Tag: romance

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Dead Romantics – Ashley Poston

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Florence Day is a ghost-writer with one big problem. She’s supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author but, after a bad break-up, Florence no longer believes in love. And when her strict (but undeniably hot) new editor, Benji Andor, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye.

Although when tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost, however, but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor.

As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost – even an infuriatingly sexy one. But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all?

My thoughts: this was lots of fun, complete with clever pop culture references and jokes, terrible puns and a love story that was a While You Were Sleeping, Ghost (yes all my references are old – I’m old!) and a touch of enemies to lovers (although they’re not enemies – more strangers with secrets).

Florence is highly strung, panicking and then her world crumbles and she has to return to her quaint home town (their mayor is a dog – why is that not a thing here? Replace Sadiq Khan with Fido!) and the family she hasn’t spent much time with since she left. And a ghost. It gets complicated.

I loved her best friend Rose, she was hilarious and Goth sister Alice, even her sweet brother Carter and his boyfriend Nicki. Everyone in Florence’s family are nice people, most of the town seems to be pretty nice. But they treated Florence badly and she left.

Her burgeoning relationship with Ben is tricky to say the least but in an excellent twist of fate, there may be hope yet.

Read it, cheer for Florence when she finally stands up to her awful ex, dance to Build Me Up, Buttercup, and enjoy. It’s very charming.

*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: Wolfsong – T.J. Klune

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A Green Creek Novel.

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega. Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

My thoughts: this was good stuff. Most werewolves are born, not bitten, especially the Bennetts, an old clan, returned home after years away. Ox lives on the same remote road and his connection to them is almost instantaneous. Especially to Joe.

The pain of their bond and then separation fuels the story – as Joe seeks revenge and Ox must hold the homestead, and the broken remains of their family, their pack, together. Joe’s return changes everything. And their connection sparks.

A bittersweet love story between two young men forced to grow up fast, and the family they find. I loved 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.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: A Taste of Iron and Gold – Alexandra Rowland

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The Goblin Emperor meets “Magnificent Century” in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court—the body-father of the queen’s new child—in an altercation which results in his humiliation.

To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing and bring about its ruin.

My thoughts: it took me a while to understand how the world in this book works, and how people relate to each other as the court is very formal and full of rules about who can do or say what to whom. But once I got my head around all of the traditions and relationships, it all flowed very nicely.

The Prince, Kadou, wants to cement his bond with his sister – the Queen, and his new baby niece, who he’s very fond of, and by taking on a complex investigation into counterfeit coins, the Shipbuilder’s Guild and some of the servants closest to the royal family. There’s a conspiracy here and he must get to the heart of it before anyone he cares for is placed in danger.

I liked the growing connection between Kadou and his bodyguard Evemer, the complex layers of servitude and courtly manners making it hard for them to even say exactly what they mean at times. But as they grow closer, it takes on more complexity as Kadou’s former guard is still around and still trying to foster a relationship with Kadou that he doesn’t want. I really liked Eozena – the guard captain and also the only person allowed to tell the Queen and Prince what to do. She was very funny at times, bossing Kadou about in her affectionate, almost parental way.

Kadou was at first quite hard to read, he’s shy and quite reserved, keeping things to himself and struggling to form friendships and connections. Kept separate from most people because of his status, he struggles to bond but with Evemer, he opens up. It’s rather sweet.

The world building was fascinating and complex, lots of layers and etiquette involved. The story was clever, with the conspiracy and counterfeiting, something you might expect royalty to have nothing to do with, cutting right to the heart and Kadou having to become a detective to solve it with Eozena and Evemer to help him.

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

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Blog Tour: A Lesson in Love and Death – W.H. Lockwood

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A Lession in Love and Death copy

Welcome to the book tour for the gorgeous, genre-blurring book, A Lesson in Love and Death by W.H. Lockwood! Read on for more details and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card!

Front Cover

A Lesson in Love and Death (Endymion College #1)

Expected Publication Date: September 26th, 2022

Genre: Cozy Horror Romance/ Dark Academia

Anna James dreamed of only two things in life: to read books and to not die.

The day she is offered a scholarship to study literature at the beautiful, exclusive and gothic Endymion College, is the happiest day of her life, but soon after arrival, Anna finds it is nothing like the brochure.

Instantly thrust into a dangerous conspiracy, sent to live in a haunted dormitory with a captivating rival, Anna struggles to keep control of her only chance at a better life and to maintain her already tenuous grip on reality.

Things soon go from bad to worse when a séance goes awry, and finding herself pursued by a terrifying spectre, Anna finds comfort and a kindred spirit in her professor of literature: young, devastatingly handsome and completely off-limits.

Anna must find a way to fight both her desire and a relentless supernatural force out for blood, all while completing her work on time to hold on to her precious scholarship.

Darkly humorous, crushingly awkward, deeply romantic, Endymion College: A Lesson in Love and Death is a celebration of the books we love and an action-packed, supernatural, feminist, horror story all rolled into one.
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Teaser

“Name?”

“Anna James.”
“Anna… Ah, I see your roommate has already been and got her key. One moment.”
The handsome yet bored-looking man disappeared into a dimmer and smaller room, only to return seconds later with a faded envelope. “So, we have a small problem, Anna. Your key is missing. Whoever had it last year didn’t bring it back. But it’s all right. We found this one. Except it comes with a warning.”
The man, clearly amused, leaned close in a conspiratorial manner, and raised one expectant eyebrow at Anna as she took the faded envelope from him. The words ‘Do Not Open’ were written across the front in beautiful cursive. Anna’s big eyes and delicate fingers traced over the words.
“Don’t worry, it’s not as sinister as it sounds,” he continued. “In here is, or should be, a skeleton key. It will open all the doors in your apartment. Which is fine, because there are only two, but one of those is the old hanging door.”
“Hanging door?”
“Hanging door. You’ll see when you get there. You’re on the second floor. There used to be a staircase leading up the exterior of the building to the door. That staircase has long since rotted away, and now only the door remains. A hanging door. A door to nowhere.” He smiled a dashing smile and Anna couldn’t decide if he had gone insane with boredom or if he was flirting. Or both.
“Oh, I see.”
His tone and face changed in an instant. “Do not open that door. I don’t care what happens. Don’t let the air through, don’t look at the view, don’t touch the thing. Health and safety, you know? It’s rotting in its hinges and it could fall out at any moment. I shouldn’t even be giving you this, but, well, I know how it is. You can’t always rely on your roommate.” He tapped on an old, laminated map that was stuck to the counter with brown, peeling sticky tape. “You’re in the old building, here.”
“Older than this building?”
“Oh yes. A good two hundred years older. Go back the way you came and straight across the courtyard. Your building is opposite this one. You will be in the east wing, so turn right when you go inside. You’re on the top floor at the very end of the building. You have the corner view.”
Anna was absolutely delighted. She signed for her key, thanked the man, and made to leave.
“Ms James?”
“Yes?” As Anna looked at him, she noted a strange intensity in his manner, in his stormy, blue eyes.
“That key—that’s our little secret. Really, I probably shouldn’t have given it to you. Don’t tell anyone and don’t let anyone else borrow it. Not even your roommate. And whatever you do, don’t bring it back here…”

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About the Author

Author

W.H. Lockwood writes feminist gothic and historical fiction, dark academia and cosy horror, all with a romantic twist.

Raised on a diet of Point books and Pepsi, only willing to leave her den to attend chess club at public school, W.H. Lockwood started writing at a young age and has kept this passion throughout her life.

Always a voracious reader, she obtained an undergraduate degree in literary studies from a gorgeous sandstone university, following that with a master’s degree in publishing and editing, then another master’s degree in astronomy, thus uniting her two great loves of the arts and science, leaving her utterly unqualified to cope with the real world.

These days, W.H. Lockwood works as a professional editor and can often be found aimlessly wandering through the coffee shops and bookstores of the beautiful city she calls home.

WH Lockwood | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Facebook

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card, visit any one of our instagrammers!

My thoughts: Anna wins an illustrious scholarship to Endymion College, all excited to study literature and make new friends. Given a mysterious key that unlocks a door to nowhere, she soon finds herself in the middle of the strange relationship between her roommate Candi (Candide) and tutor Evelyn (like Waugh). There’s also a ghost haunting their room and possibly a demon. In between classes they’re fighting evil. If Candi and Eve can stop bickering long enough.

I liked Anna, completely out of her depth with everything but keen to tackle it head on and make a fresh start. Despite her attraction to Eve and hunky priest Joe. There’s a lot of hanging around waiting to fight the demon in their apartment and ward off the resident ghosts. Candi and Eve were a bit harder to like, they both keep a lot hidden and their relationship is messy and strange. Looking forward to book two though and what new chaos they get into.

Book Tour Schedule

September 19th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@books_inthecity (Review) https://www.instagram.com/books_inthecity/

@fblackthornbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fblackthornbooks/

@leirajadewrites (Review) https://www.instagram.com/leirajadewrites/

@louturnspages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/louturnspages

@the_pageling (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the_pageling/

@bhaneereads_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bhaneereads_/

September 20th

@hauntedbycandlelight (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/hauntedbycandlelight/

Riss Reviews (Review) https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website

@creepylilbookworm (Review) https://www.instagram.com/creepylilbookworm/

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

Ecce.Libri (Review) https://eccelibri702630676.wordpress.com/

Lecari’s Live Journal (Review) http://www.lecari.co.uk

The Starry Library (Review) https://thestarrylibrary.wordpress.com/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

September 21st

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

@booktreasuresau (Review) https://www.instagram.com/booktreasuresau/

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021/

@takealookatmybookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/takealookatmybookshelf/

@mysticforestcrafts (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mysticforestcrafts/

@NerdyFoxReads (review) https://www.instagram.com/nerdyfoxreads/

@pluvioreads (Review) https://www.tiktok.com/@pluvioreads

@wolfesbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/wolfesbooks/

September 22nd

@bri_serena_reads (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bri_serena_reads

@wicked_bibliophile (Review) https://www.instagram.com/wicked_bibliophile/

@fariha_binte_islam (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fariha_binte_islam/

Gwendalyn’s Books (Review) https://gwendalynbooks.blog/

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@happily_undignified (Review) https://www.instagram.com/happily_undignified/

@dreaminginpages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/dreaminginpages/

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

@rainbowbookdragon15 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/rainbowbookdragon15/

September 23rd

@bookish_elise (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookish_elise/

@ems_literarycorner (Review) https://www.instagram.com/ems_literarycorner/

@margiebythebookcase (Review) https://www.instagram.com/margiebythebookcase/

@mels_booksandhooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

Misty’s Book Space (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

@bookswithstacie (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookswithstacie/

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

Book Tour Organized By:

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Blog Tour: Buried Deception – Amanda McKinney

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In the pulse-racing first installment of the On the Edge series, a criminal psychologist teams up with a former marine on a deadly wildland mission. Not even their hearts can stay out of harm’s way.

In the swamps of East Texas, alligators aren’t the only danger lurking in the shadows.

After a young woman is brutally attacked on a popular hiking trail, the evidence points to the notorious Black Cat Stalker. The town of Skull Hollow enlists Dr. Mia Frost to provide a psychological profile and assist in the investigation.

When another person goes missing, Mia partners with Easton Crew, former marine and current CEO of a tactical tracking company. Both Mia and Easton are stubborn, strong-willed, and independent, but neither can deny the smoldering attraction between them.

As professional lines blur, Easton starts to question Mia’s motives and worries she’s getting too close to the investigation. The mystery begins to unravel, but so does Mia’s mental health as the clues dredge up her own haunted past.

It soon becomes evident that things aren’t as they seem … and people aren’t always who they say they are.

My thoughts: I found Mia and Easton an interesting pairing – she’s determined to hide her traumatic past from everyone, and yet he breaks her down without even trying. The case they’ve become embroiled in is awful, violent and cruel. And it triggers her PTSD in the worst way.

But they’re both determined to help the cops catch the Black Cat Stalker and bring his reign of terror on the hiking trails to an end. If they can learn to work together and trust each other.

Dark and gripping, with twists and turns, this is a clever and heart racing thriller.

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

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Blog Tour: The Countess of the Revolution – Lana Kortchik

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Russia, 1917

Petrograd is on the eve of revolution. For Countess Sophia Orlova, the city of her childhood – the only home she has ever known – has become her deadly enemy. The mob are ready to get rid of anyone connected to the old regime, including Sophia.

When rebels threaten to shoot Sophia and her husband, they are saved by Nikolai, a fervent supporter of the revolution. Determined to help Nikolai’s cause, Sophia sets up a hospital wing in the house, nursing injured victims by his side.

Her kindness has captured Nikolai’s heart, but their burgeoning romance is forbidden. With battle lines drawn between the new and the old, both their lives are in danger…

Will their love be strong enough to overcome the horrors of war?

My thoughts: this was really interesting, I studied the Russian Revolution at school and have been fascinated by the country ever since. I’ve been to St Petersburg aka Petrograd, and it is a beautiful place. They’ve preserved many of the old historic buildings like the Winter Palace – which houses the Hermitage museum. Places Sophia would recognise, a real blend of the old and new. Which was what was happening in the novel. As Lenin and his Bolsheviks seized power during the First World War, taking Russia out of the international conflict and into its own civil war, the old – represented by the tsar and the countless princes and princesses in their palatial homes, and the new – Lenin and the rise of the working people, collide.

Nikolai is Sophia’s brother-in-law, but she falls for him the moment he saves her life and that of her husband Dmitry. The two brothers fall either side of the political divide but their relationship, complex as it is, means the Count and Countess survive. But Sophia is not simply the well dressed, spoilt woman she appears. She works as a nurse, caring for soldiers returned from the front. She volunteers to help care for Nikolai’s men and they bond.

Fleeing St Petersburg puts them in more danger and they have to keep running from the Red Army as it progresses across Russia. But despite her attempts to be a good wife and resist her feelings, Sophia can’t stop falling harder and harder for Nikolai. Will she swap sides and brothers?

Gripping, sweeping historical fiction with a heart wrenching love story at its centre.

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

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Blog Tour: The Past That Haunts – Jennifer Porter

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Congratulations to author Jennifer Porter on the release of novel, The Past That Haunts! Read on for more details and an exclusive excerpt!

the past that haunts copy

The Past That Haunts (Wardman Chronicles #1)

Publication Date: September 12th, 2022

Genre: Paranormal/ Mafia Romance

Lilith Wardman was six when her parents died. Since then, she’s gone through the motions of life, dreaming of what might have been had her world not been ripped apart.

Yet at the age of twenty-three, she finds herself thrust into a fresh nightmare.

Two sides are pitted against each other in a brewing vampire war, and Lilith is caught in between them. One wants her dead. The other will put their lives on the line to save her.

When Dominic Rosini kidnaps Lilith, he claims he accepted his boss’s offer to protect her. Little does she know, Dominic is driven by motives of his own. His boss made a promise Dominic intends to keep, despite his growing attraction to the frightened mortal.

Trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, can Lilith trust the feelings she’s developing for Dominic? Or will the delicate life she built be left in shambles once more?

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Excerpt

“Go on. I won’t stop you. But you have two minutes from the time you open that door.” He fished out another cigarette and lit it, talking as he closed the lighter. “What are you waiting for?”

Two minutes… I could do it. All I had to do was run until I found the front door and then run some more. Should be easy enough. Right?

I forced myself to stand up, but the room spun quickly. The sedative… Damn it. I fell, my right knee slamming against the floor. I bit down on my bottom lip, making a fist against the thin rug as I cursed under my breath. I didn’t realize just how unsteady this stuff made me.

“Looks like you’re the one in your way.”

“Fuck you,” I fired back, jaw clenched.

Dominic walked past me and opened the door. “Keep going.”

Doing all I knew I could do, I mustered up the strength and crawled across the floor. Dominic stepped out of the way, neglecting to help me up as I reached the doorway. I pushed on and dragged myself, entering the hallway with my handbag in my hand. Time was of the essence. I needed to think fast, but it was difficult through the fog.

The long, narrow red area rug was rough beneath me.

I approached a railing and took advantage, moving toward it as fast as I could, and grabbed its smooth wood. Using it for support, I pulled myself up on my feet, my legs wobbling like jelly.

“One minute and ten seconds,” he announced.

I looked over my shoulder to see Dominic tapping his watch as he watched me, leaning against the door frame.

Fear should’ve consumed me like the sedative did. But I wasn’t afraid; I was focused. When someone told me I couldn’t do something, I proved them wrong or exhausted everything inside of me trying.

I could do this; I had to.

Shaky, my first few steps were slow. I looked at the ceiling. Hardwired lights went down the length of the hall. With the red of the area rug, it gave off a chilling glow.

“Forty-five seconds.”

Inhaling deeply, I ran as fast as these wobbly legs would take me as I exhaled. My heart raced wilder than my thoughts.

But fate had other plans.

I lost my balance and collided with the railing, almost falling down the connecting staircase. I gritted my teeth, close to tears. “Damn it.” I tried again, even though I was certain at this point I wasn’t making it out of here. A fluttering spread through my chest. I clutched my handbag tight against me when the voice of another man that I couldn’t see interrupted my thoughts.

“Time’s up,” he said in a mocking tone.

Studying the staircase where the voice came from, the man became clearer through the dark. So did the barrel of a gun. The unfamiliar man was tall like Dominic, wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants. He kept his head tipped forward, his face hidden by the hood as he aimed the gun at me, moving up the staircase step by painfully calculated step.

My breaths sped up, my chest tightening. I tried absorbing everything in sight, backing up a step at a time. The only way out was to jump through the curtained window behind me.

Available for Purchase Here!

About the Author

IMG_0288

Jennifer Porter resides in the city of Lewiston, Maine. She enjoys writing and reading adult paranormal romance, mafia romance, & dark romance. The darker and spicier, the better.
​
She was told she had the potential to write her own book while attending elementary school, and as she grew older, she discovered her passion to become an author. She has written opinion pieces for her local newspaper. Coffee, music, and her supportive husband and family keep her going.

Jennifer spends her spare time with her husband and tends to get lost in her favorite television shows when she’s not lost in books or her creative worlds.

Jennifer Porter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook

Book Tour Schedule

September 12th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

Riss Reviews (Review) https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website

@booktreasuresau (Review) https://www.instagram.com/booktreasuresau/

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

September 13th

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

@libraryofash (Review) https://www.instagram.com/libraryofash/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

September 14th

The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Spotlight) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com

@brandidanielledavis (Review) https://www.instagram.com/brandidanielledavis/

@bhaneereads_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bhaneereads_/

September 15th

@over.on.my.bookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/over.on.my.bookshelf/?hl=en

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021/

@takealookatmybookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/takealookatmybookshelf/

September 16th

@bookishkelly2020 (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/BookishKelly2020/

@mels_booksandhooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

@wolfesbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/wolfesbooks/

@the.brooke.library (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the.brooke.library/

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Blog Tour: A Chance in a Million – T.A. Williams

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Fate brought them together, now it’s up to them to make it work…
Having left the army to recover from a traumatic experience, Captain Jane Reed is on her way to Venice to assist Lady Veronica Cooper, a world-famous writer who has lost her mojo. Plagued by
grief and sleepless nights, Jane soon finds a kindred spirit in Veronica, coping with her own loss after the death of her husband.
When the two relocate to Veronica’s villa in the countryside to escape the summer tourists, Jane meets the rest of the Cooper family – including Veronica’s brooding son, David. With his own tragic past, David has resigned himself to a life of solitude. Jane finds herself determined to bring joy back
into his life, even if it means finally spilling her secrets.
Can Jane and David help each other heal, and find love in the process, or are some scars too deep to treat?
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I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago

and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.
The fact that I am now writing escapist romance is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my
readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations, even if travel to them is currently difficult.

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My thoughts: Jane has my dream job, in one of my favourite countries, in the beautiful city of Venice (I’ve been once and I would love to go back). Assisting a writer and writing my own books would be heaven. Lucky Jane.

The Cooper family are all super lovely and Jane fits in well with them. She’s really landed on her feet. The slow burn romance between her and David – still recovering from a terrible incident and a broken heart – is lovely and his past is sensitively handled. This is just a really nice, sun soaked, book.

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

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Blog Tour: A Perfect Discovery – Margaret Amatt

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To find love, they need to dig deep.
When kind-hearted archaeologist Rhona Lamond has her precious research stolen, she returns home to the Isle of Mull, lost and frustrated. An island project that tugs at Rhona’s soul comes up, and she’s desperate to take it on. But there’s a major problem.
Property developer Calum Matheson has a longstanding feud with the Lamond family. After a plot of land he owns is discovered to be a site of historical importance, his plans are thrown into disarray and building work put on hold. Calum doesn’t think things can get any worse, until archaeologist Rhona turns up. Not only is she a Lamond, but she’s all grown up, and even stubbornly unromantic Calum can’t fail to notice her – or the effect she has on him.
Their attraction ignites but how can they overcome years of hate between their families? Both must decide what’s more important, family or love.

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Margaret is a writer, mummy, wife and chocolate eater (in any order you care to choose). She lives in highland Perthshire in a little house close to the woods where she often sees red squirrels, deer and other such tremendously Scottish wildlife… Though not normally haggises or even men in kilts!
She has published nine books and written many more. Margaret won a short story writing competition in 2012 and her winning entry was performed live to an audience at Pitlochry Festival Theatre as part of their Winter Words Event. This spring boarded Margaret’s journey from writing for fun to novel writing – though she still enjoys every minute of it.
Margaret is also a keen amateur photographer, who enjoys drawing, reading, and talking about books.
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My thoughts: this was a fun rom com with a family feud – based on a lie or two – at the heart of it. The Lamonds hate Calum because of something that happened to Rhona’s quite frankly awful brother years ago. Something that has been distorted. Rhona isn’t as bothered, the Calum she meets as an adult isn’t as aggressive or nasty as she’s been told and quite frankly she needs the job of archaeologist on his land in order to build up her career.

When they start to fall in love, Rhona needs to sort things out with her family, or risk having to choose sides. Time to get the truth out there.

This was sweet and charming, with some funny bits (Calum’s cushion!) along the way. I liked Rhona and how she stood up to her family (especially her brother, so used to getting it all his way) and won the day.

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

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Blog Tour: Julia Prima – Alison Morton

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“You should have trusted me. You should have given me a choice.”

AD 370, Roman frontier province of Noricum. Neither wholly married nor wholly divorced, Julia Bacausa is trapped in the power struggle between the Christian church and her pagan ruler father. 

Tribune Lucius Apulius’s career is blighted by his determination to stay faithful to the Roman gods in a Christian empire. Stripped of his command in Britannia, he’s demoted to the backwater of Noricum – and encounters Julia.

Unwittingly, he takes her for a whore. When confronted by who she is, he is overcome with remorse and fear. Despite this disaster, Julia and Lucius are drawn to one another by an irresistible attraction.

But their intensifying bond is broken when Lucius is banished to Rome. Distraught, Julia gambles everything to join him. Following her heart’s desire brings danger she could never have envisaged…

Buying links for JULIA PRIMA: Ebook (multiple retailers) Paperback

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her nine-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue. 

She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.  

Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit. Oh, and she’s writing the next Roma Nova story.

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My thoughts: this was a really enjoyable, well written love story with a determined and intelligent protagonist in Julia – a princess from Noricum (now Austria and Northern Slovenia). She’s fallen in love with the son of a Roman senator and will stop at nothing to be reunited with him.

Accompanied by her body servant Asella and a centurion turned artist Aegius as their guide, she travels cross country, evading her father’s men and bandits, risking it all on reaching Rome. There’s another menace dogging her heels, one she’s not even aware of, that might prove truly dangerous.

I liked Julia, she was bright and engaged, her stubborn attitude keeps her going even when things get tough. I also liked Aegius and Asella – they were a great double act, keeping Julia from her more excessive ideas and guiding her in her decisions and journey.

I’ve read a couple of the later books in the series which feature Julia’s descendants so it was good to go back to where it all started with the first of the family.

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