Iron Canuck Reviews & More: Book Tour: Amulet (Heart's True Desire #1) by Kathryn Amurra with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

Amulet

Series: Heart’s True Desire series Book One

by Kathryn Amurra

Release Date: April 3, 2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Genre: Contemporary Romance with Mystical Elements / Paranormal Romance

Time and setting: Present day, Southeastern U.S. & Israel

Blurb:

Intelligent, charismatic, and successful, Val Nikolov has achieved everything he’s ever wanted, thanks to a wish made on his grandmother’s magical amulet.

Alex Weaver, however, can’t seem to get her life in order. As a temp-agency lawyer helping Val’s company prepare to be acquired, Alex has no hope that she will ever land a full-time job as an attorney (or convince her boyfriend to marry her).

When one of Val’s key engineers abruptly departs, the acquisition is suddenly at risk. Hoping to salvage the deal, Val asks Alex to travel with him to Israel for a meeting with the decision-makers. The more time Val and Alex spend together, however, the more they question the things they thought were most important in their lives. Soon, they find themselves at a crossroads, having to choose between the lives they’ve always wished for and their hearts’ true desire.

Buy Links:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSZG3YW3/

Nook - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amulet-kathryn-amurra/1144656859?ean=2940186000730

Excerpt (from Chapter Four):

As they waited in awkward silence for the elevator, Alex concluded it was difficult to find a normal topic of conversation after making your boss fix the zipper of your dress while wearing it. She tried not to emphasize her embarrassed state by fidgeting, so instead Alex stood as still as a statue, clutching her purse demurely at her waist.

In contrast, Val seemed totally at ease as he stood next to her with his hands in the pockets of his charcoal gray pants and the top two buttons of his smooth white dress shirt casually undone. As the elevator doors slid open, Val remarked on the weather forecast for the evening, and Alex replied. After a few similarly cautious exchanges, however, their normal easy flow of conversation resumed as they tried to anticipate what the mood might be at dinner with the wives present.

Unfortunately, as Alex settled in the back seat of the taxi and reached for the seat belt, her hand brushed Val’s as he reached for his own.

“Oh,” she gasped, drawing her hand back as though she’d been scalded. “Sorry.”

“You’re fine,” he replied, cool as a cucumber. “Did you find yours?”

Checking to make sure his hand was safely back in his lap after hearing the click of his seat belt, Alex groped the crease in the seat for hers once more. “Got it,” she answered, drawing the belt across her chest.

Then she folded her hands in her lap and stared straight ahead.

She was being ridiculous; she knew that. Completely ridiculous. Val had helped her zip up her dress—big deal. So what if his warm hands had touched her skin? So what if she had felt his breath on her neck? So what that she was acutely aware of his physical presence beside her, that each time he shifted his body, she felt the energy of that movement travel from him to her, like the ripples in a pond?

Val was a seriously attractive man—it was a factually objective observation. It was quite normal, then, that her skin would have tingled at his touch, as innocent as it was. He had been a complete gentleman with her, and neither of them had done anything wrong. And Alex certainly wasn’t replaying the three minutes Val had spent in her room, fixing her zipper, over and over again in her mind.

Praise for Amulet:

“Kathryn Amurra’s Amulet is an absorbing tale of re-evaluating what’s important in life, of choices between what one has always wished for versus one’s true heart’s desires, and discovering that magic comes in many forms. Thoroughly enjoyed this enchanting story!”

—Joy Allyson, Author of Whiskey Love (Published by The Wild Rose Press)

“I loved it! I was speed-reading near the end—so anxious to see how the romance worked out! What a great ending! I look forward to more in this series.”

—Kel O’Connor, Author of The DAG Series

“For anyone who loves clean, contemporary romance with a hint of magic! Kathryn Amurra writes a story that will appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary romance combined with just the right dash of magic to their stories! She spins an engaging tale of a family heirloom that grants whoever possesses it their greatest wish.”

—Leanne Davis, Author of the River’s End Series

Giveaway:

Kathryn is offering Three eBook Copies of Amulet to Three Lucky Winners!

The giveaway is open internationally.

Runs from 12:00 AM EST on July 15 to 12:00 AM EST on August 3, 2024.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/30806ff52/

Author Bio:

Kathryn Amurra is the author of sweet and sensual love stories. Her debut series, Soothsayer's Path, is a historical romance series of standalone books set in Ancient Rome around 115 CE. Her new series, Heart’s True Desire, is a paranormal romance series of standalone books published through The Wild Rose Press. Kathryn has been making up stories for as long as she can remember and writing since grade school. Against the advice of her 12th grade English teacher, she studied Mechanical Engineering in college, then worked as an Engineer for a few years. After finding and marrying her own hero, she and her hubby went to law school together. They currently live in North Carolina with their three girls.

Contact The Author:

Email - kathrynamurra@gmail.com

Website & Newsletter Sign-up - https://www.kathrynamurra.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kathrynamurra/

Twitter - @AmurraKathryn

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20280375.Kathryn_Amurra

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/books/amulet-heart-s-true-desire-book-1-by-kathryn-amurra

My Review - 4 of 5 stars -

This was an interesting story. I loved the idea of the amulet being passed down to those thought deserving but also the lesson that it might not be the true source of good luck. Val loved his grandmother and wanted to be a better person. His belief in the amulet helped fuel his acceptance. He was a very generous man and employer. He could read those around him and trusted them. Alex caught his attention and he felt that he might need more in his life. Not-so-good-luck followed her everywhere until working for Val's company. Together, they presented a strong front for his company. She was sweet and smart. I enjoyed this couple. I did feel that the story was a little too long with more detail than I felt necessary. Overall, though, a good story.

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