Kelly’s review of Shadows Strike by Dianne Duvall

TITLE: Shadows Strike

SERIES #: Immortal Guardians #6

CHARACTERS: Ethan & Heather Lane

AUTHOR: Dianne Duvall

NARRATOR: Kirsten Potter

PUBLICATION DATE: August 25, 2015

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

The Immortal Guardians protect the innocent in secret. Sometimes the secret gets out…

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can’t guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she’s awake, she isn’t sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn’t trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that’s coming, it will take everything they have just to survive…

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2

Oh man, I am so sad to be done with this book. I just love love love the Immortal Guardians world. Ethan and Heather are so sweet together. There is so much that happens in Shadows Strike I am not sure where to begin. But here is goes.

The Immortal Guardians face an old foe that will test them like never before. A new ally comes into the picture, but is this person truly trustworthy? or just a distraction to harm the Immortals more? Ethan and Heather’s relationship will be tested at every turn. Seth, David and Zach all learn that they may not be enough to save the world. Zach will get a few revengeshots. Of course is his sweet totally loveable self in this book 🙂 (I love this Immortal). We get a glimpse at some of the other Immortals and their seconds and learn that they are all willing to do anything to save Seth, David and the world as a whole. And that is good because it might just come down to that.

As I said before I am really sad to be done with this book. I love this series and never want the story to end. I do hope that Aidan’s book is next this poor 3000+ year old Immortal is willing to do anything to find his lady love. Please let Aidan be next!!!!!

As always I let the wonderfully talented Kirsten Potter read this story to me. I am amazed and awed every time I pick up this series. The talent that Kirsten has blows my mind!! I don’t think I would need Dianne to tell me who is speaking because Kirsten is just that good and making each and every character stand out and be totally different than the others. And of course I am totally in love with Zach (sigh), Kirsten does an amazing job!!!! If you are not an audio lover yet, I would suggest listening to a sample of this series!! I think that you will love it!! For my audio lovers if you have not started this series I would HIGHLY suggest doing so on audio!!!

Until next time we meet my wonderful Immortals, keep calm, keep your ears open, your blade sharp and kiss the ones you love.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley, Kensington Books & an Audio version from Tantor Media in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Here is a sample of Shadows Strike by Dianne Duvall, narrated by Kirsten Potter

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews).

Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn’t writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she has created in her books.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit www.DianneDuvall.com.

August 7, 2015August 3, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Frisk Me by Lauren Layne

Enter to Win a

$50.00 Amazon eGift Card

FRISK ME

New York’s Finest #1

Lauren Layne

Releasing July 28th,2015

Forever Romance

After a photograph of Luc Moretti saving a tourist hits social media, he instantly becomes New York’s most famous and beloved cop. When a major network decides to run a special on the “American Hero,” Luc’s boss gives him no choice but to cooperate in the name of good exposure for the department. Luc doesn’t mind the celebrity status-what he does mind is the gorgeous brunette journalist who’s been assigned to follow his every move. Especially since she also happens to be the same knockout that rejected him rather publicly the week before.

Ava Sims is a woman who gets what she wants. And what she wants is to be CBC’s lead anchor-but to get there, she’ll need to nail the fluff piece on the playboy cop. Luc Moretti is everything Ava knows to stay away from: a stubborn charmer with a hero-complex. But the more Ava gets to know Luc and his oddball family, the more she realizes that beneath the swagger and the blue uniform is a complex man who makes her heart beat too fast. Soon, Ava’s doing the unthinkable, and falling for the best of New York’s finest …

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Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three).
Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review of Frisk Me

Review (4.25 Stars): I love Ava and Luc together as a couple because they had so much heat and sexual chemistry together. Ava seemed so stuck up in the very beginning but the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. So did Luc and she was one of the few people that could see that Luc was hiding something behind that Good Samaritan persona that he was pretending to be. I also loved the witty banter between these two characters and I was so glad that Luc was able to win Ava’s heart at a time when they seemed to be at each other’s throats. Frisk Me is a fun, sassy romance with delightful characters and a storyline that will keep you hooked until the very end. Can’t wait to read more from this amazing author.

July 28, 2015July 23, 2015

Kelly’s interview with Jennifer Lyon + a tourwide giveaway

I am so excited to have Jennifer on the blog again and to be talking about the Winged Slayer Hunters. I fell in love with these guys a few years back (Key is my favorite :D, but don’t tell Phoenix). So when I heard that Jennifer was returning to the world the Winged Slayer Hunters to say I was excited would be a little but like saying a firework is just a sparkler. I was super excited. If you have not started this series I would highly recommend. But enough about me. Let me introduce you to Jennifer.

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

Hi Kelly! Thank you for having me back on Books-n-Kisses. So about me, I write under two names: Jennifer Apodaca, which is my real name and Jennifer Lyon is the name I took when I started writing paranormal romance. It can be confusing to remember which Jennifer I’m supposed to be, LOL! I originally published in mystery and soon transitioned to romance although there’s usually some mystery or suspense in my books. Writing is my passion, and when I’m not doing that, I enjoy baking, hanging out with family and friends, wine, chocolate and often, I’m thinking about the next book I want to write.

Learn more about Jennifer here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Pretty much, although it took years for me to get the courage to try it, and more years to publish.

Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?

Depends on where I am in the book. The beginning is always slow as I’m getting to know the characters, then the pace picks up the book moves along. I usually get up early, 5:30ish (unless I’m at the end then it can be 4:30), make coffee, checked email and handle anything pressing. Then I write or plot for a while until my husband gets up. I stop to clean up and dress, eat and exercise, then back to it. I generally write the rest of the day until four or five, then have a glass of wine and cook dinner with my husband. After that, I usually have an hour or two of more emails, social media, etc. But if I’m up against a deadline, I’ll ignore all that and write until 9 or so at which point I’m brain dead until the next morning when it starts all over again.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

I get to do what I love every day! That and the fans are the most rewarding part. The challenge is that I wish I wrote faster, and juggling real life with the demands of my career.

Can you please tell us about your latest book?

I’m happy to! CAGED MAGIC is the book I’ve promised readers for a few years, and I’m so pleased to finally deliver it. Linc and Risa desperately need each other to battle back a dark curse and to find Risa’s missing goddaughter. What begins as a deal between two people who need each other grows into a love so powerful, Linc gambles everything—his heart, soul and life—to save Risa from a demon. This story was hard to write, but I fell in love with the Linc and Risa’s fierce ability to fight for what they love, their sheer loyalty, and am pleased to have given them the happy ending they deserve.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Linc appeared in earlier books, and I always knew his handsomeness and charm were hiding a torturous past. And I knew his heroine had to be very special and unique. The idea for the plot of a demon spawning on Las Vegas Boulevard, well my husband has asked me that same question: Where do you come up with this stuff? I don’t know exactly. At some point, I thought – wouldn’t it be cool if someone who appeared to be human spawned into a demon right in front of a witch? And Oh! What if it’s right there in the middle of Vegas, the city of sin? That would be a huge challenge to the Wing Slayer Hunters and their witches. And then…a story was born.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

Well at the moment I’m promoting this book, and EXPOSING THE HEIRIESS, book three in my Once A Marine series written as Jennifer Apodaca. That book releases August 4^th, so it’s a bit wild around here. But next up I’m beginning a new contemporary series that I am excited about, and then after that, it’s Primal Magic, Eli’s story in the Wing Slayer Series.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I have so many! My early loves were Jude Deverux, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, Diana Gabaldon…I could go on forever!

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?

I imagine so. If nothing else, they inspired me to go after my dream – both in writing and in never settling for less than I’m worth in my life. For that, I am very grateful. But when I’m writing, I’m focusing on the story in my head and not much else. The lovely thing about writing is the premise of a book might be similar to others, but it’s the writer’s voice that makes it unique.

Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.

Here’s a few lines between Linc and Risa:

“But there’s a price.”

She jerked her gaze up. “What?”

He lifted her hand to his mouth, his warm lips sliding over her knuckles. “You’ll let me kiss you first. A deep, owning kiss.”

Her heart started to pound. “You want to kiss me?”

“I want to kiss you so hard you’ll go to sleep and wake up with the taste of me. No one else, Risa. Me.”

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

Oh! I can’t even remember all the books I’ve preordered lately. My one-click finger has been twitchy. Off the top of my head: SERVICING THE TARGET (Masters of the Shadowlands series) by Cherise Sinclair. WICKED EDGE (Realm Enforcers series) by Rebecca Zanetti, and BEGGING FOR IT by Lilah Pace are a few.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for having me here today! I’m absolutely thrilled to bring lovers of paranormal romance CAGED MAGIC. While it’s the fifth book in the Wing Slayer Hunter series, it can also be read as a standalone.

CAGED MAGIC

CagedMagic Cover

Order here: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | GooglePlay | Kobo

Risa Faden is a witch whose ultra-powerful shield magic is slowly breaking her mind. But when her beloved goddaughter is snatched by a demon, she’ll risk anything to rescue the baby—including lying to the handsome, intriguing stranger who has the power to help her keep her sanity, save the child…and steal her heart.

Linc Dillinger is a Wing Slayer Hunter whose sexy, rich, bad-boy charm hides a treacherous betrayal that left him emotionally scarred. As a result he risks his life to protect innocents, but is incapable of love—until he meets a beautiful witch who can save his cursed soul. Risa’s fierce courage and loyalty reaches past his barriers and he begins to believe she has the magic to free his caged heart.

But Risa’s lie explodes into dark danger that forces Linc into a hellish high-stakes gamble: He must either win the witch he loves and her godchild…or endure a loss that will destroy them all.

Make sure to check out Kelly’s review HERE

About the Author

Jennifer Lyon, who also writes as Jennifer Apodaca, lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. After all, they met at the dog pound, fell in love, married and had three wonderful sons. So far, however, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than fifteen books and novellas, including a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances under the name Jennifer Apodaca. As Jennifer Lyon she created a dark, sizzling paranormal series, and The Plus Once Chronicles, an emotionally sensual adult contemporary series. Jen’s won numerous awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasn’t come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY TIME

There are 3 tour wide giveaways!

Open to US, CAN, UK

(1) grand prize $50.00 electronic gift card (Amazon or B&N)

(2) runner up winners of one $25.00 electronic gift card each (Amazon or B&N)

Entry -Form

July 13, 2015July 12, 2015

Book Blast: Rip Current by Jill Sanders

Available, July 14th, Rip Current from Jill Sanders!

Rip Current is a contemporary romance and the third book in the Grayton Series. Find out more about this sexy and sweet story, and enter to win your own copy, below!

Rip Current

(Grayton Series #3)

by Jill Sanders

Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Expected publication: July 14th 2015 by Grayton Press

ASINB00XTGH104

Cole is used to fame and has had his fill of women who fall at his feet, but the one woman he desires the most shows nothing but disdain for him and his reckless ways.

Wendy can’t stand Cole, at least in her head. Her body and heart, on the other hand, desire him beyond anything else.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google

Previous Books in the Series:

Last Resort (Grayton Series, #1)

Someday Beach (Grayton Series, #2)

Jill Sanders is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride Series, Secret Series, West Series, Grayton Series romance novels. She continues to lure new readers with her sweet and sexy stories. Her books are available in every English speaking country, audiobook, and are now being translated to 6 different languages.

Born as an identical twin into a large family, she was raised in the Pacific Northwest, later relocating to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. She now makes her home on the beautiful emerald coast in Florida where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine-tasting, and of course writing. Connect with the Author: Web | Facebook | Twitter

Jill Sanders is giving away one eCopy of Rip Current to one reader!

To be entered: Please leave a comment

SCHEDULE:

July 13
Bookgatherer
Books-n-Kisses

July 14
The Breakfast Blog
Little Shop of Readers
A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog

July 15
E-Reading After Midnight
Belle’s Book Bag

July 16
Geeks in High School
Reading Between the Wines Book Club

July 17
Ellesea Loves Reading
Cocktails and Books

July 13, 2015July 12, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Once Upon A Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis

Yoga instructor Jessalyn Alcott radiates peace, calm, and serenity—on the outside. Inside, she still feels like the broken, desperate girl from the trailer park. She’s got dark secrets she can’t share, which is why she never lets her relationships go beyond the third date. But when she travels to the Whisper Creek dude ranch for a friend’s wedding, Jess is enchanted by a cowboy whose deep blue eyes, dimpled smile, and rock-hard body make it tough to remember why she keeps running scared.

Cole Driscoll has struggled to find his place on a family ranch where he’s always played second fiddle. His future might be uncertain, but he’s sure of one thing: He wants Jess by his side. Easier said than done. When it comes to getting close, she’s full of excuses, and he longs to fix the hurt he sees in her eyes. Now that she’s at Whisper Creek, there’s nothing he wants more than to break down the walls around her heart and heal her pain with the power of love.

Amazon/B&N

“Okay, look to your left.” Kyla pointed toward the stable as she adjusted her camera later that afternoon. “And stop growling at me. Grumpy cowboys do not sell calendars, Cole.”

“Don’t they have models who do this kind of thing?”

“Yes, but they’re not authentic. You guys are the real deal.”

Cole raised his eyebrows. “The real deal is sweat and dirt and stink.”

“We’re going for pseudo real deal, then. Dirt and stink don’t sell calendars, either.” She motioned at him again. “Lift the brim of your hat up a little, okay? Your eyes are in shadow.”

“Kyla.”

“No growling.”

He raised his hat the obligatory half-inch, and of course as he did, Decker strolled out of the barn.
“Lookin’ good, Cole. Gonna get a little scratchy with those buttons undone, though, don’t you think?”

“Shut up, Decker. Don’t get any horse shit on those fancy shoes.” He looked toward Kyla. “Are we done here yet?”

“I was actually hoping to get a few more in the—”

“Sorry. Union rules. I can only be photographed for an hour a day.”

“Just a few more?”

Cole started doing up his buttons. “I have work to do, Kyla. Go play shutterbug with
somebody else for a while, wouldja?”

Christ. Stupid calendar. Real cowboys didn’t run around with their shirts open, aiming for the best light so their eyes wouldn’t be in—shadow. He shivered. At least she hadn’t suggested waxing.

“You could do worse, you know.” Decker grinned as he watched Kyla walk back up to the main lodge. “Maybe she can post those pics online or something. Might help you get a date for Daniel and Hayley’s wedding.”

Cole executed a middle-finger salute, then leaned down to pick up a rope Kyla’d insisted on using for a prop. “Don’t need a date. We have any early guests coming in today so I can be very, very busy next time she comes around with that damn camera?”

“Just Jess.”

Cole stopped coiling the rope. “Oh. Right.”

“Trying to make like you forgot? I’ll pretend I haven’t seen you check your watch about eighty times today.” Decker laughed. “Gonna get up the nerve to actually take her out while she’s here this time?”

“I’ve got plenty of nerve.”

“Right. She’s been out here three times now, and every single time, you’re like a parched man looking at a desert mirage, but—”

“Shut up. I’m hardly—parched.”

Decker eyed him in that way he had, the look that stripped the lies right off your face and made you tell the truth whether you wanted to or not. “I don’t know. Word in the bunkhouse is that your rep in town is getting a little rusty.”

“I’m not—rusty. And we don’t have a damn bunkhouse.”

“Want to know what I think?”

“No.”

“I think ever since you met Jess, you can’t help but compare everybody to her. And nobody quite measures up.”

Exactly. “Not true.”

“Well, true or not, she’ll be here by dinnertime. Kyla’s leaving for the airport in a while to get her.”

Cole rolled his eyes. It wasn’t like he’d been counting the days or anything. Not like he’d gotten a haircut yesterday or had thoroughly checked out Jess’s cabin this morning to be sure it was shipshape and ready for her.

He shook his head, trying to get visions of Jess’s long dark hair and deep brown eyes out of his brain. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around Daniel and Hayley getting married in a week. I feel like we live and breathe weddings around here these days.”

“We’re gonna have a lot more if Kyla’s Bridal Bliss package thing works out.”

“I suppose that means we’d better finish the spa so she can start selling the packages.” Cole shook his head. How in the world had their working ranch become a wedding-slash-spa-slash- getaway place? “Your woman makes a hell of a lot of work for us, you know.”

Decker laughed. “She makes a hell of a lot of money for us, too. I think the only reason she’s not haranguing us to get the spa done is she’s hoping Jess will help with the design. I have a feeling she’s going to dangle it out as a carrot to get Jess to stay out here.”

“Out here out here? Like, for good?”

“Yep.” Decker nodded. “She’s been planting seeds for months. Getting Hayley to move to Montana got her all puffed up about her abilities. Now she’s turned her sights on Jess.”

“Poor Jess.” Cole shook his head.

“Pretty sure she can handle herself.” Decker tossed a beaten-up leather briefcase into the cab of his truck. “I gotta go charm the home buyers. Hold down the fort.”

As Decker headed out the driveway, Cole turned up the hill toward the new lodge, half of which was Whisper Creek’s new childcare facility and petting zoo. The other half was still rough-framed inside, but by fall was supposed to be ready for duty as a full-service spa.

He strolled toward the building, letting himself in the spa door. He inhaled, loving the scent of fresh lumber and drywall putty. Decker was the acknowledged brainiac of the family, working with his design software for half the night, but Cole preferred to be the guy with his hands right in the mud—literally.

Morning sun came through the east-facing windows and skylights, and he tried to picture what the spa would look like once it was finished. They had fifteen hundred square feet to work with, which might be an architect’s dream—if the architect was ever at the ranch long enough to figure out what to do with all this emptiness. Cole sure didn’t have a clue.

But then he pictured Jess in the warmly lit space, gliding around with one of her yoga outfits on, flashing her warm smile his way, tying up that long, long dark hair into a ponytail he’d just itch to take back down.

He shook his head, trying to erase the vision. Fantasizing about Jess before she even got here was only going to torture him more.

And her kind of torture was the kind that only left a man wanting what he could not have.

About the Author:

Maggie McGinnis, USA Today Bestselling Author of Accidental Cowgirl and Driving Without a License, which was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award is a former high school English teacher, an accomplished musician, and a certified black belt, who lives in New England with her family.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Once Upon A Cowboy

Review (4 Stars): I loved Jess and Cole’s story. She was a very strong character even though she had a very difficult life and the past that she wanted to so desperately leave behind was coming back to haunt her. Cole was such a sweet, compassionate guy who was the perfect partner for Jess. He wanted her to be by his side and knew that she was hiding a lot of hurt that she didn’t want others to find out. Having them together for Hayley’s wedding brought them closer in ways that neither of them imagined and the chemistry between them was incredible. I loved the romance between these two characters and the suspense about how Jessalyn’s past was coming to destroy what she had worked so hard to build.

Once Upon A Cowboy is a sweet, cowboy romance that has rich interesting characters and a storyline that will keep you entertained. This is the third book in The Whisper Creek series and each of these titles can stand alone. I’m looking forward to reading what is next from this talented author.
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July 10, 2015July 10, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Exit Strategy by Lenz Diaz

When Sabrina Hightower awakens to the sound of an intruder, she figures he’s there to rob her, murder her— or worse. She doesn’t expect to be carried off by a muscle-bound stud with male-model good looks… or that he came to rescue her.

Mason Hunt became an enforcer with EXIT Inc. to eliminate the bad guys—terrorists, militia groups, all those who would do America harm. But his latest target is innocent. If EXIT could lie about sultry, strong-willed Sabrina, what darker truths might they be concealing?

Going rogue in the rugged North Carolina Mountains, Mason risks everything to keep Sabrina close, especially now that EXIT’s lethal assassins are chasing them down. The heat is on… but it’s nothing compared to the slow burn of seduction.

Amazon/B&N

He stared at the ground for a long time while Sabrina watched him. He still hadn’t told her exactly how he’d gotten the scars. She hoped he would tell her someday…if indeed there would be a someday for them. If she even had a future. A shiver went up her spine and she couldn’t help but feel that something very bad was about to happen.
“Come on.”
Mason held his hand out toward her, with no signs of the darkness that had come over him just moments ago.
“I’ll cook us a mean breakfast,” he said, his southern accent deliciously swirling the words together.
“I thought you already had breakfast? I had a bowl of cereal.”
“I worked off all of those calories. I’m hungry again.”
His sexy wink had her face flushing hot. She cleared her throat. “I also thought you couldn’t cook.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Technicalities. I’m sure between the two of us we can figure something out.”
They started to pass the truck on the way to the house, when Mason pulled his hand out of hers. “Wait, I left my watch in the tack room.”
Because he’d taken it off for shower sex. She sighed dreamily. He winked, apparently knowing exactly why she’d sighed, and bent down to kiss her.
Bam!
The deep-throated bark of a gun shattered the morning. A shower of wooden splinters rained down from the side of the barn, right where Mason’s head had been a half-second before he’d leaned down to kiss her.
He swore and grabbed her, throwing her to the ground as more shots rang out.
“Where are they coming from?” she yelled, as he scrambled backward and yanked her behind the barn with him.
“The house.” A beeping noise sounded from inside the tack room. “And that would be my perimeter alarm going off. Damn it. I screwed up. I shouldn’t have taken off the watch.”
“I’ll try not to take offense at that ‘screw up’ statement since I’m the screw-up.”
He winced and pulled her farther away from the corner as more shots cracked against the barn. “Sorry,” he said, as he grabbed his gun. “Didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
She raised her leg and grabbed the Sig out of her ankle holster. “You’re forgiven, if you get us out of this alive.” Another shot burst through the wood right beside her shoulder.
Mason grabbed her and pulled her down closer to the ground. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

About the Author:

Originally from Kentucky, romantic suspense author Lena Diaz also lived in California and Louisiana before settling in Northeast Florida with her husband, two children, and a Shetland Sheepdog named Sparky. A Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® finalist, she’s won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense and has been a finalist for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. She loves to watch action movies, garden, and hike in the beautiful Tennessee Smoky Mountains.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Exit Strategy

Review (4.25 Stars): This book had me from the beginning and didn’t let go until the very end. I loved Sabrina and Mason because they just fit so well together and Mason definitely meet his match with Sabrina’s determined and spunky attitude. Mason was a very sexy, mysterious man so I could see Sabrina’s attraction to him and the heat between these two characters was off the charts.

Exit Strategy was action-packed with enough danger and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The mystery as to why Sabrina was targeted for termination was well-written and will definitely keep you guessing. I wanted to learn more about some of the background characters who came to this story with so much history and I’m looking forward to going back to Ms. Diaz’s previous books to fill in the gaps. I enjoyed every minute of Exit Strategy and I’m looking forward to the next installment in this suspenseful series.

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July 9, 2015July 8, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Fatal Fairies by Joyce and Jim Lavene

When a fairy named Apple Blossom is found dead in the Good Luck Fountain at Renaissance Faire Village, Jessie Morton makes a wish she lives to regret–that her husband, Chase Manhattan, is no longer the Village Bailiff. She doesn’t want him to look for the fairy’s killer and ruin their plans to go away for their first wedding anniversary.

Trapped in a timeless ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ experience, Jessie is transported to a different Village to face the consequences of her wish where Chase isn’t the Bailiff, and he’s not married to her.

Jessie’s fairy godmother who granted the wish tells her that she must find a way to make Chase fall in love with her again, and they must discover who killed Apple Blossom, if she ever wants to go back to the life she knew.

Amazon

About the Author:

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Fatal Fairies

Review (4 Stars): This was such a fun mystery! Jessie and Chase are planning to celebrate their first wedding anniversary when Chase is called away to investigate the murder of a fairy, Apple Blossom, that was found dead in the fountain. Jessie makes a fateful wish that Chase wasn’t the Baliff and her whole world changes to an alternate time where Chase isn’t the Baliff and they aren’t even a couple. Now, Jessie must help her fairy godmother solve the mystery of Apple Blossom to return her life back to normal or be stuck without Chase for good.

These characters feel like family to me and I always love spending time with Jessie and Chase. I was heartbroken right along with Jessie when she found out that her wish changed her entire life and she had to have Chase fall in love with her all over again before everything would return back to normal. The entertaining thing about this mystery was seeing characters that have passed on in previous books alive and well and causing Jessie trouble again.

Fatal Fairies is a wickedly fun thrill-ride of a mystery for readers. I absolutely love this series and I can’t wait to read the next book that these talented writers publish next.

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June 26, 2015June 25, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Good Rogue Is Hard to Find by Kelly Bowen

HE THOUGHT HE’D SEEN IT ALL . . .

The rogue’s life has been good to William Somerhall: He has his fortune, his racehorses, and his freedom. Then he moves in with his mother. It seems the eccentric Dowager Duchess of Worth has been barely skirting social disaster-assisted by one Miss Jenna Hughes, who is far too bright and beautiful to be wasting her youth as a paid companion. Now home to keep his mother from ruin, William intends to learn what’s afoot by keeping his friends close – and the tempting Miss Hughes closer still. . . .

UNTIL HE MEETS HER

He’s tall, dark, and damnably intelligent – unfortunately for Jenna. She and the duchess are in the “redistribution business,” taking from the rich and giving to the poor, and it’s going great – until he shows up. But even as William plots to make an honest woman out of her, Jenna will use all her wiles to reveal just how bad a rogue he can be . . .

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For a moment, Worth looked stunned. “What the hell did you drop down the front of your dress?” he snarled.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jenna replied placidly. She had gotten herself out of stickier situations than this. Distract and deflect. She dropped her hands again.
“I demand to know what you took.”
“Nothing, Your Grace.”
“You have something in the front of your dress,” he snapped.
“I have since I was twelve years old.”
Worth started in shock before he swiped his hands through his hair angrily. “You think this is funny?”
“A little.” She was forcing a sangfroid she didn’t feel.
The duke let out a string of expletives better suited to the London docks. “You have five seconds to produce whatever you have in the front of your dress, or I swear by all that is holy, I will rip your bodice in half and retrieve it for you.”
“Ah. Is this your area of expertise?”
That stopped him short. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Jenna smirked at him and cocked a brow. “I thought bodice ripping might be part of your overwhelming charm.”
Worth’s eyes darkened even further. “Very well, Miss Hughes, have it your way.”
God’s teeth, he was calling her bluff, and in truth, he had every right to do so. Though she’d be damned if she conceded. “Do your worst then,” she dared.
She watched as the duke’s hands went first to her shoulders, then to the edges of her bodice. She felt the backs of his fingers brush against her bare skin as he curled them under the seam at the top of her breasts. Jenna remained perfectly still, her breath caught in her chest and her heart thundering against her ribs.
He had long fingers. Beautiful fingers, actually, covered in small nicks and scars and calluses that attested to the fact this duke understood physical exertion. And they were tracing the neckline of her dress in slow, sure movements. Her stays were suddenly suffocating. The air around her had thickened. Every muscle in her body had clenched, and it wasn’t in fear. It was in anticipation.

About the Author:

Kelly Bowen grew up in Manitoba, Canada. She worked her way through her teenage years as a back country trail guide and ranch hand. She attended the University of Manitoba and earned a Master of Science degree in veterinary physiology and endocrinology.

But it was Kelly’s infatuation with history and a weakness for a good love story that led her down the path of historical romance. When she is not writing, she seizes every opportunity to explore ruins and battlefields.

Currently, Kelly lives in Winnipeg with her husband and two boys, all of whom are wonderfully patient with the writing process. Except, that is, when they need a goalie for street hockey.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of A Good Rogue is Hard to Find

Review (4.5 Stars): This was such a fun and delightful romance that had me laughing out loud all afternoon. Will had been searching for Jenna ever since their chance encounter at a ball and is shocked to find that she has been living at his mother’s home as her paid companion. Will suddenly decides to stay with his mother to learn more about Jenna and discovers that this beautiful young woman has an agenda to rectify an ongoing injustice in their community. Will must decide to help her or put a stop to her mission while Jenna will do everything in her power to change this handsome duke into a “good Rogue.”

I liked Jenna and Will together because their personalities fit so well together. After spending time with Jenna, I could understand her reasons for what she did and sometimes it is easier to fight fire with fire to get things done. At first, Will seemed like the type of guy who would be against everything that his mother and Jenna had been doing, but you could see that he was basically a good guy and would do anything to help them. A Good Rogue is Hard to Find is the second book in the Lords of Worth series and even though I didn’t read the first one, it was very easy to follow along with this story. Ms. Bowen is a new author to me but I love her style of writing and can’t wait to read more from this talented author.

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June 24, 2015June 23, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: All The Right Places by Jenna Sutton

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$50.00 eGift Card to Choice Jeans Retailer

ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

Riley O’Brien & Co. Series #1

Jenna Sutton

Released June 2nd, 2015

Berkley

The first in a brand new contemporary romance series starring the men and women who are determined to keep the billion-dollar denim dynasty, Riley O’Brien & Co, on top, but aren’t about to let success stand in the way of love…

Amelia Winger is a small-town girl with big dreams of becoming a successful designer. So when she gets a gig designing accessories for denim empire Riley O’Brien & Co., it’s a dream come true. Amelia can handle the demanding job, but she isn’t quite prepared for sexy CEO Quinn O’Brien. She’s doing her best to keep things professional, but the attraction sparking between them makes it personal. And so does the secret project she’s working on behind his back…

Quinn’s not interested in the new accessories, but he is interested in the woman designing them. Amelia is smart, sexy, and talented, and he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her since they met. Mixing business and pleasure isn’t wise, but that doesn’t stop him from coming up with excuses to spend time with her. He thinks he understands the risk he’s taking when he gets involved with Amelia. But he doesn’t know he’s risking a lot more than his heart.

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He realized Teagan was still talking. “. . . knew you were going to be in the office today, so I told her it would be okay.”
“Wait, what did you say?”
Looking down, she tapped her fingers against her bottom lip. He tensed. She was a terrible liar and an even worse poker player because she always tapped her lips when she was nervous or unsure.
He stood. “Tell me,” he demanded when she stayed silent a beat too long.
“I told Amelia Winger you would be available to meet her this morning.”
“Shit, Teagan! You know I hate it when you ambush me with things like this. . . .”
She stopped tapping her lips and started tapping her toe, never a good sign for innocent or not-so-innocent males nearby. “This is a priority, Quinn,” she shot back. “I’ve already worked out all the legal details with Amelia. All she wants is a meeting with you. So it’s not on your calendar. Deal with it.”
“When will she be here?”
“She’s already here.”
“Of course she is,” he said dryly. He ran a hand through his hair before smoothing the mess he had made. “Let’s go get her.”
With Teagan click-clacking alongside him, he made the trek down the hall. He wasn’t looking forward to this meeting, and not just because his sister had sprung it on him. The women’s division limped along like a three-legged dog, and he doubted some new belts and purses would make a difference.
“Are you sure Amelia Winger is the right person to design our accessories?” Quinn asked.
He’d reviewed the information Teagan had provided about the designer, but he still had his doubts, especially since Amelia Winger had no formal design training, and she’d never done any work for a company like Riley O’Brien.
“I’d never heard of her before you mentioned her,” he continued. “Just because her best friend is a country music star and wears her designs doesn’t mean Amelia has any real talent. It just means she’s smart enough to capitalize on Ava Grace Landy’s success.”
“Ava Grace doesn’t wear Amelia’s designs just because she’s her best friend. She wears them because they’re incredible.”
Pushing open the door to the reception area, he ushered his sister through it before following. Frank turned at the sound, winking at Teagan.
The security guard tilted his head toward the only person sitting in the reception area. “There’s your girl,” he said with a smile.
Teagan hurried toward the woman with her arms outstretched. “Amelia, it’s so nice to see you again!” she exclaimed.
The woman dropped the magazine she’d been reading and quickly rose from her orange chair. It clashed horribly with her long red hair, and his heart kicked in his chest as Teagan gestured toward him.
“Amelia Winger, this is my brother, Quinn O’Brien. Quinn, this is the fabulous designer we talked about.”
Amelia released Teagan’s hands and stepped forward to greet him. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, offering her hand to him. Her voice had a slight twang to it, betraying her Texas roots.
Clasping her hand, he gazed down at her. She couldn’t have been more than an inch or two above five feet tall because the top of her curly head didn’t even reach his shoulders. Her brown eyes crinkled as she smiled, and he noticed a slight gap between her top front teeth.
Her smile wobbled a bit as he stood there silently, staring into a face sprinkled with freckles that reminded him of brown sugar. Finally, he spoke, but when he did, it wasn’t exactly what he had intended.
“Nice ass,” he said.
Damn. Did I really say that out loud?

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Jenna Sutton spent most of her career as an award-winning journalist covering business-related topics including healthcare, commercial real estate, retail, and technology. Nowadays she writes about hot, lovable guys and the smart, sexy women who make them crazy. It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream, and she feels so lucky to be able to do it.

Jenna has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.

Jenna and her husband live in a 103-year-old house in Texas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Jennifer’s Review of All The Right Places

Review (4 Stars): I absolutely loved Amelia from the very beginning of All The Right Places. She was a tough, independent and very smart woman who wanted nothing more than to be a successful designer when she gets the opportunity to work for Riley O’Brien & Co. Quinn O’Brien is looking to increase his company’s profits when he decides to add Amelia’s designs to his women’s division and is shocked to find that he is attracted to this beautiful young woman. Amelia has other ideas about changing the women’s division but is afraid that she will lose everything once Quinn learns what she has planned.

I loved the chemistry between these two characters and I was amazed at how quickly the story flew by. All The Right Places was a sexy and entertaining romance that is the perfect start to a delightful new series. I enjoyed Amelia’s and Quinn’s relationship and how these two characters danced around each other, trying desperately not to get involved with one another. Their interactions were hilarious at times and I couldn’t imagine two people better suited for each other. Looking forward to reading book two in the series.

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Sea Glass Sunrise by Donna Kauffman

In seaside Blueberry Cove, Maine, friends are just another word for family, and big-city politics take a backseat to local pride. But the real treasure on these shores is always love…

When D.C. lawyer Hannah McCrae heads home for her brother’s wedding, she’s dragging a lot of baggage along with her—and she doesn’t mean suitcases. Betrayed personally, and humiliated professionally, the last thing she wants is a new man. That’s fine with square-jawed, rugged contractor Calder Blue. He and Hannah may be wildly attracted to one another, but all he wants is to build the town’s hotly contested new yacht club and mend a centuries-old family feud. Yet thanks to resentments old and new, day after day the pair wind up tangled in each other’s business—and maybe soon in each other’s arms.

Every bride needs something “blue”…

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She was taller than he’d initially thought when she’d been in the car. Somewhere around five-nine, maybe five-ten. He didn’t know what kind of heels she had on, but, regardless, she wasn’t much shorter than he was, and he came in at six-one. Lithe and lean, not much in the curves department, either. That much he’d accurately ascertained from his blouse assessment earlier.

She paused as she noted the sign on the side of his truck.

“Blue Harbor Farm.” She looked back at him. “I thought you said you were a contractor.”

“I am. Family business. Fourth generation.”

“And the farm?”

“First generation,” he said with a smile.

“You?”

He nodded.

“Sounds like a lot to juggle.”

“If you ask my father, it’s a waste of time and money. If you ask my brothers, a hobby that got a little out of control.”

“And if I asked you?”

He kept his smile in place, but his answer was serious and heartfelt. “The thing that kept me sane through a hellacious divorce.” His smile grew slightly. “Continues to keep me sane working with family.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “About the . . . hellacious part.”

She waved a hand briefly, but said no more. She held his gaze, then looked at the sign again, more, he thought, for somewhere else to look. Other than at him. He wasn’t sure what she’d seen in his expression, but banged up or not, she seemed a pretty sharp sort. So probably . . . too much.

He saw her eyebrows lift. “Calais?” she said. “You’re a long way from home.”

“Not that far. Hour and fifteen to the company office, hour-forty-five to the farm.”

“Unique town, Calais. Sort of umbilically attached to Saint Stephen across the border in New Brunswick, right? Interesting blend of cultures.”

“Mais oui, bien sur.”

She smiled a little at that. “I guess you grew up speaking French and English, living so close.”

“It’s predominantly English on both sides of the border. I speak French because my mother is French Canadian. I grew up with both languages.” He opened the passenger door to his truck.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she said, as he helped her up to the passenger seat.

She levered herself into the truck with a natural, graceful ease, making him wonder if she was a dancer, or some other thing that elegant women did with elegant bodies like the one she had. She required only a little assistance from him, which was just as well, he thought. Putting his hands on any more of that elegant body wouldn’t be wise. She was the kind of distraction he never needed in general, and definitely didn’t need right now.

She pulled on her own seat belt, wincing a little as she did, then immediately leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “But I’m very grateful you did.”

“Not a problem,” he said, palming the door, intending to close it.

“Hannah,” she said, quietly now, so he knew she was in more pain than she’d been showing, making him pause.

“I’m Hannah. McCrae.”

“Calder Blue,” he responded.

“Ah. Blue Harbor Farm,” she added, as if recalling the sign on his door. “Any relation to Jonah Blue?” she asked through barely moving bruised lips, eyes still closed.

“Great-nephew.”

“I thought I’d met all the Blues.”

“Different branch of the family.”

She opened her eyes then, and turned all that dark blue on him. Despite whatever pain she was in, and whatever worries she might have, her eyes were still surprisingly sharp, and quickly assessing. “You mean—as in Jedediah Blue’s branch?”

“The very same.”

“Your branches don’t talk to each other. For like . . . a hundred years.”

“A little longer, but that is true, yes.”

“How long have you been in Blueberry?”

“Just heading in, actually

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes again, but her lips curved upward just a hair and stayed that way, even when she winced at the pain.

“Something amusing about that?”

“Not at all. It’s . . . I just realized that your bombshell is going to be a lot bigger than mine.”

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author of the Cupcake Club Romance series, Donna Kauffman has seen her books reviewed in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives just outside of DC in the lovely Virginia countryside, where she is presently trying to makeover her newly empty nest into something that doesn’t have to accommodate piles of sports equipment falling out of her coat closet (okay, out of every closet…and under every bed….), size 13 cleats and sweaty uniforms cluttering her foyer (and stairwell, and laundry room, and…), and a kitchen that should have come with a traffic light. And a pantry monitor. (Anyone with a clever idea on how to repurpose lacrosse sticks into matching reading lamps, she’s all ears!) When she’s not stripping paint, varnishing an old auction house find, or trying to avoid bodily injury with her latest power tool purchase, she loves to hear from readers!

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Jennifer’s Review of Sea Glass Sunrise

Review (4 Stars): Hannah and Calder were a great couple together and you could see the instant chemistry between the two characters even when they tried to pretend that they didn’t. They seemed as though they would be exact opposites and would have nothing in common but sometimes exact opposites make the best couples. Sea Glass Sunrise is a smart, charming, small-town romance that will keep readers coming back for more in this delightful new series. I enjoyed every moment of Hannah and Calder’s love story and I can’t wait to see what couple finds love next in the second book of the series.

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June 10, 2015June 10, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Death of A Chocolate Cheater by Penny Pike

Nine Reasons Why Chocolate is Better than Romance…
By Penny Pike AKA Penny Warner

Darcy Burnett, the amateur sleuth in my new mystery, DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER, has had her share of unhappy romances. After breaking up with her cheating boyfriend.losing her position as a restaurant critic at the San Francisco Chronicle, and taking a job working in a food truck for her Aunt Abby, Darcy thinks life is pretty much doomed.
So when she meets Jake Miller, the dream puff from the nearby cream puff food truck, she’s reluctant to get involved too quickly, not wanting to get burned, chewed up, and spit out again. And like many women, she’s finding chocolate almost as satisfying as relationship.
Here are nine reasons Darcy claims chocolate is better than romance—that is, until Jake Miller melts her heart and turns her insides into liquid chocolate.

You don’t have to wait for chocolate to call. It’s always there for you.

Chocolate doesn’t care if you haven’t washed your hair or shaved your legs – it will still melt in your mouth.
You don’t have to be exclusive with chocolate. Feel free to shop around.

You don’t have to brush your teeth before you eat chocolate. (But you probably should afterward to avoid cavities.)
You can eat two pieces of chocolate at the same time and not worry about your reputation.

No matter how many wrinkles you have or gray hair you’re hiding, you never age-out of chocolate.
With chocolate, size doesn’t matter (although most agree, more is better.)

Chocolate doesn’t make you pregnant. (You can diet those extra pounds away, if absolutely necessary.)

Even if you’re allergic to chocolate, you can read a good mystery novel like DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER and get almost the same effects.
So take heart, if your heart has been broken, and get yourself a box of Sees dark chocolates, a bag of Ghirardelli chocolate squares or a pillowcase full of leftover Halloween chocolate, then curl up with a cat, a book, and a glass of red wine. As Darcy will tell you, chocolate fixes just about everything. Until a dream puff like Jake Miller enters your life….

About the Author:

Penny Warner, columnist for Bay Area News Group. Photographed in Pleasanton, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. (Jim Stevens/Bay Area News Group) — Penny Warner

Penny Pike aka Penny Warner is the author of the food truck mystery series, including DEATH OF A CRABBY BOOK and DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER, based in San Francisco, and featuring amateur sleuth and chocolate lover, Darcy Burnett. Coming soon: DEATH OF A BAD APPLE…

Website/Twitter/Facebook

At this year’s chocolate festival, Darcy and her Aunt Abby hope to win the $10,000 prize in the chocolate contest with Aunt Abby’s taste sensation: the chocolate raspberry whoopee pie. A little friendly competition from Darcy’s sometime-beau Jake Miller, who plans to enter with his chocolate cream puff delight, only sweetens the deal. But things get sticky when one of the judges, Polly Montgomery, is taken out of commission—permanently.

The suspects include every contestant with reason to believe Polly wasn’t too sweet on their sweets, including Aunt Abby’s high school friend. Now Darcy must pick through an assortment of secrets to catch a killer before someone else gets a bittersweet finish.

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Jennifer’s Review of Death of A Chocolate Cheater

Review (4 Stars): What a yummy mystery! Death of a Chocolate Cheater has it all with a spunky heroine, delicious chocolate treats and a delightfully fun mystery that is sure to entertain. Darcy is just so adorable and you can instantly connect with this wonderful character as she navigates her way through another mystery. I love Aunt Abby’s comfort food recipes and I want so desperately to visit her food truck and sample some of these amazing culinary delights. This mystery was fast-paced and entertaining and I found myself lost in this story until the very end. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what trouble Darcy finds herself into next.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Death of A Chocolate Cheater. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 18th, please leave me a comment below:

June 9, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Truffled To Death by Kathy Aarons

5 Things I Won’t Leave Home Without

by Kathy Aarons

My critique partner recommended this as a blog topic and my first thought was, “But I have only three.” And then I got it: I’m supposed to go a little deeper than “my purse, my keys and my cell phone. So here goes:

My family – Not my actual family. The idea of my family. My love of my family, both immediate and extended. My husband is most likely at work when I’m leaving the house, and my girls are away at college. I’m an empty nester who takes advantage of Skype, Facebook, and email to keep in touch with her kids. All of which I can do from my phone. Which is with me at all times. Just ask my family.
My friends – Living away from my family means I had to create my own little local family. My friends are very supportive of my writing, but they’d be supportive if I decided to take up knitting kitten-themed coasters and selling them on Etsy. They listen to my frustrations and then remind me that I’m living my dream, so knock off the whining. We text way too much, especially right before movies for some reason. Using my phone.
My music – I love listening to music when I walk and when I drive. I like to say that my music tastes stopped maturing in middle school. I love most of what’s on popular music stations and rarely listen to music from “back in the day.” And just like a preteen, I sometimes fall out of love with my music a few days after I buy it on iTunes. My music? Also on my phone.
Paper for observations – Whenever I get out of the house, I people watch. And 99% of the time, I have paper to write it down. I keep little notebooks in my purse, and larger ones in my car. If I get stuck somewhere, I notice things and write them down. In the rare times I’m stuck without paper, I type my notes into my phone.
Purse/keys/phone – I’m very particular about my purses, but probably not in the way you’d expect. They have to be crossover with a very long strap and must have easy access to my phone. I buy them cheap – usually under $20 at Target. My above-mentioned friends keep buying me “real” purses, which I grudgingly use for nice dinner or special events, but the next day I’m back to my cheapo casual purse, which holds my keys. And my phone.
Coffee – Or at least the buzz from it. I grind almost a cup of beans to make my French press coffee, and drink the whole thing before most people are awake. I made the mistake of trying Yemen pour-over coffee at Bird Rock Roasters – it brings coffee to a whole ‘nother level, like sipping expensive wine. The coffee is so smooth and non-bitter that you can taste the notes of berry and chocolate inside. It’s way too expensive, so I can only have it as a special reward. I have artistic photos of it on my phone.

So I guess I have more than five things!
Truffled to Death

Two best friends sell books and bonbons—and solve crimes—in this mystery from the author of Death Is Like a Box of Chocolates…

Hoping to sweeten sales for their shop, Chocolates and Chapters, Michelle and Erica host a reception highlighting a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery curated by Erica’s former mentor, Professor Addison Moody. The evening has a few hiccups, but the ladies soon smooth things over with ample servings of wine and chocolate.

Yet with the sweet comes the bitter. The very next day, the antiquities from the reception are discovered missing. The professor accuses Erica of having sticky fingers, claiming she wants revenge on him. And she’s only in more trouble after he’s found stabbed to death with one of the artifacts. Now Michelle must help Erica track down the real killer before someone else finds themselves in less than mint condition…

About the Author:

Kathy Aarons is the author of Truffled to Death, second in the CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY series by Berkley Prime Crime. Her first book, Death Is Like a Box of Chocolates, was a national bestseller.

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

Kathy 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.

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Jennifer’s Review of Truffled To Death

Review (3.5 Stars): This is the second book in the Chocolate Covered Mystery series and I enjoyed every minute of it. Michelle and Erica are hosting their first event which highlights a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery. There are minor issues at the reception but is considered a success until the next day when the Mayan antiquities are discovered missing and Erica is blamed by her former mentor. Things go from bad to worse when her mentor is found dead and everything points back at Erica as the killer. It is up to Michelle to find the clues that will lead to the true killer before Erica is put away for a crime that she didn’t commit.

Truffled To Death is the perfect mixture of murder, books and chocolates that is sure to delight cozy readers. I love Michelle and Erica’s relationship and how they will do anything to protect one another. The mystery in this one was fun and entertaining and definitely a quick read. Looking forward to book number three in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Truffled To Death. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 16th, please leave me a comment below: