I am very excited to share this Feature Post/Blog Blitz and Book Review for DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis. This is a suspense/psychological thriller that had me hooked from page one and I cannot believe I have not heard of this author before now.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s biography.
I highly recommend this book and author!
***
Book Blurb:
As the only survivor of a horrific car crash,
Lila Amberson believes she is on the road to recovery after she is released
from the hospital. Her memories of the accident are blurred though and a series
of unsettling incidents leave her fearing for her safety. Does she have
survivor’s guilt or is something more sinister at play?
Jack Foley is reeling from the shock of
losing his sister in the crash and when he first meets Lila, he lashes out,
blaming her for Stephanie’s death. But when Lila gives him a locket that she
believes belonged to his sister, it presents more questions than answers.
As Lila and Jack work together to find out what really happened on the night of the accident, they are unaware that someone is watching them closely. Someone who has much to lose if the truth comes out, and someone who is prepared to do everything necessary to ensure all loose ends are taken care of.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis is a new suspense
filled, psychological thriller that has so many suspects and plot twists, I just
had to keep turning the pages long into the night. Ms. Beevis is a new-to-me
author who knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with a well planned,
fast paced plot and memorable characters.
Lila Amberson is the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. At
first, when she wakes, she has no memories of the accident, but slowly she
begins to remember. The more she remembers, the more she has a feeling of
dread. After several incidents, she realizes that someone is trying to hurt her
and she has no idea who or why.
Jack Foley is a famous thriller writer who lost his youngest
half-sister in the accident Lila was involved in. When Lila shows up to pay her
respects at his sister’s funeral, Jack is angry and lashes out, but he soon
realizes he was wrong about Lila. He wants to protect her and begins to care
for her romantically.
As Lila and Jack begin talking to people to find out what
happened on the night of the accident, they begin to realize that someone is
watching and does not want a truth to be revealed.
I enjoyed this thriller from page one! Ms. Beevis’ plot has well placed red herrings, increases in intensity and surprised me in the end. The story is easy to read with very likable and believable main characters and a secondary cast of characters that are not just placeholders, but well fleshed out realistically flawed people. I am very grateful I tried this new-to-me author and I will be watching for more books by her even as I go back and check out her previous titles.
I highly recommend this thriller and author!
***
Author Biography:
Keri
Beevis wrote her first novel at age twenty, but it was a further twenty years
before she was published after entering the Rethink Press New Novels
Competition 2012. Her entry, Dead Letter Day, was a winner,
earning her a publishing contract, and the book proved to be a minor hit,
leading to a sequel, Dead Write. However it was Keri’s third
novel, standalone mystery thriller The Darkness Beneaththat gained
her the most success, along with many new fans, both in the UK and the USA.
Born in the village of Old Catton, less than a mile from
where Anna Sewell was living when she wrote Black Beauty, Keri had a passion
for reading and writing from a young age, though her tastes veered more to the
macabre.
Today she still lives in Norwich, along with her two naughty
kitties, Ellie and Lola, and a plentiful supply of red wine (her writing fuel),
where she writes a comedic lifestyle column for a local magazine. She loves
Hitchcock movies, exploring creepy places, and gets extremely competitive in
local pub quizzes. She is also a self-confessed klutz.
Keri’s
previous books have all been US based and she is looking forward to the release
of her first UK based novel, which is set in her beautiful home county of
Norfolk.
EXCEPTION TO THE RULE by Charlotte Symonds is a contemporary
romance by a new to me author. This is a well written romance with fun and
witty dialogue, a hero that every girl dreams of and a wounded heroine who
avoids dealing with her emotional past by avoiding relationships.
Delilah Bennet can write a sex scene so well, she has been
hired to be a ghost writer by a well-known romance author. She loves her job
because she gets to freely manipulate all of the heroes. She is in total
control. In her personal dating life she has rules and keeps the control,
always. She must be the one to approach and she uses the men for sex. No
relationships.
Delilah lives with her best-friend, Rhen and has always been
the shield that Rhen uses to hide his true sexuality from his
ultra-conservative family. Rhen is the only person who knows the real Delilah
and why she is the way she is with men. When she tells Rhen about the fantastic
mystery man she spies on while he exercises through the window of their
apartment, he believes this may be the one to get Delilah to give real dating a
shot, but she never sees his face.
Jake Hastings is the plus-one to Rhen’s cousin at a family
wedding. When he sees Delilah dancing, something seems familiar about her, but
he does not know from where. With his blue eyes, hard-body and sultry voice,
Delilah cannot resist, even though he came up to her. Jake has trouble keeping
Delilah from running away each time they get close, but he also cannot stop
thinking about her and wanting more.
Is Jake truly sincere and an honorable man? Will Delilah
make an exception to her rules and end up possibly having her heart broken for
the first time or believe in Jake?
I am in love with Jake! Here is a romance hero who did not
do anything, but be a nice guy. (OK. He is gorgeous and rich, too, which never
hurts.) Delilah is the wounded heroine, instead of the wounded hero as in most
romances. She proves she is capable of love and friendship with Rhen, but Rhen
is safe. Her reasons for her rules are believable and give her a reason for
always doing a runner when things get personal with Jake. Ms. Symonds has
written realistic, funny and witty dialogue throughout the story. The sex
scenes are fun, hot and explicit. The characters in this romance are
interesting, entertaining and I feel could walk right off the page.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Carolyn’s Brown new book THE EMPTY NESTERS. I always enjoy a Carolyn Brown story, but this one is my favorite to date!
Below you will find a message from the author, my book review, a book summary, author bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I loved all of these characters and can highly recommend this book for a great read. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Jump Into Author
Carolyn Brown’s Empty Nest
Good morning, and thank you for inviting me to
stop by to talk about my new book, The Empty Nesters. I’ll be
giving all y’all a few of my favorite scenes and a little commentary during the
time we get to spend together.
As Ma used to say on Golden Girls,
imagine this—Carmen, Joanie and Diana have just dropped their daughters off at
the recruiter’s office. They’ve managed to keep the tears at bay and put up a
brave front, but now it’s time to let the tears loose.
“For the first time ever, Natalie and I won’t
decorate the house for Halloween together. Nine months of carrying them, then
we basically raised them on our own while our husbands were deployed or got
sent someplace to train other officers. And now they’re gone, and we won’t see
them for Halloween or Thanksgiving. And who even knows about Christmas? It’s
not fair.”
It’s always amazing what comes to mind during a
sad time, isn’t it? Things pop into our heads that seem trivial in the face of
the event, and yet, at the time, the good memories are what keep us sane.
Tootsie, their elderly neighbor, has just lost
her husband, after they’d bought the huge RV and planned a trip to northeast
Texas. She’s trying to convince the women that they need to get away from their
empty nest for a while.
“You need to get away for a little while and
get some perspective,” Tootsie said.
“Let’s pool our money and blow it all on a trip
to Paris. We can shop and have lattes in little bistros,” Diana suggested.
Joanie sighed. “That’s a pipe dream. We
probably don’t have enough money to even get to Paris, Texas, between the three
of us.”
The three of them have known the support of
each other through the past thirteen years, and just because they’re now alone
in their homes, they have no doubt that the love is still there between
them—and that it’s even stronger than blood sisters.
“We’re only half a block and a phone call away.
If any of us feel the world dropping out from under our feet, we can get back
together in less than five minutes.”
I was amazed at how supportive all of them,
including Tootsie, were of each other. They might disagree, but Lord help the
person that tried to come between them, or who had the nerve to say an ugly
word about one of them.
Everything happens for a reason and in the time
that it should happen. I believe that with my whole heart. Diana had gotten her
divorce years before the book opens, but she remembers the pain and anger of it
all. Then she focused all her energy and time on raising her daughter. But now
it’s her time to find a new love, and a new life—maybe with a younger man.
“That many trips into town on those roads would
shake the hell out of their Caddy. And believe me, Aunt Tootsie treats that car
like family.” Luke chuckled. “Age, on a truck or on a person, makes no
difference. It’s how well they’re maintained that matters.”
Why, oh, why, couldn’t he have smooth pickup
lines like other men? Luke asked himself. What he’d just said could be taken as
an insult. She might think that he thought she looked like an old pickup truck
at her age, when in reality she was downright gorgeous. He wouldn’t be a bit
surprised if she still got carded at bars when she ordered a drink.
Thank you again, for inviting me into your
world, and letting me talk about the amazing ladies (and Luke of course),
from The Empty Nesters. Happy reading to each and every one of you!
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Sometimes if you are lucky, you pick up a book at just the
right time in your life that every emotion written by the author resonates and
you cannot put it down. THE EMPTY NESTERS by Carolyn Brown is that book
for me.
The story starts by introducing us to Tootsie and Smokey
Colbert. Smokey is retired Army and Tootsie is his beloved wife of over 50
years. They never had children of their own, so they are very excited when
three new military couples move into the neighboring homes each with their own
young daughter. The men are in the same unit and the wives are close friends.
Jump ahead thirteen years. Diana, Carmen and Joanie are all
still best friends and about to face an empty nest at home as all three of
their daughters leave for bootcamp after having enlisted in the Army together. Diana
has been divorced and moved on, working and focusing on her daughter Rebecca.
Joanie is still an army wife, waiting for her husband to come home as her
daughter Zoe leaves also. Carmen just said goodbye to her daughter, Natalie and
she receives the emotional punch of receiving unexpected divorce papers in the
mail after 20 years of marriage.
After losing the love of her life, Smokey, one month ago,
Tootsie decides to go on their planned trip to his family’s reunion and take
the girls with her. They have nothing to lose and no one at home, so they begin
their two month long life changing journey as “The Empty Nesters” in a large RV
driven by Smokey’s nephew, Luke. Tootsie faces the memories of her late husband
and hopes to ease her loneliness and broken heart, Joanie receives life
changing news from her husband which will alter the group, Carmen must deal
with the hurt, betrayal and end of her marriage and Diana just may learn to
open her heart to a new relationship and love.
This is my favorite Carolyn Brown book to date. Keep the
tissues handy for not only sad, but happy tears. I read this in one sitting
because I just had to know the resolution of all of “The Empty Nesters”. This
book deals with so many stages of life and love. It also shows each character
dealing with what life dishes out to them and how they cope with the help of
their friendship. I felt the dialogue, the emotions and the trials and triumphs
were realistically written and handled by Ms. Brown. Each of the women as a
character is unique and yet they mesh so well together.
I highly recommend The Empty Nesters!
***
Title: The Empty Nesters
Author: Carolyn Brown
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Dear friends and army
wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital
problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are
prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty
nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she
suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and
tears. She’s been there.
With nothing to lose and
no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from
their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome
nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her
late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken
heart. So can the empty nesters.
Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.
***
Author Biography
Carolyn
Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s
Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a
RITA finalist with more than ninety published books. Her genres include
romance, history, cowboys and country music, and contemporary mass-market
paperbacks. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma,
where everyone knows everyone else, knows what they are doing and when . . .
and reads the local newspaper every Wednesday to see who got caught. They have
three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. Visit Carolyn
at www.carolynbrownbooks.com.
Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks. This is a well written page turner and the second book by this author that I have read and enjoyed.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media information and purchasing links. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb:
Dom and Stacey have the perfect life. Until they meet Tamara. Brilliant, beautiful, she hides a horrifying secret. One that may destroy them all.
Happily married with two beautiful children, Dom and Stacey have it all. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.
Everything is perfect. Until they meet Tamara.
Because Tamara is a woman with a plan. She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.
And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control. Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks is a new domestic psychological
thriller. I read the mystery, “Fatal Fortune” by this author that I enjoyed so
I was excited to give this book a read. I was not disappointed.
Dom and Stacey are happily married with two children. Dom is
the head of a successful design agency and Stacey works from home writing and illustrating
children’s books. They are very happy.
It is a complete shock when the account executive of Dom’s
firm commits suicide and blames his unhappiness on his job. Conveniently, the
perfect replacement shows up for his job. Tamara is beautiful, classy and
highly motivated. She has a plan, not only for the company, but also for Dom
and Stacey.
As Tamara’s plan begins to unfold, the seeds of mistrust
between Dom and Stacey grow. Stacey is gas-lighted by Tamara as she moves to
replace her at Dom’s side and in her home.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Stacey and
Tamara. The pace increases as the story progresses and the tension escalates to
the point of not wanting to put the book down. All of the steps Tamara takes
really scared me because of how believable it was and how easily it was done. I
did have some difficulties with Dom and Stacey though. Dom switched sides a
little too quickly for me if they were as happy as it seemed and he even
believed Tamara over his two children. I liked that Stacey went for help when
needed, but she seemed completely incompetent when looking into Tamara’s
background. She worked at Dom’s company before their children and she is an author,
so I found it difficult to believe.
Overall this is an intense and well written domestic
psychological thriller. It is not unique, but it kept me turning the pages and
I was satisfied with the ending.
***
About Miranda Rijks:
Miranda Rijks is a writer of suspense
novels.
Miranda has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre.
She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of
years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now
she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex,
England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.
Miranda loves connecting with her readers, so you can reach out to her at www.mirandarijks.com
How do you catch a killer who thinks murder
is art?
Michael Fisher sees himself as an artist
rather than a killer and poses his victims to resemble famous paintings.
Detective Nick Kelly is called to attend
the latest crime scene and finds himself at the centre of a media storm. But
while the rest of the police department feels under pressure, Nick relishes the
attention.
Karen Kelly, Nick’s soon to be ex-wife,
watches in horror as this brutal game of cat and mouse plays out. But Karen has
secrets of her own.
And when another body is found, Nick is disturbed to discover he knows the victim and things start to get a little too close to home.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars
THE ART OF MURDER by Rebecca Muddiman is a suspense/thriller
by a new to me author. Each chapter alternates between the perspectives of the
three main characters.
Detective Nick Kelly is on an NYPD team working the case of
an unknown serial killer who poses his victims to replicate famous paintings. As
the number of victims increases, the pressure is on from the media for more
information. Nick’s superior does not want the public to know how the victims
have been displayed, but Nick enjoys the spotlight and wants to release more
information.
Karen Kelly is cohabitating unharmoniously with Nick as they
wait for the court to decide which one of them gets their NYC apartment in
their divorce. Karen owns an independent bookstore which is struggling
financially and is generally unhappy with her life at this point in time. She
meets a nice man on her birthday while she is out on her own, but she had such
poor taste in picking Nick, she does not know if she can trust this charming
new man.
Michael Fisher wanted to be a famous artist. His father
belittled him and he dropped out of art school. Now he works on his personal
masterpieces to replicate famous master paintings to prove his talent to his
father and the world. The backdrops are painted, but the main figure is not. If
you are squandering your true talent, Michael will make a painting to feature
you.
I felt this book was predictable for about the first third of the story, but then the author does manage to insert a few curve balls that increase the suspense and pace. I enjoyed the serial killer in this book more than Nick and Karen. Nick is a narcissist in every sense of the word. Karen was a whiny wimp until the very end and I find it surprising that she even came through then, which somewhat limited the believability for me. This was a group of characters that I did not like, but the plot does have a few unique twists that carried me through to the end.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for allowing me to read this eARC in advance of release.
***
Rebecca Muddiman was born and raised in the North East and worked in the
NHS for many years. She has published six crime novels – Stolen, Gone,
Tell Me Lies, Murder in Slow Motion, No Place Like Home, and The Art of
Murder. Stolen won a Northern Writers Award in 2010 and
the Northern Crime Competition in 2012. She is also a screenwriter and was
selected for the London Screenwriters Festival Talent Campus in 2016.
Most of her spare time is spent
re-watching Game of Thrones, trying
to learn Danish, and dealing with two unruly dogs. Sometimes all at the same
time.
LOVELY DIGITS by Jeanine Englert is a historical romantic
suspense that I feel is perfect in every way. The romance and suspense/mystery
were both perfectly balanced and intriguing. This book has a heroine with a
unique occupation, a constable hero trying to right a past wrong while both
work together to solve a series of murders in 1849 Clun, England.
Miss Lucy Wycliffe is a spinster, who has for the last ten
years been Clun’s layer out of the dead. She ignores the gossip from the town
people who feel she is unnatural for she has to support herself and help her
sister who is a widow and her niece since the death of their parents. Lucy takes
pride in the job she does for the dead even as she knows no man will be
interested in her.
John Brodie is the new constable. He is no stranger to Clun
and his acceptance of this position is meant to correct old wrongs and help him
move on in the future. He wishes to help Lucy by paying her to be his assistant
as they work to find the killer of Lucy’s childhood friends. He never thought
he would fall in love with the beautiful and intelligent “Lovely Digits”.
The killer knows secrets from the past and has come back to not
only reveal truths that could end Lucy and John’s relationship, but also their
lives.
I loved this book! This historical romantic suspense focuses
on a small town in England of regular people and there are no princes or dukes
in sight. The clothes, language and interactions are era appropriate. Lucy’s
occupation is unique, but it is also plausible. I love that Lucy is also an
intelligent, strong heroine who is as heroic as John. No sex. Hand holding and a few kisses only.
The murders are investigated with old-fashioned leg work, clues obtained from
the bodies and clues left by the killer.
Set time aside because I know once you start this book you
will not be able to put it down! There is no cliffhanger and the story is
complete, but there does seem to be a possibility of more books following John
and Lucy in the future and I can only say to Ms. Englert, “Yes, please”!
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
