Category Archives: Reviews

Book Review & Giveaway ~ AT Dusk by John W. Mefford

~~ My Thoughts & Review ~~

AT Dusk is Book 5 of the Alex Troutt Thriller series. As you may know, I love reading series and always try to read them in order. That being said, each book in this series can be read as a stand-alone novel.

When a gruesome murder that is eerily similar to an unsolved cold case from a decade ago is discovered, Alex and her team at the Boston FBI headquarters are teamed up with a local Police Dept. Since Nick got injured while trying to bring in a suspect for questioning, Alex will be working closely with Somerville PD detective Terri Askew.

John Mefford always does a great job of building his characters, and this time is no different. He does a great job sharing the dynamics of the relationship that develops between these two strong, independent woman.

These woman team up to catch the psychopath that has been killing “ladies of the night” and cutting their eyes out. They arrest a suspect early on, but then have doubts if he is their killer. He is definitely guilty of something, but something just doesn’t seem to add up. Could they be working two cases simultaneously?

I’ve read and reviewed the previous 4 books, and just like those, I love all the twists and turns in this thriller 🙂

New Release….
Alex Troutt Thriller, Book #5
AT Dusk

A little boy makes his first kill—and he likes it. He is cunning, charming, and without remorse.

He is a sociopath.

As boy turns to man, what lies inside takes root. He will make a mark on Boston unlike any other, and FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt must figure out how to stop him.

But when she and her close-knit team move in closer, the stakes become much higher as the case takes on a more personal tone. It’s a frantic race to stop a manipulative killer before his web of deceit and destruction escalates into a blood bath of haunting proportions.

Available to buy from…..
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble iBooks Kobo

“Alex Troutt is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters. I love how she’s constantly having to balance her family life and her job, even though her job is continually threatening to take over.” – Sonya N

“I simply love every single one of John Mefford’s novels. They keep you on the edge of your seat reading late into the night.” – Michele B

“Intrigue and attempts at revenge for long held grudges – the twists and turns keeps your adrenalin pumping.” – Tracy C

above reviews from the Alex Trout Series

Also available in the series…

About the Author
A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

Find the author on the following sites….
Website Facebook Twitter Google+ Goodreads Amazon Author Page

Join John’s Readers’ Group and receive the first novels in both the Greed and Booker Series

FREE for a limited time!

OTHER BOOKS FROM JOHN W MEFFORD

9578899

Follow the book tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win AT Dusk by John W Mefford ebook
5 Winners!!
Ending on Sunday 1st October at 11.59pm CST

Open Worldwide

Enter HERE

Good Luck !!

Book Review & Giveaway ~ The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda

~ My Thoughts and Review ~

Kaira Rouda artfully weaves together the lives and stories of several families facing a time of major change to their lives. The Goodbye Year takes place in well-to-do Crystal Beach, California. It all begins at the welcome back to school meeting for parents. Their kids are starting their senior year of high school. All the parents are beginning to feel the effects of the upcoming “empty nest syndrome”. Unfortunately, this major life change happens to coincide with mid-life crisis’s for these families.

We meet each family in alternating chapters. We get to know their challenges and issues through the eyes of the parents, as well as, their teenagers. Each person shares their point of view of the situations as they unfold and intertwine with each other.

It always amazes me, to learn what goes on behind closed doors. People put on a fake persona to the world, one that seems like they have it all together and can handle everything that life throws at them, but in reality, they are barely hanging on.

The Goodbye Year is full of drama, as you can well imagine, centering on hormonal teenagers, peri-menopausal mothers and mid-life crisis fathers going through a major change to life as they know it.

I really enjoyed this book, and I believe you will too 🙂

Melanie, a perfectionist mom who views the approaching end of parenting as a type of death, can’t believe she has only one more year to live vicariously through her slacker senior son, Dane. Gorgeous mom Sarah has just begun to realize that her only daughter, Ashley, has been serving as a stand-in for her traveling husband, and the thought of her daughter leaving for college is cracking the carefully cultivated façade of her life. Will and his wife are fine—as long as he follows the instructions on the family calendar and is sure to keep secret his whole other life with Lauren, the woman he turns to for fun (and who also happens to have a daughter in the senior class).

Told from the points of view of both the parents and the kids, The Goodbye Year explores high school peer pressure, what it’s like for young people to face the unknown of life after high school, and how a transition that should be the beginning of a couple’s second act together—empty nesting—might possibly be the end.

Available to buy from…

Kindle    Amazon Print   Barnes and Noble   iBooks   Kobo   Google Play

“Rouda deftly examines the difficult transition parents and their children face as they prepare for the end of one life and the beginning of another. Her latest is a compelling story and a thoughtful examination of the nature of change and the importance of working to accept it.” ―Booklist

 “The Goodbye Year is an often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, always engaging look at the last year before high school seniors leave their families for good. I devoured it!” -Meg Mitchell Moore, author of The Admissions, So Far Away, and The Arrivals

 “The family dramas and dynamics are things that we can all relate to…”
-Redbook magazine, “20 Best Books to Read Come Spring”

 “Kaira Rouda channels Peyton Place meets The Real Housewives of Orange County with her newest book, The Goodbye Year.” ―Working Mother magazine

About the Author
Kaira Rouda is a USA Today bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction and sexy modern romance novels that sparkle with humor and heart.

Her women’s fiction titles include THE GOODBYE YEAR, HERE, HOME, HOPE, ALL THE DIFFERENCE and IN THE MIRROR. Her bestselling short story is titled, A MOTHER’S DAY. Her sexy contemporary romance series include the LAGUNA BEACH Series, the INDIGO ISLAND Series with a new MALIBU Series launching in 2016.

Her nonfiction titles, REAL YOU INCORPORATED: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, and REAL YOU FOR AUTHORS: 8 Essentials for Women Writers (available for free download on her website) continue to inspire.

Kaira’s work has won numerous awards including the Indie Excellence Award, USA Book Awards, the Reader’s Choice Awards and honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest International Book Awards. She lives in Southern California with her husband and four almost-grown kids, and is at work on her next novel.

Find the author on the following sites…

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

Photobucket

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win a $25 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash (winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Friday 2nd September at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Save

Save

Save

Save

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Spring Fling Kitty by Rachelle Ayala

~This series from Rachelle Ayala is going on my must-read list~

Heartbreaker Connor Hart, one of the youngest fire chiefs in the country, is planning on marrying Dr. Elaine Woo, a woman who pretended to cheat on him with his best friend many years ago. She bought him a Dalmatian puppy, he gave her a ring—and the women of San Francisco are about to lose their most eligible bachelor.

Artist and poet Nadine Woo is down on her luck. The cast-off half-sister of Dr. Elaine Woo, she doesn’t measure up, according to her strict and distant father. When Nadine and her mother are about to be evicted from their apartment, she gets an interesting offer from her sister. Seems she’s in need of a little help concerning her relationship with Fire Chief Connor Hart.

As soon as Nadine meets Connor, she knows she’s in for a rough ride. Connor is the fireman who rescued her and her little gray kitten, and she’s never forgotten how safe she felt in his arms.

When Nadine takes her sister’s place at a spring fling weekend with Connor, love ignites, and there’s no going back.

Can a spunky little kitty show Connor and Nadine that doing the wrong thing is sometimes right, especially when it comes to love?

Spring Fling Kitty is Book #3 of the Have A Hart Romance Series. It can be read standalone, although characters from the previous books appear here in supporting roles.

Have a Hart Romance Series 
Christmas Lovebirds, Book #1
Valentine Hound Dog, Book #2
Spring Fling Kitty, Book #3

Available to buy from…
Amazon   Barnes and Noble   Google Play   iBooks

“Beautiful romance with a touch of suspense, great combination!” – Amazon review

“A beautiful, heartfelt story. Love saw. Love came. Love conquered. I truly recommended everyone to read this book.”  – Amazon review

About heroine Nadine Woo – “A free spirit is a gift in my eyes. It’s what makes her beautiful. It’s what makes Connor love her. It’s what brings life to this story.” – Corissa Palfrey

About the author
Rachelle Ayala is a bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Her foremost goal is to take readers on a shared emotional journey with her characters as they grow and become more true to themselves. Rachelle believes in the power of love to overcome obstacles and feels that everyone should find love as often as possible, especially if it’s within the pages of a book. Her book, Knowing Vera, won the 2015 Angie Ovation Award, and A Father for Christmas garnered a 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Award.

Sign up for her NEWSLETTER to get a FREE surprise book and her latest book news HERE!

Visit her Reader’s Guide HERE

Find the author on the following sites…
Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads  
Amazon Author Page

Follow the tour

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win $25 Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of Spring Fling Kitty
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Saturday 13th August at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

018836-glossy-silver-icon-symbols-shapes-square-2

 

Book Review & Giveaway ~ AT Dawn by John W. Mefford

My Thoughts & Review

AT Dawn is the 4th installment in the Alex Troutt Thriller series. It can be read as a stand-alone book, but in my personal opinion, you’ll understand more of the background if you’ve read the previous books.

Like most women, Alex Troutt wears many hats. First and foremost, she is a single mom, as well as, an FBI agent and a woman who wouldn’t mind the affections of a wonderful man in her life. For her, and most women, life is hectic and can seem to be like a balancing act.

In this installment, Alex is focusing on her family life … not work. She takes her kids on a well-deserved and overdue vacation to the small town where she grew up on the gulf coast of Texas. She imagined enjoying fun, sun-filled days on the beach with her kids, re-connecting with her estranged father, and catching up with lifelong friends she grew up with. Sounds like the perfect trip … until her family is put in danger by a drive-by shooting involving a new drug cartel trying to take over the quiet beach town that attracts a lot of tourism.

So much for relaxing with her family … she goes into FBI mode and teams up with an old CIA colleague who is now working as a PI looking for a rich college kid who has disappeared. Are these cases somehow related? She follows all the leads and somehow, her father’s girlfriend seems to be involved. Is she involved with the cartel? Is she putting her father in danger … and her kids?

Like most women, Alex has to balance family life with work life … with one exception, her involves a lot of bullets!

This is a great book (and a great series) … 2 thumbs up!

New Release….
Alex Troutt Thriller, Book #4
AT Dawn

FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt returns in a twisting, heart-pounding thriller.

Three flashes of light illuminate a dark sky. An unspeakable evil devours its prey.

The shimmering view of the sun-drenched ocean can often be nothing more than a mirage. For Alex Troutt, a trip back home for a much-needed summer vacation proves only one thing: greed rules. But how it takes root could destroy her world.

Fueled by the lust of power and money, the shadow of death envelopes her seaside hometown, including those closest to Alex. But as disconnected investigations converge into one focal point, Alex will stop at nothing to blow the entire crime ring straight to hell—even if she has to make the ultimate sacrifice…her life.

Available to buy from…..
Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    iBooks   Kobo

“Alex Troutt is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters. I love how she’s constantly having to balance her family life and her job, even though her job is continually threatening to take over.” – Sonya N

“I simply love every single one of John Mefford’s novels. They keep you on the edge of your seat reading late into the night.” – Michele B

“Intrigue and attempts at revenge for long held grudges – the twists and turns keeps your adrenalin pumping.” – Tracy C

above reviews from the Alex Trout Series

Also available in the series…
    

About the Author
A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Once and Future Wife by David Burnett

Book Review from Tracy Helps You

Book Review from Tracy Helps You

~ My Thoughts and Review ~

Jennie has a good life … now, but not always. She leads a content life as a third grade teacher. She spends her free time with friends and her grown daughters. She has overcome many things over the last decade or so, including learning to manage her Bi-Polar Disorder diagnosis. Continue reading →

Book Review & Giveaway ~ A Flair for Chardonnay by Deborah Garner

My Thoughts & Review

Spending time in the country, sipping wine and eating chocolate – it’s a rough job, but someone has to do it 🙂

Sadie Kramer is up for the task, and somehow, mysteries just seem to fall into her lap. Sadie runs a successful and busy boutique shop in San Francisco with her assistant, Amber. Sadie decided she needed / deserved a little getaway. Knowing Amber was more than capable of handling things in her absence, she decided to take a long weekend up the coast to wine country.

Since she has been worried about her friend and chocolatier business neighbor, Matteo, she decided she would visit his family’s winery, the Tremiato Winery in St. Vincent’s Hollow.

When she stops in the tasting room, she meets all of Matteo’s siblings and mother, without them knowing of her friendship with Matteo, who is apparently the black sheep of their family. She agrees to come back in the morning to enjoy their annual Harvest Festival.

She arrives refreshed the next day, after a pleasant nights stay at a local B&B (also owned by a Tremiato family member); to find the hubbub of a crime scene … someone had been murdered at the winery. And just like that, another mystery falls into Sadie’s lap.

Deborah Garner is gifted at bringing each character to life. She adds details seamlessly, making it seem like you know these people. She presents scenarios that have you thinking you know who did it, and then in the next sentence you are second guessing yourself. And that is to say, this is a great “who done it” … it gets 2 thumbs up from me 🙂

NEW RELEASE….

When flamboyant senior sleuth Sadie Kramer learns the owner of Cioccolato, her favorite chocolate shop, is in trouble, she heads for the California wine country with a tote-bagged Yorkie and a slew of questions. The fourth generation Tremiato Winery promises answers, but not before a dead body turns up at the vintners’ scheduled Harvest Festival.

All four Tremiato siblings have possible motives, as well as a few peripheral acquaintances, but only one could be the guilty party. As Sadie juggles truffles, tips and turmoil, she’ll need to sort the grapes from the wrath in order to find the identity of the killer.

Available to buy from….
Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk   

About the author
Deborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible.

Find the author on the following sites…
Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

018836-glossy-silver-icon-symbols-shapes-square-2

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win a $25 Amazon.com Giftcard or Paypal Cash
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 5th June at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review & Giveaway ~ AT Large by John W. Mefford

~ My Thoughts & Review ~

AT Large is the second book in the Alex Troutt series. It can definitely be a standalone book, but I chose to read the first one, AT Bay, because that is just my personal preference when I read series – it’s your call 🙂

In AT Large, we find FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt has now transferred into the Violent Crimes Unit and is again working with her old partner, Nick. On the case they are working, they discover many gruesome similarities to a previous case, including some facts that connect back to J. L. Cobb – the man in prison awaiting trial for murdering Alex’s unfaithful husband along with several other men who were cheating on the wives. Could he have had a partner ?

The latest murdering spree takes us up and down the eastern seaboard. The victims – both male and female – how are they connected ? Are they somehow connected to the Ring Murders ?

John Mefford introduces new characters and fleshes out his current characters seamlessly and weaves them into the fabric of the story.  This thriller has you on the edge of your seat – the twists and turns keeps your adrenaline pumping.

2 thumbs up for AT Bay & AT Large … I can’t wait to read the 3rd in this series !

New Release…

Alex Troutt Thriller Series #2
AT Large

The pursuit of the truth. The hunt for a life.

For the first time in months, FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt feels almost normal, hanging out at a local bar with friends after work. Not long into the evening she stumbles over one of the most disturbing images she has ever seen.

And that’s only the beginning.

A body is found in Lowell, the human damage, once again, inconceivable. Hours later, another strike. Pushing heartache aside, Alex immerses herself in the investigation. But with every new clue comes a new twist.

With the killing spree drawing the attention of every intelligence and law enforcement agency in a five-state radius, Alex is forced to partner with an egomaniac from the CIA. Yet, even with limitless resources, every step forward proves to be a step too late, the kill list seemingly endless.

Once the killer makes it personal, Alex is left with no other option—she must confront the person who destroyed her life to try to cease the vicious murders. And when she finally learns the killer’s end game, every second counts if she has any hope of stopping the brutal killings.

The hunt will end. Will Alex?

Available to buy from…..
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble iBooks Kobo

Also available

AT Bay (Alex Troutt Thriller series #1)
Alexandra Giordano never knew she had it so good. Until it was all gone in an instant.

As she begins her daunting quest to uncover the black spots on her memory, what she finds isn’t sweet or charming or even pleasant. And that’s when she begins to question everything, including herself.

Her work as a Special Agent for the FBI is only a distraction, serving as a mental metronome…anything to crank the gears of her feeble mind.

And then it happens—a bizarre, ritualistic murder. She loses herself in her work, fully immersed in the investigation. Unable to recall even her own kids, she’s somehow able to formulate coherent theories on what type of person could pull off such a sickening act.

As her mind slowly plugs a few memory gaps, her emotions are scrambled by the reality of her worlds colliding. And the resulting explosion tears her in two.

Can she pick up all the incendiary fragments to solve the twisted crime while she clings to some semblance of sanity?

One woman can only keep so much…AT Bay.

Available to buy from…..
Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback Barnes and Noble iBooks Kobo

About the Author
A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

Find the author on the following sites…
Website Facebook Twitter Google+ Goodreads Amazon Author Page

OTHER BOOKS FROM JOHN W MEFFORD
9578899

Follow the book tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

Win both ebooks AT Bay and AT Large
2 Winners!!
Ending on Thursday 14th April at 11.59pm CST
Open Worldwide

Enter HERE

Good Luck !!

Book Review & Giveaway ~ I’m Yours by Carolyn Menke

New Release….

I’m Yours is the prequel to Return To Me. This companion novella spins the tale of how Sadie’s mother, Audrey, becomes Audrey McCall, and the events leading up to one fateful decision that will affect generations to come.

The Roaring Twenties spell opportunity for Audrey McCall, a starlet who’s as irresistible as the illegal booze poured behind every shuttered speakeasy. Her big theater dreams include landing the impossible, a role on Broadway. But she’s fallen in love with handsome Edward Stark, who wants her to be his leading lady and his alone.

Edward’s confessed his love and is ready to embark on a future with Audrey. No more sneaking off to speakeasies and enduring cast parties, where the catcalls of men directed at his main squeeze get under his skin. Wouldn’t Audrey rather become the mother of his children than worry about the next paycheck?

Muddying the waters is the shifty Rex Wyatt, a new playwright in town, who promises to make Audrey a star. If Audrey gets the part of her dreams, she has to take it. There are no second chances in theater. Are there second chances in love?

~ My Thoughts and Review ~

I’m Yours is a prequel to Return to Me (you can read my review here). It is a short novella giving background stories to the characters in Return to Me. I’d recommend reading both books together.

The story is about the romance of Edward and Audrey that takes place during the Roaring 20’s. I loved the way the author used the lingo from that time era. Her descriptions made you feel like you were there.

Edward is a lawyer and has political aspirations. He is hopelessly in love with Audrey and wants to get married, settle down and start a family.

Audrey is an up and coming stage actress and wants to be a Star. She is deeply in love with Edward, but isn’t ready to settle down. She wants to follow her dreams.

Times were quite different back then, especially for women. In today’s world, you can have both – marriage/family and a career. Not so back then, women had to choose … love or career.

What did Audrey choose ??

If you like historical, romance fiction, I think you’ll want to read both I’m Yours and Return to Me.

Available to buy from….

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo

Read an excerpt HERE

“A sweeping, romantic debut that brings the war-time forties to vivid life in this Titanic meets Philomena tale—fast-paced, tender, and real.” — on Return to Me by RITA Award-winning Author Gwyn Cready

“Menke’s writing is so lovely, you will want to wrap yourself in her words and savor each moment you spend in Sadie’s story. Return To Me will tug on your heart strings and take you on a journey back in time.” — on Return to Me by Dana Faletti, Author of the Whisper Trilogy

“A timeless tale of love, loss and sacrifice that will equally break and warm your heart, as you cheer for the beautifully complex characters until the very last page.” — on Return to Me by Lori M. Jones, Author of Renaissance of the Heart

Also Available

Return to Me
In 1942…

Eighteen-year-old Sadie Stark, raised by the governor of Pennsylvania, has the world on a string. She doesn’t need the mother who left her any more than she needs the fiance who promises to change. What she needs is to finish college, and keep her wits about her.

When war-bound James Pasko returns her stolen clutch, and shows her what’s missing in her life, she gains the courage to search for the truth about her past.

What Sadie uncovers rattles her to the core. But James’ steadfast love gives her hope for the future—for the first time—even as the war tears them apart.

When James disappears over enemy lines and Sadie makes a startling discovery, she must decide to follow in the footsteps of the mother who gave her away, or face a life of hardship like she’s never known.

Available to buy from….

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo

About the Author
Carolyn Menke is the author of RETURN TO ME, published by The Wild Rose Press in September 2015 and I’M YOURS, the companion novella that released in December. RETURN TO ME, set during the 1940s, follows Sadie, as she uncovers pieces of her mother’s past. I’M YOURS, set during the Roaring Twenties, follows Audrey, Sadie’s mother, as a young starlet destined for Broadway, and the events leading up to one fateful decision.

Raised by a former kindergarten teacher and engineer, Carolyn grew up with a book in hand, a story in her ear, and was encouraged from a young age to pretend, create, read, and write. She’d often come down to the breakfast table with a new story or poem to share. Some of her fondest memories are of her mom reading to her from the front seat of their family station wagon during long road trips, her siblings fast asleep beside her. These read-alouds were the beginning of a lifelong love.

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Carolyn blogs for a digital marketing agency and enjoys horseback riding and geocaching with her family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a mom to three young daughters, it’s her turn to carry on the tradition of telling stories, reading aloud, and making the every day magical.

Find the author on the following sites…

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

Photobucket I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own. NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY     Win a $20 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash (winners choice) Plus ebook to 3 runner ups Open Worldwide   Ending on Sunday 31st January at 11.59pm EST   Enter Below and Good Luck !! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 10 Blog Posts 2015

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015 ~ The Year In Review

Happy New Year !!

I’ve always loved watching those “Year in Review”, “Top 10” (or Top 100) types of shows on TV. You know the ones … they usually break the stories down into different categories, like severe weather or celebrity deaths.

Sometimes I didn’t even remember the stories, or else I remembered but thought they took place longer ago. Time has a way of playing tricks with us. Some things flash by in an instant, while other times, time seems to stand still.

Tracy Helps You’s “Year in Review” for 2015

These were my top 5 Blog Posts from 2015 …

Back To School ~ College Bound

Locks of Love Donation

How My To-Do List Helps Me Get & Stay Organized

Tornado Touches Down / Stormy Spring Weather in Illinois

Top 10 Tips For Having A Successful Garage Sale

These were my top 5 Book Reviews from 2015 …

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Eighty and Out by Kim Cano

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Fractured Not Broken

Book Review & Giveaway ~ The Road Home by Kathleen Shoop

Book Review & Giveaway ~ Return To Me by Carolyn Menke

Thanks for taking the time to reminisce with us … Let us know if you have a topic you would like to read about … We’d love to hear from you :)

 

Book Review & Giveaway ~ A Pet for Christmas by Rachelle Ayala

NEW RELEASE…

Dedication:
To those who still suffer the wounds of war.

 >>><<<

Kelly Kennedy thought her life was finally on track. Engaged to the man of her dreams and with a baby on the way, she reassures her five-year-old daughter, Bree, that the father she picked for Christmas still loves her.

Unfortunately, war veteran Tyler Manning has been away most of the year. Recovering from PTSD isn’t easy. Rather than worry Kelly, Tyler spends his time traveling to Afghanistan to work at a children’s charity he founded.

Kelly decides to distract Bree with promises of a pet for Christmas. When Tyler is taken hostage by terrorists, she finds it hard to convince Bree that they will truly be a family in time for Christmas.

A Pet for Christmas is a sequel A Father for Christmas. While it can be read as a standalone, you’ll get more of the relationship aspect between Kelly, Tyler, and Bree by reading A Father for Christmas first.

~~~ My Thoughts & Review ~~~

A Pet for Christmas is the sequel that started with A Father for Christmas. I decided to read the first book as well, so I’ll give my thoughts on both books 🙂

~ In A Father for Christmas, we are introduced to the main characters – Bree, her mother, Kelly and Tyler, a war veteran struggling with PTSD. Tyler is also the gift (father) Bree requested from the mall Santa.

Kelly is fiercely independent, a supermom. She had Bree through artificial insemination, fully intending to be a single parent – she didn’t need a man. In preschool, Bree learns about families that have both a mommy & a daddy and sets her mind on getting herself a daddy. The rest of the story shares the rocky, romantic road that Kelly and Tyler travel together.

~ In A Pet for Christmas, the story picks up around the Holidays a year later. Kelly and Tyler are now engaged and expecting a baby. Tyler continues to struggle with flash backs from the war, as well as, survivor’s guilt. He has founded a charity to help children in war torn Afghanistan. He travels there to handle some charity business when there is a terrorist attack and Tyler has no way to communicate with his family back home.

Meanwhile, Kelly is very pregnant / hormonal. She is trying to deal with her own personal fears of abandonment and trust. Bree is showing signs of being jealous of her unborn baby brother and wants to know about her “real” daddy. They are all worried if Tyler is ok and if he will get home in time for Christmas. Getting a puppy seemed like a good idea … something to love and, hopefully provide a distraction from worrying.

Is Tyler ok? Will he get home for Christmas? Will this new little family survive? You’ll have to read the book to find out. What could be better than a nice Christmas-y romance ??

Available to buy from…

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo   iBooks   GPlay

“Heartwarming story of hope and second chances.” – Ruth Davis on Book 1, A Father for Christmas

“Absolutely breathtaking love story.” – Amber McCallister on Book 1, A Father for Christmas

Also Available

A Father for Christmas (A Veteran’s Christmas Book 1)

Dedication
To all the veterans who gave so much.

 >>><<<

Single mother Kelly Kennedy can’t afford lavish gifts for her four-year-old daughter, Bree. Homeless veteran Tyler Manning doesn’t believe he deserves a Merry Christmas.

When Bree asks Santa for a father and picks Tyler, both Tyler and Kelly vow to keep Bree from being hurt while fighting their feelings for each other.

Tyler struggles with frightening flashbacks that scare Kelly. Meanwhile, Kelly’s criminal past threatens her chance for happiness. Tyler and Kelly must believe in the power of love to give Bree her best Christmas ever.

Available to buy from…

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo   iBooks   GPlay

About the author

Rachelle Ayala is a bestselling Asian American author of dramatic romantic suspense and humorous, sexy contemporary romances. Her heroines are feisty and her heroes hot. She writes emotionally challenging stories but believes in the power of love and hope.

Rachelle is the founder of an online writing group, Romance in a Month, an active member of the California Writer’s Club, Fremont Chapter, and a volunteer for the World Literary Cafe. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has won awards in multicultural and historical romance.

Find the author on the following pages….

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads  Amazon Author Page

Follow the tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own. NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY     Win $25 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash (winners choice)   Open Worldwide Ending on Sunday 18th October at 11.59pm EST   Enter Below and Good Luck !! a Rafflecopter giveaway