Category: Romantic Suspense

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Fatal Pattern by Kate Angelo

FATAL PATTERN

by Kate Angelo

September 14 – 25, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for FATAL PATTERN (The King Legacy Book #2) by Kate Angelo on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.

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

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Book Description

A COVERT INVESTIGATION

A stalker attacks behavioral analyst Dr. Tori Crew at knifepoint, shattering the fierce independence she’s built since her parents’ unsolved murder. Forced into an off-the-books criminal investigation, Tori must push her expertise–and her fiercely guarded heart–to the breaking point as a killer’s pattern emerges.

A LOOMING THREAT

Homicide detective Blade St. James has been Tori’s friend and protector since childhood. Haunted by his own past of parental abandonment, Blade is determined to build a stable life and find the peace that always seems just out of reach. But when Tori’s life is threatened, his guardian reflexes collide with everything he’s been trying to build.

A HIDDEN MENACE

As the conspiracy rooted in Tori’s past pulls them deeper, the boundaries of their friendship blur, and the truth neither can deny becomes impossible to ignore. Can they unmask the sophisticated serial killer before they become the final, fatal piece in the pattern?

In this gripping romantic suspense thriller, Kate Angelo delivers pulse-pounding psychological suspense and forensic investigations threaded with slow-burn romance and a heart-stopping cold case.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249031857-fatal-pattern?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2DSXG553wU&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

FATAL PATTERN (The King Legacy Book #2) by Kate Angelo is a fast-paced, emotional roller coaster of a Christian romantic suspense that delivers more answers tied to the over-arching criminal conspiracy plot from The King Legacy book #1, Girl Lost, and a new romance between two members of the previously introduced group of friends. I recommend reading book one first because of the large amount of crossover between the two books.

Dr, Tori Crew has a stalker. Detective Blade St. James has been Tori’s protector since childhood when they were taken into Stryker’s Warriors program for troubled and or delinquent children. As the stalker escalates, Tori and Blade receive information that this may all tie back to Tori’s childhood and the murder of her parents.

The conspiracy is even deeper than they imagined. Her parent’s deaths are leading them to clues that grow into a serial killer investigation and conspiracy in local law enforcement agencies that tie into organ harvesting which almost got their friends killed previously. But who can they trust, and will their discoveries lead them to the killer or their own deaths?

This second book in The King Legacy series is full of surprises and twists. The characters and the over-arching suspense plot from book one around a criminal conspiracy involved in organ harvesting keeps the plot moving with an ever-increasing sense of dread and peril. The killer’s fascination with fractals made an interesting, and to me, unique plot point. Both Tori and Blade had not only a serious investigation to solve but also had to face many of their childhood traumas to move forward and move from friendship to couple. The romance is a slow-burn romance with no sex scenes due to this being a Christian romantic suspense. The author ties the scripture verse in the preface of the story to the denouement perfectly and does not make the reader feel as if they are being preached at throughout the story. There are still more questions to be answered, and I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I highly recommend this thrilling Christian romantic suspense addition to The King Legacy series.

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Excerpt

1 

THE COLD EDGE OF THE BLADE kissed Tori Crew’s throat, drawing a rivulet of blood that began its descent down her neck. “Don’t move.” The whisper brushed against her ear. Tori tasted bile at the back of her throat, and for one horrifying  moment, she thought she might throw up. Her pulse thumped  against the knife pressed to her carotid. Each beat reverberated  through the steel and deep into her bones. 

The parking lot at the Kingdom MMA Gym stretched dark and  empty around her. It was her stupid idea to meet at 4:30 a.m., and  now here she was all alone. No witnesses. No help. 

Stryker should be here. Setting up folding chairs in a circle near  the boxing ring, brewing that industrial- strength coffee that could  wake the dead, preparing for morning Bible study with the kids  who lived in the residential program. 

But Stryker wasn’t coming. 

Stryker lay unconscious in a hospital bed, his salt-and-pepper  hair loose around his pale face instead of tied back the way he  always wore it. Some lunatic had tried to kill her mentor. One of  the greatest men she’d ever known, and now— 

The blade pressed deeper. “I said don’t move.” 

Her knees wanted to buckle, but she locked them straight.  Stryker had taught her that. Stay strong. Stay focused. The fighter in her knew what to do. Elbow to solar plexus. Heel  to instep. Grab the wrist. Twist. Three seconds and he’d be on the  ground. But he had the knife pressed just right. She couldn’t make  a move without him slicing through a major artery. One wrong  angle, and she’d bleed out before she hit the pavement. She forced her breathing to slow. Fought the adrenaline that  wanted to flood her system and make her do something stupid. Assess. Analyze. Act. 

The mantra from Krav Maga training steadied her racing  thoughts. Observe first. Plan the attack. Strike when the odds  shifted. 

“You’re bleeding.” His breath was hot against her neck. “I’ve  always liked the color of blood.” 

She cataloged details. Male. Less than six feet tall, based on the  angle of the knife. Maybe 5′9″. Right-handed. Gloves. No discern able accent. No alcohol on his breath. Not impulsive. Calculated.  Educated. 

He drew in a breath. “Such a pretty shade of red, don’t you  think?” 

“Who . . . who are you?” She worked to keep her voice steady  despite the tremors threatening to overtake her body. “I’m the one who watches. I’m your . . . shadow. A part of you.”  His free hand clamped around her chest, crushing her arms against  her ribs. The blade pressed deeper, stealing her breath. “You’ve  been busy. Two new cases, six trips to the gym, and you changed  your coffee order to vanilla instead of caramel.” 

Her stalker. The one who’d been leaving notes on her car.  The one who’d been calling and hanging up. The one the police  wouldn’t pursue because the “non- violent harassment” apparently didn’t meet the threshold for a credible threat. 

He’d been watching everything. 

Her stomach twisted, not with fear— she could handle fear—

but with fury. “You think that makes you powerful? It makes you  pathetic.” 

The knife pressed deeper. Not enough to do serious damage, but  enough to elicit another drop of blood. His gloved finger caught the droplet sliding down her neck, then traced it back up to the  wound. 

“Ah. We mustn’t lose too much. Not yet.” 

She analyzed his posture. The way he held the knife. How his  chest rose and fell against her back. “What do you want?” “To show you that I can kill you anytime I want.” His laugh was  soft, almost tender. “This is just the beginning, Dr. Crew. I’m not  done toying with you yet.” 

Fight instinct coiled through her muscles, but her mind weighed  the odds again and overrode them. Information. Get information. Every criminal had a pattern, a motivation. Understanding him  meant catching him. And catching him meant ending this night mare. 

She strained her eyes to the right, trying to catch even a sliver  of his face in her peripheral vision. “Why me?” 

“Because you think you understand the darkness,” he said. “But  you don’t. Not like I do.” 

A pair of headlights sliced through the blackness, white light  stabbing her retinas. The blade lifted from her throat. She spun, fist cocked for a power jab at his face, but she only  struck air. Gone. The coward had melted into the shadows along  the wall, black clothing swallowed by the darkness as he disap peared into the alley beyond. Her chance—blown. She could have  ended this right here, right now. Could have put him down and  dragged answers out of him. Instead, she was standing here bleeding while he slipped away like the roach he was. 

A car screeched to a halt beside her. The driver’s door flew open.  Detective Blade St. James erupted from his unmarked Charger  with his hand on his holstered weapon. “Tori? You okay?” Her fingers went to her throat and came away sticky with blood. She stared at the crimson smear. A savage anger bubbled  up inside her chest. He’d touched her. Cut her. And vanished  like smoke. 

“What the—” Blade’s eyes widened at her blood- slick fingertips.  “You’re bleeding.” 

“It’s just a scratch.” Her knees felt shaky. She’d had every skill  and training to handle situations exactly like this, and she’d let the  stalker get the drop on her. 

“What happened? Who was that?” 

“My stalker.” She pressed the cut to stem the bleeding. “Stalker?” His voice rose in disbelief. “What stalker? Since  when do you have a stalker?” 

“Three weeks, give or take.” A crimson droplet had dropped on  her knuckle. Perfect. Round. Like a bead of glass. “I’ve always liked the color of blood.” 

Ice slid through her veins. 

“And you didn’t think to mention this?” Blade had his phone  out. “We need to call this in. Get you to a hospital.” “No.” She caught his wrist. “The locals are aware, but you know  stalker cases. Nothing they can do.” 

“Tori, he had a knife to your throat.” His voice ticked up. “That’s  attempted murder.” 

“It’s not that simple.” 

“It is that simple. Let’s do this right. Get an officer out here.  Take your statement, photos, dust for prints, canvass witnesses—” “There are no witnesses at four thirty in the morning!” She  swept her arm toward the deserted street and empty parking lot.  “And he wore gloves, so no prints. We’ve got nothing.” “All the more reason to report it. You say this guy’s been watch ing you for weeks, and now he’s crossed the line to physical assault.  He’s escalating.” 

“You think I don’t know that?” She dropped her hand from the  cut and stormed over to Blade’s car.

***

Author Bio

Kate Angelo is the Publishers Weekly bestselling author of Hunting the Witness, Selah Award winner of Deadly Holiday Hijack, and Amazon Top 100 bestseller of Driving Force. Kate works alongside her husband championing stronger marriages and families. Her journey from foster care to bestselling author fuels her fast-paced romantic suspense, where flawed characters discover hope and healing through life’s fiercest trials and relationships. When she’s not putting fictional people through the wringer, she’s out creating real-life happily-ever-afters at conferences and events nationwide.

Social Media Links

KateAngelo.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @kateangeloauthor
BookBub – @kateangeloauthor
Instagram – @kateangeloauthor
Facebook – Kate Angelo- Author

Purchase Links

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PICT GIVEAWAY

https://pictbooks.tours/gcp3A3wQ

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Covert Security, Colton’s Private Security & Twins for the Cowboy Dad by Lisa Childs

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Book Description – Covert Security

His past came with a reputation

Saving her would redefine his future

Hell has frozen over! Because Viktor Lagransky, the son of a former mafia assassin, is the only person who believes officer Sheila Carlson’s ambush was orchestrated by one of her police colleagues. Viktor is trying to be the best bodyguard the Payne Protection Agency has ever seen—even if the stubborn cop doubts his true motives. But when her questions about her dad’s unsolved murder lead to a new string of attacks against her, she has no choice but to trust the former bad boy she’s always been attracted to. If only her attacker—and Viktor’s own family secrets—didn’t threaten their unexpected partnership.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Covert Security has Viktor Lagransky, the son of a former mafia assassin, as the only person who believes officer Sheila Carlson’s ambush was orchestrated by one of her police colleagues. Viktor is trying to be the best bodyguard the Payne Protection Agency has ever seen—even if the stubborn cop doubts his true motives. But when her questions about her dad’s unsolved murder leads to a new string of attacks against her, she has no choice but to trust the former bad boy she’s always been attracted to.

***

Book Description – Colton’s Private Security

He let her go once.

He won’t lose her now.

Since he left the military, Mark Colton’s work as a bodyguard has satisfied his need for travel and adventure. He’s on a rare visit back home when a dangerous criminal takes a nurse hostage. That nurse is Cassidy Garner, his high school sweetheart, and seeing her in the grasp of an armed villain makes his well-honed instincts kick in. After this close call, he’s determined to keep her safe—even if that means ignoring the once-in-a-lifetime attraction they both still feel. But what if it’s his past that’s putting her in danger?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Colton’s Private Security has military veteran Mark Colton working as a body guard, which has satisfied his need for travel and adventure. He’s on a rare visit back home when a dangerous criminal takes a nurse hostage. That nurse is Cassidy Garner, his high school sweetheart, and seeing her in the grasp of an armed villain makes his well-honed instincts kick in. After this close call, he’s determined to keep her safe—even if that means ignoring the once-in-a-lifetime attraction they both still feel. But what if it’s his past that’s putting her in danger?

***

Book Description – Twins for the Cowboy Dad

Cowboy bachelor today…

Father of two tomorrow?

Pregnant with twins, newly single Trish Dempsey hopes for a fresh start at her late father’s ranch. Trish wants to turn Four Corners into a home for her and her children, as well as a new business. There’s just one catch—Brett Lemmon and his brothers already live there, and she’ll have to convince them to go along with her plan. Rugged and hardworking, Brett is the most stubborn—and the most attractive. He put everything he had into making Four Corners a working ranch. Now he must compromise with the frustrating and beautiful Trish. The more time they spend together, the more he realizes that the real threat she poses is to his bachelor status!

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Elise’s Thoughts

Twins For the Cowboy Dad has Trish coming back to the ranch after her father’s passing, having just gone through a messy divorce. Not only did Trish come back to the ranch, she came back pregnant with twins. She had a lot of ideas on how things should be done at the ranch. Brett Lemmon and his brothers already live there, and she’ll have to convince them to go along with her plan. This was not only a romance, but there’s a mystery involved.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the book, Covert Security?

Lisa Childs: I loved writing the main characters banter. I thought of the movie “Moonlighting” with Bruce Willis and Sybil Shepherd, where they had that kind of quick, quick, witty banter. I loved that dynamic which was from the other books, and it was just like they needed their own story. The male lead, Viktor, whose dad was a hit man. He was just this terrible person. So, yeah, I wanted Viktor to get his happily ever after, for sure.

EC: How would you describe Sheila?

LC: Ambitious, tough, vulnerable, intimidating, fearless, snarky, funny, sexy, and stubborn. She has a rap as being ambitious, but she’s also on a mission to find out what happened to her dad, with people saying he was corrupt. She isn’t necessarily on a mission to prove his innocence, but to find out who killed him and the truth about his career. This has been what’s driving her more than any advancement of her career. 

EC: How would you describe Viktor?

LC: Protective, charming, and funny. 

EC: What about their relationship?

LC: There’s just that attraction between them. They’re the misfit toys, and so, they just have that cute attraction yet, he’s everything she doesn’t trust. He comes from this horrible upbringing. She’s accepted that these people have had these horrible upbringings, and wonders if they want to change, or are they capable of change.  They’re very good people but just had horrible circumstances.

EC: Colton’s Private Security, how did you get the idea for this book?

LC: There are a bunch of authors who write stories. We’re given what’s called the Bible, we’re getting called the Bible, which is a plot outline. I was given to write about a bodyguard, because I’ve written a few of them. You have points in the story that you must know about the other stories that you have to put in there.

