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Contemporary Fiction – The Girl in the Corner

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From bestselling author Amanda Prowse comes the poignant tale of a woman who has always been there for her family. But will they be there for her?

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling.

Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her would-be anniversary trip to Antigua and the two women drink and dance and talk like they haven’t in years. But in the break from real life, Rae realises her choices have always been made for her, and suddenly she’s questioning not only her fragile marriage but also her one-sided friendships. Is she really the pushover everyone else sees?

When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.

Buy Links:

About the Author:

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has had twenty one novels published in dozens of languages. Her chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’, ‘My Husband’s Wife’ and ‘The Girl in the Corner’ have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include ‘A Mother’s Story’ which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award and ‘Perfect Daughter’ that was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s latest book ‘The Coordinates of Loss’ went straight to No.1 in Literary Fiction when it was launched. She has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘The Queen of Family Drama.’

Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour.

Amanda’s ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades…

Praise for Amanda Prowse:

‘A powerful and emotional work of fiction’ – Piers Morgan
‘Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill’ – Daily Mail
‘Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues’ – Hello!
‘A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read’ – The Irish Sun
‘You’ll fall in love with this…’ – Cosmopolitan
‘Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.’ – Heat
‘Magical’ – Now magazine

Find Amanda Online:

Books For Review – Week of March 18th

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The Killing Girl
By Summer Prescott
Publisher: S. Prescott Thrillers
Release Date: March 15, 2019
Mystery & Thrillers

‘Til death do us part…

Obsession can be a dangerous thing.

Susannah dabbles in darkness, finding sadistic solace in the death of those who deserve it. But now she wants something more. Or, more to the point…someone.

She’s on a manhunt. She will possess him, one way or another, whether in life, or death. She hasn’t made up her mind yet.

He’s the only one who ever accepted her. Who even maybe loved her, in his own strange way. And then, he left her, which could turn out to be a deadly mistake.

Her husband Tim, a mild-mannered mortician, has packed his bags and fled, a fugitive from his homicidal wife. She wants him, and what Susannah wants, she gets.

Will Tim continue to elude his murderous mate? If he doesn’t, will he survive her peculiar form of love?

This journey through the mind of a stone-cold killer will leave you on the edge of your seat. Close the doors, lock the windows, and get ready for a bloodcurdling ride.

Jugend
By Aalia Lanius
Publisher: Unsugarcoated Media
Release Date: March 31, 2019
Historical Fiction

In 1933, after Hitler’s rise to power, the paramilitary Hitler Jugend, or Hitler Youth, became the only permitted youth organization in Germany, then known as The Third Reich.

It’s 1937 now, and a fourteen-year-old German youth, Ernst, is part of a secret mission which will send a group of teen-aged boys to London under the pretense of a bicycle tour to spy for the Nazis. The cyclists’ objective: identify both geographical and human targets for subsequent elimination as Europe approaches a flashpoint that Hitler intends to exploit by waging all-out war. Ernst’s mentor, Officer Müller, considers him the perfect fit for a special assignment—spy on a wealthy British Jewish family considered a threat to the Reich as they shelter Jewish refugees from Nazi oppression.

In a parallel story, a modern-day American teen-aged orphan, Clark, has fallen under the spell of white supremacy ideology after a series of family misfortunes. Having lost his mother as a child to cancer and then his father a couple of years later to war in Iraq, he is in the hands of his unscrupulous guardian who manages to plant him as a child-agent in a Muslim household. Clark’s purpose: prove that the randomly-chosen Muslim family must be terrorists.

Each youth approaches his assignment with a masked heart filled with hate and a deep misunderstanding of who his hosts are, roiling the boys in emotional conflict as events unfold, and forcing each to face what will be the hardest decision of his entire life—help destroy what his handlers fear or find the courage to think for himself and face the consequences.

Swords, Sorcery, & Self-Rescuing Damsels
by Lee French
Publisher: Clockwork Dragon
Release Date: Apr 16, 2019
Fantasy

THESE LADIES AREN’T WAITING.

Twenty bestselling and award-winning authors offer enchanting tales of women and girls forging paths through darkness and peril. Cleverness, curiosity, and determinations make worthy heroines in fantastical new worlds.

