Tag: #bookreview

Blog Tour: Feature Post and Book Review: Pretend With Me by Emily Mayer

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for PRETEND WITH ME (Beacon Hill Book #1) by Emily Mayer on this AME blog tour.

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

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Book Synopsis

One phone call was all it took to upend my entire life in completely unexpected ways.

Whoever said that you can’t go home again was a lair. After the senior year from hell, I had spent a decade trying to avoid Beacon Hill and its residents. My luck came to a sudden end after daddy had an incident with a rotted floor. In and out, I promised myself. I was just there to help my parents for a week or two tops.

Things in Beacon Hill hadn’t changed much since I’d been home last. Mama still worked at the hub of gossip known as Trixie’s, Mrs. Thomas still made the best chicken salad in all of Georgia, and my sister was still the devil in a pushup bra. And of course, the St. James family was still local royalty. Our very own version of the Kennedys.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that, not only is my sister back in town after a failed modeling career, she’s also engaged to Macon St. James. The golden boy of Beacon Hill, and the star of every single one of my teenage fantasies.

The biggest surprise of all was Holden St. James. I thought he would be one of the villains in this story, but I was learning that I had been wrong about a lot of things. And Holden just might be worth coming home for….

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196714708-pretend-with-me

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

PRETEND WITH ME (Beacon Hill Book #1) by Emily Mayer is an enchanting contemporary romance with two people who should not have worked, but discovered they did. This is the first book I have read by this author, and it hooked me immediately and I fell right into the story.

Sutton grew up in the shadow of her older beauty pageant sister, Sissy. Sutton preferred jeans, tennis shoes, fanfics, and computers. As they grew older, they grew further apart with Sissy always having to be the center of attention and always get what she wanted. When Sutton found out her sister slept with her best friend’s boyfriend, Macon St. James and the boy Sutton secretly had a crush on, she confronted her and told her parents. Sissy got her revenge and Sutton ran from Beacon Hill after she graduated from high school.

Ten years later, Sutton is working as a coder for a gaming company in Savannah, when she gets called back home to help her father after a workplace injury. When she returns, she learns Sissy is back from L.A. and marrying Macon. She is expected to be in maid of honor and is paired with Holden St. James, Macon’s strait-laced older brother. What she discovers is that Macon and Holden are very different from her high school memories, and she begins to realize she may have dreamed about the wrong brother.

I absolutely love Sutton and Holden and loved to hate Sissy. This romance pulled me right into the story with its snarky and witty dialogue between all the characters. I laughed out loud so many times especially when Sutton and Max were together and when Sutton’s guinea pigs were discussed. (I had the same surprise guinea pig babies happen to me!) All the secondary characters are fully developed and realistic. The chemistry builds steadily through the romance plot and there is only one sex scene almost at the end of the book, which is explicit and smokin’ hot, but not gratuitous. Since this will be a series, I am very excited that I will be able to visit Beacon Hill and hopefully all these characters again in the future.

I highly recommend this delightful and entertaining contemporary romance!

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Excerpt

Once he was all settled, I got into the front seat and took a fortifying drink of my coffee.

“Okay, big guy, let’s set some ground rules for this drive.” I met his narrowed gaze in the mirror and smiled widely. “I don’t want to hear one single word about where my hands are on the wheel, the speed limit, the space between cars, or motion sickness. Got it?”

“Sutton Louise Buchanan, I was there for the day you took your first breath and I can — ”

“Good enough.” I turned the engine on and put the truck in reverse. “Why are you working on a Saturday anyway?”

“I want to make sure my crew stays on schedule while I’m laid up.” Daddy leaned forward and reached between the seats to grab his coffee. “It’s a real big job so I don’t want to fall behind right out of the gate if it can be helped.”

I nodded. “Makes sense. Where are we headed?” I came to a stop at the sign just at the end of our street.

“To the old Bradford place.”

My eyebrows rose in surprise as I turned the truck in the right direction, memory taking over. The old farmhouse had originally been built in the mid-1800s and had been renovated sporadically until the owners abandoned it in the 1980s. It was a beautiful old house — or it had been — with big porches and a sunroom that had been added on at some point. Something about that house had always called to me. I’d daydreamed about being the one to finally breathe life back into it, restore it to its former glory. Of course, all that was before Sissy had made staying here seem impossible.

There were always lots of rumors circulating about why the Bradfords had abruptly moved away after living and farming on the land for centuries, but no one really knew the reason. Beacon Hill loved its gossip. A local favorite was that one of the Mr. Bradfords had killed his entire family, and their ghosts haunted the house. Every Halloween, high schoolers would break in and try to spend the night inside. I had never been invited.

“Someone finally bought that old place?”

“Sure did, and it’s a total gut job. There were structural issues.” Daddy sounded practically gleeful at the prospect. I pictured dollar signs floating around his head like little cartoon hearts.

“I’m really happy to see that house get the love it deserves, but whoever bought it either has too much money or is an idiot.”

Daddy was silent, his fingers playing a rhythm on his Thermos.

“Well, I’d say it’s probably the former.” Daddy paused. “I don’t think anyone can call Holden St. James an idiot.”

“What?” I screeched, whipping my head around to look at him and jerking the steering wheel in the process, causing us to briefly veer off the road and onto the shoulder.

“Eyes on the road, Sutton!” Daddy yelled, bracing himself. “Jesus remember me, how many times can a man almost die in one week?”

Car in the proper lane, I took a deep breath.

“Did you just say Holden St. James bought the old Bradford place?”

“If I answer that question, are you going to be able to maintain control of the vehicle?”

I rolled my eyes, but kept them facing forward — both for safety and so Daddy wouldn’t see it.

“You’re getting dramatic in your old age. I was just surprised. It doesn’t seem like someplace Holden St. James would be interested in living. I pictured him in a sterile, ultra-modern penthouse where every single piece of furniture makes a statement and is uncomfortable.”

“Think highly of the boy, do you?” Daddy drawled, his voice thick with sarcasm.

I shrugged, reaching for my coffee. Daddy cleared his throat pointedly, and I immediately returned my hand to the wheel.

“I’d be a better driver if I was fully caffeinated,” I mumbled. “Oh! I bet he’s going to flip it. That makes sense. The property value on that place will probably be insane once you’re done with the renovation, especially with all the land it sits on.”

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Author Bio

Emily Mayer is a part-time lawyer, full time storyteller, and an aspiring writer. She lives in Central Ohio with the two loves of her life; her husband and her dog. If she isn’t working, you can usually find her somewhere with a book in her hand.

Social Media Links

Website: https://emilymayerbooks.com/

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

Purchase Link

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3PoO1fq

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Book Review: The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE BLUE MONSOON (Blue Mumbai Book #2) by Damyanti Biswas is an atmospheric and suspenseful crime thriller/police procedural pitting a Senior Inspector against a ritualistic serial killer in Mumbai, India during the monsoon season. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Senior Inspector Arnav Rajput is called to the scene of a brutal ritualistic murder on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of the Hindu temple sets the city on edge. A video of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer which leads to many more threads of this tangled web of an investigation.

A second mutilated body is discovered, and Arnav finds himself not only searching for a killer, but also dealing with duplicity and betrayal in his own police station. He seeks the help of his old partner, Sita Haik and the two are thrown into the middle of the intricate plot of a killer.

I loved this second book in the series as much as the first, The Blue Bar. Ms. Biswas’ writing immerses the reader in the underbelly of Mumbai and in this book an added antagonist is the monsoon season. Arnav is a realistic character who has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he also must bend at times within a corrupt system. Not only does he have a difficult case to solve, but his paraplegic wife who is about to give birth finds herself in danger, too. All the characters are fully developed and play key roles in this intricate plot. The discussions between characters of the still prevalent caste system and subjugation of women in India was fascinating and educational. The crime plot is intricate and has many tentacles with several crimes and criminal enterprises overlapping. The tension ramped up continually to keep me turning the pages until a surprising conclusion.

I highly recommend this immersive crime thriller/police procedural with its unique setting and memorable characters.

