Friday, October 31, 2014

Furry Logic by Jane Seabrook

Five Stars
Copy received from Blogging For Books for an honest review.
What a fantastic book! I read it with both my 4 year old daughter and 2 year old son and they loved it.  The writing is simple but relevant to life lessons.  The size of the book is also great because it's easy for a little kid to carry.  Seabrook offers great advice for everyday lessons to help kids... and adults. Great illustrations also
Amazon: Amazon
Goodreads:Goodreads
Furry Logic, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Life's Little Challenges

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Black Raven’s Lady Highland Laird’s Trilogy # 3 By: Kathleen Harrington

Black Raven’s Lady
Highland Laird’s Trilogy # 3
By: Kathleen Harrington
Releasing October 21, 2014
Avon Romance


Blurb
This exciting conclusion to the popular Highland Lairds Trilogy features a runaway lass and the laird who will do anything to protect her.

Feisty Lady Raine Cameron has been surrounded her whole life by gossip claiming she is not her father's daughter. Determined to find her true heritage, the dark-haired beauty boards the Black Raven under false pretenses in search of the man who she believes is her father, a man who is also a traitor to Scotland. Only the Black Raven himself stands in her way…

Laird Keir MacNeil has a reputation for being a ruthless and powerful ship captain. On a mission to apprehend Scotland's most wanted traitor, he never expected to see Raine on his ship. Keir vows to keep Raine out of harm's way and return her to her family untarnished. But as his lust for her grows, he must choose between honor and the woman he never expected to desire.
My Review:
Four Stars
Copy received for an honest review
This was my first time reading the Laird's Trilogy and Kathleen Harrington.   I really enjoyed this book and liked the hero and heroine.  They were both easy characters to like and also they had a great dynamic as a couple.  I really liked how the author built up their romance and it was not insta-lust.  I plan to read the previous books in the series so I can understand all the characters although this can be a standalone.  I enjoyed this romantic adventure.


 Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/10/black-ravens-lady-highland-lairds.html
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331365-black-raven-s-lady?from_search=true

Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Ravens-Lady-Highland-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00BATKQNQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1413293401&sr=1-1&keywords=Black+Raven%27s+Lady%3A+Highland+Lairds
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-ravens-lady-kathleen-harrington/1120020438?ean=9780062226358
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/black-ravens-lady/id599879465?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/black-raven-s-lady

Author Info

Kathleen Harrington, winner of the Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, has touched the hearts of readers across the country with her sparkling tales of high adventure and unending love. Her historical romances have been finalists for Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice, Virginia Romance Writers' HOLT Medallion, and the Phoenix Desert Rose Golden Quill. Her fabulous heroes have garnered the K.I.S.S. (Knight in Shining Silver) Award. She lives in Southern California.

Author Links
Website: http://www.kathleenharringtonbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleenharringtonbooks?ref=br_rs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathleensbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/234108.Kathleen_Harrington




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Excerpt
PROLOGUE
June 1504
Archnacarry Manor
Western Highlands
“Come away with me tomorrow, Nina,” the dark-haired man implored. “Meet me here at daybreak, and we’ll flee together. If you love me, dearest, come with me.”
His deep brown eyes filled with tenderness, he drew the beautiful lass close and kissed her tenderly on the forehead, then used the edge of the yellow-and-black tartan pinned to his shoulder to wipe away her tears.
“My father has received an offer of marriage for me from Laird Cameron,” Nina replied, her voice shaking with fright. “Should I run away with you, Torcall, my parents might never forgive me. Perhaps, if we pleaded with them together, they would understand how much in love we are.”
“I can’t wait any longer, dearest,” Torcall said. “The king has pronounced my father a traitor and with him all our clan. I must go and help defend our home and our lands.”
Nina clutched his strong hand in both of hers and brought his fingers to her lips. Her hair, a stunning red-gold, gleamed in the forest’s dappled sunlight. “Oh, Torcall, I do love you so.”
“Don’t be afraid, darling lass,” he told her, his voice ringing with the optimism of youth. “We’ll go to Steòrnabhagh. My father’s castle on the Isle of Lewis is impregnable. We’ll be married there. One day I’ll be chief of Clan MacMurchaidh, Nina, and I will give you all the things I so long to give.”
She smiled, her blue eyes filling once more with tears. “Your love is all I need, my dear, and all I want.”
Torcall hugged her close, then bent his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips. “You’ll meet me here tomorrow, then?” he asked. “You’ll run away with me?”
Nina nodded, a smile curving her lips. “Aye, I’ll flee with you, Torcall. I’ll meet you here, right by this tall pine tree, when the sun rises tomorrow.”
In the faint light of the following morning, the glen where the couple had stood seemed to wait in hushed anticipation of the coming dawn . . .

Her heart pounding, Raine awoke with a start and stared at the bed’s canopy above her head. She’d first had the dream when she was fourteen years old. The year after her father, Gideon Cameron, had been murdered. Raine knew it wasn’t an ordinary dream. ’Twas a vision of her mother and Raine’s natural father.

