BLOG TOUR: Scar Tissue by MC Domovitch

About the Book:

Title: Scar Tissue
Author: MC Domovitch
Publisher: Lansen Publishing
Pages: 396
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller/Paranormal

When successful model Ciara Cain wakes up in hospital, remembering nothing of the weeks she has been missing, her only clues are the ugly words carved into her skin. According to the police she was a victim of the Cutter, a serial killer who has already murdered three women. For her protection the police and her doctors give a press conference, announcing that because her amnesia is organically caused, her memory loss is permanent. But, whether her memory returns or not is anybody’s guess.
Overnight, Ciara’s glamorous life is gone. Her scars have killed both her modelling career and her relationship with her rich boyfriend. With nothing to keep her in New York, she returns to her home town of Seattle, moves in with her sister and goes about building a new life. But when her sister lets it slip that Ciara’s memory is returning, the killer comes after her again. If Ciara is to stay alive, she must keep one step ahead of the Cutter.

For More Information

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

Review: This story was the epitome of suspense/thriller. I was on the edge of my seat through most of my reading, waiting to see what was going to happen next and how the entire plot was going to play out.  

Poor Ciara finds herself in a situation where she doesn't know who to trust, or where to turn for help. The readers will find themselves in the same predicament as they try to figure out who is the Cutter, and who is helping him along the way.

The great thing about Ciara is that she turns out to be a stronger woman than she realizes, and she is definitely a character you find yourself rooting for as she fights to survive.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

Book Excerpt:

It was the pain that pierced the fog in her brain. It seemed to come from all over her body, more intensely from her right leg, where it pulsated to the rhythm of her heart. She tried to open her eyes, but her lids felt…so…very…heavy. It was easier to fall back into the haze inside her mind. She floated there, vaguely aware of somebody calling her name.

“Ciara, it’s me.” The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it. “Please wake up.”.”” She drifted off again.

Time had lost all meaning. She wandered in and out of a great void. She might have been sleeping for minutes or days. Occasionally her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds, only to grow still again. One day when she opened her eyes, the fog had lifted. The first thing she saw were old acoustic ceiling tiles. Puzzled, she blinked. A beeping caught her attention and she shifted her gaze to the side. Next to her was a monstrous machine. Tubes were running from it to her and back again. Where was she?

She tried to speak, but there was something in her mouth. She moaned, and then a woman was bending over her, her eyes full of tears.

“Ciara. Can you hear me?” Her sister? Deirdre was here? All the way from Seattle? She must be in a hospital. If she was sick, whatever she had was serious.

“If you can, squeeze my hand.” She strained to move, but her limbs were great weights. Her movements were sluggish. But she must have squeezed because suddenly Deirdre was yelling, “She’s awake. Ciara is awake.” But she was asleep again.

Over the next few days, there were more and more moments of awareness. The tube in her mouth was removed and she was given ice chips, and then water. She couldn’t seem to get enough.

“Good morning, young lady,” a doctor said.

It was morning? She’d had no idea. He shone a penlight in her eyes. She vaguely remembered him doing this before. She must have drifted off again, because she blinked and he was gone.

A different doctor came to visit. He wore surgical greens. He too peered into her eyes with a light and then asked her a number of questions, starting with her name.

“Ciara Kelly,” she said in a voice she barely recognized. From a corner of her room came an excited voice. “Oh, my God! She’s speaking. That means she’s fully out of the coma, doesn’t it?”

She hadn’t dreamed it. Her sister truly was right here in New York.

This is New York, isn’t it?

“It’s still too soon to be certain, but things look good so far.” The doctor continued with his questions. “Can you count backward from one hundred for me?”

She had to think hard. “One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight.” Had she gotten that right?

“Very good.” After another half dozen questions, the doctor smiled at last. “Welcome back, Ciara. You’ve had a lot of people very worried for a long time. Do you remember what happened?”

“I was in an accident?” she guessed.

“That’s right. Do you remember it?”

She wrinkled her brow in concentration. “I was at a photo shoot for Prêt-a-Porter,” she said, naming a popular magazine. “Oh, my God. I was supposed to fly to Milan today. I’ve got to get out of here. My agent will kill me if I miss my flight.”

“You already missed that flight,” her sister said. “You’ve been in a coma for a while.”

“In a coma?” Ciara looked at her blankly. “How long of a while?”

There was a hesitation, until at last Deirdre said, “Seventeen days.”

“Seven…” That was impossible. Why, that photo shoot was only yesterday. She was sure of it. She’d been looking forward to her flight to Italy and auditioning for all the glamorous designer shows. Could that really have been over two weeks ago? She suddenly noticed her forearms. She hardly recognized them as her own. They were so thin. She must have lost a ton of weight. Her first reaction was one of joy. Even her agent would have to agree she was thin enough now. She imagined what she might say when she saw her. Why Ciara, you’re a perfect size two. Armani will adore you.

But from what her sister had just said, the collections were already half over. And come to think of it, she had no idea what kind of shape she was in. How badly was she hurt? Could she even walk? She flexed her toes and was relieved to see movement under the bedsheet. At least she wasn’t paralyzed.

“What’s wrong with me?” At the same time she became aware of a dull pain in her right leg. “Please tell me I don’t have a broken leg. I don’t have time for that. I have to get back to work.”

Deirdre came closer, placing a comforting hand over hers. “Work will have to wait. You have some healing to do first. You were pretty banged up when you were brought in. You had a compound fracture of the leg, not to mention a lot of cuts and bruises. But, didn’t I always tell you, you have a really hard head, Ciara Kelly, because with the blow you got you should have had a broken skull. Instead, all you got was a concussion.”

The doctor took over from there. “But as far as concussions go, yours was a beauty. Your leg will be fine. We had to put in a few screws, so from now on you might beep when you go through airport security. Your cuts are healing nicely. All in all, you are one very lucky young lady.”

He called this lucky?

“What about my head? Am I… Will I…” She could deal with all of that, but the thought of having a brain injury was too much.

“You did have a brain bleed when you came in. But we were able to treat it without surgery. You’ve had an MRI, and from what we can tell, except for a tiny bit of scar tissue in the posterior cingulate cortex, everything is fine. If you had lingering problems, they most likely would have shown up by now.”

“Posterior cingular…What does that area of the brain do?”

“The posterior cingulate cortex,” he repeated with a teasing smile. “That’s an area most people have never heard of. It’s one of the most metabolically active regions of the brain, but the simple truth is nobody really knows what its true cognitive role might be.”

“Are you telling me I might have brain damage, and you don’t know how it might affect me?”

The teasing glint was gone, but his tone was still light. “No idea whatsoever.” He picked her chart and scribbled a few words. “But we’ll keep an eye on you and if we notice anything, we’ll deal with it then.”

Her sister gave him a reproving look. “You’re fine, Ciara. Don’t worry about it. They’ve taken every possible test and everything looks perfectly normal.”

A nurse walked in at that moment, signaling for the doctor’s attention. “The police are sending somebody over to question the patient.”

“The police?” Ciara said. “Of course. The accident.” They’d want her version of what happened.  “Why can’t I remember anything between the photo shoot and waking up here?”

The room became quiet. “That’s not abnormal,” the doctor said at last. “You’ve only been fully awake for a few hours. It could take days, maybe even longer before everything comes back to you.” Ciara nodded, her eyes darting from the doctor to her sister. She had the feeling they were keeping something from her.

About the Author

M C Domovitch is the author of nine novels, four of which were published under the name of Carol Ann Martin (by Penguin), another two under the name Monique Domovitch (by Carina Press) The other three are published as M C Domovitch, Scorpio Rising, The Sting of the Scorpio (Both now republished in one single tome) and Scar Tissue. The decision to use a different pen name was based on her departure from cozy mysteries and entering the Romance and Romantic Suspense genres.

Before becoming an author, Monique had multiple careers, beginning with modeling. She won a modeling contest in the 70s and became one of Canada's top models. After retiring from the fashion industry, she studied finance and joined an investment company. This led to a new career as host of her own television show about investing, with the television network, WTN. Following her retirement from finance, she decided to pursue her true passion, writing. At a writing workshop at San Diego's Writers' Conference, one of her unpublished books caught the eye of a publisher and of an agent. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their dogs. They divide their time between homes in Victoria and Toronto Canada and Key Largo Florida.

For More Information

• Visit Monique Domovich’s website.
• Connect with Monique on Facebook and Twitter.

BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Banished Threads by Kaylin McFarren

Title: Banished Threads (Book 3 – Threads Series)
Author: Kaylin McFarren
Publisher: Creative Edge Publishing LLC
Pages: 258
Genre: Romantic Suspense

A valuable art collection disappears turning a treasure-hunting duo into crime-stopping sleuths committed to vindicating family members in Kaylin McFarren's action-packed suspense novel, Banished Threads.

While vacationing at the stately Cumberforge Manor inBellwood, England, Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen attend an elegant dinner party hosted by her uncle, Paul Lyons, and his aristocratic wife, Sara. Before the evening ends, a priceless collection of Morris Graves's paintings are stolen from her uncle's popular gallery, throwing all suspicion onto his wife's missing granddaughter. Determined to clear Sloan Rafferty's name and, in the process, win Paul's favor, Chase scours the countryside looking for answers. In his absence, the police accuse Rachel's uncle of an unsolved murder and secrets surrounding her grandmother's death and the deaths of Sara's former husbands turn his wife into the most likely suspect.

With the true villains hell-bent on destroying Paul Lyons and his family, solving both crimes while ensuring her uncle's freedom not only endangers Rachel's life but that of her unborn child. Will Chase save them before the kidnappers enact their revenge or will the ultimate price be paid, as predicted by a vagabond fortuneteller?

First place - 2016 Hudson Valley RWA Hook, Line & Sinker Contest

Review: Even though this is the third book in the series, it is easy to read as a standalone. I haven't read the first two books yet, but may go back and read them just to learn a little more about Rachel and Chase.

This is a quick easy read for mystery/suspense lovers. There is murder, robbery, kidnapping, and all sorts of intrigue.  I had no idea who the culprit was and why until the actual reveal, which is just the way I like it.

There are to be two more books in this series, and the author promises they will tie up all the loose ends and answer all the questions generated in this one. I can hardly wait!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**



Rating: Four stars

For More Information

• Banished Threads is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:
A lone figure stood in the estuary lookout nestled in the trees above the North Sea on the Holderness Coast, waiting with restless anticipation as Gwen Gallagher approached the cliff's edge. A quick adjustment to the night-vision binoculars allowed the watcher a closer view of the twenty-eight-year-old secretary as she savored the last autumn sunset she would ever see. The crisp, cool air picked up speed, leaving her long black hair sailing like a ghostly pirate's flag behind her. It lifted the hem of her black skirt slightly, exposing her white shapely legs and black suede booties to the wintry elements. Her pale blue eyes swept across the landscape, appraising the beauty surrounding them.

She raised her chin toward the darkening sky and smiled, obviously believing the note she had received, inviting her here, had come from her married lover.
As Gwen moved even closer to the edge, the watcher inhaled a deep breath. All that remained between this ludicrous woman and the vividly blue ocean was two meters of solid rock. From the lookout vantage point, there was barely enough light to confirm that she was staring down at the tossing sands and churning water, mesmerizing in the early evening breeze. All it would take was one push, and she would feel the rush of wind through her hair and see the crystal-blue sea one last time as she slammed headlong into the jagged rocks below.
The watcher's heart was fluttering erratically now as Gwen stood balancing on the brink of extinction. The sky darkened, and gray waves slammed into the rocks, blasting sea spray high into the air. By all appearances, she had become preoccupied by the black storm clouds collecting overhead and the hard-hitting raindrops striking her cheeks. The wind was whipping now and had started to voice its howling rage. Meanwhile, the watcher climbed down from the lookout and stepped hurriedly across the uneven ground, arriving only six yards away from the scene where Gwen now remained frozen in place. The soles of her shoes held her stoically to the uneven mafic rock as the rising wind whipped and swayed her body like a frail willow. For a brief moment, the watcher was uncertain of what to do next. Then Gwen turned around suddenly and stared back in a trancelike state. Another step forward resulted in waking her.
"What are you doing here?" she called out. "What do you want?"
The watcher remained silent and took another step forward before pulling out an engraved, freshly sharpened steak knife. A look of fear crossed Gwen's rain-streaked face, making it impossible not to smile.
"Go away! Leave me alone!" she screeched. She took a final step back to distance herself, just as a massive wave hit. The spray washed over her and sent her plummeting fifteen meters down. The watcher dropped on all fours to maintain a protected position on the slippery, stony ground. Minutes later, the surge passed, and it was now safe to stand. A quick assessment confirmed the dangling binoculars were safe and in excellent working order, but the engraved knife had been washed away. After stepping down to a new viewpoint, it was easy to ascertain that Gwen had been injured from the fall and was now trapped in the jagged rocks below. She looked up at the watcher and called out for help, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Bloody idiot. If someone should hear her, they could interfere, and that would ruin everything.
Five minutes passed as poor Gwen continued to scream. Then, as good fortune would have it, the wind rose again. With the crush of another wave, she was pulled under and swept out to sea.
The watcher smiled and was about to leave when a tiny fraction of light picked up something on the ground. Careful inspection confirmed it was a gold hoop earring, plucked from its owner—a marvelous souvenir to add to the prized, growing collection. After the watcher slipped it into a pocket in the yellow hooded slicker and removed the binoculars, a pleasant thought came to mind. Since it had become a moral right and obligation to dispose of the unworthy and undeserving in the Cumberforge Manor, it wouldn't be long before Gwen's lover would be joining her and the rest of the moneygrubbing fools who had been personally escorted to the bowels of hell.

About the Author

Kaylin McFarren is a California native who has enjoyed traveling around the world. She previously worked as director for a fine art gallery, where she helped foster the careers of various artists before feeling the urge to satisfy her own creative impulses.

Since launching her writing career, McFarren has earned more than a dozen literary awards in addition to a finalist spot in the 2008 RWA Golden Heart Contest. A member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers, she also lends her participation and support to various charitable and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest.

McFarren currently lives with her husband in Oregon and visits her second home in California once a month. They have three grown daughters and two grandchildren, and look forward to having more.

Her latest book is the romantic suspense, Banished Threads.

For More Information

• Visit Kaylin McFarren’s website.
• Connect with Kaylin on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Giveaway!!!!

Kaylin McFarren is giving away a Gift Basket (Value $135)!

This gift basket includes Collectible English tea cup & saucer set, nautical compass, rare Morris Graves’ artwork catalog, and Cadbury English toffees.

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive the gift basket.
• This giveaway begins May 9 and ends on June 30.
• Winners will be contacted via email on June 31.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Red Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Scarlet Risque

Book Information

Genre: Dark romantic suspense

• Series: Hourglass
• Paperback: 386 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (January 18, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1523469633
• ISBN-13: 978-1523469635
• 
  

Synopsis: A POWERFUL, MYSTERIOUS woman finds a homeless girl in a New York subway and adopts her. Janet swears loyalty to the White family and they train her at their Academy as a secret agent. Before long, her transformation into the Red Hourglass—an assassin—is complete. She is ready to start her missions in service of the White Queen.

In order to learn the whereabouts of her real mother from the White Queen, the Red Hourglass must stop the planned expansion of Wilmar Enterprises. She goes undercover to infiltrate Wilmar, and she is hired as the executive secretary to the Chief of Security, Conan Casey.

Janet works diligently to uncover all Wilmar’s secrets. She soon learns that Conan Casey, her target, is heir to the billion dollar Wilmar organization. She falls prey to his dark seductions and twisted secrets … and they leave her gasping for more.

She unwittingly bets her stakes on a dangerous game of love. Where do her loyalties lie? Will she betray Conan for the White Queen, or fall in love with him and give up all hope of finding her real mother? And will they get out alive?

The first in the Hourglass series - a dark coming of age thriller romance novel about finding one's identity with dominance and submission romance scenes against the backdrop of capitalism, undercover agents, poker and tango with an infusion of eastern and western philosophy.

A sequel will be released every Halloween.

Review: This is an adult story about Scarlet, who is taken off the streets of New York City, adopted and trained to be an assassin.  The storyline follows her on an important mission, and we see her falling for the man she is tasked with ruining.

To be honest, I never really felt the chemistry between Scarlet and Conan. Their relationship seemed to fall flat for me. The story also starts out really slow, and I never felt the suspense I was hoping to find.

This is a reasonably good start for a beginning author. I will probably give the next book a chance to see if there is better character and plot development, making the story more engaging.

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Three stars

About the author

Scarlet Risqué stars in Scarlet Queen YouTube with over a million views. She is the author of the Hourglass (Romance/Thriller) Series. She holds a degree in business. She uses writing, dance, and theater to explore her dark and light desires. She's a poetic soul where pain and pleasure meet and East collides with West. 

Each book in the Series has a female lead searching for her identity and truth in today's world. Set against a backdrop of globalization, these stories of intrigue and espionage are full of undercover agents, hints of BDSM erotica, and themes of dominance and submission.

Scarlet combines her business knowledge with her artistic sensibilities when she creates her art. She's interested in social issues-such as poverty, homelessness, and orphans-and when she writes about powerful businessmen and women she often examines the larger implications of their decisions can change the political and social outcomes of the world.

She loves her cat and crystal collection. Scarlet's passionate about traveling, dancing, and kink. She usually has wanderlust, and she can often be found fluttering her rainbow wings around the world.

Scarlet reads all her fan mail and she looks forward to hearing from you. Your feedback is crucial in helping her improve the Series.

http://thescarletqueen.com

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Wild Within by Christine Hartmann

Title: WILD WITHIN

Author: Christine Hartmann

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Pages: 274

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis: A year after a family tragedy, Grace Mori embarks on the journey of a lifetime…

Two thousand, six hundred miles of blistering heat, wilderness, and soul searching—that’s what Grace signed up for when she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s not a voyage for beginners, but with no husband and her family still recovering from her bother’s death, Grace is more alone than ever. 

This trail meant something to her brother, and she’ll hike it in his memory, but she can’t do it alone. So with her brother’s gear and a small group, Grace takes the most important first steps of her life.

Grace finds something more than peace and magic on the trail…

When her first day of hiking ends in heat stroke, Grace is rescued by a handsome, red-haired hiker who calls himself Lone Star. Grace has an immediate connection with him, and their brief encounter leaves her fearing her soul mate has slipped through her fingers. Although he vows to keep in touch, Grace doubts she’ll ever see him again.

When fears become reality, the only people Grace can rely on may be killers...

Grace is surprised to find notes left at supply posts along the trail. Lone Star’s eloquent letters keep Grace going, clinging to the hope she’ll find him—and happiness—at the end of her journey. But as the trail becomes more perilous, menace grows within the group. And when Lone Star’s letters mysteriously stop coming, Grace fears the worst. 

As tensions flare and a killer emerges, Grace must battle to survive…and reunite with the man she’s sure is her future.

For More Information

• Wild Within is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

Later, after sharing a hearty dinner with the RV couple, Lone Star and Grace pitched their tents in adjacent campsites. For Grace, tent poles went into wrong grommets, stakes came loose, and clips misaligned. Lone Star set his up in a flash and sat in the entrance, watching her struggle.

“I wouldn’t mind a little help here, if you’ve got the time.”

“I’ve got the time. But you have to learn this for yourself, darlin’. Soon it’ll be as easy as pie. But not if I do it for you. Besides, I enjoy watching you. You clean up real nice.”

“Thanks.” Grace curtsied. Her foot caught in a tent line and she fell. Lone Star chuckled so long he had to hold his sides.

“From where I’m sitting, Lone Star, you’re not living up to Southern gentleman standards.” She brushed herself off. “What’s the Texas expression for go jump in a lake?”

“What I think you’re trying to say is that you think I’m about as fine as cream gravy.”

Grace used a rock to pound in her final tent stake and attached its guy-line. “Yes, that’s what I meant.” She tossed a pine cone at his head. “You’re as fine as clean gravy. So is my tent. Not bad for a first try.”

“Not clean gravy. Cream gravy. And it’s a fine tent indeed.”

Once inside her shelter, Grace was too tired to crawl into her sleeping bag. She pulled it over her like a blanket, thought for a second of Lone Star’s blue eyes, and fell asleep before the cover reached her chin.

Cheerful whistling roused her when dawn was still a light orange glow on the horizon. She pushed the tent flap aside and made out Lone Star breaking camp.

“Didn’t mean to wake you, darlin’.”

“You’re leaving? Already?” Sudden anxiety prickled in her.

“Sure am. Today’s supposed to be cooler, they say. Still, it’s good to start early in the desert, no matter what the prediction.”

“Wait.” Grace scrambled out. “I can pack up and go with you. Quick as a caterpillar in heat. Or whatever you’d say.” She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm in the crisp morning air.

Lone Star’s face shone with affection. “Just Grace, your coming with me is a sweet thought.” He took gentle hold of her shoulders and turned her around. “But you crawl right back in your bag. You’re staying put today.”

Her attention focused on his hands as he gently pushed her toward her tent. Warm, firm, comforting hands. A sudden longing enveloped her. She struggled out of his grip. “I don’t need any more rest. I’m fine.”

“You don’t know how tired you are.”

“I’m okay. Really.” She jumped up and down. “See?”

“No arguing.” He again ushered her to the tent and waited until she was tightly wrapped and zippered inside. His thighs appeared at the entrance as he folded his long body until his head was level with his knees.

“I loved hiking with you yesterday, Just Grace. My heart is saying stay here with you. But I’ve got 2,600 miles to hike before snow lands in Canada. And my law practice isn’t going to be there forever if I don’t get back to it as soon as I can. I’ve just got to skedaddle.”

He cares more about his work than he does about me.

She fought back tears and willed her voice not to crack. “Okay. I understand. You’ve got your…priorities.”

Lone Star reached for her chin but she jerked it away.

He let his hand drop. “Don’t be that way, Just Grace. You’ve got to have a little faith.”

“Faith in what?”

“Faith in us.” He rubbed his hand against her cheek. This time she leaned into it.

“There’s an us?”

Review: I absolutely LOVED this book! Between the descriptions of the scenery, the romance between Grace and Lone Star, and the suspense of the killer on the trail, it had a little something for everyone.

Grace is a wonderful main character, and you get drawn into her story from the start. Her experiences on the trail, and the people she meets along the way, keep you reading from one chapter to the next. Reading the notes Lone Star leaves her along the trail was also a fun part of the story for me--I think I looked forward to them as much as Grace!

I can't wait to read more of this series!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the Author

Christine Hartmann grew up in Ohio and Delaware and loves traveling to exotic, romantic settings. After a college semester in Kathmandu, her first three “real” jobs were all in northern Japan, where she lived for almost 10 years. She currently splits her career between her daytime occupation (improving the quality of veterans’ nursing home care) and her nights/weekend avocation (writing both fiction and non-fiction books). Her husband Ron Strickland is a well-known long-distance hiker and trail guide writer and the founder of the 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Christine loves reading, pilates, bicycling, and snorkeling, and health foods that taste like they’re bad for you. You will often find her at a keyboard, a German shepherd at her side, and Ron whispering sweet edits over her shoulder.

Her latest book is book one of the Wild at Heart series, Wild Within.

For More Information

• Visit Christine Hartmann’s website.
• Connect with Christine on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Christine at Goodreads.

Giveaway!

Christine is giving away 2 $25 Amazon Gift Cards & 20 Wild Within Coffee Mugs!

Terms & Conditions:
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Card & twenty winners will be chosen to receive one Wild Within Coffee Mug
• This giveaway starts April 4 and ends June 30
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 1.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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IT'S RAINING BOOKS SPRING READS TOUR: A Girl Like You (Henrietta and Inspector Howard #1) by Michelle Cox

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Historical fiction, romantic suspense

• Series: The Henrietta and Inspector Howard series (Book 1)
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: She Writes Press (April 19, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1631520164
• ISBN-13: 978-1631520167

Synopsis: Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago s northwest side. It's 1935, but things still aren't looking up since the big crash and her father's subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings. Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall and just when she s beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead. When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him and is plunged into Chicago's grittier underworld. Meanwhile, she s still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector's investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

Review: A fabulous debut novel by Michelle Cox. She takes the reader deep into the world of the 1930s in Chicago--the poverty and hopelessness are vividly portrayed in Henrietta's story.  At the same time, we see her hope for a better future. 

I enjoyed the interaction between Henrietta and Clive, and look forward to future stories in this series.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author
Michelle Cox has a B.A. in English literature from Mundelein College, Chicago. She is a writer of historical fiction but has also been known to dash off a mystery or two. While her heart might lie in the eighteenth century with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy or in the crooked streets of Little Dorrit's London, she tends to write of a slightly more recent age, a time closer to the World Wars, when all was not yet lost and the last roses of summer were first coming into bloom. Ms. Cox lives with her husband and three children in the Chicago suburbs. 

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Starfish Island by Deborah Brown

NEW RELEASE....

A MYSTERIOUS INHERITANCE. A HANDSOME STRANGER. 

After a bad break-up, Nicole Alexander is ready for a change. When she inherits a house on Starfish Island from a grandmother she never knew, it seems like the perfect opportunity for starting over. But soon after moving in, Nicole receives a cryptic message warning her to leave immediately. 

Determined to get to the bottom of the hauntings, Nicole starts an investigation. When things get hot and heavy with one of the island’s most charismatic residents, Michael Edwards, Nicole begins to suspect his amorous attention might be a cover for dark motives. 

Will Nicole discover the reason for the island’s hostility before it’s too late? Can she fall for a man she doesn’t exactly trust? 

STARFISH ISLAND is best-selling author Deborah Brown’s first romantic suspense novel. If you love the charm and fast pace of her popular Paradise series, then you’ll love this engrossing romantic mystery.

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Review: I'm a huge fan of the Paradise series written by this author, so I jumped at the chance to read her newest work. Unlike the comedic mysteries of the Paradise series, STARFISH ISLAND is a suspenseful mystery which is much more serious.

Nicole is an interesting main character. She is an artist, she is basically alone and adrift in life. She doesn't know who to trust or what to believe, and the author puts us right there with her from beginning to end.

Content warning: There are a few rather explicit sexual scenes---but you can always skip through those if that isn't your "cup of tea."

I certainly hope that Ms. Brown will be writing more novels like this one!

**I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.**

Rating: Five stars

About the Author

I've been writing, in one way or another for as long as I can remember; writing poetry, short stories, a romance novel secretly stashed under the bed and sappy love letters. Fiction should be fun. I wanted to create the perfect beach book, to make the reader laugh, cry and cheer... and then run out and tell their friends about it.

My love of reading began when I was seven, the day I opened the cover of my first Mrs. Piggle Wiggle book. Mrs. P gave lessons to other children in how to behave and to me I learned to love the written word. I live with my family and demon children aka rescue cats in South Florida.

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Cause She's A Good Girl by Groovy Lee

Book Information

Genre: Romantic Suspense

• File Size: 1880 KB
• Print Length: 279 pages
• Publisher: Groovy Lee (May 29, 2014)
• Publication Date: May 29, 2014
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00KNI3I3K

Synopsis: Piper Banion spent most of her eighteen years trying to do the impossible, gain her abusive mother's love. But the older she gets, the more she realizes that a parent's undying love is something you don't have to vie for, compromise your principles for, nor beg for in your prayers. Connie will always see her as a worthless burden. Still, breaking the chains of her defective childhood by running away was a hard decision to make.

After five years of wandering from one small town to the next, Piper finds a true friend in Shelly Jamison, a runaway mom slash devout party girl, and outspoken rebel against the rich, her family included. After a back-alley altercation with Shelly's boy-toy, Tomas, Piper's friend convinces her to spend the summer at her family's estate in Destin, California. At last she gets to meet Shelly's SEXY cousin Oz Jamison.

Oz owns a PR firm in Seattle, Washington. Hardly a day goes by that he can't turn a corner without being asked those headache provoking-questions: "Are you Prince? Would you sign my Purple Rain DVD? Touch my latest copy of your CD? Better yet, touch me instead?" With skin the color of smooth vanilla, and the sensual glint in those brown caramel eyes, even a pledged virgin like Piper has to fight off the lure of his sexuality. She opts instead for a friendship based on their shared abusive backgrounds.

Piper is determined to forge a better life in California; but, the collective cries of nine murdered women reaching out to her from those weekly news bulletins suspends that task. Someone is killing all the women she comes into contact with, and that's where the connection ends. Her “pureness” seems to be the trump card that enables her to walk away from the rage that consumes the killer and the lives of his unsuspecting victims. But the next time they meet, a head start is all she'll get. 

In the chaos of trying to survive him, Piper learns that Shelly has disappeared. A muffled voice over the phone claims responsibility: And it's not the Silk Stocking Serial killer who's daring her to come rescue her friend.

Review: In all honesty, I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book--the synopsis intrigued me, but the cover made me concerned about how much romance or sexual content would be included.

In the end, the synopsis won out over the cover, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Piper did get on my nerves at times with her lack of common sense, but it wasn't enough to take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

This book has romance, mystery, suspense, parental neglect, and friendship. All the characters are well-developed and realistic.  The story line is well written and easy to follow. There is a twist at the end which required tissues, because I definitely didn't see it coming.

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

I was born in the deep south where the number four has two syllables. I somehow did not acquire that distinct Southern accent, but I am accustomed to expressions of "Yall", "Ain't", and when I'm really mad--"Ain't gonna!".

I'm also addicted to bottled tea and cooking shows; I crochet and collect crystal. My best friend and Queen is my daughter who gets a foot massage from me after a long day:)

My most favorite time of the year is tennis season. When the French Open, Wimbledon, and The US Open are airing, you can look for me, but you won't find me. Unless you know where my 53" television set is. Even then approach me with all the care you would a Grizzly--exactly, you wouldn't! My daughter is prohibited from communicating with me unless it's a code 10 emergency; And even then I'll direct her to the neighbor for help--just kidding, she knows how to dial 911

I write wholesome, passionate romances that deal with matters of the heart. No sexually graphic stories or one night stands. I write about love, not lust. I also write romantic/suspense, suspense, and there's a suspense/sci-fi waiting to debut. If my stories bring a smile to just one person's heart, then I've done my job. That's what it's all about.

Thanks to all of you who have added me to their list of authors they are fans of. I'm so honored! And I love when people friend me:) I'm not a big fan of Facebook or Twitter, but I invite you all to email me with your suggestions or questions.

You can contact me here on Goodreads, or atreyhu@att.net.

Thank you for your time and Good Reading!

http://www.groovylee.com/