#BlogTour #Excerpt Summer of Love by Caro Fraser @carofraser @aria_fiction

Synopsis:

The dark days of the war are over, but the family secrets they held are only just dawning.

  In the hot summer of 1949, a group of family and friends gather at Harry Denholm’s country house in Kent. Meg and Dan Ranscombe, emerging from a scandal of their own making; Dan’s godmother, Sonia; and her two young girls, Laura and Avril, only one of whom is Sonia’s biological daughter. Amongst the heat, memories, and infatuations, a secret is revealed to Meg’s son, Max, and soon a terrible tragedy unfolds that will have consequences for them all. Afterwards, Avril, Laura and Max must come of age in a society still reeling from the war, haunted by the choices of that fateful summer. Cold, entitled Avril will go to any lengths to take what is hers. Beautiful, naive Laura finds refuge and love in the London jazz clubs, but Max, with wealth and unrequited love, has the capacity to undo it all.

 

Excerpt:

1949

The air was full of the fresh, damp scents of early spring as Meg and Dan Ranscombe turned off the road and walked up the narrow path that led to the back of Woodbourne House. They made a handsome couple – Meg, in her early thirties, was vividly pretty, with dark eyes and chestnut hair curling to her shoulders; Dan, a few years older, was by contrast fair-haired and blue-eyed, his clean-cut features marked by a faint arrogance, a remnant of youthful vanity. They walked in thoughtful silence. It was four years since they had last been to Woodbourne House, the home of Sonia Haddon, Meg’s aunt and Dan’s godmother.

‘I’m glad we took the train instead of driving,’ said Dan, breaking the quiet. ‘I have fond memories of this walk.’

They paused by a big, whitewashed stone barn standing at the foot of a sloping apple orchard.

‘Uncle Henry’s studio,’ murmured Meg. ‘I remember that summer, having to traipse down every morning with barley water and biscuits for him while he was painting.’

Sonia’s husband, Henry Haddon, had been an acclaimed artist in his day, and in pre-war times to have one’s portrait painted by him had had considerable cachet. In Britain’s post-war modernist world, his name had fallen out of fashion.

Dan stood gazing at the barn, lost in his own memories: that final day of the house partytwelve years ago, when he had come down to the studio to say farewell to his host. Finding Henry Haddon, his trousers round his ankles, locked in an embrace with Madeleine, the nanny, against the wall of the studio had been absurd and shocking enough, but what had then transpired had been even worse. He could remember still the sound of the ladder crashing to the floor, and the sight of five-year-old Avril peeping over the edge of the hayloft. Presumably the shock of seeing his daughter had brought on Haddon’s heart attack. That, and unwonted sexual exertions. The moments afterwards were confused in his memory, although he recalled setting the ladder aright so that Avril could get down, then sending her running up to the house to get someone to fetch a doctor, while he uselessly attempted to revive Haddon. Madeleine, unsurprisingly, had made herself scarce. And the painting – he remembered that. A portrait of Madeleine in her yellow sundress, seated on a wicker chair, head half-turned as though listening to notes of unheard music, or the footfall of some awaited lover. Haddon had been working on it in the days running up to his death, and no doubt the intimacy forged between painter and sitter had led to that brief and ludicrously tragic affair. The falling ladder had knocked it from the easel, and he had picked it up and placed it with its face to the wall next to the other canvases. He didn’t to this day know why he had done that. Perhaps as a way of closing off and keeping secret what he had witnessed. To this day nobody but he knew about Haddon’s affair with Madeleine. Had the painting ever been discovered? No one had ever mentioned it. Perhaps it was there still, just as he had left it.

Meg glanced at his face. ‘Penny for them.’

‘Oh, nothing,’ said Dan. ‘Just thinking about that house party, when you and I first met.’

What a fateful chain of events had been set in motion in the summer of 1936. He had been a twenty-four-year-old penniless journalist, invited to spend several days at Woodbourne House with a handful of other guests. Meeting and falling in love with Meg had led to the clandestine affair they had conducted throughout the war years behind the back of her husband Paul. Its discovery had led to estrangement with much of the family. Paul, a bomber pilot, had been killed on the way back from a raid over Germany, and the possibility that his discovery of the affair might have contributed in some way, on some level, to his death, still haunted them both. They never spoke of it. Meg and Dan were married now, but the guilt of what they had done remained. Meg’s mother Helen had been trying for some time to persuade her sister, Sonia, to forgive Meg and Dan, and today’s invitation to Woodbourne House was a signal that she had at last relented.

They walked up through the orchard, and when they reached the flagged courtyard at the back of the house Meg said, ‘I’m going to the kitchen to say hello to Effie. I don’t think I can face Aunt Sonia quite yet. I’ll let you go first. Cowardly of me, I know, but I can’t help it.’ She gave him a quick smile and a kiss, and turned in the direction of the kitchen.

 

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links!

          

 

 

Thank you to Caro Fraser and Aria Fiction for being featured on my blog today!

 

About Caro Fraser

 

Caro Fraser is the author of the bestselling Caper Court novels, based on her own experiences as a lawyer. She is the daughter of Flashman author George MacDonald Fraser and lives in London.

 

 

For more information on Aria Fiction visit them at:

Website | Twitter | FacebookInstagram | NetGalley | Newsletter

 

#BookReview #20BooksofSummer Beartown by Fredrik Backman @Backmanland @SimonSchusterCA

#BookReview #20BooksofSummer Beartown by Fredrik Backman @Backmanland @SimonSchusterCA Title: Beartown

Author: Fredrik Backman

Series: Beartown #1

Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada on Apr. 25, 2017

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 415

Format: Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true.

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.


Review:

Gritty, insightful, and profoundly moving!

Beartown is an immersive, dark, riveting story that delves into the physical, psychological, and emotional effects of competitive sports on the youth that play them and highlights the ugliness and weaknesses of group mentality and the ease with which it allows one to turn the other way, ignore, overlook or cover-up even the most heinous of crimes.

The prose is dark and immersive. The exceptionally memorable, timely plot is a journey of life, loss, coming-of-age, familial drama, friendship, courage, morality, loyalty, sexuality, community, politics, and the culture of hockey. The characters are familiar, consumed, and raw. And the setting, Beartown is a character itself with its isolation, social strife, class division, and depressing economics.

Backman has an uncanny ability to write powerful, perfectly crafted, atmospheric novels that remind us that to be human is to be flawed and that even though we often forget strength, compassion, and kindness is the base of humanity and Beartown is no exception. It will make you think, it will make you cry, and it will resonate with you long after the final page. 

 

🏒 And get ready to head back to Beartown in Us Against You publishing September 4, 2018. 🏒

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                            

 

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove (soon to be a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks), My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, as well as two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children.

#BookReview Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings by Authors on Edge @HelenaFairfax @RNAtweets

#BookReview Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings by Authors on Edge @HelenaFairfax @RNAtweets Title: Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings

Author: Authors on the Edge

Published by: Authors on the Edge on May 18, 2018

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 300

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Authors on the Edge

Book Rating: 8/10

Sometimes what you need is right there waiting for you…

Miss Moonshine’s Wonderful Emporium has stood in the pretty Yorkshire town of Haven Bridge for as long as anyone can remember. With her ever-changing stock, Miss Moonshine has a rare gift for providing exactly what her customers need: a fire opal necklace that provides a glimpse of a different life; a novel whose phantom doodler casts a spell over the reader; a music box whose song links love affairs across the generations. One thing is for certain: after visiting Miss Moonshine’s quirky shop, life is never the same again…

Nine romantic novelists from Yorkshire and Lancashire, including best-selling and award-winning authors, have joined together to create this collection of uplifting stories guaranteed to warm your heart. This intriguing mix of historical and contemporary romances will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the happy-ever-after.


My Review:

Imaginative, uplifting, and highly entertaining!

Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings is a lovely collection of nine short stories that have a little something for everyone, tender moments, oddball situations, hilarious hijinks, and a touch of mystery.

The stories are charming, well written and incorporate a wide variety of romantic genres including contemporary, historical, and a dash of the supernatural. And although each plot differs wildly, they all take place in the quaint village of Haven Bridge, and each features the unique, ageless, eccentric Miss Moonshine and her Bric-a-Brac emporium that never seems to have what anyone wants but always seems to have exactly what they need.

Overall, Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings is an enchanting read for everyone who enjoys love stories with happy-ever-after endings, and it’s the perfect introduction to some very talented authors that you may not have read before.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

 

 

Thank you to Helena Fairfax and the Authors on the Edge for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

 

About Authors on the Edge

Authors on the Edge are a group of romantic novelists and short story writers from Yorkshire and Lancashire in the north of England. The group meets regularly in the little town of Hebden Bridge, and this location, lying as it does on the moors near the border between the two counties, led to the group name Authors on the Edge.

Authors on the Edge members are Mary Jayne Baker, Sophie Claire, Jacqui Cooper, Helena Fairfax, Kate Field, Melinda Hammond, Marie Laval, Helen Pollard, and Angela Wren.

#BookReview Game Players by Anita Waller @anitamayw @Bloodhoundbook

#BookReview Game Players by Anita Waller @anitamayw @Bloodhoundbook Title: Game Players

Author: Anita Waller

Published by: Bloodhound Books on May 18, 2018

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Pages: 252

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Bloodhound Books, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8.5/10

When a gang of six children playing in their den in the woods spot a man burying drugs nearby, it marks the beginning of the end of their childhoods.

Unsure what to do, the children dig up the drugs and take them away. But when the dealer, who they watched bury the stash, shows up dead, the youngsters are thrown into turmoil.

Scared of what might happen, the children tell the police about the body they have discovered.

Meanwhile, a group of gangsters start searching for their missing drugs.

Soon the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their narcotics…


Review:

Gritty, menacing, and meticulous!

Game Players is a well-paced police procedural that introduces us to a ruthless mob boss, a relentless police officer, amateur criminals, flawed parents, and a tight-knit group of six innocent children whose inquisitive nature will unintentionally trigger a chain of catastrophic events that will lead to a trail of dead bodies.

The writing is dark and intense. The characters are secretive, impulsive, and in over their heads. And the complex plot told from multiple perspectives interweaves into a compelling story with lots of twists, turns, surprises, violence, and murder.

Overall, Game Players is an intricately woven, engrossing mystery with lots of action and a great cast of characters that is highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

          

 

 

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Anita Waller

Anita was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and has lived all her life there. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren ranging in age from 9 months to 21 years. Anita and Dave have been married almost 49 years!

She wrote Beautiful in 1985 and had it accepted for publication. They were the contract stage when the publishing house went into liquidation.

Like many another book it ended up in the loft until two years ago when she resurrected it, retyped all 100,000 words (it was orginally written on an Amstrad 8256 and all she had was a hard copy!) and sent it off to Bloodhound Books.

She is now retired from my life of being a Patchwork Tutor and HGV driver's wife and concentrates on patchwork for the pleasure of it and writing. She started writing at around the age of 8 - she clearly remembers writing 'novels' at that age which were actually short stories split into chapters!

Anita's genre is murder - but murder with a good reason behind it! 

 

#BookReview Little Big Man by Katy Regan @katyreganwrites @PGCBooks @panmacmillan

#BookReview Little Big Man by Katy Regan @katyreganwrites @PGCBooks @panmacmillan Title: Little Big Man

Author: Katy Regan

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jun. 5, 2017

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 464

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

Sometimes it takes a little boy to see the big things in life.

Ten-year-old Zac has never met his father, who allegedly took off before he was born. But when his mum lets slip that he’s the only man she’s ever loved, Zac turns detective and, roping in his best friend, hatches a plan to find his dad and give his mum the happy-ever-after she deserves. What he doesn’t realize, though, is that sometimes people have good reasons for disappearing.

Little Big Man is a compelling story about family secrets and fierce, familial love. It’s about growing up and being accepted; grief and lies, and the damage they can do. But, most of all, it’s about a determined little boy determined who wants to give the man he’s never met a second chance to be a father—and his mum a second chance at love.


Review:

Beguiling, poignant, and incredibly uplifting!

Little Big Man is an exceptionally absorbing tale set in the small, economically declining, fishing town of Grimsby and told from three different perspectives. Zac, a sweet, innocent young boy contending with ongoing bullying from his peers and a relentless hunt for the father he’s never known. Juliet, a single mother with a big heart struggling to care and support those she loves as well as herself. And Mick, a loving grandfather who’s weighed down by the secrets he keeps and the feelings of loss and grief that constantly surround him.

The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are genuine, sorrowful, sympathetic, and lovable. And the story is a beautifully mesmerizing tale about life, loss, love, grief, long-hidden secrets, forgiveness, familial drama, friendship, courage, community, moving on, and happiness.

Little Big Man is a masterfully crafted, astute tale that immerses you so thoroughly into the lives, feelings, and personalities of the characters you never want it to end, and it is without a doubt one of my favourite novels of the year.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

             

 

 

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Katy Regan

Katy Regan was born and raised in the northern seaside town of Morecambe, England. She went on to study English and French at Leeds University where she became the features editor of the student newspaper before moving to London. She wrote for various magazines and newspapers before becoming Commissioning Editor at Marie Claire magazine. Katy's previous novels include One Thing Led to Another, The One Before the One, How We Met, and The Story of You. Little Big Man is her first for Mantle. Katy, who has one son, now lives in Hertfordshire.

 

It’s Monday (June 4, 2018)! What Are You Reading! #IMWAYR

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate is a weekly post to share what you’ve recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this upcoming week.

 

So here is what I just read, am reading, and what I plan to read next:

 

What I Read Last Week (Ebook ARCs):

 

Title: The Heat is On (Mercury Travel Club #2)

Author: Helen Bridgett

Immediate Thoughts: Warm, sassy, and delightfully entertaining!

Rating: 8.5/10

Publication Date: August 2, 2018

 

 

Title: Even Money (All in Duet #1)

Author: Alessandra Torre

Immediate Thoughts: Ominous, dramatic, and risqué!

Rating: 8.5/10

Publication Date: June 4, 2018

 

 

Title: The Boyfriend Bracket

Authors: Kate Evangelista

Immediate Thoughts: A cute, heartwarming, first-love romance!

Rating: 7.5/10

Publication Date: June 19, 2018

 

 

Title: Mister Tonight

Author: Kendall Ryan

Immediate Thoughts: Sweet, funny, and charming!

Rating: 9/10

Publication Date: June 18, 2018

 

 

 Title: The Optimist

Author: Sophie Kipner

Immediate Thoughts: Unique, quirky, and laugh-out-loud funny!

Rating: 8.5/10

Publication Date: May 18, 2018

 

 

Title: Ashes to Ashes

Author: Rebecca Norinne

Immediate Thoughts: Angsty, dramatic, and romantic!

Rating: 7.5/10

Publication Date: December 13, 2017

 

 

What I Read Last Week (Physical ARCs):

 

Title: Dear Mrs. Bird

Author: A.J. Pearce

Immediate Thoughts: Spirited, poignant, and moving!

Rating: 9/10

Publication Date: July 3, 2018

 

 

What I Read Last Week for the #20BooksofSummer Challenge:

 

Title: Beartown

Author: Fredrik Backman

Immediate Thoughts: Powerful, tragic, heart-wrenching and raw!

Rating: 10/10

Publication Date: April 25, 2017

 

 

What I’m currently reading:

 

                             

 

 

What I’m reading next:

 

                                

 

Current Stats:

# of NetGalley ARCs Outstanding: 16

 

 

# of Books Still on my Goodreads TBR List: 923 ☹️

 

 

# of Books Read in the #20BooksofSummer Challenge: 1/20 😊

 

Have you read any of my upcoming reads? What do you have coming up? How are your stats?

Happy Reading!

#BookReview Even Money by Alessandra Torre @ReadAlessandra

#BookReview Even Money by Alessandra Torre @ReadAlessandra Title: Even Money

Author: Alessandra Torre

Series: All In Duet #1

Published by: Select Publishing LLC on Jun. 4, 2018

Genres: Erotica, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance

Pages: 342

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Alessandra Torre, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Sometimes it only takes a minute. A connection of eyes across a room, a quickened heartbeat, and everything changes.

I was a cocktail waitress with a fondness for partying and meaningless sex.
He owned half of Vegas, with the reputation to match.

I should have turned away. Instead, I stepped closer.

Then, the lies started.
Rumors spread.
Stalking commenced.
And someone died.

None of it stopped me from falling in love.


Review:

Ominous, dramatic, and risqué!

Even Money is an edgy, sultry thrill ride that takes you on a journey into the life of Bell Hartley, a feisty college-student and casino waitress who finds herself inadvertently caught up in all the power, corruption, and violence of sin city when the dangerous, commanding, married Dario Capece sweeps her off her feet.

The prose is dark and seductive. The characters are consumed, possessive, and impulsive. And the well-paced, suspenseful plot is filled to the brim with twists, turns, surprises, depravity, sex and murder.

Overall, Even Money is another tense, intriguing, salacious tale by Torre that has just the right amount of romance and mystery to keep you invested and engaged from start to finish and a cliffhanger ending that will have you counting down the days until Double Down, All In Duet #2, releases in the later part of June.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                        

 

 

 

Thank you to Alessandra Torre for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Alessandra Torre

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of fifteen novels. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com. In addition to writing, Alessandra is the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink, a website, community, and online school for aspiring authors.

 

 

 

#BookBlitz The Boyfriend Experience by J.A. Huss @JAHuss @XpressoReads

#BookBlitz The Boyfriend Experience by J.A. Huss @JAHuss @XpressoReads

 

 

The Boyfriend Experience (Jordan’s Game #3)

JA Huss

Publication date: May 30, 2018

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Comedy

 

 

 

From NYT Bestselling Author, JA Huss, comes a new sexy standalone in the Jordan’s Game series.

I NEED A BOYFRIEND… and I need one now…

WANTED
One bad-ass man with boyfriend experience.
Must be willing to fight dirty and work weekends, nights, and overtime.
Bad attitude a must. Bonus points if you’re hot, athletic, and sporting tattoos.

When I asked Jordan Wells for a Boyfriend Experience game I didn’t expect to get stuck with billionaire real-estate agent, Lawton Ayers. He doesn’t exactly fit the job description.

WANTED
One professional woman with business experience.
Must be willing to build a future together.
Successful entrepreneur a must. Bonus points if you’re a crazy local legend.

When Jordan Wells offered up Oaklee Ryan a last-minute business partner to seal a deal I’ve been working on for years, I didn’t expect beautiful, sexy, and multi-orgasmic to be on her list of qualifications.

But that’s what I got. And she’s perfect just the way she is.

Too bad she doesn’t want me to be HER boyfriend. Because she bought me for someone else…

 

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

 

 

EXCERPT:

She’s smiling up at me, her brown eyes turned slightly yellow from the glow of the lights, her cheeks pink. Flushed from the exertion of sex. Her breathing slower now, but not her heart. Because I can feel it underneath me.

Still pounding.

Waiting for more.

Trying to match mine.

So we can keep time together.

I think that’s what hearts do. Keep time. Keep everything together. Keep this crazy thing called life in perspective.

“One more time here,” I say. “Then I’ll take you inside so I can get you naked.”

It’s too cold to make her take her clothes off. Even though I know she’d do that if I asked her to. I can already feel the chill of her beneath me. But my body heat will help. Will protect her from the cold.

The deluxe package includes a boyfriend blanket on a cold night.

She opens her legs, reaches down between them to pull her panties aside, and my hips adjust enough to allow my cock to slide up to her opening. Her fingers are grabbing my shoulder now. And even through the leather I can feel them dig.

I want to take the jacket off so she can leave marks on me. I want there to be nothing between us. But I want her to be on the bottom at least once. So she can look up and see the surreal fantasy version of the underside of her water tower just like I did. So we can share that special feeling of being with someone you adore in a way that can’t be repeated.

No one will ever make love to her like this again. Not even me. Because this is a moment and moments pass into other moments and no two are ever alike.

She thrusts her hips upward, trying to force me to enter her. I just grin, because not gonna happen. Not until I say so, at least.

“Come on,” she whispers, watching me intently. “Let’s go.”

“We’ve got time. There’s no rush.”

She thrusts upward again. “There is a rush. A rush I want to experience again. Don’t make me beg, Lawton Ayers.”

“Begging?” I ask playfully. “Is that something you do?”

She giggles, then gets serious real quick. She frowns. Pouts her lips. Widens her eyes. “Please,” comes out like a whimper. Like she’s been wounded and needs relief. Relief only I can administer.

“Just take a moment, Oaklee. Feel it with me.”

Her eyes narrow slightly. Like she’s trying to figure out what I’m asking.

“The game is over,” I say. “That’s what I want you to feel. We passed it by some time ago. I’m not sure when, exactly. But the game is over.”

“OK,” she says, her face relaxing. The pout is gone. The confusion is gone. And all her expectations seem to melt away. “We’re real,” she whispers.

 

 

 

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#CoverReveal #Giveaway DILF DIARIES: OH BABY by Stephanie St. Klaire @StephStKlaire @InkSlingerPR

 

Today we are sharing the cover reveal of

 

DILF DIARIES: OH BABY by Stephanie St. Klaire!

 

This book kicks off a brand new series that you cannot miss!

Sign up for Stephanie’s newsletter for exclusive news and details about the series.

 

Pre-order Now for just $0.99 on

Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Barnes & Noble (coming soon!)

 

 

DILF DIARIES: OH BABY by Stephanie St. Klaire

Coming July 12

 

Synopsis:

He likes to find them hot, and leave them wet…

Women are setting their lawns on fire and sticking cats in trees all so they can dial 911 and get a glimpse of Jack Decker’s…hose. When a firefighter looks like he does, it’s no wonder panties are melting, and hearts are ablaze all over the city because he is H-O-T…hot! Jack might put out fires like a regular hero, but it doesn’t stop him from heating up the sheets and letting them smolder.

In a burning twist of fate, Jack finds himself up all night long for an entirely new reason, a reason that’s anything but smoldering. That is until the feisty firecracker next door threatens to ignite a fire he doesn’t know how to battle…Oh Baby!

 

————-

 

 
 

————-

 

Enter the PRE-ORDER GIVEAWAY for a chance to win a surprise book box filled with goodies — including a Kindle!

ENTER HERE!

 

 

Pre-order Now for just $0.99 on

Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Barnes & Noble (coming soon!)

 

———————

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

Stephanie St. Klaire debuted in 2016, launching her writing career with Rescued, the first book in the widely popular, five book series known as McKenzie Ridge. Stephanie is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs.

As a writer, Stephanie brings realistic circumstances to the pages, and fills them with real emotion, reactions, and outcomes. Her characters are passionate, have bold personalities, and full of life. She writes happily ever after’s, with plenty of twists, turns, drama, and of course, steamy romance.

Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.

Follow Stephanie St. Klaire on Social media to learn more about her, and to keep up with her work.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:

Sign up for Stephanie’s Newsletter

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon

 

 

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#BlogTour #Excerpt Deep Fear by Rachel Lynch @r_lynchcrime @canelo_co

 

Synopsis:

DI Kelly Porter is back. But will this new case push her beyond her limits?

On a peaceful summer’s morning in the Lake District, a woman’s body is discovered outside a church. She’s been murdered and a brutal, symbolic act performed on her corpse. DI Kelly Porter is in charge of the team investigating the crime, and is determined to bring the killer to justice. But as more deaths occur it is clear this is the work of a disturbed, dangerous and determined individual. Can Kelly put the puzzle pieces together before the danger comes closer to home?

Don’t miss this gripping crime thriller featuring an unforgettable detective. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney and Robert Bryndza.

 

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Excerpt:

The cardiac ward at The Penrith and Lakes Hospital was utterly depressing. Old people, smokers for years, hacked their lives out of their chests, and others wheezed and rattled around the corridors. The ward wrapped around a courtyard, and each patient had their own room. Wendy Porter was dozing. Kelly looked at her mother and felt regret. They were close in some ways but not in others. Kelly knew from DS Umshaw that being a mother was a tough job and children often believed that you were taking sides. The moment offered Kelly room to breathe and she watched as her mother’s chest rose and fell gently. She looked peaceful in sleep. An urge to take her hand gripped Kelly, but it passed when she heard the carping voice of her sister. She rolled her eyes.

Kelly knew that she had to move out of her childhood home, and she made a note to herself to try to squeeze in a viewing tomorrow. But even as the thought came and went, she knew she wouldn’t have time. Already the case was taking over. Damn it, she had to make time.

There had been a time when Kelly had worried about why she always seemed to disappoint her mother – to the satisfaction of her sister – but now she had more important things to consider, such as finding a house of her own, so she didn’t need to listen to it. As well as needing her own space, Nikki had a key to her mother’s house and barged in unannounced, whenever it pleased her, and Kelly felt suffocated. And now Kelly was public enemy number one. She’d not only put Dave Crawley away for fifteen years, but his father had been found guilty and sent down, only to spend the last pathetic days of his existence in the prison infirmary, being tended to by palliative care nurses. He’d died merely two months into his sentence. Of course it was all her fault, rather than the fact that they were both fucking toe rags. It still pained her that she’d shared a bed with Dave. She still felt unclean.

Nikki had lived in Penrith all her life; she’d never left. She finished college here, married a boy from here, and now she was raising kids here. Maybe that was the problem. Kelly had known for years, all the way through college and university, that she’d leave The Lakes one day. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the place, not at all – it was more that it made her feel trapped somehow. Before London, all she’d ever known was lakes and mountains; the same boys, marrying the same girls, and the same conversations around the same bars and the same nightclubs. Kelly wanted more, that was all, but Nikki called her arrogant and selfish. London did its job: Kelly found the life she’d craved, the freedom, the spontaneity, the vastness and the anonymity; they all intoxicated her, and when she came back, her sister was exactly the same. But with a vicious edge. Kelly hadn’t known what to make of it, and had tried to comfort her sister, thinking the cause of her annoyance to be grief over their father.

She was wrong.

And now she’d rocked the boat on a monumental scale. Nikki’s best friend was Dave’s wife, and was finding life on the knuckles of her arse, without the trappings of Dave’s extra-curricular activities, challenging.

Now, Nikki made it clear that she blamed her sibling, not only for not being there when their father passed away, but for the fate of one of Penrith’s greatest families. The irony was lost on her, and when the sisters clashed, it was never pretty.

Kelly followed the noise and found Nikki berating a male nurse with a clipboard.

‘Nikki, Mum wants you,’ Kelly lied.

Nikki spun round and the nurse slipped away. Kelly turned to go back to the room, ignoring anything her sister might have had to say. Nikki turned back to where the nurse had been standing and, realising they’d gone, tutted indignantly. Kelly couldn’t help smile as Nikki clacked towards their mother’s room in her impossible heels. It must be exhausting being that pissed off all the time, Kelly thought.

Their mother was now awake, and having her vitals checked by the young male nurse who’d been debriefed by Nikki, just a moment ago. Nikki glared at him. Kelly wondered what on earth he might have done wrong. Offence; everyone is so easily offended, she thought. Kelly found the nurse polite and efficient, but then Nikki wouldn’t be happy unless there was a problem. Kelly folded her arms, accepting that she’d have to share space with her sister for a while, and examined her. She wore black leggings, high white boots, and a baggy sweatshirt with some logo on it, several bangles around her wrists – which jangled infuriatingly – plenty of makeup, and a sullen expression. Her dyed hair was piled high on her head and she chewed gum. She stood in a strop, arms folded, glaring at the nurse.

‘How are you feeling, Mrs Porter?’ the nurse asked.

‘Better now. You’re very handsome,’ Wendy said.

Kelly found her mother’s blunt honesty (a result of the drugs she was taking) hugely amusing: it left her with no filters, and stuff simply fell out of her mouth. The nurse laughed, used to the effects of the drugs. But Nikki was appalled.

‘Mum!’ Nikki said. The nurse left.

‘It’s true,’ Wendy said.

 

About the Author:

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years. A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.

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This novel is available now.

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Thank you to Rachel Lynch and Canelo for providing me with an excerpt for my blog today!