Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Release Day Review: The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

 


ABOUT THE VANISHING HOUR:

Grace Holloway keeps to herself. Since narrowly escaping death at the hands of the man who kidnapped her, she’s thrown herself into the small inn she runs in Rock Harbor, Maine. It’s quiet, quaint and, in the off-season, completely isolated—the perfect place for Grace to keep her own secrets.

But Grace isn’t the only one with something to hide, and Rock Harbor isn’t just a sleepy vacation town. Someone is taking young women—girls who look an awful lot like Grace did when she was kidnapped so many years ago.

When a surge of disappearances brings the investigation to her door, Grace finds herself unwillingly at the center of it all and doing everything she can to keep her distance. Because Grace knows something…something that could change everything. And when the truth comes to light, getting justice for the vanished might be more than Grace can handle alone…

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Google Play | Apple | Harper Collins

Add to Goodreads


 What I thought about The Vanishing Hour

When I had the opportunity to read and review this latest thriller from Seraphina Nova Glass I couldn't wait to read it after enjoying On A Quiet Street as I did.  The Vanishing Hour was everything I thought it could be after reading the synopsis.

The story takes place in Rock Harbor Maine, where once the vacationers leave, Rock Harbor becomes a quiet town with a reputation for people vanishing in the evening, hence the name The Vanishing Hour.  She managed to get away from her kidnapper and lives as a recluse while managing the local inn.  She is a survivor, but still harbors devastation from her time as a captive.

The story is told from three different points of view -- Grace's, Kira, the mother of Brooke, another missing girl, and Aden Coleman, the son of the missing Martin Coleman. There's lots of nasty stuff going on here, and it takes some time for the three points of view to merge such that the killer can be uncovered.

There are certainly twists and turns and some unexpected things going on, and the triple point of view almost clouds the real events going on.  This is a slow walk to the killer's identity, with lots of dark content as you might expect from this type of story.  No spoilers from me, but I did like how this all unfolded with secrets, lies and some small twists to bump the reader from the killer's trail.

The ending has the three protangonists struggling with "what to do" and I can't say that I was disappointed in the killer's final fate.  I liked how that came together for all of the people involved.  

So overall, another satisfying thriller.  If you like a slow burn sort of suspense and trying to figure out the killer yourself, you might like this title.  While it is a bit slow in parts, I did like how this story was presented and how everything turned out in the end. 

PRAISE FOR Seraphina Nova Glass

"A twisty thriller in the vein of The Girl on the Train."—Bustle

"A writer to watch."—Publishers Weekly

"Glass weaves a taut web of suspicion, murder and revenge in this chilling tale."
Liv Constantine, internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish, on Someone's Listening

“a brilliant and twisty tale….A fast-paced, highly-enjoyable and compulsive read that may well make you look at your entire neighborhood a little differently…” — Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home

“Seraphina Nova Glass’s twisty...thriller plunges the reader into a dark, compelling world of lies, adultery and murder. Bold, racy and masterfully plotted, Such a Good Wife kept me guessing from the very first page to the scorching, jaw-dropping conclusion.” — Rose Carlyle, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Girl in the Mirror

"In Such a Good Wife, Seraphina Nova Glass weaves a deliciously dark tale starring Melanie, a loving and overworked mother and wife having an affair with the handsome Luke…until he turns up dead. If you think you've figured out the culprit, think again. A sly and pulse-pounding murder mystery set in steamy Louisiana." — Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Stranger in the Lake

“Unputdownable. I found myself suspecting everyone at some point. Twisty, original and a must-read—highly suspenseful and cleverly written.” — Karen Hamilton, bestselling author of The Perfect Girlfriend, on Someone's Listening

 About the Author

Seraphina Nova Glass is a professor and playwright-in-residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. She holds an MFA in playwriting from Smith College, and she's also a screenwriter and award-winning playwright. Seraphina has traveled the world using theatre and film as a teaching tool, living in South Africa, Guam and Kenya as a volunteer teacher, AIDS relief worker, and documentary filmmaker.

Social Links:

Author Website

Twitter: @SeraphinaNova

Facebook: Seraphina Nova Glass: Author

 

Monday, May 29, 2023

5 Stars for Good as Gold by Sarina Bowen

 


RELEASE DATE: May 29th / June 1st, 2023

A swoony, heart-wrenching small-town romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Sarina Bowen!

Leila:

What I meant to do: quietly divorce my lout of a husband and then have a child all on my own.

What happens instead: my crush comes back to town when I’m at my most vulnerable. After too many cocktails, I ask him to be my baby’s father.

In my defense, it’s been a rough couple of months. Seeing Matteo Rossi again after fourteen years has done a number on my emotions. And my libido.

In the morning, I’m hoping he’s forgotten the whole thing. But no such luck. In fact, Matteo has a few clarifying questions. And a few naughty ideas, too…

Matteo:
What I meant to do: visit Vermont for my brother’s wedding. Make amends to my family, and mourn the loss of a friend.

What happens instead: a hot affair with the one who got away. But it can’t last. My life is two thousand miles away, and Leila deserves everything. She’s as good as gold.



 Amazon:
https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Amazon

Apple Books:
https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Apple

Kobo:
https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Kobo

Nook:
 https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Nook

Audio:
https://geni.us/GoodasGold-Audbl

ADD TO GOODREADS:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/130187226-good-as-gold

  

What I thought about Good as Gold

I must start out by saying that I was ecstatic to find out there would be a book involving another of the Rossi siblings. Sarina Bowen has created such an amazing world with the Rossi's and the Shipley's that I always want to return there.

And yowza, look at that cover!

Matteo Rossi hasn't been home in many years, choosing to live his life in Colorado, away from the family in Vermont. But when a tragedy has him unsettled, he decides to return home for Alec and May's wedding. I absolutely adored the text conversations between the family as he reconnects with all of them. There's some funny stuff here and seriously made me want to know more about Damien, the last of the Rossi boys. But I digress.

Matteo is reunited with the woman who he loved as a young man and his feelings are still there. When Leila asks him to help her have a baby, well, of course he'll help out! Matteo tries to handle everything the right way and ends us getting so wrapped up in his own head that he assumes quite a bit -- all while Leila realizes her feelings for Matteo have changed. It's a communication issue of epic proportions, but I loved how they both slowly came around to understanding what was important.  And if you are looking for a swoony hero, Matteo Rossi checks all the boxes. He's sweet and responsible and a good man that's hard to resist. Loved him.

Friendship and family is also a predominant theme in this story and I really enjoyed that aspect of Good as Gold. Matteo's reconnecting with his family is sweet and telling it through the text messages made it a whole lot of fun. I actually laughed aloud when reading. It's the typical type of sibling exchange and Sarina Bowen nails it. But there are other amazing people in Matteo's life that help him find where he needs to be and that part warmed my heart to the core. The ending is full of some very happy moments that had me reading the entire True North series since, just to spend more time in this world with these wonderful characters. 

 So if you are looking for a sweet tale of family, friends and coming home, you cannot go wrong with this romance between thirty-something Matteo Rossi and Leila Giltmaker. This can be read as a standalone, and I highly recommend reading all the related stories. You won't be sorry. This is a great world to spend your reading time. 


 
About Sarina

Sarina Bowen is the award-winning author of more than thirty contemporary novels. She has hit the USA Today bestseller's list sixteen times and counting. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

Sarina is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. She lives with her family on a few wooded acres in New Hampshire.

Sarina's books are published in a dozen languages on four continents.

 

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon




The Revenge List : A Novel
Hannah Mary McKinnon
On Sale Date: May 23, 2023
9780778333463
Trade Paperback
$18.99 USD
368 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

As a therapy exercise, a woman writes a list of people she wants to forgive, and thinks nothing of it when she loses it in an Uber…until one by one the people on the list become victims of freak accidents. Set in Portland, Maine, Hannah Mary McKinnon’s breakout suspense novel THE REVENGE LIST will appeal to fans of Lisa Unger, Joshilyn Jackson, and Tarryn Fisher.

Following an epic run-in with a client who threatened to pull out of a contract at her father’s company if she doesn’t suffer some consequences, Frankie Morgan agrees to go to anger management. With the business struggling with cash-flow and her brother needing help with the medical bills for his sick daughter, she can’t risk harming the business further. But that doesn’t mean she’ll be happy about attending.

During the first session, the group is asked to spend some quiet time exploring their pasts and sitting with the emotions that generates, before making a start on a Forgiveness List—a list of people with whom they’re angry and might work on forgiving. She begrudgingly goes along with it and doesn’t worry too much when she forgets the list in an Uber on her way home. It shouldn’t matter—it was just a therapy exercise—except a few days later the first person on that list is injured in a freak accident. When the second person gets hurt, she hopes it’s coincidence. After the third is targeted, she knows it’s a pattern. And she’s in trouble. Because the next name on that list is…hers.
 
BUY LINKS: 
 
 
 
Excerpt
 

CHAPTER ONE

***

The sharp sound of a high-pitched scream filled the air. A noise so unrecognizable, at first I didn’t register it had come from deep within me, traveling up my throat in stealth mode before bursting from my mouth.

The remnants of the yell reverberated around the car, forcing their way into my ears and penetrating my skull, urging me to do something. Survival instincts kicked in, and I fumbled with the seatbelt, my other hand grasping for the door handle. The need for the relative safety that solid, stationary ground would bring was so intense it made my stomach heave. A loud click of the central locking system meant my captor had outsmarted me again, obliterating my immediate plan to throw myself from the moving vehicle.

When I looked out the windshield, I knew there was no time to find an alternate escape. The end of the road—the edge of the cliff—announced by signs and broken red-and-white-striped wooden barricades, had been far enough away seconds ago but now gleamed in the car’s headlights, a looming warning yards ahead. I couldn’t comprehend what was about to happen, couldn’t do anything as the vehicle kept going, splintering planks and racing out the other side with nothing but air below. I let out another scream, far louder than my first, the absolute terror exploding from my lungs.

For the briefest of moments, we were suspended, as if this was a magic trick or an elaborate roller coaster. Perhaps, if I were really lucky, this was all a dream. Except I already knew there were no smoke and mirrors, no swirling track leading us through loop-the-loops and to safety. It wasn’t a nightmare I’d wake from with bedsheets wrapped around my sweaty body. This was happening. It was all terrifyingly real.

As the car continued its trajectory, it tipped forward. The only thing to stop our momentum was whatever we were rushing toward, obscured by the cloudy night skies. Pushing my heels into the floor, I tried to flatten my shoulders against the seat. My hands scrambled for the ceiling to brace myself, but I flopped like a rag doll, my loosened seatbelt tearing into my shoulder.

They say your life flashes before you when you’re close to death. That didn’t happen to me. Instead, it was all my regrets. Choices I’d made. Not made. Things I’d said and done. Not said. Not done. It was far too late to make amends. There would be no opportunity to beg anyone for forgiveness. No possibility of offering some.

As the finality of the situation hit me full on, I turned my head. The features of the driver next to me were illuminated in a blueish glint from the dashboard lights. His face had set in a stony grimace; his jaw clenched so tight he had to have shattered teeth. But what frightened me the most were his eyes, filled with what could only be described as maniacal delight.

He’d said we were both going to die. As the car hurtled to the bottom of the cliff, I closed my eyes and accepted he was right.

***

Excerpted from The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon, Copyright © 2023 by Hannah McKinnon. Published by MIRA Books.

 

 

 What I thought about The Revenge List

In The Revenge List, Hannah Mary McKinnon takes anger-management and forgiveness and drops them on their head in a tight thriller that shows how easily a simple list can mess up your life.
 
Frankie Morgan has anger issues. She's had trouble with that before and when a new incident threatens the company, she ends up enrolling in an anger management program. As part of the program, she's asked to create a list of people who wronged her  -- a Forgiveness List -- to help work through her anger issues. But then that list goes missing. And bad things happen to the people on that list, turning that list into what looks like a Revenge List.  The story is told from Frankie's point of view.

I really liked the idea of this story.  There's a whole lotta anger going on all over the place in the world today and it seemed very much in line with the times.  I liked the honest portrayal of Frankie as an angry woman, because there are plenty of them in the workplace. It was easy to connect with Frankie on some level and I liked her search for who stole her notebook.

This was my first book from this author, so I wasn't sure what to expect but I did like the level of suspense that sort of ebbed and flowed for me in this tale. While the who-dun-it part wasn't difficult to figure out, it did have some twisty pages that I enjoyed.  The ending was crazy and I liked that too because it stayed on my mind for a bit after reading.  

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  I found Frankie to be an interesting character, sometimes unlikable to I was able to connect with her and that made me invested in the story.  The suspense part kept me reading in spite of some uneven pacing.  I will definitely check out future titles from this author. 
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. She now lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty-second commute. Connect with her on Facebook, on Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon, and on Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon. For more, visit her website, www.hannahmarymckinnon.com.


SOCIALS:

Website: www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Instagram: www.instagram.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon/ (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HannahMMcKinnon (@hannahmmckinnon)

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/15144570.Hannah_Mary_McKinnon

BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/hannah-mary-mckinnon

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/hannahmarymckinnon

Friday, May 26, 2023

Release Week Review: The Hook by Victoria Helen Stone

   


How far will they go to even the score?

A women’s boxing class is the perfect place for betrayed wife Katherine to work out her aggressions. Ideal, too, for Geneva, a teacher disgraced and ruined by a vengeful ex, and Luz, a software engineer battling an unjust system. Maggie, their instructor and mentor, guarantees she can right the wrongs they’ve endured. And if Katherine, Geneva, and Luz really want to unleash their rage, they must do what Maggie says.

Each woman’s secret task has its risks. Call it justice. Call it revenge. It’s bound to be worth it—if no missteps are made. As they take the leap to reclaim what they’re owed, their lives are turned upside down. Because no one could have guessed that it would all end in murder.

Now, coming together to harness their power, Katherine, Geneva, and Luz fear that the game they’ve been playing is playing them.

 Buy Links

 Kindle | Paperback | Audio

 

What I thought about The Hook

I love a good twisty story, and after reading the blurb for the The Hook, I was pretty hooked on reading this story.  What person hasn't contemplated getting back at the person who wronged them -- but in this case it's complicated because The Hook is a boxing club that fronts for a secret "revenge club" led by the Maggie, the instructor.  No one gets caught. Everyone has to do some task to participate. I thought this was a terrific idea for a story.

The three women who are newbies to The Hook, Katherine, Luz and Geneva, are likeable and it helps to build the sympathy for their revenge motives.  I did wish for a bit of humor to release some of the tension, but oh well.  If you like getting into multiple points of view, this is a nicely done in the story, although sometimes I did have to go back and reread to keep things straight.

Of course, things don't always go as planned and there's a mess to clean up, in this case, murder.  One of the women is a suspect. Things move quickly at the end with some interesting turns.  It kept me reading. 
 
If you are looking for a offbeat, suspenseful story that keeps your interest to the end, you might like The Hook. I did. 

 About the Author


Victoria Helen Stone, author of the runaway best seller Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Aside from At The Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, Half Past, and the chart-topping False Step and Evelyn, After, she also published twenty-nine books as USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dahl and won the prestigious American Library Association Reading List award for best genre fiction. Her novels have been published in English, Russian, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, German, French, Japanese, Indonesian, Czech, Hebrew, Estonian, Polish, Norwegian, Dutch, and Thai.

Victoria writes in her home office high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, far from her origins in the flattest plains of Minnesota, Texas, and Oklahoma. She enjoys gorgeous summer trail hikes in the mountains almost as much as she enjoys staying inside by the fire during winter. Victoria is passionate about dessert, true crime, and her terror of mosquitoes, which have targeted her in a diabolical conspiracy to hunt her down no matter the season.

 https://victoriahelenstone.com/ 

Monday, May 22, 2023

Review: Peril: Three Thrilling Tales of Taut Suspense by Kat Martin, Alexandra Ivy, and Rebecca Zanetti


 IN THE PATH OF A KILLER . . .

When a cop killer resurfaces in Denver, enlisting the help of a pair of local lowlifes, it marks the beginning of a violent crime spree that will wreak havoc and endanger lives. Law enforcement is on alert from the first sighting of the cold-blooded trio. To take down this brutal gang, only those willing to risk everything they hold dear stand a chance . . .

First, a pair of Denver police officers facing each other for the first time after one night of abandon find themselves working together to stop an ambitious bank heist. In Wyoming, a string of robberies marks the gang’s arrival, and the local sheriff springs into action when the criminals discover his estranged fiancée can identify them. Finally, in the mountains of Colorado, the gang takes shelter on a peaceful guest ranch, where a fiercely protective rancher is hellbent on roping the fugitives up for good.

Trusting their sharply honed instincts, three rugged men will fight to stop the rampage before the women they’d die for become the next victims . . .

 AmazonApple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Barnes & Noble 

Add to Goodreads

What I thought about Peril

Three interconnected romantic suspense novella by Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti and Kat Martin make up the anthology called Peril.  

There is a lot to like about this anthology.  First of all, it's just the right size with three stories.  I was impressed that all three stories captured a good level of romance in a few short pages.  I really liked the first story about a female cold case cop returning to the scene of her partner's shooting in an attempt to arrest his killer.  She also runs into a colleague who she had steamy times with ... once.  There was a nice level of yearning going on here and I really liked this story.  

In the second story, the criminals are on the loose and the heroine is in the midst of some real danger while enjoying the groveling of her ex.  And there's a good number of suspects and bad guys in the story to keep things interesting. It kept me guessing for a while and I did love the romantic aspects of this story.

The final novella takes place on a guest ranch, where the heroine is spending time to qualify for her inheritance, only to find not only does she appreciate nature, but she sure does like the rancher quite a bit too.  This might have been my favorite story of the three -- even though there is a bit of insta-love/lust, it made for a very sweet story.

Overall, this is a great choice if you are looking for a quick novella you can read in a day.  I liked that these stories can be read in a day, and I was interested enough in the connections that I wanted to read them all.  This is a very nice romantic suspense trio of novellas. 

 
 
 


 

Friday, May 5, 2023

Cover Reveal: Good As Gold by Sarina Bowen

 


RELEASE DATE: May 29th / June 1st, 2023

A swoony, heart-wrenching small-town romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Sarina Bowen!

Leila:

What I meant to do: quietly divorce my lout of a husband and then have a child all on my own.

What happens instead: my crush comes back to town when I’m at my most vulnerable. After too many cocktails, I ask him to be my baby’s father.

In my defense, it’s been a rough couple of months. Seeing Matteo Rossi again after fourteen years has done a number on my emotions. And my libido.

In the morning, I’m hoping he’s forgotten the whole thing. But no such luck. In fact, Matteo has a few clarifying questions. And a few naughty ideas, too…

Matteo:
What I meant to do: visit Vermont for my brother’s wedding. Make amends to my family, and mourn the loss of a friend.

What happens instead: a hot affair with the one who got away. But it can’t last. My life is two thousand miles away, and Leila deserves everything. She’s as good as gold.


Good as Gold will be released at all retailers on May 29th. On June 1st, Good as Gold will move into Kindle Unlimited and the eBook will be available exclusively on Amazon.

 Amazon: https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Amazon
Apple Books: https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Apple
Kobo: https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Kobo
Nook: https://geni.us/Good-as-Gold-Nook
Audio: Coming Soon!

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/130187226-good-as-gold

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Release Blitz & Review: 6 Clues Your Nemesis Loves You (Bower Boys #3) by Kelly Siskind

 



Title: 6 Clues Your Nemesis Loves You
Series: Bower Boys #3
Author: Kelly Siskind
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Enemies to Friends to Lovers/Second Chance
Release Date: May 3, 2023


BLURB

Eleven years ago, he hurt her.
Now he plans to prove they’re meant to be…

In high school, Maggie Edelstein set the rules of our secret relationship, but I’m calling the shots now. In my dreams.

Maggie’s still infuriating and confusing, and absolutely stunning. She’s also still pretending we barely spent time together as teens, when we met up nightly at her family’s pond.

Over a decade later, I’m back in my hometown and some things haven’t changed. My chemistry with Maggie is once again hotter than a four-alarm fire, and she’s intent on denying it. I don’t blame her. The last night we saw each other I made a horrible mistake and hurt her, then I vanished into witness protection for ten years.

But there’s something else going on with her.

I recognize a secret when I see one, and her friends say she doesn’t do commitment. If I can get her to forgive me and open up, maybe she’ll break her rules and give us a second chance. Or she’ll light my heart on fire and dance around the flames…






PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited




What I thought about 6 Clues Your Nemesis Loves You

I've really been loving this series about four brothers who emerge from witness protection to reclaim their old lives. They are lots of fun and have just the right amount of spice and everything else to make them really fun to read.  6 Clues Your Nemesis Loves You is book 3 in the series. 

Let's start with the covers.  I probably wouldn't have looked this series if the first cover hadn't hooked me and this cover is no exception. There's something about the covers that lured me in and it's been a great ride through all three books so far in the series.

Lennon is the guy hiding his past hurts and emotions through humor.  There's some great banter here, not just between him and Maggie but between the brothers as well.  That's one good reason to really like this story.

Maggie and Lennon are former secret friends with secrets of their own that bring a few surprises to the story.   They are going to have to figure themselves out if they are going to have a relationship, and I like that about second-chance stories.  There are always consequences to actions and Lennon and Maggie have to figure out what it all means.

So another five star read for me.  I'm just loving this series.  Told in the male POV, there's a great blend of maleness and feelings that just feels true and real to me. This series has been one of the most enjoyable romance series I've read  in the last year. Definitely a winner. 




ALSO AVAILABLE


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited




Only $1.99 for a limited time
(US only)

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited







COMING SOON


Releasing September 6

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






AUTHOR BIO


Kelly Siskind lives in charming northern Ontario. When she’s not out hiking or skiing, you can find her, notepad in hand, scribbling down one of the many plot bunnies bouncing around in her head. She loves singing while driving, looks awful in yellow, and is known for spilling wine at parties. Sign up for Kelly’s newsletter at www.kellysiskind.com and never miss a giveaway, a free bonus scene, or the latest news on her books. And connect with her on Twitter and Instagram (@kellysiskind) or on Facebook (@authorkellysiskind).



AUTHOR LINKS

Review: Hott Take (Hott Springs Eternal, #2) by Serena Bell

    The hard part isn’t acting like we’re falling for each other. It’s pretending we’re not. Shane: My grandfather’s will has me betwee...