Book Details:
Stealing the Heiress (The Kidnap Club Book 2)
by Samantha Holt
Publication date: May 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
Synopsis:       
      She was looking for adventure…
      Lady Rosamunde Stanley just never expected in the form of a kidnapping.  Well, an almost-kidnapping. The dastardly man only went and took the wrong woman!
      But she soon discovers the dark, handsome man is not quite the terrible rogue she thinks him to be and she decides to put his experience to use. Her uncle has gone missing and no one believes her when she says he’s in trouble. Can she persuade Russell to help?
     Russell might have kidnapped her, but he has no intention of keeping her. Even if the heat between them is driving him out of his wits and her crazy family makes him long for things a battle-hardened orphan like him should never want.
      Their societal divide isn’t the only reason to keep his distance. Rosamunde is a bloody knife-carrying, picklock-wielding madwoman.
         A far too appealing madwoman…
     He’s not the only one struggling. Rosamunde is finding it just as difficult to fight the attraction, despite knowing it is most likely her over-active imagination leading her down this path. Somehow, she must keep her head around the most exciting man she’s ever met.
Goodreads  |   Purchase: Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:
        USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…
        ▶ Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.
         ▶ You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.
         ▶ Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.
         ▶ Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.
         ▶ To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.
Author links: WEBSITE |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM |  GOODREADS  |  NEWSLETTER  | 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: 
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $25 Amazon gift card

This grand prize giveaway - ends June 4th:

​To Enter This Giveaway, Click on HERE!

The Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks
Publisher: White Whisker Books (May, 2020)
Category: Short Stories, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Relationships
ISBN: Coming Soon
Tour Date: May-June, 2020
Available in: Print & ebook, 238 Pages
Description: 
      In The Benefits of Breathing, his third collection of short stories, Christopher Meeks dives again into the human condition, particularly within relationships.  As one reader wrote on Amazon, “Some authors need a lot of words to describe their worlds and their people. Christopher Meeks says a lot with a little.” The Los Angeles Times has called his stories “poignant and wise.”
      In this volume, “A Dog Story” captures a crumbled marriage and the love of a dog named Scrappy. “Joni Paredes” shows the birth of a new relationship that starts at a daughter’s wedding. “Nestor by the Numbers” follows one man’s often hilarious online dating experiences after he finally accepts his wife is gone. “Jerry with a Twist” shows an actor on an audition while his pregnant girlfriend helps him through a crisis. These and seven other stories will bring you into the special world of Meeks.
       As reviewer Grady Harp notes, if you’ve previously “discovered the idiosyncrasies of Meeks’ writing style and content, rest assured that this new collection not only will not disappoint, but also it will provide further proof that we have a superior writer of the genre in our presence.” Try this book. You’ll have a lot to think about.

About Christopher Meeks
    Award winning author, Christopher Meeks has five novels and two collections of short fiction published. The Benefits of Breathing’ is his third collection of short stories.
   He has had stories published in several literary journals, and they have been included in the collections “Months and Seasons” and “The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea.” Mr. Meeks has had three full-length plays mounted in Los Angeles, and one, “Who Lives?” had been nominated for five Ovation Awards, Los Angeles’ top theatre prize.
      Mr. Meeks teaches English and fiction writing at Santa Monica College, and Children’s Literature at the Art Center College of Design. He lives in Pasadena, CA.
Website |   Facebook  | Facebook 2 |  Twitter |

Giveaway!This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of print or ebook however, print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners.
​This giveaway ends June 27, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only. 
The Enter, Click on HERE!

Book Details:
The Nutcracker Conspiracy (A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  388 pages  |  Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services |  Release date:   January 30, 2020
Tour dates: May 4 to Jun 5, 2020
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs! 
        Book Description:
      "Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin.  Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.

      "Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.
       “She was number twelve,” Dean says.
        “Twelve?” Murphy asks.
       “Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”
         Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:
         “13”
Buy the Book: Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub ~ Add to Goodreads

Audiobooks: The Readers Have Ears By Lauren Carr

      Fourteen years ago, my first book, A Small Case of Murder, came out. That wasn’t so long ago. Believe me! Fourteen years is not that long ago—not when you compare it to when the dinosaurs were lazily grazing in Yellowstone National Park.
        Anyway, back to what we want to talk about …
        At that time, one of my friends instantly asked when my book would be available in audio.            My eyes glazed over and I stammered out, “Eventually.”
This friend only listened to her books in audio. She had a long commute to work and that was when she would listen to her books. She would go through a couple books a week.
Not long after that, I discovered that another friend only did audiobooks. She loved to read, but couldn’t due to extremely bad eyesight. While she wasn’t legally blind, her eyesight was so poor that the only way she could enjoy a book was if it was available in audio.
      Yet, back then, audiobooks were available on cassette or compact discs. I considered myself lucky when a traditional audiobook publisher picked up my first three books to be produced in audio (compact disc and digital download)—until I started receiving my royalty checks. I was lucky if I made over two hundred dollars a year! I would take a few copies of the compact discs to book events—only to have them gather dust. Eventually, I tossed them into the back of my closet, where they still rest.
        Flash forward.
     Yesterday, Murder by Perfection became available in audiobook on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. I’ve already got a list of audiobook reviewers and readers anxiously waiting to listen to it.
     Over the years, an increasing number of readers have been requesting that I make my books available in audiobook. As a publisher and business person, I was hesitant about investing anything into making my own book available in audiobook. Based on past experience, I didn’t see much of a market for them. Those CDs from my first three books are still piled up in the back of my closet.
      Then, Amazon suggested I make my books available through their company ACX. They also pointed out that Audible, a very successful audiobook dealer fell under their umbrella. Audible is the leading seller of audiobooks.
      By going through ACX, I would essentially be self-publishing my own books—thus, keeping all of my rights. Over the years, I had seen on my royalty statements how many thousands of dollars my other audio publisher had been making annually on the sales of my books. So, keeping my rights was quite appealing to me. However, knowing that the market was slow, I didn’t want to invest a lot of money into the venture. Frankly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to invest any at all.
       With ACX, authors have a choice of options for having their books produced:
          1. Share your royalties with the narrator/audio producer. This costs the author nothing, because the audio producer invests the time and expense into producing the book. In exchange, the author agrees to split their royalties for the book’s sales fifty-fifty with the producer. If the book ends up being a flop, then the producer loses out on their investment in the project. However, if the book ends up making thousands of dollars a month in audiobook sales, then the author could end up wondering about what could have been.
         2. Hire an audio producer to produce your book. This option means the author hires the narrator/producer on contract (and pay!) to produce the book. With this option, the author gets to keep all of the royalties for their audio sales. So, if your book makes a million bucks in royalties, it’s all yours! The downside of this option is that you have to pay out a lot of money up front—money that it could take a while to earn back. We are talking thousands of dollars. A friend of mine found a narrator she liked, who refused to work for shared royalties. (Many established narrators won’t share royalties. More about this later on.) He would only work on contract with the cost starting at $5000.
        3. Narrate and Produce the Book Yourself. This is not as easy as it sounds. The author has to make sure there is no background noise and the final product does have to pass ACX’s quality control regulations. As the author, I have proofed some of my audio books, thinking they were perfect—only to have ACX pick up a flaw that I had not noticed. Once I read an interview with John Grisham in which he said one of his biggest regrets was narrating one of his books for audio. He thought the end product was awful. As with anything—I prefer to leave it up to the pros. (Since I hate my voice, narrating and producing the book myself is not an option!)
        I opted to share the royalties and let the producers take the financial risk.
       As I had mentioned previously, many high-quality narrators refuse to work for royalty share. There’s a reason for that.
       When I opened my books for auditions to find a narrator, I immediately found Dan Lawson—first audition, first day! His audition was exactly what I was looking for to set the tone for the Mac Faraday mysteries. He was an Audible Approved Narrator, which means Audible endorsed his work! Within a matter of days, we had struck a deal for royalty share for two books: The Murders at Astaire Castle and Blast from the Past.
     I found out later that his agent (I had no idea he had an agent!) had thrown a fit upon learning about our deal for royalty share. The reason: most narrators and audio producers don’t make back the money invested in producing audiobooks through royalties. After a few months, sales will level out and the narrator will only make a few dollars a month.
       Having worked as a book publisher, I can see exactly what Dan’s agent was talking about. Many authors have difficulty in promoting their own books. Authors who don’t invest time or money in promoting their books in print and e-book, are not likely to invest what they need in the audiobook version.
       So, if you are an author whose sales in print and ebook are less than impressive, and you are wondering if you’ll hit the jackpot by having your book produced in audio, then my guess is no, you won’t. As with book sales in print and ebook, the author needs to work their tail off to promote their book in order to enjoy good sales—in any format.
       I have been blessed in finding four excellent audiobook producers who have helped me to bring my whole backlist to audiobook fans—a base that I have seen grow steadily over the last few years.
       I have discovered that for many readers, who have been unable to enjoy reading in print or ebook format for whatever reasons—whether it be lifestyle or medical disability—are discovering audiobooks and returning to reading (listening) to enjoy their favorite books.
For example, my sister listens to my books during her commute to work. With her busy lifestyle that is the only time she can read my books. So I gave them to her in digital format and she listens to them through her SUV’s speakers.
    Since my books have been coming out in Audible, I have found that I am enjoying audiobooks more and more. Many book enthusiasts, like myself, will read books in both e-book and audio. For just a few bucks more, readers can include the audio version of a book with their ebook purchase.
      As the leader of a book club, I dictated the rule that we would only read books that were available in audiobook download. After spending the whole day writing on my laptop, my eyes will be tired. So, I’ll switch to the audio version of whatever book I am currently reading to listen to a great book until I fall asleep. With Whispersync, my tablet will pick up my ebook in audio where I have left off in reading.
        I believe that the audiobook market is where the e-book market was about eight years ago. When my books first came out in e-book, it was a big deal for me to sell any. Now, the lion’s book of my books sales are in e-book, but I see a gradual increase in sales in audiobooks. Currently, I make more in monthly royalties for my audiobook sales than I do for my print books. Note, that is after splitting my royalties with the producers!
      Here's the way I look at it: If it weren’t for my readers, I would not be living my dream of being a mystery writer. My readers want my mysteries to be in all formats: e-book, print, and audiobooks. Even if fans of one format are a smaller number than another—they are still my fans and deserve the reading experience they enjoy the most! 

Benefits of Breathing by Christopher MeeksAvailable in: Print & ebook, 238 Pages
Publisher: White Whisker Books (May, 2020)
Category: Short Stories, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Relationships
ISBN: Coming Soon  |  Tour Date: May-June, 2020

Book Description: 
       In The Benefits of Breathing, his third collection of short stories, Christopher Meeks dives again into the human condition, particularly within relationships.  As one reader wrote on Amazon, “Some authors need a lot of words to describe their worlds and their people. Christopher Meeks says a lot with a little.” The Los Angeles Times has called his stories “poignant and wise.”
    In this volume, “A Dog Story” captures a crumbled marriage and the love of a dog named Scrappy. “Joni Paredes” shows the birth of a new relationship that starts at a daughter’s wedding.
    “Nestor by the Numbers” follows one man’s often hilarious online dating experiences after he finally accepts his wife is gone. “Jerry with a Twist” shows an actor on an audition while his pregnant girlfriend helps him through a crisis. These and seven other stories will bring you into the special world of Meeks.As reviewer Grady Harp notes, if you’ve previously “discovered the idiosyncrasies of Meeks’ writing style and content, rest assured that this new collection not only will not disappoint, but also it will provide further proof that we have a superior writer of the genre in our presence.” Try this book. You’ll have a lot to think about.

Miranda and the D-Day Caper by Shelly Frome
Publisher:  Boutique of Quality Books (March 1, 2020)
Category: Cozy Mystery   | Tour dates: May-June, 2020
ISBN:  978-1945448577
Available in Print and ebook, 338 pages
Book Description: 
      On a sparkling spring morning in the Blue Ridge, small-town realtor Miranda Davis approached the tailgate market, intent on dealing with her whimsical cousin Skip’s unexpected arrival from New York. It turns out that Skip was on the run and, in his panic, grabbed his beloved tabby Duffy, recalling that Miranda had a recent part in solving a case down in Carolina. His predicament stemmed from intercepting code messages like “Countdown to D-Day,” playfully broadcasting the messages on his radio show over the nation-wide network, and subsequently forced to flee.   
      At first, Miranda tried to limit her old childhood companion’s conundrum to the sudden abduction of Duffy the cat. But the forces that be were hell-bent on keeping Skip under wraps by any means after he now stumbled close to the site of their master plan. Miranda’s subsequent efforts to decipher the conspiracy and somehow intervene placed both herself and her old playmate on a collision course with a white-nationalist perpetrator and the continuing machinations of the right-wing enterprise, with the lives of all those gathered for a diversity celebration in nearby Asheville and a crucial  senatorial vote on homeland security hanging in the balance.
       You met Miranda Davis in Shelly Frome’s ‘Moon Games’ now she has a new mystery to solve!
Buy Links: Amazon| BarnesandNoble| Indiebound

About Shelly Frome
      Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels, cozy mystery novels, and books on theater and film. He is also a features writer for Gannett Media’s Black Mountain News. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff,  Murder Run, Moon Games and The Secluded Village Murders.
       Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. Miranda and the D-Day Caper is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Miranda and the D-Day Caper by Shelly Frome

This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of print or ebook however, print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. (This giveaway ends July 1, 2020,midnight pacific time. ) Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
To Enter, Click on HERE!

REVIEW BY VICKIE: 
A Love So True - Delaney Cameron 
This is such a heart-warming love story. Brooks is the epitome of the perfect man. Jaclyn is also a truly refreshing example of a very caring friend to everyone. They are both so down to earth.
The characters are all well-developed. It is easy to feel their emotions.
The story flows well from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow along.
I highly recommend this book to all those who enjoy a great clean romance.
I give this book a literary rating of 5/5

​ABOUT the AUTHOR:
       I'm a Georgia girl at heart if not by birth. I love to read, watch college football, and spend time with my husband. I'm a hopeless romantic so there will always be a happily ever after in my stories. I also like to write about second chances because love doesn't always work out the first time.
      My books are sweet romances set in both contemporary and regency settings featuring stories about the journey to love, from that first meeting to the point where two people know their hearts are no longer their own. My characters aren't perfect. They make mistakes and have faults like the rest of us. They learn the sometimes painful truth that the path to love isn't always smooth, but it's a road worth traveling.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest

TOUR SCHEDULE:
May 11th: -Launch
Rockin' Book Reviews - Review
underneath the covers - Excerpt
Mythical Books - Review
May 12th:
Book Lover in Florida - Excerpt
Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review
E-Romance News - Excerpt
May 13th:
Katherinelovesbooks - Review
Hallie Reads - Excerpt
Red Headed Book Lady - Review
Precious Books World - Review
May 14th:
Adventures of a Travelers Wife - Review
I'm All About Books - Excerpt
Britt Reads Fiction - Review
May 15th:
My Devotional Thoughts - Review
​Teatime and Books - Excerpt
Reading Is My SuperPower - Review
May 16th: - Grand Finale

BOOK REVIEW BY LAWonder10:
        In this book of the series, Jessica's childhood reoccurring nightmares come back. I there a connection to reality or are they all fantasy?
       Jessica and Murphy planned on a vacation to visit her father and step mother and try to discover if there was any basis to her nightmares.  Her Uncle's girlfriend is an investigating journalist. She feels Jessica may have a clue in a horrible, unsolved massacre which happened years ago. They are to meet in Pine Bridge to see if Jessica can recapture memories from her childhood during that time in Pine Bridge.
         Strange and mysterious events begin to take place. Was this really a good idea?
       This is one of the most mysterious and thrilling books of the series. Each book can be read -or listened to - as a "stand alone" but it is so much more exciting if read in order.
         The reader will be "on the edge" of his/her seat throughout most of the book! 
      As with all of Lauren's Books, there is a touch of humor, a lot of mystery, and an element of sizzling romance, although it is never explicit.  The reader will soon feel he/she knows each of the characters personally! The scenes are also very well portrayed.
         The Narrator, C.J. McAllistar, does a very good job in his delivery. He consistently, clearly separates the various "voices" so it is easy to decipher who is doing the talking.  He effectively emphasizes key parts. He has an interesting, yet deep voice.
                I offer a Five stars rating for the story-line and for the performance. 
           * This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

Book details:
Keep Forever by Alexa Kingaard
Published by: Acorn Publishing | Publication date: March 28th 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Women’s Fiction
Synopsis:
Paul O’Brien’s idyllic childhood in Southern California comes to a halt when his mother dies in the summer before his senior year of high school and a very different persona of his father emerges – isolating himself inside the house, turning to alcohol for comfort, and barely noticing his only child. Simultaneously, the war in Vietnam is sending shock waves around the world and young men from one coast to the other are being called upon to serve. Paul enlists in the Marines before receiving his draft notice. 
Elizabeth Sutton is eager to gain some independence from her father’s old fashioned notions and looking forward to her first year in high school.  At fifteen years old, tragedy strikes with the loss of both parents in an auto accident, turning her childhood into one of responsibility and worry overnight.  The four siblings are scattered when her nine-year-old twin sisters are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle on Nantucket Island, and Elizabeth is left behind in Boston with their grandmother.  Her older brother, Sam, enlists in the Marines, eager to join the conflict a world away as opposed to dealing with the one unfolding at home. 
A bond develops between Paul and Sam in Vietnam, and both are injured in a bloody battle that costs Sam his right hand and sets the stage for a lifetime of nightmares and sleepless nights for Paul.  Matched by similar tragedies at a young age, Elizabeth and Paul’s first introduction by Sam upon their return from Vietnam is the beginning of friendship and love that survives five decades. 
After marrying, welcoming their first child, and inheriting a small beach house, the couple adapts to their new surroundings, but distant memories of Vietnam continue to haunt Paul.  In an era when veterans refuse to speak of their pain and the government denies that thousands of soldiers are coming home irreparably damaged, he is left to deal with the challenge of caring for his loved ones amidst his his erratic flashback episodes and moods. As their lives unravel from the lingering effects of PTDS,  Elizabeth learns to accept the burden that Paul brought home, and together they make their own memories to keep forever.
Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo |

​Keep Forever - Alexa Kingaard 
      I haven't cried that hard reading a book before. My emotions were all over the place. So much love and heartache. This is a wonderful story.
         I appreciate the reminder of what our soldiers had to go through in the Vietnam War. It was a horrible war and they didn't get treated with respect when they returned home either, which wasn't right.
         The characters in this story are very well-developed and it is easy to feel their emotions.
        The story flows well from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow along.
       I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a really good read.
           I give this story a literary rating of 5/5
written by vickie 

BOOK REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Miranda and the D-Day Caper is a great way to relax and enjoy a slightly hackneyed mystery.

Miranda's childhood cousin, Skip, is insistent on her solving a mystery of his missing cat. He believes it to be a treacherous situation. Regardless how hard she tries to dissuade him, she finds it impossible not to get involved. As she tries to pacify him, she begins to find things questionable. Suspicious events begin to take place. 

Once again, Miranda discovers things are not as they should be. She, again, goes against her ex-husband's -Chief of Police - warnings and becomes involved in this deadly caper which is much larger than it appeared in the beginning. 

I had a difficult time connecting with the story, and its characters, while the foundation was being built . About a quarter way into the book, it started coming together and was a truly fun, mysterious tale.  It does take concentration to keep the characters and events in perspective. 

​The author portrays the scenes well. Towards the end, he "ties the plot together", thus, creating an entertaining story.

I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure to post a positive review.This is my honest review.

About Shelly Frome
    Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels, cozy mystery novels, and books on theater and film. He is also a features writer for Gannett Media’s Black Mountain News. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff,  Murder Run, Moon Games and The Secluded Village Murders.
  Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. Miranda and the D-Day Caper is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Miranda and the D-Day Caper by Shelly Frome     
  This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of print or ebook however, print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends July 1, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
​To Enter the Giveaway, Click on HERE!