Tag: #series

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Bertha’s Resolve by Serena B. Miller

Book Description

From the USA Today Bestselling Author of the acclaimed Love’s Journey series comes the story of Bertha Troyer.

In 1959, after reading a heartbreaking plea for medical personnel, Bertha Troyer, a young, beautiful Amish woman from Sugarcreek, rebels against church rules and enters nursing school determined to pour out her life on behalf of the desperate children of Haiti.

This fourth installment of the Sugarcreek Series, follows Rachel’s beloved aunt, Bertha, back in time to a nightmare of poverty, political unrest, and the fury of nature, as Bertha is forced to make the most agonizing decision of her life in order to protect her people—and the man—she loves.

Elise’s Thoughts

Bertha’s Resolve by Serena B. Miller is the fourth installment of the Love’s Journey in the Sugarcreek series.  This novel, as well as the other three, have engrossing characters, a riveting plot, and information about the Amish of Ohio.  The stories involve policewoman Rachel Troyer, her three elderly Amish aunts who run a Bed and Breakfast, Joe Matthews, Rachel’s eventual husband, and his son Bobby, along with other Amish town members.  These books should be read in order to get a feel for the characters, but after the first chapter of the first book readers will not want to put down any of the stories.

Going from the first book to the latest:

Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio also known as The Sugar Haus Inn brings to life the Troyer family.  Three elderly aunts who happen to be Amish have raised their niece, Rachel Troyer ever since her father died. The aunts understand her desire to respect the Amish culture, while not following in the Amish footsteps. Rachel has since joined the Sugarcreek police force and views her job as protecting her aunts and the town. 

Bertha is the oldest of the three aunts and she is the leader who is strong, responsible, and dominant.  Lydia, the middle sister, is gentle, kind, and finds solace in baking.  The youngest is Anna, a sweet, Down Syndrome person who gives unquestioning love and befriends younger children.

The plot has Rachel suspicious of a bearded stranger who land on her aunts’ doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son. Joe Matthews and his son Bobby decided to escape the Los Angeles lifestyle after his wife was brutally killed.  They are looking for anonymity and a quiet life. Although the aunts warmed to Joe and Bobby immediately, it took Rachel much longer to realize she had feelings for the father and son. In addition, all the books, have a suspenseful mystery.  In this one Rachel must protect herself, her aunts, Joe, and Bobby as she tries to find who murdered the wife.

Book 2, Rachel’s Rescue, delves into the backstory of how Rachel’s father was killed.  On her tenth birthday she and her dad, a policeman, had gone to the bank.  There, her father was murdered in front of Rachel’s eyes after he tried to stop the bank robber. Knowing how to use a gun, Rachel grabs her father’s gun and points it at the killer, Carl Bateman.  This book explores forgiveness and second chances as Rachel must come to grips with her anger and bitterness over losing her father. Twenty years later, she becomes obsessed with wanting revenge when Bateman was released from prison for serving his time. The suspenseful mystery also involves Bobby being kidnapped.  This story takes readers on a journey with Rachel as she tries to overcome her feelings of revenge.

Book 3, Love Rekindled focuses on two new “English” characters.  Dr. Michael Reynolds gets an opportunity to take over a country veterinarian practice in Sugarcreek, Ohio, and jumps at it, because this is his childhood town, and he feels close to the Amish community. His wife, Cassie, a Columbus attorney, is climbing the corporate ladder with lightning speed and refuses to go with him. Neither will compromise.  A second plot finds Keturah Hochstetler, a midwife saving a baby after the mother has a horrific car accident.  This story compares the English couple with the elderly Amish couple who show that sometimes career goals need to take second place to love and devotion, that career sacrifices are needed.  The mystery involves Rachel trying to find family members of the rescued baby.

Book 4, Bertha’s Resolve explores the oldest aunts’ backstory. In 1959, after reading a heartbreaking plea for medical personnel, Bertha Troyer, a young, beautiful Amish woman from Sugarcreek, rebels against church rules and enters nursing school determined to pour out her life on behalf of the desperate children of Haiti. As a young nurse, she dealt with a nightmare of poverty, political unrest, and the fury of nature, as Bertha is forced to make the most agonizing decision of her life to protect these people.  This book is very relevant today regarding the Americans and Afghan people who need to be rescued. 

There is also a romance, and the choices Bertha must make so that a marriage is not destroyed, sacrificing her own love. Fast-forward to current time and Bertha again meets up with her forever love.  Also, in this book Joe’s brother, Darren, is highlighted.  He and Joe have opened a restaurant/bar that is becoming very successful until someone tries to steal their money.  Childhood bullying and abuse are also issues in this story.

In all the books, the way of life of these simple, hardworking people is explored.  People become engrossed in reading about Joe and Rachel, the aunts, Bobby, and Darren.  Readers will take a journey with each character and have a vested interest in how the plot plays out. The stories combine a smidgen of romance, a suspenseful mystery, Amish life, and the importance of family.

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Elise’s Author Interview

EC:  The last book has Bertha part of a rescue effort.  Rumor has it that your son is also part of a rescue effort for those in Afghanistan?

Serena B. Miller:  My son had been in Afghanistan for five years as a contractor.  He is currently working day and night to get people out, Afghan translators. One was tragically killed by the Taliban a few days ago.  They warned his wife that she and her four children were next to be executed.  Thankfully, he got them out, but I am worried about others who are trapped.

Elise Cooper:  How did you get the idea for the series?

Serena B. Miller:  An editor suggested I write an Amish story.  I decided to choose the Sugarcreek area in Ohio because of its pretty name and it being compared as “the Little Switzerland of Ohio.” I lucked out because the owner of the Bed and Breakfast where I was staying had a lot of Amish friends.  I had dinner with an Amish family that had seven children and the grandmother/grandfather was also there.  The matriarch of the family told me I could ask anything, nothing was forbidden.  His one stipulation was that I write the truth about the Amish.  They loved the finished book. I even have an Amish family vet every Amish book I write. 

EC:  You write other series/books?

SBM:  I have written three historical books, another Amish series, a non-fiction book about Amish parenting, and a series about Manitoulin Island in Canada, which was optioned for the Hallmark channel. Also, the first of these Amish books was made into a TV movie which can be found on many of the streaming channels.

EC:  How would you compare the three Amish sisters?

SBM: Bertha is the oldest who has integrity and a tender heart. She is not domesticated but is the wise leader of the family with a bossy will of iron. Lydia is the baker who lives for cooking and is very quiet.  Anna has Down Syndrome and is very sweet.  Her personality is based on a church friend of mine.  Since I have three sisters, I have become fascinated with the sisterly dynamics.

EC:  How would you describe Rachel?

SBM:  Very protective of those she loves.  The killing of her father in front of her has defined her personality.  She is determined to protect her family no matter what.   She is analytical with common sense except where her father’s killer is concerned. Although very compassionate and direct, at times she is vulnerable. She also is very loyal and tenacious.

EC:  What about the relationship between Joe and Rachel?

SBM:  Both are very strong personalities. They can be stubborn at times.  They have their disagreements, but always respect each other.  They are on equal footing.

EC:  In the second book you redeem the killer?

SBM:  I felt I had to.  He served his time in prison for twenty years. Now he has turned his life around by healing abused dogs and training them for search and rescue.  His early life, when he was abused by his mother, is based on a true story.  Carl, the killer, has an affinity for animals because they saved him as a child.  He is now caring, remorseful, and deserves a second chance.

EC:  How would you describe your books?

SBM:  They are mysteries, suspense with a crime, and has an emphasis on the importance of family.  For me, the mystery has the reader turning the pages to see what happens next.  I put this quote in, “Whenever she (Rachel) needed the world to feel like a safer, saner place, she went to visit her Amish aunts.” I like writing about the big family, the agrarian culture, and the Amish community.  Each book has a goal, a mystery, and a spiritual theme, with of course, a happy ending.

EC:  What are the themes of each book?

SBM: Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio is about acceptance and not to judge a book by its cover. Rachel’s Rescue has a theme of forgiveness. Love Rekindled is about the healing of a marriage.  I wrote this one in the months after my husband passed away.  We had been married for many years.  It is about family relationship, but at that core is the marriage relationship. Bertha’s Resolve shows that it is possible to do the right thing and to walk away from the possibility of an extra marital affair. 

EC:  You always have tidbits about the Amish lifestyle.  In Bertha’s Resolve you compare the Amish with the Mennonites?

SBM:  The Mennonites can get on a plane, go to college, and have an extensive mission program of helping. The story of this book has Bertha worshipping a co-worker from afar. Now fifty years later they still have that depth of friendship. I want to show that with both groups they have a very strong work ethic and are problem solvers.

EC:  What about your next books?

SBM:  I am currently writing book 5 in this Sugarcreek series.  I am debating if Rachel will continue her profession as a police officer, maybe part time.  It will feature Joe’s brother Darren who will get a love story.  Since Joe is a former Major League baseball player, I will bring baseball into this story.  I am thinking of having an Amish boy who has a phenomenal talent for the game. Both Amish girls and boys love baseball.  Hopefully it will come out in the Spring of 2022.

I am also working on an Amish children’s novel that is for children.  It will also be set in Sugarcreek with some familiar characters. There will be twelve books in the series.  The first should come out around Christmas time.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Feature Post and Book Review: Constance by Matthew FitzSimmons

Book Description

In the near future, advances in medicine and quantum computing make human cloning a reality. For the wealthy, cheating death is the ultimate luxury. To anticloning militants, it’s an abomination against nature. For young Constance “Con” D’Arcy, who was gifted her own clone by her late aunt, it’s terrifying.

After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness—stored for that inevitable transition—something goes wrong. When Con wakes up in the clinic, it’s eighteen months later. Her recent memories are missing. Her original, she’s told, is dead. If that’s true, what does that make her?

The secrets of Con’s disorienting new life are buried deep. So are those of how and why she died. To uncover the truth, Con is retracing the last days she can recall, crossing paths with a detective who’s just as curious. On the run, she needs someone she can trust. Because only one thing has become clear: Con is being marked for murder—all over again. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56326737-constance?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=88qM7BrYWO&rank=1

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

CONSTANCE (Constance #1) by Matthew FitzSimmons is an exciting and thought provoking dystopian sci-fi mystery thriller that is the first of a two-book series. In the near future, if you have the millions to spare, human cloning is a reality.

Constance “Con” D’Arcy is a talented musician, who survives a horrible traffic accident which kills almost every member of the band she plays in. The accident moves her to accepting the gift of her own clone from her aunt who is the co-founder and brilliant mind behind the Palingenesis clinic.

After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness which should only take hours, Con wakes up months later in the body of her clone. She is told her original is dead, but the transition that should have happened with memories from her last upload has left her with no memory of the last 18 months.

Con is determined to find out what happened to her original and discover what has happened in the last 18 months. She cannot trust anyone who is offering to help because they all have ulterior motives and agendas. Caught between the wealthy and powerful Vernon Gaddis and Dr. Brooke Fenton fighting over what is hidden in Con’s brain and the Children of Adam who want the death of all clones, Con can trust in only herself.

This is an amazing story! I could not put it down. Constance “Con” is a protagonist that is memorable. She at times is a little too curious for her own good, but she is also fearless and resilient. She must face discrimination and bigotry as a clone at the same time she deals with the ethics of being a clone herself. Mr. FitzSimmons takes the reader through ethical and philosophical questions on cloning intertwined in the story and dialogue of his various characters. Also, and no small part of the story is an intricate crime mystery that has so many twists and surprises I could not stop turning the pages. Throw in some great rock band references and I was hooked. This book does not end with a cliffhanger, but there is an open question at the end of the story and the promise of a second book to come. I cannot wait!

I highly recommend this dystopian sci-fi mystery!

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Author Bio

Matthew FitzSimmons, an American boy from Illinois, grew up in London in the 1970s under the baleful eye of the Kings Road punks. His otherwise idyllic childhood was shattered by the traumatic experience of seeing Star Wars on December 27, 1977 in Leicester Square, listening to his father sleep through what was clearly the greatest cinematic achievement of all time, and fearing he was adopted.

For college, he attended Swarthmore College where he earned a B.A. in Psychology but lived largely in and for the theater.

After several years in New York City, and having learned he wouldn’t do absolutely anything to make it, he absconded to China. There he wrote a first novel (the less said about which the better), played center back for a foreigner’s soccer team, sparked a near riot and was forced to write a ziwo pipan (self-criticism) by the University of Nanjing—his first work of political fiction.

He now lives in Washington, D.C., where he taught English literature and theater at a private high school for over a decade. He cohabitates with a pair of old boots, collects bourbon and classic soul LPs, and wonders if he will ever write anything half as good as the first sentence of James Crumley’s The Last Good Kiss.

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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Bloodless by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Book Description

Agent Pendergast faces his most unexpected challenge yet when bloodless bodies begin to appear in Savannah, GA, in this installment of a #1 New York Times bestselling series.

A fabulous heist:
On the evening of November 24, 1971, D. B. Cooper hijacked Flight 305—Portland to Seattle—with a fake bomb, collected a ransom of $200,000, and then parachuted from the rear of the plane, disappearing into the night…and into history.

A brutal crime steeped in legend and malevolence:
Fifty years later, Agent Pendergast takes on a bizarre and gruesome case: in the ghost-haunted city of Savannah, Georgia, bodies are found with no blood left in their veins—sowing panic and reviving whispered tales of the infamous Savannah Vampire.

A case like no other:
As the mystery rises along with the body count, Pendergast and his partner, Agent Coldmoon, race to understand how—or if—these murders are connected to the only unsolved skyjacking in American history. Together, they uncover not just the answer…but an unearthly evil beyond all imagining.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Bloodless by Doug Preston and Lincoln Child intertwines different genres:  historical, mystery, and science fiction. It delves into an unsolved heist, a brutal crime, and a case involving secrets, lies, and darkness.

The story begins with a true hijacking and theft. In 1971, D. B. Cooper took control of a passenger airliner, allowed them to deplane, and after getting a ransom payment parachuted into the dark Pacific Northwest night, never to be seen or heard of again. Now fifty years later, Agent Pendergast takes on a bizarre and gruesome case in the ghost-haunted city of Savannah, Georgia. Pendergast, his partner, Coldmoon, and his ward Constance, are diverted from traveling to their home by their boss. A strange murder has occurred where a body has been found completely drained of blood. The killer has been dubbed the “Infamous Savannah Vampire.” The heroes must also deal with a team filming a documentary about the haunted places of historic Savannah, an author on a mission to debunk all that, and a narcissistic Senator running for reelection, demanding quick answers about the murders as the body count mounts. At the heart of the mystery is a device that Pendergast claims is the answer to whoever or whatever is plaguing Savannah.

Although Pendergast is front and center, Coldmoon takes a back seat to Constance. The only clue they have is that the manager of the historic hotel, The Chandler House, where they are staying, is the first victim. Constance assists by befriending the reclusive hotel owner, Miss Felicity Winthrop Frost, rumored to have prolonged her life by drinking human blood and seen arguing with her manager. As Constance gains the elderly woman’s confidence, she is shocked by what she finds out, linking everything back to the kidnapping.

A bonus is the vivid description of Savannah. The setting is quaint and atmospheric, dripping with Spanish moss and eerie, foggy mists.

Blending reality with fantasy, readers at time must suspend their beliefs and let their imagination take over. The plot was engaging with engrossing characters.  Some of the plotline is left unfinished and will be wrapped up in the next two books of the series.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  How did you get the idea for the story?

Doug Preston: I have always been fascinated with the D. B. Cooper hijacking case.  It is one of the longest cases in the files of the FBI that has not been solved.  I asked Lincoln if we could base a novel around it that would basically solve the case.  He came up with all these great ideas.

EC:  Why D.B. Cooper?

DP:  It is the 50th anniversary since the hijacking, which took place the day before Thanksgiving. Lincoln and I like to weave together true and weird stories.  We will try to answer did he survive and other questions?

EC:  Why the Savannah Georgia setting?

DP:  Some of it is still in the 19th Century. It is a unique city, especially the historical part.  It has rumors of being a haunted, spooky city, gothic in flavor.  It has tremendous atmosphere with the live oak trees, cobblestone streets, and huge mansions.  The Bonaventure Cemetery with its old tombs was important to the story, especially because it is so huge.  Savannah is a character in the novel.

Lincoln Child:  We both love this city.  We ended our last book with the agent’s plane being diverted here after leaving Florida.  For Coldmoon, this city is foreign to everything he knew about.  It has voodoo undertones, and this is no place like it on the Southern coast of America.

EC:  What about Constance?

LC: I have a crush on her and am not afraid to admit it.  We are not going to abandon her in that very strange unfamiliar place we left her.  This book is the first in what we anticipate being a trilogy.  Pendergast must deal with his own conscience and relationship with her, something we have danced around in the past few books. 

EC:  How about the relationship?

LC:  Dysfunctional.  Unusual.  She can be violent when protecting him and has feelings for him.  He is unsure about his feelings regarding her.  There is tension between the two of them.  She is not the young woman she seems to be.  We hope to resolve her past life and bring closure. 

EC:  There is a dual universe.  Were you thinking about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity?

DP:  We did use an Einstein theory, but not this one.  He was the founder of Quantum Mechanics.  It is a legitimate theory. The physical and cosmological underlying properties of nature.  It is believed by Physicists that it happens in different universes.

EC:  Why the Savannah Vampire?

LC:  Our first book Relic was different than the other books.  In that one we toyed with having a supernatural being.  After that we were branded as techno thriller writers with a supernatural edge.  But we are very careful to always begin the books with science and to have a potential scientific explanation to the ending.  We trend middle ground like Michael Crichton.

EC:  It has a theme of greed?

DP:  Yes, on many levels, both money and power.  The Senator in the story who is up for re-election has greed of power.  We had a wonderful time writing his demise. The others who died had a greed of money.

EC:  Your next book?

DP:  Constance’s story will start to get resolved with a lot of action.  We have no title or publication date but probably in the summer of 2022.  Coldmoon will be in book two to a certain extent.  We are not sure about book three.  In both books Pendergast will be front and center where readers can see his arrogance, idiosyncrasies, and impatience with those of lesser intelligence.

THANK YOU!!

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Suspects by Jodie Lawrance

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Books n All Promotions Blog Tour and I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE SUSPECTS (Detective Helen Carter Book #3) by Jodie Lawrance.

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

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Book Blurb

SHE’S OUT OF UNIFORM BUT SHE’S STILL IN THE LINE OF FIRE.

Discover a thrilling new Scottish crime series starring Detective Helen Carter.

Detective Helen Carter needs a break. Instead, she’s going head-to-head with notorious cop killer Jimmy Osbourne.

Eight years ago, he pulled off the perfect heist and fled to Spain, leaving behind a trail of carnage. But not a shred of evidence to implicate him.

Now he’s back in Edinburgh. But why? Helen has her suspicions.

Within days, a mystery jewel thief surfaces on CCTV. A shooter hits a seedy back-alley.

The suspects are piling up, but Helen knows Jimmy is behind them. All her instincts tell her he’s guilty. She’s watching him. But he has eyes on her too . . .

Can she take him down before he gets to her?

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MEET THE DETECTIVE

Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is used to getting a rough time of it at work. As one of the few women officers around, she has heard it all before: she’s only there as a box-ticking exercise, or she only got the job because of her father, who was a detective inspector. But she can handle it. She knows she can hold her own against any man on the force. The only thing she can’t handle, however, are the constant fights with her fiancé, Ted.

THE SETTING

Edinburgh CID in the 1970s is on the third-floor of the ugly, modern concrete lump that is the police station. On a sunny day, you can look right out to Arthur’s Seat. And on any day, you can see spotty-faced, bored teenagers coming and going from the local high school across the road. With its historic cobbled streets and fair share of deprivation, Edinburgh police are up against every type of criminal imaginable.

DETECTIVE HELEN CARTER SERIES

Book 1: THE UNIFORM

Book 2: THE EVIDENCE

Book 3: THE SUSPECTS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58741763-the-suspects?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=soclZZZbhf&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE SUSPECTS (Detective Helen Carter Book #3) by Jodie Lawrance is the third Scottish police procedural crime story featuring female detective, Helen Carter in the mid 1970’s. While all the books in this series can be read as standalone crime investigations, the characters continue to be more fully fleshed and interconnected as the series progresses.

Eight years ago, Jimmy Osbourne pulled off a heist that would have been perfect except during the escape he killed a police officer and seriously injured the officer’s partner who is out for justice. Jimmy escaped to Spain leaving no evidence behind.

Now Jimmy is back in Edinburgh and Helen Carter is assigned the case. Helen is working to discover Jimmy’s reason for returning as well as finding any evidence to finally convict him.

This is another well written addition to this series, where Helen’s dogged determination and investigation skills are what solve the crimes since this series is set before DNA and other scientific evidence is used. Helen is a character facing all the sexual discrimination of her time in the police force and so she works to be the best at what she does. I did find this addition to the series was a little more difficult to get moving at first, but once everyone was sorted it began to move at a faster pace and kept me intrigued to the satisfying conclusion. All the secondary characters are becoming more fully fleshed and realistic for their time period. I am looking forward to seeing were Helen goes from here.

I can recommend this Scottish police crime thriller book and the entire series!

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Author Bio

Jodie graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018 with an MA in Creative Writing. When not writing, she is also an actress and has appeared in a variety of television, stage and film. 

She’s also a contributor for BBC The Social. 

Social Media Links

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Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: It Takes Heart by Tif Marcelo

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for IT TAKES HEART (Heart Resort Book #1) by Tif Marcelo on this Montlake/Amazon Publishing Blog Tour.

Below you will find a note from the author, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section, the author’s social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy and good luck on the giveaway!

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A Note from the Author

It was at the Romance Writers of America conference in 2019 when I came up with the idea for the Heart Resort series. Though I was under contract for a third contemporary fiction book (which would become my sixth novel), my first three books were romance novels, and an escapist series tugged at my shirt sleeves. My initial idea: interconnected destination romance novels with the setting as relaxing and lush as it could be, despite the romantic angst and family drama I knew my characters would be placed in.

Then came COVID-19. I had released my second contemporary fiction, ONCE UPON A SUNSET, and was in edits for IN A BOOK CLUB FAR AWAY, and I was no longer under contract for future books. My need to escape heightened during the fear of lockdown. So, I dove headlong into the proposal of the Heart Resort series. At first, I thought of setting this book on an island in the Pacific Ocean but I could not make myself write it knowing that the borders were closed to travel due to the virus. Though I tried not to put COVID into my novels, still I needed to be realistic for the times.

Then the location dawned on me: our family’s most favorite vacation spot: the Outer Banks, or OBX. And especially south of 12: Nags Head, Rodanthe, Hatteras. On a printed map, I drew what would be the Heart Resort peninsula, connected to highway 12 via a land bridge.

Heart Resort is serendipitously heart-shaped. In the epicenter is the headquarters and the apartments of the four Puso siblings. Puso, which means “heart” in Tagalog—of course it does! Chris, Gil, Bea, and Brandon, the four Puso siblings, live and work on this resort. They are the heart, they make the resort and peninsula “go.” Though, we come to find out that they each have their own secrets and matters of the heart to contend with.

Everything on this peninsula is specific and special. Each home is named. Every employee is family. The view from every window is spectacular. And though they promise their clients their own version of the HEA, or the happily ever after, the Puso siblings clamor for theirs.

IT TAKES HEART, the first in the series, introduces Brandon Puso and Geneva Harris, former lovers reunited in their common mission to help rebuild the resort after a tropical storm. Neither knew the other was going to be there, and their first instinct is to run. But both are loyal to a fault, and soon they find themselves growing closer despite their best intentions. Surrounding them are a cast of characters, all with their stories to tell, all while trying make the resort successful despite throes of competition with another resort.

Love, loyalty, and business all in one peninsula located at one of the most gorgeous locations in the United States. Heart Resort is truly a place to read about to get your heart pumping.

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Book Summary

Heart Resort, a private resort in the Outer Banks, is a romantic getaway for couples but a hotbed of family drama for its proprietors, the Puso family. Brandon Puso, the youngest of the four siblings, prefers life on his own as a licensed contractor in DC after a falling-out with his eldest brother.

After a hurricane plows through the Outer Banks, Brandon has a change of heart. He returns to the resort to help with the grand reopening but encounters his big sister’s best friend, designer Geneva Harris, who’s there to do the same thing. But Geneva and Brandon have a secret. Years ago, they had a secret romance that ended in heartbreak.

With the resort’s future at stake, Brandon and Geneva decide to put the past aside and to keep peace with the family. But as their mutual attraction heats up, they have to decide if history will repeat itself—or if this time, love gets a second chance.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58177447-it-takes-heart?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=wYny5ipzgy&rank=1

IT TAKES HEART

Author: Tif Marcelo

Release Date: August 10, 2021

Publisher: Montlake

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

IT TAKES HEART (Heart Resort Book #1) by Tif Marcelo is a second chance contemporary romance and the first book in a new series featuring a Filipino-American family of three brothers and one sister who own and run the Heart Resort in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Brandon Puso is the youngest of the Puso clan and a licensed general contractor in business with his friend from college. Since a falling out with his oldest brother, Brandon has been living in the home of his deceased parents in Annapolis. But after a hurricane rips through the Outer Banks, Brandon returns to Heart Resort to help his siblings get it repaired and set up for a grand re-opening.

Interior designer Geneva Harris is Brandon’s sister best friend and has always been around the Puso family. Geneva is at the resort to help with the interior design and a rest from her hectic schedule. Geneva does not know Brandon will be at the resort and none of the siblings know that Geneva and Brandon had a secret romance that ended in heartbreak.

Brandon and Geneva agree to work together as friends, but their mutual attraction continually heats up. They have a short time to work together and to decide if they will once again go their separate ways or if this time, they will get a second chance at love.

This is a romance that was so enjoyable to read. The family gives you not only the usual sibling dynamics, drama, angst, love and understanding, but also an interesting infusion of Filipino culture and food. Brandon is doing well professionally but dealing with so much emotionally. Geneva is also doing great professionally but she never settles anywhere and lives out of her bags. Both run from their emotions and emotional situations and Ms. Marcelo does a good job of having each work through their baggage with the help of family and/or having frank conversations between themselves. There are short sex scenes that are neither explicit nor graphic. I am definitely looking forward to reading the other siblings‘ stories in this Heart Resort series as well.

I recommend this heartfelt second chance contemporary romance!

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Excerpt

Brandon tripped over his own feet as his sister leapt from her chair. 

“Now it’s my turn to surprise you.” Beatrice wrapped her hands around his bicep and pulled him toward the round table. She was laughing, enthused. 

But Brandon, simultaneously exhausted from a fitful sleep and amped from laborious work that morning, could not grapple with what was before him. He was seeing a ghost. Or, rather, he was seeing the living, breathing apparition of the woman who had all but ghosted him. 

He shut his eyes for a beat to clear his vision, but when he opened them and refocused, she was still there. 

“Geneva,” he breathed out. 

The Geneva Harris he’d fallen for four years ago after a stunning three weeks together. The same Geneva Harris who, after an argument, had left him to wake alone the next morning with her side of the bed all tucked back into place as if she’d never been there. Like she had been a vivid dream. 

The memory yanked Brandon’s heart out of his chest, leaving a cavernous space. He’d had a myriad of feelings over the years after their breakup: loss, anger, sadness. Now, all he felt was nothing—was this shock? No, shock was the brick wall he couldn’t get around when his parents died. This felt like . . . emptiness. 

He was dumbfounded even as he got close enough to reacquaint himself with the details of her face: her high cheekbones, which even without makeup carried a muted shade of pink; the one tiny mole next to her nose; and what he now knew was a forced smile because it was this exact same smile she had placated him with the night before she had taken off. 

“Hi,” Geneva said. 

Beatrice dragged him down to sit in the chair across from Geneva, then took the third seat at the table. “You remember Geneva, right?” 

The cue threw him off his running thoughts. Time had passed. They were not in Las Vegas, but in Heart Resort. His family didn’t know about them. “Oh, yeah. Hey. Sorry, I’m just a little . . .” He stuck a hand out. 

What looked like relief played across Geneva’s features. She shook his hand. “It’s okay. It’s the ocean air. Nice to see you again.” 

Was it nice to see him? Had she hoped to see him? Did she know he’d be here?

“How long has it been for the both of you? Since we left for school?” Beatrice asked. 

Four years, actually. 

“Four years.” Geneva echoed his thoughts, eyes leaving his sister’s face, then down to her drink. “Chris and Eden’s wedding.” 

“How could I forget.” Beatrice bumped her forehead with a palm. “I take that back. Of course I forgot—I planned that event and was probably stressed to high heavens. Now that was a whirlwind.” Then, to Brandon, in a change of subject only Beatrice could manage, gestured to their surroundings. “Did you want me to order? I assume that you’re here for lunch. Chef Castillo pivoted to feed us even if our restaurant’s closed. Oh, just as an FYI, our new Friday dinners are now at Chef Castillo’s and her sister’s eatery, south on 12.” 

That took his attention for a beat. “A Filipino restaurant, down here?” 

“Yep. So keep your Friday night free, both of you. It’s required.” She grinned. “So, what’s your poison.” 

“Actually, I’m good.” Whatever appetite he’d had disappeared. “I spotted your golf cart and thought I would stop to say hi before my first meeting with the team.” 

“Perfect timing! I was telling Geneva about your demo sesh this morning. You might have been exactly where Geneva’s was. She’s in Ligaya.” 

Brandon had found it clever that the family had decided to assign a Tagalog word for each of the cabins, the yoga studio, and restaurant. It had been Gil’s idea, though taken right out their parents’ playbook of hammering their wooden sign at every residence. 

“Ah . . . I was definitely next door, at Habang-buhay.” Brandon snorted at the irony, that he’d demoed a beach house that was named forever, and all that morning, she had been just beyond his reach in a cabin whose name meant joy. 

She had been his joy, once.

***

About the Author

Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse who holds a BS in nursing and a master’s in public administration. She believes in and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, and the beauty of heartfelt romance—and she’s inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts the Stories to Love podcast, and she is also the USA Today bestselling author of In a Book Club Far Away, Once Upon a Sunset, The Key to Happily Ever After, and the Journey to the Heart series. Sign up for her newsletter at www.TifMarcelo.com.

Social Media Links

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TifMarcelo/ 

Twitter – https://twitter.com/TifMarcelo 

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Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16298074.Tif_Marcelo

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Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Evidence by Jodie Lawrance

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Books n All Promotions Blog Tour and I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE EVIDENCE (Detective Helen Carter Book #2) by Jodie Lawrance.

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

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Book Blurb

SHE’S OUT OF UNIFORM BUT SHE’S STILL IN THE LINE OF FIRE.

Introducing the stunning follow-up in a thrilling new Scottish crime series starring Detective Helen Carter.

A young barmaid is found dead. She was murdered on her way home from work to look after her sick son.


Then another woman, Moira McKenzie, goes missing. All that’s left behind is a pool of blood and shattered glass.

Someone is terrorizing the women of Edinburgh and Detective Helen Carter means to stop them.

Helen is certain that Moira’s library records hold the key to her disappearance. But now she must convince her boss, Detective Inspector Jack Craven. And he doesn’t listen to her at the best of times . . .

Then another woman who suffered a similar attack to the murdered barmaid comes forward.

Helen knows the race is on to find Moira alive.

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MEET THE DETECTIVE

Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is used to getting a rough time of it at work. As one of the few women officers around, she has heard it all before: she’s only there as a box-ticking exercise, or she only got the job because of her father, who was a detective inspector. But she can handle it. She knows she can hold her own against any man on the force. The only thing she can’t handle, however, are the constant fights with her fiancé, Ted.

THE SETTING

Edinburgh CID in the 1970s is on the third-floor of the ugly, modern concrete lump that is the police station. On a sunny day, you can look right out to Arthur’s Seat. And on any day, you can see spotty-faced, bored teenagers coming and going from the local high school across the road. With its historic cobbled streets and fair share of deprivation, Edinburgh police are up against every type of criminal imaginable.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58669501-the-evidence?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7AU64G2Rbw&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE EVIDENCE (Detective Helen Carter Book #2) by Jodie Lawrance is the second Scottish police procedural crime story featuring female detective, Helen Carter in the mid 1970’s. This book starts closely after the story in the first book ends. This second book can be read as a standalone, but having read the first book, the characters are becoming more three dimensional.

Detective Helen Carter is called to the scene of the grisly murder of barmaid Tina French on her way home from work. While she and her colleagues begin working this case, an abused woman, Moira McKenzie is reported missing by her husband. Helen finds the signs of a terrible struggle in Moira’s home with a lot of blood, but no victim.

Helen is still physically recovering from her last CID case as she looks for a killer terrorizing the women of Edinburgh.

I really enjoy reading crime books set in the 1970’s. Helen has to be smarter and more tenacious than any of her male contemporaries being the first female detective in her CID unit. The books are character driven with intricate red herrings and clues due to the lack of so many scientific advancements that police rely on today. It made me cringe, knowing what we know today about investigations, when a fellow detective smoked a cigarette at a crime scene. All the characters are realistically portrayed and their personal lives are quite messy which only makes me want to learn more.

I recommend this throw back Scottish police procedural crime series.

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Author Bio

Jodie graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018 with an MA in Creative Writing. When not writing, she is also an actress and has appeared in a variety of television, stage and film. 

She’s also a contributor for BBC The Social. 

Social Media Links

AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM