them kudos for being ahead of their time)…without you, I never would have read even one of her books…until it came to the library or the movie screen. LOL This way, I got in on the ground floor.
Series: Kate and Walker: Deadly Dangerous & Desired Series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 30, 2015
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Lorhainne Eckhart brings you ONE NIGHT, A high-stakes suspense and sizzling, red-hot romance!
A blind date goes deadly on a night she’ll never forget!
He’d died and gone to heaven.
Then the cold reality bit him as he stared at the naked woman—who had the curviest ass he’d ever seen in his twenty-eight years—next to him. Kate was lying on his bed, and her breathing was light. He wondered if, in fact, she’d fallen asleep. What the fuck was he thinking, screwing a woman he should be protecting? He didn’t even want to think about all the ethical boundaries he’d just crossed. He ripped off the condom and walked across the hall to the bathroom to dump it in the garbage. When he strode back into the bedroom, the bedside light was on, and Kate had crawled under the comforter.
He stood before her, naked, and she sat up, running her gaze over him. She wasn’t shy, and he could tell she appreciated what she saw. But then…hell, look at her! She had a pair of tits that could make a man howl, and her ass gave him enough to hang on to. She wasn’t a toothpick, she was a woman: curvy enough, strong enough that she could take him and keep up with him. He didn’t want to worry about a woman breaking under him.
There were times like now when he just wanted to ride a woman hard. It was satisfying. He didn’t want soft and easy. His life wasn’t made that way. He wasn’t made that way.
“No regrets,” he said to her. He didn’t ask, because the last thing he wanted was a woman having second thoughts after all was done.
“None, you?” she asked him, sliding her knees up and wrapping her arms around them.
He could smell her from where he was, and he felt himself hardening again. There were times when he could walk away satisfied after having a woman, but there was something about Kate and the way she watched him, so seductive and sensual, that stirred something in him. She wasn’t asking for a commitment. She had offered him her body, and he had taken it.
New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Lorhainne Eckhart’s books have been described as Longmire meets old-school Dallas, and she recently received the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Award for Romantic Suspense for her title Lost and Found. With over thirty five titles under her belt, her big family romance series have become a fan favorite. She is frequently a Top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres, such as romance, western, military and mystery/suspense. She has written multiple series, including The Outsider, Walk the Right Road, The Wilde Brothers, Saved, The Friessens, and her two newest additions, Married in Montana, and her high-stakes suspense and sizzling, red-hot romance series, Kate and Walker, Deadly, Dangerous and Desired.
If you are interested in finding out how to get your hands on early advanced release copies of all her upcoming books, or receiving exclusive access to weekly giveaways, special limited time promotions you can join her newsletter list at (http://eepurl.com/ZHFNz) and all those details will be delivered right to your inbox.
About the Book:
Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.
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5 Stars
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Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.
