Blog Tour ~ "Star Struck" by Kathi Oram Peterson + tour giveaway

Star Struck by Kathi Oram Peterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received from Publisher to review
Genre: Romance/Suspense

Book Description:  Mercedes Grant is known to the world as Stormy Ryan, action hero. Her movie-star status has led to some unpleasant interactions in the past, and even a few stalkers, but none has ever come close enough to her to seem dangerous—until now. When she receives a death threat on her personal cell phone, she is understandably shaken. Seizing the opportunity to take some time away from the limelight while the police investigate the phone call, Mercedes escapes to her remote cabin near Idaho’s Snake River. She knows it is the perfect place to lie low, but she doesn’t realize how low she’ll actually feel once she arrives. After days of suffering from a cold she just can’t shake, Mercedes visits the town physician, Luke Parker. The handsome doctor, a fan of the stunning celebrity, performs the necessary tests and is devastated at the unexpected diagnosis he must give her. Mercedes is sick—really sick. He knows she can handle crazy fans, but the news he has to give is another story. As Mercedes struggles to come to terms with her new future, she relies on Luke’s support. But neither imagines the disease is not the only danger Mercedes is facing—because just out of view, someone is watching her and is determined to make good on their threat.


My thoughts: Mercedes in an actress with a stalker and a serious illness. Her quest for solitude leads her to her remote cabin. She thinks it is the perfect place to escape the death threats and far away from the limelight.

The local Doctor, Luke, is a hero in so many ways. He is there to help her through the tough part of accepting her illness. He protects her and gives her emotional support. Their lives are different, but they compliment each other. He is the rock that she needs.

I loved that Kathi Oram Peterson didn't give away the identity of the bad guy until the end. She was able to create doubt of several different people, that I was guessing and didn't decide for sure which one he was. I didn't like who it was, but the reasoning became clear as the story progressed.

Many of the people surrounding Mercedes are controlling. It was amazing to me at what a grounded character she was with her influences. I think it is one of the reasons that I appreciated Luke more. His nurse is amazing too. I loved her influence. She was full of surprises.

This is a clean suspense book with  romance.

Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book

Visit the Tour Stops:

Feb. 8th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/index.html, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/

Feb. 9th: http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/,  http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/ 

Feb. 10th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

Feb. 11th: http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/

Feb. 12th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://littlelightdesigncollective.com/, http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

Enter the tour giveaway.  (This is sponsored by Covenant Communications.  They will announce and notify the winner.)

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Book Blast ~ "His Personal Relationship Manager" by Jennifer Peel + giveaway

His Personal Relationship Manager by Jennifer Peel Kenadie Marshall suffered the most public of humiliations, being left at the altar. Instead of wallowing in her misery, she makes it her mission to help others find true and lasting love, all while swearing off relationships for good. Between the software application she developed and a team of relationship managers, her brainchild, Binary Search, has an uncanny knack for choosing the perfect match almost every time. Attractive and loveable Jason Hadley is taken with Kenadie Marshall from their first meeting. Determined to win her over, he does anything and everything he can think of, even if it means using her firm’s service and dating other women to stay close to her. Will Kenadie realize she’s met her match before it’s too late? Or will Jason’s ploy go too far? Find out in His Personal Relationship Manager, a romantic comedy with an epic battle of wills.

Praise for the Book "One of the best romantic comedies I've read in a long time!" - Becky Monson, Bestselling Author of the Spinster Series "There's nothing more satisfying than a story with a great plot, strong characters, and a romance that makes me swoon. This story has it all and more! I loved every minute of it!" - Katie from Katie's Clean Book Collection

Read an Excerpt:

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Excerpt He paused for a moment. His intense gaze had me feeling undone. “Are you happy, Kenadie?” “That’s a complicated question.” “Well, you are a complicated woman.” “I don’t try to be.” “It was a compliment.” “How do you do that?” “What’s that?” “You always know what to say to make me feel better about myself.” “Well, that’s easy. You give me good material to work with.” “Jason … Today, I’m happy.” “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that,” he said smoothly.

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  Author Jennifer Peel Jennifer Peel is the mother of three amazing kiddos. Wife to her one and only for the past twenty-one years. Lover of late night talks, beach vacations, the mountains, pink bubble gum ice cream, tours of model homes, and southern living. She can frequently be found with her laptop on, fingers typing away, indulging in chocolate milk, and writing out the stories that are constantly swirling through her head.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

    Book Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash Ends 2/25/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review ~ "A Midwinter Ball" a Timeless Regency Anthology

A Midwinter Ball by Heidi Ashworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Regency Romance

Book Description: Join three bestselling regency romance authors, Heidi Ashworth, Annette Lyon, and Michele Paige Holmes, for three new regency romance novellas in A MIDWINTER BALL. 

MUCH ADO ABOUT DANCING by Heidi Ashworth. Two years have passed since Lord Northrup declared his intentions for Miss Analisa Lloyd-Jones and forbade any other man to court her. Angry at the neglect, Analisa stopped reading his letters, never even breaking the seals. Tired of waiting, Analisa joins the house party at Mrs. Smith’s famous country home, determined to find a beau. When Lord Northrup unexpectedly joins the party, Analisa discovers she is no longer repulsed by the man who first laid claim to her hand.

SWEETER THAN ANY DREAM by Annette Lyon. Olivia Wallington is firmly established as a spinster, but that doesn’t stop her from dreaming about the perfect man. Ever since her father’s death, Olivia has been forced into seclusion by her mother. When her brother and his wife come for a visit, they discover the extent to which she lives under their mother’s thumb. With their help, Olivia sneaks out to attend a local ball, where she meets Edward Blakemoore. For a few divine moments, all of her dreams seem possible. But even someone like Mr. Blakemoore would be hard pressed to get past Mrs. Wallington’s fortress of protection—or past Olivia’s pride.

AN INVITATION TO DANCE by Michele Paige Holmes. Lady Ella has been isolated on her father’s estate since her mother’s death as her father travels the world. When Alex Darling arrives with a letter from her long-dead fiancé, and a demand that she travel to London for a series of engagements, Ella thinks her father instigated the strange demands and agrees. In London, she discovers the truth behind her fiancé’s death, and that new love might be possible in the arms of the most unexpected man. 


My thoughts: This is a satisfying Regency Romance compilation. This book contains three novella's written by different author's. All three centered around a ball, but there is more to the story than a mere ball.

I liked all of the stories, but one stood out to me. That was the final story by Michele Paige Holmes. It may be because the love interests were unlikely characters. They were both fresh and unspoiled by society. Alex Darling has lost the use of his arm and Ella shows him that he can function and be a whole man. I think it was the overall message of acceptance in the story that appealed to me.

The other two stories were also fun to read. Overall, another great addition to the Timeless Romance Collection.

Get an eBook copy for $4.99

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Infectious by Elizabeth Forkey is on tour! Get your #FREE copy today!

"It's all about blood, Ivy. It always has been."

I've known something was wrong. I've sensed but avoided the truth that I was slipping. You'd think if you recognized that you were dying that you'd hurry to stop it, to heal whatever is sick. It's innately human to struggle for life. But for some reason, though it makes no sense, it's also innately human to lean away from eternal life.

Six years ago, when millions of people disappeared from the face of the earth in a silent instant, all hell broke loose. People did what you'd expect: they panicked. We've been programmed with the will to survive—to care for our loved ones at any cost. Husbands became murderers. Children became thieves. The world turned upside-down and survival was all anyone could think about. That was before we knew about the disease.

INFEC†IOUS, the first novel in The INFEC†IOUS Series is a post-apocalyptic love story. Young Ivy has a killer sense of humor, wit and a personal relationship with the Curse Giver. Ivy longs for freedom from her overbearing spinster Aunt and from Toccoa's protective fences. A trip outside the compound brings confusion, danger, romance and death into her already troubled life. Two different guys--polar-opposites--are vying for her heart. Ivy is desperate to hold onto The Cure in the midst of the chaos and heartache. INFEC†IOUS is a love story that will ravage your heart and leave you hungry for more.

Get a FREE Kindle copy of the book until tomorrow 2/7/16 at Amazon

Enter to win a copy at ENTRADA.

Read an Excerpt:

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A standard Taser is fired from a distance. Our devices have been modified for close proximity. They can drop an attacker by pressing the electrically charged prongs directly into the skin. Almost like a short, electrically charged cattle prod. I feel a small tingle of electricity run through me, but my attacker's arms slacken as the full current paralyzes him. One shock won't slow him down for long; but I hear Aunty press the trigger several more times, rendering him limp and convulsing against the back of my seat. He's still conscious and the paralyzing effect of the shocks will only last about a minute. I'm confused and terrified when Aunty starts the car and guns it towards the highway with the reeking man still behind my seat.

"What are you doing?" I scream. "We have to get him out of here! Stop the car!"

My voice is high-pitched and weak; I can't seem to catch my breath. I feel like his arms are still around my neck, strangling me. Is this called hyperventilating? I want to fill my lungs, but they seem to be working against me! I pant, pulling tiny scraps of air into my desperate lungs. My eyes are starting to blur!

"It's a trap." Aunty's voice is flat and calm. "There are at least two of them, Ivy."

Just as unexpected as her sudden burst of speed had been, she stomps the brake; throwing me forward into the dash board. My head hits the windshield and my elbows rake against the vents on top of the dash. I slump back, dazed.

"Sorry," she says as she thrusts the SUV into park and realizes too late that she could've warned me.

This last jolt scared the wind back into me. My lungs are burning, but they are functioning again. I blink little floating lights out of my returning vision. We've only gone about a quarter of a mile, just to where the parking lot meets the highway, but Aunty is hoping it's enough distance between us and whoever was helping our attacker. She is already out of the car and coming around to the passenger-side back door.

Shaking myself free of the shock I feel - both from the predicament we are in and the hard knock I took against the windshield - I climb into the back seat to push the man out as she pulls from the other side. The zombie is slumped against the back of my seat. He is wearing a silver suit and a green, plastic Oscar the Grouch mask. His greasy black hair hangs out in dirty strands from under his mask. Before we dare to touch him, Aunty gives him one more long burst from her Taser. As we struggle to tug the moaning, convulsing monster from the tall SUV, his Oscar the Grouch mask slides to one side revealing his deformities.

His ear is rotten with almost no flesh left. His exposed cheek is covered in strange lumps of red skin and yellow sores. Near his lips there is a gaping hole, revealing what's left of his stained brown teeth. I shudder at the sight of him. He's one of the worst I've seen and this is the closest I've been to one of them for years. His odor is revolting.

Me pushing and Aunty pulling, we dump the sick man on his head in the middle of the road. Jumping back in the passenger side back door, I check the back hatch area to be sure no one else is hiding in our car. I see only our new clothes; the once neat piles toppled over from Aunty's race car driving. I climb up front and, in the rearview mirror on the passenger side, I see Aunty still bending over the man in the street.

What is she doing!

I open my door to see if she needs me; but she is finally making her way back around to her door. A second later, she climbs into the car and I lock the doors even before she slams hers shut. She hits the lock button again for good measure, and then we peel out. I don't think Aunty meant to make so much noise as she hit the gas pedal too hard, spinning the tires before they found purchase, lunging us forward. I feel whiplashed in every sense of the word. I struggle with just trying to breathe. To focus. To grasp what just happened. My muscles are still tense with adrenaline and I'm shaking.

We are okay, I try to convince myself. 

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About the Author: Elizabeth Forkey is a Christian blogger, novelist, and an award-winning creative writing teacher (she has a keychain to prove it!). Her debut novel INFEC†IOUS is a Christian Post-apocalyptic Zombie Love Story and is the first book in The INFEC†IOUS Series.

The next book in the series, IMMACULA†E is available now; and, the final installment, IMMANEN†, is expected to hit the shelves Spring of 2016. Elizabeth is also an award-winning sugar artist and cake sculptor and the mother of two very adorable, outspoken daughters.

Blog Tour ~ "Not Always Happenstance" by Rachael Anderson + tour giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

  Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson Lani has lived in Hana, Hawaii for five years. She’s learned to surf, fish, dive, and manage her grandmother’s bed and breakfast. She’s also learned to take one day at a time the way it should be taken—relaxed and unrushed, savoring every moment. But, like a large wave on the brink of breaking, her life is about to crash out of control. A proposal of marriage, a conniving grandmother, a cryptic Asian woman, and a handsome guest, and suddenly everything calm begins to churn, everything clear becomes confused, and all that was normal segues into peculiar. As Lani struggles against the current to hold her ground, she realizes that she can either continue to fight and eventually lose, or take a take a leap of faith, hold her breath, and ride the wave wherever it takes her. ***This book is part of the Power of the Matchmaker series that features one recurring character—the match maker—but it is a STAND-ALONE novel.***


My thoughts:  Pearl, you have to love Pearl.  She is an amazing character.  She has a magic when it comes to pairing couples.  She finds two unlikely romantic interests and somehow things happen.  She doesn't play a huge role in this book, but effectively gets the ballrolling.

This is another very cute and fun to the series of the "Power of the Matchmaker".  The books have a common character, Pearl, but are unique stories.  I love how many author's are part of this project.  They add their own voice and writing style into a great blend of stories. (OK, this is only the third of several that I have read.  But so far, so good!)

The characters are not looking for a relationship with each other.  Lani is engaged to a reliable and steady man who doesn't give her butterflies.  Easton enjoys his life Island hopping and not making commitments.

I look forward to the rest of the series.  I can't wait to see who Pearl brings together next!

 

4
   Author Rachael Anderson A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Website

  Blog Tour $50 Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/29/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review ~ "My Fair Gentleman" by Nancy Campbell Allen

My Fair Gentleman by Nancy Campbell Allen
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Received from Publisher to Review
Genre: Regency Romance

Book Description:  In this Regency twist of My Fair Lady, Jack would rather be at sea than fixing the mistakes of his grandfather, the late Earl of Stansworth. Instead, he finds that inheriting his grandfather's wealth and title—and securing the welfare of his sister and mother—means joining the ranks of high society and living with the aristocracy. Luckily, Ivy Carlisle, the granddaughter of a dear friend of Jack's late grandmother, is willing to teach him etiquette and properly introduce him into society. Jack soon learns that his challenge isn't surviving his new lifestyle but surviving the conspiracies against him—as well as keeping himself from falling madly in love with his new tutor.



My thoughts: This book is part of "A Proper Romance" line of books from Shadow Mountain Publishing. The writing and stories are excellent. This is a line of books that I will not pass on reading. I have loved all of them.

This book is a take of "My Fair Lady". The difference is that the gender is reversed. Ivy Carlisle helps a sailor, who came into a recent inheritance, become a gentleman. It is pretty obvious from the start that Ivy and Jack will fall in love, it is the journey to the end that is entertaining.

Jack has enemies from the beginning. His grandfather named him as his heir on his deathbed. Jack does not want to be a member of the gentry, but capitulates for his mother and sister. His enemies add a bit of mystery to the story. It becomes important to find out who is trying to kill him before they actually succeed.

The book is a clean romance. I really liked the characters. I felt that Nancy Campbell Allen did a great job at their development and made them people with flaws, that gave a sense of realism to the story.

I anxiously anticipated reading this book, it did not disappoint. The book is clean with some non-graphic violence and kissing.

Purchase a copy at:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Deseret Book 

About the Author:  (Taken from Deseret Book)  Nancy Campbell Allen (N.C. Allen) is the author of eleven published novels, which span genres from contemporary romantic suspense to historical fiction. In 2005 , her work won the Utah Best of State award. She has presented at numerous writing conferences and events since her first book was released in 1999. Nancy received a BS in Elementary Education from Weber State University. She loved to read, write, travel and research, and enjoys spending time laughing with family and friends. She is married and the mother of three children.

Author Facebook Page

A Timeless Romance Facebook Page

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop (International)

I love a good romance book!  Thank you Mary from Book Hounds for pulling this even together!


I have three prizes to give out.  Two are books that are currently in my home that can go to someone who has a US address and the third is a book choice from the Book Depository that can go to an International winner.  The titles are linked to their Goodreads page.

It Happened One Christmas.  This book contains THREE tales of Regency Romance Christmas stories (yes, I know it's Valentines instead of Christmas, but this book needs a good home.)  One of the stories is not a clean read.  This book is used.

Double Play.  This is a clean LDS Romance.  This is a new copy,  The publisher sent me two!

The Third prize will be a Romance Book of Choice from the Book Depository.  Winner may pick a book that is $12 or less.  (US Currency)

Must be 18 or older to enter.  Entry is through the Rafflecopter form.  There is one FREE entry, the rest will give more opportunities to win.  Good luck and enjoy your hop!  (Full terms and conditions are to the right in the side bar)


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Painting Rain by Annette K Larsen - cover reveal + giveaway!

Painting Rain by Annette K. Larsen

How do you heal your heart after tragedy leaves you broken? When the person you loved didn’t deserve it and they can’t earn your forgiveness because they’re already dead? How do you move on, and heal, and love?

If you’re Princess Lorraina, you paint. A year ago Lorraina watched Tobias die, and she still doesn't know how she's supposed to heal—or forgive. How can she when she’s still running away? In an attempt to reinvent herself, she steps outside her comfortable life as princess and seeks the tutelage of a master painter—a man who is not at all impressed by her pedigree, and demands not just talent, but emotional honesty. Struggling to learn what’s being taught, she finds herself drawn to someone who not only knows her secrets, but who she once considered far below her notice. Now she is compelled to seek him out despite knowing their relationship would be forbidden if discovered. Staying away from him doesn’t seem possible when discovering him may be the key to healing her heart and rediscovering herself.



  Author Annette K. Larsen I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis, Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University, where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Cover Reveal Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Code or Paypal Cash Ends 2/22/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway