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Review – The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart #NetGalley #AlainaUrquhart #ZandoProjects

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I want to thank NetGalley and Zando Projects for the opportunity to read and review The Butcher and The Wren by Alaina Urquhart.

I sooo love the cover. There is something about eyes that fascinates me.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, a round of applause to Alaina Urquhart for her debut novel, The Butcher and the Wren. I am suitably impressed. I loved the title, but once I saw the cover, I had to have it. And the fact that there is something dark lurking in a Louisiana bayou, oh yeah. Just keeps getting better. I love when authors draw on their experiences to pen their work. It helps create a sense of reality, filled with accurate details, enriching my reading experience.

I love that Detective Leroux, who Wren works with to solve serial killer cases, is a bit different from the usual police officer, and you will need to find that out for yourself.

I love the way Alaina Urquhart wrote The Butcher and the Wren, because when I found out what really happened to Emily in the beginning of the book, I was about sixty percent and it hit me hard. I think I see what’s coming and it would have been too easy to see if she hadn’t written this the way she did.

Books like this is why I keep my ‘heavy’ drapes closed.

I would love for part of the book to be fleshed out more, more detail, more evil. I missed the cringing, spinetingling menace that oozes off a five star read, for me.

I must warn you, though. It isn’t a fingertip dangling cliffhanger, but you will need the next book to know the ending. I wish authors and publishers would make that known from the getgo. I look forward to seeing how Alaina Urquhart’s writing career develops and what the outcome will be for Wren and her fellow characters.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart.

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads

Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up.

But forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes, and years of experience working in the Medical Examiner’s office, she’s never encountered a case she couldn’t solve. Until now. Case after case is piling up on Wren’s examination table, and soon she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer getting more brazen by the day.

An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.

ABOUT ALAINA URQUHART (From Amazon)

Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue. Alaina hails from Boston, where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters, and a ghost puggle named Bailey. She is about 75 percent coffee, and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends.

Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. When she isn’t hosting Morbid, she hosts the Parcast original show Crime Countdown, and a horror movie podcast called Scream! Her days are usually spent either recording or eviscerating. The way she sees it, when she hangs up her microphone for the day, it’s time to let the dead speak.

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New Release – The Immortal Tailor by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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I have been enjoying Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s novels for some time now and grab every one I can get my hands on.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WARNING: If you do not like swearing, horny sex fairies, foul mouthed Chihuahuas, brooding sexy tailors, conniving deities, gore, more gore, seriously corny jokes, ghost sex, fine scotch, nipple hair biscuits, and many insane immortals, then this book is not for you. (per Mimi Jean Pamfiloff).

I have been reading Mimi Jean’s novels for some time now, and every chance I get to read one, I jump all over it. She has a unique writing style that makes me laugh out loud while I flip the pages. The characters are off the charts, quickly winning my heart. The reviews are not easy to write, because I only want to tease you, not give away the story.

Damian Greystone yearns for the quiet life of a tailor, working on his own terms. He’s been cursed, bound to spend his life in emotional isolation. Everyone he comes to care for dies.

Things aren’t always as they appear and the purpose is not always easy to decipher.

I read the book in one sitting, unable to stop reading. I was hooked from the opening pages, but that is not surprising with a Mimi Jean Pamfiloff novel. The world she has created is filled with unique characters, put in difficult situations and I loved being along for the ride.

The Immortal Matchmakers is a prequel series to The Immortal Tailor. I feel you will benefit the most by beginning with The Immortal Matchmakers, Book I, but it is not a must.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Immortal Tailor by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

4 Stars

GOODREAD BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a new immortal series filled with dark humor, angst, and a brooding hero who loves a good tweed: The Immortal Tailor.

THE IMMORTAL WORLD IS IN TROUBLE, AND THE GODS DEMAND . . . THEIR TAILOR COME TO THE RESCUE?

Long ago, Damien Greystone hung up his guns, knives, and rope for the quiet life of a tailor. Sure, his clients now include the likes of bloodthirsty vampires, a hair-obsessed Bigfoot, and fourteen insane deities, but at least Damien doesn’t have to kill anymore. And, sure, he’s been cursed to live alone for all eternity, but nobody’s life is perfect. Right?

Unfortunately, his monk-like existence is about to come to a screeching halt. The gods’ powers are on the fritz, and they’re demanding his help.

But when Damien starts investigating, he meets Sky Morales, a beautiful journalist who’s up to her ears in danger (and one very aggressive fairy). He has no choice but to dust off his weapons.

Can he protect her without getting too close? Because his “curse of solitude” doesn’t negotiate, and bad things will happen to Sky if he so much as feels a flutter of affection.

And as if that pressure weren’t enough, his precious store is being looked after by a love-sucking demon and a punk chick who has a knack for insulting everyone. Bigfoot isn’t pleased.

The sooner Damien can get this job done, the faster he can get back to his peaceful life. If only he weren’t enjoying getting his hands dirty again. Just like the good old days that got him in trouble.

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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One Sentence Review – Shadow Hunter by Andrea Pearson @andreapearson2

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Shadow Hunter is my first book by Andrea Pearson and I feel like I read it out of order, even thought it is the first book. Is it a spinoff?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This action packed, demons running amok, kill or be killed paranormal and supernatural thriller had me intrigued from the first sentence of the blurb: Bound to destroy the woman he loves…but I kept tripping up over the tense and I felt like I was missing something…is this a spinoff from a previous series…was it Abel’s turn to tell his story?

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3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Bound to destroy the woman he loves…

Abel hasn’t seen Lizzie in at least seven years, and his experiences since then have changed him significantly. He’s sure he’s moved past his earlier crush, that he’s immune to her carefree and bubbly personality, but the moment his eyes land on her, he knows he’s still in love.

Instead of a joyful reunion, though, he only suffers agony at being in her presence again.

Because he’s being blackmailed into murdering her.

And there’s no way out. The Shadow Prophet has vowed to kill everyone Abel holds dear if he doesn’t complete the job. Abel has tried everything he can think of to break the contract, but nothing has worked, and he has nowhere else to turn.

Complicating things further, he gets recruited by a second client to help Lizzie achieve an impossible mission. One where they must work closely together while hunting immortal demons. One that will either destroy him or force him to kill her before he’s found a way out—before he’s ready to do it.

But how can a man ever be ready to murder the woman he loves?

If you enjoy high-stakes fantasy action, romance with a hint of angst, and fast-moving paranormal stories, you’ll love Shadow Prophet, book one in an addictive fantasy series

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Little Ballerina by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Woo Hoo…another Jane Blythe novel in the Candella Sisters series is here. I want to introduce you to Naomi Candella in Little Ballerina.

Little Ballerina (Candella Sisters' Heroes, #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

She had dreamed of being a ballerina…until the fire that changed her life forever.

Three concussions in one year. It’s a good thing Naomi is hard headed. LOL Her shoulder was injured twice in the same year. Now, she can add being shot to that equation. No matter what, Naomi has to stay in motion.

Naomi and Sam had been childhood friends. As they grew up, he wanted more, but never pressed her. She was the one taking car of people, not them taking care of her. She is a member of Sam’s private security firm, Zeeke’s Private Investigations and Personal security, tough as nails, a warrior. She does get tired and it would be nice if she could relax, let someone take care of her for a change. Let’s see if Jane Blythe can make that happen. 🙂

How could her life get any worse? Being stalked. People around her are also in danger.

Jane Blythe shares her characters souls, their sense of failure, their guilt from something that was beyond their control. Ruth, her sister, lost herself to drugs, unable to kick the habit no matter how hard she tried guilt took her back to it. Naomi felt she had failed the family too, that she had to be tough, to be perfect.

The mystery, suspense and pacing builds, making it hard to stop for even a minute. I know it’s fiction, but sometimes it’s so easy to forget that, everything seems so real.

Though Little Ballerina is the end of the Candella Sisters Heroes series, Jane Blythe will keep us updated in the new Storybook Murders Trilogy.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Little Ballerina by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Sharing her dark secrets is the only way to save her life.

Naomi Candella has watched both her sisters find love in the last year but she knows there’s no happy ever after in her future. When an injury leaves her vulnerable and someone leaves a photo of her at a crime scene, her friend and boss steps in to play bodyguard. Problem is Sam is the one person who has the power to make her want what she cannot have, and having him staying in her home might just be the final straw that breaks her.

Samuel Zeeke has known Naomi since they were kids, she’s strong, tough, smart, everything he could want in a woman, but she also has walls as high as the heavens built around her. He’ll keep her safe, he’ll push her to give up her secrets to save her life, but he can’t push her into giving him a chance.

He doesn’t do soft or gentle, but for Naomi he’ll try, he’d do anything to keep her safe, but his best efforts might not be enough.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!

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MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Giveaway – Blood On His Lips Alisyn Fae by @EmmaAlisyn @XpressoTours

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Blood On His Lips
Alisyn Fae
(The Fae Prince of Everenne, #2)
Publication date: May 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Blood on his lips. Power in his touch. A maelstrom in his eyes.

The Prince, an Old One, High Lord of House Montague, is fixated on claiming me. The weight of his grip crushes my throat, and resistance is . . . well.

Futile.

I am Aerinne Capulette, last daughter of Faronne, and survival forces me to accept he killed my mother, that he will drag me to his bed fighting and cursing as he laughs.

But I will not accept the subjugation of my House, my family, my friends. If any blood coats my hands, it will be his.

My unknown power stirs, and with it a glimmer of understanding. Of course he wants me for more than my body. For why am I the only person in the city who can see the shape of his power?

Renaud is power. He plays the long game.

. . .and if you wish to walk the board as queen, and not as pawn, you will play it too, my halfling.

I have said you have no choice. You anchor my sanity.

I have also said I will make you strong enough to bear me. You have noted the storm gathering on the horizon? Scented smoke and crushed blooms in the air?

Yes. A danger that eclipses us both approaches.

I will destroy you before I allow you to be taken. I do not yield what is mine.

But. . .if you submit, it may not come to such a pass. Your darkness may yet rise stronger than my own.

Give yourself to me, and I will give you answers. And then, my halfling, I will teach you to rule.

Blood On His Lips is an adult high heat, dark romantic fantasy, second in the Fae Prince of Everenne series. This not a standalone and ends in a cliffhanger. Book one must be read first.

For readers who crave enemies-to-lovers, obsessed dark heroes, murderous heroines, a battle of dark wills and enjoy authors such as Jennifer L. Armentrout, Michelle Sagara, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, and Laura Thalassa.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

A time or two in my past, I’d had to accept a significant wound in order to walk away from a fight with my life.

So I’d walk this edge with Renaud, and take the cuts that came from playing this particular game with an Old One, but my blood wouldn’t be the only blood spilled.

The wildness that had risen in me to fight off the invader rose again. I angled his head and took his mouth. His lips parted, and I slipped my tongue between, beginning a slow duel that morphed into something frenzied. His hands slid up my torso, and he cupped my breasts. I let him play, and each time he tried to control the kiss, I punished him.

My grip in his hair wasn’t gentle. My nails pricked his scalp. My teeth scraped his lips. I drew blood, felt pain as he returned the loving gesture in kind, with interest.

Damn. I hadn’t meant to draw blood.

Renaud pulled his head away from me, his eyes flashing purple for one preternatural second. I blinked, but perhaps I was imagining it.

“What are you offering?” The words were guttural.

Blood stained his lips, and as I watched he licked it away, the movement slow, sensual. Taunting. Definitely warning. We both knew this particular game was above my skill level—for now. I was a quick study when I wanted to be.

But I couldn’t peel my gaze away from those lips, the stain of crimson. I wanted more. His taste on my tongue, his breath in my lungs.

Leaning forward, I intended to take more of him, but his hands left my breasts, and he halted me with a firm grip on my jaw.

Author Bio:

Alisyn Fae, the pen name of PNR & SFR author Emma Alisyn, writes high heat adult fantasy romance with heroines over 30, for readers who like their romance slightly dark, grown as *uck, with slap in the face tension and adventure. Learn more: www.emmaalisyn.com

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Giveaway – A Message In Poison by B J Magnani @bjmagnani @partnersincr1me

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A Message in Poison by BJ Magnani Banner

A Message in Poison

by BJ Magnani

May 9 – June 3, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Message in Poison by BJ Magnani

Sparks fly as Dr. Lily Robinson-the brilliant academic pathologist and covert assassin for the U.S. Government-investigates two seemingly unrelated deaths alongside her lover, Agent Jean Paul Marchand, and D.C. Medical Examiner Dr. Logan Pelletier.

A U.S. Senator and the president of a developing nation are found dead in their beds. As governments thousands of miles apart react to the fallout and begin their investigations, no one claims responsibility, and no motives are clear. Yet, the cause of death implies a link between the two—one that only a mind versed in poisons and politics can decipher. With her personal relationships teetering on the brink and her loved ones facing foreign threats, Lily must unravel the mystery and uncover a plot more calculating than anyone could imagine—but it may be too late.

A Message in Poison, the third part of the Art of Secret Poisoning trilogy (The Queen of All Poisons and The Power of Poison), continues with twists and turns as Dr. Lily Robinson travels the globe, stares down death, and finds herself at “another crossroad, another choice between life real or imagined…”

The fast-paced action juxtaposes nicely with the personal dilemmas Lily faces as she uncovers a new plot that forces her to reconsider her talents and place in the world.
~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Book Details:

Genre: Medical Mystery / Thriller
Published by: Encircle Publications
Publication Date: April 20th 2022
Number of Pages: 278
ISBN: 1645993256 (ISBN13: 9781645993254)
Series: A Dr. Lily Robinson Novel, The Art of Secret Poisoning Part 3
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

I’ve done some terrible things in my life. Big lies splash in my wake and follow me until the water creeps into my lungs. I’ve murdered many people who deserved to die. I take the phrase ‘pick your poison’ literally. My arsenal of natural toxins and poisons hidden deep within a freezer provide enough variety to mimic natural death. The cool salt air at my seaside cottage coaxes plants in my poisonous garden to yield the natural killers that I need. And I have collaborators around the world who can provide for me what my garden cannot.

Yes, it’s true that I’ve spent much of my life taking care of patients as a physician and taught a generation of medical students. But it was this very expertise in toxicology that captured the attention of our government. They seduced me and then orchestrated a transformation from consultant to assassin. Some say it’s my jewel-green eyes, raven-colored hair, and even my stiletto heels that tend to disarm my victims. They are blinded to the truth. With eyes closed to the Hippocratic Oath, I travel the world, eliminating terrorists and traitors with poison, stealth in a bottle, in the name of preventing mass destruction on a global scale. Our small covert counter-terrorism team weeds out threats at home and abroad—sanctioned killing, the price of doing business. I’m told that ‘the good of the many outweighs the good of the one.’ It’s become my guiding mantra, allowing me to rationalize this dual existence.

I hide my secret life beneath the cloak of justice, and I’ve discovered that others do too. So I ask you if you’re sure you know the truth about those around you. This last year of my life has been fraught with revelations that I didn’t see coming. For more than twenty years, I thought my baby, my little girl, had died in the Colombian jungle. Not only did I learn that she’s alive, but I discovered that she’s attending the same medical school where I have my academic appointment—a life-changing disclosure. I tremble when I think that we may have brushed by each other not only at the university, but in my fleeting past. I look back and see momentary images of familiarity etched in my mind. Was my beautiful Rose right in front of me while I wore blinders of guilt and despair?

JP, my lover, and partner in our covert government band, grasps my turmoil. Desperate to soothe my soul, he promises that life’s twists and turns can only make us more resilient and resolute. Facing the wind, my body stands tall and hard like a tree firmly rooted in the ground. Having no support on its own, a vine uses its tendrils to clutch to the broad trunk. My stories are like this vine, ever climbing, ever strangling—a complicated life that requires both brilliance and strength.

