Tag: #standalone

Book Review: A Season to Dance by Rebecca Heflin

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

A SEASON TO DANCE by Rebecca Heflin is a small town contemporary second chance romance with characters that evoke all of your emotions from high to low and vivid writing that makes you believe you are dancing right along with the heroine. This story is a standalone, but I hope the author will follow the secondary characters in the future.

Olivia James has the work ethic, talent and natural abilities that few dancers are blessed with. She left small town Georgia for a meteoric career in the Joffrey Ballet. After six years as a prima ballerina she has a possible career ending Achilles injury. As she rehabs, her mother dies and she has to return home for her funeral and possibly run into the one boy she has never been able to get over even seventeen years after leaving.

Zach Ryder has risen to Chief of Police in his hometown over the past seventeen years. Even as it broke his heart, he knew Olivia was destined for greatness and would not stop her from leaving all those years ago.Now with Olivia back in town, he does not know if this beautiful woman leaves again if his heart will survive a second departure.

Living in a small town Olivia and Zach cannot help but run into each other. The sparks have never been there with anyone else over all these years. It is apparent to everyone that they still love each other, but will the past repeat itself? Will Olivia stay or go?

Olivia and Zach are wonderful main characters. Zach is mature, supportive, kind and sexy. His father and the whole town are important to him. Olivia has had an amazing career and fame, but now she has to face some life-changing decisions. The secondary plotline of Olivia’s difficulties with her mother’s decisions throughout her life and death adds to the emotional punch. I felt the author wrote this complicated mother-daughter relationship realistically and wove it seamlessly into Olivia’s decisions in regards to her future. The sex scenes are hot, but not drawn out or overly explicit.

I can highly recommend this romance. Olivia’s love of dance shines through and the dance scenes are written with a true knowledge and love of ballet by this author. I found this story very difficult to put down.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Perfume Girl by Vanessa Fewings

Hi, everyone!

Today I have a Book Blitz and Book Review feature for a great new romantic suspense from a new to me author. Perfume Girl by Vanessa Fewings is impossible to put down! The suspense plot grabs you from page one and the romance is hot, hot, HOT!

Below you will find a description of the book, my book review, the author’s bio and social media info and a Rafflecopter Giveaway. Good luck on the Rafflecopter. I highly recommend you get this book and make sure you have a fan handy!

Title: Perfume Girl

Author:Vanessa Fewings

Genre:Erotic Romance/Contemporary Romance

Release Date:November 27th

Cover Designer: Najla Qamber (Najla Qamber Designs)

Hosted by:Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2R3AmcS

Nook: https://bit.ly/2OWzZPF

iBooks: https://apple.co/2EbkS4L

Nook: http://bit.ly/2RG0XgQ

Universal:  https://books2read.com/PerfumeGirl

Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41143305-perfume-girl?from_search=true

Book Description:

True passion can’t be bottled.

A stolen formula. A seductive suspect. A dangerous romance.

Raquel Wren’s world has fallen apart. Her husband has divorced her. Close friends have abandoned her. The money has run out. The pieces of a once idyllic life have completely crumbled. And now, the only thing that can save Raquel from total ruin…

…has been stolen.

Raquel is the owner of the small town boutique store Perfume Girl, a quaint location offering bottled scents from around the globe, including her own personal formulas. Creating perfume has been a passion since she was a little girl, but her latest work, a scent years in the making, is her masterpiece. The one that will make her mark on the industry and save her life in the process.

But now it’s gone. Stolen right from her shop. All would be lost if Raquel didn’t feel she knew who was behind the theft. Devastated to her core, she decides to do something about it.

Astor Beauregard is the sexy, enigmatic owner of House of Beauregard, the renowned cologne empire based in the notorious city of South Beach, Miami. It’s within this luxurious kingdom that Raquel will delve to unravel the mystery of the crime, a path that will lead her directly to Astor, sparking an unforgettable passion while uncovering a shocking truth.

It’s on the famous, sun-soaked, salsa-fueled streets of South Beach that USA Today Bestselling Author Vanessa Fewings releases PERFUME GIRL, a heart-racing romance novel that will have readers feeling the heat like never before.

In this new STAND-ALONE novel, a fiery romance is ignited, one that will burn its way to a stunning revelation.

My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

PERFUME GIRL by Vanessa Fewing is a romantic suspense that you will not be able to put down! With an intricate suspense plot that centers around the high stakes world of designer perfumes and a hero that is rich, secretive, domineering and ultra-sexy, you will need to have a fan handy for this one.

Raquel Wren thought she had it all until she came home from her perfume shop early to find her husband in bed with someone else. Now with the divorce, she is about to lose her perfume shop, too unless she can sell her newest creation. Before she has the chance, it is stolen from her shop. What the thief does not realize is that it is not finished. The scent is missing the final ingredient to make it spectacular.

Astor Beauregard is the sexy, exotic head of The House of Beauregard, one of the premier, multi-million dollar perfume houses. Not only is he the owner with his sister, but he is an exceptionally talented perfume chemist. He loves his company, takes care of his family and lives his life in the fast-lane, guarding his heart and his mysterious past. When his sister presents him with a new perfume, he is intrigued and excited.

Raquel believes her formula was stolen by the House of Beauregard. She gets hired by Astor to work on a new scent for men. Raquel is out to find proof of the theft of her perfume and save Perfume Girl. Astor believes Raquel is a corporate thief, but he cannot stay away from her. Neither can completely trust the other, but they have an explosive passion between them that neither can control.

There is absolutely nothing NOT to love about this book. Raquel and Astor are interesting and intriguing from the moment they appear on the page. Both have overcome traumas throughout their lives and when they come together, WOW! Ms. Fewings writes sex scenes that are explicitly hot and sensual without any kink or BDSM. The suspense plot is intricately intertwined throughout the story in perfect balance to the romance with a twist that surprised me at the end.

This is a standalone romantic suspense that I highly recommend!

About Vanessa:

Vanessa Fewings is a USA TODAY bestselling author. Her latest series is The Icon Trilogy, a romantic suspense about Zara Leighton, London’s most brilliant art investigator on the hunt for the notorious thief known as Icon.

Vanessa’s previous novels include the bestselling Enthrall Sessions, a romance series spanning eight books about a woman who gets swept up into Enthrall, L.A.’s premier club that caters to the secret desires of the elite.

Readers can also listen to Vanessa as she hosts the weekly podcast The Romance Show, a captivating podcast featuring authors and industry professionals in the romance world.

Prior to publishing, Vanessa worked as a registered nurse and midwife. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. She has traveled extensively throughout the world and has lived in Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Cyprus and the USA.

Born and raised in England, Vanessa now proudly calls herself an American and resides on the East Coast with her husband.

Vanessa can be found on her Facebook Fan Page, and in The Romance Lounge, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads. She enjoys connecting with fans all around the world.

Social Media:

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

Website:  https://vanessafewings.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanessaFewings

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

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

Giveaway:

Prize: Signed Copy of Perfume Girl ( US Only) & £10 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally)

<a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/eef4ee4b1678/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”eef4ee4b1678″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”54761f08ee20562638ce5c19″ id=”rcwidget_zglmqgou”>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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https://bit.ly/2OXKzps

Book Review: Wildfire and Roses by Hope Malory

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

WILDFIRE AND ROSES by Hope Malory is a sweet contemporary romance. This romance is about a hero and heroine who you know are perfect for each other, but they are established in their careers on opposite sides of the country.

Beasley McLemore is driven to make her landscaping business in the foothills of the Tennessee Smoky Mountains the best. She wants her family and the community to be proud of her. She has always fantasized about her best-friend’s brother because she believes she is too busy to deal with a real relationship. On a rare break from her business, she is in Yosemite to climb El Cap and volunteers when needed for a search and rescue mission.

