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Saturday, November 30, 2013

Virtual Book Tour for Nothing Personal by Rosalind James



Join author Rosalind James on her Virtual Book Tour for Nothing Personal, presented by Reading Addiction Book Tours, from November 11, 2013 – January 11, 2014.  Please leave a comment or question for Rosalind to let her know you stopped by.  You can follow the rest of Rosalind’s tour here.

Nothing Personal
By Rosalind James
The Kincaids, Book 2

Publisher:  Rosalind James
Release Date: October 18, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 301 Pages
ISBN: 978-0988761964
ASIN: B00FYTHXMA

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About the book: 

When you wish upon a star . . . 

Alec Kincaid has never met the obstacle he couldn’t overcome—or the woman who could resist him. And it’s not going to happen now, not with his star shining more brightly than ever in the high-stakes arena of San Francisco’s software industry.

Desiree Harlin doesn’t believe in fairy tales, and she doesn’t waste time wishing. She’s learned the hard way that dreams don’t come true. And with her reputation and hard-won security on the line, succumbing to temptation isn’t an option. 

But things aren’t always what they seem. And even stars sometimes fall.


Buy link:  Amazon


Author Bio:

Rosalind James is the author of the Kindle-bestselling "Escape to New Zealand" series (currently five titles strong), as well as the new U.S.-based "Kincaids" series. Her first book,"Just This Once," has sold tens of thousands of copies in the year since it was published, eventually reaching #85 in the Amazon store. A marketing professional and publishing industry veteran, Rosalind has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries, traveling with her civil engineer husband. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She loves trying new things in her writing, most recently the mystery and suspense in "Nothing Personal."

Rosalind credits her rapid success to the fact that “lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!” 


Twitter: @rosalindjames5


My Review

Having read and enjoyed Rosalind James Escape to New Zealand series, I looked forward to reading her new series, The Kincaids.  While Nothing Personal is the second book, I was able to read and enjoy it without getting to read Welcome to Paradise first (sadly I never seem to read Ms. James’ books in correct reading order).  Once again, Ms. James’ characters drew me into their story and kept me turning the pages until I reached the end.

Young and a tech genius, Alec Kincaid needs to raise capital for his new start-up.  Having already successfully operated three projects, Alec is positive the same group of investors who have backed his previous work will provide the money he and the team he’s chosen will need to succeed.  He didn’t count on the investors insisting on choosing one of the team members themselves, or on it being someone they feel would be more of an “adult influence” among the group.  He also didn’t count on being instantly attracted to their choice.

A successful businesswoman, Desiree “Rae” Harlin knows what it takes to make a start up successful.  Chosen to be the CFO of Alec Kincaid’s new start-up, Rae looks forward to working with Silicon Valley’s new it boy (the fact he’s incredibly attractive and charismatic aside) and is determined make the project a success.  Her attraction to him shouldn’t be a problem.

The scenes between Alec and Rae are well written, have good dialogue and they have really good chemistry.  While they are both attracted to each other, Rae is a smart, intelligent woman who doesn’t want to have a quick fling that could be costly to both her self esteem and their working relationship.  Ms. James does a really good job developing both Rae and Alec’s characters and we see them both grow and change as they work out their relationship.  Alec realizes he's going to have to work to win Rae’s attention and love, she's the first woman who hasn't automatically fallen at his feet in a long time, something he realizes he admires.  Both characters act like adults and while they both have issues from their pasts that need to be dealt with, their relationship progresses at a good pace.

Will Alec and Rae’s business and tech know how enable the start up to be a success?  Will their relationship be able to survive someone’s sabotage attempts?  You’ll have to read Nothing Personal to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading Welcome to Paradise next.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns





Friday, November 29, 2013

Promo Blitz & Giveaway for The Christmas Bride by Sylvia McDaniel



Join author Sylvia McDaniel on her Promo Blitz for The Christmas Bride, presented by Book Promotions by Literary Nook on November 29 – 30, 2013.  Please leave a comment or question for Sylvia to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. You can follow the rest of the tour here, and look for my review later today.

The Christmas Bride
By Sylvia McDaniel
The Burnett Brides Series, Book 4

Publisher: Virtual Bookseller
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Genre: Historical Western Romance
Length: 160 Pages
ISBN: 978-1310915093
ASIN: B00FJA99TO

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About the book:

A Western Romance Novella (Book 4, Burnett Brides Series)

Eugenia Burnett has gotten what she wants. Her three sons are married and she has three grandchildren, with the fourth on the way. But she hasn’t given up her matchmaking ways. Now she’s moved on to the people she knows and she’s matching widows and widowers together. Until one widower, Wyatt Jones let’s her know in front of a crowded restaurant that he’s not interested in any of the women she keeps sending him except her. Sworn never to remarry, she doesn’t need a husband or want one. She’s a free spirit doing what she pleases and no one is going to boss her around. But Wyatt wants Eugenia and she says no.

In this western historical romance novella, come back to the old west and spend Christmas with the Burnett family. See Eugenia meet her match in cowboy Wyatt Jones.

Buy Links:  Amazon Barnes & NobleSmashwords  
Excerpt

The Christmas Bride
By Sylvia McDaniel

The door to the café opened, the cold wind slamming it against the wall. The restaurant grew quiet with the sudden entrance, and Eugenia turned to see who was making such a racket.

Wyatt Jones stood in the doorway, his muscular frame filling the opening. His cowboy hat sat at an angle on top of his head, and his large brown eyes scanned the room.

In his hand, he carried a duffle bag.

Eugenia tried to ignore the big man as he strolled through the doorway and removed his Stetson.

Their gazes locked across the room, and he smiled, his full lips turning up in a grin that made her body soften and her heart give an extra little ca-thunk. He spoke to the waitress, but his gaze never wavered from Eugenia.

Uh-oh. A tingle of nerves zinged through her bones. This couldn’t be good.

His boots made a rhythmic thump, thump, thump on the wooden floor as he walked with a determined stride straight toward her, his bag in hand, his spurs jingling. Nervously, she licked her lips.
Myrtle’s back faced the door, and she continued to blather about something. But Eugenia couldn’t seem to focus on the words. All she could see was this handsome cowboy walking her way. She couldn’t stop staring at him. She knew he was coming for her.
She’d already sent several women his way, and she didn’t think he was here to thank her for curing his loneliness.

Wyatt stopped at their table, touching the rim of his hat as he glanced at Myrtle. “Morning Mrs. Sanders. Nice to see you.”
He pivoted to Eugenia, his brown eyes dancing with merriment. Staring into those earthy eyes, a warm flush settled over her like a blanket. He opened the bag, withdrew a casserole dish, and laid it on the table. He took a second dish out and placed it alongside the first one, and then another, and another.

Oh dear.

When he finished, six clean, empty casserole dishes sat in front of her.

His mouth turned up in that slow, lazy grin that burned a sizzle along her spine. Why did this man make her feel like she’d raced her grandchildren around the yard and couldn’t catch her breath? Why did this man make her more nervous than a virgin on her wedding day? Why did this man have her wondering how his lips would feel against her own?

“Eugenia,” he said in that deep drawl that sent shivers skittering over her. “You’ve been mighty busy, sending women out to my house. You’ve kept me and my men well fed the last couple of weeks.”

“Glad I could help,” she said, her voice sounding breathy and soft.

He leaned in close and put his hands on either side of her, effectively pinning her in the chair. She felt the urge to jump up and run, but resisted. She sat there, stared him in the eye and refused to back down. No longer would she back down to any man. Never again.

“While I appreciate the effort, I’m not taking the bait. There’s only one woman in this town that I’m interested in pursuing to become my wife.” The deep timbre of his voice was low and commanding.

“And pray tell, who would that be?” she asked, knowing she would have him hitched as soon as possible.

“You, Eugenia Burnett. You.”



Author Bio

Sylvia McDaniel is a best-selling, award-winning author of historical romance and contemporary romance novels.  Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances,  Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides a western historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, and several short contemporary romances.

Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, and she was a Golden Network Finalist.

Married for nearly twenty years to her best friend, they have two dachshunds that are beyond spoiled and a good-looking, grown son who thinks there’s no place like home. She loves gardening, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order.

Currently she’s written sixteen novels and is hard at work on number seventeen. Look for her the first Tuesday of every month at the Plotting Princesses blogspot http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/.

Be sure to sign up for her newsletter to learn about new releases, contests and every month a new subscriber is entered into a drawing for a free book.


You can write to Sylvia at P.O. Box 2542, Coppell, TX 75019 or visit her web site:

Author Links:





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Promo Blitz & Giveaway - Black Friday Sale for A Shot in the Dark by Jennifer Burrrows



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A Shot in the Dark - Black Friday Sale PROMO Blitz
By Jennifer Burrows
Romantic Thriller
Date Published: 7/11/2013

Most of the patients that are brought to the trauma bay in the ER remain nameless, and for the most part, faceless.  For Laney Pearson and the rest of the staff, this makes it easier to move past the senseless death and destruction that they see on an almost daily basis.  But all of that changes for Laney when she finds herself trying to pump the life back into a young motorcycle rider who arrives by helicopter more dead than alive.

Skyler Smith has all the makings of the next great motocross rider, right up until he crashes while trying to perform the trick that will secure his future.  From the time his motionless body is lifted off the track, the question becomes not when his next race takes place, but whether he will live to see another day.  And now there is mounting evidence that the tragedy was no accident.


Laney can never envision this boy’s crash and the ensuing investigation will have such an impact on her own life, but in the days that follow, she discovers a life within her she never knew existed.  While the police sort through the mounting evidence from the crash, Laney has to sort through her own feelings for the handsome trauma surgeon that she previously never gave a second thought.  Is he really as charming as he seems, or is there another reality hiding beneath the surface?  And just how long has he been watching her?   


EXCERPT

As he got to the base of the jump, he noticed his front wheel was wobbling. His first instinct was to panic. Instead, he took a deep breath and counted to five to calm himself. All he had to do was make this jump. He knew he could do it. There wasn't a chance he was going to miss it.


As he watched the wheel become persistently looser, doubt filled his mind. This is bad. Maybe I shouldn't do this jump. This could end terribly. Man, you have to do this jump. This is what you have been preparing for. As he went up the jump and started his flip, he saw his front tire fall off in midair. A brief moment of panic surged through his body. He continued on not knowing what else to do as he tried to turn his bike around and land on the back tire. But the surprise of his tire falling off made his timing off. Instead, he landed on the ground with his bike falling on top of him leaving him in complete darkness.

About the Author
Jennifer Burrows


Jennifer is a Registered Nurse, and she holds a Master’s degree in Nursing Administration.  She has 15 years of experience working in the Emergency Room and the Intensive Care Unit of a major trauma center.  While she is equally adept at all facets of patient care, Emergency room nursing is her passion, and is the inspiration for this story.  Currently, she resides in Southern California with her husband and their three amazing boys.  This is her first published novel, with the sequel expected soon.


Buy Links

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway for Spoonful of Christmas: The Cupcake Diaries by Darlene Panzera



Join author Darlene Panzera on her Virtual Book Tour for Spoonful of Christmas: The Cupcake Diaries, presented by Tasty Book Tours from November 25 – December 13, 2013.  Please leave a comment or question for Darlene to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter Avon’s tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter below.  You can also follow the rest of her tour here, the more stops you visit the better your odds of winning. 

Spoonful of Christmas
By Darlene Panzera
The Cupcake Diaries, Book 4

Publisher: Avon Impulse
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 176 Pages
ISBN: 978-0062305121
ASIN: B00CKOVBU2

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About the book: 

In this special Christmas novella from Darlene Panzera, THE CUPCAKE DIARIES: Spoonful of Christmas continues the adventures of three cupcake-loving women who work to keep their dream cupcake shop open while balancing love, family, and friendship.

When businessman Preston Pennyworth offers to buy Creative Cupcakes for a million dollars, the women are startled by his offer. Friends Andi, Kim, and Rachel have put everything into the shop and don’t want to give it up. 

Despite refusing the expensive offer, their worries are starting to pile up—just in time for the Christmas season.  
Between Andi’s concerns about a potential cross-country move, Rachel’s wedding-day stress, and Kim’s love life woes, the spirit of the season seems to be lacking! With the added stress of the holiday season, the women can’t help but imaging the possibilities of the offer.

Things change when Andi decides to organize a Christmas party for the foster kids in the area and the whole town gets involved. The women of Creative Cupcakes are reminded of what truly matters, as they realize the best things in life are close to home! But, when the shop is vandalized, the foster kids’ gifts are stolen, and Rachel’s wedding is sabotaged by a real life Grinch, the women can’t help but feel hopeless on Christmas.  Will their Christmases be saved?

In this warm and heartfelt add-on to THE CUPCAKE DIARIES trilogy, Darlene Panzera’s Christmas novella will captivate reader’s hearts and capture the true meaning of Christmas. 

Buy Links:  Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo Diesel eBooks Avon Romance



~Holiday Recipe - Paul Hanson's Carrot Cake~
(from the author's great-uncle)

Sift together:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In another bowl combine:
1 1/2 cups salad oil
2 cups sugar

Directions:
Mix well, add 4 beaten eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each egg. Gradually add 2 cups finely grated carrots. Add dry ingredients. Mix well.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 350° (Less time for cupcakes)

Icing:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese
Beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add while beating:
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
(1 cup chopped pecans - optional) 



About the Author

Darlene Panzera is the winner of the “Make Your Dreams Come True” contest sponsored by Avon Books. The win led her novella, The Bet, to be published with Debbie Macomber’s Family Affair. The award-winning novella (chosen in a blind-read by Debbie Macomber) was then published as a full length novel retitled, Bet You’ll Marry Me. Born and raised in New Jersey, Darlene is now a resident of the Pacific Northwest where she lives with her husband and three children. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, two horses, and loves: camping, hiking, photography, and lazy days at the lake.

Author Links
@DarlenePanzera




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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Book Blast & Giveaway for The Red Qipao by Ayo Oum Shanti



Join author Ayo Oum Shanti on her Virtual Book Blast for The Red Qipao, presented by Pump Up Your Book!, from November 11 – November 29, 2013.  Please leave a comment or question for Ayo  Shanti to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  


Title: The Red Qipao
Genre: Historical Mystery/Suspense
Author: Ayo Shanti
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 343
Language: English

About the Book:

All the stories that filled my childhood, even the ones about my beloved Lemminkainen, were overshadowed by my growing obsession with the mystery surrounding Mother. And at the heart of her mystery was a red silk dress.  At the end of World War II, five-year-old Carlotta “Carrie” Saari, who was boarded out during the war, reunites with her family. She and her older sister Beth are soon bonded by their love of stories, Finnish mythology, the different characters that fill their lives, and their need to solve the mystery that surrounds their mother. They secretly discover a red Chinese dress (qipao) in their attic. Soon Beth’s awakening sexuality creates an undercurrent of tension with their mother, suddenly exploding when Beth appears in the red dress. The sisters’ world then shatters when their mother mysteriously disappears.

Beth goes on to live a nomadic life, intermittently visiting Carrie, who becomes disturbed by Beth’s blatant approach to sex. Their mother’s red dress, which Beth had taken, appears from time to time throughout Carrie’s life.

While Carrie moves through the turbulence of the twentieth century, her quest to uncover the mystery of the red dress and her mother’s disappearance takes her back to the Shanghai of the 1920′s, on a journey to self-discovery and the healing power of love.

Purchase your copy:  iUniverse  Amazon




About the Author:

Ayo Oum Shanti was deeply influenced by her Finnish father and the China experience of her maternal grandmother. Poet, writer, dancer, world traveler, Ms. Shanti has a special interest in spiritual practices and indigenous cultures. She lives in New York City.




Pump Up Your Book and Ayo Shanti are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!



Terms & Conditions:
By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Certificate or Paypal Cash.
This giveaway begins November 11 and ends November 29.
Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, December 2, 2013.
Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!
ENTER TO WIN!

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Book Blast Schedule

Monday, November 11
Tuesday, November 12
Wednesday, November 13
Thursday, November 14
Friday, November 15
Monday, November 18
Tuesday, November 19
Wednesday, November 20
Thursday, November 21
Friday, November 22
Monday, November 25
Tuesday, November 26
Wednesday, November 27
Thursday, November 28
Friday, November 29