***

Excerpt from A Message in Poison by BJ Magnani. Copyright 2022 by BJ Magnani. Reproduced with permission from BJ Magnani. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

BJ Magnani

BJ Magnani (Barbarajean Magnani, PhD, MD, FCAP) is the author of the Dr. Lily Robinson novels: The Queen of All Poisons (Encircle Publications, 2019), The Power of Poison (Encircle Publications, 2021), and A Message In Poison (Encircle Publications, 2022.) Lily Robinson and the Art of Secret Poisoning (nVision Publishing, 2011) is the original collection of short stories featuring the brilliant, yet deadly, doctor. Dr. Magnani is internationally recognized for her expertise in clinical chemistry and toxicology, has been named a “Top Doctor” in Boston magazine, and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Laboratory Medicine Professionals in the World by The Pathologist. She is Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology (and Professor of Medicine) at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and the former Chair of both the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Toxicology Committee and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Tufts Medical Center.

Follow BJ Magnani on:
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BookBub – @bjmagnani
Twitter – @bjmagnani
Facebook – @bjmagnaniauthor

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Giveaway – Love’s Last Kiss by Sharon Wray @XpressoTours

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Love’s Last Kiss
Sharon Wray
(a Deadly Force Novel)
Publication date: May 17th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Is love worth risking everything for?

Rose Guthrie, a reluctant erotic dancer, hasn’t trusted anyone since her parents’ death. Yet, to make money for her brother’s heart transplant, she agrees to deliver a sealed box to a mysterious buyer. Until the box—and the seller—disappear. Not surprised by the betrayal, her situation becomes more dangerous when she learns that a brutal arms dealer, known as the Prince, also wants the box and will kill everyone she loves for it. With one clue left, she breaks into Doom—Savannah’s violent, illegal fight club. Unfortunately, Doom’s referee—the sexy, ex-Army Ranger, Kade Dolan—stands in her way. Although she harbors a secret attraction to Kade, she can’t let him stop her. If she doesn’t deliver the box on time, she’ll lose everything. Including her own life.

Rose doesn’t trust disgraced Army Ranger, ex-con Kade Dolan, but that’s okay—he doesn’t trust himself either. Why? Because he lies to everyone about everything, including his time in Leavenworth and his job as an illegal fight club referee. Then there are his two side gigs. The first as an informant for the Prince, the leader of a secret, two-thousand-year-old private army. The second, loving from afar the beautiful, secretive Rose Guthrie. After the Prince discovers Rose is the courier of a lost 18th century artifact, he orders Kade to help her find the box before their greatest enemy does. If they succeed, Kade must return it to the Prince. If they fail, Kade must kill her.

Betrayal or death. When faced with an impossible choice, Kade can’t lie anymore, at least not when it comes to what he’s about to do the woman he loves. But when Rose uncovers Kade’s lies, they learn a terrible truth—the 18th century box holds a secret far deadlier than they imagined. A secret that could destroy them all.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Kade rubbed his forehead with his fist. How could he have made such a terrible mistake?

Since meeting Rose, he’d been unable to stay away from her, even when he’d barely known her. And now that they’d made love, he wasn’t sure he could leave her.

Yet, while he’d admitted his growing love for Rose, he’d also left out the most important details of his life. And Rose wasn’t stupid. She had to suspect he was hiding things. It was probably why, despite the passion she’d shown in his arms, she hadn’t spoken her own feelings aloud.

He couldn’t blame her. He was neither a prince nor charming. He was a man in an impossible situation. A man in love with a woman who had trust issues. A man who rarely asked for help because it made one beholden to others. A man about to commit the rest of his life to a murderous cult that dated back centuries.

He opened his eyes, determined to crush his pity party. Rose needed him, and they still had work to do. They had twenty-eight hours to meet the Prince’s deadline, and they still had no idea where to find that box.

When he saw the cup of hot coffee on his bedside table, his throat closed up. He’d never get enough of her sexually, but her inherent thoughtfulness was what made his heart brim with other unfamiliar emotions. Emotions he struggled to understand, much less define.

Yes, he loved her. But his feelings for her were so much more intense than he’d expected. Then again, other than Nin and his mother, he had little experience in loving women. Infrequent sex with random females from the club didn’t count.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and moved slowly, testing each tight muscle group before standing upright. Unfortunately, King George, who’d been guarding the bathroom door, decided Kade had committed an Act of Aggression. The cat bared his teeth.

