Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Where We Belong (+ Giveaway)


* Where We Belong
* By Shann McPherson
* Published by: HQ Digital
* Publication date: February 21st 2020
* Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
An emotional, compelling page-turner from your next romance obsession, Shann McPherson, about the power of friendship and finding love where you least expect it.
When Alice ‘Murph’ Murphy’s beloved mother died, she promised to keep the family bakery in Graceville, Georgia afloat—even if it meant letting her high-school sweetheart, Nash Harris, go. For years, Murph has been biding her time, waiting for Nash to come back for her.
So when he strolls into Piece O’ Cake, Murph’s heart skips a beat—until he hands her an invitation to his wedding… There are painful secrets in both their pasts that only the two of them share, and Murph can’t bear the thought of Nash belonging to someone else.
There’s only one thing Murph can think of to do: fake a relationship with local bar owner and old friend Harley Shaw to remind Nash of what he’s losing, and win him back for good.
Nash is Murph’s best friend, a vivid reminder of her childhood and all the things she’s lost—but the more time Murph and Harley spend together, the more the lines between real and pretend begin to blur. Can Murph choose between the one who got away and the one who never left—and heal her aching heart?
EXCERPT:
I push my glasses up my nose for the millionth time, and while holding my breath and with one eye narrowed, I wipe a tiny smudge of frosting from the silver turntable holding Mr. and Mrs. Robertson’s fiftieth wedding anniversary cake. It may have taken me two full days and most of last night, but I’ve finally finished. Exhaling the breath I’ve been holding for a beat too long, I take a step back to really appreciate my craftsmanship. Four layers of lemon and blueberry perfection, covered in a fluffy whipped buttercream frosting, decorated with beautiful red roses, delicate peonies, and a smattering of baby’s breath, all of which have been hand-piped by yours truly.
I place a hand on my hip, smiling proudly. “Alice Murphy, once again you’ve outdone yourself,” I whisper under my breath, mentally high-fiving myself.
The bell above the door to the shop jingles, pulling me from my musings, and I walk through from the kitchen to the front of the store, still smiling at the thought of my latest masterpiece.
“Welcome to Piece O’ Cake,” I sing in a cheerful customer service voice. “How can I help yo—” Stopping dead in my tracks, my eyes go wide as I gawp at the unexpected figure standing in the middle of the shop. He’s shadowed by the afternoon sun shining in through the windows, backlighting him to nothing more than a darkened silhouette, and I blink hard, unsure whether or not I’m imagining things. But then he speaks. And I would know that voice anywhere. This is definitely not my imagination playing tricks on me.
“Hey, Murph.” The shadow takes a step forward, coming in to the glow of the overhead lights, and I’m immediately enamored by that all too familiar grin.
“N-Nash?” I gasp.
His smile is bright and those eyes. I’d remember those eyes anywhere after spending such a big part of my life dreaming about them.
“Oh my God!” I scream, covering my mouth with trembling hands until I finally come to, ripping off my apron before practically throwing myself over the counter. Jumping up, I wrap my arms around his neck, and emotion gets the better of me as I stand there in the familiarity of his warm embrace with tears of happiness streaming down my cheeks.
He’s here.
The love of my life.
He’s home.

Author Bio:
With big dreams of being a published author since she was an eleven-year-old girl writing Beverly Hills 90210 fan fiction before fan fiction was even a thing, Shann McPherson has been writing angsty, contemporary romances for most of her thirty-something years.
Living in sunny Queensland, Australia, when she’s not writing Shann enjoys making memories with her husband and cheeky toddler son, drinking wine, and singing completely off-key to One Direction’s entire discography.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. I just love the fact that this is set in Georgia (my home state). Doesn't that book cover make you think of Spring and/or Summer activities?

GIVEAWAY!

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Friday, February 21, 2020


* Headlong
* By Shannon McKenna
* (The Hellbound Brotherhood, #2)
* Publication date: February 21st 2020
* Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller
They were never supposed to leave alive…Find out why New York Times bestseller Maya Banks hails McKenna’s books as “A non-stop thrill ride…”
Only one woman could tempt him to return…
Eric Trask and his brothers have turned their backs on their past. Only their beloved foster father’s funeral could drag them back to the small town of Shaw’s Crossing.
Eric is haunted by the memory of GodsAcre, the doomsday cult in the mountains where they were raised and the deadly fire that destroyed it, but one memory still shines bright…Demi Vaughan. Her lush, sexy mouth, her stunning green eyes. Their hot fling seven years ago crashed and burned in the worst possible way, and she’s still mortally pissed at him…and more gorgeous than ever.
Second chances…
Demi Vaughan did her best to forget Eric Trask. They told her from the start that he was a train wreck, and she hadn’t listened. He’d broken her heart and derailed her life, and she’d be damned if she’d let him do it again, now that she’d followed her dream and opened her own restaurant. But the years that passed have only turned Eric into a more concentrated version of what he’d always been—a flint-eyed, brutally ambitious, hyper-focused alpha male hunk. Just taller. Harder. As intoxicating as hell.
Demi tries to withstand Eric’s magnetic pull, but she can’t resist the all-consuming heat between them. But an old evil still lies low in Shaw’s Crossing, and Eric’s arrival has shocked it back into life.
Now it’s not just their hearts that are in danger. It’s their lives…
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Headlong, Book Two of The Hellbound Brotherhood, is the continuing story of Demi and Eric. It began in Hellion, Book One, and picks up their story seven years later. The other titles in The Hellbound Brotherhood are part of a connected series, but each book features its own couple and its own HEA.
EXCERPT:
After, he found himself staring into her eyes. Naked and exposed. Everything he felt, written on his face. Blazing out of him in fucking neon.
Feelings she didn’t want him to have. Hopes she didn’t want to encourage. He was hers. Body and soul, whether she wanted him or not. It was a done deal. On his part.
But he couldn’t say it. Couldn’t offer it. He’d promised.
He pulled out of her and turned away, to hide his face. This was the danger spot, the no-go zone, every damn time. After they had sex, he just couldn’t fake it anymore.
He grabbed his jeans, pulled them on. “Bathroom’s down the hall,” he muttered, without looking at her. “Towels in the cabinet. Help yourself.”
“Eric?” She sounded worried.
He gritted his teeth through the pain in his shoulder as he tugged his shirt back on and grabbed the Glock off the nightstand. “I’ll go downstairs. Make some coffee.”
“Hey!” Her voice was sharp. “Eric! What the hell is the matter with you?”
He stopped, his hand on the doorframe. He started to say something stupid and ill-considered and true, but swallowed the dangerous words back. Then tried again.
“Just trying to play by the rules,” he said. “I suck at it, that’s all. See you downstairs.”
He splashed his face and hands, but what he saw in the mirror over the bathroom sink was too much for him. Soap and water wouldn’t wash that look off his face.



Author Bio:
Shannon McKenna is the NYT bestselling author of more than seventeen action packed, turbocharged romantic thrillers, among which are the stories of the wildly popular McCloud series and her scorching new series, The Obsidian Files—rip-roaring romantic suspense with a sci-fi twist. She loves tough and heroic alpha males, heroines with the brains and guts to match them, villains who challenge them to their utmost, adventure, scorching sensuality, and most of all, the redemptive power of true love.
Since she was small, she has loved abandoning herself to the magic of a good book, and her fond childhood fantasy was that writing would be just like that, but with the added benefit of being able to take credit for the story at the end. Alas, the alchemy of writing turned out to be messier than she’d ever dreamed. But what the hell, she loves it anyway, and hopes that readers enjoy the results of her alchemical experiments.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Don't you just love a story that has such intriguing characters like Eric and Demi that you know will keep you guessing what they're going to do next?


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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Besotted
The Beguiling Bachelors, Book 4
By Madison Michael

♥♥♥Giveaway ♥♥♥

Madison is celebrating the paperback release of Besotted with one incredible giveaway. She is offering 16 books, that's right 16 paperback books to 16 lucky readers! Readers out of the US will receive an eBook. Enter with the Rafflecopter below. You have a chance to enter everyday so be sure to follow along with us on the tour. You may find all the tour locations here http://bit.ly/2OSlZcl
About Besotted:
He Promised Forever, then Walked Away. Now he wants her back.
Tyler’s Winthrop, rich, handsome, elusive sees his moment to win Regan Howe slipping through his fingers. He has remained on the outskirts of Regan’s life since high school, reluctant to reveal his true past and expose her to danger. Despite their obvious attraction, Tyler has remained her friend and protector, keeping Regan at arm’s length for her own safety,
Regan Howe, won her coveted CEO position through hard work and a willingness to buck family tradition. Now, Brandon Hockney, a handsome US Senator with his eye on the White House, wants her to give it up, along with her home, friends and family for a move to DC and marriage to him.
Regan wants a family but is she prepared to leave all she loves, including the alluring Tyler Winthrop. Regan has waited twenty years for Tyler to commit. He once promised her forever, then he destroyed her trust and her hopes for a future together. Still, she cannot break the ties between them.
When Regan tests the waters with Brandon, Tyler is tapped as acting CEO, throwing the pair together, and forcing both to make a choice. Is this the end or their one last chance at love? Battling overwhelming odds and a racing clock, will Tyler be forced to release his one true love to find happiness with another man? How can he when he’s besotted?
As the danger mounts for Tyler,, can he wrestle free of his past and lure Regan away from her Senator? Join our handsome hero as he attempts to win back his love in this exciting and steamy page turner, the fourth of the sexy, contemporary Beguiling Bachelor romance series. Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romantic Suspense


Excerpt from Besotted:
Regan was just too damn alluring in that dress for him to accept that he couldn’t have her if he wanted her.
He was an idiot. He should have told her years ago. He should have told everyone. Despite the tongue- lashing he was silently giving himself, Tyler was certainly no fool. “The professor” to his friends, he was generally serious and professional. He had the smarts necessary to obtain both an MBA and a law degree, and he was now CEO of LHRE and on hiatus from one of the fastest growing tech companies in the country. He kept his cool in general, but again and again he behaved like an idiot around Regan.
Since that damn frog almost thirty years ago, he had loved no one but Regan. Sometimes they made it work together, like in high school, but most times not. His feelings were unchanged, but something always stopped him from declaring his love and asking her to do the same. This time it was something insurmountable.
And yet Tyler couldn’t stay away. He was the proverbial moth to the flame, flirting with disaster every time he flirted with her. He had promised to stay away, to keep her safe,but the attraction was undeniable. Yep, prize idiot.
Returning to the ballroom after the latest threats, Tyler briefly considered sharing the conversation, coming clean with Regan and perhaps moving their relationship forward. He was at a fork in the road but remained silent, Tyler knew he was on the wrong path but couldn’t summon the will to fix it. Not only were his problems unsolvable, but she was involved with Brandon. Tyler felt hopeless.
He was preoccupied just as Regan accused, but Tyler tried to give Regan the attention she deserved. He failed miserably until Regan suggested they just leave. That got his attention. Who knew when he would hold her in his arms again.
“Come dance with me again. It would be a crime to waste that dress.”
Encircling Regan in his arms, his body responded to her nearness, even as his mind worried over the earlier texts. He was unaware of his hand stroking her back, fingers lightly skimming over her bare skin. He wasn’t thinking clearly when he pulled her close or when he dropped kisses on her hair. He wasn’t paying attention, just acting on instinct, Regan was responding, her breath growing uneven, her hands clinging to his shoulders.

The Beguiling Bachelors Series are all available in Paperback now!
Bedazzled (Book 1):
Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2K3OL4D
Bedazzled is on Kindle Unlimited 

 
Beholden (Book 2) Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2AjMtPg  
Beholden is on Kindle Unlimited
 
   

Bedeviled (Book 3) Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2uUHsYu  
Bedeviled is now on Kindle Unlimited 
 
About Madison Michael:

Madison Michael is an indie publisher, blogger and the author of the Beguiling Bachelor Series as well as the novella Desire & Dessert, from her sizzling B&B Billionaire Bachelor series.
A Chicago native and hopeless romantic, Maddy was raised on Chicago culture, fairy tales, great literature and swashbuckling movies. Maddy employs that history, writing steamy contemporary romance novels set against the sumptuous backdrop of Chicago’s elite society.
After receiving a BA in Journalism from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, Madison abandoned her writing to find her way in the corporate business world. Daughter of a librarian, it was inevitable that she would return to the world of books.
Maddy writes from high above Chicago where she can stare at its gorgeous skyline or the shores of Lake Michigan surrounded by feline assistants. When she is not writing,, Maddy can be found lost in a book, fighting for the rights of the mentally iil or dining on Chicago’s famous cuisine. Hot dogs and pizza, anyone?
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Madison's Social Links:

Friday, February 14, 2020

Lingerie Wars (+ Giveaway)


* Lingerie Wars
* By Janet Elizabeth Henderson
* (Invertary #1)
* Publication date: January 1st 2013
* Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Englishman Lake Benson loaned his life savings to his dippy sister so that she could buy a shop. It was a big mistake. His sister has been steadily flushing his money down the drain – and now he wants it back.
Years in the special forces taught Lake that if you want a job done, do it yourself. So he steps in to make the shop profitable, sell it and get his money back. The only problem is, the business is an underwear shop. And all Lake knows about underwear can be summed up in how fast he can unsnap a bra.
To make matters worse, the tiny highland town already has a lingerie shop. A successful one, run by an ex-lingerie model. A very gorgeous ex-lingerie model, who’s distracting him from his mission more than he’d like to admit. If Lake wants to get his savings back, and get out of Scotland, he only has one option – wipe out the competition.
Kirsty Campbell has spent years rebuilding her life after she woke up in hospital in Spain to find her body scarred, and her ex-fiance had run off with all her money. The last thing she needs is a cocky, English soldier-boy trying to ruin all she has left.
Her home town is only too happy to help her fight the latest English invasion, although Lake is beginning to sway them with his sex appeal and cut price knickers. With the help of her mother, and the retired ladies of Knit or Die, Kirsty sets about making sure that her shop is the last one standing in Invertary.
It’s Scotland versus England as you’ve never seen it before. It’s lingerie war.
The complete series:
EXCERPT:
Lingerie Wars
Lake Benson’s midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours. In that time, he quit his career with the army and bought a lingerie shop. All things considered, he was glad the crisis hadn’t lasted longer.
“I told you,” whined his little sister. “I can do this myself. I have a business plan. You’re only interfering because you’re bored and don’t know what to do with yourself.”
“That’s not the point,” Lake told her as he looked up at the sign on the front of the shop. “The point is, you obviously need my help. You’re hemorrhaging money. My money.”
He hadn’t even set foot inside the shop and already he could see a problem.
“That”—he pointed at the sign—“has to go.”
Rainne twisted a strand of her long hair, a dead giveaway that he wasn’t getting the whole story.
“I can’t get rid of the sign,” she said at last. “It’s part of the town’s heritage.”
Lake folded his arms tight across his chest. Heritage his hairy backside.
“You also didn’t tell me how isolated this place is,” he said.
“It’s busy during the tourist season—you know, summer.”
For Scotland that was about two weeks in August.
“And you neglected to mention that we have competition.”
He cocked his head towards the lingerie shop, which sat opposite them on the high street. Unlike the shop that had eaten all of his money, the one over the road actually looked like people would buy lingerie in it.
“Ah, yeah,” his sister said as she toed the pavement with her pink Doc Marten boot. “But Kirsty’s shop has a different clientele than ours.”
“One that buys underwear?”
She missed the sarcasm. “Uh, no, she sells sexier stuff—you know, for occasions. We sell everyday wear. Think utilitarian.”
He was about to tell his sister that she was talking rubbish when the shop door flew open and a tiny cube of a woman hobbled out. Lake guessed her age to be close to two hundred.
“You,” she said as she pointed at him. “What are you and why are you here?”
Rainne shrank beside him. Her face shot past pink and straight to purple. Here it comes, thought Lake, the catch. Every time he got involved with his family there was a catch.
“I’m Lake Benson,” he told the Hobbit. “I own this business.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed under eyebrows that were hairier than her head.
“Rainne girl,” she said, but she kept her eyes on Lake. “I thought I sold my business to you.”
His sister shuffled on the spot, making all the tiny bells sewn into the bottom of her tie-dye skirt jingle. “Ah, well, my brother here, he’s, um, like my silent partner.”
“I’ve been watching,” the woman said. “He’s doing an awful lot of talking for a man who’s supposed to be silent.”
Before Rainne could answer, the woman jabbed her finger in Lake’s belly. She seemed surprised when it bounced back off him.
“What do you know about underwear, boy?” she demanded.
Lake stared at the woman calmly. He’d been face to face with drug lords and terrorists. There was no way a little Scottish woman could intimidate him. Amuse him, maybe—if the bulk of his savings weren’t tied up in the joke.
“I know how to unhook a bra in two seconds flat,” he said.
“If I was sixty years younger, boy, that might impress me. Right now, I’m just wondering why you’re blocking the customers from getting into my shop.”
Lake took a slow look around him. He saw a cobbled road, a row of crooked old houses that had been whitewashed and turned into shops and a loch at the bottom of the street. He didn’t see any people. Let alone hordes queuing up to buy underwear.
“Yeah, I can see how I’m getting in the way,” he drawled.
Rainne started to inch away from him. He got the distinct impression that she was on the verge of running. Lake reached out, grabbed her vintage velvet jacket and hauled her back to stand beside him.
“Leave me alone,” she grumbled. “I’m not five.”
“What do you mean your shop?” he asked the Hobbit.
The old woman pulled herself up to her full height, which must have been all of four foot six. “Betty McCloud. I started this shop in 1964.”
“And I bought the business six months ago.”
“It’s still my shop, son.” The woman tried to fold her arms over her ample belly as she glared at him.
If he were prone to dramatic gestures, he’d have rolled his eyes. Instead he kept his face as expressionless as usual. “Rainne, want to explain this to me?”
His sister looked like she’d rather eat dirt. Lake didn’t care. He’d driven up the length of England, through Scotland and into the Highlands. He was tired. He was hungry. And he was wondering what insanity had made him think managing a shop would be good for Rainne. Most of all, he’d run out of patience.
“Rainne,” was all he said.
“Okay, okay.” She held up her hands in surrender. “In the contract I signed, there were some unusual clauses.” She cleared her throat as Lake’s heart sank. “The business is ours to do what we want with, but Betty here stays—think of her as an underwear mascot.”
He looked at Betty, who gave him a toothless grin. In her ankle-length tartan tent, cable knit jumper and hairnet, she oozed sex appeal.
His sister took a deep breath. “And the sign stays too,” she said.
They all looked at the sign. There was silence.
“I hand-painted that sign myself,” Betty said proudly.
“It could be worse,” Rainne mumbled.
Lake almost let his shoulders slump. “So, let me get this right. I bought a lingerie shop in a town in the middle of nowhere. I have my very own underwear mascot. The main competition is the shop facing us, which actually appears to have customers. And to top it all off, the first business I’ve ever owned is called Betty’s Knicker Emporium.”
Betty grinned with pride as Rainne tried to appear invisible.
“I need a beer,” Lake told them and headed towards the local pub.


Author Bio:
Janet is a Scot who moved to New Zealand fifteen years ago. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!).
She now writes full-time and is working on her 19th book. Her books have won several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier award for excellence in mystery and suspense.
When she isn’t living in her head, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever wanted to or have you ever owned or worked in a lingerie shop? Happy Valentine's Day. Lingerie could be a nice gift to give or receive for this holiday. :()

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Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Married to the Earl (+ Giveaway)


* Married to the Earl
* By Samantha Holt
* (The Wallflower Brides #3)
* Publication date: February 10th, 2020
* Genres: Adult, Historical Romance, Romance
Going from vivacious society belle to widow wallflower can leave a lady wanting…
Joanna Lockhart is trapped in a mire of grief and boredom. Still recovering from the sudden death of her husband, the beautiful widow is tired of being treated like a fragile porcelain doll. But when a severe illness nearly claims her life, Joanna finds the perfect outlet for her natural vitality—a charity.
Unfortunately, her sudden interest in all things philanthropic is marred by the presence of one Ambrose Creassey. For some unknown reason, this handsome cad has decided to cast aside his reputation as a rake, and take up the mantel of charitable patron.
As the Earl of Newhaven, Ambrose has enjoyed his life of delicious debauchery. But recently the earl has hungered for more noble pursuits. A charity seems to be the perfect outlet for his newfound desire to be more than just a rake. And of course, he doesn’t mind the aid of a beautiful, well-connected woman like Joanna… Especially when he cannot resist riling her a time or two.
After all, she does rise so beautifully to the challenge.
Focusing on their work is harder than either of them thought. There’s no denying the attraction between them, but is Ambrose truly prepared to cast aside his hedonistic history? And even if he does, is Joanna ready for a new love?
EXCERPT:
“It is hard to see how this will become a hospital,” she murmured.
“I should imagine you would rather see it as a grand house once more, ready for a ball.”
She glared at him. “Considering we hardly know one another, Lord Newhaven, it is a wonder you can imagine anything that I might think.”
He shrugged. “It is not hard to take a guess.”
“If we wish to take guesses, I would rather expect you would prefer this house to be used for raucous house parties.”
His lips quirked. “I suppose we should cease guessing then.”
“That would be preferable, yes.”
“Let us continue our tour.” He opened another door, leading through into a drawing room.
No furnishings existed and a thick layer of dust coated the grand stone mantlepiece. Beneath her feet, the rugs were worn and frayed. “This is going to take a lot of funds.”
“My understanding is we have enough to ensure the house can be converted into a hospital, but our current pledges will not cover the ongoing running of it.”
So, he knew something about his charity. That was interesting. She could not be certain why the earl had decided to take a closer look at how things were run but he was not entirely ignorant. However, if he was to be interfering with her work, she would have to speak up. They had far too much toil ahead of them for him to be causing any chaos.
She paused by the fireplace and turned to face him as he wrenched open the shutters on one window. Blinking in the sudden influx of light, she tilted her head. “Why exactly have you decided to assist the charity? Mr. Bartlett told me you are only a figurehead.”
“Well, that is incorrect. I am also the biggest donor.”
She lifted a brow.
“Does it surprise you that I might wish to actually have a hand in the running of the charity?”
“Frankly, yes.”
A smile curved his lips. “Well, I do enjoy a frank woman.” He strode over to join her by the fireplace. “And why have you taken up the mantle as the charity’s latest philanthropist?”
She could come up with some pithy remark perhaps. Some flippant reply that would have him eyeing her with amusement once more, but she could not help feel they had reached some odd moment of honesty. She blew out a breath. “I should like to find something useful with which to occupy myself. Being a widow is a tiresome occupation.”
“For someone like you, I imagine it is.”
“Someone like me?” She stiffened her shoulders.
“Someone as vivacious and as intelligent as you.”
The air flew from her lungs. She let her shoulders drop. “Oh.” for some reason, the flattery made her cheeks warm.
Preposterous.


Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…
Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.
You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.
Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.
Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.
To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you enjoy romances where the bad guy decides to turn good but the lady isn't sure and can't believe him at first?

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Monday, February 10, 2020

The Great Witches Baking Show (+ Giveaway)

The Great Witches Baking Show

by Nancy Warren

on Tour February 1-29, 2019


A baker with secrets
Witches in trouble
The cameras are rolling
Ready, set, die.

Poppy Wilkinson is thrilled to be chosen as a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest. As an American with English roots, winning the crown as Britain’s Best Baker would open doors she’s dreamed of. In more ways than one. Appearing on the reality show is her chance to get into Broomewode Hall and uncover the secrets of her past.

But strange things are happening on the show’s set: accusations of sabotage, a black cat that shadows Poppy, suspiciously unsociable residents at Broomewode Hall—and the judges can be real witches.

There are murmurs that Broomewode is an energy vortex. It certainly makes Poppy see and do things that aren’t exactly normal, and seems to draw interesting characters to the neighborhood.

When a fellow contestant dies in mysterious circumstances, Poppy has more to worry about than burned pies and cakes that won’t rise. There’s a murderer on the loose and it’s up to Poppy and her new friends to solve the crime before it becomes a real show-stopper.

From USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Warren, this delicious series of cozy paranormal mysteries will have you guessing until the end. Includes recipes.

Book Details:

Genre: Culinary Cozy
Published by: Ambleside Publishing
Publication Date: January 15th 2020
Number of Pages: 250
ASIN: B07ZL472PK
Series: Culinary Cozy #1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

As life-changing moments go, getting the call that I’d been chosen to compete in The Great British Baking Contest was right up there. I’d practiced, auditioned and practiced some more. I was a decent home baker, but was I really the best in Britain? Probably not. But I didn’t have to be.
The contest was my way of getting into Broomewode Hall, where the show was filmed. I had my own reasons for going there that had nothing to do with baking.
Still, it hadn’t been easy to be chosen. There were thousands of applicants every year and then an excruciating selection process, where the show’s producers chose twelve from the short list and made us bake on camera. Some people went to pieces; some were just really boring. They randomly selected bakers off the short list and tried out different combinations of personalities, a bit like baking, really, seeing which ingredients created the most interesting results. I quickly learned that the trick was to be a good character, try to be funny, be a good sport, pretend you didn’t notice that cameras were on you and a clock was ticking down the minutes, and still turn out a decent jam tart.
Easy peasy! Not.
One of the reasons they chose me for the show, I think, was that while I was British, I’d grown up in the States, which was kind of fun, as the show had become a huge hit in America. I’d also started life in a bakery. Or, more accurately, in a cardboard box outside a bakery in Norton St. Philip, a charming village near Bath in Somerset.
I like to think my mother, whoever she was, chose the bakery so she knew I’d be warm and, since bakers start work so early, I’d be found. And I was. When Gareth Philpott came to work that morning, he said he looked into the box and found me wide-awake, staring up at him. Not crying, not fussing, just staring as though I’d expected him. They named me Poppy. The Philpotts would have kept me if they could have. They’re a nice family, but they already had three children, and the authorities don’t just give a family a baby because they happened to stumble across one. First they tried to find my mother or any information at all about my origins. When that proved impossible, I was adopted by Agatha and Leland Wilson, and they became my parents.
They were both teachers. They’d tried for years to have their own children, and their delight in getting me was reflected in the way they pretty much turned their lives around to give me the best upbringing they could. They were loving parents, kind and patient. Strict when they had to be. We lived in Bath for the first eight years of my life, and then my dad was offered a teaching job in Seattle.
I grew up there, mostly, lost the British accent, became a typical American teenager, and then when I finished high school, my folks retired and moved back to the UK. I could have stayed in Seattle. I had friends, and I could’ve gone to college there, but I chose to come back to England. I think, deep down, it’s always felt like home. Besides, like a lot of adopted kids, the mystery of my beginnings haunts me.
Soon after returning to England, my folks moved to the south of France to bask in warmer weather, grow lavender and cook gourmet meals. My dad, who taught history, was writing a book. My mom was learning French.
They’d saved up a nice chunk of change for me to go to college but, in spite of having teachers as parents, I never felt the urge. I was always more artistic than intellectual, so I went to an art and design college for two years, and they let me use the rest of the money toward buying a tiny cottage in Norton St. Philip. It’s probably crazy, and nobody even thinks my mother was from there, but I started my life in that village and so it pulled me back. The Philpotts still ran the bakery and were my second family. I guess you’ll always have a bond with the person who picked you up off the street as a newborn. Besides, growing up as an only child, I was fascinated by their sprawling, noisy family.
I became a freelance graphic designer, which allowed me to work from home.
Gina Philpott was my age and my best friend. She was also the only one who knew why I really wanted to get on that show.
It went all the way back to when I was just a baby in that cardboard box. I’d been wrapped in a curious blanket.
I saw my baby blanket one day when I was watching The Great British Baking Contest. They always filmed at Broomewode Hall, a Georgian manor house that wasn’t open to the public. Broomewode Hall was the seat of the Earl of Frome, Robert Champney and his family. During one of the behind-the-scenes segments on the show, Lady Frome, showed them around her home.
As the camera panned around the great dining hall I was instantly transfixed by a woman in an oil painting who seemed to be wearing my baby blanket! I saw now that, in fact, it was a shawl. But the pattern was the same. I was certain of it.
And from that very moment, I began my quest to find out more about Broomewode Hall. Lord and Lady Frome guarded their privacy tenaciously, and it was impossible to get access to them and their family home. Besides, what would I say? “I think one of your ancestors once wore my baby blanket? The best way I could think of to spend time there was to qualify as a baker on The Great British Baking Contest.
I’d done it. Against incredible odds, I’d been chosen as one of twelve bakers. It was one step toward finding how who I really was. All I had to do now was figure out how to get the rest of the way.
***
Excerpt from The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren. Copyright 2019 by Nancy Warren. Reproduced with permission from Nancy Warren. All rights reserved.


Author Bio:


Author Nancy Warren
Nancy Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy novels, including the best selling Vampire Knitting Club series and the Toni Diamond mysteries.

She's from Vancouver, though she tends to wander. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa university, appeared on the front page of the New York Times when her book Speed Dating launched the Harlequin/Nascar series.

She was also the answer to a clue in a crossword puzzle in Canada's National Post newspaper.

Catch Up With Our Author On:
NancyWarren.net, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!



Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!
02/01 Review @ Lauras Interests
02/02 Review @ Cheryls Book Nook
02/03 Review @ Book Babble
02/04 Review @ sunny island breezes
02/05 Showcase @ Nesies Place
02/06 Guest post @ Reading A Page Turner
02/06 Showcase @ The Bookworm Lodge
02/07 Interview @ BooksChatter
02/08 Review @ Just 4 My Books
02/10 Review @ Book Fidelity
02/10 Showcase @ Im All About Books
02/10 Showcase @ Lisa-Queen of Random
02/11 Interview @ Cozy Up WIth Kathy
02/11 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
02/12 Review @ Quiet Fury Books
02/13 Guest post/showcase @ CMash Reads
02/14 Review @ Cozy Up WIth Kathy
02/15 Review @ It’s All About the Book
02/15 Showcase @ Diane Reviews Books
02/16 Showcase @ Read and Review
02/17 Review @ Sapphyrias Books
02/18 Review/showcase @ Our Town Book Reviews
02/19 Review @ Wall-to-wall books
02/20 Showcase @ Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
02/21 Review @ Just Reviews
02/28 Review/showcase @ The Bookwyrm
02/29 Guest post @ Teatime and Books
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you think baking and witches go together? Do you enjoy recipes include with a story that talks about recipes? 
GIVEAWAY!!:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Nancy Warren. There will be 2 winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on February 1, 2020 and runs through March 2, 2020. Void where prohibited.
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Friday, February 7, 2020

Perfect (+ Giveaway)


* Perfect
* By Tricia Copeland
* Publication date: February 6th 2020
* Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
One driven woman. Five passionate paths to the perfect spouse.
Chloe refuses to compromise when it comes to romance and success. Powering through her sophomore-level college business classes, she’s done with the effort of distance-dating her high-school sweetheart. But when he proposes just as she hits it off with a hunky basketball player, she worries following her heart could send her bright future to the bench.
As Chloe matures to become a rising star in the fashion industry, love knocks another four times. But while each potential suitor eventually pops the question, only she knows her ultimate happy ending.
Whose arms will embrace Chloe when she chooses her forever man?
Perfect is a standalone clean contemporary romance. If you like tender moments, lighthearted comedy, and endings you choose yourself, then you’ll adore Tricia Copeland’s option-filled tale.
Buy Perfect to pick your ideal walk down the aisle today!
EXCERPT:
“You’re quiet. What’s wrong?” Bree glances at me and back to the windshield as she stops with a jerk in our parking space.
“Just tired.” I pull the handle and push my shoulder against the door. Heaving my pack to my shoulders, I meet her in front of the car.
She hooks an arm in mine as we walk to the apartment building entrance. “I usually can’t shut you up. Talk to me. What’s going on?”
“I miss Adam. It’s been a month since we’ve seen each other. I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”
“What do you mean? Stay here or stay with him?”
“I love him, and we’re miserable apart. But we’ve got two more years of school.”
“Only two more weeks till summer break.” She skips ahead of me and presses the elevator button. “Let’s do a girls’ movie night. We’ll order pizza and eat popcorn.”
We evaluate movie and takeout options on the elevator ride. She complains that I always want to watch Titanic, and I veto her hamburger dive restaurant choice. Reaching our floor, we wind through the maze of halls. As I make the last turn, I stop short.
Sweeping his bangs from in front of his blue eyes, he stands.
“Adam?”
“It’s about time!” Crossing to me, he picks me up and twirls me around.
I step out of his embrace. “What are you doing here?”
He slides a page from his back pocket and holds it out to me. “I just picked up this.”
I take the sheet and unfold it. Adam Stephen Hamilton Schedule for Fall Semester, the top reads.
“You’re going to school here?” My mouth hangs open.
“I hope that’s okay!”
“Of course. It’s amazing!”
“Well, in that case, I have something else.” He drops to one knee and slides a box from his pocket. “Chloe Hahn Pham, will you marry me?”
I look to Bree, who shrugs, and then back to him, barely able to process what is happening. My breath catches in my throat. “I—”
His eyebrows shoot up. “I’m sorry. You know I’m not great with stuff like this. Maybe I should have made a sign or had music, or something. If this is too soon—”
“No. I was going to say I love you. Yes. It’s perfect!”


Author Bio:
Award-winning author Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia but now lives outside the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado with her husband, three kids, and multiple four legged and finned friends.
An avid runner, hopeless romantic, and paranormal fan, she also enjoys hiking, trivia, and Scrabble.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you think people sometimes miss out on happiness because they keep waiting on happiness to drop in their lap and don't see that it's right in front of them?

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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

David's Journey: Memoirs of a Chimney Sweep


I’m always delighted to introduce you to a new-to-me author and today’s post comes from an author I should have told you about months ago.

The great folks at PublishingPush introduced me to David White, author of DAVID'S JOURNEY: MEMOIRS OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP. Doesn’t that title just stir up your imagination?

David’s story is a deep and detailed account of a life lived through cultural revolution, of milestone moments with celebrities good and bad, and most notably the principles that are unbreakable family bonds and community strength in the shifting social structure of a post-World War II world. In these moving collections of memoirs and recollections, David takes you on a journey through history, in a way that relates to each and every one of us.

Please join me in welcoming David as he shares a bit from this story with us. Welcome, David.
                                                                            David`s Journey                                I940..

                      My dad, like Grandad, was also named Tom …and a very cheeky cockney boy, at 15 could not wait to get into uniform and take on Hitler.
                             However, all he could do at the time was join the local home guard, and help take care of Swanley Junction, the High Street, and especially
                             The railway station, where Winston Churchill was known to embark or disembark and then be chauffeur driven in his limousine to Chartwell near Westerham.
                             Once Dad received his home guard uniform he felt unsatisfied with the baggy fit and length of trousers, so swiftly he went to work with a pair of scissors and a lot of imagination,
                             then ending up with a desecrated uniform with one trouser leg longer than the other… Never mind he thought, if the enemy attack at night they may never notice.
                           However as we all know imagination can be a wonderful thing, if though at times a little dangerous…Not satisfied with marching and patrolling around Swanley Junction…at around
                           16 years of age he learned his young uncle Ted, my nans brother had joined the recently formed parachute regiment, known as the 1rst Airborne…Just a few years later Ted would be
                           Captured and taken prisoner of war at the battle of Arnhem, Holland…
                              In no time Dad located the regiment, and by putting up his age by another two years would join up. However, Ted would have none of it, as soon as he clapped eyes on his young nephew Tom
                              He gave him a right telling off and informed his sister Violet, Dads mum, who promptly arrived to frog march him back home…….as she did in her parting cockney accent calling out……..
                           “you can’t ave im e,s still only a boy……
                             Hitler would have to wait a little longer to be dealt with….. in the meantime the people of Swanley junction would sleep safely in there beds at night as Dad continued to patrol and marchin along Swanley Junction with his specially adapted broomstick handle over his shoulder…                             
                                I have never thought to write of my past events, and stories that have played a part in my life, mainly as I feel that others may have had a more interesting past to write about. I`m sure that`s true, but with that in mind, I do not want these writings(or mini book, as I prefer to call it!)to come over as some kind of biography, as it may smack of a me-ism book…something I desperately want to avoid.
                               What then is the purpose of this document or mini book? Well at my age now, my early 70s I really believe that myself and other born around the same time, lived through a very interesting period.
                               Without wishing to be biased and of course I can only talk from a personal point of view, a 1950s childhood was so different from one today in Britain, And as for the 1960s, it would touchstone a rocket,
                              Taking off exciting in its journey as everything was changing so quickly.
                                                              1946..
                          
                            I was born in March 1946—that`s right, I was one of the so called `baby boomers`! The second world war had just finished and my Dad would remain in the army until the following year, 1947.
                                      What a time! Post-war Britain gave evidence of a war that would remain for at least another 10 years. Locally, there were a few bombed out buildings and many air raid shelters around.
                            Much of London still remained flattened because of the bombing she had sustained. Hitler may have been dead a while, but evidence of his handiwork was everywhere, and rationing would continue
                            Up until 1954.

David, thanks for joining us today and sharing this look back at your life. It’s good to share those memories with others.

Author David White
Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with David, here’s a bit of background on him.

David grew up in Swanley, Kent. Writing about past events wasn’t something that had crossed his mind until comparatively late, whereby reminiscing on “stories that have played a part in my life” began a journey through a very endearing and interesting life, despite him thinking the opposite for a long time.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you enjoy sharing tidbits from your past with family or friends? Do you wish older family members had shared more of their memories with you?