Today is my turn on the Chemical Attraction Audiobook Blog Tour. This Feature Post and Audiobook Review is for the romantic suspense CHEMICAL ATTRACTION (The Chemical Attraction Series Book #3) by Christina Thompson and narrated by Gary Bennett. This book can be read as a standalone in terms of the suspense plot, but there is a lot of crossover of characters from the previous two books.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my audiobook review, an author interview with a character from her books, the author and narrator’s info and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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About the Audiobook
Author: Christina Thompson
Narrator: Gary Bennett
Length: 10 hours 3 minutes
Publisher: 48fourteen⎮2019
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Series: The Chemical Attraction Series, Book 3
Release date: Dec. 26, 2019
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Book Synopsis:
Working in nanotechnology, Madeline Pierce, a dedicated scientist, has pain in her heart from an abusive relationship. She hides in her research. Charismatic yet brooding, Joe Roberts searches for an instant chemistry with his soulmate, the one person who will love him for his faults not in spite of them.
Dr. Pierce teams up with Agent Roberts to uncover a criminal network within her medical research facility in West Michigan. Feeling an undeniable attraction, they struggle to stay professional while they determine the degree of company involvement.
In the nearby farming town, animals violently attack the residents. Someone is experimenting outside the laboratory. Are human test subjects next? With the help of Joe’s sister Eva, a physician assistant at the local hospital, and her husband Chief Matt Connor, Joe and Madeline hunt for this new bio-weapon before the death toll rises in this gripping third book of The Chemical Attraction Series.
CHEMICAL ATTRACTION (The Chemical Attraction Series Book
#3) by Christina Thompson is the third romantic suspense in this engaging
series. In this story it is Joe’s turn to feel the chemical attraction. The suspense
story can be read as a standalone, but there is a lot of character crossover
between the books in this series. I suggest you read or listen to them all in
order. You will not be disappointed.
Dr. Madeline Pierce is a scientist who specializes in nanotechnology.
She discovers discrepancies on invoices at the medical research facility where
she works. When her questions lead to answers that do not add up, she asks the
FBI for help.
FBI Agent Joe Roberts is sent to meet with Dr. Pierce. The
two use the pretense of a relationship to work together to get to the truth. Joe
never believed he would find the chemical attraction his sisters talk about
until he meets Madeline, but she is his contact on this dangerous case.
As they work together, they struggle to keep their
relationship professional. Joe has a history of being a player and Madeline has
been terribly abused in the past. Can she trust this chemical attraction to be
real? And can their relationship survive as they fight a horrific threat to
humanity?
I have been waiting for Joe to meet his “one” and this story
did not disappoint. I love when a player is brought down by a strong and
intelligent woman. Even with her past and some insecurities, she is a heroine that
fits with Joe. The suspense plot is well paced, realistic and terrifying in that
aspect. There are some graphic scenes, but they are in line with the plot so
for me they were not gratuitous. I enjoy Eva and Matt being active participants
in this story and crossovers from “The Kindred Code”, book #2 in this series.
None of the characters in this series have it easy in love or danger.
I listened to the audiobook this time after reading the
first two books in this series. Gary Bennett narrated this audiobook and this
was my first time listening to him. I enjoyed his voice and I would definitely
look for other audiobooks with his narration.
I recommend this audiobook and all the books in the Chemical
Attraction series!
***
Author Character Interview:
Matthew Connor from Chemical Attraction
Hello Everyone! I’m Christina Thompson, the author of Chemical Attraction, a romantic thriller. I’m joining you today to promote Chemical Attraction’s Audiobook narrated by Gary Bennett.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the people in this story. Eva Connor and Joe Roberts are siblings by choice. They’ve told me their story, and I wrote about their amazing journey. These interviews take place just after their adventure. [trivial spoilers/no plot spoilers]
Ruggedly handsome with a calm demeanor, Matthew Connor had pushed any romantic life aside to focus on raising his eight-year-old son, David. Then, he met Eva and watched her take his hometown by storm. Now as the police chief, he helped Joe on his FBI case.
CHRISTINA: When you first saw Eva with David, what was your first thought?
MATT: Mesmerizing came to mind. She definitely spiced up my life. The first time she visited my home, she turned the town upside down. I didn’t think the Allenton gossip circuit could travel faster than the speed of light. Boy, that weekend it had.
CHRISTINA: How hard was it to be a single dad for the first eight years of David’s life?
MATT: Tough. Like I mentioned before, gossip is big in this town and stereotypes are even bigger. I’ve been the chief for nine years, but I’m still known as the guy who knocked up his high school girlfriend. Beth gave up her rights to David right after he was born while I embraced fatherhood. I wouldn’t have changed a thing though. David makes me a better person, and I strive to be the man he looks up to.
CHRISTINA: Uncovering a criminal network in your town, Joe created tension by not informing you about his case from the beginning. How’s your relationship with him?
MATT: Man, I don’t want him to visit us anymore … too much drama when he’s around. Joking aside, I love Joe like a little brother. Years ago, I helped him out of a sticky situation, which cemented a brothers’ bond. I could do worse than having a federal agent as a brother.
CHRISTINA: I get the feeling that your responsibilities take over much of your life. What do you do for fun?
MATT: Ha. Not having much fun these days. I enjoy spending time with my wife and I crochet to relax. It’s meditative. My mother taught me years ago. I made David’s first baby blanket, and I donate the baby blankets I make now to our local hospital. After seeing the basket of yarn next to our sofa, Joe gave me a hard time until Eva told him what I did with the finished ones. Boy, did he feel bad. His niceness lasted for a month. It really creeped Eva out.
Thanks for stopping by. You can find the audiobook of Chemical Attraction on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Attraction-Book/dp/B0833H7YSV/
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About the Author: Christina Thompson
Christina Thompson has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Nazareth College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She is a certified massage therapist from the Health Enrichment Center’s School of Therapeutic Massage in Lapeer, Michigan. She also has a Diploma in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in Racine, Wisconsin.
Her background in biology gave her a love of science and an insight into the physical realm of the body. Her holistic understanding of Traditional Chinese medicine taught her that the mind and spirit affect the body in powerful ways.
As a former holistic practitioner with over 20 years of knowledge, experience, and service, Christina now enjoys writing about the physical science, the emotional workings of our mind and heart, and the spiritual energy that taps into our passions.
She is the author of the romantic thrillers in The Chemical Attraction Series, which include Their Rigid Rules, The Kindred Code, Chemical Attraction, Chemical Reaction, and an anthology of short stories, Searching for Her. She has also written the romantic adventures, The Trucker’s Cat and The Garden Collection.
Narrator Gary Bennett is a SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrator. He was born and raised in California and then in Bozeman, Montana, and is the oldest of 4 children. He now calls the greater Seattle area his home, and he’s a huge fan of the Seattle Seahawks
He’s always been passionate about not just telling a story, but telling it well! From reading bedtime stories with his children to performing in front of the microphone, bringing a story truly to life is one of his greatest joys.
Gary has pursued his career in audiobook narration with zeal, investing in not only personal coaching from some of the best in the field, but in also some of the best equipment for his professional home-based studio. There are few things he enjoys more than stepping into his StudioBricks home studio and recording his favorite books!
Gary is also a licensed electrical engineer and a private pilot, loves to listen to and play music and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.
A Favor for a Favor (All In Book #2) by Helena
Hunting is a contemporary romance that will have you laughing out loud and/or teary
eyed more times than you can count throughout this fun and entertaining read.
This is the second book in the “All In” series featuring alpha professional hockey
jocks from Seattle’s new expansion NHL team, but it is easily read as a standalone
romance.
Stevie Bowman is excited to surprise her boyfriend returning
from her trip early to her and her boyfriend’s new apartment in time for her
birthday. But the surprise is on her when she walks in and finds him in bed
having sex with someone else.
Her brother, Rook helps her out by letting her live in his
team apartment he is not using while she gets back on her feet. As she stumbles
in late at night, she wakes her neighbor, who is not happy to be woken up. Stevie
just wants to hide and get away from this jerk of a neighbor.
Bishop Winslow cannot believe his strait-laced team captain
is keeping a side piece in his apartment. He already hates that Rook was made
team captain instead of him and this makes it even worse. Imagine his surprise
when he finds out the mistress is actually the hot younger sister.
Bishop suffers a severe groin injury in the very first
pre-season game. Stevie offers Bishop a deal. She will assist with his rehab so
he can return to the ice sooner, if he will give her a letter of recommendation
which will help advance her career in sport physiotherapy. Can they keep it
strictly professional?
I absolutely love Bishop and Stevie. They are perfect
examples of “do not judge someone because you don’t know what they are going
through privately.” The underwear war had me laughing out loud.
I am fast becoming a huge fan of Helena Hunting’s romances. The
characters are realistic, full-fleshed and the dialogue is pitch perfect. She
captures the sex appeal and down-and-dirty language and foibles of young
professional male athletes. The women she creates are strong, but surprisingly
quirky and/or have an emotional impediment that I would never think would work as
a match for these men and yet each is the perfect match.
I highly recommend this contemporary romance and author!
***
Author Biography:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting lives on
the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately
intolerant cats. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance with all
the feels to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.
Today I am very excited to be posting on the Harlequin February 2020 Series Blog Tour. My Feature Post and Book Review is for Debra Webb’s new Intrigue – WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW.
Below you will find a short author Q&A, a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and an about the author blurb. Enjoy!
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Debra Webb Author Q&A
1. Did you always want to write for Harlequin?
A: From the moment I read my first Harlequin Intrigue novel, I knew I wanted to write them!
2. Share your favorite memory of reading a Harlequin romance
A: I write romantic suspense so sometimes something light is a great way to relax. My fav memory is of laughing out loud while reading a Stephanie Bond Harlequin romance!
3. What is a recent book you have read that you would recommend?
A: In The Dark by Loreth Anne White
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Book Description
Can the witness protection program keep her identity secret?
After Allison James finally escapes her marriage to a monster, she becomes the star witness in the case against her deceased husband’s powerful crime family.
Now it’s up to US Marshal Jaxson Stevens, Ali’s ex-boyfriend, to keep the WITSEC widow safe. But as the danger escalates and sparks fly, will Jax be able to help Ali escape her ruthless in-laws.
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW (Winchester, Tennessee Book #5) by Debra Webb is the February 2020 Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense second chance romance and since it is written by Debra Webb, I knew I would be getting a great story even in this shorter format. I was NOT disappointed. Though this book is part of the Winchester, Tennessee series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Allison James Armone has been trapped for several years in
an abusive marriage to the son of the head of the Armone crime family. She has
been planning and waiting for her chance to escape. At the weekly meeting between
father and son, Allison witnesses the father shoot the son and kill him.
She makes her escape and becomes the star witness in the
case against her father-in-law. When the US Marshall guarding Allison (aka
Alice Stewart) is involved in an accident, he calls on one of his best friends
in the Marshalls to fill in. It is only a few days until the trial and Ali’s
life is at stake.
US Marshall Jaxon Stevens cannot believe his assignment is
his young foolish mistake in love. Can Jaxon convince Ali he wants and deserves
a second chance even as he works to keep her alive to testify?
Ali is a great heroine. After everything she has been
through, she refuses to back down and wants to testify no matter the danger to
herself. She made a mistake that cost her, but she has come out on the other
side and is strong and determined. I also liked that her main concern is for
Jaxon’s safety and not her own. Jaxon is a strong alpha protective hero, but he
also must come around to understand how Ali got caught up in her marriage and
to understand his own feelings about wanting her back even though he left her
before for his career. There are a lot of emotions and misunderstandings to get
through in this book even as physical danger is just around the corner. My only
concern is Ms. Webb never revealed who changed their travel plans and set them on
the run from the bad guys. Other than that, this is a fast-paced story that
intertwines the suspense and the romance perfectly.
I love sitting down with a Harlequin Intrigue and an author
I enjoy because I know I can be entertained with a romantic suspense that
engrosses me in the story and is a quicker read than a full-sized novel. I
recommend this second chance romantic suspense.
***
Excerpt
She shivered. The fire had gone out. She kept on her jacket
while she added logs to the fireplace and kindling to get it started. Within a
couple of minutes, the fire was going. She’d had a fireplace as a kid, so
relearning her way around this one hadn’t been so bad. She went back to the
kitchen and turned on the kettle for tea.
Bob growled low in his throat and stared toward the front door.
She froze. Her phone was in her hip pocket. Her gun was still in
her waistband at the small of her back. This was something else Marshal
Holloway had insisted upon. He’d taught her how to use a handgun. They’d held
many target practices right behind this cabin.
A creak beyond the front door warned that someone was on the
porch. She eased across the room and went to the special peephole that had been
installed. There was one on each side of the cabin, allowing for views all the
way around. A man stood on the porch. He was the typical local cowboy. Jeans
and boots. Hat in his hands. Big truck in the drive. Just like Marshal
Holloway.
But she did not know this man.
“Alice Stewart, if you’re in there, it’s okay for you to open
the door. I’m Sheriff Colt Tanner. Branch sent me.”
Her heart
thudding, she held perfectly still. Branch would never send someone to her without
letting her know first. If for some reason he couldn’t tell her in advance,
they had a protocol for these situations.
She reached back, fingers curled about the butt of her weapon.
Bob moved stealthily toward the door.
“I know you’re concerned about opening the door to a stranger,
but you need to trust me. Branch has been in an accident, and he’s in the
hospital undergoing surgery right now. No matter that his injuries were
serious, he refused to go into surgery until he spoke to me and I assured him I
would look after you, ma’am.”
Worry joined the mixture of fear and dread churning inside her.
She hoped Branch wasn’t hurt too badly. He had a wife and a daughter.
She opened her mouth to ask about his condition, but then she snapped it shut. The man at her door had not said the code word.
***
About the Author
DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama.
I am very excited to be on the Blog Tour for the first book in Kendra Elliot’s new romantic suspense series – Columbia River. THE LAST SISTER (Columbia River Book #1) had me glued to the page from start to finish.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. This is a new romantic suspense series, but there are a few characters you may recognize from Ms. Elliot’s Callahan & McLane series. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Twenty years ago, Emily Mills’ father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed.
Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night – until an eerily similar murder brings it all back. It also brings FBI special agent Zander Wells to the Oregon logging town. As eager as he is to solve the brutal double slaying, he is just as intrigued with the mystery of Emily’s and her sisters’ past.
When more blood is shed, Zander suspects there’s a secret buried in this town that no one wants unearthed. Is it something Emily and Madison don’t know? Or aren’t telling? And Tara? Maybe Emily can’t bear to find her. Because when Tara disappeared, she took a secret of her own with her.
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THE LAST SISTER By Kendra Elliot Montlake; January 14, 2020 (Mystery | 336 pp. | Hardcover: $24.99, ISBN#: 978-1542006729; Kindle: $5.99, ASIN#: B07SLZ9LMN; Paperback: $12.95, ISBN#: 978-1542006705)
“Elliot skillfully unravels layers of intersecting stories, each one integral to the overall story of the Mills family and their small-town secrets. Readers will want to see more from this author.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“Part budding romance, part compelling backstory, part prescient tale of racism: provocative on all fronts” – Kirkus Reviews
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE LAST SISTER (Columbia River Book #1) by Kendra
Elliot is the first book in a new romantic suspense/FBI mystery series. This
book is easily read as a standalone, but a few of the characters are carry
overs from Ms. Elliot’s Callahan & McLane series.
Twenty years ago, a family was shattered when the father was
found hanging from a tree and their home burned to the ground. The mother committed
suicide a week later, the eldest daughter disappeared and that left two small
girls with secrets that they would hide for years.
Present day. FBI Special Agents Zander Wells and Ava
Callahan are sent to investigate a double murder in a small Oregon coastal town
that is eerily similar to a twenty-year-old crime that was supposedly solved. The
tip came from Emily Mills who found the slain couple and was one of the sisters
who survived the old crime. Zander is determined to solve this double homicide,
but he is also intrigued by the old case and Emily.
As Zander and Ava investigate, the killer threatens Emily
and her relatives and then strikes again to hide his crimes past and present. Secrets
long buried need to be revealed for the past and present cases to be solved
before someone else is killed.
I was completely engrossed in all the plot threads in this
suspense. Past and present, multigenerational secrets. I like that Ms. Elliot
shows the insidious, not in-your-face racism that can infect and destroy multi-generations
and towns. Zander and Emily each deserve to find happiness and I feel they were
perfect for each other. There is no sex in this story and Zander and Emily are
very attracted to each other, but Zander waits until the case is solved.
I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for more book
in this series. There is intriguing investigation, secrets revealed, and the
start of a romance that had me turning the pages continually from beginning to “The
End”.
***
Author Biography
Kendra
Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list
multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan
& McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful
Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is
a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller
Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious
reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie
Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy
Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward
to the day she can live in flip-flops. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.
Today is my turn on the Virtual Author Book Tour for THE WATER’S FINE by Janice Coy. This is an intriguing read that is a women’s fiction story with a suspense sub-plot.
Below you will find a book description, an author Q&A, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
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Book Description
Catalina Rodrigues believes she’s living her best life,
traveling to exotic locations around the world as a scuba dive master, spending
every moment possible in her beloved ocean.
Bertie Clark is excited for a week-long scuba trip with her
husband exploring the underwater wonders of an ocean teeming with life – the
Sea of Cortez.
But a tragedy on their dive boat sends both women into uncharted
territory, questioning what they’ve always thought to be true, and fostering an
unlikely friendship. Will either trust the invitation to “come on in, the
water’s fine” again?
Water’s Fine: Suspense Novel by Janice Coy
Publisher: Independently Published (April 22, 2019) Category: Suspense, Family Fiction, Women’s Fiction Tour dates: January/February, 2020 ISBN: 9781795669047 Available in Print and ebook, 312 pages
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Author Q&A with Avonna Loves Genres
What is your favorite scene in “The
Water’s Fine?” why?
I have many favorite scenes in “The Water’s Fine,” and
I hope readers will agree. One is when Catalina and the rest of the boat crew
welcome the newest guests on board the Calypso for a week-long scuba dive trip.
Catalina believes it will be just another group of strangers to shepherd on
dives for a week, and then back to the port where the people will depart never
to be seen again. All she cares about is being assigned the more experienced
divers this time around. She doesn’t know that before the week is out her life
will be changed forever.
How long did it take you to complete “The
Water’s Fine”?
Including research, the novel took me about two years
to complete. When I’m done with the first draft, I like to set my novel aside
for a while so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. By the time I’m ready to
publish, I’ve written about seven to eight drafts, and gotten feedback from
several first readers. Even then, I must take a deep breath and let it go. Someone
said once that a novel is like a painting, even when the art is done, the
artist or writer can always find something to fix.
Where did you get the inspiration for your
cover?
One of my favorite things to do as a scuba diver is to
look back up to the water’s surface. If the water’s clear, it’s amazing to see
how deep the sun’s rays can penetrate through the layers. Twilight is
especially beautiful when the water is like liquid gold above, and already
getting shadowy below. The cover of “The Water’s Fine” is from the perspective
of a scuba diver looking back up at the surface. The bubbles are the expended
air the diver has used; the bubbles closer to the surface are open.
What draws you to this genre?
I read a lot of Fairy Tales and Nancy Drew when I was
growing up. I loved the suspense of wondering what was going to happen next.
Would Nancy solve the crime? Would the princess live up to her bargain to sleep
with the toad on her pillow? Alfred Hitchcock once said a mystery is for the
intellect while suspense is about emotion. Typically, in a mystery, the crime
happens immediately, and a detective sets about solving it. In suspense, the
protagonist only gradually becomes aware of the danger, much like a frog in a
slowly heating pot. I have a lot of fun
putting my characters in unexpected situations and discovering what they will
do next.
What writers have you drawn inspiration from?
Are there other inspirations you draw from?
As an avid reader, I enjoy reading books by authors
who are great storytellers and writers like Sue Monk Kidd, Amor Towles, Anthony
Doerr and Larry McMurtry. They all inspire me to become a better writer as do
Liane Moriarty, Kate Morton and Kristin Hannah. I also am inspired by
adventures I’ve had, the stories people tell me, and the choices people make.
While writing “The Water’s Fine,” I relied on my own week-long stay on a scuba
dive boat on the Sea of Cortez.
What book/s are you reading at present?
I just finished “A Gentleman in Moscow”; I’m starting
“The Lilac Girls” and am waiting on “What Alice Forgot.”
Are you currently working on another book?
Yes! I’m in the very rough draft stages of my sixth novel. I don’t outline, so I use the rough draft as a general outline. I didn’t know if I would have a sixth story to tell, but one day a hazy vision of the story evolved in my head. Tony Morrison said, “I always know the ending; that’s where I start.” I have a beginning and an ending. It’s how my characters will get from A to Z that’s challenging!
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
THE WATER’S FINE: A NOVEL by Janice Coy is an intriguing women’s
fiction story with a suspense sub-plot. This is a standalone book which takes
you on a journey into the love and perils of scuba diving, friendship, family
and suspense.
Catalina took off immediately after graduating college to work
as a scuba dive master. She was going to travel the world for one year, but she
is now on her sixth. She is currently on The Calypso and getting ready for a
new group of vacationers for a week-long trip. She is very pleased because her
group of six are all experienced divers.
Alberta “Bertie” and her husband Matt are looking forward to
this new experience of diving in cold water. Previously they have only gone on
warm water dives. Bertie is very outgoing and friendly, but she also comes off
as being a know-it-all because she always researches and prepares for
everything.
Catalina and Bertie hit it off. Neither has many friends and
they find they enjoy each other’s company. When a tragedy strikes that ends the
trip, the two are determined to keep in touch even long distance. Catalina
returns to San Diego to get her Masters degree and Bertie and Matt return to their
jobs in Michigan.
Bertie and Matt decide to move to San Diego. Catalina is
very happy they are on their way because strange and dangerous things have been
happening to her. Is it a just stress and/or coincidence, or is someone really trying
to hurt Catalina?
I enjoyed this fiction novel even though it does not neatly
fit into any one genre. Catalina and Bertie are both strong women going through
different life decisions in this story, but they also click as friends. Ms. Coy
gives a complete description of scuba diving including all the beauty and
danger involved that paints a picture and is not an information dump. The family
members of both women are fully fleshed and realistic. The tragedy in the first
part of the story ties into the suspense in the last third of the book. It is
easily figured out and I was not completely sure if I liked the addition of
this sub-plot, but I kept turning the pages.
Ms. Coy has written an entertaining novel and it is worth
the read.
***
Author Bio and Social Media Links
Award winning Janice Coy is the
author of five suspense novels. Her work is also published in four anthologies.
She was a finalist at the San Diego Book
Awards Association annual contest. She’s received the IndieReader Seal of Approval. A former journalist, Ms. Coy
has received several awards for her reporting including a national award for best feature story in a
community newspaper.
Ms. Coy is an advanced certified scuba diver; she’s run five
half-marathons and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. She lives in Southern California
with her husband.
“I just finished The Water’s Fine by Janice Coy which means I am must bid farewell to the characters I have become attached to and I must close the cover on a plot that kept a firm grasp on my attention and continued to surprise. The act of reading this book can cause laundry to pile up, dust to gather and dirty dishes to dry crusty because one cannot stop reading from chapter to chapter – – from scuba action, to mystery, heartache, friendship, suspense and self discovery. The author is artfully descriptive in all areas of scene and character development which draws you in and holds you! In fact, I would like to invite you to do a little scuba diving and not get wet? Slip on those fins, adjust your mask, get your regulator set and start reading The Water’s Fine.”- Kjans, Amazon
“Oh wow, what a well written book! Being someone who thinks that scuba diving is too scary to try I was drawn in by the author’s imagery. It captured all the anxiety of “breathing underwater”, the suspense of what dangerous creatures you could encounter as well as the absolute beauty and serenity you could feel while exploring the deep blue sea. I fell in love with her characters and was sucked into the mystery and suspense and enjoyed joining them on their journeys of self discovery, life and loss. I really enjoyed this book.”-Amazon Customer
Praise Smallest of Waves by Janice Coy
“Thanks to Coy’s descriptive, immersive world, the waves of Agave Beach leave a distinct impact in The Smallest of Waves. – Indie Reader
“A seaside mystery with an appealing heroine…Coy uses her beachside setting well, contrasting Agave Beach’s innocent sand castles and clueless tourists with the mysterious ocean – so foreign with its dark depths, sharks, kelp forests, and sea caves.” Kirkus Reviews
2017 Finalist San Diego Book Awards Association
***
Giveaway
This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends February 27, 2020, midnight pacific time.
I am very excited to be once again be posting for the Harlequin Romance & Women’s Fiction Blog Tour for Winter 2020.
This Feature Post and Book Review is for Rebecca Raisin’s new book THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP ON THE SEINE. It is book 2 of her “The Bookshop” series, but can easily be read as a standalone.
Below you will find an author Q&A, and excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
Q: Have you ever been to Paris? If so, what are some of your favorite Parisian things?
A: I’ve been lucky enough to go Paris four times and do a bit of exploring for the books. It’s my favourite city in the world and if I could up and move I’d do it! I love the bookshops of Paris, particularly the secondhand shops that are dusty and musty and disorderly. You never know what you’ll find and that makes it magical. If you’re in Paris find the Abbey Bookshop, it’s full to bursting with English books and it’s a treasure trove if you have time to hunt! I also love French food – who doesn’t?! My favourite place to eat is the Christian Constant bistros. He has one for every budget and they’re all glorious. If you splurge once, I highly recommend it’s there.
The Ritz is also a must-see, from Bar Hemingway to Salon Proust, it’s an experience like no other walking in the footsteps of those literary greats. Buly 1803 is the most beautiful perfume shop in all the world, it’s like stepping back in time. My favourite is the rose oil… ooh la la. And holding a special place in my heart is Point Zero Paris, the exact centre of the city and a place where magic happens – you’ll have to read the book to find out more…
Q: What authors were/are a huge influence on you as you began writing? Or Now?
A: I have always loved Maeve Binchy and Joanne Harris and the style in which they write. I love Maeve’s ability to write everyday relatable characters, and I love Joanne’s sense of whimsy. I love writing foodie books set in exotic locations and I think I probably fell in love with France through Joanne’s books, they managed to transport me fully and I must’ve reread them a hundred times by now.
Q: What’s some of your favorite novels? What are you currently reading and what’s on your TBR (to be read) list?
A: I loved Me Before You. I cried ugly, ugly tears at that. I must be a sucker for punishment because my all time favourite is The Fault in Our Stars. And also Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance. Three books that you need to read in the privacy of your own home with some cucumber slices to apply after for puffy eyes! I’m currently reading the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley, so a nice change of pace from sobbing my heart out. I love how different each sister is and how you still find common ground with them.
Q: What inspired you to write your The Little Bookshop on the Siene?
A: My love of Paris and its bookshops! And truthfully, I wangled the family there so I could do some ‘research’ which included eating my body weight in macarons and walking until I couldn’t feel my feet anymore and feeling that I was a little bit French on the inside if only the locals could see that!
Q: What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
A: I hope you do something reckless, something that scares you, jump out of that comfort zone and do that thing you’ve always dreamed of! What’s stopping you – fear, money, work, life? You can make it happen if only you take the plunge! Open yourself to new experiences and people and don’t take the taxi, walk until your feet are numb and find those lost laneways and hidden alleys and see what you find!
Q: What drew you into this particular genre?
A: I love love, but Little Bookshop is also about another kind of love, the love of a place, or a feeling…writing this genre leaves it open to interpretation and anything goes as long you tie it all up at the end in a satisfying way!
Q: If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
A: I’d sit down with bookworm Sarah and ask her what she really thought of Luiz… I am still conflicted about that thread and what I could have done but didn’t!
Q: What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
A: They’ve all been good in different ways but I’d say Facebook is my favourite. I have a great group of people who follow me there and really interact. It’s a nice place to stop and chat and they’re all really lovely. Instagram is good too. I love how creative book bloggers are with their photos, they’re very inspiring to me.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
A: I’ve said this before and it’s really this simple. Write every day. I think it was Stephen King who said writing is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets and it’s true! Carve out a time and stick to it.
Q: What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?A: I’m currently editing Aria’s Travelling Bookshop, which is about a Van Lifer who sells her wares as she explores France! (Are you detecting a pattern here!?) It’s the follow up to Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop, which was released last March. Both books are about a different way of living, about having less but gaining more as you go. I’ve loved writing Rosie and Aria!
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Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
October
With a heavy heart I placed the sign in the display window.
All books 50% off.
If things didn’t pick up soon, it would read Closing down sale. The thought alone was enough to make me shiver. The autumnal sky was awash with purples and smudges of orange, as I stepped outside to survey the display window from the sidewalk.
Star-shaped leaves crunched underfoot. I forced a smile. A sale wouldn’t hurt, and maybe it’d take the bookshop figures from the red into the black—which I so desperately needed. My rent had been hiked up. The owner of the building, a sharp-featured, silver-tongued, forty-something man, had put the pressure on me lately—to pay more, to declutter the shop, claiming the haphazard stacks of books were a fire risk. The additional rent stretched the budget to breaking level. Something had to change.
The phone shrilled, and a grin split my face. It could only be Ridge at this time of the morning. Even after being together almost a year his name still provoked a giggle. It suited him though, the veritable man mountain he was. I’d since met his mom, a sweet, well-spoken lady, who claimed in dulcet tones, that she chose his name well before his famous namesake in The Bold and the Beautiful. In fact, she was adamant about it, and said the TV character Ridge was no match for her son. I had to agree. Sure, they both had chiseled movie star cheekbones, and an intense gaze that made many a woman swoon, but my guy was more than just the sum of his parts—I loved him for his mind, as much as his clichéd six-pack, and broody hotness. And even better, he loved me for me.
He was the hero in my own real-life love story, and due back from Canada the next day. It’d been weeks since I’d seen him, and I ached for him in a way that made me blush.
I dashed inside, and answered the phone, breathlessly. “The Bookshop on the Corner.”
“That’s the voice I know and love,” he said in his rich, husky tone. My heart fluttered, picturing him at the end of the line, his jet-black hair and flirty blue eyes. He simply had to flick me a look loaded with suggestion, and I’d be jelly-legged and lovestruck.
“What are you wearing?” he said.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I held back a laugh, eager to drag it out. So far our relationship had been more long-distance than anticipated, as he flew around the world reporting on location. The stints apart left an ache in my heart, a numbness to my days. Luckily I had my books, and a sweeping romance or two helped keep the loneliness at bay.
“Tell me or I’ll be forced to Skype you and see for myself.”
Glancing down at my outfit, I grimaced: black tights, a black pencil skirt, and a pilled blue knit sweater, all as old as the hills of Ashford. Not exactly the type of answer Ridge was waiting for, or the way I wanted him to picture me, after so many weeks apart. “Those stockings you like, and…”
His voice returned with a growl. “Those stockings? With the little suspenders?”
I sat back into the chair behind the counter, fussing with my bangs. “The very same.”
He groaned. “You’re killing me. Take a photo…”
“There’s no need. If you’re good, I’ll wear the red ones tomorrow night.” I grinned wickedly. Our reunions were always passionate affairs; he was a hands-on type of guy. Lucky for him, because it took a certain type of man to drag me from the pages of my books. When he was home we didn’t surface until one of us had to go to work. Loving Ridge had been a revelation, especially in the bedroom, where he took things achingly slow, drawing out every second. I flushed with desire for him.
There was a muffled voice and the low buzz of phones ringing. Ridge mumbled to someone before saying, “About tomorrow…” He petered out, regret in each syllable.
I closed my eyes. “You’re not coming, are you?” I tried not to sigh, but it spilled out regardless. The lure of a bigger, better story was too much for him to resist, and lately the gaps between our visits grew wider. I understood his work was important, but I wanted him all to myself. A permanent fixture in the small town I lived in.
He tutted. “I’m sorry, baby. There’s a story breaking in
Indonesia, and I have to go. It’ll only be for a week or two, and then I’ll take some time off.”
Outside, leaves fluttered slowly from the oak tree, swaying softly, until they fell to the ground. I wasn’t the nagging girlfriend sort—times like this though, I was tempted to be. Ridge had said the very same thing the last three times he’d canceled a visit. But invariably someone would call and ask Ridge to head to the next location; any time off would be cut short.
“I understand,” I said, trying to keep my voice bright. Sometimes I felt like I played a never-ending waiting game. Would it always be like this? “Just so you know, I have a very hot date this afternoon.”
He gasped. “You better be talking about a fictional date.” His tone was playful, but underneath there was a touch of jealousy to it. Maybe it was just as hard on him, being apart.
“One very hot book boyfriend…though not as delectable as my real boyfriend—but a stand-in, until he returns.”
“Well, he better not keep you up half the night, or he’ll have me to answer to,” he faux threatened, and then said more seriously, “Things will slow down, Sarah. I want to be with you so much my soul hurts. But right now, while I’m freelance, I have to take whatever comes my way.”
“I know. I just feel a bit lost sometimes. Like someone’s hit pause, and I’m frozen on the spot.” I bit my lip, trying to work out how to explain it. “It’s not just missing you—I do understand about your job—it’s…everything. The bookshop sales dwindling, the rent jacked up, everyone going on about their business, while I’m still the same old Sarah.”
I’d been at this very crossroad when I’d met Ridge, and he’d swept me off my feet, like the ultimate romance hero. For a while that had been enough. After all, wasn’t love always the answer? Romance aside, life was a little stagnant, and I knew it was because of my fear of change. It wasn’t so
much that I had to step from behind the covers of my books, rather plunge, perhaps. Take life by the scruff of the neck and shake it. But how?
“You’ve had a rough few weeks. That’s all. I’ll be back soon, and I’m sure there’s something I can do to make you forget everything…”
My belly flip-flopped at the thought. He would make me forget everything that was outside that bedroom door, but then he’d leave and it would all tumble back.
What exactly was I searching for? My friends were getting married and having babies. Buying houses and redecorating. Starting businesses. My life had stalled. I was an introvert, happiest hiding in the shadows of my shop, reading romances to laze the day away, between serving the odd customer or two—yet, it wasn’t enough. In small-town Connecticut, there wasn’t a lot to do. And life here—calm, peaceful—was fine, but that’s just it, fine wasn’t enough anymore. I had this fear that life was passing me by because I was too timid to take the reins.
It was too hazy a notion of what I was trying to say, even to me. Instead of lumping Ridge with it, I changed tack. “I hope you know, you’re not leaving the house when you get home. Phones will be switched to silent, computers forgotten, and the only time we’re leaving the comfort of bed is when I need sustenance.” A good romp around the bedroom would suffice until I could pinpoint what it was that I wanted.
“How about I sort out the sustenance?” he said, his voice heavy with desire. “And then we’ll never have to leave.”
“Promises, promises,” I said, my breath hitching. I hoped this flash of longing would never wane, the sweet torture of anticipation.
“I have to go, baby. I’ll call you tonight if it’s not too late once I’m in.”
“Definitely call tonight! Otherwise, I can’t guarantee the book boyfriend won’t steal your girlfriend. He’s pretty hot, I’ll have you know.”
“Why am I jealous of a fictional character?” He laughed, a low, sexy sound. “OK, tonight. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
He hung up, leaving me dazed, and a touch lonely knowing that I wouldn’t see him the next day as planned.
I tried to shake the image of Ridge from my mind. If anyone walked in, they’d see the warm blush of my cheeks, and know exactly what I was thinking. Damn the man for being so attractive, and so effortlessly sexy.
Shortly, the sleepy town of Ashford would wake under the gauzy light of October skies. Signs would be flipped to open, stoops swept, locals would amble down the road. Some would step into the bookshop and out of the cold, and spend their morning with hands wrapped around a mug of steaming hot tea, and reading in any one of the cozy nooks around the labyrinth-like shop.
I loved having a place for customers to languish. Comfort was key, and if you had a good book and a hot drink, what else could you possibly need to make your day any brighter? Throw rugs and cushions were littered around seating areas. Coats would be swiftly hung on hooks, a chair found, knitted blankets pulled across knees, and their next hour or two spent, in the most relaxing of ways.
I wandered around the shop, feather duster in hand, tickling the covers, waking them from slumber. I’m sure as soon as my back was turned, the books wiggled and winked at one another, as if they were eager for the day to begin, for fingers of hazy sunlight to filter through and land on them like spotlights, as if saying, here’s the book for you.
Imagine if I had to close up for good, like so many other shops had in recent times? It pained me to think people were missing out on the real-life bookshop experience. Wasn’t it much better when you could step into a dimly lit space, and eke your way around searching for the right novel? You could run a fingertip along the spines, smell that glorious old book scent, flick them open, and unbend a dog-eared page. Read someone else’s notes in the margin, or a highlighted passage, and see why that sentence or metaphor had dazzled the previous owner.
Secondhand books had so much life in them. They’d lived, sometimes in many homes, or maybe just one. They’d been on airplanes, traveled to sunny beaches, or crowded into a backpack and taken high up a mountain where the air thinned.
Some had been held aloft tepid rose-scented baths, and thickened and warped with moisture. Others had childlike scrawls on the acknowledgment page, little fingers looking for a blank space to leave their mark. Then there were the pristine novels, ones that had been read carefully, bookmarks used, almost like their owner barely pried the pages open so loath were they to damage their treasure.
THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP ON THE SEINE by Rebecca Raisin is a new women’s
fiction novel that is the first book in the author’s “The Little Paris Collection”
and the second in “The Bookshop” series. This book is set in Paris during the
holiday season, but it can be enjoyed any time of the year and it can be read
as a standalone.
Small town bookshop owner Sarah Smith is feeling something
is missing from her life. She has all her books that she loves, wonderful
friends and a gorgeous, adventurous, reporter boyfriend, but she feels stagnant.
When her friend and fellow bookstore owner, Sophie offers Sarah the chance to swap
running of each other’s stores for the holidays, she jumps at the chance to be
in Paris for the holidays.
Once Upon a Time has been located on the Seine for
generations and Sophie is enchanted as well as overcome in the city of love. This
small-town American is challenged by the craziness of this new store, the
attitudes of the staff and the separation from her friends and boyfriend.
Will Sarah find the Paris she has dreamed about, or will the
reality destroy her dream?
This is a sweet story of a woman finding her strength within
to grow and blossom in new and challenging surroundings. I love Sarah and her
love of books. Sarah and Ridge’s romance is a subplot that twines in and out of
Sarah’s personal growth. The author takes her through her transition slowly,
but at a believable pace. All the secondary characters play an important role
in Sarah’s adventure and are fully fleshed characters. Paris is beautifully
described and not just the tourist attractions, but the real day-to-day jewels
to be found by those who live there and adventure off the beaten path.
This is an enjoyable read with charming characters, a love
of books and romance and the beautiful setting of Paris.
***
THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP ON THE SEINE
Author: Rebecca Raisin
ISBN: 9781335012500
Publication Date: 1/7/2020
Publisher: HQN Books
Book Summary
It’s The Holiday on the Champs-Élysées in a great big love letter to Paris, charming old bookstores and happily-ever-afters!
When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.
But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true.
***
Author Bio
Rebecca Raisin is the author of several novels, including the beloved Little Paris series and the Gingerbread Café trilogy, and her short stories have been published in various anthologies and fiction magazines. You can follow Rebecca on Facebook, and at www.rebeccaraisin.com.
