Monday, September 09, 2024

Book Review: Poppy and Pa by Kristyn Jewell; illustrated by Chelsea Peters

Poppy and PaPoppy and Pa by Kristyn Jewell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful memories of summers at the lake!

Poppy & Pa by Kristyn Jewell is a lovely children’s book about the author’s memories of summers at the lake with her father and extended family. The narrative beautifully conveys the love and joy of time with those she loved, especially those special moments with the father who took the opportunity to share these impactful times with his young daughter. Readers can envision the reminiscences and almost feel the cool lake waters and summer breezes while listening to the sound of the loons across the lake, all dearly held within the author’s heart.

Artist Chelsea Peters vividly illustrates the story with gorgeous images of the characters and everyday items decorated with whimsical folkish designs.

I recommend POPPY & PA to elementary-grade readers and older folk looking for a lovely trip back in time or a lovely, fresh new selection for reading aloud to young listeners.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.


View all my reviews

Sunday, September 08, 2024

Book Review: The Queen of Ocean Parkway by Sarvenaz Tash

The Queen of Ocean Parkway (The Queen of Ocean Parkway, #1)The Queen of Ocean Parkway by Sarvenaz Tash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A magical mystery for middle-grade readers!

The Queen of Ocean Parkway is a new, fantastical mystery story for middle-grade readers from the creative mind of author Sarvenaz Tash. Young Roya Alborzi and her precocious new friend and neighbor, Amin Lahiri, travel through time to try and break a curse that makes the women of the Petrov family disappear, never to be seen again.

The main character, Roya Alborzi, is the only daughter of their Brooklyn apartment building’s super, and while only 11 years old, she is carrying an emotional load that adults would have trouble managing. Though her parents are divorced, her father is desperately ill with cancer, and she does all she can to assist her mother in her job to free her up to care for him. Then, one of her favorite tenants, Katya Petrov, suddenly disappears without a trace. She joins forces with Amin, the son of the new family in the building, to find her and break the chain of disappearances that have plagued the Petrov family for the past four generations.

The Brooklyn setting is well-developed, feeling familiar and comfortable. Roya’s descriptions and tales of the other neighbors for her fledgling podcast are entertaining and made me laugh about some of her observations.

The plot thickens as soon as the characters are introduced, and some surprising twists make the story even more suspenseful and intriguing. As time travel is involved, the author must re-describe the Coney Island setting each time Roya and Amin land in the past. The gorgeous cover, rich with jewel tones, attracts the eye and had my imagination working before I even read the first page. I liked how the author populated the apartment building with an array of different configurations of families and enjoyed meeting each one as the mystery of the disappearing Petrovs unfolded.

I recommend THE QUEEN OF OCEAN PARKWAY to upper elementary and middle-grade readers or for reading aloud in the classroom, in afterschool programs, or at home.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Saturday, September 07, 2024

Book Review: All Money Ain't Good Money (Jinx Curry Mystery, #1) by Tracey Lampley

All Money Ain't Good Money: A Jinx Curry MysteryAll Money Ain't Good Money: A Jinx Curry Mystery by Tracey Lampley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Get ready for this gritty, determined new female PI!

All Money Ain’t Good Money is the first book in author Tracey Lampley’s exciting and gritty new PI series featuring the smart, sexy, and savvy Jinx Curry. Set in a sweltering Atlanta in July, Jinx is determined to solve the case of a congressman’s missing granddaughter and claim the large bonus fee that would go a long way to solving some of her own problems.

Valerie “Jinx” Curry is a 33-year-old divorced mother of a teenage daughter, working matrimonial cases for Capricorn Hayes and Associates, a well-established private investigations firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Jinx is straightforward and direct in dealing with people, her career goals, and her personal needs and desires. There is palpable sexual tension between her and her boss every time they are in the same room. She has a “ride or die” BFF in her friend, Shalonda, and a first-cousin frenemy, Pookie, who lend their advice and strong shoulders to lean on when needed. After breaking open a particularly high-profile case involving a cheating husband, Jinx feels ready to take on more substantial assignments, and Capricorn relents. However, her first case is an absolute doozy.

Her new client is the arrogant and controlling Congressman Nate Calloway, who wants her to locate his missing granddaughter, whom no one has seen or heard from in six months. As she interviews the granddaughter’s friends and family, Jinx quickly realizes that locating Elena may not be in the young woman’s best interests, and she struggles with her conscience and her need to earn the very generous bonus. Meanwhile, Jinx’s personal life is in turmoil as she deals with her rebellious teenage daughter and her mother, who has run up considerable gambling debts that need immediate attention.

The plot is well-paced as Jinx closes in on the surprising truth of Elena’s disappearance with loads of action and twists all along the way. Her investigation pits her against some interesting, uncooperative, and dangerous individuals, but she holds her own in face-to-face confrontations. Jinx may be one of my favorite new characters of the year, and I am definitely looking forward to her next appearance.

I recommend ALL MONEY AIN’T GOOD MONEY to mystery readers, especially those who like strong Black female protagonists or an Atlanta or Georgia setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.


View all my reviews

Release Blitz & Giveaway - The Agency: DDD Inc. by Hunter Chadwick


THE AGENCY
DDD INC.
by
Hunter Chadwick


Technothriller
Publication Date: September 7, 2024
Page count: 640 pages
ASIN: B0DC6NWBJM


SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!


SYNOPSIS:

Every day, we're surrounded by devices with their microphones open. Smartphones, smart speakers, gaming consoles, and a hundred other little devices that you walk by without thinking.

Kerry Chase is just like you and me. He lives his life as a technology user, enjoying the benefits it brings. But one day, all that changed.

 

"You're fired!"

 

An unexpected job change led to an exciting new opportunity, with one major red flag:

  • Are you someone who always likes to know what's going on?
  • Do you feel like you know what is best for the people in your life?
  • We're looking for people like you and have entry level positions available now!
  • No prior experience necessary – Flexible hours
  • Strong starting salary and benefits with good opportunities for advancement
  • On the job training – Work at your own pace
  • Must have basic computer skills
  • Flexible moral compass a plus 

Through this job, Kerry takes a peek behind the curtain to see the price we all pay for the technology we use so freely. Are you ready to see what it is The Agency actually does?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up in the Midwest and went to a big state school known as much for their football team as anything else. I studied English Literature and History. It was there that I met my wife and we fell in love. We were married when I was in graduate school and during our first few years working after graduation, God showed us the opportunities to be involved in His work around the world.

Since 2000, we've lived outside of the United States, having many amazing experiences and meeting people from around the globe. My experiences traveling and my background in counseling are highly influential in my writing.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Instagram

TikTok

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

 

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Friday, September 06, 2024

Pop Up Blog Hop & Giveaway: The One Who Undid Me (Austin Heat, #1) by Amari Nylix

THE ONE WHO UNDID ME
Austin Heat, Book #1
By Amari Nylix


Contemporary Romance / Comedy / Football
Publisher: Temair Media
Pages: 390
Publication Date: September 14, 2023


SYNOPSIS

Rumor has it that Texas just got a little hotter! Fans of Tessa Bailey and K. Bromberg will fall for this sexy story of mistaken identity, electric attraction, and irresistible romance in the first installment of the addictive new series, Austin Heat.

Jake is desperate to rewrite his past with women and leave behind the media storm surrounding his off-the-field antics that cloud his potential. He’s done with the stream of models, actresses, and NFL cheerleaders that have warmed his bed since he made a name for himself as starting quarterback for the University of Texas. He desperately wants to meet a normal girl in his hometown of Austin.

After moving to Austin to be the hired girlfriend of one of her long-term escort clients, Rakell finds herself wishing she could live a normal life with an average guy. Turned off by the billionaire clients she’s been serving for the last five years, she longs to get out of the business and build a life where she doesn’t live in the shadows of her escort persona.

Their worlds collide and the spice is off the charts. “Pretty boy” Jake Skyler has met his match with saucy-mouthed, Rakell McCarthy. Both think they’ve fallen for an average person. Both are wrong! What happens when their physical connection explodes, their hearts take charge and the secrets they are concealing are revealed?


CLICK TO PURCHASE:






ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amari Nylix (alter ego to author Tara Delaney) tells sordid stories revolving around tempestuous love affairs that are inspired by the secret liaisons of Old West villains, heroes, and the temptress women who lure those powerful men into their webs. Amari delights in sharing her torrid stories of heart-wrenching, epic love that begin with the desires of the flesh and evolve into affairs of the heart.

In the Austin Heat series, Amari works closely with bestselling author of both non-fiction and fiction, Tara Delaney 😉. Tara has been a pediatric occupational therapist for more than thirty years and has extensive professional experience in sensory processing and nervous system development, while also having studied how early trauma impacts our responses as adults. Tara is responsible for trimming back Amari’s numerous spicy scenes, allowing room for all the FEELS






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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: How to React When Woken at 3am by Drunk Argentinian Backpackers While Staying in a Youth Hostel and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips (Lesser Known Travel Tips, #4) by Simon Yeats



Welcome to the cover reveal of 
Book Four of the LESSER KNOWN TRAVEL TIPS series,
How to React When Woken at 3am by Drunk Argentinian Backpackers While Staying in a Youth Hostel and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips 

Non-fiction Humorous Memoir
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Page count: 286 pages

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

Book 4 of the hilarious book series that those in the know will want to read when arriving at Paris airport so they laugh so freaking hard that it will intimidate any suspicious characters looking to abduct them and sell them into the human trafficking game.

Life was not meant to be easy, Simon Yeats’ father used to tell him. Well, it sure as hell was not meant to be this bizarre and witty. Australian ex-pat Simon Yeats shares his stories of travel misadventures and dubious personal introspection with comedic insights into the unusual and uproarious elements of living his life abroad. All while having a sense of Wanderlust as pervasive as Mongol hordes in the 12th century.

From how to negotiate getting abused in Los Angeles when you will only drive at 5 miles/hr., to what to do when locked out of your hotel room in your underwear, to the emotions of attempting the world’s second highest bungee when you have a pathological fear of heights, to how to deal with the trials and tribulations of staying in a youth hostel with travelers who have no respect for the other guests.

Simon Yeats has gone into the world and experienced all the out of the ordinary moments for you to sit back and enjoy the experience without the need to empty your bank account, get squeezed sitting in a middle airline seat, or deal with border security at the Ukraine/Russia boundary.

CLICK TO PRE-ORDER (OR PURCHASE after 9/10)!


READ AN EXCERPT:

I stagger out of bed. I am barely able to stand. It is not the effects of the alcohol in my system, but the ungodly bodily confusion of being abruptly woken from a rapidly achieved deep sleep. The decline in physical coordination is no different than pounding six whiskey shots with beer chasers over a two-hour period and then waking up the next morning with a massive hangover after passing out in a large coil of rope in the parking lot of a casino. 

My mind swirls fretfully with questions. Is it Con? But why would he be pounding on the door if he has a room key? Was the self-serve burrito from 7-11 that far past its due date that he got Salmonella and lost his mind? 

Was it hotel security coming to notify me they found my wallet on the floor of the front lobby? Surely they would be more discreet at 1 am than to take to my room door like they were Seal Team 6 bursting in on Osama bin Laden. 

Was it Jack the Ripper? 

Of the three possibilities, the final one seemed to be the most probable as I stumbled across my hotel room in my underpants. 

I pull open the door to reveal a completely naked man standing in the hallway outside. 

Sweet mother of God! 

That was not one of my three options.




REVIEW:

5 stars!

Delightfully and outrageously fun reading! 

How to React When Woken at 3AM by Drunk Argentinian Backpackers While Staying in a Youth Hostel and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips is the fourth book in author Simon Yeats’s travel memoir series, Lesser Known Travel Tips, but it is the first one that I’ve read. It won’t be my last! I grinned so much over his recounting of ill-fated or spontaneous journeys that my cheeks hurt the next morning. 

The author’s writing style is easy to read, self-deprecating, and filled with humorous insights and commentary on the vast number of destinations he has visited over the years. Whether traveling for a sporting event, work, or in pursuit of a lost love, his storytelling is engaging and absorbing. I had to take a break and looked up to find HOURS had passed by without me noticing; I had repeatedly decided I needed to read “just one more chapter.” 

This book was fun, the narrative clever, and I was so very entertained. I recommend HOW TO REACT WHEN WOKEN AT 3AM BY DRUNK ARGENTINIAN BACKPACKERS WHILE STAYING IN A YOUTH HOSTEL AND OTHER LESSER KNOW TRAVEL TIPS to readers who enjoy memoirs, travel, and humorous tales of life.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Simon Yeats has lived nine lives, and by all estimations, is fast running out of the number he has left. His life of globetrotting the globe was not the one he expected to lead. He grew up a quiet, shy boy teased by other kids on the playgrounds for his red hair. But he developed a keen wit and sense of humor to always see the funnier side of life.

With an overwhelming love of travel, a propensity to find trouble where there was none, and being a passionate advocate of mental health, Simon’s stories will leave a reader either rolling on the floor in tears of laughter, or breathing deeply that the adventures he has led were survived.

No author has laughed longer or cried with less restraint at the travails of life.



GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Thursday, September 05, 2024

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Secret Truth (Jake Scott Mystery, #3) by Barry Finlay


The Secret Truth
A Jake Scott Mystery
by
Barry Finlay

Mystery
Publisher: Keep On Climbing Publishing
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Page count: 256 pages

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:
Retired investigative journalist Jake Scott narrowly avoids a collision with a speeding car on his way to a Bed and Breakfast where he plans to spend the night. Moments before his arrival, the peaceful atmosphere at the B&B is shattered by a devastating explosion, claiming the lives of five guests. While authorities initially chalk it up to a tragic gas leak, seasoned homicide detective Dani Perez can't shake her suspicions. Given her overloaded schedule, she enlists Jake's expertise to delve into the backgrounds of the deceased. As Jake pursues the investigation, he unearths a web of secrets hinting at a darker truth lurking beneath the surface of the seemingly idyllic B&B.
CLICK TO PURCHASE!


READ AN EXCERPT:

The sound of a car engine starting in the distance interrupted the calm of the night. Warm rubber on pavement chirped as the car pulled away. A dog barked at the sudden sound. Oblivious to the revving engine, Jake jaywalked to the other side of the street about halfway down the block at exactly the time the car careened around the corner. The headlights bounced off the corner house and veered in Jake’s direction. A giant spotlight might as well have turned on him. For a split second, Jake stopped in mid-stride, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed as the two brilliant headlights bore down on him at lightning speed.

Only instinct saved him. He leaped for the grassy area bordering the street as the car roared past, its engine screaming. Jake swore the driver’s front corner bumper grazed the heel of his shoe an instant before his body thudded on the unforgiving ground. First, his knees, followed by his arms, and then his face completed the maneuver. The gym bag he launched during his dive landed with a dull smack on the sidewalk.

Jake turned his head to watch the car from his prone position, but all he could tell as the vehicle raced around the corner at the end of the block was that it was big and dark. For a second, streetlights glinted off the wheel disks and reflected off the passenger side windows. Then it disappeared. He moaned and, without moving his extended arm, raised his middle finger in the general direction of the car’s path. While the car and its driver had vanished, the gesture gave him a measure of satisfaction.



REVIEW:

5 stars!

A normal day turns deadly for retired reporter Jake Scott! 

The Secret Truth is the third book in author Barry Finlay’s exciting Jake Scott Mysteries, but readers new to the series will easily be able to pick up the storyline without having read the previous ones. With an older, more mature protagonist and a puzzling and compelling plot, I was glued to this story. 

In this third outing for retired newspaper reporter Jake Scott, he is staying at a B&B near his home as he waits for his newly installed custom hardwood floors to cure when he narrowly escapes death twice in one evening. While the official police ruling is an accidental explosion at the B&B, he and lead homicide detective (and Jake’s girlfriend) Dani Perez question if that is true. She encourages Jake to look into the backgrounds of the five people, the owners and other guests, who were killed. What follows is his intriguing search for the answers to who was responsible for their deaths and why they had to die. As Jake works his way through the victims’ pasts, he uncovers secrets that, if they had been made public, would have made their own explosions. 

Jake is an engaging main character who is a relatable and regular guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances. He’s older, with a lot of life behind him, but is starting over after the death of a much-loved spouse, starting with his burgeoning romance with Dani. His relationship with his adult daughter is warm, and she has a secret of her own for her father. As an investigator, he is methodical and determined and still remembers the tips and tricks he honed during his days as a reporter. The truth behind what happened slowly comes out, but much like peeling an onion, there are layers upon juicy layers in the story. 

The author’s writing is smooth and engaging, and he quickly had me invested in Jake’s latest adventure with a fabulous opening chapter. I enjoyed Ottawa’s hometown feeling and the descriptions of local places. All of this really made me want to seek out and read the first two books in the series. 

I recommend THE SECRET TRUTH to mystery readers and fans of the previous books in the series.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Barry Finlay is the award-winning author of the travel adventure, Kilimanjaro and Beyond – A Life-Changing Journey (with his son Chris), the Amazon bestselling travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, the inspirational Just Keep Climbing, and five Amazon bestselling and award-winning thrillers comprising The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection: The Vanishing Wife, A Perilous Question, Remote Access, Never So Alone, and The Burden of Darkness. His new Jake Scott Mystery Series debuted with Searching For Truth and The Guardians of Truth. He is now following that up with The Secret Truth. Barry was featured in the 2012-13 Authors Show’s edition of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania, Africa. Barry lives with his wife Evelyn in Ottawa, Canada.



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Barry Finlay will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. 




Book Review: Blink and Glow by Raven Howell

Blink and GlowBlink and Glow by Raven Howell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The kind, thoughtful message is depicted in lovely jewel-hued and summery illustrations.

Blink and Glow is a lovely new children’s picture book by award-winning author Raven Howell, and it is perfect for the upcoming summer season and the close of the school year. Its gentle and kind message is beautifully rendered in the evocative, jewel-hued illustrations of artist Ann Pilicer.

The story features young siblings Leo and Lilly, who, watching the fireflies and salamanders in their early summer backyard, decide to catch and take some to show-and-tell at school. However, once the creatures are captured in jars, their intriguing blinks and glow begin to dim and fade. Grandmother steps in with gentle insight and offers alternatives to keeping these living beings away from their natural environment and families. The instructions for these fun craft ideas are included in the story’s resolution.

BLINK AND GLOW is perfect for sharing at home, school, and after-school programs as a jumping-off point for a fun craft activity.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Wednesday, September 04, 2024

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Buried on a Sundae (Coffee & Cream Café Mystery, #4) by Lena Gregory



 

Buried on a Sundae
Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries
by
Lena Gregory

Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting - Long Island, NY
Publisher:‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Page count: 225 pages
ASIN: B0CW1B4V2Y

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

 

From author Lena Gregory comes a delicious new mystery...

Things have been looking up for Danika Delany's business—her uncle's old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island. But for her love life? Not so much. After a disastrous date with Detective Jake Barlow, Danika lets her best friends, Gwen and Eli, talk her into a night out at the hottest new nightclub in town. Only, while there, Dani finds her sort-of boyfriend secreted in the shadows on the beach behind the club with crime boss Patrick Johansen’s wife, Angelique! An upset Dani leaves without giving Jake a chance to explain, but when he doesn’t get in touch the next day, she takes a long walk along the beach to reevaluate her love life. That's where she suddenly stumbles across Angelique’s body buried in the dunes near where she last saw her with Jake. Sure that Jake is innocent—of murder at least—Danika and her friends set out to prove Jake had nothing to do with her murder and stop a killer...before they strike again!

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

REVIEW:
5 stars!

Intriguing mystery delivered with a lot of heart and wit! 

Buried on a Sundae is the fourth book in veteran author Lena Gregory’s warm and witty cozy series, the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, set in Watchogue on Long Island, New York. With its close-knit family, friends, and community, relatable relationship issues, and puzzling murder, the new mystery is a great addition to this delightful series. 

The plot offers a lot to consider in addition to the murder itself. Dani and the gang are back in action when she discovers the body of the wife of the local mob boss on the beach near her shop one morning. But with love interest Detective Jake Barlow somehow involved and suspended, the investigation takes on a unique and personal dynamic. He and Dani had finally attempted another date, but again, with frustrating results. However, Luca is still never far from Dani’s mind. 

The touristy community and Watchogue location are familiar and comfortable after the previous stories, and the residents can be counted on for the fun, cozy mystery vibe. And you can bet on the sympathy and gossip being doled out in equal measures with the coffee and ice cream confections at the little café. Even though this is the fourth mystery in the series, the author deftly works in enough backstory to bring new readers up to date while avoiding a long re-hash for series fans. Dani’s first-person narrative is an absolute highlight of the series and this book in particular. Her inner monologue is fun, and the dialogue throughout the book fairly sparkles. This is a series and story I could re-read with pleasure. 

I recommend BURIED ON A SUNDAE to cozy mystery readers and fans of the previous books in the series.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.



TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

August 27 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
August 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 30 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 31 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
September 1 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
September 2 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
September 2 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 4 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
September 5 – MJB Reviewers -SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 6 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER GUEAST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
September 6 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 7 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW


TURN THIS WHO-DUN-IT
INTO
"YOU WON IT!"



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Tuesday, September 03, 2024

Book Blast & Giveaway: A Curvy Girl's Haven (Curvy Girl's, #1) by Kristabel Reed


A Curvy Girl's Haven
Curvy Girl's, Book One
by
Kristabel Reed

Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 21, 2024
Page count: 234 pages


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:
Dr. Arabella Stanton is back in Havenbrook, California, seeking a break from her work with Doctors Without Borders. Exhausted and haunted by memories of the refugee camps, she finds solace in the familiar yet changed landscape of her grandmother’s old town. She plans to rest, recuperate, and plan out her next steps—until a persistent knock at her door changes everything.

Garret de la Rosa, a Navy SEAL with his own shadows from missions past, is back in Havenbrook to recover and find some peace. When a mutual friend brings Arabella to his door, he’s bleeding from an injury, and neither expects the connection that sparks between them.

As Arabella and Garret navigate their growing attraction, they also face their personal demons and the reality that their lives are on different paths. Amidst the tranquil beauty of Havenbrook, they find themselves questioning their futures and what they truly want.
CLICK TO PURCHASE!





ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

“You’re bleeding,” Arabella said and lifted his shirt. “You really shouldn’t say no.” She looked at the bandage and lifted the edges. Probably pulled stiches. “Please remove your shirt.”

Garret’s sinful stare met hers. “Usually there’s a second date before we get that far.”

“God, these two have the same sense of humor,” Tristan muttered.

Garret flashed her a grin but complied. She kept her cool doctorial composure as he lifted the gray material over his head and didn’t stare.

“When I’m working, I don’t have a sense of humor,” she shot back and examined the area. “Sit down,” she ordered Garret.

He did so without a word and she peeled back the bandage. Bandages. Plural. It looked as if a doctor taped one gauze over Garret’s stitches, then Garret added another layer. No, he added two layers.

Arabella was mildly surprised he hadn’t used duct tape.

“Yeah, popped a few stitches. I’ll need to close it up.” She gathered her supplies, the suture and thread. “So, can you tell me how you got that?” Arabella nodded to his side. “Or is this a case of ‘If I tell you, I’ll have to lock you up in a dungeon?”

His lips quirked in a sexy little half-grin, and his eyes sparkled with laughter. “It’s the dungeon.”


It sent a thrill of arousal through her, and her heart tripped over itself. She thought she’d imagined it earlier, but it seemed she hadn’t, even she knew when a man was interested in her. Slightly unnerved, Arabella wondered why a SEAL, a man who looked like Garret, would be interested in her.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I’m an East Coaster with an insatiable love for pizza and movies. This love has also produced a chubby girl who thought it would be fun to write a few romances for the fuller ladies. And after a long break from writing, I decided to explore the small, California community of Havenbrook; where curvier ladies find hot guys who fall madly in love! After all, curvier girls need love too.



GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.