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About the Author

Damyanti Biswas lives in Singapore. Her short stories have been published in magazines in the US, UK, and Asia, and she helps edit the Forge Literary Magazine. She runs a 15-year old blog at damyantiwrites.com/blog, where she speaks about her life, writing and reading.

Her debut crime novel, You Beneath Your Skin, has been optioned for screen by Endemol Shine. Her next, The Blue Bar, part of the Blue Mumbai series, was published Jan 1 2023 by Thomas & Mercer. The sequel, The Blue Monsoon, will be published in October 2023.

When she’s not reading, writing or cooking up a storm, you can reach her via Facebook at www.facebook.com/damyantiwrites, on Twitter and Instagram as @damyantig. She loves hearing from readers.

Visit Damyanti’s website to sign up to her newsletter, where she shares writing advice, book recommendations and slices from her Blue Mumbai universe.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.damyantiwrites.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/damyantig

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/damyanti-biswas

Book Review: Blessing of the Lost Girls by J.A. Jance

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

BLESSING OF THE LOST GIRLS (A Brady and Walker Family Novel Book #1) by J.A. Jance is a gripping serial killer crime mystery police procedural suspense with combined characters from two of Ms. Jance’s long time series. This book can be read as a standalone because the character’s relationships are explained, and the focus is on a new generation of both families.

Federal agent Dan Pardee is now working for a new government agency, Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force (MIP). An unidentified burned body was found in Cochise County and identified two years later with newly submitted dental records by the new MIP unit. Dan is assigned the case which brings him into Joanna Brady’s jurisdiction, but it is Joanna’s daughter, criminal justice major Jenny Brady, who has information for this investigation.

Dan’s investigation begins to grow as he discovers a rodeo connection from this killer to several more missing girls. He now realizes he is chasing a serial killer who preys on marginalized girls and is skilled at not leaving a trail.

I felt this was an exceptionally strong crime mystery plot which the author took step-by-step to an exciting conclusion, even knowing who the serial killer is from the beginning. The story could be right out of the headlines with the focus on missing and murdered indigenous women. Dan is a determined and skilled law enforcement agent with an interesting Native American background which makes him perfect for his job. I also liked the possibility of Jenny Brady working with Dan in the future, which was left open. The serial killer is terrifying in his proficiency. I have heard of J.A. Jance for years, but this is the first book I have read by this author. I feel that helped me enjoy the new focus on these characters without expectations, but the marketing of it as a Brady and Walker book is confusing. Dan Pardee is a great character and I think he should be the focus in future marketing.

I found this engrossing serial killer crime mystery/police procedural suspense a thrilling read with a much needed focus on missing and murdered indigenous women. I am looking forward to more books featuring Dan Pardee.

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About the Author

J.A. Jance is the New York Times best selling author of 46 contemporary mysteries in four different series.

A voracious reader, J. A. Jance knew she wanted to be a writer from the moment she read her first Wizard of Oz book in second grade. Always drawn to mysteries, from Nancy Drew right through John D. McDonald’s Travis Magee series, it was only natural that when she tried her hand at writing her first book, it would be a mystery as well.

J. A. Jance went on to become the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family, and Edge of Evil. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Jance is an avid crusader for many causes, including the American Cancer Society, Gilda’s Club, the Humane Society, the YMCA, and the Girl Scouts. A lover of animals, she has a rescued Dachshund named Bella.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.jajance.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAJance

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-a-jance

Feature Post and Book Review: Veil of Doubt by Sharon Virts

Book Description

When a mother is charged with murder in a town already convinced of her guilt, can defense attorney Powell Harrison find truth and justice in a legal system where innocence is not presumed? 

Emily Lloyd, a young widow in Reconstruction-era Virginia, is accused of poisoning her three-year-old daughter, Maud. It isn’t the first death in her home: her husband and three other children all died of mysterious illnesses, so when Maud succumbs to an unexplained malady, the town suspects foul play. Soon Mrs. Lloyd is charged not only with poisoning the child but also with murdering her children, her husband, and her aunt. 

Enter Powell Harrison, a soft-spoken, brilliant attorney who recently returned to his Virginia hometown to help his brother manage their late father’s practice. Approached to assist in Mrs. Lloyd’s defense, Harrison initially declines, worried that an infanticide case might tarnish their family’s reputation. But as details about the widow’s erratic behavior and her reclusive neighbors emerge, Harrison begins to suspect that an even more sinister truth might lurk beneath the family’s horrible fate and finds himself irresistibly drawn to the case.  

Based on a shocking true story, Veil of Doubt is part true-crime thriller, part medical and legal procedural. Perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace and filled with rich period detail gleaned from exhaustive research, Veil of Doubt delves into the darkness of the South during Reconstruction, exposing intrigue, deception, and death. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123852788-veil-of-doubt?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=wbMAQpiGlP&rank=1

Veil of Doubt

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BW65YMXH
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Girl Friday Books (October 10, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 10, 2023
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4265 KB
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 410 pages

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

VEIL OF DOUBT by Sharon Virts is an absolutely riveting historical fiction/crime mystery book based on true events surrounding the trial of a mother charged with the murder of her young daughter in 1872 Leesburg, Virginia. I could not put this book down from start to finish.

Emily Lloyd is accused and charged with poisoning her young daughter, Maud. The widow has tragically already had to bury three children previously and is considered odd even by her friends, who are few. The entire town suspects her of the crime.

Powell Harrison is a brilliant attorney who has returned to his hometown to partner with his brother in their late father’s practice. He is approached to take on Emily’s case. While he gets resistance from friends and even his own family, he feels he is the most experienced lawyer to help Emily. As the facts of the case emerge, Powell begins to suspect Emily’s erratic behavior might be hiding an even deeper secret.

This is one of my favorite historical fiction stories this year. I was completely engrossed from beginning to the end. The book is based around the investigation and trial for several murders supposedly perpetrated by Emily Lloyd. While some suspense/mystery books featuring court proceedings can be boring or dry at times, I never felt that way with this story. The way evidence was collected, tested, and evaluated was interesting and period appropriate. I knew where the character twist was headed before the ending, but still found it fascinating as well as discussions of other mental traumas related to the Civil War. The author’s research into the true crime case and the Reconstruction era is evident.

I highly recommend this compelling historical fiction/crime mystery based on a true story. Make sure you have time set aside because you will not be able to stop turning the pages.

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About the Author

Sharon Virts is a successful entrepreneur and visionary who, after more than 25 years in business, followed her passion for storytelling into the world of historical fiction. She has received numerous awards for her work in historic preservation and has been recognized nationally for her business achievements and philanthropic contributions. She was recently included in Washington Life Magazine’s Philanthropic 50 of 2020 for her work with education, health, and cultural preservation.

Sharon’s passion truly lies in the creative. She is an accomplished visual artist and uses her gift for artistic expression along with her extraordinary storytelling to build complex characters and craft vivid images and sets that capture the heart and imagination. Sharon and her husband Scott live at Selma, a prominent historic residence that they saved from destruction and restored to its original stature. It is out of the love and preservation of Selma that the story of the life, times, and controversies of its original owner, Armistead Mason, has given root to her first novel Masque of Honor.

Social Media Links

Website: https://sharonvirts.com/veil-of-doubt/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/veil-of-doubt-by-sharon-virts

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Twice on Christmas by McGarvey Black

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for TWICE ON CHRISTMAS by McGarvey Black on this Book ‘n’ All Promotions.

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

After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead. The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night.

Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive. As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby. Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.

Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back, but her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day. Until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.

But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197785670-twice-on-christmas?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=5L0GP13mEC&rank=1

BOOKS BY MCGARVEY BLACK

STANDALONES

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Book Review

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

TWICE ON CHRISTMAS by McGarvey Black is a serial killer crime thriller/domestic suspense that features a young woman who survives a horrific attack on Christmas Eve and must deal with the trauma and ramifications every year following for over a decade. This is a standalone suspense/thriller by an author who is new to me.

Rose Grandon is a college sophomore at UConn and home for Christmas break. After choir practice for midnight mass, Rose wants to get home quicker by cutting through Harbor Park and is attacked from behind. Assaulted and left for dead, the last thing she hears is a beautiful tenor voice singing “Silent Night” as she loses consciousness by a creek in a ravine.

Her attacker is never found as she deals with several months of rehab and a pregnancy from her attack. Rose works hard to get her life back and make a home for baby, Mary, but every year her attacker remains on the loose and brutally attacking one woman every Christmas Eve and killing on every Christmas Day.

What Rose does not realize is that her attacker discovers he has a daughter, and that changes all his plans.

This is a thriller that immediately grabs you with a terrible crime and then follows the protagonist, Rose, through the next years of her life and everything she must deal with. As the reader follows Rose’s life, there are several male characters introduced into her life that could be the serial killer. I felt it was evident very early even with all the misdirection. Rose also is dealing with her daughter’s behavioral issues which highlighted how much parents do not want to acknowledge about their own children. As in any domestic suspense there are times you want to yell at the main character for not realizing some key bit of inconsistency and this story had many. The law enforcement officers, both local and federal, are not very efficient either. No background checks?

Overall,  I feel this is an average suspense/thriller that is entertaining, but with a few too many holes in the plot and a protagonist that does not question things she should.

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Author Bio

McGarvey studied voice at Manhattan School of Music and was later a theatre major in college. She pursued an acting career but later moved into a magazine and digital media career. During that time, she sold advertising and managed sales teams for companies like Conde Nast, WebMD and worked for brands including GQ, Travel + Leisure, and Allure.

In between, she took a year off and backpacked alone around the world. Later, after having two children, she left media and became an executive recruiter for internet companies. In 2017, she began writing full time and has since published six novels.

Social Media Links

AUTHOR WEBSITE
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM

Book Review: Act of Valor by Dana Mentink

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ACT OF VALOR (True Blue K-9 Unit Book #2) by Dana Mentink is an action packed Christian romantic suspense in this True Blue K-9 Unit series published by Love Inspired Suspense. This is the second book in the series featuring another of the Jameson brothers who all work in the NYPD K-9 unit with their varied K-9 partners. This is easily read as a standalone with a HEA and a complete crime suspense plot, but there is an over-arcing murder mystery that is in all the books of this series, so I am reading them all in order.

Violet Griffin works as a ticketing agent at La Guardia as well as helping in her parent’s family restaurant. When she encounters a suspicious passenger, she suddenly finds herself the target of a drug smuggling ring that wants her dead. When she is attacked in the employee lounge, Zach is in the airport with his beagle and saves her, but her attacker gets away.

NYPD K-9 Officer Zach Jameson and his drug sniffing beagle, Eddie, are in time to save Violet this time, but she is determined to live her own life and makes protecting her difficult and leaves her open to attack. Zach and Violet have been friends since childhood, and he is determined to protect her by bringing down the drug ring that is threatening her life.

As Zach guards Violet their chemistry ramps up. Violet refuses to ruin her friendship with Zach if he does not return her feelings of more than friendship, but she is willing to pray for and with Zach since he has lost his faith in God with the murder of his brother while trying to stay alive and bring down the drug ring.

This is a well written Christian romantic suspense that kept me reading from start to finish. The romance was believable with Violet and Zach both realizing how much they cared for each other, but afraid to lose their long-term friendship. The arguing between the two was humorous even though it was over serious matters. There are no sex scenes and yet the chemistry and love are there. There are strong faith and prayer elements throughout the story, but they are well placed and never slowed the story. The suspense is action packed and fast paced. I loved Eddie and enjoyed the balance between his work attitude and his lovable and at times naughty personality when not working. I was glad there was mention of a little progress in the murder mystery that is spread over the entire series, but I wanted more.

This is an exciting and thrilling Christian romantic suspense that ticked off everything I would hope for in this type of genre book.

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About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA TODAY and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. She is honored to have received two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.danamentink.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danamentink

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dana-mentink