Featuring stories by:

Jody Lynn Nye
Katie Cross
Robyn Bennis
Raven Oak
Frog and Esther Jones
Dawn Vogel
Matt Youngmark
Lee French
Connie J. Jasperson
Jeffrey Cook
Katherine Perkins
Jeremy Zimmerman
Edward J. Knight
Elmdea Adams
Fulvio Gatti
Robert J. McCarter
Lou J. Berger
Ian Berger
Sarah Bartsch

Vicious A Complete Standalone and a Part of the Sinners of Saint Series

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Emilia

They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.
The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.
He is a brilliant lawyer.
A skilled criminal.
A beautiful liar.
A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.
Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious

She is a starving artist.
Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.
Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.
She paid the price.
Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate.
That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.
So she hates me. Big fucking deal.
She better get used to me.

Vicious a complete standalone and a part of the Sinners of Saint series

Reader Reviews

An epic deliciously wicked must read that will blow your mind and leave you with a massive book hangover.- Books and Boys BookBlog.

This book totally lived up tothe hype and so much more. It’s one of those books that as soon as you’ve finished you want to start it again. It’s that good. – Kristina, For The Love of Books.

WhatTheFuckityFuck this book was absolutely Alphatastic!!! Five stars really isn’t enough for this one. L.J. Shen blew me away with this one. –Book Smacked.

LJ Shen has done it again.Taken an absolutely HORRIBLE character and made him into a swoony motherfucker. Still a complete asshole, but a swoony one. – Mel’s View.

I absolutely have no idea where to start. This is probably the first book I’ve ever read that has left me speechless. And I’m not even lying. Literally no words are being formed in my head to describe how much I love this book. – Togan Book Lover.

It was amazing and thought provoking, staying with me long after the last word was read.- Rosa Sharon,iScream Books.

Eeek, I can’t believe it! One of the most anticipated books of the year – heck, ever – and I totally devoured it in one sitting. What is it if not love at first read? Jesus, what will I do afterthat? I just simply can’t get over this mind-blowing story. – Rebecca, Little Red Reading Hood.

This book right here blew my FUCKING MIND!! Just wow. I loved Sparrow, Tyed, and Blood to Dust, but Vicious……. he became my one and only! – Julia, The Romance Rebels.

He’s a Bona-fide, “take your heart and crush it under his foot”,”Ruin your life” badass. He puts all the other Bad Boys to shame.- Shabby Arora, BookBistro Blog.

It’s official. L.J. Shen is a witch. How else could the woman possibly crawl inside my mind and create a story that seriously felt custom written for me? -Lana, Dirty Girl Romance.

I couldn’t have wished to have had a better initiation into Ms Shen’s storytelling, too. The editing and proofreading which I give a lot of importance to was faultless. Bravo ma’am – Sharon, KKF Forever.

LJ Shen has created an addictive story line with characters that will frustrate you to no end. – Lina’s Reviews Book Blog.

L.J. Shen pulled off a fucktastic slow burning story of alpha dominance and pain! Which can only describe Vicious! – Heather, QueenZany.

Vicious is everything. Cover, story, sexiness, characters, heat level. Everything was just perfection. – The Romantic Book Angel.

Enemies to lovers at it’s very best it’s also a second chance with a twist. – Lisa’s Bookluscious Blog.

I was completely bowled over by this book, the story flowed really well and the writing was as close to flawless as it could be. – Confessions of a Book Geek.

Buy Links:

More Books in The Sinners Of Saint Contemporary Romance Series:

About the Author:

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Find L.J. Shen Online:

Books For Review – Week of March 11th

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The Golden Hour
A Lady Evelyn Mystery
Malia Zaidi
Publisher: BookBaby
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Mystery & Thrillers, Women’s Fiction

Lady Evelyn Carlisle has barely arrived in London when familial duty calls her away again. Her cousin Gemma is desperate for help with her ailing mother before her imminent wedding, which Evelyn knew nothing about! Aunt Agnes in tow, she journeys to Scotland, expecting to find Malmo Manor in turmoil. To her surprise, her Scottish family has been keeping far more secrets than the troubled state of their matriarch. Adding to the tension in the house a neighbor has opened his home, Elderbrooke Park, as a retreat for artistic veterans of the Great War. This development does not sit well with everyone in the community. Is the suspicion towards the residents a catalyst for murder? A tragedy at Elderbrooke Park’s May Day celebration awakens Evelyn’s sleuthing instinct, which is strengthened when the story of another unsolved death emerges, connected to her own family. What she uncovers on her quest to expose the truth will change several lives forever, including her own.

With the shadow of history looming over her, Evelyn must trust in her instinct and ability to comb through the past to understand the present, before the murderer can stop her and tragedy strikes again.

Plotting for Murder
Mystery Bookshop Series, Book 1
By Tamra Baumann
Release Date: Mar 15, 2019
Mystery & Thrillers

Sawyer Davis’ new life in picturesque Sunset Cove is crumbling around her as fast as the old Victorian house she lives in. She’s a chef whose matchmaking mother has left her a puppy, a bevy of single men to choose from, and a bookshop dedicated to whodunnits. Complete with a book club of amateur sleuths who live for death. When one of the members dies just after eating Sawyer’s amazing truffle mac and cheese, Sawyer is immersed in an even bigger soup pot of trouble.

With her chef’s reputation on the line, and an uncle after her inheritance, Sawyer teams up with the sheriff who once broke her heart—whether he wants her help or not—to solve the mystery. Will past hurts, and long-buried attraction for the sheriff stand in the way of solving the crime before the murderer strikes again?

Wild Heart
Hollywood Hearts: Book 4
by Belinda Williams
Release Date: April 15, 2019
Romance , Women’s Fiction

IS HOLLYWOOD’S MOST FORMIDABLE ACTRESS A MATCH FOR THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST STUNTMAN?

Faith Martin is not having a mid-life crisis. Never mind she’s just turned forty and found a wrinkle. In need of a change from LA, Faith heads to Sonoma Valley in Northern California, only to discover the one man she never wanted to see again is living there.

Cole Cooper is more than just a handsome rancher and winemaker. He’s also a respected stuntman, and Faith knows he’s as dangerous in real life as when he’s diving from cars or throwing punches on-screen.

Then Faith receives the opportunity to star in, as well as direct, a lethal action film that could take her career to new heights. The only problem? The production team wants Cole for the job of stunt coordinator, and they’re not prepared to negotiate.

When suspicious accidents start occurring on-set, is Faith prepared to take extreme risks for the most exciting role of her career? And will those risks include endangering her heart?

Book 4 in the Hollywood Hearts series promises heart-stopping action, and is perfect for fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Victoria Dahl, Susan Mallery, and Louise Bagshawe.

YA Romance – Someday, Maybe By Elise Faber

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It’s okay to be different.

Ha. That’s what people are supposed to say, supposed to pretend in this new age, hipster reality that I live in. Except high school students aren’t accepting and having my life up for debate in the halls, well . . . it really—really—sucks.

Then a single conversation with my dad shatters all of my childhood memories and my mom copes with his news by spending every hour losing herself in work. Suddenly, it’s not just my high school’s hallways that have become a freaking horror film. Just traversing the relationship between my parents is more dangerous than crossing a minefield.

So I’ve been keeping my head down, hoping to just survive my senior year. That is, until Jason Monroe waltzes into my life and invites me to Homecoming. The soccer god is popular, hot as hell, and my every teenaged fantasy come to life.

And for some insane reason he likes me. Me. The Harry-Potter-loving, pajama-wearing, bookworm nerd who is too lazy to spend much time on makeup and hair. Somehow Jason Monroe likes me.

But my life falling apart means that I’m a terrible bet and Jason couldn’t possibly want to run the gauntlet of high school or my home life with me.

Except . . . what if he does?

Reader Reviews

“Wow…It’s hard to find the words – I just finished this book and am still bawling. Beautifully written and it hit me right in the feels. This is not a light and fluffy book, this will tear out your heart and then piece it back together. It is amazing. – Rachel Sherfey, Reviewer

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About the Author:

Aside from writing romance, Elise’s passions are chocolate, Star Wars, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team — the Sharks! — are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise is the mom to two exuberant boys and is thoroughly addicted to Dancing With the Stars.

Find Elise Online:

Books For Review – Week of March 4th

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The War Blog
Glen Sobey
Black Rose Writing
Release Date: December 2018
Teens & YA

Crystal Rose, a 17-year-old high school junior, and her younger brother were abandoned by their drug-addicted mother fifteen years ago in an Alaskan Native village, an event which Crystal resented for years. However, when she learns that her mother was raped in high school, Crystal declares war against a society which reduces girls to their looks, forcing them to feel worthless without the approval of guys.

While living in a small Alaskan town, she starts The War Blog website, along with her best friend and crush Kato—a brilliant Native boy—attacking everything promoting female objectification and offering ways to fight back, all supplemented by her original songs. Crystal rises from nothing in the wilds of Alaska to become a champion for change, risking her life against men who would force her to keep silent. She faces her parents’ abusive past and fights for a better world.

Minno
James Barlog
BAK Books
Middle Grade, Teens & YA

Minno has to save her parents and along the way discover who she really is.

Oh, yeah, there’s also one evil high minister Craveaux, who must stop Minno while he steals all the magic in the kingdom for his own sinister purposes.

The girls embark on the adventure of a lifetime to face a veritable menagerie of strange creatures, both friendly and unfriendly to their cause.

Her friend Hailey thought she was having a sleepover at her friend’s house. Now she’s Minno’s ally and partner on their incredible quest.

For all her young life Minno believed her parents were dead. Then she learns they’re alive, but they’re in grave danger.

And being raised by your grandfather … and having a name like Minno … and then having to journey through a strange land to rescue your parents. But Minno is doing the best she can.

It isn’t easy being 13 …

The Noble Guardian
by Michelle Griep
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Shiloh Run Press
Christian , Romance
Relaese Date: June 1, 2019

A Cross-Country Trip through Regency England Brings Intrigue, Rogues, and High Adventure

The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time in coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, it’s finally her time for love. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentlemen in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.

Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.

Abby pleads with him to escort her for the rest of her journey. He refuses—until she offers him something he desperately needs to achieve his goal. . .money. Delivering her safely will give him more than enough to buy property.

So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.

The Next Charming Mystery from Carolyn Haines Featuring Spunky Southern Private Investigator Sarah Booth Delaney

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The next charming mystery from Carolyn Haines featuring spunky southern private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney.

Dr. Frank Hafner is an archeologist working on excavating a new-found Native American temple site in the Mississippi Delta. He’s also too handsome for his own good, and a bit of a flirt. Oddly enough, it’s the first quality that gets him in trouble when he discovers the ritualistic murder of one of his archeological crew. When Coleman Peters, Sheriff and Sarah Booth’s boyfriend, takes Dr. Hafner in for questioning in the murder, the accused doctor hires Sarah Booth to clear his name.

Soon, Sarah Booth has uncovered a number of possible suspects, but she can’t narrow them down fast enough to stem the continuing violence that seems to trace back to Dr. Hafner’s dig. When Peter Deerstalker, a member of the Tunica tribe, mentions a curse, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched–especially when a young graduate student on the site claims someone on the site is searching for something much more precious than ancient pottery…

Something spooky is going on in the Mississippi Delta, and though Sarah Booth isn’t sure who to trust, or what to believe, she knows she won’t rest until she’s dug up the truth.

FREE Sample of Games of Bones

A free sample of Games of Bones can be found in the upcoming cozy mystery sampler – Cozy Case Files

Cozy Case Files
A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 6
By Various Authors
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Day May 7, 2019
Pre-Order – FREE

Looking for a new cozy series? In this new edition of Cozy Case Files, Minotaur Books compiles the beginnings of eight charming cozy mysteries coming in Spring 2019 for free for easy sampling.

Jump into the latest cozies by the following authors: Donna Andrews, Shelia Connolly, Cate Conte, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Ellen Hart, Kylie Logan, and Allison Montclair.

With the charm of a southern belle and none of the rules, private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney is back in Games of Bones. In Terns of Endearment, Meg Langslow races to solve a mystery while aboard a broken down cruise ship. Or follow PI Jane Lawless in Twisted at the Root as she works to attain justice for a widower wrongfully convicted of his husband’s murder.

If you’re an animal lover, return to cat café JJ’s House of Purrs in The Tell Tail Heart or check out The Scent of Murder, starring cadaver dog trainer Jazz Ramsey.

For history fans, there’s The Right Sort of Man, and the proprietresses of the Right Sort of Marriage Bureau, in 1946 London, who find their livelihood in danger when a client is arrested for the murder of another. In The Disappearance of Alistair Ainsworth, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes confronts a threat to the crown. Or revisit the modern-day town that’s about to be turned into a working Victorian village in Killer in the Carriage House.

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About the Author:

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series and a number of other books in mystery and crime, including the Pluto’s Snitch paranormal-historical mystery series, and Trouble, the black cat detective romantic suspense books. She is the recipient of the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, and the Mississippi Writers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a former journalist, bartender, photographer, farmhand, and college professor and lives on a farm where she works with rescue cats, dogs, and horses.

Find Carolyn Online: