Tag: #romance

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: The Red Door by Emery Jacobs

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Buoni Amici Press Release Blitz for THE RED DOOR (A Love in Limestone Novella) by Emery Jacobs.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway and enjoy!

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Book Description

There’s a bar on the outskirts of Limestone, Louisiana that serves an unusual type of whiskey. Some call it magic. Others claim it’s a scam. Yet rumors of its mystical properties keep people coming in from far and wide. 

Luck. 

Wealth. 

Happiness. 

Health. 

These wonders can be found by those who believe… and take a shot. 

Ten o’clock in the morning, New Year’s Day. Two down-on-their-luck strangers enter The Red Door Bar. Both are searching for a miracle. What they find when they reach the bottom of that glass will eventually change their lives forever. 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/374YdS

THE RED DOOR (A Love in Limestone Novella)

Author: Emery Jacobs

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Small town 

Release Date: December 30, 2020Cover

Design: Southern Side Designs

Photographer: Wander Aguia

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE RED DOOR (A Love in Limestone Novella) by Emery Jacobs is a perfect little contemporary romance novella that tugged at my heart and left me with a smile on my face.

The Red Door Bar is on the outskirts of Limestone, Louisiana and they serve an unusual whiskey. Some believe it is magical while others believe it is a scam, but people come from far and wide to take a shot.

At ten o’clock in the morning on New Years Day, Evie walks into The Red Door Bar with her last twenty dollars and finds one other patron. Bennett is in the bar to be alone and wants nothing to do with the beautiful chatterbox. Even though both are at a low point in their lives, they agree to meet for a date once again on the next New Years Day.

Fate has the two running into each other over the next year when they need each other the most. Will they ever get the timing just right for both of them?

I read this wonderful romantic novella all in one sitting and was sorry to have it end. Ms. Jacobs manages to fill this short story with a realistic couple who have to get through so much to obtain their HEA. Evie and Bennett have me cheering for them from page one and the writing has me feeling as though they could walk right off the page.

I highly recommend this novella!

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Author Bio

Emery grew up in Southern Arkansas and has lived most of her adult life in Northern Louisiana. She spends her days working as a Nurse Practitioner in rural health and her nights reading, writing, and occasionally sleeping.

She loves real life romance…lots of angst and heartbreak, but always a happy ending.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.emeryjacobs.com

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

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ejacobswrites

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/emeryjacobsauthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorejacobs

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/updatesfromemery

Buy links

US: https://amzn.to/2KwVcDb
UK: https://amzn.to/3nKuJAm
CA: https://amzn.to/39bwcvq
AU: https://amzn.to/2ITwPzl

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Rafflecopter Giveaway

http://bit.ly/3r2ck4J

Book Review: The Christmas Backup Plan by Lori Wilde

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE CHRISTMAS BACKUP PLAN (The Twilight, Texas Book #12) by Lori Wilde is an opposites attract Christmas contemporary romance that has the last single Alzate sister on a road trip with the last single Lockhart brother. This is the couple I was waiting for in the series and the book I was looking for to get me in the Christmas romance spirit.

Aria Alzate is a wedding planner who is hired to give her best friend the perfect Winter Wonderland wedding. When Aria gets a concussion in a fall, she is not allowed to drive. Her boss, Vivi sets her up with returned veteran Remington to get her to Twilight. The free-spirited Aria is not happy with the arrangement but can see no other alternative.

Remington “Remy” Lockhart left the elite Army paratroopers after an accident. Twelve years of service and PTSD have Remy always following the rules and having a backup plan for every situation. Remy is not happy about being drawn into this road trip. Aria is everything he is not and this can only lead to disaster.

When the couple is stranded overnight by an ice storm, they cannot fight the chemistry and they come together. Both decide it should be just a one-night stand, but the magic of Twilight, Christmas and the Alzate legend will work to bring these opposites together for more.

I absolutely loved Aria and Remy. This opposites attract Christmas romance may start out as light and just plain fun, but Ms. Wilde delves deeper and you really become invested in why the H/h are the way they are and how much they truly need each other. This book is a crossover between the Cupid and Twilight series by this author and even with the crossover and many secondary characters, I never felt lost and it easily can be read as a standalone. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.

I highly recommend this romance for all the holiday enchantment and the HEA between Aria and Remy!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50706443-the-christmas-backup-plan?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Bf4qcfoNal&rank=1

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Author Bio

Lori Wilde can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to write. She even went to nursing school so she could have a schedule flexible enough to allow her to write on the side. She nursed for 20 years, working in a variety of settings from the newborn nursery to the recovery room, to dialysis. But she never lost her desire to write.

She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.

Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.

She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.

Social Media Links

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Book Review: Happily This Christmas by Susan Mallery

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

HAPPILY THIS CHRISTMAS (Happily Inc Book #6) by Susan Mallery is the latest installment in the Happily Inc. contemporary romance series set in Happily Inc, a wedding destination themed town. I love when these books are set around the Christmas season and I get to visit all the characters again. This can be read as a standalone, but many of the characters overlap in this small town and I have enjoyed reading them in order.

