Author: Marsha

Izzy’s Christmas Star by Berni Stevens

Posted December 5, 2019 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

You don’t only find stars on top of the Christmas tree …

Student and Zumba instructor Izzy Grant leads a pretty normal life, but in the run-up to Christmas, an unusual encounter with a friendly Santa paves the way for the most wonderful and star-studded Christmas she’s ever experienced.

Because at almost exactly the same time, Izzy also meets Seth Roberts – as in the Seth Roberts, bona fide rock star and lead singer of Scarlet Gryphon. As their connection grows, Izzy’s Christmas countdown becomes a glittering whirlwind of after-show parties and classy restaurants – and does she have her mystery Santa to thank?

 

 

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Murder at the Arts and Crafts Festival by G.P. Gardner

Posted December 3, 2019 by Marsha in Cozy Mystery, Series / 0 Comments

It’s late March in Fairhope, Alabama, and artists from around the country are flocking to the bayside town’s Arts & Crafts Festival. The annual tradition has something for everyone, only this year, the main attraction is murder . . .

Cleo Mack’s life has been a whirlwind since she inadvertently became the executive director of Harbor Village, a retirement community bustling with energetic seniors. Juggling apartment sales, quirky residents, and a fast-moving romance is tricky business. But on-the-job stress develops a new meaning when Twinkle Thaw, a portrait artist known to ruffle a few feathers, arrives unannounced for the weekend’s festival and drops dead hours later—mysteriously poisoned . . .

Twinkle’s bizarre death doesn’t seem like an accident. Not with a sketchy newcomer slinking around town and a gallery of suspects who may have wanted her out of the picture for good. As Cleo brushes with the truth, she soon finds that solving the crime could mean connecting the dots between a decades-old art heist and an unpredictable killer who refuses to color inside the lines.

Titles in the Cleo Mack Mystery series include – Murder at Harbor Village – Murder at Royale Court – Murder at the Arts & Craft Festival –

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Christmas in Little Penhaven by Angela Britnell

Posted December 3, 2019 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Have yourself a little Cornish Christmas …

Wannabe author Jane Solomon is expecting an uneventful Christmas in her Cornish village of Little Penhaven.

But then super-fit American gym owner Hal Muir comes to town, and suddenly the holiday season looks set to be far more interesting. Hal is keen on embracing every British tradition on offer, from mince pies to Christmas pub quizzes – and perhaps some festive romance too. 

Titles in the Little Penhaven series include – One Summer in Little Penhaven – Christmas in Little Penhaven (#1.5)

 

 

 

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The Christmas Scoop by Mimi Wells

Posted December 3, 2019 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Ivy Macpherson grew up in a family famous for the most embarrassing Christmas tradition of all—fruitcake—so she’s become a bit of a Grinch. Her body may be headed to Dogwood Mountain, North Carolina, to celebrate the holidays with family, but her mind is on moving up the ladder at the online lifestyle brand Scoop.

When Ivy’s chance encounter with an A-list actor reveals he’s headed to her hometown, she knows that scoop is the key to her big break. Earning a promotion should be a piece of cake—but chasing her story puts her face-to-face with the sinfully handsome Rand Cooper, her main high school competition and perennial thorn in her side.

Rand always had a thing for Ivy, but she’s a tough nut to crack. Family and friends hope their flirtation will grow into something more. But will Ivy’s focus on the job of her dreams cost her the man who could help her build a real future?

Titles in the Dogwood Mountain series include – The Christmas Scoop

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Murder at Icicle Lodge by J.D. Griffo

Posted December 2, 2019 by Marsha in Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Series / 0 Comments

Seasoned Italian-American Alberta Scaglione can whip up a traditional dish for any occasion. But when an impromptu vacation turns deadly, can she sift out the deadly ingredient?

When her granddaughter lands a reporting gig at the grand opening of the luxurious Icicle Lodge, Alberta and friends tag along for a week of much-needed R&R amid the snowcapped hills of northeastern Pennsylvania. But the idyllic winter getaway becomes a nightmare after the gang discovers blood on the ice—and the dead body of celebrity guest Pamela Gregory, a frosty Olympic gold medal figure skater who won herself more enemies than fans . . .

With a killer on the loose, multiple suspects, and a blizzard on the way, Alberta must now race to crack a bone-chilling case . . . before the outspoken Ferrara ladies get served murder: family style!

Titles in the A Ferrara Family Mystery series include – Murder on Memory Lane – Murder in Tranquility Park – Murder at Icicle Lodge

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Cowboys Never Marry Their Best Friend by Emmy Eugene

Posted December 2, 2019 by Marsha in Modern Western Romance, Seasoned Romance, Series / 0 Comments

This is why cowboys should never marry their best friend…

Jenna Wright grew up next-door to Chestnut Ranch and the five Johnson brothers. Her older brother was best friends with Seth Johnson, and Jenna may or may not have had a crush on the handsome cowboy in her younger years.  It was a long time ago, she tells herself.

Now that she’s divorced and back in town, she definitely has eyes for her best friend.  Will he ever notice her?

Jenna reasons that he’s busy with his ranch and his dog rescue operation. They had an Edible Neighborhood project they were working until funding became a problem, and when Seth learns he’s inherited over two billion dollars from his mother’s half of a family cosmetic empire, he rushes to tell Jenna they can now fund the Edible Neighborhood. 

He wasn’t supposed to kiss her.  It was an accident, he tells himself. But Seth’s own feelings roar to the surface, and he can’t ignore them.  Where did those come from?

Can best friends Seth and Jenna navigate their rocky pasts to find a future happily-ever-after together?

Titles in The Johnson Brothers / Chestnut Ranch series include — Cowboys Never Marry Their Best Friend – Cowboys Never Kiss Under the Mistletoe – Cowboys Never Get a Second Chance  – Cowboys Never Have a Secret Baby – Cowboys Never Marry Their Boss – Cowboys Never Cry Over a Fake Marriage – Cowboys Never Kiss and Tell

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And… we begin Winter COYER

Posted December 1, 2019 by Marsha in COYER / 2 Comments

If you haven’t run into COYER yet in the book blogging/reading world then this is your chance to get in on some reading fun, meet new folks, make more friendships (and we never have enough of those), and probably most important of all Clean Out Your EReader… just a bit at least.  🙂

The rules and all that very important jazz can be found on the sign-up page through this link or by clicking on that COYER graphic over there.  <–  Or… up there since that’s where the spacing landed.  *ironic chuckle can be heard*

I’m planning on the stricter Winter COYER since finding the time to actually do buddy reading is such a hit or miss for me.  Yeah, life often gets in the way of the fun stuff — but, that’s okay I have a ton of books that qualify for this event just waiting for me to open up the Kindle.  You know, those “free” read the first in the series offerings, those times when a book smack in the middle of a series goes on the 99¢ or $1.99 sale, or simply books that were originally offered at those lower prices.  Far too many of those books are on my Kindle if I’m totally honest here so COYER is very welcomed and very needed in my reading life from today until March 7, 2020.  And who knows, maybe I’ll make some good habits to keep on reading those books that have waited so patiently for me on my Kindle all this time.  One can hope, at least.

Although NetGalley ARCs do qualify, I’m going to try my hardest to not count them for one simple reason — this is my attempt to get some of those unread books off of my Kindle, into my brain, and on my blog as review posts.  I’m already doing that with NetGalley ARCs.  Now this is just my own decision because I looked over the books I bought last year (I keep a notebook so I remember them all) and I’m saddened and a bit mad at myself for letting so many of these remain unread.  Cleaning out my e-reader is my goal for this COYER, but that’s me.  You go check out the sign-up page and pick the options that work best for you, and you alone.

Now, it was requested that we pick one book (the price on this one doesn’t matter) as a Recommended Book.  *sigh*  Now how the heck am I supposed to pick just one?? After a lot of thought, I picked an older title by Nora Roberts entitled “The Witness”.  It’s a stand-alone novel, a Romantic Suspense/Action styled story that I go back to re-read at least once a year.  There were many books on my list of various genres and heat levels, but I thought that if I could only recommend one really good book to a friend which one would it be.  And, “The Witness” fits perfectly (for my personality and reading style).

Okay, that’s it for me.  Now fire up those e-readers and get started on those lonely e-books!

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Night of the Scoundrel by Kelly Bowen

Posted November 30, 2019 by Marsha in Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Can he trust her with his darkest secret?

Ruthless. Dangerous. Known simply as King. No one knows his true name or where he came from. And when he learns that the man who betrayed him has returned to London, King has only one goal: vengeance. But first, he must seek out an unlikely ally to aide him in his pursuit…

Adeline Archambault is as mysterious as she is beautiful. Exiled after the French Revolution, she’s determined to reclaim her birthright and deliver the justice that is owed her. King’s offer to help her, in exchange for her assistance, is a bargain she can’t refuse. But will this deal with a devil lead to a future she never dared hope for?

Titles in the Devils of Dover series include – A Duke in the Night – Last Night with the Earl – A Rogue by Night – Night of the Scoundrel (#3.5)

(connection with Seasons of Scandals series)

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Charming the Caregiver by Marianne Spitzer

Posted November 30, 2019 by Marsha in Connection to another series, Multi-Author Series, Western Historical Romance / 0 Comments

Katerina Lorbiecki wanted to raise her daughter and continue her nursing career away from the memories and difficulties of living with her brother and sister-in-law and the unwanted advances of her employer. The young widow is recommended for a nurse’s position in the Western town of Creede, Colorado.

Logan O’Leary arrives in Creede to work with his brother after a failed romance. Leaving San Francisco for a small, quiet town seems like the best plan for his future.

Katerina and Logan feel a spark, but will the arrival of an unexpected old love dampen the new love blooming between them and can an angel in pink help them find their way?

Charming the Caregiver is the 43rd title in the multi-author series, Cowboys and Angels   For a complete list of titles and authors in this series please visit the Cowboys and Angels page.

(Now that the Cowboys and Angels series has ended with the 49th title – I need to binge read to catch up – be sure to look for the spin-off The Matchmaker’s Ball series)

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A Murderous Tangle by Sally Goldenbaum

Posted November 30, 2019 by Marsha in Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Series / 0 Comments

Birdie, Nell, Cass, and Izzy are prepping their coziest handiwork for a holiday gathering in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts. But as murder makes waves in their tightly knit coastal village, can the Seaside Knitters prevent a deadly trend from catching on?

While the Seaside Knitters get ready to showcase their new Danish-inspired event, locals can’t stop talking about Tess Bean–a bright-eyed environmental activist with a way of charming both animals and humans alike. Birdie’s granddaughter is mesmerized by ethereal Tess’s passion for saving the earth and ocean, and even Izzy’s old Irish setter becomes attached to the young woman’s gentle touch.

Except not everyone is a fan of Tess and her strong opinions, especially after she starts questioning the “clean” practices of small-business owners. So when a popular bar owner whom Tess publicly calls out for bad practices is found dead from a fall off his club’s deck, it’s not long before she tops the suspect list for murder.

In addition to a murderer walking their streets, the knitters are also grappling with an unusual wave of thefts up and down Harbor Road. Now, as Birdie’s granddaughter struggles to protect her mentor’s reputation, the Seaside Knitters must solve a dangerous mystery that not only threatens to unravel the fabric of their community and the approaching holiday, but also the lives of those they care about the most.

Titles in the Seaside Knitters Society Mystery series include – Patterns in the Sand – How to Knit A Murder – A Murderous Tangle

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Breathe by Jen Doyle

Posted November 30, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Seasoned Romance, Series / 0 Comments

For those of us not ready to give up on fairy tales…

Beth Walker moved to Santa Christa to build a new happily-ever-after and do it all on her own. After having her castle pulled out from under her by her cheating ex-husband, she’s more than wary of anyone else coming into her life. But when she finds herself with a severely sprained ankle and storm clouds on the horizon, it might just be time to accept the help of a knight in shining armor.

Drew Barnes might look like Prince Charming, but he’s better suited to slaying the dragons of Beth’s past. After coming to Beth’s rescue, Drew doesn’t know why Beth went from hot to cold. Even worse, he doesn’t know why he can’t stop thinking about her. But when a chance encounter brings them back together, the more he comes to learn about her past, and the more he realizes he has to prove.

It’s hard for Beth to see past the man who broke her heart. But Drew knows that if she’d only just take the chance, then he’s the one who can heal her.

(originally published in 2017 – updated — original series title was Hansons of St. Helena)

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