Search Results for: Wish list

Entwined by Elyzabeth M. Valey

October 8, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Entwined by Elyzabeth M. Valey
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mallory Brown doesn’t go home with strangers, and while she’s all for a great spanking, she doesn’t do BDSM relationships. Fantasizing is more her speed. And when she catches a glimpse of Master Murphy, fantasies fill her brain.

But Master Murphy has other plans. He enters her life full-steam and won’t take no for an answer. While she’s compelled to say yes, is she really ready to say goodbye to her world as she knows it to become permanently entwined with His?

And order tadalafil no prescription there are some foods which can stimulate the sex desire. Deliberate distraction is another form of trying to stop we-the- people from realizing that things are majorly bulk viagra not right in the world. But cialis 5mg discount its influence stretches far beyond that. It is a PDE 5 inhibitor drug that effectively treats impotency and control the tendency for some period in order to make men free from the stressful feeling. learningworksca.org viagra overnight delivery Mallory had only seen him once in passing, but her fantasies for the last month had been fueled and consumed by that glimpse of a certain man. A casual submissive at best, Mallory isn’t keen to do more than dip a toe into the world of BDSM, but when she finally meets Mason again he tempts her to break all her own rules.

I found this to be a lovely, kinky and spicy short story. I mentally gave Mallory some major kudos for sticking to her rules and not just immediately taking Mason up on his offer when he asked her to play on their first meeting. Mallory had a fairly firm personal rule of keeping her BDSM light and uncomplicated – a bit of fun and spanking then heading home by herself and giving herself sexual satisfaction. While it slowed the story somewhat I felt respect for Mallory that she knew her person limitations – and knew that Mason would blast through her reserve and change her needs and desires – and she was reluctant to just throw caution to the wind. Her strong sense of self and sticking to her guns appealed to me and I loved this aspect to her character.

I felt quite conflicted about the paranormal aspect to the story. While I could see it added an extra element to the story – having shifters “out” in the world and the complexities that added to human and shifter interactions, in many respects this extra element felt a bit lost amongst the BDSM aspects to the story and the complexities of Mallory and Mason’s growing relationship. It felt a little like there was just one element too many in such a short story – and while individually they were all excellent plot points and very well written, it felt a little crammed together to me and there just wasn’t the time and space to really unpack and enjoy each one.

Readers who enjoy BDSM scenes should find this story really suits their needs. There is quite a descriptive scene shared between Mallory and Mason toward the end of the story and I feel it’s quite well written. Steamy and sexy I enjoyed the chemistry between Mallory and Mason and feel it should definitely satisfy most erotic readers. I personally felt that Mallory’s capitulation – both sexually and in relation to their bond – was a little sudden and didn’t feel overly realistic or logical to me. I think in large part this was due to the short length of the story and Mallory leaned a lot of new data in a short space of time and so her decisions from this appeared at least to me to come quite suddenly. A part of me wished these aspects were a bit better explained and there was more time for the reader to keep up with everything that was happening.

Sexy and kinky with two interesting and well-layered characters this was a good and hot read.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Character Interview with Otto Kamp from the Nick Bancroft Mystery Series – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 8, 2020 By 7 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Character Interview

There are several characters that have an intimate relationship with the protagonist Nick Bancroft. Let’s hear what the local bar owner Otto Kamp has to say, “Otto how do you know Nick?”

“Well, Nick and I have been what you call chums since he arrived in town about four years ago. He inherited AAA Investigations when Jimmie Jackson died. That was a shame. Turned out ok for Nick, the business came with a small apartment next to the office and the rent had been paid up for several months.”

“Otto, why did Nick come in your bar?”

“It made sense for Nick to find his way to my bar. I was just down the street from his office. What didn’t make sense, him coming in earlier and earlier every day? That’s when I had a heart to heart with the boy and he seemed to listen. It was agreed he would not start drinking until after 4:00pm.”

“So you gave Nick advice, is that right Otto?

“Nick’s a good guy, a bit full of himself, but a stand up friend once you get to know him. Of course there aren’t too many people he lets get to know him. He didn’t have much of a fatherly influence; I think that’s why he took to me. His father had died in a car accident. His mom started drinking. Nick pretty much took care of her from the time he was 10 years old. He was good at it; he still is good at it and makes sure she has enough money to pay her bills in the assisted living place over the Mississippi River in Iowa.”

“What was Nick routine when he came in the bar?”

“Oh, we would start most conversations with how the Chicago teams were doing. Nick would join me at the bar and fling open the sports page of the Centrel City Press. I would always have a cold beer set up for him before he finished. But, it was over the professional bowling news when he would slow down and study the stats, leader’s board, and lane conditions of the local bowling lanes. Nick considered himself a semi-pro bowler and wanted to know his competition before he signed up for a tournament.”

IN THIS “GRIPPING” MYSTERY THRILLER SOMEONE TRIES TO BURN NICK BANCROFT ALIVE, BEATS HIM SENSELESS, USES HIM FOR TARGET PRACTICE AND WORST OF ALL HIS BELOVED CHICAGO CUBS DISAPPOINT HIM AGAIN! SOMETIMES A PI JUST CAN’T CATCH A BREAK! BUT WHEN HIS CLIENT IS A SEXY NUDIST, NICK BANCROFT WILL PUT UP WITH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING!

When a sexy nudist hires him to protect her from whoever is threatening her life, Nick Bancroft becomes the target. Someone tries to burn him alive, beats the hell out of him and, since that didn’t run him off, uses him for target practice. Meanwhile, two people are murdered, Nick’s true love, Maggie Atley, is more than somewhat perturbed by his relationship with his client, and a mysterious club seems to hold the answer. Nick survives an exciting but still losing season by his beloved Chicago Cubs, a vicious attack by a couple of huge dogs and eventually puts the finger on the bad guys.

Nick Bancroft Mysteries, written by Bob Liter

I’m an ex-newspaper reporter who inherited a run-down, one-man detective agency. My name is Nick Bancroft. I used to do investigation work occasionally for a friend Jimmy Jackson, who left me the business and stuck me with an office on the top floor of an old building in the wrong end of town.

I would have refused the inheritance, but I was sick of working where news had been converted to entertainment. And, besides, Jimmy had paid six months’ rent in advance for the office with a small apartment attached. Since I inherited the business I have helped solve a murder and got some press as a result.

In a small town like Centrel City, you can find bribery, graft, kickbacks, political influence peddling, criminal cover-ups, and sometimes murder. Now when I get involved in a case, there usually is a story I can sell to the upstate Chicago Times. I didn’t expect to make a living as a private investigator and freelance reporter, but I was wrong … sort of. It beats making money for someone else and it leaves time for my almost favorite sport of bowling and my passion for the Chicago Cubs.

It’s all in a day’s work; I can be tough enough when I have to be. On the other hand, I can be soft for the ladies, especially for an on-again off-again lover, Maggie Atley. Nothing is ever as it seems and I don’t quit until I find the answers. My name is Nick Bancroft.

Murder by the Book, written by Bob Liter

Nick Bancroft inherits a rundown detective agency and embarks on a new career as a hard-boiled detective. When date rape drugs show up in Centrel City, so does reporter Nick Bancroft. The drugs are discovered at two different murders with sex etiquette books left at the scenes. Nick is hired by the first victim’s father, Ramsey Sinclair, to find the killer. A Chicago detective, Miss Faustine, is also hired by Mr. Sinclair to work “closely” with Bancroft. His focus is interrupted when he begins a love affair with receptionist, Maggie Atley, from a neighboring office.

Bancroft is banking on solving the murders and selling the story to the Chicago Times. As the case unfolds there is enough danger, drama, and deception to fill a book. Nick finds few things are as they seem and in his enthusiasm he becomes the target of a shooter and also the target of charming Maggie Atley’s affections.

August is Murder, written by Bob Liter

A sexy nudist hires Nick Bancroft to defend her from threats on her life; Nick volunteers to provide 24-hour protection. Now, he is the target and August becomes even hotter when someone tries to burn him alive. Nick is not one to turn tail and run, especially now with two murders and Lady Godiva to protect. Nick’s true love, second only to the Cubs and bowling, Maggie Atley, is more than somewhat perturbed by the arrangement with his beautiful client.

After weeks of investigation there are still unanswered questions. Who are the bad guys? What does a mysterious club have to do with the murders? Can Nick survive another losing season by his beloved Chicago Cubs? Is this the last inning for Nick and Maggie?

Death Sting, written by Bob Liter

After an intimate breakfast together, while reading the paper to Maggie, Nick is baffled by a headline: Female Body Found Covered with Stings: The Sheriff Calls the Death an Accident. Free-lance reporter and private detective, Nick Bancroft, doesn’t believe it and is drawn to the case like a bee to honey. He learns the victim lived in a home for young unwed mothers who work as waitresses and hookers at a nightclub.

Murder suspects include an alcoholic handy man, the man and wife who operate the home, a nightclub operator and his henchman, and a sheriff’s deputy. Everyone is trying to stop Nick’s investigation, including federal agents.

Even when he and his earthy lover Maggie survive being dumped in a deep lake with weights tied to their ankles, Bancroft is unwavering in his pursuit of the truth. Will Maggie and Nick’s romance sink or swim before the case is solved?

Point of Murder, written by Bob Liter

Nick Bancroft, a former investigative reporter, enjoys a mundane existence in Centrel City operating a one-man detective agency. He supplements his pauper’s wages selling news stories to the Chicago Times. In a small apartment, Nick and his roommate Maggie, share frivolous romantic lovemaking and the responsibility of feeding a stray cat that adopted them. On the surface it seems picture-perfect.

The bed of roses ends abruptly when Nick’s destitute young friend, Bobby Scalf, is found murdered with a blunt six inch spike in his head. Nick becomes a suspect when the second murder victim is discovered in the abandoned building where the boy lived.

While Nick tries to find out who killed the boy, he uncovers a web of corruption involving the town council, the school board, the police chief and the local newspaper publisher. Nick survives several attempts on his life, and that of his stormy lover, before nailing the killer and exposing the town’s secrets. Solving the town’s problems may not be enough to solve the problems festering between Maggie and Nick. Is it really over?

And the Band Played On, written by Bob Liter

Freelance reporter and sometime private detective, Nick Bancroft, is tough enough when he has to be. On the other hand, he can be soft for the ladies. That’s how he ends up at an outdoor band concert, with Maggie, a librarian, divorcee, and his very talented lover. Nick is front row center to witness the murder of a well-connected private secretary of an important political figure.

It doesn’t earn him any points with the cops that he is on the scene before them, and it doesn’t earn him any points with certain influential politicians that he won’t get off the case. Not only is Nick drawn into the dirty details of the crime, someone is trying to kill him. During the investigation, Maggie and Nick come face to face with the events surrounding 9-11. Will the final case break their spirits and crumble their love, or will they emerge stronger and committed to life together?

Enjoy an Excerpt from Book 2 August is Murder

The first time they tried to kill me I was asleep. My office and apartment were on the third floor of a nearly abandoned building. My own coughing jarred me awake. I rolled to a sitting position from the sweat-wet bedding and continued choking on hot, acrid air. The sweat was no surprise. My air conditioner had quit. But this was more than August heat in Centrel City, Illinois.

A flip of the light switch near my bed did nothing to alleviate the darkness. I went to hands and knees and felt around until I found my pants and shoes, sat against the bed, squirmed into the jeans. Heat from the floor threatened to roast my rump.

“Don’t panic, Nick,” I said aloud. Should I try to save anything or just get the hell out? My files, I had to save my case files. I crawled into the office, stood, and pulled out the top drawer. I felt my way to the office door and opened it. A swish of even hotter air swept against my face.

What about Maggie? She might be in the office on the second floor. It was well past midnight. Why would she be there? I assured myself she was not. She was the reason why I now had a stray cat and a cracked heart. What about the cat? Any cat that came and went when the office door was locked wouldn’t be trapped in that old building.

About the Author:

Robert T “Bob” Liter (1923-2008) was born in Hartley, IA to Charles and Hazel Liter and grew up in Des Moines, IA. His sisters June and JoAnn, joined the family before the decade was over. Bob was a U.S. Navy veteran, and was honorably discharged after two tours of duty, one tour in World War II and the other tour in the Korean War. A Graduate from Drake University in Des Moines, IA, he earned his degree in journalism, and married Lillian in 1950.

What Happened Next

I came along 9 months later; my name is Martie. I was soon followed by my sister Jeannie and two brothers, Jeff and Ron.

Later in Dad’s journalism career he worked as a copy editor for the Peoria Journal Star, Peoria, IL until his retirement. Through the years he was also a writer. Early in his sideline career he was published in various True Confession magazines. When Dad retired to take care of Mom he continued to pursue his passion for writing. Much of his work has been available since 2002 in EBook format.

First Five Novels Available On Amazon NOW

It is my honor to introduce new readers to the Bancroft Mysteries where the character Nick Bancroft has an uncanny resemblance to my Dad, Bob Liter with his wit and bodacious gutsy approach to life. Then there is Nick’s on-again off-again lady, Maggie Atley, who is just like Mom, Lillian Liter, in the way she deals with a self-proclaimed “male chauvinist piggy.”

While Nick solves mysteries in the fictitious, but very real, community of Central City, IL he still finds time for his love-hate relationship with bowling, and his avid undying passion for the Chicago Cubs and Bears.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ LinkedIn ~ Amazon Author Page

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , ,

A Special Recipe by Laura and Ellen Distelheim – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 6, 2020 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Laura and Ellen Distelheim, daughters of the late Rochelle Distelheim, author of Jerusalem as a Second Language.

*****

There is a moment in our mother’s novel, Jerusalem As a Second Language, when the protagonist, Manya Zalinikova, now living in Israel and experiencing a wave of homesickness for the Russia she’d left eight months earlier, finds herself longing for the “sour cream sprinkled over cinnamon scented blintzes the size of a thumb” that she’d last tasted in her native St. Petersburg. It comes as no surprise to us that our mother’s character would equate blintzes with home, because, looking backward from here, we often find ourselves doing the same thing.

Throughout our growing up years and, even more so, through all the years of our returning to our childhood home for visits — on holidays from college or from jobs in distant cities — one staple of our family’s week would be the Sunday brunches at which we would talk and laugh and linger and catch up on each other’s lives. And one staple of those Sunday brunch menus would be our mother’s blintz soufflé. She never claimed to have invented this recipe — she’d picked it up somewhere along the way — but she somehow managed to make it her own nonetheless, with an added sprinkle or two of cinnamon, or an extra dash of vanilla, maybe, and always, of course, with an overflowing dose of her love. We’re happy to share it here now.

Blintz Soufflé

12 Blintzes (any flavor)
1/4 lb. butter
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon orange juice (optional)

It seems cialis 20mg price that impotency has become a trend these days as it has affected majority of men population. However, oral remedy medicine like viagra online for sale have made the remedy each straightforward and effective. Your brain can distract due to some other thoughts and become generic overnight viagra foggy due to these harmful foods. For years now I have viagra tablets in italia been utilizing Cardio Cocktail to help people with high blood pressure. Melt butter in a 9″ x 13″ casserole.

Place the 12 blintzes in the buttered casserole to cover the bottom.

Mix all the other ingredients and pour over the blintzes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Sprinkle cinnamon over it after it has cooled (optional).

It is 1998. The old Soviet Union is dead, and the new Russia is awash in corruption and despair. Manya and Yuri Zalinikov, secular Jews — he, a gifted mathematician recently dismissed from the Academy; she, a talented concert pianist — sell black market electronics in a market stall, until threatened with a gun by a mafioso in search of protection money. Yuri sinks into a Chekhovian melancholy, emerging to announce that he wants to “live as a Jew” in Israel. Manya and their daughter, Galina, are desolate, asking, “How does one do that, and why?”

And thus begins their odyssey — part tragedy, part comedy, always surprising. Struggling against loneliness, language, and danger, in a place Manya calls “more cousin’s club than country,” Yuri finds a Talmudic teacher equally addicted to religion and luxury; Manya finds a job playing the piano at The White Nights supper club, owned by a wealthy, flamboyant Russian with a murky history, who offers lust disguised as love. Galina, enrolled at Hebrew University, finds dance clubs and pizza emporiums and a string of young men, one of whom Manya hopes will save her from the Israeli Army by marrying her.

Against a potpourri of marriage wigs, matchmaking television shows, disastrous investment schemes, and a suicide bombing, the Zalinikovs confront the thin line between religious faith and skepticism, as they try to answer: What does it mean to be fully human, what does it mean to be Jewish? And what role in all of this does the mazel gene play?

About the Author:Rochelle Distelheim’s writing has been awarded the Gival Press Short Story Competition Prize, the Katharine Anne Porter Prize, the SALAMANDER Second Prize, numerous Illinois Arts Council Literary Awards, and a Ragdale Foundation Fellowship. Her work has been nominated several times for inclusion in the Best American Short Stories anthology, and she was a finalist in the GLIMMER TRAIN Emerging Writers Competition and the Pushcart Prize. JERUSALEM AS A SECOND LANGUAGE has received both the William Faulkner Gold Medal for Novel-in-Progress and the William Faulkner Gold Medal for Novel. Rochelle’s debut novel, SADIE IN LOVE, was published in 2018.

Buy the book at Amazon or Aubade Publishing.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mainstream Fiction Tagged With:

Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino

October 1, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Violet Shrink doesn’t like parties. Or bashes, or gatherings. Lots of people and lots of noise make Violet’s tummy ache and her hands sweat. She would much rather spend time on her own, watching the birds in her backyard, reading comics or listening to music through her purple headphones. The problem is that the whole Shrink family loves parties with loud music and games and dancing.

At cousin Char’s birthday party, Violet hides under a table and imagines she is a shark gliding effortlessly through the water, looking for food. And at Auntie Marlene and Uncle Leli’s anniversary bash, Violet sits alone at the top of the stairs, imagining she is a slithering snake way up in the branches.

When Violet learns that the Shrink family reunion is fast approaching, she musters up the courage to have a talk with her dad.
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In this thoughtful story about understanding and acceptance, Violet’s natural introversion and feelings of social anxiety are normalized when she and her father reach a solution together. Christine Baldacchino’s warm text demonstrates the role imagination often plays for children dealing with anxiety, and the power of a child expressing their feelings to a parent who is there to listen. Carmen Mok’s charming illustrations perfectly capture Violet’s emotions and the vibrancy of her imagination. A valuable contribution to books addressing mental health.

Not everyone likes loud parties, and that’s perfectly okay.

Introversion and social anxiety aren’t the same thing, but some kids do fit into both categories. I liked reading Violet’s descriptions of how overstimulated and overwhelmed she felt by even the most well-meaning parties due these factors. They were exactly how I felt about parties as a kid, and they’re not always easy emotions to put into words at that age.

Some of the best scenes to me were the ones that showed how Violet used her imagination to cope with gatherings that were too much for her. She has such a creative way of explaining how she was feeling and what she wished could have happened instead in those moments. I’d love to read a sequel someday to find out if she grows up to be a poet or something. She certainly had the artistic flair for it!

The only thing better than those scenes were the ones that explored how Violet’s father reacted to his daughter’s strong dislike of parties. He already knew they were something she was trying to avoid, but he didn’t know why. I couldn’t wait to see how his approach to parenting her might change once he realized that this was a much bigger deal to her than he’d originally thought. Honestly, his reaction alone was enough to give this book a five-star rating. That’s how perfect it was for Violet and for anyone reading this who wonders how to help shy or anxious children adapt to overstimulating environments.

I’d heartily recommend Violet Shrink to kids who struggle with parties for any of the reasons mentioned above in this review. This was such a warm, reassuring book about children’s mental health and how the adults in their lives can help them cope better.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

No More Secrets by Joanne Guidoccio

September 30, 2020 By 1 Comment


No More Secrets by Joanne Guidoccio
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling—possibly even a toxic— secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets, secrets she had planned to take to the grave.

Spellbound, her nieces listen to an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention that spans six decades across two continents. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.

Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, revisit their relationships and set themselves free.
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But one heart-breaking secret remains untold …

There’s more than one way to live a good life.

The character development was well done. Not only was Angelica a well-rounded and interesting person, all of the people in her life were written the same way. Everyone’s flaws were as realistic as they were important to how the plot played out. This is something I enjoy discovering in stories even more than I do learning about characters’ strengths. Any character who endears me to them while they’re doing something I’d normally find irritating is someone I’d like to get to know better, and there were plenty of opportunities for that here.

It would have been nice to see more attention paid to the problems Angelica’s nieces were facing in the present day. All three of them were dealing with serious issues that couldn’t be solved in a single meal or even a whole weekend. As much as i enjoyed discovering the protagonist’s secret, I was just as interested in seeing how her nieces were going to resolve their own issues. This became even more true as I moved further into the story and realized just how important these conflicts were not only for them but for their beloved Zia Angelica.

My favorite sections were the ones that described Angelica’s many different emotions and sometimes conflicting as she prepared to emigrate to America and then later went there. As someone who was also an immigrant, I identified with so many of the things she thought and felt before, during, and after her journey. Starting a new life in another country takes courage, and I loved seeing how positively but honestly the author portrayed this chapter in the protagonist’s life.

No More Secrets was a heartwarming tale that I’d recommend to anyone who wishes they could get advice from a wise family elder.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Here for You by Pat Simmons – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 22, 2020 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Pat Simmons who is celebrating the recent release of Here for You, the second book in her Family Is Forever series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Lean on Me, the first book in the series.

Emotional, poignant women’s fiction from acclaimed inspirational romance author Pat Simmons featuring a hero and heroine who are better at taking care of other people than themselves, a dark moment that shakes their faith, and a profoundly satisfying happy ending.

Caregivers sometimes need a little TLC too.

Rachel Knicely’s life has been on hold for six months while she takes care of her great aunt, who has Alzheimer’s. Putting her aunt first was an easy decision—accepting that Aunt Tweet is nearing the end of her battle is far more difficult.

Nicholas Adams’s ministry is bringing comfort to those who are sick and homebound. He responds to a request for help for an ailing woman but when he meets the Knicelys, he realizes Rachel is the one who needs support the most. Nicholas is charmed by and attracted to Rachel, but then devastating news brings both a crisis of faith and roadblocks to their budding relationship that neither could have anticipated.

Enjoy an Excerpt

With Aunt Tweet gone, there would be no more ministerial visits. It was up to Rachel to do her own soul-searching, and she needed inspiration now more than ever to ease the hurt of her wounded spirit.

She continued her stroll down one aisle of the parking lot, inhaling the unseasonably warm April air and gaining strength from the sunshine. Although her mind was drifting as she recalled happy times with her aunt, she heard footsteps behind her.

“Rachel.” The voice was unmistakable. Had she conjured him up? A breeze brought a whiff of a familiar cologne to confirm Nicholas was nearby.

She shaded her eyes from the sunlight with her hands until he stood within a few feet of her. She had never seen him dressed up before, and he was handsome beyond measure in a suit and tie. He looked serious until he caught her staring again, and he smiled.

“I saw you step out. I wanted to check on you. Are you okay?” He frowned.

“Will I ever be?” she said more to herself. “I was hoping no one saw me,” she said, “especially Jacqui.”

“Yes, you will, and I did.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I’m flying out in a few hours, but I would like to pray with you before I go.” Why did his words seem to lighten her burdens? “Thanks for coming here.” Rachel’s eyes watered, but she got a handle on her emotions. “I didn’t realize ministers attended the funerals, especially those who are out of town.”

“I wanted to be here for you. The location didn’t matter.”

“Thank you, Minister Adams.”

“Always Nicholas to you. I don’t need the title to do God’s work.”

His words were kind and thoughtful.

“Okay.” She studied him, really looked at him. Was there a special lady in his life waiting for him to propose? If so, the woman had a keeper, Rachel thought as he watched her.

Nicholas blinked first, then cleared his throat. “I called a couple of times to check up on you. Did you get my messages?”

Rachel shrugged. “Jacqui has been checking messages, answering emails, and stuff. I’m sorry.” She bowed her head, embarrassed.

“Hey.” That low voice of his gently commanded her to look at him. “I’m available to listen about anything whenever you want to talk.”

He reached for her hands. His fingers were coarse but gentle. “Father, in the name of Jesus, let Rachel feel Your presence from this day forward. Comfort her when she’s lonely, and when she’s weak, give her strength. And let the memories of her aunt give her joy…”

His words were like a balm to her spirit. Rachel whispered, “Amen,” with him when he finished. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Take time to heal emotionally and mentally. There’s no expiration date for the process, and remember what I said—if you call me, I’ll listen.” He frowned, and his stare was intense. “I mean that, Rachel,” he said and squeezed her hand.

Although the gesture was comforting, Rachel yearned for a hug, one of those cocoon-type embraces where she could close her eyes and sigh as she snuggled. But she had no one to offer her that.

When he released his hold, his eyes seemed to dance with amusement as he glanced down at her feet. “Oh, and I wouldn’t walk too far in those heels. My feet hurt even thinking about it.” He shivered, then chuckled before he swaggered away.

“A man with a sense of humor.” Mirth stirred in her belly until a chuckle escaped her lips. He actually had made her laugh.

Later that night, back at Tabitha and Marcus’s house in her old neighborhood, the sisters’ heels, dresses, and makeup came off. They lounged in the family room in their flannel pj’s, reminiscing about Aunt Tweet and the sizeable inheritance she had left them.

Marcus entered the room. “Came to check on you ladies and give my wife this.” He leaned over the sofa and brushed a kiss against Tabitha’s lips.

Rachel’s heart fluttered; she longed for that type of deep-rooted affection. The couple was a perfect match for each other. He had been Tabitha’s rock when she needed it. Aunt Tweet had been a handful while she stayed with Tabitha, but Marcus had somehow wormed his way into their lives and charmed her aunt and Tabitha too.

“Okay, I came for what I needed. Carry on.” He grinned and ducked to escape the pillow Tabitha aimed at her new hubby’s head.

When Tabitha faced her sisters, Rachel and Kym were smiling.

“You’ve definitely got you a winner, Sis,” Kym said and sighed. “Honestly, I thought Rachel would beat us to the altar.”

“Me too,” Tabitha agreed, “but I have no regrets about being first. Aunt Tweet harped on having no regrets, and I have none being Mrs. Marcus Whittington.”

“I don’t know why you thought I would get hitched first.” Rachel shook her head.

Kym gave her a surprised look. “Because you draw men like a car show—from your sultry voice to your calculated catwalk to your form- fitting fashions. You, dear baby sister, have men wrapped around your manicured finger.”

“I think that was wishful thinking, but you don’t see any standing in line with a ring, do you?” Rachel challenged them.

“Nicholas Adams might be a prospect. Marcus likes him, and he did make a special trip to be by your side during our sorrow.” Tabitha nodded. “And that man is downright good-looking.”

“Nope.” Kym shook her head. “He’s hot—sizzling,” she teased. “He’s a minister. That’s what he does—prays and is there for people.” “I think you need to rethink that, because I would give that darker version of actor Daniel Supta a second look.”

“It’s Sunjata who played on Graceland, and both men are unmistakably handsome. I figured ministers are attracted to women of God like missionaries or evangelists, and as my two sisters have pointed out, I may have other men wrapped tight, but Nicholas—I mean—Minister Adams’s focus is on God’s work.”

“If you say so,” Kym said and eyed Tabitha. “You may be part of his work in progress in a personal way.”

Nicholas wasn’t interested in her in that way. He hadn’t asked for a date or dinner but offered her prayer, which, surprisingly, Rachel couldn’t get enough of, as if she were dying of thirst and hearing it quenched it.

***

Excerpted from Here for You by Pat Simmons. © 2020 by Pat Simmons. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author: PAT SIMMONS is the author of more than thirty-five inspirational romances. She has worked in various positions in radio, television, and print media for more than twenty years. For fourteen years, she oversaw the media publicity for the RT Booklovers Convention. She lives with her husband in Florissant, Missouri.

Website

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Roses on the Cover

September 15, 2020 By 48 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!  This week’s theme was a cover freebie.  I love roses on book covers!  Consequently, I decided to browse the lists on Goodreads and find some beautiful book covers that feature roses.  Let’s get to the list!

Beauty by Robin McKinley-Definitely a favorite of mine!

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Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

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Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte-I love black and red together.

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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen-I wish my copy of Pride and Prejudice was this pretty!

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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge-This has been on my tbr forever.

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Miss Delacourt Speaks her Mind by Heidi Ashworth

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Touched by Corrine Jackson

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The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

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Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs-The roses aren’t front and center on this one, but they still make the setting look lovely and cozy!  It sounds like a good cozy mystery too.

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Clearly I love a red or pink rose on a black background!  I’ve read some of these, but not all.  If you have read them, let me know what you think!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With:

Rip to the Rescue by Miriam Halahmy – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 8, 2020 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a print copy of the book to three randomly drawn winners (US only). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It’s 1940 and Nazi bombs are raining down on London, but 13-year-old bike messenger Jack has just discovered something unbelievable: a stray dog with a surprising talent.

Jack navigates the smoky, ash-covered streets of London amid air raid sirens and falling bombs, dodging shrapnel and listening for cries for help, as a bike messenger for fire crews. When Jack finds a dog, miraculously still alive after the latest Nazi bombing of London, he realizes there’s something extra special about the shaggy pup–he can smell people who are trapped under debris.

With his new canine companion, nicknamed Rip because of the dog’s torn ear, maybe Jack can do more than just relay messages back-and-forth–he can actually save lives. And if Jack’s friend Paula is right about the impending Nazi invasion, he and Rip will need to do all they can to help Jewish families like hers.

There’s just one problem: Jack has to convince his ill-tempered father to let him keep Rip.

Based on true episodes during the London Blitz in World War II, this action-packed and touching story explores the beginnings of search-and-rescue dogs and the bravery and resourcefulness of young people determined to do their part for their country.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Messenger Boy
(September 1940)

“It’s down to you now, Jack,” said Warden Yates, scribbling on a report form. “The line’s gone dead to the fire station. Get to Skinner Street soon as you can.”

Jack and the warden both ducked as a cluster of incendiary bombs exploded across nearby rooftops. Jack could hear shrapnel jingling down the slates like a tune he could almost whistle.

“Close,” he muttered, stuffing the message into the pocket of his blue overalls. Then he tightened the strap under his helmet and mounted his bike.

“Keep your head down!” cried the warden as Jack rode off, swerving to avoid the bomb crater at the top of the road. There was a shop on fire up ahead, lighting up the road in the blackout. Jack raced past as fast as he could, hoping sparks wouldn’t set fi re to his clothes. That’s what happened to Tommy Shepherd last week, and he was still in hospital with serious burns. Tommy was fifteen, almost two years older than Jack. They’d both lied about their ages to get into the messengers.

You were supposed to be seventeen.

“What an adventure,” Tommy had murmured to him as they stood in line at the Town Hall two months earlier. Jack was a full head taller than Tommy and the wardens accepted them both into training without a murmur back in July. Now it was the end of September and London had been bombed every night since the seventh.

Even if they found out I was only thirteen, they wouldn’t chuck me out, Jack told himself, freewheeling past a pile of rubble. Especially since Tommy got hit.

The thought spurred him on, dreams of making heroic rescues in burning buildings chasing him down the street.

About the Author:Miriam Halahmy is a poet, special needs educator, and novelist. She has worked with refugees in schools as well as in workshops she led for PEN and the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture. Her books include Behind Closed Doors and Hidden, which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
Buy the book at Holiday House.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

Broken Road by Sean Michael

September 7, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Broken Road by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can lifelong best friends find their happily ever after in each other?

Ardie and West have been friends since the second grade. They’ve been through a lot together: homework, broken bones, the death of a parent, and dreading high school dances. Through Ardie working the family farm and taking care of his siblings, and West chasing his college boy dreams, their friendship never falters, even with the gap of years and lifestyles.

West goes through a series of boyfriends, making Ardie wish his friend could find someone who loves him as much as Ardie does himself. Waiting for the right time to tell West he’s gay, Ardie figures he’s lost his chance when West finally meets someone who seems just right for him.

When the bottom falls out for West, there’s only one person he thinks to call. Ardie is there for him when he does. A little vacation seems to be the right thing, not just to ease West’s mind, but for Ardie to slide into West’s life again, finally letting his friend know how deeply he cares.
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Will these two bet friends realize there might be more between them than just friendship? Find out if their Broken Road lead to happiness in this heartwarming read.

Ardie and West have been best friends since the first day of grade two. Through all the highs and lows, the laughter and tears that life brings the men remain friends – the bond formed on that first day never wavering. And when West eventually calls as his life shatters, Ardie doesn’t hesitate, leaving behind his farm and siblings to be there to help pick up the pieces, to remind West of the simple family love that’s been constant throughout each of their lives.

This is an absolutely amazing story. Readers who love a long, slow drop into love, particularly those “friends to lovers” style of story should find – as I did – that this one is just perfect. A little over the first half of this book shows Ardie and West’s friendship, life and love from the beginning. At first I was a bit nervous, worried the background would bog down the story – but I feel the author did a really amazing job managing to balance this side to the story.

The pace moved fast enough that I didn’t feel in a hurry to get to the present day – where West calls Ardie for help – but instead this helped show the rock-solid foundation of friendship and life that the two men had together. It showed them growing up from boys into men and led us on the paths their lives each took. Woven throughout all this was the friendship – and love – that carried the men through the usual highs and lows of a lifetime. I particularly loved how there wasn’t drama merely for the sake of it – Ardie and West’s lives each held plenty of peaks and troughs and this was ample conflict, plot and tension, the solidness of their friendship, the unwavering love and support didn’t need mis-communications or drama or angst to make it interesting and vibrant and I am so very glad the author kept away from those kinds of tropes.

While the first half of the book focused on how the boys became men and reached their early thirties in life, this slow romantic pace felt just right for such a lovely full length novel. It gave me as the reader time to really relax and enjoy and get hooked on each man. This is the first book in a very long time – months for sure, if not the whole year – that had me reading long into the night and finishing it in one sitting. It was addictive in the most wonderful sense and I simply couldn’t stop and put it down to go to sleep. When West finally reaches rock bottom and calls Ardie, the second half of the story shines even brighter than the first. I was particularly pleased the two men – after a lifetime of being there for each other, supporting and helping one another and loving each other – didn’t simply fall into bed. Their pace increased, sure, but it was still natural, logical and so realistic I wish I knew them for real because it was just a beautiful, wonderful story.

Readers looking for something kinky or crammed full of sex won’t find that here. This book is one of those rare gems that, sure has some smoking hot M/M sex, but is full of all the other wonderful aspects of a solid romance. There’s a large and strong cast of secondary characters, primarily Ardie’s family and a few important people coming and going in West’s life. There is the wonderful road of two lives – similar but different and inextricably woven together forever. There is laughter and tears and so much joy and love it makes me want to burst and go right back to the start immediately and re-experience it all over again.

This is a wonderful, heartfelt and amazing story, one that is absolutely going onto my keeper shelf and one I can most strongly recommend.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Waffle Cone Magic by Emma Kaye

September 4, 2020 By 1 Comment


Waffle Cone Magic by Emma Kaye
One Scoop or Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

On Lucy Legato’s seventy-sixth birthday, she makes a wish to fix the rocky relationship she has with her daughter, Tessa. Suddenly a bright light blinds her, and Lucy finds herself young again and back on the Jersey shore. Did she actually travel through time? Or did her life flash before her eyes because she was dying?
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Lucy realizes she is not dead, but as impossible as it sounds, she’s been sent back to an earlier time in her life. So, while she’s there, she decides to keep a promise to her little girl. Tessa’s not the only one delighted. Serving up the treat is the flirty ice cream parlor owner. And he’s interested in more than good customer service! How far can she take this fantasy?

Does living happily ever after only exist in fairy tales?

Lucy’s character development was delightful. She was pretty bitter and negative when I first met her for reasons that were explained later on in the plot. Honestly, I didn’t like her much at all in the beginning because of her attitude, but that quickly changed as I realized what her past had been like and she began to take stock of her life and change.

The romantic subplot was handled nicely. Not only was the chemistry between Lucy and Nathan on point, they seemed to have compatible lifestyles, personalities, and goals as well. I wanted them to end up together as soon as they had their first scene together, and that wish only grew stronger as I picked up on even more signs that they could be an excellent match. It’s always fun to see two characters who are on the same wavelength like that!

One of the things I loved the most about this story had to do with how realistic Lucy’s problems were in life. She’d been through some true hardships over the years that would have been difficult for anyone to handle. To make matters worse, many of the people in her life were anything but supportive of her troubles in the first few scenes as well. Seeing how she responded to those conflicts showed me so much about who she’d been in the past as well as who she was becoming.

Waffle Cone Magic is a must-read for anyone who has ever wished they could change the past.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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