Today is my turn on the Virtual Author Book Tour for this new Amateur Sleuth Mystery. I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for MIRANDA AND THE D-DAY CAPER by Shelly Frome.
Below you will find an interview with the author, a book description, my book review and the author’s bio. Enjoy!
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Author Interview
Interview with Avonna Loves Genres
What would you say inspired you to write it?
At a certain point, given the partisan nature of today’s political scene and all the tribal bickering, I began to get deeply nostalgic for yesteryear and small town American when virtues like decency and honesty seemed to be shared by all and you could engage in a lost cause with all your heart.
What was the source of inspiration for your protagonist? What about your antagonist?
My protagonist Miranda was inspired by my realty broker down here in the Blue Ridge who seems to be both highly practical and, at times, tomboyish and adventuresome. I thought she’d make a compelling amateur small town detective.
As for my antagonist, the subject of one of my profiles for the local paper was a cool, boyish looking folksinger/songwriter. With a little stretch of the imagination I thought he’d make a great backwoods sociopath who found causing havoc a great deal of fun.
What’s the longest time you’ve spent working on a project?
My work on my book on The Actors Studio took a number of years. It first started out as a graduate thesis. Then a TV show called “Inside the Actors Studio” came along which took place nowhere near the iconic studio on West Forty-fourth Street. And so I went back and interviewed many prominent figures from the real Studio, organized my notes and photos and spent well over another year putting it all together.
Would you say becoming an author has changed you? In what way?
I no longer feel I have to perform or entertain people or hold their interest. I can take my time getting lost in my work and allow my characters to fully come to life without constantly having to live up to other people’s expectations.
How do you deal with bad reviews or acid criticism? What would you advise other authors to that effect?
Someone once told me that you really haven’t taken the plunge and risked everything until someone comes along and vilifies your published book. Which is fine as long as there are five star reviews to balance the picture. However, if there are only one and two star reviews, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and come to terms. If you had no editorial input in the first place, then the tale either wasn’t ready or hadn’t a chance to please anyone but yourself.
Is this title part of a series? Without giving us spoilers, of course, what can we expect from the next books in the series?
The previous book is called Moon Games, Miranda’s first adventure. At this point in time, I think she can rest on her laurels. I’d hate to put her through all this again unless some pressing need presents itself.
What do you have stored for us in the future? What are you working on/planning on next, aside this title/series?
I’m deep in the throes of a crime story with the working title Shadow of the Gypsy. It’s a much deeper venture, perhaps even partly highly personal and I have no idea of its commercial potential or marketability.
Full Disclosure
If you could choose to be someone else for just one day, it would be… ?
Robert Redford. I’d love to know what it feels like to have been so cool and handsome that everything comes easily to you and you can have the pick of projects, meet up with members of the industry you admire both here and abroad, and go anywhere and do anything your heart desires.
If a character from any book could become real and you could spend a day with them, it would be… from the book… ?
Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon, hanging around the streets of old San Francisco, meeting all kinds of colorful and shady characters, having the license to delve anywhere on the mean streets and fashionable enclaves.
The best thing in your life is… ?
No longer having anything I have to prove.
***
Book Description
A modern day mystery with WWII tactics, old-time heroes and values, and the efforts of two amateur cousin sleuths from the Heartland.
On a sparkling spring morning in the Blue Ridge, small-town realtor Miranda Davis approached the tailgate market, intent on dealing with her whimsical cousin Skip’s unexpected arrival from New York. It turns out that Skip was on the run and, in his panic, grabbed his beloved tabby Duffy, recalling that Miranda had a recent part in solving a case down in Carolina. His predicament stemmed from intercepting code messages like “Countdown to D-Day,” playfully broadcasting the messages on his radio show over the nation-wide network, and subsequently forced to flee.
At first, Miranda tried to limit her old childhood companion’s conundrum to the sudden abduction of Duffy the cat. But the forces that be were hell-bent on keeping Skip under wraps by any means after he now stumbled close to the site of their master plan. Miranda’s subsequent efforts to decipher the conspiracy and somehow intervene placed both herself and her old playmate on a collision course with a white-nationalist perpetrator and the continuing machinations of the right-wing enterprise, with the lives of all those gathered for a diversity celebration in nearby Asheville and a crucial senatorial vote on homeland security hanging in the balance.
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
MIRANDA AND THE D-DAY CAPER by Shelly Frome is a cozy mystery featuring amateur sleuth, Miranda Davis. This is the second book featuring this protagonist, but it can easily be read a standalone.
Miranda Davis is a small-town realtor in the Blue Ridge Mountains who received some notoriety when she helped solve a mystery. Now her cousin and childhood companion, Skip shows up on the run from New York City hoping for her help. He embellished some stories with items he saw in the station manager’s office harking back to WWII and D-Day on a nighttime radio talk show he was covering for a friend. All of a sudden, he is being threatened and his beloved tabby cat is stolen and held to control Skip.
Miranda thought Skip’s story was just another one of his whimsical stories, but she is willing to help find his cat. But as she gets more involved, she discovers that there is much more truth than fantasy in the story Skip told on air. They are suddenly entangled in a plot involving right-wing nationalists that leads all the way back to D.C.
Can Miranda, Skip and all Miranda’s friends figure out who all the players are and what they have planned before the clock runs out and many people are killed?
I enjoyed Miranda and all the characters in her town. It is small-town southern laid-back even as Miranda tries to hurry some along in their help. When Miranda and Skip come together, I had a hard time at first straightening out what was happening, but once everyone was sorted and the mystery plotline began to pick up in pace I was completely caught up in the story. I feel Mr. Frome did a good job of using a heavy political topic lightly, but not frivolously. It was done with both entertaining characters and an intricate plot. The mystery plot was believable and could come right out of the news today, even as the plot clues were out of WWII.
I recommend Miranda and all her friends for an intriguing and entertaining cozy mystery read.
***
Author Bio
Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He is also a features columnist for Gannett Media. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, and Murder Run. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. The Secluded Village Murders is his latest published foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Today I am very excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MY WAY TO YOU (Canyon Creek Series Book #1) by Catherine Bybee. This is an emotional and heartfelt romantic start to this new series.
Below you will find an author interview, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author blurb and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Author Interview
Please tell us about the fire that inspired your
newest novel My Way To You.
I was taking my youngest son to his senior
pictures for the school when we noticed a plume of smoke in the rearview
mirror. I have lived through many fire scares in the twenty years I lived in my
home. Only this time, it wouldn’t be a false alarm.
You had to evacuate your house because of the fire. How did you feel in those
moments?
I was thankful my children and I escaped, and terrified that I would come home
to nothing but ash and debris. I’d packed up the cars with pictures and things
I felt I couldn’t replace, but had to leave one of my cars behind because the
fire engine was blocking my ability to drive it away. But none of that truly
mattered. I felt like all the work I had done to keep my children’s family home
after my recent divorce was for nothing. That fire was going to undermine the
stability I had desperately tried to preserve. In short, I was an emotional
mess.
While your property suffered immense damage, thankfully your home was
left standing. Did this experience change the meaning of that word for you—home?
Home is stability. It’s a base for all the
things we cherish. But it’s the people who make it so. I had a conversation
with my youngest son not too long ago. I asked him if he missed the home he
grew up in. (I’ve since moved to San Diego and sold my property in Santa
Clarita.) This is what he said, “The day we ran from the fire, I stopped caring
about the house. I didn’t think it would be there when we came back.” So no, he
doesn’t miss his childhood home. I was shocked to hear this since my youngest
tends to hold back his feelings. I lived in that house for 21 of my 51 years of
life. There were memories in every corner. But in the end, the fire and flood…
and exhaustion made it easier for me to sell it and walk away. Now that I’m in
a new place I’m reminded that my family and memories are always with me—and a
house is wood and stone. Whether I like it or not, however… it is stability.
