Thursday, May 28, 2020

Chapter Reveal: Falling for Her by Monica Murphy




Chapter One

Jake

“How about that one?”

We all snicker when we see who Diego’s discreetly pointing at as we walk past her in the hallway. Some freshman who looks about ten, with big blue eyes and a mouth full of metal. She’s cute enough, but way too young.

“I don’t think so,” I tell my friends as we stride toward the quad.

It’s lunchtime. Our senior year. We’re able to drive off campus now, but not today. Coach wants us to watch game film of the team we’re playing tomorrow night. So we have about fifteen minutes to grab food before we all meet in the team room to study our opponents. Learn their weak spots, their strengths. See if they’re better defensively or offensively.

When I say Coach, I’m talking about my dad. I just try to keep that shit separate. It’s easier that way.

“Check her out,” says Diego—one of my best friends—nudging me in the shoulder and now not-so-discreetly pointing at a group of girls sitting at a nearby picnic table.

“Which one?” Again, they’re young. Maybe sophomores? I don’t really recognize any of them. If they’re a couple of years younger than me and not friends with my sister Ava, who’s a junior, or on the football team, I don’t bother getting to know them.

That makes me sound like an asshole, but I don’t have the time. I have my circle of friends. I even have my circle of acquaintances. This year, my last year in high school, I don’t need to add to either group. I’m perfectly content with what I have.

“Any of them.” Diego slaps me on the back, a giant grin on his face. “You need to find  someone, bro. This single, I-don’t-bother-with-any-girl business is getting old.”

I don’t bother with any girls anymore because when I do, they tend to take my heart and rip it to shreds. It’s ridiculous, but when I fall, I tend to fall hard.

Sophomore year I got my heart broken twice, once by Cami Lockhart. We got back together the beginning of junior year only for her to cheat on me—and I found out via Snapchat.

That sucked.

I’ve never bothered with a girl again. Fuck ’em. I’d rather focus on football and my friends and school, exactly in that order.

“Too young,” I tell Diego, and Caleb, my other best friend, bursts out laughing.

“Oh come on. She’s cute. I’d bet she’s down,” he says with a smirk.

Caleb is an actual asshole. He hooks up with an endless stream of girls, yet most of them don’t complain. It’s like they’re proud to be a Caleb fan girl.

“Find him a senior then,” Diego says, stopping in the direct center of the crowded quad. He settles his hands on his hips and turns in a slow circle, scanning the area with a narrowed gaze. Diego has a girl and they’re supposedly madly in love. I mean, good for him. They seem totally into each other—for the most part. They’ve been together for over a year, and Jocelyn treats him like a god, while she’s his princess, as he calls her. I’m pretty sure they’ve talked about getting married, which is just…insane if you ask me.

“Her.”

We all swivel our heads to see Tony—our quietest friend—inclining his head toward a table to the left of where we’re standing.

There’s a girl sitting there, her back to us. Alone. She’s wearing a black T-shirt, her reddish-blonde hair spilling down her back in loose waves. Her elbow’s propped on the table and she’s resting her cheek on her fist, an open book in front of her. Like she’s reading. For fun.

What the hell?

“No way,” Diego says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Jake’s not into smart girls.”

I’m immediately offended. “Who says?”

“You, with the choices you’ve made in the past,” Diego points out.

He’s got me there. Cami wasn’t that smart. None of the girls I’ve dated were. Not really.

“I like her hair,” Tony says, his tone, his entire demeanor impassive, like we’re talking about the weather. “She’s cute.”

“You should go for her then,” Caleb suggests to Tony.

“Nah. Not my type.” Tony’s gaze meets mine and he tilts his head, like he’s giving me permission to talk to her.

Huh.

“How do you know she’s a smart girl?” I study her, taking in her narrow shoulders, the elegant slope of her back. She brushes her hair back from her face, tucking the strands behind her ear and offering me a glimpse of her profile. She’s pretty in an understated way, I guess. Upturned nose. Pale skin. Freckles.

I don’t recognize her at all.

“Because she’s reading a book, dumbass.” Caleb sounds enormously pissed off, though I know he’s not. That’s just how he always sounds. “If you don’t ask her to wear your jersey, I think I’ll ask her instead.”

Yes, this is what we’re doing on a Thursday afternoon during lunch. Trying to find a girl for me to ask to wear my jersey on game day. It’s a big deal at our high school, and so far during my reign as the varsity team’s quarterback, I’ve only had one girl ever wear my jersey, and for only one time. It was Cami Lockhart, right at the beginning of our junior year, when I thought there was a possible chance we could work shit out and be a couple again.

But then someone sent me her private story off Snapchat—a video of her making out with motherfucking Eli Bennett, the quarterback for our rival school’s team, and I was done. Finished.

For some reason, this year my boys want to see me make a claim. Find a girl. They tell me I’m too grumpy. That maybe if I’m getting some on the regular, that’ll mellow me out. Some of them even complain I’m too focused, which I don’t get. Why wouldn’t they want me focused?

Focused wins games. I’ve had that drilled into my head over the years by my dad.

“No way,” I tell Caleb when he acts like he’s going to approach the mystery girl sitting at the table. “I’ll do it.”

I don’t know why I’m bothering with this. I don’t know her, but I’m guessing she knows me. Most girls would probably be flattered if I asked, but I’m not that sure if she’s into football, or if she even goes to the games. But it would be cool to see her wear my number around school all day.

Maybe I could make it a thing. Give it to a different girl every week. They’d start fighting for their chance. It could turn into a contest. Maybe it would go viral…

“Go ask her.” Diego gives me a shove in the girl’s direction, his hand right in the center of my back. “Before you chicken out.”

Okay, that shit’s annoying. And it’s just the incentive I need to make it happen. Glancing over my shoulder, I glare at my three best friends, but all they do is make clucking noises at me in return like they’re a bunch of chickens.

Assholes.

Slowly I approach the table, wondering what I should say first. I don’t have a problem talking to girls. I never really have. I almost wonder if this is because I grew up in a household full of women. Don’t get me wrong, Dad is a strong personality and is a big influence on me, but he wasn’t around much when I was little. He was busy working all the time.

Growing up, I was always with Mom, my older sister Autumn and my younger sister Ava. Our little brother Beck didn’t come along until years later, and by then I was resigned with the idea that I’d never even have a brother.

So I was constantly surrounded by girls. Autumn and Ava used to fight like cats and dogs. Now that Autumn’s gone, away at college in Santa Barbara, we don’t see her that much. Ava is happier with Autumn gone, I think. Having an older sister trying to boss you around all the time gets old.

I know I got tired of Autumn’s bullshit. Now, I miss her. Not that I’d ever tell her that.

Deciding I need to approach this mystery girl straight on, I walk around the table, keeping a wide berth so she doesn’t get suspicious or think I’m a stalker. And once I’m facing the table, I take a good, long look at her.

She’s vaguely familiar, so I’m assuming she’s a senior like me, or maybe a junior. Our school is small, so most of the time I feel like I know everyone, but I can’t place her. I don’t remember her name. Her hair is this burnished, reddish-gold color and her eyes are big and blue. Her features delicate—except for her mouth. Full, bee-stung lips that fill my head with dirty images.

Every one of them involves my dick.

Not that I’m actually interested in this girl. I don’t even know her. But as far as my first choice to wear my jersey this week, it’s not a bad one.

Not a bad one at all.

One of my friends, I’m not sure who, makes a bok-bok noise and I send them all a menacing look before I march right up the table and clear my throat. “Hey.”

The girl lifts her head, sky-blue eyes meeting mine, her expression open. Friendly.

Until she keeps looking at me, her gaze narrowing, that open, friendly expression disappearing within seconds. Almost as if she realized who she’s looking at and doesn’t like what she sees.

Damn.

When she still hasn’t said anything, I decide to keep talking. “What’s your name?”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “You don’t know my name?”

I know this sounds weird, but I like the sound of her voice. A lot. “Should I?”

“I know yours.” She sniffs, shutting the book she was reading. “Jacob Callahan.”

Ah, see? She knows me. She’ll totally agree to wear my jersey. “You have the advantage then.”

“Because you still don’t remember my name?”

I shrug helplessly and flash her a smile that’s hopefully equal parts bashful yet charming. “Guilty.”

She rolls her eyes, resting her arms on top of the table. “Did you have a question or something?”

Her tone is short. Dismissive. This girl is totally trying to get rid of me. “Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do have a question for you.”

“I’m waiting on pins and needles,” she says, her voice going up a notch, those blue eyes of hers extra wide.

They’re pretty, I’ll give her that. She’s pretty. There’s a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and she has very white teeth.

“I was wondering if you wanted…” I let my voice drift and I glance down at my shoes, kicking at the base of the picnic bench. I’m trying to up the anticipation a notch. Going for the golly, gee bashful vibe. Girls seem to like it.

“Wanted what?”

Huh. Guess she’s not one for anticipation.

“If you wanted to wear my jersey tomorrow.” I lift my head, my gaze meeting hers straight on, and I see the surprise in her eyes. I’ve shocked her with my request.

Come on, I can see why. I’m me and she’s…whoever she is.

She studies me for a while, and now it’s my turn to wait with anticipation. Her full lips part, like she’s about to say something, but instead, she looks away from me, grabs her things and starts shoving them into her backpack.

As if she’s about to leave.

When she shoots me an irritated glare, slides off the picnic bench and walks away without another word, I chase her, surprised by how quick she is. My friends are laughing, I can hear them as I follow after this chick—still don’t know her name—but I can’t worry about them right now.

Even though they’re total assholes for laughing at me.

“Hey!” I call out, but it’s like my voice only spurs her on. She’s practically in a full jog as she heads toward Adams Hall, and I wonder if her plan is to duck into a classroom and hide from me.

Putting a little speed behind my step, I catch up with her easily, hooking my fingers around her upper arm and stopping her escape. She turns to face me, the look on her face so full of disgust I immediately release her and take a step back.

“Why are you chasing me?” she asks breathlessly. Her cheeks are pink, and she’s practically panting. I get the sense that maybe she doesn’t exercise much? I mean, I’m not even winded.

“You never answered my question.”

She lifts her chin. Blows out an exaggerated breath, like what I’m asking is too damn much. After enduring the last five minutes with this chick, I don’t even want her to wear my jersey now. She’s making way too big a deal about this.

But for some weird reason, I have to know what her answer is.

“My name is Hannah,” she finally says, and it all hits me at once. I do know her. Barely. Hannah Walsh. Senior. Moves in a completely different crowd. As in, she doesn’t really move with any crowd. I’ve never had a class with her ever, because she takes all the advanced courses. My friends were right.

She’s a smart girl.

“Right. Hannah.” I nod and smile. “I know you.”

She smiles in return, though it doesn’t quite reach her sky-blue eyes. “Uh huh. Sure you do.”

“I do. You’re friends with…” My voice drifts. I don’t know who she’s friends with. I can see their faces, but at the moment, I can’t recall their names.

“Please.” She reaches out, settling her hand on my forearm, and it’s like a spark of electricity between us the moment our skin makes contact. She snatches her hand away like I burned her. “Stop trying so hard.”

I almost want to laugh. This girl is telling me to stop trying so hard? Does she even know who she’s dealing with? The power I wield at this school? I’m the most popular guy in the senior class—maybe in all the classes. This is my year to shine. My year to reign.

And this Hannah nobody is telling me to stop trying so hard?

Get the fuck out of here.

Can’t back out now, though. I’m fully committed.

“So what do you say, Hannah? Are you in? Do you want to wear my jersey tomorrow?” Not like I want her to anymore. She’s been rude from the moment I started talking to her.

“Gee, I sure appreciate the offer, but…” She scowls at me, her lush lips pursed. “No.”

Release Blitz: When A Heart Trips by Dominique Laura

Today we are celebrating the release of WHEN A HEART TRIPS by Dominique Laura! This is a YA contemporary romance, standalone that is available now as part of Kindle Unlimited.

 

Read on Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

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When A Heart Trips by Dominique Laura

A YA Contemporary Romance | Available Now

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Book Blurb:

I never thought I’d catch serious feelings for someone at seventeen—isn’t life complicated enough at this age?—let alone for my polar opposite. I’m the quiet, reserved bookworm. He’s the popular, confident jock at the center of every party. He’s also kind, charming, and sweet. The determined wide receiver worms his way past my defenses. I see a side of him no one else does, and he makes me feel things I’ve only ever read about. He isn’t my perfect match, but at some point, I can’t ignore what my heart is trying to say. So, what happens when a heart trips? Well, at some point, the fall is unavoidable, and I'm falling headfirst into something I didn't want in the first place. I asked for a crush, not for this.















Purchase on Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

-------------------------

About Dominique Laura

I’m a Southern California girl who grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

My dog is my child, and she’s my favorite. I’m an advocate for love, mental health, and happily ever afters. Sarcasm is my go-to for any situation. I write sweet, sometimes sexy romances that range from young adult to new adult to contemporary. Cows are my favorite animal, and I’m the absolute worst at talking about myself.

 

FIND DOMINIQUE LAURA:

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Friday, May 22, 2020

Cover Reveal: Forty Day Fiance by Erin McCarthy

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There’s no such thing as love at first sight--right?

Forty Day Fiancé, an all-new fun and flirty romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy, is coming June 1st, and we have the irresistible cover!

forty day fiance cover

Admittedly, my first plan was a little crazy.

I had forty days to execute it. Find a fake fiance, move in with him, and convince the powers-that-be that we’re madly in love.

Surely this British girl can sweet-talk a few American officials.

Step One: the sexy, wealthy doctor I’ve been chatting up agrees to my plan--with a demand of his own. A baby. An actual ring. A for-real marriage and family. Turns out, there’s someone more bonkers than me.

So Step Two: I now have forty days to convince my fake fiance that we can’t be real.

Because there’s no such thing as love at first sight--right?


FDF - CR

Add FORTY DAY FIANCÉ to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3cQ39MV

Cover Designer: Hang Le

Erin McCarthy

About Erin USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over seventy-five novels and novellas in the romance and mystery genres. Erin has a special weakness for high-heeled boots, martinis, and Frank Sinatra. She lives with her renovation-addicted husband (he built her a bar, so it’s all good!) and their blended family of kids and rescue dogs.

Connect with Erin

Facebook: http://bit.ly/39K0yDk

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Website: https://erinmccarthy.net

Release Blitz: Bad News by Stacy Travis

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Sexy, arrogant co-worker. One weekend alone. Do I want the story? Or do I want him?

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Bad News, an all-new steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance from Stacy Travis, is available now!

Jack Galloway is an award-winning journalist, a star at The Examiner, and he’s got the chiseled jaw and deep blue eyes that light me on fire.

Oh, and I hate his arrogant guts.

He told my boss that I can’t hack it as a reporter. He actually said it was a mistake to hire me. But I just landed a scandalous story that will launch my career and prove him forever wrong. Yeah, it steps on Jack’s beat a little. Okay, a lot.

So our boss is making us report it together for an entire weekend. At a gorgeous oceanfront villa with sailboats and cocktails and oh…he looks good in a sport coat.

Jack brings out my insecurities. He makes me doubt my instincts. And ignites a desire in me that I haven’t felt before.

But I know he’s hiding something. And I know I’m risking more than my job by pursuing the truth.

If I have to choose, do I want the story? Or him?

BN AN

Download your copy today or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fzvJUI Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/badnews

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Meet Stacy

It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy.

I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.

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Connect with Stacy

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2UbPlWv Instagram: https://bit.ly/2xdBd62 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Uw1bcD Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2QBKcEU

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Website: https://stacytravis.com

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Cover Reveal: Falling for Her by Monica Murphy


I sort of hate how good looking he is. And then again, I sort of love it.

Falling for Her by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Monica Murphy is coming June 2, 2020!

Cover Designer: Hang Le

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Model: Lucas L. 

Jake Callahan. Prince of the popular crowd.

My mortal enemy.

Gorgeous. All the girls want him. 

Quarterback. All the boys want to be his friend. He’s the most popular boy in the senior class.

And he hates me.

Or so I thought.

What I mistook for hatred turns out to be…interest. There’s that thin line, right? It makes me crazy. I can’t stand it. Attraction, chemistry, whatever it is, I also can’t resist it.

And neither can he.

Together, we make no sense. The odds are against us. His friends definitely don’t approve. I’m not a part of their crowd. Not one of the cool kids. I don’t fit in, or so they say. 

But that doesn’t stop him from falling for me.

And it won’t stop me from fighting for him.


Pre-order your copy today! 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3f9g3XX

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/FallingForHerMM

Apple: https://apple.co/3aTzq4e

Nook: https://bit.ly/2KUiQq0

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2VSZ98m

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3bFa4rb


Meet Monica:

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today,  and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one do

g, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.


Connect with Monica:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

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Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com
Newsletter: https://www.monicamurphyauthor.com/newsletter

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Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2020


Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2020

What I Read….
                           
·         The Other Woman: This was my book clubs April pick as I had heard so many good things about it. However, this book was infuriating. It reminded me of a poorly executed reality TV show, and it was utterly boring. I didn’t like Emily one bit. I thought she was needy, weak and mute. She just needed to shut it, it was quite annoying and having to read so many pages were she just didn’t stop was a waste of time. I wish I would’ve read more reviews on this book prior to making it a book selection for our book club. Giving it 3 stars was generous. I gave The Other Woman 3 stars
·         You Were There Too:  I feel torn. I enjoyed you were there too with the emotional connection of vivid dreams of miscarriage and Colleen did a wonderful job at describing this for one who hasn’t experienced it. However, I felt that constantly talking about the clothing and other personal items of herself and her friends was a little much. We get it, you have a lot of money. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I gave You Were There Too 4 Stars
·         I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter:   Let me just say right away that I cried while reading this one. It was engaging and the characters were brought to life throughout the book. I felt that Erika did a wonderful job at immersing you in the Mexican culture and I really loved that the Spanish words were used as well. It made the book even better. I gave I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter 4 Stars









             
·         Midwives:  Bohjalian is such an amazing writer and Midwives is one magnificent piece of work. For being a male that was able to capture an excellent part of femininity. I always enjoy a medical fiction book, and this didn’t disappointment in that part either. However, questions have been raised on the training of midwives and whether one should receive care from one or a doctor in a hospital setting. That is a whole other discussion for another day though. Midwives will be a re-read for me. I gave Midwives 4 stars
·         The Little Paris Bookshop:  I’m sad about this one. Books, food, another country – I mean it’s France! Plus, a bookstore and a book club. Everything that I love and the reason I selected this book. The writing felt forced and it needed some editing in my opinion. The book was quite predictable, and I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I was going too. I gave The Little Paris Bookshop 2 stars
·         Beneath the Sugar Sky:  Breathtaking. I loved how McGuire can bring in all different backgrounds and make it work. I liked that serious topics were touched on and McGuire did it in a respectable way. Beneath the Sugar Sky is the third book in the Wayward Children Series. However, you can read this as a stand-alone or read them in any order. I gave Beneath the Sugar Sky 4 stars









               
·         Sunset Beach: MKA has done it again with this entertaining beach read! This one has a little bit of mystery with some family drama and of course the beach. This helped me get over my reading slump. I gave Sunset Beach 4 stars
·         The Ruby of the Sea: THIS BOOK HAD IT ALL!!! Romance, family, drama and it even happened to touch on mental illness. The story is told from the point of view of three sisters in a gorgeous Key West, Florida. It’s a beautifully written story that had my full attention from the very beginning. I loved how vibrant the descriptions of the settings and characters were and it felt like I was transported there. I felt every painfully happy moment as if I was there. I gave The Ruby of the Sea 4 Stars
·         UNTAMED: I felt that there was a lot of overcompensation like the author brags about having to figure out how hard life really can be and how to overcome it. It would’ve been nice to hear how she felt while going through these life experiences instead of judging others along the way. I gave UNTAMED 2 Stars




·         The Sun Down Motel: I didn’t find this creepy or supernatural. I felt that the characters bounced back and forth and just didn’t make a whole lot of sense. There were two different endings given for the one main character. Yes, there were several unexpected plot “twists”, but it wasn’t “spine chilling” or “spooky”. I gave Sun Down 2 stars
·         That birthday in Barbados: I LOVED this book! This was probably my favorite read for April. I’ve visited Barbados once and I fell in love with the very short time that I was there, and I do need to go back. I needed a light romance beach read and this didn’t disappointment. I gave that birthday in Barbados 5 stars
·         The Guest List:   I heard a lot of good things about this one as well. The first chapter or two was good but after that each chapter was written from a different guest’s point of view. It jumped all over the place and I felt like chapters were forgotten or just dropped. There was way too many points of views and it was just messy and definitely a wedding from hell. I gave The Guest List 3 stars

                    



·         More than Bones: I loved this book! I had a feeling that it was going to be sort of a dark read going into it and I was right. It had personal growth, faith, friendship, belief and overall it had everything that I felt it was going to have. It was an easy read that had me from beginning to end. Plus, they did an amazing job designing that cover! I gave More Than Bones 4 stars
·         Prognosis: I really enjoy memoirs and the brain and when I saw this one and that it was a woman recovering from a TBI, I knew I had to grab it from Kindle Unlimited. I enjoyed this book, but there were some points that really bothered me. She loved her animals very much and they helped her through the most difficult part of her recovery. Yet, she put the one animal down because she wasn’t home, and her girlfriend was tired of it making a mess. Which then said girlfriend left her 6 months later. She was rude to her mother, very rude. I felt like some of the time she was just playing a game. I gave Prognosis 4 stars
·         Valentine: First off, I heard amazing things about this one and the synopsis sounded good, so I had to have it as one of my BOTM picks. I wish I would’ve selected a different book. There was just too much back and forth between the characters. It was supposed to be about Gloria, and it ends up being about these other women. There were times I had to go back and re-read chapters because its parts didn’t make sense. The writing was flat and boring. I really had to push myself to finish this one. I gave Valentine 2 stars


                           



 


       The Rest of the Story: Sarah Dessen, where do I even start. I’ve always loved her work and The Rest of the Story was simply a wonderful family story. It was emotional right from the beginning but was beautifully written, and I was constantly wanting more. I finished Sarah’s book in one day! Check this one out. I gave The Rest of the Story 4 stars
·         Kill Tide: Timothy Fagan didn’t a phenomenal job with this suspenseful Cape Cod mystery. I was on the edge of my seat the from beginning to end and finished this one in one sitting. The character development along with the plot were put to paper in such a way that had you wanting to know more. I gave Kill Tide 4 stars
·         Mission Tango: I love a story about an international terrorism thriller (and no don’t take that the wrong way). The fast-paced nature, microorganisms, villains, government conspiracies and it all just makes for an exciting story. That’s what Mission Tango felt like for me and it had me right from the very first sentence to the last. I couldn’t put it down. I will be reading the rest of the series! I gave Mission Tango 4 stars












What I listened to…

                         


·         Deadly Enterprise: Chapman did an awesome job an capturing my attention right from the beginning and pulling me in. He made me feel like I was a part of the team/squad by giving us a feel for the life of a policeman. I extremely enjoyed that he narrated his own work. I’ve listened to other author’s who’ve narrated their own work and I haven’t found to many that I’ve really enjoyed. Chapman did an excellent job! I gave Deadly Enterprise 4 stars
·         Flights: I was excited going into this one, but it was extremely hard to follow, and I think it would be better off as a read than audiobook. It was intriguing, but I felt that it wasn’t clear enough on the story line and it’s ending points. Maybe if I’d been reading it instead. I gave Flights 3 stars












Book Haul

Netgalley…


·         What You Wish For: (July 14, 2020; St. Martin’s Press; Women’s Fiction)
"The story’s message, that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times, seems tailor-made for this moment. A timely, uplifting read about finding joy in the midst of tragedy, filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth."—Kirkus (starred review)

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope.


Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living.
But she wasn’t always that way.
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen.
But he wasn’t always that way.

And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it.

As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all.

With Katherine Center’s sparkling dialogue, unforgettable characters, heart, hope, and humanity, What You Wish For is the author at her most compelling best.


·         The Safe Place: (July 14, 2020; Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press; General Adult Fiction & Mystery & Thrillers)
Superbly tense and oozing with atmosphere, Anna Downes's debut, The Safe Place, is the perfect summer suspense, with the modern gothic feel of Ruth Ware and the morally complex family dynamics of Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to paradise...will you ever be able to leave?

Emily is a mess.

Emily Proudman just lost her acting agent, her job, and her apartment in one miserable day.

Emily is desperate.

Scott Denny, a successful and charismatic CEO, has a problem that neither his business acumen nor vast wealth can fix. Until he meets Emily.

Emily is perfect.

Scott offers Emily a summer job as a housekeeper on his remote, beautiful French estate. Enchanted by his lovely wife Nina, and his eccentric young daughter, Aurelia, Emily falls headlong into this oasis of wine-soaked days by the pool. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn't play along, the consequences could be deadly.


·         The Vacation: (July 21, 2020; St. Martin’s Press; General Adult Fiction & Mystery & thrillers)
In The Vacation, a captivating thriller from T. M. Logan, the bestselling author of Lies and 29 Seconds, four best friends on a dream vacation come face-to-face with an explosive secret.

It was supposed to be the perfect getaway: Kate and her three best friends, spending a week with their families in a luxurious villa in the south of France. Through the decades, they’ve stayed closer than ever, and seven days of drinking crisp French wine and laying out under the dazzling Mediterranean sun is the perfect celebration of their friendship. But soon after arriving, Kate discovers an incriminating text on her husband’s cell phone.

A text revealing that he’s having an affair.

And that the other woman is one of her best friends.

But which one?

Trapped in paradise with no one to trust, Kate is determined to find out who has put her marriage—and a lifelong friendship—in jeopardy. But as she closes in on the truth, she realizes that the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. Everyone on the trip has secrets…and someone may be prepared to kill to keep theirs hidden.


Edelweiss…
                                         
·         The Center of Everything: (January 12, 2021; Ingram Publisher; Lit-Fiction, Contemporary Women, Family Life)
In this compelling family drama set against the dangerous beauty of the Yellowstone, Polly is still trying to get her life back on track after a recent accident, not always trusting reality.
For Polly, the town of Livingston, Montana, is a land charmed by natural beauty and a close network of family extending back generations. But a recent head injury has scattered her perception of the present, surfacing events from thirty years ago and half a country away. As Polly’s relatives arrive for a family reunion during the Fourth of July holiday, a beloved friend goes missing on the Yellowstone River, dredging up difficult memories for a family well acquainted with tragedy.
A generational saga from the award-winning author of The Widow Nash, The Center of Everything offers a stunning and heartfelt examination of the deep bonds of family and how the ones we love (and the secrets we keep) echo throughout our lives.


·         The Lost and Found Bookshop: (July 7, 2020; William Morrow, HarperCollins; Fiction, Contemporary Women).
In this thought-provoking, wise and emotionally rich novel, New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs explores the meaning of happiness, trust, and faith in oneself as she asks the question, "If you had to start over, what would you do and who would you be?"
“The great Susan Wiggs writes with grace, insight and wisdom about the things that matter.”—Adriana Trigiani bestselling author of The Shoemaker’s Wife

There is a book for everything . . .

Somewhere in the vast Library of the Universe, as Natalie thought of it, there was a book that embodied exactly the things she was worrying about.

In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative—not counting her scoundrel father.

But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem–Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.

After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.

To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations, from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future, and her own heart.

·         Off the Grid: (August 25, 2020; Oceanview Publishing; Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural)
A scrap of cloth fluttering in the wind leads Hilo police Chief Detective Koa Kane to the tortured remains of an unfortunate soul left to burn in the path of an advancing lava flow. For Koa, it’s the second gruesome homicide of the day, and he soon discovers the murders are linked. These grisly crimes on Hawaii’s Big Island could rewrite history—or cost Chief Detective Koa Kane his career. The dead, a reclusive couple living off the grid, turn out to be mysterious fugitives. The CIA, the Chinese government, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, attempt to thwart Koa’s investigation and obscure the victims’ true identities. Undeterred by mounting political pressure, Koa pursues the truth only to find himself drawn into a web of international intrigue. While Koa investigates, the Big Island scrambles to prepare for the biggest and most explosive political rally in its history. Despite police resources stretched to the breaking point, Koa uncovers a government conspiracy so shocking its exposure topples senior officials far beyond Hawaii’s shores.





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Overall, this month was pretty good. I felt that there were several books that I wish would’ve been better, but I think my expectations of them were higher as the reviews were so good. My favorite was that birthday in Barbados as always because I love cruising and Barbados was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! I love my beach reads as it takes me back to my cruises. There’s quite a list here so check them out. Have you read any of them? Let me know your thoughts below!