Wynn Beauchene has a thriving graphic design business and a happy and responsible fourteen-year-old son. Starting out as a scared, single mother with a secret, she is now a strong independent woman who has a crush on her handsome next-door neighbor. She keeps trying to come up with a reason to say more than a passing “Hi”.

Garrick McCabe has returned to his hometown to take over the Happily Inc police department. When he gets a call that his pregnant daughter, Joylyne will be staying with him for the holidays until her Marine husband returns from deployment, he is excited because they have been estranged for many years. Garrick wants everything to perfect and asks Wynn if she can help him get his home ready.

Wynn becomes more and more attached to Garrick and his daughter, but Garrick has a long way to go to patch up misunderstandings with his daughter. Can Wynn and Garrick find time and forgiveness for themselves as they become closer?

I always enjoy going back to Happily Inc. Ms. Mallery’s characters are small town neighbors that anyone would love to meet. They care about each other are helpful when needed. I enjoyed Wynn and Garrick’s Christmas HEA and am looking forward to checking back in with them in future books. The story just flows with realistic dialogue, believable characters, family drama and reconciliation.

This is a feel good romance for the holiday season.

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Author Bio

SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.

Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.

Social Media Links

Author Website

Twitter: @susanmallery

Facebook: @SusanMallery

Instagram: @susanmallery

Goodreads

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Surviving Faithful by Anna Bishop Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am part of the Release Blitz from Buoni Amici Press for this short, but intense romantic suspense. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SURVIVING FAITHFUL (The Faithful Book #4) by Anna Bishop Barker.

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

Can a broken former bad boy and a lonely small-town vet really work?

Kyle Valentine left Faithful, Tennessee because there was nothing for him there.  In one nightmarish moment all he had was taken.  

But Faithful never left him.  It was as much a part of him as the marrow in his bones.

He spent three years on the water and on the run from his grief.  

Then this dead wife told him to go home.

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Veterinarian Olivia Hudson was just a small-town girl with simple needs.  She had the prerequisite three wishes.

She wanted a makeup that covered her freckles.  She needed people to stop feeding their dogs chicken bones.  She craved a decent man who would love her, only her, beyond all reason and rational thought.

None of those wishes was coming true.

