Today I am excited that it is my turn on this Blog Tour and I get to share my Feature Post and Book Review for INTO DARKNESS (A Shannon Ames Thriller Book #1) by T.J. Brearton. I love when I find an intelligent new protagonist and series to follow.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section with the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
They have been judged. The verdict – guilty. The sentence – death.
Two beautiful young women are found strangled, their bodies meticulously washed and groomed. The only thing they have in common – both worked as reporters for local TV stations.
A coincidence? Or something more sinister?
Rookie Special Agent Shannon Ames is assigned to the case and soon impresses with her brilliant intuition and startling ability to think outside the box.
But as Shannon takes a more prominent role in the investigation, she finds herself drawn into a deadly dance with a master of deception, a serial killer whose victims all work in media – journalists, influencers, reporters.
Shannon’s superiors are convinced it’s part of some grand attack on the free press, but she has a hunch these killings are much more targeted. And she follows that hunch – straight into the heart of darkness…
Into Darkness is a gripping mystery thriller that will keep you up all night as it races towards its shocking conclusion. Perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Robert Dugoni and Lisa Regan.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
INTO DARKNESS (A Shannon Ames Thriller Book #1) by T.J. Brearton is the first book in a new FBI procedural thriller series by a new to me author. The protagonist of this series is a rookie FBI agent who is an independent thinker and has the intelligence to view a case from outside of the box.
Special Agent Shannon Ames is assigned to assist her new FBI associates and a team of NYC policemen on a case with one local female on-air reporter found dead and a second female media personality is missing. When the second woman is also found dead, Shannon finds herself chasing a serial killer who is targeting journalists, media personalities and social media influencers.
Shannon’s FBI superiors believe it is a terrorist set on attacking the free press, but Shannon believes these murders are more targeted and personal. The body count mounts as Shannon refuses to stop working on her theory as she suddenly comes between the killer and his final target.
I was completely engrossed in this fast-paced procedural thriller! Shannon is a great new protagonist who is beautiful, intelligent and willing to work hard to prove her theories and hunches. She does not just follow the easy and quick solutions of her fellow agents which causes some internal friction. This is the perfect antagonist for her because he is always misdirecting the authorities, but she stays on course. As the story progresses and you learn more about the killer, you cannot condone his killing, but his reasons for the murders tore me apart. All the secondary characters where realistic and I hope will return in future books in this series.
This thriller is easy to read with plenty of action, plot twists and misdirection which kept me reading. I will be looking forward to more books featuring Shannon Ames.
***
About T.J. Brearton
T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialog and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate, New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life.
T.J. is the author of Dead Gone and many other crime thrillers. INTO DARKNESS will be his first novel published with Inkubator Books.
Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for this exciting new thriller and to share My Feature Post and Book Review for I MAY KILL YOU by Keith Dixon. This serial killer lets you know he is coming for you.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section with the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Serial killers are secretive animals. They keep their deeds to themselves and hope never to be found.
But there’s a new man in town—a killer who warns people in advance he’s going to kill them, then does it, in a variety of unusual, even bizarre, ways.
Ex-policeman Ben Buckland wants to catch this man not because he’s on the list … but because his 15-year-old daughter is. And that’s just not fair.
Especially when the killer has sent out warnings to several hundred people …
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
I MAY KILL YOU by Keith Dixon is an intriguing new serial killer standalone thriller by a new to me author. The protagonist is an ex-DCI and the action moves along at a fast pace as he works to find the killer when his daughter is threatened.
Random people are receiving a letter in the mail that finishes with the final line – “I may kill you”.
Ex-DCI Ben Buckland left the police force three years ago in disgrace. He has been working a job he hates as a mall security guard when one of the elderly tenants in his building shows him a threatening letter. He takes it to DCI Serena Howarth at his old station and learns there have been many letters received throughout their town. When murders related to the letters are discovered and his daughter receives the same letter, the chase for a killer has now become personal.
Ben is able to figure out the way the killer will eliminate his targets, but he cannot figure out the why. As Ben consistently butts heads with the police, he is also helped by Serena as he works to find a way to stop the killer and save his daughter.
I really enjoyed this thriller. Ben is not your typical hero, but even with his moral flaws and failures, I was cheering for him and admired his love for his daughter. The killer in this book is known almost from the beginning as he tells his own story at intervals and yet it did not take away from the suspense. All the characters in this book are realistic and could walk right off the page, good and bad. This thriller moves along at an ever increasing pace to a climax that satisfies.
I enjoyed this thriller and can recommend it for an engaging and tension filled read. I will also be looking for other books by this author in the future.
***
About Keith Dixon
Keith Dixon was born in Yorkshire and grew up in the Midlands. He’s been writing since he was thirteen years old in a number of different genres: thriller, espionage, science fiction, literary. Two-time winner of the Chanticleer Reviews CLUE First in Category award for Private Eye/Noir novel, he’s the author of ten books in the Sam Dyke Investigations series and two other non-crime works, as well as two collections of blog posts on the craft of writing. His new series of Paul Storey Thrillers began in 2016.
When he’s not writing he enjoys reading, learning the guitar, watching movies and binge-inhaling great TV series. He’s currently resident in France.
Today I am excited for my turn on the April 2020 Harlequin Series Blog Tour. My Feature Post and Book Review is for Melissa Senate’s Special Edition book – WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, a letter from the author, an excerpt from the book and an about the author section. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Their feuding fathers never could have predicted this…
He came to claim the Dawson Family Ranch…but was Daisy Dawson’s heart part of the deal? Harrison McCord was sure he was the rightful owner of the Dawson Family Ranch. And delivering Daisy Dawson’s baby on the side of the road was a mere diversion. Still, when Daisy found out his intentions, instead of pushing him away, she invited him in, figuring he’d start to see her in a whole new light. But what if she started seeing him that way, as well?
WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY (Dawson Family Ranch Book #2) by
Melissa Senate is a contemporary romance and the newest addition to the Dawson
Family Ranch series. This story can easily be read as a standalone, but it was
so engaging that now I want to read about all the Dawson siblings.
Daisy Dawson is abandoned at the alter and decides to leave
on her own to her honeymoon hotel, but on the way her car breaks down and her
baby decides it is time to be born. Stuck on the side of the road and in labor,
the mystery man from Cabin 1 comes along just in time to help deliver Daisy’s
baby. She cannot thank him enough, until she returns home and finds out why he
is on the ranch.
Harrison McCord has come to settle a ten-year-old score for
his deceased father and terminally ill aunt. He is the rightful owner of the
Dawson Family Ranch. When Daisy returns, Harrison gets the family together and
tells them his reason for being on the ranch. The family is ready and willing
to fight him in court, but Daisy has another plan.
Can Daisy show Harrison what the ranch has meant to the
Dawson family for generations and help him change his mind about his father’s
last request? Will Harrison be able to keep this as strictly business and not
let his growing feelings for Daisy and her baby interfere with his decisions?
This is a cozy romance with no sex scenes, but a lot of love. The romance happens quickly with a lot of emotional ups and downs. I enjoy how Ms. Senate gave both Harrison and Daisy valid points of views and sides in the feud that had to be worked out for the HEA. This was an enjoyable read, but for me this plot would have been more realistic over a longer timeline.
I will be anxiously waiting for Daisy’s brothers’ stories and hoping they find all the love that Daisy wishes for them too.
***
A Letter from the Author
Dear Reader,
The nine-months-pregnant single heroine of Wyoming Special Delivery, Daisy Dawson, is one of six siblings and the only female. But when she goes into labor on the side of a Wyoming road in the dead of summer without a cell phone or a spare brother, she’s beyond grateful when the handsome, mysterious guest at her family’s dude ranch turns up—and delivers her baby boy.
But Harrison McCord has a secret reason for staying at the Dawson Family Ranch. A reason Daisy will not like one bit. Bringing her newborn son into the world, though, changes everything for the both of them.
I hope you enjoy Daisy and Harrison’s story. Feel free to write me with any comments or questions at MelissaSenate@yahoo.com and visit my website, melissasenate.com for more info about me and my books. For lots of photos of my cat and dog, friend me over on Facebook.
Happy spring and happy reading!
Warmest regards,
Melissa Senate
***
Excerpt
Late the next afternoon, Daisy stood in the farmhouse nursery with Noah and Sara and gasped as she looked around. She gently put down Tony’s infant carrier and unbuckled him, carefully cradling him along her arm as she stepped around the room. The nursery sure looked different than it had a day and a half ago. She’d had the basics of the room set up for a couple months now—the crib, the dresser with its changing pad, the glider—all gifts from Noah a few days after she’d told him she was pregnant. But now there were surprises everywhere. In one corner was an adorable plush child’s chair in the shape of a teddy bear for Tony to grow into. And someone had stenciled the wall facing the crib with the moon and stars. Tony’s name was also stenciled on his crib, which was Sara’s handiwork. And there were stacks of gifts in one corner that she knew were baby clothes and blankets and burp cloths. She wouldn’t have to buy anything for Tony for a long time.
“Ford and Rex did the moon and stars,” Noah said. “For novice stencilers who had to read the instructions twice and watch a tutorial, they did a great job.”
“And Zeke and Axel hit up BabyLand and bought that adorable polka-dot rug and the yellow floor lamp,” Sara added. “I didn’t even go with them to make sure they didn’t buy anything weird or clashing, and what they picked out is absolutely perfect.”
The room was so cozy and sweet. “You guys are going to make me cry,” Daisy managed to say around the lump in her throat as she surveyed the nursery. She used her free hand to swipe under her eyes.
She couldn’t say she and her brothers were close—well, except for Noah these days—but they were always there for her. And they’d all been there to meet Tony the day he was born. That was the one lucky thing to come out of her nonwedding—her whole family had already been at the ranch.
This place had always held bad memories for all the siblings, but after inheriting the ranch from their father, they’d all invested in rebuilding and renovating and reopening the Dawson Family Guest Ranch. Noah had done the lion’s share on his own; Daisy had been too pregnant to help much when she’d arrived a few months ago, and the four other Dawsons couldn’t get away from the ranch fast enough.
Ford had once said hell would freeze over be-fore he’d come back here, a sentiment shared by the other three brothers as well, but Ford, Rex, Axel and Zeke had surprised Noah and Daisy at the grand opening this past Memorial Day weekend. And now Axel was staying at the ranch for a bit. That meant three out of six Dawsons at the ranch at the same time. It was a start. And Daisy was going to run with it.
***
About the Author
Melissa Senate has written many novels for Harlequin and other publishers, including her debut, SEE JANE DATE, which was made into a TV movie. She also wrote seven books for Harlequin’s Special Edition line under the pen name Meg Maxwell. Melissa’s novels have been published in over twenty-five countries. She lives on the coast of Maine with her teenaged son, their sweet shepherd mix, Flash, and a comical lap cat named Cleo. Visit her website MelissaSenate.com.
I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on this Blog Tour for SUGARCOATED (Hot Cakes Book #1) by Erin Nicholas.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an excerpt from the book, author info and social media links. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb
She’s
his best friend’s little sister. He’s known her all his life. He’s practically
part of the family. There is nothing either of them could do to surprise the
other at this point.
Then
she showed up in his bedroom in lingerie and asked him to take her V-card.
Now,
that was a surprise.
Aiden
is pretty sure Zoe was equally surprised when he told her no.
To
say that he didn’t handle it well would be a massive understatement. Almost as
massive as the amount of work he’s going to have to do now to convince her that
he wants her. Forever.
Right
after he tells her that he’s bought the company that’s her bakery’s biggest competitor.
Maybe
if he tells her he’s in love with her first, that will help sugarcoat the whole
we’re-rivals-in-business-now thing.
So, first “I’m in love with you”, then “take off your clothes”, then “I’m now your business adversary”.
Piece of cake.
***
“You can always count on Erin Nicholas for fun, sexy
contemporary romance.”―Melissa Foster,
New York Times bestselling author
Sugarcoated, an all-new sexy and laugh-out-loud standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas, is out now!
SUGARCOATED (Hot Cakes Book #1) by Erin Nicholas is
the first book in a new contemporary romance/romantic comedy series. This story
is a best friend’s little sister/friends-to-lovers mash-up with all the emotion,
humor and sexual chemistry I expect in a romance by Erin Nicholas.
Fluke, Inc. is a highly successful company started by five
college friends who sold their highly popular, original video game for millions.
Aiden and Camden grew up in a small town in Iowa, which is where they all become
involved in the purchase and rescue of the town’s largest employer – Hot Cakes.
Aiden is looking for an investment project so that he can
return home and claim his best friend’s sister and live happily ever after. The
opportunity to buy and save Hot Cakes to keep three hundred people employed in his
hometown pops up and he feels it is the perfect opportunity for Fluke, Inc. and
him. How can he tell Zoe he loves her, but he also bought her hated rival and
competition?
Zoe has been dreading Aiden’s return to town ever since he
turned down her surprise offering of her virginity on Christmas Eve. He is back
and shaking up everything she believes in and Zoe does not like change. As Zoe
begins to open up and believe in Aiden’s love, he is still hiding his other
reason for his return.
This is such a sweet and tasty treat of a romance. When I started this book, I thought Aiden and Zoe were so different, but they both ended up having the same fear. Ms. Nicholas’ dialogue is witty and her sexual tension and inuendo continue to ramp up the heat to a sexy and hot scene in Zoe’s bakery. The sexual banter and sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. The introduction of Zoe’s friends and all the other men in Fluke, Inc. has you anticipating even more fun and sexy romance to come.
I recommend this first book in the Hot Cakes series and I
will definitely be waiting for more.
***
Excerpt
“Yes!” It was the wrong answer, he knew, even
as he said it. But it was true.
“You are so full of yourself!” She
frowned. “You actually thought I’d be waiting around, pining for you, didn’t
you?”
Maybe not crying herself to sleep
every night, but thinking about him? Yeah. Fuck. He hadn’t been able to get her
out of his mind for more than a few hours at a time. “It’s only been five
months,” he said. “Is it really crazy for me to think that you didn’t get your
virginity ‘taken care of’ yet?”
“Exactly! It’s been five months!” she said.
“You went twenty-five years without
sex, and you couldn’t go five more months?”
“Well, it’s not like you gave me an IOU!”
she shot back. “I had no idea when you were coming back, and I assumed your
answer would have still been no. So yeah, I moved on, Aiden.”
“Who was it?” he asked, noting his
tone was suddenly a little ominous.
“I’m not telling you that.” She
looked at him like he was insane.
“Tell me, Zoe.”
“No.”
“I’ll find out. This is Appleby. I’ll
probably know by the end of tonight.”
“You won’t.” She lifted her chin. “I
can promise you that.”
“Bet I do.”
“Why do you really even care? Now you
don’t have to do it.”
“Because you’re mine.”
Yeah, shit. See, he’d known
that was the wrong answer to give. Guys didn’t go around claiming women like
they were property or possessions. He knew that. He’d never had that urge
before. This woman was strong and independent and confident and certainly
didn’t need him for anything.
But the idea of another man touching
her, seeing her naked, making her feel the ultimate pleasure, made his blood
boil.
She stood, just staring at him. Then
she picked up a cake ball. And threw it at him. It hit him square in the red
tie and bounced back onto the table.
“You’re a jerk.”
Yeah, maybe he was. A nice guy would
probably just take all her explanations and excuses about why they shouldn’t be
together and admit his idea was crazy.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t
wipe away the sticky crumbs the cake ball left on his tie. He picked up the
ball and rounded the worktable.
Her eyes widened, and she backed up
as he came closer. He kept going. Until her back was against the front of the
fridge.
He didn’t say a word as he stopped
right in front of her, lifted his hand to cup her face, and leaned in.
Aiden ignored her hands on his chest.
She wasn’t pushing. She wasn’t pulling him closer either, but she wasn’t trying
to get away. She wasn’t lifting her knee to his balls. She wasn’t saying no.
He stared into her eyes for a long
moment. She could stop this. He knew she knew that.
She didn’t.
So he kissed her.
***
About Erin
Nicholas
New
York Times and USA
Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as
long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy,
contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,”
“steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and
happily ever afters.
Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her
husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who
will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who
claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).
Today I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for Christi Caldwell’s new book IN BED WITH THE EARL (Lost Lords of London Book #1).
Below you will find an author guest post, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an author bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
***
Author Guest Post: Flaws Make the Man
My newest release, In Bed with the Earl, features an unlikely Regency hero. He was born to nobility, was kidnapped, and grew up in the roughest streets of London, as a ‘tosher’…a sewer scavenger. Nothing about Malcom or his past is in any way conventional, but he also represents how our pasts shape who we are. And there is no doubting, his past molded him into who he is… a man who doesn’t let people close…and who protects what he does have. Which is why…when he does meet Verity, someone who wants to be close for him (first, for reasons related to her work…and then, the more she knows him, simply because she’s falling for him) he resists.
People are impacted by life, in different ways. We all have many layers; and for Malcom, those layers are protective ones; a shield to protect himself from being hurt…because he’s already known so much. Yes, he’s coarse and ragged, and rough, but beneath that, readers (I hope) will see what Verity sees…that he has a good heart, and is deserving of a happily-ever-after, not only for who he is to others, but because, with the life he’s lived, he deserves it for himself.
***
Summary
To solve a mystery that’s become the talk of the ton, no clues run too deep for willful reporter Verity Lovelace. Not even in the sewers of London. That’s precisely where she finds happily self-sufficient scavenger Malcom North, lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. Now that Verity’s made him front-page news, what will he make of her?
Kidnapped as a child, with no memories of his well-heeled past, Malcom prefers the grimy spoils of the culverts to the gilded riches of society. Damn the feisty beauty who exposed the contented tosher to a parade of fortune-hunting matchmakers. How to keep them at bay? Verity must pretend to be his wife. She owes him.
The intimacy of this necessary arrangement—Verity and Malcom thrust together in close quarters—soon sparks an irresistible heat. But when the charade ends, the danger begins. Will love be enough to protect them from a treacherous plot devised to ruin them?
About the Book
Title: In Bed with the Earl
Author: Christi Caldwell
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Publisher: Montlake
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
IN BED WITH THE EARL (Lost Lords of London Book #1)
by Christi Caldwell is the first book in a new historical romance series that
had me engrossed from page one!
While sick in bed and his parents dead, Percival Northrop is
kidnapped and his life becomes a day to day struggle to survive in the St.
Giles area of Victorian London. He blocks his memory of his younger life and learns
the life of a tosher. He is now known as Malcolm North and is ruthless as he
fights to survive and thrive in the sewers of London.
Malcolm does not quite fit with his fellow toshers. He can read, calculate and speaks as if he is upper class. He is located by a private detective and told that he is the actual true heir to an Earldom. Malcom wants nothing to do with that life.
Verity Lovelace has worked for The Londoner since she was
twelve years old. She worked her way from inkwell girl to reporter, but because
she is a woman she is only given the opportunity to write the gossip column. She
is the bastard daughter of an Earl and has been the sole support for her sister
and nursemaid for years since her mother died. After having one of her stories
stolen, her job is on the line and she must find the missing Earl and interview
him or be out of a work.
Verity is rescued in the sewers by Malcolm. The two butt
heads as Verity refuses to be give up her chase of the story. Malcolm has never
let anyone get close, but there is something about this female that he cannot
forget. Verity is determined to get her story, but is she ready to pay the price?
I loved Malcom and Verity so much! I could not put this book
down. Malcolm’s fight for survival and life as a tosher was interesting and a
life that was new to me. Even as he refused his memories and emotions, he took
care of others. Verity was a survivor as much as Malcolm and that is what made
them so perfect for each other. The author’s writing is emotionally charged banter
that made me laugh out loud as well as tear up. The sexual tension between
these two was well written and there is only one sex scene towards the very end
of the story. It is explicit, but not gratuitous. All the secondary characters
were fully fleshed and wonderful additions to the story.
I highly recommend this historical romance and I am waiting
anxiously for the next book in this series!
***
Excerpt: In Bed with the Earl by
Christi Caldwell
“May
I help you, Miss Lovelace?”
That lethal purr sounded from the front of the
room, a silky taunt.
With a gasp, the page slipped from her fingers
and fluttered to a damning place at her feet.
Mr. Bram yanked the cloths from his eyes, and
he took in Verity beside Mr. North’s open desk. And all the color left his
face. “Oh, bloody hell.”
Oh, bloody hell, indeed. And all thoughts of
having been rescued by a savior, and even the importance of this story, fled in
the face of the danger staring back at her in his ruthless gaze.
He is going to kill me…
Verity swallowed hard. “If you’ll excuse us?”
Mr. North murmured.
Verity took a step toward the door.
“Not you, Miss Lovelace.”
Mr. Bram climbed awkwardly to his feet. “Oi’m
so sorry,” he said hoarsely, an apology that went ignored by Mr. North.
Her heart lurched. Every muscle in her body
lurched. This was bad. Which would have been the understated statement of the
century. She curled her toes into the soles of her borrowed slippers and
followed the stranger’s—nay, he was no longer a stranger in name—the Earl of
Maxwell’s gaze. As dread slowly wound its way through her, Verity curled those
digits all the tighter.
And as it was all the easier to focus on
matters within her control, she looked to her older patient as he limped across
the room. “Be sure and try out those remedies, Mr. Bram.” She felt Mr. North
sharpen his gaze on her person. “And I’ve something that might help with that
limp, too,” she promised.
The older man stopped. “Do ya, now?”
She may as well have promised him the sun,
moon, and stars for the way he looked at her. “Oh, yes. You’ll require—”
“Bram,” Mr. North snapped, and the older man
instantly scuttled off, but not before flashing her an apologetic look.
“It is really not Mr. Bram’s fault. He’s not
done anything wrong. You really shouldn’t take your…”
Not taking his eyes from her person, he reached
behind him with an agonizing slowness and drew the door shut. Click. That soft but decisive snap that served as a seal of
her fate.
Just like that, Verity’s bravado flagged. She
clutched at the fabric of her skirts. Wanting to be the composed reporter
gathering her research, and undaunted in the face of peril.
And she came up … pathetically empty.
That cold smile affixed to hard lips remained
in place, a grin that no person would dare mistake for anything but the feral
threat it was. He pushed away from the door and started a languid stroll toward
her.
Had she truly been relieved about determining
the identity of her savior and captor?
It was now all muddled.
“Now, Miss Lovelace? If that is your name?”
“M-my name?” Wasn’t it? Even her name eluded her
in that moment. “Of course it is.” Her voice ended on a croak as he drew ever
closer; the ice that frosted his gaze sprang her to the reality now facing her,
the menace that spilled from his broad frame. Mayhap she’d been wrong. Because
she’d experience with earls—was, in fact, the daughter of one. They were
nothing like the predatory devil that stalked her now. “I am Miss Verity Lovelace. What grounds would I have to lie?”
She hurried to place the chair of his desk between them as another barrier.
He stopped his pursuit. “And how may I help
you?”
Ironically, the stranger—the gentleman—could
have uttered no truer words than those.
They fortified her, and sent resolve creeping
back into her spine as she brought her shoulders back. Verity met his gaze
squarely. “Are you the Earl of Maxwell?”
Except, she already knew as much … she simply
sought the confirmation from the gentleman’s mouth.
His eyes grew shuttered, but not before she
caught the flash of horror in their blue-black depths.
He was a man unaccustomed to being challenged.
And his unsettledness eased away further frissons of fear. Verity slid out from
behind his desk chair and glided slowly across the room. She stopped when only
a handful of steps separated her from the very stranger who’d put a knife to
her earlier that night.
“Do I look like an earl?” he countered, belated
with that reply—that deliberately evasive one.
Taking that as an invitation to study him,
Verity peered at Mr. North. That slightly hooked nose, which had been broken
one or more times, did little to conceal the aquiline appendage that served as
a signal of his birthright. The small white nicks and scars merely marred a
canvas of otherwise flawless high, chiseled cheeks and a hard, square jawline.
Glorious. Her pulse throbbed a beat harder. His
features, melded with those flaws, only served to mark him beautiful in his masculinity.
His mouth crept up in a tight, one-sided smile that didn’t meet pitiless eyes. “Did you have a good look, Miss Lovelace?” He’d noted her appreciation. Verity’s cheeks burnt, and she curled her toes into the soles of her borrowed slippers. He merely sought to disconcert her. It was a familiar state she’d found herself many times before, with many men before him. Feigning nonchalance, Verity gave her head a little toss. “You have the look and the tones of an earl,” she pointed out. “And more…” She gestured to those private missives she’d availed herself to. “You have letters written regarding the Baron Bolingbroke.” Verity stretched up on her tiptoes so she could at least hold his gaze and not be peered down at. “Therefore, Mr. North, I would say you are, in fact, the Earl of Maxwell, after all.”
***
Author Biography
USA Today Bestselling, RITA-nominated author
Christi Caldwell blames Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught for luring her into
the world of historical romance. While sitting in her graduate school apartment
at the University of Connecticut, Christi decided to set aside her notes and
pick up her laptop to try her hand at romance. She believes the most perfect
heroes and heroines have imperfections, and she rather enjoys torturing them
before crafting them a well deserved happily ever after!
Christi makes her home in southern Connecticut where she spends her time
writing her own enchanting historical romances and caring for her three
spirited children!
Today is my turn on the Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tour and I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for the new Jacob Stearne Thriller – DEATH AND BETRAYAL by Seeley James.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
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Book Synopsis
Have you ever been betrayed by your government, your best friend, and your fiancé—all at the same time?
Jacob is about to propose to his girl when he discovers the next generation of weapons are being shipped to our enemies. Factions in the government ask him to find the perpetrators while others work to make sure he fails. His intended fiancé does not understand his disappearance and he can’t give an explanation. Can he lose the woman he loves to save the nation?
When Jacob sets out to expose the billionaire intending to auction off national secrets, he is fired, expelled, and hunted by the government that once awarded him medals. If he ever wants to return to his homeland, he must insert himself into the dangerous world of technology smugglers. It’s a place where only the aggressive and ruthless survive. In the cutthroat world of modern-day pirates, every breath he takes may be his last.
As the bad guys close in and those who could deny him aid, he confronts a terrible choice: to complete his mission or take millions in cash and run. The former is a death sentence and the latter is a lonely future. He must ask himself, can he outsmart the most corrupt billionaires in history before democracy is destroyed?
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller Published by: Machined Media Publication Date: February 18th 2020 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 978-1-7333467-2-6 Series: Sabel Security Thriller #8 Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEATH AND BETRAYAL (A Jacob Stearne Thriller; Sabel
Security Book #8) by Seeley James is another great addition to this thriller
series. I always find these books to be so entertaining. I start a book in the
series and get immersed in Pia and Jacob’s world immediately.
Jacob and the winged god Mercury are once again at the
center of a fast-paced, action packed plot full of bad billionaires, arms
dealers and a weapon that could destroy the balance of power in a country.
This time though, Jacob is without Pia and Sabel Securities.
He is fired without knowledge of just what he did wrong and thrown into a
dangerous world of a billionaire auctioning off a new technological weapon. To
survive, he becomes a modern-day pirate and becomes as ruthless as the bad
guys.
Jacob has decisions to make that will change his entire life
and future.
I love all of these characters, especially Jacob. Jacob has
so much to deal with physically, mentally and emotionally in this addition to
the series and I could not stop reading until the end. The plots of all the
books in this series are fast-paced and entertaining and this one was no
exception. Mr. James writes plot twists and turns that keep me riveted
throughout.
I highly recommend this thriller and all of the books in
this series!
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Book Excerpt
Chapter 1
The man they called Ra stood on the Savannah’s main deck, staring hatred into the eyes of the general’s emissary. The smug bastard needed to learn a hard lesson about respect. Ra took several deep breaths, tamping down his growing agitation without betraying his emotions. The general had a good deal of money to spend. Ra held the emissary’s gaze as he cooled off. He said, “We’re talking about an auction for the most advanced weapon system the world has ever seen. An auction the general could easily win. What concerns could he possibly have?”
Ra resisted the urge to glance over the sea toward Monaco’s harbor. He was dying to see if his darling’s tender was on its way back from town, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.
“The general does not believe you have what you claim.” The emissary said in his heavily accented English. He gestured with his arms wide, encompassing Ra’s superyacht. “I do not see it here on your little skiff.”
Behind his left shoulder, the emissary’s sycophantic lieutenant made an insolent face to match his boss.
The dig was childish. Ra had the biggest yacht in Monaco, a present to himself after making billions in commodities. Too big to dock in the harbor. Sure, it was post-season, and the Numina would drop anchor due east of him in a few weeks. Until then, the Savannah reigned supreme. He felt like gutting the slimy emissary for his rudeness. Instead, he smoothed his Kiton sport coat and puffed up his thin frame.
“Don’t be a fool,” Ra sneered. “If I kept Alvaria onboard, sleezy generals from around the world would send commandos to take it from me. In case that’s what you’re thinking, rest assured, I have security. We call them ‘the dogs.’ You’ve met two of them.” He gestured to two bulky men in black suits standing close by. “Fido and Rover. Spot keeps watch with a rifle in case someone approaches uninvited. There are more. I have a whole kennel.”
Ra turned his back on his guests and checked the harbor. He couldn’t wait for his darling to return but he needed to conclude this delicate business before then. He didn’t want her to see the kind of men he dealt with. The emissary wore a ludicrous uniform without insignia yet festooned with medals. His black hair was greased straight back with what might’ve been motor oil. The lieutenant dressed and groomed himself to match. The very definition of a toady.
“The general does not believe the system can do what you claim,” the emissary said.
“Oh, my misguided friend. Alvaria is the stuff of autocrats’ dreams.” Ra laid his hands on the railing, keeping his focus out to sea. “Imagine what it can do. At the push of a button, a hundred drones leap into the air, locate their target, and annihilate whoever you choose. Each drone on a single-purpose mission, never stopping until one of them achieves the objective.” He straightened up and turned to face the emissary. “No more political rivals. No more annoying reporters asking inconvenient questions. No more adversaries across your western border. Everyone doing as they’re told, all under the general’s control. As it should be. It’s science fiction—and it’s here today. If your general doesn’t want to bid on it, he won’t get to see the show we have scheduled.”
“The general is skeptical you can obtain this system.” The emissary crossed his arms and widened his stance. “The Americans have impenetrable security.”
“I stand on my reputation. Many times your poor general has failed to pay me in a timely manner, yet I have never failed to deliver what he needs. From rocket launchers to automatic rifles, they arrived on time and under budget. He would still be a lieutenant were it not for me making good on my promises. He knows damn well my word is gold. My plan has been in the works for years. I have all the right people in all the right places. Alvaria will fall into my hands at exactly the right moment. If he does not believe me, he won’t see the demonstration.” Ra paused before making a sympathetic face. “Until his rival uses it to target him.”
To his credit, the emissary didn’t flinch.
“Think about this,” Ra said. “If Iran acquires Alvaria, they could destroy the ruling classes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in an afternoon. The next morning, they could annihilate Iraq’s parliament. Then, they invade. The price of oil skyrockets because they would control 24% of the world’s production. Sanctions are lifted under threat of an oil embargo. And just like that, the Persian Empire is reborn.”
The emissary thought while he took a long, deep breath. He pressed a finger to his lips and looked at the deck. After a long moment, he lifted his finger and shook it at Ra. “The general does not like the glimpses of the future you have illuminated. He does not want to participate in your auction. Instead of bidding for it, he will report you to the Americans. That way, no one will have this system.” He paused and smiled. “There will be no resurgent Persian Empire.”
Ra flicked a quick glance at Fido, who sprang into action. To the emissary, Ra said, “I am most disappointed to hear you say that. On a different subject, do you recall meeting my man Bonham in a café last month? Bonham is my second-in-command. He offered you money to turn against the general. Ah, I see from your surprise that you do recall the encounter vividly. Well, sport, the problem for you is that when you turned him down, your lieutenant did not.”
As the emissary’s surprise turned to shock, his gaze swiveled to his lieutenant. At that moment, Fido knelt at the emissary’s feet and clamped leg irons on his ankles. In disbelief, the emissary looked down at his shackles, then followed the attached chain to find Rover standing at the railing, holding a very large, very heavy stone. “Do you think you can scare—”
“You’ve been paid,” Ra said to the emissary’s lieutenant. He held out an old, razor-sharp dagger. “Slit his throat.”
The lieutenant stared at Ra in disbelief. “Now?”
“Yes, now. Or die with him. Your choice. Ah. You’ve seen the light. Good man. Right here, above the collar. Stand behind him so you don’t get blood on yourself.”
As the young man weighed the knife in his hand and moved behind his former boss, Ra took out his phone, set it to video, and pressed record. The knife slashed through the stunned and wordless emissary’s neck. Blood sprayed forward. Rover dropped the rock overboard. The chain’s slack disappeared and yanked the emissary’s body with it, over the railing and into the deep.
The young man looked up at Ra, who kept the video rolling. The psychological weight of his first murder began to contort the young lieutenant’s expression. As he pondered his rapidly changing allegiances, he looked down to find Rover placing leg irons on his ankles. Behind him, Fido stood at the railing with another rock. He looked back at Ra and squeaked, “Why? I did what—”
“I think it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Ra asked. “You can’t be trusted.”
Over his shoulder he saw the tender bearing his darling returning from shore. She would be onboard in five minutes. No time for long goodbyes.
He turned back to face the lieutenant as Rover slit the young man’s throat. “There are four more of your kind in the general’s private guard. He’ll be dead by morning, so you’ll be in good company.”
The stone dropped. The chain tightened. The lieutenant’s body flew over the railing into the deep.
Ra looked at the pool of blood covering the deck. He snapped his fingers. A steward appeared. “You see this ugly mess? Scrub it clean.”
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Author Bioand Social Media Links
Seeley James’ near-death experiences range from talking a jealous husband into putting the gun down to spinning out on an icy freeway in heavy traffic without touching anything. His resume ranges from washing dishes to global technology management. His personal life ranges from homeless at 17, adopting a 3-year-old at 19, getting married at 37, fathering his last child at 43, hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim at 59, and taking the occasional nap.
Seeley’s writing career began with humble beginnings including publishing short stories in The Battered Suitcase leading to being awarded a Medallion from the Book Readers Appreciation Group. Seeley is best known for his Sabel Security series of thrillers featuring athlete and heiress Pia Sabel and her bodyguard and operative, veteran Jacob Stearne. One of them kicks ass and the other talks to the wrong god.
Seeley’s love of creativity began at an early age, growing up at Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture in Arizona and Wisconsin. He carried his imagination first into a successful career in computer technology sales and marketing, and then to his real love: fiction.
