Tag: #bookreview

Feature Post and Book Review: High Density by Freya Barker

Book Description

Since taking over the veterinary clinic in Libby, Montana last year, Janey Richards has been burning the candle at both ends. She’s grateful she is busy, but there has barely been any time to build a life outside of work. To help pay down her debt faster, she agrees to take on responsibility for the livestock at Libby’s annual rodeo, but perhaps she should’ve thought twice about the added stress.

Although, her personal life is definitely looking up.

JD Watike never thought he’d end up following in his father’s footsteps, but he’s found his stride these past six years as a member of the High Mountain Trackers team. He enjoys the simplicity of small-town living, which has only gotten more interesting since Doc Richards appeared on the scene.

Spending most of the past year patiently observing from a distance, the time feels right for him to make his move.

Or at least to clear up some misunderstandings.

The opportunity presents itself sooner than expected, when the pretty veterinarian stumbles onto some serious criminal activity at the Libby Roundup, and a young woman disappears from the grounds, he has plenty of cause to stay glued to her side.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210196437-high-density?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TiRe3XqaLN&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

HIGH DENSITY (High Mountain Trackers 2nd Gen) by Freya Barker is the third action-packed romantic suspense in the 2nd Generation quartet of books in the High Mountain Trackers world. This can be read as a standalone story, but there are carryover characters from other books in the series since the Trackers all work together. I have read and loved them all and recommend reading the series in order.

JD Watike has been interested in the new veterinarian for a while now, ever since she arrived in Libby to take over the clinic for the retiring doctor. He finally gets his chance when Doc Janey gets called to High Meadow ranch to help a horse with a partial breech birth. He is determined to take it slow until the Doc gets hired to take care of the livestock for auction and the rodeo livestock for the annual Libby Roundup and she stumbles onto criminal activity. He is determined to stay by her side.

Dr. Janey Richards has been aware of the handsome High Meadow Tracker, JD Watike, but considers him a player until they begin to see each other. When she discovers criminal activity involving the cattle up for auction, she and JD alert local law enforcement and the FBI. The danger they are in escalates as quickly as the chemistry between them.

Besides the danger at the roundup, young women have gone missing and later found assaulted and dead. JD and Janey get pulled into this investigation, too. Danger is all around them. Are the cases connected or is it a strange coincidence?

I love this series and was very happy to see JD finally step up and start a relationship with Janey. Janey is a strong heroine who stands up for herself and while she appreciates JD caring for her, she does not tolerate him making decisions for her or her life. She wants a partner, not a boss. There are a few intimate sex scenes which I felt were appropriate to their growing adult relationship, but I never felt they were gratuitous. The intertwining crime/mystery plotlines were fast-paced, intriguing, and kept me guessing and quickly turning the pages to see what happened next. I am looking forward to the next book in this quartet which will finally give me Jackson’s story.

I highly recommend this exciting addition to the High Mountain Trackers 2nd Gen 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/about/

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/freya-barker

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: A Santorini Secret by Rose Alexander

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for A SANTORINI SECRET by Rose Alexander on this Bookouture Books On Tour blog post.

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

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Book Description

Santorini, Greece, 1944. A village nestled in the mountains where children play together beneath the endless blue sky. A cottage once full of the laughter of family and the joy of a new baby. But when the Nazis arrive on the island, a devastating tragedy and an impossible choice will break this family apart…

Present day. Single mother Carrie arrives on the sun-drenched island of Santorini, her adored uncle Sol’s tattered sketchbook clutched to her chest. Heartbroken at his death, Carrie is certain Sol – who refused to speak about how he spent the war in occupied Greece – was hiding secrets all his life: and that the drawings he made of a striking young woman with wavy hair will hold the answers. Tucked away with the sketchbook was a beautiful diamond ring engraved in Greek, and Carrie cannot bear the thought that her uncle never had the chance to give it to his love.

Even as she explores the winding cobbled alleys Sol drew in his book, Carrie is filled with childhood memories. And asking around the close-knit locals, the elderly women Carrie meets speak of a brave young woman named Vassia, and a secret allied mission to rid their beautiful island of German troops. But when pressed, they refuse to say more…

Then she finds a letter written by Vassia herself. She’s shocked to read how Sol was left stranded, fighting for his life, and how Vassia risked everything to save him before a terrible betrayal tore them apart. When Carrie finally unravels the truth, the secrets will shatter the small community, and change the course of her life forever…

A Santorini Secret is an epic tale of love, loss and secrets in World War Two that will sweep you away to the hidden coves and sun-kissed beaches of Santorini.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222752044-a-santorini-secret?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AoD7F6OWWA&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A SANTORINI SECRET by Rose Alexander is an emotional dual timeline mash-up of historical fiction and women’s fiction with elements of mystery and romance. Both the past and present timelines kept me in a state of suspense and turning the pages.

A small village on Santorini is occupied by the Nazis in 1944. The daughter of the mayor, Vassia, assists as a guide in a SBS (Special Boat Service) raid to help hinder the Nazis and aid the British. One of the British soldiers is left behind and Vassia risks all to help him.

In the present, Carrie is having a tough time with her finances and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She gets the opportunity to return to Santorini and besides just enjoying the vacation and reuniting with an old friend, she is searching for information about her Uncle Sol’s mysterious time with the SBS on Santorini and the beautiful young woman in his sketchbook. Will Carrie find the answers she is searching for?

I was surprised by so many of the twists and turns this story took, not only in the past but also the present timelines. I enjoyed the descriptions of Santorini in both timelines and was happy for a change of pace location during a WWII setting. This new-to-me author did a great job of pulling me into the emotional decisions and consequences of both the female protagonists in each timeline. They were both heartwarming and heartbreaking. My only disappointment was with the secret that changed Carrie’s and her daughter’s lives. For sixteen years of emotional turmoil, it was a reason that was trivial and should have been discussed much sooner as mature adults and made me think less of her. Overall though, this book was emotionally more than what I was expecting, and I need to check out other books by this author.

I recommend setting aside some time to enjoy this poignant historical fiction/women’s fiction mash-up.

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Author Bio

Rose Alexander has had more careers than she cares to mention and is currently a secondary school English teacher. She writes in the holidays, weekends and evenings, whenever she has a chance, although with three children, a husband, a lodger and a cat, this isn’t always as often as she’d like. She’s a keen sewist and is on a mission to make all her own clothes.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.rosealexander.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosealexanderauthor

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rose-alexander

Purchase Link

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DQVJSKHXsocial

Bookouture Links

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Rose Alexander here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/rose-alexander/

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

Feature Post and Book Review: Murder Takes the Stage by Colleen Cambridge

Book Description

Housekeeper Phyllida Bright is quite in her element at Mallowan Hall, the charming English manor that she keeps in tip-top shape. By contrast, the bustling metropolis of London, where her famed employer Agatha Christie has temporarily relocated, leaves Phyllida a bit out of her depth. Not only must she grapple with a limited staff, but Phyllida also has to rein in a temperamental French cook who has the looks of Hercule Poirot, but none of the charm. 

When a man named Archibald Allston is found dead in an armchair onstage at the Adelphia Theater, first impressions are that he died of natural causes. But the very next day, the unlucky actor playing Benvolio at the Belmont Theater is found with his head bashed in. And when a third victim turns up, this time with double-C initials, the fatal pattern is impossible to ignore. 

With panic erupting among theater folk—a superstitious bunch at the best of times—Phyllida steps up to help with the investigation. The murderer’s M.O. may be easy to read, but can Phyllida uncover the killer’s identity before the final curtain falls on another victim?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205762581-murder-takes-the-stage?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aQyk04Ojl3&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MURDER TAKES THE STAGE (Phyllida Bright Mystery Book #4) by Colleen Cambridge is another wonderful addition to this addictive historical mystery series featuring Agatha Christie’s housekeeper, Phyllida Bright. I look forward to reading each new murder mystery and catching up with this memorable cast of characters. Each book can be read as a standalone mystery, but the characters continue to evolve so I have enjoyed and recommend reading them in order.

Phyllida Bright is the housekeeper of Mallowan Hall for her friend Agatha Christie, but Agatha and her husband are in London at the moment to see about a proposed production for one of her plays and she has asked Phyllida to follow to take care of their rented home in the city. Phyllida is anxious about being in London due to her past, which is still a mystery to everyone but Agatha and Phyllida.

Phyllida gets a call to come to the theater and discovers a dead actor on the stage. While it appears to be a death by natural causes, she can’t help being struck by the circumstances. The actor was Archie Allston asleep in an armchair at the Adelphia theater. The very next day, Trent Orkney who is playing Benvolio is found on a stage balcony with his head bashed in at the Belmont theater. When a third victim, Claudia Carmichael is catapulted from the catwalk at the Clapham theater, Phyllida is determined to uncover and stop the killer before they can murder their way through any more of the alphabet.

This is my favorite so far in the series. Besides the fun alliteration and the perfectly paced murder plot, this book finally reveals Phyllida’s secret and the reason she never likes to travel far from Mallowan Hall or be around law enforcement. This book also advances the budding attraction between Phyllida and Bradford, the Mallowan’s chauffeur, but we are still waiting for more of Bradford’s backstory which is only hinted at. Phyllida’s denouement was dramatically given on a theater stage and walked the cast of characters and the reader through all the possibilities, twists, and red herrings which led to the grand reveal of the killer. It was a surprise to me, and I love it when that is the case.

I highly recommend this historical crime mystery series! It is always a must-read for me.

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About the Author

Colleen Cambridge is the pen name for an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From a young age, Colleen has loved reading mysteries and now she couldn’t be happier that she is able to write them.

Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.colleengleason.com/colleen-cambridge/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenGleason.Author

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-gleason

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Promise She Made by Julie Hartley

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE PROMISE SHE MADE by Julie Hartley on this Bookouture Books-On-Tour blog post.

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

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Book Description

As our ship starts to sink, I see flares lighting up the midnight sky. ‘Hold on tight. I will keep you safe. I promise,’ I say to my terrified little sister as I hold back my tears. But I know I can’t hold on for much longer and as she slips away, my heart breaks. Will I ever see her again?

England, 1942. On a dark night of the Blitz, Ruby returns to her beloved hometown with her heart shattered. Tears sting her eyes as she remembers the Nazis sinking their ship, and her little sister Eliza drifting away from her on the dark sea. It was their one chance of escape and it cost Ruby so much to leave behind her fiancé Antoine. She’s devastated that she couldn’t keep the promise she made to her dying mother – to keep her little sister safe.

When Ruby finds her family home destroyed, she falls to her knees in tears. The Germans have taken everything from her – first her family, and now her home. Among the ruins of her life, she wonders if she has the strength to carry on. But then, she finds a mysterious note.

Eliza is alive. I’ve seen her. You must find her…

A flicker of hope is ignited in her heart, and Ruby vows to never give up looking for Eliza. But her newfound courage is put to the test when a message from Antoine reveals something about Eliza’s fate that changes everything. She must find him again to learn the truth, but with England at war, will they find their way back to each other? And will she ever see her little sister again?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221490207-the-promise-she-made?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_20

Buy Link: https://geni.us/B0DMWPL5KKsocial

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE PROMISE SHE MADE by Julie Hartley is a compelling WWII historical fiction story which follows a young English woman over several years of the war in England and the life-altering decisions she makes that not only effect herself but also those she loves.

Ruby promises her dying mother she will always keep her little sister, Eliza, safe.

From this promise forward in the story, Ruby attempts to keep this promise, but makes decisions that not only do not work out as she hoped but also hurt and alienate those who love her and Eliza. The story is divided into parts that cover a specific few months in Ruby’s entire life story and the consequences caused by either the war, her personal decisions, or both. Ruby is not an easy main character to like due to her temper and inability to listen to others who love her. She is led by guilt over uncontrollable situations and her inability to understand this.

While this is a story that pulled me in and kept me turning the pages, Ruby and the secondary characters around her felt more like a compilation of character stories with Ruby being an archetype of many women’s stories during the war, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of this story. Ruby and Antoine’s romance plotline is believable and had me on an emotional roller coaster throughout the story. The resolution of the story brings all the plotline threads together and left me satisfied.

