Review Tour: Romance at Ridgeford Hall by Kate Ellington with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

ROMANCE AT RIDGEFORD HALL

by Kate Ellington

GENRE: Historical Romance

BLURB:

Jane Lakewood steals into the supposedly abandoned Ridgeford Hall and unexpectedly meets Conrad, an intriguing but secretive young man. They part ways with a promise to reunite, but Conrad fails to keep their rendezvous.

Six years later, delighted to see Ridgeford restored to its former grandeur, Jane immerses herself in parties and socializing while simultaneously grappling with a momentous decision. Unwanted advice only complicates matters.

At a grand ball, Conrad abruptly waltzes back into Jane's life and reveals the truth about those lost years. As they share old memories and new adventures, their friendship deepens, becoming something sweeter that Jane can't quite define.

But their relationship sparks rumors, and dire consequences force Jane to finally decide what she truly wants.

EXCERPT:

Jane gripped the banister and started up the stairs, but before she could go a few steps a large hand covered hers. She gasped and turned around.

Conrad stood on the lawn, just on the other side of the banister. “Good evening, Jane,” he said, looking up at her. “I’m sorry I startled you.”

“I wasn’t startled,” Jane said, trying to compose her features.

He raised a brow.

“Perhaps a little,” she said, smiling. Since he showed no sign of mounting the stairs, Jane withdrew her hand and joined him on the lawn. When she reached his side he looked down into her face.

“I apologize again,” he said.

“It’s no matter. Are you here with your family?”

“Yes, they’ve already gone up.”

“So have mine.”

After chatting about the weather and a few mutual acquaintances, Conrad surprised Jane with his next comment.

“You seem…subdued tonight, Jane,” he said. “Is anything wrong?”

She was surprised he’d noticed, and then immediately worried this meant she was a bore. What kind of remark was that to make to a woman? Jane considered lying and making a witty retort, but instead told him the truth.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kate Ellington grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29720924.Kate_Ellington

https://bsky.app/profile/kateellington.bsky.social

https://www.kateellington.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kateellingtonauthor

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GIVEAWAY 

Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner during the tour.

https://kingsumo.com/g/m2dn6n3/romance-at-ridgeford-hall

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a reunion story which I enjoyed. I loved Jane and her adventurous spirit, both when she was younger and in the present. She was so innocent that she did not see things as others did. She began a friendship with Conrad, came to care for him, and almost lost him. I enjoyed the secrets of Ridgeford Hall and their journey as they explored. Conrad was very secretive in the beginning, but he tried to take thee feelings of everyone around him into consideration before his own. The ending was a wonderful way to end this story.

Review Tour: Weird Stories of Strange Women by Christine Hart with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

WEIRD STORIES OF STRANGE WOMEN

by Christine Hart

GENRE: mixed speculative short story collection (SFF/mild horror)

BLURB:

Twelve stories, separated into seasons of life, are told through the perspectives of maidens, mothers, and crones. Each one shows us how a fractured reality-or a fractured mind-can warp even the most mundane of events into a bizarre tale.

From a twenty-something office worker trapped by a mountaintop cult to an unstable mother trying to resist the urge to flee to another dimension, one by one, these women step to the edge of what they know and see the impossible looking back at them.

This speculative collection meanders through genres including urban fantasy, science fiction, magic realism, steampunk, folk horror, and cosmic horror. Perfect for readers who are, themselves, strange and unusual.

EXCERPT:

From Her Lunar Bloom (Crones)

The growing moon emerged from behind a cloud. It bathed the yard in soft white light, illuminating a figure standing where the purple fern should have been. A moment later, Marie saw that the figure wasn’t a person but a small tree. It was covered in white flower buds that opened to the moon and drank in its light. 

Marie’s heart pounded as she rummaged in her living room cabinet for her binoculars. Whether it was coyotes or killer plants, she wasn’t going back to the edge of the property. 

She focused the binoculars on the strange shrub. The flowers were the same as she’d seen on the purple shrub, and the limbs of the figure had vines spiralling around each one. 

The shrub turned to face Marie. She dropped the binoculars and gasped. 

“It’s me, Marie. You don’t have to be afraid.” Rachel’s voice seemed to be in Marie’s head, despite it seemingly coming from the plant. 

Marie’s wound itched. She pushed up her sleeve to scratch it. Horrified, Marie stepped back as though trying to retreat from her wrist. The marks where the plant had bitten her looked aggressively infected, deeper, weeping plasma into the fabric of her shirt. 

“I just need a bit more, Marie, and then I’ll heal you. We can be together again.” 

Endorphins surged through Marie’s body, followed by a pang of desire. Marie closed her eyes and felt Rachel’s lips brush her own. She felt her wife’s hands on her body, warm and tender. Marie panicked and opened her eyes to find herself alone in her living room. She sat down on the couch and gave in to the urge to lie back. An overwhelming fatigue forced her eyes closed.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Christine Hart is a writer of speculative fiction for youth and adults. She also runs an online metalsmithing shop, Hart Fabrications. 

She holds a BA in English and Professional Writing, as well as current membership with the Federation of BC Writers.  

Christine’s backlist includes YA, NA, and MG titles. Her debut novel, Watching July, won a gold medal from the Moonbeam Children's awards in the mature issues category. 

Her first collection of adult fiction, Weird Stories of Strange Women, is coming in the summer of 2026.

She lives in Langley, BC with her husband and two children. Learn more about Christine and her work at hart-fabrications.com and christine-hart.ca.

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/christine-hart.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hart_fabrications/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hartfabrications 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B01BSDU214 

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GIVEAWAY 

Christine Hart will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/3ee6el3/weird-stories-of-strange-women

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a collection of 12 short stories of weird events and such involving women. I enjoyed all of them, though I would have preferred a little more to some of them. Some were eerie, some more paranormal, but all were entertaining. I kept reading to see how they all went.

Review Tour: Off Season (A Detective Ryan Mystery) by Clive Fleury with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

OFF SEASON

by Clive Fleury

GENRE: Mystery

BLURB:

Detective Ramesh Ryan’s career with Sydney’s prestigious Organized Crime Unit is on the up, until he loses a court case against the city's most powerful drug dealer. In disgrace, the detective is relocated to the tiny Australian beach town of Barton.

It is off season in Barton—when its few criminals usually take a well-earned rest. But not this year! With the detective's arrival, the town suddenly becomes murder central. Two bodies are discovered in the space of days, both victims of drug overdoses. Then a mysterious foot is found washed up on the beach, and memories are awoken of an unsolved cold case of the teenager who disappeared fifteen years ago. Add to this a blossoming romance, along with a contract taken out on Ryan’s life, and it's clear that the detective has jumped out of the Sydney frying pan into the Barton fire.

What follows is an action-packed adventure, thrilling at every turn—where truth and lies are almost impossible to separate, and unexpected twists are the order of the day.

EXCERPT:

As the night drew on, the rain poured down ever heavier, and the waves grew bigger and stronger.  They tossed the twenty-foot boat from side to side and up and down. The skipper had never been out in weather like this before. Nor had his friend. He was now clutching tight to the underside of his seat, his face green, his breathing labored.   

"Almost there," the skipper yelled, though, in truth, neither had decided where there was.  They just needed to be a reasonable distance from the shore. 

“This is fine,” his friend shouted back.  “Let’s do it.”

The skipper cut the engine. “You take the helm.” 

His friend tried to stand but fell back as the boat rocked violently. He shook his head. "I can't."

Standing and releasing the wheel, the skipper leaned over, yanking the man to his feet. "Hold on," he said, placing his friend's hands on his shoulders and guiding him onto the captain's seat. "Now, take it." 

His friend lurched forward, catching the spinning wheel and clutching it tightly. 

"Don't let go," the skipper ordered.

 Leaning into the buffeting wind, the skipper set off for the stern. He reached the waterproof covering, stooped, and pulled the wrapping away. He tasted vomit rising in his mouth as he peered over at the lifeless body. Swallowing hard, he composed himself.  "What was that song?" the man thought. "Always look on the bright side of life." He grabbed the dead man's arms and yanked the corpse forward. He was much stronger and heavier than the corpse so he could slide it along the sodden wooden deck. Then, wrapping his arms around the dead man's ribs, he heaved it up, balancing it on the side of the boat. One more push, and it would be over.  He stood, winded, and peered back through the rain up to the bow. Good, his friend was still holding tight to the wheel.

The skipper wrapped his arms around the corpse. Its head, which had been leaning back, lurched forward, knocking into his stomach. He tried to think of something else besides the cold dead eyes that were staring up at him. What about how lucky they had been? No one had seen them when they had set out. He smiled. So there it was. The bright side! 

"Time to do this, " he thought. Grabbing the cadaver's legs tight, he tipped them forward, at the same time pushing hard. In one fluid movement, the corpse cleared the side of the boat, dropping into the churning ocean. It disappeared almost immediately, leaving no trace.  

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Clive Fleury is an award-winning writer of books and screenplays and has worked all over the world as a Film/TV director, writer and producer. He has written six books, most recently 'All Or None', the second novel in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series. 

'All Or None' sees Detective Ryan back in the thick of things. His latest investigation into a mysterious death couldn’t come at a worse time. He discovers his mother is hiding a troubling secret and is further sidetracked by a new romance. Fans of who dunnit's, crime thrillers, and cop and detective stories will love this novel.  

Clive's other books include 'Off Season' - book one in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series; 'Kill Code' - a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world facing climate change;  ‘Scary Lizzy’  - a novel about an eight year old girl, who befriends an African child ghost –  and the teen action adventure book; ‘The Boy Next Door ‘ -  a story of what happens when a teenage girl has a crush on her next door neighbor, who isn’t all he seems.  He also co-wrote ‘Art Pengriffin and The Curse of The Four’ - a young adult fantasy adventure about a teenage boy who discovers his father was Merlin the Magician.

Website: https://clivefleurywriter.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clivefleury

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087136850713

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GIVEAWAY 

Clive Fleury will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/m44p90m/off-season

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This mystery was full of twists, turns, surprising connections, death, drugs, and more. Ramesh Ryan was sent to a small town to look into a cold case. His stay was much full of bodies, drugs, and kidnappings. It was a bit difficult to keep up with all the players, and I did not discern who the killer would be. That did not take away from the story, and I felt the ending was well explained. I did enjoy how Ramesh trained Zoe to be a better cop. Overall, this was a very entertaining read.

Review Tour: Edwin Steelside Collection by Bradford Bennett with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

EDWIN STEELSIDE

by Bradford Bennett

GENRE: Literary Thriller

BLURB:

Unsolvable murders, and innocent suspects. It's time to bring in Steelside.

The Final Scene

Two talented performers take center stage for a heart-wrenching love song. Their soaring voices deliver a dramatic aria for a scene that will never be surpassed. Or will it?

The Marathon Murder

Great human sports achievements fill our history books with superhuman feats. Then comes one runner to break all the records, plus anyone else in his way.

The Pharmacy Incident

Advancing the science of medicine gives us miracle cures for life-saving treatments. Now Ed is hired to look into their dark closets and finds—do we trust them too much?

There's Death in Texas

A deadly killer stalks the state of Texas, and no one knows he's coming except for fate and a crack detective. Now, Ed must find the path to stop one of the most deadly killers in North American history.

EXCERPT:

THE MARATHON MURDER

Andre was late. He rushed into the house, grabbed his TV remote, and clicked it on. A runner on a track appeared. “He’s on the final straightaway,” a frantic announcer shouted. “Only a hundred yards to the finish…sixty yards…forty yards…twenty yards… He’s crossed the tape!” 

The runner staggered to a stop, hands on his knees, gasping to catch his breath. A loud, cheering crowd soon drowned out the broadcast. 

“Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer returned, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. “I now have the official results.” The crowd finally quieted. 

“Hermando Montregalo has just broken the world’s marathon record by six minutes, forty-eight seconds!” A roar burst out from the stadium. The exhausted runner raised his arms in victory— cheering fans on the field swarmed around him in a frenzy of admiration. 

The camera cut to the announcer in the booth. “Still yet to appear on this final straightaway,” he went on, “is the now ex-world champion, Nigerian Ligajah Lambafa. He won’t reach this finish for another incredible six minutes!” The reporter removed his glasses and addressed the camera. 

“Sports fans!” he announced. “This astonishing record will shock the track and field world into disbelief. Today, we just witnessed an unbelievable human achievement.” 

Andre switched off the broadcast, threw the remote down, and stormed from the room.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Brad lives with his wife, Norrie, in Oliver, BC, Canada's wine capital in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. Norrie loves visiting all the many grape wineries there. Alas, Brad can't drink wine; he's allergic to sulphates. "I don't like the damn stuff anyway," Brad says. "Just give me a good dark ale." He is a retired art director and designer, now writer. He has published three short stories, which have won placement in a book of short stories three years in a row. 

Brad was born in Oregon and grew up in the Willamette Valley. Later, as an adult, after art training, he spent fifteen years working in his own studio in Dallas, Texas. Brad then moved to Canada and worked for two major Canadian ad agencies as a creative art director. There, he ventured into working on TV ads—it was gruelling but fun. His client was Alberta's CP hotels, then he worked for a dairy, producing ice cream. A dream job for sure. Later, Brad opened his own freelance design studio. But he always wanted to write fiction stories. So, on retirement, he has written three books. 

This one, based on Ed Steelside, is his favourite. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50929359.Bradford_Bennett

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GIVEAWAY

Bradford Bennett will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/36q0gj1/edwin-steelside-tellwell

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars. Four stories of varying ratings and different cases.
The Final Scene - We met Edwin, Detective Doland, Molly, and Jerry "Hound Dog". An actress was killed in the middle of a performance. Edwin was hired to find the actual killer. With the help of the detective and Hound Dog, he was able to put the clues together.
The Marathon Murder - An astonishing record-breaking marathon winner led to a murder. Edwin traveled in order to solve this case. He again had help from his friends/team.
The Pharmacy Incident - Big Pharma, drug trafficking, and death by plane crash made this a little convoluted, but Edwin had his usual assistance and new friends.
There's Death in Texas - Edwin tracked down a very unusual serial killer in Texas. He gained the trust of police and gangs in order to solve this one.
I loved the interactions with everyone Edwin worked with. Sometimes it felt like there were unnecessary conversations, mostly phone calls. I was incredibly happy to see Molly and Edwin work things out.

Review Tour: Wonder in the Garden by Talia Aikens-Nunez with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

WONDER IN THE GARDEN

by Talia Aikens-Nunez

GENRE: Picture Book

BLURB:

Nina loves spending time in her family’s garden, and so does her dog, Nube. They delight in all the wonders found growing there and all the spectacular colors—roja, naranja, verde, amarillo, morado. But mostly they just love to play, as it’s the perfect place for a game of hide-and-seek with its tall corn and enormous leafy veggies. It’s also a place to have the best al fresco meals with Nina’s loving extended family. Exuberant text sprinkled with Spanish and vivid, energetic art that captures the garden in all its glory make this the perfect book for celebrating the bounty of our gardens and the joy of spending a day there, learning, laughing, and lending a helping hand!

EXCERPT

Every day, I say hi to my world. ¡Hola, mundo! 

And hi to my garden. ¡Hola jardín!

My dog, Nube, say hello too. Woof!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Talia was born in the great City of New York. She went to Wellesley College for undergrad and New York University for grad school. Through her early years, she wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be an author. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising bi-cultural children inspired Talia to write multicultural children’s books. 

One day several years ago, her son challenged her statement that "brown boys can be superheroes too." She was mortified and crushed that her son could not see himself in fantasy stories like superhero movies. Then she took him to see Black Panther. He never challenged that assertion again and he wore the Black Panther costume for weeks. As she washed the atrocious smelling costume (and the one of Miles Morales several months later), she rejoiced! She was elated that her son felt seen. Those movies provided a mirror for him of his identity. Months later, she was told the story of the Borinqueneers. When she could not find any books for her kids to read about them she knew that she had to write. So, that journey began. 

Talia has authored several children’s books over the last fifteen years such as Small Nap, Little Dream, Escucha Means Listen, and a series of chapter books called OMG. She lives in Connecticut with her two kids and her husband.

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GIVEAWAY 

Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1glxk6m/wonder-in-the-garden

My Review - 5 of 5 - 

This was an interesting as well as educational story. It was full of colorful illustrations, a dog and girl having fun, and some Spanish and English words for common phrases and colors. The one thing that would have made it a tad better would have some pronunciation of the Spanish words at the beginning of the book. A fun bedtime story.

Review Tour: Zog's Big Question by Adam Rice, illustrated by Mac Rice, with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

ZOG’S BIG QUESTION

by Adam Rice

GENRE: Children’s 

BLURB:

Some answers change you forever.

Zog's Big Question: An interplanetary tale of wonder, belief, and big questions.

Follow Zog, an inquisitive young alien from the planet Luminos—where everything is tested, measured, and understood—as he investigates mysterious reports from a distant blue world called Terra.

With the help of his new friends, Sam and Max, Zog explores a park, a church, a library, and a university — meeting people with many different ideas about life's biggest questions.

Zog's Big Question is a thoughtful, gently humorous adventure for readers 8 and up — a celebration of curiosity, imagination, and the many ways people search for truth.

EXCERPT:

A small smile crept across Zog’s face as Nara passed the Knowing Fruit Tree he had embedded in the ground nearly ten cycles ago. He remembered the pride that swelled in his chest when he first fused his seedling into the crystal lattice, marking the beginning of his journey from Questling to Inlightenment.

Just then, a beep snapped Zog out of his daydream. One of the many simulations he’d been running was complete.

His curious eyes widened as he manipulated his Datapad, zooming in on a distant blue planet wrapped in vast oceans and swirling with an intricate weather system.

“What a strange and beautiful place,” Zog murmured, his antennae twitching as he sank deeper into a bean bag chair. His blue, luminescent body pulsed softly, in rhythm with the questions stirring in his mind.

Zog loved learning about new worlds. On Luminos, everyone—from the youngest Questling to the oldest and wisest of the Inlightened—was a seeker of knowledge.

As far back as he could remember, Zog had learned to make careful observations, propose hypotheses, and test them rigorously—never moving forward until he was certain his understanding was sound.

But this planet—Terra, as the Luminites called it—was different.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Adam Rice is a first-time author who believes that curiosity is one of the most important things we can share with our children. Zog's Big Question grew out of late-night conversations, big family questions, and a love for exploring new ideas together. Adam lives in Canada with his spouse and three kids.

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1834180309

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245546620-zog-s-big-question

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GIVEAWAY 

Adam Rice will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1rjw293/zogs-big-question-tellwell

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

I enjoyed this story. An alien came to Terra (Earth) to investigate the concept of faith. Sam and Max along with a couple adults tried to explain a belief in faith. I liked that several different religions were mentioned without going into deep detail. The lesson seemed to be a tolerance for other religions as everyone follows the one they are most comfortable with. The illustration were well done. I enjoyed the blues.

Review Tour: Madame Rebelle by Amber Leigh Williams with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

MADAME REBELLE

by Amber Leigh Williams

GENRE:  Historical Romance

BLURB:

Rebel. Smuggler. Spy.

Champagne, France 1943

Meet Madame Rebelle. Edmee Guillon is a smuggler. She hides people from the German troops surrounding her ancestral home. When a dying man in a German uniform seeks refuge at Maison Boutet, Edmee struggles to believe his claims that he is French. Her life, the maison and the people she loves are already at stake. Can she take the chance that this mysterious spy is who he says he is? And which side of this war is he really on?

Christian Vovk has been betrayed by someone inside his resistance organization. He knows asking the striking young war widow to hide him will put her in certain danger. However, Christian can help Edmee save as many refugees as she can. Falling in love with her will hinder his duty to the operation that brought him to her doorstep in the first place. When love and duty become inevitably tangled, will Christian sacrifice one for the other?

EXCERPT:

“Go home, Edmée. Do not come back to this part of the woods.”

As the soldier moved away, Edmée couldn’t believe it. They were letting her go?

Just like that?

Her feet tripped over one another as she moved into the trees. That was far easier than it should have been. They hadn’t asked to search her bags. They hadn’t asked what she was doing in the woods in the dark after curfew.

They’d only asked her name.

It made no sense.

She fled, her hands locked around the handles of the suitcases.

She didn’t risk taking her usual path back to Maison Boutet. She weaved and wandered for a while through brambles that caught her clothes and mud that sucked at the bottoms of her boots.

It felt like minutes…or maybe hours before she was back at her uncle’s vineyard.

The cases dangled weightily at the ends of her arms. Her knuckles had been white around them for so long, she could no longer feel them.

The maison was so dark, she failed to distinguish it from the landscape.

She looked at her muddy shoes, her trousers soaked past the ankles. The suitcases would have to be hidden, half of the contents destroyed…

She rushed into the heart of the rows. Her beacon was now the limestone mound with its rough-hewn back to the sky, the entrance to the hidden network of caves underneath the estate.

She wedged past the rocky entrance and stumbled down the steps toward the light.

At the bottom, the barrel of a pistol greeted her.

Her heart slammed into her ribs. Her knees threatened to fold.

She gaped at the man behind the gun.

Christian’s face was red and sweat-sheened. In the lantern’s low throbbing light, his features looked harsh. Moisture cloaked his bare chest like a second skin.

She’d searched him—his clothes, his personal effects… How did he get a gun?

Her lips trembled. She lifted her chin, regardless. The words were rough against her throat. “Are you going to shoot me?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Amber Leigh Williams writes pulse-pounding romantic suspense, historical fiction, and contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling and being outdoors with her family and dogs. She is fluent in sarcasm and is known to hoard books like the book dragon she is. An advocate for literacy, she is an ardent supporter of libraries and the constitutional right to read.

Website: https://amberleighwilliams.com 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/amberleighwilliams

Facebook: https://facebook.com/amberleighwilliamsbooks

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0030VZW2C?ccs_id=972a6661-be68-4275-b311-8f8e0b259f83

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2713894.Amber_Leigh_Williams

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amber-leigh-williams 

Madame Rebelle - Purchase Links

Amazon Ebook: https://a.co/d/b7e849S

Amazon Paperback: https://a.co/d/cIS1iOp

Amber’s Website:  https://amberleighwilliams.com/madame-rebelle 

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GIVEAWAY 

Amber Leigh Williams will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1kn2jy1/madame-rebelle

My Review - 5 of 5 stars -

I truly enjoyed this tale. It was not too overwhelming with historical details within the story to slow it down, but I did like the details after the story as to where information had come from. Edmee thought she was doing a good thing in helping people escape the Germans in France. She was very caring, trusting, and had a strength to survive the horrors around her. She had been sheltered but found ways to deal with the more harsh realities. Christian was an enigma, a spy or something else. His protectiveness of Edmee showed his true feelings for her. I loved how they worked together and trusted each other. They had their moments that had tears in my eyes, especially toward the end. A wonderful story.

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

September 3: Sandra's Book Club
September 10: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
September 17: Karen J. Mossman - World of Stories 
September 24: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
October 1: Maggie Blackbird - review
October 8: Gina Rae Mitchell - review
October 15: The Key Of Love 
October 15: The Pen and Muse Book Reviews 
October 22: Always Reading
October 29: The Avid Reader
November 5: Sarcastically Yours, Jen
November 12: This Writer's Life 
November 19: Novels Alive - review
November 19: A Wonderful World of Words
November 26: Dawn's Reading Nook
December 3: The Eclectic Review - review
December 3: Romance Novel Giveaways
December 10: Jennifer Ivy Walker Author (IG page) - review
December 10: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin' 
December 17: Beyond Romance - review
December 31: nanasbookreviews
January 7: The Story Review Blog - review
January 14: Iron Canuck Reviews & More - review
January 14: Long and Short Reviews 
January 21: Ellwyn's Blog

 

Review Tour: The Boys are Back in Town (Forever Rock #1) by Tanith Davenport with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

by Tanith Davenport

GENRE:  Erotic Romance

BLURB:

Avril Coker, ex-girlfriend of young rockstar Levi Eshton-Gold, is staying at the house of his father, rockstar Ty Eshton-Gold, having been abandoned by her parents due to a pregnancy. However, when Levi arrives home early from his tour with his voice destroyed, he soon makes it clear that he hopes to rekindle their romance.

Avril still feels a spark between them. However she also knows Levi is unaware of the real reason Avril is staying with his family – and the deranged fan who caused Avril’s miscarriage.

Ty, as the band’s manager, has plans to keep the band going, including a reality TV show and a new album which Avril herself will be singing on. As her and Levi’s passion soon reignites, Avril finds herself working to support Levi’s band Astral Shudder and to help Levi regain his voice – but can Avril and Levi see a future together, or will Levi’s career and his cruel fan keep them apart?

EXCERPT:

In the Accident and Emergency unit, Levi had done most of the talking, pausing only when Avril had needed to give specific information about her pain. The woman checking her in had taken this with a cool unconcern until she had reached a particular point in her questions.

“And next of kin. I’ve got here Ty Eshton-Gold. Are you Ty?”

Levi’s mouth had set in a firm line. “No, I’m Levi Eshton-Gold. Ty is my father.”

The woman had remained professional, but Avril had seen a faint smile ripple across her face. Whether she had recognized either of those names was open to question, of course.

And whether Levi had wondered why Ty would be listed as her next of kin was also open to question. He had made no comment as they had gone through to see the first nurse.

And he still hadn’t asked what she was doing in his parents’ house.

Had anyone told him? It didn’t seem likely. Levi was going to hit the roof when he discovered the truth. But it was possible someone, like Ty or Lyra, had told him some cover story.

She remembered being back in the studio, how Levi had seemed almost possessive of her. As though he was expecting to pick up where he had left off.

It wasn’t unreasonable, she supposed. They had ended things on good terms. If he hadn’t gone touring, they might still have been together. But the thought of getting back together after he returned had never really crossed her mind. Water under the bridge. 

He had probably slept with a hundred fans over the course of the year.

She hadn’t had a boyfriend, or even a hookup, since. She hadn’t wanted to.

But did she want Levi back?

Their relationship had been short, but in her mind it had been perfect. Fun dates to simple places—cafes, the bowling alley, go-karting. And of course, she had seen him on stage with Astral Shudder many times. Seeing him so alive, so full of energy. He was as passionate on stage as he was off stage.

And his voice had sent thrills through her body.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tanith Davenport began writing erotica at the age of 27 by way of the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme. Her debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was released by Totally Bound in June 2011 and was shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012.

Tanith has had short stories published by Totally Bound, Naughty Nights Press, Evernight Publishing and House of Erotica. She loves to travel and dreams of one day taking a driving tour of the United States, preferably in a classic 1950s pink Cadillac Eldorado.

Tanith's idea of heaven is an Indian head massage with a Mojito at her side.

www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport

www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport

tanithdavenport.blogspot.com

Amazon UK: https://tinyurl.com/mr4tuh73

Amazon US: https://tinyurl.com/48xz4r5d

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GIVEAWAY

Tanith Davenport will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f5205/

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

Avril and Levi broke up for his career which took a sideways turn. Faced with each other, trust needed to be earned, health issues resolved, and a dangerous fan captured. Avril was intelligent, kind, and a held back a bit because of her situation. I enjoyed the fact that Levi kept her in his thoughts and plans. Things took on a life of their own, and events then were rushed. All in all, the ending was good with happiness for more than this couple.

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

August 27: Gina Rae Mitchell

September 3: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
September 3: Country Mamas With Kids
September 10: Sandra's Book Club
September 10: The Avid Reader
September 17: Readers Roost

 

Review Tour: How Old Should I Be This Year? by J.C. Walker with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

HOW OLD SHOULD I BE THIS YEAR?

by J.C. Walker

GENRE:  Picture Book

BLURB:

J.C. Walker's new way of celebrating your birthday will have children using their imaginations and parents remembering their happiest memories.

Find out how the Nuwayble family celebrates their birthdays a little differently.

A reminder to us all: no matter how young or old, age is but a number. How you feel is all that matters.

EXCERPT: 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

And thus begins my own leap of faith in becoming an author. My only hope is to inspire those young and old to find what makes them happy.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17873141.J_C_Walker

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1779412509

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GIVEAWAY 

J.C. Walker will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f5203/

My Review - 5 of 5 stars -

What an interesting thought. I loved the family tradition and how it has been passed on down. It gave everyone a chance to dream of a future or the past, cheered on by the family. The illustrations were quite lovely and added to the story.

Check out these other blogs on this tour: 

August 19: Sandra's Book Club
August 19: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
August 26: Gina Rae Mitchell
August 26: The Avid Reader
September 2: A Wonderful World of Words
September 2: nanasbookreviews
September 9: Our Town Book Reviews
September 9: Country Mamas With Kids

Review Tour: Kill Pocahontas by Ray Anthony Morris with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

KILL POCAHONTAS

by Ray Anthony Morris

GENRE:  Thriller

BLURB:

Hallee Landry is a promising young Tsawwassen First Nations attorney and litigator with an enviable résumé and a bright future. At only twenty-seven years old, she is not a residential school survivor. Or is she? Everything she has understood to be true about her origins is challenged when she is kidnapped while in Kamloops to attend the annual Pow Wow. Now somebody wants her dead. But why? The perpetrators seem to be a confounding mix of low-level criminals and a sophisticated cadre of malefactors backed by someone high up at the Vatican. Hallee is bewildered to learn that her only allies are an elderly nun, a venerable old Catholic priest, and an Indigenous midwife. This motley crew of improbables faces long odds in unravelling a 50-year-old mystery before the opposing menacing forces erase history for good. Lurking in the shadows is a long-standing conspiracy of extortion, child abuse, kidnapping, and murder. The only clues on offer are an old drawing, a scratchy cassette tape, and a majestic totem pole. First-time novelist Ray Anthony Morris beckons us into the classroom and dares us to slip behind the curtain of an Indian residential school. Much like the backdrop of the mighty Fraser River, serpentining through the Canadian Rockies, this heroic story lifts our spirits on the wings of heart-choking tales of uncommon valour and then plunges us straight into the rollicking, white-water rush-ride of a sensational suspense thriller.

EXCERPT:

Rosie managed to grab hold of her mom’s arm and was kicking and writhing, feverishly trying to escape the clutches of the agent. Every kid in the truck was completely transfixed by the bizarre spectacle. She actually squirted loose momentarily, scrabbling in the dirt, kicking up gravel and bloodying her hands and both bare knees before the agent was able to subdue her again and wrestle her to the truck.

The screeching was relentless. Ethan had never before witnessed such a vehement backlash against authority. He was both deeply sorrowful for Rosie’s misfortune and profoundly impressed with the strength and determination displayed by that seventy-pound little girl-warrior.

With one final sob that seemed to deflate her, Mrs. Sanovie at last slumped into the RCMP officer’s arms, giving up, at least for the moment, any further effort to physically regain her daughter. He gently moved away from the truck as the agent got Rosie deposited in the back. The girl was bending to and fro, barely able to contain the convulsions from her distress nor the blazing hatred for her oppressors, all too evident in her eyes.

The big tailgate was eventually closed, and the driver was now settled in up front. With renewed vigour, Mrs. Sanovie burst from the RCMP officer’s arms, certifiably enraged… She resumed her cursing and screaming while flailing her fists through the closing driver’s side window at Mr. Indian Agent. 

Rosie tried to scramble over the kids to get to the tailgate but, not wanting the little girl to hurt herself, some older girls held her wrists and tried to calm her, telling her it was all right, they were going to school to play games and learn new things.

Exhausted and defeated at last, little Rosie dissolved into tears on the floor of the truck amid the hugs and sympathetic back pats of her “sisters.”   

The truck hastily pulled away from the yard, the kids ducking for cover as Rosie’s mom let loose with some rocks in a final, futile protest.

 And it was off to “school” they went.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ray Anthony Morris was raised in the small town of Oromocto, New Brunswick. He was not raised to look the other way, not take a side, or not get involved. His friends know him as champion of fair play and an advocate for social justice and racial equality. He currently lives alone in Alberta, Canada.

This novel is a work of fiction but based on a true story that the author was simply compelled to tell.

Website: https://rayanthonymorris.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55008628.Ray_Anthony_Morris

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1779622139

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GIVEAWAY 

Ray Anthony Morris will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f5166/

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars. I want to say I enjoyed this book, but the subject was quite a complex and biased one. Out of horror came a close family with their friends to acknowledge that horror. Surrounded by danger, death threats, and more, the First Nations solved a mystery and brought justice to those who committed the horrors. I loved the details and history of the tragic events being included in the telling to fully understand. The relationships interconnecting brought a family feel to the story. Worth the read.

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

July 16: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
July 16: Gina Rae Mitchell
July 23: Sandra's Book Club
July 30: Country Mamas With Kids
July 30: The Avid Reader
August 6: Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
August 6: Beyond Romance