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Thursday, October 31, 2019

Divorce is Murder by Elka Ray - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Elka Ray and her new book, “Divorce is Murder”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Elka and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Divorce is Murder
by Elka Ray

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GENRE: Romantic Suspense, Mystery

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BLURB:

As teens, they bullied her. Twenty years on, she's not scared of them. Except she should be...

After returning to her quiet hometown to care for her ailing mom, divorce lawyer Toby Wong is hired by Josh Barton, a guy who broke her heart as a teen at summer camp. Now a wealthy entrepreneur, Josh wants to divorce Tonya, the mean girl who tormented Toby all those years ago. When Tonya is found murdered, Josh is the prime suspect.

Together with her fortune-teller mom and her pregnant best friend, Toby sets out to clear Josh, whom she still has a guilty crush on. As she delves deeper into Tonya's murder, Toby keeps running into catty ex-campers she'd rather forget. Are her old insecurities making her paranoid? Only too late does she realize she's in danger.

The first entry in an addictive new series, Divorce is Murder introduces fans of mystery and romance to an irresistibly smart and sarcastic new heroine - Chinese Canadian divorce lawyer Toby Wong.

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EXCERPT ONE:

That noise? Had I imagined the soft tremor of the door, the handle just starting to turn? I must have because the door stayed tight shut, no light around the edges, no eager whisper of my name. I tried to slow my breathing, to be even quieter than I was already, to force my ears to be even sharper.

The floor was cold and hard. My butt hurt, and my knees felt welded in place. It was painful to stretch out my legs. I held onto a table and stood, as stiff and rickety as my Grannie Mei Li, in the hospital, a few days before she’d died. I forced myself to straighten up, forced myself to face the cold hard truth: I’d been waiting a long time. Too long. It was very late. My eyes felt gritty.

He wasn’t coming.

A slow tentative shuffle to the door, my heart as heavy as my footsteps. Why did he write that note but not come? Had he been caught? Surely, if he could have, he’d have come to me.

A slick of silver lead my hand to the doorknob, which felt even colder than my creaky fingers. Cold and smooth. It started to turn but stopped. I tried again. And again. It was no use. The door was locked. It couldn’t be!

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GUEST POST:

Villains: We love to Hate Them

In my latest book, Divorce Is Murder, the main character, Toby Wong, moves back to her hometown in her early thirties and is forced to confront all the kids who bullied her as a teen. Her chief tormentor, Tonya Cabrillato, soon ends up murdered.

Luckily, I never endured the kind of bullying faced by Toby. Yet we've all met meangirls. I went to a good school in a nice neighborhood. Still, catfights weren't uncommon. In the same quiet, picturesque town where my book is set, a 14-year-old girl was set upon and murdered by her school mates. This happened in 1997, after I'd moved away. But it was big news, back home. Teenage bullying can be fatal.

In the course of the story we learn what Tonya did to Toby. We learn what deep scars she left. And we meet Tonya's nasty, grown-up friends - one of whom is a vicious killer. We also meet Tonya's ex husband, whom Toby has a guilty crush on.

Meangirls are favorites in fiction. Teenage girls can be famously nasty - mostly to each other. I think girls are taught to be "nice". They're taught to suppress their anger. Their rage doesn't go away. It just comes out in sneaky ways. Boys' aggression seems more straightforward. I'd say girls are scarier - and often smarter.

In this book I loved exploring the relationship between bullied and bullier. Tonya and her cronies helped to shape Toby. They were her foils, helping her to grow into the brave, loyal and kind woman she would become. If you have a strong hero, you need a strong villain for them to overcome.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Elka Ray

Stories that don't let go.

Elka Ray writes fast-paced romantic mysteries and scary thrillers - a dichotomy that reveals her belief in Yin and Yang, or the balance of opposites. A great lover of scientific facts, she may be found clutching crystals for good luck; reads highbrow journals and tabloid trash; and refuses to watch romcoms yet moved in with her now-husband on their first date.

Elka is the author of three novels – the romantic mysteries DIVORCE IS MURDER and HANOI JANE – and the noir thriller SAIGON DARK. She also has a collection of short crime and ghost stories set in Southeast Asia – WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. Elka lives with her family near Hoi An, Vietnam. She is represented by Folio Literary Management.

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CONNECT WITH ELKA:


Elka’s Super Cute Furbaby, Sidney
PC – IG @ elka.ray


Website:

Website – Folio Literary Management:

Facebook:

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Goodreads Book Page #1:

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Amazon Author Page:


Elka’s Very Adorable Kitties
PC – IG @ elka.ray


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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:

Amazon Paperback:

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

Kobo eBook:

Apple iBook eBook:

Google Play eBook:

The Book Depository Paperback:

BAM! Books-A-Million eBook:

BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:

Books2Read eBooks & Paperbacks Listings:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Elka will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Stealing Kisses in the Snow by Jo McNally - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Jo McNally and her new book, “Stealing Kisses in the Snow”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a Print Copy of Jo’s other book “Slow Dancing at Sunrise,” AND a Print Copy of Jo’s featured book, “Stealing Kisses in the Snow,” – ALL to ONE lucky winner!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Jo and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Please note that this giveaway is ONLY open to USA and CA residents.  Sorry INTL – please check out the other giveaways on this blog!


Stealing Kisses in the Snow
by Jo McNally

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

Maybe "perfect" is over-rated...

Between juggling two kids, two jobs, and a fixer-upper house, single mom Piper Montgomery is so busy she can hardly see straight.  But when rugged biker Logan Taggert strolls into the B&B where she’s working, she can’t help but stare.  He has bad boy written all over him. She’s promised her kids a “perfect Christmas” this year, and bad boys aren’t part of the plan. But how can she resist?

Once his grandmother is back on her feet, Logan can leave her Victorian B&B get back on the road.  It’s where he belongs after all, even if his grandmother’s matchmaking book club biddies try to convince him otherwise.  But there’s something about beautiful, spitfire Piper that makes him wonder if kids and commitment might be just what he needs after all.

As Christmas draws ever closer, so do Piper and Logan.  Could these two opposites find all they want this Christmas is each other?

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EXCERPT TWO:

Logan Taggart had been thrown out of plenty of places in his lifetime, but never by a pretty little ponytailed momma wearing a ruffled yellow apron. He managed to squelch his smile, knowing it would be a mistake to laugh.

The golden-haired munchkin clutching his fingers right now was clearly the woman’s daughter, and he probably looked like an ax murderer. He gently freed himself from the child and stepped back, raising both hands and modulating his voice carefully.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry. The little girl said she wanted me to go to the kitchen, and I was heading here anyway…”

The woman seemed flummoxed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her blue eyes wild as she stepped closer. She raised the mop higher with one hand, then dropped her phone on the counter with the other so she could snatch her daughter’s hand, tugging her to safety behind her. She waved the mop again, as if that would really protect her if he posed a threat. He was a foot taller and a good seventy pounds heavier than she was. The biggest danger to him was in her other hand—the cell phone she’d picked up again.

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GUEST POST:

Making It Believable – Writing Romantic and Intimate Scenes:

I am one of those authors who loves writing romantic and intimate scenes. It’s not the scintillating idea that “oh, they’re kissing!” or “oh, they’re naked!” Scenes of intimacy expose so much more than skin.

It’s in the scenes of intimacy that I dig deep into my characters and help them discover something they may not have known about themselves. After all, we’re never more vulnerable than when we’re willingly making physical contact with another person for the first time. We hope to be accepted. To be loved.

One of my favorite scenes to write is the Almost Kiss. That accidental brush against each other that creates a sudden adrenaline spike. The switch that gets flipped from boredom to “holy smokes, I want to kiss this guy.” I get into the character’s heads and follow their thoughts as they get closer and closer to falling. They’re terrified, and that’s some fun stuff to write. That’s what makes an intimate scene feel so intimate. And realistic. It’s not in the physical description—there are only so many ways lips can connect, after all. What makes a kiss scene believable is the emotion behind it.

In Stealing Kisses in the Snow, the Almost Kiss happens on Halloween night. Logan Taggart carries Piper Montgomery’s sleeping little girl, Lily, into her house and up to bed. In the upstairs hallway, Logan and Piper are talking quietly and closely when the switch flips from planning the next day to fighting the inexplicable urge to kiss. It’s only broken when Piper’s teenage son comes home, and Piper has to sneak Logan downstairs and out the door before Ethan sees him. That touch of humor is another way to keep intimate scenes approachable for the reader.

One way to make love scenes believable is to offer a surprise to the reader. Maybe humor, or just a twist that sets it apart. The first love scene in Stealing Kisses in the Snow takes place in the attic (beds schmeds!), and they both remain fully clothed. But Piper ends up quite...um...satisfied with the experience. She and Logan each let down their defenses and realize there’s no stopping where this relationship is headed (ahem...a bed!). It’s sexy, but also very tender.

I mentioned “willingly” earlier, and I want to be clear: consent and protection are realistic and sexy. Some guy who grabs a woman and kisses her without knowing if she wants that kiss is a predator, not a hero. So yes, I make sure my heroes have consent before a kiss. It can be as simple and tender as a whispered “are you sure, baby?” Or as emotional as a pleading “God, I want to kiss you right now...please let me kiss you…” Those simple requests (and the consent) don’t spoil or slow down a scene. They make it real. And even more importantly, they portray a healthy relationship to the reader.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Jo McNally lives in coastal North Carolina with 100 pounds of dog and 200 pounds of husband – her slice of the bed is very small. When she's not writing or reading romance novels (or clinging to the edge of the bed...), she can often be found on the back porch sipping wine with friends, listening to great music. If the weather is absolutely perfect, she'll occasionally join her husband on the golf course, where she always feels far more competitive than her actual skill-level would suggest.

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CONNECT WITH JO:


Jo’s Super Adorable Furbaby and Ghost Writer, Tully
PC: IG - @jo.mcnally

Website:

Newsletter:

Email:
jomcnallyromance@gmail.com

Facebook:

Twitter:

Pinterest:

Instagram:

BookBub Author Page:

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Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:


Jo’s Very Sweet Furbaby, Tully, Cuddling with Her Toys
PC: IG - @jo.mcnally

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:

Amazon Mass Market Paperback:

Amazon Audiobook:

Amazon Audio CD:

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

Barnes and Noble Audio CD:

Barnes and Noble Audio MP3 on CD:

Kobo eBook:

Kobo Audiobook:

Apple iBook eBook:

Google Play eBook:

Google Play Audiobook:

The Book Depository Paperback:

The Book Depository Audio CD:

BAM! Books-A-Million Mass Market Paperback:

BAM! Books-A-Million Audio CD:

BAM! Books-A-Million Audio MP3 on CD:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Jo will be awarding one print copy of Slow Dancing at Sunrise and one print copy of Stealing Kisses in the Snow (US and CA Only) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Trail of Secrets by Nora LeDuc - Book Tour - Book Review - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hello, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Nora LeDuc and her new book, “Trail of Secrets”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Nora and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Trail of Secrets
by Nora LeDuc

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GENRE: Mystery

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BLURB:

Who killed the vivacious, Emily McGuire and laid out her body at the water tower? Orderly, rule-follower Mia McGuire is the least likely person to answer this question. Mia’s life has taken a downward spiral with her sister Emily’s murder, the breakup with her boyfriend, and losing her editing position. But when the homicide investigation crawls, Mia can’t stand by doing nothing. She hires the problematic Lucas Davis to help her find the truth.

After suffering trauma from a shooting on the job, Lucas Davis resigns from the local force. Once known as a daredevil in his small Florida town, he has become an embarrassment to his dad, the police chief. When Mia offers him investigative work, he quickly accepts the job to prove he still possesses the skills and guts to solve the case. Together, these two unlikely sleuths form an intimate bond and are determined to beat the odds. They set out to bring a terrifying killer to justice before he targets them next.

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EXCERPT TWO:

A motionless woman lay on her back, parallel to the base of Gram’s monstrosity. She was dressed in a dark dress. Black sandals revealed blue toenails. One arm lay outstretched with her fingers curled upward as though beckoning Mia to her. The polish decorating her manicured nails matched the shade on her toes. Long raven-colored hair covered her face from her forehead to her chin.

Zsa Zsa whimpered by Mia’s feet. She scooped up her pet and swallowed the lump of fear increasing with each step closer to the person. Had the woman fallen? Passed out?

The sweet fragrance of a perfume drifted toward her and stirred a forgotten memory. The familiar soft voice asked, “What else would a southern Florida girl wear but orange blossoms? It’s the cool new scent.”

Emily? A sliver of dread formed near Mia’s heart. No, it couldn’t be. Her sister’s hair was pink. But she often changed the color. Mia didn’t have to wait for the truth. The breeze lifted the strands upward from the woman’s face.

Mia’s legs wobbled. A rash of red points blotted her skin, and scratches crisscrossed her neck. Her lips were frozen in an “oh” of shock. Open, bloodshot eyes stared at Mia. Emily!

Tears blurred her vision. She clutched at a last hope. “Emily, is that you?”

The wind picked up and spun a foul sickly-sweet odor around her, drowning the other scent. Mia coughed and stumbled backward. Only one certainty floated through her confusion. Her younger sister was dead.

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MY BOOK REVIEW:


This book is filled with such mystery, suspense, intrigue, and adventure that keeps your heart pounding as you try to solve this brain-twisting whodunit puzzle!!!

Who killed Emily McGuire?

In this book EVERYONE AND ANYONE is a suspect!!!

Mia’s life has been off the rails since the day she found her sister’s dead body.  Since then, she’s also lost her job and her boyfriend broke up with her.  Mia has been unable to fully function with the huge cloud of not knowing who killed her sister and why.

Unfortunately, the police chief isn’t really listening to Mia or taking her seriously even when she’s providing information and clues to help find her sister’s killer.  It seems her sister’s case has come to a standstill and it is no longer the main priority for the police department.  Mia can’t wait any longer and she clearly can’t count on the police to solve the case.  So, she decides to hire Lucas Davis, a newly Private Investigator, who is just off the police force after suffering a recent trauma from an on-the-job shooting.  Lucas is also the police chief’s son.

Together Mia and Lucas team up to solve Emily’s murder and find out what exactly happened.

The list of suspects seems never-ending!

And the real killer is planting evidence to make sure someone else goes away for the crime.

But Mia and Lucas are determined to follow every lead and get to the truth…  Even if that means having a killer on their trail…

Wow!!!  Wow!!!  Wow!!!

I am a huge mystery book fan and my favorite thing about Nora’s book’s is that she ALWAYS keeps me on the edge of my seat guessing whodunit and she is one of the few authors who actually surprises me on the killer!!!  I am really, really good at guessing the killer in books, TV shows, movies, games, etc. – but Nora can definitely beat me and shock me with her endings – and that takes skill!!!

This is the third book of Nora’s I’ve read.  I have previously read and reviewed Nora’s other books, “Sweet Dreams, Baby,” and “Midnight Girl,” so I was thrilled to get the chance to read her latest work, “Trail of Secrets.”

Nora’s writing only continues to improve, grow, and expand with each book!  I know she will be an author I will continue to read over the years!

I really liked the main characters, Mia and Lucas.  They were likable, relatable, honest, and genuine.  Mia was smart, sweet, polite, dependable, and compassionate.  I liked that she was determined and steadfast in wanting to bring justice for her sister and get answers to why this happened.  I think if I was in Mia’s position and the police weren’t doing enough to find my sister’s killer, I’d like to think I would be courageous enough to go out and handle the problem myself.  Of course, I too, would hire protection, no way I’m going after a crazy killer without help lol.  I also really liked Lucas.  He was strong, protective, respectful, sincere, tenacious, and benevolent.  I loved how he wanted to keep Mia safe and secured.  There were definitely sparks between these two and it was beautifully written in a romantic, enduring, respectful, and tender manner.

I also felt bad for Lucas as it was clear he was struggling and feeling depressed for his dad being disappointed in him.  He jumped at this case to prove his worth and that he still has the guts, stamina, and fortitude to solve the case.  He wasn’t washed up – he could still do this.  I really liked his encouragement, energy, dedication, and determination.  He was fighting to prove that he was still a top investigator, to impress his dad, to find the killer, to keep Mia safe, and to win Mia over.  It was clearly a story line of redemption, forgiveness, second chances, and new beginnings.

I think the author did a fantastic job on her character development as these characters were so real and personal on many levels!

I love Nora’s writing style that everyone and anyone is a suspect.  She makes reasonable, valid points of why they’re on the chopping block, and then appropriately clears them in due time, and then moves on to the next.

This book has a creative story line with well executed plot points, excellent mystery structured scenarios, fantastic writing style with detailed scenes, relatable characters, is fast paced, and keeps you fully engaged and entertained.

There are some predictable scenes.  However, there are still many unexpected twists and turns and misdirection’s that you won’t see coming!

This book is book one in the Love & Lies in Paradise Book Series.  This book can be read as a standalone.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it!  I think all mystery readers will like this book too!  So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

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AUTHOR BIO:

Nora grew up in rural New England where she currently lives with her family. She enjoys visiting and spending time with her friends, the Winettes, in Florida, where she continues to write. Trail of Secrets is her sixteenth book. Her next story is already in progress.

You can find Nora on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and her website: Noraleduc.com. She also contributes to the Romance Gems’ Blog every month.

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CONNECT WITH NORA:

Website:

Facebook:

BookBub Author Page:

BookBub Book Page:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:

Amazon Paperback:

The Book Depository Paperback:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Nora will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.