Romance – Page 11 – Avonna Loves Genres

Feature Post and Book Review: Blonde Dust by Tatiana de Rosnay

Book Description

Pauline, a young chambermaid who works at the legendary Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada, is asked to step in for a colleague and clean Suite 614. Although she was told the rooms were empty, a dazed, sleepy woman appears before her. This is Mrs. Miller, aka Marilyn Monroe, whose stay in Reno coincides with the breakdown of her marriage to Arthur Miller and the filming of what was to be her last film, The Misfits.

Set in the American West in 1960 where the mustang horses run wild, an unexpected friendship unfolds between the most famous movie star in the world and a young cleaning woman whose life will be changed forever through the course of a few weeks. A testament to the enduring power of female friendship and a reimagining of a side of Marilyn Monroe that has never been seen before.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222139778-blonde-dust?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=N2kOECCNN7&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5

BLONDE DUST by Tatiana De Rosnay is a spellbinding mash-up of historical fiction and women’s fiction that features a first-generation young French woman’s life as well as how in the heat of Reno, Nevada in 1960, a mega movie star’s unlikely friendship changed the course of her life. This standalone story will pull you in and take you on an emotional and nostalgic journey.

This story features three timelines while telling Pauline’s life story. You have the description of how Pauline came to America, fell in love with the wild mustangs, and became a single mother and maid with no prospects at The Mapes Hotel and Casino in Reno, Nevada. You also have a timeline which shows the development of Pauline and Marilyn Monroe’s friendship as she cleans Marilyn’s Suite 614 while she is filming on location for The Misfits, her last full-length movie. And the final timeline has Pauline looking back on her life and friendship with Marilyn as she attends the January 30, 2000, demolition of The Mapes.

The descriptions of both downtown Reno in 1960 and the landscapes outside of town on the film set and the mustang rescue ranch made me feel as though I was right there. As the timelines interweave, I was never lost or confused because each part of the story always left me wanting more. The research is obvious and blended throughout the story without interrupting the story.

There are so many aspects of this story to love; the unlikely friendship, the trajectory of a life changed, both emotionally and physically, the wild mustangs of the West, and a researched look into three short months in Marilyn Monroe’s tumultuous personal life. There are also dark moments of alcoholism and drug abuse, sexual coercion, and animal cruelty interspersed throughout.

I recommend curling up in a comfy chair and letting this mash-up of historical fiction and women’s fiction take you away.

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About the Author

Tatiana de Rosnay was born on September 28th, 1961 in the suburbs of Paris. She is of English, French and Russian descent.

Tatiana was raised in Paris and then in Boston, when her father taught at MIT in the 70’s. She moved to England in the early 80’s and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in English literature at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich. Returning to Paris in 1984, Tatiana became press attaché for Christie’s and then Paris Editor for Vanity Fair magazine till 1993.

Sarah’s Key was published in 40 countries in 2007 and has sold over eleven million copies worldwide. Kristin Scott-Thomas stars in the movie adaptation by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (2010).

Her novels are published in many countries and five of her books have become movies. Tatiana lives in France with her family.

Social Media Links

Website: (In French) https://www.tatianaderosnay.com/

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tatianaderosnay.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatianaderosnay/?api=1%2F

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/blonde-dust-by-tatiana-de-rosnay

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Amish Country Killer by Mary Alford

Book Description

An unsolved mystery…

Seeking the truth could be fatal.

Reopening the investigation of her mother’s disappearance puts chief of police Diana Fisher in someone’s lethal sights. As she delves deeper into the mystery, a murderer resurfaces, targeting the Amish community. Detective Micah Nissley, whose fiancée went missing a decade ago, joins forces with Diana to stop the threats and bring the killer to justice. But can they uncover the connection between Diana and the culprit before she becomes the next victim?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Amish Country Killer by Mary Alford features a police chief dealing with an Amish cold case where Amish girls have disappeared. Readers will try to solve the case along with the characters as they second guess the clues.

The plot opens when Diana Fisher decides to return to her childhood town in Rachel’s Crossing Kentucky, to become police chief. She is following in her father William’s footsteps who once was police chief there. Fifteen years ago, Diana’s mother disappeared, and William decided they needed a fresh start, so he moved them to Louisville.

Even though her dad is dead set against it, Diana decides to move there and accept the police chief job. She is determined to try to find out why her mother left them. But once there, she finds trouble is waiting for her. Shortly after arriving she hears a young Amish girl screaming and when trying to rescue her she gets hit over the head and her dog Kit also gets injured. They are rescued by Micah Nissley, once Amish and now living in the English world. He has been coming back to his family’s old home whenever he could to do repairs in thoughts of using it as vacation home. He was shunned by his family, friends and community who blamed him for the disappearance of his fiancé, Tessa, the girl he loved.

He is now working as a detective for the Kentucky Department of Criminal Investigations. He offers to help but before Diana will accept it, she investigates why he was considered a person of interest. After he comes clean and tells her she accepts his help and realizes that he also wants to solve the case to overcome the stigma of being falsely accused of killing the missing Amish girls. The investigation leads them to a serial killer who is elusive and extremely intelligent, since he has been killing women for many years without being caught.

If readers enjoy the Linda Castillo series with Police Chief Kate Burkholder they will enjoy this story. It is an intense read that is intriguing, captivating, powerful and full of suspense with a twist of an ending that is shocking.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Mary Alford: I have been fascinated by the simple life of the Amish. I thought about what would happen in this quiet setting if there was still danger lurking and secrets hidden. I took an old cold case and have a new police chief who must face her own dark past.

EC: Were you influenced by Kate Burkholder from the Linda Castillo series?

MA: I had not thought of it. Maybe in a way. Diana does have a quest and wants to find out what happened to her mother, which is why she took the job as police chief. She wants to do some research as to why her mom disappeared. This police department needs rebuilding after the corruption within it.

EC: How would you describe Diana?

MA: She is strong, resilient, and faces danger head on. She is always on the front line and refuses to let fear stop her. I think she is also guarded and cautious.

EC: How would you describe the hero, Micah?

MA: He has ties to the cold case since his fiancé, Tessa, disappeared and he was the last to see her alive. He is former Amish and is bitter because he was a person of interest a long time ago during the Amish girl’s disappearance. He also feels guilty. When he saw Tessa with this other guy, he left her and felt guilty for making the choice to leave.

EC: What role does Kit the canine dog play?

MA: Diana considers her a friend, protector, and loyal. She is trained in search and rescue plus police work. She stands between Diana and danger. She loves to play with her favorite stuffed animal.

EC: What about the relationship?

MA: It was hampered by suspicion, and she is not trusting. He did have ties to the past case of the disappearance of Amish women. He wants it to have resolution and to come to light about what happened to Tessa. He is stuck with the past hanging over him.

EC: What about the corrupt cops?

MA: They stole, bribed, blackmailed, and harassed. People do not trust the police department.

EC: Why Kentucky?

MA: There are a few Amish communities in Kentucky. I like having a remote mountain setting that creates its own danger and suspense.

EC: Next books?

MA: In July a book will be published, Framed in Amish Country. It is about a DA who is being framed for murdering her best friend. An Amish man helps her find evidence to prove her innocence. In October Shattered Amish Identity comes out. The heroine has a buggy accident where she does not remember her past. Someone is trying to kill her, and a CIA Agent comes to help her.

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: Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Book Description

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.

Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220161354-beach-house-rules?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2M85g1Ueky&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BEACH HOUSE RULES by Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of my favorite women’s fiction books so far this year. It is a small-town southern women’s fiction book full of family, both the ones we are born into and those that we make, love, second chances, friendship, and a bit of a mystery. Set in a former bed-and-breakfast turned “mommune” in an affluent small North Carolina beach town, a community of women come together as their personal world’s turn upside down.

Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime and she and her daughter, Iris, are shut out of their home and have all their bank accounts frozen. Down to her last few dollars, the town’s alleged Black Widow offers her a place for herself and her daughter in the former beachfront bed-and-breakfast turned mommune. The single moms and their children are the source of gossip throughout their small community.

Charlotte and Iris, to their surprise, find a sense of comfort and community at the mommune with the other women and children. As Charlotte works to get back their old life and prove her husband’s innocence, she and Iris discover their coming together may not have been by accident after all and secrets could destroy the new group of friends.

This book is beautifully written and pulls you right into the lives, trials, and tribulations of the mommune. The characters could walk right off the page. I enjoyed looking at the situation from both the adult women’s fears and triumphs and the teenager’s way of dealing with all the adult drama and their own high school drama. The mystery of Charlotte’s husband’s guilt or innocence had me guessing throughout and surprised me at its resolution. The addition of the on-line @JuniperShoresSocialite interspersed posts added a fun bit of laughter as well as intrigue as we tried to figure out the identity of the anonymous author. I feel this should be the top summer read this year.

I highly recommend this small-town southern women’s fiction! This is the first book I have read by this author, but it definitely will not be the last.

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About the Author

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of eleven novels including The Summer of Songbirds and The Peachtree Bluff Series. Many of her books have been optioned or are in development for television and film and have received numerous accolades, including Good Morning America’s Buzz Pick, Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Reads, Katie Couric’s Featured Books, and Joanna Garcia Swisher’s The Happy Place Read. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize.

A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Southern Living, Parade, Traditional Home, USA TODAY, and many more. She also holds a master’s in English, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature.

Kristy is the cocreator and cohost of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction with fellow New York Times Bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, and Patti Callahan Henry. She is also the co-founder of the interiors site Design Chic, with her mom, Beth Woodson.

She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband, son, and dog, Salt, where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.kristywoodsonharvey.com/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/beach-house-rules-by-kristy-woodson-harvey

Feature Post and Book Review: The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong

Book Description

A modern-day homicide detective is working as an undertaker’s assistant in Victorian Scotland when a serial poisoner attacks the men of Edinburgh and leaves their widows under suspicion.

Edinburgh, 1869: Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson is adjusting to her new life in Victorian Scotland. Her employers know she’s not housemaid Catriona Mitchell—even though Mallory is in Catriona’s body—and Mallory is now officially an undertaker’s assistant. Dr. Duncan Gray moonlights as a medical examiner, and their latest case hits close to home. Men are dropping dead from a powerful poison, and all signs point to the grieving widows… the latest of which is Gray’s oldest sister.

Poison is said to be a woman’s weapon, though Mallory has to wonder if it’s as simple as that. But she must tread carefully. Every move the household makes is being watched, and who knows where the investigation will lead.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885093-the-poisoner-s-ring?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hkLfREb9hS&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE POISONER’S RING (A Rip in Time Book #2) by Kelley Armstrong is the second book in this historical mystery/time-travel romance mash-up featuring a modern-day female homicide detective who is sent back in time into the body of a Scottish Victorian house maid. These books, at least books one and two, I feel need to be read in order because the first book focuses more on all the character development, how they all interact, and the problems caused by the time-travel, while the second book is focused more on a historical murder mystery.

Mallory is still carrying out the role of house maid for Dr. Duncan Gray and his sister, Isla, while she really wants to be more of an assistant to Duncan who is an undertaker, who also moonlights as a medical examiner. Duncan becomes involved with a case of a supposed poisoning ring which soon includes his older sister when she is accused of poisoning her husband. Mallory, Isla, and Duncan all work together to investigate the murders to exonerate Duncan and Isla’s sister to save her from the hangman’s rope.

I enjoyed the first book, but I liked this one even more because the characters are more settled in their belief in Mallory’s time-travel and the focus was more on a very well-paced and plotted Victorian murder mystery. It kept me guessing until almost the end and was a satisfying solution. The characters make me keep coming back for more. While they follow the rules for their time in Scottish Victorian history, they are also educated and open minded not only to Mallery’s story, but also for their time. Ms. Armstrong brings in serious topics such as racism, varied sexual orientations, and extreme poverty and handles each with not only comparisons between Duncan’s Victorian feelings and beliefs, but also Mallory’s more modern understanding. The chemistry and dialogue between Duncan and Mallory lead to not only serious discussions, but also humorous moments. I am looking forward to following their partnership and relationship in future books.

I highly recommend this mash-up series with memorable characters and intriguing historical mysteries.

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About the Author

Kelley Armstrong believes experience is the best teacher, though she’s been told this shouldn’t apply to writing her murder scenes. To craft her books, she has studied aikido, archery and fencing. She sucks at all of them. She has also crawled through very shallow cave systems and climbed half a mountain before chickening out. She is however an expert coffee drinker and a true connoisseur of chocolate-chip cookies.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-poisoner-s-ring-by-kelley-armstrong

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Irish Daughter by Daisy O’Shea

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE IRISH DAUGHTER (Emerald Isles Book #4) by Daisy O’Shea on this Bookoututre Books-On-Tour blog tour.

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

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Book Description

Standing on the cliff above the wild Irish sea, Hannah wipes a tear from her eye and thinks about the man she called ‘Da’. She was never his daughter. Hannah has been lied to her whole life by everyone she loved. Will she ever find where she truly belongs?

When warm-hearted Hannah Barry’s father passes away, her life is turned upside down when she discovers he wasn’t her biological father, and the only family she’s ever known are not related to her at all. Now their tiny farmhouse overlooking Roone Bay feels unfamiliar and cold. So when a handsome, dark-haired stranger turns up on her doorstep, his kind eyes and shy smile are a welcome escape.

Justin Sanders is searching for clues about his long-lost grandfather, whose last letter home came addressed from the area. Justin is certain Hannah’s own grandfather is connected to the story somehow, and that the men knew each other years ago. Hannah can’t help but be drawn to Justin and his mystery – they both have a painful past to solve. Will helping Justin lead to the answers about her real family that she desperately longs for?

But Hannah is shocked when nobody in the village will speak of Justin’s grandad. What secret could be so terrible that a whole community turns their back?

Justin’s caring nature makes Hannah feel so safe, and she can’t ignore the way he makes her stomach flip. But when they discover the truth about the events of a tragic evening decades ago, it threatens to tear them apart for good… Can Hannah and Justin find a way to forgive and move forward together? Or will Hannah lose the only real love she’s ever known for good?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/226019442-the-irish-daughter?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kESgIC4UJr&rank=1

Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0DVTCML7Ssocial

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE IRISH DAUGHTER (Emerald Isles Book #4) by Daisy O’Shea is an emotional dual timeline mash-up of romance, mystery, and history that pulled me into the story and kept me turning the pages. This book is easily read as a standalone with a few carryover secondary characters, but the real connection between the stories is that they are all set in Roone Bay, Ireland on the southern coast.

Hannah Barry has dutifully taken care of her alcoholic and dismissive father until his death as she promised her mam on her death bed believing she would inherit their hard-scrabble farm. While the home and farm are not worth much it has been her home since she returned from the hospital at three years of age after recovering from polio. Then her brother returns from America with a will to claim it all.

Justin Sanders is an English doctor who has come to Roone Bay to find where his granddad, Jack, who was stationed there as a Black and Tan in 1920, was buried during the Troubles. Hannah is surprised that no one is willing to talk, so she offers to help.

They work together as both have family secrets and history to be uncovered.

This is an enchanting story of family, love, forgiveness, and discovery. The tissues came out at a time or two. Hannah was such a strong protagonist and Justin was the perfect hero for her. The historical dual timeline tells Jack, Justin’s granddad’s story, in 1920 while he was in Roone Bay and the present-day timeline with Hannah and Justin is set in their present day, but our late 1960’s. The author’s story telling and descriptions made me feel as if I was experiencing each timeline right along with each character.

I have read all the Emerald Isles books, and they are all moving and engrossing. I highly recommend this one, also!

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Author Bio

Sue Lewando was a teacher for several years before migrating to the office environment, where she was PA to the Treasurer of Clarks Shoes, a multi-national company, then, briefly, PA to Susan George, the actress best known for Straw Dogs. Sue had many genre books published (M&B and Virgin), under pseudonyms, and self-publishes her crime thrillers. She was on the committee of the Romantic Novelists’ Association in England, for whom she assessed typescripts. She has been a fiction tutor for the London School of Journalism for twenty years. She has two grown-up children, a happy second marriage, and a bundle of cats and dogs. She moved to West Cork with her husband to undertake a farmhouse refurbishment project, foster their joint passion for playing Irish traditional music, and to invest time in their individual academic projects. She recently completed a Masters in Creative Writing at UCC, taking the opportunity to explore diverse writing genres. She works with the Jeremy Murphy Literary Consultancy in the capacity of typescript analyst, ghostwriter, editor, and online publishing advisor. She loves good commercial fiction, and is a devotee of the Oxford comma.

Social Media Links

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/evelynturner0990.bsky.social

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You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Two Seconds Too Late by Dani Pettrey

Book Description

A missing woman. Two hit men. When every second counts, who will survive?

In the stark but beautiful wilds of northern New Mexico, a couples’ retreat at a luxury resort turns into a chilling nightmare when a woman vanishes. Skip tracer Riley MacLeod and private investigator Greyson Chadwick pose as a couple to hunt for clues that might reveal the missing woman’s location. Those leads uncover a harrowing truth: They’re not the only ones looking for her. What begins as a normal tracking case turns into a deadly chase when they, too, become the hunted.

As Riley and Greyson work together, their partnership ignites a tumultuous attraction, but Greyson’s secrets prevent him from acting on his feelings for her, and Riley can’t bring herself to fully trust him. Delving deeper into the case, they find themselves fighting not only for justice and the chance at a loving relationship . . . but also for their very survival.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Two Seconds Too Late by Dani Pettrey is a romantic suspense novel. In this story the suspense drives the romance between the two main characters that is carefully plotted within the storyline.

The plot starts off with the main female lead, Riley MacLeod, struggling after shooting dead someone who was trying to kill her. Throughout the story readers see her trying to handle the PTSD that includes vivid nightmares.

After one of those nightmares, she finds a mysterious package on her doorstep. Then, a friend of hers calls and asks Riley to investigate the disappearance of someone she knew at a luxury resort. To see what happened, she along with one of her partners, Greyson Chadwick, decide to pose as a couple. They find that others are looking for the disappearing woman that includes some nefarious figures. Each clue pulls them deeper into a mystery that puts them in more danger. As they work together the attraction between Riley and Greyson becomes intense. But Greyson feels that the demons he is battling will be too much for the relationship to survive. He has depression and sees it as a reason to never get involved with anyone.

The book is full of mystery, mayhem, and murder, providing readers with a sense of intrigue.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Rumor has it when you wrote this you also had to deal with the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene. True?

Dani Pettrey: The hurricane took out most of our house and our belongings. We just got back in two weeks ago. It was a little bit crazy in writing this story because there was so much going on and we had to move out. My family felt like nomads since we had to move around to four different B & Bs because of availability dates. This was very distracting as I was writing, and it was a struggle to get the book done.

EC: The idea for the story?

DP: I had an idea for a fancy resort that had yoga and dancing. I thought about having someone go missing from there with two of my characters going undercover. The woman was tracking my main character who was her friend; my main character was tracking others; so, it took on a cat and mouse story.

EC: How would you describe Riley?

DP: She has guilt feelings after killing someone, stubborn, competitive, a risk-taker, someone who goes with her gut feelings, fearful, has PTSD, free-spirit, compassionate, and curious. She can be a little bit humorous and playful.

EC: How would you describe Greyson?

DP: Methodical, a planner, tender, former military, confident, logical, guarded, and witty.

EC: Why the military angle?

DP: When I thought of his background and struggles with life, I thought of those in the military, particularly as he tried, but failed, to help a friend who had gone through PTSD after the war. In my family there is a huge military history, six generations and my husband was military. I do enjoy putting in the military aspect. We had relatives in every war except Korea. They explained how there was those moments that they had to be killed, or they would be killed, which is why the quote in the book. They have some guilt even though they had no choice.

EC: What about the relationship between Greyson and Riley?

DP: She had a teenage crush on him. They like to tease each other. He thinks of her as a light in the darkness. He makes her feel safe. They are passionate. They had to overcome the boundaries since she was his friend’s kid sister. He thinks he is not really the right person for her since he has some baggage. They had to climb some walls to get together.

EC: What about the role of poker in the story?

DP: I have played but not in years. I watched a lot of poker on TV and went into a casino where they answered my questions. Originally it was going to be a heavier role. I had one of the characters winning a lot of money playing poker and suspects grew out of that.

EC: What about the role of cults?

DP: It explained why Riley’s friend was doing what she did. I set it in Las Vegas that has several cults. As I was doing research about Vegas I found out about some underground tunnels. I put that in the story.

EC: Why make Greyson having depression?

DP: I have depression. I wanted to show how he was getting help in a positive light. He was scared to put himself out there with Riley who was very supportive. I wanted to shed light how people with depression feel and how people can work through it together. I showed depression can be overcome. For me, now it is very level.

EC: Next books?

DP: The third book in the series will be coming out next June. The working title is Three Steps Behind. It will feature Riley’s brother Derek and someone he likes, Harper. They worked together in the first book.

I am also writing a novella collection with Lynette Easton out in February.

THANK YOU!!

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