December 13, 2019

Knottys' Hexes and O's

Hexes and O's (Singles Town Book 1)

Hexes and O's by Lisa Wells


Kindle Edition, 400 pages
Published November 1st, 2019 by Up All Night Publishing

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Remington Smith is an orphan who inherits a Knotty residence that belonged to her best friend Beth. Regardless of her condition, her character exudes confidence and a sense of humour even after being rejected. She trusts in her third eye ability: a belief in ghosts which you must have to take part in a Seance.
Beth, the ghost, was Remington's best friend who dies and leaves her home in Knotty to, along with a list of things-to-do. I thought her character was a bit complicated as she is stuck in the veil for having unfinished business, only she can't remember what :/

Jason Hart is the main distraction who steals women's hearts and lives next door to Remington. Their romance is a work in progress. However, opposing factors of murder mayhem and other unpleasant outcomes had me worried for a minute. Thank God it didn't degenerate into worse things.

Goodreads Summary 

Inherited: One haunted house; One witch’s manual; One mandatory ‘to do’ list.
Not Inherited: One hunky neighbour; One memory-challenged ghost; One set of town gossips 
When down-on-her-luck costume designer Remington Smith receives a surprise inheritance, she must return to the town she swore to forget. And complete a list of mandatory projects. And learn to cast magic spells. Magic spells? Too bad the hunky guy next door keeps getting in the way. 
After a tornado ravages a small town, Jason Hart purchases ninety percent of the property as a cooperate training ground for Think Tank Innovations. But his first renovation crew quits. Then another. And another. They all say ghosts are running amok—and the whole town is hexed with an anti-love spell. Except Jason doesn’t believe in ghosts or (anti) love spells. And given how drawn he is to his spunky new neighbour, that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
While Remington works to complete her inherited to-do-list, avoid falling for her playboy neighbour, and learn how to cast spells that don’t backfire, she discovers a deadly mystery involving the orphanage where she grew up. A mystery so deadly that Jason starts trying to shove her out of town and out of his life. But Remington has never been good at taking orders.

 About the author

Lisa Wells writes romantic comedy with enough steam to fog your eyeglasses, your brain, and sometimes your Kindle screen. On the other hand, her eighty-year-old mother-in-law has read Lisa's steamiest book and lived to offer her commentary. Which went something like this: You used words I've never even heard of.... She lives in Missouri with her husband and slightly chunky rescue dog. Lisa loves dark chocolate, red wine, and those rare mornings when her skinny jeans fit. Which isn't often, considering the first two entries on her love-it list.
To learn more about Lisa Wells visit her website Follow her on social media and sign up for her newsletter.

November 25, 2019

The Christmas Sisters

The Christmas Sisters

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Suzanne made a promise that if her best friend Cheryl ever died that Suzanne would take care of her 3 girls. Hannah, Beth and Posy. Their parents did die in an avalanche hiking Mt. Rainier when they were young. Misfortune and favour looked on them because they couldn't have adopted a better mother than Suzanne. She is most compassionate with a caring heart and I liked her. As the three sisters got older they grew apart and would only see each other once a year at Christmastime in the highlands of Scotland. Hannah was the most problematic since she made every excuse not to come. Except for this time, both Beth and Hannah arrived early... Posy lived with her parents all year and was an active outdoor enthusiast who loved to mountain climb as her parents did. Suzanne and Stewart loved those girls and they all had strong personalities but they never really discussed and healed from what happened to their parents all those years ago.
With the prospects of budding romance for all three sisters, this novel warmed my heart.

The Christmas Sisters: A Novel 

Written by Sarah Morgan
Narrated by Mandy Weston 👍❤
Publisher: HarperAudio
Released: Nov 6, 2018
Audiobook: 12 hours 1.5x speed

Publisher Summary
In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high… Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke… As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand…

November 23, 2019

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox


The Widow of Pale HarborThe Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox


Narrator: Lauren Ezzo
Audiobook Publisher: Harper Audio
11 hrs via Scribd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like Pearl Harbor, Carver Castle was under attack except in this case by a murderous and vengeful young man. Dead ravens had been scattered on Sophronia's doorstep and sometimes horrible messages like bad Poe poems were attached to the violent acts. Sophronia, the widow of Carver Castle, was the talk of the town. Some of the townspeople hated her but those who knew her loved her. I hated the people of Pale Harbor though. The folks were all so proud and judgemental. The one-man police force wasn't even helpful. Ugh.

Everyone in Pale Harbor secretly believed Sophronia Carver was a witch and had killed her husband Nathaniel Carver. They were just rumors for the most part. She wasn't a witch and Nathaniel didn't die because of her. Nobody knew he used to abuse her every time he got drunk either. He may not have deserved to die, but Sophronia didn't deserve the abuse and I am glad Nathaniel was dead. It meant Sophronia inherited a lot of money but she felt like a prisoner in her house because of the brutal looks she would get when she went out. Oh, the injustice of it all!

Gabriel came to Pale Harbor hoping to be the next Church minister and to start a new life. Being a minister was not who he was but he felt like honoring his dead wife's memory. She would be proud of him, but his background story was kind of sad and disparaging. He also knew next to nothing about Transcendentalism. I thought it was going to be a problem but it wasn't because he had everyone fooled. I did not like him lying although when he becomes romantically close to Sophronia, he reveals his secrets and vice versa. At least they were both being honest with each other and that was everything. The Widow of Pale Harbor is a romance and the outcome is HEA

Because of the townspeople, the police weren't of much help to Sophronia, so she and Gabriel had to be detectives while suspicions are directed at friends until they figured it out. Helen and everyone else was suspect until the very end. I was not satisfied with how it ended.

Publisher Summary 

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself? 
Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor. But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband. As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales.

AUTHOR

Hester Fox has a background in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician. This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has cleaned and cared for collections that range from paintings by old masters to ancient artifacts to early American furniture. She is a keen painter and has a Master's in historical archaeology, as well as a background in medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband.

November 22, 2019

She's on a mission to get a life - Finding You at Christmas - Novella November

Finding You at Christmas

Finding You at Christmas by Kristin Wallace


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Janie Worthy was becoming disillusioned about her life because her father and niece were luckier in the relationship department, according to her. Until... she decides to venture and 'Get A Life'. After letting her sister give her a makeover she decides to go on a blind date with a guy who has two first names. Except her life was about to change in a miraculous turn of events. It was lucky for her she forgot her cellphone and suffers her car breaking down on the side of the highway on her way to meet her blind date because she never would have met the swoony Biker Man. He saved her life in more ways than one.

Lair Of Dreams (The Diviners #2)

Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2)

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A novel that took me way too long to finish and that I had to renew from the library 4 times. I had planned on taking my time with it, but as November came and went I was more interested in reading Novellas and Christmas romance.

This story has many threads. A new character was introduced. Ling Chan is a dream walker. Henry DuBois teams up with Ling and dreams a few dreams together. In their dreams we meet Wai-Mae and Louis, Henry's gay boyfriend.

Evie and Sam mimic a couple in love. Evie has furthered her Diviner career and has gone public with her radio show. She is known as the sweetheart seer. Sam is on a mission to find his mother who he thinks is in trouble. She is.

Theta and Memphis are romantically involved but neither of them knows they are Diviners. Henry is still Theta's best friend but he loses his job as a piano player and desires his boyfriend Louis so much that he spends more time in the dream world. Louis is dead though.

Mabel and Jericho work together at the museum while Will, Evie's uncle, is somewhere else entirely and is still a mystery to me.

Some joker fellows are keeping watch over Sam Lloyd. They are probably involved with project buffalo(?)

Lair of Dreams involves scary ghosties and supernatural events.

If I'm forgetting a few names and places it's probably because they aren't the focus

Audiobook Published August 25th, 2015 by Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Narrated by January LaVoy 👍👌💓
After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to "read" objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, "America's Sweetheart Seer." But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners' abilities... Meanwhile, mysterious deaths have been turning up in the city, victims of an unknown sleeping sickness. Can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld and catch a killer?

Novella November - Shadows (Lux #0.5)

Shadows (Lux, #0.5)

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout


PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
Narrated by Justine Eyre
4 hours
Scribd
The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are . . . well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable. Bethany can't deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren't a complication she wants, she can't stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she's drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved. Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence . . . and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can't stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can't help hearing Young love by the Judds in my head. The story revolves around Dawson and Bethany. The new girl in school finds out she is surrounded by Luxen when Dawson accidentally lights up the bedroom appearing in his true form after having kissed Bethany. What choice does he have but to entrust her with the truth of who he was? When they are attacked by Arum, Dawson and Bethany disappear and are presumed dead. It ends on that cliffhanger.

November 20, 2019

Driven To Distraction

Driven to Distraction (Road to Love, #1)

Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster


Kindle Edition, 384 pages 
Published November 20th, 2018 by HQN Books
Audio publisher: Harlequin Audio
Narrator: John Lane
Duration: 9:25:11

When desire gets this hot, you'd better buckle up... Mary Daniels doesn't let anything get in the way of her job acquiring rare artifacts for her wealthy boss. But this particular obstacle—huge, hard-muscled, unashamedly masculine—is impossible to ignore. Stuck in a cramped car with Brodie Crews for hours en route to their new assignment, Mary feels her carefully crafted persona—and her trademark self-control—is slipping, and she won't allow it. Brodie can't imagine what secret in Mary's past has left her so buttoned-up, though he'd dearly love to find out. Maybe then she'd trust him enough to explore their explosive chemistry. But he needs this job, so he'll play by her rules and bide his time...until an enemy determined to outwit them strikes and he needs to get close—in every way—to protect her. Otherwise, they could lose much more than a precious collectible. They could lose it all.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**I received a free kindle copy from the publisher Harlequin - Romance (U.S & Canada) via NetGalley in exchange for a review 

I started listening to Driven to Distraction the day I had dental surgery. I had 4 teeth extracted and I loved the banter between Brodie and Mary. She is a red-headed curvy broad who contracts Brodie to be the driver on a mission to recover some priceless artifact. Lori Foster's assessment of who and what Brodie looks like is pointedly correct. Let me just quote her about Brodie:
"He's a man who can swing a punch as hard as he can steal a heart, loves his family without question, does his utmost to understand women (especially the heroine) and never takes injustice lightly. He's also deliciously flawed, rugged in a most basic (very sexy) way, and he has this big-boned, slobbery, crazy-lazy dog that he rescued."

The characters were well defined and the plot was well done. The sex was also attractive and tasteful because Mary and Brodie fit together perfectly and I adored them.


November 15, 2019

Twisted Surprise Book Blitz


Twisted Surprise

Emery Jacobs
(A Twisted Fate Christmas Novella)
Publication date: November 15th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…
Or at least it’s supposed to be. With the holidays quickly approaching, Jovie is looking forward to spending some quality time with her boyfriend Jack.
First a family Thanksgiving in Brownsboro, Georgia with her parents, followed by a magical Christmas with their friends back in Houston.
But Jack’s disappearing act leaves Jovie wondering if their relationship will even survive the holidays.
Ready for a Twisted Surprise? Unwrap this romantic Christmas tale to find out what Jack’s been hiding!
EXCERPT:
“Merry Christmas, baby,” Jack whispers, his warm breath dancing across the skin below my ear.
I rub my eyes, turn my head to face him, and smile. “Merry Christmas.”
His fingers skim across my bare arm then slide in between mine, squeezing my hand gently.
“Did you sleep good?”
I nod. “Yeah, actually I did.” I don’t remember much after drifting off to sleep last night, which I usually equate to a good night’s sleep.
“How about you? Was the couch good to you?” I motion toward the small sofa beside the bed and cringe. There is no way anyone could sleep well on that tiny thing, but knowing Jack, he’ll lie and say he did just so I won’t feel bad that he stayed the night.
He barks out a laugh before rubbing his neck. “I slept better than I have in years.”
“I doubt that.” I hesitate for a second. “But thank you… for staying.”
“You couldn’t have made me leave even if you wanted to.”


Author Bio:
Emery grew up in Southern Arkansas and has lived most of her adult life in Northern Louisiana.
She spends her days working as a Nurse Practitioner in rural health and her nights reading, writing, and occasionally sleeping.
She loves real life romance…lots of angst and heartbreak, but always a happy ending.

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November 13, 2019

Review: The Christmas Diary

The Christmas Diary

The Christmas Diary by Elyse Douglas

Kindle Edition, 285 pages
Published September 12th, 2012
My rating
: 4 of 5 stars

The Christmas Diary held me captive. I couldn't stop reading! Not knowing what would become of Alice & Jack kept my eyes peeled and I rather enjoyed the scenery.

Alice has been sort of a Scrooge to everyone lately since her business is in serious trouble. She doesn't want to lose the Candle Shop that she spends all her time and money on. But one thing is for certain, Alice Ferrell will not be marrying her fiancee, the lawyer, on Christmas day, because she is stuck in a snowstorm and visited by a ghost!

On her car journey to Holbrook, she gets diverted to a small town Bed & Breakfast, thanks to a mysterious old man (the ghost) who she barely misses on the road in the blustery wind and snow. The crotchety old man tells her to look for a book and Alice finds a `15-year-old' diary that belonged to a Jack Landry. She discovers he is in love with Darla and she is moved and captivated by the feelings he has for her that she wants to know everything about him. Darla left him and her two kids when they were very young.

I loved the weather and cross-country skiing and just the Christmas atmosphere. It was a fun adventure both physically and emotionally. Alice realizes that what matters to her is Love and an examination of conscience helps too :)

Goodreads Summary

Alice Ferrell is an entrepreneur who owns her own gift shop. She’s practical, professional and loyal. But her business is failing and she’s also struggling to plan her wedding. She’s tired and dispirited. Although she and her wealthy fiancé argue frequently, they’re meeting in a picturesque Pennsylvania town to be married on Christmas Day. Alice leaves New York and is soon lost in a violent snowstorm. Night descends. She nearly hits a man who darts out in front of her. He’s frightening and mysterious. He directs her to a nearby B&B. In a bookshelf in her room, she discovers an old diary wedged behind a row of books. The diary was written by a man 15 years ago. She reads it and is immediately overcome by its honest and tender style. Intrigued, she sets off on an “innocent” journey to try to find the man, to learn what happened to him. During her journey, Alice must confront her past, present and future and make a decision that will change her life forever.

About the author

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the married writing team Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse grew up near the sea, roaming the beaches, reading and writing stories and poetry, receiving a master's degree in English Literature. She has enjoyed careers as an English teacher, an actress, and a speech-language pathologist. She and her husband, Douglas Pennington, have completed numerous novels including The Other Side of Summer, Christmas for Juliet, The Christmas Eve Letter, Christmas Ever After, The Christmas Town and The Christmas Diary.
Douglas grew up in a family where music and astrology were second and third languages. He has worked as a graphic designer, a corporate manager and equities trader. He attended the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and played the piano professionally for many years. Elyse and Douglas live in New York City.

November 12, 2019

Novella November-Snowlicious

Snowlicious (Yoga in the City #3)

Snowlicious by Leigh LaValle


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

❄ A fun, flirty friends-to-lovers holiday romance. ❄
Mike and Thea have been friends for a long time. But now they're older and are secretly attracted to each other. They both have fears of ruining their friendship by taking a chance and going on to the next phase. Out of the Friend Zone into the L-Zone.
Mike is a lawyer who had many one night stands but they were never the ones he wanted, which was Thea. Thea has recently divorced and owns a Floral Shop. I guess it was time to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on Love huh.Christmas trees, snowstorms, holiday events prove to be an exciting backdrop for this novella. I enjoyed it a lot.

Goodreads Summary 

Snow's falling, carolers are singing, and holiday lights are twinkling. It's the most wonderful time of the year to get out of the friend zone... At least that's what Mike is hoping. But his best friend, Thea, is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. In fact, she's hot-and-bothered in the wrong way when her ex steals her entry in the Festival of Trees competition. Now, she needs to find the Best Tree Ever so she can win the competition before her florist shop loses business. The catch? Thea's using this opportunity to exert her independence and stand up for herself, but Mike can't pass up the chance to play Secret Santa and lend her a helping hand. Such an expression of holiday giving couldn't possibly backfire, right?

November 11, 2019

Novella November: The Boss Who Stole Christmas

The Boss Who Stole Christmas (Reindeer Falls, #1)

The Boss Who Stole Christmas (Reindeer Falls #1) by Jana Aston


Kindle Edition
Published November 7th, 2019
Publisher Rutherford Press
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Wow, talk about getting into the Christmas Spirit! This one is sure to set your stockings on fire.

Goodreads Summary 

Dear Santa, Please bring me a new boss for Christmas. Mine is the worst. The worst, hidden in a six foot tall package of male perfection. It’d be easier if he looked like an old Scrooge, wouldn’t it? Nick Saint-Croix doesn’t look like an old scrooge. He’s hot as- Um, never mind. Just bring me a new boss. Please. Sincerely, Holly Winter

November 10, 2019

Novella November: A Blind Date for Christmas

A Blind Date for Christmas

A Blind Date for Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**I received a free kindle book from JRT Publications via NetGalley in exchange for a review
In the small town of Mystic Keep, at The Perfect Brew cafe, Oscar and Annabelle's eternal flame burns perpetual and there is no stopping it, not even from Venomilia's curse. The story doesn't go into detail about how Oscar becomes the bearer of a curse, only that he is unable to fall in love or go on a second date. Having friends like Sanjay to help these paranormal star-crossed coffee baristas is a blessing.

The Mistletoe Inn

The Mistletoe Inn

The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans


Hardcover, 300 pages
Published November 17th 2015 by Simon Schuster
Audio CD performed by Madeleine Maby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Kimberly Rossi was little her mother killed herself. Harbouring feelings of anger hate and resentment she blames herself.
Depression, death and suicide, feelings of being inadequate and unworthy of love, as well as spousal abuse, prevail for the most part. Kimberly seems to always attract the wrong guys and marries an abusive man after so many failed relationships. It was sad regardless of being a romance novel.

Until her father bought her a ticket to a writer's workshop for Christmas, Kim's life was going nowhere. I thought it brilliant taking words out of, what seemed to be, Kimberly Rossi's diary at the beginning of each chapter. Loved that. Also, her dreams of becoming a romance writer were darkened with the news her Dad had colon cancer.

Kimberly is a smart cookie and she can do without a man but when the right one comes along, how will she know? It seems to be that certain secrets were too good to be true and when it is revealed who Zeke was, it makes her retreat back home with her dad. Mr. Rossi is now recovering from cancer BECAUSE of having the right connections. He could get the care he needed.

Goodreads Summary 

At thirty-two Kimberly Rossetti, a finance officer at a Lexus car dealership has had her heart broken more times than she wants to remember. With two failed engagements, a divorce and again alone with no prospects, she hardly seems the type to dream of being a published romance author. Dreading another holiday alone, she signs up for The Mistletoe Retreat, a nine-day writing retreat in Burlington, VT. Deep inside Kimberly knows she's at a junction in her life and it's time to either fulfill her dream or let it go. The other reason she decides to attend the conference is because famed romance writer, H.T. Cowell, once the best selling romance writer in America, and the author whose books instilled in her the desire to be a writer, will be speaking in public for the first time in more than a decade. In one of her breakout sessions, Kimberly meets another aspiring writer, and one of the few men at the conference, Zeke, an intelligent man with a wry wit who seems as interested in Kimberly as he is in the retreat. As Kimberly begins to open up to him about her stories and dreams, she inadvertently reveals her own troubled past. As Zeke helps her to discover why her books fail to live up to their potential she begins to wonder if he's really talking more about her life than her literature. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes that Zeke has his own darkness, a past he's unwilling to talk about. The theme of The Mistletoe Inn is that like literature, relationships must be lived with passion and vulnerability to succeed.

November 9, 2019

Mistletoe and Mr. Right


Mistletoe and Mr. RightMistletoe and Mr. Right by Lyla Payne


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hardcover, 368 pages
Published October 6th, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Children's

Reading this contributed to the #HoHoHoRAT 2019

- Two Stories of Holiday Romance

Mistletoe and Mr. Right
This contemporary begins with a surprise visit to Ireland. Jessica wants a serious relationship with her boyfriend but he might not be the one for her when she quickly finds out Brennan never really was on the same page. He is shocked to see her! Not quite the response she was after, but ok. His family owns a B&B and from the minute she steps foot on their property, all the bad luck in the universe wants to spoil her mood. From running over their Nanny Goat to meeting his mother who had never heard her son mention Jessica at all. Wow, talk about disillusioned. This is often the case of loving someone who doesn't love you. There was someone else who needed her and who she had better chemistry with. He made all the difference in the world. I loved that Jessica got her Sleighride in the snow!

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances

A second chance at love. Christine Laker is Jessica's friend who also is in love with a guy she met 4 years ago. Cary White is the lead guitarist in a rock band called Pursuant. Christine is a PR agent recruited to promote Pursuant for a London Tour or some gig. What follows is a HEA. Yay.

Goodreads Summary
In "Mistletoe and Mr. Right," Jessica (not Jessie) takes a flying leap and follows her boyfriend home for the holidays for Christmas break, sure that Ireland will provide the perfect backdrop to the beginning of their happily ever after. But it turns out his family--and his gorgeous ex-girlfriend--don't feel the same way, and the only person making the trip worthwhile is the local farmhand, who has a way of showing up when Jessica needs him most . . . and least. The holiday hijinks continue in "Sleigh Bells and Second Chances," when Jessica's best friend makes her own way across the pond! Christina Lake does not want to be away at Christmas, but it's her duty to babysit one of London's hottest bands at their last-minute concert on Christmas Eve . . . even though she had a fling with Cary, the band's lead singer, that never officially ended. Now forced to reconnect, Christina is starting to think that maybe London is exactly where she's supposed to be to get the perfect New Year's kiss--at least until she finds out that he's been lying the whole time. Can Cary find a way to prove himself before the clock strikes twelve? Or will the New Year ring in a new romance? Lyla Payne wraps up two perfect holiday novellas, ties them with a ribbon of romance, and tops them with a light dusting of snow. Perfect to curl up with under the tree. Just add hot cocoa!

November 8, 2019

#HoHoHoRAT Book Bingo Challenge


I am participating in the HoHoHo Readathon hosted by Kim @caffeinatedbookreviewer.com. This will be my Book Bingo submission created by Simply Angela

I'm no digital artist and I used Gimp to edit the bingo squares so I hope Angela won't mind. Don't @me ok? I suck I know. Ignore it 

The important thing is we know what book title goes where.

 Snowed in/Snowstorm


 a Holiday/Winter read that's been in your TBR pile for a year or more


A book with Christmas in the title


A book with a Snowy Cover


Book of your Choice


Christmas/Holiday Romance


New Year Read (New Year’s Eve is featured somewhere in the book or title or a Winter-themed read released in January)


A book with Mistletoe in the title


a book set in Britain (England, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Scotland)


Novella November: One Snowy Night

One Snowy Night (Heartbreaker Bay, #2.5)

One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Audiobook Narrated by Karen White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rory Andrews is 23 yrs old, living in San Francisco and works as a dog groomer. Her sordid past involves being a victim of school bullying. To make things right with her family she intends to spend Christmas with them. Things haven't been so great since she ran away from home at seventeen.

Max Stranton offers to give her a ride because he is going that way anyway, but she reluctantly agrees because...( she is crazy in love with him). They know each other from school but naturally, life got in the way. On the four hour journey to Tahoe, they get stuck in a snowstorm and are forced to stay in a hotel overnight to wait out the storm. Perfect time to make amends and cuddle. Max's furry Doberman loves Rory and is a welcome distraction.
This novella has an equal amount of action plot and adventure to make it exciting. I appreciate that.

"Reading this novella contributed to the 2019 #HoHoHo Readathon"

Goodreads Summary

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Heartbreaker Bay with a fun and festive holiday novella! It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl. Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south. They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

November 7, 2019

One Week 'Til Christmas

One Week ’Til Christmas: The perfect holiday romance this Christmas!

One Week ’Til Christmas: The perfect holiday romance this Christmas!

by Belinda Missen
Kindle Edition, 179 pages
Published November 1st, 2019 by HQ Digital
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
**I received a free kindle copy from the HQ Digital publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I can't argue it was an unforgettable romance because it was. I envy those who get to travel internationally for any reason. London would be a magical place to spend the holidays. At least it was for Isobel and Tom Bracken. She was from Melbourne Australia, where there was no winter fun like in England. They went ice skating, took pictures with Santa but I wasn't in love with them and the reading process was gruelling. It felt like 10 days of hell tbh. Their relationship from the start to the end could not have been any slower. I know in real life it is probably best to even take it slower but this isn't real life. My reading experience was laborious as the story couldn't keep my attention because I kept dozing off. I agonized and persevered inducing headaches just to finish this book. All I can say is this book wasn't for me. I think contemporary anything bores me to tears.

Goodreads Summary

Two people. One chance meeting. Seven days to Christmas. Isobel Bennett is waiting for the number 11 bus when a man quite literally falls into her lap. Snow is falling, Christmas lights are twinkling, and a gorgeous man with dark brown hair has just slipped on ice and is now pressed against Isobel. Isobel knows she’s not imagining the chemistry between them. But then his ride arrives and, embarrassed, he beats a hasty retreat, murmuring apologies – and Isobel realizes only too late that she didn’t manage to catch his name… When she runs into him again the next morning, she decides it’s fate. It’s a second chance for Isobel and Tom – but there’s only one week until she’s leaving London for good. Seven days of enjoying all the festive delights the city has to offer: ice-skating at Somerset House, mulled wine on the Southbank, Christmas shopping at Liberty. There’s magic in the air and mistletoe in the trees – but what will happen when the week is over?

About the author

Author and sometimes foodie, Belinda is a ridiculous romantic who met her husband after being set up by a friend two states away. Residing in country Victoria, surrounded by books, cat-fur, and half-eaten cake, Belinda divides her days between writing rom-coms, baking, and indulging her love of comic books. Visit her website http://www.belindamissen.com

Dead Meat: Day 2

Dead Meat: Day 2 (Dead Meat, #2)

Dead Meat: Day 2 by Nick Clausen


The dead have awakened.
Driven by insatiable hunger.
In eternal search of fresh meat.
The infection spreads like the plague.
Nothing stands between the undead and humanity.

Is it too late to save the world from disaster?

This is Day 2 in the story of Dead Meat.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jennie from the block has wandered into someone's yard and attacks and infects two people. The scene is all too familiar with the Walking Dead and I'm just over it. You'd think by now people would know how to kill a zombie. I mean it isn't that hard. Zombies are slow and stupid so taking their head off or stabbing them in the head is what the situation calls for. However, Selene just knows how to torment me by not doing it properly. UGH! It killed me to watch her think she had killed her friend Jonas who was infected! Slashing his wrist and sticking a plastic bag over his head is not going to kill a Zombie Selene! I don't know what sucks worse: unbelieving humans or incapable kids.
No. Just no.
I want to see badass humans kick zombie butt!...and finally, win the war. Mmk?

oh, and what's up with the scorching heatwave? Is that because of the infected?

November 6, 2019

Of Flame and Fury Cover Reveal


Today I am happy to share the cover reveal for Of Flame and Fury, Cecy Robson's newest Weird Girls novel. This is the ninth novel in the Weird Girls urban fantasy series, and the third in the Flame series featuring sister Taran Wird. If you haven't met this sassy, hot-headed, loudmouth sister yet you'll want to dive in and begin the series. Action-packed, fans of this series will tell you, it's addictive and you'll find yourself rooting for these flawed but lovable characters.

Cover Design by Sarah Hansen @Okay Creations

Of Flame and Fury

Weird Girls #9, Flame #3
Release Date: February 25, 2020
Add to Goodreads
Pre-order your copy: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo 

Taran Wird, the loudmouth mistress of flame and lightning, didn’t want to attend the formal gathering of the supernatural elite. She did so only to help to unite the supreme beings in attendance in one common goal: protecting Taran’s sister, Celia. Celia is pregnant with alpha werewolf Aric Connor’s child, the same child prophesized to save the world from uprising evil. Evil wants this child dead before he is born and, more importantly, before he can grow strong enough to stop it. Taran and her werewolf lover, Gemini, put plans in place to protect Celia. Master Vampire Misha Aleksandr and his clan also swear their allegiance to Celia and vow to keep her from harm. The witches even cast protection spells around the manor to curse anyone with malintent who enters. Nothing was supposed to go wrong, except everything did. Creatures that shouldn’t exist stalk the grounds and invade the premises, and every curse meant to shield the guests turns against them. No one counted on the powerful being who arrived uninvited. But he’s here, manipulating the magic enclosing the estate to work in his favour. As body counts rise and allies become enemies, chances are Celia won’t survive the night. But evil never counted on how hard Taran Wird would fight, even at the expense of her life.

。・:*:・゚★,。・:*:・゚☆A Teaser Just for You.... 。・:*:・゚★,。・:*:・゚☆

“Emme,” I call out. I frown when the hall darkens and she appears to walk further and faster away from us. “Emme, don’t go without us.” She takes off, running. “Em,” Bren hollers. “God damn it, wait!” Emme rounds a corner and disappears into yet another hall. I pick up my pace, passing a small meeting room. Emme is moving fast, too fast. What’s happening to her? My steps to falter when the light scones dim further. I turn around, the rooms we passed are gone. There are no doors or windows, only a long corridor covered with dark paneling remains. Everything feels off and I can no longer hear the gentle strut of Emme’s feet. “Bren?” I say. “She’s gone,” he says. “I know, but—” “She’s been gone a while,” he interrupts. He takes a long whiff. “That wasn’t her.” “Excuse me?” I look back where I thought I last saw her. “Then, who was that?” “Not Emme,” he says, the muscles along his jaw tensing. He clasps my left arm. “Come on. We have to find her.” I double back and into a wall. “What the fuck?” Bren snaps. The hall narrows, swallowing what used to be the way out in darkness. Bren’s head jerks up. “Did you hear that?” “I don’t hear anything,” I respond. It’s the truth. There is no sound. Just me and Bren and our increasing breaths. “What do you hear?” I ask, keeping my voice low. He closes his eyes, listening hard, the rise and fall of his chest growing more pronounced. A light whisper of wind rustles from the darkness, intensifying into a pained moan as it reaches us. “Aw, hell,” Bren says. “Stay with me, okay?” “Ah, sure,” I say, trying to remain calm and more than failing. I turn around when something stirs behind us. “Do you think the spells are just surging now that Celia has arrived? They’re meant to keep her safe. Maybe they’re reacting to her presence.” I whip around. The wall is gone. And so is Bren. I inch backward, my motions dimming the lights further. My right arm shoots up, lighting like a torch and sparing me from the blackness encasing me. The sound of splintering wood has me lowering my arm. I jump when thin rivers of blood trickle toward my feet. Blood is never a good sign. It leads from bad to deadly every damn time. Most would run at the sight. Me, being me, and knowing there’s no other recourse, I follow the tiny rivers. I move carefully, not wanting the thickening fluid to touch me. Dark magic is particularly nasty and usually requires a sacrifice. This blood signifies more than death, it’s a trigger to whatever will fire next. My light strobes in and out, in tune with my accelerating heart rate, and against the tiny rivers that expand into widening pool. The horrible silence resumes, adding an extra dose of eerie. Don’t be afraid, I tell myself. It’s quiet. That’s all. I don’t manage to convince myself. Not when the moaning resumes with the next step I take. It starts out low, almost imperceptible, swelling in volume until it’s loud enough to muffle my rattling teeth. The temperature drops absurdly low. The chill of death is here, expanding quickly, mingling with spirits and dark magic, and determined to drag me to hell. Son of a bitch. I reach another wall, another dead end. I release a breath, cursing when more moans join the first, these much higher pitched and much, much closer. Frozen fingers drag down my spine. I turn around, ready to blast whatever is touching me only to stop dead. The streaks of blood are moving, swirling in freakish directions to form letters and words. N-Y-T-E-S… My light shakes from my violent trembles. A-R-E… The letters darken to black, smearing the wooden floors. C-O-M-I-N-G I jolt when something crashes on the level above. I don’t wait for more of this twisted spelling bee. I take off in a sprint, shaking my right hand. “Get us to Celia,” I tell Sparky. “Get us there now.” I just miss crashing into a wall that materializes in front of me. I shake my arm harder. I don’t typically order Sparky around. It’s not something I can do. As connected as we are, she’s practically a separate entity with her own set of rules I’ve yet to figure out. “Come on, girl,” I insist. “Celia needs us.” More by instinct than anything Sparky does, I spin, startling when a new set of words form along the wall. NYTES HAVE COME

Pre-order your copy: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo 

About Cecy Robson

CECY ROBSON is an international and multi-award-winning author of over twenty-five character-driven novels. A registered nurse of eighteen years, Cecy spends her free time creating magical worlds, heart-stopping romance, and young adult adventure. After receiving two RITA® nominations, the Maggie Award, the Award of Excellence, and a National Reader’s Choice Award nomination, you can still find Cecy laughing, crying, and cheering on her characters as she pens her next story.
 


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This post was made possible by Kim @CaffeinatedPR

November 5, 2019

Alone for the Holidays makes me feel I'm not alone

Alone for the Holidays

Alone for the Holidays by Vivien Mayfair


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I live for Novellas in November. Centred around Christmas, it's a perfect way to get into the spirit of the holidays. The author also includes a bunch of delicious recipes for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Also thanks to the author for including us alone ones that aren't typical in a Christmas novella.

I'm like Clara, keeping busy by reading books on Goodreads lol. I also blog when I want to. Nothing too stressful. I like how the author describes being alone: "She cooked her meals for one, stuck with a four-pack of toilet paper, and stopped shaving her legs months ago...She could eat as much as she wanted without embarrassment. Laundry day only came every other week, hair washing once a week, and housecleaning once a month" Yup. pretty much ;) I feel like exclaiming "SAME!"

Clara Neverov has gotten herself in a bind, wrapped in Christmas when a guy she meets in an online book group invites himself over. He doesn't know Clara isn't who she says she is. She posts online as Abigail for privacy reasons and now she is overwhelmed to have to spill the beans to this guy. O, good lord. No hilarity ensues, unfortunately, probably because the guy was too serious. Idk. I didn't like him. There is no surprise everything works out in the end. HEA.

**I received an advance review copy from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb. A short and sweet holiday read.Snow is falling hard near the picturesque town of Woodstock with its scrumptious bakeries, brightly lit storefronts, and twelve-foot Main Street Christmas tree. Romance is in the air for everybody except spicy Russian Clara Neverov, recently divorced, bitter, and alone for the holidays. As an acclaimed romance author, she revels in her solitary life relying only on Internet book groups for her socialization under a fake name pulled from childhood memory and her best friend’s photo. When a mysterious editor from a Goodreads book group shares a sad story about being alone for the holidays, she accidentally invites him to spend them with her. The only problem is that her snowy country cottage is nowhere close to the magical Santa’s wonderland that she described. In fact, it closely resembles the underground Grinch’s lair on a bad day. The situation goes from bad to worse when Finn Jacobs drops an email that he’s on his way to spend Christmas with her and doesn't mention a date for his arrival.

About the author

Vivien Mayfair is the author of the sweet, clean, contemporary romance Snowdrop Valley Series, with a central focus on the theme of books, seasons, and holidays. Vivien always dreamed of being a writer. After years of raising children as a single parent from a young age and various dismal jobs with no direction, Vivien decided to indulge her passion for books by earning an MA in English before turning to writing romance full-time. She now creates sweet, wholesome, heartfelt romance that leaves readers feeling toasty on the inside and laughing on the outside. Her trademark sarcasm, themed holidays, and vibrant settings have gained her fans from all over. When not reading or writing, Vivien spends her time with animals, family, watching period drama movies or TV, or dreaming about her next autumn or snowy winter vacation to New England. Vivien resides in the Pacific Northwest.
 Visit Vivien's Website

November 4, 2019

Novella November: A Highland Ghost for Christmas


A Highland Ghost for Christmas (Gambling Ghosts, #1)A Highland Ghost for Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson


Kindle Edition, 78 pages
Published November 13th, 2016 by JRT Publications

Goodreads Summary 

Jilted by her fiancé, librarian Maddy Jacobson is nursing a broken heart, when her best friend gives her an early Christmas present. Intended to be a fun, psychic reading in a spooky, tea house, the gift turns out to be life-changing. Maddy becomes haunted by a mischievous, Highland ghost. Ruggedly handsome, Cullen Macfie, the Highlander, has been dead for over three centuries, and never in all those years has he been so attracted to a woman, as he is to Maddy. He falls hopelessly in love and decides to woo her. Can there be a future for a librarian and a naughty, Highland ghost? 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What would it take for a 300-year-old Scottish ghost to graduate to an angel? If he could help Maddy get over a breakup then he would have done well. Maddy enjoys spending time with Cullen. I like that he wasn't afraid of messing with humans. I mean he isn't scary or malevolent. A Highland Ghost for Christmas has a perfect balance of romance and awesome. I loved it!

About the author:

Reports of Jo-Ann Carson’s death on a Gulf Island are greatly exaggerated or, at the very least, premature. The eclectic crew of ghosts that haunt her head spill onto the page in two series: The Gambling Ghosts and The Ghost & Abby Mysteries. A Viking with existential issues, a broken-hearted Highlander, a Casanova man-witch and a Pirate with a secret are just a few of the males her strong heroines encounter in tales of fantasy adventure and romance. A firm believer in the magic of our everyday lives, Jo-Ann loves watching sunrises, walking beaches near her home in the Pacific Northwest and reading by the fire.
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