Until a mountain of a man with tattoos and a deliciously dirty mouth landed at her front door, and things started looking up.

~~~~

But who was leaving the dead cats on her lawn?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/searchutf8=✓&q=+anna+bishop+barker

Title: Surviving Faithful 

Author: Anna Bishop Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: December 10, 2020

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/34JAVRp 
Start the series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D4G7ZSX

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SURVIVING FAITHFUL (The Faithful Series Book #4) by Anna Bishop Barker is a short romantic suspense which is part of The Faithful series by a new to me author. It can easily be read as a standalone, but I loved the author’s writing and will be going back to read the previous books.

Kyle has been away from Faithful for three years running from the death of his wife and unborn baby. But then he hears her voice telling him to go home.

Veterinarian Olivia Hudson is a small-town girl who just wants a man of her own, who will love her above everyone and all else. She just does it see it happening in Faithful, Tennessee, but her roots, home and practice are here. Then Kyle returned to Faithful.

Olivia and Kyle are thrown together when Olivia’s home is violated by an unknown stranger. Kyle vows to protect her until they find out who would want to hurt her.

Olivia and Kyle were such memorable characters with tangible, combustible chemistry. Ms. Barker has written dialogue and sex scenes that bring them to life. The banter between these two was entertaining and made for light breaks from their serious personal issues and the suspense. The romance is quick, but believable because we are dealing with mature characters. The suspense plotline in the story was tragic, but predictable. (Some may be triggered by the scene with a mutilated animal.)

I was impressed with this new to me author. Usually a shorter novel lacks depth, fully fleshed main characters and/or a satisfying plot, especially when you are trying to have a new romance and a suspense storyline all in approximately 150 pages, but this story was perfect.

I can highly recommend this romantic suspense for a quick, intense, satisfying read.

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About the Author

I was born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, so I am a southerner through and through. Since I was old enough to pick up a book, I have been a voracious reader. I wrote the usual poetry and short stories in high school, and I kept the dream of writing in the back of my heart until opportunity and encouragement helped me to realize that dream.

I live in Tampa with my kids, grandkids, dogs, various other livestock, and way more books than is strictly healthy. 

Hot Romance. 

Suspense. 

Humor & heart. 

Grown up stories for grown up people. This is what I write. There’s also food, music, dogs, the occasional geek reference, and quite possibly an inappropriate joke. There will likely be dead bodies as well. 

Three random facts about me:
1. I was bitten by a shark when I was 14.
2. I have read War and Peace. (When I get to the afterlife, I am demanding that week of my life back. Sorry, Tolstoy.)
3. It is my sincere belief that any situation can be improved by eating some cheese.

My life philosophy is guard your inner peace and read dirty kissing books.

Social Media Links

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/annabishopbarker 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mamabear7158

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16200327.Anna_Bishop_Barker

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZKrmRl

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anna-bishop-barker

Book Review: The Last Christmas Cowboy by Maisey Yates

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE LAST CHRISTMAS COWBOY (A Gold Valley Novel Book #11) by Maisey Yates is the latest contemporary cowboy romance in the Gold Valley series. I always enjoy going back to this series and catching up with the Daniels of Hope Springs Ranch as each deals differently with the tragedy of their pasts and finds their forever love and HEA. This book can easily be read as a standalone.

Rose Daniels is determined to find her oldest sister, Iris, someone to love this Christmas season. She feels Iris gave up a life of her own to help raise her when their parents died. As her scheme evolves, her friend and coworker, Logan warns her she does not understand what she is doing and Iris is going to get hurt. Rose is impulsive and naive and has never been in love, so when her plan takes an unexpected turn, she wants Logan to be the person to teach her what she does not know.

Logan Heath is ten years older that the youngest Daniel and his best friend’s sister. He has kept his attraction to Rose a secret, but now she wants him to teach her about chemistry and he cannot stop after one innocent kiss. Logan has always avoided anything to do with Christmas and believes he cannot love. He feels Rose can do much better even as the two become secret lovers.

Rose wants Logan forever, but can Logan get past the hurt and misunderstandings of his past and let love into his heart this Christmas?

I loved the intimate emotional changes of the hero and heroine in this story. Rose blooms as she confronts her feelings about her deceased parents, her siblings and her newly found womanhood and even as it took Logan longer, his emotional growth was just as important for the HEA. There are explicit sex scenes, but they never felt gratuitous. I enjoyed catching up with all the siblings’ lives. The subplot Christmas wedding of West and Pansy brings the Daltons into the picture and reveals a portion of Logan’s painful past to everyone. All of the secondary characters are fully fleshed, but this story is mainly focused on Logan’s and Rose’s emotional growth and coming together.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to returning to Hope Springs Ranch for Iris’ story.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49668489-the-last-christmas-cowboy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=04ZeVtB4sE&rank=1

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About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world. 

Author Social Media Links

Facebook

Facebook Group: Welcome to Copper Ridge

Facebook Group: Grandma June’s Front Porch

Bookbub

Amazon

Instagram

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Bonus Kisses by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am very excited to be included on this new Buoni Amici Press Release Blitz for one of my favorite romance authors! I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for BONUS KISSES by Freya Barker.

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

Free-spirited black sheep, Taz Boran, has worked tirelessly as a nurse bringing efficient medical care to Africa for the past eight years. But when her sister Nicky is told she doesn’t have long to live, she immediately flies home to small-town Eminence, Missouri. 

Unfortunately, taking care of Nicky means being around her husband, Rafe; the one man Taz could never forget. Rafe is not only her brother-in-law but also took over the family veterinary clinic from her dad. 

As Taz becomes Nicky’s home health care nurse—working closely with Rafe to make her sister comfortable—their latent attraction comes sizzling back to the surface. They won’t betray Nicky, but if her dying wish is to see them get the happy ending they always deserved, can they really keep fighting what’s meant to be?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55538247-bonus-kisses

Title: Bonus Kisses

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: December 7, 2020

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BONUS KISSES by Freya Barker is a contemporary romance/Women’s fiction by an author I have come to always look forward to reading. Not only is the reader emotionally involved in this small town second chance love story, but the entire family dynamic is rocked to its core as secrets are revealed.

Natasha “Taz” Boran has been working as a nurse for nine years in Africa with Doctors Without Borders. Taz is the adventurous younger sister, but there are also personal reasons for her running across the world to work away from her small-town upbringing. Veronica “Nicky” Boran was always the perfect older sister, but now she does not have long to live and all she wants is Taz to come home.

Taz agrees to take care of her sister and her two children. With that comes the problem of being around Rafe, Nicky’s husband and the reason for her leaving. As Taz cares for Nicky, secrets are revealed and Taz learns that Nicky knows and wants Taz to get what she gave up nine years ago.

When Nicky dies, Taz not only has to deal with her grief, but two young children who have lost their mother, her own mother who believes the worst of her, a father with Parkinson’s disease and the ever-increasing return attraction to the one man she ever truly loved.

Freya Barker is masterful at taking this story plotline, which could have been a disaster and written a beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking, healing and redemptive love story not only between the hero and heroine, but the entire extended family. My emotions were all over the place while reading this book. Each character, big and small is written realistically and takes the story into small subplots that give you the small town feel. Small town gossip, strained family dynamics and a love story delayed all make for a story I could not put down. (Make sure you have tissues close by.)

I highly recommend this beautiful love story!

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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!

Social Media

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebookTwitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub

Buy Links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/33CEzgJ

Apple: https://apple.co/3lkgwJp

BN: https://bit.ly/34rddZZKobo: https://bit.ly/3d2oF2f