EC: How would you describe Mark?

LC: He’s former military, so, he’s got that rigid military upbringing. He’s always kind of had the wanderlust. That’s why he didn’t want to stay in the hometown. He wanted to travel. He likes traveling and wanderers. To a certain extent he has PTSD but I think he’s aware of it, and he’s found ways to cope.

EC: How would you describe Cassidy?

LC: Very nurturing, very solid, and dependable, but unyielding and stubborn. She just wants to help her sister and raise her nephews and take care of her patients. Just a very good person.

EC: What about their relationship?

LC: We know that he broke her heart in high school, and she’s resentful of that. I don’t think she trusts him with her heart. And she doesn’t want to wind up like her sister, who lost her husband and has been struggling.

EC:  How did you get the idea for Twins for the Cowboy Dad?

LC: I loved that Brett was as the oldest brother, one of my favorite characters, because he always took on so much responsibility, even when he didn’t want to. I loved that about him. I loved his personality from the other stories. Regarding Trish, I always had an idea in my head of who she was and how much family meant to her. My dad’s a twin, so that’s why I do twins so often in my stories.

EC: How would you describe Trish?

LC: She’s just a very sweet person. She kind of reminds me of my mom’s personality where family meant everything to her. She had that nurturing personality, and she wanted the family she never really got to have.

EC: How would you describe Brett?

LC: He was also a nurturer like Trish and family meant everything to him.

EC: What about the relationship?

LC: He was very forgiving when she wasn’t there. He was best friends with her dad. So, losing her dad was hard for him. Once he met her and understood her reasons, they were able to overcome that conflict. And suddenly, she’s got twins on the way. So that was quite a leap for him to be able to take on that responsibility, but he fell for her, and he fell for them.

EC: Next books?

LC: Next April, my first cozy mystery comes out. I used to have rental properties that we rented out in Michigan. The female lead has a bookstore in this big building, and she has rental units in it, and one of her guests is found dead. So that’s the whole setup of that book. Its titled Lake Michigan Murder Mystery. I have done thrillers and intrigues, but this is the first cozy, so I’m super excited about it.

In “The Covert Security series,” the next book will be Sylvie’s story and comes out in February. It is titled, Her Secret Security.

THANK YOU!!

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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.

Book Blast/Feature Post and Book Review: Shadow of Betrayal by Blaire Morgan

SHADOW OF BETRAYAL

by Blaire Morgan

June 8-12, 2026 Book Blast

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SHADOW OF BETRAYAL (Kyndall Family Suspense Series Book #2) by Blaire Morgan on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Blast.

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

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Book Description

In this chilling romantic suspense, U.S. Marshals investigator Heather York stumbles into danger at a Maine lakeside lodge, with Jordan Kyndall’s protective instincts as her only hope.

A woman hunted by corruption.

Heather York thought her life was ordinary—until a sudden threat pulls her into a deadly game. In Shadow of Betrayal, she’s forced to question whether she’s a target—or collateral damage.

A man who won’t walk away.

Jordan Kyndall planned a weekend celebrating his college roommate’s wedding. Instead, he finds a grisly scene in the woods—a woman’s lifeless body—and a surge of protective instinct binds him to Heather in ways he never expected.

A danger that could destroy them both.

As threats multiply and secrets surface, Heather and Jordan must navigate corruption, desire, and deadly stakes—trusting each other may be the only way to survive.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249740217-shadow-of-betrayal?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=j2oSDInlix&rank=1

Shadow of Betrayal

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Blaire Morgan Books
Publication Date: June 8, 2026
Series: Kyndall Family Suspense Series, Book 2

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SHADOW OF BETRAYAL (Kyndall Family Suspense Series Book #2) by Blaire Morgan is an exciting second romantic suspense in the Kyndall Family Suspense series. I would suggest reading book one, Witness in the Shadows, first because while the romance plot and suspense plot are complete in each book, there are a lot of family character crossover and history from the first book in this second book.

U.S. Marshal investigator Heather York is to be the maid-of-honor in her best friend’s wedding in a beautiful Maine lodge in the woods. When she and another friend at the wedding go in search of their other friend who is going to miss the rehearsal, they are attacked.

Jordan Kyndall is in Maine for the wedding of his college roommate. He is instantly taken with the red-headed maid-of-honor and hopes to get to know her better. When he goes in search of the missing women, he discovers a horrific scene. One woman is near death and Heather is unconscious. Jordan’s protective instincts are awakened, and he refuses to leave her side until the danger is identified.

Jordan and Heather work together to discover if Heather is the target or just a part of a random crime. The threats multiply and they are being chased and attempting to stay ahead of the danger until they discover why Heather is being targeted. They need to learn to trust and rely on each other if they are going to survive.

This is a romantic suspense plot with plenty of action and many plot twists that leave you guessing throughout. Jordan is a great hero that you would want as your protector. His previous military service and wilderness training made him perfect for the job. I also love his love and connection to his family. I had a few problems though with Heather as the heroine. She is a U.S. Marshal investigator and she is intelligent, and while she works in the office only on warrants, she uses that as an excuse for no type of physical or police training. I believe she should have had more training to even have that job and make her character realistic.  I also did not like how she continued to go back and forth on trying to get rid of Jordan through almost the entire story, while she had no physical skills of her own, whether she was worried for his safety of not. Even with these small points, they work well together as a couple.

Overall, it is an enjoyable, action-packed addition to this series, and I look forward to hopefully reading the other brothers’ stories.

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Excerpt

Prologue

The drive to the dingy bar outside of the city had been rough when the directions led him down a series of dirt roads before reaching what managed to loosely be called civilization. The bell above the door chimed a dull sound, barely registering his presence. He shook his rain-soaked umbrella, drawing a few curious glances his way before the three men at the bar decided their cold beer and stale peanuts were more interesting than him. 

The bartender, a man in his late fifties with a marine tattoo on a bicep, asked him if he wanted anything. Though kind, if the bartender had offered him a bottle of the Alps’ finest water, he wouldn’t accept—not in a place like this—but he was trying to blend in. 

“Whatever is on tap,” he said, and found a table in a back corner. 

Although he had no intention of staying longer than necessary, the location offered him anonymity. The front door, with its surprisingly clean window, opened and brought with it a strong wind and his associate. The new arrival scanned the room, nodded at the others, and crossed the dark bar. 

“You’re late.” 

“I’m here now. You have something for me, Hewitt?” 

He’d made a mistake giving the man a name, even if it wouldn’t lead back to him. They’d agreed not to use names, not here, not ever. He removed a black, zippered deposit bag from the inside pocket of his rain slicker and slid it across the table. 

The man across from him chuckled and unzipped the bag. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Hewitt asked, his whisper a low hiss. He quieted when the bartender set a beer in front of him. 

His associate raised an eyebrow and continued to wear his smile. “You’ve seen too many movies.” He closed the bag and leaned forward. “Do you honestly think anyone here cares who you are or what you’re doing? At least you dressed for the occasion—kind of.” 

Hewitt stared at the man across from him, confident that despite his off-balanced behavior at times, he’d get the job done. History had proven he was capable, if not entirely trustworthy, and willing to do anything—for a price. 

“You’re forgetting something,” he said. 

Hewitt hated this man. “It’s in the bag.” 

Another chuckle. “In the bag, I like that.” He pulled the colored photograph from the deposit bag and studied the image. “How’d you find me?” 

“Does it matter?” 

“I like to know what I’m getting into.” 

Hewitt studied him, unsure now of his idea but knowing he had to move forward. “All you need to know is I can make your other . . . inconvenience go away.” 

“And what might that be?” 

Hewitt pulled a folded sheet of paper from his inside breast pocket and slid it across the table. 

“I’m not sure I believe you.” 

“You know who I work for?” Hewitt asked.

“I checked it out.”

“Then you know I can do what I say,” Hewitt said, growing impatient. “Will it be a problem?”  

“No, no problem.” Instead of returning the picture to the bag, he slipped it into the pocket of his dark, denim shirt. “You going to drink this?” he asked before he lifted Hewitt’s beer and drank deeply. 

From Chapter One

Jordan eased the rented SUV into the graveled parking lot of the lakeside lodge. Nestled in the thick pine forest surrounding Moosehead Lake, the Highlands Lodge reminded him of the fishing camp his family frequented in Alaska. 

He stepped out and walked around to the back of the vehicle, breathing in the fresh northern air. Though nothing like his hometown of Stewart Crossing, which was tucked away on a remote Alaskan bay, Moose Creek, Maine, was a pleasant escape from the spring heat of North Carolina, where he operated the main branch of Eagle Wilderness Journeys. 

The parking lot was empty, but he heard voices coming from the back of the lodge, laughter carrying through the trees and echoing over the water. Adam, his college roommate and the reason Jordan trekked up north, ambled across the gravel and pulled Jordan into a big hug. Considering Adam stood four inches shorter than Jordan and weighed thirty pounds less, it wasn’t easy. 

“Dang, it’s good to see you.” 

Jordan returned the amiable smile. “You look happy.” 

“Wait till you meet her.” Adam opened the back of the SUV and lifted the duffel out before Jordan objected. “You’re going to love her. I mean, whoever thought I’d ever be monogamous.” 

Jordan laughed, closed the back door, and followed Adam to the lodge. “If I recall, you didn’t know the meaning of the word throughout our senior year.” 

“Well, yeah, but could you blame me?” Adam led him around the corner of the lodge and stopped. “Wait, there she is.” 

Adam had described her perfectly. Girl-next-door pretty and fresh off the cheerleading squad, Grace was only a year younger than his friend. Her pale, blond curls bounced as she walked on long legs across the lawn. “She’s something all right. I wouldn’t have expected—”

It wasn’t often when life’s unexpected moments stunned Jordan into silence or immobilized him, but none stopped his breath quite like his first glimpse of the woman standing next to Adam’s fiancée. 

“Who is she?” 

“It’s Grace, man, who do you think . . . Ah.” Adam nudged Jordan’s ribs with his elbow and laughed. “That’s Heather, Grace’s maid of honor.” 

Jordan didn’t want to use the word “dumbstruck,” but at the moment, he couldn’t formulate another. His sister would have called him “twitterpated” and normally he would put her in a headlock until she cried “mercy” and take it back, but it had been a long time since she’d had cause to tease him about a girl. 

“Hey, buddy, close your mouth before you drool.” 

Jordan wiped his mouth before he realized Adam was messing with him. “Don’t forget, I can still kick your golf-playing butt from here to next Tuesday.” 

“Why don’t I introduce you instead, and then you can owe me one.”

***

Social Media Links

www.blairemorgan.com
Amazon Author Profile
BookBub – @blairemorganbooks1
YouTube – @blairemorganbooks

Purchase Links

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PICT GIVEAWAY

https://pictbooks.tours/1TaaAePK

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Cold Silence by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for COLD SILENCE (Silence Series Book #4) by Freya Barker on this Buoni Amici Press Release Blitz.

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

Book Blurb

Single motherhood to two teenage boys turns out to be far more challenging for Tessa Androtti than her brand-new job as detective for the Edwards County Sheriff’s Department. Especially, when the younger of her sons is keeping her up at night. Not only was the move from the big city supposed to give her a chance to build a new life away from lingering memories, but she had hoped it would be a positive change for her youngest, Remi.

However, just when she’s up to her eyeballs working on a recent violent murder, Remi gets himself into trouble again.

Trouble that appears to be connected to her investigation.

Lifetime resident of Silence, Clem Tanek, couldn’t be more surprised to find one of the new, pretty detective’s sons trespassing and stealing property from behind his auto repair shop. Despite his social awkwardness when interacting with the boy’s mother a few months ago, Clem can handle her kid just fine. Remi’s skills and interest in vehicles provide an opportunity to try and get the kid back onto the right track, without involving law enforcement. It also offers Clem a second chance with the new detective, hoping to make up for that disastrous first encounter.

But their path isn’t an easy one. Both have significant baggage, as one would expect from lives already half lived, and adapting to change can be a challenge. Particularly, when dealing with teenagers which, in this case, means wading into dangerous waters for both Tessa and Clem.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246846068-cold-silence?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PtWPeIRmyA&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

COLD SILENCE (Silence Book #4) by Freya Barker is another wonderful addition to the small-town romantic suspense Silence book series. While there is some character crossover between the small-town characters, each book has a complete romance HEA and self-contained suspense/crime plot so they can be read as standalones. The entire series is excellent, and I enjoyed reading them in order of publication.

Tessa Androtti is the newest detective in Silence working for the county Sheriff Department. After a bad divorce, she is hoping to create a new and happier life for her two teenage boys. Her eldest, Linc, is heavily into sports and easy-going and adapts easily from large town to small town life. Remi is two years younger, moody, not happy about the move, and he is making sure his mother knows how he feels. When Tessa is drawn into a teen’s murder investigation, she does not realize how close to home the danger is lurking.

Clem Tanek owns the only car repair business in Silence. He has been into cars since working with his father and wants to do nothing else. He has both his repair shop and home in the old fire department building and is happy with his friends and uncomplicated life believing having a family has passed him by. When he hears a noise coming from behind his shop at night, he investigates and discovers Remi stealing catalytic converters from cars in the lot. Clem discovers Remi has a love of cars, too, and he reminds him of himself at that age, so he makes a deal to have him work part-time at the garage in exchange for not turning him in, but he knows Remi is keeping secrets. Clem knows he will have to deal with Tessa, but he does not consider that a hardship.

As the chemistry between Clem and Tessa heats up, so does the danger from the people Remi has gotten himself entangled with.

This is an endearing romance with two mature people; one who has endured an abusive relationship and one who believes that finding a partner has passed him by. They come together to form a great couple. The romance plot progresses at a believable rate while both also think of how it will affect the boys.  Tessa’s sons are fully developed in their differences, and I loved that even when Remi was being his moody self, he was still protective of his mother. The sex scenes are explicit and hot but also have the emotions that go with them. The suspense/crime plot felt realistic and builds with an ever-increasing sense of jeopardy to a conclusion with an unexpected twist.

I highly recommend this romantic suspense and all the books in this series.

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills, and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

For the latest news and updates on books and upcoming releases, you can subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.freyabarker.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freyabarker.writes/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/cold-silence-by-freya-barker

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: You Can Tell Me by Melinda Leigh

Book Description

On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up—not today.

Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.

It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap?

***

Elise’s Thoughts

You Can Tell Me by Melinda Leigh features Olivia Cruz. Fans might remember her from the Morgan Dane series. This story plays off what happens to Olivia in Save Your Breath.

On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up, especially not on the day of that horrific event.

Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.

It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past.

While going to a coffee shop with her niece, Olivia is attacked. But with the help of her niece, Nicki, she thwarts the attacker. Now Nicki demands to join the search for Zoe. The two soon decide that the most likely suspects to have plotted an abduction are those close to Jennifer Hamilton or Evan Brown, the two long-dead victims Zoe had been researching as possible subjects for future seasons.

Olivia also get help from her PI boyfriend Sharp Lincoln, who insists on being involved in the case. Since he is the partner of Morgan Dane’s husband, Lance, they are also brought into the story to help find what happened to Zoe.

Readers will enjoy this first in the series and will yearn for the next book that is sure to have another heartbreaking drama, a suspenseful story, and gripping characters. The exploration of secrets and trust along with the pacing heightens the tension.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Why this new series?

Melinda Leigh: It is refreshing for me. I have written police procedurals and law books for the last sixteen books, either Morgan Dane or Bree Taggert. I think with this series I went outside the box. My publisher asked me to write something new, and I immediately thought of Olivia from the Morgan Dane books. She is in books 4, 5, and in 6 plays a significant role.

Writing a series enables me to challenge my protagonists over a long period of time. They can adapt and grow.

EC: Idea for this story?

ML: I wanted to tie it with her experiences the last time she was on the page. Basing a series on a true crime writer, Olivia, gives me more flexibility.

EC: How would you describe Olivia?

ML: She is spunky, bold, and a little different from my other female characters. She is steady, methodical, competitive as the auntie, confident, very smart, and short in statue.

EC: Zoe was a true crime podcaster?

ML: A lot of true crime podcasts are cold cases. They take years of investigations and boil down into about six episodes. With fiction, people can get involved with the characters whereas true crime focuses on the crime. The way I write is to create the plot around the characters, deciding what the characters will experience to get the emotional hit. Most of my books take place over a short period of time, about four or five days. Zoe, one of the main characters, was a true crime podcaster. She was impulsive, punctual, not tidy, loyal, and someone who compartmentalizes.

EC: Did you speak with people who was traumatized?

ML: I have in the past talked to victims who were traumatized, although I did not do it for this story. I do read a lot of memoirs. They are great resources for what happens to someone and their emotional response to it.

EC: How would you describe Nicki, the niece of Olivia?

ML: She is a lot like Olivia. She is a typical Gen-Z. I drew her character from my youngest son and my nieces, although not all her personality. She is arrogant, can be self-centered, stubborn, improvising, independent, and tech savvy. She is very funny.

EC: How did you come up with the date rape drug scene that had Nicki replaying what Olivia told her?

ML: That really happened. I have read cases where even though women are vigilant about their drinks the bartenders or other people have doctored drinks before it gets to the table. I tell my nieces to order cans so they can open them. Go out with a friend and have them watch each other’s backs. It is sad that we must do this.

EC: Do you think Nicki is a lot like Olivia?

ML: They are both bold, outgoing, and fearless.

EC: How would you describe Sharp Lincoln, the male lead?

ML: He is Olivia’s boyfriend who is a PI. He has zero tolerance for people who commit crimes. He sees things black and white. He is tough, a mother hen, and protective.

ML: Morgan Dane has a cameo appearance?

EC: They are all part of the same world as Olivia. I do not see how I cannot have them show up. Lance is Sharp’s partner. They all work together. Morgan shares an office with Lance and Sharp. They will interact and run into each other. Morgan will be in more of the books but regarding how much will depend on the storyline. Lance will also probably be in more of the books.

EC: Of course, a Melinda Leigh novel must have a dog in the story. Correct?

ML: Yes-this one has Chewy, a border collie. I had that breed as a child, and I believe the border collie ate our basement door. She was a dog my parents found. This breed needs a lot of physical and mental exercise or they become destructive. I named Chewy because Olivia and Sharp are Star War fans, a play on the name.

EC: Next book(s)?

ML: I will be writing more Bree Taggert books. The eleventh in the series will come out next January. The title is Kill for Her. It is about a gruesome double murder that exposes the secrets of the dead. The next Olivia book is titled I Know Your Secret and will release in September in 2027. It will have secrets and probably someone will be dead. Nicki, Sharp, and Chewy will be in it. I will alternate the two books, writing one every eight months.

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Raging Waters by Dana Mentink

Book Description

When Mackenzie Bardine’s brother Aaron was murdered in a drug deal gone wrong, she started a true crime podcast dedicated to exposing “Bullseye,” the drug kingpin responsible. But her protective heart has never let go of the blame she places on herself and Aaron’s best friend, Gideon Landry. On the run to the wilds of Washington to chase a recent lead, she meets none other than Gideon himself.

While conducting a wilderness survival class in remote Washington, Gideon never expected to cross paths with Mackenzie, and he’s certainly not interested in helping her after he’s already declined to participate in her vigilante podcasting. He carries a mountain of guilt about Aaron’s fatal choices, but not for the reasons Mackenzie suspects.

As killers begin to circle Mackenzie like sharks, it’s clear to Gideon she’s in over her head, and in light of his troubled past with her brother, he can’t bring himself to ignore her perilous situation. Then a flood threatens the town, turning their investigation into a race to escape the raging waters and the wrath of a powerful kingpin who wants to sink them both.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The plot for Raging Waters, by Dana Mentink, comes right out of the headlines. A major role in the book is the Air Force SERE tactics. In the news recently the Air Force Colonel who had to eject from his F-15 fighter jet over Iran had to avoid the Iranians who had put a bounty on his head. To avoid the enemy, he used the SERE training. This book’s plot has the hero and heroine trying to evade capture by the enemy, Bullseye, a drug kingpin, by using SERE tactics.  

The book starts out with Mackenzie Bardine (Zee) haunted by the murder of her brother Aaron. Determined to bring the man responsible to light, she pours her heart into a true crime podcast focused on exposing the mysterious drug kingpin known as “Bullseye. She had not forgiven herself or her brother’s best friend, Gideon Landry, for not doing more to help her brother.  

A lead on Bullseye’s identity brings Mackenzie to the remote Washington State town of Oakleaf. There she encounters Gideon, an Air Force SERE instructor, who works in the community. He realizes that Zee is over her head in finding her brother’s killers and decides to help her. This ruthless drug kingpin is intent on destroying them and has people everywhere, making it hard for Gideon and Zee to know who to trust.  It becomes a cat and mouse game where they are after Bullseye who has hired minions to find and kill them.  In addition to having to use SERE tactics to escape Bullseye they must find safety against torrential rains, raging waters, and a dam that is about to break. 

The action in the book is non-stop creating relentless tension. Combining the threat from dangerous enemies and the natural disasters makes for a gripping read. There is heart-stopping danger with twists and turns that leads to a stormy ending. 

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Do you like writing books where the setting becomes a character? 

Dana Mentink: This is my favorite type of story. I think nature is marvelous and terrifying, where it pits the characters versus the environment. My first book involved a volcano. This series books are about surviving the environment. They are wilderness survival stories. I have a fear of water in general and like to write about what scares me.  There is nothing scarier than being trapped in a small town with a failing dam. Besides the dam this story had rain, a chilling river, and the flood from a dam breaking with a major current. It seemed like the perfect place to set a suspense idea.  

EC: Did SERE play an important role in the book? 

DM: It stands for survive, evade, resist, and escape. It is the Air Force survival training where the protagonist is an instructor. It comes in real handy. It is an intense program where they learn cagey skills. I found true testimonies of people who experienced being lost. Makes for a great hero where someone knows what to do.  

EC: Can you explain the book quote, “Fix it, don’t film it”?  

DM: After a disaster there are all these videos.  It occurred to me, ‘why don’t you just put down the phone and go help that person.’ People have become too enamored with social media they forget it is really life.  

EC: Can you describe Zee? 

DM:  Zee is angry, believes the ends justify the means, can be reckless, audacious, stubborn, gritty, determined, charismatic, vulnerable, and a true crime podcaster crusader.  

EC: What about Gideon? 

DM: He is sarcastic, smart, savvy, clever, a warrior, and believes people should not terrorize others. In the beginning of the book, he has no filters. 

EC: What is the role of Aaron, Zee’s brother? 

DM: He shattered lives, never grew up, and did not believe there were consequences to his actions. He does not take responsibility. Zee stopped living her life to get revenge for his murder. She also must come to grips with the image she had of her brother and who he really was. It is difficult for her to accept it. 

EC: What about Zee and Gideon? 

DM: He felt she was not trustworthy. At a younger age she had a crush on him when he was her brother’s best friend. Now she blames him for not helping her brother. While in some ways he blames himself. She does not want him around because he is a reminder of Aaron. There is a lot of guilt to be resolved. She also has guilt because of a blindness to some things about him, feeling she could have prevented his murder if she was more insightful.  

EC: How would you describe the bad guy, Bullseye? 

DM:  Evil, manipulative, controlling, powerful, vengeful, enjoys using fear, violent, and a stone-cold killer.  

EC:  What about your next books? 

DM: It will be the first in a new series, titled Hidden America. It is about a TV scout media team checking out locations for the TV show called “Hidden America.” It is a show about abandoned places. It will come out probably next spring.  

Another book will be a historical cozy mystery coming out in September. It is titled Murders in the Marquee.  It is the first book in a series.  It is set in a San Francisco luxury hotel in 1905 called the Marquee. It has three unlikely crime solvers. 

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.