Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: For the Honor of the Agency by Andrew J. Harvey

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review of FOR THE HONOR OF THE AGENCY (The Honor Trilogy Book #1) by Andrew J. Harvey on this Black Phoenix Book Tour.

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

Newly appointed to the Cross-Temporal Empire’s Department of Agriculture and Food, Margaret Peric quickly discovers her role is far more dangerous than she ever imagined. When an ex-employee is nearly killed trying to expose a genetically engineered crop blight, Margaret and her bodyguard, Jade Carvello, uncover a trail of eco-terrorism, corruption—and something far more sinister.

While Margaret faces bureaucratic sabotage and growing political unrest, Jade’s own investigation leads her into the orbit of Carlos Babineaux—a charming anarchist with a secret agenda and a dangerously kissable French accent. Their relationship threatens both Jade’s mission and her loyalty to the powerful Rucker’s Agency.

As conspiracies unravel across alternate Earths, and a child’s life hangs in the balance, Margaret must defy her own government to protect those she loves, and somehow must track down her missing sister for her mother. Meanwhile, Jade and Carlos risk everything on a river journey through hostile territory, where betrayal could come from either side.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242874015-for-the-honor-of-the-agency?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ilHZ6L0h3l&rank=1

Universal link for the book on Amazon

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My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

FOR THE HONOR OF THE AGENCY (The Honor Trilogy Book #1) by Andrew J. Harvey is an exciting first book in a new sci-fi trilogy that contains plenty of twists, thrills, romance, and political intrigue all set in a multiverse where every decision can change the fate of humanity. While I do not usually pick up a sci-fi book, this one has so many elements of other genres, that it kept me thoroughly engaged and turning the pages.

On an alternate Earth, this story takes place primarily on the Mainline and is controlled by the Cross-Temporal Empire. Former soldier and sister in-law to the First Leader, Margaret Peric, has been appointed the head of the Department of Agriculture and Food. She is approached by Markus Ackov, who has been fired and has an attempt made on his life when he discovers a conspiracy to kill the world’s crops with a biologically engineered crop blight.

Jade Carvello is Margaret’s bodyguard and works for the private security firm, The Rucker’s. Even though Margaret’s protection is a job, they become close and Margaret considers her a friend and the only one she can trust to investigate the threat of the Anarchists and possible enemies within her own department. Jade infiltrates the anarchists and cannot resist the chemistry that sparks between herself and Carlos Babineaux, a French-Canadian anarchist that puts her investigation and personal integrity at risk.

These two plotlines weave together is an exciting, suspenseful, and fast paced sci-fi multiverse story that pulled me right into the intrigue, romance, and worldbuilding. The twists throughout kept me guessing and turning the pages. I will admit difficulty and frustration with all the multitude of locations and multiverses layer names which occasionally pushed me out of the thrilling character focused plotlines themselves, but the characters are very well developed and with them as a focus, I could not put this book down.

Overall, I highly recommend this wonderful start to this trilogy, and I am looking forward to the next book in the Honor Trilogy.

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About the Author

Andrew spent his high-school years in the school’s library lost in the worlds of Andre Norton, Robert Heinlein, and Isaac Asimov. Reading in turn led to writing, with the first draft of The Portal Adventures originally completed to read to his two sons at night. Now his children have left home he lives in Perth with his wife, one dog, and sixty four gold fish.

Andrew is presently the Principal of Hague Publishing, established in 2011 as an independent publisher of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Registered in Western Australia, it publishes original work by Australian and New Zealand authors.

Andrew’s first published short story (A Messenger to the Dragon) appeared in Aurealis – Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1992. His most recent was the award winning 1827: Napoleon in Australia, which appeared in Sea Lion Press’ anthology Alternate Australias released in 2020.

His first novel, Nightfall (book one in the Clemhorn Trilogy) is an adult, alternate history set against the backdrop of the Cross-Temporal Empire and its fifty-four separate lines. Nightfall was released by Zmok Books in 2019. The series is distributed by Simon and Schuster.

Trouble on Teral and Crisis at Calista Station, the first two books in his new middle-grade, Science Fiction adventure series, The Portal Adventures, were released by Canada’s Peasantry Press in 2020. The open ended series is a combination of Caroline Lawrence’s Roman Mysteries and Andre Norton’s juvenile speculative fiction.

A passionate reader of Alternate History Andrew is working on completing a number of additional series of trilogies based on the Cross-Temporal Empire.

Social Media Links

Website: https://andrewjharvey.com/?page_id=650

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/for-the-honor-of-the-agency-the-honor-trilogy-book-1-by-andrew-j-harvey

Book Tour/Feature Post and Mini Book Review: Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri L. Dodd

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Review for HUMMINGBIRD MOONRISE: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #3) by Sherri L. Dodd on this Black Tide Book Tour.

Below you will find a book summary, my mini book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Summary

The past two years have taken their toll on Arista Kelly. Once an eternal optimist, now she has faced the darkness and must recalibrate what true happiness means for her. Meanwhile, Shane, her ex-boyfriend, is pulling all the right moves to help keep her sane from her heightening paranoia. But it doesn’t help that Iris, her Great Aunt Bethie’s friend, has disappeared.

Still, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman’s home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s-the time when their family patriarch first built Arista’s cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.

This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista’s entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234758707-hummingbird-moonrise?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=zvcReBtjgV&rank=1

Universal link for the book on Amazon

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

HUMMINGBIRD MOONRISE: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #3) by Sherri L. Dodd is the final mystery/YA paranormal book of the trilogy. While I found this book the most captivating of the three, they are still best read in order due to Arista’s emotional growth as well as her increased paranormal powers.

Arista Kelly has changed over the last two years. While she has grown emotionally and into more of her powers, she is also not the eternal optimist she was before she faced the darkness of her uncle and all that he sends after her. Now, her great-aunt Bethie’s friend has disappeared and when they investigate her home, they discover a curse that involves both their families that go back to the 1940s. This is when the family patriarch built the infamous and insightful family Ouija table and Arista’s cabin among the redwoods. Now they have some insight into fateful family choices and a trail to follow to understand how this all has impacted Arista’s present.

Arista is the heart of all the books in the trilogy, but she truly is empowered in this story. Her endurance, grief, pain, forgiveness, and overall love demonstrate her strength and can be as transformative as any spell the young witch may use. While there is no shortage of drama in this third book, there is also a feeling of warmth and love as Arista’s and Shane’s relationship truly develops and the mystery plot comes to an emotional conclusion.

A strong and satisfying conclusion to the Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy.

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About the Author

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father’s passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon – in March 2024. Book two – Moonset on Desert Sands – released in March 2025, and the final book in the series will release October 2025!

Social Media Links

Website: https://sherridodd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SolisRedhead/#

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/hummingbird-moonrise-by-sherri-l-dodd

Book Tour/Feature Post and Mini Book Review: Moonset on Desert Sands by Sherri L. Dodd

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MOONSET ON DESERT SANDS: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #2) by Sherri L. Dodd on this Black Tour Book Tour.

Below you will find a book summary, my mini book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Summary

With a traumatic year of fending off a serial killer behind her, Arista has settled contentedly into her temporary home with Auntie in Sedona, Arizona. She enjoys her new job selling all things metaphysical and even has her eye on the hot security guard, Dakota, after her recent breakup with Shane.

But a series of new fainting spells has her worried, and when Auntie witnesses one, they decide the answer lies in her home of Boulder Creek. However, returning means not only dealing with her breakup and its heartache but also the possibility of drawing her bloodthirsty Uncle Fergus to her once safe haven in the redwoods. And this time he has recruited an even more dangerous alliance.

Arista’s closest bonds will be strengthened, but the mounting tension of a death in the desert, a stalker on the streets, and the relentless pursuit of Fergus puts her in dangerous territory, and escaping sorrow proves impossible.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221550238-moonset-on-desert-sands?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=O4DsIAkDLr&rank=1

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MOONSET ON DESERT SANDS: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #2) by Sherri L. Dodd is an emotional mystery/YA paranormal romance mash-up and the second book in the trilogy. I feel this trilogy is best read in order due to Arista’s continued increase in paranormal powers and emotional growth, and the overall trilogy plot of her uncle seeking her elimination.

A year has passed, and Arista and her aunt are in Sedona to get away from the horror of the murder in the first book in the trilogy, Murder under Redwood Moon. This story has Arista in peril as always from her Uncle Fergus, but it also has her facing many emotionally devastating moments in her life. This installment of the trilogy has danger and death, but I felt it is more focused on the changes in Arista personally and her growth. The crime plot and Arista’s personal life are all intertwined and kept me turning the pages, but there is a slightly slow portion about a third of the way through, but it picks up and is well paced with suspense after. This is an easy-to-read book, and I feel it is geared more to the YA paranormal reader.

