Release Day Blitz & #Giveaway for Wind Chime Wedding by Sophie Moss

Welcome to my stop on the Release Day Blitz, presented by IndieSage Promotions, for Wind Chime Wedding by Sophie Moss.  Please leave a comment or question for Sophie to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for one (1) of three (3) print copies of her book, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

 

Wind Chime Wedding 

by Sophie Moss 

Wind Chime Cafe #2 

Publication Date: June 30, 2015 

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Buy Link: Amazon

About the book:

Second-grade teacher, Becca Haddaway, is weeks away from walking down the aisle when she learns that the Heron Island Elementary School is about to be shut down. In the midst of a whirlwind of wedding planning, she launches into a last-ditch effort to save it. But the one man who can help her is determined to make her question every decision she has ever made—including the man she’s about to marry.

Former Navy SEAL and son of the current Maryland governor, Colin Foley, is finally starting to feel whole again after losing his leg on a career-ending deployment in Afghanistan. After struggling for months to figure out what to do with his post-military life, he’s found a new mission—opening a rehab center for wounded veterans on the peaceful Chesapeake Bay island. All he needs now is a woman to share his new life with…and he knows exactly who he wants.

With a little help from the island’s magical wind chimes, can Colin convince Becca to change her mind before it’s too late?

About Sophie Moss

Sophie Moss is a USA Today bestselling author of five full-length romance novels. She is known for her captivating Irish fantasy romances and heartwarming contemporary romances with realistic characters and unique island settings. As a former journalist, Sophie has been writing professionally for over ten years.

She lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she's working on her next novel. When she's not writing, she's testing out a new dessert recipe, exploring the Chesapeake Bay, or fiddling in her garden. Sophie loves to hear from readers. Email her at sophiemossauthor@gmail.com or visit her website sophiemossauthor.com to sign up for her newsletter.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads 

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TLC Book Tour for The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour, presented by TLC Book Tours, for The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall.  Please leave a comment or question for Sarah to let her know you stopped by.  Please be sure to check back later this week for my review of this book.

About The Wolf Border

by Sarah Hall 

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Harper Collins
• Release Date: June 9, 2015
• ISBN: 978-0062208477

• ASIN:  B00NLLRB16   

The award-winning author of The Electric Michelangelo returns with her first novel in nearly six years, a literary masterpiece about the reintroduction of wild wolves into the United Kingdom.

She hears them howling along the buffer zone, a long harmonic. One leading, then many. At night there is no need to imagine, no need to dream. They reign outside the mind.

Rachel Caine is a zoologist working in Nez Perce, Idaho, as part of a wolf recovery project. She spends her days, and often nights, tracking the every move of a wild wolf pack—their size, their behavior, their howl patterns. It is a fairly solitary existence, but Rachel is content.

When she receives a call from the wealthy and mysterious Earl of Annerdale, who is interested in reintroducing the grey wolf to Northern England, Rachel agrees to a meeting. She is certain she wants no part of this project, but the Earl's estate is close to the village where Rachel grew up, and where her aging mother now lives in a care facility. It has been far too long since Rachel has gone home, and so she returns to face the ghosts of her past.

The Wolf Border is a breathtaking story about the frontier of the human spirit, from one of the most celebrated young writers working today.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Sarah Hall

Sarah Hall was born in 1974 in Cumbria, England. She received a master of letters in creative writing from Scotland's St. Andrews University and has published four novels.

Haweswater won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (overall winner, Best First Novel) and a Society of Authors Betty Trask Award.

The Electric Michelangelo was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Eurasia Region), and the Prix Femina Étranger, and was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction.

Daughters of the North won the 2006/07 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the James Tiptree Jr. Award, and was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award for science fiction.

How to Paint a Dead Man was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Portico Prize for Fiction.

In 2013 Hall was named one of Granta's Best Young British Novelists, a prize awarded every ten years, and she won the BBC National Short Story Award and the E. M. Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Find out more about Sarah at her website, and connect with her on Facebook.

Release Day Spotlight for The Plan by Tawdra Kandle

The Plan

A Crystal Cove Romance

Book 2

Available Now!

iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Smashwords/Google Play/All Romance Ebooks/Goodreads

Emmy Carter is a hard-working, no-nonsense woman. She's focused only on supporting her family and growing her pie business. Working weekend nights at The Riptide is just something she does to help pay the bills. When it comes to men--or love--she's not interested. Since the day her surfer-boy husband walked out the door to find bigger waves, Emmy's been determined never to give another man power over her heart.

Cooper Davis agrees.

He's been married--and divorced--twice, and he's got no desire to make it a trifecta. He has his carpentry business, which is his passion, and his teen-aged daughter to keep him busy. The posse, his best friends since boyhood, tease him about finding the right woman. But Cooper knows she doesn't exist. 

When Emmy and Cooper share a casual hook-up late one night, isn't a big deal. It's just a one-time thing. Until it isn't. And although neither of them will admit to themselves or each other that they want more, each encounter only brings them closer to the happily-ever-after they never planned to have.

Like it or not. . .it's all part of The Plan.

***Special price for THE POSSE (A Crystal Cove Romance Book 1)***

***99 cents for a limited time only!***

iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Google Play/Kobo/All Romance Ebooks

One women, three men, and a love story as unpredictable as the riptide . . .

Being a widow at the age of forty-four was never in Jude Hawthorne’s plans. After her husband’s death, she’s left with her family’s beach restaurant and two nearly-grown children. The last thing she’s looking for is another chance at love.

However, if her husband’s best friends, the Posse, have anything to say about it, love is just what she’s going to get. The Posse is determined to take care of Jude, and when they decide the best way to do that is for one of them to sweep her off her feet, three begin to vie for her affections. But only one can reach her heart. In a story of friendship, loss and second chances, Jude will learn her life is far from being over.

Coming August 25^th

The Path

A Crystal Cove Romance

Book 3

Abby Donavan came to the small beach community of Crystal Cove to start over. After a painful affair broke her heart and derailed her burgeoning career, taking over management for the just-opened bed-and-breakfast was the safe choice. In this sleepy town, Abby figured she could bury her memories and forget the pain. When the chance to have her own hotel falls into her lap, though, she can’t resist the temptation. Making the old Riverside Inn into the showplace she’s always dreamed of running offers the second chance she never expected.

Abby didn’t expect another kind of second chance to land on her doorstep at the same time. Ryland Kent wants to help her bring the Riverside back to life, and his passion for restoration is irresistible. But as much as she wants to ignore it, she can’t help seeing another spark in his eyes . . . one that offers to reignite her own flame. Sometimes the path to a happily-ever-after is anything but smooth.

Pre-order here! iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Google Play  

About the author

Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance (THE KING SERIES), through NA paranormal and contemporary romance (THE SERENDIPITY DUET, PERFECT DISH DUO, THE ONE TRILOGY) to adult contemporary and paramystery romance (CRYSTAL COVE BOOKS and RECIPE FOR DEATH SERIES).

She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair. Follow Tawdra here: Facebook/Twitter/Tsu/Pinterest
/Instagram/Website/Newsletter/Amazon

Excerpt Tour for Hot Beach Romance: Sand, Sunshine and Sizzle Box Set

Summer is here! 

Time for long, lazy days poolside or on the beach, and of course, a super hot read is a must-have.

 We've got you covered. Or . . . uncovered . . . 

  Ready for a summer escape? Get 15 contemporary romance stories by best-selling and award-winning authors for 99¢! Each novel and novella has a beach setting, an irresistible love story with HEA, and high sizzle factor. Slather on the sunscreen, grab a cool drink, and get ready to get hot!

  HOT BEACH ROMANCE: SAND, SUNSHINE AND SIZZLE

iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Google Play/All Romance Ebooks/Smashwords 

 Join the Facebook party on June 28^th for the official release of the bundle. 

 Find out more about the books and the awesome authors in the bundle here! 

Here's just a taste . . . 

Ecstasy By the Sea by Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey

A honeymoon to remember.

Burn Me by Eirinn Brennan 

She was sure of the future until she experienced what else it had to offer.

Finding Joy by EmKay Connor 

You can run from your secrets, but you can't hide.

Kissing Drake by Jenna Dales 

A tall, dark and seriously hot hero and the woman who makes him forget about being so serious.

Madrona Sunset by Jami Davenport 

Damaged souls craving comfort for a moment or a lifetime.

The Good Enough Husband by Sylvie Fox 

What would you do if you met your soul mate, but you were already married?

The Posse by Tawdra Kandle

One woman, three men, and a beach romance as unpredictable as the riptide.

How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin 

She's here for the summer. He lives on the streets. They'll both learn how to say goodbye.

Last Call By Alannah Lynne 

One unforgettably hot night could lead to forever...or...death...

Sunny and 75 by Scarlett Metal 

Can paradise heal their broken hearts or will their pasts come back to haunt them?

Midnight Shadows by Lisa Marie Rice 

She sees shadows that aren't there.

Two Are Better Than One by Suzanne Rock 

Two Irish exchange students convince the straight-laced Hannah that two men are better than one.

The Billionaire's Assassin by Margaret Taylor 

Adrian Hoyle couldn't know that meeting a hot Hollywood actor would be hazardous to her health.

Sun Kissed by Nancy Warren 

It's hard not to mix business and pleasure when your business is surfing.

Miami Dreams by Layla Wilcox 

Starting over in the Magic City means believing in second chances when none seem possible.

Excerpt from Ecstasy by the Sea (Countermeasure: Bytes of Life #2) by Chris Almeida and Ceceilia Aubrey

The second story in the steamy spinoff to the COUNTERMEASURE series sees Trevor Bauer and Cassandra James having just tied the knot and moving across the pond to their new digs in Ireland to begin their life as a married couple.

Unbeknownst to Cassandra, Trevor plans the perfect honeymoon getaway down to the daintiest swatch of lace. His detail-obsessed wife won't know what hit her when he sweeps her away for what will result in nothing less than a weekend filled with pure ecstasy by the sea.......

*****************

She stopped by the archway to the first floor and took in the fabulous space. "Wow. It's even more beautiful than the pictures and videos Stephan sent us."

Warm golden wood flooring covered the open-concept area. The kitchen was the perfect size, with dark chocolate-tone wood cabinets, brushed silver hardware, and cream granite countertops threaded with dark veins that complemented the chocolaty cabinets.

Cassandra walked into the kitchen and brushed her hand over the cool surface of the counters and the white subway tiling on the wall. "Nice! Stephan actually pulled off exactly what we asked for."

"Yep. The seventy-inch flat screen I have been drooling over looks awesome mounted on the wall."

"Great movie nights ahead, for sure." He watched Cassandra's eyes pass over the big screen embedded in a large media center surrounded by speakers and every electronic gadget Trevor had lusted after. She grinned and nodded toward the couch. "Even the couch has a nice deep seat for snuggling."

Trevor waggled his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah! And did you see the front door? The restoration results were brilliant. All of the original Georgian details are now showing."

Cassandra chuckled at his enthusiasm. "One would think you were talking about the Mona Lisa."

"Hey! That's an authentic Georgian door! And, considering where we live, it had to be one."

Most of the houses around St. Stephen's Green still retained the classical façades from the Georgian era and sported the traditional bright colored  doors that marked the period.

She shook her head. "Love when you get all geeky about things."

He closed the distance and circled her waist with an arm, pulling her closer. "Should I begin to talk geek now? I know how it turns you on: uploads..." He cupped her face and kissed her lips in a slow, deliberate touch, nipping at her full lower lip.

"Mmm..."

"Hard drive..." he whispered, running his tongue along the curve of her ear.

"Mmm...keep going."

"Firmware..." His hand slipped lower and cupped her breast.

Her hand cupped his groin at the same time. "Firm...yes..."

About CHRIS ALMEIDA and CECILIA AUBREY 

Writing had touched Chris Almeida’s and Cecilia Aubrey’s lives in different ways through the years but had never taken flight. It was in 2010 when Chris and Cecilia met and began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing placed itself front and center in their lives. 

Chris and Cecilia have since chosen to release all their titles independently. They have several short stories and two novels published under their own label, Éire Publishing, and are vocal supporters of independent publishing done right. They are currently working on the third novel in their series (and too many other projects).

Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.

You can find Chris and Cecilia online at:

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Newsletter

Release Blitz for Roman Mask by Thomas M.D. Brooke

Roman Mask 

by Thomas M.D. Brooke

Publication Date: June 29, 2015 

Publisher:  CreateSpace 

Formats: Kindle & Paperback 

Length:  388 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure/Action 

About the book:

What is it we normally expect of the leading character in our books? Self-sacrifice? Bravery? Strength of character? Possibly with a hint of self-deprecation? Well, Cassius doesn’t have any of those. Cynicism – yes. Cowardice – possibly. Prepared to live a lie in order to further his own ends – absolutely!

It is Rome AD 9 and Augustus Caesar rules Imperial Rome at the height of its power, as the Roman Empire stretches across the known world.

Cassius, son of one of her most powerful families, is the personification of Rome’s imperial strength: wealthy, popular, a war hero with a decorated military career. None of Rome’s fashionable parties are complete without him.

But he hides a secret.

After his nerve is broken in Germany, even the thought of genuine armed combat is enough to send him into a cold sweat. But this doesn’t dissuade him from living off a false reputation so he can continue a life of womanising, wine and wild parties, as he is seduced by the many vices of Rome.

However, his scandalous life is interrupted by a summons from the emperor’s wife. It ends his happy decadent life and returns him to Germany to assist the Roman legions in their greatest ever trial. The events will resound through history, in the dark forests of the Teutoburg …

I have researched the calamitous history of the doomed legions that marched into the Teutoburg Forest in AD 9, using a wide range of historical sources including the classical works of Tacitus and the more recent archaeological findings of the early 1990s in Kalkriese. I have put my complicated hero, who clearly suffers from the post-traumatic stress of his last encounter with the German tribes, at the centre of the events that rocked Rome to its foundations.

How can a man, so flawed in so many respects, possibly impact on these terrible events? By his humanity, by coming to terms with his flaws, and learning to stop hating himself for them. It is a tale of betrayal and hardship, but also personal redemption.

Roman Mask is Available At

Amazon US   Amazon UK   Amazon DE

About the Author

Thomas Brooke lives in London where he works in the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world. He is also a committed writer and he spends as much time as he can in his beloved Northumbrian hills, where up until recently could be seen walking with his black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015. Fergus was a constant companion to the writing of the novel and prevented many writers’ tantrums.

Roman Mask is Thomas Brooke’s second novel, although this will be the first available for sale. As well as writing novels, he also writes a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels. For more information on Thomas M D Brooke, visit www.thomasmdbrooke.com and www.romanmask.com.

You can also find him on Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

 

Book Tour & #Review for '89 Walls by Katie Pierson

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour, presented by Pump Up Your Book, for ’89 Walls by Katie Pierson.  Please leave a comment or question for Katie to let her know you stopped by.  You can follow all of the stops on Katie’s tour by clicking on the banner above. 

’89 Walls
by Katie Pierson

Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing

Release Date:  June 5, 2015

Genre: Young Adult

Heat Rating:  3 Flames 

Format: Paperback/eBook
Pages: 240

ISBN: 978-1940014555

ASIN: B00YQNHT56
Suggested Reading Age:  17+

About the book: 

College is not in the cards for Seth. He spends his minimum wage on groceries and fakes happiness to distract his mom from the MS they both know will kill her. It’s agony to carry around a frayed love note for a girl who’s both out of his league and beneath his dignity. 

Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now, though, would a) squander her last summer at home, b) antagonize her conservative dad, and c) make her a hypocrite.

Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise. They keep it a secret: it’s too early to make plans and too late not to care. But it’s 1989. As politics suddenly get personal, they find themselves fighting bare-fisted for their beliefs—and each other—in the clear light of day.

For More Information

• ’89 Walls is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

EXCERPT

Quinn used the three extra minutes before class that day to turn in her cap-and-gown order form at the office. She made sure no one was looking before skipping down the marble staircase like a little kid. She watched her light-green sundress rise and settle with each bounce. The translucent afternoon sun had managed to warm the foyer by the entrance doors as if spring might actually stick. A tiny breeze jiggled the branches of the narrow pine trees framing the building’s entrance. The stretch of blue sky spanning the transom window reassured her, like it was telling her that years of self-conscious high school angst were almost over.

Only Trish understood how crucial Quinn’s façade of success was to the fact of it. As long as she stuck to the script—Take the advanced placement classes. Study. Join the debate team. Perform.—she could hold herself together. She could no more drop the script than let her bones dissolve.

Quinn hated the debate team.

She stomped on the final step. As she rounded the bottom of the stairwell, she saw Seth walking to class from the opposite direction. His dark-blond hair looked like it wanted to cover his eyes but was failing at it. Even looking at him made her feel defensive.

He drew near enough for Quinn to read his T-shirt. A cartoon of Uncle Sam silk-screened in black-and-white on the front said, “Join the army. Travel to exotic, distant lands. Meet exciting, unusual people. And kill them.” On the inside, Quinn rolled her eyes; why did liberals like him act as though people like her invented war and they alone wanted peace, love, and teddy bears? Quinn read his shirt again. Okay, maybe it was kind of funny. But it looked out of place on a guy who never smiled.

They had less than a minute before the bell rang, and the hallway had emptied out. He probably wouldn’t acknowledge her; he never even said hi unless she said hi first. But he passed the classroom door. He was headed straight for her. His tan cheeks glowed bright pink, and his eyebrows scrunched together.

Quinn felt her shoulders creep up as their eyes met. Was he going to call her out on something right now?

She saw Ilene slipping into the classroom and waved at her. Quinn tried to veer out of Seth’s path; if he wanted to tangle, he’d have to wait until class, when Mr. Levine could referee. But he sidestepped in front of her, forcing her to stop. What the hell? They stared at each other for several seconds. Quinn noticed that the dark brown of Seth’s eyes blended right into his pupils. He also had broad shoulders for a lean guy, but he was barely three inches taller than she was.

Seth started to say something but then kind of deflated. He pressed a limp, folded piece of notebook paper into her hand. Scowling at the floor, he mumbled something under his breath before charging into the classroom.

Quinn looked around in confusion to see if there had been witnesses. There hadn’t. She walked into room 105. She sat down next to Ilene and said hi back to a few people. Taking a huge, slow breath, she slid the letter into her folder and pulled a pen out of her backpack.

Waiting for the slackers to trickle in, Mr. Levine strolled over to his desk and pried the lid off yesterday’s McDonald’s drink. He poured the light-brown liquid into the spider plant. Then he flipped off the lights and closed the door. He rubbed his hands together with that sinister glee that teachers saved up for things like pop quizzes. Then he slapped an outline on the overhead projector, on which he’d chicken-scratched the title “South Africa.” As the class groaned, Mr. Levine shrugged out of his sports jacket. He tossed it across his desk with one of the sleeves inside out.

As soon as he starting talking about apartheid, Quinn flipped open her folder to read the note.

Dear Quinn,

Here’s what I’ve wanted to say to you for a long time: I’ve liked you since the beginning of tenth grade. We haven’t had any big conversations, but I feel like I know you.

I know that you’re genuinely nice. Even though you have a lot of friends, you make a point of saying hello to people like me (the shy, antisocial types!). You’re really pretty, especially when you wear that green dress. You’re also smart. I hear George Washington University figured that out, too. Congratulations on getting in.

I wondered if you’d like to go to a movie sometime. I know it sounds weird coming from someone you’ve barely talked to (and especially from someone who would tease you about being a Republican), but I hope you’ll say yes.

Seth

About the Author

Katie Pierson freelances for local non-profits, using her background in public policy and grassroots organizing to overthrow the patriarchy one introverted step at a time. When she’s not writing fiction, she returns library books, makes soup, and tries to be cooler than she really is by hip-hopping at the YMCA. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in American History from the University of Pennsylvania (where she dabbled briefly in being a College Republican) and a Master’s in American History from the University of Minnesota. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and now lives with her family in a suburb of Minneapolis. ’89 Walls is her first novel.

For More Information

• Visit Katie Pierson’s website.
• Connect with Katie on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Katie at Goodreads.
• Visit Katie’s blog.

A coming of age story set in Lincoln, Nebraska, ’89 Walls by Katie Pierson is a genre crossing mix filled with teenage angst, first love, sex, politics, and religion.  It’s also a mix of first and third person point of view, colorful and diverse characters and the reminder that regardless of how you may feel, time marches on to the beat of its own drum and takes you along for the journey.  While written for the Teen/Young Adult crowd, this is a book many adults would enjoy.

Ms. Pierson does a good job developing both Quinn and Seth’s characters from the very start; while they are both the same age, in the same grade and even attend one class together at the same high school, they come from different political backgrounds, different socio-economic backgrounds and of course different genders.  While they’ve attended school together for some time they don’t belong to the same “cliques” and have never really gotten to know each other on a personal basis.  All of that changes when Seth takes a chance and gives Quinn a note letting her know he thinks she’s got it going on and hints at his willingness to go out on a date sometime – if she is so inclined. While Quinn is surprised, and is dating a young man in her own social circle, she soon realizes that she’s really interested in him and that her “current relationship” is going nowhere and is simply convenient.

The secondary characters play a large role in this book, especially Quinn’s parents, Seth’s mom and their history/current events teacher Mr. Levine.  Using the political events taking place in 1989 (hence the title of the book0, Ms. Pierson covers a variety of topics that are still politically hot: War (the end of the Cold War and the future of the U.S. versus Communism), Race Relations (Apartheid), China and Human Rights (Tienemen Square), Women’s Rights via the battle over Roe vs Wade (Abortion), life threatening diseases, treatment and who gets to pay for it (Aids and M.S.).  While Ms. Pierson allows some of her own political bias to come through in some of the commentary, she did try to respect other viewpoints and pointed out in the story that everyone should have a voice and be respectful of other’s opinions.

Ms. Pierson’s voice as a writer is enjoyable, her story is well paced and it’s  hard to believe this is her debut novel; I’ve read quite a few books covering part of these topics from much more experienced authors that weren’t as well written.  While I think this is an excellent book for young adults to read, I would have to caution against anyone under 17 reading this book.  I think the subject matter is too mature for anyone younger than that.  Overall I really enjoyed reading this story and wish something like this had been available when I was a freshman in college covering a part of my youth.

Will Quinn and Seth’s mutual attraction lead to their first real love?  Will the issues they discuss and learn in school help them as they get ready to graduate from high school and begin their lives as adults?  You’ll have to read ’89 Walls to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Pierson’s work.

I would like to close out my review with a personal comment; while reading ’89 Walls, I was reminded of a song by Bob Dylan.  While Mr. Dylan’s song was written when the characters in this book would not even have been born, yet I do feel that this song best describes how time and politics marches on as we and our children age.  It was also the background music during a pivotal scene in the movie Watchmen that this book brought to mind – and yes, that’s a good thing:)
.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Crowns

"The Times They Are A-Changin'" Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of  book tour for a fair and honest review.  The review is my own personal opinion based on the reading material provided.

Spotlight & #Excerpt for An Enduring Love by Wareeze Woodson

An Enduring Love

by Wareeze Woodson

Publisher;  Soul Mate Publishing  

Publication Date: January 19, 2015  

Pages Genre: Historical Romance/Regency/Suspense

Formats: eBook, Paperback 

Length:  282 

      

About the book:  

Born and raised in Latvia, Rebecca Balodis marries Rhys Sudduth, an English diplomat. Shortly thereafter, he is summoned home to attend his father’s deathbed. Rebecca cannot accompany him at the time and becomes trapped in the turmoil plaguing her country. He is informed she died in the upheaval. Nearly four years later, Rebecca escapes and arrives in London with their son in tow. Arriving in the middle of his sister’s ball proves awkward, especially since Rhys plans to announce his betrothal to a young debutante later in the evening. Can this pair ever find or even recognize an enduring love?

An Enduring Love is Available at

Amazon (Paperback)  Amazon (Kindle)

EXCERPT

A liveried butler, stern of countenance and standing stiffly erect opened the door. “Your invitation, Ma’am.”

Rebecca trembled, but forced out, “Surely, I don’t need an invitation. Please inform Lord Rhys that his wife is here.”

Astonishment flashed across the butler’s face before he bowed his head and nodded for her to follow him. Sonja was seated in the hall while he led Rebecca to a small parlor papered with stripes of ivory and cream. The entire room seemed a little intimidating, with an elaborate sofa covered with gold brocade sitting before a wide window. Chairs were shattered about the room as well, but the beauty of the room did little to sooth her nerves. She glanced at the low table in front of the sofa then let her gaze shift to the fireplace, glowing with warmth. The softly burning coals added soothing comfort to the room and with that, her whole body relaxed.

After the butler exited, Rebecca quickly knelt down to straighten Johnnie’s apparel. “We want to look our best mans maz cilveku, my little man. You must learn English better now we are home. They are not expecting us, but no matter. Your father will love you.”

The door opened and Rhys stood on the threshold with a scowl of impatience on his face, speaking to the butler over his shoulder. “Some strumpet masquerading as my deceased wife. Be damned. You’re positive she said, my wife. Not a long lost relative wanting to sponge…?”

Rebecca jumped to her feet, took Johnnie by the hand and pasted a trembling smile on her lips. “Rhys.”

About the Author

I write historical romance fiction novels set in the 1800s and forward with a twist of suspense. All of my characters and stories that are portrayed in my books are fictitious. I am a native of Texas, but I have traveled through out America and beyond. As a dreamer, I love to visit new places where I can imagine a heroine meeting a hero in a special way.

I'm an avid reader of (all sorts) and I love to write. I married my high school sweat-heart and after having raised three sons plus one daughter, our love for each other remains unshaken. Now we enjoy our eight grandchildren. We can send them home, but we're always happy for their return. Outside of my family activities, I sing with the Silver Belles at my church and hate to miss even one practice.

The local chapter of RWA is also at the top of my list of pleasures. It keeps me grounded with craft and connected with other writers. Most of all, I enjoy going fishing with my husband. Give me a pole and leave me alone to bask in the sun, listening to water gurgle along the riverbanks while allowing my mind to float away to some distance place. Ah! Perfect.

For more information visit Wareeze Woodson's website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.


An Enduring Love Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 22
Excerpt at Raven Haired Girl
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews

Wednesday, June 24
Excerpt & Giveaway at To Read or Not to Read
Spotlight at Long Ago Love

Thursday, June 25
Excerpt at I Heart Reading
Spotlight & Excerpt at Queen of All She Reads

Friday, June 26
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Monday, June 29
Review at Diana's Book Reviews

Wednesday, July 1
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, July 3
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter

Saturday, July 4

Excerpt & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews

Virtual Tour, Review & #Giveaway for A Lady of Good Family by Jeanne Mackin

Welcome to my stop on the Blurb Blitz Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for A Lady of Good Family by Jeanne Mackin.  Please leave a comment or question for Jeane to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her Tour Wide Giveaway, for a $25 Amazon or B&N GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can also follow all of the stops on the tour by clicking on the banner above.  The more stops you visit, the better your chances of winning. 

A Lady of Good Family

By Jeanne Mackin

Publisher:  NAL (Penguin Random House)

Release Date: June 2, 2015

Genre: Historical Romance

Format:  Print/eBook

Length:  352 Pages

ISBN:  978-0451465832

ASIN:  B00OQRL57U

About the book: 

Raised among wealth and privilege during America's fabled Gilded Age, a niece of famous novelist Edith Wharton and a friend to literary great Henry James, Beatrix Jones is expected to marry, and to marry well. But as a young woman traveling through Europe, she already knows that gardens are her true passion. How she becomes a woman for whom work and love, the earthly and the mysterious, are held in delicate balance is the story of her unique determination to create beauty while remaining true to herself.

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Omni-Lit | Publisher

EXCERPT

I will never marry, Beatrix thought. Never

She had passed through the first heady years of womanhood, the first balls, first waltzes, first dancing card and house party invitations, quickly discouraging any serious suitor. “My mother,” she had simply explained when any young man tried to call on her a little too frequently. Now that most of those young men had already wed, she felt she could easily avoid the issue permanently.

She jumped up, eager to be away from the table. “I need to walk,” she said to the others.

Still, they might never have met, the Italian and the American.

Beatrix could have walked in the opposite direction, away from the temple. She could have strolled through the rose garden or gone into the casina. But she chose the temple, that eerie replica of pagan passion.

The gardens were full of Americans; the young man who had just been soundly berated by his family lawyer disliked the sounds of their voices, so full of German consonants, not at all soft like his own Italian. The sounds of conquerors, he thought, laden with wealth and greed and taking much of his homeland back with them when they returned to New York and Boston and Chicago. That’s what the visit to his lawyer had been about: selling artworks. 

Empires rise and fall.  He lived in a land of fallen empire. Ahead of him, on the path, was an example of the fall of empire, a group of boys, begging, grimy hands snaking into folds and pockets of passing men and women. They had surrounded a young woman and were practicing their street skills on her.  He saw her face, the terror behind the forced calmness of a tight smile.  He changed direction and headed toward her.

Still, they might never have met. He could have waved from a distance, yelled a threat, driven the boys off with words.  But he kept walking toward her.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jeanne Mackin ‘s latest novel, A Lady of Good Family, explores the secret life of gilded age  Beatrix Jones Farrand, niece of Edith Wharton and the first woman professional landscape design in America. Her previous novel, The Beautiful American, based on the life of model turned war correspondent and photographer, Lee Miller won the CNY 2015 prize for fiction.

She has published in American Letters and Commentary and SNReview and other publications and is the author of the Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers.  She was the recipient of a creative writing fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and her journalism has won awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.  She lives with her husband, Steve Poleskie, in Ithaca.

LINKS

Website:  www.jeannemackin.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/jeannemackin1

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

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36613.Jeanne_MacKin

A mixture of literary fiction and historical romance, A Lady of Good Family by Jeanne Mackin, tells the story of real life landscape architect Beatrix Jones Farrand.  Written in third person narrative, Ms. Mackin’s tale paints a picture of both America and Europe as both continents experience the last days of the Gilded Age, the ramping up of the Women’s Rights movement and the never ending battle between “old money” and the “Nouveau Riche”.   Clearly a lover of gardening herself, Ms. Mackin’s descriptions of the gardens and landscaping Beatrix Jones Farrand would have visited, studied and eventually designed herself, remind me of the simple beauty and peace one can find when working with plants.

I believe Ms. Mackin does a good job introducing us, via reflection by a secondary character, to the young woman Beatrix Jones could have been during the time the story takes place; a young woman from a rich upper class society expected to marry but unwilling to do so.  A “handsome”, well-educated and liberated woman, Beatrix is a study in contrasts. While she comes from old money, and a coveted social standing, she’s very aware of the how the world is changing and refuses to be tied down to a traditional role like many of the women she knows.  Ms. Mackin’s easy to follow writing style made it very easy to connect with Breatrix and to root for her to be able to forge her own path. 

Ms. Mackin’s secondary characters are very well developed and I really enjoyed getting to know Beatrix’s mother Mary (aka Minnie), who devoted her life to “giving back to the world” to make up for her failing marriage, her aunt Edith Wharton, a writer I have to admit I’ve never read, and the fictional narrator and confidant of all three women, “Daisy Winters”, the only woman who had a loving and truly functional marriage, though it too had issues.  I also thought Ms. Mackin did a good job developing Amerigo Marrismo, the young Italian gentleman Beatrix meets and becomes attracted to while visiting the Villa Borghese Gardens while in Rome.  The attraction Beatrix and Amerigo begin to experience, which develops over chance encounters, is unfortunately soon offset by the conflict in the paths they want their lives to take and the interference of another wealthy American woman.

Will Beatrix choose to put her plans for landscape design and professional gardening aside for a future with Amerigo or will the different paths their lives are taking tear them apart before too much emotional damage can be done?  And if Beatrix walks away, who will she become?  You’ll have to read A Lady of Good Standing to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Mackin’s work in the future.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns

a Rafflecopter giveaway FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley for a fair and honest review.  My opinion of the book is completely without influence and my own.