Will Gregor is a hot-shot smoke jumper and firefighter from California in Yosemite to climb. He volunteers for the search and rescue, too. He is ready and eager to help the park ranger, but is not impressed by Beasley. When Beasley easily assists Will after he falls, his irritation turns into intrigue. Will has just broken up with his long-term girlfriend and even though Beasley is everything he wants in a girlfriend, he is not ready to commit.

Beasley and Will cannot forget each other, but neither is willing to give up their current life situations and locations. Is it best just to forget and move on or can they find a way to be together?

Besides the sweet romance that does not have any sex until the last chapters, the author has included a mystery in Beasley’s family to be solved. The descriptions of the locations on both sides of the country is inspiring. The family and friends in this story are as interesting and entertaining as the H/h. This is an easy to read book, but at times I felt it should have had an increase in pace in the romance and less secondary characters. There were also a few times I was exasperated by how hard-headed Beasley was during some scenes which I felt slowed the pace, too. Overall though, it was an enjoyable romance read with interesting main characters and family dynamics.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Blitz and Book Review: The Doll Collector by Joanna Stephen-Ward

 

 

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the book blitz for THE DOLL COLLECTOR by Joanna Stephen-Ward. Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s info.

This book was not exactly what I was expecting. It starts out with you following a truly despicable and twisted serial killer, but then it twists into something else. At times darkly funny, sometimes sinister and at times I had to put it down. I believe this will be one of those books everyone will have differing opinions about when they are done.

***

 

Book Blurb:

Murders that look like accidents. An accident that looks like murder.Book 

A couple and their young son burn to death in a house fire.

A girl dies from a nut allergy.

A woman falls under a train during the rush hour.

An accountant falls down the steps to his basement.

Their deaths appear to be accidents but Gloria knows they were murdered because she murdered them. And every time Gloria kills she buys a doll.

But how many dolls will she need to keep her satisfied?

When Gloria takes a room as a lodger her behaviour starts to spin out of control. Gloria wants love and happiness and friendship and she will do anything she can to get what she wants…

***

My Book Review:

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

THE DOLL COLLECTOR by Joanna Stephen-Ward is a psychological thriller that is twisted and not exactly what I was expecting. You start by following a despicable and vile serial killer, but then the story twists.

Gloria is a jealous, amoral, and sadistic serial killer. If she believes you have more than her, criticize her or just don’t agree with her, you could end up dead and a doll purchased in your honor to add to her collection. She has been evil since she was a child.

Maurice takes Gloria in as a boarder to help with his rent. Maurice does not realize who he has let into his home and Gloria’s delusions have her believing she has finally found a man to love her. But Maurice has secrets of his own and he finds himself becoming more desperate as each situation escalates.

This book started out as I was expecting from reading the blurb, but it quickly turned into more of a psychological thriller with an intertwined second plot-line with more despicable characters that are the cause of Maurice’s secrets and problems. Maurice was pathetic and not in any way heroic. Gloria was emotionally twisted and evil. There are times when I had to put the book down because Gloria and some of her actions disturbed me that much and yet there were also few times when the writing was darkly humorous.

I had a difficult time rating this book. Gloria is a killer to remember and her demise has a twisted justice to it, but then Maurice’s story goes on for a second plot-line resolution. Another ending is added where the second plot-line characters come out ahead or are served justice, but the two endings feel disjointed. I also had a problem with the doll collection. It was a great idea, but I felt it was not utilized enough times by Gloria during the book.

This is a book that I liked, but it had flaws for me. I do believe there will be a lot of discussion/opinions revolving around this book and characters.

***

About Joanna Stephen-Ward:

Joanna Stephen-Ward was born in the Australian outback, and grew up in Melbourne. Her school days were spent dreaming about being an opera singer or a writer. To the exasperation of her parents and teachers she spent her final year sitting at the back of the classroom writing a novel set in WW2.

When she left school she went to an opera school where she was taught drama, movement and language pronunciation and had small roles in the workshop productions. She was not good enough to become a professional opera singer, but the seeds of her novel Vissi d’arte were sown.

She left Australia and spent a year travelling around Europe and the UK. While working in outpatients for the NHS she met Peter and they married in 1985. They lived in Richmond Surrey and she worked at The National Archives, an enthralling place for anyone interested in history or crime.

Having been brought up as a lonely only child, she was astonished to discover in 2010 that she was one of eight children. She and her sister had last been together on a verandah in the outback when they were babies. They had a joyous reunion in Cornwall in 2012.

Joanna has written seven novels and is working on her eighth.

 

Joanna’s Social Media Links:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joanna.stephenward
Twitter https://twitter.com/OperaLover12 @ OperaLover12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3020049.Joanna_Stephen_Ward

Blog https://outbackwriter.blogspot.com

Book Review: Shelter In Place by Nora Roberts

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SHELTER IN PLACE by Nora Roberts had my emotions all over the place, but isn’t that what a good book does? Part psychological thriller, part romantic suspense and part coming of age for a group who survive one of the horrors of present day life, a mass shooter event.

This book starts with a mass shooting perpetrated by three teenage males at a suburban mall.

Simone Knox and her two best friends are in the movie theater. When Simone starts to leave the restroom, she hears screams and gunshots. She returns to a restroom stall and is the first to call 911 as she shelters in place.

Reed Quartermaine waits tables in an Italian restaurant in the DownEast Mall. On his way back from his break, he is confronted by people running the opposite way and pops of gun fire. He picks up a bloodied little boy who appears to be alone and runs for cover.

Essie McVee is a police officer with her partner, dealing with a minor traffic accident in the mall parking lot when they receive the call of active shooters. She is the first on the scene at the movie theater and is able to take down one of the shooters.

From this point on, the story follows the intertwining lives of these three main survivors and how all of the survivors dealt with the trauma of that day and death of their family or friends throughout their lives. What becomes apparent though as time goes on is there is one person who is not finished with that day and is seeking revenge against all of those who survived.

I loved all of these characters! Reed and Simone had such differing ways of coping with their lives after the shooting. Reed is such a strong hero who refuses to let evil win. Essie is the mentor Reed needs at just the right time. Simone runs from the memories at first, but through her art she begins to heal and then begins to memorialize the loved ones lost on that day in the mall. Even all of the secondary characters bring such life to this book. I absolutely loved CiCi, who was the best grandmother character ever.

This book is written covering many years. Ms. Roberts has the characters growing stronger and coming together to fight the evil that has tracked them for execution. I found this book difficult to put down. I love Nora Roberts’ books and characters.

Book Review: Indianapolis: The True Story… by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

INDIANAPOLIS: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year-Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic is one of the most engrossing and riveting nonfiction books I have read. I enjoy reading nonfiction books set during WWII because I truly do believe they were written about an extraordinary generation. This book not only vividly describes the history of the Indianapolis’ war service, sinking and the five days of terror in the sea waiting for rescue, but continues with the survivors’ fight to clear their Captain’s record.

The Indianapolis was a historic ship that had seen major battles in the Pacific, survived to be repaired after a kamikaze attack, delivered the first atomic bomb to the Air Force to be dropped on Hiroshima and then was sunk by a Japanese submarine just after midnight on July 30, 1945. The night began with 1,195 men going about their duties or off-duty past-times. It is estimated that approximately 300 men went down with the ship with the remainder entering the sea. When the survivors were accidentally spotted from the air and rescued, only 316 men lived. The description of burns, dehydration, delirium, drowning and sharks had me in tears several times.

This was an extremely well documented and researched book. From the survivor’s firsthand accounts, naval documents, and previous historical books on this subject. The two authors interweave two timelines, one beginning in 1945 that takes you back to the ship and one that begins in the 1990’s that centers on the fight for justice for Captain McVay.  I could not put this book down and I could vividly mentally picture every paragraph past and present.

I HIGHLY recommend this book!

(After reading this book, I watched the documentary USS Indianapolis: The Legacy on Amazon Prime. It was made by the authors of this book and was told in the first person by the survivor’s. It brought faces to the names I read about in the book. Extremely emotional.)