Tuesday, March 20, 2018

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Baby Plan


About The Baby Plan

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 20, 2018) “Smart and funny, The Baby Plan is irresistible! A winner.” -Susan Mallery, #1 New York Times bestselling author
 In The Lizzie Bennet Diaries creator Kate Rorick’s first adult fiction novel, we enter the wild, bewildering world of modern pregnancies. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll shake your head as you wonder where everyone’s sanity went...
Meet the mothers…

Nathalie Kneller: Nathalie’s plan: to announce her pregnancy now that she’s finally made it past twelve weeks! But just as she’s about to deliver (so to speak) the big news to her family, her scene-stealing sister barfs all over the Thanksgiving centerpiece. Yup, Lyndi’s pregnant too, swiping the spotlight once more…  

Lyndi Kneller:  Lyndi’s plan: finally get her life together! She’s got a new apartment, new promotion, new boyfriend. What she didn’t count on—a new baby! She can barely afford her rent, much less a state-of-the-art stroller…

Sophia Nunez: Sophia’s plan: Once she gets her daughter Maisey off to college, she’ll finally be able to enjoy life as make-up artist to one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and girlfriend to one of rock’s hottest musicians. But after 18 years she discovers the stork is once again on its way…

Now these women are about to jump headlong into the world of modern day pregnancy. It’s a world of over the top gender reveal parties (with tacky cakes and fireworks); where every morsel you eat is scrutinized and discussed; where baby names are crowd-sourced and sonograms are Facebook-shared. And where nothing goes as planned...

Purchase Links

HarperCollins Amazon 
Barnes & Noble


Review: The Baby Plan is one of those books that makes me happy that I've never had children. I could never handle the gender reveal parties and baby showers. They would make me nuts. In fact, many times in the book, Sophia's daughter mentions that her mom's pregnancy is making her not want to have children

This story involves three women in different parts of their lives. Nathalie and Lindy are sister's and pregnant at the same time. Nathalie is in her thirties and Lindy in her twenties. They aren't quite the closest of sisters and their pregnancy is pushing them apart.

I felt sorry for Nathalie who had to share everything with her sister from her announcement of her pregnancy to all her parties. She had no one that she really connected with to help her with what she was going through, and it didn't help that her husband was slowing turning into a douche nozzle.

Lindy is the young sister that doesn't have it together, but the nice part is that she slowly gets it together, through some missteps. It was good to see her grow up, because she was a touch annoying to start with. I could understand the hows and whys of her sister's anger with her.

Sophia is the single mom, and her story felt the most disjointed, because she wasn't connected to either sister until midway through the story. Where Nathalie and Lindy were more normal women, Sophia is connected to Hollywood, as a makeup artist. Her life isn't glamorous, but its very different. She's a single mother to start with, with a daughter ready to head off to college, which gives her a whole new set of pregnancy problems. Add a rocker boyfriend to the mix and she probably has it worse of all of them.

Each woman deals with their own issues, from some embarrassing bodily functions, to accidents, and finally to worrying about blood pressure.

Slowly all of the women connect with each other and their problems with husbands, boyfriends and work start to evaporate.

This was a fun book, with lots of laughs and a few tears along the way.

Rating: 4 flowers


About Kate Rorick


Kate Rorick is an Emmy Award–winning writer who has worked on a number of television shows, most recently The Librarians on TNT. She was also a writer for the hit web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and authored the two series tie-in novels, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet and The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet. In her other life, she writes bestselling historical romance novels under the name Kate Noble. Kate lives in Los Angeles with her family. Find out more about Kate at her
website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Make A Date With Harlequin


Make a Date With Harlequin!

Last year Harlequin sent two Harlequin Heroes, a Cowboy and a Viking, on real-life dates. The unsuspecting public couldn’t get enough… and their hilarious reactions were captured with hidden cameras! Remember this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OIxBqJu5NI Or how about this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jT07uKjto By popular demand, they’ve sent 2 more heroes on dates—a Highlander and a Prince.



An enchanting prince goes on an ordinary date. Find out what happens!




Featured Novel

Title: Castiglione’s Pregnant Princess
Author: Lynne Graham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 20, 2018
Series: Vows for Billionaires #2
Publisher: Harlequin Books - Presents
ISBN: 9781335419248

Expecting royal twins can only mean one thing…

She must wear the Castiglione crown!

Royal responsibility has been drummed into Prince Vitale since childhood—but his hunger for Jazmine crushes all sense of restraint. Her unexpected pregnancy revelation leaves Vitale no choice—he knows what he must do. A temporary marriage will legitimize their twins, but when the fire between them fails to burn out, he has to wonder…could Jazz be his permanent princess?

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Available at:  Harlequin  |  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Connect with Michelle:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  BookBub


Make a Date with Harlequin - Highlander

Earlier this month Harlequin asked the question “What happens when a tartan-clad Highlander goes on a real-life date?” Find out in their Make a Date with Harlequin - Highlander video which released March 6th!



Featured Novel

Title: Forbidden Night with the Highlander
Author: Michelle Willingham
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: January 16, 2018
Series: Warriors of the Night #2
Publisher: Harlequin Books
ISBN: 9781335522603

The handsome Highlander who seduced her…

…is the very man she must marry!

In this Warriors of the Night story, Lianna MacKinnon seeks to avoid her betrothal to a Norman lord by giving herself to an intriguing stranger. But afterward, she discovers her sensual lover is none other than Rhys de Laurent—her betrothed—in disguise! They’ve already had their wedding night… Now there’s no escaping their marriage vows!

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Available at:  Harlequin  |  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Connect with Michelle:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  BookBub


Escape to your happy place when you #MakeaDateWithHarlequin!

Whether you need an escape from your hectic day, or have some unexpected time to yourself—you can count on Harlequin Series for great romance reads whenever and wherever you are. From inspirational romance to heart-racing suspense, sweet or steamy sagas, Harlequin has whatever you’re looking for.

Not sure what you’re into? Sample from 16 series for FREE at TryHarlequin.com and find the one—or ones—that are right for you!






Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Book Blast: Thirsty




Feeling THIRSTY? Visit the Eastside Brewery…

A gangster hiding from his past. A single mom fighting for her future. Can she show this bad boy the man’s he’s meant to be? Mia Hopkins is back with the first in an all-new contemporary series, THIRSTY (Eastside Brewery #1)!




About THIRSTY 
My name is Salvador Rosas. Back in the barrio, my past is written on the walls: ESHB. Short for East Side Hollenbeck, my father’s gang—my gang. Hell, it’s a family tradition, one that sent both my brothers away. They used to call me “Ghost” because I haunted people’s dreams. Now I’ve got nothing going for me except a hipster gringo mentoring me in a new career. An ex-con making craft beer? No mames.

Still, people in this neighborhood look out for one another. That’s how I became Vanessa Velasco’s unwelcome tenant. Chiquita pero picosa. She’s little, but with curves so sweet they’re dangerous. I remember Vanessa from the old days, the straight-A student with big plans. Plans that were derailed by another kid stupid enough to think he was bulletproof. Now Vanessa knows better than to believe in empty promises. There’s fire in her . . . and if I touch her, I might get burned.

I’m trying everything I can to go straight. But when East Side Hollenbeck comes calling, I might have to risk it all to find out if there’s a future for Vanessa and me. Because she’s the only one who can quench my thirst for something real.

On Sale in Digital: March 13, 2018

 Add THIRSTY to your TBR pile on Goodreads!
See what others are saying about THIRSTY:
“Thirsty is sexy and soul-wrenching, with Sal’s irresistible voice luring you through a living, breathing Los Angeles. Vanessa and Sal’s chemistry is sizzling right off the page, and their journey will keep you on the edge of your seat. Five smoldering, tattooed stars!” - USA Today Bestselling Author Sierra Simone

CELEBRATE THE RELEASE WITH A GIVEAWAY!
Grand Prize: (1) 7’ Kindle Fire (8GB) + (2) Backlist titles from Mia Hopkins (Digital Only)

2 Runner-Ups: (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card each + Any (1) backlist Mia Hopkins title (digital version)


Excerpt:
The ride starts with a burst of music like a jack-in-the-box. We glide backward and over a couple of times. The Ferris wheel stops to let other passengers on. At the very top, our carriage swings back and forth before it goes still.
Now I can see my neighborhood from a different viewpoint, high above. The lights of the carnival are bright and beautiful. The smells of tacos, hot dogs, and popcorn fill my nose. People pack the church parking lot. Cars line the street, and in the surrounding houses, lights in the windows show where families are talking or watching TV or having dinner.
“How are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m all right.”
She’s looking at the same things I am. I wonder if she is seeing the same details. I stroke her hair and take another risk. “So what do you think?”
“About what?”
“Starting something with me?”
She takes a deep breath but doesn’t say anything.
“What are your doubts?” I say.
“Are you kidding?” She snorts. “You’re seriously asking me that?”
I laugh a little. “Okay, well. Besides the obvious.”
“You have your own life. I have mine. You’re trying to rebuild from the ground up. I’m trying to secure my daughter’s future. We’re heading in different directions.”
She isn’t wrong. Life has disappointed her in such deep and cruel ways, I don’t blame her for protecting herself. But even as she tells me this—the truth about how we’re not right for each other—I feel how right it is to talk to her, to hold her hand, to show her who I am. “I have an idea,” I say. “Probation.”
“What?”
“I’m only around for two months, right?”
“Right.”
“Spend those two months with me.” I look into her eyes. “I want to be with you, Vanessa.”
“Sal—”
“I’ll be gone before I have a chance to disappoint you.” When the words leave my mouth, I try to ignore how pathetic they sound. “We’re adults, not dumb kids. We won’t lose our heads.” I run my fingers through her silky hair. “I swear to God, every time I look at you, I feel . . .” I reach for the most honest word I can find. “Thirsty.”

Praise for titles by Mia Hopkins:
"Mia Hopkins knows how to put characters on a page."  - HEROES AND HEARTBREAKERS

"Mia Hopkins is an imaginative author who doesn’t take the easy road to a formulaic book."
- USA TODAY

"Sweet and filthy at the same time, just the way I like it. This book made me so happy."
- READ ALL THE ROMANCE

"The writing is excellent, the emotions leap off the page, and the sex is downright earthy."
- JILL SORENSON, AUTHOR

"Beautifully descriptive...hot, sexy and full of yearning!"  - DELILAH DEVLIN, AUTHOR 

“Off the charts hot.”  - THE ROMANCE STUDIO

 “A tantalizing slow seduction of the senses.” - STRANGE CANDY REVIEWS

"Hopkins packs a lot of heat and romance on the pages...Caution: hot, sexy times ahead!"
- READER GIRLS BLOG

“Filled with sizzling chemistry, hot sex, and just enough sweetness to leave me wanting more…And those sex scenes…Holy hotness!”  - CRYSTAL BLOGS BOOK


 Author Bio:

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. She’s a sucker for working class heroes, brainy heroines and wisecracking best friends. She lives in Los Angeles with her roguish husband and waggish dog.






You can also visit her online at the following places:

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Great Escapes Book Tours Book Review: Southern Discomfort



Southern Discomfort: A Southern B&B Mystery by Caroline Fardig

About the Book

Cozy Mystery 1s in Series Alibi (March 6, 2018) 
ASIN: B071K4DV7W Will be up on GoodReads soon.
Southern hospitality meets deadly deception in the start of a charming new mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive novels.
Quinn Bellandini loves her life in Savannah, Georgia, where she runs her grandfather’s B&B with her sister, Delilah. From baking fresh scones and serving up grits every morning to ensuring the guests see the best of their historic city, Quinn can’t imagine doing anything else—even if it means dealing with nuisances like the occasional malfunctioning commode. But when Quinn drops by the local restaurant owned by her friend Drew Green, and stumbles upon a murder, her whole world comes crashing down.
Drew’s brother was always a little surly, but Quinn can’t imagine that someone disliked the prickly chef enough to kill him. The police, on the other hand, don’t believe that Quinn was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before her guests can even digest the next morning’s gourmet breakfast, Quinn learns that she and Drew are suspects.
Drew thinks they should do some investigating of their own. Quinn is pretty sure she’s better suited to playing hostess than amateur sleuth. But with Delilah as her cynical sidekick, Quinn starts looking for the real killer—before she gets put away faster than you can say “sugar.”
 Review:  I love finding new cozy mystery series at the beginning. I also love cozy series that are set in the South. I'm not sure why, but I do, so this is a win win with this book.

I have to admit the cover made me think more of a Halloween themed, but there is a little ghostly action happening here, which makes the story more unique.

Quinn and her sister Delilah (now I have a Tom Jones song stuck in my head) have a B & B in Savannah, GA. If that's not a perfect setting, I don't know what is.

The mystery involves the murder of Quinn's friend, Drew's brother. That's a mouthful, and both Quinn and Drew end up being suspects, but when Drew is arrested, she knows she has to do something.  Enter the fun sleuthing with a little help from her sister.

I wanted a little more with the friendship between Quinn and Drew.  For a first book in a series, there needed to be a little more development in that area to draw the reader in.

The pacing starts out slow, but again, this is the first book in a series, and I find that common, as you are introduced to characters that you'll probably be seeing again and again in future books. Once things took off, it was really a great read and a series I look forward to continuing with.

Rating: 4 flowers


About the Author

 
CAROLINE FARDIG is the USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the Java Jive Mysteries series and the Lizzie Hart Mysteries series. Fardig’s BAD MEDICINE was named one of the "Best Books of 2015" by Suspense Magazine. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

Social Media

Website: www.carolinefardig.com Blog: http://www.carolinefardig.com/blog/ Twitter: @carolinefardig Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carolinefardigbooks Purchase Links Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play
Don’t miss Caroline Fardig’s thrilling Java Jive mysteries, which can be read together or separately: DEATH BEFORE DECAF | MUG SHOT | A WHOLE LATTE MURDER | BREW OR DIE | MURDER OVER MOCHAS

Goddess Fish Book Blurb Blitz: Nadia's Heart



Nadia’s Heart, Part Two
by Wendy Altshuler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  YA Fantasy

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BLURB:

In Nadia's Heart, Part One, amnesiac Nadia knew that something was wrong, so she went in search of her missing heart. What she encountered has only brought more questions: about her origins and her ties to the people of the Land of Silence. She learned that her heart was indeed removed, and that her memory was erased by an evil Voice. But why? Now Nadia and her glowing-eyed companion, Georgeonus, must help recover the stolen hearts of the children of the Land of Silence. In Part Two, they will do battle against the evil Voice and travel to frightening places. They receive help from a powerful Witch and Wizard, and Nadia gets her heart back—but it's not at all what she expected. Can they rescue the stolen children's hearts in time?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Excerpt :


From Chapter III: Fighting Back: 

They headed for the road, away from the castle tumbling toward them, hoping the mountain itself would hold until they could get to the bottom. But what awaited them at the bottom was a sheet of ice, and it too could crack and send them down into the frigid deep.

She had never driven a sleigh nor a team of dogs before. The pure instinct of survival now taught her. As they rounded the rough road, more slippery now as they gathered speed, their path looked grim. Giant chunks of the castle came descending down, hitting the mountain’s jagged sides and causing avalanches of huge falling debris. The children screamed, and Nadia wanted to do the same and take refuge closer in toward the mountain, but there was nothing that would shelter them. She kept focused on the dogs in front of her, thinking only of getting to the bottom. Cascading from above came another rock, and the children held onto the sleighs, terrified. Nadia tried to turn the sleigh toward the mountain to avoid it. They swerved dangerously around the edge of the road.

Something also descended from the sky. It was a black figure, but Nadia could not even think about another potential threat as the second sleigh bore down upon them, rushing behind her. They swerved back to a straight course, barely missing the rolling boulder which crashed onto the road.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Wendy Altshuler is a writer-producer who explores myth in new media. She writes fantasy novels and creates works in stop motion animation.  Her credits include award-winning screenwriting and WGA-accredited representation. With a degree in psychology and a Master of Arts from Columbia University, Altshuler documented the work of international choreographers and wrote and produced regional programming. Her short plays have been performed at Boston Playwrights' Theatre, at regional schools and most recently, Puppet Showplace Theatre. Altshuler's young adult book series has been hailed as "emotionally moving, uplifting and wholesome," and "spirited and haunting. . .with much symbolism and beauty." 

Website: http://arborgate.net
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waltshuler/

Buy Link:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Nadias-Heart-Part-Two-Adventures/dp/153972977X

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Wendy will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2604/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f2604" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_9h26o0wc">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Book Review: The Alienist

Author: Caleb Carr
Title: The Alienist
Publisher: Random House
Publish Date: Dec 14, 1994
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: The year is 1896. The city is New York. Newspaper reporter John Schuyler Moore is summoned by his friend Dr. Laszlo Kreizler—a psychologist, or “alienist”—to view the horribly mutilated body of an adolescent boy abandoned on the unfinished Williamsburg Bridge. From there the two embark on a revolutionary effort in criminology: creating a psychological profile of the perpetrator based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who will kill again before their hunt is over.

Fast-paced and riveting, infused with historical detail, The Alienist conjures up Gilded Age New York, with its tenements and mansions, corrupt cops and flamboyant gangsters, shining opera houses and seamy gin mills. It is an age in which questioning society’s belief that all killers are born, not made, could have unexpected and fatal consequences.


Review: I've been wanting to read this book since 1994 when it first came out, but since the tv show came out, I knew I had to finally read it. It was amazing!

I had to put aside the tv show as I read so I could appreciate it for what it really is, a fabulous historical mystery. It really shows the workings of CSI before there was a CSI.

Our group of investigators are Laszlo Kreizler, the Alienist, who is not always likable, but his methods are what propels the story forward, John Moore, a police reporter and Sara Howard, one of the first women to work for the NYPD, but not an officer, a secretary. Oh and the police commissioner is Theodore Roosevelt.

The are investigating the gruesome deaths of adolescent immigrant boys that are plying the sex trade. The book was published in 1994 and the subject matter really seems to hit home especially as the subject matter suits a lot of today's issues.

The secondary characters are very strong too. My particular favorite is the young boy, Stevie. These boys aren't children anymore. There lives are too hard for that. Stevie is one of Laszlo's hangers on. He has a few of them and they definitely add to the story.

The attention to detail is great. You really feel transported back in time while reading this. The character development is good, though not good enough for me at times. There were some things about John that were pointed out several times, but they didn't really play a huge part in the story otherwise, like his gambling and the woman that jilted him. The same could be said for Laszlo and Sara, though with Laszlo we do learn more about his past towards the end. More time was spent learning about some of the secondary characters and profiling other criminals then expanding on the characters that the story revolved around.

The murders are terribly gruesome and at times the pacing is quite slow. It really drags at some points, but in the last 100 or so pages that changes, when they finally find someone that they are quite sure is the killer.

The ending was what disappointed me and the book went on for quite some time after all was said and done. It added to the plodding pace that the book had overall. I wanted more for the ending especially after all the buildup, learning the killer's background and how each player in the story contributed something to his profiling.

Excellent book!


 
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