Review Tour & Giveaway for And Justice For Some by Joanne Sydney Lessner

Welcome to my stop on the Review Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for And Justice for Some by Joanne Sydney Lessner.  Please leave a comment or question for Joanne to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for a $30 Amazon GC, by commenting and filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You must comment in order to enter the giveaway.  You can follow the rest of the tour here, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.

And Justice For Some

By Joanne Sydney Lessner

An Isobel Spice Mystery, Book 3

Publisher:  Dulcet Press

Release Date: September 16, 2014

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Female Sleuth

Length: 252 Pages

ISBN: 1230000264900

ASIN:  B00MT6H8EY

Buy Links:  Amazon | Nook | Kobo

About the book:

Dinner theater can be a death sentence—literally.

Actress Isobel Spice and her best friend Delphi Kramer are thrilled to finally have an opportunity to perform together, even if it’s just a cheesy interactive murder mystery at a judge’s lifetime achievement dinner. But when Isobel’s dramatic death scene is upstaged by a real murder and Delphi is left holding the still-smoking gun, Isobel drops the role of victim and assumes the role of detective. With the help of her precocious brother Percival and her reluctant temp agent James Cooke, Isobel peels back layers of deception to reveal a shocking abuse of power—and no shortage of suspects eager to deliver justice to a man who denied it to so many.

Excerpt

Practically before the last word was out of Delphi’s mouth, the crack of the gunshot ricocheted off the walls. Isobel smacked her hand to her chest and felt the blood packet burst against her blouse. Someone shrieked behind her as she staggered forward onto the dance floor. The Brioschi burbled up from her throat, foaming out the corners of her mouth and down her face. She spun around, arms flailing, eyes closed. More shrieks erupted around her.

Yup, she thought with satisfaction, definitely memorable.

She finally collapsed on the floor, limbs splayed, and after a few full-body spasms, settled into a position she could hold until Peter lifted her into the fireman’s carry.

She strained to hear Andrew’s line, “You just shot my wife,” but she was distracted by the sound of a glass shattering somewhere to her left. Somebody kicked her arm, but she held still, determined to be a convincing corpse. A pungent tang of gunpowder tickled her nose. Funny, she hadn’t noticed that when they were practicing. And…was that someone crying?

Suddenly, she felt Peter’s stubble scrape her cheek as he hissed in her ear, “Get up. Get up!”

He tried to yank her into a sitting position, but the sharp movement made her choke on the still-fizzing Brioschi. She knelt on all fours, hacking and heaving until her eyes finally stopped tearing.

“You see?” she heaved. “That’s why I wanted to practice…”

Her words died in her throat as she got to her feet. Two Hostelry security guards gripped Delphi’s shoulders, pinning her arms behind her back. Delphi’s mouth was frozen open in horror. Slowly, Isobel turned and looked behind her.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner The Temporary Detective (Dulcet Press, 2012), which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in the novels Bad Publicity (Dulcet Press, 2013) and And Justice for Some (Dulcet Press, 2014). The Ghosts’ High Noon (Dulcet Press, 2014), an Isobel Spice short story, is available on http://joannesydneylessner.com as a free download.

Inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne’s debut novel Pandora’s Bottle (Flint Mine Press, 2010) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. Her play, Critical Mass, winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition, received its New York premiere at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row in October 2010. She has written the book and lyrics to several musicals with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, including the cult hit Fermat’s Last Tango, which received its Off-Broadway premiere at the York Theatre Company in November 2000, and Einstein’s Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. They are currently developing a musical based on Wilkie Collins’s The Haunted Hotel for the Signature Theatre Company in Arlington, Virginia. Joanne is also a regular contributing writer to Opera News.

           

Website:  http://joannesydneylessner.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JoanneSydneyLessner

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/joannelessner

A fan of female sleuths and cozy mysteries, I looked forward to reading and reviewing And Justice for Some by Joanne Sydney Lessner.  While this is the third book in the Isobel Spice Mystery series, I was easily able to read it without having read any of the previous books in the series.  Well-developed characters, a good mystery, some light humor and a good pace kept me turning the pages to discover what would happen next.   If you’re a fan of mysteries, this is a series you will want to add to your reading list.

Actress and part time secretary Isobel Spice jumps at the chance to do a little light dinner theatre with her friend and roommate Delphi.  Thinking they’ll get to do a little acting and get a free meal, Isobel never imagined a murder would take place and leave Delphi holding a smoking gun.  Determined to prove her friend innocent, and satisfy her curiosity, Isobel once again dives into a murder investigation to uncover who killed the guest of honor at what turned out to be a real presentation of Murder a la Carte. 

I really enjoyed how Ms. Lessner introduced her characters at the beginning of the book; as a person who’s always wanted to go to dinner theatre, but never been able to talk any of her friends into it, I have always been curious about how a murder mystery would get staged during a dinner.  As a character, Isobel is a hoot; she’s intelligent, funny and as curious as a cat!  While she’s determined to let the police do their work and not interfere, discovering her temporary boss has a connection to the victim sends her good intentions out the door.  Soon Isobel is neck deep conducting her own investigation and uncovering clues about the victim that show he wasn’t a nice man and that there were plenty of people who might have wanted him dead.

The secondary characters are also well developed and I especially enjoyed getting to know her roommate and best friend Delphi, and her intelligently gifted younger brother Percival.  The mystery itself took several twists and turns and kept me guessing.  There’s also a little romance in the story as Isobel, who considers herself average, has two completely different men interested in having a relationship with her.  She just can’t make up her mind about who she wants to date.

Will Isobel discover who killed the guest of honor while they were performing Murder a la Carte?  Or will the killer add her to his list of victims before she can uncover the truth?  You’ll have to read And Justice for Some to find out, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books in this series

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Crowns

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FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review.  I did not receive any additional compensation for my review. 

Book Blast & Giveaway for Charlesgate by Dina Keratsis

Welcome to my stop on the Book Blast Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Charlesgate by Dina Keratsis.  Please leave a comment or question for Dina to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter the giveaway, where Dina will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC, by commenting and filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can follow the rest of the tour stops here, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.

Charlesgate

By Dina Keratsis

Publisher:  Dina Keratsis

Release Date: June 23, 2014

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Length: 268 Pages

ISBN:  9781500355920

ASIN:  B00L94GYM4

BUY LINKS:  Amazon | Page Foundry | Scirbd | Kobo | Apple

About the book:

Ever since Zylla Berry first saw the dilapidated mansion in Boston’s Back Bay, she’d become enchanted. When she walks by one day to find that someone is renovating the old beauty, she walks through its open door and meets Jabe Thayer. 

Determined to restore The Charlesgate to its former splendor, Jabe is thrilled to meet Zylla, who shares his passion for the building and knows its history. As they get to know each other, they find that their love for The Charlesgate is not a coincidence and as supernatural forces intensify, they begin to uncover a sinister secret that will threaten their future.

From the piratical seas of the seventeenth century, to Boston’s Gilded Age to the present, The Charlesgate is a haunting novel of ancestry, fate, and the unfailing power of love.

Excerpt

Zylla trotted up the steps into the cool darkness of the alcove and lovingly gazed at the gold-green ceramic tiled walls. Along the ceiling, the glossy tiles sported figures of knights, cherubs, flowers and heraldic crests. She ignored the chunks where tile was missing, just as she overlooked the broken lantern that hung from the ceiling on a rusted chain.

Instead, she turned to the iron-barred glass double doors, barely glancing at the yellow and black “No Trespassing” sign taped across them, or the thick chain and padlock wrapped around the door handles.

As always, Zylla wrapped her fingers around one grubby brass handle, closed her eyes, and pulled. And as always the padlock didn’t magically fall off to allow her entry into the Charlesgate’s realm.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 Dina Keratsis is an award-winning author of romance fiction in which all roads lead to illumination and magic is found in the mundane. A New England girl, she has a penchant for punk rock, Scottish tea rooms and a mad crush on Sirius Black. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dina-Keratsis/128401957254964

Website:  http://www.dinakeratsis.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/dinakeratsis

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6983309.Dina_Keratsis/

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/dinakeratsis/

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Dina-Keratsis/e/B002BLU538

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Virtual Book Tour for The Unexpected Earl by Phillipa Jane Keyworth

 

Publication Date: September 20, 2014 | Madison Street Publishing | Formats: eBook, Paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction/Regency/Romance

READ AN EXCERPT.

From the author of the widely acclaimed The Widow's Redeemer, comes a new Regency romance from Philippa Jane Keyworth. Six years after being jilted without a word of explanation, Julia Rotherham finds Lucius Wolversley standing before her once again–unexpected, unannounced, unwelcome. With her heart still hurting and, more importantly, her pride, Julia must chaperone her younger sister, fend off fortune hunters, orchestrate a fake engagement, and halt an elopement–all whilst keeping the man who jilted her at arm’s length. But what Julia doesn’t know is that this time, the Earl has no intention of disappearing, and this time, he has more than an explanation to offer…

About the Author

Philippa Jane Keyworth, known to her friends as Pip, has been writing since she was twelve in every notebook she could find. Originally trained as a horse-riding instructor, Philippa went on to become a copywriter before beginning a degree in History. A born again Christian, Philippa lives in the south of England with her handsome husband.

Philippa has always written stories and believes that, since it is one of her loves and passions, she always will. In her early writing career, she dabbled in a variety of genres, but it was the encouragement of a friend to watch a film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that began her love affair with the British Regency. Since then, she has watched every Regency film and TV series she could get her hands on and become well acquainted with Georgette Heyer’s novels which gave her the inspiration to write her own.

Both as a reader and a writer, Philippa believes it is important to escape into a world you yourself would want to live in. This is why she writes stories that will draw you into the characters’ joys and heartaches in a world apart from our own. Her debut novel, The Widow’s Redeemer (Madison Street Publishing, 2012), is a traditional Regency romance bringing to life the romance between a young widow with an indomitable spirit and a wealthy viscount with an unsavory reputation. The novel has been received well by readers and reviewers who have praised the heartfelt story and admirable characters.

Her second novel, The Unexpected Earl (Madison Street Publishing, 2014), explores another romance in the Regency era when an impetuous young woman has her life turned upside down by the reappearance of the earl who jilted her six years ago. So, what are you waiting for? Get swept away into another time with characters you will learn to love, and experience the British Regency like never before. For more information please visit Philippa Jane Keyworth's website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Also by Philippa Jane Keyworth

The Widow's Redeemer

The Unexpected Earl Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, September 20
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, September 22
Review at Austenprose
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Tuesday, September 23
Review at Bibliophilia, Please
Spotlight & Excerpt at Romantic Historical Reviews

Wednesday, September 24
Review & Interview at Bookish

Thursday, September 25
Review at “Good Friends, Good Books and a Sleepy Conscience: This is the Ideal Life.”

Friday, September 26
Review & Interview at Back Porchervations
Spotlight at Princess of Eboli

Sunday, September 28
Review at Book Nerd

Monday, September 29
Review at Mel’s Shelves
Review at Based on a True Story
Review at Queen of All She Reads

Tuesday, September 30
Review at A Library of My Own

My review will post later this week

KDP Select Days Tour & Giveaway for Dinner for Two by Drea Stein

 

Join me in welcoming author Drea Stein as she and her book, Dinner for Two, to my blog during their KDP Select Days Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions.  Please leave a comment or question for Drea to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for a $25 Starbucks GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can follow her tour by clicking on the tour banner, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.    

Dinner for Two

By Drea Stein

The Queensbay Series, Book 1

Publisher:  Barn Hill Media

Release Date: December 15, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 236 Pages

ASIN:  B00HGWY6LO

Buy Link:  Amazon

About the book:  

Sean and Darby love food - but is their relationship a recipe for disaster - Or a chance to make kitchen magic?

Find out in Dinner for Two, Book 1 in The Queensbay contemporary romance series

Sean Callahan was a hot shot big city chef whose high handed ways got him into trouble one too many times. Now he's in a small town hoping for another shot at the big leagues.

Darby Reese is a big city lawyer who can bake like an angel. Unfortunately, a life lived according to the law has left her burned out. So when the chance comes to run her family's deli in the small town of Queensbay, Darby's happy to take it.

But when Sean, the former chef du jour walks into her kitchen, she's definitely not prepared for sparks to fly. Will the two of them be able to find the recipe for happily ever after?

Book one in the Queensbay Series, a contemporary romance series.

Excerpt

It had been another perfect day in Queensbay, with a blue sky and strong breeze, but now there was a different feel to the air. A bank of gray clouds was building out to the east, and the breeze had quickened. Still, over the town, sun reigned.

           

She sniffed.

           

“What are you doing?” Sean asked.

She hazarded a glance up and explained, “The air. It’s changed. Rain’s coming.”

           

“Still looks sunny to me.” Sean pointed toward the blue sky out to the west.

          

“Look out to the east, out over the water, toward the ocean. Looks like a squall is coming through.”

          

“Guess I’ll have to trust you on that,” Sean said, his voice light.

          

She stared into those liquid brown eyes and tried to control the reaction in her body, the way her stomach did a flip flop before sending out a call for the rest of her to do a happy dance. Seriously, she knew that Sean Callahan was not a good person. Why, then, did she feel that familiar tightening, the clutch of desire just south of her churning stomach?

           

Something almost like a giggle escaped from her. She told herself not to be so nervous. She had nothing to worry about. Sean Callahan had sought her out. If she had been one of her clients and this had been a negotiation or some sort of a deal, she would have told her client to act cool, collected, let Sean do all the talking, see what he wanted. See where this was going to go.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Drea Stein is the author of the Queensbay contemporary romance series. She lives in rural New Jersey – yup, there really is such a thing – with her family and writes in an old barn. Visit her at www.dreastein.com or https://www.facebook.com/DreaSteinAuthor

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Release Day Blitz & Giveaway for The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall by Lauren Smith

The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall

by Lauren Smith

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense with Gothic Elements
Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Release Date: September 29, 2014

A thrilling gothic romance from Entangled’s Otherworld imprint…

To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past…

Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn't believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory. His plans are disrupted when a stubborn American shows up on his doorstep hoping to pry into his family’s tragic history.

Jane Seyton, an American graduate student, is convinced there’s more to the tragedy of Stormclyffe Hall than history claims. Ever the scholar, she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means putting up with the arrogant, yet sexy, Bastian.

Although Bastian wants nothing to do with the pushy American, it soon becomes clear that something evil is in the house—and that something is targeting both Jane and Bastian. The two must join forces to purge the ghosts of Stormclyffe Hall once and for all—even as they try to fight a physical attraction between them that grows more and more impossible to deny.

The twenty-minute drive to the estate took her on a narrow road that paralleled the edge of the coast. Although it was October, the grass was still green on the hillsides, and storm clouds were only a vague outline on the horizon.  The landscape gave way to a slowly rising hill and a mass of distant trees, gnarled and knotted together tight as thorns. Just beyond was a glimpse of the castle. It was a massive edifice that stood stark against the sky and trees, towering over the fields, and she couldn't help but stare.

The countless photographs she’d collected over the years hadn't prepared her for the raw beauty and power of the structure. The worn battlements were still fully intact, facing the sea like warriors, ever defiant in the face of nature’s force on the coast. The steep cliffs merely half a mile from the castle loomed, dark and threatening.

No fence lined the cliff edges. No warning signs guided visitors away except one that read Private Property. Heavy Fines for Trespassing. She repressed an achy shiver as a cloud stole across the sun’s path, dimming all light.

The gray stones of Stormclyffe stood stalwart and proud, challenging her to drive closer. The road turned to gravel and thinned even more, leaving only enough space for her car.

Sheer desolation seemed to pour off the structure as she pulled into the castle’s front drive. If not for the five work vehicles that obviously belonged to various handymen, she would have thought the castle was devoid of all life.

Strands of hair stung her face as the wind whipped it about. There was an unsettling silence on the grounds, like something unnatural muffled the sound of the sea. No crashing waves, only the violence of the wind against the castle’s stones.

The house seemed to be wrapped in an invisible layer of thick wool, where sight and smell were dulled. The wind’s icy fingers crawled along her shoulder blades and dug into her hair, making her tense with apprehension. The castle walls were pitted with small chinks in the stones like fathomless obsidian eyes that stared at her, sized her up, and found her wanting.

The hairs rose on the back of her neck. The eerie sensation of eyes fixed on her back sent a cold wave of apprehension over her skin. She whipped around to look at the deserted landscape, suddenly fighting off a rush of panic at being alone out here.

Her heartbeat froze for a brief moment. A woman in a long white nightgown, hair loose down to her waist, stood hesitantly on the cliff’s edge, half turned toward the sea. She stared at Jane. Her skin was grayish, and her eyes were shadowed with black circles as though she hadn't slept in years.
Something wasn't right about the way she looked, or the fact that the nightgown looked far too old in style for any modern woman to be wearing. Not to mention a woman in a nightgown in broad daylight wasn't right either…

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo

Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. Lauren loves hearing from readers and can be contacted through her site at www.laurensmithbooks.com.

Facebook Fan Page ~ Facebook Friend Page ~ Twitter ~ Google +

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ The League of Rogues

email: ldsmith1818@gmail.com

Join Lauren's League - Lauren's Official Street Team

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway for Ruined by Marian Cheatham

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Ruined by Marian Cheatham.  Please leave a comment or question for Marian to let her know you stopped by.  Marian will be awarding an eBook copy of Ruined to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop during the tour. A Grand Prize of a signed paperback copy of Ruined plus a new DVD of Much Ado About Nothing starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson will be awarded to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour (US ONLY).  You must comment to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.   You can follow the rest of Marian’s tour here, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.

Ruined

By Marian Cheatham

Stratford High, Book 1

Publisher:  Marian Cheatham

Release Date: June 27, 2014

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Length: 140 Pages

ASIN:  B00LCR3UWK

Buy Links:  Amazon  Barnes & Noble

About the book: 

When your life has been ruined by lies, do you seek justice … or revenge?

 

Blythe Messina spends her senior year focused on her studies and college, and not on her ex, Stratford High's lacrosse star, DB Whitmore. At least, that's what Blythe keeps telling herself. But her younger cousin, Bonni, knows otherwise. Same goes for DB, who swears to be over Blythe and their breakup, but his teammates aren’t fooled.

When scandalous photos of Bonni and the team captain are texted around Stratford, Bonni's virtuous reputation is ruined. She professes her innocence, but no one believes her. No one, except Blythe and DB, who come together to uncover the truth. But, will they stay together?  

Ruined is a modern twist on a classic Shakespearean romance. 

"Deceit, loyalty, honor, and romance--Ruined has it all! A teen version of Much Ado About Nothing that Shakespeare aficionados are sure to savor!” 

Kym Brunner, Author of Wanted: Dead or in Love & One Smart Cookie

All books in the Stratford High series will be modern retellings of a Shakespeare classic. Ruined is inspired by Much Ado About Nothing.

Excerpt

JON PRINCE

I headed for the Sports Arena, Sly and Slash trailing behind like the obedient lackeys they were. “The idea of that fool, Cory, dating Messina money makes me wanna puke.” I stopped in front of the Basketball Throw and swiped my card in the slot. “I’d love to find a way to bust Cory and Bonni up.” Four balls rolled down the shoot into the pocket in front of me. 

“I could beat the crap out of him for you,” Slash offered.

“That could make them even tighter. Bonni would feel sorry for Cory. Want to nurse him back to health.” I took my first shot. “No, what I need is a way to humiliate them.” The ball circled the rim and then dropped off to one side. “I want to ruin their spotless reputations.” 

“Like that Facebook incident,” said Sly, “that happened to that Maggie chick I dated freshman year. Some of her friends posted some embarrassing pictures of her. Mags was so ashamed, she missed two weeks of school.”

“I saw those pictures.” I took another shot. “Hysterical. Especially that drunk one of her puking in her dad’s Escalade.” The ball bounced off the backboard and forward over the rim. “We need something more damaging, like photos of Bonni hooking up with another guy.”

“How we gonna get those?” asked Slash. “When she’s all over Rash?”

I took my third shot. The ball hit the outside of the rim and dropped like a boulder to the floor. “What if we got Cory to think she was cheating on him?”

“That would kill him.” Sly sniggered. “His good girl gone bad.”

“And what if the guy turning the good girl bad is my brother? That would get Paolo into hot water with his tight buddy, Leo Messina.” I spun on Slash. “Can you get your hands on some Roofies?”

“The date rape drug?”

“You got a problem with that?”

Slash shook his head. “Nope. I’m your guy. But those pills cost.”

“Don’t sweat it. I’ll front the money. In fact, there’ll be some serious cash for both of you if you help me pull this off.” I raised my last ball and released. The ball slipped right through the net. “Slam dunk.” Slash and Sly jumped up to shoulder bump each other. “Let’s do this. First chance we get.”

“When will that be?” Slash asked.

I wandered past the sporting games. I wasn’t in the mood for baseball or golf. I wanted to pound something. “When the opportunity presents itself, I’ll know.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Marian is a full-time writer of contemporary and historical young adult fiction. A native Chicagoan and a graduate of Northern Illinois University, Marian taught special education and worked in the business world before pursuing her dream of becoming a writer. She would rather be at her desk than almost anywhere else, but of course, that isn’t always possible. So when she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, walking the dog, travelling with her husband, and researching new projects. Not necessarily in that order. 

She adores anything Shakespeare. An avid reader of Shakespeare biographies, she has travelled the world to see his plays, visiting Stratford, Canada as well as Stratford-Upon-the-Avon, Great Britain, and the new Globe Theater in London. Her latest YA novel, Ruined, Book One in her new Stratford High series – modern retellings of Shakespeare’s plays - is inspired by the Bard’s classic romance, Much Ado About Nothing. Book Two, inspired by the Merchant of Venice, is due out fall 2014.

Her debut YA, Eastland, came out in February 2014. Based on the real-life story of the 1915 Eastland boat disaster in Chicago, Marian lectures about the Eastland to schools, libraries, and book clubs, as well as co-hosting haunted Chicago tours of Eastland disaster sites. She writes a post on the subject on the Tribune’s Chicago Now blog site. Visit her at:

                             

Blog:  www.chicagonow.com/everyday-eastland/

                             

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/mariancheatham.author    

                             

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/22542534-ruined

                              

Twitter:  @CheathamMarian

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway for Unlikely Venture by Kristen Luciani

Unlikley Venture 

by Kristen Luciani 

The Venture Series 

Publication Date: November 10, 2014 

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis

After learning Jessica's been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, her fiancé bolted out of her life as if he was on fire. She finds solace in her career--no distractions or romantic entanglements there! But the universe has its own agenda.

Three thousand miles away from home and in the most unlikely of circumstances, Jessica meets Silicon Valley rising star James Callahan and her world is instantly turned upside down. Things go further awry when she encounters a ghost from the past. That one night of reckless abandon is back to haunt her and the control she fought so hard to regain is now in the hands of another.

Plagued by betrayal and guilt over his dad’s untimely death, James left Cambridge in search of a new beginning. With laser-focus, he built a cutting edge technology company now on the brink of financial success. Romance is the last thing on his mind…until he meets Jessica.

Fate brought them together, awakening their dormant emotions. But Jessica’s scandalous secret consumes her and threatens the very happiness she feared she’d never find with another man. Can James handle the truth about her past? Or did she pick the wrong guy yet again?

About the Author

Kristen Luciani is a self-proclaimed momtrepreneur with a penchant for Christian Louboutins, Silicon Valley (the place, not the show), plunging necklines and grapefruit martinis. As a deep-rooted romantic who prefers juicy drama to fill the lives of anyone other than her, she tried her hand at creating a world of enchantment, sensuality, and intrigue, finally uncovering her true passion. No pun intended…

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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TLC Book Tour & Giveaway for The Betrayed by Heather Graham

The Betrayed

By Heather Graham

Krewe of Hunters, Book 14

Publisher:  Harlequin Mira

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Length: 363 Pages

iSBN:   9780778316565

ASIN: B00JZFWQXA

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON | B&N | KOBO 

| iTUNES | AUDIBLE

About the book:

One night, New York FBI agent Aiden Mahoney receives a visitor in a dream—an old friend named Richard Highsmith. The very next day he’s sent to Sleepy Hollow because Richard’s gone missing there.

Maureen—Mo—Deauville now lives in the historic town and works with her dog, Rollo, to search for missing people. She’s actually the one to find Richard…or more precisely his head, stuck on a statue of the legendary Headless Horseman.

Mo and Aiden, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s unit of paranormal investigators, explore both past and present events to figure out who betrayed Richard, who killed him and now wants to kill them, too. As they work together, they discover that they share an unusual trait—the ability to communicate with the dead. They also share an attraction that’s as intense as it is unexpected…if they live long enough to enjoy it!

Continuing my quest to read more books preparing me for the fall season, I happily picked up the next installment in the Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series.  Set in secluded village of Sleepy Hollow, The Betrayed, gives us the story of Aiden Mahoney, a New York FBI agent, with a missing friend and Maureen “Mo” Deauville, an “expert consultant” on the search and rescue team.  Mo and her wolfhound Rollo, are the search team lucky enough to find Aiden’s dead friend.

Ms. Graham does a good job developing Aiden and Mo’s characters and providing the reader with the rich history of the local area, especially the history tied to Washington Irving and his “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” story.  Showcasing the differences between Aiden, a man used to living in the big city, and Mo, a woman who prefers the quiet of a country village, Ms. Graham uses the investigation and their sexual attraction to bring them together. 

The secondary characters are also well developed and it was nice seeing the “krewe” members working with an agent who wasn’t comfortable about their involvement or the paranormal angle the case took.  I also enjoyed getting to see Mo’s relationship with Rollo, her wolfhound, because I’ve always had a weak spot when it comes to large dogs.

The story’s pace is good and the mystery surrounding the killer’s identity is also well handled.  One thing that was different about this book, at least from the previous book in the series I read, was how the main characters dealt with their “paranormal gift”.  Aiden didn’t really think he had a gift, or if he had a gift he thought it was pretty much dormant and Mo’s gift manifested itself in an unusual way.  I won’t give more details so you can enjoy discovering how her gift worked for yourself.

Will Aiden and Mo be able to solve his friend’s murder?  Will their relationship blossom into something more? You’ll have to read The Betrayed to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns   

About Heather Graham

New York Times and USA TODAY  bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels and has been published in more than 20 languages. An avid scuba diver, ballroom dancer and the mother of five, she enjoys her south Florida home, but loves to travel as well, from locations such as Cairo, Egypt, to her own backyard, the Florida Keys. 

Reading is still the pastime she still loves best, and she is a member of many writing groups. She’s a winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Thriller Writers’ Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, and also the founder of The Slush Pile Players, an author band and theatrical group.

Heather annually hosts the Writers for New Orleans conference to benefit both the city, which is near and dear to her heart, and various other causes, and she hosts a ball each year at the RT Booklovers Convention to benefit pediatric AIDS foundations.

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