And that was shook to its core because of the fire.
Your life changed drastically in just one day, which is something your heroine
Parker experiences—twice. The first time is when her parents die. How does this
one event inform the course of her life?
She has to stop thinking about herself and put others before her. She had to
grow up. Trauma changes you! Period. And I needed Parker to experience that so
she could realize just how strong she was.
She has to find that strength again when fire almost destroys her home. Tell us
how your heroine changes during all of this.
She needed to learn to lean on others again. Her parents death took that away
and made her a very controlling person. (Ahummm… that’s my own epiphany.) It’s
through the course of the book, and all the other players, that she learns to
open herself up to live a full life. I think she also learns to be a big sister
again and not the parental figure she took on.
In what ways is Parker like you? In what ways is she different?
She learned to let go, I still can’t do that.
She fell in love… That’s not me.
She had a privileged childhood with tons of
options… Not me.
Parker fought to keep her home and make it right to live in it. I fought to
keep my home and make it right to sell it. After so many years and so many
struggles, it just wasn’t the peaceful place it once was. And with an empty
nest and no Colin there to give it meaning, I needed to let go and start
new.
***
Summary
When a wildfire nearly destroys Parker Sinclair’s family home, it’s just one more disaster to add to her mountain of stress. For the past two years, she has shouldered the responsibility of raising her younger brother and sister after their parents’ untimely deaths. Forced to leave college for a crappy job that barely pays the bills, Parker manages her family property, which consumes every aspect of her life. Now winter is coming and the forecast isn’t spreading sunshine on the dark cloud over her head. The last thing Parker needs is a mudslide destroying everything she has worked so hard to maintain.
Colin Hudson’s job as a public works supervisor is to protect Parker’s property and neighborhood from further damage. But it’s a little hard when the owner of the land is a control freak who tries to do everything herself. The hardworking, attractive young woman is far from the “hot mess” she claims to be. In fact, her tight grip of control is one of the things that attract him the most. It’s also the hardest to crack. Now Colin’s working overtime to help Parker open up her heart, trust him, and let him in.
As Parker and Colin work together to keep her home and neighborhood safe, they may be in for another disaster. Or they may just realize that sometimes it takes destruction to create something new.
About the Title
Title: My Way To You
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Publisher: Montlake
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
MY WAY TO YOU (Canyon Creek Series Book #1) by
Catherine Bybee is the first book in a new contemporary romance series that is a
powerful and engaging emotional read. I have enjoyed many books by this author,
but this one grabbed me and would not let go.
Parker Sinclair had to grow up fast. Her parents were killed
in an accident which meant she had to drop out of college and return home to finish
raising her two younger siblings. After two years of a job that barely pays the
bills, Parker is managing to keep the family property up in Canyon Creek, but
it takes everything out of her.
When a wildfire strikes and burns all of the outbuildings
and vegetation on the surrounding hills, Parker knows she is lucky to have had
the house survive, but now with the rainy season coming Parker has to worry
about mudslides that can destroy everything she has worked hard to save.
Colin Hudson is the county public works supervisor sent to
evaluate Parker’s property for mud slides. He is struck by the tenacious and strong
young woman shouldering such a large burden. Colin and Parker butt heads due to
Parker not willing to give up control, but Colin is the is willing to work hard
for Parker’s trust.
Can Parker and Colin work together to save her home and
neighborhood?
I absolutely fell in love with Colin and the way he treated
Parker. I know how hard it is to give up control even when you feel like you
are drowning and I could relate with Parker. Ms. Bybee gave the couple witty
banter and realistic dialogue. The sex scenes were explicit, but not gratuitous
and did not overshadow the tenderness of the romance. I will be thinking of
these two H/h’s for a long time to come. This story also has a third major
character in Mother Nature and the destruction that she can bring. All the
secondary characters are fully fleshed and are completely believable.
I highly recommend this emotional contemporary romance! I am
now anxiously waiting for more books in this series.
***
Excerpt: My Way To You by Catherine Bybee
“Excuse
me?”
Parker turned toward the sound of the male
voice and brushed aside hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. The sun
glared in her eyes, making it difficult to get a clear picture of the man
standing on the other side of her gate.
“Hello,” she greeted him.
“Do you live here?”
Probably a neighbor, she thought to herself.
They’d shown up constantly after the fire to see how close the flames had
actually come to their homes. Many of them invited themselves in without
knocking. That was until she paid to have someone come in and fix the broken
gate and stop the trespassers.
“I would hope so,” she said, waving the pruner
in her hands. “I don’t think I would take this job for actual money.” The
closer she got to the gate, the better the features of the man came into focus.
He stood at least three inches taller than her, no easy task when she was five
nine. Broad shoulders and arms that didn’t look like they slaved in an office
all day. He wore jeans. It had to be over a hundred degrees, and the man wore
jeans.
And filled them out nicely, if she wasn’t too
tired to notice.
Parker forced her gaze back to his face, his
eyes hidden by his sunglasses; his thick brown hair wasn’t covered by a hat.
She stopped in front of him, the gate to the
property a clear division. The intense set of his jaw softened slightly. “Is
your, ah … husband here?”
Three years ago, in a bar … or while out with
friends, she would have instantly denied a lack of a husband. Out here, with a
stranger … even an attractive one standing at her front door, she wasn’t about
to correct him. “Who’s asking?”
The man’s smile fell and he quickly removed his
sunglasses. “I’m sorry. My name is Colin Hudson. Colin to my friends.”
“What can I do for you, Mr. Hudson?” She wasn’t about to
call him by his first name.
“I work with the Public Works Department and
wanted to see if you’d let me take a quick look at the wash that runs through
your property.” He reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet. Out came
a business card that he handed her through the bars of the iron gate.
She had to move close enough to take the card,
but retreated once she had it in her fingertips.
He instantly shoved his hands in his front
pockets and took a step back.
The card looked legit. Parker reminded herself
that anyone with a computer could make a business card. “Does your department
work on Saturdays, Mr. Hudson?”
“All the time.”
She peered beyond the gate, didn’t see a car.
“Did you walk here?”
Mr. Hudson looked over his shoulder, pointed
his thumb down the street. “I have a company truck. I parked around the
corner.”
“Ah-huh.” She wanted to believe him. His
caramel brown eyes looked kind enough. “Even Ted Bundy was good-looking,” she
said loud enough for him to hear.
Parker looked up to find him staring, his mouth
gaped open. “That’s a first.”
“Sorry.” Not sorry. “By-product of being a lone woman on a large piece of property with
a stranger asking to come in. Business card aside, you could be anyone.”
He lifted his hands in the air. “Very wise. I
hope my sister would do the same. I was just hoping to get an eye on the canyon
before Monday’s meeting. But I can wait.”
She relaxed her grip on the tree pruner. “What
meeting?”
“The city and county are meeting to discuss the
concerns of the watershed after the fire. We’re developing a plan to preserve
property during the winter. If I could take a quick look it would help.”
“You mean prevent mudslides?”
“Control mudslides,” he corrected her.
She shifted from foot to foot. “You can do
that?”
“It’s a big part of our job.” He smiled, looked
over her shoulder. “I can wait. I don’t want to make you uneasy.”
Parker looked back toward the house. “Tell you
what. You go get your company truck and I’ll grab a snake fork and show you the
wash.”
His eyes narrowed with an unasked question.
“It’s summer. Rattlesnakes are a thing,” she
explained.
“You sure?”
Yeah, she was sure. “I’ll open the gate. You can park inside.”
***
About the Author
New
York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has
written thirty-four books that have collectively sold more than seven million
copies and have been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in
Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a
movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and
became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency
rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite series, the
Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series.
For more information on the author, visit www.catherinebybee.com.
Today I am happy to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for YOURS IN SCANDAL (Man of the Year Book #1) by Lauren Layne. This is an entertaining start to a new series by a new-to-me author.
Below you will find an author interview, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Author Interview
Tell us
about your new series.
The series
features three men who are named “Man of the Year” (think: People’s
Sexiest Man Alive) and the unexpected ramifications that come with that! Yours
in Scandal kicks off the series with a young, wealthy mayor of NYC who
falls for his political rival’s daughter.
Why was it
important for you to start your series with Addie and Robert?
The real
answer? There’s is the book listed first in the contract 😉 In truth I’m
equally excited about all three books in the series, and could have happily
jumped in anywhere! That said, writing a politician was a unique and fun
challenge for me (I tend to write a lot of businessmen!) so a new take on my
“hot guy in a suit” was a fun creative challenge!
Even though
she is still young, your heroine Addie has lived quite a life. Where did her
teenage rebellious streak come from?
The first
thing I always do when I get a new story idea is to figure out where the
conflict is—I have to make sure these two people, however attracted, can’t get
together (easily) by chapter three. When I decided to take on a hero who’s a
mayor, I took a step back to think which woman would be most off-limits to him.
One with a bit of scandal was the obvious answer, since the spouses of
politicians are usually held to the same exacting standards (if not more so)
than the politician him/herself! From there, I dug into Addie’s character and
her scandal-laden past.
Do you have
anything in common with your heroine?
Honestly? No
🙂 Other than being a little mouthy during puberty, I was a pretty easy kid
and teenager, and skipped the rebellious phase, at least according to my
parents! I sort of skipped the whole rebellious phase growing up no underage
drinking, no missed curfews, I’ve never even gotten a ticket. Though, I think
perhaps I was saving up all my rebellious urges for my mid-twenties, where I
seemed to chafe really hard at being managed in the corporate world, and quit
my practical, well-paying job rather spontaneously and irresponsibly with
almost no safety net, and dove headfirst into being a full-time writer. And I
suppose, for that matter, I’ve made some rebellious choices as an author
(quitting Facebook, not doing ARCs on my self-pub title, etc). So, I guess I
change my answer! Yeah, I have a little in common with Addie after all!
Your hero
Robert is fantastic! He is smart, successful and just earned the title ‘Man of the Year’.
What made you fall in love with him?
He really is
great, isn’t he? 🙂 I actually knew from the start that Robert was going
to be a pretty stand-up guy. I wanted to steer as away from the cliche, corrupt
politician as possible, and show that it’s absolutely possible for people to be
in public office simply because they want to do good, not because they’re power
hungry. I think what I love most about him is how he never wavers in wanting
best for Addie and the people around him, even if it hurts him personally. He’s
a really unselfish guy, and that is so, so appealing to me!
Would you
say that there are similarities that all of your heroes share?
I’d say
they’re all pretty quick with a comeback. Whether they’re the charming playboys
or the more reserved, Mr. Darcy types they’ve got a bit of a sharp, clever
tongue! Also, the vast majority tend to be wealthy and suit-wearing. I’ve got a
few exceptions, but I think there’s something so sexy about a buttoned-up guy
in a suit coming undone over a woman, so I tend to come back to that again and
again!
Some of the
best moments in Yours In Scandal happen when your heroine and hero are
around their trusted friends. Are any of the secondary characters we meet
destined to get their own happily-ever-afters?
No plans for any spinoffs with those characters! Not because I don’t love them, but because the writing schedule’s pretty jam-packed!
***
Summary
Fresh off being named Citizen magazine’s
Man of the Year, New York City’s youngest mayor, Robert Davenport, decides it’s
time to strategize. Next move: a bid for the governor’s seat. In his way: an
incumbent with a flawless reputation. He also has an Achilles’ heel: an
estranged wild-child daughter with a past so scandalous it could be Robert’s
ticket to victory. And a charm so irresistible it could be Robert’s downfall.
Rebellion is a thing of the past for Adeline Blake. As New York’s premier event
planner, she’s all about reform and respectability. Then she’s approached by
Robert to organize the party of the season. Curious, considering he’s her
father’s most formidable opponent. And alarming, too. Because Addie can’t help
but fall for the righteously popular candidate with the movie-star smile.
Now it’s Robert’s choice. Does he pursue a future that holds his legacy? Or the woman who holds his heart?
About the Book
Title: Yours In Scandal
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Publisher: Montlake
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
YOURS IN SCANDAL (Man of the Year Book #1) by Lauren
Layne is the first book of a new contemporary romance series by a new to me
author. This is a fun and sexy, feel-good romantic comedy.
Robert Davenport is almost at the end of his two terms as
the youngest man ever elected as the mayor of New York City. Just named Citizen
magazine’s Man of the Year, Robert’s campaign manager decides it is time for
him to use the publicity and work towards his next goal as governor. His main
competition is an incumbent with a flawless reputation who also happens to have
an estranged wild-child daughter.
Adeline Blake has a scandalous past, but she is now working
hard to reform. She is New York City’s premier event planner. She is curious why
she is approached by her father’s most formidable opponent to organize the party
of the season.
Robert feels a strong, immediate attraction to Adeline that
is not part of the plan and Adeline has many reasons she should not get
involved with Robert. Can Robert follow his heart over his head?
I really enjoyed this story. It was predictable, but so well
written with funny banter and witty dialogue that it did not matter that I could
predict the HEA. I loved Robert and Adeline’s chemistry. I felt they handled
the obstacles placed in their way as mature adults which made the characters
seem more realistic to me. The secondary characters are all entertaining and
fully fleshed to support both main characters.
This is a very entertaining and heartfelt start to this new
series and I am looking forward to reading more.
***
Excerpt
“I just need
to be sure . . . am I going crazy? I am, right? Our girl’s not seriously
telling us she had dinner with the mayor,” Rosalie said, turning to Jane.
“You’re not the crazy one—she is,” Jane said, emphatically pointing at Adeline.
Adeline nibbled on the corner of a chip. “It’s
really not the big deal you two are making it out to be. It was just dinner.
Pizza.”
“That’s even worse!” Jane said shrilly. “It’s
so intimate.”
Adeline glanced over at her calmer friend.
“Please tell her there’s nothing intimate about Italian sausage.” She winced as
she caught herself. “Yeah, I heard it.”
“It is a little out of character,” Rosalie said
slowly. “You haven’t exactly made it a secret how you feel about men these
days. To say nothing of your thoughts on elected officials.”
“I didn’t sleep with the guy, we just had
pizza.”
“I’d actually be less concerned if you’d slept
with him,” Rosalie admitted.
“Agreed,” Jane said, smacking the table. “A sexy fling with the Man of the
Year is one thing. A cozy dinner at his place is just . . .” She threw her
hands up. “I can’t. I literally can’t process it.”
“You don’t have to process anything,” Adeline
said, dunking the chip into the salsa and stuffing the whole thing in her
mouth. “It was a one-time thing. The party’s next weekend, and then I’ll
probably never see him again.”
“What if he wants you to be his forever event
planner?”
“He won’t. His regular planner’s one of the
best in the city, and I’m sure she’ll be back from maternity leave by the time
he needs to hire someone again.”
“Is his regular event planner hot and single?”
Jane pointed out.
“She’s married.”
“Exactly. Much less susceptible to his sexy
face than single you.”
Adeline sighed and looked again to the
perpetually calm Rosalie. “Make it stop.”
“Just promise you’ll warn us if you start to
fall for the guy,” her friend said, fiddling with her chip. “Much as I love the
idea of you landing the hottest guy in the city, I also know just how tricky
that would be for you.”
“Tricky is an understatement given he’s likely
running against The Bastard in the next election,” she said, knowing that both
of her lifelong friends knew she was referring to the father she’d all but
disowned.
Adeline hadn’t known Rosalie as long as she’d
known Jane, but they still went all the way back to high school. Adeline had been
the loose cannon, Jane the genius, and Rosalie had been, well . . . perfect.
“You know,” Adeline said, looking thoughtfully
at Rosalie over the top of her margarita. “I actually thought about setting you
and the mayor up.”
“Wait, what?” Rosalie’s eyes went wide.
“You said yourself he was hot,” Adeline pointed
out. “You’re also beautiful, well spoken, polished. You never look bad in a
photograph, and you never say the wrong thing. I literally can’t think of a
more perfect future First Lady of New York.”
“Oooh, I see that!” Jane said, pivoting in her
chair to stare at Rosalie.
Adeline gave Jane an exasperated expression.
“You were just warning me off of the
guy.”
“Warning you off, yes. But Rosalie . . .”
Adeline tried to ignore the sting. It wasn’t as
if Jane were saying anything Adeline herself hadn’t thought. Even if she were
inclined to pursue the mayor, and she wasn’t, she knew that she was the last
thing someone like him needed. Her past alone made her an inconceivable choice
for him, and even if she could keep her past mistakes under wraps, she would
never be the right woman for him. She may have mastered the bun and the
blazers, but she was still the woman who collected adventurous lingerie and
loved tequila.
“The guy’s definitely attractive,” Rosalie
said. “But I don’t know that I want one of Adeline’s rejects,” she said with a
smile intended to annoy Adeline.
“I wouldn’t let that stop me,” Jane said,
fanning herself. “If it weren’t for Dan . . . . Too bad I love that man so damn
much. Seriously, Rosalie, let Adeline fix you up, so I can live vicariously.”
“Hello,” Rosalie said, staring at the
admittedly, occasionally tone-deaf Jane. “Are you not seeing what I’m seeing?”
She pointed at Adeline.
Jane glanced over and narrowed her eyes.
“Ever since she came back from New Mexico with
her hair brown, she’s been like this buttoned-up ice woman. But when she talks
about him . . .” Rosalie made an
unrecognizable hissing, clicking noise.
“What was that?” Jane asked.
“Fire igniting,” Rosalie explained. “Whatever,
so sound effects and act-outs aren’t my strong suit. The point is—”
“If I sound fiery when I talk about the mayor,
it’s only because he’s a control freak and pain in the ass,” Adeline interjected.
“The man doesn’t know how to delegate, is hell-bent on carrying on his father’s
legacy without ever checking in with himself, and . . .”
Adeline’s thoughts scattered a little as she
realized she wasn’t being entirety fair to the mayor. Yes, he was obsessed with
his image, as a man in his position had to be. But he could also be funny and
irreverent. He could also be spontaneous and casual.
He’d proven that yesterday, first with the tour
of his home, then the invitation of dinner. Even the way he ate pizza was
appealing, somehow both buttoned-up precise and outright relishing, all at the
same time.
“We need more margaritas.”
***
Author Biography
Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA
Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels,
including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in
her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books
have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been
featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall
Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New
York City. For the latest updates, be sure to check out her website at www.laurenlayne.com.
Today I am very happy to share my Feature Post and Book Review for Carolyn Brown’s new release THE FAMILY JOURNAL. This is my favorite of Ms. Brown’s books to date. Being able to read about your female ancestors in their own words for generations and while doing so, rebuilding your bond with your own daughter leads to a story that is heartfelt and endearing.
Below I have included an interview with the author about her 100th book!, an excerpt from the title, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of the book. As always, good luck and enjoy!
***
Carolyn Brown Answers Questions About Writing a Hundred
Books
1.
Tell us about the first time you remember ever putting pen to paper. Was it a
slow evolution to becoming an author, or did you have an epiphany that this is
what you were supposed to be doing?
I really can’t remember when I didn’t write stories, but I got serious about
writing a book when my third child was born. She had her days and nights turned
around. Since I had to be up until the wee hours of the morning, I got out a
notebook, sharpened some pencils and started my first novel. I was twenty-four
that year. For the next twenty-five years I collected rejection slips. I do
believe I have enough to wallpaper the White House. I don’t mean that little
two holer down at the end of the path in Grammie’s back yard, but the one in
Washington, D.C. When I was forty-nine, I got “the call”. That was twenty-two
years and one hundred books ago, and I know in my heart and soul that this is
what I’m supposed to be doing.
2. Is there anyone in your family that writes? Did you have a mentor that
helped you push forward to become a full-time author?
My husband, Charles C. Brown, has written nine mysteries and is working on his
tenth. He’s been my biggest supporter through my whole career. He’s a retired
high school English teacher and he does the first edit on my books. Commas are
not my friend, but they are his buddies—thank goodness.
3. How have you evolved as an author? What are some things that have changed
since when you started writing up until now?
In the physical part of the business, lots has changed. I wrote most of my very
first book by hand. When Mr. B bought a used typewrite at a garage sale and
brought it in to me, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. In those sent in
proposals with SASE (that’s self-addressed stamped envelopes) and if the editor
wanted to see more, we sent in the full manuscript by mail. Now everything is
sent over cyberspace. I will be donating the typewriter Mr. B bought me to the
Johnston County Chickasaw Bank Museum on November 16th. My display shares a
room there with Te Ata, Gene Autry and Blake Shelton. I’m signing copies of The
Family Journal there on that day from 2 to 4 p.m.
In
the evolution as a write, I hope that each book is better than the last and
that all my books resonate with readers, touch their emotions and make them
anxious to get the next one.
4. Do you have a set schedule for writing? Do you have any writing rituals
or things that get you in the mood to write?
I’m very disciplined. I write somewhere between three and five thousand words a
day. Sometimes it’s pure trash, but you can fix trash. You can’t fix nothing.
From the time I start a book, my characters are in my head. They eat with me,
sleep with me, talk to me…. shhhh…don’t tell anyone I hear voices!
5. Tell us about some turning points as a writer – some big things that
happened that really changed your career.
One of the biggest things that changed my career was when Amazon bought the
literary company, Avalon, and turned more than forty of my titles into
paperbacks and digital. That made them financially available for more people,
and my readership grew by leaps and bounds. Another was when I finally made the
New York Times and the USA Today bestseller lists. But I have to
say that hitting the number one spot on Amazon was a really the icing on the
cupcake.
6. What does your writing future look like?
My future will simply be to keep on doing what I’m doing, and hope my readers
continue to love my stories. There are five books on the docket for 2020, and
four or five novellas. And we’ve already got a few scheduled for 2021.
7. What made you want your book, The Family Journal, your hundredth
book? What makes this story and these characters special to you?
Family! Plain and simple. What better way to celebrate reaching one of my
goals—to publish one hundred books—than to write about family? This story is
about several generations of strong women in the past, a mother who’s at her
wit’s end in the present, and a young daughter who represents the future. It’s
family from the emotional first scene to the last.
***
Excerpt:
Lily
reached for her tea at the same time Mack was setting his glass back down.
Their hands touched again. Her breath caught in her chest, and her pulse jacked
up several notches.
“I’m
going to ask you a dumb question,” he drawled. “Do you feel chemistry between
us?”
Her
chest tightened. Of course she felt something between them, but she damn sure
didn’t want to talk about it like they were discussing the price of goat feed.
And yet . . . they were adults, not hormonal teenagers who jumped into the fire
with both feet when they felt something for another person. How many times had
she told her clients in therapy sessions to talk things out?
“Why
is that dumb?” she asked.
“It
kind of sounded dumb in my head, and even more so when I said it,” he
said.
“Yes,
I do feel something between us.” She nodded. “I’ve wondered if it’s because I
haven’t dated all that much. How about you?”
“No
dates in three years. Nothing serious since Natalie,” he admitted.
“Do
you think it’s because we hav-haven’t,” she stammered.
“No,
I think there’s definitely an attraction between us, and I’ll tell you right
now, up front, you deserve better than me,” he said.
Lily
frowned so hard that her eyes became mere slits. “Why would you say a stupid
thing like that?”
“I’m
a high school vo-ag teacher, and I’ll never be rich. Hell, I’m forty-one, and I
don’t even own a house. I’ve just got a pickup that’s paid for and a herd of
goats,” he said.
“Why,
Mack Cooper, are you thinkin’ marriage?” she joked. “You haven’t even kissed me
yet.”
“I’m
just thinking that we shouldn’t start anything without being completely honest,
and, honey, I can remedy that kissing part anytime.” His green eyes
twinkled.
Lily
felt heat rising to her cheeks when she thought of kissing him. How in the
devil would it even work if they did decide to go out, or got into a
relationship beyond friendship? They lived in the same house with Holly and
Braden underfoot all the time. “I’ve got two kids,” she blurted out.
“I’ve
got forty goats.” He grinned.
“Did
you say it’s time to go feed the goats?” Braden came across the room and leaned
his arms on the back of the sofa.
Point
proven, she
thought.
“Yep,
it is,” Mack answered. “I reckon we both need to get changed so we don’t ruin
our good clothes.”
“I’ll
be down in five minutes.” Braden ran up the stairs.
Mack
crossed the room and bent to brush a sweet kiss across her lips. The tenderness
of his mouth barely touching hers and his drawl combined to send a heat flash
through her whole body. If that brief contact created such an effect, a
relationship might burn down the house.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE FAMILY JOURNAL by Carolyn Brown is her 100th novel
and it is my favorite to date! This is a wonderful, heartfelt and endearing
story of a divorced mother who has decided to make a new start with her
children in her childhood home in rural Texas.
Lily Anderson has had enough. She caught her disrespectful
teenage daughter smoking a joint and has found out her preteen son is sneaking
out to drink beer and smoke cigarettes with his friends. Her ex-husband gave
Lily full custody in the divorce, so she has taken all their electronic devices
and is packing up and moving out of Austin to her rural childhood hometown of
Comfort, Texas. Lily is desperate to get her children back on the right path.
Mack Cooper has been renting Lily’s home since the death of
her mother and raising goats on the property while also teaching ag classes at the
high school. Lily is willing to share the house with Mack until she decides if
they will be staying or moving back to Austin when the school year is over.
Never married and having been cheated on not once, but twice Mack is happy with
the company, but wary with his heart.
As Lily and her children begin to find a new normal, friends
and reconnect, Mack plays an active part in their lives. Lily is also able to bond
with her daughter over an old journal found in her mother’s desk. Passed down
in her family for generations from mother to daughter, Lily and her daughter learn
of all the strong women in their family’s past in their own words.
Will Lily be able to make this move work for herself and her
children? And will she stay in Comfort to take a chance on a new man to make
her house a home?
I curled up on my couch to start this book after lunch and I
could not stop reading until the end. Having raised my son as a single mom, I
could easily empathize with the trials Lily was going through with her children.
Mack was a strong and steady hero for both Lily and her children and I feel the
cozy romance was written perfectly for their situation. All of Lily’s childhood
friends in Comfort added depth to the story. The most intriguing parts for me
were reading the journal entries. I had to keep turning the pages because I was
as interested in the women’s stories as Lily and her daughter.
This is an all around wonderful story of family love that I
can highly recommend!
***
About the Book:
Title: The Family Journal
Author: Carolyn Brown
Release Date: November 12, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary:
At the end of her rope, single mom Lily Anderson is
determined to move her rebellious children in the right direction. That means
taking away their cell phones, tablets, and computers—at least temporarily—and
moving to the house where Lily grew up in the rural town of Comfort, Texas. But
Lily has a bigger challenge than two sulking kids.
The house comes with Mack Cooper, high school teacher and handsome longtime
renter. The arrangement: just housemates. But Mack’s devoted attention to the
kids starts to warm Lily’s resistant heart. Then Lily finds an old
leather-bound book in which five generations of her female ancestors shared
their struggles and dreams. To Lily, it’s a bracing reminder about the
importance of family . . . and love.
Now it’s time for Lily to add an adventurous new chapter to the cherished family journal—by embracing a fresh start and taking a chance on a man who could make her house a home.
***
Author Biography:
Carolyn Brown is a RITA finalist and the New York Times,
USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of one hundred books. Her genres include contemporary and historical
romances, cowboy and country music romances, and women’s fiction. She and her
husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma, where everyone knows
everyone else, knows what they are doing and when . . . and reads the
local newspaper every Wednesday to see who got caught. They have three grown
children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. Visit Carolyn at www.carolynbrownbooks.com.
Today I am excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Catherine Bybee’s new book SAY IT AGAIN (First Wives Club Book 5). I am very excited that Ms. Bybee gave the mysterious Sasha a feature story and it is a page-turner!
Below you will find a Q&A with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. I read the entire book in one sitting and I could not put it down. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Author Interview: Catherine Bybee
1) Sasha, from your newest novel Say it Again,
is unlike any character that most readers will have encountered. Can you give
us a rundown of your heroine?
Sasha is a female James Bond with all the skills that kick ass and the sexy
that opens doors. She’s a master of disguises, speaks more languages than
anyone should…and has a razor-sharp mind that doesn’t sleep. In all her
badassery, (pretty sure I just made up that word) Sasha has a soft spot—a
vulnerability that makes her want to protect the innocent. She’s a true to life
superhero who walks the fence between right and wrong. She really doesn’t have
any issues breaking laws to get what she wants. And that’s what makes her so
fun to read, and for me to write.
2) Fans have been following Sasha throughout your First Wives series. Did
you always know you wanted to write her story?
No! Not at all. The first four books in the series were going to be it.
However, Sasha commanded attention the first moment she walked on the page and
I couldn’t get enough of her once I dreamed her up. I was almost finished
writing the first book when I decided that Sasha was
not going to be a bad guy. Yes, I’m a pantser, and have no real outline before
I sit down to write. I think the fact that I didn’t know she was one of the
good guys made her all that more believable. I don’t even think she knew she
was going to be on the side of right and justice until the end of Fool
Me Once.
3) While many of your novels have a mystery or suspense element, you dive
head first into action and spy-games in this book. How easy was this transition
for you?
It was super easy and tons of fun. In fact… I think I may have a spin off of a
spin off rolling in my head with all the fun characters I played with while
writing this book. Neil was one of my very first book boyfriends from the
Weekday Brides. And having him come back in this book just reminded me how much
fun it is to write all the action and intrigue. I hope my fans love it enough
for me to continue the theme with new books.
4) When AJ is first introduced he seems pretty average—just a guy looking
for answers about his sister’s death. But in reality, there is nothing average
about AJ. How would you describe him?
The best picture in my mine that I can describe with all clarity is Brian
O’Connor, Paul Walker (RIP), from Fast and Furious. Innocent until
he isn’t.
I would say that AJ is exactly what Sasha needed to open up and accept that she
too can be loved. I wanted AJ to come off as average until he wasn’t. Sasha is
such a strong character that she needed someone who wasn’t going to try and
overpower or overshadow her badassery (love that word). AJ does that. Yet he
has some badass moments himself and that is what makes her fall for him even
more. He is in no way perfect and neither is she.
5) AJ and Sasha have something in common—they are both characters with lots and
lots of secrets. What makes them open up to each other? What else do they have
in common?
Trust through time. That’s the best way for me to describe how they evolved in
my head. There is a common respect the moment they “acquire” the other’s phone.
A moment where they take notice and begin to respect the other. Honor among
thieves as they say. I think the common ground that isn’t apparent until the
story evolves is how they want the love of a family. AJ is much more open to it
than Sasha, but they both have to fight for it in the end.
6) While you have written books with scenes in foreign countries, this story
takes place internationally. Have you visited the same places as your
characters? Where do you hope to take readers around the world in the future?
Yes, I have been to all the places I have written about. I was in Berlin a
couple of years ago at a book signing and managed to get their by taking the
train from London, through Amsterdam etc. So yes, I’m blessed to have visited
these places which makes the story that much richer in my opinion. Richter, the
school in the story, is from my imagination. I did some fact checking and
learned that post Hitler’s Germany, military boarding schools were not welcome
in the country. So I made one up and made it as great and awful as I could
while still making it believable.
I have placed most of my travels, or experiences from them, in my books. And as
I travel the world, I will bring my readers along…eventually.
7) Say it Again wraps up your First Wives series. What have you
learned while writing these books? Will these lessons affect your writing in
the future?
On a personal level, I will say that I’ve leaned to write with a great deal of
personal turmoil. There have been times I’ve doubted my process and this final
book in the series has told me to never do that again. I would like to always
keep the door open for more books because of characters like Sasha. I love
writing fast moving romantic suspense and intrigue and can see Claire, Cooper
and the whole of Neil’s team as a great setting for future books. Yeah… I’m
liking that idea more and more. I hope my readers do, too.
***
Excerpt
AJ was being
stood up.
It was half past noon and Sasha wasn’t there.
The Brandenburg Gate was one of the busiest tourist
attractions in Berlin. The square was filled with families and walking tours
led by someone holding a colored flag on a stick and talking into a microphone while
a line of dazed, zombie-like visitors followed behind. Aside from those in the
square learning about the history of the place, there were a dozen police
officers and security guards moving around. Considering the American, British,
and French embassies were all within a stone’s throw of each other, AJ was
surprised there wasn’t a stronger military presence.
AJ kept scanning the crowd in search of Sex on
a Stick in black leather pants and a bad attitude.
Nothing.
Left without options, AJ dialed his phone
number on her phone and waited. It rang twice.
Behind him, the riff of “Bad to the Bone,” his
ringtone, shot through him. He dropped his hand from his ear and saw a blonde
standing three feet away, her back to him.
Slowly she turned.
“Whoa.”
Sasha stared back at him, wearing white capri
pants and a bright floral top. The blonde wig overdid it but completely
camouflaged her in broad daylight. She took a step closer, reached out her hand
holding his cell. “Hello, AJ.”
They switched phones. “How long have you been
standing there?”
“Half an hour, give or take.”
He looked her up and down. She looked like a
typical American housewife, minus the kid in the stroller. “Impressive.”
“I wanted to make sure you were alone.”
AJ glanced around at the passing tourists. “Is
there a reason behind the cloak-and-dagger?”
She moved closer, lowered her voice. “You’ve
come here to look for your sister’s killer. You think there is some connection
to Richter. Went so far as to go there asking questions. You’re stalking the
local pub and hitting on, not to mention stealing from, the patrons . . .”
Sasha waved her phone in the air before tucking it into her back pocket.
“I’m calling pot to kettle on that last
accusation.” Although all the rest she pointed out was spot-on.
“I like to go unnoticed. If someone followed me
here, they lost me the second I made the city limits and went clothes
shopping.”
“What if someone followed me?”
“Then I would have seen them watching in the
thirty minutes you’ve been standing around looking like a lost child without a
parent.” She turned and started walking toward the gate.
AJ had no choice but to follow.
“What makes you think anyone is following
either of us?”
She smiled, didn’t answer his question. “I used
to help your sister on her agility training,” she told him.
The mention of his sister brought his attention
back to what he should be focused on. “She wasn’t the most athletic woman.”
Amelia took after their mother, who didn’t grow more than five feet five inches
tall and had a sweet tooth that always kept her rounder than she’d liked. At
least that’s what she’d blame when she went on one of her many diets.
“No. But she held her own most of the time. Everyone
at Richter was pushed to do at least that.”
“Her coworkers said she had recently started
taking morning walks before work,” AJ said.
“Which explains the police report about her
being murdered in the park and tossed in the river.”
AJ stopped walking. “You looked her up.”
“Only because I knew her.”
He jumped in front of her, stopped her from
moving. “Then you’ll help me.”
“There is nothing to suggest that Amelia’s
death is at all linked to Richter.”
AJ looked over Sasha’s shoulder and noticed a
man eating an ice cream cone and staring at Sasha. The middle-aged guy turned
his attention away and took a few steps in the opposite direction.
“Maybe she . . .”
AJ felt eyes, turned to his left.
No one.
“What is it?” Sasha asked.
“The guy with the ice cream, over your left
shoulder.”
She grinned, cocked her head to the side. “We
did this last night.”
“Yeah, only I’m not asking you to lay a lip
lock on me. Tempting as that might be.” Truth was, he’d thought about that kiss
more times than he wanted to admit. “If how you’re dressed is any indication,
you’re the expert on all things undercover. You tell me if you feel the weight
of someone’s stare.”
Sasha paused, then looked over her shoulder.
“That him?” she asked, thumbing toward the guy with the ice cream.
“Yeah.”
She grabbed AJ’s hand and walked directly
toward the guy he thought for sure was watching them.
“What are you doing?”
She didn’t answer. “Excuse me?” Her voice rose
a full octave, her smile was sickeningly sweet. Any accent he’d detected from
her voice was gone . . . or changed.
The man with the cone turned toward them.
“Yes?”
“Are you American? You look American.”
“I’m, ah . . . yeah.” The guy looked directly
at AJ.
Sasha kept going. “Good. Would you mind taking
our picture? I can’t get the gate behind us with a selfie.”
Again the guy offered AJ unblinking eyes. “Ah,
sure.” He reached for the phone Sasha was handing him.
Next thing AJ realized, he was standing beside
Sasha, her arm slipped around his waist, and he was smiling like all of the
other tourists surrounding them while the man he thought was spying on them
took their picture.
The stranger holding Sasha’s phone, while
trying to balance his ice cream cone, looked completely out of place.
“Take a second one, just in case.” Sasha
giggled.
The sound of her voice didn’t suit her. The
hand on his waist, however, suited him just fine. The feel of her there, the
warmth, the softness he knew she would hate if he pointed it out, felt a little
too right.
“Thank you so much.”
The stranger handed her phone back with a nod.
“Have fun.”
She waved. “We will . . . thanks.”
And he was gone.
AJ watched the man slip away as Sasha removed
herself from AJ’s side.
He missed her warmth, instantly.
“Any self-preserving spy wouldn’t have made
contact,” Sasha told him.
The two of them walked toward the center of the
square. “Okay,” AJ started. “Maybe I’m a little paranoid.”
“You’re a lot paranoid.”
AJ paused in the middle of the plaza and stared
at the massive horses that sat atop the gate. The image of his sister at
Christmas the previous year surfaced. It was the last time he’d seen her alive.
“I know Amelia’s death wasn’t random, Sasha. I feel it with every breath I
take.”
She sighed. “I know you do.”
He looked at her. “You don’t believe me.”
“I believe you believe.”
He lowered his head, studied the
salt-and-pepper colored stones beneath his feet. “You’re not going to help.”
Damn it . . . he was back to ground zero.
Another heavy sigh from the woman at his side.
“I will help you.”
AJ snapped his head up. “What?”
She placed a hand in the air as in warning.
“Not because I think you have anything other than grief inside you. The not
knowing, or never accepting the facts, can eat you alive.”
Not ground zero. He wanted to kiss her. Not
that she would be receptive to that kind of thing. “Why are you doing this?”
There wasn’t anything in it for her. Sasha turned away from him and focused her
attention on the Brandenburg Gate.
“Because I’m not bored.”
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
SAY IT AGAIN (First Wives Club Book 5) by Catherine Bybee
is the last romantic suspense in this series and features the mysterious Sasha,
who has made intriguing appearances since book 1. This is a well written series
of books that have unique suspense and relationship plots that can be read as
standalones, but the relationships between all of the “First Wives” evolve and
change, so in my opinion it is best to read the series in order.
Sasha Budanov has grown up learning to only ever depend on
herself. She was raised and hidden in a boarding school in Germany. Richter is
bastion of secrets. From a young age the students are trained in languages, stealth,
firearms and militarized survival through high school and college. When she
finds herself discontent and not knowing what direction to take in her life,
she decides to return to her old school.
AJ Hofmann has travelled all the way from Florida to Germany
searching for answers. His sister was killed and he believes when he discovers
her roommate from Richter was also killed that the answers to the murders lie
in her old boarding school. He wants answers and he needs Sasha’s help.
Sasha always works alone, but something about AJ just keeps
pulling her to help and keep him close. As the two work to uncover secrets the
danger escalates and they become the hunted. It will take all the training
Sasha has and the help of some old friends to unmask a killer.
I love that Ms. Bybee gave Sasha a full story. She has
always been so mysterious and isolated. AJ is not the type of character I would
have thought could bring out Sasha’s softer side, but he did and it worked. The
dialogue between Sasha and AJ was entertaining and at times very emotional. The
romance builds right along with the suspense. I was surprised by the climax,
which followed a page-turning read. I read this book in one sitting and it was
worth the time spent. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.
There is a wrap up with all the couples from the previous
books at a Christmas get together which ends the series nicely. This is an
exciting read and another great addition to this series.
***
About the Book
Title: Say it Again
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
Protector-for-hire Sasha Budanov is accustomed
to life as a loner. Always on the move, she’s now reached a crossroad. Looking
for answers about her shadowy youth, she’s returned to the strict boarding
school in Germany where she was raised. It’s also where she was trained in the
stealthy, militarized art of survival. But behind its gleaming gates, Richter
is a fortress of secrets, including those buried in Sasha’s mysterious past. To
uncover them, she’s clinging to her first rule of defense: stay guarded.
If anyone can challenge Sasha’s rules, it’s devilishly sexy stranger AJ
Hofmann. He wants answers, too. And he needs Sasha’s help. The recent deaths of
several of Richter’s former students—including AJ’s own sister—have aroused his
suspicions. He’s arousing something more in Sasha. Never one to surrender to
her emotions, she senses something tempting in AJ. She trusts him. He’s
fearless. And he kisses like a demon. Sasha’s found her match.
But treading Richter’s dark halls—and following their hearts—has its risks. As the decades-old secrets of the past are mined, Sasha and AJ are falling deeper in love . . . and into danger.
***
Author Biography
New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal,
and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written thirty
books that collectively have sold more than five million copies and been
translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee
moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After
growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a
registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now
writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series,
the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series. For more information,
visit www.catherinebybee.com.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for SAVE YOURBREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda Leigh. I have loved this romantic suspense/PI mystery series since Say Your Sorry, book 1 in the series.
Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This book, like every book in the series is a page turner! Enjoy and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway.
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Author Interview: Melinda Leigh
1) Your newest release features two of your most
popular characters, attorney Morgan Dane and P.I. Lance Kruger. While this
couple has a habit of getting involved in difficult (and dangerous) criminal
cases, the mystery in this book is much more personal for them.
In Save Your Breath, Morgan and Lance aren’t
working for a client. They’re looking for Sharp’s girlfriend, Olivia Cruz, who
vanished from her home in the middle of the night. After Olivia goes missing,
Sharp realizes his feelings for her run much deeper than he’d thought. As the
investigation continues, with no trace of Olivia, the usually calm and centered
PI begins to unravel. Morgan and Lance had always depended on Sharp for his
insight and stability. Save Your Breath reverses these
established roles.
2) How does the personal nature of the crime affect the
other characters?
Morgan and Lance are also thrust into unaccustomed roles.
In the previous five books, Sharp has been the source of stability. He is their
rock. Now Morgan and Lance have to step up and help him hold it together. The
book deliberately challenges the cohesiveness of the team.
3) The story starts with a terrifying scene where Olivia is
kidnapped. It is raw and visceral and plays on everyone’s worst fear—being
unsafe in our own home. How do you get into the mindset for crafting this kind
of scene?
I close my eyes and envision the scene in my mind from
beginning to end. Everyone has been woken by a strange noise in the middle of
the night. We’ve all stared at the ceiling, listening for the sounds of a
stranger moving through the house. Being attacked in our sleep is a basic,
primal fear. That’s the vulnerable feeling I wanted to generate in the reader,
so I imagined it happening to me. Basically, I’m channeling the overactive
imagination that got me into so much trouble as a child.
4) Morgan and Lance are planning a wedding and solidifying
Lance’s place as a step-dad to the Dane girls, all the while dealing with
terrible crimes around them. How do they disconnect from the violence around
them in order to create a space just for themselves and their family?
The family demands their full attention, and in their world
of chaos and crime, their home is what keeps them sane. Both Morgan and Lance
operate best when they have the support and love of their family to return to
at the end of the day.
5) Can you give readers any hints of what’s next for Morgan
Dane and her crew?
I wrote Save Your Breath as the final book
in the Morgan Dane series, but my next project is a spin-off. The Bree Taggert
Series will take place in Grey’s Hollow. Morgan and the crew will likely make
appearances.
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Excerpt: Save Your Breath by Melinda Leigh
Her weekly dinner
with her family had distracted her earlier in the evening. Her mother had
served frijoles negros, Olivia’s favorite traditional Cuban dish. Olivia had
overindulged, and the minute she’d left her parents’ house in Albany to make
the hour drive back to Scarlet Falls, her true crime research had flashed right
back into her mind and unsettled her stomach.
Chewing an antacid, she mulled over her
stunning discovery. The implications of what she’d learned further stirred the
black beans and rice in her belly. As a journalist, her job was to seek the
truth, not play judge or jury. But should she choose to pursue and publish this truth, other people could pay the price for her
revelation—possibly with their lives.
Her new book proposal was overdue, but Olivia’s
predicament felt like a no-win situation. Ignoring the truth went against all
her principles. Then again, so did putting other people in danger.
But how much risk was involved? Could she live
with being responsible for even a single innocent person’s death?
Obsessing about her book research had
translated into three consecutive nights of insomnia. Enough was enough. Olivia
didn’t need to make this decision alone. What she needed was outside
perspective. She brought the antacids with her into the bedroom, picked up her
phone from the nightstand, and checked the time. Eleven o’clock. She sent a CALL ME IF UR UP text message to Lincoln
Sharp, her . . .
The word boyfriend seemed silly at their ages. She was forty-eight. Lincoln was
fifty-three. They’d been dating for several months, and they spent the night
together once or twice a week. She assumed their relationship was exclusive,
although they hadn’t specifically discussed it.
Labels weren’t important to either of them, but
when she saw him or he called unexpectedly, the stirrings of excitement and joy
in her blood made her feel like a teenager. Beyond her attraction to him, she
respected him both personally and professionally.
So why had she been stewing over her decision
instead of asking for his opinion?
Lincoln owned and operated a private
investigation firm. As a retired police detective, his practical experience
with the legal system—and his knowledge of criminal behavior—exceeded hers. She
valued his insight and trusted him to keep her research confidential. If she
decided to pursue the story, she would hire his firm to help with the
investigative legwork anyway. She may as well bring him on board now.
She burped. Her indigestion began to burn its
way up her esophagus. She chewed a second antacid, the chalky taste coating her
mouth. She reached for the glass of water on her nightstand and sipped.
A few seconds later, her phone rang, and she
pressed “Answer.”
“Is everything OK?” Lincoln asked in a worried
tone. Her late-night text was unusual.
“Yes,” Olivia assured him.
“I’m sorry I missed dinner with your parents
again,” he said. “I wrapped up my case tonight. I should be able to make dinner
next week.”
He didn’t talk much about work, which was fine.
She understood his professionalism and appreciated his need to maintain client
confidentiality. But he had mentioned the case had involved a great deal of
evening surveillance.
“They understand,” she said. “I called because
I’m stuck in my research, and I’d like your opinion. Are you free sometime
tomorrow afternoon? I can come to your office.”
“Sure.” Interest brightened his voice. “How
much time do you want me to block out?”
“An hour should do.” She considered his
associates. Lincoln’s business partner, PI Lance Kruger, and Lance’s fiancée,
defense attorney Morgan Dane, could also provide useful insight on Olivia’s
dilemma. Morgan’s legal advice might be particularly helpful. “I’d like Morgan’s
and Lance’s thoughts as well. Could you see if they’re available?”
“Hold on. Let me check their digital
calendars.” The line went quiet for a few breaths. “Lance should be here in the
afternoon. Morgan has a client meeting at nine a.m. Her calendar is clear the
rest of the day. How about I put you in the one p.m. spot?”
“Perfect.” Olivia lowered the phone and made a
note in the calendar app. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“You know, when you texted”—Sharp’s voice
deepened—“I had hoped this was a booty call.”
A little thrill rushed through her, followed by
another burp. Olivia rubbed the fire behind her breastbone. “Tonight isn’t a
good night. I ate way too much of my mother’s food.”
He snorted. “That happens. She’s an incredible
cook. Get some rest and feel better.”
“Good night.” Olivia lowered the phone.
Satisfied he would help her make her decision,
she slid into bed and picked up a book. At midnight, she still wasn’t sleepy.
She set down the book and redirected her mind. Lincoln was teaching her to
meditate. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breaths. She conjured a mental
image of the beach in her mind and synced her breathing to the ebb and flow of
the imaginary waves. At first she had trouble concentrating, but eventually her
body felt heavy.
Olivia jolted, her heartbeat quickening, sweat
dampening her T-shirt.
What was that?
A glance at the clock on her nightstand told
her hours had passed. It felt as if she’d just closed her eyes, but she must
have fallen asleep. She scanned the darkness of her bedroom. Her gaze passed
over her dresser and chair. Had she heard something real, or had it been a
dream?
She concentrated, listening hard to the sounds
of her house, but she heard nothing unusual. A thunk and hum signaled the
heater switching on. Hot air blew out of the floor vent and moved the sheers
that hung over her windows.
The alarm hadn’t sounded. She reached for her
cell phone. It was far too early to rise for the day. She double-checked the
security system app on her phone. The house was secure. She needed to go back
to sleep.
She shifted her legs under the covers, closed
her eyes, and tried to get comfortable.
Something whooshed. Her eyes snapped open. A
large shape rushed toward her. A heavy body landed on top of her, pinning her
to the mattress. The weight and size of her attacker felt male. She flailed and
tried to push him off, but her arms and legs were trapped as he straddled her.
She was cocooned in her comforter like a swaddled baby. Her throat constricted.
She couldn’t scream.
Panic sprinted through her bloodstream as she
stared up at the dark assailant looming over her. His face seemed distorted,
his features brighter and flatter than normal. He was wearing a mask.
With a bolt of gut-twisting horror, she recognized the character as Michael Myers from the movie Halloween.
A flash of terror shot up her spine. She inhaled, preparing to
force a scream out of her tight throat.
He slapped her across the face. Pain, bright
and sharp, sang through her cheekbone but faded in seconds as her adrenaline
surged. The scream died in her chest.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I love this book! I love this series! I am so terribly sad
that this is the final book in the series!
SAVE YOUR BREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda
Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery and this time the focus is on Lincoln
Sharp and Olivia Cruz, but the danger still has a way of finding Lance and Morgan.
True-crime writer Olivia Cruz has disappeared. Lincoln and
Olivia have been dating for a few months now and he knows the type of criminals
she interviews and fears the worst. She attempts to leave a few clues, but she
is taped, tied and then drugged. Sharp gets Lance and Morgan to assist in going
through her files of her current book looking for clues.
They find Olivia was writing about two cold case murders.
The mother of one of the convicted men committed suicide right outside Morgan’s
office after Morgan turned her down as a client the same day they find Olivia
missing.
The suspects increase as the suspense builds and it is a
race against the clock. Will Sharp find Olivia and will she be alive? And has
Morgan and Lance’s involvement in the case made them targets of the killer?
I love all the characters in this book and series. I always
look forward to each book knowing I can pick it up, reconnect with Morgan,
Lance and all the secondary characters and immediately be immersed in a mystery
that pulls me into the story and their lives once again. Ms. Leigh knows how to
keep you on the edge-of-your-seat and turning the pages. I am very sorry this
series is ending, but I know I will be going back to reread them again.
I highly recommend this book and the entire series! All the
books have memorable characters and well plotted mysteries. I do recommend they
be read in order to follow all the personal connections and changes.
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About the Book
Title: Save Your Breath
Author: Melinda Leigh
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
When true-crime writer Olivia Cruz disappears with no signs of foul play, her new boyfriend, Lincoln Sharp, suspects the worst. He knows she didn’t leave willingly and turns to attorney Morgan Dane and PI Lance Kruger to find her before it’s too late.
As they dig through Olivia’s life, they are shocked to discover a connection between her current book research on two cold murder cases and the suicide of one of Morgan’s prospective clients.
As Morgan and Lance investigate, the number of suspects grows, but time is running out to find Olivia alive. When danger comes knocking at their door, Morgan and Lance realize that they may be the killer’s next targets.
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Author Biography
#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A lifelong lover of books,
she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity when her youngest child
entered first grade. During the next few years, she joined Romance Writers of
America, learned a few things about writing a novel, and decided the process
was way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut
novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the
International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver
Falchion Awards, along with two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du
Maurier Awards. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate; teaches
women’s self-defense; and lives in a messy house with her husband, two
teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescue cats.
