Thursday, August 26, 2021

Lethal Cover-Up by Darlene L. Turner

About the Book

Book: Lethal Cover-Up

Author: Darlene L. Turner

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: July 27, 2021

Some secrets are dangerous…

But uncovering the truth could be deadly.

Border patrol officer Madison Steele knows her sister Leah’s fatal car crash was no accident. Someone’s willing to kill to cover up a pharmaceutical company’s deadly crime of distributing tainted drugs. Now they are after Madison to tie off loose ends. But with her high school sweetheart, Canadian police constable Tucker Reed, at her side, can Madison expose the company’s deadly plan before she becomes the next victim?

My Thoughts:

These are the kinds of books that I absolutely love to read. Romantic suspense is just my absolute favorite, and this one was great. I literally read it in one sitting. It is the kind of book that you just don't want to put down at all. It pulls you in from page one and you have to know what happens next.

Madison is so determined and strong. I can't imagine going through what she did and investigating your sister's death. I really liked Tucker and that he and Madison have a past. So not instant love, but built on from the past. There are twists, turns, secrets, and much more. This one is staying on my keeper shelf.

5/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario,
Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

More from Darlene

The Hidden Staircase, The Secret of the Old Clock, The Sign of the Twisted Candles—these were just some of my favorite Nancy Drew books. I couldn’t get enough of them growing up! My family often saw me with my nose stuck in one of Nancy’s many tales. When I was finished with those, I’d sneak my brother’s Hardy Boy books and devour them too. This is where my love of writing and of a good mystery/suspense began.

Creating stories in the romantic suspense genre was a natural journey for me. I had always wanted to be a policewoman after watching Charlie’s Angels (they even kicked butt while wearing high heels…what could be better than that?!), Cagney and Lacey, Police woman, Murder She Wrote, etc. My love for all-things-mystery carried into my adult life. Who doesn’t love Sydney Bristow and Kate Beckett?

I enjoy creating strong female characters in a law enforcement role. Madison Steele fits the bill head on as she works to bring down a ruthless pharmaceutical company. While she has nerves of steel, I also wanted to make her vulnerable. In the beginning Madison loses her long-lost sister in a heart-wrenching crash. One she knows was not an accident. This thrusts her into a deadly pursuit of the perpetrators with her estranged high school sweetheart, Tucker Reed, by her side.

I wrote this book during the tough year our world faced living in the unknown. Madison and Tucker are stuck in their own fears but eventually find hope. Hope in the unknown and hope in knowing God is in control and with us—no matter the circumstances. We just need to know where to look.

I hope you enjoy reading Madison and Tucker’s story as much as I loved crafting it. I’d love to hear from you. You can contact me through my website www.darlenelturner.com and also sign up for Darlene’s Diary newsletter to receive exclusive subscriber giveaways.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 18

Lighthouse-Academy, August 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 19

Genesis 5020, August 19

Simply Susan, August 19

Texas Book-aholic, August 20

Bizwings Blog, August 20

She Lives To Read, August 21

HookMeInABook, August 21

Inklings and notions, August 22

Reviewingbooksplusmore, August 22

Mary Hake, August 22

Betti Mace, August 23

Daysong Reflections, August 23

For the Love of Literature, August 24

deb’s Book Review, August 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 26

Pause for Tales, August 26

Blogging With Carol, August 26

For Him and My Family, August 27

Simple Harvest Reads, August 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 28

Batya’s Bits, August 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 29

Kayem Reads, August 29

Little Homeschool on the Prairie , August 30

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 30

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Labor Not in Vain, August 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Darlene is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of Lethal Cover-Up!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1141b/lethal-cover-up-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Liberty Lane and the One Girl Rebelution by Shaylene King

About the Book

Book: Liberty Lane and the One-Girl Rebelution

Author: Shaylene King

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

Release date: December 31, 2020

American Idol meets the bible in this modern retelling of the book of Esther creatively re-imagined for a younger generation

Sir Frederick Preparatory School’s Royal Crown competition is only the biggest singing competition on planet earth! So, when Liberty Lane O’Shea, is catapulted into the singing competition to compete for the coveted crown, it’s a dream come true.

Her dreams are dashed when she meets a beastly contestant who plots to vocally “kill off” anyone who might pose a threat to his rise to fame.

To halt the contestant’s vile ruse, Liberty Lane and her cohorts in crime, best friend Calliope and cousin Lincoln scheme to foil his evil ploys.

When Liberty Lane finds herself blackmailed, she is faced with a tough choice. Will she expose this contestant, divulging a secret of her own, and possibly disqualify herself from the competition? Or, will she watch the other contestants “die” an early Royal Crown competition death, putting the crown surely within her grasp?

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It was written for younger readers but I really liked it. It's a unique retelling of Esther that is engaging and I think a just wonderfully written story. Liberty is a great character.

The author handles several teen issues with ease and I think young girls especially will really like and relate to the story. The author did a good job with the book and I will be sharing this with my daughter and niece.

5/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Shaylene is an anti-bully activist. She speaks to thousands of students each year across the
country and internationally, empowering them to live with profound purpose when they learn to combat mean and cultivate kindness.

She is the founder of The Mean Girl Extinction Project a 501(c)3 on-profit created to address the rise in relational aggression among girls. She teaches girls how to not only survive girl world but to make a difference and thrive in girl world. She leads assemblies, workshops and speaks at girls events, camps, clubs and retreats.

Shaylene also teaches and trains the nation’s leading student-led bully prevention program called Safe School Ambassadors. Equipping students with the tools they need to develop self-confidence and practice and promote positive communication with their peers.

Shaylene lives with her husband in Middle Tennessee, sailing the unchartered waters of empty nesting. She enjoys any time she gets to spend with her two grown children who are off exploring the world and living the life God created them for.

More from Shaylene

Liberty Lane and the One-Girl Rebelution was birthed from my love of fairy tales and reading Bible stories to my kids. I have likely read every modern retelling version of classic fairy tales like Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves! One night, while reading a Bible story to my kids at bedtime, I noticed it read a lot like a fairy tale, only it was true. What fun it would be to write a modern retelling of my favorite Bible stories! And, rest is history… or at least a re-telling of history!

This book was a labor of love. It was fun to creatively reimagine what an Esther story might look like today. More important, though, I wanted to create a strong, confident young girl, one who was perfectly imperfect, able to think for herself and stand for what she believed in, even when it was hard—a one-girl “rebel”ution. My hope is that girls might connect with Liberty Lane and feel they too can be comfortable in their own skin and stand by their convictions. When they make a mistake, they can right their wrong, hold their head high, and press on. Speaking the truth is never easy to do, but I want them to know, it will always be the right thing to do.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 24

Aryn The Libraryan 📚, August 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Inklings and notions, August 27

Blogging With Carol, August 27

For Him and My Family, August 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 29

Southern Gal Loves to Read, August 29

deb’s Book Review, August 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 31

Cats in the Cradle Blog, August 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 2

Mary Hake, September 2

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 3

Bigreadersite, September 4

Vicky Sluiter, September 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 5

Sodbusterliving, September 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shaylene is giving away the grand prize a $50 Amazon gift card, a signed hard back copy of my book, book bag and 2 BookStubs (Free ebook download) … One BookStub for the winner and one for a friend!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/11423/liberty-lane-and-the-one-girl-rebelution-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Lawson’s Bluff by Jeff S. Barganier

lawson's bluff

About the Book

Book: Lawson’s Bluff

Author: Jeff Barganier

Genre: Contemporary action and adventure, contemporary romance

Release date: March 13, 20201

lawson Terrorists attempt a multi-million-dollar art heist while America’s media distracts the world with stories of Alabama hunters slaughtering hogs with dogs and knives. As fearless Jack Lawson is about to catch his thousandth boar, journalist Carla Frederick arrives to cover the hunt for the LA World News. Shocked by the uncivilized Alabamians with their bulldogs and razor-sharp knives, Frederick writes a grotesque, biased story about Jack that goes viral. Belatedly, she discovers the deeper story—deeper and darker than she could have ever known. Barganier has written an unlikely love story wrapped in twisting suspense.

My Thoughts:

Ok, I'm going to start by saying that I enjoyed the book. That being said, if you don't enjoy hunting or are squeamish at all, most likely this book isn't for you. I am a hunter and while there probably more details than I would have shared, it didn't bother me. I was a bit worried when it took on a political feel, but it went better than I expected.

There are many different ways of hunting as there are many different people that do so. I like that the author made it realistic, but I fear that he will have also alienated a great number of readers. It has romance and suspense and over all is a really well written book. I like that it is original and the author has a unique writing style that I really enjoyed.

3/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

JB Web site shot A former securities broker turned writer/designer, Barganier travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. He’s published four books and his articles on a wide variety of subjects have appeared in newspapers, magazines and on blogs. He’s travel editor for BOOM! Magazine.

More from Jeff

I didn’t “come up” with the idea for Lawson’s Bluff. The idea found me after I published a piece about a hunter in Georgia who hunts wild boars with dogs and a knife. Like character Jack Lawson, he never carries a gun, preferring, instead, to tackle the hog and slay it the old-fashioned way. So, as with previous novels, I didn’t write this one either. The story wrote me. I had no clue where the story was going until informed … by the story. This approach is what makes life interesting, I think. And what makes novels interesting, too—twisting action and romance in unpredictable settings.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 14

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Inklings and notions, August 16

For Him and My Family, August 17

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 18 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, August 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 19

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 22

Mary Hake, August 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 24

Blogging With Carol, August 25

Pause for Tales, August 26

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Jeff is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/112e0/lawson-s-bluff-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, August 19, 2021

The Wrangler's Ready-Made Family by Lacy Williams

About the Book

Book: The Wrangler’s Ready-Made Family

Author: Lacy Williams

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: August 10, 2021

Susie is a desperate young mother with another baby on the way. Her late husband left her nothing but his bad reputation. She has no money and is too ashamed to return home to her family. When she is trapped alone during a snowstorm with a stranger and the baby coming, her only choice is to rely on him.

Boone came west to find healing for his tuberculosis. He never expected to find himself trapped with a lost young widow. Or how fast he could fall for her and her two little ones. But it doesn’t take long for his secrets to come to light.

After everything she’s suffered in the past, can Susie ever trust another gambler?

My Thoughts:

I really do enjoy a good marriage for convenience story because there is always so much the characters have to learn about each other. I didn't realize this was part of a series until I looked up the author and it can be read just fine as a stand alone story. Susie is in a mess. Widowed and pregnant with her husband leaving everything in a terrible mess.

Boone is a good guy but is going through his own issues. I like how he and Susie meet and the circumstances that basically throw them together. He is so sweet with her and her kids. I can understand some of Susie's reactions because of her marriage and the issues that stemmed from that, but he was patient and kind. Overall, I just enjoyed the book.

4/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lacy Williams wishes her writing career was more like what you see on Hallmark movies:
dreamy brainstorming from a French chateau or a few minutes at the computer in a million-dollar New York City penthouse. In reality, she’s up before the sun, putting words on the page before her kids wake up for the day. Those early-morning and late-night writing sessions add up, and Lacy has published fifty books in almost a decade, first with a big five publisher and then as an indie author. When she needs to refill the well, you can find Lacy birdwatching, gardening, biking with the kiddos, or walking the dog. Find tons of bonus scenes and reader extras by becoming a VIP reader at www.lacywilliams.net/vip .

More from Lacy

The Kindness of a Stranger

I don’t know about you, but I love watching videos where something is going wrong and a stranger steps in to save the day. Dog caught in the Thames and can’t get out? Stranger wades into the water to save him. Someone in line at the grocery store and doesn’t quite have enough money for their needed groceries? Stranger steps in and pays the difference.

I have a story like that of my own. My children like to play at our neighborhood park after school pick-up. Everything seemed normal until it was just about time to go and my eight-year-old daughter walks up with a nosebleed. I haven’t carried a diaper bag in two years and I have no tissues in my purse. I’m trying to keep tabs on my four-year-old because she’s running around, oblivious to anything else going on. My two older kids are off with friends and I can’t see them but I can hear their voices nearby.

And several moms who were also watching their kids play at the park rushed over to help me. One mom had gauze in her daughter’s backpack because her daughter sometimes gets nosebleeds at school. Another mom had baby wipes so I could wipe off my daughter’s hands. Another mom rounded up my four-year-old so I didn’t have to worry about her while I was taking care of the older one. I left the park *not* in a complete panic because these moms that I don’t know took care of me. They didn’t have to. But they stepped in simply because I needed help.

That’s what happens in The Wrangler’s Ready-Made Family. After experiencing a stagecoach crash and being snowed in and stranded together, hero Gil Hart shows his true colors by helping Susie, a young mother with a baby on the way. Susie’s been burned before and this is maybe the *only* situation that would’ve allowed her to open up and see Gil for who he really is. Of course, that’s only the beginning of the story. If you’d like to give it a try, you can use Amazon’s Look Inside feature to sample the book.