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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Checkmate by Blair Howard @bcwhoward @RABTBookTours




Checkmate
by Blair Howard
Date Published: February 16, 2016
Mystery


Blurb:

Checkmate is the fourth standalone novel in the Harry Starke series of mysteries.

Angela Hartwell lay dead in the shallow waters beside the golf course. There was not a mark on her, yet she had been strangled. How could that be?

Once again, it’s up to Harry Starke to find out. The investigation takes him into a world he’s very familiar with, a world of affluence, privilege, and corruption.

To solve the mystery, he must deal with three murders, a beautiful used car dealer, her lovely twin sisters, and a crooked banker.  Not to mention Burke and Hare, two crazy repo men who will stop at nothing to protect their employer’s interests. There's also the matter of an ingenious, sadistic killer. But nothing is ever quite what it seems....

Harry Starke is a hard-boiled private detective, an ex-cop, a tough guy from the right side of the tracks with finely tuned senses, good instincts, and friends in high places. He’s single, successful, well educated, and yes, he will hurt you if he needs to.

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Excerpt:

She walked around the desk, sat down, reached over and punched a number into the intercom, “Max. If you wouldn’t mind. Please come in here.”

A few seconds later, the door opened and in walked what could only be described as the Terminator. Max Tully was about as tall as me, but there the similarity ended. He must have weighed at least 250 pounds, but his body fat was probably less than five percent. He was a body builder, a powerhouse, probably on steroids. He was so muscled his arms wouldn’t hang by his sides.

“Mr. Starke is leaving now, Max,” Ruth said. “Please show him out.”

I stayed where I was. “I have a few more questions, if you don’t mind,” I said, reasonably.

“I do mind. Max?”

He took a step toward me. “You heard the lady,”

“Back off, Fatso,” I said, even more reasonably than before, so I thought, as I got to my feet and turned to face him. “Fatso,” probably wasn’t what I should have called him, but I learned a long time ago that the best way to handle a tough guy was to throw him off his game before he got started. Anyway, he went for it. He growled, and took another step forward. I took a step backward.

“I said, back off.”

He grinned, exposing a set of white but crooked teeth, and raised his right hand to grab my shoulder. That’s the trouble with big strong guys like him. They think their size and strength are all they need. This one, by the self-satisfied look on his face also thought he was better than me.

Fat chance, Blutto.

He didn’t even see it coming. I grabbed two of his outstretched fingers—the pinky and the one next to it—and bent them back. He howled in pain. His knees bent. His arm crooked upward toward his shoulder. His eyes closed. His head went back. Ruth sat staring, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

“Down, boy,” I said, as I slowly forced him to his knees. I sighed and shook my head as I increased the pressure until he was down on his back.

“All you had to do was ask nicely, and I would have left,” I said quietly. “You didn’t need to bring in the heavy—and that’s all he is, Ruth: heavy.”

I pulled on Max’s fingers and he rose into sitting position. I bent down, put my mouth close to his ear.

“Max, I’ll say this just once, so listen up. I’m going to let you go now. When I do, you’ll stand up and go back to whatever hole in the wall you crawled out of. If you don’t—if you decide you think you can ambush me—I’ll blow away one of your kneecaps. I’ll put you on sticks for the rest of your days. Understand?”

He nodded. He was in too much pain to even speak. I let him go and stepped back, and pushed my jacket back to expose the grip of the MP9 under my left arm. He got up and staggered out of the office, his right hand clasped in his left, close to his chest.


About the Author:

Blair Howard is from a small town in England, near Stratford-upon-Avon, on the edge of the English Cotswolds. He is Kentucky Colonel, an honor bestowed upon him in 2008 by the then Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steven L. Beshear. Until 2015, he wrote sweeping historical epics, and is the author of five historical novels. In July of 2015 he decided to try his hand at writing mystery novels, thus we have Harry Starke. The first in the series, Harry Starke, was released in mid-September 2015. The second novel, Two for the Money, was released October 19 the same year, Hill House, in mid-December 2015, and Checkmate in February 2016, and there are more to come.

Blair is the author of more than 40 books and more than 4,500 magazine, newspaper, and web articles. His work has appeared in many national and international publications, including Delta's Sky Magazine, PHOTOgraphic magazine, The Mail on Sunday, The Walking Magazine, Petersen's Hunting Magazine, The Boston Herald, The Detroit Free-Press, The Anchorage Times and many more.



Giveaway:




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Review: Smoke and Ashes by Danica Winters @DanicaWinters

Smoke and Ashes
by Danica Winters
Published: April 19th 2016
Harlequin Intrigue, Romance


Blurb:

Montana's bravest…and hottest 

With a mysterious arsonist on the loose in Missoula, fire inspector Kevin Jensen saves more than Heather Sampson's house. The sexy single father rescues her from an abusive marriage—and discovers his own past failures don't have to rule his life. Especially when sparks between him and Heather ignite irresistible desire.

But who's the arsonist? Why target Heather? What's his shocking motive? When Heather faces off with him in a brutal attack, she needs her "white knight" as much as he needs her. Both have looked into their souls and risked their broken hearts for each other. Now Kevin will have to risk his life and his heart.



My Review:

I don’t read many Harlequins anymore but when a great author comes along who writes one you just can’t turn it down. Smoke and Ashes is not the first book by Danica Winters that I have read and I hope it won’t be the last either. The worlds that Danica Winters creates in her books will draw you in and you will be so caught up in the story that you will think that you are the heroine herself with a new book boyfriend. She will make you see and feel the world she has created through her eyes and the characters.

Smoke and Ashes is no different it will grab a hold of you and make you feel the heat from the fires and fire inspector Kevin Jensen. Kevin has his hands full with being a single Dad with two kids and an arsonist on the loose.

At the same time that Kevin is trying to find the arsonist to stop him from setting fires he is having a hard time keeping the flames from igniting between him and his married next door neighbor Heather Sampson. He wants Heather but he also knows that he is probably out for a heartbreak I mean she is a married woman and her husband is a doctor at that. Kevin knows something is not quite right with Heather but he is not quite sure what it is. But he will do whatever it takes to protect her.

Heather is in an abusive marriage and she loves her husband very much. Like most abusive women she thinks everything is her fault but that is only because her husband is pouring on the quilt and making her believe it.

Heather is setting off some sparks herself when it comes to fire inspector Kevin Jensen and is having a hard time putting them out when she is around him. This can be a little hard at times because she helps him out with his kids by babysitting.

If you like Harlequin books or just a good story then you need to check out Smoke and Ashes and while you are at I would also recommend her other books as well. As I said before Danica Winters is one author you don’t want to pass up.


 About the Author:

Danica Winters is a best-selling author who is known for writing award-winning books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and often a touch of magic. When she’s not working, she can be found in the wilds of Montana testing her patience while she tries to understand the allure of various crafts (quilting, pottery and painting are not her thing). She always believe the cup is neither half-full nor half-empty, but it better be filled with wine.



Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Let Me (An O’Brien Family Novel) by Cecy Robson @cecyrobson @XpressoReads @XpressoTours #XpressoBookTours


Let Me
Cecy Robson
(An O’Brien Family Novel)
Publication date: April 19th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Once he was broken beyond repair. Now this MMA contender is fighting to be a better man—for her. RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Let Me, it is Finn’s turn to discover how love can heal the deepest wounds. 
A mixed martial arts star on the rise, Finn O’Brien dismantles his opponents with brutal precision. And yet beneath his fierce persona, Finn is raw from a trauma he’s buried for years . . . until the day his deep-rooted rage erupts and lands him in court-mandated therapy. Finn’s not one to bare his soul, but if talking it out means meeting beautiful women like Sol Marieles, he’ll give it a shot. 
Sol is working toward her master’s degree in psychology, and already she feels like she’s in over her head. With an important internship on the line and a scary family situation demanding her attention, the last thing Sol needs is Finn around to distract her. The man is ripped and seriously sexy yet it’s his troubled side that warns her to keep her distance. But their attraction is intense, and he clearly has the heat to see how far and fast their passion takes them. 
Alone, Finn and Sol have been fighting to find happiness in their lives. Together, there’s no stopping them as they face their greatest challenges—not in the ring, but in their hearts.


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Author Bio:
Cecy Robson is a new adult and contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, the O’Brien Family novels and upcoming Carolina Beach novels, as well as the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A 2016 double nominated RITA®finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, Cecy is a recovering Jersey girl living in the South who enjoys carbs way too much, and exercise way too little. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, you can typically find her on her laptop silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories. 

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Review: Caught (The Runners #2) by Logan Rutherford

Caught
(The Runners #2)
by Logan Rutherford
Published July 31st 2011
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult


Blurb:

Subject's Number Seventeen, and Fifteen are in trouble. The police have arrested them, and they have no way of escape. Then, the people who the least expect come to their rescue. Seventeen and Fifteen must find the other Runners, and stand up against the people who are after them.

More in "The Runners" series:
Runner (The Runners, Part One)
Caught (The Runners, Part Two)
Rescued (The Runners, Part Three)
Wake (The Runners, Part Four)
Eden (The Runners, Part Five)

Visitors Trilogy:
The Intruders (Visitors Trilogy, #1)


My Review:

Well we’re back again with Seventeen and Fifteen and they are stilling running. They have met up with a couple more runners like themselves. They have all decided to give themselves names instead of going by a number. None of them can remember who they are either because they have lost their memories or they have been erased……hmmm. Seventeen also gets a very interesting phone call from a very important person in his life.

Seventeen is still trying to find him family that was kidnapped by the bad guys that are chasing them. There is even more mystery and suspense in book #2 Caught that will keep you on the edge of your seat flipping the pages wanting to know more. Seventeen, Fifteen and the other characters take us on a run for our lives and keeps us interested right up until the end which leaves wanting to read the next book in the series Rescued. Interested yet? Come along for the run….

Come back tomorrow for another review in the “The Runners” Series, Rescued Book #3.




Book Blast + #Giveaway: The Tremayne Family Romances by Anna J. Stewart @AJStewartWriter @GoddessFish



The Tremayne Family Romances:
Asking for Trouble
Here Comes Trouble
The Trouble with Nathan
by Anna J. Stewart
GENRE: Contemporary Romance


BLURB:

Asking for Trouble:

Morgan Tremayne has a heart of gold, but to keep her children's charity afloat she's had to resort to some less than legal means: donations from a notorious cat burglar who targets the wealthy. It's only a matter of time before Morgan's criminal connection blows up in her face--especially since her undeniable attraction to the man heading the investigation keeps putting her in tricky situations.

Former police detective-turned-investigator for the D.A. Gage Juliano has two goals: salvaging his career and nabbing Lantano Valley's present-day Robin Hood. But when he meets a beautiful, curvaceous woman who's more interested in helping others than amassing a fortune like the rest of the town's residents, Gage finds his desires pulled in an unexpected direction...

Buy Links:

ASKING FOR TROUBLE (2/17/15)


EXCERPT:

ASKING FOR TROUBLE

Evening gowns and battle armor weren’t sold in the same department, but as far as Morgan was concerned, they provided the same protection.

The confidence that descended the second she’d draped the formfitting, strapless peacock blue fabric over her ample figure could only be described as exhilarating. This time last year, she might have resented her mother’s extravagant purchase. Morgan could have paid three months’ worth of electricity bills with what the gown had cost.

A shadow cut across the late spring sun and she jumped, pulling her feet in as the shadow transformed into a man who leaned down and scooped up her shoe.

Her lungs emptied as if her dress had transformed into an overeager python. The way this man wore a tux made George Clooney look like a grunge rocker. Oh, and that hair. Jet black strands so dark it seemed almost blue. Morgan swallowed as summer sky blue eyes pinned her in place. Her sandal sparkled in his grasp as if each stone had been imbued with the sunset-emblazoned sea.

Hot embarrassment flooded her cheeks as she tried to reclaim her confidence along with her shoes. Morgan slid her foot into what she considered modern-day torture devices. How did her sister walk in these things every day? Morgan placed her hand in his outstretched one, allowed him to pull her from the car. “Thank you, Mr. . . . ?” She arched a brow in invitation for an introduction, glancing down to straighten the cameo pendant her mother had given her for Christmas over a decade ago.

“Juliano. But please, it’s Gage. Morgan, isn’t it? You’ve recently taken over as CEO of the Tremayne Foundation.”

Morgan forced a smile. “Yes.” The job was both a badge of honor and a source of grief. She shouldn’t have inherited the position for years, and wouldn’t have except for the accident that took her mother’s life. Which made potential failure all the more petrifying.


BLURB:

Here Comes Trouble:

Former beauty queen Sheila Tremayne looks dainty, but she's tougher than she seems. The hard-as-nails business woman is determined to bring down corruption among Lantano Valley's rich and powerful. Her latest scheme to get technology tycoon Chadwick Oliver is going perfectly until a distraction arrives in the form of Malcolm--the man who broke her heart and who happens to be Chadwick's son...

Malcolm spent five long years away after his father publicly blamed him for some shady business dealings. Now he's back to exact some revenge. Reconnecting with Sheila was never part of the plan, but the second he sees her, there's no way he can resist...

Sheila and Malcolm quickly fall into the sizzling passion between them, but Malcolm has no intention of staying once he's finished with his father--even if leaving Sheila again might be more than he can bear.

Buy Links:

HERE COMES TROUBLE  (8/16/15)



EXCERPT:

HERE COMES TROUBLE

“Dammit, Malcolm.” Sheila resisted the urge to press trembling fingers against her fluttering chest. He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, a knowing gleam in his eyes. He’d thrown off her plans twice in one night. Two times too many. “I thought you’d gone downstairs.”

“Nope.”

Nothing more, just one word. Nothing on his face, just passivity. Once upon a time she’d have been able to read his expression, identify his moods, but not now. Not when it mattered.

“So, did you?”

“Did I what?” Sheila kicked out a leg and tapped restless fingers against her hip.

“Find what you were looking for?”

Find what she was—“Oh, my bracelet you mean?” Shit. “No, actually. I guess I was wrong—”

“You mean it wasn’t in the vault?”

“The vault?” She blinked, scrambling for an escape route out of the conversation. A distraction. Anything . . .

His hand whipped up and caught her chin, turning her face to his as he stepped closer, amber eyes hot as he stared into her surprised gaze. His breath caressed her skin, hot, intense. “No lies, Sheila. I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.”

Sheila swallowed and attempted to ignore the heat moving through her body where he touched her, trying not to remember how it felt to be locked in his arms, to be the center of his attention, his world. Beneath his piercing gaze, the insistence she couldn’t avoid, there was also the shadow of the man she’d known, but it was the man who had walked away from her as easily as if she’d been a one-night stand.

“Then don’t ask,” she whispered as she reached up and wrapped her hand around his wrist, willing him to pretend he hadn’t seen, that he didn’t know where she’d been.

“Will it hurt him?”

His question caught her off guard but she managed to quell the unease roiling inside her as she found her way out. Mutual hatred and distrust of his father could very well forge a bond she’d be unable to break. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t use it. Or him. “Yes.”



BLURB:

The Trouble with Nathan:

Nathan Tremayne shares a dangerous secret with his father, Jackson, and sister Sheila. Together they are Nemesis, the infamous cat burglar who targets the wealthy. But when Jackson is framed for stealing the priceless Crown of Serpia, the whole family is at risk.

Nathan isn’t about to let his father go down for a crime he didn’t commit, but finding the real culprit won’t be easy with Laurel Scott, the nosy, pushy, drop-dead gorgeous insurance investigator following his every move.

But Laurel has secrets of her own. Posing as an insurance investigator was part of her own plan for the Tremaynes. As their attraction heats up, and the truth comes out, will this pair of thieves steal each other’s hearts?


Buy Links:

THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN (on sale April 19, 2016)



EXCERPT:

THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN

“I’m sorry, but this section of the museum is closed until further notice.”

The female voice drifted over Nathan with the same softness as the jasmine scent wafting down the tiled hall of the Wellington Museum. He glanced over his shoulder, eyes skimming the curvy figure of the brunette standing behind him. Polished, his sister Sheila would say; bordering on stylish from her tailored button-down white blouse and snug, knee-hugging black skirt, all the way to her sharp-toed patent black pumps. Every inch of this woman said collected and professional. Had it not been for the suspicious glint in her curious brown eyes and the fact he needed to get into that display room, Nathan might have let his gaze linger—and enjoy—longer.

“Yeah.” He pushed away from the door frame and turned on the double-dimpled smile that had sent numerous women tumbling into his bed. “The crime scene tape kind of gave it away.”

Her deep red lips didn’t curve. They didn’t even twitch. Instead, she tapped long, manicured fingers against her waist, kicking out a hip as she arched a brow. Her hair fell down her back in soft waves, hints of copper catching the recessed lighting of the museum’s ceiling. Sable, he thought. He’d bet her hair would feel like sable sliding between his fingers.

Nathan resisted the urge to clear his throat, something he tended to do when uncertainty descended. He prided himself on being able to read people; it was after all, part of his job as a security expert and thief. Looking at this woman, however, filled his mind with an odd kind of static that prevented him from pinning her down. Appearances aside, there was something electric yet unreadable about her. One sparked his blood. The other . . . well. Nathan grinned. There was little he enjoyed more than a challenge.

AUTHOR BIO:


USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart can't remember a time she didn't have a book in her hands or a story in her head. A geek at heart, Anna writes romances featuring strong, independent heroines for Berkley (The Tremayne Family Romances), Harlequin Heartwarming (The Butterfly Harbor series) and will soon add romantic suspense to her booklist with the BONDED trilogy from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. RT Book reviews says Anna's romances are "refreshingly unique, quietly humorous, and profoundly moving" and NYTimes bestselling author Brenda Novak says "The talented Anna J Stewart delivers every time!"  Anna lives in Northern California where she deals with a serious SUPERNATURAL, STAR TREK, and SHERLOCK addiction and tolerates an overly affectionate cat named Snickers (or perhaps it's Snickers who tolerates her).


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THE LANTANO VALLEY FAMILY COOKBOOK features more than 50 family favorite recipes contributed by The Butterfly Babes, Anna's dedicated street team. This cookbook has a little something for everyone, from simple, quick meals to family pot luck winners, warm, comfy dinners, to lots of sweet treats. 

Inspired by The Tremayne Family romances (ASKING FOR TROUBLE, HERE COMES TROUBLE, and THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN) as well as the Lantano Valley sweet novella series, this special offering will only be available to those who purchase THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN before April 30th. This cookbook will not be available for purchase.

To claim your copy, simply email proof of purchase (a copy of your e-receipt is perfect) for THE TROUBLE WITH NATHAN to Anna at authorajstewart@gmail.com and she'll email you the file (PDF, compatible with all e-readers) within 48 hours. It's as easy as that!


Giveaway:

$15 Amazon or B/N GC



Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


Cover Reveal + #Giveaway: Strange Magic (The Magic Series #1) By Michelle Mankin @MichelleMankin @starange13




 Title: Strange Magic
Series: The Magic Series #1
By: Michelle Mankin
Publication Date: April 25, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance


Are you interested in reviewing/joining the blog tour?

And the story continues with Dream Magic - COMING SOON!
Sign up for a review copy/tour - http://goo.gl/forms/UgJLHPHtQQ


Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He’s the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He’s definitely living the rock star dream.

Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn't be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She’s got everything under control.

But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imagine.

Shadow and light.

Magic and mystery.

Reality and myth.

All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur.

Even those between life and death.








The New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels.
Romance with subtext.

Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.

Love EvolutionLove Revolution, and Love Resolution are a BRUTAL STRENGTH centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry. Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the TEMPEST series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there. Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the MAGIC series. When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.

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