The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones (Giveaway, Interview and Review)

Title: The Trouble with Charlie
Author: Merry Jones
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

About the Book:   With the dark twists of a Hitchcock movie and the light camaraderie of a Lisa Scottoline novel, The Trouble with Charlie tells the story of a man, and the soon-to-be-ex wife who is suspected of killing him.  Elle, the wife, finds Charlie, the soon-to-be-ex husband, dead on her sofa, stabbed with her kitchen knife.  As police investigate, she realizes that she has a gap in her memory; she can't account for her whereabouts when he was killed.  And it turns out she had plenty of motive for murder, some she didn't even know she had.

Charlie had secrets.  not just about infidelity, but secrets about dangerous business clients, an obsessed assistant, and an illegal international sex ring.  The more Elle finds out about Charlie, the less she knows about their marriage -- and herself -- and the more peril she faces.  Strangest of all, Charlie seems reluctant to leave.  He hangs around, believing that she's killed him, haunting her.  Taunting her.  Of course, Elle doesn't believe in ghosts -- even so, as she unravels secrets, she strives to solve the mystery.  She survives murderous attempts by Charlie's powerful, unscrupulous business associates.  More than just Elle's safety is in danger. 

Purchase Links

~Amazon~     ~Barnes and Noble~

My thoughts: Boy, this book was not at all what I thought it was going to be about. It is told from Elle's point of view, and with the gaps and fuzziness in her memory, you can't be sure that the information that you are getting is what is actually correct.  It really made me feel what Elle must have been feeling.  Sort of a disconnect to reality, not knowing who you can trust - or even if you can trust yourself.

She has a great group of friends who support and believe her even when the police are closing in.  It helps that one of these friends is a lawyer and is able to give her counsel (even though she doesn't always follow it!)  So, she is suspect number one in the murder of her husband with even Charlie's ghost (or one of her hallucinations - she doesn't know which) accusing her.  She decides that the only way she can prove her innocence is to find out who actually killed him.  She doesn't know where to begin, but when her husband's partner Derek shows up asking lots of questions, it begins to formulate some ideas in her head. As she digs, more dead people show up, which just bring more questions.

I liked the way the story was told, with us only learning things as Elle learned them. Because she wasn't even sure if she had killed Charlie, I didn't know either.  Some of the things that she found out in the end did take me by surprise, and in my mind, not all loose ends were wrapped up - so wondering if we will see more of Elle and her friends in the future.

The book was written without chapters, just breaks.  Normally this drives me nuts, but I read this book so quickly that it didn't bother me this time!

~I received a complimentary copy of The Trouble with Charlie from Oceanview Publishing and Partners in Crime in exchange for my unbiased review.~

About the author:  Merry Jones is the author of The Trouble with Charlie as well as the Harper Jennings thrillers:  Summer Session, Behind the Walls, Winter Break and the Zoe Hayes mysteries:  The Nanny Murders, The River Killings, The Deadly Neighbors, The Borrowed and Blue Murders.

She has also written humor including I Love Him, But. . ., and non-fiction including BIRTHMOTHERS: Women who relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories.  Jones taught writing at Temple University, ran her own video/multi-media production company, worked in Corporate Communications for Sun (Oil) Company, and directed/produced broadcast television.  A member of the Philadelphia Liars Club, Mystery Writers of America and The Authors Guild, Jones earned an MA from the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School, a BA from Cornell University, and lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband, daughters and Corgi.  Contact her at merryjones.com.

Merry Jones was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.  Please enjoy getting to know her a little better below.

1. How do you typically write?  Do you plot it all out beforehand or do you just let the story pour out?

Usually, I have a detailed plot outline to begin with.  But I use it as a backup.  Often, the characters disagree and refuse to follow the plan.  A character may insist that she/he is not the murderer; another might commit a crime I hadn’t anticipated.  Sometimes the characters’ ideas work better than the ones I had.  And if they don’t, I have the original outline to rely on.

 2. How does your family feel about having a writer in the family?  Do they read your books?

I think they’re amused, maybe a little baffled.  Maybe a little proud. 

My husband reads everything I write, usually more than once, because he’s my first reader.  My older daughter reads my books, but she’s in no hurry.  She picks them up years after they come out.  My younger daughter doesn’t even open my books—She says they’re too scary.  My sister reads them dutifully, as does my aunt. I guess the answer is that some relatives sometimes read some of the books, but everyone in the family is very encouraging.  A cousin invited me to her book club. Lots of cousins have come to some signings. At family gatherings, everyone asks me how my books are doing. I don’t know if they really want to know, but at least they ask.

3. What do you do in your spare time?

Hahaha.  Writers don’t have spare time, do they? There’s always another book to write, another promotion effort to make, a website to update, a blog to post. But one thing I squeeze into my schedule is sculling.  I row out of Vesper Boat Club on the Schuylkill River, usually in my single shell or in a double with my husband. I love the exercise, but more than that I love being on the water, moving with it, seeing the turtles and ducks and geese, feeling the breeze and the current.  It’s intoxicating.  And calming. 

4. What themes do you love to read or write about?

I read a lot of genre books—suspense and thrillers, to keep up with what’s happening in my area of fiction.  But I also like historical fiction and non-fiction.  I like books that take me out of my everyday world, that take me to another time and place. 

5.  If your book was made into a TV series or movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters?  Feel free to add pics.

I LOVE imagining this.  I have a few suspense series out, so I’ll just pick one for this: THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE.  Matthew Perry or Michael Weatherly (DiNoso on NCIS) or possibly Chris Noth could be Charlie Harrison.  But then, so could Nicholas Bishop or Mark Valley (both are in Body of Proof). Or Colin Firth (might as well dream, right?) Sandra Bullock would be a good Elle Harrison.  And Elle’s friends? Lisa Kudrow is Jen, Courteny Cox is Susan (the original friends) and Michelle Williams is Becky.

6.  Was there anything (or anyone) while growing up which helped you decide you wanted to be a writer? 

My family seemed to like my stories, but they never particularly encouraged me to write.  I’d say the encouragement came from my teachers.  In elementary school, I remember looking forward to Fridays, when we’d have a creative writing hour.  From second to sixth grade, I had the support and enthusiasm of Mrs. Chones, Mrs. Kellen, Mrs. Isaacs, Mrs. Shellist—These teachers took a genuine interest in the imaginations and creativity of their young students.  They gave us the opportunity to express our ideas, and they stimulated us to develop our little voices.  By the time I was in high school, I’d already developed a clear passion for writing.

7.  Do you have a job outside of being an author?

I teach writing part time.  I taught at community college for five or six years, at Temple University for a dozen.  Now I'm leading a workshop in suspense writing for a local continuing education program.

8.  What would you tell a beginning writer?

Three things:  Write. Write. And write.  Reading is important, but continuing, developing your technique and voice, perfecting your style, honing in on your subject matter -- All of the skills needed for writing can be acquired only by writing. 

9. What were your favorite books growing up?

Early on, I loved Winnie the Pooh.  Especially Eeyore.  And Babar.  And Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.  And the tales of Baba Yaga, who was a witch in a house built on chicken legs.

By the time I was about ten, I'd become addicted to suspense -- Anything from Nancy Drew to Fu Manchu.  I was big on Sherlock Holmes.  And Poe.  Agatha Christie.  I also loved the Gothic romances -- Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.  And the mischief of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

And then came teenage years when I came in touch with literature -- Catch 22, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, Exodus.  Notes from Underground and other Russian novels and on and on.  It's not possible to list everything. 

Get a copy for yourself:

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The Trouble with Charlie

Publisher/Publication Date: Oceanview Publishing, Feb 2013

ISBN: 978-1-60809-074-7

280 pages

Spotlight Tour: Too Sexy for His Stetson by Mal Olson

 

Tour Schedule for May

7 – Books and Needlepoint

9 – Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

10 – New Age Mama

10 – Krista Ames

13 – Books-n-Kisses

13 – Romancing the Highlands

29 – Sizzling Hot Books

30 – You Gotta Read

31 – Starry Night Book Reviews

 

 

Too Sexy for His Stetson

by Mal Olson

 

"Sizzling hot Sheriff in Action"

 

Anguished over his father's lack f morals, Deputy Blade Beringer struggles to conquer self-doubts.  When he and his K9 partner Rambo arrive in the mountains of northern Idaho, Blade is faced with a band of white supremacists, a homicide investigation, and a murder cold case, not to mention the task of training a gorgeous blond rookie.

 

Trainee Brandy Wilcox is bent on clearing her mother's name of a wrongful murder convisiton.  While working the homicide investigation with her sexy new training officer, she discovers a connection between the victim and her mother's case.  The two deputies struggle to resist their mutual attraction and abide by the no-fraternizing rules, but passion blazes and teeters on the brink of love.  With a killer targeting them and danger lurking at every turn, Brandy doubts their love can blossom, especially when she puts Officer Skip Coogan -- Blade's best friend and father figure -- at the top of her suspect list.

 

 





Promo: Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets by Ellen Collier

PROMO

Bathing, Beauties, Booze, and Bullets

By Ellen Collier

NEW ADULT Jazz Age Mystery

Date Published:May 5, 2013

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Synopsis:

It’s 1927 in Galveston, Texas—the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross is an ambitious 21-year-old society reporter for the Galveston Gazette who tries to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces, like writing profiles of bathing beauties. The last thing Jazz wants to do is compare make-up tips with ditzy dames competing in the Miss Universe contest, known as the “International Pageant of Pulchritude and Bathing Girl Revue.” 

She’d rather help solve the murders of young prostitutes who turn up all over town, but city officials insist on burying the stories during Splash Day festivities. After Jazz gets to know the bathing beauties, she realizes there’s a lot more to them than just pretty faces and figures. Jazz becomes suspicious when she finds out the contest is also sponsored by the Maceos, aspiring Beach Gang leaders and co-owners of the Hollywood Dinner Club, where the girls will perform before the parade and pageant. 

Worse, her half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis, a speakeasy on a rival gang’s turf, asks her to call in a favor from handsome Prohibition Agent James Burton—an impossible request that could compromise both of their jobs and budding romance. While Agent Burton gives her the cold shoulder, she fends off advances from Colin Ferris, an attractive but dangerous gangster who threatens Sammy as well as Burton. In the end, she must risk it all to save her friends from a violent killer hell-bent on revenge. Inspired by actual events.

 

Author Bio

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer/editor whose articles and essays have been published in several national magazines, including: FAMILY CIRCLE, MODERN BRIDE, GLAMOUR, BIOGRAPHY, COSMO, PLAYGIRL, etc. Several of her short stories have appeared in WOMAN'S WORLD. She’s profiled a variety of people, from CEOs and celebrities (including Suze Orman), to charity founders (Nancy Brinker et al) and do-gooders (for BFI).  A flapper at heart, she’s the owner of DECODAME, specializing in Deco to retro vintage items

(www.art-decodame.com). 

Formerly she's worked as a magazine editor, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism, where she enjoyed frou-frou cocktails and lots of lattes.

"When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper's life in Galveston during Prohibition." 

Goodreads  |  Antiques Website

 

EXCERPT

The Oasis was more than half full, and in the dim lights, I spotted Sammy at a corner table, talking in earnest with a young, good-looking guy with chestnut hair.  I held back, but Amanda charged forward, plopping down on the chair closest to Sammy.

“Hey, Sammy, how are you?” She said it with a smile that only I knew was forced.

“Been busy.  The joint is jumping with all the tourists in town.”  He looked over at me for help, mild panic in his eyes. “Are any of your friends with you? Got a lot of guys asking about the bathing beauties.”

“Aren’t you two dolls in the pageant?” The cute guy stood up and held out a chair for me, motioning for me to sit down. “Sammy, why don’t you introduce me to these dishy dames?”

“No, but thanks for the compliment. I’m Jasmine,” I told the handsome stranger, “but I go by Jazz. This is my friend Amanda.”  I looked across the table, but Sammy and Amanda seemed to be quarreling—no doubt she was upset because she was feeling ignored. What else was new?

“Jazz,” he repeated. “I like jazz. I’m Colin, by the way.” He stuck out a hand, and shook mine with a firm grip, lingering until I pulled my hand away. 

“Nice to meet you.” He looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him.

“How about a whirl across the dance floor, Jazz?” He flashed a smile of teeth that seemed to light up the room. Very tempting, but I needed to talk to Sammy.

“Maybe later.” He was attractive, but I hadn’t danced with anyone since my rendezvous with Burton at the Surf Club, and I wasn’t in the mood.

“Well, how about a drink then, Jazz?” He leaned forward, his arm thrown over my chair.

“Sure, why not? Make it a Manhattan.”   Normally, I didn’t drink with strangers but he seemed to be a friend of Sammy’s and besides, I didn’t expect to hear from Burton anytime soon.... Colin returned with two drinks, and scooted his chair over so our knees touched under the table. The cocktail felt cool and refreshing and I began to relax. “So what do you do?” I asked him, wondering why he looked so familiar.

“I’m in sales,” he said. No wonder he seemed so confident, so outgoing with strangers.

“What do you sell?” I wanted to know.

“Whatever people need. Some import and export, some local.” Rather a vague answer, but then again, this wasn’t an interview for the newspaper.  “How about you? What’s a lovely lass like you  doing here all alone? I take it you’re not married?”

I grinned at him, feeling flirtatious.  “Do I look like I’m married?”

“Just checking.”  Maybe it was the drink, but I felt comfortable around him and soon we were chatting, almost like friends. 

“How do you know Sammy?” I asked.

“We have mutual friends,” he said. Another cryptic answer, but who cared? 

Bernie began playing “Ain’t She Sweet?” on the piano, and Colin held out his hand.  “What are we waiting for? Let’s dance.”

Naturally I was rusty but I loved to dance and for once, I didn’t worry about anything or anyone, least of all Agent Burton.  Colin kept up with my Charleston and even did an improvisational Irish jig when the song ended. Then the tempo slowed down and Colin pulled me to him, his big arms almost crushing my chest.  I tried to push him away, but his grip only tightened around my waist, one hand wandering down my backside.

“Stop, you’re hurting me!” As I struggled to get free, he forced his mouth on mine, his lips rough, the whiskey strong on his breath.  Finally I jerked back and slapped him hard across the face. Even in the shadows, I saw his cheeks turn bright pink. “I said to leave me alone. Who do you think you are?”

A small semi-circle gathered around and Bernie stopped playing, his fingers hovering above the keys. Sammy stormed across the small dance floor, grabbing Colin by the shoulder and knocking him to the floor.  The crowd fanned out, gaping as if it was a boxing match. A few onlookers shouted and cheered: “Fight back, you dumb Palooka!” “Get up, you sorry Mick!” 

Embarrassed, I fled to a corner, wishing I could hide,  disappear in the dark.  The last thing I wanted was to make a scene, or cause trouble for Sammy. 

Colin stood up shakily, his eyes blazing, while Sammy circled him, fists up. Then he took a swing at Sammy and almost fell over.  Frank and Bernie yanked on Colin’s arms, marching him toward the stairs. Buzz cowered behind the bar, watching, wide-eyed with fear.

“Stay out of my joint!” Sammy yelled after him. “Or else!”

Colin managed to break free of Frank’s grasp and whirled around, pointing at Sammy, his hand like a gun going off. “You’re a dead man, hear me? A dead man!”  

A dead man? Now what had I done?

Amanda rushed to my side. “Jazz, what happened? Are you OK?”

Still shaking, I leaned against the wall, waiting for the commotion to subside, trying to catch my breath. “He was getting fresh, that’s all. But I can defend myself. I didn’t expect Sammy to knock him out like that, in the middle of the bar.” I tried to brush it off, but the truth was, I felt vulnerable, violated.

Sammy came over, waving his hands in the air. “Jazz, what were you doing, dancing with an asshole like him? What were you thinking?”

 “I thought he was your friend.” I stared at him, confused. Sure, some of Sammy’s friends were on the unsavory side, but with his cropped hair, striped shirt and khaki pants, Colin looked as clean-cut as any College Joe. “Did you have to slug him? So he got a little too friendly, but I didn’t want to cause a big ruckus.”

“Friend? Far from it,” Sammy snorted.  “Don’t you know who he is?  He’s a member of the Beach Gang, one of Sam Maceo’s goons.”

Buy Link

Amazon:        http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO30ANS

 

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Book Review: Ice Blue by Susan Rae

Title: Ice Blue (DeLuca Family 2)
Author: Susan Rae
Publisher: Musa Publishing

About the Book: When lives are on the line, sometimes the wrong thing is the right thing to do.

Born into a Chicago cop family, while her brothers get their rush from catching bad guys, paramedic Angela DeLuca gets hers from saving lives. A tough beauty with a heart perhaps too big, she champions the underdog because, as the youngest of six siblings, she often felt like one.

ICE Special Agent Troy Deavers became a cop to prove he wasn’t like his father—a southern politician who brought his family down with greed and corruption. He doesn’t suffer victims well. At first intrigued by Angela’s passion, he soon fears that the fire in Angela’s heart will be her undoing.

What happens when Troy falls in love with the lovely but infuriating Angela, the Chicago paramedic who insists on protecting a young witness and her unborn baby—a witness who could break his case wide open?

You met the DeLuca family in heartbeats, now come to know them even better in ICE blue.
--Even if you haven't read heartbeats, you can still enjoy ICE blue. Each book has it's own gritty suspense tale and is complete within itself.

 

Purchase Links

~Barnes and Noble~     ~Amazon~

 

My thoughts: Don't be scared off by the fact that this is a second book in the series.  It is a great read all by itself.  The author does a good job of working background information in on Angela and her family, some of which I am assuming you would have learned if you read the first book, heartbeats.  But it reads as being very essential to the story, not like sometimes when you know you are being fed information from previous books.  Does that make sense?

 

Angela is a strong female lead (we need more of these!) and she follows her heart more than she follows the rules.  She isn't afraid to break some if it is going to help someone who might be in a bad situation.  Like with the baby that is left on her back porch.  She calls an EMT (seeing she is one herself) before she calls the police.  Then continues to check up on the little baby boy as he undergoes surgery just because he needs to have someone there for him.  This is just who she is and it shows in both her professional and personal life.

 

Troy, on the other hand, seems to play by the rules.  Even if bringing down the bad guys might uproot innocent <victims> lives, he is able to do his job without thinking of those consequences.  Somehow he and Angela continue to cross paths.  Troy is working on bringing down a human trafficking ring and unbeknownst to Angela, she is involved with some of the people on both sides of that ring. 

 

The pace of this story was just perfect, it was quick enough without seeming unrealistic.  Every chance I got I was picking this book up because I had to know how everything was going to tie together.  I also wanted to know if anything was going to develop between Angela and Troy!  I really really enjoyed this book and would not hesitate in picking up another one by Susan Rae.

 

If you would like to find out more about Susan Rae I had the opportunity to interview her here.

 

~I received a complimentary ecopy of Ice Blue from Reading Addiction Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~

 

Ice Blue

Publisher/Publication Date: Musa Publishing, Mar 2013

ISBN: 9781619373723

Word Count: 86,000

 

It's Monday! What are you reading? (May 6, 2013)

What are you reading on Mondays is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey - You can hook up with the Mr. Linky there with your own post - but be sure and let me know what you are reading too! 

Physical Book:

The Trouble with Charlie

by Merry Jones

Elle finds the body of her soon-to-be-ex husband, Charlie on her sofa, stabbed to death with her kitchen knife. Elle's close friends stand by her through the difficult funeral, but Elle alone must face the loss of the man she'd loved. Except that the loss is not total--Charlie is still around. Elle feels his presence, smells his aftershave. Hears him accuse her of killing him. And even though she doesn't believe in ghosts, she argues with him, asserting her innocence. Oddly, Elle has a gap in her memory; she can't account for her activity during the time of his murder. As she tries to clear herself by finding out how Charlie died, she discovers that she had plenty of reason to kill him. Charlie had secrets. Infidelity. Unsavory business associates. Involvement with an international organization of sex abusers. The more she learns, the more danger she faces. As unscrupulous people begin to fear she'll expose them, Elle races against time to avoid arrest, fight off attackers, solve the murder, and make peace with Charlie's spirit.

Ebook:

School Spirits

by Rachel Hawkins

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

Bathroom Book:

The Apple Orchard

by Susan Wiggs

Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their rightful owners. People like Annelise Winther, who refuses to sell her long-gone mother's beloved necklace—despite Tess's advice. To Annelise, the jewel's value is in its memories.

But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. So Tess is shocked when she discovers the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. And that she has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel.

The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she's never heard of.

Against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. A place where falling in love is not only possible, but inevitable.

And in a season filled with new experiences, Tess begins to see the truth in something Annelise once told her: if you don't believe memories are worth more than money, then perhaps you've not made the right kind of memories.

Library Book:

There Was an Old Woman

by Hallie Ephron

The Edgar-Award-nominated author of Never Tell a Lie and Come and Find Me returns with a penetrating novel of psychological suspense, in which a young woman becomes entangled in a terrifying web of deception and madness involving her elderly neighbor.

"Don't let him in until I'm gone." That's what Mina Yetner's neighbor whispers to her just before the EMTs take her to the hospital. Mina writes down the message-at nearly ninety, she has to write down most things lest she forget-and calls Sandra's daughter Ginger, telling her that once again her mother needs help.

Evie Ferrante is dismayed when she gets the call from her sister: this time it's Evie's turn to see what their mother's done to herself. But when Evie arrives home-where she hasn't been in months-she's shocked by the state of her mother's house: it's in terrible disrepair, much worse than Ginger led her to believe. And as Evie cleans and organizes, she finds things that don't make sense: expensive liquor in the garage, pricier than their mother's usual brand, a new flat-screen television on the wall. Where was her mother getting all this money?

The blessing and curse of small neighborhoods is knowing everything about your neighbors, and Evie, suspicious and concerned about her mother, rekindles a relationship with Mina. Mina's been having episodes she can't explain lately, herself, and her nephew Brian is trying to convince her to move to a community that will provide her with some help. Though Mina's resistant, Evie isn't certain that isn't a bad idea. But before any decision is made about Mina, Evie needs her help figuring out what's been going on with her mother-and the more Evie digs into what her mother's been up to over the past few months, the more a bigger-and more sinister-story begins to unfold.

Waiting for Reviews:  I need a week just to get caught up on reviews!

Ice Blue
by Susan Rae

Love Water Memory
by Jennie Shortridge

The Spark
by Kristine Barnett

Beautiful Disaster
by Jamie McGuire

The Last Telegram
by Liz Trenow

Dear Cassie
by Lisa Burstein

Evidence of Life
by Barbara taylor Sissel

Blood Money
By Doug Richardson

From the Kitchen of Half
Truth
by Maria Goodin

Cover Reveal: Resisting Fate by Heather Van Fleet

Resisting Fate

(Predetermined Series:  Book One)

by Heather Van Fleet

 

Seventeen-year-old Emmy O’Connell is the epitome of a hot mess.

Her boyfriend’s been shipped out of town to some boarding school four states away. Her step douche is constantly drunk and badgering her. And then there’s her good-ole-mom… The lady is nothing more than a miserable shell of a woman. She’s turned off all of her feelings and her ability to be a good mother as well, leaving poor Emmy and her four year old brother Jamie to suffer. Life couldn’t get much worse, right?

 Enter the elusive, cocky, and oh-so-broody Jack Hartman…

The jerk cousin of her boyfriend becomes Emmy’s worst nightmare…times ten. He’s cruel. He’s insensitive. But he also has this strange little ability over her – he makes her weak in the knees with the single touch of his hand. But no matter how miserable or amazing Jack makes her feel, Emmy can’t seem to deny him, especially when he takes on the role of her protector –her pseudo-knight in a black leather coat. A knight who also just so happens to ride in on his black Harley, instead of a white horse…

And to make a bad situation worse…

Werewolves and teens shouldn’t mix! But what can Emmy do when she finds herself thrown head first into the center of it all? Can she handle the supernatural mess her life rapidly becomes or will she fight against the inevitable fate her heart desires?

 

Website   Goodreads   Facebook

 

About the author:

Heather Van Fleet currently reside in northern Illinois, with her three little ladies, and fabulous hubby, and high school sweetheart, Chris. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.

She’s always had a soft spot in her heart for books, and has been creating her own little stories since the age of seven. But she never really had the confidence or the time to actually sit down and really do something about it until her youngest daughter Isabella was born just two years ago. Bella, as well as her older sisters Kelsey and Emma, are and always will be her greatest inspirations.

Book Blast: Polar Night by Julie Flanders

Join Julie Flanders, author of the suspense/urban fantasy book, Polar Night, as she tours the blogosphere May 6 through May 10 on her first Book Blast with Pump Up Your Book! Julie will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC/Paypal Cash to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form on the participating blogs below anytime during the tour and good luck!

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ABOUT POLAR NIGHT

When Detective Danny Fitzpatrick leaves his hometown of Chicago and moves to Fairbanks, Alaska he wants nothing more than to escape the violence and heartbreak that left his life in pieces. Numbed by alcohol and the frozen temperatures of an Alaskan winter, Danny is content with a dead-end job investigating Fairbanks' cold cases. That all changes when a pretty blond woman goes missing on the winter solstice, and Danny stumbles upon some surprising connections between her disappearance and that of another Fairbanks woman three years earlier. Forced out of his lethargy, Danny sets out to both find the missing woman and solve his own cold case.



The investigation points Danny towards Aleksei Nechayev, the handsome and charming proprietor of an old asylum turned haunted tourist attraction in the Arctic town of Coldfoot. As he tries to find a link between Nechayev and his case, Danny's instinct tells him that Nechayev is much more than what he seems.



Danny has no idea that Nechayev is hiding a secret that is much more horrifying than anything he could ever have imagined. As his obsession with finding the missing women grows, Danny finds his own life in danger. And when the truth is finally revealed, the world as he knows it will never be the same.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON| BARNES & NOBLE

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ABOUT JULIE FLANDERS

Julie Flanders is a librarian and a freelance writer who has written for both online and print publications. She is an animal lover and shares her home in Cincinnati, Ohio with her dog and cat. Her debut novel Polar Night, a paranormal suspense thriller, is now available from Ink Smith Publishing.

WEBSITE

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Pump Up Your Book and Julie Flanders are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash!

Here's how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. This promotion will run from May 6 through May 10. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter and announced on May 11. Each blogger who participates is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog. If you would like to participate, email Tracee at tgleichner(at)gmail.com. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments for your blog, too! Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Polar Night Book Blast

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If you would like to join this book blast, leave a comment below with email information or email Tracee directly at tgleichner (at) gmail.com.

Cover Reveal: Falling for the Backup by Toni Aleo

Cover Reveal

Falling For the Backup

Toni Aleo

Contemporary Sports Romance

Assasins Series #3.5

Date to be Published: TBD

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis: 

Toni Aleo’s sexy new eBook original novella featuring the Nashville Assassins will have you believing in the power of love at first sight . . . and second sight . . . and the third. 

After serving as a dutiful bridesmaid in the wedding from hell, Aynslee Shaw just wants to slink home to Nashville and forget the whole trip. That is, until the hottest guy she’s ever seen is seated next to her on the flight and dazzles her with his easy laugh and killer smile. But just when she thinks things are getting good, he vanishes, leaving Aynslee wondering, was that guy the one? And did she just let him slip through her fingers? 

Former superstar goalie Jordan Ryan is back on the ice—finally. After a crippling knee injury that had him wondering if he’d ever play pro hockey again, he’s got his full attention on rebuilding his career. So a pretty—okay, beautiful—girl on a plane shouldn’t be a distraction. But Jordan is very, very distracted. And when Aynslee crosses his path again, he’s not sure any job in the world is worth missing his second chance with a woman like her. 

 Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from the Loveswept title Empty Net. 

 Toni Aleo is the author of the Nashville Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, and Blue Lines. When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel. She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog.

Author Bio

Toni Aleo

I am a wife, mother, and hopeless romantic.I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey!I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!

When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughters dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, and reading the latest romance novel.I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, and did I mention I love hockey?

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Get the first 3 books in the series

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