Tag: contemporary fiction

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Thanks for the Friendship – Melissa Baldwin

ramblingmads
Click to go to the previous book in this series – Thanks for the Memories

Sassy and successful, Lila Barlow has done everything to live her best life. Yet even as her real estate career booms and men fall at her feet, something’s missing. Her roommates have found bliss with their new loves, but Lila can’t seem to find her Prince Charming. Perhaps a break from

men and relationships is the answer. Unfortunately, unexpected changes are around the corner when her parents give her some life-changing news and when her boss makes a surprising announcement.
In a shocking turn of events Lila’s path crosses with someone she thought was out of her life forever. The spark is still there, the only problem is he’s spoken for—by Lila’s new friend. Now Lila has to figure out how to navigate change, love, and friendship. What lessons will she learn
on her quest for happily ever after?Amazon US
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Author Bio – USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital.
She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe.
When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World.
Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter.
Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe

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My thoughts: book three in the series and now it’s Lila’s turn to take centre stage, with her friends Gabby and Reagan at her side. Both of the others have found love and Lila, never one for long term love, is wondering whether she might be ready for something more serious. Other changes are going on at home and work, and old flame Cal is back in the picture.

It was great to spend more time with Lila, having been a supporting character in the previous books, she’s the one that brought them altogether after all – inviting Gabby and Reagan to come and share her home and become friends.

The book also brings several other plots from the previous books to a conclusion of sorts, but it does feel like there needs to be one more to finish everything off. There was a bit of a “and then what happened?” feeling to it.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the
Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway
organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Thanks for the Memories – Melissa Baldwin

ramblingmads
Click to go to the previous book in the series – Thanks for the Love

A new beginning leads to a second-chance at romance.

Done with the frigid northern winters, Reagan Westbourne has an easy solution—move to Miami.
It makes total sense. She can even live with her sister. But after a few months of enduring her quirky sibling’s newlywed bliss, Reagan is ready to spread her wings and move out. Life with two fun roommates and a promising job completes the picture for Reagan. Almost.
When Reagan’s old college friend, Dante, opens a new restaurant in Miami, the past mixes with the present. Afterall, he’s the only man Reagan’s ever had feelings for. And it seems the attraction might just be mutual. Yet when their paths finally seem to align, old and new friends enter the picture, leaving Reagan unsure of her feelings.Could this second-chance be the
answer, or is it time to leave the memories in the past?

Amazon US
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Author Bio – USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital.
She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe.
When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World.
Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter.
Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe

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My thoughts: this second book in the Thankful series is Reagan’s story – a love story, also about friendship and sisterhood. After following her sister from Chicago to Miami, she’s living the dream with a great job and fab roommates. Her college pal Dante has opened a great new restaurant nearby and they’ve been hanging out when he’s not busy. But when her best friend from back home, Bethany, comes to visit, things go a bit sideways.

Luckily Reagan has friends to back her, Gabby and Lila have her as does scary sister Kennedy, I wouldn’t mess with her. Plus her work colleague Jeremy keeps her in doughnuts and flirty banter, but is there more to it?

This second installment sees the gang deal with what it is to be a friend. Lila is putting aside her dislike of Gabby’s boyfriend and they both support Reagan when her friendship with Bethany turns toxic. Your real friends are always there for you.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the
Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway
organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Tapestry – Beth Duke

ramblingmads

Twenty-one-year-old Skye Willis lives in Eufaula, Alabama, a tourist mecca of stately homes and world-class bass fishing. Her childhood friends are either stuck at dead ends or have moved on to accomplish Big Things.

Skye’s grandmother, Verna, insists on being called “Sparrow” because she suspects her ancestors were Muscogee Creek. She dresses in faux deerskin and experiments with ancient Native American recipes, offering a myth or legend to anyone who will listen.

Skye has no idea what to do with her life. She’s smart as hell, but she has no faith or knowledge there’s something out there she was “born to do.” Nor does she know much of anything about her father, who died in Afghanistan when she was a toddler. He and his family are a mystery her mother won’t discuss.

But when Sparrow sets out to confirm her Creek ancestry through genetic testing, Skye joins in.
The results hit like a DNA bomb, launching them both on a path filled with surprises and life-changing events.
Skye learns a harder truth than she ever expected.

Alternating chapters between Skye’s Alabama life and an intertwining tale of greed, deceit, and control in Texas, this story offers proof that all life is a woven tapestry of past, present, and future.

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Beth Dial Duke is an Amazon #1 Best Selling author and the recipient of short story awards on two continents.
She is eyeing the other five.
Beth lives in the mountains of her native Alabama with her husband, one real dog, and one ornamental dog.
She loves reading, writing, and not arithmetic.
Baking is a hobby, with semi-pro cupcakes and amateur macarons a specialty.
And puns–the worse, the better.
Travel is her other favorite thing, along with joining book groups for discussion. If a personal visit isn’t possible, she is fluent in Zoom.
Please visit bethduke.com for more information, to request a book club visit, and to see photos of the most beautiful readers in the world!


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My thoughts: this was a thought provoking and interesting read about who we are and where we come from. After getting their DNA results Skye and her grandmother, Sparrow, explore their ancestry – from Native Americans to African, deep within their DNA. They encounter some incredible stories of heartbreak and bravery from fleeing Creek tribespeople and escaped slaves, the inspiring women who came before them.

Skye also begins to question who her absent biological father really is – her mother’s answers no longer work. But does she really need him in her life? Her mother’s partner, Manny, offers her a different kind of father, one that is always there. But confronting the man who made her will affect change in both their lives too.

This was fascinating and powerful, especially the stories of Freetown and the indigenous ancestors Skye and Sparrow discover. People who had to be brave and bold in order to stay alive when colonial imperialists were literally out for their blood. Skye has to reconcile the parts of herself and build a new identity incorporating these histories. The ending is bittersweet, suggesting change in the air but at a great loss.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Thanks for the Love – Melissa Baldwin

ramblingmads

Fans of the Golden Girls will love this modern, romantic comedy twist! Please note, this novella was originally part of the Love in the City box set.

When your life crumbles around you, it’s hard to find something to be thankful for. Nevertheless, Gabby Marshall is determined to start anew in sunny Miami. New city, new job, and two new interesting roommates bring lots of new opportunities for a fresh start.
As well as some challenges and surprises.
Gabby’s putting her heart and soul into her new career, without the distraction of love getting in the way. Yet she keeps crossing paths with the gorgeous and welcoming Theo Jorgenson.
Maybe Gabby could make one little exception and allow Theo in … except her new roommate and Theo are sworn enemies.
Life in Miami could be promising … or it could fall apart. Again.

Amazon US Amazon UK

Giveaway to Win a $10 Amazon card (Open INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan
who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital.
She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author
of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe.
When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World.
Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter.
Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe

Facebook Instagram Twitter Bookbub

My thoughts: this was a fun novella about starting over somewhere new. Gabby has moved from Orlando to Miami, leaving her broken heart behind she hopes. With a new job, new roommates and a handsome neighbour to keep her busy, she’s hoping to forget her ex-fiance and former best friend, who betrayed her. Her new pals are keen to explore the city, try new things and have fun, and so is Gabby.

Light hearted and entertaining this is the first book of three about Gabby and her roommates, and it introduces us to them and their lives in sunny Miami. I liked all of them, fun, smart women who want to get the most out of their lives. Come back next Monday for book two!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the
Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway
organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Child I Never Had – Kate Hewitt

ramblingmads

If you had to make an impossible choice to save your long-lost daughter, you would… wouldn’t you?

It’s a warm early summer’s evening when Mia’s doorbell rings. She opens the door to see a teenage girl standing in the shadow beyond the porch light—and in an instant she knows who it is. Daisy, the daughter she gave up as a baby. Daisy steps forward, as she says tearfully “I’m sorry I didn’t call first. But something happened. And I really needed… you.”

Seventeen years before, knowing she couldn’t possibly give her beautiful little girl Daisy the future she deserved, Mia made the hardest decision of her life—to give her up. And Suzanne seemed the perfect adoptive mother: calm, stable, and full of love for the daughter she’d always dreamed of having.

The two mothers promised to keep communication open, so Daisy could have Mia’s love and support along with Suzanne’s. But as the years passed, Mia moved away, and their visits happened less. Now Daisy is almost a stranger to Mia—angry, closed and broken—nothing like the tiny girl she once couldn’t bear to say goodbye to.

But now Daisy has arrived on Mia’s doorstep, and she says she has a terrible secret. One she can never tell Suzanne. And she believes the only person who can help her is Mia. Her birth mother.

Mia, however, has secrets of her own. Ones she is afraid to let Daisy or anyone else know. And while Suzanne desperately seeks a way to bring her child home, can Mia overcome her past to help the girl they both call their daughter in her darkest hour before it’s too late?

Totally gripping emotional women’s fiction from the author guaranteed to make readers cry. Kate Hewitt’s story will grab you by the heartstrings and never let you go. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain and Jojo Moyes.

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Audio Links: UK: US: Listen to a sample here

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives. 
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My thoughts: this really affected me, probably because my mum is adopted (partly, my Grandad adopted her and my aunt when he married my Nan, their mum) and so I know a bit about it. Also the story is very moving.

Daisy is going through a crisis, and because her relationship with Suzanne is full of friction, she doesn’t confide in her, turning instead to her birth mother Mia. This throws up a lot of issues for both mothers, pushing them to assess their own pasts and mothering styles.

A lot comes tumbling out of the closet, not just skeletons and everyone has to deal with the impact of their secrets on themselves and each other. Suzanne and Mia have to find a way to reconcile themselves as Daisy needs them both in her life.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Lost Chapter – Caroline Bishop

ramblingmads

1957, France. Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences, they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart. Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be – creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by a recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring out of her shell. Just as Lilli once did for her. When Florence discovers that the novel she’s reading is written by Lilli and is based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together. Past events illuminate the future, and it becomes clear that long-held secrets can’t stay buried forever.

Caroline Bishop began her journalism career at a small arts magazine in London, after a brief spell in educational publishing. She soon moved to work for a leading London theatre website, for which she reviewed shows and interviewed major acting and directing stars. Caroline turned freelance in 2012 and a year later moved to Switzerland, where her writing veered towards travel and she has contributed to publications including the Guardian, the Independent, the Telegraph and BBC Travel, writing mainly about Switzerland, and co-wrote the 2019 edition of the DK Eyewitness Guide to Switzerland. For two years Caroline was editor of TheLocal.ch, an English-language Swiss news site, and it was during this time that she became fascinated with aspects of Swiss history and culture, particularly the evolution of women’s rights.

My thoughts: this was a wonderful read about the power of friendship, taking a chance and learning to forgive yourself. Flo might be in her eighties but she’s not slowing down, coming across a book written by her old friend Lilli, inspired by their time at a French finishing school in the 50s.

Reading it sparks all sorts of memories and sends Flo off on a journey into the past. Her teenage dog walker Alice is dealing with a huge loss – the death of her best friend Ella, one she blames herself for. As she gets to know Flo and begins to come out of her shell, she too has to confront the pain she’s been running from.

I loved Flo and Alice, and Alice’s mum Carla too. All three women were trapped by their pasts in different ways and needed to let go in order to heal and move on. As they set off to find Lilli, there’s important conversations to be had and new beginnings to find. Lilli has rewritten the past and Flo hopes it’s not too late to find her friend and look to a brighter future.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Start of Something – Miranda Dickinson

ramblingmads

Two lonely people.
One note in the window.
And what happens when they reach out…

Lachlan Wallace is stuck at home after a car accident stalled his army career. With months of physiotherapy still to endure and only his rescue dog and cat for company, he’s taken to gazing out of the window, watching the world spin on without him. And then he notices a vase of flowers on the windowsill of the apartment opposite his. Drawn to their hope and colour, he decides to reach out and sticks a message in his window…

Bethan Gwynne is a stranger in a new town. Bringing up her son Noah by herself, she is slowly rebuilding her life, but loneliness is one obstacle she has yet to overcome. She’s intrigued by a glimpse of her neighbour in the apartment across from hers – and then, one evening, she sees a message in his window just for her:

WHAT ARE THOSE FLOWERS CALLED?

And so begins a love story of two people reaching out, daring to trust a stranger…

My thoughts: this was a really sweet, gentle love story. Lachlan is recovering from a terrible accident that might just end his military career and Bethan has moved in opposite. She lives with her son Noah and works in a garden centre.

As their relationship develops from notes in the window to chatting through the hedge and they start to fall in love both have to deal with the things in their lives they’ve been trying to avoid.

I loved Bethan and her determination to make a better life for herself and Noah, trying to revive the flagging fortunes of the independent garden centre she works at and slowly allowing herself to open up. Lachlan was also a really sweet, sad character, with his lovely pets, Bert and Ernie, and his struggle to recover and move on from a horrific injury.

The ending was lovely, sweet and perfect, with so much hope for the future.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Before We Grow Old – Clare Swatman

ramblingmads

When seven-year-old Fran first met Will they knew instantly that they were made for each other. For eleven years they were inseparable, but then, at the age of eighteen, Will just upped and disappeared.
Twenty-five years later Will is back.
Is fate trying to give them a second chance?
Still nursing the heart break from all those years ago, Fran is reluctant to give Will the time of day.
The price Will must pay is to tell the truth – the truth about why he left, the truth about why he’s back…
And Fran has her own secrets to hide. The time has come to decide what Fran and Will really want from life – before it’s too late.
Amazon

Clare Swatman is the author of three women’s fiction novels, published by Macmillan, which have been translated into over 20 languages. She has been a journalist for over twenty years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home amongst many other magazines. She lives in Hertfordshire.

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My thoughts: this is a weepy, so have tissues on standby. My cat was actually quite alarmed and even came over to see if I was OK, and then demand food, so you’re warned.

Fran is fed up and sat in a cafe near work one day, the last thing in the world she expects to happen, happens. Her childhood best friend, first love, and fond memory, Will Poulton sits down next to her. Twenty-five years after disappearing to Australia and leaving her bereft. Now he’s back and wants to reconnect.

I really enjoyed this but it was very sad in places, thankfully Will’s adorable daughter and Fran’s grunting teenage son are there for a bit of light relief, bouncing on trampolines and providing some funny lines, otherwise this sweet love story would have been too bitter.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: That Certain Spark – Isobel Hart

ramblingmads


A one-bedroom apartment with creeping damp.
Depressed cat, complete with litter tray.
Neither was part of Claire’s five-year plan.
Nor, for that matter, was divorce.
Left with a comfort eating habit that’s costing her a small fortune in ice-cream, and panic attacks flooring her in front of the supermarket meals-for-one, Claire turns to her mum and Mindfulness in
the hope that one of them can help her find real happiness.
She thinks she’s cracked it… but then her past comes creeping back.
Now she has to work out what really makes her happy or risk a life where Ben & Jerry are the only men who matter.

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My thoughts:

Born in London, Isobel Hart’s childhood was spent in the Middle East before being sent to boarding school. It meant she had a lot of time to read. Now based in the UK, she writes about what she knows – real women, with flaws.
A romantic at heart, happily married for nearly twenty-five years, her novels focus on relationships – good and bad – and the women at the heart of them. She is ever hopeful others will find their happy- ever-afters or Happy-For-Now’s too.

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My thoughts: this was very funny, as is Claire, even though her life’s fallen apart and she’s struggling to put it back together. As a fellow panic attack sufferer, I empathised with how overwhelming things can feel when you’re in the pit of anxiety and nothing seems to help. But Claire has great friends, a great, if interfering, mum and a slightly mad cat, as well as a nice neighbour with an overexcited puppy to help her out when things get bad.

I laughed along with Claire as various mad things happened and cheered when horrible Bella got her comeuppance, and while Claire’s still getting her life sorted at the end, she’s almost there, and now she likes herself at least.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Tow Away Zone – Chris Towndrow

ramblingmads

When a travelling salesman finds a town that’s not on the map, he must choose between romance and a long-held promise of untold riches.
Beckman Spiers is a grey man in a grey world—and he’s happy with that.
After 12 years of routine and grind, he’s again fighting to become Number One Salesman of the Year.
Legend has it, Number Ones get so rich, they never work again. With a week to go, Beckman is gaining on his nemesis, smooth-talking Tyler Quittle.
When a chance blowout on a deserted Arizona highway leaves Beckman stranded, the mysterious Saul arrives, and tows him to the strange neon-lit town of Sunrise. Here, he meets the glamorous
Lolita Milan and his fortunes change.
Yet, Sunrise’s small-town charms conceal secrets, and his world becomes one of private investigators and backstabbing business deals.
What will he have to do to reach Number One? And what will he do if he wins the race?
In this comedic, stylistic, and mysterious story, meet the most unique characters and get pulled into the colourful world of Sunrise.
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I’ve been a multi-genre author since 1991.
My favourite work to date is 2019’s Tow Away Zone, a quirky American small-town romantic black comedy. It’s been well-received by readers, with 5* reviews on Amazon.
In 2020 I published the sequel – Go Away Zone. In 2021 I’m completing the trilogy.
My sci-fi journey started with space opera “Scared Ground” being available on Kindle in 2012.
In 2018 I published my 2nd sci-fi novel – Imperfect Isolation – which embraces robotics, asteroid mining and a snowy drive in an 80-year-old Porsche 911.
The sequel, Reprisals, followed in 2019. In early 2021 I released the 3rd instalment, Trip Hazard.
I’m currently editing a reflective Western. It explores prejudice against the deaf community and the Native Americans, as a man struggles to reconnect with his lost son and come to terms with his own
failings.
I’ve written a collection of offbeat humorous stories and vignettes in the style of early Woody Allen prose. The Real Jamie Oliver and Other Stories is basically a window into my nonsensical side.
I also write pantomime & stage drama scripts. I’ve had 8 works performed and reached a total audience of over 5000 to date.

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My thoughts: this was a slightly strange story – the mysterious town of Sunrise isn’t on any map and seems almost impossible to find unless Saul the mechanic rescues you and tows your car into town.

This is how travelling salesman Beckman finds himself there, making a killing, which might just put him over the edge and finally win him Salesman of the Year award he’s been looking for.

The residents of the town are a bit odd too – quirky and very unique. Bits are very funny and entertaining – the fact that Beckman’s crazy boss asks him to bring back roadkill for the giant guard lizard he keeps in his office.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.