I look forward to reading the last book of this trilogy.

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About the Author

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father’s passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon – in March 2024. Book two – Moonset on Desert Sands – released in March 2025, and the final book in the series will release October 2025!

Social Media Links

Website: https://sherridodd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SolisRedhead/#

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/murder-under-redwood-moon-by-sherri-l-dodd

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Murder Under Redwood Moon: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery by Sherri L. Dodd

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MURDER UNDER REDWOOD MOON: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #1) by Sherri L. Dodd on this Black Tide Book Tour.

Below you will find a book summary, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Summary

At the age of eight, Arista Kelly was frantically swept up by her parents and whisked off to an isolated town in the California redwoods. Two days later, her parents were gone.

Now at the age of twenty-three, she has settled quite nicely into an eclectic lifestyle, much like her great aunt, and guardian since childhood, Bethie. She enjoys the use of herbs and crystals to help her commune with the energy and nature around her and finds pleasure in the company of her beloved pet, Royal. Usually quite satisfied with her mundane life high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, life becomes unsettling when a new recurring vision of an ominous tattoo as well as increased activity from the ghostly presence within her own cottage invade her once-harmonious existence.

But life in this mountain sanctuary takes an even darker turn when the body of Arista’s former classmate is found in the nearby river. As other young women fall prey to a suspected serial killer, Arista realizes that the terror is coming to her.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206022905-murder-under-redwood-moon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JAtu619bzF&ra

Universal link for the book on Amazon

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MURDER UNDER REDWOOD MOON: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #1) by Sherri L. Dodd is a paranormal romance/murder mystery and the first book in this trilogy. This is an interesting mix of a young adult white witch coming into her more advanced powers, finding love, and a serial killer crime mystery all intertwined.

Arista has grown up and learned of witchcraft since the age of eight with her father’s aunt. The family has a history of paranormal powers being passed down through the generations and they believe Arista will be the strongest of them all. When girls Arista knows are found murdered, she and her aunt take measures to protect themselves, but it may not be enough to turn back the attraction of a killer set on Arista.

This first book in the trilogy does have a complete solution to this murder mystery, but the overarching family plot with Arista’s dark magic uncle looking for her is only partially answered. This book was a mixed bag for me, but still strong enough for me to continue reading the trilogy. The beginning felt as though a lot of information and too many characters were being introduced to close together, but it begins to settle down and is easier to read about a quarter of the way through. Also, while the information about crystals, magic, spells, and nature were interesting for some reason the author keeps interjecting how all the young male characters are devout Catholics, which did not seem pertinent and makes Arista’s boyfriend, Shane, a bit of a stretch. The romance is mild and gave me the feeling that this trilogy is better targeted at a young adult readership than a more mature paranormal romance reader.

This is an entertaining, easy-to-read paranormal book and I will continue the trilogy to discover what happens to Arista in future books.

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About the Author

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father’s passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon – in March 2024. Book two – Moonset on Desert Sands – released in March 2025, and the final book in the series will release October 2025!

Social Media Links

Website: https://sherridodd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SolisRedhead/#

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/murder-under-redwood-moon-by-sherri-l-dodd

Feature Post and Book Review: Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book Description

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects the stalker may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with paranormal talents.

Gideon suspects that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but he can’t resist the chemistry between them. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them, and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses they were inspired by his own dreamscapes.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer and the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug that is designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211025506-shattering-dawn?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=LFjcghXyhG&rank=1

The Lost Night Files Trilogy

  1. Sleep No More
  2. The Night Island
  3. Shattering Dawn

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SHATTERING DAWN (The Lost Night Files Book #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz is the final paranormal romantic suspense book in The Lost Night Files trilogy. In this story, the third member of the Lost Night Files podcast members meets her HEA match, and all the dangling plotlines of the trilogy are resolved. While this can be read as a standalone romance, I feel it is much more enjoyable reading the trilogy in order.

Amelia Rivers wonders if she is going mad as her enhanced paranormal powers increase and are not under control. She has difficulty sleeping and has become terrified of the dark since her lost night with her two friends at Lucent Springs. She believes she is being stalked, and it may be tied to her lost night. She hires Private Investigator Gideon Sweetwater. Amelia is not sure if Gideon is right for the job, and Gideon has his own reservations, but he is intrigued. While both need to learn to trust the other, they are also wary of the chemistry between them.

Gideon Sweetwater feels an attraction to Amelia, but is skeptical of her story, until he disrupts a kidnapping at her apartment building. Amelia takes Gideon back to Lucent Springs, outside of San Diego to look for more clues and information, but there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Amelia. What they did not count on was Gideon and his Sweetwater heritage.

Amelia and Gideon are so much fun as the H/h in this book of the trilogy. Amelia does not let the Gideon get away with his alpha tendencies as they learn to trust each other and their paranormal talents. I also enjoyed that Gideon was a Sweetwater and how he was a link between many of the other “Jayneverse” series and trilogies. The romance plot is fast paced with danger at their heels and both their physical and paranormal chemistry is explosive. The story’s suspense plotline is palpable throughout with many twists and surprises. All the intertwining subplots over the entire trilogy are tied together in this book and come together in a satisfying conclusion.

I highly recommend this entertaining and fast paced finale to The Lost Night Files trilogy!

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About the Author

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Jayne currently lives in Seattle, WA.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jayneannkrentz.com

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/shattering-dawn-by-jayne-ann-krentz

Feature Post and Book Review: Three Cowboys and a Bride by Kate Pearce

Book Description

Cowboy Max Romero is a married man—even if he hasn’t seen his bride since their impulsive Reno wedding. When the seriously sexy Brit Phoebe Creighton-Smith suddenly shows up in his life again, the last thing he expects is a request to play man-and-wife in front of her family. But it sounds like a challenge to the mischievous Max, who offers Phoebe one in return—give up proper English etiquette for riding the range like a real rancher’s woman.

Phoebe is willing to rope a stallion, if it means she can convince her grandmother to release the trust fund she’s entitled to after marriage. She’ll just have to pretend that her deliciously brawny “husband” isn’t tempting her to total abandon every minute of every day—and night. But just when the heat between them crackles into a blaze, Phoebe’s snobby clan forces Max to make a choice, he knows he’ll risk everything to convince her that with them, true love is a sure thing . . .

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197522386-three-cowboys-and-a-bride?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=egq2M4u6aA&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

THREE COWBOYS AND A BRIDE (Three Cowboys Book #3) by Kate Pearce is the third book in the Three Cowboys trilogy of cowboy contemporary romances and Max’s story which I have been waiting for and I believe my favorite of the three. While this book can be read as a standalone, I read them in order to follow all three of the cowboys’ romances because the main characters live together, and all appear in each book.

Cowboy Max Romero has never felt he deserved a permanent home, and he has an unfiltered mouth which gets him in trouble often, even with his friends. When he takes off a without notice from the ranch after a disagreement with Luke and Noah, they are surprised when he returns a few months later with a bride in tow that no one knew anything about.

Phoebe Creighton-Smith has tracked down the man she married in Reno. Four years ago, she conceived a marriage of convenience to Max to solve a problem with her inheritance back in England and then they parted ways. Now she is back requesting Max to play her husband at her sister’s wedding. Max agrees, but only if Phoebe will play a real rancher’s wife until they need to leave.

While playing husband and wife, Max and Phoebe discover an explosive chemistry between them, but these two have a few secrets to clear up. When Phoebe’s brother manipulates them to part, will Max risk it all for the woman he loves?

I loved Max and Phoebe. I really had no idea how Max would find the one for him after his problems in the first two books of the trilogy, but they were perfect for each other. There was a large communication gap between them, and it was slowly settled throughout the story and ended with the HEA I wished for. The sex scenes were smokin’ hot and steamy, but not gratuitous. I also always enjoy catching up on the lives of the other main couples and secondary characters. This is an entertaining and sexy romance with a great cast of characters.

I highly recommend this entire trilogy and I will definitely be checking out more of this author’s books.

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Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kate Pearce was born in England in the middle of a large family of girls and quickly found that her imagination was far more interesting than real life. After acquiring a degree in history and barely escaping from the British Civil Service alive, she moved to California and then to Hawaii with her kids and her husband and set about reinventing herself as a romance writer.

She is known for both her unconventional heroes and her joy at subverting romance clichés. In her spare time she self publishes science fiction erotic romance, historical romance, and whatever else she can imagine.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.katepearce.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kate.pearce.792

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate4queen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/688826.Kate_Pearce