tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58336297010859081152024-03-05T19:09:39.955-08:00Reading on the RocksAndrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.comBlogger447125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-11833142680850783852019-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:002019-01-28T00:00:12.092-08:00Excerpt Blitz! In the Dog House by Traci Hall<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Title: In the Dog House<br />Author: Traci Hall<br />Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Bliss; February 11, 2019<br />Genre: Contemporary Romance</b></span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dog-House-Traci-Hall-ebook/dp/B07MYX7596/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548386167&sr=8-1&keywords=In+the+dog+house+by+traci+hall" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-dog-house-traci-hall/1130335742;jsessionid=82115E3F4ADA7822258DD17DDEB34807.prodny_store02-atgap14?ean=9781640637641&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43557169-in-the-dog-house?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>About
IN THE DOG HOUSE</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ten
years ago, Jackson Hardy joined the Marines, leaving behind a woman he still
dreams about. When he's called home to care for his ten-year-old nephew, no one
is more shocked than he to run into Emma again. Or to still have those same
feelings. But Jackson isn't looking for love, and neither is Emma,
especially not with him. His precocious nephew, though, and a retriever named
Bandit, are about to change that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So what if Emma Mercer is an overachiever? She has plans to get her doctorate
in psychology and create a no-kill shelter for the EST dogs she trains. Which
leaves absolutely no time for romance. She's fine with a furry family—dogs
don't teach you to love and then rip your heart to shreds. But young Matty's
situation tugs at her heartstrings and there's no way she can't help
him…and Jackson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
may have hotter-than-ever chemistry with the soldier, but forgetting the
past isn't easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>Excerpt
from In the Dog House by Traci Hall</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She’d
said she was proud of him—did she mean it? Her forearm brushed his leg, and her
throat turned a deep shade of rose as she held his gaze. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sweet. She wouldn’t say what she didn’t mean.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
tilted to the right, wanting to touch her mouth with his. Sample a quick taste
of Emma to add to his memories. Her lips slightly parted, the pulse at the
hollow of her throat sped, her eyes dilated. They were so close to a kiss that
all he had to do was move his head forward…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
stood abruptly, smoothing the yellow fabric down over her hip with an eye toward
Matty, racing around the fountain. “I’ll get dessert.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jackson
snapped back. Was she inviting him inside?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll
help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
held the door open for him, and he followed her. The instant they were out of
sight she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him to hold him
tight—he couldn’t have broken free if he’d wanted to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And he
didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
buried his hands in her soft, soft hair and cupped her head so that he could
study Emma and memorize each new line and freckle. He gently brought the pads
of his thumbs to her smooth jaw and plump pink lower lip. Her eyes, swiped with
copper, glittered sensually as she absorbed his touch. Auburn lashes at
half-mast as she relaxed into him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
dropped one arm to her hip to balance her, the other still cradling her head as
he lowered his mouth. She lifted to him, their lips whispering across each
other’s mouths before crashing together like surf against the sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
tasted different but the same. It was meeting his other half, something he’d
been missing and suddenly needed more than his next breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Em.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jackson.”
Her words were hot against his lips and brought the embers of desire flaming
bright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
entwined her fingers behind his neck and pressed in to him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
clasped her tight, feeling the warmth of her feminine curves, the temptation
she offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
smack of sneakers up the porch steps made them break away like guilty
teenagers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jackson’s
chest heaved. They weren’t that anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Em’s
eyes flashed, the pulse at her neck fast as a hummingbird’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Emma,”
Matty asked, innocently entering the kitchen. “Can I have some lemonade?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sure,
hon. I was just getting the cannoli out. Are you ready for dessert?” Emma
turned her back to him, and Jackson detected a tremor in her voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jackson knew then that he’d never be over Emma
Mercer, not if he lived to be a thousand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-21380237242030531332019-01-22T22:43:00.000-08:002019-01-22T22:45:49.494-08:00ARC Review: Man Hunt by Misty Evans<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43325585-man-hunt?from_search=true" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypzuCf3Kv8Y/XEeZcSGgcFI/AAAAAAAACwM/UxzGRbPZjss6c3FL9Vx0fgc4S9CxXhRggCLcBGAs/s320/43325585.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Title: Man Hunt (Seals of Shadow Force, Spy Division, #1)</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Author: Misty Evans</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Publisher/Publication Date: Beach Path Publishing, LLC; January 22, 2019</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Format/Source: E-ARC; Author via BookFunnel</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Genre: Romantic Suspense</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Man-Hunt-SEALs-Shadow-Force-ebook/dp/B07MQNZ7WY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548196275&sr=1-1&keywords=9781948686006" target="_blank">Amazon </a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/man-hunt-seals-of-shadow-force/id1449191526?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">AppleBooks</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43325585-man-hunt?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Book Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43325585-man-hunt?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="freeText14105203059268961712" style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Ryker Baptiste is one dangerous man.<br /><br />He’s also dead…<br /><br />To protect a young boy, former SEAL Ryker Baptiste faked his own death. He made a promise to the boy’s mother, and he will move heaven and hell—even pretend to be dead—if that’s what it takes to keep the boy safe from his terrorist father.<br /><br />Ryker's former CIA handler Mia Shaine lost her job because of him. Now she has one chance to stop the terrorist he failed to eliminate and secure her return to the Agency. But it will mean hunting down a dead man and convincing him to once more be her partner.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Thoughts</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Man Hunt by Misty Evans is a great start to the Seals of
Shadow Force, Spy Division series. I’ve been a fan of Evans's work since I first
read The Blood Code in 2013. I love the fact that her romantic suspense novels
always have a nice balance of romance, action & suspense with the tension
building on every page. Each story-including Man Hunt— has been crafted with well-developed
characters and scenarios that have captivated me from page one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you love
stories that are heavy on suspense with a side of romance. You will definitely
want to check out Misty Evans's new series!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Rating 4/5</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>I received a copy of this book from the author via BookFunnel for this review.</i></b></span></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></i></b>Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-21413118200008417902019-01-17T17:56:00.000-08:002019-01-17T17:56:07.809-08:00Book Spotlight & Excerpt: Christmas Camp Wedding by Karen Schaler<span id="goog_1177346766"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1177346767"></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39893134-christmas-camp-wedding?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuPuBpdyIZTSlz_4C7EAPkYfopxdN_RVTK4jLH9XpbWzgnE9WfV5L96kxzj83BQ9U5QMtKKvhdePsJAucAyg8tzjNEOD89aBGoyqh1gSKERP8pNtA8RAhqVq1xnoK4qGTMsKFNAjVXYrp/s320/39893134.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Book Title & Author </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christmas
Camp Wedding by Karen Schaler<o:p></o:p></span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i><b>Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow Impulse; 1/8/2019<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Camp-Wedding-Karen-Schaler-ebook/dp/B07CG6PJKW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547773069&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+camp+wedding+karen+schaler" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/christmas-camp-wedding/id1373100698?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">Apple Books</a></i></b><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-camp-wedding-karen-schaler/1129770136?ean=9780062884534#/" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062884473/christmas-camp-wedding/" target="_blank">HarperCollins</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39893134-christmas-camp-wedding?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">NOTE: CHRISTMAS CAMP WEDDING is a novella; and
is <u>not</u> a standalone; it is a sequel to Schaler’s CHRISTMAS
CAMP.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Brief
Synopsis</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After finally becoming partner at her advertising agency,
Haley Hanson barely has time to plan her Christmas Eve wedding with her fiancé
Jeff. When their perfect location falls through at the last minute, they need
to find a new venue, fast. But everything is booked for the holidays, except
for the place where Haley and Jeff fell in love, Christmas Camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With time running out to transform the inn into a winter
wonderland, Trisha, a top wedding planner is brought in to help; she also just
happens to be Jeff’s ex-girlfriend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Will Jeff and Trisha’s Christmas past get in the way of
Haley’s Christmas future, or can Christmas Camp still work its magic for a
holiday happily ever after?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Excerpt<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley Hanson was right in the middle of one of those
once-in-a-lifetime moments every girl supposedly dreams of. She was trying on a
spectacular wedding dress. But looking at herself in the mirror, instead of
feeling overjoyed, she almost felt—guilty, because this had never been her
dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A successful career woman and the youngest partner at one
of Boston’s most prestigious advertising agencies, Haley had always been more
of a realist than a fairy-tale kind of girl. But somehow, in the most unlikely
way, she had found her HEA, her Happily Ever After.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Meeting Jeff had changed everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even as she thought about him now, she had to catch her
breath. He had a way of doing that to her, taking her breath away. His love,
his kindness, his dedication to family, his passion for life and his work, and
most of all, his unconditional love for her had opened a door to a future she
had never dared dream of. The fact that he was also incredibly handsome was
just a bonus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the moment she had met Jeff and his dad, Ben, at
Christmas Camp a year ago, the path she had always been on shifted. With Jeff,
her journey to find love had been far from easy. There were bumpy roads, wrong
turns, detours, and delays, but in the end, she knew that right now, even if
this hadn’t been a dream she’d grown up with, she was exactly where she was
meant to be, standing on a dressing room platform, inside one of Boston’s
beautiful boutique bridal stores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As she did a slow spin in front of the mirror, taking in
her stunning silk-sheath wedding dress, she still couldn’t believe how trusting
her heart had led her here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was really happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She was marrying Jeff in forty-eight hours, on Christmas
Eve!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She still couldn’t believe how fast the last year had flown
by. The last few months especially were a blur, planning the wedding while
helping Jeff’s dad franchise his Christmas Camp concept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When she first pitched Ben the idea, she believed it would
be successful, but nothing had prepared them for the overwhelming response of
people wanting to do the Christmas Camps, not just in the United States but in
Europe, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Working in advertising, she knew one of the keys to being
successful was creating something people needed. She had learned firsthand just
how powerful and life changing a Christmas Camp experience could be. She knew
the day she had given up a prestigious national account to help Ben launch the
Christmas Camp franchise idea that she was doing the right thing, just like she
knew now, two days before her wedding, that she was marrying the right person
for all the right reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The fact that she had no doubts left her with an incredible
sense of gratitude and wonder at how this could now be her life. She had gone
from being nicknamed the Grinch to having her own Christmas miracle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As her sparkling oval-cut engagement ring caught the light,
she smiled remembering how Jeff had proposed to her at the same place his dad
had proposed to his mom, at Star Peak, overlooking a breathtaking snow-covered
mountain range.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jeff had started off by having them both look for a
pinecone so they could make a Christmas wish together, a tradition in Jeff’s
family. After he had helped Haley pick the perfect pinecone, she had found a
stunning engagement ring tucked inside. Jeff had told her it was his dad’s idea
to use diamonds from his mom’s wedding ring to have a special ring created just
for her, to continue the tradition of true love. He had then gotten down on one
knee and proposed, saying how much he loved her and that he wanted to spend
every Christmas together for the rest of their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Knowing that Jeff had proposed to her at Star Peak, just
like his dad had proposed to his mom, meant everything to her. Now that his mom
had passed away, she knew it was even more important to him to honor her memory
by keeping special traditions like this alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley would be the first to admit that when she first met
Jeff and his dad, Christmas traditions weren’t exactly her thing. That’s why
her boss, Larry, had sent her to Holly Peak Inn, to Christmas Camp, to find her
Christmas spirit, hoping it would help her land a huge new holiday advertising
campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For years, Haley’s idea of celebrating Christmas meant
getting out of town and taking her parents to the Caribbean to avoid all the
Christmas craziness and celebrating the holiday. While her parents would
vacation on the beach, she would always work, using the time not celebrating
Christmas to get ahead, while her competitors took time off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But as soon as Haley had arrived at Christmas Camp, she
quickly found there was no avoiding the Christmas craziness there. She was
surrounded by Christmas 24–7, from the decorations, to the activities, to the
meals, you name it. If it had anything to do with Christmas, it was happening
at Christmas Camp. Haley had desperately wanted to escape, but when her boss
insisted she stay the entire week, all she could do was try to find ways to
avoid all the holiday hoopla. But every time she tried to take a shortcut, she
kept running into one big roadblock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jeff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jeff’s dad, Ben, owned the inn and ran the Christmas Camp,
so Jeff had made it his personal mission to keep an eye on Haley. He’d known
she didn’t want to be there and had told her he wanted to make sure she didn’t
wreck the other guests’ experiences. That’s when she had nicknamed him the
“Christmas Camp Police.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But what had started out as Christmas Camp chaos had turned
into something much more meaningful for Haley. Through Christmas Camp, she was
able to learn what mattered most at Christmas—family, friends, community, and
love—and was then able to open her heart to finding her Christmas spirit and
finding true love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If someone had told her back then that the following
Christmas she’d be marrying the “Christmas Camp Police,” she would have laughed
them all the way to the North Pole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But yet, here she was, wearing a wedding dress. It was
crazy. Christmas crazy, in a good way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley twirled around one more time in front of the mirror.
“So what do you think?” She looked over at her best friend, Kathy, who was
enjoying the posh surroundings, lounging on a white velvet settee, sipping
champagne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy lifted her glass in a toast. “I think it’s perfect
for you. It’s simple but chic, classy but not stuffy, expensive but not showy.
It’s totally you. I love it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley smiled brightly. “So do I. They did a great job with
the alterations.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“It’s going to be perfect for the pictures,” Kathy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I hope so.” Haley reverently touched her silky dress. “You
know, at first, I only agreed to do all of this—the designer dress, the fancy
cake, and all the flowers—because my mom and dad needed some promotional
pictures to get ready to open their B&B. But now, honestly, I’m really
getting into it. I guess it’s happened. I’ve officially caught bridal fever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“And why not?” Kathy said. “You only do this once. You
deserve this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I’m just glad I was able to get everyone to donate
everything in exchange for all the publicity this will hopefully bring them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy nodded. “Your parents are lucky they have a brand
specialist for a daughter who can work her magic and make all these things
happen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I’m just thankful all the renovations are finally done at
the Money Pit, in time for the wedding, and to open after Christmas,” Haley
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy gave her a look. “Hey, remember, you’re not supposed
to call it the Money Pit anymore? That’s bad karma. It’s now your parents’
beautifully restored Victorian that’s going to be one of the hottest B&Bs
in Massachusetts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley laughed. “As long as I’m still paying the bills on
it, I’m calling it the Money Pit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Fair enough,” Kathy said and smiled back at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A pretty salesclerk walked over to Haley holding a fabulous
bejeweled tiara and veil. “Are you ready to try this on?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley nodded, excited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the salesclerk arranged the veil, Haley shut her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Haley opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in
the mirror, she let out a small gasp. As she fought back tears of happiness,
she couldn’t believe this was really her life. She was getting married to a man
who was better than any dream she’d ever had. “I feel
like . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Cinderella?” Kathy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“No,” Haley laughed, breaking the spell. “I could never do
those glass slippers.” She thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “I feel
like Meghan Markel in my own fairy tale.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They all laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Haley struck the perfect princess pose, Kathy snapped
a quick picture with her phone. “Well, no one deserves a fairy tale more than
you and Meghan.” Kathy lifted her glass of champagne for a toast. “To the fairy
tale . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley held out her empty hands. “Wait, where’s my
champagne?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy was already pouring her a glass. “After you get out
of your dress.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I think that’s our cue,” the salesclerk said to Haley, as
she led her back into the dressing room and carefully help her out of her
dress. Haley, with a grateful smile, handed her the veil and tiara. “Thank you,
this is all perfect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The salesclerk smiled back at her. “We’ll have it all ready
for you up front. You’re going to look beautiful. This dress is perfect on you.
We can’t wait to see the pictures.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Thank you, again, for everything.” Haley gave her a grateful
smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few minutes later, Haley came out of the dressing room
wearing chic black pants, strappy high heels, and a sapphire-blue leather coat.
She looked every inch the success she was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Kathy handed her a glass of champagne, they clinked
glasses. “Now we can toast together. To my best friend getting married, chasing
her dreams, and creating her own happily ever after. You’re my inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley gave Kathy a heartfelt hug. “And thank you for being
here and doing all this with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy sipped her champagne, smiled. “You’re my best friend.
Where else would I be? Plus, I love the dress I get to wear.” Kathy walked over
to a gorgeous burgundy velvet cocktail dress that was hanging up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Only the best for my best woman,” Haley said. “It really
is going to look amazing on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I love that you’re not calling me your maid of honor,”
Kathy said. “The word ‘maid’ is too close to the word ‘old maid,’ and I don’t
need to be reminded . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley laughed. “We’re only thirty-three. You’re not an old
maid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Yeah, well tell that to my dating app where all the guys
only want to date hot twenty-year-olds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Then you need to find a better place to meet guys,” Haley
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Well, one of those places is supposed to be a wedding, but
then you decided to have this small, intimate wedding, so you’re not helping me
out one bit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley laughed. “So, you’re saying I should have done a big
wedding so you could meet someone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy poured herself more champagne. “Exactly. You’re
supposed to help me get my HEA.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley put her arm around her. “I’m sorry I let you down on
this one, but I know your happily ever after is just around the corner. Jeff’s
dad always says at Christmas anything is possible. You just have to believe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathy laughed. “And to think a year ago I was calling you
Grinchy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haley grinned back at her. “I guess my heart has grown
three sizes, just like the Grinch’s.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“And then some,” Kathy agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">About
the Author</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; mso-cellspacing: 2.2pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
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<tr style="height: 45.45pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="height: 45.45pt; padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Karen Schaler </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">is a
three-time Emmy Award–winning storyteller, author, screenwriter, journalist
and national TV host. She has written original screenplays for Netflix
and Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies. Her travels to more than
sixty-five countries as the creator and host of <i>Travel Therapy TV</i> inspired <i>Christmas
Camp</i>. All of Karen’s stories are uplifting, filled with heart and hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Author
social media handles </span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.twitter.com/karenschaler" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/karenschalerofficial" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://instagram.com/traveltherapy/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TravelTherapyTV/" target="_blank">YouTube</a> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">Other Books in the Series</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/39854447-christmas-camp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrAcrJWWSb0o3gqgVcEx3pr-Ydgl7FDDf4BqapPVmgRXCFdzB0sOsobtPt-Lmymm516aw_o9ZUGDXEiT4hGB3-gsRT4qIsrx7WwX488inoS4knrEEPyam6MMNxzdo4ltuFt7RaRHbNOhU/s200/39854447.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<br />Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-27666386943620765622018-11-15T17:36:00.000-08:002018-11-16T19:32:16.082-08:00Blog Tour, Excerpt, Giveaway & Review! The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-1422" src="http://www.authorspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/The-Christmas-Layover-Tour-Banner.jpg" height="240" width="640" /></span></div>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Meet the Author</i></span></h1>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.roberttatemiller.com/">Robert Tate Miller</a> was raised in the North Carolina mountain town of Hendersonville and began writing at an early age. He began his writing career with homespun essays of small town life that were published in such publications as Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s and wrote hugely successful family-oriented telefilms for NBC, ABC Family and the Hallmark Channel. Robert lives in Northridge, CA..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Connect: </strong><a href="http://www.roberttatemiller.com/">Site</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobertTateMiller">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Robtatemiller">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/856302.Robert_Tate_Miller">Goodreads</a>
</span></div>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>About the Book</i></span></h1>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://amzn.to/2D4TAuT" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-737" src="http://www.authorspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/The-Christmas-Layover.jpg" height="375" width="250" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Title: The Christmas Layover</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Author: Robert Tate Miller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Publisher/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Publication Date: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Entangled Bliss; November 12, 2018</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Format/Source: E-ARC; Publisher via NetGalley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Genre: Contemporary Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The weather forecasters said the snowstorm would miss the eastern seaboard. They were wrong. When Ally Henderson’s flight from Southern California to finally marry her fiancé in New York City on Christmas gets diverted to the tiny Midwestern town of Bethlehem, she’s desperate to get back in the air and to the Big Apple. But with all the airports closed, she’s forced to rely on Midwestern hospitality to wait out the storm. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Living with a welcoming stranger is one way to spend a snowed-in Christmas, but when she meets the local diner owner, the kindhearted and surprisingly sexy Jake, sparks fly. Only, Ally’s a big-city girl with big-city dreams, and Jake will always be a Bethlehem boy.</span></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Purchase:</strong> <a href="https://amzn.to/2D4TAuT">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2F2wVll">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://apple.co/2Ru16mE">AppleBooks</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2JDKo1r">Kobo</a></span></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Add to <a href="http://bit.ly/2Dlx15W" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Excerpt</i></b></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Let me get this straight,”
Ally said. “You sneak over here every December 22<span style="position: relative; top: -4pt;">nd </span>and build a snowman in the yard?”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Pretty much,” Jake said.
“Each year I have to wait a little longer because Maddie’s bedtime keeps
getting later.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“But what if there’s no
snow?”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Yeah, we did have that
problem a couple of years ago. Luckily, I have a buddy who works at Echo
Mountain Ski Resort. I drove two hours one-way to load up my pickup with
manmade snow. Had more than I needed, so I spread the rest in the yard.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ally smiled. <i>How sweet
that he would go to all that trouble</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Does Maddie know you’re the
culprit?” Ally asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“She pretends she doesn’t,”
Jake said. “Though I did catch her peeking out the window one night several
years back. To be honest, I think she enjoys the fantasy more than the
reality.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Don’t we all?” Ally said.
“So,” she added, “let’s get started.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jake swung open the gate. “I
like your attitude.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">He retrieved a canvas bag of
supplies that he kept hidden beneath the porch steps, explaining that he stowed
the bag at his sister’s so that he’d have the materials on hand year in and
year out when he stole over in the night to do this snowman-building deed. As
she worked side-by-side with Jake constructing the surprise snowman, Ally
noticed that he seemed a bit chattier than usual. She liked it. He was getting
more comfortable with her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So anyway,” Jake said,
“when this all started, Maddie was into <i>Bob the Builder</i>. That’s why she
named him Snowman Bob. One year, I put one of Mom’s wigs on him just to test
that, and she still called him Snowman Bob.” Ally laughed as she packed some
icy snow onto Bob’s mid- section. “Been doing it every year since she was four.
And, tomorrow morning, she’ll wake up, remember what day it is, run outside
and...here he’ll be.” Ally stepped back and took in their joint venture. They’d
been at it for about a half hour, and she thought they’d done a pretty fair
job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I bet this one’s the best
yet,” she said.</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah,” Jake said. “And it’s
all because of you.” “Oh really?” Ally asked. “Are you patronizing me?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Maybe a little,” Jake said.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Well, that won’t do.” Ally
picked up a clump of snow and flung it at him. “That’s what you get.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Oh, it’s on now!” Jake
said. He went to retaliate, quickly packing some frozen snow into a ball, while
Ally worked furiously to beat him to the punch. Ally’s shrieking laughter
echoed down the street, bouncing off the houses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re going to wake the
whole neighborhood,” Jake teased. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It’s your fault,” she said.
She picked up another handful of snow and plopped it on his head, then let out
another cackle of laughter that reverberated down the block. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Nice,” Jake said. “Real
nice. How would you like it down your back?” Jake grabbed a chunk of ice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Don’t you dare!” Ally said.
She made a halfhearted attempt to avoid capture, but Jake grabbed her around
the waist as Ally laughed so hard she could barely catch her breath. “Jake, you’d
better not! Ahhh! That’s cold!” Jake managed to slip a chunk of ice down her
collar, and Ally felt the freezing cold against her bare skin. As she squirmed
trying to dislodge it, Ally realized that, for the moment, at least, her
troubles were miles away. She felt girlish and euphoric. <i>So, this is what
fun feels like</i>, she thought. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The snow battle lasted no
more than a couple of minutes, but Ally felt like she’d had a real workout. If
there had been ringside judges, she felt she would have held her own, gotten a
split decision at the very least. Jake had just as much snow on him as she did.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The bout ended like some
clichéd romantic comedy with the participants tumbling into the snow, Jake
ending up on top of her, looking down into her face, which Ally could feel was
pink with flush. Her head rested on the firm snow, and she could feel the cold
on her exposed neck. They were both laughing and breathing hard, and then Ally
realized they were all alone and face-to-face. She felt calm and happy as she
looked up into his sea-blue eyes. <i>He’s got specks of brown in his pupils</i>,
she thought. She also picked out a few light freckles high on his cheeks that
she hadn’t seen before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">His eyes were locked on
hers, searching. She could sense him wanting to kiss her, and she felt a sudden
warmth rush through her. Ally recognized it instantly. Desire. She wanted that
kiss, wanted his lips on hers. She wanted to reach up and grab him by the lapel
and pull him down to her, but, instead, she waited. It was his move. <span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>My Thoughts</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In <i>The Christmas
Layover, </i>Robert Tate Miller did an amazing job of depicting the magic of the Christmas season. The strategic names of people and
places such as Noel and Bethlehem respectively, the heartbreak, the newly formed friendships, the fresh fallen snow, and the holiday baking with family and
friends added to the Christmas magic. I also loved the depiction of the
close-knit community members who supported Jake and Ally as they struggled with
their pasts and feelings for one another. All of these elements helped
set the tone of the story. And needless to say, I was hooked from page one. It
was simply the most heartwarming Christmas story I’ve read
this year!</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’d definitely recommend
this book to readers looking for their next holiday read.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Rating: 5/5</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>I received a copy of this book from the publisher for this review.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-27741684768572719762018-10-01T18:23:00.000-07:002018-10-01T18:24:36.336-07:00Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway! Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">ABOUT JILL SHALVIS<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVO2-crm7kg/W7KY_IlDM-I/AAAAAAAACqE/dMRiP_1BpRMFxjGwWIibu8HyqmvCkF7tACEwYBhgL/s1600/NEW%2BShalvis%2Bauthor%2Bphoto_credit%2BZR%2BStudios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVO2-crm7kg/W7KY_IlDM-I/AAAAAAAACqE/dMRiP_1BpRMFxjGwWIibu8HyqmvCkF7tACEwYBhgL/s320/NEW%2BShalvis%2Bauthor%2Bphoto_credit%2BZR%2BStudios.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">New York
Times</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> bestselling
author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky
characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um,
mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books
wherever romances are sold and visit her website, <a href="http://www.jillshalvis.com/" target="_blank">www.jillshalvis.com</a>,
for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her
city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>Connect
with Jill</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://jillshalvis.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Website</a> <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JillShalvis/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/JillShalvis/" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jillshalvis/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22370.Jill_Shalvis?from_search=true" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"> Goodreads</a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XkOMyAnIMpo/W7KZWCOTLzI/AAAAAAAACqM/tiN3sKrki0MfEoHGNUscNU-u9t5hGP93wCEwYBhgL/s1600/HotWinterNights_mm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XkOMyAnIMpo/W7KZWCOTLzI/AAAAAAAACqM/tiN3sKrki0MfEoHGNUscNU-u9t5hGP93wCEwYBhgL/s320/HotWinterNights_mm.JPG" width="202" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Title: Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay Novel, #6)</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Author: Jill Shalvis</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Publisher/Publication Date: Avon Books; September 25, 2018</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Format/Source: Paperback; Publisher</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Genre: Contemporary Romance</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BUY
LINKS for HOT WINTER NIGHTS</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2OEgags" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/2NVDppc" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> <a href="https://bit.ly/2NCSGs5" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/2NothpS" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"> Books-A-Million</a> <a href="https://apple.co/2G3I0zj" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">iBooks</a> <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y94r2c6f" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">GooglePlay</a></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">ABOUT HOT WINTER NIGHTS<u> </u>(a
standalone Heartbreaker Bay novel)</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Who
needs mistletoe?</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Most people
wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again,
Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and
she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since
spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing
happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being
a <i>little </i>naughty for once . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Whiskey and
pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember
that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if
Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing
a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest,
smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if
she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot
enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">EXCERPT<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
took Lucas Knight longer than it should have to realize he had a woman in his
bed, but to be fair, he had a bitch of a hangover. Even worse than that, last
night was a blur, prompting him to take quick stock. One, there was a bundle
of sweet, soft curves against him. Two, his head was currently threatening to
secede from the United States Of Lucas. And three, his side hurt like … well,
like he’d been shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It’d been two weeks since he’d
gotten caught in some crossfire on the job and he hadn’t yet been cleared for
more than light duty – something he’d obviously managed to ignore last night
given that he was palming a nice, warm, feminine ass.</span><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Think, man</i><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Straining his brain, he remembered
taking a pain med before going to O’Riley’s Pub to meet up with some friends.
A client had been there, someone he’d recently helped save from a
multi-million dollar corporate espionage. The guy had ordered shots to toast
to Lucas and … shit. Knowing better than to mix pain meds and alcohol, he’d hesitated,
but everyone had been waiting on him, glasses hoisted in the air. Thinking
just one shot couldn’t hurt anything, he’d knocked back the drink.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Clearly, he’d been wrong and it’d
been enough to mess him up big time, something he hadn’t been in years, not
since his brother Josh had been killed. Shoving that away for another time –
or never -- Lucas cracked open one eye, but when his retina was stabbed by a
streak of sunlight glaring in through the window, he immediately slammed it
shut it again. Taking a deep breath, he told himself to suck it up and opened
both eyes this time, learning two additional facts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was naked and completely
uncovered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">And the woman snugged up at his
side was rolled up in his comforter like a burrito.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">What. The. Hell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">MY
THOUGHTS</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">It’s October
1, 2018. The weather has started to cool down, and now is the time for me to
start reading those holiday themed books.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">My first pick
for this time of year is Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis. It’s a
contemporary romance novel with the case of a bad Santa. Christmastime is my
favorite time of year, so this was the perfect book to kick off the season of
holiday reading. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I absolutely
loved Hot Winter Nights. It’s the sixth book of the Heartbreaker Bay series. In
Hot Winter Nights, Shalvis presents the story of Molly and Lucas who both
work at the same private investigation firm. Molly is intent on conducting
investigations, but she struggles with an overbearing brother and boss. When
Lucas is assigned to protect her as she takes on her first case (the case of
the bad Santa), I like how sensible he is when dealing with her and her
brother. His actions throughout were simply swoon-worthy as he fought for her
love and encouraged others to give Molly the respect that she deserved. Molly
was the type of heroine that didn’t let anyone or anything hold her back from
doing the things she wanted, and I loved the fact that Lucas stood by her
decisions. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Overall, Hot
Winter Nights is a sweet, smexy, suspenseful romance novel. I would
definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance who also love
a touch of suspense.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Rating 4.5/5</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I received a copy of this book from
the publisher in exchange for this review.</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">GIVEAWAY!!!</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-85953488222277053002018-09-17T01:00:00.000-07:002018-09-17T01:00:04.171-07:00Entangled Suspense Sale!<div>
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<span id="goog_191903177"></span><span id="goog_191903178"></span><br />
Get ready for reads that are filled with romance, action, and suspense, each priced for just 99¢! So load up and dig into these romances that will keep you on the edge of your seats.<br />
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<b>Find all the sale books <a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/books/featured/on-sale.html?p=1&order=release_date&dir=desc&mode=grid" target="_blank">here</a>.</b><br />
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/black-rose.html">Black Rose by Jenna Ryan</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/witness-in-the-dark.html">Witness in the Dark by Allison B. Hanson</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/brazilian-revenge.html">Brazilian Revenge by Carmen Falcone</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/untouchable.html">Untouchable by Cindy Skaggs</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/nothing-but-trouble.html">Nothing But Trouble by J.L. Hammer</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/seal-of-honor.html">Seal of Honor by Tonya Burrows</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/her-desert-treasure.html" target="_blank">Her Desert Treasure by Larie Brannick</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/secrets-and-sins-gabriel-2387.html">Secrets and Sins: Gabriel by Naima Simone</a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/comes-the-night.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwT8Xeb6e1k-oM2XvnG4tulbWYTXH9r3bg2ARLRToLFcAlEobk2yIKzGx2fr1c2NuZjyxXW5hHvQ6LHRl2WX2eKKYeOxxW5-Y9LgB1gaSWzlgpzIzV_NM6kpfYgcI_n65VkaEvbyIbOk90/s320/CtN_Sale.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/comes-the-night.html">Comes the Night by Cathy Marlowe</a></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-91316346118118806562018-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:002018-09-10T00:01:09.124-07:00Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway! The Firefighter's Pretend Fiance by Victoria James<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2661" data-attachment-id="2661" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Tour Banner – The Firefighter’s Pretend Fiance by Victoria James" data-large-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=1100?w=1000" data-medium-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=1100?w=300" data-orig-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=1100" data-orig-size="1000,445" data-permalink="https://testerblog444.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=2661" height="284" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" src="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=1100" srcset="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png 1000w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=150 150w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=300 300w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/tour-banner-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.png?w=768 768w" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2662" data-attachment-id="2662" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1494444731","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Book Cover – The Firefighter’s Pretend Fiance by Victoria James" data-large-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=500" data-medium-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=200&h=300" data-orig-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg" data-orig-size="500,750" data-permalink="https://testerblog444.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=2662" height="300" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" src="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=200&h=300" srcset="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=200&h=300 200w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=400&h=600 400w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/book-cover-the-firefighters-pretend-fiance-by-victoria-james.jpg?w=100&h=150 100w" style="float: left; margin: 10px;" width="200" />Leaving Shadow Creek nine years ago was the hardest thing Molly Mayberry’s ever had to do…except maybe returning. She’s never regretted her choice, but a chance of a lifetime position at the local hospital means going home and facing her past, including her shrew of an estranged mother and the fiancé she ran out on. Ben Matthews is still the sexy, sweet man she left behind…and apparently still her fiancé.</div>
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Ben has been doggedly pursuing the position of fire chief since he was a teenager. There’s just one problem—he has to show his boss he’s ready to settle down. No matter how silly the condition, Ben will make it happen. And apparently so will his brother when he opens his mouth and decides to tell everyone Ben and Molly are engaged. Now the one woman he never stopped loving is living with him in a fake relationship, driving him crazy. Pretending only reminds him how right they were once, but if Ben gives in to the heat building between them, heartache is sure to follow.</div>
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<strong>Each book in the Shadow Creek, Montana series is STANDALONE</strong><br />
<em>* Christmas with the Sheriff </em><br />
<em>* The Baby Bombshell </em><br />
<em>* The Doctor’s Redemption </em><br />
<em>* Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep</em><br />
<em>* The Firefighter’s Pretend Fiance</em></div>
<br />
<h3>
About the Book</h3>
<strong>The Firefighter’s Pretend Fiance</strong><br />
by Victoria James<br />
<strong>Series</strong><br />
Shadow Creek, Montana Series<br />
<strong>Genre</strong><br />
Adult<br />
Contemporary Romance<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong><br />
Entangled Bliss<br />
<strong>Publication Date</strong><br />
September 10, 2018<br />
<strong>Purchase Your Copy Today!</strong><br />
<a href="https://amzn.to/2LxOFDj" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://goo.gl/Dm1fMn" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Entangled Publishing</a> | <a href="https://goo.gl/VMQG7H" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://goo.gl/DnMzDa" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a> | <a href="https://apple.co/2wfFYIM" rel="noopener" target="_blank">iBooks</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Excerpt</h3>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-e2cac490-7fff-d6f6-0f2e-371be6c781ef"><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prologue</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly Mayberry knew she was living her best life.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She was twenty and had just completed her second year of med school. Some called her a genius, but she had always just thought of herself as a hard worker. She’d finished high school by the time she was fifteen and had completed her undergrad by eighteen. Not having a social life helped—except this summer, everything had changed for her. She had met a guy—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no, a man</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—who saw her for more than just some weird, smart girl; he got her on every level.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She was going to marry Ben Matthews. They were going to have two or three children. They were going to buy a ranch house with a view of the mountains. They would raise their family in Shadow Creek, Montana, because it was idyllic, filled with old-school, American values. People greeted each other on the sidewalk, helped a neighbor in need, and believed in community.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ben and Molly were destined to live happily ever after.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and waved to Ben when she spotted him entering the fairgrounds. He was pretty easy to spot, with his height and athletic build. He was one of the town sweethearts. Their small town did like to play favorites, and he and his brother, Finn, were amongst them. Their father was the local fire chief, and both boys were following in their father’s footsteps. That seemed to add to their appeal. She knew full well that half the single female population thought of Ben and Finn as the hottest catches for miles around. She had to agree. But for some reason, gorgeous, sweet, fearless, Ben had sought her out. Though they had only been dating for three months while she was home for the summer, she knew he was her soul mate.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hi beautiful,” he said, shooting her that grin that made her giddy and kept her smiling as she fell asleep at night. He leaned down to give her a kiss that was respectable enough for a public display, but hinted at what she knew would come later, in private.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hi,” she said, still holding on to him.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He took her hand and they started walking amongst the crowds where all the food vendors had lined up alongside booths with various craft items and local artisan products. They spent the day holding hands and walking and talking and eating. He shared his pumpkin pie, and she shared her fries and gravy. He won her a giant stuffed bear at the ring toss, and they kissed on the Ferris wheel as dusk settled and enveloped them, making everything surreal.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly had always wanted to go to the Harvest Festival Twilight Dance, and this would be her first time attending. After many wardrobe changes, with her sisters’ approval, she’d finally settled on a navy sundress with a cropped matching cardigan and sandals. She was pretty sure Ben, who was three years older than her, had attended the dance many times before, but she wasn’t worried or insecure. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. He pulled her close on the makeshift dancefloor, under the umbrella of twinkling white lights and starlit sky. He smelled crisp and clean with a hint of citrus. He led them to the corner where they were partially shielded by a grouping of aspen on the outskirts of the grounds.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The teasing sparkle that she was used to seeing in his eyes changed, and he looked serious as he raised his hands to frame her face. She tried not to audibly sigh out loud. She was vaguely aware that she was naive and inexperienced compared to him, but he never made her feel that way. He made her feel like they were both incredibly in awe of each other, of this special love they’d found.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I knew the minute you spilled your coffee on the front of my shirt outside of the library that you were special. I knew by the end of our first date that I loved you. And I know now that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know you still have years left of school, and I’m not working full time yet, but I’m yours, if you’ll have me. I haven’t got a ring yet because I want to save enough to get you the one you deserve to have. So I guess what I’m asking is—”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She didn’t wait for him to finish. She jumped into his arms and said yes. She said yes to whatever he was offering because she felt the same way. They were young, and they had their whole lives ahead of them.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He spun her around, and they laughed and kissed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She held on to him like they would have a thousand tomorrows.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She held on to him with the belief that life would play out exactly as they wanted, like their sheltered world could protect them from the gut-wrenching heartache that the real world could lash out, without any warning.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly held on to Ben that night, certain nothing could ever tear them apart, certain that love could conquer all, and that the good guys always won.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter One</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nine Years Later</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly Mayberry didn’t really believe in happily ever after. What almost-thirty-year-old did?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She had grown up, was an adult, a successful pediatrician with no desire to ever get married or have a family of her own. Molly had found out how cruel life could be, how easily innocence could be ripped from a person. She knew this firsthand, and she knew this as a pediatrician who sometimes had to deliver shattering news to a parent. There was nothing that could prepare a person for sudden events or devastating medical news, which was why she had learned not to get attached to people. When you grew too attached to people you had the power to destroy them, and they could do the same to you. It was also why she’d stayed away from her hometown of Shadow Creek for nine years. She had hurt too many people there.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But now she was back to fill a one-year contract position at the new pediatric health center at their regional hospital. It was an opportunity of a lifetime. The new medical center was a state of the art, forty-million-dollar pediatric center that had attracted some of the best pediatric surgeons, oncologists, and specialists. It was desperately needed and would save thousands of children having to leave the state for specialized health care. When she was offered the position, she couldn’t have turned it down. She could handle one year in Shadow Creek before embarking on a new chapter in her life and joining Doctors Without Borders in Mexico. Coming back had never been part of her life plan but excelling at her career was. She didn’t like staying in one place too long anymore.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her plan was not to socialize with anyone from her past. They weren’t just ghosts that haunted her in her dreams; here they were alive, and they could judge and condemn her. It was impossible to hide in a town like Shadow Creek. So far, because of her crazy work hours, she’d managed to avoid most people on her top-ten list for the last month.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No one in small towns ever forgot, and small towns never changed. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, some things changed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, she thought as she stared up at The Chocolatiers shop sign that promised chocolate and coffee.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly peaked through the glass door, making sure her mother wasn’t inside. Then she did a second scan to make sure the man she’d been almost engaged to—the one </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">she’d</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> broken up with abruptly—wasn’t in there. It had been callous, but it had been her only choice at the time. He’d never understand; no one would.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It occurred to her she might not even know what Ben looked like now. Well, she could guess. He was probably gorgeous. And married. For sure married. Running into him and his wife would be a disaster for her because she’d never gotten over him. She would think of Ben without wanting to. Sometimes she’d see a young family and there would be something about the man that would remind her of him. He’d hold out a chair for his wife, or take her hand while she was speaking, or he’d be pushing a stroller and jogging; that’s what Ben would have done. When she felt guilty, she’d wish that he’d gotten over her really quickly and found a lovely woman and had started a family. When it was really late at night and she was exhausted from work and lying in her bed, alone, she’d imagine herself with Ben. She’d imagine their house, their kids, she’d imagine him laughing and kissing her. Sometimes that was the only way she’d fall asleep. She’d imagine that nothing horrible had ever happened to her, that happily ever after had been in the cards for her. It was hard to picture that version of herself, the girl who actually wanted marriage and kids. But it was right for Ben; he would have made a great father and husband.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The door to the shop opened, and an elderly man held it for her. She smiled, the gesture forcing her back to reality. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stop thinking about Ben</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Those days were long gone. They were barely adults back then. He probably hadn’t given her a second thought.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sweet aroma of chocolate and coffee doused her senses as she stepped into the charming shop. It was already bustling despite the early morning hour. She took her place in line and continued to admire the decor and the enticing display of handmade truffles, bags of locally roasted coffee, and baked goods.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh my gosh, is that you? Molly, right?” a pretty and very pregnant brunette woman said from behind the counter when it was her turn.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly sucked in a breath and then smiled. “Gwen Bailey! How are you?” She and Gwen had grown up together despite a slight age difference. She also knew Gwen was now married to one of her new colleagues, Dr. Luke Thomson, at the hospital.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Great. Really great, but crazy busy,” she said with a laugh. “It’s so good to see you. Luke told me you were back in town.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly smiled at her. “I am, I am. I’m happy to be here,” she said, lying like a pro.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The new pediatrics center is gorgeous and such a blessing for the community,” Gwen said.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She nodded. As a pediatrician, it was a dream come true to work at the new facility. Being offered the position as head of the department was her crowning career achievement, especially at her age. She’d only had to sacrifice her adolescence…her dreams and entire adulthood to reach it. But she loved her career. She loved the babies, the children. “I’m really blessed to be working there. They have state-of-the-art operating and delivery rooms, and the staff have been so welcoming. Especially Luke. He’s made me feel right at home. And he talks about you and the baby nonstop,” she said with a smile.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gwen laughed. “He’s becoming slightly unbearable, but I can’t complain. He’s already said you’re the best around, and when this little baby decides to make her appearance, you’re the only one he’s trusting as our pediatrician.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly smiled. “Well, I’d be honored.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He mentioned you’re also working at the new women’s shelter.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly nodded again. She didn’t like getting into that too much. People thought of it as a big deal that she was visiting mothers and children who didn’t have insurance. She saw it as her duty. On some level, she thought that maybe it was therapeutic. Maybe even a penance of sorts, but she didn’t let herself dwell on that, because it had the potential to derail the life she’d put together for herself. “It’s not a big deal. I’m happy to help… I hate to cut this short, but I know you have a big lineup, and I need to get to the hospital. Could I get the largest coffee you have and maybe one of those chocolate croissants I see your husband eating all the time?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gwen started pouring coffee. “Coming right up! He can eat and eat and never gain a pound,” she said over her shoulder.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It’s a guy thing. Totally unfair,” Molly said, tapping her fingers on the gleaming white marble counter.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I know,” Gwen said with a sigh, placing a white paper bag and white takeout coffee cup on the counter.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly handed her the correct change and picked up her cup, aware of the long line. “Sorry to have chatted your ear off!” she said, backing up.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gwen waved a hand as she helped the next customer. “No way. Great seeing you, Molly. Welcome home.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Thanks. Take care of yourself. I’ll see you soon,” Molly said, walking away. She added cream to her coffee at the far end of the marble counter, contemplating the welcome home. Home. She hadn’t thought of Shadow Creek as home in over a decade, and she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about making it her home again. Nine years ago, everything had changed for her, including her relationship with her family. Being in Shadow Creek meant running into her mother often. Her sisters were long gone as well, and she missed them. It was for the best though; she’d hurt them.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She snapped the lid on her coffee, deep in the black hole of family problems, and didn’t even notice her mother standing in front of her. Molly inhaled sharply as she almost bumped into her. Her mother stood there, looking as though she hadn’t aged a bit, but even worse, she looked as though she hadn’t softened, either. There wasn’t an ounce of emotion in her overly made-up face. “Hello, Molly. I would have thought you would have had the courtesy to at least call me and let me know you were back in town.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly wrapped her hands around her coffee cup and tried to keep her temper in check. “Hello, Mother. I’ve been busy. I believe you stopped keeping tabs on me a long time ago.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her mother’s eyes flashed. “I heard you were offered the prestigious position as head of pediatrics. You must be pleased with yourself. You are the youngest doctor to have ever achieved that at the hospital.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly stiffened as her mother spoke. Even though it was a small town and news traveled fast, her mother knew a few too many details for her own comfort. Of course, it was always about prestige with her mother. Some things never changed. “I’m happy and honored,” she said, stepping to the side of the now-crowded bakery. She wanted out of here. It felt too loud, too noisy, too hot for her liking. “I need to get to work now.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her mother reached out to grasp her arm and Molly paused. “Molly, things don’t have to be this way. It pains me that you’ve distanced yourself from me.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly looked away from her mother’s sharp stare. She gently withdrew her arm from her mother’s grasp. “I don’t need to be guilted. You know why I don’t call or come home. Stop pretending nothing happened. What happened will never magically go away, as much as I’d love that. It just won’t. I’m here for work and nothing else.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her mother pursed her lips, and Molly ignored the stab of guilt she felt. She didn’t need this. It was too early in the day for family drama. This was why she’d hesitated for a long time before accepting the position. Her mother always manipulated everyone to get what she wanted. Nine years ago was the last time she’d allowed her to do so. “Well, I can see you are still my most stubborn child. Thankfully, your sisters don’t feel the same as you. They are coming home for Christmas as they always do. Now that you live here, I expect you will be joining us.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her cheeks were burning. Christmas wasn’t even on her radar; it was months away. Somehow, her mother always found a way to get what she wanted. Even though she wasn’t close with Melody and Addie anymore, she knew she couldn’t avoid them if they were in town, but it didn’t make things easier for her. She’d treated a lot of people very poorly in order to protect them. “Fine. See you in three months,” she said, walking away, trying to weave through the crowd before she ran into someone else she knew.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wait, Molly,” her mother called after her.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She paused and turned around, not wanting to cause a scene, and waited for whatever else it was her mother needed to say.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Do you need help finding a house? I just signed a gorgeous listing with a view of the mountains. It’s a newly built home, very large, with all the bells and whistles.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She tried to keep her snarky comments to herself, even though she was tempted to say something. Her mother, in addition to being mayor of Shadow Creek, was also a realtor. Her priorities had always been work, money, and letting the town know she had plenty of both. “I don’t need large, and I don’t need bells and whistles. I’m not sure I’m buying anything, because I’m leaving in a year and won’t be staying here permanently.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, still. Buy now and even if you have to sell, I’m sure you’ll clear a tidy profit.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m staying at the inn because it’s easy and comfortable. If and when I look for a home, I’ll call Julia Donovan.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her mother’s perfectly manicured and bejewelled hand flew to her chest. “You’d go with Julia Donovan over me?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I was friends with Julia in high school.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m your </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mother.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We both know you failed me when I needed you most,” Molly said, backing up a step. She needed to leave. She had way too busy of a day to have her mother and their gruesome history railroad it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You have a selective memory. When the going got tough you called me first.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly shut her eyes. When the going got tough. What a callous way of putting what had happened to her. “Goodbye, Mother.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, just to warn you, because I really do care about you, Ben Matthews is still in town. He’s worked his way up to captain.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly wasn’t surprised. That had always been his dream. “So?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her mother rolled her eyes. “Stay away from him so you don’t make a fool of yourself. He’s never forgiven you, and he’s given me the cold shoulder ever since. I’m trying to spare you the humiliation of having him snub you.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She didn’t know what her mother’s angle was but looking out for her was not it. She didn’t care enough to find out or to get involved in one of her plans. “Goodbye, Mother.” This time her mother didn’t call after her.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She breathed a sigh of relief when she opened the door and drew in a deep gulp of crisp, fall air as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Luckily, she didn’t even have time to dwell in the anger and hurt because her phone indicated she had a voicemail. She marched down the sidewalk, her phone in one hand and her coffee in the other as she glanced down at her screen to retrieve the message. Then she proceeded to walk into a wall.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The wall had a voice, a deep, very familiar voice. The voice was cursing. “Hell, I heard you were back in town.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anxiety gripped her and she dropped her cup of coffee on the sidewalk. She didn’t want to see him. She didn’t want to talk to him. It was too much too soon—first her mother then Ben. She refused to think about the first time she’d spilled coffee on him, because this time things were different. Now he hated her. Back then he’d laughed and flirted, and it had been the beginning of the most amazing time in her life. Now she was filled with shame for the way she’d treated him.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She wasn’t prepared to see him. She knelt down to pick up her cup, trying to get her emotions under control, and then stood, looking way up, past the well-worn jeans that hugged his athletic form, the coffee-stained T-shirt with the SCFD logo on the front that clung to a wide and solid chest, to the face that was even more devastating than in her dreams. She put on her professional serene doctor face and forced a smile, despite the churning in her stomach. “I’m so sorry, Ben. There must have been an uneven piece of sidewalk. Uh, nice to see you.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His jaw was tight, his eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses. “Sure.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She ignored the snub and blurted out the sentiment she should have said in a card or email when she’d heard about his dad passing a few years back. She clutched the shoulder strap on her Kate Spade purse, her sweating hands a pathetic testament to his effect on her still. “I’m sorry about your father… I would have called but…”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His jaw clenched and unclenched a few times, and she didn’t know if he was going to answer. He pulled off his glasses and she felt so tiny, so insignificant, when his opinion of her shone in his eyes, louder and clearer than any words could ever vocalize.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ben had the perfect family. He’d been raised by good people, and he and his brother had always been inseparable. They had followed in their father’s footsteps and had both become firefighters. She’d heard about his father dying in a building while trying to rescue a child. The child had survived, but he hadn’t.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly adored his mother and had spent many summer afternoons chatting with her on their front porch, sipping iced tea while waiting for Ben to come back from work. That had been the best summer of her life. She’d fallen in love for the first and only time, and her future had looked idyllic. She looked away from Ben’s gaze for a moment. She hated thinking of what their opinion of her must be now.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“How are your mother and Finn?” she asked.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His dark eyes clouded over. “My mother is sick.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her heart sank. “Oh, Ben, I’m sorry to hear that. Will she be okay?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He gave a shrug. “We’re not sure.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She didn’t feel right asking for details. She’d love to visit Marjorie and be supportive, but she didn’t think she’d be welcome after the way she’d treated her son. “Please let her know that if she needs anything…”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He looked like he wanted to make a smart comment, but he just gave her a terse nod.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I should probably get going. I have a full day ahead,” she said.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wouldn’t want to keep you from your priorities,” he said, the bite in his voice hurting as much as predicted.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She forced a smile, determined to keep up the image she’d given him nine years ago. “Thank you. Nice to see you.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #171717; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She walked away from him on legs that felt like they weren’t strong enough to carry her away from him again.</span></div>
</span></div>
<h3>
Tour Wide Giveaway</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To celebrate the release of <strong>THE FIREFIGHTER’S PRETEND FIANCE by Victoria James</strong>, we’re giving away for a $25 Amazon gift card!</div>
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<strong>GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:</strong> Open internationally. One winner will be chosen to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Entangled Publishing. Giveaway ends 9/14/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Entangled Publishing will send one winning prize, Pure Textuality PR will deliver the other. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted. <a href="http://bit.ly/2PaFmeG" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE TO ENTER!</strong></a></div>
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About Victoria James</h3>
<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2660" data-attachment-id="2660" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Author Pic – Victoria James" data-large-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg?w=1100?w=230" data-medium-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg?w=1100?w=230" data-orig-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg?w=1100" data-orig-size="230,230" data-permalink="https://testerblog444.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=2660" sizes="(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px" src="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg?w=1100" srcset="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg 230w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/author-pic-victoria-james.jpg?w=150 150w" /><br />
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<strong>VICTORIA JAMES</strong> is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.</div>
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Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.</div>
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In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.</div>
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Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.</div>
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Sign up for Victoria’s Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from readers!</div>
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<a href="http://forms.aweber.com/form/53/897084453.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> | <a href="http://www.victoriajames.ca/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/victoria.james.7146557" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/VicJames101" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vicjames101/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://goo.gl/Ua2bJE" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2PCvjzU" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="https://puretextualitypr.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.</a></div>
<a href="https://puretextualitypr.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-112" data-attachment-id="112" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="PTPR New Logo – Email 2" data-large-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png?w=337" data-medium-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png?w=300&h=88" data-orig-file="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png" data-orig-size="337,99" data-permalink="https://testerblog444.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=112" height="88" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png?w=300&h=88" srcset="https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png?w=300&h=88 300w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png?w=150&h=44 150w, https://testerblog444.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/ptpr-new-logo-email-2.png 337w" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a>Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-18071584104408881672018-08-31T12:45:00.000-07:002018-08-31T12:48:44.941-07:00Review: Tempted by Love (Montana Heat, #3) by Jennifer Ryan<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Title:
Tempted by Love (Montana Heat, #3)<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author:
Jennifer Ryan<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher/Publication
Date: Avon Books; August 21, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Format/Source:
Paperback; Publisher<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Genre:
Contemporary Romance<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tempted-Love-Montana-Heat-Novel/dp/0062645293/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535739783&sr=8-1&keywords=Tempted+by+Love+Jennifer+Ryan" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempted-by-love-jennifer-ryan/1129072260?ean=9780062645296#/" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36137536-tempted-by-love?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Book
Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36137536-tempted-by-love?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She was this Montana Man’s greatest temptation .
. .</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
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Alina Cooke—little sister of his two best friends—is the last woman DEA agent
Jay Bennett should be waking up next to on the day of her brother’s wedding.
But their powerful attraction ignited a powder keg of desire, and their once
simple friendship has just become impossibly complicated.<br />
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Alina’s always been steady, focused, and lived on the safe side of life. Jay
is totally devoted to his dangerous job. She knows a future with him will be
filled with worry that one day he won’t come home. She’s done it with her
brothers. She’s not sure she can face that uncertainty with the man she
loves. Yet being in his arms is a bad idea they keep repeating, again and
again.<br />
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When Alina is run off the road, Jay fears his job has made her a target. But
the threat in Alina’s life is closer than they think. As the enemy gets more
ruthless, Alina proves she’s no easy target and Jay will do anything to bring
them down. Because surviving and being together is the only thing that
matters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My Thoughts<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Tempted by Love,
Jennifer Ryan presents the story of Alina Cooke, a pharmacist, and Jay Bennett,
a DEA agent. The actions of these two characters created the perfect recipe for
an exciting contemporary romance novel with danger around every corner.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve read a couple of
books by Jennifer Ryan, <i>When It’s Right</i> and <i>At
Wolf’s Ranch</i> and have liked both of them. In the past, I’ve found
the characters were really </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">likable</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> from the start,
but in <i>Tempted by Love</i>, the characters had to grow on me.
Initially, their fast moving physically charged relationship made it
difficult for me to get engrossed in the story. There were moments when Alina
was depicted as being a strong heroine, but she would go on to be too
forgiving and caring about people even when they weren’t looking out for her
best interest. And when Alina found herself in harrowing situations she made
irrational decisions that resulted in more dangerous situations. And that’s
what got me hooked—Alina and her affinity for danger. As for Jay, he
initially appeared overprotective. Actually, the characteristics that I found
bothersome at first, worked well as the action intensified and the story
progressed.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the end, I
liked <i>Tempted by Love</i>. I would recommend reading this book if you
like contemporary romance novels riddled with heat and danger.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Rating 3/5</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I received a copy of
this book from the publisher for this review.</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-30806927576688257072018-04-16T16:27:00.000-07:002018-04-16T16:27:04.870-07:00New Release! Too Hard to Resist by Robin Bielman<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_8754682089455682463mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="m_8754682089455682463mcnTextBlockOuter">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TOO HARD TO RESIST by Robin Bielman is out today! Get your copy and fall in love today!</span></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://amzn.to/2Hrpy76&source=gmail&ust=1524005363402000&usg=AFQjCNHiU-WwRpZcfojZ0CP1fihwwelxhg" href="https://amzn.to/2Hrpy76" style="color: #00add8;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://bit.ly/2H3ww2x&source=gmail&ust=1524005363402000&usg=AFQjCNGORvy516VwFbt16m8qcJkWIz76Rg" href="https://bit.ly/2H3ww2x" style="color: #00add8; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>About the Book</i></b><br /><strong>One rookie assistant + one demanding executive = flirting that is too hot to handle.</strong><br /><br />Have you ever wished for the perfect job? Me, too. So when I land a temporary gig with a worthwhile and exemplary startup, I'm determined to make it permanent. That my boss is the gorgeous, clever Elliot Sax is nothing I can't handle. We may steal glances at each other and straddle the line of playing it safe, but our partnership is too important for complications. Not to mention workplace hookups are against the rules.<br /><br />But when our attraction flames hotter, our best efforts are put to the test. I never imagined having to fight my feelings for him on a daily basis and keeping my hands to myself is absolutely killing me.<br /><br />Until I can't. Until we can't. And what's at stake becomes more than our jobs. What's at risk is our hearts.</span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-72621181226266956952018-03-22T23:44:00.000-07:002018-03-22T23:44:17.809-07:00Cover Reveal: Under a Storm-Swept Sky by Beth Anne Miller<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xaz2J8t8idw/WrSeAZCOyfI/AAAAAAAACf0/9LR09mffuA4wijYrw46NZ68PHKO14IRNwCLcBGAs/s1600/SKY%2Bcover%2Breveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xaz2J8t8idw/WrSeAZCOyfI/AAAAAAAACf0/9LR09mffuA4wijYrw46NZ68PHKO14IRNwCLcBGAs/s320/SKY%2Bcover%2Breveal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Title: Under a Storm-Swept Sky</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>Author: Beth Anne Miller</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Embrace);April 16, 2018</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>Genre: Contemporary Romance</i></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>About the Book<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: white;">An eighty-mile trek across the rugged, stunning
beauty of Scotland’s Isle of Skye isn't something I imagined myself doing.
Ever. This isn't a trail for beginners. And I'm not a hiker. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: white;">But I have to finish it, even if it kills me. I have
no choice.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: white;">With the ever-changing weather and relentless
terrain, I’m in over my head.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU; mso-highlight: white;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: white;">Rory Sutherland, my guide on this adventure, is not happy.
We clash with every mile, but we recognize a shared pain. Not only is the
journey a struggle, but the tension between us is taut with unsaid words. And
hope.<br />
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He’s broken. I’m damaged. Together, we’re about to make the perfect
storm. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39318829-under-a-storm-swept-sky" target="_blank"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goodreads Link</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Praise for Under a Storm-Swept Sky:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Beth Anne
Miller hits it out of the park with </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Under
a Storm-Swept Sky<i>. Beautifully evocative and romantic, you feel as if you
are right there with Rory and Amelia as they hike the treacherous countryside
of Skye on a journey of discovery and love.”</i> – Monica McCarty, New York
Times & USA Today bestselling author of <i>Going Dark</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%;">"Beautifully
evocative and romantic."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%;"> - NYT bestseller, Monica
McCarty</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">"It's impossible not to get swept away by this heart-pounding
read.”</span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> —Kelly
Siskind, author of <i>Stud</i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>About Beth Anne Miller<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Beth Anne
Miller has a fascination for all things Scottish (including, but not limited
to, men in kilts), which has influenced all her writing to date. Her first
novel is a time travel called INTO THE SCOTTISH MIST; her second, A STAR TO
STEER HER BY, has a Scottish hero; and her newest book, UNDER A STORM-SWEPT
SKY, is set on the Isle of Skye, and was inspired by her own long-distance
treks in Scotland. A native New Yorker, Beth Anne lives on Long Island and
works in the publishing industry. She’s looking forward to her next trip to
Scotland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>Beth’s Media Links<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.bethannemiller.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://twitter.com/1bethannemiller" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Author Twitter</a> </span><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/1bethannemiller/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Author Facebook</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<br />Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-65497842866862822362018-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:002018-01-26T16:42:20.917-08:00Cover Reveal! The Curse by Harper A. Brooks<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IA3_Dw2-r3Y/WmrZ_GvnR6I/AAAAAAAACaI/rauI3RQQjLkp0uW4uOjMzrbvcrqu4ANegCLcBGAs/s1600/TheCurse-500px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IA3_Dw2-r3Y/WmrZ_GvnR6I/AAAAAAAACaI/rauI3RQQjLkp0uW4uOjMzrbvcrqu4ANegCLcBGAs/s320/TheCurse-500px.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i>Title: The Curse</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i>Author: Harper A. Brooks <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i>Publisher/Expected Publication Date: Entangled Publishing; February 26, 2018</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i>About the Book</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">For
wolf-shifters like Astrid marked by the curse, time is running out. If she
doesn’t find her soul’s mate before her twenty-fifth Blue Moon rises, she will
die. And with only three weeks left, things aren’t looking good for her. True
love just doesn’t fall out of the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Lone wolf
Erec is determined to stop a crazed killer from harming anyone else. Even if it
means helping a rival pack. But he never expected to feel such a pull for the
alpha’s beautiful daughter, Astrid. He doesn’t have time for distractions if he
wants to find a killer before his final Blue Moon rises. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Danger looms,
and the swirling patterns on their skin mark them for death, but Astrid and
Erec are willing to do whatever it takes to save the pack, even if they die
trying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38205418-the-curse" target="_blank">Goodreads Link</a><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i>About Harper
A. Brooks</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RSi_nf7l8Y0/WmrZ_NofOlI/AAAAAAAACaM/8ykDe3aunrAZD-b8q35wb3e_eaH2-cavQCEwYBhgL/s1600/KrysPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1099" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RSi_nf7l8Y0/WmrZ_NofOlI/AAAAAAAACaM/8ykDe3aunrAZD-b8q35wb3e_eaH2-cavQCEwYBhgL/s320/KrysPhoto.jpg" width="219" /></a></i></b></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; padding: 0in;">Harper
A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic
authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn
to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn’t creating
entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find
her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her
furry, four-legged son, Sammy.</span><span style="color: #626262; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; padding: 0in;">She
writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.</span><span style="color: #626262; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.harperabrooks.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.harperabrooks.com/blog" target="_blank">Blog</a> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/harperabrooks" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> (@harperabrooks) </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/harperabrooks" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><b><i><span style="background: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/245573029185006/" target="_blank">Author Street Team/Facebook Group: H.A.B.’s Originals</a></span></i></b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></b></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-76403985531000282682017-12-05T23:46:00.000-08:002017-12-05T23:46:03.602-08:00Review: Kroger's Rice Bitz Cereal<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_nK593ev6k/WiefTAD1pfI/AAAAAAAACXQ/liwew-uFyg4Na0KwB6JTdgH9--TzuOndACLcBGAs/s1600/20171024_192104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_nK593ev6k/WiefTAD1pfI/AAAAAAAACXQ/liwew-uFyg4Na0KwB6JTdgH9--TzuOndACLcBGAs/s200/20171024_192104.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the end of October, I received a free sample of Kroger’s cereal, Rice Bitz from My Magazine Sharing Network for review. I
was pleasantly surprised by the great taste. The taste is comparable to other
well-known toasted rice cereals. And I am impressed by the fact that it has
no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It’s
a good cereal to have with almond milk and a serving of fruit. Some of my
family members even added a dash of cinnamon to their bowl of cereal. I also
enjoyed Rice Bitz as a midmorning snack mixed with nuts and raisins. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN49MnAzV11s_7JYon_JgcGi8qUhBAwcArwIsGCrq67Xv6GKsFH4aD78WdXjPbt6JzDvS-709hV15QID7FcxS7zol4F66OHIFbzFuqZfaoegujBt522l_1h2DYdzgj-bg6AdXQk7xOhlgs/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="294" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN49MnAzV11s_7JYon_JgcGi8qUhBAwcArwIsGCrq67Xv6GKsFH4aD78WdXjPbt6JzDvS-709hV15QID7FcxS7zol4F66OHIFbzFuqZfaoegujBt522l_1h2DYdzgj-bg6AdXQk7xOhlgs/s200/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Overall,
I simply love this cereal and will definitely buy it as well as other Kroger’s
brand products in the future!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>I received a free box of Rice Bitz from My Magazine Sharing Network for this Review!</i></b></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-44714117820513591462017-11-30T23:57:00.001-08:002017-11-30T23:57:43.555-08:00Blog Tour, Excerpt: Cajun Crazy by Sandra Hill<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g0Jya5QaHdA/WiD4OyvUH2I/AAAAAAAACWM/VtvicIWWUUY7egIROxGbkExN5JQ0shnlACLcBGAs/s1600/SANDRA%2BHILL%2Bphoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g0Jya5QaHdA/WiD4OyvUH2I/AAAAAAAACWM/VtvicIWWUUY7egIROxGbkExN5JQ0shnlACLcBGAs/s320/SANDRA%2BHILL%2Bphoto.JPG" width="250" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ABOUT SANDRA HILL<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sandra
Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than ten years as a
features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking
the lighter side of even the darkest stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Connect with Sandra<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.sandrahill.net/" target="_blank">Website</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook:
@SandraHillAuthor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: @SandraHillAuth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/177305.Sandra_Hill?from_search=true" target="_blank">GoodReads</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGoWiIJm2-g/WiD4Oy1L1jI/AAAAAAAACWQ/zIG-5hAz08odNpUL5ZoAduKyMv8kRgJGgCEwYBhgL/s1600/CajunCrazy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGoWiIJm2-g/WiD4Oy1L1jI/AAAAAAAACWQ/zIG-5hAz08odNpUL5ZoAduKyMv8kRgJGgCEwYBhgL/s320/CajunCrazy.JPG" width="202" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Title: Cajun Crazy</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author: Sandra Hill</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher/Publication Date: Avon Books; November 28, 2017</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Format/Source: Paperback, Publisher</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Genre: Contemporary Romance</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ABOUT CAJUN CRAZY<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Welcome
back to New York Times bestseller Sandra Hill’s Cajun country,
where love heats up the Louisiana bayou . . .</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Former
Chicago cop Simone LeDeux is back home in the bayou, sharing a double wide in
the Pearly Gates trailer park to help her mama recover from surgery. Her one
rule: <i>no</i> Cajun men. Loved and left by too many
double-crossing Cajuns, Simone puts bad experience to good use by opening
Legal Belles: an agency that uncovers cheating spouses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Suddenly
she’s confronting a two-timer about to swindle his wife out of millions and
antagonizing New Orleans bigwigs over an illegal sex club. Adam Lanier learns
of the dangerous game Simone is playing . . . and the sexy single dad comes
to her aid. Known as a rogue in the courtroom and a player in the bedroom,
the ragin’ Cajun has Simone <i>triply</i> on guard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
their crazy chemistry, danger on their trail, and infamous LeDeux
relative Tante Lulu working her magical matchmaking, the bayou has never been
this steamy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <b> </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BUY LINKS<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2zECtz6" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </span><a href="http://bit.ly/2hjeUnY" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/2iD9uk9" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="http://apple.co/2yExiPC" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">iBooks</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/2zlApvi" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">GooglePlay</a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">EXCERPT<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“I’ve been attracted to you from the first
moment we met.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“I’m surprised that you would admit that.
Kind of lessens your odds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“You’re assuming this is a game. I’m too old
to play games. Actually, they never interested memuch. How about you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Oh, games can be fun sometimes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Tease!” Adam said with a chuckle and nipped
her on the chin with his teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t a kiss or a bite, but she felt it
all the way down to “Red-dy and Willing,” the color of her toenail polish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Simone remembered her bad history with Cajun
men and her resolution to avoid them in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Um, I think it’s time to cut this flower in
the bud. I am not going to do this again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Do what, darlin’?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">That damn “darlin’ ” again! “Get involved
with another Cajun man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“You’re going to give me the boot just
because<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I’m Cajun?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Well, lucky you, babe, because I’m only
half Cajun.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">***************************<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-19401050917913997612017-08-29T22:48:00.000-07:002017-08-29T22:50:02.522-07:00Romance Awareness Month! Sale Blast & Spotlight! Tempting Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="476" height="192" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">August is Romance Awareness Month and what better way to celebrate than to put some of our favorite romances from different genres on sale! Whether you are already a romance lover or new to romance reading you are sure to find something to fall in love with.</span></div>
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Everyone can use a romance that not only makes your heart happy but will make you laugh as well! <span style="color: red;">So be sure to pick up the romantic comedy, Tempting Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter for just $.99!</span></span></h4>
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Readers are raving about Tempting Mr. Wrong...</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This was a book I could lose myself in, easy to read and it made me feel,something that's important to me when I read a book." -Lovinghotbooks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I loved this story. Carly and Lance have some definite chemistry and Icouldn't put the book down until I saw how it would all unfold." -LauraF., Reader review</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's a beautiful book and shouldn't be missed." -Urvashi H., Reader review</span></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633755888_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633755888_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Synopsis</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little temptation never hurt anyone…</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lance Townsend craves freedom after years living a structured existence in the Army. But just as he’s about to start on his bucket list, Lance receives an unexpected request: check in on his goddaughter. The problem? The adorable little girl’s aunt is the one woman he’s never been able to forget.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carly Quigley can’t believe her brother’s best friend, the man who jilted her years ago, is at her door. He claims her brother asked him to check in on her niece and their fixer-upper, but all either of them can focus on is their undeniable attraction. Carly knows Lance is counting down the hours to leave, which makes him the wrong man for her. Unfortunately, the wrong man has become oh-so-tempting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy it for just 99¢!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Find it Online</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2iiidv0">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2wfyWF6">B&N</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2wngF9e">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://apple.co/2xhcd8o">iBooks</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2wnqAvL">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other books in the series:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/kissing-mr-wrong.html">Kissing Mr. Wrong</a>, Book 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About the Author</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Award-winning romance author Kerri Carpenter writes contemporary romances that are sweet, sexy, and sparkly. When she’s not writing, Kerri enjoys reading, cooking, watching movies, taking Zumba classes, rooting for Pittsburgh sports teams, and anything sparkly. Kerri lives in Northern Virginia with her adorable (and mischievous) rescued poodle mix, Harry. Visit Kerri at her <a href="http://www.kerricarpenter.com/">website</a>, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/authorkerri">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/authorkerri">Twitter</a>, or subscribe to her <a href="http://kerricarpenter.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a125603f84b1b98def932f605&id=1644678312">newsletter</a>. </span><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find Kerri Online</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kerricarpenter.com/">Website</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/authorkerri">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorkerri/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/kerricarpenter">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/kerricarpenter">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://kerricarpenter.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a125603f84b1b98def932f605&id=1644678312">Newsletter</a></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-5365052801031768402017-08-21T09:25:00.003-07:002017-08-21T09:25:46.796-07:00Romance Awareness Month! Sale Blast & Spotlight! The Beast of Aros Castle by Heather McCollum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="476" height="192" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">August is Romance Awareness Month and what better way to celebrate than to put some of our favorite romances from different genres on sale! Whether you are already a romance lover or new to romance reading you are sure to find something to fall in love with.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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If you haven't fallen for a Highlander yet, you don't wan to miss this steal! <span style="color: red;">The Beast of Aros Castle by Heather McCollum is on sale for just 99¢.</span> <span style="color: red;">PLUS, as an added bonus you can also pick up the latest book in the series, The Wolf of Kismul Castle is also on sale for 99.</span></span></h4>
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Readers are raving about The Beast of Aros Castle...</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There is SO much to love about this book!... It's passionate and steamy and I loved every passage and word. Tor is a magnificent lover and with Ava, they literally set the pages on fire.” <i>– Kilts and Swords</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I was glued to the pages of this fascinating dramatic romance. Ms. McCollum did not disappoint me with her vivid descriptions, her captivating characters and the storyline was intriguing and masterfully written.” – <i>April, My Book Addiction and More</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“One of those books that keep me reading till all hours of the night (morning!) because I couldn't put it down… Tor and Ava's romance is so beautifully written.” – <i>Linda, Goodreads.com review</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633758810_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633758810_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Synopsis</span></i></b></div>
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Ava Sutton is on the run from a dangerous man and makes her way safely to Scotland. Masquerading as a titled, English lady, she must convince the darkly handsome chief of the Macleans of Aros to wed her before she is tracked down. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tor Maclean, the new chief of Aros Castle, has sworn off marriage. Despite his efforts to scare away the Englishwoman his father arranged for him to wed, Tor is nonetheless drawn to her passion and beauty. But he doesn't know if he can forgive the untruths that have come to light for a chance at a once in a lifetime love...</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy it for just 99¢!</span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Find it Online</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2uEw5S0">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2w4zRHS">B&N</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2vvfGCf">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://apple.co/2fDJhny">iBooks</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2vTE1Tz">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other books in the series:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/2w2jvAz">The Rogue of IslayIsle</a>, Book 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/2vw0xAP">The Wolf of KismulCastle</a>, Book 3</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><i>About the Author</i>
<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical paranormal and YA romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor's dismay. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entrances Ms. McCollum's heart and imagination every time she visits. The country's history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since her first journey across the pond. When she is not creating vibrant characters & magical adventures on the page, she is roaring her own battle cry in the war against ovarian cancer. Ms. McCollum recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero, rescued golden retriever & 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.</span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.heathermccollum.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/HMcCollumAuthor">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeatherMcCollumAuthor">Facebook</a></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-3364269713263060772017-08-14T09:47:00.000-07:002017-08-14T09:47:27.121-07:00Romance Awareness Month! Spotlight & Sale! Viable Threat by Julie Rowe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.entangledinromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RAM_EIR.png" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="476" height="192" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">August is Romance Awareness Month and what better way to celebrate than to put some of our favorite romances from different genres on sale! Whether you are already a romance lover or new to romance reading you are sure to find something to fall in love with.</span></div>
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If you love romance, a man in uniform combined with a thrilling story line, then don't miss this romantic suspense! <span style="color: red;">Viable Threat by Julie Rowe is on sale for just 99¢</span>! </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See what readers are saying about <i>Viable Threat</i>...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"When it comes to heart-pounding suspense, <b>no one does it quite like Ms. Rowe!</b>" -<i>Deanna's World</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<b>A great plot with brilliant characters</b> make this one captivating read that will have you absorbed from beginning to end." -<i>Summer's Eve Reads</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Viable Threat started out with a bang, and IT NEVER SLOWED DOWN, which kept my heart racing cover to cover." -<i>The Power of Three Readers</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633759497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781633759497.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Synopsis</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Special Forces soldier and medic Walter River would give anything to snatch more than a few seconds of down time to see if he can rattle the no-nonsense and incredibly hot Dr. Lloyd he's protecting, but dodging explosions, snipers, and student radicals who've unleashed a lethal bio-engineered microorganism have made that almost impossible. Maybe he'll get a chance—if he can figure out how to keep them both alive. <br /><br />CDC microbiologist Ava Lloyd races to find a cure for a bio-terrorism organism sweeping El Paso. The few stolen moments with her very hunky bodyguard River have been explosive, but no matter how alluring he is, she can't afford to get distracted. The clock is ticking, people are dying by the hundreds, and once this crisis is solved, they'll both be off on their next assignment, thousands of miles apart.</span></h4>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy it for just 99¢!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2hwcjGb">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2v7BCBM">B&N</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2ucbCYT">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://apple.co/2ut5xSO">iBooks</a></span></h4>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About the Author</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, “Fiction has to be believable”. Julie writes romantic suspense and romantic military thrillers. Her most recent titles include Viable Threat, the first book in the Disease Control and Enforcement series, and Viral Justice, book three of the Biological Response Team series. You can find her at www.julieroweauthor.com , on Twitter @julieroweauthor or at her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.julieroweauthor.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/JulieRoweAuthor">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5272597.Julie_Rowe">Author Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/julierowenewsletter">Newsletter</a></span></div>
Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-7759445279032153932017-08-07T10:01:00.000-07:002017-08-07T10:01:03.659-07:00Sale Alert! A Risk Worth Taking by Victoria James<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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August is Romance Awareness Month and what better way to celebrate than to put some of our favorite romances from different genres on sale! Whether you are already a romance lover or new to romance reading you are sure to find something to fall in love with.</div>
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This week dive into a sweet contemporary romance from NY Times Best Selling author, Victoria James! Her books never fail to make you laugh, cry and deliver a happily ever after that has you anxious to read her next book. <span style="color: red;">A Risk Worth Taking by Victoria James is on sale for just 99¢</span>! </h4>
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Readers are raving about A Risk Worth Taking...</div>
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"<i>A Risk Worth Taking</i> has everything and more you could expect and want from a contemporary romance, with her <b>captivating writing style</b>, <b>engaging characterization</b>, <b>witty humour</b> and <b>steamy scenes</b>, <b>Victoria James gifts us with another keeper</b>. Readers, you'd better put A Risk Worth Taking on your to-be-read lists, trust me, you don't want to miss this series!" -<i>Ex Libris</i></div>
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<i>"</i>LOVED, LOVED, LOVED...<b>Clever, witty dialogue that actually had me laughing out loud</b>." -<i>Lori, Amazon review</i></div>
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"The chemistry between Quinn and Holly is undeniable...I found <i>A Risk Worth Taking</i> to be a wonderful contemporary romance that is <b>funny, sexy, fast paced, with some sad moments,and some really heartwarming ones</b>. If you are a contemporary romance fan, then <i>A Risk Worth Taking</i> is something you should definitely check out." -<i>Always YA at Heart</i></div>
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<a href="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781622660728_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://entangledpublishing.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/363x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/9/7/9781622660728_4.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Synopsis</i></b></div>
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Holly Carrington is a rising star at a successful interior design firm. Everything she has worked for is coming to fruition. But when tragedy strikes and Holly returns to her hometown to secure her orphaned niece’s future, she finds herself in over her head—in more ways than one.<br />
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Quinn Manning can’t believe Holly asked him to help her renovate the house she grew up in. The last time they saw each other Holly confessed she loved him. He walked away, even though all he wanted to do was kiss her. The chemistry between them now can’t be denied. But can Quinn convince Holly to give up her big-city dreams and risk her heart, or are they destined for heartbreak…again?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Buy it for just 99¢!</span></h4>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2u9eu3D">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2hcQ1cv">B&N</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/2v7X0JB">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://apple.co/2vi2Qsu">iBooks</a></h4>
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<b>Other Books in the Series: </b></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2waEZHn">The Best Man’s Baby</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2v85sbX">The Doctor’s Fake Fiancee</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2walOxe">The Rebel’s Return</a></div>
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<b>About the author: </b></div>
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Victoria James is a romance writer living near Toronto. She is a mother to two young children, one very disorderly feline, and wife to her very own hero. Victoria attended Queen’s University and graduated with a degree in English Literature. She then earned a degree in Interior Design. After the birth of her first child she began pursuing her life-long passion of writing. Her dream of being a published romance author was realized by Entangled in 2012. Victoria is living her dream— staying home with her children and conjuring up happy endings for her characters. Victoria would love to hear from her readers! You can visit her at www.victoriajames.ca or Twitter @vicjames101 or send her an email at Victoria@victoriajames.ca. </div>
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<a href="http://www.victoriajames.ca/">Website</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/@Vicjames101">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/victoria.james.7146557">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vicjames101/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6585223.Victoria_James">Author Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://forms.aweber.com/form/53/897084453.htm">Newsletter</a></div>
Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-56358945629249997952017-08-07T10:00:00.000-07:002017-08-07T10:00:21.081-07:00August Entangled Scorched Release Day Blast<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Get Scorched with sexy new releases from Lorna James, Tina Donahue, and Laura Jardine!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>About TWO DUKES AND A LADY</i></span></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Charles Ashdown, Duke of Densmore, and his closest friend William Kenwood, Duke of Tennison, love gambling and womanizing too much to ever be ensnared by a debutante. Certainly, no decent wife would allow the debauchery they enjoy. But the only woman they’ve ever loved has returned. Unfortunately, Society, and likely darling Lily, will never accept the sharing relationship they’d like to propose.
Lillian Drew returns to England after her husband’s mysterious death and finds solace with her girlhood crushes, Charles and William. Sure, they’re as unapologetically crass and self-centered as always, but she loves them both. When her dead husband’s creditors come after her, she has no choice but to remarry, though she can’t make up her mind which duke she’ll propose to. With a toss of one of the few coins she has left to her name, she hopes the loser will understand.
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35683565">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073Z95S6K">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1126791491">B&N</a> |<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1260446357"> iTunes </a>| <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/two-dukes-and-a-lady">Kobo</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">About WICKED TAKEOVER</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She’s just inherited a tattoo parlor…and the hunk who comes with it.
Lauren’s in a helluva mess. Not only has she lost her corporate HR job, she’s just inherited Wicked Brand, a struggling West Palm Beach tattoo parlor…along with the virile dude who runs it. Lauren’s full-figured, sorta pretty, and wanting him badly. Dream on. She’s here to sell the place as quickly as possible for some much-needed cash and score a new position in the corporate world.
Dante’s sinfully hot with a killer smile and beautifully inked biceps. He sees the heat in Lauren’s eyes despite her conservative appearance, recognizing the dynamite woman she could be if she’d just loosen up and have some wicked fun. Dominance and submission. Making love in a public place. Having her lush body always accessible to and ready for his.
Unwilling and unable to keep their hands to themselves, Lauren and Dante turn to carnal games and seduction. Until lust turns to surprising need and friendship to something deeper that might just change their futures.
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35695816">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073Z7MWC1">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1120385937">B&N</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1260461290">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wicked-takeover-1">Kobo</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">About SEDUCING HIS TRUE LOVE</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blaine Richards didn’t believe in love at first sight, even when he met the perfect woman. They had an intense, passionate interlude sixteen months ago…and then it was over. Even after all this time, Blaine can’t forget Cassie Monroe. Now, he’s desperate to get her back.
It’s taken more than a year for Cassie's broken heart to heal, but she’s finally ready to move on…when Blaine comes back to town, claiming she belongs with him.
He challenges her to spend a weekend with him, betting she won’t be able to walk away at the end of it. Cassie finally agrees, determined to prove there’s nothing between them but hot sex.
Only, the erotic, no-holds-barred weekend Blaine has planned for her is enough to make a girl change her mind…
<em>Disclaimer: Contains the following possible trigger: consensual rape fantasy.</em>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35683497">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073Z933JG">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1126791496">B&N</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1260442744">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/seducing-his-true-love">Kobo</a></span></strong></div>
Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-45660360932542208702017-08-06T11:15:00.000-07:002017-08-06T11:15:08.115-07:00ARC Review: Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32970439-impossible-views-of-the-world?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Impossible Views of the World" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482644753m/32970439.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32970439-impossible-views-of-the-world?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book">Impossible Views of the World</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Author: Lucy Ives</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Publisher/Publication Date: Penguin Press; August 1, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre: Contemporary</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Source/Format: First to Read; eARC</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32970439-impossible-views-of-the-world?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Views-World-Lucy-Ives/dp/0735221537">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impossible-views-of-the-world-lucy-ives/1125098263?ean=9780735221536">Barnes & Noble </a> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Impossible-Views-World-Lucy-Ives/9780735221536">Book Depository</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32970439-impossible-views-of-the-world?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a>...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>A witty, urbane, and sometimes shocking debut novel, set in a hallowed New York museum, in which a co-worker's disappearance and a mysterious map change a life forever...</i></b><br /><br />Stella Krakus, a curator at Manhattan's renowned Central Museum of Art, is having the roughest week in approximately ever. Her soon-to-be ex-husband (the perfectly awful Whit Ghiscolmbe) is stalking her, a workplace romance with "a fascinating, hyper-rational narcissist" is in freefall, and a beloved colleague, Paul, has gone missing. Strange things are afoot: CeMArt's current exhibit is sponsored by a Belgian multinational that wants to take over the world's water supply, she unwittingly stars in a viral video that's making the rounds, and her mother--the imperious, impossibly glamorous Caro--wants to have lunch. It's almost more than she can overanalyze. But the appearance of a mysterious map, depicting a 19th-century utopian settlement, sends Stella--a dogged expert in American graphics and fluidomanie (don't ask)--on an all-consuming research mission. As she teases out the links between a haunting poem, several unusual novels, a counterfeiting scheme, and one of the museum's colorful early benefactors, she discovers the unbearable secret that Paul's been keeping, and charts a course out of the chaos of her own life. Pulsing with neurotic humor and dagger-sharp prose, Impossible Views of the World is a dazzling debut novel about how to make it through your early thirties with your brain and heart intact.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />I started this book not once but twice, and it took the second attempt to really get past the first couple of chapters. Normally, when I DNF a book, I leave it at that unless there’s something about the story that’s got my interest, or I want to know what happens at the end. Both of those things can apply as my reason for returning to Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives. So, with the last couple of hours I had with the eARC, I read this book in full. And, I was left feeling a little disappointed because Impossible Views of the World had a lot of potential. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here were some really great moments in the story, and I actually liked the fact that the main character, Stella, worked at a museum, which is an occupation I rarely come across in fiction. In a lot of ways, Impossible Views of the World kind of felt like a character study with Stella being the primary narrator and subject. So, this book was driven by the happenings in the lives of the characters. There was a literary quality to the story, as well as a little bit of a mystery. But, I feel conflicted about it because there were parts that I enjoyed and others that I didn’t. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />I think my main complaint was that Impossible Views of the World was a very wordy book. I like long books. I don’t mind long stretches of exposition in the name of establishing the characters and the world of the novel. However, Stella’s internal dialogue had a habit of running on for long paragraphs or entire pages. She nit-picked almost every little detail. Some of it was difficult to get through because it was just one idea that was seemingly thought about for a while. This might have been to give a quirk to Stella’s perspective, but it just wasn’t for me. <br /><br />Impossible Views of the World was just okay. I don’t really know how to rate this one, so I’m just going to leave it alone for now.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review.</b></div>
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Breana M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10345983166905397230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-17310544431134408842017-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:002017-07-24T00:00:07.069-07:00ARC Review: Wired by Julie Garwood<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23398634-wired?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wired (Buchanan-Renard, #13)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485933256m/23398634.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23398634-wired?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book">Wired</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Author: Julie Garwood</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; July 4, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre: Romantic Suspense</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Source/Format: First to Read; eARC</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23398634-wired?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wired-Buchanan-Fbi-Julie-Garwood/dp/0525954465">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wired-julie-garwood/1120625396?type=eBook">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Wired-Julie-Garwood/9780143571001">Book Depository</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis from<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23398634-wired?ac=1&from_search=true"> Goodreads</a>...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A beautiful computer hacker and a bad-boy FBI agent must collaborate—in more ways than one—in the sizzling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood...</b><br /><br />Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in college working on her degree, she models on the side. But behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code. Her dream is to write a new security program that could revolutionize the tech industry. Hotshot FBI agent Liam Scott has a problem: a leak deep within his own department. He needs the skills of a top-notch hacker to work on a highly sensitive project: to secretly break into the FBI servers and find out who the traitor is. But he can’t use one of his own. He finds the perfect candidate in Allison. Only, there’s one problem—she wants nothing to do with his job and turns him down flat. What Liam doesn’t know is that Allison is hiding secrets that she doesn’t want the FBI to uncover. But Liam will do nearly anything to persuade her to join his team, even break a few rules if that’s what it takes. A temptation that could put his job—and both of their futures—on the line and longing for more . . .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />When I first saw the synopsis for Wired, I was immediately interested because it sounded like a good story. Despite my high hopes for this one, Wired turned out to be just okay.<br /><br />Wired tells the story of Allison Trent who was a model, college student, and hacker with secrets. She gets involved in case after being approached by the FBI. At times, this story seemed a little busy. Some of the conflicts were resolved almost too quickly, just as I was getting into that part of the story. There was the plotline with the leaks, as well as another that directly stemmed from Allison’s genius level accomplishments/creations. However, I wish that the story would have found its focus and spent more time on the first conflict. Despite that, Allison’s being a hacker was a highlight of Wired. For the most part, I liked the way Garwood portrayed her character. I particularly liked the scenes when Allison was in the zone, because she displayed a clear confidence in her abilities. <br /><br />Wired was more of an average read, but I would be open to checking out other books by Julie Garwood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><b>Rating 3/5</b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This copy of the book was provided by <a href="http://www.firsttoread.com/">First to Read</a> (publisher) for this review, thank you!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the author...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood. She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL. Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel...</span>Breana M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10345983166905397230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-75355606317912384942017-07-20T17:26:00.000-07:002017-07-20T17:33:32.794-07:00ARC Review: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal by Jen Waite<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33358207-a-beautiful-terrible-thing?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489680435m/33358207.jpg" width="126" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Title: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir
of Marriage and Betrayal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author: <a href="http://www.jenwaite.com/the-memoir/" target="_blank">Jen Waite</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher/Publication Date: Plume Books; July 11,
2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Format/Source: E-ARC, <a href="http://www.firsttoread.com/books/a-beautiful-terrible-thing-jen-waite/9780735216464" target="_blank">First to Read</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Genre: Autobiography, Memoir<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735216460?tag=randohouseinc7986-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-beautiful-terrible-thing-jen-waite/1125289092;jsessionid=F79C68D85217632648F16A4843C566C2.prodny_store01-atgap03?ean=9780735216464" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1183171710" target="_blank">iBooks</a><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33358207-a-beautiful-terrible-thing" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you do when
you discover that the person you've built your life around never existed? When
"it could never happen to me" <i>does </i>happen to
you?<br />
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These are the questions facing Jen Waite when she begins to realize that her
loving husband--the father of her infant daughter, her best friend, the love of
her life--fits the textbook definition of psychopath. In a raw, first-person
account, Waite recounts each heartbreaking discovery, every life-destroying
lie, and reveals what happens once the dust finally settles on her demolished
marriage. <b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33358207-a-beautiful-terrible-thing" target="_blank">Read More</a><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My Thoughts </span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> is
Jen Waite’s emotionally raw story of love, betrayal and the process of healing.
It’s the classic story of what the other woman endures when she is faced with
the other woman. Waite includes a discussion of early indications that problems
were brewing in her marriage—signs that she had overlooked. The story alternates between the beginning of Jen and Marco’s relationship and the period after
she found out what he was really like. This style of storytelling was effective. It drew me in as I began to understand how she got involved with Marco and struggled to break free of his influence. Waite’s memoir sends a strong
message. It serves as a prime example of the fact that when someone is faced
with a difficult situation, it is possible to muster the strength to rise to
the occasion and carry on.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, yes, I would definitely recommend Jen Waite's memoir to those who want to read a candid and heartfelt story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Rating 5/5</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>***I received an E-ARC of this book from <a href="http://www.firsttoread.com/books/a-beautiful-terrible-thing-jen-waite/9780735216464" target="_blank">First to Read</a> for this review.***</i></b></span></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-75721492095416151702017-07-20T00:00:00.000-07:002017-07-20T00:00:18.164-07:00ARC Review: Lost Boy by Christina Henry<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32828538-lost-boy?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482167234m/32828538.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32828538-lost-boy?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book">Lost Boy</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Author: Christine Henry</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Books; July 4, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre: Fantasy</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Source/Format: First to Read; eARC</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32828538-lost-boy">Goodreads </a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Boy-True-Story-Captain/dp/0399584021">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-boy-christina-henry/1125098398">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Lost-Boy-Christin-Henry/9780399584022">Book Depository</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32828538-lost-boy">Goodreads.</a>..</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br />From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is…</i></b><br /><br />There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy. Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite. Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Lost Boy by Christina Henry was probably one of the darkest retellings of Peter Pan that I’ve read—not to say that I’ve read many altogether, but what I said still stands. This was a dark and gritty story filled with morally gray or just downright evil characters operating under the guise of naivety. By far, Lost Boy wasn’t a bad book. However, I had a hard time deciding about how much I liked this book.<br /><br />Lost Boy was easy to read after I got past the beginning. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would finish this one, but once I got farther in the book I found that I couldn’t put it down. There was something engrossing about this story. Henry presented an interesting take on Peter and Hook’s story, including a setting that was fraught with danger. The island was isolated, but there were also monsters and pirates, which added more danger to a story already filled with it. <br /><br />That brings me to the plot. Lost Boy was a story about the lost boy who would eventually become Peter Pan’s greatest enemy, Captain Hook. So, right off the bat, I was interested in what Henry could do with that concept, and the result was, well, interesting. Like I said above, Lost Boy was a dark book and it dealt with characters that actually willingly did cruel things all in the name of Peter’s idea of fun. The situation on the island had such a skewed perspective. On one breath I could see how Jamie cared for his fellow lost boys, but even he wasn’t above following the rules made and partaking in activities directed by Peter. While this was really Jamie’s story, Lost Boy was also about Peter, a boy who never grew up. Peter knew how to sell his version of paradise to the lost boys who were otherwise unwanted in the “Other Place”, but his idea of fun was skewed. He was a monster. However, from what I know about the original Peter from J.M. Berry’s work, this portrayal is more in line with his actual personality. <br /><br />So, yeah, Lost Boy was a total surprise. There were a lot of things I liked about the story. There were a few details that I didn’t totally agree with, but otherwise Lost Boy was good. This is the first book I've read by Christina Henry and it certainly won't be the last.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><b>Rating 4/5</b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This Copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the author...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CHRISTINA HENRY is the author of the CHRONICLES OF ALICE duology, ALICE and RED QUEEN, a dark and twisted take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as well as LOST BOY: THE TRUE STORY OF CAPTAIN HOOK, an origin story of Captain Hook from Peter Pan. She is also the author of the national bestselling BLACK WINGS series (BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING) featuring Agent of Death Madeline Black and her popcorn-loving gargoyle Beezle. She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.christinahenry.net/">Website</a> <a href="http://facebook.com/authorChristinaHenry">Facebook</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/C_Henry_Author">Twitter</a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor">Goodreads</a></b></div>
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Breana M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10345983166905397230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-54971418367258189112017-07-17T20:45:00.001-07:002017-07-17T20:45:22.423-07:00My Thoughts: Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WozOFL6SBUU/WW18QhdTZBI/AAAAAAAACQk/XOytnTCzEm4nq-r2aHwlmBtGs8XgSHYnACLcBGAs/s1600/Lipton_Mango_Tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WozOFL6SBUU/WW18QhdTZBI/AAAAAAAACQk/XOytnTCzEm4nq-r2aHwlmBtGs8XgSHYnACLcBGAs/s320/Lipton_Mango_Tea.jpg" width="188" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An Enjoyable Tropical Flavor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I mentioned before, I’m a member of My Magazine<sup>TM</sup>
Sharing Network. Over the past month, I had the opportunity to try a 12 pack of
Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea for free. The tea was available at my local Ralphs grocery store. When
I buy Lipton’s tea, I usually select the lemon flavor. And I usually avoid teas
sweetened with sucralose. I feel that it leaves a bad after taste, and it's not my sweetener of choice. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Lipton’s
Mango Flavored Iced Tea. It had an enjoyable tropical flavor without the after taste that I dislike. So, even though Lipton’s Mango Flavored Iced Tea wouldn’t be my first choice,
it definitely wouldn’t be my last.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Click the <a href="https://www.lipton.com/us/en/our-teas/iced-tea/ready-to-drink/black-iced-tea-mango.html" target="_blank">link</a> to find out more about Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Please Note: ***In exchange for my unbiased review, I
received coupons from My Magazine<sup>TM</sup> Sharing Network to try the
Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea for free.***</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-43486878311707565352017-07-10T15:33:00.000-07:002017-07-10T15:33:05.087-07:00July Entangled Indulgence Release Day Blast<div style="text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indulge in brand new romances from Jenna Bayley-Burke and Sonya Weiss! Choose your favorite sexy seduction...and fall in love today!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About THE BILLIONAIRE'S PRIVATE SCANDAL</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Megan Carlton’s secret affair with financier Brandon Knight ended when he pulled off a hostile takeover of her family’s hotel empire and then kissed another woman. Broke and alone, Megan starts a new life and learns to stand on her own, then Brandon finds her serving coffee and surviving on tips and tries to pull her back into her old life and his arms. She thought she was over him, and she certainly can’t ever trust him again. But what her head knows and her heart feels are two different things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brandon was used to always getting what he wanted, then the woman he loves disappeared without a word. When he finds her months later working as a barista, he wonders if she’s suffering from amnesia. Getting a scalding Americano to the chest proves she recognizes him, but she’s got the situation—and him—all wrong. Now all he has to do is prove it
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35486819">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Billionaires-Private-Scandal-Invested-Love-ebook/dp/B072TZ1V8X">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-billionaires-private-scandal-jenna-bayley-burke/1126605027">B&N</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-billionaires-private-scandal/id1250028134">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-billionaire-s-private-scandal">Kobo</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-10488" src="http://missriki.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TBPS_1.png" height="400" width="400" />
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About Jenna Bayley-Burke</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jenna Bayley-Burke is known for her fun, sexy romance novels, baking banana bread and over-volunteering. She thinks she has the best jobs in the world—mother, wife and author. When she’s not lost in her latest story, she can be found pursuing whatever hobby her characters are enamored with—photography, yoga, shoes, gardening, crafts and cooking up a storm.
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jennabayleyburke.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/jennabb">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jenna.bayleyburke/">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://jennabayley-burke.blogspot.com/">Blog</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About THE MILLIONAIRE'S TEMPTATION</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Holly Campbell is trying to turn her life around. But, to protect her younger brother, she has one last job to complete. All she needs to do is use her unique skills to break into the safe on a yacht—millionaire Jake Lawson’s yacht—a man Holly had a one-night stand with before she knew his true identity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jake knows Holly can’t be trusted. He believes she used the one night stand as a decoy to steal from his company and he knows she’s up to something again. Jake’s determined to figure out what and stop her. He won’t let her take anything from him, least of all his heart.
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35380927">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Millionaires-Temptation-Sonya-Weiss-ebook/dp/B072V287PP">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-millionaires-temptation-sonya-weiss/1126605025">B&N</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-millionaires-temptation/id1249995243">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-millionaire-s-temptation">Kobo</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-10490" src="http://missriki.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TMT_Teaser1.png" height="400" width="400" />
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About Sonya Weiss</span></i></strong></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the time she was a child, Sonya knew she was destined to be a writer. If she didn’t like the ending of a book or movie, she would write her own ending. When her children were young, she often wrote stories to entertain them. At the urging of one of her daughters, she submitted a short story and to her surprise and delight, it sold. Sonya loves writing all things romance whether it’s writing contemporary adult or teen fiction and still hasn’t lost the wonder that she gets to do what she loves. She enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and laughter and credits her daughters as being the sweetest blessings in her life.
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sonyaweiss.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SonyaWeiss">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSonyaWeiss">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://sonyaweiss.com/blog/">Blog</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
Andrea M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13484440053681930610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833629701085908115.post-30298202125874709612017-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:002017-06-28T00:00:14.897-07:00ARC Review: The Windfall by Diksha Basu<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32570783-the-windfall?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Windfall" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481040939m/32570783.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32570783-the-windfall?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book">The Windfall</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Author: Diksha Basu</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Publisher/Publication Date: Crown Publishing Group; June 27, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre: Contemporary Fiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Source/Format: First to Read; eARC</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32569560-the-windfall">Goodreads </a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Windfall-Novel-Diksha-Basu/dp/0451498917">Amazon</a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windfall-diksha-basu/1125092004?ean=9780451498915">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Windfall-Diksha-Basu/9781408888711">Book Depository</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32569560-the-windfall">Goodreads</a>...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>A heartfelt comedy of manners for readers of Seating Arrangements and Crazy Rich Asians, Diksha Basu's debut novel unfolds the story of a family discovering what it means to be nouveau riche in modern India...</i></b><br /><br />For the past thirty years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha’s lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. They thought they’d settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son’s acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money, and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe-polishing machines, and all. The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters.<br /><br />Hilarious and wise, The Windfall illuminates with warmth and charm the precariousness of social status, the fragility of pride, and, above all, the human drive to build and share a home. Even the rich, it turns out, need to belong somewhere...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have read exactly two books this year that were named windfall and both of them have been great. The latest one is The Windfall by Diksha Basu, which was just one of those books that I happen to find incredibly enjoyable. It focused on the everyday lives of the characters and how a stroke of good luck can affect one family and potentially those around them in ways perceived to be both negative and good. And guys, this book was a whole lot of fun. <br /><br />Given the title of this book, I knew that a large sum of money—or some other good luck—would be involved even before I read the synopsis. From the start, I had moderately high hopes for this story and wasn’t disappointed. Truly, the characters were kind of awesome, especially the Jha family and their close-knit group of friends. The Jha family was delightful to read about. I felt like Basu approached the worries felt by the characters in a realistic way that was thoroughly engrossing. I think that was my favorite part of The Windfall: how the unexpected good fortune wasn’t just something that was superficially added as an afterthought, but affected the characters in good, bad, and emotional ways. <br /><br />Point blank: the story was just a good one. There was something so simple and refreshing about The Windfall and how it explored the complexities of life, love, family, and change. I was thoroughly impressed by this book. Now, I’ll just sit over here and patiently wait for Basu’s next novel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><b>Rating 4/5</b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Disclaimer: copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the author...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Diksha Basu is a writer and occasional actor. Originally from New Delhi, India, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and now divides her time between New York City and Mumbai...</span><br />
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Breana M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10345983166905397230noreply@blogger.com2