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Saturday, April 28, 2018

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 230 - Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell

Embers of War (Embers of War, #1)Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Trouble Dog is a war ship with a brain that is part human and part canine. She followed orders and did not like what she did so she resigned to be part of a rescue service. I enjoyed meeting Trouble Dog and her crew. There are flash backs to tell some of the backstory and world building. While the crew and Trouble Dog think they are on a normal rescue mission the past turns out to be a big part making the mission very dangerous. There is a good mix in the human crew and their interaction with Trouble Dog keeps the story moving. This is the start of a new series. While the actions leads to a resolution it is also the set up for additional stories featuring Trouble Dog.


Friday, April 27, 2018

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 229 - The Summer That Made Us by Robyn Carr

The Summer That Made UsThe Summer That Made Us by Robyn Carr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very touching story. Sisters who are no longer close, children who are struggling with the past and a very sick member of the family who wants to spend her last days at the lake they always visited as children. I listened to this and the voice doing the reading did a great job. I loved the interesting mix of characters and personalities. Each had a unique backstory and each needed healing. I am at the age where I am thinking about the opportunities I missed with members of my family that are gone. At the same time I want to spend more time with the family that is left. That is at the heart of The Summer That Made Us. Like Barbara Bush said there are thing that we will not regret and the things we will regret all have to do with time spent with family. This provoked a few tears as the story concluded. A good story with good reminders for all of us.


The Family Gathering (Sullivan's Crossing, #3)The Family Gathering by Robyn Carr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another member of the Jones family has come to Sullivan's Crossing. Dakota Jones has left the military and has not decided what to do or where he will end up. He has found that he is enjoying seeing family after years of staying far away. He also finds someone that he wants to get to know better so he decided to stay while. Sid is a bartender but again she is so much more. She has very large trust issues and it is going to take a lot of patience on Dakota 's part before she even begins to trust him. This is a mix of Dakota and Sid's story and everything happening to the other members of the Jones family as well as some other side characters in the story. Family and acceptance is very important as each of Jones siblings face happiness and sadness as the story progresses.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 228 - Death Around the Bend by T E Kinsey - Never Deceive a Viscount by Renee Ann Miller

Death around the Bend (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #3)Death around the Bend by T E Kinsey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are becoming very modern. They now have a motor car and a telephone. The motor car has sparked an interest in racing and a visit to an old friend who has started a racing group. Not all works as planned. There is a death around the bend on the racing track. That on could be an accident but the next death is not. The narration by Elizabeth Knowelden is spot on as both Lady Hardcastle and Flo would say. There was something that was being overlooked from the beginning (I saw it and I suspect all others will too) but it was still a very fun mystery. A great listen for fans of turn of the century mysteries.


Never Deceive a Viscount (Infamous Lords, #2)Never Deceive a Viscount by Renee Ann Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another Infamous Lord bites the dust. Simon Marlton, Viscount Adler has been hit on the head and robbed. He is determined to find the guilty party. Emma Trafford is just protecting he sister Lily. Lily has a very vivid imagination that often leads to trouble. Simon just know that Emma is the one who robbed him but nothing fits. This is a nice story with a hero, Simon, who has good reason for not trusting women and a ruined woman, Emma, who is much better than Simon deserves. There is some tension and a ending that fits the story line.

I received a copy of the book from Amazon Vine in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Heart of a Seal by Dixie Lee Brown - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway




Heart of a SEAL
by Dixie Lee Brown 

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GENRE:  Romantic Suspense
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BLURB:

They’re brothers in arms, Navy SEALS risking their lives for their country . . . and the women they love.

This is Luke Harding’s story.

Six months in a desert hellhole taught Navy SEAL Luke Harding things he never wanted to learn about life and death. Only tender memories of the beautiful brunette he met a few weeks before his deployment helped get him through the torturous days and nights. Back in the States after a perilous rescue, physically and emotionally damaged, Luke’s about to plunge into a new kind of war. In a seemingly bucolic Idaho town, Sally Duncan faces real—and unpredictable—danger.

All Sally ever wanted was a safe place to raise her nine-year-old daughter. Her identity hidden behind a façade of secrets and lies, can she trust Luke—a man she barely knows—with the truth? Even as they give in to long-denied passion, a killer with a personal vendetta is setting an ambush that will leave them praying for a miracle and fighting for the future they may not live to see.
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EXCERPT


Luke stepped from the shower and made quick work of drying off before wrapping the towel around his waist. Sandy-colored clumps of wet hair stuck out every which way as his image stared back at him from the mirror. He raked his fingers through the strands, in serious need of a haircut, and called it good. Grabbing the shaving cream from his kit, he applied it evenly to his whiskered face and dragged the razor down his rough skin, systematically shaving from right to left. He paused for a heartbeat when he heard a knock.

“Be right out.” Luke turned the water on as hot as he could get it and let it run. Jen probably had to use the bathroom. He’d throw on some clothes and finish up in here later. A smile formed beneath what was left of the shaving cream. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for that little girl.

An instant later the door opened behind him, and the razor went still in his hand. 

He stared at Sally’s reflection in the steamed-over mirror. Her in that damn shirt of his, leaning against the bathroom door, both hands behind her back. A good deal of shapely thigh led his gaze to well-toned calves. He followed them down to pretty pink toenails on bare feet. Did she know what coming in here like that would do to him? He took the last two swipes of shaving cream off with the razor, rinsed his face in the hot, running water and patted it dry. Barely able to swallow and momentarily unable to form an articulate sentence, he turned slowly.

Her blue eyes went wide as her gaze dropped below his waist, immediately answering his unspoken question. Evidently, she could see the hard-on he sported beneath the form-fitting towel that hugged his hips.

He took a step toward her. “Sally?” That was all he managed to force from his mouth. It sounded more like a command than the question with which he’d intended to rule out the possibility something was wrong.

A secretive smile played on her lips as she brought one hand up and raised it in front of her with a dismissive shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. This can wait till you’re finished.” Her gaze dipped once again to the towel draped around his hips, and she swiveled with a hand on the doorknob.

Oh no. Hell no. He wasn’t letting her escape that easily. He was damn sure she’d stepped out of her comfort zone for a reason and her baby blues were daring him to find out why. He closed the gap and caught the door as she opened it a sliver. Peering through the opening, he saw Jen, still intent on her game. A glance toward the motel room door confirmed that the dead bolt was thrown and locked. They could have a few minutes of privacy.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Dixie Lee Brown lives and writes in Central Oregon, inspired by gorgeous scenery and at least three hundred sunny days a year. Having moved from South Dakota as a child to Washington, Montana and then to Oregon, she feels at home in the west. She resides with two dogs and a cat, who are currently all the responsibility she can handle. Dixie works fulltime as a bookkeeper. When she's not writing or working, she loves to read, enjoys movies, and if it were possible, she’d spend all of her time at the beach. She is also the author of the Trust No One romantic suspense series, published by Avon Impulse.

Please visit her website: www.dixiebrown.com
Twitter: @DixieLeeBrown

Order today at:

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/2EpY38y
Google Play - http://bit.ly/2n5CpPT
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

Dixie will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour:

April 9: The Avid Reader
April 10: T's Stuff
April 12: Yearwood La Novela
April 13: Edgar's Books
April 16: Christine Young
April 16: XoXo Book Blog
April 17: Kimmi Love
April 18: Sapphyria's Books
April 18: Lampshade Reader
April 19: Punya Reviews...
April 19: BooksChatter
April 23: B-Gina Review
April 24: Sea's Nod
April 25: Deal Sharing Aunt
April 25: Mixed Book Bag
April 26: Jazzy Book Reviews
April 27: So Many Books

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 227 - Alien Attraction by Cara Bristol, Murder in St Giles by Ashley Gardner

Alien Attraction (Alien Mate, #2)Alien Attraction by Cara Bristol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a case of two wrongs making a right. Sunny Weathers is the star of an reality show. She is not really there to find a mate. Darq was not suppose to find a mate but keeps another man's chip. Both get caught out and both find that wrongs do sometimes turn out right but they don't without some interesting adventures. Another fun romance with interesting characters and world building. You even get to see characters from the first book.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Murder in St. GilesMurder in St. Giles by Ashley Gardner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Captain Lacey becomes involved in multiple events in Murder in St. Giles. First one is a good event. His daughter is arriving and will be having her season. (While this is good there is a problem daughter is keeping form Lacey and wife.) A Cousin of Donata's late husband is trying to take Peter. (This is serious problem.) Brewster, Lacey's bodyguard, involves him in a murder. (Another serious problem) All three keep the action moving. It was fun to see Lacey and Donata together but not always on the same page. Great addition to the series. Author says we can expect one a year and I look forward to more visits with Captain Lacey and friends.

View all my reviews

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Dead Giveaway by Diane Benfiel - Book Blast and Giveaway




Dead Giveaway
by Diane Benefiel

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GENRE: Romantic Suspense

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BLURB:

THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN

If asked, Gwendolyn Ballard would admit she co-parented her best friend Chloe's son, Cameron. Now Gwen is all he's got as they flee from the man who murdered his mother. There's only one place Cameron will be safe, and that's with his uncle, Elijah MacElvoy. Arriving on his doorstep at the Broken Arrow Ranch is a desperate decision, and Gwen knows he'd slam the door in her face if she didn't have his nephew with her. But she'll do anything for Cam, even if it means putting up with Elijah's distrust and judgment.

Chloe's dead. Cam's orphaned, and Elijah is confronted with the prospect of living with the one woman who's driven him crazy for the past ten years. He'll fight to keep her safe. That's encoded in his DNA. But can he trust her with a little boy who just lost his mother? As Eli watches how Gwen loves and cares for his nephew, he reevaluates his thinking and gives in to the smoldering attraction he felt the first time he saw her. With so much on the line, Eli comes clean about his past, making way for a future that's all about silver linings.

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EXCERPT




In the long, drawn-out moment that Eli stared at her, she saw something flicker in his expression. The flint gray eyes she remembered so well seemed to burn over her, his scrutiny like a physical touch. Gwen kept her feet locked to the ground even as the insane urge to turn and run surged through her.

He shifted his gaze to Cameron, then back to her. Cameron’s death grip nearly cut off the circulation in her fingers.

“Gwendolyn.” His deep voice held a timbre that, despite their mutual animosity, had always sent warm shivers down her spine.

“Elijah.” She held her breath as tension swelled, and waited for the door to slam in their faces. He stepped back.

“We can come in?”

With a mocking look, he opened the door wider. She let out her breath in a shaky sigh. Two dogs, the larger a Rottweiler mix, the smaller a fluffy black and white terrier, sat at alert, the terrier all but quivering in excitement. Stepping into the warm house, Gwen felt the fear and panic she’d been carrying ease a fraction, leaving behind an aching exhaustion. For tonight at least, she and Cameron were safe.

The dogs sat with butts planted. Keeping Cameron at her side, she held out a hand to each of them to let them get her scent.

Nerves jumping, Gwen straightened. She hadn’t seen Eli for over five years and the subtle signs of the passing of time were evident. While he still maintained the rangy, lean build he carried on a tall frame, his face showed fine lines fanning out from narrowed eyes. He wore his straight brown hair longer than she remembered, combed back except for where it fell across his forehead.

His bearing, the way he carried himself, made her think of a cowboy sheriff in the old West, tough and unshakable. After the terror of the past days, she needed someone with that unyielding steadfastness on her side. She really hoped that he would be on her side.

She could see the questions in the hooded eyes, but he didn’t ask why she had shown up at his door.

Cameron gave his uncle a cautious look. Eli must have sensed the boy’s reserve, because he crouched down on one knee. Gwen watched, curious as to how he would interact with his nephew.

“Cameron, this big guy is Bubba, and the little one is Oreo.” Eli’s voice was low and calming.

“Oreo?” Cameron leaned down to pet the little dog. “That’s because he’s black and white, right?” Oreo reached out a tongue to lick his hand.

Eli’s features softened fractionally. “Yeah, that’s right.”

Cameron flashed a brief smile, one of the first Gwen had seen in days. Eli rose and led them into the room. The entryway opened to a comfortable living room with a large couch and a recliner that invited curling up with a good book. A fire warmed the room from behind a wrought-iron screen, and a large area rug in front of it covered the knotted-pine floor. Even if Eli wasn’t exactly welcoming, his house felt homey.

“What took you so long to get here?” The abrupt question startled her. He had been expecting them? The idea that he had somehow known she would come to him, had been waiting for her, unsettled her, like there was some unspoken connection between them. And that didn’t bear thinking about.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

National Readers' Choice Award winner for her novel, Solitary Man, Diane Benefiel has been an avid reader all her life. She enjoys a wide range of genres, from westerns to fantasy to mysteries, but romance has always been a favorite. She writes what she loves best to read – emotional, heart-gripping romantic suspense novels. She likes writing romantic suspense because she can put the hero and heroine in all sorts of predicaments that they have to work together to overcome.

A native Southern Californian, Diane enjoys nothing better than summer. For a high school history teacher, summer means a break from teenagers, and summer allows her to spend her early mornings immersed in her current writing project. With both kids living out of the house, in addition to writing, she enjoys camping and gardening with her husband. Diane loves hearing from her readers.


                       
Instagram: diane_benefiel 
Pinterest: diane_benefiel


BUY LINKS:



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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Diane will be awarding a $15 in Boroughs Bucks + a copy of Flash Point to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour:

April 23:

April 24:

April 25:

April 26:

April 27:

Monday, April 23, 2018

Come Back to Me by Trilina Gucci


COME BACK TO ME
by Trilina Pucci

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GENRE: Romance

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BLURB:

Mia West is drawn to Cole Parker and she doesn't know why but each time he is around, she can't stop the pull, drawing her into dark secrets and closer to her past. Will she put the pieces of her life back together or just end up in his bed?

When she meets Jack, it's clear he wants Mia as his own but knows that to keep her means he has to keep her away from Cole. She wants to feel the spark with Jack but something keeps holding her back. Is it Cole or is there more to Jack than meets the eye?

When her past and present intersect, both men will give her reasons to run, the question is...whose arms will she run into.

Come Back to Me is the first book in the Forever series duet. The finale, Forever with Me, releases in June.
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EXCERPTS

Step three, take care of Carter Williams, once and for all. Enough is enough. If I believe what my therapist says, I am not his victim. I am my own heroine and the time has come to rid myself of Carter the demon. It isn’t up to Jack to hold my hand, or Richard to keep me protected in some princess tower. I need to somehow free myself from Carter Williams so he can’t hurt or scare me again. This part of the plan is the least thought out… spontaneity is essential. Premeditation is always key when sentencing happens in a murder trial.



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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Trilina is an author, wife, and mama to three rowdy kiddos. When she isn't making grilled cheese sandwiches, she can be found writing saucy novels that titillate and excite her readers.


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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: 
 An author selected package which includes a signed copy of the book, mug, water bottle, and other essentials for the avid reader

a Rafflecopter giveaway