Spotlight & #Giveaway for Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder by Mary Cunningham

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Tour, presented by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, for Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder by Mary Cunningham.  Please leave a comment or question for Mary to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You may follow all of the stops on the tour by clicking on the banner above.  Good Luck!

 

Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder

By Mary Cunningham

Andi Anna Jones Mystery, Book 1

Publisher: Imajin Books 

Release Date:  NOV 30, 2017

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Length: 150 pages

Purchase Links:  Amazon  Smashwords  GooglePlay  Kobo 

About the book:

Andi’s step-mother is a real piece of work!

But is Ruby a murderer?

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent/amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a 60th birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will lead to the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby will be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with the charming local sheriff, Manual Rodriquez. After an embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, a chance to check out an eyewitness to the murder leads her to Las Vegas.

In Vegas, a mysterious meeting in the Bodies Exhibition, a body preserving in the prep-room, and an evasive owner of a dance studio, give Andi clues to help Ruby. But when Andi is mercilessly drugged and locked in a storage room, she realizes dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.

EXCERPT

I jumped when the phone rang in the middle of grinding beans for my second latte. For a moment, I considered letting the call go, but that damned nagging promise made to Dad about watching out for his second wife, forced me to answer.

“Yeah?”

“Miss? Are you there?”

Well, this isn’t Ruby. Nice baritone. “I’m here. Who’s this?”

“Manuel Gonzales of the Cancun Sheriff’s Department, Miss…?”

“Jones. But then I imagine you already know since you called me.”

“Miss Jones, I wanted to get you up to speed. I inspected the scene of last night’s, uh, apparent homicide. Regarding Ruby Jones, the suspect, she is currently being…”

A commotion in the background caught my attention. “Wait. Who’s screaming? Is that Ruby?”

The phone reception had improved because Ruby sounded like she was standing in my kitchen. For the first time since this nightmare began, I found myself smiling when I heard, “You can’t do this to me! I have rights as an American citizen! Remember the Al-a-moooo….”

About the Author

Author Mary Cunningham  grew on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn”.

Childhood experiences, and a recurring dream about a mysterious attic, inspired characters, Cynthia and Augusta Lee, for her award-winning middle-grade series, Cynthia's Attic.

Through the author’s horrifying stint as a travel agent, protagonist, Andi Anna Jones, travel agent/amateur sleuth, sprang to life. This series gives extra meaning to the phrase, “Write what you know.”

Cunningham is a member of The Georgia Reading Association, and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband. Together they've raised three creative children, have 2 granddaughters, a grandson, a great grandson, and an adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.

Margaritas, Mayhem, & Murder: Andi Anna Jones Mystery #1 will be released NOV 30, 2017 by Imajin Books. Book # 2 is in process.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.marycunninghambooks.com

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Cynthiasattic

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/marycunninghambooks/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MaryCunningham

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gus65/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycunningham1/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/367223.Mary_Cunningham

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLNEK4

Imajin Books: http://www.imajinbooks.com

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Blog Tour & #Giveaway for It's Hard Out Here For A Duke by Maya Rodale

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour, presented by Pure Textuality PR, for It’s Hard Out Here For A Duke by Maya Rodale.  Please leave a comment or question for Maya to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter the tour wide giveaway below.  Good Luck!

It’s Hard Out Here For A Duke
by Maya Rodale 
Keeping Up With The Cavendishes, Book 4


Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: November 28, 2017
Genre: Adult Historical Romance

About the Book

Some Mistakes…

When American-born James Cavendish arrives in London tomorrow, he’ll become the Duke of Durham. Some might be ecstatic at the opportunity. Not James. He’s a simple man, fond of simple pleasures. And right now, nothing could be more pleasurable than spending his last night of freedom with a beautiful stranger.

Are Far Too Good…

One wild night, Meredith Green, companion to the dowager Duchess of Durham, said yes to a man she thought she’d never see again. Suddenly, they’re living under the same roof, where Meredith is expected to teach James how to be a duke-while trying not to surrender to temptation a second time.

To Be Forgotten.

For a duke and a commoner, marriage would be pure scandal. Yet nothing has ever felt as right as having Meredith in his arms…and in his bed. Soon he must choose-between a duty he never desired, and a woman he longs for, body and soul…

EXCERPT

Though Miss Meredith Green lacked birth, or wealth, or many other qualifications one would assume of a gently bred lady, she had been raised to be one. She could curtsy with the best of them, expertly arrange both flowers and seating arrangements for dinner parties, and could recite pages from Debrett’s Book of the Peerage. These were just a few of her accomplishments.

As such, she should not be here, in the public room of the Queen’s Head Tavern and Coaching Inn. Especially not alone and especially not at night, where any old ruffian might think he could take a liberty with her, to put it nicely.

Which is why she should not have allowed the barmaid to add a generous splash of whiskey to her tea.

Which is probably why she was encouraging the ocular advances of a handsome man with whom she was not acquainted.

Meredith had noticed him the moment he walked in, tall and lanky but strong, with unfashionably long brown hair that fell rakishly in his eyes. What color were they, she wondered? She didn’t need to know. There was nothing she could do with this information. There was absolutely no point to her knowing.

She badly wanted to know.

So she dared one glance, then another.

Do not look. Do not look. Do not look.

Her better judgment was roundly ignored. Before she knew it they were somehow flirting from opposite sides of the room without even saying a word.

It was the sort of thing that made a girl’s heart beat giddily and her toes start to tap under her skirts. Thanks to years of training, she kept her posture poised and her movements elegant, but under her skirts, her toes were tapping.

This, this was what she need tonight: a distraction. The past few months had been trying, and the next few promised to be challenging as well, albeit in a different way. She had only tonight to live for herself.

She darted another look in his direction.

He was watching her. This truth elicited a slight smile from her lips. But she shouldn’t take pleasure in this.

She ducked her head.

But her heart beat quickly and she wondered: Would he come over?

He shouldn’t. He really should not. She absolutely should not encourage him. But life was full of should-nots, and tonight Meredith wanted to say yes.

It had been a bit of a day—on top of quite a week, and one hell of a month. Or two or three. Her visit to her ailing mother in Hampshire revealed a dispiriting truth: the life choices of Miss Meredith Green were few, and less than thrilling. Nevertheless, she had made her choice to return to London and live the restrained and dignified life of a lady’s companion.

Emphasis on restrained. When one relied on one’s spotless reputation for her very existence, one comported herself accordingly. One did not give or receive heated glances across crowded rooms.

But Meredith embarked on a little whiskey-infused rationalization: until she stepped foot in London, she could afford to live a little loosely. For one night, she might indulge in the sort of wicked behavior—and passion—that she’d have to refuse forevermore.

That was just the splash of whiskey talking, she told herself. It was just the strain of recent events wreaking havoc with her common sense. It was her mother’s bad influence. She’d had the great luck to be raised to be A Lady. She oughtn’t forget that.

Do not look. Do not look. Do not look.

She looked. Oh, she looked.

His gaze sparkled. Like he knew what inner turmoil and rationalization his glances inspired. This time, she didn’t look away.

Oh, goodness, he was coming over. Her heart beat faster and faster as his long strides brought him closer and closer until he was standing beside her, leaning casually against the bar.

Gentlemen did not lean.

“What is a beautiful woman like you doing alone in a place like this?”

About the Series

      

About Maya Rodale

MAYA RODALE began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence. She is now the bestselling and award winning author smart and sassy romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.

Author Links

    

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY DETAILS

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  

Open to US shipping addresses only.

One winner will receive a paperback set of the first three books in the Keeping Up With the Cavendishes series by Maya Rodale.  

This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  

Giveaway ends 12/12/2017 @ 11:59pm EST.

Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly.

Limit one entry per reader and mailing address.  

Duplicates will be deleted.

LINK: https://goo.gl/ALrxmc

This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.

Book Tour & #Giveaway for Fairy Wishes 1-2-3 by Michele Barrow-Belisle

Welcome to my stop on the Book Tour, presented by Silver Dagger Book Tours, for Fairy Wishes 1-2-3 by Michele Barrow-Belisle.  Please leave a comment or question for Michele to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter the tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  Good Luck!

Fairy Wishes 1-2-3

by Michele Barrow-Belisle

Genre: Children's Fantasy Picture Book

A tale of two little fairies of different ethnicities, backgrounds and environments, who are envious of the things the other gets to do…from catching shooting stars to playing the guitar.

They decide to trade places, but soon realize that being someone else isn't as much fun as they thought. The girls quickly discover the importance of just being themselves.

**.99 on Amazon!!

Goodreads * Amazon

A dreamer at heart, Michele Barrow-Belisle has always lived with one foot in this reality and one foot in another, one of her own imagining. So it follows that she would grow up to write about and sculpt the characters from those enchanting worlds she knows and loves so well. As a fan of everything romantic, her young adult novels are populated with witches and vampires and faeries. Michele resides in southern Canada with her hubby and son who indulge her passions for writing, reading, lattes, and most of all chocolate.

She also loves shoes.

Did we mention the chocolate?

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

YouTube * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review for The Silver Mosaic by Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin

The Silver Mosaic

By Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin

A Winston Churchhill 1930’s Thriller

Publisher: First Edition Design Publishing

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Genre: Historical Thriller

Length: 417 Pages

ISBN: 978-1506904504

ASIN: B07488SY3Z

BUY LINK: AMAZON

ABOUT THE BOOK:

March, 1933. The weak German economy is in peril. Winston Churchill wants to push it over the cliff with a boycott of German exports and take with it the new Nazi government whose brown-shirt SA thugs are terrorizing German Jews. He enlists Hearst journalist Mattie McGary, but the Nazis are determined to fight back. To oppose the boycott, they find unlikely allies in the Jews of Palestine and FDR. 

A fan of World War II fiction and non-fiction, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of The Silver Mosaic by Michael McMenamin and Patrick McMenamin.  A historical thriller featuring Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolph Hitler, and many of his minions, would no doubt be full of twists and turns, spies, action and even promised a touch of romance.  While this book does provide all of that, it also provides a serious look at antisemitism, misogyny, immorality and good old fashioned hatred.

The authors do a good job introducing the primary characters, Mattie McGary, a photojournalist working for Hearst Publications, and her fiancée Bourke Cockran, an ex-Army intelligence officer, running for political office.  While I liked both Mattie and Bourke, and agreed with them on their political and social agendas, I’m not sure that their “lifestyle” was realistic for the time period.  Mattie was occasionally a little bit too much of a “liberated modern woman” (to the point of living with her fiancée) and occasionally a little too stupid to have gotten herself into the situations she found herself.  On the other hand, Bourke, was a little too lucky and occasionally a little too unbelievable.

While I had hoped to see more of the characters who would become the leaders of the Allied Forces, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, the authors are true to their political behavior and personal agendas.  I have to admit that while Winston Churchill had his issues, I liked him, and the author’s portrayal of him, better than that of Franklin Roosevelt who definitely came off as anti-Semitic, opportunistic and isolationist.  He even seemed to think his political office was more of dictatorship type situation in this book than the office is in real life. 

The villains of the book- Adolph Hitler, Hermann Goring and Reinhard Heydrich, are petty, rude, and completely without any redeemable qualities.  There are a lot of “hot” button issues with them and their behavior in this book; rape, violence, antisemitism, and breaking every decent human being who would stand in their way.  Unfortunately there are also quite a few American agents involved in this story who are just as bad! 

The story takes several twists and turns and has a fairly rapid pace.  While the authors have a good voice and know how to keep the action turning, the plot is somewhat unbelievable.  Something that was one of the biggest issues for me.  Though I also had issues with the amount of swearing and sex, which was quite prevalent.

Overall, this is an interesting look at Pre-World War II Europe and about the early behavior of Adolph Hitler and his minions as they took control of Germany and prepared to ready themselves for war.  The authors make it very clear that Germany needed to ramp up their weapons manufacturing in order to follow through with Hitler’s plans for world domination and how they had to take money by hook or crook. 

Will Mattie and Bourke be able to outwit Adolph Hitler and his minions?  Will Winston Churchill be able to guide his country through the war he clearly sees coming in the near future?  And will Franklin Roosevelt be able to keep the US from entering the coming war?  You’ll have to read The Silver Mosaic to find out. 

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review.  My review is my opinion, and my opinion alone, of the reading material provided.

Review for Protecting Her Secret Son by Regan Black

Protecting Her Secret Son

By Regan Black

Escape Club Heroes, Book 3

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: 288 Pages

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About the book:

After escaping a world of ruthless crime with her child, Shannon Nolan finally thought she'd left her nightmares in the past. Then the worst thing she could imagine happens: her son is kidnapped! With nowhere else to run and no one else to trust but her boss, she puts her life in Daniel Jennings's hands. 

Firefighter Daniel knows Shannon is safe under his protection, but the one threat he doesn't want to face is his growing passion for her. Moreover, she's vulnerable and isn't searching for love. But as they put everything on the line to rescue her son, that very connection might just be what saves them all...

Fan of romantic suspense? Like genre romance? Look no further than Protecting Her Secret Son by Regan Black.  A book in the Harlequin Romantic Suspense line, Ms. Black’s book features a likeable heroine, a smoking hot hero and a mystery plot filled with plenty of action, twists and turns and a happy ending. If you’re looking for a quick suspense read, without graphic violence, then this is the book for you.

Ms. Black does a good job introducing her heroine, Shannon Nolan, right from the start.  A hard working single mom, working in a traditional male job, Shannon is likeable and very responsible.  She also has a lot of secrets regarding her son’s birth father, her first husband, and a life she ran away from.  While Shannon has grown a lot since the time before her son’s death, I did want to smack her upside the head a bit for not having done some deep research about her son’s father, who he was and what he did, before she married him.  She does make up for a lot of her previous naiveté as the book progresses.  It’s not hard to understand why she would be attracted to her boss, Daniel Jennings, who happens to be the hero of the book.

Ms. Black also did a good job introducing Daniel Jennings, a firefighter and construction foreman who also has secrets of his own.  Especially about his own family and just how much he’s really worth, on a financial front. I really liked Daniel, who is a total Alpha male and who wants to not only help Shannon and her son but wants to win her trust and her love.  A friendly man, Daniel just can’t seem to help making friends and inspiring others to want to be more than they are. 

The villain of the story is probably the weakest character in the book in that he’s just not likeable at all.  His behavior is irrational and over the top, but that in itself is part of the entertaining factor of the book.  You just can’t help shaking your head at what he does, and how he believes he’ll get away with it.  There’s plenty of action and twists and turns to keep the reader interested and I found myself quickly turning the pages.  Ms. Black’s voice as an author is well developed, easy to follow and just right for this genre. 

Will Shannon and Daniel be able to keep her son safe?  Will their fledgling romance survive all of the revelations both characters are going to have to make?  You can find out for yourself when you pick up a copy of Regan Black’s Protecting Her Secret Son.  I enjoyed it and think you will too.

My Review:  3.5 out of 5 Crowns

  

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review.  My review is my opinion, and my opinion only, of the reading material provided.

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 - #94

Book Beginnings on Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Every Friday we share the first sentence (or so) of the book we’re currently reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

My Book Beginning:  

Keep the Home Fires Burning by S. Block

Prologue

Pat Simms stood before a scene of outlandish devastation that she couldn’t move.  

My Thoughts:  I was a huge fan of this series on PBS and when it was cancelled I was heartbroken because I was not ready to let these characters go.  Fortunately, the writer/producer of this show is willing to write the rest of the planned series in a book and I was so happy to find this! Really looking forward to finding out what happens next to characters I really enjoyed getting to know.  

What do you think?  Don't forget to leave your book beginning below and to link-up at Rose City Reader.  

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

Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda at Freda’s Voice on every Friday.

To Play along here are the Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.
*Add your post below. 

*Don’t forget to add your post URL (not your blog url) at Freda’s Voice.  
*It's that simple.

My 56 (Also from Dark Illumination by Hadena James – about 56% on Kindle):  

Having called an emergency general meeting of the WI to discuss the impact of nightly trekkers on their community, on the given evening frances wanted only to remain at home, within earshot of the telephone and possible news about Noah. Since he had run away a day and a half earlier from the boarding school, nothing had been seen or heard of the child.  

My Thoughts:  I've actually read past this part and I'm really enjoying this book.  

So what do you think? Do the teasers tempt you? Don’t forget to leave your link below and to also link up at Freda’s Voice. 

Keep the Home Fires Burning by S. Block

 Perfect for fans Donna Douglas and Annie Groves, comes a novel that will delight everyone that loved Call the Midwife and Foyle's War. The first in a fabulous new series from the creator of ITV smash-hit Home Fires.

Will the war make or break them?

In Britain's darkest hour, an extraordinary community of women strive to protect the Home Front, but when an enemy plane crashes into the village, every one of their lives will change for ever . . .

As Chair of Great Paxford's WI Frances Barden feels under pressure to hold the community together, but she finds herself struggling as her factory is shut down and her husband's secret child arrives at her door.

Pat Simms received a respite when her husband went to report on the war, but now he's home. The WI might be her only place of refuge.

Newlyweds Teresa and Nick should be happy. But the plane crash on their wedding day may just be the first of many trials, as Teresa struggles with a secret that has the potential to ruin both their lives.

Meanwhile, the Campbell family must come together to deal with a devastating illness, and Alison finds new purpose in helping the influx of strangers to the village.

Through it all the WI provides support and camaraderie. But is their combined strength enough to get them through the war?

Amazon

Don't forget to post your meme's and link up at both host locations.  

Have a great Friday! 

Maria