Spotlight: Where is my Kennedy Layne mug day 1

Happy Monday Everyone!!! Viviana, Enchantress of Books and I had the amazing pleasure of meeting Kennedy Layne in Dallas, Texas in May at RT. Kennedy is one of the sweetiest people I met at RT. And did you know she adopted a super sweet little kitty while on vacation? Yep, she did. Merc! That is him in the banner. (pause for the ooh’s and aah’s).

While we were at RT Kennedy gave us each an amazing coffee mug (I have a small obsession with coffee mugs right now). So we thought it would be fun to see how many other readers have Kennedy Layne mugs (current or past years). For the next week Viviana and I will take turns sharing pictures of our Kennedy Layne coffee mugs. We challenge you to guess were our coffee mug is (there are no wrong answers). We also challenge you to share your Kennedy Layne mug on your social media pages (keep reading to get all the details).

Here is my first photo of my Kennedy Layne cup.. Where am I?

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This week is also release week for Kennedy’s new Surviving Ashes series. Essential Beginnings, book one will be released Tuesday July 21st. Let’s take a look at Essential Beginnings.

Pre-Order here: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo| Google

Change is coming…
Maverick Beckett took his much needed annual vacation up to Washington State to relax with his old friends from his years in the Corps. He also had every intention of extinguishing the fires that arose between him and a certain local woman he couldn’t get out of his mind until the unthinkable happened.

Nothing is as it seems…
Henley Varano loved the simple anonymous life that her remote hometown provided. She’d had the wealthy existence of a fashion model and the fame that came with it only to find it lonelier than she could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, men only saw the fictitious person she appeared to be in the magazines and not the real woman she was—even the one man she’s wanted for years.

Surviving is just the beginning…
An apocalyptic event changes the course of their lives when the massive Yellowstone Caldera erupts. Panic ensues among the small town, causing Mav and Henley to witness the best and worst of humanity. They must work as a team to create a new existence before the fallout of harsh and fiery elements overtakes their safe haven. Along the way, they might just find that they need each other more than ever.

For those of you who do not know Kennedy yet here is a little about herself in her own words:

First and foremost, I love life. I love that I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister…and a writer.I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Smoldering romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.Thank you for having joined me on their journeys…

Learn more about Kennedy here: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | or email her at kennedylayneauthor@gmail.com

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So now that you know about Kennedy and her upcoming book. YAY!!!!!! Let’s see your mugs!!! Post your mugs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. Please tag Kennedy Layne, Books-n-Kisses and Viviana, Enchantress of Books. Please use any of the following hashtags #KennedyLayneMug #WhereIsMyKennedyLayneMug

Also don’t forget to visit Viviana, Enchantress of Books tomorrow for her post and photo. Each guess get’s you entered into our drawing.

What!!! I didn’t mention the giveaway??

The awesome Kennedy Layne has giving us permission to giveaway a $100 Amazon gift card to one lucky follower. To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

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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 7, 2015

Spotlight series: Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis + Giveaway

SECOND CHANCE SUMMER

Cedar Ridge #1

June 30, 2015

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it’s the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there’s an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile . . .

The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . .

Excerpt:

“So you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Other than I hate snakes and you saw me in my PJs? Nothing.” She lifted her chin and defied him to contradict her.

She should have known better. Like Ashley, he’d never met a challenge he didn’t face head-on.

He moved toward her, right into her personal space.

She took a step back and came up against the wall.

This didn’t stop him. He kept his forward momentum until they were toe to toe. And then while she was still standing there a little dumbfounded and also something else, something that felt uncomfortably close to sheer, unadulterated lust, he put his hands on the wall on either side of her head.

This both escalated her heart rate and stopped her lungs from operating. “Um—”

“You had your chance to tell me what’s wrong with you,” he said. “You passed. Now I’m going to tell you what’s wrong with me.”

Oh, God. Talking would be a bad idea. As for a good idea, she had only one, and before she could consider the consequences, she gripped his shirt, hauled him down, and kissed him.

He stilled for a single beat and then got on board quick, pulling her in, sinking a hand into her hair to tilt her head to the angle he wanted, and taking over the kiss.

The next thing she was aware of was the sound of her own aroused moan, and she jerked free.

The corner of his mouth quirked. “Did you just kiss me to shut me up?” he asked.

She blew out a sigh. “It made a lot more sense in my head.”

He grinned, one of those really great grins that made something low in her belly quiver. Needing some space, she pushed him, even though her instincts were telling her

to pull him in tighter instead of pushing him away.

“Back to what’s wrong with me,” he said, still looking amused. “It’s you.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he set a finger against her lips. “My turn,” he said, and lowered his head and kissed her.

And oh. Oh, damn… There were some men who just knew how to kiss, the kind of kiss that could send a woman reeling. The kind of kiss that could take away problems and awareness and…and everything. The kind of kiss that could shatter her into a trillion little pieces. The kind of kiss that somehow both calmed her body and soul even as it wound her up for more.

Aidan was that kind of kisser. Shocking, really, to also realize that in between their first kiss all those years ago and now, that there’d been nothing like it for her.

Aidan pulled back a fraction of an inch, opened his eyes, and stared into hers.

She stared back because wow. Good. So damn good, and for one glorious moment there she’d let her lips cling to his, let the memories of him and all that he’d meant to

her wash over her.

And those memories had all been…epic.

Until the end.

Finding her sanity, she pushed him again. For a beat he didn’t move, just looked into her eyes.

And then, on his own terms, he stepped back.

She pointed at him. “That was…”

He arched a brow.

“Never mind what it was,” she said. “We aren’t going there.”

His smile was grim and utterly without mockery.

“Agreed.” But then he hauled her up to her toes and kissed her again.

And again.

Don’t forget to check out my review HERE.

About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Social Media Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads

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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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July 7, 2015July 4, 2015

Release Day Spotlight: Stacey Kennedy’s Commanded

COMMANDED

Club Sin #5

Club Sin comes alive once again in this decadent new erotic romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy, perfect for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Amazon Barnes & Noble Additional purchasing options

“Commanded is erotic, exotic, and suspenseful. I couldn’t put it down!”—USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell

“Sexy and suspenseful, with delicious sexual tension that will keep you turning the pages . . . You don’t want to miss the next Club Sin novel.”—Shawntelle Madison, author of the Windham Werewolves series

A dedicated cop, Sawyer Quinn blows off steam by immersing himself in his role as a Master at the hottest club in Las Vegas. But when Sawyer goes after the perp who brutally beat his sister, he teams up with Chloe Nash, a sexy private investigator who awakens a sweet new need: to keep her to himself, away from the dungeon of Club Sin. Chloe is beautiful, smart, and too innocent for the BDSM lifestyle. Sawyer’s never wanted a woman like this before. Is her love worth swearing off the one thing that keeps him sane?

There’s something different about Sawyer: a commanding strength that pulls Chloe into a vortex of heady desire. But when she learns about his double life as a Dom, she’s shocked—and afraid she could never complete him. Then he saves her life, and just like that, Chloe knows she will be able to give him anything he desires. She is his—wherever and however he wants to take her.

Goodreads

Author Bio:

STACEY KENNEDY is the USA Today bestselling author of the CLUB SIN series. Growing up, Stacey’s mind wandered the path less traveled and that path most often led to love. She has always broken rules and she continues to feed off emotion – staying true to her heart. Those traits are now the bones of her stories. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who puts any of the heroes in her books to shame, and their two young children. If she’s not on mom duty or plugging away at a new story, you’ll find Stacey camping in the summer, hibernating in the winter and obsessing over Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and Outlander.

Connect with Stacey: Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

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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 . . .

Amazon/B&N

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

Enter to Win a

$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 22, 2015June 21, 2015

My interview with Vice Cop Alexandra Monzelle from Rebecca Zanetti’s Wicked Ride.

Hi all! Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. So, it’s fun to interview the heroes in romance books, but today I thought it would be interesting to interview the heroine from Rebecca Zanetti’s WICKED RIDE. The heroine is Alexandra Monzelle, and she’s a pretty tough cop. Short blonde hair, intelligent blue eyes, compact and very watchful.

She recently met Kellach Dunne, but she has no clue that he’s a hero or a, well, a witch. They’re both hunting for a drug manufacturer and distributor, but they don’t know they’re both looking for the same guy. Anyhoo…here we go.

BnK: Thank you for sitting down with us today, Alexandra.

LEX: Please call me Lex, and you’re welcome. I was told by a source that you might have a line on a distributor of Apollo, the drug that’s killing people on Seattle streets.

BnK: (It hurts witches, too, BTW). Well, I do keep my ear to the ground, but first, let’s chat.

LEX: Ah, all right. What about?

BnK: Kellach Dunne and the Titans of Fire Motorcycle Club (or MC).

LEX: Er, okay. Well, I met Mr. Dunne in an alley in Seattle the other night, and he fought a guy on fire, and then took me back to the MC. I was injured. In the morning, I arrested him. Well, I took him in for questioning.

BnK: That had to go over well.

LEX: Not really. And instead of cooperating, his cousin, Simone Brightston, showed up to act as his attorney. We didn’t get much information out of Dunne.

BnK: He’s sexy, isn’t he?

LEX: Well, if you like the bad boy type.

BnK: (Geez. Who doesn’t, right?) I see. So you’re not attracted to him at all?

LEX: Of course not. He’s an enforcer with the Titans, he breaks the law, and he’s arrogant. Sure, he has a great brogue, and he’s nice to look at, but chances are, I’ll be arresting him soon.

BnK: Right. It sounds like you’re a little interested.

LEX: Nope. I put away the bad guys. I certainly don’t sleep with them.

BnK: I didn’t mention sleeping with him, did I?

LEX: Whatever.

BnK: What if he’s undercover, too. I mean, what if he’s a good guy just doing a job?

LEX: Then I won’t arrest him, but he’d better stay out of my way.

BnK: (Man, does she have some interesting times on the way). Since I know you’ve been tailing Dunne, I have to ask, have you seen any other guys around him? Ones with odd, metallic eyes? (I’m so hoping some of the Dark Protectors show up in WICKED RIDE).

LEX: (Clears throat). Actually, yes. There’s a guy they call ‘King’ who has silver eyes; his nephew, Garrett, who has grey eyes, and another nephew called Logan. His eyes are green, though. Kellach wasn’t happy to see them, which I thought odd.

BnK: (Yay! I wanted to see more of Garrett and Logan). Hmmm. I wonder who they are.

LEX: Right. I’m thinking you know.

BnK: Nope, not me. I’ve been doing some research lately, and this is going to sound odd, but what do you think of the supernatural? Or rather, the immortal world?

LEX: No such thing.

BnK: (Yep. That’s what I figured). Are you very good with rolling with the punches, Alexandra?

LEX: No. I prefer to do the punching.

BnK: (I can’t wait to see her go toe-to-toe with Kellach. I’m not sure who to bet on, to be honest). Alrighty then. Thanks for the interview.

LEX: Wait. Now you give me information.

BnK: Oh yeah. Well, I heard the distributor of Apollo has connections to the Grizzlies, which is another MC.

LEX: Excellent. I’ll go check them out. Thanks!

BnK: (I feel kinda bad, because the Grizzlies are clean. But since they’re shifters, I guess it might be fun to watch Lex check them out.) You betcha! Have a great day.

Let’s take a little looksie at WICKED RIDE

Wicked Ride

Realm Enforcers #1

by Rebecca Zanetti

Amazon | B&N

If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!Alexandra Monzelle is a hard-fighting, heat-packing Seattle vice cop, and she’s not much interested in being protected. Her short skirt and sex-kitten heels are tools to lure her suspects into talking about the deadly new drug hitting the streets. She can take care of herself and then some. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to get that through to Kellach Dunne.Kellach is a fresh import from Dublin, and he’s landed at the heart of a vicious motorcycle club that deals in guns, narcotics, and mayhem. He’s all male, all rough power—and all interference in her damn investigation. Maybe he’s one of the good guys. Maybe not. Lex knows an affair with an immortal like him would risk everything. No matter how delicious he looks.

Want a little sneak peek? Of course you do.

Excerpt:

The woman cringed against the brick building. “I don’t understand. What kind of a weapon throws fire?”

Kell shot forward and slid an arm around the guy’s neck, spinning him into a headlock, their backs to the woman. Fire burst along the guy’s arms, burning Kell. Pain dug under his skin. With a low growl, Kell allowed his own fire free. Deep and green, it crackled along his body, shielding him from harm. With a puff of smoke, Kell’s fire quelled the human’s.

The human convulsed. Hard and fast, he shook against Kell, who held him upright. It was too late to help the guy—he had taken too much. Way too much. A wretched scream spilled from the human’s throat.

Kell released him and stepped back.

The guy fell to the wet ground, still convulsing. Red poured from his ears, his eyes, and then his nose. The rancid stench of burned flesh filled the alley. He hit hard, shook, and then went still. His eyes retained the bizarre colors, and he looked sightlessly up at the cloudy night. The rain mingled with blood across his face.

Kell sighed and pushed wet hair out of his eyes. Another dead end, and he’d wasted more time, which he absolutely did not have right now. He needed to get rid of the body and then somehow convince the woman she hadn’t just seen what she’d just seen. Plastering on his most charming smile, he turned around and froze.

“Seattle PD. Freeze, asshole,” she whispered, her stance set, a Sig Subcompact in her hands and pointed at his head

Here is a little about Rebecca:

Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Her current series are: The Dark Protectors, The Maverick Montana Cowboys, and the Sin Brothers series. Upcoming series are: The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome. Find Rebecca at: www.rebeccazanetti.com

*****

GIVEAWAY TIME:

Rebecca has an extra print copy of MARKED she’d love to sign and send to one commenter here.

I’ll randomly choose a name within a few days.

Leave a comment for the chance to enter. Do you like bad boys?

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”…

Amazon/B&N

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!

Website/Twitter/Facebook

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.

Amazon/B&N

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.

Amazon/B&N

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: