Spotlight – Holiday Hijinks

Tags

Halliday Theater series, Holiday Hijinks, Katherine Moore

Who needs a quick read during this holiday season?

*****

Holiday Hijinks

Halliday Theater #1

by Katherine Moore

Genre: Cozy Holiday Romance

Blurb:

It’s Christmas, and this year Emily Halliday is trying something new at the struggling revival movie theater she runs for her great-grandmother. After all, how many times can you show It’s a Wonderful Life?

Emily was hoping to make a little profit on “Holiday Hijinks,” her “counter-programming Christmas” event. What she never expected—plot twist—is that an unexpected guest will turn her own life into a romantic comedy.

Holiday Hijinks is the first in a new series of cozy romances set in the small Pacific Northwest town of Silver Birch, Washington. A short read (15K) for a busy time, Holiday Hijinks introduces a whole new cast of characters while bringing back “cameos” from the “Meredith Manor Hotel” books, which are also set in Silver Birch.

If you love movies and food and romance as cozy as flannel jammies, Holiday Hijinks is the Christmas read for you.

**Only .99 cents!!**

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter 1: Christmas is Coming

“Christmas counter-programming,” Nella said slowly, and I could tell she wasn’t buying it.

“I know it’s something different,” I said, “but how many times can we show It’s a Wonderful Life?”

“Everybody loves It’s a Wonderful Life,” she said. “Except you.”

It’s true. I hate that movie. I watched it once when I was a little kid and thought it was so sad I turned it off before the end and have never watched it again. I know my dislike of the beloved classic is a minority opinion, but I stand firm in my belief that the best Christmas movie ever is The Muppet Christmas Carol. Because…Muppets! And Michael Caine!!

“The Halliday holiday showing of It’s a Wonderful Life has been a Christmas tradition for decades,” Nella said in her “It’s-always-been-done-this-way” voice. Which to be fair, she hardly ever uses. For a woman in her late nineties, she’s surprisingly open to trying new things. She even booked The Brown Bunny into the Halliday Theatre back when the only person willing to stand up for the film was the late Roger Ebert—and even he wasn’t onboard until he saw the director’s cut.

Still, my great-grandmother can be stubborn about some things and the Halliday Theater belongs to her, so if I want to do anything too radical, I have to run it past her first. Hence my sales pitch.

“Exactly my point.” I said. “We always screen the movie, but so does every single basic cable channel. I think we had a grand total of ten people show up last year, and most of them just came for the Christmas stockings we handed out.”

Actually, two of our patrons had been teenagers who just needed a place where they could have some privacy to make out. I sympathized. It isn’t easy getting alone time during the holidays with all those family members around, so I’d steered them to the seldom-used second floor balcony and told them to clean up after themselves and gave them a stern warning that if I found any empty beer cans, smoked-up joints, or used condoms on the floor they’d be banned from the Halliday for life.

Not only that, I’d threatened, but I’d sic Nella on them.

Silver Birch is a small town and my great-grandmother knows everybody. Everybody and their grandmother. If you get on Nella Halliday’s bad side, you might as well leave town. Even then you might not be beyond her reach. She has more than four thousand friends on Facebook and around thirty thousand people following her Instagram account (@nellathefilmgranny). Not that I’m competitive or anything, but that’s about twenty-nine thousand seven hundred more followers than I have.

“Only ten patrons? Surely it wasn’t that bad,” Nella said.

Oh yes, it was.

The thing is, getting people out of the house to see a movie during the holidays when they can stay at home in their flannel jammie pants and binge-watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel is a challenge. Everybody’s seen all the Bing Crosby films. Everybody owns their own DVD copy of A Christmas Story that’s collecting dust because everyone streams movies these days. Everyone knows all the words to the songs from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Whether your taste is for edgy movies like Bad Santa or more traditional animated fare like Rudolph, chances are you’ve seen them all. Some of them twice. Some of them every single year since they came out. (And who didn’t love Peter Dinklage’s turn in Elf long before he swaggered across Westeros as Tyrion Lannister or crack up at the hilarious bit where Lee Majors saves Santa Claus in Scrooged?)

And then there are all the movie-goers who don’t celebrate Christmas. By the time the actual holiday rolls around, they’re usually pretty sick of the whole Christmas-centric-ness of the winter celebrations. It’s even harder to coax them out of their houses. If you’ve spent a week stuffing yourself with latkes—because latkes are the best—and rugelach, you probably don’t feel like suiting up and heading out into the cold to celebrate a holiday that isn’t even your own by watching a movie that’s already in heavy rotation on Netflix and Hulu and the ABC Family Channel.

If you’re like my friend Roz, you’d rather stay in and watch a marathon of Homicide Hunter and Forensic Files episodes. (Don’t judge. Baking shows aren’t for everyone.)

All to say that showing It’s a Wonderful Life was not going to put butts in seats any more.

*****

Author Info:

Born in Washington, D.C., Katherine Moore now lives in a small Pacific Northwest town very much like Silver Birch. She has worked as a food writer, a caterer, and a movie extra as well as a freelance lifestyle reporter and staff writer for magazines in Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Richmond, Virginia.

Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

3x swag packs with 1 pair Christmas socks, 1 pair film reel earrings, 1 tin of haute cocoa mix, Packets of popcorn, Movie theatre candy, 1 $25 Fandango gift card, 1 $15 Powell indie bookstore gift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91090/

*****

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Spotlight – Taming Fire

Tags

Braving the Heat series, Leora Gonzales, Melting Snow, Simmering Heat, Taming Fire

I think it has been too long since we’ve had a sexy firefighter to read …

*****

Taming Fire

Braving the Heat Book 2

by Leora Gonzales

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Steam

Yoga instructor Louise Pine is the ultimate caretaker. Everyone around her seems to have an emergency, but Lou hasn’t met a fire she couldn’t put out—until she’s faced with the hunky, bossy firefighter who crashes into her own backyard—and her life. No one tells Lou what to do, yet somehow the guy’s take-charge style makes her tingle…

Simmer

Phoenix “Nix” Jones is used to calling the shots, whether he’s dealing with his younger siblings or taking on a dangerous blaze. Luckily, the fire at Lou’s is a false alarm. But the heat the fit and feisty woman ignites is far from dying out…

Afterglow

As the sparks turn into 5-alarm passion, can two strong-willed people end up engulfed by love—or will they crash and burn?

**can easily be read as a standalone!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

~

Melting Snow

Braving the Heat Book .5

by Leora Gonzales

Blurb:

Hot

Broke college student Winter Snow wants Christmas to be over. Thanks to her annoying name, this time of year always leaves her feeling Scrooged. The only cheer she wants is cold hard cash from her mall cleaning job—until a surprise offer from a hunky firefighter sparks one sizzling midnight temptation…

Hotter

William Holiday needs a replacement elf for his fire station’s fund-raiser. Convincing Winter she’s perfect for the part—and giving her some one-on-one training—is a task he’s happy to take on. Because her irrepressible smarts and luscious curves are making this seductive Saint Nick want to deliver all night long…

Burn

Winter isn’t betting on more than an X-rated Xmas fling. But Will plans to show her they have more in common than their quirky last names—enough to keep their wildest holiday wishes coming true…

**Only 99 cents!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

~

Simmering Heat

Braving the Heat Book 1

by Leora Gonzales

Blurb:

Where there’s smoke…

Spark

Growing up as the privileged daughter of two doctors, Jasmine Kingford always thought the housekeeper’s son was hot—and the feeling was mutual. But back then there were lines they couldn’t cross. Good thing they’re all grown up now—and in the same wedding party…

Blaze

As best man for a fellow firefighter, Leo Trask is floored to discover the maid-of-honor is a blast from his past. One that ignites fireworks that have been brewing for years. Soon enough, he and Jasmine are having a very private, all-night-long celebration of their own—and it’s clear neither wants it to end there…

Wildfire

Jasmine’s all too happy to finally shed her pampered princess demeanor with Leo. What she finds is a connection—and a complication—she didn’t expect. Leo’s the opposite of the nine-to-five guy she planned on. She wants a nursing career, kids, and a man who’s home by dinnertime. Leo’s an irresistible bad boy with a dangerous, unpredictable job. And he’s everything she never knew she wanted, and more…

Add to Goodreads

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*****

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

“Lou, I think you may have bitten off more than you can chew with this one…” Louise said to herself as she stared into the flames starting to catch fire in her small fire pit.

Louise reached for the bag of chocolates on the chair next to her. While unwrapping a morsel, she took in the backyard that had become her oasis these last two weeks. Now that Junior was living with her, she couldn’t catch up on her shows in the evening. She was afraid of him walking in and getting an eyeful of zombies. The poor kid had enough on his plate without adding flesh-eating walkers to his bedtime worries. That meant that she had been sneaking into the backyard after his bedtime and lighting a small fire as she sipped, or gulped if she had to be honest, a bottle of wine.

Swirling her sweet red wine in her glass, Louise leaned back in her patio chair. The familiar squeak of the old metal base was comforting as she tried to shake off the day’s stresses.

Her yard was the perfect size for the house. A small wooden deck came off the backdoor with a staircase that flowed down into the yard where her fire pit was centered. Mismatched patio chairs, aka garage sale finds, circled the pavers surrounding the pit, and a tall wooden privacy fence surrounded the entire yard.

It was cozy and perfect and all hers.

Louise washed the chocolate down with the rest of her wine, smacking her lips at the deliciousness of the combination. Using her fireplace poker, she stoked the fire a bit before propping her feet up at the edge of the stones to absorb the warmth. Even though it was early October, they had already had a few cold days in Larryville this year. The fire, combined with the leaves rustling from the crisp breeze, made her wish for spiced cider and Halloween movies.

It was perfect…until she heard the sirens. Sirens that sounded like they were getting closer and closer to her house at the end of her block. Was there a fire next door?

Louise tried to turn a bit in her chair to peer over the fence, but she couldn’t see anything besides darkness. The neighborhood had only one streetlight, and most of the other houses on the block were unlit. Her neighbors usually weren’t outside much once it cooled down in autumn, which meant quiet nights for Lou by the fire.

Louise worried for a moment that Harold, her elderly neighbor, may have hurt himself and made a 911 call. Relaxing, she remembered that Harold’s daughter had picked him up for a trip to an out-of-town family reunion for the weekend.

Sending up a silent prayer that the sirens wouldn’t wake Junior, Louise refilled her wine glass, pouring all the way to the rim.

Carefully holding the glass as steadily as possible, she was just getting ready to sip the excess off the top when a huge crash knocked down her back gate. The large wooden door fell haphazardly onto her mismatched potted plants that edged the walkway into the backyard.

Startled by the noise, she jerked her hand, sloshing over half of the red wine out of the glass and down the front of her white robe.

“Mother—” Louise yelped as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Firefighters streamed into her yard, stumbling over the now broken and knocked down wooden gate. Hauling gear that she had no idea the purpose of, they stopped and stared at her as she sat next to her cozy little fire pit.

“What the he—” One of the firefighters scratched his chin under the fastening on his helmet strap as he looked around the backyard.

Louise stood up, somewhat unsteadily, clutching her wet robe closed. “What’s going on? Why did you break down my gate? Can you turn off that siren?” she demanded, rapidly firing her questions at the group of men still standing around staring at her. When no answers were given, she snapped her fingers to get their attention and raised her voice. “What’s going on?” Louise held out the hand still holding her glass and pointed at the gate, “I sure as hell hope you guys plan on fixing that!” The big guy in front jerked his head toward another fireman. The action must have been some unspoken command since the other fireman immediately spoke into his walkie-talkie, “Cut the siren.”

“Ma’am.” The man who had been leading the charge on her poor defenseless gate stepped forward and pointed at her fire. “We received a call from this residence saying there was a fire at the back of the house.”

Louise gestured to the pit as if she were explaining it to a person hard of hearing. “Of course there is. I have a fire pit.”

“We can see that—” He moved closer to her. “Is that blood? Are you injured?”

Not waiting for her to answer, the man walked right up to her and opened the front of her robe. A robe that was covering her pajamas. Pajamas that consisted of a thin tight tank top and some booty shorts that had seen better days.

Whipping open the front of her robe, he looked for a reason the entire front of her body would be covered in red. Using large but gentle hands, the mystery man probed her chest, his hands sweeping over her now hard nipples.

“You’re not hurt.” His voice husky, the firefighter pulled her robe closed, making sure not to let the men behind him see what he had uncovered.

“Wait, did you say that you received a call from this residence?” Louise asked in a hushed whisper now that her small street was once again quiet.

“Yes, ma’am.” The man nodded before taking off his helmet and sending her a crooked smile.

Louise felt her mouth go dry at the sight of the gorgeous man in front of her. Damn. Firefighters were apparently the stuff that calendars were made of if this guy was anything to go by. The sight of his dark wavy hair and twinkling eyes was almost enough to distract her from what he had said.

Almost, but not enough.

“Junior,” Louise said quickly, before rushing up the deck stairs and through the back door.

*****

Author Info:

Leora Gonzales is an original Kansas girl who misses the Sunflower State every day. She spends time reading, writing . . . and making sure her two kids don’t kill themselves or each other. She’s addicted to tattoos, good food, good company—and finding lots of reasons to laugh or smile every day.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91089/

*****

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Spotlight – Hear My Heart

Tags

Baytown Boys series, Hear My Heart, Maryann Jordan

We’ve seen this series before and Jordan does a fabulous job of mixing emotions & suspense.  I’m always excited to see another book in her series.

*****

Hear My Heart

Baytown Boys Book 8

by Maryann Jordan

Release Date: December 18, 2018

Blurb:

Military duty called them away to war zones, but after tours overseas, the group of friends found their way back home as men, seeking the peaceful little seaside town. Now, the band of brothers, together once more, work to provide a place for less fortunate veterans to call home.

Aiden MacFarlane came home from the war determined to live life to the fullest and that included running his pub with his brother, hanging with his friends, coaching with the American Legion youth baseball teams, and enjoying the company of the vacationing ladies who passed through the little seaside town of Baytown.

War widower Lia Smith had moved to Baytown with her young daughter, and the last thing she was interested in was the town’s player.

Her job is to find out who might be stealing money from the town and she knows her investigation will ruffle feathers.

But as they got to know each other, they realized there was so much more to them that the labels of widower and Peter Pan.

Aiden falls for Lia and her adorable daughter, but when she is threatened by someone, he takes on the role of protector.

Will Aiden be able to save them before someone takes away his chance to truly live life to the fullest?

Scenes in the book are similar to what you would find in an R-Rated movie. Readers 18+ please.

AMAZON

*****

Author Info:

As an Award Winning, Amazon International Bestselling and All-Star author, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble Best Selling Author, I have always been an avid reader. In 2013 I started a blog to showcase wonderful writers. In 2014, I finally gave in to the characters in my head pleading for their story to be told. Thus, Emma’s Home was created.

My first novel, Emma’s Home became an Amazon Best Seller in 3 categories within the first month of publishing. Its success was followed by the rest of the Fairfield Series and then led into the Love’s Series. Soon, other spin-off series came along and 8 of my books have made Amazon top 100 Bestselling books.

Gabe, from the Alvarez Security Series won Silver Medal and 5 Star Review by the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Honor Love was an award winning novel from the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Serial Love was an award finalist novel from the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Coming Home was awarded the 5 Star Review by the 2017 Reader’s Choice Awards.

My books are filled with sweet romance and hot sex; mystery, suspense, real life characters and situations. My heroes are alphas, take charge men who love the strong, independent women they fall in love with.

I worked as a counselor in a high school and have been involved in education for the past 30 years. I have just retired and look forward to more time with family and writing!

I have been married to a wonderfully patient man for 36 years and have 2 adult, very supportive daughters.

When writing, my dog or one of my cats will usually be found in my lap!

I love to hear from readers, so please email me!

Website | Newsletter | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****

Book Review – Unzipped

Tags

Book Review, Lauren Blakely, Unzipped

Lauren is donating 100% of the first five days of sales for UNZIPPED from all retailers to California Fire Relief Charities, so one-click and you’ll get a sexy, witty rom-com and help a good cause!

*****

Unzipped

by Lauren Blakely

Blurb:

Wanted: hot nerd seeks dating coach.

Picture this – I’m ready to win back the love of my life, and I’m going big this time. We’re talking boom box, sing her name in the rain, let the whole damn neighborhood know I’m good and ready this time around. After all, if you’re going to grand gesture the ever-loving hell out of a second chance, you need to pull out all the stops. 

There’s only one little problem.

My college girlfriend isn’t the one who shows up when I play my “I’ll do anything to win you back” tune. The woman who flings open the second-floor window tells me my ex doesn’t live here anymore. But she’ll help me win her back. Anything for romance, anything for a guy so willing to go big for love. And that’s what I want at first. Until I get to know my new “romance coach” and discover she’s funny, clever, and keeps me on my toes. Now I don’t want to win anyone else’s heart. I want the woman who’s been helping me all along. Trouble is – she thinks I’m in love with someone else, and when we take off on a road trip, everything I think I know about women is about to be unzipped and turned inside out.

Unzipped is a standalone romance!

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TODAY!

ORDER YOUR COPIES HERE!

✦Kindle US ➜ https://amzn.to/2E9muKE

✦Kindle UK➜ https://amzn.to/2C0zIbk

✦Kindle CA➜ https://amzn.to/2zPcNhF

✦Kindle AU➜ https://amzn.to/2zPd9ov

✦ Apple Books ➜ https://apple.co/2QiENo1

✦ Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/2OeFJFr

✦ Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/2EdTBge

✦ Google Play ➜ http://bit.ly/UnzippedGplay

✦ Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/2Eayo6X

✦ The audiobook is narrated by Joe Arden and Andi Arndt! ✦
✦Audible ➜https://adbl.co/2wncWWL

*****

Excerpt:

As I peruse the scenes, the opening notes of a song filter from the front of my townhome. What the hell? Did I leave the streaming app open on my phone? I step away from the counter and head to the front door, looking for my phone, even though I swear I had it with me in the kitchen.

The song grows louder, and it’s not coming from my cell at all. It’s coming from outside. I peer through the peephole.

I jerk back.

Rub my eyes.

What the hell?

Am I really seeing what I’m seeing? I don’t think I had that much wine. I had one sip.

Fine, fine. One large sip. One very large, very hearty sip. All right, it was a gulp.

But I can’t possibly be hallucinating, can I?

I peek again, and holy smokes.

There’s a guy on my front lawn going full Lloyd Dobler.

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and my paranoid brain leaps three thousand steps ahead. Did he escape from Alcatraz? Is he going to bang down my door? Attack me?

I pivot and grab the baseball bat I keep handy. As the youngest sister of two older brothers, I’ve learned a few valuable lessons: boys are trouble, pizza is good cold, and always keep a baseball bat near the door and/or bed.

With my bat in hand, I scurry to the kitchen to grab my phone, then fly upstairs to the bedroom, taking the steps two by two.

I race into the bedroom, set the bat at my feet, and keep my phone clutched in my hand, ready to call 911 if need be. I pull back the white curtain a smidge.

And I nearly die laughing.

The song has stopped, and the Dobler wannabe is now kneeling on the ground, furiously hitting buttons on the boom box.

I peer around the curtain’s edge, and it’s like watching a sideshow act auditioning for my circus.

He hoists the boom box up above him again. A new tune plays. I cock my head, listening, and I cringe when I recognize the tune.

For real? Is he truly playing “Unzipped”? I could never stand that song when it was popular eight years ago. The music sounds like a can opener mating with a trombone. I wish he were playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” like Dobler did in the film.

But as I study the bizarre suburban male mating ritual, I decide to award him points for sheer balls. He also deserves bonus points because he chose to go without the super cheesy trench coat that Dobler wore. It worked for Cusack, but on anyone else that attire screams serial killer.

This guy seems harmless.

And admittedly, from my vantage point two stories above, he’s kind of handsome with the glasses, the thick, floppy hair, and the jeans that fit nicely. Strong jaw too.

Fine, fine. He’s more than kind of handsome. He’s 100 percent good-looking, in that hot nerd kind of way.

*****

Review:

I adored this book.  It’s got the perfect mix of humor and fun, with the perfect level of heat and the tiniest bit of angst.  From the cute-meet moment to the big gesture finish, I just couldn’t put it down.

Our heroine is quirky and enthusiastic about life.  She’s got just the right amount of goofiness that makes her playful but not annoying.  (I kinda want to be her when I grow up.)  He’s also just a hoot.  Sexy, smart, and also charmingly goofy – a great match for our girl.  The flirty banter just flows between them and it makes for a highly entertaining read.

With characters who are adorably dorky (and who own in), Unzipped is lighthearted, charming, funny, and easy to read.  I highly recommend it to anyone who loves romantic comedies and/or a lot of fun in their reads.

*****

Author Info:

 #1 New York Times Bestselling author, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family, including her smoking hot and funny husband and her two brilliant and kind children. She has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs — she might have four dogs, or maybe five. If she’s lucky, she’ll soon have six dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 2.5 million books. In December she’ll release UNZIPPED, in January BIRTHDAY SUIT, and in March BEST LAID PLANS. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

*****

Review – SAPD SWAT Series

Tags

Addicted to You, Book Review, Nikki Mays, SAPD SWAT series, Surrender to You

Looking for something with a little humor to lighten up the rest of your 2018?  Mays’ stories of sexy guys and the heroines who bring them to their knees definitely have a few giggles in store for you.

*****

Surrender to You

SAPD SWAT Series Book 1

by Nikki Mays

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Comedy

Blurb:

Mellie

Mellie has been hypnotized by a pair of gorgeous green eyes, attached to a very yummy package for months now. Unfortunately for her, her brain goes on hiatus anytime Morris Jackson is around. Looking like a bobble head whenever he asks her anything isn’t the best way to go about getting a man like him interested. Not like ruggedly handsome men go for quirky, accident prone introverts like her. Plus, even if she did have a snowballs chance in hell with him, him being her brothers SWAT teammate doesn’t bode well for her. A girl can dream though!

Morris

Those blue eyes sucker punched him the minute he looked into them. It felt like the ground had literally gone out from under him. Mellie is everything that he could ever want and everything that he shouldn’t have. Even if he didn’t know that she’s too good for a guy like him, her brother would never be okay with it. He is over protective and proud of it. But at some point you have to say screw the consequences and go after what you know is meant to be yours.

Too bad someone wasn’t happy for them when the found their way to one another. Someone will make sure they don’t stay together by any means necessary. They’ll even kill to get what they want.

Goodreads | Amazon

~

Addicted to You

SAPD SWAT Series Book 2

by Nikki Mays

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Comedy

Blurb:

Michelle is my addiction. She’s sweetness and light wrapped up in a delicious package. Almost as delicious as the confections she makes. Until now, I’ve kept my distance to make sure my darkness doesn’t taint her. She’s better than a killer who sits behind a scope.

I watch her from afar. Getting dragged under her spell a little further with every sweet smile and mischievous grin. I know I’ll cave one day, give into the craving to be near her. Being in her presence is a feeling like no other, one I can’t seem to resist.

Unfortunately, I’m not the only one living under her influence. While I was watching her, someone else was watching too. But she belongs with me, no matter what anyone else wants.

Now I need to make sure she gives me my next fix of her, even if she’s too stubborn to admit she wants to. She’s my addiction, cure and redemption all rolled into one. Her soul calls out to my own. I’ll make sure she’s as addicted to me as I am to her. She’ll crave me – if it’s the last thing I do.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZxGOuMBy8Pc

Goodreads | Amazon

*****

Review:

(I’ve seen a lot of reviews for both books claiming that a good editor would help a lot.  I don’t know if I had final versions or ARCs but there were a lot of mispellings and grammar issues.  As a regular reader of review copies though, this kind of thing doesn’t really affect me but I wanted to put this out there as a warning to others who may be a little more discerning 🙂 )

There are authors that write characters that could be straight out of Gilmore Girls (I’m looking at you Susan Mallery), always ready with a snappy comment.  Then there are those characters who are sophisticated, never saying a wrong thing and who always make me feel like I need to work better at this adulting thing.  Mays seems to have found a voice that is like that conversation you have with your bestie after a couple of glasses of wine.  It’s unfiltered and sometimes graceless, but it is real for the homespun characters she’s created.

In Surrender to You, Morris has had a thing for Mellie for a while but since she’s his friend’s sister he tried to stay away.  Unfortunately, his feelings are pretty apparent and after a while her brother is so tired of his awkwardness that he gives the OK.  Mellie is just as dorky when Morris is around so there is a lot of fun to be have while the two are dancing around each other.  And it doesn’t stop when they get together because these two definitely have a lot of personality.  (Mellie fighting with her brother is the best thing ever!)

Addicted to You is a fun follow-up that has a lot of the same vibe.  Damon is a pretty curt guy, but I love the way he and Michelle mesh.  She’s so full of sass that it helps bring him out of himself just a bit.  I got such a kick out of these two together, and their interactions with their friends are both sweet and hilarious.

The SAPD SWAT stories are delightfully fun romantic comedies with entertaining characters.  I enjoyed how the couples got together & watching them piece together a life with each other.  The friendships help make it a winner as well.  It is quite obvious that Michelle and Mellie have been friends for ages because those two are a hoot together.  The guys are your typical guy’s guys – giving each other a hard time, a little rough around the edges – but they have good hearts and are supportive of each other.  The lack of angst is a real winner for me and overall I felt the suspense parts, while not a huge part of the story (especially the second), are done well.

The SAPD SWAT series isn’t going be for everyone, but I think that it will be a huge hit with the right audience.

*****

Author Info:

Nikki Mays is a pen name that was created from her maiden name. She is a wife and mother, who lives in a small town in New Jersey. She has been with her husband for a decade and is surprised that he’s still alive. She began writing as a creative outlet after becoming a stay at home mom. She decided that she needed something exclusively for herself, not just being mommy. She has two crazy boxers that love to keep that “Evil” mailman out of the yard. Besides writing and spending time with her little hellions, she enjoys cooking & baking. She has recently taken up gardening and made her loving husband plant her a mini fruit tree orchard, as well as a garden taking up half an acre. Nikki loves to be stalked by her readers and encourages all interaction.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$5 Amazon

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91080/

*****

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

Spotlight – One Wish

Tags

Kate Kisset, Love in the Vineyards series, One Wish

There’s a TON of 5 star reviews for this one.  Get your copy and find out why!

*****

One Wish

Love in the Vineyards series

by Kate Kisset

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Blend a former tight end with a bad reputation  and a gorgeous computer geek who doesn’t date. Toss in two matchmaking grannies who have only One Wish this Christmas.

Lilly Martelli’s first vacation in over a year has her on a mission to support her two busybody relatives in St. Helena. Helping the grannies bake stinky fruitcakes for their Christmas bake sale is bad enough, but being forced to co-host the fund-raiser with Mr.-Fun-in-the-pants Brett Benning might be too hot to handle.

Brett had hoped retiring from football, becoming a firefighter, and moving back to Napa Valley would be enough to repair his reputation. But he’s sick to death of the tiny town gossip, and tired of dating in the shallow end of the pool. He’s looking to score The One.

What are the odds he’d find her while helping with the annual bake sale? His smart and sexy co-chair has him eating out of her hands and asking for seconds of her grandmother’s nasty fruitcake. For the first time in his life, Brett might be in over his head.

One Wish is a standalone, sexy romcom. Although you don’t have to read any of Kate’s other stories to enjoy this one, Love in the Vineyards fans will love seeing their favorite characters from other stories, as they get to know the Santino brother’s lovable grandmother, Mimi, their quirky great-aunt Cha-Cha, and all their gorgeous cousins.

If you enjoy small town romances, romantic comedies, and sexy love stories with a full cast of strong heroines, drool worthy alpha heroes, and grannies in orthopedics, you’ll love One Wish.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EbTXUM

*****

Excerpt:

(Former Seattle Seahawks tight end, turned St. Helena firefighter, Brett Benning, is co-chairing the annual Sweet Paws Charity Bake Sale with self-professed computer genius Lilly Martelli. Here, Brett is picking Lilly up at her aunt’s magnificent mansion, so they can spend the day scouting new locations for their event. Unfortunately, Lilly’s grandmother and great-aunt have just baked another batch of their notorious fruitcakes.)

“We were just taking another batch of fruitcakes out of the oven.” Mimi sidled next to him so he was cozily flanked by both women.

The faint rum-and-mysterious, pungent smell he detected when he entered the house was impossible to ignore in the kitchen. Cha-Cha offered him a seat at the island in the middle of the room.

“Lilly will be down in a moment,” Mimi explained. “But you have time for a nice slice of cake.” She deposited a plate laden with a green and red speckled, shiny mound in front him.

The overpowering odor wafted up from the dish, making his eyes water. “No, I couldn’t.” He gently pushed the plate away. Mimi pushed it back.

“You can’t expect him to eat with his hands, Sister,” Cha-Cha chuckled, passing a fork to him. “Go ahead, darling, while it’s still warm,” she coaxed. “Dig in.”

He could swear the mound moved, but couldn’t trust his vision through the tears. What is that smell? “I had a very big breakfast at the station.” Brett eyed the doorway, praying Lilly was ready to leave and would walk through the door and save him.

Mimi brought her hands to her hips. Her expression conveyed in no uncertain terms that she was having none of it. With perfect posture, Cha-Cha took a stance next to her, her blue eyes flicking from the blob on the plate to his mouth. Brett glimpsed at the doorway again. No dice.

“Had I known I-I- would be in for such a treat,” he explained, knowing his excuse would have zero effect, “I would’ve saved room.” He waited a beat, hoping for a miracle, but it was no use. The sisters weren’t taking no for an answer, so he sliced into the cake with his fork and took the tiniest possible bite.

The texture was thick, gelatinous, and chewy at the same time. Little knobs of hard bits rolled over his tongue, and he tried not to wince. It was even worse than he remembered, which he would have thought impossible. The flavor was as revolting as the smell. “Hmmm.” He muttered while swallowing hard to force the cake down, but the slippery hunk caught in the back of his throat. He’d never given himself a Heimlich before, but right now he was glad he at least knew how.

“Well?” Cha-Cha’s long sleeves fluttered as she crossed her arms, never taking her eyes off him. “We used a new ingredient in this batch. You’re our test monkey.”

“Hmmm.” The last gulp did the trick, and the gooey globule slid down. That’s when the explosion in his mouth happened. It felt like someone lit a match, and heat tore through his sinuses. His body couldn’t hold back anymore and tried to repel the substance with a cough, which led to another. And another.

“That’s the rum.” Cha-Cha nodded to her sister.

“We should’ve warned you, dear. It has a little kick,” Mimi explained. “Oh, no. Are you crying?”

“Child-gag-hood mem-choke-or-cough-ies.”

“Are you all right?” Thanks to his coughing fit, he hadn’t noticed when Liliana walked in. She opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of paper napkins. “Here.” She passed a few to him.

“Thanks.” He gratefully used it to wipe his mouth. When he dried his tears, Liliana’s beautiful face came in view. Light streamed through the windows, casting a shine on her hair. Her leggings hugged every one of her curves, and the fluffy sweater made her look extra-adorable, and so sexy at the same time. Should he get up and hug her? After all, they were working together now. She probably smelled good, too. If his nose ever recovered from its beating, he hoped to find out…

Brett caught a glimpse of Cha-Cha checking out his reaction to her granddaughter and decided to stay put.

Lilly gave him a devious smile. Like everything else about her, it was pretty.

*****

Author Info:

Former San Francisco radio disc jockey Kate Kisset is the author of Love in The Vineyards, a series of small-town contemporary romance novels set in California wine country.

Readers call her novels, sexy, sweet and refreshing, with complex characters and plots that serve up humor without holding back on heart.

Kate divides her time between Northern and Southern California. Her stories feature strong heroes and heroines set in the small town, real-world vineyard settings found outside her front door.

When she’s not writing, Kate’s favorite job is being “The Mommy.” She enjoys reading, binge watching Netflix and the Hallmark Channel, wine tastings, cooking, listening to music, and hiking with her loyal companion Luciana Parmigiana, her rescue-dog-editor.

AMAZON PAGE | WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | FACEBOOK GROUP | FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BOOKBUB | PINTEREST | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Visa Giftcard

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb739/

*****

Spotlight – Tall, Dark, & Tempting

Tags

Erika Wilde, Tall Dark and Tempting

TALL, DARK AND TEMPTING, an all-new fun and flirty standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Erika Wilde is available now!

*****

Tall, Dark, and Tempting

by Erika Wilde

Blurb:

Dylan Stone and Serena Fields have been best of friends their entire lives. For Dylan, she’s the solid, dependable woman in his life. His person. The one who has been there for him through the best and worst of times and doesn’t see him for the millions he has in the bank. And even though he’s been secretly attracted to her for years, there are some lines that best friends don’t cross—even if he does spend most of their time together entertaining dirty thoughts about her that have no business being in his head.

Serena has been in love with Dylan Stone for as long as she can remember, but she’s searching for her happily-ever-after and that’s not her best friend’s thing. Unfortunately, her dating life is one disaster after another, yet Dylan is always there with a pint of her favorite ice cream and a listening ear after each and every disappointing encounter.

It’s the perfect arrangement, until one night changes everything.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TcczJe

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2DG9ZXA

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TallDarkTempting

Nook: http://bit.ly/2FkYE0T

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2RQKplw

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2zLLBiI

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2PVVdSe

*****

Author Info:

Erika Wilde is a New York Times Bestselling author. She is best known for her super sexy Marriage Diaries series and The Players Club series, and has also co-written the Dirty Sexy Series and the Book Boyfriend Series with Carly Phillips, her best friend and writing buddy for the past twenty years. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two daughters, and when she’s not writing you can find her exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. For more information on her upcoming releases, please visit website at http://www.erikawilde.com and sign up for her mailing list for updates and news!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OLvHe9

Twitter: https://twitter.com/erikawilde1

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2Ply3lh

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2MsZBqj
Friend Erika on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2PkVyKZ

Visit her author page: http://bit.ly/2vVITpY

Join her reader group: http://bit.ly/2OLuIut

Stay up to date with Erika by joining her mailing list:http://bit.ly/2OJIsWE

https://www.erikawilde.com

*****

Spotlight – Trusting Jack

Tags

MC Securities series, Ruby Moone, Trusting Jack

Today we have another holiday read getting some great reviews!

*****

Trusting Jack

MC Securities Book 1

by Ruby Moone

Length: 45,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Blurb:

With only a few days to go until Christmas, Michael Cross has to admit there is something amiss about his latest employee, Jack Whelan. Quiet, jumpy, thin… he never seems to eat. He is also incredibly gorgeous with dark spiky hair that Michael aches to touch. But as his boss, Jack is off limits. And when it comes to relationships, he…well, he sucks.

Jack Whelan is at the end of his tether. He’s living rough in the middle of winter, and paying off a massive debt, so getting a job with MC Securities is a lifeline. His new boss is also the hottest guy ever. Geeky, broody, and scarily clever.

When Michael stumbles upon the reality of Jack’s life, he offers to help. But as Michael’s feelings deepen, and Jack’s terrible past catches up with him, Michael has to decide between believing in the awful truth that is staring him in the face, or trusting Jack.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

*****

Author Info:

My name is Ruby Moone and I love books. All kinds of books. My weakness is for romance, and that can be any kind, but I am particularly fond of historical and paranormal. I decided to write gay romance after reading some fantastic books and falling in love with the genre, so am really thrilled to have my work published here. The day job takes up a lot of my time, but every other spare moment finds me writing or reading. I live in the north west of England with my husband who thinks that I live in two worlds. The real world and in the world in my head…he probably has a point!

Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/RubyMoone/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter – @RubyMooneWriter

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rubymoone/

*****

Giveaway:

Backlist ebook from Ruby Moone

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43517/

*****

Spotlight – Christmas in Smithville

Tags

Christmas in Smithville, Kirsten Fullmer, The Hometown series

I love this Christmas story – two people who doubt themselves finally finding a happy ending together.

*****

Christmas in Smithville

The Hometown Series Book 4

by Kirsten Fullmer

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Even though Gloria is determined to change her reputation, most of the women in town still think she’s a tramp. Sure, she may have dressed a little flashy and dated pretty much every single guy in town, but that’s the past. Now that she wants to make a fresh start, will Smithville give her a second chance?

Ned has heard all the gossip, but being the Sheriff’s Deputy, he sees all the kind things Gloria does behind the scenes for the folks of Smithville. It looks like the upcoming Christmas Pageant will offer him the opportunity to spend time with her, but can he overcome a frustrating stutter and talk to her, face to face?

Your favorite characters from the Hometown Series bring craziness, love, and Smithville Christmas style, to a whole new romance about overcoming your past and sharing your deepest secrets. Fall in love and be swept away with the Christmas Eve celebration of your dreams.

Video Trailer:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PRT6W0mHY

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Hometown Girl at Heart

Hometown Series Book 1

Goodreads * Amazon

Hometown Girl After All

Hometown Series Book 2

Goodreads * Amazon

Hometown Girl Forever

Hometown Series Book 3

Goodreads * Amazon

Hometown Girl Again

Hometown Series Book 5

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Gloria could practically hear Ned’s heart beating; he was standing so close. What was he thinking? They’d formed a solid friendship, and now, if her instincts we right, he appeared to be crossing the friendship line. Had that been his intention all along? Was she so stupid that she’d let her guard slip and hadn’t seen that he just wanted to get her in bed? What was it about her that made men think she was fair game?

Scrubbing at a stubborn piece of food on a plate, she frowned.

Ned backed up half a step, picking up on her discomfort. “What’s wrong?”

The plate was clean, but she kept scrubbing anyway.

“Gloria?” He said her name more like a quiet demand than a question. She quit scrubbing the dish but didn’t look up.

He waited, and the silence in the small kitchen was deafening.  Finally, Gloria met his eye. Ned grinned an easy smile. “I’ll dry.” With that, he snatched up the dishtowel hanging on the oven door and reached for the plate.

She regarded him through narrowed eyes, trying to read his intent. He felt like the same old Ned; maybe she’d been wrong. With a shrug, she rinsed the plate and handed it to him. Her instincts had led her astray before. Crap, she’d never been able to tell when a man cared about her.

Ned dried the plate and reached up to put it in the cupboard.  Glancing back to Gloria, he caught her watching him, so he offered a reassuring, friendly grin.

“Damn,” she thought, turning her attention back to the dishes. The man really was dangerously good looking. Yet, here she stood with him in Nadine’s kitchen. The one woman she wanted to show she had changed. She had to prove to Nadine, and the other wives in town, that she wasn’t out to get a man. She needed to remember that, no matter how gorgeous Ned was. Besides, she valued his friendship far too much to mess it up. If she was capable of managing any type of relationship with a man, she wanted to be Ned’s friend.

Rinsing a plastic cup, she handed it off to him, and her eye caught his. Something in the depths of his gaze snagged her attention, and she couldn’t look away.  What was he trying to tell her?

“I’m firsty,” Christi’s tiny voice said from the doorway.

The cup dropped to the sink as both Ned and Gloria jerked their hands apart, both jumping back as they turned toward the little girl.

Christi stood in her pajamas, her eyes wide. “I need a dwink.”

Ned was the first to spring into action. “I’ll get you a d—drink, sweetheart. Do you want water or milk?”

“Miwk,” she said. Her little face was serious as her eyes bounced from Ned to Gloria and back.

Reaching into the cupboard by the sink, he retrieved a child’s sippy-cup and lid, then headed toward the fridge. For a moment he juggled the cup and lid to open the door and take out the milk, but he managed to make it to the table and fill the cup half full. Tossing a grin to Gloria, as if to say ‘I got this’, he twisted the cap onto the cup.

Christi padded across the room and reached for the cup.

Ned squatted down to eye level and offered her his trademark grin. “Here you go d—darlin’.”

The child gave him a serious once over as she took the cup, then tipped it up to drink.  Unfortunately, when the cup reached her mouth, the lid came off, and milk spilled all down the front of the little girl’s chin, neck, and footy pajamas.

Ned gasped and jumped back to miss the torrent of milk splashing across the floor.

“Oh dear!” Gloria cried, grabbing the towel off the counter and hurrying to the little girl’s side. “Did the lid come off?” Her eyes sprung to Ned’s, and she felt instantly silly for asking the obvious, so she turned back to the little girl. “Of course, it did. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Ned floundered, “I didn’t m—mean to… I’m so s—sorry…”

Little Christi glared up at him, her expression clearly stating that she considered the man to be a complete jerk. Milk dripped onto the floor as she stood in a widening puddle. Her fuzzy pink pajamas and even her hair were soaked in milk.

Trying not to laugh, Gloria stripped off the sodden pajamas, soothing and assuring Christi that the deputy didn’t mean to spill her milk. After dabbing up all the milk she could with the now-soaked towel, she hefted the child up onto her hip and turned to Ned. The miserable look on his face gave her pause. “Don’t worry,” she assured both parties. “Nothing a bath won’t fix.”

As she headed across the room, Ned found his voice. “I’ll m—mop up…” but Gloria was gone, along with his chance to tell her how he felt.

*****

Author Info:

Kirsten grew up in the Western US and graduated from high school in 1984. She married soon there after and quickly built a family. With three young children and number four on the way, she returned to college in 1992. Her career as a draftsman included many settings ranging from a steel fabrication shops to prestigious engineering firms. Balancing family life with the workplace forced her to become the queen of multitasking. In 2001, bored with the cubical life, she moved on to teach drafting in technical college, then to opening her own consulting firm teaching 3D engineering software. Due to health problems, Kirsten retired in 2012 to travel with her husband for his job. She now works writing romance novels and enjoys spoiling her three grandchildren. Since 2017 Kirsten has lived and worked full time in a 40′ travel trailer with her husband and her little dog Bingo.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon gift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91088/

*****

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

Book Review – My Forever Home

Tags

Book Review, Debbie Burns, My Forever Home, Rescue Me series

By combining love, four legged friends, and a happy ending, Burns brings reader a great holiday read.

*****

My Forever Home

A Rescue Me Novel

by Debbie Burns

Blurb:

Love comes to the rescue.

Vet school drop-out Tess Grasso dreams of having her own pet therapy business, but she meets one disastrous obstacle after another. There’s no denying she has a way with animals, so in the meantime she puts her skills to use at a local no-kill shelter. Between helping her furry companions and a budding relationship with fellow dog lover Mason Redding, Tess begins to find fresh confidence…

What Tess doesn’t know is that Mason is recovering from an accident, hoping to get back to his pro-baseball career. He’s afraid the truth will ruin everything—and he’s right. But in the midst of hurt and betrayal, a free-spirited stray Husky enters their lives, and teaches them a few things about faith, love and forgiveness.

Amazon: amzn.to/2M2jncH

B&N: bit.ly/2LXvQOG

Apple: apple.co/2niQZ79

IndieBound: bit.ly/2LZDkB0

*****

Excerpt:

Tess lifted her mug of tea and carried it into the kitchen and away from the wall of windows and the remarkable St. Louis night skyline. If this were her place, she’d get nothing done in the evenings as she cuddled against that couch, sipping tea, and gazing at the beautiful lights.

“I had no idea a veggie meat loaf could smell so amazing. I’m so hungry, I could eat… Wait, I don’t think you can say you could eat a bear when you’re vegetarian, can you?”

Mason laughed and said she could say whatever she wanted. He was slicing through a cucumber with a gleaming chef knife.

“After we eat, I’ll be good to get back out there and search again.”

“Me, too. I’ve been standing here thinking what it could be like if we succeed. I want the dog. No question. And I know he’ll have a better life. A much better life. But I can’t help but wonder if he’ll want to be here.”

Tess joined Mason at the opposite counter. “He will. I’m sure he will.” Her hand closed reflexively over his forearm in reassurance, and she had to refrain from jerking it away. Seeing his strength was one thing. Feeling it was another.

What would he do if she slid between him and the countertop and allowed her lips to land where they wanted?

She forced a stepped back. “Do you have honey?”

“Yeah. In the pantry.”

His pantry was relatively uncluttered, and she spotted the honey right away. A family-sized box of Cocoa Puffs on the top shelf made her smile.

“What?” He pulled open a drawer and handed her a spoon. “Are you grinning at my juvenile selection of pantry foods?”

“That’s a big box of Cocoa Puffs.”

“Aren’t they a kitchen-pantry requirement?”

“I certainly wished that growing up, but not in my house. At least not unless it was a special occasion. My parents both worked full-time when I was growing up, and I went over to my grandparents’ house every day before school. My grandma’s idea of a quick breakfast is a bread roll with butter and jam or day-old biscotti to dip in her coffee.”

“Somehow that doesn’t make you sound deprived, if that’s what you were aiming for.”

Tess laughed as she squeezed a bit of honey into her mug. “How can I help?”

“I’m almost done, thanks. I have a red on the counter and a white in the fridge, if you’re up for wine.”

“I’d like to try this,” she said, picking a Barolo, “if you like red.”

“Sure.” He pulled a corkscrew from one of the top drawers. “How about you open it while I finish up?”

Mason had a beautiful salad prepared, and a small pot of gravy was warming on the stove. When he opened the oven, she spotted a ceramic bowl of mashed potatoes, another of green beans, and the veggie meat loaf.

As Tess opened the wine, she thought of her grandma. Nonna had taught her never to belittle someone’s effort in the kitchen by equating their work to trouble. “Wow,” she said instead. “Everything looks great. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Thanks. My, uh, slow season is in winter. Cooking is a hobby I’ve wanted to take up for a while. Like I said, before tonight I’d only ever made three different main dishes.”

“You said that, but you didn’t tell me what they are, aside from meat loaf, that is.”

“Want to guess?” Mason grinned as he carried over the salad bowl to a dining table long enough to bring to mind Beauty and the Beast. Mason had set two places, one at an end, the other in the seat adjacent to it. Tess’s heart beat at the intimacy of it.

“Absolutely. Let’s see. You grew up on a farm in rural Iowa, and your family is not Italian, so I’m guessing one of them is not lasagna.”

“You would be correct.”

“Hmm, what’s farmy to cook? I’m trying to picture the Cracker Barrel menu in my head. And before you ask, I only got to eat there when I went to Florida with my cousin’s family on vacation. Okay, let’s see. Chicken and dumplings?”

Mason chuckled. “Nope, though that’s one of my mom’s go-to winter meals.”

“Country-fried steak?”

“If we were playing hangman, you’d have a head and body.”

“Chicken pot pie?”

“And there’s a leg, or is it the arm next?”

Tess clicked her tongue and slid into the open seat next to him. “Pot roast?”

“Well done.”

“Really?” Tess waggled her eyebrows. “Pot roast and meat loaf. Two very hearty meals. Impressive.”

“I bet you hang before you guess the third.”

Tess pierced a bit of salad and silently counted off the meals she’d guessed. “Barbecue ribs?”

“Add the second leg. I can barbecue as well as the next guy, but I wasn’t counting it. Slathering a rack of ribs with some sauce and enjoying a beer while it sizzles over the coals isn’t the same as preparing a meal from scratch.”

“True, I guess.” She pointed her fork his way. “Don’t tell me. I’m going to get this.” She was halfway through a bite of salad when she smacked her palm against the table and hurriedly swallowed. “OMG, I’ve got it. I’ve totally got it. I know your third meal, Mason…” Tess paused. “I know your third meal, but I don’t know your last name. How weird is that?”

Mason sat back in his chair and took a sip of wine, appraising her, his mouth pulled up in the crooked smile that she adored. “With that reaction, this is the all-or-nothing round. Get it right, you win. Get it wrong, that’s the arms, feet, hands, everything, and you’re hanged.”

“I’m okay with that, only what’re we playing for?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. Something bigger than who does the dishes, that’s for sure.”

Tess agreed with him. “How about winner calls it?”

His gaze dropped to her mouth for two solid seconds before returning to her eyes. “Yes, definitely.”

*****

Review:

My Forever Home is a wonderfully cozy and heartwarming read.  It is just made to tug at you, through both animal and people.  You totally understand why Mason keeps who he is from Tessa and the revelation works well with their relationship as it has developed.  And while there is the opportunity, I really appreciate that Burns avoids  melodrama and handles issues quickly and realistically.

While I feel that Mason had good development as a character, I do wish we’d gotten a little more of Tessa’s family.  Her issues with her family is what sent her on a tour of Europe, but while it is hit upon I think that it could have used a little more.  I do love her relationship with her grandmother – their closeness is so sweet and I loved the support there.

As much as I love Mason and Tessa’s relationship, it is the connection with John Ronald that is really the highlight of the book.  The look inside his mind brings happiness, sadness, and humor.  Some may not like the personification of a dog, but it works for me.

Like Sit, Stay, Love, My Forever Home is one of those easy to read, slow burn books that takes it time creating connection between the characters – exploring them as people and how they relate to each other.  Mason & Tessa manage to find each other at a time when both are ready for the next phase and it creates a delightfully satisfying HEA.  I’m so looking forward to what Burns has in store for us next.

*****

Author Info:

Debbie Burns’ writing commendations include a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews for A New Leash on Love, as well as first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening, and daydreaming, which, of course, always leads to new story ideas. She lives in St. Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine coon cat who everyone loves anyway.

*****

Giveaway:

5 Copies of Sit, Stay, Love

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7708/

*****