Archives for May 2021

Balance by WS Carmichael – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. WS Carmichael will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Balance

Balancing life and writing? Is there such a thing? I’m not sure if balance would be the right word for how I fit writing into the rest of my life. Amateur flaming stick juggling might be a more appropriate description. Take right now, for example. As I type this guest blog post, I’m listening to the sounds of a kitchen renovation in the next room as the contractor’s three year old son chatters in my ear. The contractor is a friend who is bailing us out of a jam by installing the hardwood floors after the original contractor went AWOL. Cartoons are playing on the television above my desk, my dog is barking because she wants the cheese puffs the boy is eating, an air compressor is running in the living room and an adorable little boy is asking a million questions.

The cup of my life is full to the tippy top.

As much as I love writing, my career as an author doesn’t yet pay the bills. In addition to crafting stories and weaving tales of romance, I also work full time as a nurse, have three busy young adult children and run two businesses with my super awesome partner, lover and best friend. To say we are busy would be an understatement. Still, because I love writing, I make it a priority. At the end of each week, I look ahead at my schedule for the following week and plan which nights I’ll have time to carve out an hour or two to devote to writing. I’ve found if I block out time in my planner and set deadlines for myself, I’m more likely to make progress on whichever project I’m working on.

As I’ve traveled the path of becoming an author, there have been times when balance was nothing more than an abstract concept I struggled with. Either I was so entrenched in writing my other responsibilities were ignored or I went weeks without touching my laptop. After years of catapulting myself between the two extremes, I am only now realizing the importance of balance. The times when I work tirelessly and endlessly on a novel can result in writer’s fatigue. Being too close to the story for too long clouds my vision. I start to doubt every aspect of my book from the characters to the plot to basic sentence structure. Somehow, I convince myself the entire project is rubbish best suited to line a litter box. Ironically, going weeks without writing has a similar effect. The more distance I have from the story, the more I convince myself my writing is a flaw filled, choppy disaster. In my mind, the only way to salvage any work done thus far is to light it on fire.

The entire process is exhausting and frustrating.

In the end, the key to finding balance was less about creating the balance and more about recognizing the need for it. Planning time to write and keeping myself accountable with deadlines allows me to maintain the level scales I didn’t know I needed. I have an irritating habit of finding the hardest way possible to learn what should be obvious. There is no other aspect of my life that isn’t planned or scheduled, so I don’t know why it took me so long to understand organization and forethought would be the key to successful writing. I have given in to the clear and inevitable conclusion that writing, like everything else in life, demands stable and steady progress to be fruitful.

Ava Moreland has it all planned out. In two months, she will marry her fiancé, Tim. She’ll continue working at Vegas’s famous Cosmopolitan bar while he runs his father’s accounting firm. Soon they’ll start a family and she’ll have the white picket life she’s always dreamed of.
Or not.

When her fairytale engagement implodes in a devastating display, Ava embarks on a quest to reclaim her identity and feminine prowess – by sleeping her way through Las Vegas. With her best friend, Jarrod, acting as wingman her plan is foolproof.
Or not.

Nothing goes as planned with hilariously disastrous results. Her sexual misadventures will keep you in stitches as Ava searches for herself in Sin City, finding herself and her happily ever after in the unlikeliest of places.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The problem with a dramatic exit is what comes next. They never show you that part in the movies. You never see the tough heroine stumbling down a hotel hallway, her feet tired from traveling all day, alone and confused in a strange city, holding back tears as the realization her life has been flipped upside down settles in.

No. They never show you that part. They fade to black and pick up two years down the line when she’s found her happily ever after.

Where the hell is that fade to black button? Because this is the part I want to skip. I want to skip the binge eating and the ugly crying. I want to skip the ‘why me’ phase. I want to skip the explanations to my friends when they ask what happened. I want to skip all of it.

About the Author:WS Carmichael is attempting to write the world into romantic bliss one novel at a time. Based in upstate NY, she travels as often as her hectic schedule will allow. When she isn’t busy writing, she’s a mother, nurse and avid sportswoman.

WS Carmichael fell in love with romance at an early age when she would sneak Harlequins from her mother. A voracious reader, she eventually made the jump to writing.

Writing is her passion and she’s always jotting down new storyline and character ideas. Often, her characters take on a life of their own and don’t always cooperate with her plan for them. Creating well developed, strong alpha male characters that don’t fit into the typical romance hero mold makes her novels exciting and relatable. A woman who believes whole heartedly in happily ever after, she gives her heroes the heroine they deserve.

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Buy the book at Amazon.

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Rounding the Bases by Jaqueline Snowe – Spotlight and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Jaqueline Snowe who is celebrating the recent release of Rounding the Bases, book three in her Out of the Park series. Enter for your chance to win a fabulous gift package from romance author Jaqueline Snowe and get a FREE eBook from the author!

What happens when a summer fling doesn’t end with the season?

Sarah Blue has one dream—to open her own pet boarding business. When she receives an offer to spend three months in a penthouse looking after two dogs, she intends to do the best dog-sitting job possible, and focus on her business plan. What she didn’t expect was to run into a stranger so handsome that she could barely put two words together at the sight of him.

And she certainly didn’t expect him to live across the hall and befriend her.

Brigham Monaghan’s reputation is on the line. After an arrest that went very public, his future as an outfielder with Los Soles isn’t guaranteed. With his life a total mess, he welcomes the distraction from the blue-haired girl across the hall who not only doesn’t know his name, but hates sports. It’s the perfect situation.

But things get complicated when what was supposed to be summer fun and flirting turns into something more. Sarah’s business takes off, where Brigham’s future is barely hanging on by a thread. With the odds stacking up against Brigham, Sarah can’t help questioning his motives. Did he fall hard for her, like she did him, or is it just a PR ploy?

Either way, he’s going to break her heart…

Enjoy an Excerpt

The constant battle of how mature to act raged inside me. Yes, I could flip off my parents, but what good would it do? They’d scoff and pretend they had never in their wildest dreams raised a daughter with the audacity to do such a thing. Flipping them off would feel good for three seconds before the regret would sink in and I’d drink about it later.

So I did the adult thing and kept my big mouth shut.

“We don’t want to discourage you from pursuing…your dreams.” My dear mother choked on her words and I swore my dad’s face turned even redder. “But is this really a way to make a living?”

Maturity is important. I tapped my rainbow-colored nails—because Pride week was soon and I was absolutely an ally—and forced a tight smile. “I appreciate your concern, but I happen to love my plan.”

“It’s not beneath you?” my dad asked, looking around us in the café like his uptight friends would jump out and laugh at his offspring. “Pet sitting?”

“I don’t have the patience for vet school and I love animals. It pays pretty well and I’m off your payroll, so why do you care? I’m saving up to open up my dream business. I have a plan, if you cared to ask about it.”

Oh, I was feeling ballsy. My best friends Megan and Ethan would cheer me on if they could have witnessed this exchange. I got a little thrill at rebelling when they got more flustered.

“It is just not a sturdy profession, Sarah Belle.”

The first and middle name. They might as well cut me out of the will now. I sighed and made sure to cause a real scene by flipping my bright blonde hair with blue tips over my shoulder. “It’s decent and I’m busy. But more importantly, I’m happy. H-a-double p-y.”

I did not mention my almost near-zero bank account. Nope. I’d rather shove the entire fork into my mouth than admit that money wasn’t rolling in like I’d hoped. Sure, Megs said my life was too boring because I only focused on opening this business, but I ignored her truth bombs. My dating life might have been boring, but my hope for the future sure wasn’t.

“Your attitude doesn’t suit you, dear.” My mother pursed her lips, and if she wore a pearl necklace, she would’ve clutched it. “How long do you plan on taking a break from schooling?”

“For…ever?”

She clicked her tongue just as my alarm went off and I sent a prayer to whoever was listening. “Gotta run. Meeting a new client. Bye!”

They stood up as I left the table. I didn’t humor them by trying to hug goodbye. We didn’t express genuine emotion when it was positive. Guilt and shame? Oh, we did that in spades. I’d have a doctorate in shaming if it were possible. I would at least have a degree then, and my parents would get off my back.

I snorted at my own joke, earning a confused look from the poor guy walking past me. Phoenix in the summer was way too damn hot and the fact that I wasn’t the only person outside saddened me. The sun burned the asphalt to the point it smelled weird and I hurried my short walk to the building where my next job might be. Three months, dog sitting, in a penthouse.

Thousands of dollars.

College wouldn’t pay me that well, would it, parents?

I stopped after I entered the luxurious swanky building and groaned as the air conditioning hit my face. Heaven.

“Ma’am, may I help you?” a tall, old gentleman with a large mustache asked. He wore a green coat and I groaned. He had to be super-hot with all the clothes.

“Hello…” I eyed his name tag. “Ferdinand. Do you go by Fernie?”

“No.” He somehow stood taller at my question. “What are you doing here?” He scanned my outfit and I waited until he met my eyes again. “You might be in the wrong place, dear.”

My light blue dress had tiny straps on my shoulders and fit my curves very well. It made me feel confident and it was the best one to wear when it was one-hundred-and-fifteen outside. Fernie would not judge me. “I’m exactly where I want to be. Thank you. Now, excuse me.”

“You cannot just enter this building,” he said, his eyes widening and his mouth falling open when I barged past him to the elevator. It couldn’t be too hard to find the penthouse. Highest floor, right?

“It seems I just did, good sir.” I pressed the Up button and blew a large bubble when Fernie blinked fast and put his hand on my elbow. I yanked out of his grip. “Oy! Watch it.”

“I will call the police if you do not leave right now!”

I was about to tell him all the ways he could kiss my ass when the elevator doors opened and the most handsome man I had ever seen in my twenty-three years stood there, looking way too good for rational thoughts to form. Perfection.

The hair. The eyes. The beard. The shoulders.

My saliva evaporated from pure lust and wouldn’t return unless he kissed me. It was the only way.

“Nando,” the man said, sparing me a quick glance. “Harassing guests again?”

“She waltzed in here and disobeyed protocol!” he hissed, and that snapped me from my lusty funk.

“Okay, settle down, Fernie. There were no rules posted.”

One side of the handsome man’s lips quirked up and I swore I felt that gesture as if he’d caressed my entire body. Shivers. “Fernie. I like it.”

“He looks like one, right? Maybe it’s the stern nose or the stick up his ass. I can’t decide.”

Ferdinand looked affronted and I held up my hands as the stranger laughed, a deep, rich, beautiful chuckle that made me dizzy. “Security. I will call them.”

“I’m not trespassing.” I held up my phone. “I was invited here. To the penthouse, actually.”

Whatever I said made Fernie’s lip twitch, and I did not like that one bit. Nope. He grabbed my wrist again and before I could yell at him for manhandling me, the perfect specimen of a man took a step toward us, looking pissed off. “Don’t put your hands on her. She’s done nothing wrong.”

“Mr. Alexandre is not here. He won’t be for quite some time.” He practically giggled. “So your excuse for being here doesn’t work.”

“Wrong again, Fernie. But don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you if we are blessed to meet again.” I rubbed my wrist where his fingers touched and I gave a smile of thanks to the stranger, only putting a hint of take me now into it. “Here. Why don’t I clear this up?”

I dialed the number from the app and waited until a rough voice answered. “Hi, Mr. Alexandre, it’s Sarah Blue. Would you be so kind as to retrieve me from the foyer, as your bellhop is channeling his inner Paul Blart.”

“Your reference makes no sense, but I’ll be down.”

“Great. Thank you so much.” I grinned as large as I could and crossed my arms, tapping my foot on the polished floor, making Ferdinand glare at me. “Your I’m wrong face is great.”
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He blustered a bit and I used the time to study the other, gorgeous man staring at me. He wore joggers and a black T-shirt that had to be sewn onto his tan skin. Delicious. There was no other way to describe him.

If anyone asked what my type was ever again, I would say him.

He seemed to be studying me too and I blushed head to toe when he gave me a hint of a smirk. “How do you know Alexandre?”

“How do you?” I fired back. He liked my answer. He cackled and leaned on the doorframe instead of exiting. “Two can play your game.”

His amusement pleased me. I wasn’t a huge hit with guys when it came to first impressions. I was loud, spoke my mind, called out things that upset me and never put out. Sure, I flirted when I wanted to, but no one really stood out to star in my spank bank. But this guy. Yup. His face was enough.

“Sarah Blue.” He repeated my name and I bit down on my knuckle and groaned. “What?”

“You’re too good-looking for your own good. I shouldn’t stare at you.” I turned around and almost smacked my forehead for being an idiot. I couldn’t help myself. My parents had raised me to be seen, not heard, and the second I got out from their rule, I flourished into being who I wanted to be—not quiet, always seen and always heard.

The stranger didn’t get a chance to respond before the elevator door opened again and a very well-dressed man appeared. He had to be ten years older than me, maybe more, and he looked like he should be on a runway. His face was all angles and jawline and the suit looked like it cost more than my parents’ house. “Sarah Blue?”

“Mr. Alexandre,” I said, and he nodded. I took a guess that this was the man I was supposed to meet and I felt smug as hell. I wiggled my fingers at Ferdinand in a super not mature way. It was worth it though to see his appalled expression of paled cheeks and wide eyes.

“Ms. Blue, please, come with me.” Mr. Alexandre crooked his fingers at me and I obeyed, damn well knowing he was more terrifying than Ferdinand. It wasn’t unusual for me to meet new clients in their homes, especially if I was watching their animals, and I trusted my gut. While I feared Mr. Alexandre more than I liked, it wasn’t a creepy vibe he gave off. It was authoritative.

I waltzed into the elevator and felt the weight of the handsome stranger’s stare as the doors closed. If there was such a thing as second-hand lust syndrome, I had it. Bad.

Mr. Alexandre remained quiet the entire ride until the doors opened on the top floor. There were just two doors at the end of the hallway and he went to the right. “Are you ready to meet them?”

‘Them’ meaning his two King Charles Spaniels, Pico and Cassandra. “I’d love to meet your fur-children.”

My comment pleased him and he typed five numbers onto a pad before the large black door swung. His room was like a hotel I had only witnessed in movies. Glorious. Open. Beautiful. He had a couch that was at least the size of my old dorm room and it was covered in plush pillows. Oh, I wanted to fall face first onto that couch for a day. “This is beautiful.”

“Thank you. I had it designed for me.” His boots clicked on the…while marble? Quartz? Diamond? Floor. It was too pretty for my eyes and I pretended I hadn’t stepped in melted gum on the walk here. “Pico! Cassandra! Where are you, lovelies?”

I couldn’t stop my lips from curving up. People were weird about their pets. Nicknames and routines and boundaries, and the fierce love they had for their mammals. He wasn’t on the far end of the insane scale of clients I had worked with, but he wasn’t in the middle. If he had a—

He did.

He returned from a room just beyond his kitchen with a decked-out gray and black stroller. There was no baby in there. Just two dogs with sparkly blue and purple collars. “Here are my babies. Ms. Blue, Pico and Cassie.”

“Why, hello!” I crouched forward and spoke in a high voice, foregoing all sense of dignity. “Aren’t you both adorable? You two spoiled?” I held out my hand and let them both sniff it for a full thirty seconds before I attempted to pet them. Pico, who had deep brown and black fur, wagged his tail so loud a soft thud kept repeating. “Happy boy. May I?” I gestured to pick him up and Mr. Alexandre nodded.

Pico licked my entire face and I laughed. He was a cutie and we’d get along fine. But he wasn’t the alpha of the house. Cassie was and she gave me the stink eye. “You are a gem, Pico. We’ll be buds. Now, Ms. Cassie, what can I do to win you over?”

She eyed me. She was different from Pico. She had white, brown and black fur and almost had freckles on her face. She was gorgeous but not friendly. She held her nose high in the air and I went from petting her back to her bum, and bam. Her tail wagged.

Damn, it felt good to get along so well with dogs. Humans weren’t as cute.

“She likes you,” he said, his voice rising in clear disbelief.

“I must smell like bacon from lunch,” I said, hoping to ease his mind. That was the trick of pet sitting for people. Their babies couldn’t like me more than they did them, but they had to like me enough to trust me. It was a thin line and I rocked it. “Shall we do a practice if you need to run an errand?”

“No. They don’t like humans much.” He crossed his arms and blinked a lot. “Let’s talk availability.”

“Let’s.” I kissed the top of Pico’s head and followed Mr. Alexandre toward a small glass table overlooking a patio that had the absolute best view of Camelback Mountain. “God, this view. I could die here.”

“I hope you don’t. My babies need love and attention while I’m away.” He pulled out a couple of sheets of paper and a pen. “Your application said you do stay-ins, overnights. How long?”

“It depends on the client. Currently, I have about twenty stops a week that will keep me away roughly the same as work hours. Six hours a day, typically.”

“Where do you live?”

“I won’t take them out of your place besides walks, sir. I assure you.”

“No.” He waved his hand like I’d insulted him. “I meant, can you break your lease if you are renting? I can pay the fee. If you take this job, you will need to be here three months.”

July, August, September. Damn. But I kept my poker face strong. “That is a long time, sir. The cost will be high.”

“I’ll give you twenty thousand dollars, but I must have daily photos and a video chat every other day. They require two walks a day and the best raw food.” He continued talking, but his voice faded as the price kept echoing in my head.

Twenty thousand.

“That’s…that’s…” I mumbled, but he paid me no attention. He brought out a notebook with tabs and slid it across the table. “Sir, please.”

“I will not negotiate. Pico and Cassie are my joys and you are ranked as one of the best at this. Please, Sarah, take care of them. I wish I did not have to travel, but I do.” He sighed and a sad, resigned look took over his face. “This is a lovely place to live.”

“Even with Ferdinand?” I joked, earning a slight smile. “He won’t try to kick me out?”

“He is protective of the tenants. Just don’t bother the door across the hall. He likes his privacy. And do not ruin this place. I will deduct any damages from your payment.”

I gulped and nodded, unable to do much more. Those rules were simple enough for that much money. God, no rent, no school… I could save most of it. “Thank you, sir. I will not let you down.”

“Good.”

He shook my hand and eyed the pen. “Sign and it’ll be official. Can you start tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” I repeated, dumbfounded at the quickness. “I don’t… I need to get my stuff.”

“Take today and tomorrow morning. But noon, be here.” He rose and left me at the table with a contract and a check for ten thousand dollars. Half now, half later.

And I could only stare at it.

“Better get started on getting your stuff, dear Sarah,” he said, his retreating back not exactly friendly.

About the Author:Jaqueline Snowe lives in Arizona where the ‘dry heat’ really isn’t that bad. She enjoys making lists with colorful Post-it notes and sipping coffee all day. She has been a custodian, a waitress, a landscaper, a coach and a teacher. Her life revolves around binge-watching Netflix, her two dogs who don’t realize they aren’t humans and her wonderful baseball-loving husband.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | First for Romance Author Page

Buy the book at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

JAQUELINE SNOWE IS GIVING AWAY THIS FABULOUS PRIZE TO ONE LUCKY WINNER. ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AND GET A FREE EBOOK FROM THE AUTHOR! Notice: This competition ends on 25TH May 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.

Sweet Hart by Rae Marks – Spotlight and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Rae Marks who is celebrating yesterday’s release of Sweet Hart, the first book in her Hart Consulting series. Enter to win a fabulous gift package and get a First For Romance Gift Card!

When Brayden stumbles into a covert operation, Sam has to keep him alive. Together they navigate their unexpected attraction and the world of the Ukrainian mafia.

Brayden Hart needs to find his older brother Mason and time is running out. Mason disappeared after being discharged from the military two years before. While on leave from the army, Bray follows a lead his friend has been able to find. When he knocks on the door of a dingy apartment outside Miami, the last person he expects to meet is the gorgeous but grumpy Sam Wheeler.

Sam denies knowing Bray’s brother and turns him away. But Sam is Bray’s only lead. Luckily, Bray’s childhood friend is one of the best hackers in the country and helps Bray follow Sam to Ukraine.

In Kiev, Bray falls blindly into the fray of a covert operation and Sam steps in to keep him alive. While navigating the choppy waters of the Ukrainian mafia, Bray and Sam fall into the bedroom. But what happens when the mission ends?

Reader advisory: This book contains references to historical rape, child sexual abuse and sex trafficking. There are also scenes of violence.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Look, kid. I got nothing to tell you.”

Bray pulled his gaze from the full lips he’d been watching as the man in the doorway, Sam, gave a flat refusal. He took a deep, calming breath and willed away his body’s response. Maybe he needed to back up a little and explain the urgency of the situation. He didn’t have a lot of time to find Mase, and this Sam guy was his best bet.

The guy blocking the doorway would be hot if his eyebrows weren’t pinched together so tight and his big, full lips weren’t turned down. Hell, he was still hot, even in full intimidation mode.

Sam’s honey-blond hair was longer on top and styled high. His groomed beard was just a few shades darker than the hair on his head and hinted at the tiniest bit of red highlights. Bray lowered his eyes again to Sam’s lips. Both were plump, but the top lip was a little fuller than the bottom one. That was rare, in Bray’s experience, but sexy as hell.

The tic in the jaw next to those lips brought Bray back to the matter at hand. He looked up into Sam’s cinnamon-brown eyes as he considered his options.

“I know you’re working with Mase and I have to find him. I’m—”

“I don’t know what you’re going on about, but I have shit to do.”

Sam tried to close the old, paint-chipped door in Bray’s face, but Bray stepped forward, using his foot as a doorstop. He wouldn’t give up that easily. Bray needed to untie his tongue and keep on task, no matter how sexy the guy was.

“Please, I don’t have a lot of time. I just need to talk to him.”

“Look, kid—”

“I’m not a kid. I know he’s pulled some crazy stunts since he got kicked out—”

“You don’t know shit, kid. If you just got kicked out of the military and you’re looking for camaraderie and a job, forget it.”

As soon as Sam said the word ‘military’, Bray breathed a sigh of relief. Sam swore under his breath. So the guy definitely knew his brother. Sam flexed his huge biceps as he crossed his arms. His head dipped to one side as he leaned forward. Bray swallowed then a tiny breath escaped his lips as he imagined the man before him leaning in to steal a kiss. Was this guy Mase’s boyfriend? If so, his brother was one lucky bastard.

“Move your foot. Like I said, kid, you don’t know shit,” Sam ground out through clenched teeth.

“Just tell me what’s going on. Is he okay? If he’d returned any of my emails over the past two and half years, maybe I’d know more about what was happening.”

“You think I can help you?”

Bray gave one sharp nod of confirmation. Sam blew a breath out between his lush lips and dropped his arms to his sides. The crease between his brows eased a bit as he seemed to really look at Bray for the first time. He looked over Bray’s head down the hallway for a moment before coming to some kind of decision.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Bray, Brayden Hart.”

There was a pause. Bray assumed it was Sam digesting Bray’s last name, Mase’s last name.

“Well, I’m sorry, but I got nothing for you, Mr. Hart.”

“How’d you know I was in the army?”

“You got it written all over you, from your close-cropped cut to your military stance.” The guy rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I’ve got things to do, kid, so do you mind moving your foot—or do I need to move it for you?”

Bray wet his dry lips as he contemplated his choices. He could call Max for another favor, but if he went that route, he’d need this part to be believable.

“I can just sit out here and wait until he comes home.”

“You’ll be waiting the rest of your life, kid.”

“It’s Bray or Brayden, and I think you have a really good idea when you’ll be talking to Mase again.”

Looking over Sam’s shoulder, Bray took in the shit-hole apartment with its dingy brown carpet and walls so old that the wallpaper was peeling at the corners along the ceiling. A ceiling with tiles that had different-sized brown rings, a sure sign of water damage. Was this how Mase was living now? The thought made Bray’s gut twist uncomfortably.

If Mase needed money… Bray shook his head. Mase would never be the one to reach out, which was exactly why Bray was standing in the hallway that smelled like piss mixed with broccoli farts. Unless the inside of the apartment smelled better, he didn’t see how anyone could even think about putting a morsel of food into their mouth in this place.

If by chance Sam did talk to Mase before Brayden could get to him, he had to figure out a message most likely to get a response. Would Mase come home or even return a call if he knew the truth? Probably not. Bray bit his lip as he waffled. He didn’t like lying, and he especially didn’t like lying to family. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to forgive his father for his ‘little white lie’.

“When you see him, tell him Nickel needs him. Tell him it’s looking like it might be life or death.”
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Both those statements taken separately were absolutely one hundred percent true. Nick might deny he needed their older brother, but he and Bray were twins. Bray knew they both required all the support they could get.

When Mase heard those statements together, Bray knew what he’d assume, and he’d have to apologize for it later. For now, he decided it was the best route. He had a feeling Sam would repeat those statements verbatim to his brother.

“Nickel?” Sam asked.

“Nick, my twin.”

“Twins? There’re two of you running around wreaking havoc?”

“Nick wreaks more havoc and we’re not identical, so there aren’t exactly two of me.”

Sam’s only response was a raised eyebrow.

“So you’ll tell him?”

“I’m sorry. There’s no way I can help you,” Sam said with the shake of his head.

Even though Bray was anxious, he hesitated before lifting his foot. He needed Sam to think he was reluctant to leave. Sam was only a couple inches taller than Bray’s five-foot-eleven-inch frame, but he hunched down a little, so they were eye to eye.

“I can’t help you,” Sam said again.

Bray swallowed as energy began to hum under his skin at the man’s direct stare. He couldn’t be lusting after his brother’s boyfriend. Wetting his dry lips one last time, Bray nodded and lifted his foot. The two men stared at each other for a moment longer, until the sound of a baby screaming somewhere down the hall had Bray turning his head. Before he could even suck in another breath, the door in front of him slammed shut and the lock snicked into place.

With a dejected sigh, Brayden looked at the door for another minute. Guilt had his stomach tightening into knots. He couldn’t afford to stand around, though his hesitation to leave would probably work in his favor in case Sam was watching through the peephole.

When he pushed open the door of the building a few minutes later, Bray sucked in some of the fresh air. He didn’t even care that his clothes immediately glued themselves to his body with the humidity Florida was famous for. He was just glad to be out of the stench that had pressed down on him inside the apartment building.

After one last glance at the second floor, Bray walked down the sidewalk toward the parking lot. As soon as he was in his rental car, he dialed Max’s number.

“How’d it go?” Max said.

“He wouldn’t even admit he knew Mase.”

There was silence on the other end. Max had warned him against making contact with Sam. He’d suggested following him until he led Bray to Mase, but Bray didn’t have that kind of time.

“So, it looks like you were right,” Bray admitted.

There was still silence on the other end of the line.

“Look, Sin. I still need help.”

Bray always struggled calling his friend by his pseudonym. Even though it stood for Super Intel Nerd, calling a nerdy guy like Max, Sin seemed funny to Bray.

“Next time listen to me. You’ve now ruined the advantage of surprising him.”

“Fine. Can you find out where he’s going?”

“Of course I can.”

Bray could hear the light click-clack of Max tapping on the keys of his laptop. Putting the phone on Bluetooth, Bray started his rental and pulled out of the parking spot behind Sam’s apartment building.

“Where’s he going?” Bray asked as he pulled out onto the street.

“I have him traveling out of Miami to Kiev tomorrow with a stopover in Munich.”

Bray tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. This had just gotten a lot more complicated and expensive than he’d anticipated. Was Mase undercover or was he in trouble? If he was in trouble, Bray wanted to be there.

“Looks like I’ll be heading to Kiev,” he sighed.

“I’ll book you a flight that stops over in DC. I’ve got something I want to give you if you’re going to Kiev.”

“I just have to check out of the hotel. Give me a couple of hours to get to the airport.”

Max disconnected the call without saying goodbye, but it didn’t surprise Bray at all. Max was always on to the next problem.

About the Author:Rae has been secretly penning romances since high school. It started with short stories that grew into full-length novels. When she received her first Kindle and had thousands of books at her fingertips, she became a little distracted from writing. Then one day she read a book that she would have written a different way. She began writing again and hasn’t stopped since.

When she’s not writing, Rae can usually be found reading, walking along the beaches of Half Moon Bay, or taking her geriatric dog to the vet, yet again.

First for Romance Author Page | Instagram | Goodreads

Buy the book at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

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The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski


The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Consulting detectives Evangeline LeClair and Freddie Simpson face their most challenging case yet when a priceless Egyptian artifact is stolen from a Chicago museum. To make matters worse, the museum’s richest patron is robbed of a diamond necklace shortly afterward. Suspicion immediately falls on a wealthy widow and her scheming son. Trapped in their clutches is the widow’s hapless daughter, about to be forced into a marriage of convenience against her will.

The investigation is complicated by two mysterious strangers who have also taken an interest in the missing Egyptian relic. Solving both thefts will lead Freddie and Evangeline down some strange avenues of inquiry involving secret societies, international criminal masterminds, gentlemen jewel thieves, unexpected ocean voyages, and underworld kingpins. The two sleuths must either solve their case or join the ranks of fatalities numbered among THE BLACK WIDOW’S PREY.

I absolutely adore Victorian mysteries, and this one did not disappoint. All right – it’s set in America (Chicago to be exact) but it’s the same time period, so not being set in England is not a deal breaker. If anything, it adds to the enjoyment because it gives me a chance to learn a bit about the history of Chicago I was not familiar with.

If there is any complaint coming, it’s all on me, because I did not find this series earlier. I loved the characters and cannot wait to go back and read the other two books in the series.

It is definitely character driven, and if you are familiar with my reviews, you know this goes a long way! The author definitely knows her history, but does not hit the reader over the head with it. Yes, you will learn about this time period in Chicago, but you will absorb it almost by osmosis as you get to know the characters and enjoy their relationship, not to mention the way they work together to solve the issues in the book.

Although it’s not necessary to have read the earlier books in the series in order to understand what’s going on, the reader would probably get a richer enjoyment from knowing the background of the characters and how they got together.

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George Harrison: Be Here Now by Barry Feinstein


George Harrison: Be Here Now by Barry Feinstein
Publisher: Rizzoli
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Never-before-seen candids and ephemera of “the quiet Beatle” during his meteoric solo career, as captured by his friend and famed photographer Barry Feinstein.

On hand from 1970 to 1972 for Harrison’s blockbuster “Triple Crown”–the release of All Things Must Pass; The Concert for Bangladesh; and Living in the Material World, which helped make Harrison the best-selling post-breakup Beatle, Barry became good friends with George during the three-plus years they worked together. Feinstein captured George Harrison at home, in his garden, onstage, and in the studio. Nearly all the images are previously unpublished.

The book contains never-before-seen ephemera related to these seminal releases during George’s most richly creative time post-Beatles, including handwritten letters talking about album ideas, album-cover
In this manner, this cheap levitra online magical medicine shows wonder to keep male sexual health fit and fine. Earlier, people used these medical herbs as an antidote so as to heal a canada generic viagra wound and to cure a prolonged ailment fully. Some people are lucky, because a good relationship and if you want to avoid india viagra generic most of your stress and tension from your relationship then you must be in good sexual health but it includes many other factors. There brand levitra are two types of surgical implants. thoughts, and putting together the Concert for Bangladesh. This collection also features beloved performers that George convened for that Concert for Bangladesh–where Barry was the only sanctioned photographer onstage–including George’s friends Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, and Billy Preston.

The book coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of All Things Must Pass. George Harrison: Be Here Now is a deeper visual dive that the significantly large and passionate Beatles/George Harrison fandom will want to add to their collection.

Fifty years since All Things Must Pass released and this is the best way to celebrate.

I have a soft spot for George Harrison, the quiet Beatle. Why? I don’t know. He’s always been my favorite. Maybe it’s because he didn’t seem to have as much to say during the Beatle years and he showed his creativity big time afterwards.

This book is mainly photographs, but if you have heard the records Harrison recorded at the time, All Things Must Pass, The Concert for Bangladesh and Living in the Material World, seeing these pictures illustrates what was going on at the time. I liked the photos from the concert, mostly because I’ve never actually seen the concert. It’s amazing to realize Harrison put together the biggest, considered by most as the granddaddy of all benefit concerts, bash, all to benefit the starving people in Bangladesh. He knew how to get people together to work on such things and these pictures show that.

I enjoyed the introduction by Donovan and would’ve liked to have had some recollections from George during this time, but it’s still a great book.

If you’re interested in seeing photos from the this period in Harrison’s life, then pick it up and enjoy!

Bloodman by Robert Pobi


Bloodman by Robert Pobi
Publisher: Arrow Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

FBI contractor Jake Cole deciphers the language of murderers by reconstructing three-dimensional crime scene models in his head, a talent that has left his nerves frayed and his psyche fragile. Jake returns to Montauk, New York, for the first time in a quarter of a century when his father, a renowned painter, lights himself ablaze and crashes through a plate-glass window. Once home, Jake is pulled into a gruesome local homicide investigation that echoes his mother’s murder three decades earlier.

As he sifts through the detritus of his father’s madness, Jake discovers thousands of seemingly meaningless paintings stacked in the studio – a bizarre trail of dust-covered breadcrumbs the painter left as he tumbled down the rabbit hole of dementia. Breadcrumbs that Jake believes lead to the killer.

With the help of Sheriff Dan Hauser – a man scrambling to prepare the seaside community for the arrival of a catastrophic hurricane – Jake Cole sets out to find the seemingly unstoppable force of malevolence known as the Bloodman.
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A unique and disquieting thriller that redefines the genre, Bloodman will leave you reeling long after its operatic finale.

FBI agent Jake Cole is back home on Long Island to try and clear up matters for his estranged father. Between his father’s accident and Alzheimer’s Jake wants nothing more than to sort out what sort of living accommodations would be best for the elderly man, then Jake wants to return to his wife, son and regular life back in New York and to put this – along with the memories from his past – behind him. His plans are foiled though when a stomach-churning murder of a woman and child only a few miles away has him being drawn in to investigate as the only nearby and available FBI officer.

I found this to be an amazingly written and incredibly intense read. First up though I need to insist that this book won’t be to every reader’s taste and while the first half is more Mystery/Suspense the second half leans a bit more strongly toward being a Thriller and even mildly a horror style of novel. I don’t feel personally that this is a story for the faint of heart. While not really a horror – it’s not gory or overly descriptive and certainly it doesn’t use the murders or scenes in a titillating manner nor is it descriptive with the gruesome scenes – this book did give me the creeps when I was reading it late into the night and I’m pretty sure it won’t be enjoyed by readers looking for a more straight mystery style of novel.

That said, I found this book very well written. The writing style appealed to me as being easily read and relatable, I really enjoyed the complexities of the main characters and the first half of the book really is a more “regular” mystery/FBI/police style of story. By the half-way mark when I started to get an inkling of the plot not being quite as simple as I expected, the characters not precisely as they were portrayed and I finally cottoned on to the hidden snippets of what lay beneath the surface it was far too late for me. I was absolutely hooked – both on the plot, the storyline and the characters – and even though I spent all of a minute contemplating not going further I simply couldn’t put the book down and walk away. The last half of the book was quite a roller coaster and while I regret nothing, I wish I’d read a review that had at least suggested readers maybe read this book in daylight hours and not deep into the night. I might not have listened to such a suggestion, but it’s one I would have appreciated nevertheless.

I thought this book was intense. While there are tons of serial killer vs the FBI and local police in a small, deserted town style of stories out there this book had a number of twists and turns that made it feel unique and fresh to me. This isn’t like any other book I can recall reading before. Indeed a number of the twists took me totally by surprise and even though a few of them I knew I was missing something (or I knew there was more going on that I could recognize) when everything unwound I was still gobsmacked even as the pieces all fell together. This is a wonderful story in that the author carefully leads you through the pages and then when it all clicks together you can see it all for what it is and it totally makes sense. There’s no dangling plotlines or guessing what was meant – everything is very clearly and explicitly laid bare by the end and while amazing it’s as scary as it is thrilling. I really found this story to be akin to a roller coaster, half terrifying but equal parts exhilarating and at the end you’re not sure if you want to have a lie down or get straight back on and do it all over again immediately.

Readers looking for something addictive, different and really well written should love this book. It’s a strong thriller/mystery and bordering (in my opinion) on horror but well, well worth the price of admission. I probably won’t be reading this again at night-time, but for sure I’ll be reading it again just to catch all those small things I missed the first time around. It’s an excellent story – it just won’t be for everyone.

As an author, what scares me most… by E.C. Bell – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. E.C. Bell will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

As an author, what scares me most…

Here’s the deal. When I started writing Seeing the Light, the first book in the Marie Jenner Mystery series, Marie Jenner’s love interest, James Lavall, found out that his uncle, who he worked for, had died of a heart attack while on a gambling trip to Las Vegas.

Which meant that Marie and James were eventually going to go to Las Vegas to move his spirit on to the next plane of existence.

Most of my books are set in Edmonton, which is in Canada, so… why Las Vegas? Because I wanted to go! And I figured this was as good a reason as any. I’d research for my book, have a few laughs, and then come back and write.

Then, the pandemic hit, and the border between our two countries closed. But Uncle Jimmy “anything for a buck” Lavall had already died in Vegas, and I had a book to write, so… it looked like I was going to have to write it without visiting the place first.

First time ever.

I have to tell you, this scared the crap out of me, because I rely on what I see, hear, smell, and feel when I’m writing about the setting in my novels. When I wrote Stalking the Dead, the third book in the series, I took a drive to Fort McMurray, which is 434 km from Edmonton, where I live. (That’s about 270 miles.) It took me four and a half hours to drive, and I got to see, first hand, the most dangerous section of highway in Alberta. (It’s Highway 63.) I was able to add that bit to my story, plus what I’d seen and smelled and felt while I was in the town. It really made the story come alive.

But here I was, going to write about Vegas without every having gone. I started off with online research, which gave some details to work with, but then I turned to the people I knew who’d been. Asked them to tell me what they remembered about, well, everything. And they helped immensely.

Then, I dug into my own history. Because Marie and James were going to Vegas in the summer, I needed to know what it was like to deal with the heat. (We don’t actually live with snow year round, but it does not get as hot here as it does down south.) Luckily, I’d gone to Phoenix one summer. So, I took what I remembered about that trip, and used it to write about the heat.
And then, after the book was done, I let someone who’d gone to Vegas read it. She pointed out places where I’d gone off track, so I could clean it up and make it better. (One thing I did was over describe how to get to places, because I was using Google maps (!) and I realized was trying to keep it clear in my own head.)

That’s the way I wrote this book, without going there. But when I can, I’m going to Vegas. After all, I can’t let my characters have all the fun, now can I?

Marie Jenner just wants a Vegas holiday.

When psychic Crystal Demoines tells James Lavall that his uncle’s spirit is trapped in Las Vegas, Marie is thrilled. All she’ll have to do is help Jimmy “anything for a buck” Lavall move on to the next plane of existence, and then she and James can have the holiday of her dreams.

But she never dreamed that a lieutenant of the drug kingpin from Edmonton would be staying at the same hotel as her and James, and that James would become his new best friend. Or that she’d have to find Jimmy’s girlfriend Rita—who disappeared the same night Jimmy died—before he would finally move on. Or that the most powerful man in the hotel would be looking for Rita too. To find the money she stole.

And Marie never dreamed that she’d be planning a Vegas wedding in the middle of it all. But she is.

Looks like her dream vacation is about to become a nightmare.

Enjoy an Excerpt

WE DROPPED THE rental car off with the valet and got the keys for our room on the sixth floor.

“Can you remember what room your uncle died in?” I asked as we waited in a small crowd at the bank of elevators. A couple of people glanced at us, looking fairly aghast, and I wished I hadn’t said anything.

“Room 214,” James replied. “According to Crystal.”

The crowd around us backed away, and I guessed that people didn’t want to hear about someone dying here. Even though it was the truth.

The elevator opened and two men walked out. They pushed past us like we weren’t even there, and I glared, trying to think of a truly cutting remark to make. But I stopped, because there was something familiar about one of the guys. At least I thought there was.

Seeing people out of context sometimes made it very hard to connect the dots, memory-wise, but I was certain I’d seen him somewhere before. Not recently, but when I opened my mouth to ask James if he recognized him, he gently placed his hand on my arm like he could read my mind.

“Not now,” he said.

So I shut my mouth and watched the men walk past. They were dressed in suits, and I blinked when I realized I could see the outline of a gun under the armpit of one of them.

Who the heck were they?

About the Author: E.C. Bell is the author of the award winning paranormal Marie Jenner Mystery series. She lives in Alberta, Canada, and when she’s not writing, she’s scouting out new locations for her upcoming novels or renovating her round house where she lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs.

That’s right. Her house is round.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Marie Jenner Mystery series books, in order:

Seeing the Light
Drowning in Amber
Stalking the Dead
Dying on Second
Hearing Voices
Haunting the Haunted
Tying the Knot

Buy Tying the Knot at Amazon.

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{This Tale is True} by Deborah Adams – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Deborah Adams will be awarding a $25 Visa gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

They don’t make goddesses like they used to….

For eons they ruled, but modern times have been rough on the ancient deities— their temples collapsed, their worshippers wandered off, and their purposes were made redundant by industry and technology. And the Fates aren’t finished with them yet.

Mere days before the annual renewal of their immortality is to occur, the goddess of youth disappears. Without her and her restorative nectar, time and age will catch up with the goddesses. In the blink of an eye, they will shrivel and die, leaving the world to fend for itself, unless a skeptical mortal can find a way to save both worlds.

combines the humor one expects from Adams with magical realism and a dash of literary fiction, resulting in a boisterous read that pushes back against the boundaries of genre.

“Deborah Adams offers goddesses in peril and a protagonist who dares all to save the immortals in a wild, wacky, and wonderful romp. Imaginative, creative, fabulous fiction.” ~ Carolyn Hart, author of the otherworldly Bailey Ruth series

Enjoy an Excerpt

“A squirrel in the toilet is not an omen.” Cybil felt this bore repeating. “It’s just a rodent whose curiosity proved to be more than it could handle.”

Evie, her roommate and current audience, unlocked their apartment door and stepped inside, then closed the door and engaged the deadbolt as soon as Cybil had joined her. Pre-emptive security was important to Cybil, and she’d worked hard to instill good habits in her new roommate. Despite her trusting nature, Evie tried to comply with Cybil’s insistent rule about staying safe, although Evie was certain that the real dangers in this world could not be restrained by man-made mechanisms.

“I never said the squirrel was an omen,” Evie insisted.

“You didn’t disagree when the wacky witches were putting forth that very notion,” Cybil reminded her. “If you don’t speak out against the nonsense, you are in tacit agreement.”

“They have a right to believe whatever they like.” Pushing back the hood of her purple velvet cloak, Evie ran the fingers of one hand through her nut-brown hair. “And surely you can see why they thought it had meaning. It’s hard to believe the squirrel just happened to pop up in Belinda’s toilet at the very moment we invoked the Great Goddess.”

“It’s harder to believe that a goddess of Hera’s standing would send her RSVP through a bushy-tailed rat.”

“You never know,” Evie said with sincerity. “Goddesses don’t think or act like mortals.”

“I daresay you’re right about that,” Cybil conceded.

About the Author:

Deborah Zenha Adams, recipient of the Macavity and Flair Awards, is an author, a naturalist, and a yoga educator. In {This Tale Is True}, a work of magical realism, she unveils the fate of ancient Roman goddesses as they struggle to survive in the 21st century.

The seven novels in her Jesus Creek mystery series were published under her own name, and other works appear under a variety of pseudonyms. She is also the author of numerous short stories and essays.

She has been a guest lecturer at numerous events, including Southern Festival of Books, Appalachian Studies Conference, Warioto Regional Library Board of Trustees Conference, Southeastern Booksellers Association, Georgia Library Association Convention, Emory University, East Tennessee State University Writers Program, and many others. She is a lifetime member of the Southern Literary Coalition.

Deborah-Zenha is available for interviews, speaking, and author events. Her signature workshops include Write Your Memoir (even if you aren’t a writer) and Write Your Yoga Memoir.

Learn more about the author and her books on her website.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, Indiebound, or Kobo.

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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for May 12, 2021

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

NOTE: we also host the Friday Five–a fun writing prompt blog hop and would love to see you there!

Starting today! Every month, we’ll have a giveaway with four winners — prizes for May will be winner’s choice of a $5 Amazon GC -or- a 3 month LASR Cover only ad! Enter on the Rafflecopter below (but make sure you also include your URL on the link list).

Today’s topic is: My favorite indulgence

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Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Segal Stegman


Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Segal Stegman
Publisher: Young Dragons/Lee Press
Genre: Middle Grade (8-12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

All Things Are Possible

Eleven-year-old stuttering Darby believes she’s supposed to be perfect, just like her mother demands. But summer away at camp promises temporary escape. There, she befriends twelve-year-old Justin, who hasn’t uttered a word since his dad died, and ten-year-old Naz, who is struggling to learn English.

When mysterious calliope music from a nearby warehouse grants the trio power to communicate without words, they sneak inside to find out why. After the abandoned building bursts into a full-sized carnival with magical rides, they’re greeted by the ghost of Leroy Usher, Carnival King, who can’t rest until his property brings joy to children once again. He asks for their help convincing his estranged sons and daughter to restore the carnival to its former glory before summer’s end. In return, Mr. Usher promises he’ll teach Darby, Justin, and Naz how to find their voices.

With each challenge they face, the kids’ confidence grows, and they learn they’re capable of accomplishing so much more than they ever imagined. But will it be enough to persuade the Usher siblings to bring the carnival back to life instead of selling the property for demolition?

Courage is all these kids need.
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Speaking as someone who also has a stutter, I adored what the author did with Darby’s character development as this young girl dealt with her anxiety and shame about her disability. It reminded me so much of the coping skills I tried to master as a preteen, especially when it came to being teased and feeling shy about trying new things that involved using my voice. This was something I would have loved to read in middle school and will be recommending to other people I know who also stutter. There’s nothing like meeting a character who has the same medical condition and similar challenges.

It was confusing to me to constantly switch among the three main characters. I liked all three of them quite a bit, but I would have preferred to experience this tale from just one of their perspectives so that I could get to know that character better and not need to jump from him or her to the other two protagonists so often. There was a postscript that mentioned this was the beginning of a series, so I would have been excited to switch to a different narrator in this group of friends for the sequel if that had been an option. I’m saying this as someone who otherwise had a wonderful time reading this book and wanted to give it a much higher rating.

The world building was well done. I loved the little details that were included like what it felt to climb on top of one of the magical carousel horses or why Naz was so thrilled to try green jello for the first time. These small moments added up to a setting that felt as otherworldly as it did relatable. I was pleased with what they described, but I must admit to smiling when I realized that this won’t be the last time the audience is invited to visit Camp Inch and the carnival right next door to it. There is so much more to explore here!

Anyone who loved summer camp or wishes they could have attended one should check out Summer of L.U.C.K.