I recommend this emotional WWII historical fiction read.

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About the Author

Born in Lincolnshire, England, Julie Hartley is a writer, storyteller, creative writing teacher and writing retreat host currently based in Toronto, Canada. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she is the author of a middle grade novel, The Finding Place, published by Red Deer Press; a poetry collection, Deboning a Dragon, published by Mansfield Press, and a book on how to teach Shakespeare, published by Theatrefolk. Julie teaches creative writing to children, teens and adults in schools and universities, and at her own studio in Toronto. She is the instructor for annual creative writing retreats in Costa Rica, Mexico and England. Her next book – a historical novel set on the south coast of England in 1940, is forthcoming with Bookouture in September 2024.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.juliehartley.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.hartley.3367

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-promise-she-made-an-utterly-heartbreaking-and-gripping-world-war-2-historical-novel-inspired-by-true-events-by-julie-hartley

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Promise-She-Made-heartbreaking-historical-ebook/dp/B0DMWPL5KK/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BE5-3XZjaXsAktPB6penwfGJObhYhqFu7R

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Dreams of the Scottish Highlands by F.L. Everett

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for DREAMS OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS by F.L. Everett on this Bookouture Books-On-Tour blog post.

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

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Book Description

As the castle comes into view beside the sun-dappled loch, Cat wonders if this magical place is where she will finally heal her heart…

In desperate need of a fresh start after a recent heartbreak, Cat Hardwick leaves her life in the city behind and travels to the remote Scottish Highlands. Arriving at her godfather’s estate, she hopes returning to the beautiful place she remembers from childhood will help mend her broken heart.

But as she steps into the grand hall, the castle isn’t as she expects. With a sagging roof and buckets to catch the leaks, Cat soon realizes the estate is in trouble. Determined to save the place that gave her such happy memories, she offers her expertise as an event planner as a way to breathe new life into the estate. Surely there must be a way to save this magical place?

The only person opposed to her plans is her godfather’s son, Logan McCaskill. He is just how Cat remembers from childhood – grumpy and irritating, but maddingly attractive with thick black hair and piercing dark brown eyes. Each time he rejects her ideas in his lilting Scottish accent, she feels her cheeks flush, caught between anger and desire.

Cat spends her days avoiding Logan. But when an unexpected storm forces them to seek shelter in an abandoned cottage on the estate, with nothing but a flickering fire and a flask of whiskey for company, it is a night that changes everything forever…

But then Logan starts acting distant, just as her old flame unexpectedly appears. Cat hoped this place could be her new home, but now she feels more lost than ever. Will Cat find the courage to face her past and embrace her future? Or is she destined to leave this magical place alone?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221422038-dreams-of-the-scottish-highlands?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=fPrGhDUyFu&rank=1

Buy link: https://geni.us/B0DMP344XWsocial

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

DREAMS OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS by F.L. Everett is an enchanting escape to the Scottish Highlands. This contemporary romance’s main character, Cat, has lost her London job and is looking for a new start helping her godfather find ways to save his run-down Scottish Highlands castle. This has a slow burn romance with a curmudgeonly son of the laird, but it also has a cast of family and friends that make this so much more than just a romance.

Catrina “Cat” Hardwick lost her job and the man she loves. When her mother tells her about an opportunity to help her godfather, Sir Alastair, in Scotland, she jumps at the chance to get out of London and return to the beautiful place she visited as a young girl. When she arrives, she discovers the disrepair of the castle and offers her assistance as an event planner to bring in revenue to repair and save the castle.

Logan McCaskill is the eldest son and just as attractive as Cat remembered. He is also still disagreeable and irritating. He is opposed to every suggestion Cat and her godfather suggest. While touring the estate a storm forces them to seek shelter and Cat wonders if this could be the new start she was looking for, but Logan’s old flame reappears in town and Cat feels she may have lost her new home and family forever.

I loved all the characters in this story, including all the various dogs. The humans are all fully developed, believable, and played important roles in changing Cat’s life and saving the castle. The dialogue between Cat and Logan is fun to read with their very different attitudes, but I felt there was a little too much at the beginning of the story spent on Cat’s inner dialogue and her self-negativity which slowed the pace and became a bit repetitive. I also wish Cat and Logan had just communicated more. I don’t enjoy romance plot problems based solely on not communicating. When the event to save the castle ends up being hilarious and does not go quite as planned, the author finds a brilliant solution plot twist to save the castle that was unexpectedly perfect.

I recommend this entertaining contemporary romance. Overall, this is an enjoyable read in a beautiful setting with a heartwarming romantic ending.

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About the Author

Flic Everett is a Mancunian writer who now lives in a cottage in the beautiful West Highlands with her patient husband and two deranged cocker spaniels. She still misses Manchester, and returns like a homing pigeon every month to see family and friends. She spends a lot of time writing on trains.

Flic has owned an award-winning vintage shop, guest-presented Woman’s Hour and was once a part-time tarot reader. She has a grown up son who makes her laugh more than anyone on earth, and she likes reading, painting, cooking, clothes, animals, Art Deco and rummaging in charity shops for bargains. Her greatest fear is being stranded without a book. She has spent many years as a freelance journalist and editor for national newspapers and magazines and can’t believe she’s finally allowed to make up stories from the comfort of her own home. Newsletter: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/f-l-everett/

Social Media Links

Website: www.fliceverett.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551319733773

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/f.l.everett_author/

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

Bookouture: https://bookouture.com/authors/fl-everett-405/

Feature Post and Book Review: The Sheriff’s Baby by Dolores Fossen

Book Description

When the mother of his unborn child is threatened, a lawman must match wits with a cunning killer.

A frantic call for backup brings Sheriff Duncan Holder to the home of his pregnant ex, a deputy haunted by her father’s unsolved murder. Now Joelle McCullough is the target of a kidnapping plot that’s only the beginning. When the twisting trail to the truth erupts in violence, Duncan will do whatever it takes to keep Joelle and their unborn baby safe. Even if that means going up against a killer leaving a string of dead bodies who won’t stop until a final revenge is carried out.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205246628-the-sheriff-s-baby?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=n4oGQmK83X&rank=2

Discover more action-packed stories in the Saddle Ridge Justice series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:

Book 1: The Sheriff’s Baby
Book 2: Protecting the Newborn
Book 3: Tracking Down the Lawman’s Son
Book 4: Child in Jeopardy

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE SHERIFF’S BABY (Saddle Ridge Justice Book #1) by Dolores Fossen is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat first book in a Harlequin Intrigue series featuring a law enforcement family in Texas. While each book stands alone with its own romantic suspense plot, there is an overarching mystery involving the murder of the McCullough sibling’s father and the disappearance of their mother, so I will read the series in the order published.

Sheriff Duncan Holder receives a frantic call for backup in the middle of the night for assistance for Deputy Joelle McCullough, who is on leave due to her pregnancy. Five months ago, Joelle’s father was murdered while Duncan and Joelle were together and she has avoided him since out of guilt even though she became pregnant that evening, also. Joelle is the target of a kidnapping plot. With suspects tied to the illegal sale of babies and possible ties to her father’s murder, Duncan and Joelle are continually in danger coming at them from all sides. Will Duncan be able to protect Joelle and discover who is trying to take her and their baby away?

This is a very fast-paced plot with twists happening at every turn of the page. Ms. Fossen does a great job of keeping all the suspects in play and keeping me guessing right up to the climax. Joelle and Duncan are fighting their attraction, but the danger has a way of clearing up any reservations or guilt and the chemistry takes over. There is one steaming sex scene in the shower, but it is later in the book and felt natural in the progression of their romantic reconnection. The mystery involving Joelle’s murdered father and missing mother is unresolved, but the main romantic suspense plot for this book is resolved. Joelle has two older brothers and a younger sister, so I am assured of more exciting books in this series.

I highly recommend this exciting romantic suspense/police procedural/mystery mash-up and I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

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About the Author

Former Air Force Captain Delores Fossen is a New York Times, USA Today, Amazon and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author whose books have sold over nine million copies worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers Best Award for Best Romantic Suspense and the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.deloresfossen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeloresFossen/timeline/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deloresfossen/?hl=en

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delores-fossen