domenica 31 luglio 2016

Review & Giveaway: The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter


The Quirky Quiz Show Caper
by Sally Carpenter


QQSC front cover
The Quirky Quiz Show Caper
(Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Nysteries)

4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Cozy Cat Press (March 26, 2016)
Paperback: 242 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1939816870
E-Book ASIN: B01ERVIAVS
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38-year-old formal teen idol Sandy Fairfax is a guest panelist on a TV game show–and the first category is murder! When his brother, a college professor is framed for the murder of one of his student, Sandy investigates, in between fighting with his ex, visiting his kids, wooing his new girlfriend, and presenting a concert at a black tie gala to save his father’s orchestra. Sandy’s ready to tear out his long blond hair as the game points and suspects pile up.

My Review
This mystery is intriguing, well written with an intelligent storyline. TV game show, family rivalries and murder form an excellent mix for an exciting read.
Sandy has just accepted a job for a TV quiz, he is not very enthusiastic about it but must do it so to keep alive his popularity. His brother Warren is in trouble: is a university professor and is accused of the murder of one of his students. Between them there has always been a strong rivalry but he can't help but help him. Meanwhile he must try to conquer a beautiful woman and try to build a good relationship with his children.
I liked all of the characters. Sandy is funny and smart and I enjoy each time that I get to spend with him.
It can be read as a stand alone even if it is the fourth book in the series.
It was a quick read, easy and very fun, a good mix of mystery and humor. A really enjoyable summer read, it had me hooked from the first page.





Carpenter photo_WEB gif

About This Author

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif.
She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award and “Star Collector” was produced in New York City.
Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.
She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.
The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is comprised of: “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), “The Sinister Sitcom Caper,” “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper” and “The Quirky Quiz Show Caper.”
She has short stories in two anthologies: “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in “Last Exit to Murder” and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in “Plan B: Omnibus.”
Carpenter penned chapter three of the Cozy Cat Press group mystery “Chasing the Codex.”
To atone for her sins of killing fictional people, she also writes the monthly Roots of Faith column for the Acorn Newspapers.
She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles.
Purchase Links
Amazon   B&N
a Rafflecopter giveaway

venerdì 29 luglio 2016

Review & Giveaway: All In by Simona Ahrnstedt


All In
by Simona Ahrnstedt

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

In the cutthroat world of Sweden’s financial elite, no one knows that better than corporate raider David Hammar. Ruthless. Notorious. Unstoppable. He’s out to hijack the ultimate prize, Investum. After years of planning, all the players are in place; he needs just one member of the aristocratic owning family on his side—Natalia De la Grip.

Elegant, brilliant, driven to succeed in a man’s world, Natalia is curious about David’s unexpected invitation to lunch. Everyone knows that he is rich, dangerous, unethical; she soon discovers he is also deeply scarred.

The attraction between these two is impossible, but the long Swedish nights unfold an affair that will bring to light shocking secrets, forever alter a family, and force both Natalia and David to confront their innermost fears and desires.

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My Review:



I loved every single page of this book: the excellent plot, the amazing characters, the magical setting and the great style of this author, I could not really put it down.
David is a great self-made businessman, he buys companies in crisis, recovers them and resell at a very advantageous price. He has set his eyes on Investum owned by a very complicated aristocratic family. David tries to involve their daughter Natalia in his battle, but he had not expected she is so fascinating. The attraction between them is very strong, impossible to resist but this will result in big problems to both.
Natalia is a workaholic, only thinks about job. Her father doesn't believe that women are capable of managing a company, but she is very stubborn, she didn't listen to him and showed everyone her skills by making a great career in a bank.  She's very intelligent, sweet, simple, easy to be fascinated by her. David is an unscrupulous businessman but he's really a gentleman with Natalia. Together they form a very special couple, are perfect together.
I really loved the setting of this story, it was a lovely trip in the beautiful Sweden, the first pages with the helicopter flight are fascinating.
The story is wonderfully written, the plot is very intriguing and slowing, one page leads to another. It's a really enjoyable read
Highly recommended for those who love romance and Sweden.


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EXCERPT:



David saw her. She was standing there amid a crowd of partygoers, almost luminous. People moved around and behind and sometimes in front of her, but she stood out like a radiant star in a dark sky. How could he ever have thought that Natalia was anything other than breathtakingly beautiful? Had there really been a time when he had described her to himself as common and insignificant? There was nothing ordinary about her. She had done something to her hair—it fell around her shoulders in big glossy waves that continued down her back. And she was wearing red. A Ferrari red dress, short and made of some material that looked alive, swirling around her body in triumphant serpentine swaths. And those long, sexy legs that quite recently had rested on his shoulders as he brought her to climax.

At first he couldn’t identify the word he heard in his head; he was too preoccupied with drinking her in with his eyes.

But then he heard it again, a single word that drowned out all the others, a primal roar.

Mine.

She is mine.

Which was beyond stupid, of course. He had no right to her, never would. It didn’t matter what they’d done. It was only sex.

Only sex.

He wanted to walk over to her. He wanted to caress those bare shoulders, put his arm around her, pull her to him, kiss her deeply, thoroughly, satisfyingly. Wanted to see her face start to glow, see her eyes widen. It was almost impossible to resist. Impossible to remember why he should resist that impulse that was so primal in its force. He did what he apparently always did when it came to Natalia—he started bargaining with himself.

One last time, what did it matter? Because this would really be the last time, truly. This was the last night they would see each other before— well, before.

She cocked her head to the side and watched him, alluring and tempting him like a modern-day siren, and David just threw it all overboard. He dumped his good intentions and reason as if they were ballast, holding him down, and made up his mind.

Mine.

He was about to start walking toward her, had already taken the first step, when he suddenly saw a tall man slip up behind her, as if he’d been standing there the whole time and was now staking his rightful claim. With a slow wink Natalia looked away from David. She turned to face the man. He whispered something in her ear, she nodded in response, and David saw the couple move a little and then they were swallowed by the crowd of party guests.

The moment was past.

He swallowed. He should be grateful it had happened. Now he had the chance to move on.

But he didn’t move on.

He just stood there.

And he wondered: who the hell was that man?


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Simona Ahrnstedt was born in Prague and is a licensed psychologist, a cognitive behavioral therapist, and most importantly, a bestselling author. As her novels have swept bestseller lists in her native Sweden, she has become a spokesperson for books by women, for women, and about women. Her provocative women’s fiction has been sold in multiple languages as well as audio format.  She lives outside of Stockholm, Sweden, with her two teenagers.

Buy Link:






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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE


Simona will be awarding a print copy of ALL IN (US/Canada only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Boost for MATRONLY DUTY by Melissa Kendall

MATRONLY DUTIES

Release Tour for Cocktails and Lies by Lynette Sofras

COCKTAILS AND LIES

by

Lynette Sofras

giovedì 28 luglio 2016

Review & Giveaway: Deadly Ties by Maggie Thom


Deadly Ties
by Maggie Thom

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GENRE: Suspense/Thriller

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BLURB:

Is her grandmother guilty of murder?

Kyara finds herself pulled into the past needing to solve a 30-year-old crime to determine if it has anything to do with her mom’s recent attack. Kyara is desperately trying to find the one woman who just might have answers – her convicted and recently released from jail, grandmother. She is elusive but seems to be leading Kyara on a path to right some wrongs. Those responsible though, will go to any lengths to keep their secret buried and silence those who know anything. Kyara finds herself locked in a battle but she’s just not sure who really is the enemy. Is Ryan, who’s not who he says he is, there to help her or to stop her at all costs?

Time is of the essence as the golf course that looks pristine and beautiful… is also deadly.
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My Review:

It 's a truly gripping thriller full of action and suspense involving three generations of women of a family.
Her mother is in a coma and her grandmother in prison: Kyara is very confused, what hides her family? Her grandmother was sentenced for a crime she did not commit, now wants revenge and Kyara is forced to discover some secrets about her family, to understand what really happened. But she must do it quickly because she is in danger. Of who she can really trust?
The plot is well developed and well woven, the pace is fast with many twists and turns. There are many characters and this creates a bit of confusion at the beginning but with the passage of the pages makes  reading  much more interesting. It's really a total page turner and I can't wait to get to the end to find out the truth.
Highly recommended




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EXCERPT:


"That's all you've got? Nothing? No one? And no reason? You're telling me this is random?" Kyara pushed to her feet knowing this was a waste of time. Before she could move though, the door opened and another police officer came into the room. He nodded at the other one who got up and left. He then closed the door. Kyara's eyes widened.

"Have a seat please."

It didn't sound like a request but an order. Kyara tentatively sat down, never taking her eyes off him. Something had shifted. There was something very ominous about the man, she just wasn't sure if it was his overly bushy eyebrows, his military cut steel grey hair, his six foot five, two-hundred-and-fifty-pound frame, the rigid way he was holding himself or the hard look on his face. She almost got the feeling they felt she was guilty. Realizing he was talking, she pulled her mind back to the conversation.

"...please tell me about your relationship with Elizabeth Wilson?"

It dawned on her that she'd missed who he was, his rank and what this was about. But that wasn't something she was about to ask him to repeat. Her stomach felt weighted with rocks. "Uh, she's my grandmother." What has she done now?

"And where is she?"

"What?"

"You know she got out of prison a while ago?"

"Yes."

"Well she hasn't shown up for her parole meetings for the last month. Any idea where she is?"

"No." One thing Getty had taught her was to keep your answers short and then they'd never come back to bite her.

"Any idea where she might be?"

"No."

"Have you seen her?"

"No." Kyara clasped her hands tightly into fists.

"If you hear from her, you'll let us know?"

"Yes."

The policeman stared at her with a look that almost had her diving under the table but she could hear Getty telling her to grow a backbone and not let anyone intimidate her. She felt like a bowl of mush on the inside but sat rigidly looking in his direction just not directly into his eyes. It was another tip her grandmother had given her, as a way of standing up to someone without really intimidating them but not really backing down either. Finally, he stood up, so Kyara followed suit.

"If you hear from Elizabeth, please let us know."

Kyara nodded, "I will. And you'll let me know when you've caught the person who damn near killed my mom, right?"

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award winning author, Maggie Thom, took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a fulltime, twenty-year career in management, to write full time. She grew up in a house full of books and often made weekly trips to the library to get more. Reading was her go to, when it was too cold outside to play. She started experimenting with writing at a young age, letting her imagination take her away on many adventures. Maggie has written everything from technical writing, to nonfiction, to fiction for children, youth and adults, along with poems and short stories. She finally settled on her love of puzzles, mysteries and roller coaster rides and now writes suspense/thrillers that will take you on one heck of an adventure. Author of The Caspian Wine Series – Captured Lies and Deceitful Truths with Split Seconds to be out late 2016 – and her other published novel, Tainted Waters (2013 Suspense/Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine). Her latest novel, Deadly Ties, published May 17th, 2016.
Her motto: Read to escape… Escape to read…
"Maggie Thom… proves her strength as a master of words, plots and finely chiseled characters… she weaves a brilliant cloth of the many colors of deceit.”  Dii - TomeTender

Author Links


Buy Links
Amazon.com

Amazon smarturl

Kobo

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Smashwords

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Maggie Thom will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Chasing What's Already Gone by Michael Ross

COVER REVEAL! – Chasing What’s Already Gone – Michael Ross
Chasing What's Already Gone is available on Amazon now!

New teaser3
Blurb:

Danny Pearson is cruising through life on the edge of contentment—even in his marriage...
His wife seems distant, yet perfectly happy. They work on different schedules and pass like ships in the night. But that’s how marriage is after so many years, right?
When Danny meets a mysterious girl, his idea of the meaning of love shatters at his feet…
She’s not extraordinary, but somehow she’s so much more than just another girl. When he catches her gaze, he knows deep in his gut that she’s the one—the love of his life. But being a decent guy, he holds his feelings in check, and there is no ulterior motive when he shares a coffee with her. As she leaves, she gives him a business card. That's all there is to it.
Her name is Ella. And after that, she is nothing more than a fond memory.
Danny puts Ella out of his mind and moves on with his life—until his world falls apart…When his wife confesses to having an affair and demands a divorce, his life is thrown into chaos. It’s a challenge adjusting to the single life, but it’s not impossible. As time passes, he continues to reminisce of his brief encounter with the woman he’s sure was his chance at true happiness.
How far is Danny willing to go in the pursuit of love? How far would you when, in all probability, you are only…
Chasing what’s already gone?
Purchase Links:


New teaser1

New teaser2

Book Cover full wrap

About The Author.
It was a strange and twisting road that led to the publishing of my second novel.
Born and raised in Bristol, England. I spent my adult life in business, the majority of that time marketing cars. I eventually owned the largest Saab specialist in the world, before a divorce put an end to that part of my life.
This led me to leave Bristol to live halfway up a mountain in the Welsh valleys, start a part time six year English Literature course at Bristol University, and attend creative writing classes in Cardiff.
My interest in English literature flourished and I have won several prizes for my short stories. My first book, 'Twenty Short Stories – Settling a score,” reached No 6 in the Short Stories Best Sellers and is still available. My second novel, a romantic thriller entitled Hand Over Fist was released earlier this year
Chasing What’s Already Gone evolved from a short story Carpe Diem in my second anthology Twenty One Short Stories. I could not get the two main characters out of my head and I had to find out what happened to them after the end of the short story.
I now live very happily halfway up that mountain in the Welsh Valleys with my wonderful partner, Mari, and our rescue dog, Wolfie.
Facebook www.facebook.com/michaelross.writer
Twitter https://twitter.com/mikerosswriter
Website http://www.michaelrosswriter.com
eBook GC
FANCY A FREE EBOOK OF 'CHASING WHAT’S ALREADY GONE' & A $5 AMAZON GIFT CARD?
All you have to do is like the below Facebook pages & a winner will be picked on July 29th.

Blog Tour Banner.
 

Release Blitz for BOOMERANG by E.M. Denning

BOOMERANG
by
E.M. Denning

Release Blast for ON PAID LEAVE by Beth Mikell

ON PAID LEAVE
A Shawn Angel Mystery Book 1

mercoledì 27 luglio 2016

Review & Giveaway: A Heart In Conflict by Tricia McGill


A Heart In Conflict
by Tricia McGill

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GENRE: Romance, Contemporary

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BLURB:

A Heart in Conflict (Challenge the Heart Book 2) Opposites attract, it is a well-known fact. At times this leads to insurmountable conflict, when at other times, sit back and watch the fireworks.

Steve Tanakis considers himself cool and calmly confident. Head of a fashion business, he needs to be in control of his life and his business decisions. He decides it is time to find a suitable mother for his son. Through with the pain that comes along with passion, he now considers what he wants is an unemotional wife, one who will fit well into his way of life.

Georgie McNamara, assistant designer in his fashion house, is flamboyant, vivacious, and gregarious, the antitheses to his idea of the perfect choice. The tiny whirlwind turns Steve's organized lifestyle upside down, somehow worming her way into his, and his son’s life, foiling all his plans to find that uncomplicated wife. Along the way Steve comes to realize there is a lot more to this bundle of feminine trouble than he first thought. Is she more trouble than he can handle?


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My Review:

It 's a sweet romance, short, easy  but very pleasant, ideal beach reading.
Steve needs a wife, especially a mother for his child Jimmy but wants an uncomplicated marriage, so no love. He already had enough disappointments but it's hard for him to resist the charm and sweetness of his new dependent Georgie. But Jimmy like her very much and she is very good with him. And if she was the right one?
Steve is a successful man, charming, loves his son and tries to dedicate to him all his free time. Georgie is a shy girl, naive but very strong, she had to grow up fast: when her parents died she had to take care of her little sister of 11 years old with little money and a mortgage on the house. Jimmy is an adorable little boy, cute, smart. Together they form a beautiful family.
The author keeps you enthralled and engrossed throughout the book, a lovable, fast-paced story
If you enjoy reading sweet romance, then definitely pick this up!







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EXCERPT:


“I need to get married.” Steve Tanakis gazed into his half empty glass.

“And why the hell would you want to do that?” His accountant stared at him.

“I didn’t say I want to, I said I need to. I’ve decided it’s about time I got a wife.”

“Aha.” David grinned. “Take mine. Or—a better idea—take one of my three exes. They’re screwing the last dollar out of me.”

Steve made a soft sound of disgust. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of ditching Marylyn.”

“The woman drives me nuts. The piranha is hell-bent on making me a pauper, what with her passion for diamonds and cars! And those other bitches...” He cursed softly.

“The trouble with you is that you’re too much of a romantic. You expect too much of your women. You marry without putting any real thought into it, then spend your days regretting your haste. There might be a good business mind ticking over inside that head of yours—” Steve tapped his temple. “—But where women are concerned you’re a fool. Now, what I propose is to find myself a perfect example of womanhood.”

David laughed. “Oh, so as you obviously haven’t found this paragon yet, I take it Marika isn’t in line as the next Mrs. Tanakis?”

Steve looked across to Marika, who was talking to his head designer, her every gesture manufactured to draw the attention of all the males present. Most women would do just about anything to have a figure like hers. The epitome of sophisticated elegance; diamonds glittered at her throat and fingers.




   

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award winning author Tricia McGill was born in London, England, and moved to Australia many years ago, settling near Melbourne. The youngest in a large, loving family, she was never lonely or alone. Surrounded by avid readers, who encouraged her to read from an early age, is it any wonder she became a writer? Although her published works cross sub-genres, romance is always at their heart. They say write what you know, and before early retirement gave Tricia the time to write full time, she worked as a pattern cutter in a clothing factory, and even had her own designing and dressmaking business for a while. So, her years in this industry is where the inspiration to write Georgie and Steve’s story sprung from.

A Heart in Conflict on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01EJ17DPA

A Heart In Conflict will be $0.99 during the tour.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Tricia McGill will be awarding a print copy of Mystic Mountains (international) to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

martedì 26 luglio 2016

Review & Giveaway: Heating Up by Stacy Finz


Heating Up
by Stacy Finz

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:


Nugget, California, is remote, picturesque—and the perfect place to fall in love. Even when you’re trying desperately not to… Dana Calloway is tired of being second choice. No question she was her parents’ consolation prize, and now she’s placed second in the race for a guy’s heart—a guy she could have sworn was The One. Is it any wonder such a normally type A person accidentally burns down her house in one distracted moment? 

Cal Fire arson investigator Aidan McBride came to Nugget to do a little soul searching about his commitment phobia. But there’s only one available apartment in this tiny town, and the headstrong woman who just had a house fire needs it too. Of course, there are worse things than sharing living quarters with someone so beautiful… 

Dana’s determined to resist her sexy new roommate, but it isn’t long before Aidan realizes he doesn’t have a commitment problem when she’s around. And the hotter things get in their apartment, the brighter the blaze when someone finally ignites that first spark…

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My Review:


I loved this book, is very romantic with a veil of mystery.
After a fire Dana has lost her home. The only place where she can go live is the apartment of Aidan, a firefighter who recently moved to Nugget. The chemistry between them is very strong....
Dana is tired of being always the second choice, both for her family and for her ex-boyfriends. She wants someone to love and who will make her feel really important. Maybe generous and charming Aidan may be the perfect one for her.
The characters are many and all likeable. I love Nugget, this warm Californian city where everyone knows everyone else and are willing to help each other even if some people are a bit pushy
It 's the seventh book in the series and can be read as a stand alone. This was my first book to read in this series and I know I will be going back to catch up and read the rest.
It's a truly enjoyable and engaging reading, really hard to put it down



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EXCERPT:


Aidan hadn’t even officially started at Cal Fire when he’d gotten called out on the boomer. That’s what they called a good working structure fire. He’d just completed his six-week training at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s academy in Ione, a Gold Country town only slightly larger than his new home, Nugget. Although a seasoned firefighter and arson investigator back in Chicago, he didn’t have experience fighting forest and wildland fires.

That was all about to change.

With California in its fourth year of record drought, wildfires burned at breakneck speed across the state. And Cal Fire was responsible for protecting thirty-six of California’s fifty-eight counties, meaning millions and millions of acres.





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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Stacy Finz is an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. After more than twenty years covering notorious serial killers, naked-tractor-driving farmers, fanatical foodies, aging rock stars and weird Western towns, she figured she finally had enough material to launch a career writing fiction. In 2012 she won the Daphne du Maurier Award for unpublished single-title mystery/suspense. She lives in Berkeley, California with her husband.


Buy the book:


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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Stacy will be awarding a digital copy of Heating Up to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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