Kade held out his hands and backed up. “Whoa, kitty.”

He hit the edge of the bed and fell onto his naked ass. The pillow flew across the room, and King George pounced after it. A moment later, Rose emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body. Wet strands of hair hung past her shoulders.

He drew the throw blanket over his lap and tried not to stare at her bare thighs. The towel acted more like a short, strapless dress, exposing way too much soft, bare skin.

The cat hissed at him again, and she shooed him away. “King George, be nice!”

The cat left the room with his back arched and his tail high in the air. As if to say to Kade, kiss this.

“I’m sorry.” Rose clutched the towel, keeping it tight around herself. “I’d like to say King George isn’t normally this nasty in the morning, but that would be a lie.”

Actually, Kade wasn’t thinking about the cat at all. He was too distracted by the drops of water that rolled down the curve of her neck and slipped between her breasts. His body hardened with one part in particular becoming almost painful. Needing a distraction, he took the mug and inhaled the scent of roasted beans. “I don’t mind King George. Nin had a cat like that once. It took a while, but I eventually won her over.”

She took a step forward. “How long is ‘a while’?”

He sipped his coffee and sighed. It was perfect. Hot, black, and not too bitter. “Seven years.”

She laughed and shifted awkwardly, her hands grasping the towel. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“Never.”

Author Bio:

Sharon is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes of novels of suspense, adventure, and love. A caretaker of Donut the one-eyed rescue dog, she’s addicted to snapping photos and eating Oreos.

She writes the bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series where smart, sexy women teach their alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

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Giveaway – Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder by Mary Cunningham @MaryCunningham @dollycas

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Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery) by Mary Cunningham


Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Florida/Cancun/Las Vegas
Wild Rose Press (April 27, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509241086
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509241088
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09QXR7WKX

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent and amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a sixtieth birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will include the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby might be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with charming local sheriff, Manual Gonzales. An embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, can’t quell her determination to clear the name of her ex-stepmother.

While gathering clues and interviewing witnesses, however, she suspects dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.

About Mary Cunningham

Author, Mary Cunningham, grew up on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn.”

Through the author’s horrifying stint as a travel agent, Andi Anna Jones sprang to life. The adult/mystery series gives extra meaning to the phrase, “Write what you know.” Cunningham has several books published, including Cynthia’s Attic, a five-book middle-grade fantasy, women’s lifestyle/humor book, WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty, Ebooks, Christmas With Daisy and Ghost Light. A biography of an army brat, turned UConn and WNBA basketball player, will be published in the spring of 2022.

She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Sisters In Crime-Atlanta Chapter, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, Mary enjoys golf, swimming, and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband and adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.

Author Links

Purchase Link – Amazon – B&N

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Follow The Rules – Wall Men by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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WALL MEN: Book One, a Haunted House

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

As Grandma Rain lay in her hospital bed, dying, she says, “You’re late.”

Grandma Rain had raised Lake, after her parents disappeared. As they talk, Grandma Rain cracks me up with her dialogue.

“Lake, I broke the rules. Once and only once. It cost me your mother’s life. Your father’s too. Not that I gave a crap about him. Useless prick. But you loved that man. And you lost him because of me…The Wall Men took them. They did it to punish me because I wouldn’t set them free.”

A haunted house. It is so much more than that. Wall Men is not like any other haunted house story I have read. I love when an author takes an original approach to an oft told tale. No one can say that Mimi Jean Pamfiloff doesn’t have original thoughts.

Lake has no idea what is happening in the house, but did she have to do that to get the answers? Worlds collide and she has a vital role to fulfill to save them all and prevent a War of the Worlds.

I won’t share her travails, only tell you that they are worth finding out for yourself.

Thrills and chills abound in a world you need to ‘see’ to believe.

I never know what will happen when I crack open a Mimi Jean Pamfiloff book, but she never fails to surprise me with her ability to create worlds and characters that will keep me reading until the last page is read.

We have smiles and laughs with the pain and loss…BUT, the story doesn’t end here and I can hardly wait to read more.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wall Men by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a suspenseful Dark Fantasy, Wall Men, Book One. (Book Two, coming June 2022!)

MONSTERS? VAMPIRES? GHOSTS AND DEMONS? MEN WHO GUARD THE WALL BETWEEN US AND THEM.

I’m sitting at my grandma’s bedside, moments away from losing her, when she begins to rant about monsters and men trapped in her old mansion. I practically grew up there, so I know it’s the pain meds talking. There’s nothing inside that drafty house except rotting books, rusty pipes, and neglected antiques.

“I’ve written down all the rules, Lake. You must follow them,” she tells me, gasping for air. “The Wall Men cannot get free. They are soulless and evil. They will try to seduce you. But you cannot listen. They must remain chained to the wall.”

What the…?

In her final breath, she makes me swear to read her journals. But above all, I must promise to never go inside her bedroom, the one that’s always kept locked.

Madness!

Weeks after her funeral, I’m forced to confront the neglected estate she’s left behind. I can’t afford the taxes, so it has to be cleaned and sold.

That’s when I hear a deep velvety voice on the other side of her bedroom door, demanding to be let out.

And dammit if I don’t want to break my promise and see who’s on the other side.

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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Work of Art II: A Reflection of Masks by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

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I love the cover for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. It fits the story to a T.

A Reflection of Masks (Work of Art, #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask. We all wear masks. It takes an artist to see a reflection.”

Think about it…are you one person when at home alone, another when with a spouse or child, another at work…

Andy wondered, “Had I done it? Had I really taught kids something?” He hadn’t believed in art, but he is learning as much…or maybe even more…than the kids in his class.

It had all started with Joseph and one flower, blooming into a garden, gathering an unlikely cast of characters. It transcends the art. It was mutually beneficial as they all learn some of life’s lessons.

“…when has life ever been fair…?” Has it treated you fairly?

How do you teach, inspire, create without killing a child’s dreams? And what about the parents. Granted, this is not the best neighborhood, or the best school, but who’s raising the children? Even more important, who is feeding the children? My heart breaks for Joseph…and the others.

I have gotten to know the characters better in this second book and am more invested in their lives, their futures. These kids are labeled and I am sure some of them are considered ‘throwaway’ kids. What I loved the most about them, was how they came together, doing what they felt needed to be done, and figured it out on their own. Andy is drug along for the ride.

“Don’t ever say I don’t help. Do I back into it most of the time with no idea how I got there? Sure. But I do help.” And that describes Andy Hollis. He has his own struggles, has been to jail, been homeless…

I have so many notes for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. This is a difficult book for me to review. I am having a hard time expressing my feelings. I feel it is an indepth glimpse into humanity, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I hope there are a lot more of these kids out there, refusing to acknowledge that ‘you can’t do that.’

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Work of Art by Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Joseph has painted his flowers.
A masterpiece sits in concrete.
Andy Hollis, ersatz instructor of art at Santa Ana High School, has won… if slightly.
He has inspired a classroom of artists, leaving him to decide who will be chosen for the next work of art. Can one high school art club keep shaking the world with its creations or will the art destroy the club? Every brush stroke is crucial and Andy doesn’t know how to paint.
Meanwhile, in a certain parking lot, Joseph’s flowers have taken on a life of their own, garnering unexpected interest with unbelievable results. Andy is faced with a restless artist with a surprising, new following and a work of art that refuses to stay put.
And what about the mysterious artist, Tom? Where has he disappeared to? How can he keep all of his promises? Or does he have something else in mind for the artists? For Andy? Something dark and devastating?
Andy Hollis is no artist but he may need to become one in ways he could never expect. Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask.
We all wear masks.
It takes an artist to see their reflection.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Ken La Salle

Born on an 18th century mining ship, Ken La Salle is not his name. He just likes it. He writes about whatever he damn well pleases, hoping to build more of a cult following than a readership just for a cut on the robes. Looking for the mainstream but sticking to the shore, you can find out more about Ken La Salle at the imaginatively named www.kenlasalle.com.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

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