~
CHAPTER ONE

“Then you’ve made up your mind,” Aunt Isabel said.
Raine looked up from her packing to see her aunt enter the bedchamber and quickly close the door behind her.
Isabel’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I don’t suppose there’s anything I can do to prevent this foolhardy escapade?”
Raine returned to the task of shoving her journal, containing remedies for everything from gout to the relief of painful menses, into the leather satchel that held her herbal concoctions. “You won’t say anything until I’m gone?”
Isabel lifted her plump shoulders, but the smile curving her lips assured Raine of her intent to keep her own counsel. At least for the moment. “What exactly do you have planned, my dear?”
It was Raine’s turn to shrug. “All I know for certain is that I’m going to find my father.”
“Your father is buried in the kirk cemetery,” Isabel chided softly. “He was a brave and honest man.”
“Gideon Cameron was brave and honest and noble,” Raine agreed. “No one could have asked for a better father. But you and I both know, Aunt Isabel, that your older brother was not the man who sired me.” Raine knelt and reached under her bed to pull out a canvas bag.
“Have you tried asking your mother again?” Aunt Isabel suggested.
Raine gave a soft snort. Every time she’d touched on the subject, Lady Nina had reacted with swift admonishments, scolding Raine for even hinting that Gideon wasn’t her father. Though they loved each other dearly, the matter had caused a feeling of estrangement between mother and daughter.
“What should I say?” Raine asked. “Oh, by the by, Mama, I’m quite certain that you deceived the honorable man you married, and I was the by-blow of that traitorous liaison?”
“Don’t be too harsh in judging your mother, dearest,” Isabel admonished. “We mortals cannot choose with whom we fall in love. Why, even the faery folk show very limited willpower when it comes to their romantic proclivities.”
“Perhaps not. But we can resolve to act with honor and dignity. We’re not chained by our baser inclinations.”
Isabel sank down on the feather mattress, picked up a velvet gown, and started to fold it. Traces of oatmeal rested on her shoulders, sprinkled there to ward off the faeries. Bits and pieces fell on the smooth red velvet. “Where will you begin to look, Raine? Have you had another vision?”
Raine sat back on her heels and closed her eyes. “Not a vision, really. Well, sort of.” Bowing her head, she buried her face in her hands. “I’m not sure what I saw.” She looked up and met her aunt’s worried gaze. “But of one thing, I’m certain. If I don’t go now, ’twill be too late. I’ll never meet my father.”
Isabel nodded in understanding. “You could be heading into danger, child,” she cautioned. “Seeing what’s going to happen in a vision doesn’t mean you can prevent it. Quite the contrary.”
“I’ll be traveling with a group of Poor Clares who leave this morning from St. Margaret’s Nunnery. They’re to set up a hospital in Inverness dedicated to Saint Columba. They’ll carry the saint’s finger bone with them for protection.”
Relief washed over Isabel’s round features. “Still,” she said, “perhaps you should take a strong servant to guard you.”
“The nuns will have a retinue of servants with them,” Raine reassured her. “Should it become necessary, I can hire a bodyguard at Moray Firth, until I can board the ship. But where I’m going, there’s only one man who can protect me.”
Isabel nodded, her hazel eyes filled with compassion. “You speak of Keir MacNeil, of course.”
Raine swallowed painfully. The thought of having to ask the chief of Clan MacNeil for help nearly choked her. “Of course.”
“Well, darling of my heart, if you were a voluptuous female of questionable repute, MacNeil would most likely hasten to your assistance. At the very least, you’d have his complete attention for the space of an evening. But as it is . . .”
There was no need for Lady Isabel to point out the fact that Raine’s figure lacked the curves so admired by the opposite sex. Her aunt raised her brows in calm speculation. “Since the two of you have never gotten along, I have to wonder why you think he’ll agree to help you find the man who sired you.”
“Pooh,” Raine countered. She pursed her lips and scowled. “Who could get along with The MacNeil? He’s loud and rough and a a braggart. He’s totally unlike his half brothers, Rory and Lachlan. Besides, the stubborn dolt has no belief whatsoever in magic.”
Isabel chuckled. “Well, Keir’s certainly no beauty, I grant you that. He doesn’t come close to matching Lachlan MacRath’s astonishing good looks and courtly manners. Nor Rory MacLean’s regal attractiveness.”
Raine looked away in an attempt to hide her feelings from her astute aunt. Since the summer she’d turned seventeen, Raine had fought an inexplicable attraction to Keir MacNeil. ’Twas a purely physical attraction. One she was determined to squelch, for the notorious womanizer seduced and discarded mistresses the way other men tossed out their stained shirts.
She rose to her feet and tossed the canvas bag on the bed beside her aunt. “Don’t bother folding that fancy gown, Auntie,” she said with a rueful smile. She bit her lower lip and blinked back the sudden tears that pooled in her eyes. “There won’t be dancing where I’m going. A few plain dresses will have to do.”
“Still,” her aunt said with a loving smile, “a lady should always take a few pretty gowns with her whenever she travels.”
Raine nodded and stuffed the red velvet along with several others into her bag.
“Pray, don’t be afraid, sweetie,” Isabel said in a hushed tone. “I believe ’tis your destiny to discover the identity of your natural father and learn why he left your mother while she carried his bairn. Be brave, niece, and do not falter.”
Raine sat down beside Lady Isabel, who immediately put an arm around her shoulders. “Sometimes,” Raine said,” I think I’m foolish searching for him, when he’s never made any attempt to find me. Perhaps he doesn’t even know I exist. He may deny that I’m his daughter.”
“You will never know the truth,” Isabel said, “unless you’re brave enough to search for the answer.”
It was barely dawn. The faint morning light peeked through the partially drawn curtains. Raine intended to leave the manor grounds before sunrise on the pretense of an early-morning ride. A sinking feeling churned in the pit of her stomach. ’Twas a ride from which she might never return.
She’d be traveling into the center of a storm.
War had come to the Highlands.
Six months before, Donald Dubh, the illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, the last high chief of the Isles, had been rescued from imprisonment in the island fortress of Innischonaill. A band of Macdonald clansmen had made their way unobserved through the heart of Campbell country, rowed silently across Loch Awe, rushed the castle, and freed its nineteen-year-old prisoner. He was immediately proclaimed lord of the Isles. The whole of the Hebrides rallied to his cause. Nearly every Macdonald in the Highlands and Isles, and their allies with them, rose up in rebellion against James Stewart.
The king of Scotland had designated Laird Keir MacNeil master and commander of a squadron in the royal fleet. The king had commissioned him to help put down the rebellion. Keir’s stated goal was to capture the traitors and bring them to Edinburgh for trial and hanging. One of those traitors was the man Raine believed to be her natural father, Torcall MacMurchaidh.
She had to reach him before Keir.
“I have something to give you,” Aunt Isabel said with an encouraging smile. She placed a smooth stone which had been chiseled into the shape of a heart in Raine’s palm. Uncounted years before, the stone had been engraved in an ancient language, incomprehensible today to most people. Only those familiar with the riddles and enchantments of the Tuatha De Danann—the faery race—could discern its meaning.
Raine brushed her thumb across the strange symbols. “What does it say?”
“ ’Tis a rune for your safety, my dear. Keep it with you at all times.” Isabel reached down and lifted a richly embroidered purse, filled with coins, off the bedcovers. She pulled the cords loose and dropped a handful more into the bag. “Here’s a few more gold unicorns to take with you, dear heart.”
Raine nodded as she placed the rune carefully inside her purse and fastened it on her girdle. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she rose from the bed and held out her hands. Her aunt took them in her firm grasp and moved to stand beside Raine.
“When you reach the Isle of Lewis,” her aunt said, “you must go to the stones of wonder at Calanais. I’ve told you much about them, but you should visit the temple to the Mother of the Universe yourself.” Isabel clasped Raine by the shoulders and kissed her forehead. “I, too, have had a vision, my dear. I believe you will remain safe as long as you stay with Keir. ’Twill be very important that you are not separated from him during your journey.”
Raine slowly shook her head. “I don’t think the chief of Clan MacNeil will be agreeable to my hanging on to him like a bawling halflin.”
The picture that came to mind made them both laugh.
Laird Keir MacNeil was the most formidable warrior in the whole of Scotland. And beyond.


Enchantress by Maggie Anton

02_Enchantress



Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Plume

Formats: eBook, Paperback

Pages: 400



Series: Rav Hisda's Daughter

Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Fantasy



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Fantastic tales of demons and the Evil Eye, magical incantations, and powerful attractions abound in Enchantress, a novel that weaves together Talmudic lore, ancient Jewish magic, and a timeless love story set in fourth-century Babylonia.



One of the most powerful practitioners of these mysterious arts is Rav Hisda’s daughter, whose innate awareness allows her to possess the skills men lack. With her husband, Rava--whose arcane knowledge of the secret Torah enables him to create a "man” out of earth and to resurrect another rabbi from death--the two brave an evil sorceress, Ashmedai the Demon King, and even the Angel of Death in their quest to safeguard their people, even while putting their romance at risk.



The author of the acclaimed Rashi’s Daughters series and the award-winning Rav Hisda’s Daughter: Apprentice has conjured literary magic in the land where "abracadabra” originated. Based on five years of research and populated with characters from the Talmud, Enchantress brings a pivotal era of Jewish and Christian history to life from the perspective of a courageous and passionate woman.



Praise for Apprentice (Rav Hisda's Daughter: Book I)



“A lushly detailed look into a fascinatingly unknown time and culture—a tale of Talmud, sorcery, and a most engaging heroine!” —Diana Gabaldon, author of the bestselling Outlander series



Anton, the author of the acclaimed “Rashi’s Daughters” trilogy, has penned her best book to date. Using her extensive knowledge of the Talmud and other historical Jewish writings, she immersed herself in the tractates to uncover a marvelous heroine for this historical novel… Complex discussions of Jewish law and tradition as well as detailed description of the culture and customs of the times enhance truly wonderful storytelling. VERDICT This absorbing novel should be on everyone’s historical fiction reading list." —Library Journal (starred review)



“Fascinating reading await those who dive into the vividly depicted world of Babylonian Jewry … Anton succeeds brilliantly in drawing us into the formative period leading up to the Talmud … what we have is the work of a master craftswoman set upon repairing a major gap in Jewish literature —Philadelphia Jewish Voice



“Rav Hisda’s Daughter provides a wealth of historical detail about Jewish life in Babylon and Israel in the 3rd century CE. It depicts the daily life and coming of age of a prominent rabbi’s daughter rather than propelling its reader through a traditional arc of action with a crisis and resolution. Its interest lies in its portrayal of the sorcery, incantations, and women’s customs in this exotic, faraway period of time and place, sometimes against the backdrop of war.” —Historical Novel Society



Praise for the Rashi's Daughters Trilogy



“Anton delivers a tour de force . . . [Readers] will fly through the pages and come away wishing for more.” –Library Journal (starred review)



“A compelling combination of drama, suspense, and romance.” –Lilith magazine

My review
five stars
Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour for an honest review
Enchantress was such a rich book! I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started reading it but it was worth it!  There were so many twists and turns that I did not see coming!
I was interested to learn that this is part of a series and it peeked my interest in the other books.  Anton presents interesting characters with an equally fascinating story line.  Her writing was engaging.  I highly enjoyed and recommend this great novel!


Buy the Book



Amazon

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About the Author03_Maggie Anton



Maggie Anton was born Margaret Antonofsky in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a secular, socialist household, she reached adulthood with little knowledge of her Jewish religion. All that changed when David Parkhurst, who was to become her husband, entered her life, and they both discovered Judaism as adults. That was the start of a lifetime of Jewish education, synagogue involvement, and ritual observance. In 2006, Anton retired from being a clinical chemist in Kaiser Permanente's Biochemical Genetics Laboratory to become a fulltime writer.



In the early 1990's, Anton learned about a women's Talmud class taught by Rachel Adler, now a professor at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She became intrigued with the idea that Rashi, one of the greatest Jewish scholars ever, had no sons, only three daughters. Slowly but surely, she began to research the family and the time in which they lived. Much was written about Rashi, but almost nothing of the daughters, except their names and the names of their husbands. Legend has it that Rashi's daughters were learned in a time when women were traditionally forbidden to study the sacred texts. These forgotten women seemed ripe for rediscovery, and the idea of a trilogy of historical novels about them was born.



After the success of "Rashi's Daughters" Anton started researching the lives of women in 4th-century Babylonia, where the Talmud was being created. Surprised by the prevalence of sorcery among rabbinic families, she wrote "Rav Hisda's Daughter: Bk 1 - Apprentice," which was a 2012 National Jewish Book Award Fiction finalist and a Library Journal pick for Best Historical Fiction.



For more information please visit Maggie Anton's website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.



Enchantress Blog Tour Schedule



Monday, October 6

Review at Unshelfish

Review at Book Drunkard



Tuesday, October 7

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews



Wednesday, October 8

Review at A Dream Within a Dream



Thursday, October 8

Guest Post at Bookish



Friday, October 9

Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past



Monday, October 13

Review at Book Lovers Paradise



Tuesday, October 14

Review at leeanna.me

Spotlight & Giveaway at Words and Peace



Wednesday, October 15

Review at Based on a True Story



Thursday, October 16

Review at Mari Reads



Friday, October 17

Interview at Layered Pages



Tuesday, October 21

Review at History From A Woman's Perspective

Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews



Wednesday, October 22

Guest Post at History From A Woman's Perspective



Thursday, October 23

Review at Layered Pages

Spotlight at A Book Geek



Friday, October 24

Review at Beth's Book Reviews

Interview at Mina's Bookshelf



Saturday, October 25

Review & Interview at A Cup of Tea & A Big Book



Monday, October 27

Review at TeacherWriter



Tuesday, October 28

Review at My Book Addiction and More

Spotlight at Historical Tapestry



Wednesday, October 29

Review at A Bookish Affair



Thursday, October 30

Review at Book Nerd



 photo c558a8ad-2965-4e13-872b-d9b97cc3dfe9.png

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Title: Whatever You Do (Try Again, #2) Author: Stephanie Smith

Title: Whatever You Do (Try Again, #2)

Author: Stephanie Smith

Release Date: January 15, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22694608-whatever-you-do


Blurb

How do you trust someone who is everything you’re trying to avoid?

Harper Lindell is having a bad day. You know, if a bad day consists of getting fired from your cushy job and then catching your boyfriend red handed playing hide the salami.

Sick of meeting the same guys over and over, Harper decides to try her luck at Internet dating. How bad could it be? Right?

Tate Washington wasn’t looking to meet anyone. Still dealing with the consequences of his one serious relationship, all he’s interested in is revamping his family’s behind-the-times café.

He didn’t plan on seeing the beautiful receptionist from Argo again, walking into his life to use his café as a dating hub, and using him as a BFF.

Can Harper really trust Tate, who is everything she thinks she needs to steer clear of?

Can Tate wait while Harper works through her insecurities and fears?




Excerpt

“Andrew?” I question as I reach the table.
“Yes. Harper, hello.” He shakes my hand and the first thing I notice are his warm eyes. They are gentle and sincere and I feel instantly comfortable with him. “Take a seat, please.”
He gestures to my seat before pulling it out for me to sit in. I smile up at him in thanks for the chivalrous action as I slide into the chair.
During our emails back and forth this week, Andrew and I had figured out that we are from similar small towns not far from each other. We laugh about all the misguided town folk and the classic ‘types’ every town has. The town clown who has thought of every invention under the sun, the do-gooder mayor, the old lady gossip group, and the crazy minister and his family. Of course I didn’t laugh at that last one, as true as it is, being the daughter of a minister and all.
“So what do your parents do?” Andrew asks.
“Umm.” I stall looking for a distraction, not wanting to make to him feel bad.
“What can I get you guys?” Tate offers and I’m grateful for the interruption.
“Oh gosh I haven’t even looked yet,” Andrew says as he picks up the menu from the table.
“Just the usual for me please.” As my eyes reach Tate’s his are wide with horror. I sit upright at the urgency in his expression wondering what the hell is going on.
He nods his head in Andrew’s direction and I glance over. Andrew is studying the menu oblivious to mine and Tate’s silent conversation.
I look back at Tate giving him a ‘what’ look as he scratches his head then stiffly nods back in Andrew’s direction.
I sigh frustrated and look back at Andrew. He looks up from his menu and smiles at me before turning to Tate and placing his order.
I still don’t see a problem and look back to Tate with a ‘just fucking tell me’ look.
He begins running his hand through his hair as he harshly nods in Andrew’s direction again. I don’t even bother looking at Andrew again, knowing I’m not going to see anything different than before.
With wide eyes and a clenched jaw, I get out through gritted teeth, “I think that’s all.”
Tate sighs heavily, clearly frustrated and storms away from the table.
I shake my head and when I turn back to Andrew he is staring at me in confusion. “Sorry,” I giggle embarrassed he witnessed that final interaction between Tate and me.
“No worries.” He is sweet but his voice is wary. Tate and I probably looked like two mute idiots. How humiliating.
Andrew seamlessly continues our conversation. I use this opportunity to study him and search for the meaning of Tate’s irrational display.
I didn’t really focus on Andrew’s features before. He’s not ugly, but he’s definitely not in the same calibre as Tate or Glenn.
Now that I’m looking closer at him, there is something off about his looks. I can’t put my finger on it but something doesn’t fit. It has to be something small like his eyes aren’t in line or his facial features are too far apart, maybe bad teeth or ears that are too big or small, but I can’t see any of that. All his features seem symmetrical and in proper proportion to his face, but something is definitely not right.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Tate flailing his arms about. I shoot a glance his way trying not to be noticeable only to see he is frantically running his hand through his hair before tugging on the ends. No, tugging is too tame, he is pulling hard on his hair.
I glance around the café and no one has seemed to notice Tate’s complete and mental breakdown. He’s lost it. Maybe it’s all the coffee fumes, they are really strong in here.
When I look back towards Tate he is on his way over to the table carrying our hot drinks. I roll my eyes at his determined stare and wonder what antics he has planned for us this time.
Tate doesn’t falter as he strides towards the table and proceeds to drop a hot cup of coffee all over the table and into Andrew’s lap. I gasp in shock at what is unfolding in front of me. Andrew jumps from his seat, squealing like a small girl. I watch horrified as his hair falls off his head and lands on the table in front of me.
My mouth drops open as I just stare at Andrew’s toupee lying in spilt coffee. Glancing up at Andrew I see the heat rising on his face and shiny bald head. I smile awkwardly at him as I pick up his hairpiece and hold it out to him as if it’s a pair of dirty underwear and I can’t stand to touch it.
He quickly swipes it from my hand and places it on his head, but not before I notice his whole head, bright red in mortification. It’s like a beacon calling in planes for landing. Andrew stares at me, his hairpiece on backwards and coffee leaking from it, dripping all down his face.
“I’m so sorry Andrew,” I whisper, as I place both my hands over my mouth. Shit, I can feel the laughter rising.
“No, I’m sorry Harper.” My gut churns on his behalf at the humiliation he must be feeling. The silence of the café surrounds us, lucky it’s not overly busy at this time of night. Andrew glares at Tate who smiles and raises his hands innocently, before Andrew storms out of the café not breathing another word, just leaving a trail of coffee in his wake.
“You’re welcome,” Tate says casually as he pulls a clean chair up to the table, before relaxing back into it and crossing his ankles in front of him.






Wherever You Will Go (Try Again, #1)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21936216-wherever-you-will-go

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1DsijyR
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1yGTyy7

Brooke Willis had everything she ever wanted: a happy marriage, volunteer placement at the art gallery, and the promise of starting a family with the man of her dreams.

Saxon Reed had everything he ever thought he needed: a successful career, nice cars, expensive apartment, and more money than he knew what to do with.

After losing her husband Brooke insists on taking over his company to keep his dreams alive. Struggling in an industry she knows nothing about, Brooke turns to Saxon, her husband’s best friend and business partner, for guidance and support. Their mutual grief, and Saxon’s need to look after his best friend’s wife, creates a connection beyond just business.

Can Brooke take over the company and find a new life without saying goodbye to the past? Can Saxon protect and care for Brooke without scaring her away?

What happens when your heart doesn’t listen to your head? When lines are crossed and boundaries are pushed?


About the Author


I'm first & foremost a reader & fangirl, I will always be first & foremost a reader & fangirl. I am on street teams, I pimp and I brag. I LOVE my Authors!!
I have recently started writing as a way to relax and spend some time for me. My first novel Wherever You Will Go is due to release later this year. I'm having so much fun writing my first story and I'm looking forward to the journey it is taking me on.

Website: http://www.authorstephaniesmith.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstephsmith
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8154597.Stephanie_Smith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/raprox45


Giveaway!

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Hand-Me-Down-Bride by Juliet Waldron

Tour Schedule: http://bit.ly/JWBlogTour
Hashtags: #JulietWaldronBlogTour #Historical
Twitter Tags: @hfvbt 

Roan Rose

04_Roan Rose
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Books We Love, Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
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Loyalty Binds Her.
More like a gangland war for turf and loot than chivalry, the War of Roses disrupted the life of the English commoners for hundreds of years. Roan Rose is the story of one of them, a girl born on the Yorkshire dales. When the Countess of Warwick decides to take sturdy, gentle Rose to Middleham Castle to be companion and bed-time poppet for her youngest daughter, Anne, her fate is changed forever. Rose bears intimate witness to the passions, betrayals, battles and all the reversals of fortune which will shape her lady’s life—and her own. Anne Neville will briefly become a Queen, and Richard, Rose’s secret love, will become a King, one whose name has become synonymous with evil. When her King is betrayed and slain at Bosworth Field, Rose returns to a peasant’s hard life. She has one final service to perform.

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Praise for Roan Rose

“a beautiful story of love and loyalty set during the tumultuous reign of Richard III”
“I loved the strength of this woman”
“This author has a powerful sense of Time and Place”
“Waldron certainly knows her history…Yet despite its accuracy … Roan Rose is ultimately a book about character”.

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Hand-Me-Down Bride

05_Hand Me Down Bride
Publication Date: October 26, 2013
Books We Love, Ltd.
eBook; ASIN: B00G8OYHFG
Genre: Historical Romance
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To help her impoverished family, Sophie agrees to marry a wealthy older man in far off America. Less than twenty-four hours after she arrives in German’s Mill, Pennsylvania, events have taken a far stranger turn than anything she could have imagined.
Set in Post-Civil War Pennsylvania, this tale of an arranged marriage gone wrong is as much family saga as it is a romance. Sophie is a sensitive young woman trying to make sense of her past and to understand the unfamiliar ways of her new homeland. Karl Joe is not only a veteran of the great war, but scarred by the secret violence of his privileged childhood. How they learn to trust each other and how they discover love is the beating heart of this old time story.

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My Review
Five Stars
Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour for an honest review
This is one of those books that stays with you after your done reading.  I really enjoyed "Hand-Me-Down -Bride" by Juliet Waldron.  There were so many beautiful and heart-aching moments.  Sophie was a great heroine.  She had so many wonderful qualities it was impossible not to feel bad for her and champion for her as she finds herself alone in a country that is not hers, with a recently deceased husband.  

Karl, her deceased husband's older son, was so layered and complex.  I thought the author really captured the vulnerability that he faced as a soldier.  He's personal demons and his outer conflict were sad to see unfold but at the same time it made him that much more a hero.  He and Sophie were a great couple.  

The historical background, Post-Civil- War Pennsylvania was a great time to focus on.  There was still so much instability and doubt surrounding the time in American history.  I really enjoyed this beautiful story and the only thing that made me happier than reading it is knowing I have another story to read by this author. 

Angel’s Flight

Publication Date: September 9, 2012
Books We Love, Ltd.
eBook; ASIN: B0098CSH5Q
Genre: Historical Romance
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Angelica is a Patriot heiress, stalked by a brutal, fortune-hunting British officer. Forced to trust Jack, the mystery man who pledges to take her on a dangerous war-time journey to her Albany home, she expects to encounter brigands, Tories and Indians. What she doesn’t expect is to lose her heart along the way.

Praise for Angel’s Flight06_Angel's Flight

“It’s quite a journey. If you like detailed historical novels, road romances, and war stories, then Angel’s Flight is for you.” -IRRS @ Amazon
“This story has heart… ” -Linda @ Romance Studio
“I found Juliet Waldron’s attention to detail and historical accuracy refreshing and entertaining…a unique voice … Readers will be transported to a time of peril, divided loyalties and intrigue as Angelica triumphs over threats and danger.” -Southern Gal @ Amazon

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About the Author

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“Not all who wander are lost.” Juliet Waldron earned a B. A. in English, but has worked at jobs ranging from artist’s model to brokerage. Thirty years ago, after the boys left home, she dropped out of 9-5 and began to write, hoping to create a genuine time travel experience for herself–and for her readers. She loves her grand-girls and her kitties, likes to take long hikes, and reads historical/archeological non-fiction as well as reviewing for the Historical Novel Society. For summer adventure, she rides behind her husband of 50 years on his “bucket list” (black, and ridiculously fast) Hyabusa motorcycle.
You can find more information at www.julietwaldron.com or connect with Juliet on Facebook.

Juliet Waldron Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 6
Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes
Monday, October 13
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, October 29
Review at Book Nerd (Hand-Me-Down Bride)
Monday, November 3
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective (Roan Rose)
Monday, November 10
Saturday, November 15
Tuesday, November 18
Review at TeacherWriter (Roan Rose)
Monday, November 24
Review at Book Nerd (Roan Rose)
Tuesday, November 25
Guest Post at TeacherWriter (Roan Rose)
Thursday, November 27
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Monday, October 27, 2014

The Missing Place Author: Sophie Littlefield

The Missing Place
Author: Sophie Littlefield
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
TheMissingPlaceBanner1

Twenty-year-old Taylor Jarvis and Paul Carroll go missing in Weir, North Dakota, where they have been working on rigs owned by Oasis Energy. The boys stayed in Black Creek Lodge, a ?man camp? providing room and board. The mothers of the two boys come to Weir to find out what happened to their sons and form an uneasy alliance. Shay Jarvis, a 41-year-old single grandmother, has more grit than resources; for wealthy suburban housewife Colleen Carroll, the opposite is true. Overtaxed by worry, exhaustion, and fear, they question each other's methods and motivations - but there is no one else to help, and they must learn to work together if they are to have any chance of breaking through the barriers put up by their sons? employer, the indifference of an overtaxed police department, and a town of strangers with their own secrets against a backdrop of a modern day gold rush.
My Review:
Four Stars
I really enjoyed "The Missing Place" by Sophie Littlefield.  There were so many elements to the story that I found to be unexpected and really enjoyable.  I usually stay away with books that are a little to suspenseful because I don't like reading about children getting hurt.  But I do think that the author balanced the tension in the book.  Shay and Colleen were very different but they were both on the same mission-find their missing sons.  This was my first time reading this author and I really enjoyed her storytelling and writing. 
9781476757827 (1)



Praise for THE MISSING PLACE
“Littlefield maximizes the emotional impact of her character-driven cautionary tale.” –Publishers Weekly

“Really good read. Readers will admire the tenacity of the lead characters…to find strength and answers together.” –Fitness Magazine

“The excellent writing will keep readers engrossed and unwilling to put the book down.” –RT Book Reviews

About The Author
Sophie Littlefield
Sophie's first novel, A BAD DAY FOR SORRY (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Minotaur, 2009) has been nominated for the Edgar, Macavity, Barry, and Crimespree awards, and won the Anthony Award and the RTBookReviews Reviewers Choice Award for Best First Mystery. Her novel AFTERTIME was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Horror award.
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Midnight Masque The Josie Hawk Chronicles By: Elle J. Rossi

Midnight Masque
The Josie Hawk Chronicles By: Elle J. Rossi
Releasing October 21st, 2014
Black Poppy Books


Blurb
Nashville is the newest breeding ground for the darkest creatures of the occult. Huntress Josie Hawk will protect her streets—whatever it takes.
Bar owner and paranormal ass-kicker, Josie Hawk, is dealing with the stress of how to introduce her vampire-lover, Keller, to her vampire-hunting father. Meanwhile, the streets are buzzing with excitement over the announcement of a masquerade themed celebration with the up-and-coming stars of country music.

Josie and Keller are forced to abandon their trip into the secret world of hunters when a mysterious crew of cloaked beings emerge from the shadows and threaten to crash the biggest party of the year.
With the supernatural activity escalating to code red, Josie must find a way to stop the insidious evil hidden behind the array of masks. If she doesn’t, the masquerade party could turn into a mass funeral.



Buy Links


Author Info

Elle J Rossi grew up in rural Indiana surrounded by great people, a huge family and more animals than she could count. Sadly, there were no vampires or shape shifters lurking about in the woods behind her house. What's a girl to do? Seek them out, that's what! The sights and sounds of the world beckoned, so she left her small town to escape into a creative world full of music - and hopefully rendezvous with a vampire or two. As a full time singer she was able to lose herself in a thousand different songs in a hundred different places, all the while scanning the crowds for those ever-elusive beings of the occult.
After meeting the love of her life and settling down, she yearned to find a new and fulfilling creative outlet. Overly fond of the happily ever after, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters lead her down dark and twisted paths. The very first word on the very first page sealed her fate. She'd found a new love. She'd found her escape.
Now along with weaving haunting tales about the journey to love, she's creating cover art for authors around the world and loving every second of it. For fun, she cranks country music to take her back to her roots, and sings karaoke anytime she gets a chance. Her husband, two children, and three cats that rule the roost keep her company along the way and guarantee she doesn't get lost in the enchanted forest. She wouldn't have it any other way. And, yes, she is still on the lookout for real-life vampires.


Author Links
Or,





Alex Cold Fury Hockey # 1 By: Sawyer Bennett

Alex
Cold Fury Hockey # 1
By: Sawyer Bennett
Releasing October 14th, 2014
Loveswept


Blurb

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett scores big-time with the first novel in a sexy new series hot enough to melt the ice.

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

My Review:
Four Stars
Copy received for an honest review
I really enjoyed this story and found it to be very original.  I liked both the hero and the heroine.  Alex was a fun hero.  He was a little rough around the edges but it only made Sutton that more reliable. Sutton was a strong female character.  She knew how to turn Alex around and really make an impact.  They had great chemistry and were a lot of fun to read about.  I really enjoyed this book in the series and look forward to reading more by this author.



Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/07/alex-cold-fury-1-by-sawyer-bennett.html
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21794306-alex?ac=1
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/125350-cold-fury-hockey

Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alex-Cold-Hockey-Novel-Carolina-ebook/dp/B00JTCH5RQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1410967793&sr=1-1&keywords=Alex%3A+A+Cold+Fury+Hockey+Novel
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alex-sawyer-bennett/1120019672?ean=9780553393002
iTunes: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/alex-a-cold-fury-hockey-novel
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/alex-a-cold-fury-hockey-novel

Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Author Info

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett is a snarky Southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Author Links
Website: http://www.sawyerbennett.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bennettbooks
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bennettbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6950682.Sawyer_Bennett


Rafflecopter Giveaway (Alex Crossman/Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Jersey)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Friday, October 24, 2014

The Miracle of the Kurds by Stephen Mansfield




Copy Received from WorthyPublishing for an honest review.
Five stars
This was such an amazing book. I can honestly say reading it has changed my perspective on many things. The resilience of the Kurds is fascinating.  Lately they have been in the news because of their resistance to ISIS.  I can see how the Kurds have survived for so many decades.  This was a very humbling read as well.  The Kurds are a group of people that have battled and continue to battle for a place to call home.


The Miracle of the Kurds: A Remarkable Story of Hope Reborn in Northern Iraq

Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Secrets of Casanova by Greg Michaels

Please join author Greg Michaels as he tours with HF Virtual Book Tours for The Secrets of Casanova, from October 13-24.



02_The Secrets of Casanova 


Publication Date: October 21, 2013 | Booktrope Editions | Formats: eBook Paperback; 334p


Genre: Historical Fiction




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2014 Nancy Pearl Award Winner for Fiction.


Loosely based on the life of Jacques Casanova, The Secrets of Casanova is a rich, lush novel of love, sex, family, ambition, intrigue, and adventure. Set in Paris of 1755, Casanova's luck is fading and his past is shoving up against his present with potentially disastrous consequences. What price must he pay to uncover a treasure of inestimable value? What hearts must he break along the way? Casanova's will and destiny collide again and again in this riveting historical fiction that brings to light a man of great passion and not a few secrets.



Praise for The Secrets of Casanova



“A Shakespearean actor with a flair for the dramatic and a superb ear for dialogue, Michaels's debut novel puts a brilliantly original spin on an historical figure whose very name is a cliché. This Casanova must wrestle not only with falling hopelessly and passionately in love, but embarking on a mysterious quest that is as much a spiritual awakening as a swashbuckling adventure. The Secrets of Casanova is so erotic and so sensitively written, I found it difficult to believe its author was a man.” -Robin Maxwell, national best-selling author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn

My review:
4 stars
Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour for  an honest review.
When I started to read "The Secrets of Casanova" by Greg Michaels I thought I knew where the story was going and what it was about.  I definitely did not expect all the twist and turns.  This was a very interesting and fascinating novel and I was completely engrossed with Jacques Casanova.  The writing flowed as did the storyline. I was surprised to learn this was a debut novel. I really enjoyed this story and recommend it to anyone. This story has a little bit of everything! Fun read!



Buy the Book

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes



About the Author

03_Greg MichaelsAfter receiving his B.A. in anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin, a chance experience thrust Greg into a career as a professional actor and fight director. To date he's acted in over fifty theater productions, more than forty television shows, and choreographed dozens of swordfights for stage and screen. In THE SECRETS OF CASANOVA, Greg again proves his skill at telling a theatrical story. He lives with his wife, two sons, and Andy the hamster.



For more information please visit Greg Michaels's website. Like The Secrets of Casanova Facebook Page. Follow Greg Michaels on Twitter.



The Secrets of Casanova Blog Tour Schedule



Monday, October 13

Review at Bookish



Tuesday, October 14

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Review at With Her Nose Stick in a Book

Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages



Wednesday, October 15

Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession



Thursday, October 16

Review & Interview at Carpe Librum

Spotlight at Historical Tapestry



Friday, October 17

Review at A Chick Who Reads



Monday, October 20

Review at A Book Geek

Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past



Tuesday, October 21

Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews

Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books



Wednesday, October 22

Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Review at Good Friends, Good Books and a Sleepy Conscience

Guest Post at Mina's Bookshelf



Thursday, October 23

Review at Beth's Book Reviews

Spotlight at What Is That Book About



Friday, October 24

Review at Book Nerd

Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter



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The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle

  THE PARIS WIDOW  Author: Kimberly Belle Publication Date: June 11, 2024 ISBN: 9780778307976 Format: Trade Paperback Publisher: Harlequin ...