BOOK BLITZ for "Alfheim Academy" by S.T. Bende

Alfheim Academy 
(Alfheim Academy, #1)
by S.T. Bende
Publication date: October 14th, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

A new series from internationally bestselling author S.T. Bende. 

Aura Nilssen has spent most of her sixteen years in hiding. As crown princess of Alfheim, her life depends on avoiding the assassins who killed her parents and want to destroy her realm. When hunters corner Aura on Midgard (Earth), she’s immediately evacuated and enrolled at Alfheim Academy—a training ground where telepathic teenagers, daily combat lessons, and communication from beyond is the norm. She attends classes that enhance her energetic abilities, labs that fine tune her mental acuity, and workouts with a supernaturally good looking—and suspiciously evasive—training partner. But it’s what she learns outside the classroom that proves most difficult: as Queen of Alfheim, Aura’s grandmother played a heartbreaking role in the death of Aura’s parents... and her iron fisted monarchy is pushing the realm to the brink of extinction. If Aura doesn’t take her grandmother’s crown, the home she’s only just begun to love may be lost forever. 

When an unprecedented attack threatens the very heart of Alfheim, Aura has to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect her new home. Her choice may mean the difference between survival and annihilation—not only for Aura, but for the world she’s always been destined to rule.

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Excerpt:

EXCERPT:

I leaned forward, trying to see who Viggo was talking to, but my balance shifted unexpectedly. As I sidestepped to avoid a fall, a branch cracked loudly beneath my feet. I quickly scooted behind a tree and held very still as Viggo called out in a threatening voice, “Show yourself.”
I could take him if it came to it. I’d pinned him in five out of nine sparring matches that week. Or was it three? I couldn’t remember.
“I know you’re behind that tree.” Leaves crunched as Viggo stormed closer.
I inched around the trunk as my training partner’s footsteps grew louder.
“Last chance,” Viggo growled. He was unnervingly close. My eyes locked in on the thickest part of the tree line, and I rose onto the balls of my feet, preparing for escape.
Before I could make my move, a thick hand whipped around the tree to clutch my neck. Viggo yanked me from my hiding spot, wrenching my body into view. He held his arm perpendicular to his six-plus-foot frame, so I dangled in his grasp. In his other hand, he gripped a thick dagger. Crêpes. My hands flew to Viggo’s wrist and I dug in my fingernails, intending to break his hold before my air supply ran out. But as I clawed against his grip our eyes locked, and Viggo opened his palm. I fell to the ground in a heap, then leapt to my feet, brushing broken branches off my pants as I stood.
“You.” Viggo’s normally charming tone had an edge. “What did you hear?”
“I heard enough.” I widened my stance in case I needed to deliver a roundhouse. Or worse. “You broke into Alfheim? What are you doing here?”
“You don’t know what you heard.” Viggo took a step to his right. I mirrored him.
“Fine.” We continued our dance, two animals squaring off for a fight. “Then why don’t you tell me. Because it sounded an awful lot like you broke into the realm, and you’re planning something dangerous.”
“Is that so?” Amusement danced across Viggo’s eyes as anger percolated beneath my skin. I took deep breaths until the emotion stilled.
“What would you call what you’re doing?” I pressed.
Viggo’s features hardened as he took another step. “How was your meeting with the queen? Lots to catch up on, I’m sure.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you care?”
“I care when someone strips my realm of its freedoms. Not that you’d understand anything about that.”
The anger bubbled again, fiercer. Hotter. “I’ll ask you one more time. What were you doing just now?”
“If I thought you’d understand, I’d tell you.” Viggo’s hand flexed, and his dagger glinted under the filtered light of the forest. My hands balled into fists and I took a step forward. I didn’t have a weapon, but if that jerk thought he could silence me, he had another thing coming.
Viggo stepped into my space, his chest inches from mine. I ignored the piney scent wafting off his training clothes and focused on perfecting my glare.
“Go home, Glitre,” Viggo spoke softly into my ear. “Keep your perfekt little life in order.”
Laughter tickled my throat. “Perfekt. Right.”
Viggo leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. “Someone looked out for you from the minute you were born. From where I’m standing, that’s a pretty good deal.”
“You don’t know the first thing about me.”
Viggo shifted so our foreheads practically touched. Butterflies burst into flight in my stomach and at my shoulder blades. What the hell is wrong with me?
“I know you’re the heir to the throne,” he growled. “I know you met with the queen. And I know you haven’t stepped up to challenge her. I can connect the dots as to which side you’re on.”
A low whistle pierced the forest as I sucked air through my teeth. Viggo Sörensson had no freaking clue. “You know I’m going to tell Signy about this.”
Viggo shrugged. “Go ahead. But for the record, I’m warning you to stay out of it. If anything happens, it’s on you.”
“Noted.” I took another breath as Viggo leaned forward again. His shoulder brushed against mine as he walked by, and the nudging at my back became so adamant, I was positive something was about to crawl right out of my skin. But the jabbing ebbed as Viggo marched forward. He didn’t turn around until he reached the thicker tapestry of trees.
Even at this distance, I caught the pop of his dimple. “See you around, Glitre.”
Then he turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving me with a litany of questions.
What was Viggo Sorenssön up to?

Author Bio:

Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, S.T. Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (where she became overly fond of Peet's Coffee) and Europe... where she became overly fond of McVitie's cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired her YA Norse fantasy series' (Viking Academy, Elsker Saga, Ære Saga, and Night War Saga). And her love of a galaxy far, far away inspired her to write children's books for Star Wars. She hopes her characters make you smile, and she dreams of skiing on Jotunheim and Hoth. 

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RELEASE BLITZ & BOOK REVIEW for "Awk-Weird (Ice Knights, #2)" by Avery Flynn

There’s more to me than just being awk-weird. I own my own flower shop, have some great friends, and I have my eye on adopting the most adorable kitten. But sadly, hot guys don’t tend to be blown away by my trivia-spouting, dorky self.

So, when a Thor-lookalike who happens to be a professional hockey player hits on me at my bestie's wedding rehearsal party ... You better believe I climbed that tree like a cat. And the face that it happened not once, not twice, but three times? Yeah, that's pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a woman like me. 

There's zero chance I'll end up ever seeing him again... right? 

Until the pregnancy test comes up positive. What happens next?

Oh, my God, I wish I knew...

~ BOOK REVIEW for Awk-Weird ~

****(4) out of 5 Stars!

Tess and Cole are both delightfully weird, broken, and adorable.  I loved their meet-cute, and thought it amazing how will they fit together.  Perhaps not what either would have chosen for themselves, the forced association of the pregnancy and close proximity of living together gave them much opportunity to discover how perfect they were for one another.  Despite themselves, they formed a real strong bond and were well on their way to developing a great relationship.  But since neither of them was truly honest with themselves, let alone each other, it was no wonder that they had so much difficulty.  I did get real tired of Tess professing ceaselessly who their situation was just temporary, and Cole always talking about his ex-girlfriend who was sure to come back.  There could have been half as much of that in the book and it still would have felt like we got hit over the head with them.  We could have entirely skipped the last couple of chapters and gotten the same result.  And I absolutely did not like the fact that the situation with Marti was never addressed between them.  But overall this was a darling tale, and I’d be interested to read others in this series and/or by this author.

I received a free eBook copy of this title from Wildfire Marketing Solutions,

and have willingly provided an honest review.

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USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are great with a quip and relatable heroines who are feisty, fierce and fantastic.

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BOOK REVIEW for "Hack: Cosmos Alien Mail Order Bride #2: Intergalactic Dating Agency" by Annie Nicholas

Hack

Cosmos Alien Mail Order Bride #2

Intergalactic Dating Agency

by Annie Nicholas

Published: October 14, 2019

SUMMARY

On a mission with the Intergalactic Intelligence Agency to stop human abductions, Hack tracks the slave traders from Cosmos Resort and Dating Agency, an alien singles vacation spot, to a cruise ship. The resort introduced voluntary humans to aliens as prospective mates. The keyword was voluntary. The humans on this boat had chosen to have their memories wiped because they wanted nothing to do with aliens. Just as Hack is closing in on the slavers, he’s struck by lightning, short-circuiting his shapeshifting nanobots and cutting him off from his team. In an effort to hide, he uses the last of his strength to make himself look human before passing out in the closest bed.

Aspiring ocean videographer, Jeannie Havers has a hot lead on a rare shark spotting. She’d love for them to star in her latest documentary that shone a spotlight on sharks declining numbers and their importance to the ecosystem. With her last few dollars, she books a cheap cruise to a singles resort near the sighting. She has seven days to find them. That is until she wakes up with the worst hangover ever next to hottest man in the world. And he claims they are soulmates.

Hack’s new face makes him weirdly irresistible to the local human women and impossible to go unnoticed by the slavers, but he’s stuck like this until his nanobots recover. Worse, his soulmate is one of the humans who had chosen to have her memories wiped because she didn’t want to be mated to an alien. Could he spend the rest of his life pretending to be human?

~ BOOK REVIEW for Hack ~

*****(4) out of 5 Stars!

This was a delightfully entertaining paranormal sci-fi suspense tale!

This story begins with Hack, shortly after we left him at the end Trace (the proceeding volume in this series).  There is an awful lot of back-story dispensed in the first part of chapter one, but all of it is well-handled; such that I believe anyone just picking up this novel would be able to follow along.  Of course, having read the prior story gives a lot more insight not only into the current situation, but into the main players as well.  

Hack is the main male protagonist here.  As his name suggests, he has an affinity with technology, including the highly advanced nanobots that his team uses to not only change their appearance as necessary for disguise, but to assist in all manner of spy matters.  Unfortunately, Hack's nanos are mostly obliterated by a lightning strike, and so he is at a distinct disadvantage in trying to perform his duties without full use of his normal skill set.  Then there's the matter of him finding his fated mate and being more than a little distracted by her presence.

Maybe she should have been more afraid than she was, but he'd been in her bed all night and, from the state of her clothes, hadn't touched her.  

Jeannie works as part of a nature documentary film crew, and is in fact at the resort under somewhat false pretenses and on quasi-assignment.  She isn't looking for a man, but rather a particular type of shark that she is hoping to get footage of for a future endeavor.  Jeannie actually feels an immediate affinity to Hack, but doesn't recognize their soulmate bond for what it is, having had no experience with such things in the past.  

There are fewer peripherary characters in this episode, and only short encounters with the ones who do make an appearance.  Still, it is fun to see (or at least hear) some old friends from the prior volume, even in limited quantities.  

Once again, the main feel of the book is upbeat and happy, much as you would imagine things to be at a lovely island resort.  But there definitely are machinations in the works by the slave traders, and there is a fair amount of menace promoted by them.  

Like most middle books of any trilogy, this one advanced things with the main story arch only minimally, mostly serving as a place keeper until - hopefully! - things can be resolved in the final book.  Which, of course, will be centered on Crypto, who as of the end of this book is missing in action, so it should be quite the finale!  

I received an eBook copy of this title from the author,

and have willingly provided an honest review.

BOOK BLITZ for "The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #5)" by Annette Marie

The Alchemist 
and an Amaretto 
(The Guild Codex: 
Spellbound #5)
by Annette Marie
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: October 11th, 2019
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

As a guild bartender, I can handle pretty much anything—mages, sorcerers, witches, the occasional demon. But show me anything family-related and I’d rather run for the hills. It doesn’t even have to be my family. 

So I have no idea why I thought spending the holidays with Aaron’s mom and pop was a good idea. 

Meeting his famous parents is already terrifying enough, but I’ve got a bigger problem. Students of his family’s renowned mage academy are being attacked on the grounds—and somehow no one has seen a single assailant? Unexplained tracks litter the nearby woods, rumors of forbidden alchemy are circulating the campus…and Ezra has been acting strangely since we arrived. 

Something deadly is brewing in the shadow of Sinclair Academy, and the longer we take to uncover it, the more dangerous it becomes. But no matter the risk, we’ll protect the students. 

And Aaron’s parents too, I suppose. If we have to.

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpt:

Ezra stopped, hands on his hips as he surveyed the lazy slope that swept up to the towering manor. “All right. Time for our final sprint.”
I snorted. “Yeah, uh-huh.”
“I’m serious. We always finish our workouts with something competitive.”
Like competitive pushups. I shivered at the reminder.
“This is the starting line. That tree is the finish. First one there wins.”
“What’s the prize?” I folded my arms, eyeing the distance. Not that far but not twenty yards either. “You, Aaron, and Kai always bet something.”
He rubbed the hint of shadow along his jaw. “Winner’s choice, I guess.”
Ooh, I liked the sound of that. Grinning, I got into a starting position. “You’re on.”
He took the same position. Clearing his throat, he deepened his voice to mimic a sports announcer. “On your mark. Get set. G—”
“What’s that?” I gasped, pointing behind him.
He snapped around to look—and I launched into a mad sprint, arms pumping. Ezra swore and took off after me, but I had a head start. I would reach the finish first and totally win this.
Right as I drew level with the target tree, hands caught my waist. Ezra swept me off the ground, still running—an impossible feat if not for his inhuman strength. He stopped just past the tree, laughing too hard to hold me up. My back slid down his chest and my feet landed in the grass.
“I can’t believe I fell for that,” he said breathlessly. “You’re such a cheater.”
Whirling to face him, I smirked. “I was manufacturing a combat advantage, not cheating. Kai’s been teaching me.”
“A race isn’t combat.”
“Maybe I was running for my life.”
“From me?” He arched a playful eyebrow. “Does that mean you don’t like being chased?” “Depends who’s doing the chasing,” I shot back teasingly.
“Oh? So is it the chase you prefer, or the catch?”
I tossed my hair with pretend haughtiness. “You think you could catch me?”
“Pretty sure I already did.”
My heart did a crazy tumble through my chest and a grin stretched my mouth. I couldn’t hold it back any more than I could stop the blush heating my cheeks.
“Well,” I began dramatically, spreading my arms as I stepped backward, “do I look—”
My heel caught on a tree root hidden in the grass. Squealing, I pitched over, arms wind-milling. My back hit the ground, the air punched from my chest, and I blinked dazedly at the overcast sky.
Damn it.
Ezra’s face appeared above mine. He crouched at my side, his expression drawn into grave concern. “Tori, are you still with me?”
I choked on a laugh and whispered, “Ezra? Is that you?”
“I’m here.” He took my hand and patted it gently. “Just hang in there.”
I fluttered my fingers. “Everything is growing dark.”
“Go toward the light, Tori.”
My eyebrows quirked. “Shouldn’t I go away from the light?”
“It doesn’t have the same ring,” he decided. “You’ll have to go toward the light.”
“Toward the light it is.” I waited a moment. “Now what?”
He took my hands and folded them on my chest in the classic body-in-casket pose—and I lost it. Cackling with laughter, I sat up and checked the grass stain on my elbow.
“Next time, I’ll make you laugh first,” I promised. He grinned as he stood. “You can try.”

Author Bio:

Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities. 

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BOOK BLITZ for "Playing with Fire: A Forbidden Love Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Box Set"

Playing with Fire: 
A Forbidden Love Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy 
Box Set
Publication date: October 8th, 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

It doesn’t matter who you think you are…falling in love with the wrong person can have dire consequences. 

They say love conquers all, but in the paranormal worlds of these twelve USA Today and international bestselling authors, falling in love means playing with fire… 

Someone’s about to get burned. 

Dig into hours of forbidden love, lust, and heat as these heroes and heroines long for their beloveds, break taboos, and fight for the ones they never should have chosen—but could never resist. This boxed set is bursting at the seams with romance grounded in all things magical—from dragons and sexy shapeshifters, to angels, warlocks, and uninhibited masters. We have something to strike everyone’s fancy. There are 1000s of sizzling pages full of forbidden love and the trials these gorgeous paramours face to fulfill their deepest desires. 

Authors in the Playing with Fire set include: 

Adrienne Woods – USA Today bestselling author

Carlyle Labuschagne – USA Today bestselling author

Kristin Ping – USA Today bestselling author

Ashlee Nicole Bye

Toni Cox

Carissa Andrews

Kathrin Hutson

Kat Stiles

Majanka Verstraete

Kat Parrish

Karen M. Bryson

Monique Singleton

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COVER REVEAL for "Storm (Reed Security, #18)" by Giulia Lagomarsino

Storm
(Reed Security, #18)
by Giulia Lagomarsino
Publication date: October 23rd, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Storm is book 18 in the Reed Security Series and should be read in order.

Storm

I had one job, get Jessica “Rabbit” Finley to sell her property to Reed Security. I could do that. I was Army Strong. Hell, I took down bad guys for a living. I could handle this sexy vixen. No problem. Except, she’s a little crazy. She thinks that there are ghosts on her property, and she has the men at Reed Security believing her too. But then I found out her history and it had me wondering… Was she really crazy? 

Jessica

I’ve never known who I really am. My family history has been contorted into something that I can only hope to unravel in my lifetime. But then I got a clue that led me to buy this creepy insane asylum. I was told there were answers here and I’m finding them, along with ghosts that still haunt this estate. There’s an upside, though. There’s a sexy man here to keep me company. But the closer I get to finding my answers, the closer I get to being locked up in the asylum myself.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

I'm a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, "No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book." I didn't think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn't already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven't been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full. 

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BOOK BLITZ for "The Book Witch (Rosewood, #2)" by Desy Smith

The Book Witch 
(Rosewood, #2)
by Desy Smith
Publication date: October 4th, 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal,
Urban Fantasy

There are no bodies to bury, no graves with marked tombstones. 

There are only three books, each one belonging to a member of the Rosewood family. There is only one reason for the books to be gathered all in one place—the witches who once owned them are dead. 

Sage Rosewood is now the last of her line, a burden nearly as heavy as her grief. 

Kayden, the charismatic werewolf who holds her heart, tries to console her, but there is only so much his warm arms and gentle words can do when her heart aches for vengeance. She wants nothing more than to find the people who killed her family, to dispatch justice, and to bring the bodies of her loved ones home. 

Walk alongside Sage in this tale of magic, mystery, and vengeance. Every chapter will leave you spellbound.

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Excerpt:

“Who are you meeting?” Kayden questions from behind me, causing me to jump. How can someone so big, move around so quietly? “At the Mango Cafe, because it definitely isn’t your grandmother.” He tries to look at the laptop screen, but I shut it. “Who are you meeting?” He asks again, his voice more serious than before.
“Just a friend,” I respond with a lie, as I make my way back to the kitchen, and blow out the sage. I check the water on the stove, that’s now boiling, perfect. I turn the stove off and pour the water inside of my cauldron. When making spells, one should always start with fresh boiled water, from a pot, not the cauldron, I learned that the hard way.
I didn’t like lying to Kayden, honestly it felt strange, and I didn’t understand why. I would lie to my mom all the time and feel great, but with him, it makes me feel weird. I wonder if that had anything to do with me wanting to jump his bones. Anyway, if I told him the truth, he’d find some way to stop me or invite himself along, and I couldn’t have either of those. I had to do this myself. I would be the one to avenge them alone. I’m a Rosewood for freaking sake.
“You’re lying, who are you really meeting with Sage?” Kayden asks me again, as I reach for my dry ingredients, and begin cutting them into the cauldron. Due to the material the cauldron is made of, it’s the perfect vessel to combine and mix the ingredients in for any spell.
“I told you, a friend,” I lie again. “Don’t do whatever you think you’re going to do, we have laws here in the Woodlands, and The Guild would come down on you, or kill you,” Kayden warns. I would get my revenge and if I lost my life in the process, so be it.
“Good thing I’m just meeting a friend, huh,” I tell him as I lean in with the intention of kissing him again, to change this topic.
“I didn’t think I would be kissed twice, in the same night…” he trails off, as he leans in for the kiss, but pauses as his eyes glow. I know his wolf is present. Kayden moves his head backwards, making me extend my head forward.

Author Bio:

Desy Smith, MFA, is a paranormal romance author and English teacher who is on a mission to expand her readers' minds and create unique worlds that they can escape to through the power of storytelling. Her poignant writing style features sassy heroines, urban drama, angels, wolves, demons, witches, and sensual scenes.
Born, raised and based in Dallas, Desy spent most of her childhood picking apart movies and books. Her mother and her affinity for all things supernatural also really drove Desy to dabble in life's unknowns and use her imagination. Ultimately, this led her to writing stories of her own at just 10 years of age. After her release of "The Talented (The Messenger Series)" this February, she will be working on book number three, and plans on writing until her last breath.

Currently, Desy is the Founder of Floebe Publishing, where she publishes her own and other writers' short stories (of 20,000 words max) with the busy reader in mind. She also provides complimentary creative writing advice to her fellow word weavers. 

When she doesn't have a pen or book in hand, Desy Smith is a movie buff and foodie with an unquenchable sweet tooth (having a gluten allergy makes things a bit tricky). She also isn't much of a whistler and has a round face (people like pinching her cheeks any chance they get). With her "carpe diem" mindset towards life, she looks forward to exposing her readers to realms unseen. 

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BOOK REVIEW for "Love Repaired" by Deana Birch

SUMMARY:

Attorney Amee sets aside her own needs to juggle the broken pieces of her life and family until mechanic Ben repairs her heart.

Divorce attorney Amee Benton—who has an ex of her own—is pretty sure she’s a #MomFail. Showing up late on a Friday night to retrieve her car from the shop and finding the pink frosted cupcakes she forgot to leave at her daughter’s ballet camp confirms it.

When mechanic Ben Mathis confesses to stealing one of the confections and asks who is taking care of Amee, she knows he’s a unicorn—a magical, beautiful beast who surely only exists in fantasies, so she tells him just that, with an F-bomb for good measure.

Amee has three things Ben finds irresistible in a woman—brains, a family and a serious potty mouth. During a chance run-in at Ben’s own personal hell, AKA the mall, he summons the courage to ask her out. Though Amee is leery of dating a younger man and Ben is more than aware of their social gap, the two take a chance.

But Amee’s life isn’t like his. And when her ex returns and the doubting divorcée blunders, all Ben’s insecurities are piqued anew. Now, Amee must prove to Ben that his worth is much more than stand-in dad and rebound boyfriend or she’ll watch her magical unicorn gallop off into the forest forever.

Reader advisory: This book contains references to alcoholism, emotional abuse, and drunk driving resulting in a death.

BOOK REVIEW:

*****(4) out of 5 Stars!

This was a good book, pretty well written, no huge barriers to the suspension of disbelief.  

Amee was not my favorite person, and she totally did not deserve Ben!  He was utterly amazing!  The kind of person that you could only dream of finding.  How much he cared for Amee - and her kids! - just made him all the more wonderful.  (And as a former single mother who found myself a gem the second time around, I can attest to how rare those are!)

Most of the secondary characters (with the obious exception of Pete) are quite delightful.  Jude is probably my favorite person in the whole tale; of course, all of the central kids were darling, although the others were mostly eclipsed by Shae.  

I was SO sad for Ben at some points in the story.  Basically everyone in his life treated him like crap, especially Amee.  She should have had to try much harder for much longer to win him back!

Definitely a good contemporary romance that I would recommend to lovers of tales about single-parent and/or unlikely pairings, especially if you don't mind quite a bit of angst on the way to the HEA.  I must say, I absolutely loved the proposal!   =) 

I received a free eBook copy of this title from Xpresso Book Tours via NetGalley, 

and have willingly provided an honest review.

#LoveRepaired

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Maggie Mae Gallagher for "The Fixer Upper (Echo Springs, #1)"

The Fixer Upper 
(Echo Springs, #1)
by Maggie Mae Gallagher
Published by:
Blushing Books Publications
Publication date: September 6th, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Abby Callier is more in love with Shakespearean heroes than any real man, and she’s beginning to wonder if there is life for her outside the pages of a book. It doesn’t help that her esteemed parents tend to view her as they would one of their science experiments gone wrong. On the eve of finishing her dissertation, she escapes her staid existence to live in the house she inherited from her Great Aunt Evie in the small town of Echo Springs, Colorado. Because, let’s face it, when a woman starts comparing her life to horror films, it might be time for a break. 

Sheriff Nate Barnes believes in law and order and carefully building the life you want. In his spare time, he has been remodeling his house in the hope that one day it will be filled with the family he makes. But Nate doesn’t like drama or complications and tends to avoid them at all costs. And yet, when Miss Abigail Callier, his newest neighbor, beans him with a nine iron, he can’t help but wonder if she might just be the complication he’s been searching for all along. It doesn’t hurt that he discovers a journal hidden away by the previous tenant and decides to use Old Man Turner’s advice to romance Abby into his life.

Abby never expected her next-door neighbor, the newly dubbed Sheriff Stud Muffin, to be just the distraction her world needed. 

The problem is she doesn’t know whether she should make Echo Springs her home, or if this town is just a stopover point in her life’s trajectory. And she doesn’t want to tell Nate that she might not be sticking around—even though she should because it’s the right thing to do, the honest thing—because then all the scintillatingly hot kisses with the Sheriff will come to an abrupt halt. Did she mention that he’s a really great kisser?

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~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Maggie Mae Gallagher~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?

This is one of the hardest questions. No truly. For a long time, I wanted to set a series in Colorado. It’s one of my favorite places on the planet with it’s breathtaking scenery. When I first set out to write The Fixer Upper, I thought it was going to take me in one direction and it went in the exact opposite. I thought there was going to be more slap-stick comedy and it ended up being heartwarming with humor tossed in.

2) Are there any hidden (or not so hidden) themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

Each book in the Echo Springs Series will be a complete standalone, although there is a connective thread: the heroes are all best friends. Nate and Miles grew up together in Echo Springs and went all the way through school together. They went on to college together. It was while they were in college that they met Jacob and Sam. They’re kind of like the Musketeers once D’Artagnan joined the group with an all for one and one for all comradery. I like the aspect of the male friendships and bonds, the willingness to have each other’s backs no matter what. And the town draws them all back together after they each had to go their separate ways.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

No, I don’t base my characters off real people. Perhaps, some character traits that I admire or sometimes aspire to be more like. But my characters, once I give them a name and let them speak, tend to tell me who they are. It’s weird, I know.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

I would have to say my fellow writers. There are quite a few I just adore who have inspired my career: Heather Graham, Kristan Higgins, Karen Marie Moning, Dean Koontz, and this list could go on to infinity.

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

Thorin Oakenshield, Aragorn, and Legolas. We would play Monopoly. I would serve both beer and wine with charcuterie board with plenty of meats, cheeses, and some sliced veggies for Legolas. And why, because one of them would take me with them to Middle Earth and make me their queen by the end of the night. 😊

6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?

Nope. Definitely, not. I’m always amazed by the people who can go to a bookstore and buy just one book. Like how do they not scoop up every book that catches their interest? I’m the one who has the clerks asking if I need assistance out to my car.

Author Bio:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History. 

Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines. 

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BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Jill Criswell for "Beasts of the Frozen Sun (Frozen Sun Saga, #1)"

Beasts of the Frozen Sun 
(Frozen Sun Saga, #1)
by Jill Criswell
Publication date: August 6th, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Burn brightly. Love fiercely. For all else is dust. 

Every child of Glasnith learns the last words of Aillira, the god-gifted mortal whose doomed love affair sparked a war of gods and men, and Lira of clan Stone knows the story better than most. As a descendant of Aillira and god-gifted in her own right, she has the power to read people’s souls, to see someone’s true essence with only a touch of her hand. 

When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland–one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun–Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith. He confides in her that he’s been cursed with what his people call battle-madness, forced to fight for the warlord known as the Dragon, a powerful tyrant determined to reignite the ancient war that Aillira started. 

As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira’s life, for Reyker’s soul, and for their peoples’ freedom has only just begun.

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~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Jill Criswell~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?

Years ago, I journeyed to Iceland and fell in love with its stark landscapes and Viking heritage. Inspiration struck when I toured the Saga Museum in Reykjavík: there was an exhibit about the legend of an Irish princess who was kidnaped by Viking invaders and taken as a slave to Iceland. I got an image in my head of a girl standing on the coast of Ireland, watching Viking longships come ashore, filled with terror and awe. “That,” I said to myself, “is a story.” That idea became Beasts of the Frozen Sun.

2) Are there any hidden (or not so hidden) themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

One of the main recurring themes throughout the book is rival religions, the idea of history being written by the victors that encourages characters to question which holy text is true.

Another major theme is slavery and ownership. Sometimes it’s about controlling women, who are often revered yet oppressed on the island of Glasnith. Other times it’s in relation to xenophobia—both the Glasnithians and the Iseneldish are guilty of enslaving members of other tribes who are seen as being inferior.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

Not specifically, but I do often pull aspects—sometimes on purpose, and sometimes subconsciously—of real people and literary/film/TV characters to create my own characters. Lira has a little bit of me in her, a little bit of other women I’ve been inspired by, and bits of literary heroines: Joan of Arc and Queen Elizabeth, Hermione and Katniss, Arya and Sansa.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

It depends on what I’m writing. For Beasts of the Frozen Sun, my biggest influences were Juliet Marillier (especially her Sevenwaters and Saga of the Light Isles series), Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy series, and Mary E. Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles. I also got a lot of inspiration from Game of Thrones (the books and the show) and the History Channel’s Vikings.  

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

I would invite Jude (from The Folk of the Air series), Kestrel (from The Winner’s Trilogy), and Sage (from The Traitor’s Trilogy) to play Risk, because I’d love to see their brilliant minds at work and find out which of these strategists is the strongest. I’d serve cake and wine—lots of fancy wine, the kind fit for queens and ambassadors. That would be an awesome game night.

6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?

Never! I love books, and I have lots of them around me all the time, ones I’ve bought and ones I’ve checked out from my library. The only downside is feeling overwhelmed because I want to read them all at once and I agonize over which one to jump into next! 

Author Bio:

Jill Criswell is a writer of Young Adult Historical Fantasy. She was born and raised in the swamps of northeastern Florida. She earned degrees in English and Psychology and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. Her greatest passion, besides reading and writing, is traveling the world; she's visited fifty countries across six continents, falling in love with places like Iceland, Namibia, and Cambodia. She works as a university English teacher and lives in South Carolina, near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and daughter (who is named after a volcano in Iceland). 

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