• Home
  • Book Review
  • Contest
  • Blog Tour
  • Sneak Peek
  • About

Romantic Reads and Such

~ thoughts on romances

Romantic Reads and Such

Monthly Archives: June 2017

Book Review – A Stardance Summer

30 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A Stardance Summer, Book Review, Emily March, Eternity Springs series

Who’s looking for a great summer read?!?

*****

A Stardance Summer

An Eternity Springs Novel

by Emily March

Blurb:

Return to the beloved small town of Eternity Springs in the newest installment of Emily March’s New York Times bestselling series with A Stardance Summer.

Sometimes the end of one road

Brick Callahan enjoys every minute of chaos at his campground, Stardance Ranch, especially after the Tornado Alleycats arrive for an extended summer stay. The members of the all-female glamorous camping club are primarily seniors—active and adventurous, friendly and fun. But when he discovers Liliana Howe frolicking with the glamping grannies in a late night skinny-dipping session, he fears he’s in for a summer of trouble. Because his best friend’s kid sister has grown up to be drop-dead gorgeous.

. . .is the start of another

Betrayed by those she trusted, Lili decides she’s put her career first for too long. She sells her practical sedan, buys a travel trailer, and heads to Eternity Springs for a summer of rest, relaxation, and reassessment as the newest member of the Alleycats. The last person she expects to find running an RV resort is her high school crush. Their undeniable mutual attraction is a reminder that life is full of surprises. But when the past comes calling, will their summer romance stand the test of time?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Indie Bound| Powells

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Twenty years later

I won’t cry. I absolutely, positively will not cry.

Liliana Howe silently repeated the mantra as she rang the doorbell of her parents’ home in Norman, Oklahoma. She still had a key to the house, but her arms were full with two large white paper bags of her father’s favorite Tex-Mex from the taqueria over by Oklahoma University.

Brian and Stephanie Howe met at home for lunch every day, but it was rare for Lili to join them. She usually worked through lunch. But then, today was not a usual day, was it?

Her father answered the door. His gray eyes rounded in surprise. “Lili? Did we forget a lunch date?”

“No, Dad. I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d surprise you with lunch from Miguelito’s.”

“Well, that’s nice.” He opened the screen door. “Come on in. Let me help you with those bags.”

He led her through the house back toward the kitchen. “That smells wonderful. This is a real treat, Liliana. Your mother doesn’t let me have Mexican too often.”

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you guys.”

They walked into the kitchen to find her mother seated at the table staring intently at her computer. Typical Stephanie Howe. Always working. Without looking up, she said, “Stevenson has the best rating, but—”

“Look who’s here, honey,” Lili’s father interrupted.

Stephanie Howe finally glanced up, her thoughts obviously somewhere else, because she gazed at Lili as if she didn’t recognize her. Lili waved her fingers. “Surprise.”

“Oh.” Stephanie gave her head a little shake. “Lili. Hello. Did we forget a lunch date?”

Inwardly, Lili sighed. “No. I was in the mood for Mexican and I thought of Dad.”

“It’s not good for his cholesterol.”

“No, but once in a blue moon won’t hurt him. Dr. Derek told me that himself.”

She unloaded the bags, setting tacos, cheese enchiladas, refried beans, guacamole, and tortilla chips in the center of the table. Her mother brought plates and silverware from the cabinet. “Nevertheless, it’s nice to see you. It’s been too long. How are you, Lili? Have you recovered from tax season?”

“It’s definitely behind me,” she replied with a wry twist of her lips.

They all filled their plates. Not anxious to spill her own beans, Lili took an extra spoonful of refried and asked, “So, what do you hear from Derek?”

Her parents spent quite a bit of time talking about their renowned heart surgeon son. Nerves caused Lili to make a pig of herself on chips and guacamole, and she didn’t miss her mother’s judgmental frown.

Finally, after extolling Derek’s most recent peer recognition award, her father asked Lili what was new with her work and the moment was at hand.

She sipped her water, wished it were a beer, and summarized the sequence of events that had led her to this crisis point. Then she waited for them to react.

And she waited.

And waited.

Her parents shared one of those long, hard-to-read looks that made Lili’s stomach do a bit of a sick flip. Her father cleared his throat. “It’s an incredible tale.”

Her mother nodded. “Unbelievable.”

Lili sucked salt off her bottom lip. She hadn’t expected them to jump to their feet and vow to make the villains pay, but she’d thought they’d be angry on her behalf. Not . . . reserved.

Deep within her, despair kindled to life. They were her parents. She was counting on them. Nevertheless, she pressed ahead, calmly and logically laying out the approach she wanted to take and the assistance she needed from her mother and father.

Again, her parents shared one of those inscrutable looks. Lili’s heart began to pound. “I don’t know, Liliana,” her father said, rubbing the back of his neck. “It would be hard to fight them. They’re powerful people. I hate to say it because it’s not the way this country was supposed to work, but if a Normal Joe tries to go up against powerful people, most often he loses.

“I don’t want to see you get involved with making a charge against the police. That could turn nasty real fast. This cop . . . you said you think your bosses might have threatened him, too? He might be in an even tougher position than you.”

“But he lied, Dad! He falsified records.”

“But you have no proof of that, do you?”

“Just my word.” Isn’t that enough, Dad? At least for you?

“Maybe you should let things lie for a while. Give it some time. See how things work out. I think it’s simply too soon to call the governor and ask for a personal favor.”

That, Lili knew, was a no. A no and a verbal punch to the gut. After her father’s heroic efforts during Central Oklahoma’s most recent tornado outbreak, hadn’t the governor given Brian Howe her direct phone number and instructions to call if he ever needed help with anything? Lili could think of only one reason why he denied her request, and it made her want to toss her guaco.

“Maybe later on when everything settles down we can look at the situation again.”

He didn’t believe her. He didn’t believe in her. Neither did her mother. Lili’s heart twisted. She knew her parents. They wouldn’t come right out and say it, but she saw the significant looks they’d exchanged. Noticed the way they wouldn’t meet her eyes.

They believed she’d been driving drunk last night and the DUI was legit. They did not believe that she’d been set up.

They thought she’d lied.

Lied!

Hurt like nothing she’d ever known washed through her. Lili had never been a liar. Even as a child she’d been frightfully honest. Hadn’t that been her way of attempting to gain favor with her parents? Her brilliant older brother spun stories that had fooled her equally brilliant parents, but eagle-eyed little sister often knew the truth. And tattled. But always with the truth.

Always.

Yet now, they doubted her? They believed her so irresponsible that she would climb behind the wheel of a car after she’d been drinking, thus risking her life, the lives of others, and her license to practice her profession?

Good grief, did they think she’d embezzled money from senior citizens, too?

Lili swallowed hard. Inside, her heart was bleeding. I will not cry. I will not cry. She couldn’t believe this. What was she going to do now?

The only thing she was certain of was that she needed to leave. Immediately. Before she lost her enchiladas all over her mother’s Italian tile.

But Lili couldn’t make herself stand up. Her knees were too weak.

“I think your father is right.” Stephanie Howe reached over and patted Lili’s hand. “You know, dear, maybe this is for the best. You haven’t been happy in your work for some time now.”

“You never liked accounting,” her father added helpfully. “Perhaps it’s best that you look on this event as an opportunity.”

An opportunity? For what? Prison? Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside her, but Lili swallowed it down.

Lili’s mother rose from the table and removed a glass pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. She topped off her husband’s glass and changed the subject.

Lili didn’t really care about the plans for their next-door neighbor’s upcoming retirement party. Nor did she give a fig about OU football recruiting rumors. She spent the rest of the meal in a distracted fog.

Finally, having cleaned his plate—twice—Brian Howe set down his fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then checked his watch. “I’ve gotta run. I have a one o’clock conference call.”

Standing, he leaned over and pressed a kiss against Lili’s hair. “It was nice to see you, sweetheart. Don’t be such a stranger.”

Minutes later, he walked out the door and Stephanie was preparing to follow. “I hate to rush you, Lili, but I have office hours before my two o’clock lecture.”

Stephanie Howe taught advanced mathematics at OU. “That’s okay, Mom. Why don’t you go on? I’ll stay and load the dishwasher.”

“Thank you. You’ll lock up when you’re done?”

“I will.”

Her mother ducked into the master bedroom and returned a few moments later with her hair and teeth brushed and wearing new lipstick. On the way out the door, she paused. “Lili, things happen for a reason, and often, we don’t know what that reason is. Sometimes you simply need to give it a little time.”

She gave a little finger wave, then exited the house. Lili stood in the center of her parents’ kitchen, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She heard her mother’s car start, then back out of the driveway. Lili was alone. Alone and . . . lost.

Her parents didn’t believe her. Why not? What had she ever done to earn this lack of faith?

Nothing. She might not have been the smartest Howe sibling, but she’d made it a point to be the one who never screwed up. Derek the Favorite couldn’t say that. The time her brother had come within a phone call of getting an MIP, he’d deserved one. He and his trouble-magnet best friend had celebrated the no-hitter Mark had thrown in the regionals of the state baseball tournament by buying a fifth of bourbon with fake IDs and drinking themselves silly in a public park. Neither had gone near a car, but still.

Derek’s good luck was that their father’s administrative assistant’s husband was the chief of police. Dad had called the chief on Derek’s behalf and worked out a deal. Derek would pay the required fine and do the required community service, but it wouldn’t go on his record. Gotta protect the college applications, you know.

He’d called for Derek.

He won’t go near the phone for me.

Pressure filled Lili’s chest. It reminded her of that achy feeling she got when reading a novel where the protagonist discovers that her loved one has betrayed her. At that point in a book, Lili invariably skipped ahead to read the ending. Lili needed happy endings.

Satisfying endings didn’t work for her. She wanted happy-ever-after.

Once she knew the book was a safe read, the emotional grief she experienced eased. Then she invariably read the rest of the book backward. She was weird that way.

She’d never expected to be the wronged character in a real-life novel. Not with her parents cast as the betrayers, anyway. She wished she could skip to the end of this story. Maybe then she’d discover that her parents had believed her and believed in her all along and they had a really good reason for doing what they’d just done.

Yeah. Right. And I’ll win the next season of Who’s Got Talent because of my spreadsheet expertise.

Ordinarily, pity parties were not Liliana’s style. Today as she picked up her father’s plate from the table, she had a star-studded gala going on.

Mom and Dad didn’t believe her.

She took two steps toward the sink, then abruptly stopped. She dropped the plate.

Actually, she threw the plate. With both hands. Hard.

It smashed against the floor, shattering into dozens of pieces. Next she threw his glass and her mother’s plate and her own plate and glass. And Liliana realized she was panting as if she’d run five miles. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

Then, because she was Liliana, she got a broom and dustpan and cleaned up her mess. About the time her mother would be pulling into the faculty parking lot at OU, Lili exited the house and locked the door behind her. Then she removed her parents’ house key from her key ring and dropped it through the mail slot in their front door.

As she walked down the sidewalk toward the slate-gray sedan she’d parked at the curb, the soon-to-be-retired neighbor drove into his driveway. They exchanged waves and Lili extended a trembling hand toward her car door.

“I absolutely, positively won’t cry.”

Maintaining her composure, she slid into the driver’s seat and calmly buckled the safety belt. She started her engine, shifted into drive, and slowly pulled away from her childhood home. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t curse. She wouldn’t break any more dishes or squeal her tires in a fit of temper.

Lili wasn’t reckless. She didn’t act rashly and seldom lost control of her temper or emotions. She was logical and deliberate and controlled.

And honest. Totally honest.

Just the way a good accountant should be.

The faintest of sobs escaped her at the thought.

She’d broken her mother’s Fiesta. And yes, she had goosed the gas on her practical sedan, though not enough to squeal the tires. She wasn’t certain that her engine even had enough power to do it.

Her landlady’s voice echoed through her mind. I think this car’s get-up-and-go got up and went before it ever left the showroom floor.

“I bought it used,” Lili had defended.

Patsy Schaffer clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Oh, honey. Of course you did.”

Buying this car had been a good decision, Lili told herself now. A practical purchase. Cars lost value the moment they were driven off the lot. The last thing she needed was a big car payment.

Especially since as of today, she didn’t have a job.

She sucked in a shuddering breath. What am I going to do?

“Fight.” That’s what she needed to do. That’s what she’d come to her parents’ house to do. To gather her resources. To prepare for war. This injustice could not be allowed to stand!

So fine. She’d go into battle by herself. Work from the bottom up instead of the top down. She could do it. She was a grown-up. She didn’t need her parents to fight her battles. She was accustomed to doing things alone, wasn’t she?

She’d go back to the office. Today. Now. What could it hurt? They couldn’t fire her again. She’d demand to speak to Fred Ormsby, the other founding partner. She’d outline her case and demand that the situation be investigated by an independent party. Then she’d go to the police and do the same thing with them.

She could do this. She was strong.

She was scared.

By the time she pulled onto I-35 headed north to her office building in downtown Oklahoma City, she’d lost the battle to hold back tears. Soon she’d soaked four tissues and was on to drowning her fifth.

Then, just as she signaled her intention to take the upcoming exit, a motorcycle screamed by, passing on the right. Only by the grace of God did she avoid hitting him.

In that instant, the blaze of Lili’s temper evaporated her fears. If she’d had another dinner plate, she’d have thrown it at the fool. She was furious that the rider had endangered himself by riding recklessly without a helmet. She was incensed at her former friend and mentor in the firm and at his criminal connections in the police department who were able to create false DUI charges out of nothing.

And her parents . . . Lili swallowed hard. Her parents. For them, she had no words.

Downtown, she found a parking spot two blocks from her building, so she took it. She grabbed a fresh tissue, flipped down the visor mirror, and wiped away mascara tracks. She blew her nose, put on fresh lipstick, and pinched some color into her wan cheeks.

Drawing two calming, bracing breaths, she stepped outside and prepared to go to war.

Lili marched up the street. You can do this. You can do this. Right is on your side. Justice will prevail.

She was halfway to her building’s front door when the problem occurred to her. They’d taken away her credentials. She wouldn’t be allowed upstairs.

They’d taken her credentials. They’d taken her reputation. They’d taken her license. A great yawning sense of despair opened up inside her. I’m powerless.

The door to her building opened and her former mentor and the firm’s other founding partner stepped outside. Okay. Okay. Her luck was turning. Here was an opportunity. Approaching them on a public street wouldn’t be her first choice, but the fact that they’d come out of the building right at this particular moment was a sign, was it not?

She took one more step forward, then stopped abruptly. A third person had joined them. A third person smiled and laughed and flirted up at the two men old enough to be her father.

Tiffany Lambeau.

Lili’s nemesis.

When Tiffany had followed Mark Christopher to the University of Hawaii, Lili had hoped Norman, Oklahoma, had seen the last of her. Instead, Tiffany had come home with an MBA and a “broken” heart quickly healed by a prominent banker. Now Tiffany was on the prowl again, and she’d started working at the firm late last year as a consultant. She knew everyone of consequence in town— maybe the entire state—and she’d quickly weaseled her way into visiting the corner offices. Often.

Lili watched the trio turn the other direction and stroll up the sidewalk, arm in arm, and she had no doubt that she was looking at Ormsby, Harbaugh, and Stole’s newest partner.

The guacamole in Lili’s stomach made a threatening rumble. “Oh yes,” she murmured. “Talk about a sign.”

She could possibly face the powers that be at the firm. She might even be able to hold her own while presenting her case to the cops. But Tiffany Lambeau? Forget about it.

Some parts of high school a girl simply couldn’t leave behind.

Lili pivoted and returned to her car. She thumbed the lock, opened the door, slid inside, and calmly fastened her seat belt. She sat with her hands on the wheel for a full five minutes, the events of the day running through her mind like a bad movie. How many times today had she asked herself, What am I going to do?

Now, finally, at—she glanced at the clock on her dash— 2:27 p.m., she knew the answer. “That’s it. I’m done. I quit.”

Lili switched on her ignition, shifted her car into drive, and spoke her life-changing decision aloud. “I’m going to join the Tornado Alleycats.”

Copyright © 2017 by Emily March and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press.

*****

Review:

I find it funny that it’s a mix with Goodreads reviewers about whether this is their first Eternity Springs book or if they are returning readers … bet you can guess which I am  🙂  Some new readers (like me) got a little lost with all of the returning couples and Brick’s history with his dad & the Callahan family.  There’s a lot of them and it seems like they have quiet the colorful past – all of which probably have their own book that I should be reading.  While it doesn’t impact Brick & Lili’s story all that much (outside of how Mark Christopher became Brick Callahan, which is given in pieces), there are times when the other couples would reference their past and I would think that it would probably have more impact if I knew what they were talking about.  So … as a new reader starting here wasn’t perfect but it was still an enjoyable story.  And now I’m ready to read about a dozen other books!

Lili has always been the good girl who never quite measured up to her brother.  When there is trouble at work, she takes the opportunity to step away from her life.  While it kinda starts as running away, with time and a lot of caring people she starts to get some much needed clarity.  And an ill-timed romance.  Lili’s journey over the summer brings a bit of a woman’s fiction vibe to the book and I really enjoyed watching her come into her own.  She’s spent too much time falling into line that she needs this chance to discover who she wants to be.

While I don’t have ALL of Brick’s history, you get enough to know that he had a (bad) woman do him wrong and so he’s sworn off commitment.  Typically once bitten twice shy, he isn’t looking for anything serious and definitely not with his old friend’s little sister.  While it may have been done before, March still makes it enjoyable to watch Brick fall and fall hard and fight it every step of the way 🙂  With a little (ok, a lot) of help from his family and friends, he finally gets his head on right and it’s a great thing to see.

I loved the supporting characters here.  Lili’s RV pals, especially Patsy, and local favorite Celeste help provide some much needed direction (or forceful encouragement when its needed) for both Lili and Brick.  Reading the story you know that Celeste is a fixture in the Eternity Springs series and I’m sure she’s just as fantastic about giving a good kick when someone deserves it 🙂

March delivers a fabulous cast of characters who are willing to help a couple address their past so that they don’t neglect their future.  With fun, humor, and heart, it’s a great addition to anyone’s summer tote.

*****

Author Info:

Emily March is the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

Author Blog | Facebook | Twitter @emilymarchbooks | Author Website | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Comment with your best summer memory for a chance to win a paperback copy of A Stardance Summer.  Contest ends at midnight CST on Wednesday, 7/5.

(Open to US entries only)

*****

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – Whatever You Need

29 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Barbara Longley, Book Review, The Haneys series, Whatever You Need

Whatever You Need

The Haneys, Book 2

by Barbara Longley

In the second novel in award-winning author Barbara Longley’s sweet and sexy Haneys series, an introverted electrician rewires a young widow’s apartment—and attempts to mend her heart.

Painfully shy electrician Wyatt Haney is a pro at complex wiring jobs, but when it comes to women, he just can’t seem to make a lasting connection. If he had even half the courage of the superhero he penned for his comic book series, he’d finally be able to talk to his beautiful neighbor, Kayla—and stop hiding behind a hoodie. When an electrical fire breaks out in Kayla’s apartment, Wyatt comes to the rescue, sparking an attraction neither of them expected.

Kayla Malone has had enough surprises. First an unplanned pregnancy at eighteen, then losing her husband in war, and now a fire in her apartment. Thank God her hot neighbor has the skills to help. As Wyatt repairs Kayla’s apartment and forges a relationship with her son, he also makes inroads to her heart. It’s clear that Wyatt has fallen for Kayla, but is she willing to risk another heartbreak—or will she ignore the electricity between them and miss her happy ending?

I love characters who are a little different and feel very real.  Wyatt’s shyness definitely attracted me to this book but Longley’s writing had me falling in love with him.  (I get the idea though if I’d read the first book, I’d probably already been in love  😉 )

He’s always been an introvert but his scars has only kept him from breaking out of it over the years.  When he’s with someone he’s comfortable with he’s a totally different person.  And time spent with Kayla has her seeing the playful, funny, caring man he is under his hoodies.  And the way he is with her son has everyone’s heart turning over.

Kayla’s hesitation on getting involved with anyone, even the obviously awesome Wyatt, is very understandable.  Married early because of a pregnancy, she doesn’t have a lot of experience with happy relationships and finishing school while being a single mom takes up a lot of her energy.

But of course Wyatt is going to be hard to resist and when he finally finds something he wants this bad, he’s not going to give up easily.  Even if it means coming out of his shell  🙂

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – Maybe This Time

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Begin Again series, Claire Yezbak Fadden, Maybe This Time

Y’all, hurry up and get this one while its free!  The first book in this series got some fantastic reviews.

*****

Maybe This Time

Begin Again series

by Claire Yezbak Fadden

Blurb:

Architect Kate Jameson has sworn off men. That is until she meets Eric, the handsome son of her current client. Fresh out of a messy relationship with a co-worker, Kate’s not ready to trust her judgement where men are concerned. She dodges Eric’s advances, but can’t deny the attraction growing between them. Everything–especially his soul-searing brown eyes–makes her want to throw caution to the wind and try again. At her sister’s prodding, Kate finally agrees to date Eric, surprised at the joy he brings into her life. But when their budding romance is threatened, Kate is forced to make hard decisions and fight for her true happiness.

Undercover CIA agent Eric Wiley has survived enough loss in his life to ever want to risk being hurt again. He has long since given up on true love. Still, he’s drawn to Kate in a way he can’t rationalize. Avoiding her isn’t working and for the first time in a relationship, he wants to be truthful about his past and his career. Before their romance can bloom, however, Kate goes missing. Recognizing the danger, Eric stops at nothing to rescue the woman who has captured his heart.

DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY FREE! 

Kindle Unlimited

*****

Excerpt:

Kate walked faster, but Colleen stopped. “There’s a guy back there waving at you. Kinda nice looking. Now he’s coming our way.” Colleen smiled as though inviting him to come closer.

“Don’t encourage him,” Kate said.

“Too late. Here he is.” Colleen made a sweeping motion as though she were a hostess on a game show introducing today’s prizes.

Oh God, his eyes are browner than I remember.

“Kate, I’m glad I caught you,” Eric said. “Sorry I missed you on the phone. I got back into town early.”

“I see that,” Kate muttered, her icy tone coating each word. Not going through this drama again. Crazy guy. Multiple girlfriends. Bad endings.

“I’m Eric Wiley,” he said, offering his hand for Colleen to shake before returning his attention to Kate.

“So maybe we can set up that coffee date. There’s a great little place a couple of doors down.”

“I know. Colleen and I just had coffee there.”

“And scones,” Colleen chimed in, handing Kate her bag of leftovers. “I’ve got to get going. I have class in thirty minutes.”

“Teacher or student?” Eric asked.

“Yoga instructor.”

“Nice. Maybe I can take your class sometime. It’s not that sweaty yoga, is it?”

“No, it’s more of a flow class. Kate can tell you all about it.” Colleen tapped Kate on the shoulder. “I’ll see you later,” she said before scurrying toward the yoga studio.

“I like your friend,” Eric said gesturing to Colleen’s back.

“She’s pretty terrific. We met in her class. Used to be a cop.” Kate wanted to run away, but her feet grounded into the earth as though an alien force rooted them in place. All the small talk didn’t comfort her. Minutes before this guy was kissing another woman, and now he was flirting with her. Was there no end to his nerve?

“Now that’s really switching career paths,” Eric said. “I consider doing that sometimes.”

“And leave the family business for what? I don’t see that happening.” You’re such a privileged mama’s boy, Kate wanted to say, but didn’t. Truth was during their earlier interactions, Eric didn’t strike her as someone who life had been easy on. It was obvious his parents leaned on his judgment. Eric presented himself as a self-made man, working for what success came his way. Still, he was hiding something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Granted with business-owner parents, his path may have been smoother than many. Even if your folks set you up, you’re the one who has to walk that path. Kate knew lots of privileged folks who took the benefits they were born into and managed to drink, gamble or in some other way squander their advantage, as though opportunity was an all-you-can-eat buffet. Made a bad choice, no problem. Just get a clean plate and try again. The sports pages and movie magazines were filled with celebrity examples. A couple of Kate’s sorority sisters were still trying to find themselves. That’s what they claimed at the last reunion.

“You’d be surprised. I can tell you more about my future plans over a hot mocha.”

Kate readjusted her purse strap and leaned away. “Thanks for the invite, but I need to get to work. We’re already brainstorming the next complex. Proposal is due in two weeks.”

“Yeah, I know. We talked about your innovative ideas. I thought they were great. You’re great.” Eric licked his lips and stepped closer. “Seems to me like we connected, at least a little bit, but if you’re not interested, just say so. You don’t have to go through not answering my calls and giving me the brush off. Just be honest. It will save us both a lot of time.”

Kate shoved her paper pastry bag in her coat pocket and crossed her arms. “Honesty? Is that the most important value to you, because I believe in always telling the truth. I always tell the truth.”

“And you’re suggesting I don’t?” Eric’s nostrils flared with anger, causing Kate to step back. “We are standing in the street arguing about I don’t know what. Do you want to have a cup of coffee with me or not? It’s just that simple.”

“Not until you answer a question first.” Kate straightened to her full five-foot-six height. “Who were you kissing a moment ago?”

“Kissing? What are you talking about?”

“Near the cab. The woman who kissed you. Who is she? You’re an only child, so I know that wasn’t your sister. A cousin, maybe?” Kate huffed.

Eric’s eyes widened.

Is this how he stalls for time, cooking up a lie, Kate thought. This should be really good. She waited, even tapped the toe of her boot a time or two. “Well?”

“Like I said on my call, business ended early. I grabbed a cab with a coworker. End of story.”

“Not quite. Here comes your coworker, and she looks ticked.”

*****

Author Info:

When she’s not playing with her granddaughter, Pennsylvania native Claire Yezbak Fadden is writing contemporary women’s fiction. Her books feature strong women who overcome life’s challenges, always putting their families first. Claire loves butterflies, ladybugs and holds a special affinity for carousel horses – quite possibly the result of watching “Mary Poppins” 13 times as a young girl.

Claire loves to cheer on the San Diego State Aztecs, her alma mater, and is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. The mother of three, she lives in Orange County, California with her husband, Nick and two spoiled dogs, Bandit and Jersey Girl. Claire’s work as an award-winning journalist, humor columnist and editor has appeared in 100 publications across the United States, Canada and Australia.

Maybe This Time is a continuation of her Begin Again series, starting with her debut novel, A Corner of Her Heart.

Follow Claire @claireflaire, email her at claire@clairefadden.com, join herFacebook Fan Page or visit her at clairefadden.com.

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – Martinis & Moonlight

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Andrea Johnston, Country Road series, Martinis & Moonlight

This book (and the entire series) is getting some fantastic reviews … get your copy today!

*****

Martinis & Moonlight

A Country Road Novel – Book 3

by Andrea Johnston

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Minnesota “Minnie” Walker has worked hard for the life she has – a close knit family, successful career, and long-term relationship. When a tragedy strikes, Minnie sacrifices everything to be there for her family. Never expecting a move to the small town of Lexington would change the course of her future, Minnie finds herself wondering if what she always thought was perfect is really what’s best for her … and her heart.

Owen Butler has lived in the town of Lexington his entire life. After years of feeling second best and wasting his time vying for the attention of his father, Owen has settled into an uncomplicated life. Not one to believe in happily ever after, he never expected the new woman in town to have him questioning everything he thought he wanted in life.

Together, under the rays of the moonlight, Owen and Minnie find themselves wondering what the future holds and if facing it together is worth the risk.

Amazon US | Amazon.AU | Amazon.CA | Amazon.UK | Kobo | iBooks | B&N | Goodreads

Whiskey & Honey (A Country Road Novel Book 1)

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Kobo | iBooks | B&N

Tequila & Tailgates (A Country Road Novel Book 2):

Amazon  | Kobo | iBooks | Nook

*****

Excerpt:

This week has been particularly quiet in the office, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’d even take an encounter with Owen at this point. Yep, be careful what you wish for.

The door to the office opens and I sense him before I hear him. Maybe it’s that I smell him. Not smell in a gross way, but a way that is like some weird mating call. I’m sure there’s a name for that but I can’t think of it because there he is, walking toward me in a pair of khaki cargo shorts, a sleeveless T-shirt that, thanks to the sweat on his body, is clinging to his torso and chiseled chest, and a pair of sunglasses sitting atop his head. That smile I mentioned taking over his face as he gets closer to my desk has me quickly looking away in embarrassment. I know he can tell that he affects me. I know my tell-tale giveaway to embarrassment has completely taken over my arms, neck, and cheeks in a glorious shade of strawberry.

“Well, Miss Walker, fancy meeting you here.”

“Oh, hey.” I don’t take my eyes from my screen and very diligently read the same line over and over. Why does he make me nervous? I don’t get nervous.

“Here are some invoices for you and I signed off on the time cards for my crew.”

I finally lift my eyes from my screen to see Owen sitting in the chair in front of my desk, leaning back so he is rocking on the back two legs of the chair, with his arms crossed, and a smirk on his face. The same smirk he usually offers me before not so subtlety suggesting something flirtatious.

“Thanks. Checks will be ready Monday as usual. Was there anything else?”

“What’re your plans this weekend? Date with your boyfriend? Painting your nails with the squirt?”

Clicking the save icon on the spreadsheet I’m working on, I sit back in my seat, crossing my feet at the ankle while folding my arms, and contemplating how to answer this. He’s trying to get to know me and I promised myself I’d be open to new friendships. Owen Butler is a lot of things, and while I’m not sure he’s completely harmless, I doubt he’s much more than talk.

“No boyfriend,” I casually respond before whispering under my breath, “anymore.”

“What? Some schmuck let you go? What a loser.”

I snort out a laugh; I guess my whisper was louder than I thought. The more I’ve thought about my relationship with Kent, the more appropriate a word like “schmuck” is a perfect way to describe him. Boring, self-absorbed, career driven, and missionary style are also other ways.

“Well anyway, I’m actually going to just hang out this weekend. The girls are going with my parents and it’ll be the first time in weeks I’ve had time to myself. How about you? Got a date?”

Owen chokes on what I think was supposed to be a laugh, startling me a little while simultaneously sending a little shiver down my spine to my lady bits. His voice is deep and gravelly, as is his attempt to laugh, almost like he doesn’t do it very often and his vocal cords don’t know how to respond.

“Yeah, I don’t date. Hook up maybe, but dating indicates I’m interested in a relationship and that’s not the case.”

“I hear ya. A relationship is the last thing on my mind these days.”

We sit in silence for a few ticks before Owen clears his throat and rests his chair on all four feet. I follow suit by sitting up more in my chair and grabbing my mouse. A few clicks and Owen stands and then taps the top of my monitor.

“You should call the girls.”

I look up at him, slightly confused, but not before acknowledging the sweat has dried from his torso while his shirt still clings to his skin. He must notice my gaze has lingered a little longer than necessary because he offers me that smirk again.

“Sorry, the girls – Piper and Ashton. Me and the guys are heading to the lake for a little fishing so I’m sure they’re around.”

“Oh.” The realization of how much my life has changed in the last few months struck me; when he said “the girls,” I thought of my nieces. “Yeah, uh, maybe.”

“Well, all right then. Have a good weekend, Minnesota. See ya next week.”

I don’t bother asking Owen to not call me by my full name. I know he knows it’s not my preference. And honestly, for whatever reason, it doesn’t bother me when he says it. I would never tell him that, but it’s true.

*****

Author Info:

Andrea Johnston spent her childhood with her nose in a book and a pen to paper. An avid people watcher, her mind is full of stories that yearn to be told.  A fan of angsty romance with a happy ending, super sexy erotica and a good mystery, Andrea can always be found with her Kindle nearby fully charged.

Andrea lives in Idaho with her family and two dogs.  When she isn’t spending time with her partner in crime aka her husband, she can be found binge watching all things Bravo and enjoying a cocktail. Nothing makes her happier than the laughter of her children, a good book, her feet in the water, and cocktail in hand all at the same time.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Giftcard & Signed Paperback

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb546/

*****

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – Comeback Cowboy

27 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Comeback Cowboy, Rocky Mountain Riders series, Sara Richardson

We first met Lucas and Naomi in Hometown Cowboy and I am so excited to share book 2 with you!

*****

Comeback Cowboy

Rocky Mountain Riders, #2

by Sara Richardson

On Sale: June 27, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $5.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

Series Page on Goodreads

Blurb:

A WOMAN NEVER FORGETS HER FIRST COWBOY . . .

As a single mother, Naomi Sullivan is used to doing things on her own. She’s finally saved enough from working at the Cortez Ranch to buy a lovely home for her and her little girl. Life is going as planned. But when her high school sweetheart comes riding back to town, this self-sufficient woman feels something she hasn’t felt in years: red-hot, unbridled need for the handsome cowboy who left her behind.

Lucas Cortez doesn’t plan on being in town long. Yet when he sees Naomi again—the gorgeous girl he never stopped loving—he’s tempted to hang up his hat and stay awhile. He’s already charmed his way into her daughter’s heart, but he’ll need more than sweet talk and roses to convince Naomi to give them a second chance-especially when she’s hiding a secret that could change their lives forever…

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Google Play | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

A yellow Volkswagen Beetle blitzed toward Lucas, picking up speed. Yep, he’d know that car anywhere. Naomi.

He watched her draw closer and closer, and just like it always did when Naomi got near, his heart picked up. Would she stop and give him a lift to the ranch? They hadn’t exactly been alone since he’d come back to Topaz Falls. She’d made sure of that.

As the yellow car sped around the curve, he lifted a hand to flag her down, but the car didn’t slow. Maybe she hadn’t seen him. Waving his arms, he stepped onto the shoulder…

Shit! The car was coming right for him! Adrenaline fired through him and sent him rolling into the ditch just as the car’s brakes screeched. The thing skidded and fish tailed, likely taking out half of the tires’ tread.

Breathing in the scent of burnt rubber, Lucas stared up at the sky. Well, that’d been one hell of a close shave.

The car door opened and out Naomi flew, stumbling down the embankment in her polished red heels, to where he lay on the ground.

“God, Lucas. I was so distracted I didn’t even see you.” Her delicate hands covered her face. “My god, I almost hit you.” She staggered a few steps.

That got him off the ground. “Hey.” He hurried over to her, brushing the gravel off his ass. “I’m fine.” He’d been through a hell of a lot worse than a tumble down into a ditch. “See. No blood. I’m good.”

She nodded, but seemed to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Which meant she was in no condition to get behind the wheel of that car.

“Why don’t I drive you back to the ranch?” He slipped an arm around her waist to support her, and he couldn’t resist drawing her close to him, closer than she’d been in ten long years. She still smelled like carefree summer afternoons—a subtle hint of lemon along with the coconut oil she used to use to soften her hands. That scent, the feel of her leaning into his body, roused a sudden overpowering greed. He’d never hungered as desperately for something as he hungered for her. To turn her fully to him. To feel those breasts he used to kiss so intimately against his own chest again. He knew that body, remembered every curve and bend, every fine detail…

“I’m okay,” Naomi whispered, shaking him off. “I can walk.”

Of course she could. But she did hand him the keys before hurrying to climb into the passenger’s seat without his assistance.

Lucas folded himself into the driver’s seat. “All right, then. We’re off.” He started the engine and backed up, then turned carefully out onto the highway.

He stole a glance at Naomi. Her soft lips twitched as he studied her. It wasn’t her full, bright, beautiful smile.

But it was a start.

*****

Review:

Lucas is as sexy a cowboy as you could ask for – strong, honest, caring, and maybe just a touch stubborn 🙂  But Naomi is is a good match for him – just as strong and caring … and just as stubborn.  Thanks to a mistake that was made while he was a teen, Lucas was sent to prison and after his release he felt he couldn’t come back.  Because of that he pushed Naomi away as well (for her own good of course).  Yeah, that goes over as well as you expect.

I get why Lucas did what he did and why he’s stayed away.  And if he even thinks about staying in town he’s going to have to face down a lot of negativity.  But time spent with Naomi and her daughter has him thinking about his future a little differently.  Thinking that maybe coming home is the right thing after all.

Naomi definitely has a reason to not want to give Lucas another chance.  She’s been a single mother for years and she’s got her daughter’s heart to think of too.  She may find herself drawn to Lucas still but the chance that he could leave again means that she’s got a lot to lose.

I think it would be too easy for someone to write off Comeback Cowboy as just another second chance romance, but Richardson delivers a really delightful read.  Her characters have heart (and a boatload of problems) and while the story may be somewhat predictable it is still enticing and hard to put down.

With years of hurt feelings on her part and the disapproval of the town weighing on his shoulders, Naomi and Lucas don’t have it easy.  But with Lucas back in town because of his father’s failing health, being together again may just force the two to face their past and make a decision about their future.

(If you haven’t read Hometown Cowboy you can still enjoy this one.  Richardson does a good job keeping you up to date.)

*****

Author Info:

Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000 foot peak at midnight, swum through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After a brief stint in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Ten (10) print copies of COMEBACK COWBOY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2477/

*****

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – More Than a Soldier

26 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Irene Onorato, More Than a Soldier

This one is sure to pull at your heartstrings…

*****

More Than a Soldier

by Irene Onorato

Genre: Inspirational Romance

Pub Date: 6/6/17

Blurb:

There’s more than one way to be a hero . . .

Former Special Forces soldier Hank Fleming is living a safe, quiet life in upstate New York, but there are days he isn’t sure he’s going to make it. The sole survivor of a devastating grenade attack in Afghanistan, he is still scarred, physically and emotionally. He hangs on to his faith and tries to keep moving forward, waiting for the day that something—or someone—can make him feel whole again.

Cindy Giordano is searching too—for her biological family and a fresh start. When her journey to find her brother, Edward, leads to Hank’s front door, she is instantly drawn to Hank . . . and instantly wary. With her ex-fiancé’s betrayal still fresh in her mind, friendship is about all she can muster.

When shadows from Cindy’s past threaten, Hank’s protective instincts shift into high gear, and he realizes everyone has their own battles to fight. But the road to healing would be much sweeter with the right person by his side . . .

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Hank Fleming peeled off his cold, wet T-shirt and tossed it aside in the dark. The nightmare clung to his psyche even as he stood at his hotel room window staring into the night illuminated by only a stingy sliver of moon. Whitecaps danced like ghostly apparitions across the pitch-black ocean surface, adding to his uneasiness.

Was this reality, here, now, with his toes deep in the plush carpeting of a resort hotel in Miami Beach with the air conditioner humming? Or was the real Hank Fleming still lying on the ground in Afghanistan, a soldier bleeding from multiple wounds with his left eye dangling off his cheekbone by a few threads of nerves?

If only he could erase the images. The sounds. The RPG blast. The roaring fire consuming what was left of the truck he’d been driving with four men inside. But most of all their horrible deaths.

Hank willed his breaths to an even cadence and reined in his galloping heart. The rat-a-tat of M4 rifles, acrid smell of burning rubber, and the unit medic’s face started to dissolve as if being sucked, particle-by-particle, feature-by-feature, back into another realm.

Hank brought his fingers to the eyepatch that covered his left eye socket and pressed the fabric into the hidden void. Reality, harsh and merciless, stung him to the core. He’d lost an eye, hearing in one ear, and bore fading scars where the explosion had hurled shrapnel into his flesh. But, he’d survived while four of his fellow soldiers perished.

Hank lifted his gaze to the crescent moon. “Why, God? Why?”

*****

Author Info:

Irene Onorato was born and raised in Bronx, New York. Her father, a first-generation American whose parents were born in Italy, was an Army veteran who had served with the 178th combat engineers during WWII. He told numerous stories of battles, hardships, tragedies and triumphs. The glimpses he gave into the hearts of many American warriors would later become the inspiration for much of Irene’s writings.

In 1972, a few months after graduating high school, Irene met James Onorato, a soldier who had just returned from Vietnam. After dating two weeks, they married, raised three children, and are still happily married today.

Irene and James, both radiation protection technicians, retired from the nuclear power industry in 2014 and now reside in Louisiana. Readers can visit Irene’s website at ireneonorato.com, and find her on Facebook.

Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Print copy of the book

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9260/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – Tracking You

22 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Kelly Moran, Redwood Ridge series, Tracking You

We saw Puppy Love earlier this year.  Now it is time for the next O’Grady to take a fall.

*****

TRACKING YOU

Redwood Ridge series

by Kelly Moran

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pub Date: 5/23/17

Blurb:

Love isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s silent.

Gabby Cosette has always been dubbed the good girl of quaint Redwood Ridge, Oregon, and being permanently put in the friend zone has left her dating life stagnant. With no prospects in sight, she clings to her friends and resolves to not let loneliness drag her under. So when the town Battleaxes set their matchmaking sights on her, she figures it can’t hurt. Yet the guy they think is perfect for her just happens to be not only her boss at the veterinarian clinic, but her best friend. Sure, Flynn O’Grady is attractive and the nicest guy around, but going there with him would topple both of their carefully constructed worlds and there would be no going back. Even if he is starting to make her girly parts zing.

Having been born deaf, Flynn has already felt like an outsider most of his life. Aside from his brothers, Gabby is about the only person who’s gone out of her way to treat him as more than a handicap. Which is exactly why he’s banked his secret attraction for his sweet, beautiful vet tech. Except his meddling family is trying to play Cupid and ruin the best thing to ever happen to him. Without Gabby, his work as a veterinarian, never mind his personal life, wouldn’t flow. Determined to ignore the antics, he’s secure in the knowledge she’s not interested in him romantically. But then a kiss changes everything . . . and he’s wondering if taking the ultimate shot at love might be worth the risk.

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * GooglePlay * Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Gabby Cosette smoothed her hand down the simple baby blue sundress she meticulously picked out for this evening and tried not to look too eager. Or throw up. That wouldn’t do either.

From a back booth, she glanced around the only Italian restaurant in Redwood Ridge, comforted by the fact it was still early yet for the dinner rush. The place was a good choice. Right? Not as casual as Shooters—the bar she and her friends frequented—but not as formal as one of the seafood restaurants that dotted their Oregon coastal town. A step above grabbing coffee or a beer, yet it didn’t scream desperation.

Was a booth in the back too obvious? Had she overdone it with her makeup? Maybe she should’ve put her hair up instead of down?

No, no. She went for light and natural on purpose. The patrons of Redwood Ridge had known her all her life. It wasn’t far out of the realm of ordinary for her to wear a dress and light cosmetics. She was being a basket case.

It’s just… Well, she hadn’t had a date in a year. A year!

To calm her nerves, she drew in a deep breath and focused on the red checkered tablecloth. A votive candle flickered on the windowsill to her right, the flame reflecting off the tinted glass. The parking lot stretched beyond, where her date’s car was not in one of the available spots.

It was silly to get this worked up over a first date, especially with Tom.

She’d gone to elementary and high school with him. His parents still lived down the street from hers. Strange how he’d never shown any interest in her romantically, yet out of the blue, he’d asked her out this week.

Then again, most everyone in town viewed her as the sweet Cosette girl, everyone’s friend. Thus the no date in a year. It was hard to get a guy to think about kissing her, never mind imagining her naked, when she had platonic all but tattooed on her forehead.

The waitress strolled over in her apron, holding a notepad in her hand.

“Are you waiting on someone, sweetie pie?”

“Yes.” She smiled and grabbed her cell on the table. Tom was five minutes late. “He should be here any minute.”

“Ooh. Is it a date?” Mavis planted a hand on her plump waist and grinned, the wrinkles around her eyes growing to crevices. Gabby wasn’t sure how old Mavis was, no one really knew, but she never seemed to age past the state from when Gabby was a child.

Gabby opened her mouth to answer, but Tom strode toward her, weaving around tables and plopping in the seat across the booth.

“Couldn’t find ya at the bar. I wasn’t expecting a table.”

It was still early, and Le Italy didn’t get that crowded even on a Friday night. How hard could it possibly have been to locate her? “Give us a sec,”she told Mavis and waited for her to step away.

Tom had blond hair too short for her preference and a thin mouth. His unremarkable brown eyes darted around the restaurant and back to her. He made no attempt to apologize for being late, and it appeared as if he’d just come from work. His jeans and T-shirt were paint-splattered. The hazard of working for his dad’s commercial painting and roofing company.

“Thanks for meeting me.” He took off his ball cap and scratched his head.

Why did that sound un-date-like? “Um…sure thing. How’s work going?”

Her gaze dipped to his hands, no better off than his clothes. Maybe she should’ve picked Shooters after all.

Something felt very, very off as her belly twisted. Not with nerves this time. Confused, Gabby’s mind scrolled through their conversation from earlier in the week when he’d brought his dog into the vet clinic where she worked. As he was checking out, he’d anxiously spun around to face her and asked if she could meet him.

“Good. Work’s good.” He put his hat back on and glanced outside.

“Getting to be warmer out, so the jobs are picking up.” Perhaps he was just nervous, too. Her tension drained a degree.

Mavis returned and asked for a drink order.

Tom lifted his hand to wave her off. “Nothing for me, thanks. I can’t stay long. Got a poker game with the guys tonight. I need to shower before they show up.”

The forced smile Gabby had plastered on her face began to wilt like her mom’s petunias in August. What did he mean he couldn’t stay long? And why would he ask her out and schedule a card game on the same night?

Plus, he could shower for his friends, but not her?

Mavis divided her gaze between them, a mix of bewilderment and irritation lifting her brows. She tapped her pen to her pad as the silence hung. “Can I get you something?” She focused on Gabby, her tone indicating she should order something.

“I’ll have a sweet tea. Thank you.” When the waitress walked away, Gabby looked at Tom. He’d thrown his arm over the back of the booth and had stretched his legs out. The aroma of Eau de Paint Thinner wafted across the table. “So…?”

“Right, right.” Tom leaned forward and crossed his arms. “I appreciate you letting me do this in person.”

She stilled. “Do what?” Because she was definitely getting the this-is-not-a-date vibe now.

A warring shift in contradiction took over her body. Everything inside grew rapidly chilly while her skin heated in what she hoped wasn’t a blush. Her pale complexion always gave away her emotions and she hated that more than she’d hated freshman algebra. Math was evil.

He let out a tense laugh, which sounded more like a guffaw, and drew several heads from other diners. “Not exactly a conversation you want to have over the phone or somethin’, ya know?”

No. She didn’t know. “Maybe if you just tell me?”

He played with the parmesan shaker, not meeting her gaze. “Well, the whole town’s buzzing about Rachel and Jeff’s split.”

She frowned, not connecting the dots on his crazy pattern. Her older sister had only dated Jeff for a few weeks which, per Rachel standards, might as well have been marriage. Rachel liked to keep her options—and legs—open.

Guilt immediately consumed her for the crass thought, but it didn’t make it any less true. She and Rachel couldn’t be any more different. Rachel was aloof and sexy. Gabby was the girl next door. Men desired Rachel. The only thing they desired from Gabby was a shoulder to cry on after her sister shot them down.

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger to keep from fidgeting. “I don’t understand what Rachel and Jeff have to do with…” Unable to finish the sentence—because she had no idea anymore what “this” was—she waved her hand between them.

“Well,” he said in an aw-shucks kind of way that made her want to grind her teeth, “now that Rachel’s available, I thought maybe you could put in a good word for me?”

*****

Review:

I didn’t read Puppy Love when it came out in May but now I’m wishing I had because if Avery & Cade are half as adorable as Flynn & Gabby then it is definitely a must read.  The deep friendship between them just shines off the pages and had me waiting with them to see if they can figure out how to make something more work.

I really appreciate that Moran is willing to address disabilities in her stories – first she had an autistic daughter and now our hero is deaf.  It isn’t that uncommon to have a child on the spectrum in romances today, but I think that usually it isn’t as severe.  And while we are seeing more amputations (especially in books with military characters) I can’t think of the last one I’d seen with a deaf person as a main character.  I think that it is refreshing to address that the world isn’t made up of 6’+ hunks and willowy women.

Granted Flynn is still sexy but he does have some hang-ups thanks to the way he’s been treated.  Many of them are tied back to his childhood but those scars can be some of the deepest, coming as they do at such an impressionable age.  While it hasn’t stopped him from leading a very full life, it has impacted the way that he approaches his love life.

Gabby has been Flynn’s best friend since Kindergarten and she understands him like no one else, even his brothers.  Her big heart and giving nature makes her a wonderful vet tech and even more so it makes her a great friend.

And that’s the problem.  While they love and value each other, both are a lot scared that any changes in their relationship might ruin their friendship.  And while they are struggling with deepening feelings, that fear is their main driving force.  What they need help seeing is that while they are concentrating on what could happen if it goes bad, they are missing what could be if it goes right.  They are already so important to each other that their relationship could be spectacular if they’d only let it.

Not knowing any one who is deaf (not since middle school) I’m not sure how realistic Moran’s treatment is but it felt like she handled it well.  Flynn’s concerns seem realistic as does the life he’s built for himself.  It’s not easy for him, but if he can finally let go of some of his old baggage he could find out how great life really can be.

*****

Author Info:

Bestselling author Kelly Moran says she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there’s always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself, and no one is safe from becoming her next fictional character. She is a Catherine Award-Winner, Readers Choice Finalist, Holt Medallion Finalist, and earned one of the 10 Best Reads by USA Today’s HEA. She is also a Romance Writers of America member. Her interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet caffeine junkie and chocoholic, but don’t tell anyone. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband, three sons, and two dogs. Most of her family lives in the Carolinas, so she spends a lot of time there as well.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Print copy of the book

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9238/

*****

Click the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – Sam’s Legacy

22 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

MacLarens of Boundary Mountain series, Sam's Legacy

For lover’s of Western romances, Shirleen Davies brings another treat with the latest in her MacLaren historical series.

*****

Sam’s Legacy

Book Four, MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Series

Historical Western Romance

by Shirleen Davies

Blurb:

Samuel Covington, ex-Pinkerton agent and deputy in the frontier town of Conviction, has come a long way from his upbringing in Baltimore. His job, and a particular woman, occupy his time and thoughts. His future is assured—until a message from home tears it all apart.

Jinny MacLaren loves the ranch, her family, and one particular deputy. Even though Sam’s never said the words, she’s certain of his feelings, envisioning a future as his wife—until the day he announces he’s leaving without a promise to return.

His future no longer belongs to him. Sam never anticipated the news awaiting him, or the consequences of a past he’d left far behind.

Shoving painful thoughts of Sam aside, Jinny focuses on a life without him, allowing a friendship to grow with someone else. He’s handsome, smart, and caring, yet in Jinny’s heart, he’ll never be Sam.

As both face an uncertain future without the other, neither anticipates the dangers stalking them.

Protecting what’s his is Sam’s calling. Reclaiming what he left behind may prove to be the biggest challenge of his life.

Sam’s Legacy, book four in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain historical western Romance Series, is a stand-alone, full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Jinny, let me explain.” Sam tried to turn her toward him, feeling her resist. “There are reasons I must go.”

She refused to look at him, let him see how much his leaving hurt. She’d been a fool to dream about Sam, hoping someday he’d feel the same. “I’m certain there are, and I respect that you believe you must leave.”

Looking around, he eased her between two buildings, out of the range of prying eyes and ears. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he held steady, even as she twisted to leave.

“Look at me, Jinny.” He waited until she stopped squirming, her reluctant gaze meeting his. “I don’t want to leave. It’s something I have to do. You were the reason I stayed beyond the time I’d agreed to with Brodie.”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t understand. Why must you go now?”

Letting his hands slip from Jinny’s shoulders to stroke her arms, he felt her shiver, his own body tightening. A life with her was what he wanted. He’d thought of little else the last few months, yet it may now be out of his control.

His resolve began to slip as she moved closer, her feelings for him clear on her face. Even as his hands moved to her back, he knew it was a mistake. Drawing her to him, he leaned down, brushing a soft kiss across her lips. Seeing the intensity in her eyes, feeling her hands tighten on his arms, he took her mouth again, letting passion take control.

A thrill rushed through him as he realized she knew little of what was happening. He doubted she’d been kissed before, yet her response was immediate. Moving his lips across her jaw, trailing kisses down her neck, he felt a shudder rush through her.

“Sam…”

Her soft plea brought an unwelcome flash of sanity. Placing one more kiss on her lips, he pulled Jinny close, tucking her head below his chin.

“There are things you don’t know about me. I wish it could be different. You know I’d stay if I could.”

Her body stiffened at his whispered words. Moving her hands to his chest, she pushed away. Clearing her throat, Jinny took another step back. “I should go.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

“Nae. It would be better if I go alone.” Taking a few hesitant steps, she stopped. “When will you be leaving?”

His throat worked as he sucked in a slow breath. “As soon as a decision has been made on the prisoners. I can’t leave Brodie with just two deputies.”

“A few days then.” Her voice was devoid of all emotion. “Then I won’t see you again.” She tried to smile, but couldn’t manage it. “I wish you the best, Sam. Always the best.” Without waiting for him to respond, she hurried away, leaving him feeling a loss greater than he’d ever known.

*****

Author Info:

Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance.  She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Email | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | LinkedIn | Pinterest

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

21 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Laura Briggs, The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

As an avid reader (obviously) a series centered around a librarian and her book club just tickled me pink!

*****

The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

by Laura Briggs

Blurb:

Quaint Lewis Cove is home to the charming three-story Victorian manor known as the Alice Wilshire Lending Library and its plucky librarian Peg Turner:  the current hostess of the weekly Bronte Book Club, better known as the ‘Hopeless Romantics’ of all ages. Nurse Annette has been too busy working for love; mechanic Tim has missed the boat somewhere in his past; art student Sophie comes off as too unique, while tech geek C.J. has fallen—hopelessly—for the too-cool-to-care Llourdes.

With her vacation plans indefinitely on hold for the summer, Peg has decided to transform the ‘Hopeless Romantics’ into hopeful ones. But while she’s trying to help her fellow readers find romance, she’s avoiding her matchmaker friend Caroline’s latest blind date—only to see her best friend Cam, the ruggedly-cute-but-sometimes-curmudgeonly coffee shop owner fixed up instead. And that’s something Peg isn’t sure she likes.

Questions about love and last chances on her mind, and way too many books piled on her desk, will Peg succeed in finding romantic hope for anyone, including herself?

*****

Excerpt:

“Evening everybody!” Caroline breezed into the coffee shop in her usual manner. She pulled off her summer scarf and dropped her shopping bags on the floor as she sat down at our table. “Did you see the repair work they’re doing on the highway? I had to cut across Ocean Lane in Valencia to get here from the city.”

Next to Stacy — and Cam — Caroline was my oldest friend in Lewis Cove. We had known each other in college; now she worked as a realtor with an office closer to the metropolis than town, and believed firmly that one’s social life should never slow down, no matter the time of day or the fatigue one might be feeling.

“Just a cup of black coffee for me, and a low-cal snack,” she said to Cam. “What’s with the book?” Her gaze fell on the copy of Jane Eyre.

“It’s mine,” I said. “I’m trying to recruit new members for the book club.”

“Was that tonight?” said Caroline. “Is that why you said ‘no’ to going out with Greg’s friend tonight?” Greg was Caroline’s current boyfriend — his friend was a blind date setup I had been stealthily avoiding for two weeks.

“A date?” said Cam. “You’re dating again?” He looked at me.

“For the record, I was never not dating,” I clarified. “I just haven’t met anybody with whom the interest is mutual. Not in awhile, anyway.”

“To qualify as ‘dating,’ you have to go out with them,” said Caroline. “Not just say you’re going to do it sometime, then keep giving them excuses for why you’re not available.”

“Those aren’t excuses, Caroline, those are reasons,” I said. “Friday nights, I’m always at the book club. I’m the librarian, I have to be there to unlock the door and let them in.”

“So? Get them to meet somewhere else. They can meet in Cam’s coffee shop. Lots of atmosphere and great beverages.”

“The music will drive them out,” said Cam, placing a low-fat granola bar in front of her. “I’m instituting an ‘all rock and roll, all the time’ policy come Monday.”

I hid my smile for this answer. “Besides, I like the club,” I continued. “I like being part of their meetings.”

“The Hopeless Romantics?” said Caroline. “There’s a reason why it has that nickname, Paige. They’re people who can’t find the right person because they’re too picky, or because they’re too blind to see the right person when it’s right in front of them. You are not hopeless — and you’re definitely not a fully-fledged romantic.”

“I have a romantic streak,” I said. “And it’s mean to call them hopeless just because they have a lot of free time and no romantic ties. They’re just trying to spend an evening with people they have something in common with. That’s the whole point of the club — an exchange of mutual ideas on literature.”

“Will you exchange mutual ideas with Greg’s friend next week?” she asked me.

“Maybe,” I said. “I’ll call him. We’ll find an evening we’re both free.” From behind the counter, Cam coughed noisily. I wondered if he had tried a bite of the low-fat granola bars he kept on hand for calorie-conscious customers.

Caroline leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Speaking of dating,” she said, “I have the perfect person for Cam.” She glanced to the side, making sure he was busy with a new customer.

Did I mention Caroline is an obsessive matchmaker, too?

*****

Review:

This one reminded me of an entertaining comedic drama (dramedy?) on TV.  We get a fun diversion, with a complete storyline, but there is still so much going on that we just have to wait for the next installment.

Paige fits the lead character role well.  She’s got her friend’s best interest at heart while she meddles, perfectly matching up two of them thanks to some insights from their reading habits (she is a librarian so it works).  Unfortunately her own love life is a little lacking and hopefully it’ll play out over the next couple of books as she works to find a HEA for the rest of the book club.

Briggs brings together a cute premise and fun characters to deliver a satisfying quick summer read.  Perfect for a trip to the pool – introducing us to a lot of fun characters and giving the satisfaction of a successful romantic pairing, while also leaving us curious about who will fall next.

*****

Author Info:

Laura Briggs is the author of several women’s fiction and chick lit novels, with themes that range from wedding planning to modern Jane Austen. Even though she tends to write stories with a romance theme, as a reader she has a soft spot for mysteries, including those by Agatha Christie and Mary Roberts Rinehart. She also enjoys books by Jane Austen, Anne Tyler, Amy Tan, and too many others to name. In her free time, she likes to experiment with new recipes and tries to landscape her yard (a never-ending project).

Author Website: http://paperdollwrites.blogspot.com/

Twitter Account: http://bit.ly/1ME9ivJ

Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – Dating the Wrong Mr. Right

20 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Amanda Ashby, Dating the Wrong Mr. Right, Sisters of Wishing Bridge Farm series

This one is getting some fabulous review – you don’t want to miss Amanda Ashby’s Sisters of Wishing Bridge Farm series!

*****

Dating the Wrong Mr. Right

Sisters of Wishing Bridge Farm, #3

by Amanda Ashby

Publication Date: June 19, 2017

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Bliss, Contemporary, Romance

Blurb:

Pepper Watson has lost everything–her job, her fiancé, and the future she’d so carefully planned. Now she’s back at Wishing Bridge trying to figure out her next step. Her new plan does not include the ever-so-sexy Ben Cooper. Nope. She’s getting her life back on track, and getting out of this little town as fast as possible.

Ben Cooper is doing his best to build his business and help his parents. The last thing he needs is the distraction that is Pepper Watson. She might be prickly every time he’s in her presence, but he sees another side of her. The side that has set aside her dreams to help her sisters. And then there’s the fact that kissing her is pretty much the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

He’s putting down roots. She’s running away. It’s going to take more than a wish for these two to find their happily ever after.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2rpiFrF

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2rpxASB

B&N: http://bit.ly/2rFTosp

iBooks: http://apple.co/2sIldop

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2rAZ6Rd

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rAHBQS

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2rAoBSS

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2tbYzCm

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2tctVci

*****

Excerpt:

She tilted her head a fraction. Was it an invitation? He leaned toward her.

“Coop, we shouldn’t,” she croaked, not moving.

“Oh, we really should,” he assured her as his mouth found hers.

Want exploded through him. Her lips were soft against his and she tasted of beer and freshness. Last time they’d kissed, it was over too soon. This time it’s on my terms. Her mouth opened to his as the beer fell from her hand. Coop discarded his own bottle and slid his hands around her back, drawing her closer.

The stars, the night sky, everything faded away.

She ran her hands down his back, turning him on more than it had the right to. He deepened the kiss before planting a trail of kisses down her neck. His fingers slid down the inside of her coat, but before he could tug her shirt from the waistband of her slacks, her cell phone beeped. It was like a siren in the night, and they both froze.

Pepper was the first to respond as she pulled away from him and a series of emotions flickered across her face.

“Um, I should check this. It could be urgent.”

“More urgent than this?” Coop tried to get his breathing under control.

She opened her mouth and then shut it again. Obviously lost for words. She stood up, carefully stepping over the beer that had spilled out onto the ground.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what came over me, but I should go.”

Coop bit back his disappointment with a shrug. “Sure. But you know Pepper. Kissing me once might have been an accident, but twice…”

“Twice was a mistake. It won’t happen again,” she said in a regal voice.

“You’re the boss,” he said. She turned her back and hurried toward her car and driveway.

Okay, so that had happened. If only I knew what the hell that was.

*****

Author Info:

Amanda Ashby was born in Australia but now lives in New Zealand where she writes romance, young adult and middle grade books. She also works in a library, owns far too many vintage tablecloths and likes to delight her family by constantly rearranging the furniture.

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. Her debut book was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award, and her first young adult book was listed by the New York Public Library?s Stuff for the Teen Age. Because she’s mysterious she also writes middle grade books under the name, Catherine Holt and hopes that all this writing won’t interfere with her Netflix schedule.

She also runs writing workshops and loves to speak to people about Buffy (er, she means writing). See her Website for more information.

Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile

*****

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554951104/

*****

Falling for the Best Man (Sisters of Wishing Bridge Farm, #1):

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2rFINO3

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2saPonk

B&N: http://bit.ly/2tcldKY

iBooks: http://apple.co/2saQ24j

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2sCvGm1

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2skLlmZ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2rpDWRM

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2szu6k0

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2rpFN9g

The Wedding Planner’s Baby (Sisters of Wishing Bridge Farm, #2):

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sHZk96

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2rA9CbD

B&N: http://bit.ly/2txhpmU

iBooks: http://apple.co/2sC5RlT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2tc8gkm

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rAyn7m

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2saJgeD

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2sCt3Al

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2sCriTJ

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...
← Older posts

Recent Posts

  • Review – Small Town Hero
  • Spotlight – The Honeymoon Cottage
  • Review – Kiss My Giraffe
  • Spotlight – The Marquess of Magic
  • Spotlight – The Alphahole’s Guide to Marrying The Enemy
  • Review – Beach House Summer
  • Spotlight – Temptation in Istanbul
  • Review – Rule Breaker

 

 

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Romantic Reads and Such on WordPress.com

Facebook

Facebook

Twitter

Follow @romanticread

Email me

romanticread@gmail.com

Goodreads

 

 

Tru Blue

Archives

  • May 2022 (11)
  • April 2022 (15)
  • March 2022 (13)
  • February 2022 (7)
  • January 2022 (17)
  • December 2021 (21)
  • November 2021 (12)
  • October 2021 (20)
  • September 2021 (14)
  • August 2021 (10)
  • July 2021 (7)
  • June 2021 (14)
  • May 2021 (23)
  • April 2021 (19)
  • March 2021 (21)
  • February 2021 (11)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (13)
  • November 2020 (13)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (10)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (13)
  • May 2020 (11)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (14)
  • February 2020 (11)
  • January 2020 (10)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (10)
  • October 2019 (12)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (18)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (16)
  • March 2019 (20)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (14)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (18)
  • October 2018 (22)
  • September 2018 (20)
  • August 2018 (17)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (21)
  • March 2018 (20)
  • February 2018 (21)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (21)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (25)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (21)
  • June 2017 (29)
  • May 2017 (29)
  • April 2017 (23)
  • March 2017 (25)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (22)
  • December 2016 (22)
  • November 2016 (27)
  • October 2016 (28)
  • September 2016 (20)
  • August 2016 (23)
  • July 2016 (21)
  • June 2016 (24)
  • May 2016 (26)
  • April 2016 (25)
  • March 2016 (24)
  • February 2016 (39)
  • January 2016 (24)
  • December 2015 (25)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (27)
  • September 2015 (27)
  • August 2015 (36)
  • July 2015 (31)
  • June 2015 (21)
  • May 2015 (24)
  • April 2015 (30)
  • March 2015 (30)
  • February 2015 (26)
  • January 2015 (22)
  • December 2014 (21)
  • November 2014 (32)
  • October 2014 (34)
  • September 2014 (28)
  • August 2014 (34)
  • July 2014 (45)
  • June 2014 (44)
  • May 2014 (44)
  • April 2014 (38)
  • March 2014 (42)
  • February 2014 (38)
  • January 2014 (36)
  • December 2013 (32)
  • November 2013 (35)
  • October 2013 (33)
  • September 2013 (24)
  • August 2013 (19)
  • July 2013 (20)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (19)
  • April 2013 (19)
  • March 2013 (22)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (17)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (11)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (3)

 

 

NetGalley Professional Reader

Professional Reader

NetGalley Top Reviewer

Reviews Published

NetGalley 80% Feedback

80%

NetGalley Frequently Auto-Approved

Frequently Auto-Approved

NetGalley 500 Book Reviews

500 Book Reviews

NetGalley Challenge 2016

2016 NetGalley Challenge

NetGalley Challenge 2015

Challenge Participant

 

 

sign up to have great new reads sent right to your email

Pump Up Your Book
Book Unleashed

Featured Book Reviewer

FTC Disclaimer

I have received ARCs of books free from BookTrib.com to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any posts.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Join 1,499 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    %d bloggers like this: