Kelly’s Interview with Molly Harper + Giveaway

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome one of our favoritest authors to the blog. Everyone please welcome the awesomely funny Molly Harper.

Molly, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I am a newspaper reporter turned church secretary turned romance novelist. That’s a common career path for romance novelists, right? My first book, NICE GIRLS DON’T HAVE FANGS, came out in 2009 from Pocket Books. In addition to the NICE GIRLS books and their Half-Moon Hollow spin-off titles, I have written the Alaska-based NAKED WEREWOLF novels and several contemporary romances.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes, “author” was always my dream job, but no one in my family is a professional writer and there are very few authors from my hometown. So I went for journalism, which was writing with a guaranteed paycheck. But I always came back to fiction. It’s what makes me happy.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Jane Austen, Olivia Goldsmith. I think every good book I’ve read has stuck with me in some way. Stephen King has an amazing method of making horrific circumstances seem completely possible by adding mundane but memorable details. Jane Austen is the mother of the romantic comedy. Olivia Goldsmith wrote antagonists that are total sociopaths that you could meet at the grocery store and not even realize it. I hope I incorporate those elements into my writing.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

Romance is my favorite genre, so it only makes sense that I would write romance novels. I have tried writing fantasy and science fiction, but it doesn’t come across as naturally.

What are some of your writing rituals?

I have to have tea or Perrier and some lip balm nearby. I am apparently terrified of dehydration in all its forms.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

After dumping her horrible boyfriend, Kentucky Tourism Commission employee and executive assistant extraordinaire Kelsey Wade is grateful for the distraction of her office’s winter retreat. But as the staff approaches their lakeside lodge destination, an unprecedented ice storm smothers half of Kentucky and basically shuts down the state. Kelsey and her coworkers are stuck together, no electricity, no heat, no escape.

Kelsey wouldn’t mind being stuck inside if it wasn’t for the tension with her not-so-secret crush, Charlie Bennett, the office’s statistician. But handsome Ranger Luke, the lodge’s only employee on hand, is there to take Kelsey’s mind off her discomfort. Even though this weekend is supposed to be a planning session for KTC, Kelsey can’t help her mind from wandering and finds herself conflicted over Luke and Charlie. Someone’s love will keep her warm, but whose will it be?

How did you come with the idea for this story?

In January 2009, a huge ice storm hit the southeast, taking out power for several states, including Kentucky. I spent almost two weeks sleeping in my in-laws’ living room, on a mattress in front of their fireplace with my infant son and four-year-old daughter. No electricity, no heat, no escape. It was a little stressful. My only relief came from scribbling down story ideas that eventually became the NAKED WEREWOLF books and this title.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I am writing a Half-Moon Hollow spin off title about a single mother who becomes a vampire. I can say no more!

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

My main character’s six-year-old son is interrogating her vampire sire with a stream of questions about the sire’s blood-drinking habits and intentions towards my main character – which is something my six-year-old son does nearly every day. (Not about blood-drinking, but about everything else.)

What would you be if you were not an author?

A gibbering mess.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. My author friends are all huge fans, while I’ve only watched the TV show. So I have to read it on an upcoming vacation, or they will mock me mercilessly at our next retreat.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

My Half-Moon Hollow Christmas short story, I’M DREAMING OF AN UNDEAD CHRISTMAS, will be available in ebook on November 3, 2014.

Learn more about Molly and her books here: Website | Facebook | Twitter @mollyharperauth| Goodreads

Let’s take a look at Molly’s newest release:

*****

Snow Falling on Bluegrass

Bluegrass #3

Amazon| B&N | Audible

Parks & Recreation meets The Blue Collar Comedy Tour in this third ebook in Molly Harper’s Bluegrass series of contemporary romances: A love triangle of colleagues heats up the winter lodge where they get snowed in for a week.

Kentucky Tourism Commission employee and executive assistant extraordinaire Kelsey is known around the office for having everything under control. So it’s not surprising that she and her boss, Sadie, have everything planned to the second for the office winter retreat. But there are things even Kelsey can’t micromanage.

An unprecedented snowstorm smothers half of Kentucky and knocks out the power, closes the roads, and generally shuts down the state. Luckily, the lodge has working fireplaces and enough food to keep the staff from turning on each other like something out of The Shining. Kelsey wouldn’t mind being stuck inside if it wasn’t for the tension with her not-so-secret crush, Charlie, the office’s statistician. But handsome Ranger Luke, the lodge’s only employee on hand, is there to take Kelsey’s mind off her discomfort.

Even though this weekend is supposed to be a planning session for KTC, Kelsey can’t help her mind from wandering and finds herself conflicted over Luke and Charlie. Someone’s love will keep her warm, but whose will it be?

*Giveaway Time***

I have been giving the okay to giveaway two e-copies of Molly’s Snow Falling on Bluegrass.

To enter please fill out the rafflecopter form below.

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September 22, 2014September 21, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Seductive Melody by Crista McHugh

She has the scoop of a lifetime, but only if she betrays his trust…

Ethan Kelly lost his best friend and bandmate to an overdose, but staying clean is proving harder than he thought it would be. His only safety net during his first weeks of sobriety is fellow recovering addict, Becca. As she guides him through the darkness, he begins to trust her not only with his secrets, but also his heart.

After years of trying to be the daughter her socialite parents wanted her to be (and failing miserably), Rebecca Shore finally has her life on track. Sure, she’s just an assistant at Moderne magazine when she’d rather be pursuing more serious journalism, but it’s a foot in the door. She’s just waiting for the scoop of a lifetime that will take her to the next level. But when she’s asked to help the reclusive and enigmatic rock star, her heart is torn between the career she’s always wanted and the man who bares his soul to her.

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Rebecca took his hand to lead him to a table, but the gentle touch managed to kick the air from his lungs. He’d lived so long in a world where most women begged permission to touch him that her complete indifference to his celebrity status shocked him. But then, maybe that was a good thing. If she didn’t know who he was, he might be able to let his guard down long enough to enjoy coffee with her.

He glanced around the room, but no one was staring at them or whispering to their friends while pointing at him. No flash of a paparazzo’s camera. No cringe-worthy fear that sharing dessert with Rebecca would be tomorrow’s headline on TMZ.

For the first time in years, he felt almost normal.

He placed his helmet in an empty chair and sat down across from her. As much as he wanted to relax, he couldn’t quite let his guard down. “Come here often?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Just slightly.”

She laughed at his dry reply. “You’re really missing out on Gitta’s Sacher-torte. It was her grandmother’s recipe.”

“I haven’t been very hungry lately.”

She nodded, empathy flittering across her features. “Yeah, once you’ve had your guts turned inside out for a week, it takes a while for the appetite to come back.”

He leaned forward, elbows on the table, and lowered his voice. “I still have a hard time believing someone like you understands what I’m going through.”

“Why?”

Her quick reply caught him off guard. He backed away and gestured to her appearance. “Because…”

“Because I don’t look the part?”

Before he could answer, Gitta interrupted them by setting a plate of chocolate cake and two mugs on the table. Steam rose from his mug of black coffee, but a mound of cinnamon-sprinkled whipped cream covered her beverage. “What is that?”

She stirred some of the cream into her drink and licked the spoon. “Cinnamon hazelnut hot chocolate.”

“Someone’s going to have a sugar rush tonight.”

She flashed him a wicked grin before drinking a gulp of her hot chocolate. When she lowered her mug, a dot of whipped cream lay perched on the end of her nose.

Ethan tried to smother the laugh that rose from his throat, but it was no use. Instead, he let it out and reached for a napkin. “You have a little something on your nose.”

“Oh?” But instead of acting mortified and reaching for a mirror like he expected her to do, she laughed with him and wiped her nose with a napkin.

“Got it?”

He nodded, once again surprised by her. Here was a refined young woman who wasn’t the least bit concerned with her appearance. Very different from the high-society girls he’d gone to high school with or the models and actresses he’d met through the years.

About the Author:

Crista McHugh is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING author of fantasy and romance with heroines who are smart, sexy, and anything but ordinary. She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of A Seductive Melody

Review (4.25 Stars): This is the second book that I’ve read in the Kelly Brothers series and for me, this series keeps getting better and better. Ethan Kelly is struggling to stay sober after the death of his best friend and bandmate from an overdose. For Ethan, drugs have always been his muse and the reason for his musical talent in his band, Ravinia’s Rejects. Hoping to battle his demons and stay clean, Ethan joins Narcotics Anonymous and meets Becca, who agrees to become his sponsor on his road to recovery. Becca understands the temptation that Ethan is facing especially while trying to stay out of the public eye and the tabloids. She has faced that same road as Ethan, except her escapades were well documented by the paparazzi because she is the heiress of a prestigious hotel empire. Together, they can finally find the love that they have been missing in their lives and heal the emotional wounds that led them down the road to addiction in the first place.

A Seductive Melody was a great story for me about two people that found love while trying to deal with the emotional trials of recovering from addiction. Ethan was in a very fragile place and was walking a fine line of falling back into his old habits before he met Becca. In the beginning, he gave the drugs credit for his talent because he felt he created the best music while he was high, when in actuality, he always had that talent within him, he just need a different muse. Becca was the life support that he needed to stay clean, and he was the one person who understood what she dealt with by trying to be a normal person when people think they know you from that they have seen in the tabloids. I loved that he cared and supported her and helped her deal with her family issues, which was one of the main reasons she turned to drugs in the first place. Her family was the one thing that Becca had been avoiding and once she was able to deal with that and prove to people that she was a different person, she was able to create the life for herself that she desperately wanted. A Seductive Melody was a great addition to the series and I’m a big fan of Ms. McHugh’s writing, so I am looking forward to the next story that will be released.

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September 17, 2014September 17, 2014

Spotlight feature of Brynna Curry’s Elemental Magic Series

Earth Enchanted

Elemental Magic #1

Writer Liv Corrigan has the worst luck with men — her telepathy tends to make them run for the hills. When she meets widower and ex-cop Jack Roarke, she decides to keep her talent hidden. Things are looking up until their third date crashes and burns as the man who murdered Jack’s wife turns out to be after him too.

Injured, Jack retreats with Liv to his house under armed guard. But with Liv’s mysteries rapidly coming unraveled, a diamond-thief killer to stop and passion in the air, the safe house is anything but safe for their hearts!

*****

To Take Up The Sword

Elemental Magic #2

Missing diamonds and a killer on the loose…will a schoolteacher and FBI agent escape with their lives and hearts intact?

After the acquittal of Gueraldi’s right hand and favored killer for hire, Ashton Smythe, Special Agent Gabriel Spiller takes time away from his work with the FBI. Having failed in his mission to avenge his lost would be lover, Serena Roarke, Gabe returns to Alabama in search of the missing diamonds needed to reopen the investigation and to lay low from the death threats he’s received since Smythe went free.

Almost two years after her sister’s death, Leannan O’Neal feels the loss of Serena more now than ever. A secret meeting between them before she died left Lea with an ugly figurine and nothing but questions. Hang-up calls at work and a trashed house reminds her of the card Serena gave her. “If you find yourself in trouble, go to him and only him” were the last words her sister spoke to her.

With Smthye out for revenge and hot on her heels, Lea goes on the run in search of Serena’s ‘Angel’, but how long can Gabe keep her alive, and is the cost worth more than her life?

*****
Wait for the Wind

Elemental Magic #3

Kate O’Connell grew up loved by the Corrigan family, all the while suffering from the inescapable reality of her own alcoholic father. At a young age she gave her heart and innocence to Ryan Corrigan. For once happiness seemed within her reach, until in one horror-filled night, the monster she called ‘Daddy’ changed everything.

Too many misunderstandings forced Kate and Ryan apart, but now Kate’s come home to open her clinic and raise her daughter, Allaina, closer to his family. Will she be able to open Ryan’s heart to his magic?

Ryan is glad to be back on Irish soil, but the reason he left still haunts him. As he tries to build a new life and redeem his past, can he forgive Kate and reclaim his healing gift in time to save his sister and her twins?

*****

Sea’s Sorceress

Elemental Magic #4

Love can come along at the most inconvenient times…

Skye Corrigan treasures family above all else. Standing by his best friend Rhia while she suffers the heartache of losing her father to cancer has strengthened their childhood bond. Lately Rhia affects him in ways she never has before.

Rhiannon O’Malley shares Skye’s past and hopes for a future with him, but love must come with a willing heart. Her father’s terminal illness has left her in charge of the family pub. Skye has always been there for her, but when their relationship changes, will she find the courage to claim the future? Or will a thousand-year-old curse keep its grip on two hostage hearts?

*****

Fire’s Ice

Elemental Magic #5 (series end)

Ultimate power, or endless love?

Born the son of a Scottish laird a thousand years ago, but now trapped by his cousin’s spell, Devin McLoch has seen countless battles and death. The erstwhile thief has turned away from darker pursuits to lead a life of peace, protecting those he loves and considers part of his clan.
However, there is one woman he can never forget, who must be given a chance to change, to accept her heart and his.

Arianne Farrell is just as dangerous and intoxicating as her power. Imprisoned in an ancient stone dance more than a thousand years ago, her only chance at freedom from the spell is through love—a love she denied. When Devin asks for her aid to save another from imminent death, she realizes there is more at stake than just her freedom or her heart.

*****
Series Buy Links

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo│Kensington

About the Author: Brynna Curry was born south of the Mason-Dixon Line. After living all over the southern states, she finally landed in North Alabama where she lives with her husband and their three children. Growing up, books fueled her dreams and imagination, ultimately becoming her salvation during the hardest times in her life.Writing is her passion, but she enjoys the fun of sharing those stories with others by reviewing books and working in publicity.

When she isn’t writing or promoting, she’s often found haunting the library for new books to read or just spending an quiet evening at home with Jackie watching old westerns on TV. Although her wizards, shifters and vampires are as real to her as anyone, she insists love is the truest magic and with it every day is another wonderful adventure.

Brynna’s Links:

Website│Twitter│Facebook│Street Team│Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon or B&N gift card to be given away on 10/1 during the kickoff of 31 Days of Halloween

1 digital copy of series

3 digital copies of Earth Enchanted

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September 10, 2014September 9, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Deep in Death by Colleen Helme

Running “errands” for her mob-boss employer, Joey “The Knife” Manetto, often ends with Shelby in trouble, making her cautious about continuing her association with him. Instead, she focuses on a new client who hires Shelby to find her missing mother. What seems like a routine case turns into something more sinister and deadly than she ever imagined.

In the meantime, Uncle Joey has summoned Shelby to his office, where she runs into her former nemesis. Shelby inadvertently hears something that makes her fear for the lives of Uncle Joey and his hit-man, Ramos. This time, Uncle Joey is not sure he wants to involve Shelby in something he knows could get her killed. Keeping Shelby’s involvement to a minimum has disastrous results, sending Shelby on a dangerous path. As her investigation unfolds, Shelby finds death at every turn, and soon realizes she is in over her head. Can she escape from danger in time? Or will she find herself deep in death?

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

As the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is her alter-ego. “Definitely,” she says. “Shelby is the epitome of everything I wish I dared to be.” Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. “I love getting Shelby into trouble…I just don’t always know how to get her out of it!” Colleen lives in the Rocky Mountains with her family. Besides writing, she loves a good book, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Deep in Death

Review (4.5 Stars): In Deep in Death, Shelby is recovering from a gunshot wound from her previous adventures while working for mob boss, “Uncle Joey” and hoping that things will finally settle down. To distance herself from Uncle Joey, she takes on a new assignment helping a young woman find out what happened to her mother who disappeared several years earlier. Shelby soon learns that things aren’t what they seem and she needs to solve this mystery fast before she finds herself in yet another dangerous situation.

First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful and I love almost all of the covers in this series. Deep in Death is one of those books that you can start reading and it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the rest of the series. You are able to follow along with the action without missing a beat and I really like that about this author. I was immediately involved with Shelby and her investigation of Tiffany’s missing mother in this story, which turned out to be more than just a missing persons case. The clues started to lead to something more sinister and Shelby just happens to look like Tiffany’s missing mother and has to race against time before she finds herself as the next victim. Deep in Death is full of creative plot twists, fascinating characters and enough action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series but I want to start this series from the very beginning so I can really get to know these engaging characters.

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September 10, 2014September 10, 2014

Sheldon’s Interview Zach and Lisette from Dianne Duvall’s Night Unbound

Thank you for joining me! I’m happy to be here today, celebrating the release of NIGHT UNBOUND, the fifth book in my Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. If you like powerful heroes, kick-ass heroines, action scenes that will keep you flipping pages well past your bedtime, and romance that is alternately sweet and steamy and laced with humor, then I hope you’ll pick up a copy, because you’ll find all of this in Zach and Lisette’s story. 😉

My friends on Facebook thoughtfully provided some Hot Seat questions for Sheldon, one of the human characters in NIGHT UNBOUND, to ask Zach and Lisette that I hope will help you get to know them a little better:

Sheldon: *opens a small spiral notebook* Okay. The first interview didn’t go quite the way I’d hoped, so I’m just going to ask you some hot seat questions this time. Cats or dogs?

Lisette: Cats.

Zach: I’ve never had a pet, so I’m ambivalent.

Sheldon: You’ve never had a pet?

Zach: No.

Sheldon: That sucks. Vampires or shifters?

Lisette: I have to listen to the thoughts of psychotic vampires every night when I hunt them, and they sicken me. So I much prefer immortals who can shape shift. *peeks up at Zach* One in particular.

Zach: *winks* Immortal shape-shifters, for the same reason. Though I admit I admire Bastien’s young vampire friend, Cliff. He’s an honorable man and has managed to keep the madness that strikes all vampires at bay far longer than most.

Lisette: *nods* I like Cliff. I hope Melanie and the network will be able to help him.

Sheldon: If anyone can help him, Melanie can. What about . . . humans or immortals?

Zach: If you’re asking who is more annoying, I’ll choose immortals.

Lisette: *elbows him* That’s just because you’ve so little contact with humans.

Zach: I doubt humans would chap my ass the way your Immortal Guardian brethren do. They’ve certainly never declared me a traitor.

Sheldon: What about you, Lisette? Do you like one group over the other?

Lisette: No. My fellow immortals and the humans who aid us are all like family. I don’t know what I would do without Tracy. She’s like a sister to me, and she’s human.

Sheldon: She totally kicks ass, too.

Lisette: *laughs* Yes, she does.

Sheldon: *consults list of questions* Okay, I really don’t want to know this, but apparently all the ladies do . . . Boxers or briefs?

Zach: You want to know what kind of underwear I wear?

Lisette: When you DO wear it.

Sheldon: That’s . . . too much information.

Zach: *shrugs* Boxers. I was born thousands of years ago. Men didn’t wear tight, binding undergarments then, so why the hell would I want to do so now?

Lisette: Especially when you look so hot in boxers.

Sheldon: Gag. Day or night?

Zach: Both.

Lisette: Night. I’m a younger immortal and can’t withstand direct sunlight without suffering the consequences. Zach, on the other hand, is lucky. He’s like Seth and is so old that sunlight doesn’t affect him adversely.

Zach: *frowns at Sheldon* Were you asking what time of day we prefer? I thought you were asking when we prefer to make love.

Sheldon: Why would you think that?

Zach: *shrugs* You asked about my underwear.

Sheldon: Dude, no one wants to know about your sex life. *consults list again* Crap. I spoke too soon. Top or bottom?

Zach: Both.

Lisette: Both.

Zach: *takes Lisette’s hand as his eyes acquire a golden glow and hers begin to glow a vibrant amber*

Sheldon: Great. Now your eyes are glowing. Don’t pounce on each other yet. I still have a few questions I’m supposed to ask. Spaghetti or steak?

Lisette: Spaghetti.

Zach: *smiles* She’s a carbohydrate fiend.

Lisette: It’s true.

Zach: She’s also ALWAYS hungry.

Lisette: *winks* And not just for pasta.

Sheldon: Come on, guys. No flirting. *checks list and sighs* This is so not going to help. Bed or sofa?

Zach: Is THIS one a lovemaking question?

Sheldon: *resigned expression* Yes.

Zach: Bed. Her sofa is way too short.

Lisette: *laughs* I’ll have to get a larger one.

Sheldon: Change of subject. Petite or tall?

Zach: Petite.

Lisette: I’m 5’6”. I don’t think that’s considered petite.

Zach: And I’m more than a foot taller than you. You’re petite.

Sheldon: Who ISN’T, compared to you? Daggers or swords?

Zach: Daggers suffice.

Lisette: Says the immortal who can kill a man with a thought and doesn’t need ANY weapons. I favor shoto swords myself.

Zach: And you’re exceedingly skillful at wielding them.

Sheldon: Strong women are so hot.

Zach: Not to you, she isn’t.

Sheldon: Dude, I totally just flashed back to interviewing Étienne. Next question . . . Which speaks louder to you—actions or words?

Lisette: Actions.

Zach: I agree.

Sheldon: I agree, too. Which brings me to my last question. *eyes Zach* Friend or foe?

Lisette: Sheldon! I told you, he’s on our side!

Sheldon: I know. But I’d like to hear it from him. Zach?

Zach: I believe the—

Lisette: If you say the jury is still out on that, I will beat you.

Zach: *eyes flash golden* With what?

Sheldon: Aaaaand that’s my cue. See you guys later.

*****

New York Times and USA Today Best Selling Author, Dianne Duvall, returns with the much-anticipated 5th book in her paranormal romance Immortal Guardians series, NIGHT UNBOUND!

Title: Night Unbound

Series: Immortal Guardians #5

Author: Dianne Duvall

Format: eBook/Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages

Publication: September 2nd 2014 by Zebra

ISBN: 1420129805

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Praise for the Immortal Guardians series:

“Duvall is a major player.” –RT Book Reviews

“The Immortal Guardians series is one you’ll want to follow.” –The Romance Review

“These dark, kick-ass guardians can protect me any day!” –Alexandra Ivy on Darkness Dawns

“Whizzing along at light speed. . .this sophomore effort sizzles.” –Publishers Weekly on Night Reigns

Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians protect humanity from unspeakable horrors–but their hearts are as fragile as any mortal’s. . .

For centuries, Lisette d’Alençon has been a warrior against the dark. She fights alongside her brothers and comrades. But when the dreams start coming, she can’t bear to confess them to the Immortal Guardians’ command. Dreams of a dark-haired man with soft eyes and brutal wounds, a man her heart aches for–and a man she knows has been declared a traitor.

Zach is an exile, a loner. He won’t defend himself against false accusations or grovel to those who should have faith in him. But he’ll damn sure defend the woman who kept him sane against a plague of super-vamps that seems to have appeared from nowhere. The Guardians will blame him, and that will make Lisette suspect, too. With life, death and eternity on the line, who can they really trust?

Kelly’s review of Night Unbound:

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 3/4

It feels like I have been away from the Immortal Guardian world for way too long. When Ms. Duvall announced that Night Unbound was going to be Zach’s book I was over the moon. I just love this Immortal with wings!! And that Lisette was going to be his lady love. Super excited.

Night Unbound did not disappoint me. Zach & Lisette are so perfect for each other. I love that Zach is always wanting to try something 🙂 (you will have to read to understand). I am so glad that Zach got his own book. He really need to be excepted and find love after so many years of nothing.

There were so many heartbreaking tissue grabbing and happy joyful scenes in this book. Just a few that stood out were:

1) The scene with Cliff were heartbreaking I hope that they find a way to help him.

2) The scene with Amy: Oh gosh, poor Amy. Poor Marcus. Many tears

3) The scene with Aidan broke my heart.

4) Every scene with Zach & Lisette

I just loved this book. And as always I had the wonderful Kristin Potter read to me yet again. I just love how she is able to bring the characters to life for me. Kristin is so very talented at voices that it is really easy to tell who is who even before she reads who is speaking. I am very much looking forward to the next installment of the Immortal Guardian series.

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Tantor Media in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Dianne Duvall earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, where she studied fiction writing, playwriting, and poetry writing. Darkness Dawns, the first book in her Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance – Vampire by The Romance Reviews. It was also deemed a Top Pick by The Romance Reviews and a Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in the series, was nominated for Best Best Book of 2011 – Paranormal Romance by The Romance Reviews and declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series, has been declared a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and Night Owl Reviews. Her Immortal Guardians novella In Still Darkness was released in the Predatory anthology on May 7, 2013, and has received many fabulous reviews. Darkness Rises, the fourth book in the series, hit the USA Today Bestseller list, has been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and was deemed a Night Owl Reviews Top Pick.

Dianne has also completed two not-yet-published paranormal romance novels that are prequels to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. Rendezvous With Yesterday is a time travel romance and won second place in the Picture This writing contest.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-wining screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared on screen as a machete-weilding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

1st Prize – 1 Winner

$25 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize – 2 Winners

Autographed copy of DARKNESS RISES, tote bag, and swag

3rd Prize – 3 Winners

Autographed paperback of winner’s choice from backlist + Immortal Guardians Swag Pack

4th Prize – 5 Winners

Immortal Guardians Swag Pack

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September 10, 2014September 9, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Wedding Soup Murder by Rosie Genova

WEDDING SOUP MURDER

by Rosie Genova

When I conceived of the idea for a mystery series set in an Italian restaurant, it felt entirely natural to place that restaurant at the Jersey shore, in the fictional town of Oceanside Park. There’s a long tradition of Italian cuisine in New Jersey, from boardwalk stands to upscale restaurants. The setting of the books, the Casa Lido restaurant (which literally means “beach house”) is a family-owned establishment presided over by the tight-knit Rienzi family: Nonna, the matriarch and iron-handed manager; her son Frank, the easygoing host; his wife Nicolina, who keeps the accounts, and their daughter Victoria, my main character. It’s the kind of place that serves rustic, seasonal food in a wood-paneled dining room with red and white checked tablecloths—the kind of place that people go back to, season after season.

In fact, most shore restaurants rely on strong summer business to keep them going throughout the year. In the first Italian Kitchen Mystery, Murder and Marinara, the Casa Lido’s livelihood is threatened when Victoria discovers the corpse of an unpopular television producer in her grandmother’s tomato garden. Since the dead man ate his last meal there, the restaurant suddenly loses its customers, inspiring Vic to use her sleuthing skills to solve the murder in time for the start of the summer season. The book also contains recipes of dishes served in the restaurant, including the marinara sauce in the title. (If you make it once, you’ll never open a jar again!)

In The Wedding Soup Murder, Vic is called upon to help cater the soup course at a wedding reception being held at the upscale Belmont Country Club. Her first job, assigned by her ornery Nonna, is to make a thousand tiny meatballs for the soup! At the reception, she and her ex-boyfriend Tim, now the sous chef at Casa Lido, have to prepare the soup on site at the Belmont. While there, they run afoul of a testy pastry chef, a spoiled bride, and the club’s president, Elizabeth Merriman. When Elizabeth’s body shows up on the beach the next day and a family friend comes under suspicion, Vic reluctantly takes on the case. The soup in the title is made with a meatball recipe that was passed down to me by my mom and grandmother, and if I do say so myself, they are very tasty.

I hope that the Italian Kitchen Mysteries portray the Jersey shore that I love—a place with a long and proud history, beautiful beaches, miles of boardwalk fun, and of course, good Italian food!

About the Author:

A Jersey girl born and bred, national bestselling author Rosie Genova left her heart at the shore, which serves as the setting for much of her work. The atmosphere of the Jersey shore is present in the details, whether it’s the smell of the sea, the sound of a Springsteen song, or the taste of Kohr’s custard from the boardwalk. And no summer is complete unless she has sand in her shoes.

A bookworm from the time she could sound out words, Rosie spent many happy hours in her home town library where she hid behind the stacks reading the titles she was too young to check out. She earned two degrees in English from Rutgers University, where she discovered to her delight that reading Jane Austen was actually considered homework. Though she’s always considered herself a writer, she didn’t pen her first novel until ten years ago, and she hasn’t stopped since.

Her series, the Italian Kitchen Mysteries, is informed by her deep appreciation for good food, her pride in her heritage, and her love of classic mysteries, from Nancy Drew to Miss Marple. Her debut novel, Murder and Marinara, was named a Best Cozy of 2013 by Suspense Magazine and was a finalist for a 2014 Daphne Du Maurier Award. An English teacher by day and novelist by night, Rosie also writes women’s fiction as Rosemary DiBattista. She still lives in her home state with her husband and her youngest son.

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As she researches her family history, however, she is distracted by her attraction to two men, old flame and chef Tim Trouvare, and woodworker Cal Lockhart. And life gets more complicated when her grandmother puts her in charge of catering a wedding reception with a menu featuring the Casa Lido’s famous Italian Wedding Soup.

Held at the exclusive Belmont Country Club, a historic site that overlooks the ocean, the reception is presided over by the wealthy and snobbish Elizabeth Merriman, the events manager and Nonna’s long-time nemesis. At the reception, a harried Vic has to deal with a demanding bridezilla and her wealthy daddy, as well a number of clashes in the kitchen—between the staff and servers, between two egocentric head chefs, and between Elizabeth Merriman and everyone.

The wedding reception is ultimately a success, but by the time the happy couple and their guests depart, Elizabeth is missing. When her body is found on the beach the next morning, it appears that Elizabeth slipped from the top of the high seawall, but Vic isn’t convinced. Did Elizabeth Merriman finally push someone too far? And did that someone push her right back over the railing and onto the sand below?

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Jennifer’s Review of The Wedding Soup Murder

Review (4.75 Stars): I love, love, love this series! Culinary mysteries are my absolute favorite and this book has everything. Great writing, fun cast of characters and wonderful descriptions of food that will make you hungry for more. The Wedding Soup Murder has Vic and her family’s restaurant helping to cater a prestigious wedding at the exclusive Belmont Country Club. Vic and Tim are “chosen” by Nonna to prepare and serve Nonna’s famous wedding soup to the guests as a special favor to the bride’s family. While working the event at the Belmont, Vic meets Elizabeth Merriman, who just happens to be the events manager and makes it known that she is not a big fan of the Caso Lido. Everything goes off without a hitch, but Elizabeth is found dead on the beach the very next morning. What Vic soon discovers is that Elizabeth had a long list of enemies that would love to see her dead, but who would be capable of actually pushing her over the railing? Vic is involved in yet another murder mystery and needs to find the killer before they decide to add another victim to their list.

I absolutely love this series and I have fallen in love with Vic and her big Italian family. Each of these characters are very entertaining and I look forward with each book to spending time with these lovely people. The Wedding Soup Murder was a fun, fast-paced mystery and I loved every minute of it. Makes me want to head to Caso Lido, have a glass wine and spend an evening chatting with Vic and her family. This is the second book in the Italian Kitchen mystery series and each book keeps getting better and better. I recommend reading Murder in Marinara first because it will give you some background on these characters and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of The Wedding Soup Murder. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by September 17th, answer me this question in the comments:

Do you like culinary mysteries? What is your favorite series?

September 9, 2014September 8, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: The Wolfe Widow by Victoria Abbott

Falling in love again …

by Victoria Abbott

No sooner has Jordan Bingham recovered from Lord Peter Wimsey when she’s falling in love again, this time with Archie Goodwin. I guess she’d better take a number because she’s not the only one. Archie’s been collecting hearts since he first made an appearance back in 1934 as Nero Wolfe’s witty, urbane and tough-as-nails assistant, in the books by the great Rex Stout. For a man whose beverage of choice is milk and whose suits seem to be tailor made, he’s awfully good in a fight. We don’t think he ever starts them, but we are prejudiced on that topic.

Is Archie Goodwin the sexiest man ever? It depends on who you ask. Ask us and we have to say yes, at least in the category of fictional characters. Ask Jordan and she’ll say, ‘Absolutely.”

Archie may have been dashing around Manhattan back in the thirties, forties and fifties, but he’s still dashing today, forever in his thirties and forever a favorite of the ladies, including more than a few who turned out to be guilty of murder.

This time, Jordan Bingham has it bad. Maybe she likes the sizzling hint of danger that Archie presents. Plus we all know that Nero Wolfe’s right hand man never really settled down. Is that part of the irresistible lure of Archie? Or is it the old appeal of the totally unavailable love interest? You can’t get more unavailable than a character who hasn’t appeared in a new book for many years.

Never mind all that. Jordan – the first person in her large Irish family to go straight – appreciates that Archie is clever and streetwise and he knows when to bend the rules. He turns out to be not just a man to dream about, but a good guide to getting out of tough situations. In fact, Archie seems born for tough situations. He never backs away. Neither does Jordan, so that’s no big surprise. He is witty and wisecracking in life-threatening scrapes, something that Jordan can admire and even emulate.

Sure, she has Officer Tyler Dekker, the young police officer who is obviously in love with her, but how can he measure up to this perfect hero? Anyway, Tyler is out of town, supposedly on ‘training’ and Jordan’s close friends are all unavailable for no apparent reason. What’s that about?

She has to deal with being fired and saving her employer’s life (and book collection), apparently alone. Luckily, she can take inspiration from Archie, a guy who never lets you down when your life’s on the line.

Even when she’s trying some daring “middle of the night” escapades, she can draw inspiration from her new hero and maybe make it alive to the next day. Fingers crossed.

How about you? Have you ever fallen hard for a fictional character? How did that work out for you? Let’s hear it.

About the Author:

Victoria and Mary Jane Maffini are Victoria Abbott

Mary Jane Maffini thinks she’s the luckiest woman in the world. After all, she gets to work at home in her cozy office — or at her roomy dining room table or on her deck in summer — writing what she has always loved to read: mysteries. And she gets to write in her pyjamas if she wants, with her miniature dachshunds, Daisy and Lily, snuggled up. She can take her breaks with her husband and the pooches in the dog park and it’s no one’s business but her own. What’s not to love? Plus anyone who has ever made her mad has ended up in a book. No wonder she’s usually in a good mood.

MJ discovered mysteries as a child and read her way through the classics. Later in libraries, she found that people would pay her to select mysteries. They could have saved a bundle if only they’d realized who they were dealing with. She also learned how wonderful and varied crime fiction can be. Following a career as a librarian (not nearly as quiet as it sounds!), she continued her mystery infatuation by becoming co-owner of her favourite bookstore: Prime Crime Mystery Books, with her business partner, Linda Wiken .

Once again, people died. But only in her manuscripts. Since those wonderful reading days, MJ has written thirteen books in three mystery series and more than two dozen short stories. Her latest Charlotte Adams book The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder won the 2012 RT Award for Best Amateur Sleuth. She’s picked up several awards for her short fiction, including three Arthur Ellis awards and an Agatha. She’s also been nominated for an Anthony, a Barry, and several other Ellis awards. She also holds the Crime Writers of Canada Murdoch award.

Victoria Maffini comes by her murderous tendencies honestly, not to mention her writing skills. This is her first collaboration and first novel. She dove head first into the eerie world of Mysteries when she worked at Prime Crime Books for five creepy good years. Vic the Chic is long gone now, but her many glorious years of gorging on New Releases and used paperbacks sure come in handy when writing a Book Collector Mystery series.

When Victoria’s fingers are not on the keyboard they are pointing her Nikon at brides, babies and bad dogs, turning the images into cards, art and memories. Speaking of art…being creative is deep in Victoria’s soul, she never comes back from her long Lanark Highland walks without a stunning shot or a scene that will need to be painted or a pinecone that must be glittered and glued to something. The crafting is strong with this one.

Victoria lives in Carleton Place, Ontario with her Dachshund companions who have not stopped bossing her around for over a decade now, please send help.

Website/Facebook

As Thanksgiving approaches, Jordan Bingham is grateful for her job researching rare books for Vera Van Alst, the infamous curmudgeon of Harrison Falls, New York. But when an uninvited guest makes an appearance, much more than dinner is disrupted—and Jordan is thankful just to be alive…

Vera Van Alst doesn’t normally receive visitors without appointment, but she agrees to see the imperious Muriel Delgado upon arrival. Shortly thereafter, Jordan is told that her position is being terminated. Evicted from the Van Alst House, Jordan is determined to find out what hold Muriel has over her erstwhile employer.

It seems Muriel has designs on Vera’s money and property—not to mention a particular interest in her collection of Nero Wolfe first editions. When Jordan discovers a deadly connection between Muriel and the Van Alst family, it’s up to her to put the house in order and stop a killer from going back to press.

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Jennifer’s Review of The Wolfe Widow

Review (4.5 Stars): This is a great series for me and it keeps getting better with each new mystery that is released. Jordan is a character that you will instantly like and the entertaining characters that are in her life will make you want to keep coming back for more. In The Wolfe Widow, Jordan meets Muriel Delgado late one night at the Van Alst home and before she knows it, she is fired from her job and sent back to live with her eccentric uncles. While Jordan is back home, she tries to learn as much as she can about this mysterious stranger and why she had decided to come live with Vera. Learning the truth about Muriel puts Jordan’s life in jeopardy and she needs to find the answers quickly before she becomes another victim.

This is the third book in the Book Collector Mystery series and I love spending time with these characters. Each book focuses on a classic mystery writer and I enjoy learning the different aspects of Jordan’s job as a book collector. Each mystery is extremely fascinating and The Wolfe Widow is a great addition to the already delightful mystery series. This mystery was well-written and entertaining and readers will definitely want to add this mystery to their own collection. Can’t wait to see what is in store for these characters in the next book from this great mother/daughter writing team.

September 4, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Fat Cat At Large by Janet Cantrell

Where Did Quincy Come From?

By Janet Cantrell

Other than the animal rescue shelter in Chicago where Chase Oliver picked him up, you mean? I was lucky enough to be the caretaker and servant to two rescued feral cats not long ago. One of them was Quincy’s prototype. They came to me pre-named by the woman who was fostering them, and the names were perfect.

The slim, handsome fellow, a Russian Blue with thick, dense fur, did have a name change before we got him. He was first named Lady Jane Grey (look for this name in the second Fat Cat book, FAT CAT SPREADS OUT). However, by the time it became evident that he needed a new name, he answered to Jane. His name was changed to James because he would answer to that one, too. I sometimes called him Sir James because of his regal composure.

His litter mate was named Agamemnon and that name stuck. He was a mighty little warrior, just like the ancient Greek, and he was so smart it was almost creepy. Agamemnon had to be my model for Quincy. It was a natural fit.

That guy was hard to entertain. If you dragged a feather toy, he leapt a couple of times, then followed the string with his eyes up to the stick, then to my hand. “Ho hum,” I could hear him thinking as he quit playing and washed his face. “This is just her. Not a bird at all. No wonder it doesn’t smell right.”

He was quite young back in the days when Elf Bowling was popular. The first time he heard me finish the game and make Santa pop up saying “Ho ho ho,” he was instantly in my lap, staring at the bobbing Santa and swiping at it with his paw. The next time I played, he was in my lap to begin with, intensely interested in the whole thing. How could I not let him play? The player bowled the ball at the taunting elves by hitting the space bar. If you hit it at the right time, you got a strike. I would hold Agamemnon’s paw over the space bar and “help” him by pushing it down the best I could to get him strikes and spares. He would, no lie, play an entire ten frame game waiting for the Santa finish.

More than once, when I would be in the bedroom with the door closed, he would jump onto the cedar chest beside the door and try to open it. He would curve his paw over the doorknob and attempt to turn it. He knew exactly how to open the door! Physically, he couldn’t do it, but he sure knew how.

That first scene in FAT CAT AT LARGE where Quincy unzips his soft-sided carrier from the inside? Yep, Agamemnon is where that came from. He was hard to crate to begin with, but when I finally got both of them crated and was gathering my purse and phone and car keys to take them to the vet for shots, it was dismaying to find Agamemnon’s crate empty and gaping open.

Also, like Quincy, Agamemnon stayed on the pudgy side. He loved to eat. His brother, James, was always slim and trim, but Agamemnon, a sleek all-black beauty with shiny fur (James’s looked like matte next to his glossy finish), was hard to take and keep the pounds off. He never got too heavy to leap to the top of any piece of furniture in the house, though.

He also loved to attack the paper as it came out of the printer. Quincy hasn’t done that yet, but, come to think of it, he should.

It’s been fun to resurrect my memories of the smartest cat I ever knew and let him live again through Quincy. I love being a writer!

About the Author:

Janet Cantrell is a pen name for Kaye George, Agatha nominated novelist and short story writer. She belongs to Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and Austin Mystery Writers. Her cozy Fat Cat mystery series debuts in September of 2014 with FAT CAT AT LARGE, featuring Quincy, a pudgy, adorable cat who is an accomplished escape artist. Especially when he’s on a diet and hungry. Leave it to Quincy to lead his human, Chase, co-owner of a Minneapolis dessert bar shop, into trouble. Janet lives in Knoxville TN with her husband. Her recently departed feline, Agamemnon, is a source for some of Quincy’s antics. Visit http://janetcantrell.com/ for more details.

When she’s not dreaming up irresistible dessert bars for her Minneapolis treatery, Bar None, Charity “Chase” Oliver is running after her cat, Quincy—a tubby tabby with a gift for sniffing out edibles. But what happens when this cat burglar leads Chase to the scene of a real crime?

The jig is up for Chase’s adorable plus-size cat, Quincy. His new vet says “diet”—that means no more cherry cheesecake bars. From now on he gets low-calorie kibble only. But one taste of the stuff is all it takes to drive him in search of better things. Quincy’s escape is the last thing Chase needs after the nasty run-in she has with underhanded business rival Gabe Naughtly.

Chase tracks Quincy down in a neighbor’s kitchen, where he’s devouring a meatloaf, unaware of the much more serious crime he’s stumbled upon. Gabe’s corpse is lying on the kitchen floor, and when Chase is discovered at the murder scene, she becomes suspect number one. Now, with a little help from her friends—both human and feline—she’ll have to catch the real killer or wind up behind bars that aren’t so sweet.

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Jennifer’s Review of Fat Cat At Large

Review (4.25 Stars): Fat Cat At Large is the first book in a brand new mystery series about dessert bar owner Chase Oliver and her lovable plus-size cat, Quincy. Chase is always chasing after her cat and had to put him on a diet after learning that his weight may cause him health problems. During one of Quincy’s escape episodes, she stumbles upon the body of a business rival and the evidence that is found points to Chase as being the killer. To clear her name, she must investigate clues with the help of her friends before her business dreams disappear and she ends up behind bars.

I liked Chase from the very beginning and couldn’t help but fall in love with Quincy and his sneaky ways to get his favorite treats. I love culinary mysteries and this book had me wanting to visit Chase’s shop with all of the descriptions of the delicious bars that Chase had created. The writing was very fast-paced and I liked learning about all the people in Chase’s life. There was a couple secondary stories involving Chase’s coworkers that kept my attention and had me wondering how this all would tie in with the murder mystery. Fat Cat At Large is a charming and delicious mystery that will delight readers and I’m looking forward to reading more about Chase and Quincy in the next book.

September 3, 2014September 2, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Nightmares Can Be Murder by Mary Kennedy

The Strange and Wonderful World of Dreams

by Mary Kennedy

When I told my friends and colleagues about my new Penguin series, The Dream Club Mysteries, I was surprised at the outpouring of interest and support. Everyone, it seems, is fascinated by dreams, curious about their meaning and dying to discuss their own dreams. Are dreams really the “royal road to the unconscious” as Sigmund Freud proposed? Can they give us new insights into our own deepest thoughts and most hidden emotions? Or are they simply random firings of neurons as the brain rests and recharges itself, taking a few hours to deal with the “residue of the day?”

I knew I had to write a book about dreams and especially about “dream clubs,” which are quite popular here in the northeast. In The Dream Club Mysteries, a group of Savannah women meet once a week to share their dreams, eat some delicious pastries and solve a murder or two.

Ali Blake, who runs a vintage candy shop right off the Historic District, founded the Dream Club. When business was flat, she invited her high powered MBA sister, Taylor, to join her in Savannah in the hopes that she could pump up business. Taylor was a skeptical about dream interpretaion at first, but now she’s becoming a believer.

There’s a good mix of characters in the club; the Harper sisters, who are well into their eighties and know everything about anyone who has lived in Savannah for the past fifty years, Sam Stiles, a local policewoman, and Sybil Powers, who fancies herself a “dream hopper.” If you’ve never heard of a dream hopper, it’s someone who claims she can “visit” other people’s dreams. And of course, there’s a hunky private detective, Noah Chandler who helps with the investigations.

Sometimes the Dream Club meetings are full of surprises. In Nightmares Can Be Murder, the first of my Dream Club Mysteries, Lucinda Macavey, a prim and proper headmistress of a girls’ school in Savannah, recounts a most unusual dream. She finds herself shopping in the frozen food aisle of the local supermarket— stark naked! Nothing could be more out of character for the shy Lucinda and the dream club members offer various interpretations.

Appearing naked in dreams is actually quite common. The dreamer finds herself in a public place “without a stitch on,” and yet onlookers seem not to notice. Dreams don’t follow the rules of logic and time and space don’t exist in dreams. Also, there is no “backstory” in dreams. The dream exists in the present. Lucinda doesn’t ponder how she got to the supermarket, how she could have possibly driven there naked, how she could have left the house without clothes or why no one stopped her. She is just “there,” in the immediate situation in the supermarket and has to deal with it.

So how did the dream club handle Lucinda’s dream in my mystery novel? The dream members agree that being naked is a metaphor for feeling helpless and vulnerable. Maybe Lucinda has a deep dark secret that she doesn’t want exposed? Maybe she has hidden urges that she doesn’t dare acknowledge?

Lucinda seems to be a very proper Southern lady, but in her dreams, she has been thrust into her worst nightmare—appearing naked in public. Lucinda joins in the discussion and admits that she has been experiencing some stress lately. She took early retirement from the Academy and she’s not sure of her future plans. Uncertainty—in any form, whether it relates to a job or a relationship or finances– can lead to anxiety and that might explain Lucinda’s dream. (Other things might explain Lucinda’s anxiety, but I can’t say more without revealing the plot.)

If you think you might enjoy reading more about the Dream Club and the clever way the members rely on their insights to solve a few murders, I hope you’ll read Nightmares Can Be Murder. You might be in for some surprises, and I guarantee you will look at your dreams in a whole new way!

About the Author:

Mary Kennedy is a clinical psychologist in private practice and lives on the East Coast with her husband and eight neurotic cats. Both husband and cats have resisted all her attempts to psychoanalyze them, but she remains optimistic. Visit her website at www.marykennedy.net

Business consultant Taylor Blake has returned to Savannah, Georgia, to help her sister Allison turn her dream of running an old-fashioned candy store into a reality. Allison is also interested in dream interpretation and invites Taylor to her Friday night Dream Club, where members meet once a week to share and analyze their dreams.

When a local dance instructor, Chico Hernandez, is found dead in his studio, and the murder scene has an eerie resemblance to one of the dreams shared at their meeting, Taylor can’t help but be intrigued. And when her sister, who was briefly involved with the dance teacher, becomes the prime suspect, Taylor and their fellow club members can’t be caught napping. It’s up to them to dream up a solution to the murder before Allison faces a real-life nightmare.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Nightmares Can Be Murder

Review (4 Stars): This was a very interesting mystery for me because this was the first book I’ve seen where the characters solved a murder using their dreams. Taylor Blake and her sister, Allison, run a candy store in Savannah and become embroiled in a mystery when the local dance instructor is found murdered in his studio across the street. Ali soon becomes the prime suspect in the murder and it is up to Taylor and her dream club to decipher the clues to find the killer before it is too late.

I have never read a mystery that used dreams to help solve a murder and I enjoyed learning the symbolism behind each of the character’s dreams that contributed to clearing Allison’s name. The dream aspect of this mystery made the story very complex and I loved all the plot twists and turns. The only downside to this mystery was the pacing in the beginning of the book but things definitely picked up by the end to wrap up the mystery up neatly. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series to see how these characters develop and what interesting things I learn next about their dreams.

September 2, 2014September 1, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Groomed For Murder by Annie Knox

First Love
by Annie Knox

Love is in the air in Merryville, Minnesota, as Izzy McHale and her friends plan the wedding of 83-year-old Ingrid Whitfield to her first love, Harvey Nyquist. Ingrid and Harvey were torn apart when his parents shipped him off to a military boarding school. They both enjoyed long marriages to other people, but after they were widowed they reconnected on the Internet and that old flame reignited.

The romantic in me sighs at the idea of a love that spans the decades, a love so bone-deep that it survives a vast and lengthy separation. I’d like to think that the love my husband and I share is like that: if we were ever separated, we’d find our way back to one another.

I found my one-and-only in my 30s, so he was obviously not the first man (or boy) I had shared the L word with. I’ve kept in touch with one of them … my first love, my high school sweetheart. We’ve both gone on to have full and happy lives. He’s a lawyer who’s been married twice (last I heard), he’s successful, and he is surrounded by good friends and a big wonderful family. I’m blissfully married, have the best job in the world, and the best friends I could ever hope to have.

We’ve done well apart.

But a tiny little part of me wonders what would have happened if our first love had lasted. What would my life look like if that sweet boy and I had stayed together, weathered being apart during college, and made a go of things as a married couple? I don’t wish that had happened … I just wish I knew what it would have looked like if it had.

What about you? Did you marry your first love? Do you know what happened to him or to her? Do you ever let yourself wonder what might have been?

About the Author:

Annie Knox doesn’t commit–or solve–murders in her real life, but her passion for animals is 100% true. She’s also a devotee of 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. While Annie is a native Buckeye and has called a half dozen states “home,” she and her husband now live in a crumbling historic house just a stone’s throw from the courthouse square in a north Texas town.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Izzy McHale wants her new Trendy Tails Pet Boutique in Merryville, Minnesota, to be the height of canine couture and feline fashions. But in a week of wedding bells, someone is about to hold their peace…

forever. Love is in the air, and Izzy is hard at work coordinating two special weddings at Trendy Tails. First, Izzy’s friend and mentor, Ingrid, will be tying the knot with her old flame. And a week later, Izzy will host “pupptials” for two lovable dogs.

But even with the hullabaloo, the Trendy Tails crew is intrigued by Daniel, an enigmatic writer boarding above the shop who’s caught the attention of Izzy’s zany aunt Dolly, who gossips like most people breathe.

Unfortunately, it’s Daniel who stops breathing when he drops dead at the altar on Ingrid’s wedding day. Then Dolly is found at the scene with the murder weapon, and it’s up to Izzy, her Trendy Tails pals, and her scrappy pets, Packer and Jinx, to find a killer before the two affianced doggies bark down the aisle….

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Groomed For Murder

Review (4.25 Stars): I loved Ms. Knox’s first book, Paws for Murder, which I had finished in about a day. Groomed For Murder picks up shortly after the events of the first book, in which Izzy is helping Ingrid prepare for her upcoming nuptials. On the day of the wedding, a dead body interrupts the ceremony and Izzy’s aunt Dolly is found holding the murder weapon. Izzy must help find the true killer and why the victim was staying in Merryville before her aunt Dolly is locked up for a crime she didn’t commit.

This is such a cute cozy series! I really enjoyed Paws for Murder and Groomed For Murder is even better than the first one. Izzy is a very sweet character that you can instantly relate to and I love her idea of creating clothing specifically designed for your pets. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one because there were so many potential suspects in this one and I had a hard time figuring out why the victim was killed. Ms. Knox has created a winning mystery series that will keep you entertained until the very end. I’m looking forward to reading more about Izzy, Packer and Jinx in future installments of this fun series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Groomed For Murder. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by September 8th, please answer Ms. Knox’s question:

Did you marry your first love? Do you know what happened to him or to her? Do you ever let yourself wonder what might have been?

September 1, 2014August 31, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates by Kathy Aarons

Ingredients Make it or Break It

by Kathy Aarons

One thing I’ve learned from researching chocolate-making for my book, Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, (and I’ve done a lot of research J) is that the quality of ingredients is the most important, well, ingredient in the outcome.

Of course, the base chocolate you use is critical. Chocolatier Isabella Knack uses Felchlin for much of her products. I’d been experimenting with her recipes that she provided for my book –more are available in her chocolate-making classes – using whatever I could find at my local grocery store, even springing for the Ghirardelli brand. And then I tried the Felchlin.

Wow! The difference was amazing!

Don’t get me wrong – pretty much all chocolate has something to offer. (Except for maybe Butterfingers, but that’s a personal prejudice. J) But the more I sampled from different chocolatiers, and the more I made myself, a few subtle and not-so-subtle qualities came through.

Of course, the flavor was critical – the depth of the cocoa itself and the notes of vanilla, berry, coffee, and other spices that depend on where the cocoa was grown. But the next factor of importance to me was the “mouth feel” — how creamy the chocolate felt while melting on my tongue without being pasty or sticky. And third, the aftertaste. Did it continue to taste just like chocolate as it melted or did it turn bitter? I didn’t mind good bitter (like a great cup of coffee) but bad bitter (like medicine) was not for me.

Chocolate connoisseurs also evaluate the sheen and color of the chocolate, the way a bar cracks when you break it, the feel of the chocolate when you touch it, and more. But to me, flavor –which is subjective and totally personal — is paramount.

Following is one of Isabella’s recipes that makes awesome Lavender Truffles. I experimented with a variety of chocolate brands and my favorite was Felchlin.

Enjoy!

Lavender Truffles
Recipe by Isabella Knack

Ingredients:
12 fresh lavender flower heads (can also use dried)
1/3 cup heavy cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
1.   Place the flower heads and cream in a small pot. Heat on high until cream starts to simmer and melt the butter in the mixture. Take off heat and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
2.   Divide the chocolate into two equal 5 ounce portions, and set one portion aside.
3.   Heat up the cream mixture again and, using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the cream into the chocolate in a small mixing bowl; discard the flower heads and bits of lavender.
4.   Stir the cream and chocolate together until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until somewhat firm, but not hard, for about 1 hour.
5.   Melt the other half of the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until liquid.
6.   Line a baking sheet with a piece of waxed paper. Roll the lavender mixture into 1 tablespoon-sized balls, and dip into the melted chocolate mixture using a skewer or toothpick. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to harden.

About the Author:

Kathy Aarons is the author of Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, the first in the CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY series by Berkley Prime Crime. It will be available at your local bookstore, Amazon and Barnes and Noble on September 2nd.

Research for the series was such a hardship: sampling chocolate, making chocolate, sampling more chocolate, and hanging out in bookstores.

After growing up in rural Pennsylvania and attending Carnegie Mellon University, Kathy built a career in public relations in New York City. She now lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters where she wakes up far too early, and is currently obsessed with the Broadway Idiot documentary, finding the perfect cup of coffee, and Dallmann’s Sea Salt Caramels.

You can follow Kathy on Facebook or Twitter or visit her at: www.kathyaarons.com.

Whether it’s to satisfy a craving for chocolate or pick up the hottest new bestseller, the locals in charming West Riverdale, Maryland, are heading to Chocolates and Chapters, where everything sold is to die for…

Best friends Michelle Serrano and Erica Russell are celebrating the sweet rewards of their combined bookstore and chocolate shop by hosting the Great Fudge Cook-off during the town’s Memorial Day weekend Arts Festival. But success turns bittersweet when Main Street’s portrait photographer is found dead in their store, poisoned by Michelle’s signature truffles.

As suspicion mounts against Michelle, her sales begin to crumble and her career seems whipped. With Erica by her side, Michelle must pick through an assortment of suspects before the future of their dream store melts away…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates

Review (4 Stars): Michelle and Erica have created the perfect business in West Riverdale; a bookstore with a chocolate shop that have all the locals raving. Michelle has been looking forward to participating in the Great Fudge Cook-off when a friend is found dead in their shop, poisoned by Michelle’s own truffles. To clear her name and the reputation of her business, Michelle must team together with Erica and her brother to find the true killer before the negative publicity causes their business to go up in smoke.

I love culinary mysteries especially ones that deal with my favorite food, chocolate. This mystery was a winner for me because it had chocolate, books and a good-looking love interest. I liked Michelle and Erica together as a team because they were best friends and business partners and they just had this easy relationship with one another that I was a little envious of. The mystery was well-written and I’m excited to see what happens to these characters in the rest of the series. Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates is a mystery that you can definitely sink your teeth into and will have readers clamoring for more.

September 1, 2014August 31, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath

From New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath, comes the second book in a brand new series, The Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, featuring three eligible bachelors…and the scoundrels that reside within each.

Born to the street but raised within the aristocracy, Drake Darling can’t escape his sordid beginnings. Not when Lady Ophelia Lyttleton snubs him at every turn, a constant reminder he’s not truly one of them. But after rescuing her from a mysterious drowning, he realizes she doesn’t remember who she is. With plans to bring her to heel, he insists she’s his housekeeper—never expecting to fall for the charming beauty.

While Ophelia might not recall her life before Drake, she has little doubt she belongs with him. The desire she feels for her dark, brooding employer can’t be denied, regardless of consequences. So when Ophelia’s memory returns, she is devastated by the depth of his betrayal. Now Drake must risk everything to prove she can trust this rogue with her heart once more.

Amazon/B&N/iTunes

About the Author:

LORRAINE HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals and computer code, but something was always missing. After reading a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s RITA® and a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times best-seller lists.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Once More, My Darling Rogue

Review (5 Stars): Drake Darling has never been able to forget the events of his childhood and even with all the success that he has achieved, those memories are never far from his thoughts. Lady Ophelia Lyttleton has known Drake for years and has always treated him as though he was beneath her. The two verbally spar with one another every chance they get and it has become a game to see who will win first. One night, Drake finds a young woman on the side of the river, dirty, bruised and has no idea who she is or how she got there. What surprises Drake the most is that the young woman is none other than Lady Ophelia and she has no memories of Drake whatsoever. As a punishment for the way that she has treated him all these years, Drake tells Lady Ophelia that she is his servant and makes her spend her time doing servant duties. As the days pass, Drake finds himself falling for the new Lady Ophelia and dreads the day when her memories return, knowing that she will hate him even more for what he has done. But Lady Ophelia is falling for Drake as well and maybe this chance at love will finally help melt her deeply protected heart of ice.

I absolutely fell in love with Drake Darling in Once More, My Darling Rogue. He was a charming man who couldn’t understand why Lady Ophelia hated him so much when he never did anything to hurt her. In a way, he felt that he deserved the verbal abuse because of his torrid beginnings but Lady Ophelia was downright cruel, mean and vindictive whenever Drake was around. I loved when she became Phee, the woman with no memories, who was sweet, kind and a crusader against any injustice in the world. I didn’t agree with Drake for making Phee believe that she was a servant as retaliation for all the things that she had done to him, but if he hadn’t, he would have never seen the amazing woman she could become.

Drake and Lady Ophelia were two very interesting characters because they both believed that they were unworthy of love because of events that happened in their childhoods. They were haunted by their past and were finally able to heal their broken spirits by finding love in each others arms. This love story brought me to tears when I discovered both of their secrets and to what lengths Drake went to make amends for what he had done to Lady Ophelia when she had lost her memories. Such a beautiful story of love and forgiveness between two emotionally scarred people who deserved to find love and found it in the most unlikely of places. This is one of my favorite books this year and I am looking forward to reading more from this talented writer.

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