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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Their Road To Redemption and The Amish Midwife’s Bargain by Patrice Lewis

Book Description – Their Road to Redemption

To put their pasts behind them…

Can they find forgiveness together?

Moving to Montana is the chance Thomas Kemp needs to open his own business and seek a wife—while keeping his shameful past hidden. Except the beautiful Amish widow who catches his eye wants financial independence, not marriage. When Emma Fisher’s toddler bonds with the newcomer, she believes Thomas is everything she wants in a husband. But can she accept his past…for the chance at a future together?

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Book Description – The Amish Midwife’s Bargain

An accident on a stormy night

Will change the course of their lives…

Grieving after the loss of a patient, midwife Miriam Kemp returns to her Amish roots and vows to leave her nursing life behind. But when she accidentally hits Aaron Lapp on a rain-drenched road, she offers to help the scarred and handsome—if somewhat cranky—bachelor while he recovers. Could this arrangement allow them to heal…while finding a love they never expected?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Their Road to Redemption and The Amish Midwife’s Bargain by Patrice Lewis continues the story of the Kemp siblings. Both are books about forgiveness, hope, and how choices made can influence someone’s life.

Their Road to Redemption is the second book in the series. Thomas Kemp travels to the Amish community in Montana to redeem his life. He is ashamed of his criminal activities of the past. Now working as a bookkeeper, he meets an Amish widow and single parent, Emma, who has vowed never to get married. But her toddler, Hannah, bonds with Thomas and they become attracted to each other. He questions if she will accept his past where the three can become a family.

The Amish Midwife’s Bargain has one of the Kemp siblings, a nurse, Miriam, grieving after losing a patient. She decides to visit her Amish brother, Thomas, after vowing to leave the nursing profession. But when she accidentally hits Aaron Lapp on a rain-drenched road, she offers to help him recover. He has his own scars literally, after having his face burned in a barn fire. This story will remind readers of “Beauty and the Beast.”

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story, Their Road to Redemption?

Patrice Lewis: I had a three-book series of siblings, and this is the middle sibling. This is a story of redemption and making better choices. Everything someone does from morning until sleep is a choice. I wanted to show how the hero, Thomas, had his bad choices catch up and then his good choices turned it around.

EC: How would you describe Thomas?

PL: He was a juvenile delinquent when younger, but now he is redeemed. He is broken, subdued, quiet, shy, scarred, and humble.

EC: How would you describe Emma?

PL: High-spirited, outspoken, a go-getter, confident, independent, passionate about her skill of making soap, and determined.

EC: What about the relationship between the two?

PL: Emma does not want to rely on a man for financial support. She is gun-shy since her late husband was emotionally abusive, selfish, and stubborn. Emma is determined to remain single. She and her late husband never wanted to be married, but after she became pregnant, they did marry. Both she and Thomas have secrets and hold each other at arm’s length. Yet, they do admire each other. Thomas does not think he is worthy of her.

EC: What is the role of a secondary character, Jeremy?

PL: He is another redemption. In Thomas’ backstory, he feels he must pay it forward. He sees in Jeremy himself and wants to help him to redeem his life.

EC: What about the role of Hannah, Emma’s young daughter?

PL: She is instrumental in bringing Emma and Thomas together. Hannah sees Thomas as a father figure and becomes attached to him. Emma starts thinking maybe her daughter sees something in Thomas that she doesn’t. Hannah saw his kindness.

EC: What about the second book, The Amish Midwife’s Bargain?

PL: This is about the third sibling, Miriam, a nurse. I saw this reference to a private nurse, which enabled me to have Miriam and Aaron get closer. She helped him after she accidentally hit him with her car. This led me to a “Beauty and the Beast” theme. It became effortless to write. Hands down it is the favorite story I have written so far. My mother used to be a nurse and I saw how some have painful journeys.

EC: How would you describe Aaron, the hero?

PL: He has been terribly disfigured in a barn fire. Now he wants to be left alone. His became bitter with a very scarred face. He can be stubborn, grumpy, with emotional pain, prickly, lonely, and likes animals more than people.

EC: What was the role of the scar?

PL: I wrote two ways that children responded to his disfigurement. Hannah accepted him and never saw his scars. Then there was an “English” boy who runs away from him in terror. He realized with Hannah’s reaction that some could be accepting of him and not consider him a monster, a beast.

EC: How would you describe Miriam?

PL: Determined, patient, and a helper. She responds to those in pain, emotional and physical. She was devastated and doubted herself after she lost a patient.

EC: What about the relationship between the two?

PL: Miriam feels she must get past Aaron wanting to live in solitude. She wanted to show him that his outward scars did not diminish who he was as a person. Aaron helped her to realize she lost a patient because they were beyond help. Both have scars, admire, and respect each other. Both helped each other to get back on “their horse.”

EC: Next books?

PL: A book will come out in March, titled The Amish Beekeeper’s Dilemma. It is about a woman who became a property keeper for an old man. His nephew came to take over the farm. A conflict develops around it. Another book that has no release date but is titled, Uncovering Her Amish Past. The main character, Penelope, is “English.” She is adopted and an only child. She went to an Amish settlement, staying at a Bed & Breakfast. It turns out she is a twin to an Amish woman. THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Feature Post and Book Review: A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

Book Description

In the tradition of her acclaimed mother, Ann Rule, author of The Stranger Beside Me, bestselling author Leslie Rule exposes the trail of a sadistic sociopath, identity thief, and killer . . .

It was a bleak November in 2012 when Cari Farver, thirty-seven, vanished from Omaha, Nebraska. Texts sent indicated that the hardworking mother had quit her job, abandoned her son, and cut ties with everyone. Cari’s boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, accepted the breakup at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, however, had doubts. “I need to hear your voice,” Nancy begged. When the texter refused to speak, Nancy reported Cari missing.

While no one saw or spoke to Cari, more than 12,000 sinister emails and texts were sent in her name over the next years. Police believed Dave and his girlfriend, Shanna “Liz” Golyar, when they reported that the missing woman was cyberstalking them. The tormentor was eerily aware of Dave’s every move, knew when Liz visited and threatened the couple. It never occurred to Dave that Cari was a victim—that the real stalker had killed before, and was planning to kill again.

Leslie Rule tracks the heart-pounding path to long-awaited justice—from a twisted past to the deadly deception and the high-tech forensics that condemned the killer to prison.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45554640-a-tangled-web?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9St0CrdWbg&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

A TANGLED WEB by Leslie Rule is an engrossing true crime account of a cyberstalking sadistic killer’s manipulations carried out over years that destroyed multiple lives and escaped justice until law enforcement used high-tech computer forensics to catch them. While I watched this story on a TV crime show and learned the facts from that, Ms. Rule’s book is a detailed hypnotic account of the facts of the killer’s past, their reign of terror, and the investigation that finally entangled them in forensic facts that sent them to prison.

Dave Kroupa has split from the mother of his two young children. He loves his children, but he refuses any permanent relationship which leads to the split and his dabbling into online dating. He meets Liz, who is also a single parent who claims to want no permanent relationship. It works well for a while, but soon Liz is demanding a commitment Dave is unwilling to give. The back-and-forth drama lasts for months until Dave meets Cari and the two hit it off immediately. Dave begins to spend all his time with Cari until she leaves an out of the blue message that she is leaving town.

Cari is leaving terrible messages not only for Dave and Liz, but also her mother and son who have begun searching for her. Cari is blamed for not only horribly vicious emails and texts, but also arson and violence. Many victims are terrorized for years until web savvy detectives begin to unravel the web of lies.

I really loved this book and the author’s inclusion of the killer’s entire life history, not just the recent murder and cybercrimes. This is a study of a true sociopath and the destruction they can cause in so many lives. It took years for law enforcement to believe Cari was even a missing person and then they took the word of all involved in the case that she was the person responsible for the terrorism. It is truly terrifying what a sociopath can do with an internet connection. The surprise twists and turns this case took over the years make it the perfect case to keep the reader engaged. It showcases the potential dangers of online personal information and communications in today’s online world.

I highly recommend this true crime story and I hope that Ms. Rule is as prolific as her mother was in this genre.

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About the Author

Leslie Rule’s true crime debut, A Tangled Web, covers a frightening Omaha love triangle murder. “I chose this case because I want to warn readers that the female sadistic sociopath may be the most dangerous killer of all.” A veteran author for over three decades, Rule’s other works include two suspense novels and five nonfiction books on the paranormal, including Coast to Coast Ghosts—True Stories of Hauntings Across America. Rule was only seventeen when she started attending murder trials with her mother, author Ann Rule. “It was my job to shoot the killers—not with a gun, but with my camera,” says Leslie. Many of her courtroom photographs have appeared in her mother’s books. In addition to her bestselling books, Leslie has published dozens of articles in national magazines, including First for Women, Woman’s World and Reader’s Digest.

Social Media Links

Website: https://authorleslierule.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslie.rule.9

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeslieRules

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-rule

Feature Post and Mini Book Review: Holmes, Marple & Poe by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Book Description

Crime! Murder! Who are you going to call?

In New York City, three intriguing, smart, and stylish private investigators open Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. Who are these detectives with famous names and mysterious, untraceable pasts?

Brendan Holmes—The Brain: Identifies suspects via deduction and logic.

Margaret Marple—The Eyes: Possesses powers of observation too often underestimated.

Auguste Poe—The Muscle: Chases down every lead no matter how dangerous or dark.

The agency’s daring methodology and headline-making solves attract the attention of NYPD Detective Helene Grey. Her solo investigation into her three unknowable competitors will delight mystery fans.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/146500884-holmes-marple-poe?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=HOe0o5lALg&rank=1

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

HOLMES, MARPLE & POE: The Greatest Crime-Solving Team of the Twenty-First Century by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a fast-paced P.I. mystery and suspense/thriller that I had to try as soon as I saw the title and I am glad I did. The three P.I.’s in this book are not only named after their famous predecessors, but also have many of the same traits, good and/or bad, as their namesakes. I really am hoping this book becomes a series.

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe suddenly appear in New York City and open one of the most sought-after Private Investigation firms in the city. The only thing is law enforcement can find no trace of any of the trio’s pasts which I loved. They are obviously close and understand each other, but you never learn how they came to be a team.

The chapters are the usual Patterson style of short and fast, but I still did not want to put the book down until I finished. There are several cases to solve threaded throughout the story, rather than one main mystery. While this helped show each of the main characters strengths, I also feel that I did not get an in-depth case to solve that would have engaged me even more, but hopefully that will happen if this becomes a series. I also like all the secondary characters and the animals they acquired along the way.

I really enjoyed Holmes, Marple & Poe and look forward to more adventures.

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About the Author

JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers.

James is passionate about encouraging children to read. Inspired by his own son who was a reluctant reader, he also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. He lives in Florida with his wife and son.

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About the Author

Brian Sitts is an award-winning advertising creative director and television writer. He has collaborated with James Patterson on books for adults and children. He and his wife, Jody, live in Peekskill, New York.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Blaque Pearle by Tarris Marie

Book Description

Tarris Marie’s debut novel intertwines crime, romance, and the ‘90s era. A refreshing new voice for urban romance lovers and women’s crime thriller connoisseurs.

Before her Hollywood dreams were shattered, Pearle Monalise Brown was the tenacious aspiring actress from Compton’s unforgiving, scarred streets. Never broken, Pearle switches gears to a fallback plan—resorting to her beauty and acting skills to swindle money and expensive jewels. When she’s hired by the Colombian cartel to steal a priceless Basquiat from the debonair kingpin and art collector, Blaque, her talents might not be enough to keep her from falling into a trap she never saw coming.

Blaque is sagacious and handsome—not to mention the legacy of two powerful organized crime families: the Laurent’s—known dons hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, and the Savage’s—a sophisticated syndicate with criminal enterprises across the U.S. As Blaque and Pearle become passionately entangled, Pearle falls prey to a darker underworld. Time is ticking. Lives are at stake. Will these love outlaws be able to outsmart their enemies, or will they wage an all-out war, leaving the bodies to fall wherever they may?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Blaque Pearle by Tarris Marie intertwines crime, romance, and the ‘90s era. Much like her characters, the author also took a powerful journey, having to overcome Stargardt Disease, a genetic condition that caused her legal blindness and cost her a corporate job.

The plot has deeply flawed but relatable characters who risk everything for love and family. The main female lead, Pearle Brown was an aspiring actress that got caught up in her brother’s scheme. She decides to use her beauty and acting skills to swindle money and expensive jewels from unsuspecting people. When she and her brother are hired to steal a priceless Basquiat from the debonair kingpin and art collector, Blaque, her talents might not be enough to keep her from falling into a trap she never saw coming, falling in love with him. Although he is from two powerful crime families he also falls in love with Pearle and will do anything to keep her safe. Together they use their skills to battle their enemies and help those in need.

The book has vivid descriptions, captivating characters, and a complex storyline. It is not only riveting but informative as well.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Why become a writer?

Tarris Marie: I decided to write after I lost my central vision. I had come from the corporate world and after losing some of my vision I became depressed and was on a downward spiral. When I was on the floor, I heard a voice telling me to get up. I asked God what to do and heard, write a book. This was in 2020 when I decided to write a series, a total of four novels.

EC: Do you want to talk about your disease?

TM: Stargardt Disease is a hereditary disease of the retina, affecting the central sight. It is a juvenile form of Macular Degeneration. For me, I got it my late thirties. Now I am legally blind. It does not affect my peripheral vision, but I could not see anything I directly look at. My support system is my husband, children, family, friends, and the best doctors. I use technology to help me become independent.

EC: Is the story related to your life?

TM: I wrote about the decade in which I grew up. I was trying to find myself, so I went back in time. This book is the first book to come out, taking place in the 1990s. I grew up in an urban environment in Gary Indiana, America’s murder capitol. I grew up in a loving home. I lived the 1990s culture, the hip-hop music, and the hairstyles. I met a lot of people, learned a lot, and grew a lot.

EC: Why did you make your hero and heroine “bad guys?”

TM: They start off as “bad.” But there was redemption, and the characters were relatable considering the decisions made was to survive. I was also able to relate to these characters because I do know what it feels like to be in a place where you must do what is necessary to survive.

EC: Why not end the story with Part I?

TM: Part I was more about the drug aspect, while Part II concentrated on human trafficking. In the late 1990s it used the Internet, a lot of traps for young girls.

EC: How would you describe Pearle?

TM: Low-key, greedy, quiet, protective, and loyal. I named her Pearle, symbolic because it has a lot of layers. Like the gemstone, the character has a hard exterior, but has layers.

EC: How would you describe Blaque?

TM: Gentle but could be rough and powerful. A listener, honest, funny, open-minded, adventurous, mysterious, and serious. I named him Blaque to represent the black male that I knew. He loved the women in his life and respected them. The color black is mysterious and sexy. Putting his name along with Pearle, the gemstone Black Pearl is unique, created in a different type of oyster. It represents healing of broken hearts. Like me, I needed to heal because I was broken. I hope to take any reader on that journey as well.

EC: Next book?

TM: The title is Empress Creed, out in February 2024. It is a prequel with a hindsight into the family. It takes place in the 1930s in the Midwest and shows how the crime family got started.

THANK YOU!!

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Feature Post and Book Review: The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book Description

Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night none of them can remember, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that amplified innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list of others who took that same test. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.

Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list.

The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest, where the Unplugged Experience promises to rejuvenate guests. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover they are quite literally cut off from the outside world when none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs. . . .

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127463465-the-night-island?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FxoWXuxCAm&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE NIGHT ISLAND (The Lost Night Files Book #2) by Jayne Ann Krentz is an exciting second book in The Lost Files paranormal trilogy featuring three heroines bonded by a night none of them can remember. This book has a complete romance plot HEA, but the trilogy’s overarching suspense plotline is carried over from Sleep No More, the first book in the trilogy. I feel these books are best read in order.

Talia March has always had a knack for finding things, but since her lost night, it is like her power has been super charged, but also now includes the ability to find dead bodies. She follows a lead from the women’s podcast to find a woman who claims to have a list of all the test subjects and discovers she has vanished.

Luke Rand also shows up at the missing woman’s house. Luke is a history professor on the run for the last three months after waking up after his own lost night. While suspicious of each other, they agree to work together to find the missing woman and the list they are both after.

Talia and Luke follow the clues to the remote private Night Island, one of the San Juan islands off the Washington coast. It is a private retreat with strange vegetation covering the island and secrets below the surface. As they search for clues, their chemistry builds even though both feel they are not being completely honest with each other and neither feels they are made for lasting relationships. They discover a dead body of one of the island’s staff and soon they are caught up in a dangerous mysterious garden that may lead them to the missing woman they are searching for and answers to questions regarding their lost nights.

I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy and this one was even more engrossing. Knowing what we know about the lost nights from the first book allowed me to focus more on the overarching mystery and romance. Besides the suspense/mystery of the lost nights, I enjoyed Talia and Luke’s romance. Talia is endearing as she tries to convince Luke he has control over his powers and his fears are not true. There are sex scenes in this book, but they are neither overly graphic nor gratuitous. I loved and laughed at Talia’s ability to always put good food above all else. More is revealed regarding the antagonists and their motives in this book, which makes me want the next book sooner rather than later.

I highly recommend this addition in The Lost Night Files trilogy.

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About the Author

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Jayne currently lives in Seattle, WA.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jayneannkrentz.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayneAnnKrentz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JayneAnnKrentz/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2387.Jayne_Ann_Krentz

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jayne-ann-krentz

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Her Silent Bones by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for HER SILENT BONES (Delaney Pace Book #1) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins on this Bookouture Blog Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Fifteen years ago I watched my father’s murder.

Now, having never truly recovered from losing her father all those years ago, Detective Delaney Pace is devastated when her brother and sister-in-law are killed in a car crash. Packing up her life she heads back to the rugged cowboy town of Kearney, Wyoming. Her niece Kateena is just eleven years old and Delaney will do anything to keep her safe…

Now there’s another killer on the loose, and he’s already taken his first victim.

New to the local police force, when a body is found on a secluded mountain trail Delaney is called to the scene. Surrounded by imposing pine trees, a young woman lies still in the moonlight. Gazing into her dark, unblinking eyes Delaney’s heart pounds wildly in her chest as she recognises the victim. It’s her beloved sister-in-law: Kateena’s mother, Lila. But she died weeks before. Didn’t she?

There’s evil lurking in this town and I’ll stop at nothing to hunt down the truth and deliver justice. With Kateena traumatised all over again, when Delaney links Lila’s murder back to the place where her own father was killed she realizes she must face her own dark past to catch the man responsible. But little does she know that the killer has already made their next deadly move. Back at home, Kateena should be in bed sleeping soundly, but her room is empty. Kateena is missing…

Can Delaney uncover the truth behind the killings and save Kateena before it’s too late?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202526858-her-silent-bones?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=3u5UkiffHc&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out 0f 5 Stars

HER SILENT BONES (Delaney Pace Book #1) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins is an exciting and fast-paced new crime thriller/police procedural series featuring a tough and determined female detective in small town Kearney, Wyoming. This is a new to me author and a very promising start to a new series that I am looking forward to following in the future.

Delaney Pace returns to her hometown after ten years of ice-trucking to take care of her eleven-year-old niece, Kateena, who has been orphaned with the death of her parents. She goes to the county sheriff and gets her job back as an investigator. Right away she is thrown into a murder investigation with a new detective from California who is talented with computers, but out of his depth in the wilds of Wyoming and possibly hiding an agenda of his own.

With one woman dead and another missing, the killer then raises the stakes when he takes Delaney’s niece. Can Delaney discover the identity of the killer and rescue her niece before it is too late?

This is a crime thriller with multiple surprising plot twists that kept me turning the pages, especially in the last few chapters. The plot throughout moves at a fast rate with ever escalating stakes. The crime/killer plot in this book is solved, but there is an over-arching plot involving another antagonist and questions from Delaney’s past that are uncovered and still need answered in future books. So, there is a cliffhanger for that plotline. Delaney is street tough, tenacious, and intelligent and takes a beating in this story, but just keeps going. While others see her as intimidating, she loves her niece and bulldog and is willing to help others down on their luck. She is a complex character that surprised me on several occasions, and I am looking forward to seeing how her character evolves in future books.

I recommend this captivating start to a new crime thriller/police procedural series with a strong female protagonist, and I will be checking out other books by this author, also.

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling and Silver Falchion Best Mystery winning mystery/thriller/suspense author (and recovering attorney and investigator) who splits time between an off-the-grid lodge on the face of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains and a rustic cabin on Maine’s Lake Mooselookmeguntic with her husband, kids and grandkids, rescue pets and sled dog, and draft cross horses.

Writes for Bookouture and independently.

Host of Crime & Wine: Novelist Chats with Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

Social Media Links

Website: https://pamelafaganhutchins.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.fagan.hutchins.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamelotH

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-fagan-hutchins