Tuesday, April 30, 2019

#Review: HIGHLAND CROWN by May McGoldrick


  4 of 5 stars
 
Cinaed Mackintosh has relied on no one but himself since he was a young boy when his family signed him on as ship boy to a merchant ship. Now a ship captain, Cinaed makes the difficult decision to torch his ship full of ammunition when his ship runs aground. While making his way to shore in a long boat, a local villager shoots him and he plunges into the sea. Isabella Drummond while hiding from the Crown finds Cinaed on the beach. Lucky for him, she's a doctor and she uses all her skill to to keep him alive. Thus begins their journey of hiding and confronting a determined Crown soldier bent on taking them both in custody dead or alive.

I really liked Cinaed. He was everything a hero should be--kind, considerate and an innate  sense of right and wrong. He instantly connected with Isabelle, not only for her skill as a doctor, but on a deeper level. Something about her stirs passion within him that he hasn't felt in a long time. The same goes for Isabelle. Even though she was married before, she had never felt such passion as she does with Cinaed. Isabelle and Cinaed were both well defined characters and I enjoyed their story. I also loved how the author interwove historical fact with fiction. I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter in this series.

I voluntarily read this book and my opinions are my own.




#Review: NO OTHER DUKE BUT YOU by Valerie Bowman


3 of 5 stars 

I usually love Ms. Bowman's books, but this one was just too silly for my tastes. The beginning of the book was intriguing. Thomas, the Duke of Huntley has loved Lady Delilah Montebank for years, but has never revealed his feelings for fear of ruining their friendship. Delilah is a klutz and not the usual accomplished young woman of the era. When her mother dictates that Delilah needs to secure a proposal by her birthday or her mother will choose a husband for her, has Delilah in a tizzy. She tells her mother that she will receive a proposal from none other than a duke.

Most of the action centers around a play that Delilah and Thomas take part oin. As the weeks slip by with no proposals, Delilah takes the desperate act to buy a love potion. This is the part of the book that lost my interest. I found Delilah selfish in that she would force another man's attentions toward her without regard for the gentleman’s feelings. Thomas does everything he can to show Delilah he's the man for her, but she is clueless. There were other grown women running around acting silly as well and that got to be too much for me.

I did read to the end and was pleased that Thomas got his happily ever after although this is not my favorite book in the Playful Brides series. I really enjoy other books by Ms. Bowman so I'm looking forward to reading her next release.

I voluntarily read this book and opinions are my own.



 
Synopsis:
A lady with a love potion. A Duke who takes it by mistake. Romance and mischief ensues when plans go awry in No Other Duke But You by Valerie Bowman.

SINGLE LADY SEEKS DUKE
Lady Delilah Montebank has her marital sights set on the Duke of Branville. There’s just one problem: he barely knows she exists. But no matter, she’s got a plan to win him over with her charm, her wit—and perhaps the love potion she has in her possession wouldn’t hurt her cause...

Lord Thomas Hobbs, Duke of Huntley, thinks his best friend Delilah’s quest to become a duchess is ridiculous. He’s always said he’d rather give up all the brandy in London than commit to one person for life. Besides, he knows that Delilah’s love potion can’t possibly win over Branville…since she accidentally gave it to him instead. But perhaps this is the excuse he needs to show her he’s always loved her...

Delilah can’t believe she gave the potion to the wrong duke. Then again, Delilah could do a lot worse than win the hand of her handsome best friend. Could it be that the right duke has been before her eyes all along?


Author Bio:
Valerie Bowman grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her mini-schnauzers, Huckleberry and Violet. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.







Monday, April 29, 2019

#Excerpt: EXILE IN DARKNESS by Annalisa Carr


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Annalisa Carr will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


Heritage and magic matter to the London covens. Aristocratic witch, Isabella Pethany, has heritage but not magic.
Underworld powerbroker, amnesiac vampire Maldit, has magic but no heritage.
Lukas Sindis, coven sorcerer and famous psychopath, has both.

Isabella’s null magic status makes her an embarrassment to her family, but since her sister was murdered, she is all they have left. Guilt makes her willing to do almost anything to compensate for her lack of value, but her grandmother’s proposal to match her with Lukas, in a bid to bring strong magic back to their bloodline, is a step too far.

When Maldit rescues a strange witch from hunting vampires, his main concern is to limit trouble in his territory. Witches are notoriously troublesome, and this one is no exception. Her proximity slashes through his damaged memory, allowing him to catch glimpses of his forgotten past.

Drugs have suppressed Lukas’s magic for almost twenty years, filling him with a reservoir of trapped power. When he escapes, his magic bursts free, falling like a tidal wave on Maldit and Isabella, sweeping away the spells paralysing both of them.

The dark secrets of the London coven are about to explode into the light of day.

Buy link for Exile in Darkness: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P1JLVF7 


Excerpt:

“What do you think you’re doing?” As soon as they were in the taxi, Daisy started on her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Isabella folded her arms, hunched her shoulders and huddled in her corner of the back seat.

“Don’t lie to me. You let that vampire kiss you. Are you insane?” Spiralling strands of pale hair rose like a halo around Daisy’s face. “And he came to your house. He knows where you live.”

“Your ponytail’s coming undone.”

“Isabella!” Daisy’s voice rose to a screech.

“I like him.” She hadn’t even reached the stage of admitting it to herself yet. Daisy was a pain in the ass. Isabella had never understood how such loud noises emerged from such a small person.

“He’s a vampire.”

“Maybe.”

“A vampire, Izzy. The same species you just told me killed your sister. What happens if he bites you again? What happens if you get addicted? What if—”

“Daisy—”

Daisy blew out an impatient breath. “I can see he’s absolutely gorgeous. Those cheekbones… I’d like to paint him, but for goodness sake, Izzy. You kissed him.”

“All right. I get what you’re saying.” Daisy’s rapidly rising voice made her head ache. “But he’s not like that. And he might help find out who killed Natalie. I need to know.”

“So you’ll see him again? Even if he’s likely to kill you?”

“He’s not going to kill me. He saved my life and anyway, like I said, it might as well be him as Lukas Sindis.”

“And what do expect to get from him? That kiss wasn’t about your sister. Are you looking for a fling?”

“I—”

“Vampires don’t do sex. Remember? Xenobiology level 1? They bite.”

About the Author:

Annalisa Carr lives in the English Lake District with her two cats. She writes in multiple genres, but has a weakness for paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

As a child Annalisa wanted to be a scientist, wear a white coat and explore outer space. She worked as a scientist for a very long time, but never got to fly a spaceship or even travel beyond the solar system. This was a huge disappointment given the reasons for her career choice, so eventually she made up stories instead. Probably just as well, as she is claustrophobic.

Exile in Darkness is set in the same world as the Children of Poseidon series; a slightly skewed version of London.

Annalisa also writes dystopian science fiction under the name ‘Anne Cleasby’.

https://annecleasby.com
http://www.annalisacarr.com
https://www.amazon.com/Annalisa-Carr/e/B00T1H0CQ0
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10798535.Annalisa_Carr
https://www.facebook.com/Annalisa-Carr-1626840070925992


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Friday, April 26, 2019

#Excerpt: epic fantasy QUEST FOR NOBILITY, Book 1 Rule of Otharia



Blurb:
The parents of royal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla have been murdered; their cousin is stealing their throne, and they are falsely accused of murder. Their only choice is to flee to the forbidden and quarantined planet Earth, but it could turn out to be a one-way trip.

To return home, they must find an ancient crystal, that once belonged to Merlin, to power the return portal. When the twins stumble upon the location of the crystal, the local crime boss sends out his assassin to retrieve it. Can Darius and Dyla use their PSI powers to open the portal home and reclaim their throne before the assassin catches up to them?

Amazon buy link:

BN buy link:

Kobo buy link:

Excerpt:
A few hours into their movement, Dyla stopped suddenly and crouched down along the trail.  Eclair nearly fell over her.  Darius quickly grabbed him, pushed him to the back, and moved up to his sister’s side.
“There are people up ahead.  I feel them, both their nervousness and eagerness.  Someone is real anxious over the rise, high and to the right,” she whispered in his ear.
Darius motioned Eclair to stay put, and disappeared to the front.  After a few moments, he was back. “Move back, they’ve set up an ambush.”
Quickly, the three retraced their steps to a safe distance.  They quietly put their heads together to strategize a new approach to their objective.  Darius looked at Dyla and told her what he had discovered along the trail.  
“There’s a small force lying in ambush about 50 meters along the right side of the trail.  They were moving around and making noise, so they weren’t that hard to see.  I also caught some slight movement on the rise behind them.  There must be a spotter up there to alert them when someone gets close.  If you hadn’t sensed them, that spotter would have seen us and warned the ambush we were coming.  We probably would have walked right into it.  They’re covering that entire section of the trail.  What do you think?”
“We’ll have to backtrack and find another way around,” Dyla replied.
“Why can’t we go right through them?” Eclair asked.
Exasperated, Darius shook his head. “How do you think we’ll manage that?”
“I’ll make us invisible and we’ll walk right past them.”
Dyla frowned at Eclair. “That’s not funny.  This is serious.”
“I am serious.  Watch.” Eclair promptly disappeared.
The twins were transfixed, staring at the spot where Eclair had stood.  A moment later, he reappeared.
“Damn.  How’d you do that?” Darius asked.
“It’s easy.  I bend the light around me and it makes me invisible.  I can do it for all of us.  The range is limited, so we’ll have to walk closely together, but I can hold it long enough to walk through the ambush.”
“Why didn’t you say so before?”
“You didn’t ask me.” 
Dyla smiled broadly. “Eclair, you never cease to amaze me.  How long can you hold it?” 
“I don’t know.  I’ve only tested it on myself and held it for about twenty minutes.”
“That’s more than enough time.  If you can get us through this, you’ll be well worth all the headaches you’ve caused me,” Darius said. 
As he readied himself, Eclair’s bravado quickly disappeared.  He momentarily blanched at the thought of bending light around all three of them for twenty minutes. 
Dyla felt his anxiety level rise and moved to his side to ease his nervousness.  “Don’t worry; I know you can do this.  I can feel your power.” Eclair was special.  Whenever she focused on him, she could feel an unfathomable well of power beneath his surface.  That unknown depth of power gave her pause and made her wonder exactly how strong he was.
“Good, it’s settled.  Let’s move,” Darius said.
The trio stood close together, and Eclair extended his power to encompass them.  At first it was easy, but he soon realized that the constant forward shift of focus, while maintaining enough rearward concentration to cover them all, was taking its toll. 
Within a few moments he was in trouble, but they were already committed.  They had crested the hill and, even at night, they would be in full view of the ambush force if his concentration slipped even a fraction. 
Dyla felt Eclair’s tension growing and his hand on her shoulder began to tighten.  They had agreed to move slowly through the ambush site to minimize the noise, but something was terribly wrong.  She decided to move faster and risk discovery by noise, rather than from exposure should Eclair’s concentration fail. 
Darius also realized something was wrong when their speed increased, but dared not probe Eclair’s thoughts for fear of interrupting his concentration.
Halfway through the ambush site, Eclair was drenched in sweat from the effort.  He was vaguely aware of Dyla’s shoulder beneath his hand and the waves of reassurance he felt emanating from her.  By a supreme effort of will, he continued to move forward, concentrating on his circle, putting one foot in front of the other.  He didn’t know until later that Darius had physically helped him along from behind.  Holding the power was agony, and the tension extreme.  His skull was nearly splitting when they finally stopped moving.
“You can let go now,” Dyla whispered.
Eclair looked up, released his concentration, and fell back into Darius’s arms, unconscious.




Wednesday, April 24, 2019

#Excerpt: DEADWORLD by Debbie Cassidy


Deadworld
Debbie Cassidy
(Chronicles of Deadworld, #1)
Publication date: April 23rd 2019
Genres: Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Urban Fantasy

Humans weren’t meant to live underground, but then artificial intelligences weren’t meant to feed off souls. Shit happens.
Being a Potential is an honor.
It qualifies me for the mandatory Run, the chance to become a Guardian and wield one of the only weapons that can disable a Genesis scout. It also means I’ll have to leave the safety of my underground home and go topside, where the possibility of death goes up by eighty percent.
Badges of honor mean nothing if you’re dead.
I’d rather steer clear of any place where soul sucking AI roam.
I’d rather stay safe in the Hive and hangout with my wolf-shifter co-worker. I’d rather work on the mechanical heart that keeps the Hive running and spend time with my enigmatic nephilim mentor. Heck, I’d rather be doing anything else. But I’ve made a promise to my best friend, a promise to get her to the finish line in time to win a spot as Guardian. How hard can it be, right? We have a plan. So why do I feel as if something is about to go seriously wrong?
It’s a game. Just a game.
Or is it?
First came Chronicles of Midnight, then came Chronicles of Arcana, and now we have Chronicles of Deadworld. Set a hundred years after the events of its predecessors Deadworld takes you into a Post-Apocalyptic Urban fantasy world with a slow burn Whychoose Romance.
You don’t have to read the previous series, but man, if you do the thrill ride will be unlike any other.

EXCERPT:
“You have a slight concussion. And it’s perfectly natural to be confused after a blow to the head.”
I reached up to touch the back of my head and probed gingerly, wincing when I hit the tender spot.
I hated this fuzzy feeling. This strange, helpless flutter inside me. “I can’t remember what happened. God, I hate this.”
“It may come back to you, it may not.” Emory smiled kindly. “Don’t worry too much about it. All that matters is that you’re all right.”
A lock of his silver-blond hair had fallen across his forehead, and before I could stop myself, I’d reached up and brushed it back. He froze. His pupils dilated and fixed on me, and then he let out a sharp exhalation and quickly stood and put distance between us. His gloved hands hovered at his pockets, but in the end, he settled for clenching them at his sides.
Oh, shit, Emory was a stickler for his personal space, and I’d just violated it. “Sorry, I … I have no idea why I did that.”
“It’s fine.” His tone was easy and smooth, but the clenched fists gave him away. I’d rattled him. “Just get some rest. Danika will give you some pills for the headache. Take the rest of the day off.”
What? “No.”
He canted his head. “No? Echo, you just fell twenty feet into a chasm.”
“I don’t want the others to think I’m getting special treatment.”
His frown was incredulous. “Special treatment? Of course you’re getting special treatment.” He leaned in slightly and enunciated his next words. “You just fell into the chasm.”
Incredulity had morphed into irritation, and although I’d seen him annoyed before, it was usually a flick of the brows, or a twitch of the lips; he never exploded, never raised his voice.
But Finn’s revelation as to why the other guys hadn’t accepted me was prominent in my mind, and maybe it was the fall, maybe it was the damn concussion, but my mouth decided to speak the thoughts running through my mind.
“The heart keepers think you’re favoring me because we’re lovers.” The sentence tumbled out and then sat between us like a bomb waiting to be defused.
Emory went very still. Was he holding his breath? Was I?
I pressed my fingers to my temple, wishing I could take the words back just to wipe the look of horror from his face. A look that was not good for my ego.

Author Bio:
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden.
Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

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Monday, April 22, 2019

#Excerpt: LEAD THE WAY by Brittany Carter


Lead The Way
Brittany Carter
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: April 22nd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Fresh off the high of college graduation, Melody James is back in her Podunk town. She needs a job, but first, she’ll spend a lazy summer with no agenda at all.

But life’s got other plans for Melody, ones she’d sooner ignore. When the next-door neighbor passes away, his son returns home to take care of his affairs. Thane Cohen hasn’t been home in ten years. The last time he was, someone accused him of murdering Melody’s parents. Now, after major efforts to recover his self-worth and start a construction company, Thane wonders if enough time has passed for him to clear his once good name.

At the time of the murders, Melody was the only person who didn’t believe Thane was responsible. But how could she even suggest otherwise when just about everyone in town was convinced of Thane’s guilt? Her brothers would never allow it. With nothing to lose before, Thane packed up and left, leaving the town and Melody behind. Now that he’s back, rekindling an old flame in Melody and proving his innocence are critical.

When several car windshields get broken and fires start unexpectedly, the world inside their little town is tossed upside down. With Melody’s brother against her, and Thane fighting every attempt she makes at breaking down his walls, Melody’s push for answers leads her to a frightening conclusion. Thane may actually know more about her parents’ death than she was lead to believe. Can she trust him, or has everyone else been right about him all along? Only time will tell if she can let love lead the way.



*Author previously wrote under the name, Alla Kar

EXCERPT:
One side of his mouth curled for a nanosecond. “You need to leave. Your brothers are gonna catch you.”
She placed the carrots in her hand on the table behind him. “You’re not scared of my brothers.”
“I’m not. But they’ll tan your hide if you get caught over here.”
She shrugged. “I’m not scared of my brothers either.”
His gaze dropped to her lips, and her heart began to patter. Thoughts drifted from her head, taking away her ability to speak. She leaned forward; one palm rested against his wide chest. Suddenly, he shifted, grabbed her waist, and placed her on the table behind them. With one hand on either side of her hips, he leaned forward. He smelled woodsy, like rain, earth, and man. It intoxicated her brain, filling her body with raging feelings. Feelings she’d never had before. Not once had Lucas ever made her feel so alive without touching her.
Her mouth watered as he neared, his lips only a hairbreadth away from her own, the minty smell of his mouth had her head gone. His unruly hair was messy from the rain, and she reached up with her other hand to run her fingers through it.
He caught her wrist; his thumb ran three slow circles around her pulse. Kiss me … please. She had no idea why her body betrayed her so easily. The tip of his tongue ran across his bottom lip. Melody couldn’t look away from it, even when he took his other thumb and ran it across her bottom lip. The tension weighed heavily down on her chest, begging for a release.
Just one kiss would cure her, right?
A deep grunt left his throat, and she just knew he’d kiss her. She knew he would lean down and put her out of her misery. Only one more inch and …
“Go home,” he whispered against her mouth.
Her heart sank with embarrassment. Rejection clogged her throat. She wanted to crawl into the dirt and die. Turning her head, she looked down at the shed floor. She was stupid for going over.
Melody jumped down from the table, stopping at the door. “I know you didn’t do it,” she whispered. Thane leaned over the table again, palms flat against the wood, his eyes fixated on her. “You don’t know anything, Melody.”


Author Bio:
Brittany Booker Carter previously writing as Alla Kar. I'm a Christian, lover or romance, a wife and mother to a wild-child!



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Friday, April 19, 2019

#Excerpt: DEMON MAGIC AND A MARTINI by Annette Marie


Demon Magic and a Martini
Annette Marie
(The Guild Codex: Spellbound #4)
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: April 12th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn’t know a thing about magic. These days, I’m practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there’s one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.
Turns out they have a good reason for that. My guild is strictly hellion-free, because who wants to risk life and limb to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground?
Well, some people do, and now a demon has been loosed in the city.
My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that’s not all. The monster they’re tracking—it’s not hiding. It’s not fleeing. It’s not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.
The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it’s searching for deadlier prey.
If we can’t unravel the demon’s sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets … and learning truths I never wanted to know.

Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn’t a reverse harem. It’s 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.


THE GUILD CODEX: SPELLBOUND
Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)
Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)
Demon Magic and a Martini (#4)

EXCERPT:
“Speaking of worry …” Sin’s eyes narrowed. “I heard all about how you went demon hunting with Aaron, Kai, and Ezra. I have to ask … what the hell were any of you thinking?”
“Um, well—”
“You aren’t combat trained, and demons are the fiercest, deadliest opponents out there! Why would Darius even approve it? You’re all idiots.”
I managed a bleak smile. “Thanks, Sin. Appreciate the vote of confidence.”
She sniffed angrily. “You know you aren’t ready for that, and I’d really prefer my friend not get herself killed.”
Couldn’t argue with her there. I’d also prefer not to get killed.
Lifting the tattered book off her lap, she smacked it down on the bar. “We need to look at options.”
“Uh … options for what?”
“Defensive alchemy.” She cast me a flinty stare. “Since you’re all for the dangerous jobs now, you need to be armed with more than a couple of artifacts. I heard you used a smoke screen. What else did you take?”
Bemusedly, I watched her flip the book open. “Just flash-bang potions. What is that thing?”
“My grimoire. All Arcana mythics have one—where we record all the spells or transmutations we’ve learned or invented.” She turned several spotted, liquid-stained pages covered in handwriting and diagrams. “I can make smoke bombs and flash-bangs easily enough, but you need something to stop an opponent. Personally, I don’t like sleep potions. It’s easy to get it on your own skin and then you’re asleep instead of them.”
“Yeah, that’d be bad.”
She skimmed a few more pages. “Enhanced strength is useful, but it doesn’t last long, and unless you’re in excessively good shape, you’ll crash hard
afterward. Let’s see … amnesia, no. Fasting potion, no. Enhanced speed, no.”
“What’s wrong with speed? I’d like to be faster.”
“It’s hopelessly impractical. Your body gets faster, but your reflexes don’t, so it’s difficult to control without training and practice. You’ll spend the potion’s duration tripping over your own feet and running into things.”
“Oh.” Too bad. “What’s a fasting potion?”
“Drink it and you won’t need food, water, or a bathroom for about forty-eight hours. Good for certain situations, but you pay for it afterward.” She perused more recipes. “Enhanced perception, air buffer, true sight, anti-emotionalizer, allure-fume—none of these are useful.”
“Allure-fume?” I repeated. “What’s that?”
She winced. “Uh, it’s a … um … perfume.”
I stared at her pointedly, waiting for an explanation, and her cheeks turned pink.
“A few drops on the skin will make the wearer especially alluring to the opposite sex. Like pheromones.”
“Why do you know a potion like that?”
“I tried it out when I was younger, okay?” she muttered defensively. “Lesson learned. You don’t have to lecture me.”
“What happened?”
“I wore it on a first date with this guy I really liked.” “Did it work?”
“It worked on him, plus every male who got within twenty feet of me. I spent our entire dinner date pushing random men out of our booth. I’ve never been hit on so many times in one evening. Most of the men were twice my age and married.”
Fighting back a snicker, I asked, “Did you go on a second date with your crush?”
“No.” She hung her head over the grimoire. “An early sign that my love life was doomed.”


Author Bio:
Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.
Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures.
She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.


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#Review: DUKES BY THE DOZEN ANTHOLOGY by best-selling authors


  5 of 5 stars

I was so excited to see this anthology. There are so many authors that I enjoy reading. So far I've read THE DUKE AND APRIL FLOWERS by Grace Burrowes and  HER PERFECT DUKE by Ella Quinn. Both novellas were a joy to read. I look forward to reading the rest of the stories in this anthology.

THE DUKE AND APRIL FLOWERS
This story was so enjoyable. The Duke of Clonmere is being pressured to honor his late father's wish to marry one of Lord Falmouth's three daughters. Lord Falmouth is mean-spirited man who has never had a kind word for his eldest daughter, Lady Iris. He has not included her in the daughters he's presented to Clonmere. The story has interesting and sweet twists and, of course, a HEA. I loved this story and only wished it were longer.

HER PERFECT DUKE
In this story, we have another cruel father. Lord Somerset cares not a whit for any of his children and only sees them as a means to grab more land to add to the dukedom. He promises Lady Thalia to an older duke, but on the way, Thalia meets and falls in love with the Giles, the Duke of Kendal. It's no surprise to anyone that Somerset will tear the young lovers apart if he hears about it. This is an excellent story about the love between siblings and the lengths they will go to for Lady Thalia. The tension in this story is palpable up until the last page. I loved how all the issues were finally resolved.


BLURB:

What's better than a dashing duke? A dozen of them! In this case, a baker's dozen--thirteen of your favorite historical romance authors have come together to bring you more than a dozen tantalizing novellas, with one per month, for a year's worth of never-before-released romances.

Duke in Winter by Alyssa Alexander
February - The Difference One Duke Makes by Elizabeth Essex
March - Discovering the Duke by Madeline Martin
April - The Duke and the April Flowers by Grace Burrowes
May - Love Letters from a Duke by Gina Conkle
June - Her Perfect Duke by Ella Quinn
July - How to Ditch a Duke by May McGoldrick
August - To Tempt A Highland Duke by Bronwen Evans
September - Duke in Search of a Duchess by Jennifer Ashley
October - Dear Duke by Anna Harrington
November - Must Love Duke by Heather Snow
December - The Mistletoe Duke by Sabrina York
January - Dueling with the Duke by Eileen Dreyer

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019

#Excerpt: BASEBALL & BROADWAY by Cl King & Katrina Marie


Baseball & Broadway
C.L. King & Katrina Marie
Publication date: October 22nd 2018
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Romance, Sports

A broken heart is never an easy one to mend.
Alice spent years forming a new identity while chasing her dreams. A fresh start was just what she needed. When she scores the leading role in a Broadway hit, a new world of possibilities opens up, including singing the National Anthem at the very game her ex was playing.
The biggest mistake of Easton’s life was ending things with Alice before they left for college. No woman has gotten close to him since. Instead, his primary focus is on his baseball career. While warming up before a game, a voice comes over the speakers as the Anthem is sung. A voice that causes something deep to stir inside of him.
Is it possible to rekindle a romance after so much damage was done? This game is bigger than any Easton has ever played. Two hearts are on the line. Either he’ll strike out or slide into home for the win. There’s only one way to find out.

EXCERPT:
I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the evening before I depart for college. There’s a twinge of bittersweetness coating the air surrounding our table. It’s the last time I’ll see my high-school sweetheart, Easton, until Thanksgiving break. The last time he’ll hold my hand in his, the way he’s doing it now, for a long while.
I’m not sure how well our long distance relationship will work, but we’ll do what we have to. We’ve been together for so many years, I don’t know what we would do if we weren’t one unit.
We’re at our favorite Italian restaurant, Ramona’s. The flickering candles on the table, our water in wine glasses giving us a look of sophistication, and the Dean Martin crooning from the speakers, keeps our last outing romantic. It’s exactly like I pictured it, down to a T.
It’s crowded in here, which is expected for a Friday night. I don’t hear the other patrons, though. My entire focus is on Easton, as I try to cement his looks in my mind to last me for a while. I’m going to miss his bright green eyes laughing at me when I do something ridiculous. The way his lips pull up into a smirk when I bust out in song and dance regardless of where we are. I won’t be able to cheer for him from the stands as he rounds third base and heads for home.
Just like that, my mood starts to dim. I try to keep my smile firmly in place, but I’m beginning to think I should have chosen a performing arts school closer to him. Even if they are subpar to the elite school I spent my whole life hoping to get into, and actually got the acceptance letter to attend a few months ago.
Easton brushes his fingertips across my palm, bringing me back to the present. He always seems to know when I start to get sad, it’s comforting. I know that I shouldn’t dwell on the future. Everything will work itself out. I glance down at our hands, feeling the butterflies come to life, as they always do. That’s how I know we’ll be okay. Even after the years we’ve been together he still manages to give me warm fuzzies. I always feel that new relationship giddiness.
When I glance up at him, he’s smiling, but it feels forced. His lips aren’t quite as upturned as they usually would be. My stomach fills with dread. Whatever he’s about to tell me isn’t good, and I’m pretty sure this boy I’ve loved for most of my teen years is about to break my heart. I just hope I’m strong enough to pick up the pieces afterward.


Author Bio:
Katrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. Welcome to Your Life is her debut novel and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.

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When CL King isn't hard at work writing you can usually catch her reading, baking cookies, dancing to music, or just simply being crazy. She has a huge passion for baseball and the theatre. But her true nerd side comes out when she is doing math for fun. She has an old soul which is evident with her love of the 70s show Emergency. If you want to get on her good side bring her an Ocean Water from Sonic. Even though she tries to focus on one project at a time she always seems to be working on multiple projects at once, it's a good thing that she is highly organized. Just don't take her to a bookstore, you do that and you are likely able to spend hours browsing.


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Tuesday, April 16, 2019

#Review: THE CLAIMING OF THE SHREW by Shana Galen


  5 of 5 stars

Ms Galen has charmed us once again with Colonel Benedict Draven's story--a man who's seen the worst of humanity in war. The war took its toll on him and his comrades in arms who survived, each with their own battle scars both physical and emotional. War was hell, but the one fact he can't forget about the war was the fiery woman he married to save her from an abusive father and an even more abusive man her father choose for her. While it was only supposed to be a marriage in name only, Draven had kissed her and that one kiss has haunted him for 5 years. It could not have shocked him more when Catarina Neves knocked on his London door seeking an annulment. Could he sign the annulment papers when he'd never forgotten their shared kiss?

I loved both Benedict and Catarina. Benedict has so much integrity and compassion--truly what a war hero should be. Catarina made a name for herself with her skill as a lace maker and she's not the usual damsel in distress and I appreciated that. I love to read about strong women. She had built a business from her own hard work and artistic skill and was determined not to let any man control her, but she had never met anyone who was so kind and gentle to her like Benedict. While these two had their ups and downs while trying to fend off another lace maker from harming Catarina, their bond and love for each other eventually won out against all odds.

I have enjoyed all of the Survivors's stories and Benedict's story was just as compelling. Ms. Galen has a wonderful writing style that pulls the reader in. I can't wait to read the next story.

I voluntarily read this book and all opinions are my own.