Tag: Harlequin

Review of CHRISTMAS WITNESS CONSPIRACY by Maggie K. Black

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Although this is the fourth book in the series, I read it as a standalone and understood the plot and was able to catch up quickly on who the characters were and the roles that they played. Taking place both in the U.S. and Canada, the basic tale is one of a RCMP detective, Liam Bearsmith, who had fallen in love with a witness in protection two decades previously and now sees her, follows her and the action really begins. It seems that Kelly and Liam have a daughter named Hannah who is married to a computer hacker names Renner. The plot got very unbelievable at times, with a gang called the Imposters determined to capture Renner and get a master key that he had discovered. The cutest character, by far, was the infant named Pip who is Hannah and Renner’s daughter, and thus Liam’s granddaughter whom he has just met. There are numerous other characters, members of Liam’s team, who jump into action to assist him. Again, many of the scenes during rescues and hostage-taking were far-fetched, but they were still entertaining. It was a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense with plenty of action to go along with the tons of characters. I I didn’t even try to keep the characters straight; I just kept reading to find out the ending. I knew that it would all be okay, but I didn’t know how that was going to be possible since one character would get out of trouble and another would fall into a trap. I liked the settings, rural and very Canadian wilderness like. Fans of clean romantic suspense who enjoy constant action will enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This is a completely clean romantic suspense.
About the author: Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist and self-defense instructor. She’s lived in the United States, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada where she writes stories that make her heart race.

Author links:
Author website: http://www.maggiekblack.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggiekblack
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaggieKBlack
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6984422.Maggie_K_Black

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-witness-conspiracy-maggie-k-black/1136599837?ean=9781335403100
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Witness-Conspiracy-Protected-Identities/dp/1335574689
Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335403100 good
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53850363-christmas-witness-conspiracy
Google books: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Christmas_Witness_Conspiracy.html?id=XVBqzQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488061417_christmas-witness-conspiracy.html

Excerpt, CHRISTMAS WITNESS CONSPIRACY by Maggie K. Black

He turned and walked toward the restaurant, so quickly and firmly she couldn’t have grabbed his hand again if she’d wanted to. She followed him up the stairs and across the deck—the empty deck with its picnic tables inches deep in snow. He reached for the door, found it unlocked and pushed it open. They stepped into the restaurant. It was empty and dark. Chairs were stacked upside down on empty tables.
As the door clicked shut behind them, a young man in a thick beard stepped out from behind it and pressed the barrel of a gun to the side of Liam’s head.
“Down on your knees.” The voice was low and mean. His face was lost in shadows and the click of the gun was unmistakable. “You’re about to learn what happens to someone who tries to lie to Bill Leckie, and it ain’t going to be pretty.”
“You tell Bill, I didn’t cross him,” Liam said calmly, raising his hands, “and I await his apology when he figures that out. Now, tell me, what exactly does Bill think I’ve done?”
Then, before the man could even formulate an answer, Liam struck, apparently more interested in distracting his attacker long enough to get the upper hand than hearing what he had to say. Kelly watched as Liam spun toward the gun-wielding man, grabbing the weapon before he could even fire and slamming him into the wall. She felt a gust of wind and heard the door slam and click shut again. She blinked. Liam had disarmed his attacker, thrown him out and locked the door behind him, without even breaking a sweat. Then she felt Liam’s strong hand on her shoulder, guiding her and the still-sleeping baby underneath a table, sheltering them with his body.
“Stay here,” Liam whispered, his voice urgent. His face was just inches from hers. Worry flooded his eyes. “It’s an ambush. That guy won’t be alone and just because I was able to catch him off guard doesn’t mean the others won’t put up more of a fight.” Not to mention the guy he just locked outside would be trying to get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.”
Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them.
“Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.”
He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God
get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.”
Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them.
“Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.”
He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God would protect Pip from realizing they were in danger. Then Kelly crouched up onto the balls of her feet and looked out through gaps in the chairs and fallen table that barricaded her from view. As she watched, two more men, of varying heights, wearing plaid jackets and with full-length beards, stepped out of the shadows. Liam had been so convinced that Bill would protect them and he’d been wrong.
Lord, please keep us safe.
She watched as Liam raised his badge high.
“I’m Liam Bearsmith!” he shouted at the approaching men. “RCMP. Stand down! Now! Or I’ll arrest you for assaulting an officer.”

Review of THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED by Michelle Major

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A romance packed in with a lot of drama, this book was a fun, entertaining and fast-paced read. Mara Reed has moved to Starlight, escaping Seattle and her ex-husband with all of the bad memories that the divorce brought. Not least of the bad memories was Paul’s divorce attorney, the very gifted Parker Johnson, who absolutely destroyed Mara’s reputation and left her with little in the way of finances in order to support her small daughter Evie. Parker is in town to help his brother build businesses and meet a deadline. While there, he also helps his brother Josh in coaching a young soccer team which includes Evie. The romance is inevitable but how Mara and Parker get there is a magical mix of author insight and just plain good writing. The tale weaves around the two soon-to-be lovebirds, but it also includes Josh and his plight as a single father and little Evie who is so damaged her cruel father who basically ignored and disparaged her. I enjoyed the characterization the most in this story as well as the cute setting of a small town in which everyone knows everyone and also all about the relationships happening at any one moment. I especially enjoyed how Mara was willing to help Josh and build her own self-confidence after Paul’s unending attacks on it. Finally, I liked that Parker was willing to self-reflect about his part in Mara’s discouragement and lack of trust of males. All in all, this was a quick and excellent romance that I highly recommend.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Because this book includes extra-marital sexual relationships, I would rate the book a definite PG-13.

Author bio: Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at http://www.michellemajor.com.

Author links:
Website: https://michellemajor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemajorauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelle_major1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleMajorBooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6468588.Michelle_Major

Available for purchase now!

Sales links:
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-man-she-expected-michelle-major/1136387499
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Man-Expected-Welcome-Starlight/dp/1335894772
Google: https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Last_Man_She_Expected.html?id=QurODwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y
Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335894779
Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488070020_the-last-man-she-expected.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51028677-the-last-man-she-expected

Review of THE AMISH NEWCOMER by Patrice Lewis

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This is a very quick and entertaining book! The premise is that a former newscaster from LA is in witness protection, and the U.S. Marshalls hide her with an Amish family. Dressing like the Amish is not a big problem for Leah, but learning the Amish way of life was a bit of a challenge. Much of the book reads like a primer about the Amish lifestyle and religious beliefs and I found it all very interesting. The characters were believable and likable as well as presented realistically for that culture. My favorite character was a young woman named Rachel who had physical problems but who tackled life with zest and wisdom. The plot also includes drama, conflict and a romantic interest between Leah and a young Amish man named Isaac who is devoted to his faith. Both of them know that for her to have a relationship with him would be almost impossible since she is “Englisch” and he tried that world and returned to his Amish life. I really enjoyed the descriptions of how the Amish do things like laundry and healthcare, things that we take modern conveniences for granted. I learned more about reading this book than I thought possible and was entertained as I read it. Fans of light, clean romance will enjoy this book and the light that it sheds on a group of people who live a different kind of life.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Good, CLEAN read with an unbelievable but entertaining premise

About PATRICE LEWIS:

Living on a remote self-sufficient homestead in North Idaho, Patrice Lewis is a Christian wife, mother, author, blogger, columnist and speaker. She has practiced and written about rural subjects for almost thirty years. When she isn’t writing, Patrice enjoys self-sufficiency projects, such as animal husbandry, small-scale dairy production, gardening, food preservation and canning, and homeschooling. She and her husband have been married since 1990 and have two daughters.

Author links:
Author website: http://www.patricelewis.com
Blog: http://www.rural-revolution.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4798049.Patrice_Lewis

Available NOW!

Purchase links:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-amish-newcomer-patrice-lewis/1136502169
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Newcomer-Love-Inspired/dp/1335488367
Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335488367
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51779342-the-amish-newcomer
Google books: https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Amish_Newcomer.html?id=9B1ozQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488060380_the-amish-newcomer.html

EXCERPT:

Excerpt, THE AMISH NEWCOMER by Patrice Lewis

So,” he added as he released her hand and fell into step beside her, “you said you were from Los Angeles?”
“Yes.”
“Big city. Why are you here in Pikeville?”
Leah froze inside. It was the one question she didn’t want to be asked, but at least she had a predetermined story she could tell, one that mingled with just enough truth to be plausible. “I was in a car accident.” She touched her cheek. “It messed me up pretty badly. I used to work as a television journalist, but you can’t be in television with a face like this. I—I needed to get away. I have friends who know the Bylers, and they invited me to stay with them until I heal up.”
Unlike some other men she’d encountered, Isaac didn’t seem to be put off by the scar in the slightest. “And then what? What happens after your face heals?”
“I don’t know.” Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment she allowed despair, which was never very far away, to claim her. “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to change my career, and it’s something I’m reluctant to do. I loved being a TV journalist.”
“Why are you dressed in Amish clothes? It seems unusual for a visitor.”
That was a question she hadn’t anticipated. “Uh… uh…since I’m here for so long, I wanted to fit in. I speak a little German, and Edith thought it best if I didn’t stand out. But I’m hoping everyone can forgive me for any blunders I make.”
“Oh, they will.” He fell silent as she padded along, her bare feet still tender. “Will you be attending the hot dog roast at the Millers’ tonight?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s polite to show up without an invitation.”
“The Millers won’t mind. They’ll have a large crowd of youngies anyway, so one extra person won’t matter.”
“What’s a hot dog roast?”
“Just as it sounds. They have a long pit where they build a fire, so everyone has a chance to stand by the flames and cook their hot dogs.”
“But what do they do, besides eat hot dogs?”
“Talk. Sing. Play games. And sometimes flirt.” He grinned at her.
Leah caught her breath. If she didn’t know any better, she might have thought Isaac was flirting with her. If so, it was subtle almost to the point of imperceptible. And there was no possible way she could flirt back, not with a man bound within the rules of a faith she didn’t share.
She looked away. “I’m much older than Sarah or Rachel. Is this a gathering just for young people?”
“How old are you?” he blurted, then made a gesture as if to snatch the words back. “Sorry, I hope that wasn’t rude.”
His expression was so comical she laughed. “It’s no secret. I’m twenty-eight.”
“Ain’t so? Me too.”
“And you’re not married? That seems unusual, from what I know of the Amish.”
“I had—” He hesitated. “I spent some time away. Many years, in fact. Now I’m back and I intend to stay, but many of the women in the community aren’t encour-aging when it comes to risking their future with me. I have too much Englisch in me, they say.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “I assume Englisch is the catchall phrase for anyone who isn’t Amish.”
“Ja. It’s not meant as a pejorative, just a distinguisher for anyone who isn’t Amish.”

Get this delightful, new romance today!

Review of INGOGNITO EX by Geri Krotow

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This is a nicely written romantic suspense with some intense love scenes included. Coral Staufer and Trevor Stone were previously married, to each other, and when Coral is threatened by the Russian mob, Trevor shows up as her protector. He is part of an elite group of covert law enforcement, kind of like the CIA, but not. The head of the mobsters is a woman, Anna Markova, and she has hidden lockboxes on Coral’s property and will stop at nothing to retrieve them, including murder. Her reach is long and that seemed to be very realistic, although I don’t know much about mobs. Anyway, this is the first book that I have read by this author and she definitely kept my attention, especially during the tense escape scenes. Her characters are realistic in that they have weaknesses and flaws that are totally believable. The scenario itself was a little far-fetched for me, but I bought into the plot line and actually really enjoyed it. Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this new romantic suspense from Harlequin.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning The Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I would rate this a PG-13 since there are some racy love scenes.
Author bio:
Geri Krotow is a Naval Academy graduate and Navy veteran. She has traveled to and lived in many places abroad, including South America, Italy and Russia. Her family has finally settled down in Central Pennsylvannia but Geri still writes about all the places she’s been. An award-winning author, Geri writes the Silver Valley PD for Harlequin Romantic Suspense http://www.gerikrotow.com
Author links:
Author website: https://gerikrotow.com/
Author newsletter: https://gerikrotow.com/contact/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geri_krotow/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeriKrotow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerikrotow
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/644880.Geri_Krotow
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/gerikrotow/boards/

Author letter, INCOGNITO EX by Geri Krotow

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Silver Valley!

Incognito Ex, Silver Valley P.D. number eight, is my favorite SVPD book to date. Coral and Trevor once had it all, including a marriage that both allowed to fail for myriad reasons. When they come face-to-face again, during a night of Russian organized crime madness, it’s not a forgone conclusion that they’d made a mistake by divorcing. But as the stakes rise and both of their lives are at risk, all of the resentments and sorrow of the past melt away to reveal the truth: Trevor is the only one for Coral, and she for him. But there are some big issues to solve first, like how to stay alive while being stalked by a former FSB/KGB agent!

While the situations and characters in my stories are fictional, emotions are universal. We’ve all wondered about our choices, past and present. Perhaps, like Coral and Trevor, we’ve felt the pangs of regret over ending a relationship too soon. I hope you enjoy the suspenseful ride with Coral and Trevor, but more than anything, I hope their love brings you healing in your life, too.

I love to connect with readers! Please find me at my website, http://www.gerikrotow.com, and on Facebook, http://www.Facebook.com/gerikrotow, and Instagram, http://www.Instagram.com/geri_krotow.

Peace,
-Geri

Available Now!

Sales links:
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/incognito-ex-geri-krotow/1135634501?ean=9781335626660
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082WH33BJ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Geri_Krotow_Incognito_Ex?id=WhvFDwAAQBAJ
Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335626660
Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488064173_incognito-ex.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49427418-incognito-ex

Review of SOMEONE’S LISTENING by Seraphina Nova Glass

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Dr. Faith Finley is a renowned psychologist and is married to Liam, a famous food critic. Everything is good in her life until it isn’t. On her trip home after a book signing, Faith crashes the car and Liam disappears. The assumption is that she did something to him. Then she starts getting threats herself, photos of a woman bound and gagged with excerpts from her recent book. Faith seeks the help of her former boyfriend Will to protect her and to find out what happened to Liam and what is happening to her. Although this book stretches the realm of imagination, the author is brilliant in her depiction of Faith’s fear and all of the undercurrents of tension going on all at once. I don’t think I have read a book that kept my attention as well as this one did. I soared through the pages, wanting to know where Liam was, why Faith was being threatened and who could be trusted. Although the beginning was slow, the pace picked up quickly and raced to a stunning conclusion. Fans of psychological thrillers and suspense will enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Because of mature topics and references to violence, I would rate this book a strong PG
Author Bio:
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 has optioned multiple screenplays to Hallmark and Lifetime. Someone’s Listening is her first novel.

Social Links:
Author Website
Twitter: @SeraphinaNova
Instagram: @SeraphinaNovaGlass
Facebook: @SeraphinaNovaGlass
Goodreads

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

WHEN I WAKE UP, IT’S BLACK AND STILL; I FEEL A light, icy snow that floats rather than falls, and I can’t open my eyes. I don’t know where I am, but it’s so quiet, the silence rings in my ears. My fingertips try to grip the ground, but I feel only a sheet of ice beneath me, splintered with bits of embedded gravel. The air is sharp, and I try to call for him, but I can’t speak. How long have I been here? I drift back out of consciousness. The next time I wake, I hear the crunching of ice under the boots of EMTs who rush around my body. I know where I am. I’m lying in the middle of County Road 6. There has been a crash. There’s a swirling red light, a strobe light in the vast blackness: they tell me not to move.
“Where’s my husband?” I whimper. They tell me to try not to talk either. “Liam!” I try to yell for him, but it barely escapes my lips; they’re numb, near frozen, and it comes out in a hoarse whisper. How has this happened?
I think of the party and how I hate driving at night, and how I was careful not to drink too much. I nursed a glass or two, stayed in control. Liam had a lot more. It wasn’t like him to get loaded, and I knew it was his way of getting back at me. He was irritated with me, with the position I’d put him in, even though he had never said it in so many words. I wanted to please him because this whole horrible situation was my fault, and I was sorry.
When I wake up again I’m in a hospital room, connected to tubes and machines. The IV needle is stuck into a bruised, purple vein in the back of my hand that aches. In the dim light, I sip juice from a tiny plastic cup, and the soft beep of the EKG tries to lull me back to sleep, but I fight it. I want answers. I need to appear stabilized and alert. Another dose of painkiller is released into my IV; the momentary euphoria forces me to heave a sigh. I need to keep my eyes open. I can hear the cops arrive and talk to someone at a desk outside my door. They’ll tell me what happened.
There’s a nurse who calls me “sweetie” and changes the subject when I ask about the accident. She gives the cops a sideways look when they come in to talk to me, and tells them they only have a few minutes and that I need to rest.
Detective John Sterling greets me with a soft “Hello, ma’am.” I almost forget about my shattered femur and groan after I move too quickly. Another officer lingers by the door, a tall, stern-looking woman with her light hair pulled into a tight bun at the base of her skull. She tells me I’m lucky to be alive, and if it had dropped below freezing, I wouldn’t have lasted those couple hours before a passing car stopped and called 911. I ask where Liam is, but she just looks to Sterling. Something is terribly wrong.
“Why won’t anyone tell me what happened to him?” I plead. I watch Detective Sterling as he picks his way through a response.
“The nurse tells me that you believe he was in the car with you at the time of the accident,” he says. I can hear the condescension in his voice. He’s speaking to me like I’m a child.
“They said ‘I believe’ he was? That’s not a— That’s a fact. We came from a party—a book signing party. Anyone, anyone can tell you that he was with me. Please. Is he hurt?” I look down at my body for the first time and see the jagged stitches holding together the bruised flesh of my right arm. They look exaggerated, like the kind you might draw on with makeup and glue for a Halloween costume. I close my eyes, holding back nausea. I try to walk through the series of events—trying to piece together what happened and when.
Liam had been quiet in the car. I knew he’d believed me after the accusations started. I knew he trusted me, but maybe I’d underestimated the seeds of doubt that had been planted in his mind. I tried to lighten the mood when we got in the car by making some joke about the fourteen-dollar domestic beers; he’d given a weak chuckle and rested his head on the passenger window.
The detective looks at me with something resembling sympathy but closer to pity.
“Do you recall how much you had to drink last night?” he asks accusingly.
“What? You think…? No. I drove because he… No! Where is he?” I ask, not recognizing my own voice. It’s haggard and raw.
“Do you recall taking anything to help you relax? Anything that might impair your driving?”
“No,” I snap, nearly in tears again.
“So, you didn’t take any benzodiazepine maybe? Yesterday…at some point?”
“No— I— Please.” I choke back tears. “I don’t…” He looks at me pointedly, then scribbles something on his stupid notepad. I didn’t know what to say. Liam must be dead, and they think I’m too fragile to take the news. Why would they ask me this?
“Ma’am,” he says, standing. He softens his tone. This is it. He’s going to tell me something I’ll never recover from.
“You were the only one in the car when medics got there,” he says, studying me for my response, waiting to detect a lie that he can use against me later. His patronizing look infuriates me.
“What?” The blood thumps in my ears. They think I’m crazy; that soft tone isn’t a sympathetic one reserved for delivery of the news that a loved one has died—it’s the careful language chosen when speaking to someone unstable. They think I’m some addict or a drunk. Maybe they think the impact had made me lose the details, but he was there. I swear to God. His cry came too late and there was a crash. It was deafening, and I saw him reach for me, his face distorted in terror. He tried to shield me. He was there. He was next to me, screaming my name when we saw the truck headlights appear only feet in front of us—too late.

Excerpted from Someone’s Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass, Copyright © 2020 by Seraphina Nova Glass.
Published by Graydon House Books

Available NOW! Purchase Links:

Harlequin
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Books-A-Million
Powell’s

Review of THE SINGLE MOM’S SECOND CHANCE by Kathy Douglass

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What an excellent, heart-tingling in all the right places kind of book! Roz had a hard life as a child, ended up marrying the brother of her childhood sweetheart and now she has been diagnosed with cancer. A widow with three children she has no one else to call on except her brother-in-law, Paul Martin. Paul reluctantly leaves his prosperous fitness center empire behind to go to Sweet Briar to help Roz as she undergoes treatment and hopefully recovers. This book touched me in all of the right ways. With a theme of forgiveness and second chances, it was well-written with charming characters. Little Suzanne, a precocious six year old, is totally besotted with her Uncle Paul as he helps her to overcome her fears about her mommy’s future. Nathaniel, a mature eleven year old, is happy to have the help with his mom and sisters and needs the role model that Paul provides. Roz and Paul have a long way on a separate journey to go before there is even the possibility that they can get together again. This is a totally clean read, which is always a real bonus to me. Fans of romance that is uplifting will enjoy this book. Even if you are like me and have not read any of the other Sweet Briar books, you will definitely find something to enjoy in this one: love, hope, laughter, and even a few tears.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”


Author bio: Kathy Douglass came by her love of reading naturally – both of her parents were readers. She would finish one book and pick up another. Then she attended law school and traded romances for legal opinions.

After the birth of her two children, her love of reading turned into a love of writing. Kathy now spends her days writing the small town contemporary novels she enjoys reading.

Kathy loves to hear from her readers and can be found on Facebook.

Author links:
· Author website: https://kathydouglassbooks.com/
· Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathydouglass7
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011885267289
· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4729473.Kathy_Douglass
Available on August 1st!

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Excerpt, THE SINGLE MOM’S SECOND CHANCE by Kathy Douglass

Paul drummed his fingers on his desktop. “Do you want to get to the reason you barged into my office today? I’m sure it wasn’t just to look at me.”

Roz’s face grew hot as she struggled to keep from staring at him. As a teenager, he’d been dedicated to clean living and his body had reflected that. The years had been very good to him. He was six feet two inches of lean muscle. His brown skin glowed with good health, and his face was beyond hand-some, even with his eyes narrowed with irritation.

She took a breath but the word cancer clogged her throat, leaving her unable to speak. To her horror, her eyes filled with tears and her vision blurred. Blinking back the moisture, she forced herself to talk. “I need your help.”

“With what? Not that it matters. The answer is no. We don’t have that type of relationship. Remember? If you’d thought it through, you could have saved yourself the trouble and me the time and aggravation.”

“Are you still holding what happened when we were kids against me?”

“No. But I’m not willing to pretend that we’re friends either. And since Terrence has died, we are no longer family.” He made air quotes with his hands making it clear he’d never accepted her as part of the family.

“Do you consider my kids your nephew and nieces? Are they still your family? Do you still love them?”

“Of course I love them. What do they have to do with this favor of yours?”

“Everything. If not for them I wouldn’t be interrupting your workday.” The annoyed look on his face indicated that her time was coming to an end. Since there was no easy way to say it and she doubted the word would affect him the way it affected her, she just blurted it out. “I have cervical cancer.”

He blinked and jerked as if she’d given him an electric shock. “What?”

“You heard me.” She couldn’t say it again. Her voice wobbled and one of the tears she’d tried so hard to hold back escaped and then slid down her face. She brushed it away, hoping he hadn’t seen it. She didn’t want Paul to see her cry. He might accuse her of using her tears as a weapon, and she wasn’t pre-pared for that battle.

His mouth moved but no sound emerged. She could relate. She’d been floored when her doctor had delivered the news. Though she’d been sitting down, her knees had shaken like Jell-O in an earth-quake. Even now, it was a struggle to stand. But she couldn’t worry about his state of mind. She needed to get to the point of this meeting. “I’m going to be undergoing chemotherapy and having surgery soon.”

When he simply stared at her, his face devoid of all expression, she continued. “I won’t be able to take care of my kids. I have friends who will help me but that won’t be enough. I’m going to need live-in help. Hiring someone is out of the question. I don’t want my kids to have to adjust to a stranger in the house in addition to dealing with my illness. If there were someone else I could go to for help, I would. But there isn’t. Your mother offered to postpone their cruise again, but I can’t ask them to do that. Your father needs to get away from here in order to move past his grief and start living again. So I need someone—you—to come to Sweet Briar.”

Paul’s head was swimming and he fought against a sudden wave of dizziness. Cancer. Roz had cancer. The word echoed in his brain, then slammed repeatedly against his skull. It didn’t make sense. How could she be so sick?

She looked fine. She’d always been slender, with small breasts, a tiny waist and slim hips, but, upon closer examination, she did appear a little thinner than she’d been at Terrence’s funeral last year. Her white top was a bit loose and she kept adjusting the strap, preventing it from slipping off her shoulder. Although her face was as beautiful as ever, the spark in her eyes had been replaced by fear and her brown skin looked dull. Her lips trembled as she tried to smile. Apparently, her mouth refused to cooperate, and after a moment, she gave up the attempt.

“I know it will be inconvenient for you, but you’re my only hope. I’m determined to get well fast, so you shouldn’t have to stay for long. And Nathaniel is old enough to help with Megan and Suzanne.”

It took a minute for her rapidly spoken words to register. Was she still trying to convince him? Was she that uncertain that she could rely on him? “Of course I’ll come. Whatever you need.”

Her body sagged in relief. “Thank you.”

“Did you think I’d say no?”

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure. I’d hoped you’d say yes but I came prepared to be turned down.”

Considering that he’d initially said no before knowing what she needed, there was nothing he could say in his defense. “When did you get your diagnosis?”

“A week ago.”

A week? And she hadn’t said anything to him? “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? We haven’t spoken a civil word to each other in years unless there was someone else around. As you just pointed out, we’re neither family nor friends.”

The words sounded so much crueler now. He’d been unnecessarily harsh. Shame battered him, leaving him speechless.

“My oncologist is working on a treatment plan. He’ll have it together by Friday, with dates and schedules. I’ll check with you before I confirm any-thing with him, to make sure you’re available first.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be there whenever you need me to be.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Review of LIES, LIES, LIES by Adele Parks

On By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This was a slow-paced suspense book that had several twists in it that I did not see coming. Daisy is a primary school teacher, Simon is an interior designer and Millie is a happy little ballerina who enjoys her friends at primary school and her dance lessons. They seem like the perfectly blissful unit, but as the title suggests, there are lots of secrets. Simon’s love for a drink after work has turned into alcoholism, a secret that is hardly hidden but Daisy chooses not to address it. Millie, their beloved daughter, becomes a victim of their secrets and lies one night when there is a horrible accident. This is where lots of twists and turns begin in the book and this train raced to the surprising and stunning conclusion. The author did a masterful job of dealing with some really dark topics in the context of the plot, including post-natal depression, sexual violence and addiction. None of the characters were particularly likable, so I didn’t really relate to any of them, but I did sympathize with their plight. At times, I felt like just screaming at the pages of the book, “Talk to each other for heaven’s sake!” That makes lack of communication the theme that ran throughout the book and is the reason for the title. Fans of mystery and suspense will enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased a copy of this book from The Book Depository. I also received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Because of the topics that are central to this novel, I would rate it a hard PG-13.



Author Bio:
Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North-East England. Her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000 and since then she’s had seventeen international bestsellers, translated into twenty-six languages, including I Invited Her In. She’s been an Ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa. She’s lived in Italy, Botswana and London, and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband, teenage son and cat.

Available on August 4th online and at your favorite bookseller.

Buy Links:

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Amazon

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Powell’s

The Book Depository

Excerpt:

Prologue

May 1976

Simon was six years old when he first tasted beer.

He was bathed and ready for bed wearing soft pyjamas, even though it was light outside; still early. Other kids were in the street, playing on their bikes, kicking a football. He could hear them through the open window, although he couldn’t see them because the blinds were closed. His daddy didn’t like the evening light glaring on the TV screen, his mummy didn’t like the neighbours looking in; keeping the room dark was something they agreed on.

His mummy didn’t like a lot of things: wasted food, messy bedrooms, Daddy driving too fast, his sister throwing a tantrum in public. Mummy liked ‘having standards’. He didn’t know what that meant, exactly. There was a standard-bearer at Cubs; he was a big boy and got to wave the flag at the front of the parade, but his mummy didn’t have a flag, so it was unclear. What was clear was that she didn’t like him to be in the street after six o’clock. She thought it was common. He wasn’t sure what common was either, something to do with having fun. She bathed him straight after tea and made him put on pyjamas, so that he couldn’t sneak outside.

He didn’t know what his daddy didn’t like, just what he did like. His daddy was always thirsty and liked a drink. When he was thirsty he was grumpy and when he had a drink, he laughed a lot. His daddy was an accountant and like to count in lots of different ways: “a swift one’, “a cold one’, and ‘one more for the road’. Sometimes Simon though his daddy was lying when he said he was an accountant; most likely, he was a pirate or a wizard. He said to people, “Pick your poison’, which sounded like something pirates might say, and he liked to drink, “the hair of a dog’ in the morning at the weekends, which was definitely a spell. Simon asked his mummy about it once and she told him to stop being silly and never to say those silly things outside the house.

He had been playing with his Etch A Sketch, which was only two months old and was a birthday present. Having seen it advertised on TV, Simon had begged for it, but it was disappointing. Just two silly knobs making lines that went up and down, side to side. Limited. Boring. He was bored. The furniture in the room was organised so all of it was pointing at the TV which was blaring but not interesting. The news. His parents liked watching the news, but he didn’t. His father was nursing a can of the grown ups’ pop that Simon was never allowed. The pop that smelt like nothing else, fruity and dark and tempting.

“Can I have a sip?” he asked.

“Don’t be silly, Simon,” his mother interjected. “You’re far too young. Beer is for daddies.” He thought she said ‘daddies’, but she might have said ‘baddies’.

His father put the can to his lips, glared at his mother, cold. A look that said, “Shut up woman, this is man’s business.” His mother had blushed, looked away as though she couldn’t stand to watch, but she held her tongue. Perhaps she thought the bitterness wouldn’t be to his taste, that one sip would put him off. He didn’t like the taste. But he enjoyed the collusion. He didn’t know that word then, but he instinctively understood the thrill. He and his daddy drinking grown ups’ pop! His father had looked satisfied when he swallowed back the first mouthful, then pushed for a second. He looked almost proud. Simon tasted the aluminium can, the snappy biting bitter bubbles and it lit a fuse.

After that, in the mornings, Simon would sometimes get up early, before Mummy or Daddy or his little sister, and he’d dash around the house before school, tidying up. He’d open the curtains, empty the ashtrays, clear away the discarded cans. Invariably his mother went to bed before his father. Perhaps she didn’t want to have to watch him drink himself into a stupor every night, perhaps she hoped denying him an audience might take away some of the fun for him, some of the need. She never saw just how bad the place looked by the time his father staggered upstairs to bed. Simon knew it was important that she didn’t see that particular brand of chaos.

Occasionally there would be a small amount of beer left in one of the cans. Simon would slurp it back. He found he liked the flat, forbidden, taste just as much as the fizzy hit of fresh beer. He’d throw open a window, so the cigarette smoke and the secrets could drift away. When his mother came downstairs, she would smile at him and thank him for tidying up.

“You’re a good boy, Simon,” she’d say with some relief. And no idea.

When there weren’t dregs to be slugged, he sometimes opened a new can. Threw half of it down his throat before eating his breakfast. His father never kept count.

Some people say their favourite smell is freshly baked bread, others say coffee or a campfire. From a very young age, few scents could pop Simon’s nerve endings like the scent of beer.

The promise of it.

Excerpted from Lies Lies Lies by Adele Parks, Copyright © 2020 by Adele Parks.

Published by MIRA Books

Review of GUARDED BY THE SOLDIER by Laura Scott

On By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Ryker Tillman was willing to give his life for his country in Afghanistan. Now, with his own security country, he is willing to lay down his life for the lives of pregnant Olivia Habush and her toddler son Aaron. Olivia knew that her husband was working for some really bad guys, but she had no idea that after Tim died, his legacy would be danger for her and Aaron. Pursued by the relentless killers from Blake-Moore, Olivia has nowhere to turn until Ryker shows up and rescues her. All of the action was like a movie rolling in my head, with one heart-stopping scene after another. Ryker called in his buddies from the war, the Callahans and Duncan. They offer a little comic relief and a lot of help to Ryker and Olivia. Throughout the book, no sooner do she and Aaron get out of danger than a fresh group of mercenaries shows up to force her to give them something that supposedly Tim left with her. The ride through this book was wild and fast-paced, but best of all, it was all a totally clean ride, with no expletives or graphically described violence. My only criticism is that the book was such a fast read that I was surprised when it ended. That’s not to say that I didn’t like the conclusion; I just didn’t want it to end!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Author bio: Laura Scott is honored to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line, where a reader can find a heartwarming journey of faith amid the thrilling danger. She lives with her husband of twenty-five years and has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both in college. She works as a critical-care nurse during the day at a large level-one trauma center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spends her spare time writing romance. Visit Laura at http://www.laurascottbooks.com.

Author links:

• Author website: Laura Scott

• Author newsletter: Contact

• Twitter: Twitter link

• Facebook: Facebook

Sales links:

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guarded-by-the-soldier-laura-scott/1135512737?ean=9781335402929

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Guarded-Soldier-Justice-Seekers-Book-ebook/dp/B082P47GBM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Guarded+by+the+Soldier&qid=1595072116&s=books&sr=1-1

Google: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Guarded_by_the_Soldier.html?id=ALnDDwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335402929

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488061233_guarded-by-the-soldier.html

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49374502-guarded-by-the-soldier

EXCERPT

A thud woke Olivia from a sound sleep. Had someone fallen? She pried open her eyes and peered at the cheap alarm clock on the nightstand.

Two in the morning. She glanced down at Aaron who was curled next to her. The noise hadn’t woken him.

Another thud and a muffled shout sent fear spiking through her body. What in the world was going on?

She slid out of bed, steadying herself with a hand on the wall. Her bladder urged her toward the bathroom, but before she could take a step, she heard a sharp report.

A gunshot?

No! Please, Lord, help us! She bent over and scooped Aaron into her arms, although she wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. Where was Ryker? Duncan? Mike?

She had no weapon of any sort. Not that she’d know what to do with one anyway. There was a bathroom within the suite, so she went inside, locked the door and glanced around, her thoughts whirling.

The Blake-Moore Group must have found her. Again. She wanted to cry, to rant and scream in frustration, but forced herself to swallow the cries burning the back of her throat.

Think. Think! Her gaze landed on the toilet. The motel hadn’t been updated in years, and the toilet tank was similar to the one she had at home, with a heavy ceramic cover on it.

“Mommy?” Aaron raised his head, rubbing at his eyes. “Shh. We have to be quiet.” Olivia set him down in the bathtub, the safest place she could think of. “Stay here, okay?”

“I don’t wanna.” His lower lip trembled and she was very much afraid that he’d begin wailing at any moment.

She lifted her heart in prayer. God, please protect us! “Mommy?” Her son lifted his arms toward her, his gaze begging.

“Shh. Please, Aaron. I need you to be quiet. We don’t want the bad guys to find us.” She hated scaring him but was more worried about what would happen if he cried loud enough to draw attention. She quickly lifted the heavy porcelain cover off the tank and held it over her head, positioning herself behind the door.

If anyone came inside, she’d whack him over the head, hopefully with enough force to knock him unconscious.

Time passed in slow motion. The noises coming from the main suite area concerned her. What if something happened to Mike and Duncan?

To Ryker?

Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest and her arm muscles quivered beneath the weight of the toilet tank lid. She blinked back tears, trying to convince herself that Ryker would survive.

That they would all survive.

“Olivia? Are you in there?” Ryker’s familiar voice made her knees go weak.

Thank You, God!

“Yes, we’re in the bathroom.” She lowered the lid of the toilet tank and moved out from behind the door. After getting the tank cover back in place, she opened the door, grateful beyond belief to see Ryker standing there. “What happened? Is everyone all right?”

“Yeah, but we need to hit the road.” His face was drawn into tight lines, his gaze grim. “Now.”

“They found us?” Silly question, since she knew they must have. “How?”

Ryker slowly shook his head. “They must have followed us. I didn’t see them, but they must have had a line on our vehicle. Get your things together.”

“Okay.” She didn’t need to be told twice. She quickly used the bathroom, then carried Aaron back into the bed-room. Her zebra bag was in the main living space, and she only had the one set of clothes, so there wasn’t any-thing to grab other than Aaron’s plastic lion and toy plane.

When she stepped into the suite, she stopped abruptly, her gaze landing on the two men dressed in black lying on the floor. One of them was bleeding badly; the other didn’t show any signs of blood.

Review of NO ONE SAW by Beverly Long

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I loved this book! I really enjoy police procedurals and this one with Detective A.L. McKittredge and his partner Rena Morgan is one of the best that I have ever read. The story is a compelling one since five year old Emma is missing from her daycare. Her grandmother insists that she dropped her off with her teacher. Her teacher denies ever seeing her that day. Her mom is late to pick her up, so she is missing all day without anyone’s ever noticing. The clues are there, but there are also the red herrings that kept me guessing. The ending was unpredictable for me which added to my enjoyment of the book and led to the five-star rating. The bonus in the book was learning more about the private lives of the investigators, with details that flowed into the main story line. This is an outstanding police procedural with a fast-paced, relatable plot and characters that were well-developed. By the end of the story, I felt like I knew A.L. and Rena well and I was rooting for them to find the little asthmatic girl before it was too late. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. With themes of family drama, lies and lack of communication, I highly recommend this book to fans of gripping police procedurals.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

My rating is based on the entertainment value that I found in the book, but it is not a clean read since there are multiple expletives used in the content.

EXCERPT:

One

With a week’s worth of mail in one hand, A.L. McKittridge unlocked his apartment door with the other. Then he dragged his carry-on suitcase inside, almost tripping over Felix, who had uncharacteristically left his spot by the window where the late afternoon sun poured in. He tossed the collection of envelopes and free weekly newspapers onto his kitchen table and bent down to scratch his cat. “You must have missed me,” he said. “Wasn’t Rena nice to you?”
His partner had sent a text every day. Always a picture. Felix eating. Felix taking a dump. Felix giving himself a bath. No messages. Just visual confirmation that all was well while he was off in sunny California, taking a vacation for the first time in four years.
I can take care of your damn cat, she’d insisted. And while he hadn’t wanted to bother her because she’d have plenty to do picking up the slack at work, she was the only one he felt he could ask. His ex-wife Jacqui would have said no. His just turned seventeen-year-old daughter, Traci, would have been willing but he hadn’t liked the idea of her coming round to an empty apartment on her own.
Baywood, Wisconsin—population fifty thousand and change—was generally pretty safe but he didn’t believe in taking chances. Not with Traci’s safety. She’d been back in school for just a week. Her senior year. How the hell was that even possible? College was less than a year away.
No wonder his knees ached. He was getting old.
Or maybe it was flying coach for four hours. But the trip had been worth it. Tess had wanted to see the ocean. Wanted to face her nemesis, she’d claimed. And she’d been a champ. Had stood on the beach where less than a year earlier, she’d almost died after a shark had ripped off a sizable portion of her left arm. Had lifted her pretty face to the wind and stared out into the vast Pacific.
She hadn’t surfed. Said she wasn’t ready for that yet. But he was pretty confident that she’d gotten the closure that she’d been looking for. She’d slept almost the entire flight home, her head resting on A.L.’s shoulder. On the hour-plus drive from Madison to Baywood, she’d been awake but quiet. When he’d dropped her off at her house, she hadn’t asked him in.
He wasn’t offended. He’d have said no anyway. After a week together, they could probably both benefit from a little space. Their relationship was just months old and while the sex was great and the conversation even better, neither of them wanted to screw it up by jumping in too fast or too deep.
Now he had groceries to buy and laundry to do. It was back to work tomorrow. He grabbed the handle of his suitcase and was halfway down the hall when his cell rang. He looked at the number. Rena. Probably wanted to make sure he was home and Felix-watch was over. “McKittridge,” he answered.
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Oh, thank God.”
He let go of his suitcase handle. Something was wrong. “What’s up?” he asked.
“We’ve got a missing kid. Five-year-old female. Lakeside Learning Center.”
Missing kid. Fuck. He glanced at his watch. Just after 6:00. That meant they had less than two hours of daylight left. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

The Lakeside Learning Center on Oak Avenue had a fancier name than building. It was a two-story building with brown clapboard siding on the first floor and tan vinyl siding on the second. There wasn’t a lake in sight.
The backyard was fenced with something a bit nicer than chain link but not much. Inside the fence was standard playground equipment: several small plastic playhouses, a sandbox on legs and a swing set. The building was located at the end of the block in a mixed-use zone. Across from the front door and on the left were single-person homes. To the right, directly across Wacker Avenue, was a sandwich shop, and kitty-corner was a psychic who could only see the future on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
A.L. took all this in as he beached his SUV in a no parking zone. Stepped over the yellow tape and made a quick stop to sign in with the cop who was at the door.
everybody who entered and exited the crime scene.
Once he was inside, his first impression was that the inside was much better than the outside. The interior had been gutted, erasing all signs that this had once been the downstairs of a 1960s two-story home. There was a large open space to his right. On the far wall hung a big-screen television and on the wall directly opposite the front door were rows of shelves, four high, stacked with books, games and small toys.
It was painted in a cheery yellow and white and the floor was a light gray tile. There was plenty of natural light coming through the front windows. The hallway he was standing in ran the entire length of the building and ended in a back door.
There was a small office area to his left. The door was open and there was a desk with a couple guest chairs. The space looked no bigger than ten feet by ten feet and was currently empty.
He sent Rena a text. Here.
A door at the far end of the hallway opened and Rena and a woman, middle-aged and white, dressed in khaki pants and a dark green button-down shirt, appeared. Rena waved at him and led the woman in his direction. “This is my partner, Detective McKittridge,” she said to the woman. She looked at A.L. “Alice Quest. Owner and director of Lakeside Learning Center.”
A.L. extended a hand to the woman. She shook it without saying anything.
“If you can excuse us,” Rena said to the woman. “I’d like to take a minute and bring Detective McKittridge up to speed.”
Alice nodded and stepped into the office. She pulled the door shut but not all the way. Rena motioned for A.L. to follow her. She crossed the big room and stopped under the television.
“What do we have?” he asked.
“Emma Whitman is a five-year-old female who has attended Lakeside Learning Center for the last two years. Her grandmother, Elaine Broadstreet, drops her off on Mondays and Wednesdays between 7:15 and 7:30.”
Today was Wednesday. “Did that happen today?”
“I have this secondhand, via her son-in-law who spoke to her minutes before I got here. It did.”
The hair on the back of A.L.’s neck stood up. When Traci had been little, she’d gone to day care. Not at Lakeside Learning Center. Her place had been bigger. “How many kids are here?” he asked.
“Forty. No one younger than three. No one older than five. They have two rooms, twenty kids to a room. Threes and early fours in one room. Older fours and fives in the other. Two staff members in each room. So four teachers. And a cook who works a few hours midday. And then there’s Alice. She fills in when a staff member needs a break or if someone is ill.”
Small operation. That didn’t mean bad. “Where are the other staff?”
“Majority of the kids get picked up by 5:30. According to Alice, she covers the center by herself from 5:30 to 6:00 most days to save on payroll costs. Emma Whitman is generally one of the last ones to be picked up. Everybody else was gone tonight and she’d already locked the outside door around 5:45 when the father pulled up and pounded on the door. At first, she assumed that somebody else had already picked up Emma. But once Troy called his wife and the grandmother, the only other people allowed to pick her up, she called Kara Wiese, one of Emma’s teachers, who said that Emma hadn’t been there all day. That was the first time Alice had thought about the fact that the parents had not reported an absence. She’d been covering for an ill staff member in the classroom that Emma is not assigned to.”
Perfect fucking storm.

Excerpted from No One Saw by Beverly Long, Copyright © 2020 by Beverly Long.
Published by MIRA Books

NO ONE SAW
Author: Beverly Long
ISBN: 9780778309659
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Publisher: MIRA Books

Buy Links:
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Social Links:
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Author Bio:
Beverly Long’s writing career has spanned more than two decades and twenty novels, including TEN DAYS GONE, the first book of her A.L. McKittridge series. She writes romantic suspense with sexy heroes and smart heroines. She can often be found with her laptop in a coffee shop with a cafe au lait and anything made with dark chocolate by her side.

Available NOW!

Review of More Than Neighbors by Shannon Stacey

On By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This is a predictable but a really fun-tastic read because it’s light, humorous at times and romantic. Meredith Price and her precocious six year old have moved to Blackberry Bay for a new start after the death of her beloved husband two years before. There she meets her new workaholic neighbor Cam Maguire and the sparks begin. Meredith isn’t sure that she is ready for a new relationship and Cam is certain that he doesn’t. Nevertheless, the antics of little Sophie keeps pulling the two together, along with the fact that his cat loves to tease her dog. Meredith goes from wanting to build a fence to being amenable to sharing his hammock. The journey from reluctance to love is a light-hearted one that is filled with romantic moments and just what you would expect from a lovely story like this one. Fans of romance will enjoy this new book in a new series.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

About Shannon Stacey: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and off-roading with her friends and family. You can contact Shannon through her website, http://www.shannonstacey.com, as well as sign up for her newsletter.

Author Social Links:

• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49875473-more-than-neighbors?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BPmoRsG1Za&rank=1
• Author website: https://shannonstacey.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannonstacey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonstacey.authorpage
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonstacey/

Purchase Links:

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/More-than-Neighbors-Blackberry-Book-ebook/dp/B08337V9GG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=more+than+neighbors%2C+stacey&qid=1587390776&s=books&sr=1-1
• B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-neighbors-shannon-stacey/1135744197?ean=9781335894694
• Google: https://books.google.ca/books/about/More_Than_Neighbors.html?id=7DQGzQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
• IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335894694
• Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488069901_more-than-neighbors.html
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Excerpt, MORE THAN NEIGHBORS by Shannon Stacey (Harlequin Special Edition)

“So you’re staying for the summer, you said? Where do you usually live?”

“New York City, actually.”

Her hazel eyes widened. “Wow. That’s quite a change in pace.”

“It is, but I was ready to get away for a while.” “What do you do in the city?”

“I work for my dad,” he said, which wasn’t technically a lie, but wasn’t entirely accurate, either. “A lot of accounting and paperwork and boring stuff like that.”

She was cute when she wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a fan of boring math-related paperwork.”

A yelp from across the yard caught her attention and she turned to see Elinor swipe at the white puff-ball. Sophie was frowning and picked the dog up, turning her body so the cat couldn’t see him any-more.

“Your cat appears to be bullying my dog.”

“She’s not my cat. And you’re embarrassing your dog by even making that claim right now.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “If you don’t think cats can bully dogs, you don’t spend a lot of time on the internet.”

“She just wants the dog to know who’s boss, I guess.”

“It’s his yard,” she pointed out.

“She’s a cat.”

“Point taken.” A genuine smile lit up her face and made her eyes crinkle. “They’ll get used to each other. And speaking of that, now that I know you’re going to be my neighbor for a while, I should prob-ably introduce myself properly. I’m Meredith Price, and that’s Sophie and Oscar.”

“Calvin Maguire,” he said, extending his hand. “But everybody calls me Cam.”

As she shook his hand, he noted how soft the skin was and had to resist rubbing his thumb over it.

She tilted her head as she smoothly pulled her hand away from his. “How do you get Cam from Calvin?”

“My initials. Calvin Anthony Maguire.” His mouth twisted in a wry smile. “The fourth.”

“Interesting.”

“It was a better alternative than being Little Cal for my entire life.” He didn’t really want to open him-self up to more questions about his family, since they were the last thing he wanted to talk about. “Since Oscar’s from California, let me guess. Oscar de la Renta?”

She laughed. “Oscar the Grouch.”

“You’re kidding.” He looked at the dog again, who looked like the kind they put on the packaging of fancy dog food. “I don’t really see the resemblance, but maybe it’s a personality thing.”

“He’s actually named after Sophie’s favorite book at the time, and trust me, we spent days explaining to her why we couldn’t make his hair green.”

“He doesn’t bark a lot, does he?”

“I wouldn’t say he barks a lot.” She glanced at the dog before giving him a sheepish look. “It’s more like a really high-pitched yip.”

“That’ll be fun while I’m reading over spread-sheets,” he said, picturing spending his summer being harassed by a stubborn cat and a high-strung dog. “Maybe I should have packed my noise- canceling headphones.”

She looked startled for a second and then her eyes narrowed. “I have a child and a dog, so I guess you’ll just have to figure out how to make it work.”

“Maybe a muzzle?” he asked, but he wasn’t re-ally serious. Yipping dogs weren’t his favorite, but he wasn’t a total jerk.

She stared at him for a long moment before giving him an arch look. “I don’t know if I can find one in your size, but I can try.”

Cam chuckled, appreciating her comeback, but she didn’t even crack a smile. Maybe she hadn’t been joking. And maybe she’d thought he wasn’t, either.

“If you’ll excuse me, we just arrived and I have a lot to do.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said as she walked, and she held up her hand in what looked more like a dis-missive gesture than a wave.

That was fine. If she wanted to play that game, she’d find out he didn’t really care that much. She and her yipping dog could stay in her yard and he’d stay in his.

He had better things to do, anyway. Like learning more about Carolina Archambault, and figuring out how to convince her cat he was the boss.

I highly recommend this fun and happy trip to Blackberry Bay! Available now!