Recovering From A Visit From Hell

Posted September 17, 2017 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

I hate chronic pain. It is unrelenting. Unimaginable unless you’ve experienced it. It steals time, memories and moments that will never be around again. It steals life in an increasingly rise in pain levels that simply never stops.

I’d lived with chronic pain for 25 years until I had a full knee replacement. Then a blissful two years of being normal again. Now due to a back injury and the need for a second knee replacement I’m revisiting that state once again.

The past three weeks have been hell on earth. Unfocused. Unproductive. Cocooned in sleep and pain meds, existence only. Once I could escape through a good book, distract myself for a while. Not so this time around. And that, perhaps most of all these things, makes me so angry. To be denied my one guaranteed escape is heartbreaking.

You’d think that all those old coping methods would return quickly to my defense. Bu no, they’re in hiding somewhere in my memories that want to be forgotten. So I’m re-learning new coping exercises. Today is the first day that I fell somewhat human. Somewhat.

I’ve a lot of work to catch up on. I’m not going to beat myself up about that. It happened, I didn’t plan it but it did. Now all I can do is get to work and back on track.

Scheduled posts only help until they run out. And unfortunately I’ve reached that point of “do ahead” reviews. Fortunately for me, I’m a note taker so I’ll be fine to get caught up fast between the notes on books read but no review written up yet, and a marathon of reading ahead of me.

So with apologies to authors and publishing houses for delays – I’m off to get back to doing what I love, read and talk about books. And learn the lesson on getting some scheduled posts ready again for the next crisis… which I’m sure is just around the corner, unfortunately.

Dying Breath by Heather Graham

Posted September 13, 2017 by Marsha in Mystery, Series / 0 Comments

As a teenager, Vickie Preston survived an attack by a serial killer. That was the first time she saw a ghost. Now the city of Boston is being terrorized—someone is kidnapping women and burying them alive, but cruelly leaving a glimmer of hope for the authorities by sending a clue about their location. Vickie is pulled into the investigation when her name is mentioned in one of the notes. And as a historian, she has the knowledge to help uncover the graves the killer known as the Undertaker is choosing. But she also has another, unique lead: the spirit of one of the victims is appearing to her in dreams.

Special Agent Griffin Price is on the case for the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s special unit for paranormal investigators. He feels particularly protective of Vickie, since their shared past is connected to the threat that currently surrounds them. With the killer accelerating his plans, time is running out for more victims hidden around the city. Vickie is becoming closer with Griffin, but she’s getting too close to the danger, and every breath could be her last.

Dying Breath is the 21st novel in the Krewe of Hunters series.

A Cowboy to Keep by Barbara Ankrum

Posted September 12, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

On the run from her past, photographer Ali Thibeaux arrives undercover in Marietta to find her biological half-sister. Plan A: Meet Olivia, photograph her wedding, and disappear before endangering anyone. Plan B: All hell breaks loose.

Reclusive rancher Adam Wolfe’s only plan when he hires Ali to manage his dysfunctional household is to go on hiding from the world. But his scars don’t seem to matter to the beauty who unexpectedly turns his house into a home and heals the rift between him and the teen aged niece he’s taken in. Still, he suspects there’s more to Ali than meets the eye and he’s determined to uncover what she’s hiding from him before it’s too late.

Titles in the Canadays of Montana series include: A Cowboy To Remember – Choose Me Cowboy – The Cowgirl’s Christmas Wish – A Cowboy To Keep

Blame It on the Bet by L.E. Rico

Posted September 12, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Welcome to Mayhem, Minnesota, where the cats wear sweaters, the local priest dispenses dating advice, and you can find your fortune in the bottom of a pie tin.

When her family’s pub is threatened with foreclosure, Hennessy O’Halloran, along with her three sisters, is determined to raise enough money to keep it out of the hands of the L.A. real-estate developer trying to raze it and replace it with a—god forbid!—multiplex theater.

Bryan Truitt always gets what he wants. And what he wants is the sweet corner property on Mayhem’s Main Street where O’Halloran’s Pub sits. But his “quick business” turns into more than he bargains for when he meets the feisty Hennessy. Next thing he knows, he’s betting her he can outlast Mayhem’s punishing winter in time to make the pub his—or he’ll gift it to her for free.

Hennessy knows better than to flirt with the enemy. But suddenly Bryan’s not sure which he wants more…the property or the woman who owns it.

Titles in the Whiskey Girls series include: Blame It On The Bet –

Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb

Posted September 10, 2017 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

The chic Manhattan nightspot Du Vin is not the kind of place Eve Dallas would usually patronize, and it’s not the kind of bar where a lot of blood gets spilled. But that’s exactly what happens one cold February evening.

The mortally wounded woman is Larinda Mars, a self-described “social information reporter,” or as most people would call it, a professional gossip. As it turns out, she was keeping the most shocking stories quiet, for profitable use in her side business as a blackmailer. Setting her sights on rich, prominent marks, she’d find out what they most wanted to keep hidden and then bleed them dry. Now someone’s done the same to her, literally—with a knife to the brachial artery.

Eve didn’t like Larinda Mars. But she likes murder even less. To find justice for this victim, she’ll have to plunge into the dirty little secrets of all the people Larinda Mars victimized herself. But along the way, she may be exposed to some information she really didn’t want to know…

A complete list of the in Death series, and novellas in anthologies can be found on the J.D. Robb page.

Second Chance Cowboy by Joanne Rock

Posted September 7, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Dancer Larissa Martine is ready to start over and Las Vegas seems like the perfect city for a shiny new beginning. But first, to honor her pact with her girlfriends, she wants to make a quick stop in Cheyenne, WY to make amends with her first love, the guy she left to chase her dreams of Broadway fame. Except rancher Matt Briggs isn’t nearly as interested in her regrets as he is in keeping her in town for his sister’s wedding. It’s a request she can’t deny when his family takes up the cause to make her stay for just one more week, but it’s difficult to maintain her friends-only boundaries with a man who attracts her as much as ever.

After losing his father and inheriting the family ranch in addition to the one he’d bought on his own, Matt’s life is all about obligations. But Larissa’s unexpected arrival during the wedding mayhem is a bright spot he won’t ignore, even if that means tempting her into far more than just a dance. He figures one night with her will bring them both some peace with their past, which is all she said she wanted. But one night leaves Matt wanting a whole lot more and this time, he’s willing to gamble everything to make her stay.

Titles in the Road to Romance series include: Last Chance Christmas – Second Chance Cowboy – A Chance This Christmas

Her Dark Half by Paige Tyler

Posted September 6, 2017 by Marsha in Romantic Suspense, Series / 0 Comments

Trevor Maxwell
Coyote shifter with an attitude
Covert operator
Trusts no one, especially his devastatingly beautiful new partner

Alina Bosch
Former CIA, newest operative on the covert team
Hired to spy on her partner
Motto: “Never be deceived again.”

Coyote shifter Trevor Maxwell is teamed up with CIA agent Alina Bosch to catch a killer. But when the mission becomes much more dangerous than they expected, they’re going to have to ignore the attraction between them and learn how to trust one another to come out on the other side..

As Trevor and Alina risk their lives together to hunt down a murderer bent on destroying all shifters, their survival depends on each other’s deepest strength and vulnerabilities

Titles in the X-Ops series include: Her Perfect Mate – Her Lone Wolf – Her Wild Hero – Her Fierce Warrior – Her Rogue Alpha – Her True Match – Her Dark Half

Eye Candy by Tijan, J. Daniels, Helena Hunting, Bella Jewel, Tara Sivec

Posted September 6, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

A frightfully good time! Dive into these Halloween novellas from bestselling authors Tijan, J. Daniels, Helena Hunting, Bella Jewel and Tara Sivec. Featuring stories set in the worlds of their popular series.

Tijan’s Fallen Crest crew are back for a weekend of mischief that takes a sinister turn; all four couples from J. Daniels’ Alabama Summer series gear up for Halloween in their own sexy ways, with a special surprise at the end; Helena Hunting’s characters from Shacking Up plan a Halloween gala that features a few ghouls and witches; Bella Jewel brings the chills and thrills in her suspenseful take on Halloween night; and Tara Sivec gathers the Holiday family together one last time as they try to make this ghostly holiday one to remember—or one they’d rather forget…

Cozy up with a mug of hot cider on a dark night and fall under the spell of this Halloween anthology!

On the Chase by Katie Ruggle

Posted September 6, 2017 by Marsha in Romantic Suspense, Series / 0 Comments

After witnessing a horrifying crime, Kaylee is forced to flee to a small Colorado mountain town and take on a new identity. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel worker trying to avoid the dangerously attractive K-9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

When an accident leaves Hugh and his K-9 partner, Lexi, on desk duty, both are anxious for Hugh to heal. Until then, the highlight of his day is teasing the beautiful but mysterious new kennel employee. Their simmering attraction fuels a passionate kiss—interrupted by a sniper’s bullet. With targets on both of their backs, Grace and Hugh will do whatever it takes to stay alive…not realizing the most dangerous threat of all is hiding right in front of their noses.

Titles in the Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series include: Run To Ground – On The Chase – Survive The Night –

Deadly Intent by Sheryl Browne

Posted September 5, 2017 by Marsha in Mystery, Series / 2 Comments

Tormented to the edge of sanity …

Just when DI Matthew Adams thinks he’s left the past behind him, it comes back to haunt him once again; this time in the form of the Conner family.
Like Matthew, the Conners have lost a child in tragic circumstances – and they’ve also found themselves in the hands of one of the most depraved criminals to walk the streets: ‘Dead-eyed’ Charlie Roberts, a drug addicted low-life with a penchant for extreme violence.

Matthew’s greatest affinity lies with Daniel Conner, the brooding father who still blames himself for his youngest child’s death. But when Daniel’s wife and daughter are tortured and tormented by Roberts, can Matthew prevent him from completely ruining his own life for an act of revenge particularly when, once upon a time, that’s exactly what Matthew would have done too?

Titles in the DI Matthew Adams series include: After She’s Gone – Sins of the Father – Deadly Intent –

A Christmas Wish by Erin Green

Posted August 31, 2017 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Flora Phillips has an excuse for every disaster in her life; she was abandoned as a new-born on a doorstep on Christmas Eve 1984. Her philosophy is simple: if your mother doesn’t want you – who will?

Now a thirty-year-old, without a boyfriend, a career or home she figures she might as well tackle the biggest question of them all – who is she? So, whilst everyone else enjoys their Christmas Eve traditions, Flora escapes the masses and drives to the village of Pooley to seek a specific doorstep. Her doorstep.

But in Pooley she finds more than her life story. She finds friends, laughter, and perhaps even a love to last a lifetime. Because once you know where you come from, its so much easier to know where you’re going.

Redeeming the Texas Rancher by Charlene Sands

Posted August 31, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Falling out of love with Colby Ryan wasn’t working…

There hasn’t been a woman who’s held Colby Ryan’s heart for long, not since his teenage love went awry twelve years ago. Now, all of a sudden, Dakota Jennings, his longtime family friend and trusted wrangler on the Circle R ranch, is catching his eye. For Dakota’s sake, Colby won’t ever give in to the temptation she poses.

Dakota has been secretly in love with Colby since the age of ten, but his sense of honor and the Texas code he lives by won’t allow her permanence in his heart. Up until this point, he’d never hinted at romance between them and yet, falling out of love with him just plain isn’t working.

Colby has always protected Dakota, and he isn’t about to stop now. If he gives in to his desire, she stands to lose far too much. Colby doesn’t deserve her love, he’s already ruined one life, but the binds that tie them are strong. Can Dakota be the woman to redeem his broken soul?

Titles in the Forever Texan series include: Taming The Texas Cowboy – Loving The Texas Lawman – Redeeming The Texas Rancher

The Lawman’s Apache Moon by Debra Holt

Posted August 30, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

“No more detours!” That was the promise Angelina Lord made to herself when she accepted a ride from a wedding in Texas, with the best man to her destination in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What could possibly go wrong?

Angelina is focused on one thing–opening a fashion boutique in Santa Fe. What she really doesn’t need is one full-of-himself lawman with his aggravating air of superiority and soul-searing eyes…not to mention heart-stopping kisses…coming to her rescue. If she lets him get too close to the truth, he could bring down the wall she erected around her well-ordered life and her heart.

United States Marshal Jace Blackhawke holds family and traditions as the center of his life. He isn’t part of Angie’s world and she certainly isn’t part of his. Will their differences prove to be too insurmountable in the face of the truth that will not stay silent?

Titles in The Long Arms of the Lawman include: Beware The Ranger – The Lawman’s Apache Moon – Along Came A Ranger –

Here Comes the Bride by Hope Ramsay

Posted August 30, 2017 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

There goes the groom . . .

For Professor Laurie Wilson, planning her wedding to longtime boyfriend Brandon Kopp has been a whirlwind. But somehow, between all the cake tastings and dress fittings, she never imagined being left at the altar. In the aftermath, she does what any sensible woman would – she swigs champagne and considers keying his car. Until someone knocks on her door with a much better idea for revenge.

Best man Andrew Lyndon thinks Laurie’s better off without Brandon. But Laurie’s father – and Andrew’s boss – isn’t going to accept anything less than a reconciliation. And he’s made it Andrew’s problem to solve. So Andrew decides to make Brandon jealous by setting Laurie up on a string of “dates.” After a couple of weeks, Brandon will be begging Laurie to take him back. But Andrew’s plan works a little too well because suddenly he’s the one falling for Laurie — and planning a proposal of his own.

Tot;es om the Chapel of Love series include: A Fairytale Bride – A Christmas Bride – All I Want For Christmas – A Small Town Bride – Here Comes The Bride

Maybe I Do by Nicole McLaughlin

Posted August 30, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

She doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He is married to his job. Maybe whiskey is the secret ingredient that will bring them together–and give true love a shot.

Wedding photographer Charlotte Linley loves her work –even though she hates weddings. Sure, she still holds a grudge after being left at the altar by her high-school sweetheart. But today Charlotte is just happy to have complete control over her career, which is flourishing. Especially since she joined forces with one of the three gorgeous owners of The Stag, a boutique distillery that has become Kansas City’s hottest wedding venue.

Dean Troyer, bitter after the end of his own marriage, knows that Charlotte is the real deal–beautiful, talented, and successful. He may flirt with her every time she comes to The Stag, but Dean is determined to keep his professional distance…particularly now that she’s helping him with his own sister’s wedding. The only problem? The more time Dean spends with Charlotte, the deeper their connection grows. Is this a rom-com cliche’ or could it be that these two jaded souls in the wedding business have finally found their real-life happily ever after?

Titles in the Whiskey and Weddings series include: Maybe I Do – Maybe This Time –