Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway for Underneath by Andie M. Long


Underneath
by Andie M. Long
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 30, 2014



LAUREN LAWLER’s life is visually perfect. However husband Niall seems to have forgotten she exists. Running a Vintage shop on Ebay and meeting her best friend Monique for coffee and shopping, Lauren feels settled but bored. Collecting her nine year old son Joe from school one day, she discovers that the new mum at the gates is her old school foe Bettina.

Lauren is initially wary, but encouraged by Niall, attempts to be friendly, getting involved with the school’s summer fair so that Bettina can meet other parents. This throws Lauren into working with Seb, an outwardly nerdy looking teacher who turns out to be a hidden attraction. As Niall continues to be distant, Seb’s attentions become ever more tempting.

Bettina says she is back escaping a violent husband, but best friend Monique doesn’t buy it and warns Lauren to be careful.

As a vendetta threatens everything Lauren has taken for granted, she has to discover who she can trust. But how much does anyone ever really know about those around them, what’s underneath?




Driven by adrenaline, my hands won't stop shaking as I turn off the alarm set for three thirty am and consider what I'm about to do, part two of my plan. I suck on my top lip, trying to get some saliva into my dry mouth. I push back the duvet revealing the black DKNY top and J. Crew trousers, chosen so I look hot if arrested. I imagined Monique's voice should I face the police dressed in Value jeans and so assembled an ‘attractive assassin’ combo. My armpits feel damp and my heart races to the point that I can feel its thud within my neck, it reminds me of old movies when the monster moves slow before attack. I breathe deep, this is self-defence. I can barely tie the converse I slip on my feet and for a moment I surrender, lay down on the floor in child’s pose, trying to regulate my breathing. It does no good. I must go now. I pull my wavy blonde hair back in a bun, grab my bag, slide on my D&G sunglasses and exit the house.

Behind the wheel of my faithful Nissan Micra, I drive to the bitch's estate and park around the corner, leaving the car obscured by a row of garages. I glance around checking for witnesses. Though I see no-one, I can hear the inebriated screams and laughs of people on their way back from the clubs. I walk casually to her house, my posture straight so should anyone see me they wouldn't question my being there. As I arrive at the front garden I appraise how immaculate it looks, planted with symmetrical bedding in oranges and purples. Box hedging as neat as a newly cut fringe ensures my cover from the estate. She must either love gardening herself or pay a fortune for someone to keep it so pristine. As someone who has grown vegetables from seed and tended to them like an expectant mother, I hesitate before I put on the rubber gloves. Can I really do this? Are things really this bad? As I consider past events I feel my jaw clench and my teeth grind. She deserves everything she gets. I reach down, my fingers grip the neck of the plants and I lift and smash them onto the path where the soil parts from the roots and spills out like spewed guts. I'm horrified to feel a grin that I cannot stop form from my lips. I carry on, full of energy, until the bedding plants are no more and the piled up soil resembles a grave of the newly buried. I move onto her dustbin, retrieve a bag of food waste and push it through the letterbox imagining the smell on her return, putrid and decaying.

I open my bag, fixed together only with one stud, extract the weedkiller and pour it over the meticulous green lawn. I try and dribble it to spell out the word bitch. A few days and hopefully yellowing dead patches will reveal my handiwork. I re-check that no-one watches me as I move around the back of the house, take a screwdriver from the front pocket of the bag and use it to disable the security light in order to prevent its on and off SOS. Pre-dawn light allows me to write WHORE in carefully disguised font across her white PVC door. For my finale I empty fake vomit out of a plastic container over her patio furniture. I silently thank the person who posted the recipe on Pinterest.

Back in the driving seat, I punch a fist in the air before I burst into tears. I turn down the visor and peer at my reflection within its mirror, seeing the reasonably happily married woman turned revenge seeking missile. Ground down and exposed to my rawest state, if you looked closely you'd see every part of me, each individual cell, be able to look within the membrane to the protoplasm. See what's underneath ...









Andie M. Long is a bonkers mother of one, who spends most of her time when not working as a Research Administrator/Medical Secretary on Facebook. She has a long suffering partner.

Author of the erotic novel The Alphabet Game and drama/suspense Underneath,
she has several published short stories and poems; including an upcoming release for Cracked Eye. Andie has a regular blog at www.wordbohemia.com, ‘The Emergence of the Invisible Writer.’

Andie will be signing at Orchard Book Event, Peterborough, UK in March 2015, Tattooed Bad Boys Event, York, UK April 2015, Dublin July 2015 and Silver City Signing, Aberdeen, August 2015.  For details keep in touch at www.facebook.com/andiemlongwriter








Book Blast & Giveaway for Black Dog Nights, Part One by Ren Monterrey




Welcome to my stop on the Book Blast, presented by Shades of Rose Media, for Black Dog Nights, Part One by Ren Monterrey.  Please leave a comment or question for Ren to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

Black Dog Nights
By Ren Monterrey
Part One

Publisher:  Short on Time Books
Release Date: July 31, 2014
Genre; New Adult Romance
Length: 79 Pages
ISBN:  9781311247667
ASIN:  B00MBJB6WE

Buy Links: Amazon   Barnes and Noble   iTunes   Smashwords  Kobo 


My student loans are due and I still haven’t found a job that pays more than minimum wage. So I decide to make an arrangement through The Club. I’ll get what I need…money to pay my loans. And he’ll get what he wants…access to my body…whenever and however he wants it.

ROSE COLLINS is a recent art school graduate with overwhelming student loan debt and no way to pay it.

JAE ROTHKO is a wealthy and renowned artist who doesn’t have the time or patience for a relationship.

Jae joins The Club so he can have one woman when he wants and how he wants with no attachments and no expectations.

He selects Rose to be that woman.


BLACK DOG NIGHTS is a SERIAL NOVEL, which unfolds in THREE PARTS (approximately 75 pages each). EACH PART has a CLIFFHANGER and EACH PART is .99 cents. (That’s $2.97 for ALL THREE PARTS.)





By the time we get to The Rock Stop it’s already crowded with twenty-somethings, who all look eager to hook up with anyone who’s willing.

I pass by two guys, who are already half-drunk and gawking at my breasts, before I hit the relative safety of the bar area.

“What do you want to drink?” Cali yells over the loud Top Forty music.

“Would I look too conspicuous just holding a glass of water?”

Cali purses her lips at me. I tell her she looks like a duck when she does that but it doesn’t stop her.

“I’ll get you a beer. You don’t have to drink it but I don’t want you to embarrass me or yourself.”

“Yes, Daffy,” I tease.

“I do not have duck lips,” she insists.

“You do when you pucker them like that.”

“I think you’re on crack.”

“Just get the beer.”

She waves in order to get the bartender’s attention but no such luck. He’s busy with a group of girls at the other end of the bar.

“Hey, Babe.” An arm reaches over Cali’s shoulder. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight.”

David nods in my direction. “What’s up?”

He never addresses me by my name even though he’s been hooking up with Cali for over a year and I’ve seen him dozens of times.

David is the kind of guy I always hated in high school. His family has money and he’s never had to work a day in his life for anything. Cars, clothes, expensive vacations, you name it, and his parents have handed it to him on a silver platter. As a result he has a sense of entitlement that knows no bounds.

No doubt that’s why he feels like he can treat Cali any way he pleases and she just keeps coming back for more.

He runs his fingers through his short brown hair. I’m not sure whether it’s a nervous habit or if he thinks that his fingers are like some kind of comb but he does it all the time.

David is a good-looking guy in a frat-boy kind of way. Cali says he played baseball in high school and he looks like he probably still plays sports. He’s not huge but he’s definitely in good shape.

Cali met David at a frat party. Even though she’s never set foot in a college class she’s spent a lot of time at college parties. David likes to brag about the fact that he’s a business major. I don’t see what the big deal is though. I feel like business is a degree for people who don’t really know what they want to do with their lives.

Not that I have any room to talk. Apparently I earned a degree for people who don’t really want a job.

Before I know it, Cali and David have disappeared somewhere and I’m alone at the bar.

Great.

I didn’t even want to come here in the first place.

I have a choice. I can leave or I can order a drink. After the day I’ve had a drink is actually starting to sound appealing.




REN MONTERREY lives in a small town outside Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their bloodhounds. She writes New Adult and Contemporary romance under a number of different pen names including Sierra Avalon, Savannah Young and Dakota Madison.


Author Links    Site   Facebook   Twitter




Ren is giving away a $5 Amazon GC to one lucky winner
For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway for Dead In A Dumpster by B.L. Blair



Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour, presented by Shades of Rose Media, for Dead in a Dumpster by B.L. Blair.  Please leave a comment or question for B.L. to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  


Dead In A Dumpster
By B.L. Blair
Leah Norwood Mystery #1

Publisher:  B.L. Blair
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 193 Pages
ISBN:  9780990658429
ASIN:  B00MZC65YG

Buy Links:  Amazon    Apple   Barnes & Noble   Smashwords    Kobo 



About the book:

“I found the body on December 1st. It was a horrible way to end an already terrible day.”

When Leah Norwood finds the body of Isabel Meeks in the dumpster behind her store, she never imagined the police would consider her a suspect. Sure, she didn’t liked Isabel, but then again, neither did anyone else. Isabel had a condescending attitude and a bad reputation. As manager of the antique store, Patina, she had made a lot of enemies.

There is Patina’s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina’s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe.  Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn’t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.

The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel’s death.

Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police charge her with murder?







“So you found the victim about seven fifty?” asked the baby-faced young cop.

Why was everyone so young? The name on his badge read Keith Cisneros. I have always been a little nervous around police officers. I’m not sure why. However, I couldn’t be nervous around Keith. First, he was just too young. Second, I didn’t have any nerves left. I was too wet, too cold, and too miserable. And third, I knew Keith. Not well, but well enough to not find him intimidating.

We were standing by the dumpster and trying not to look at Isabel. I don’t think Keith had ever seen a dead body either because the look on his face made me think he wanted to follow in my footsteps – scream, run into the nearest building, and lose his lunch. But the kid was made of sterner stuff. My estimation of him rose as he held his ground and questioned me.

“What were you doing out here?” he asked. Okay, so my estimation of him fell a little. I glanced at the trash bags sitting at our feet and tried to keep my voice even as I answered.

“I was taking out the trash.” I don’t think I succeeded as he looked at the trash and then flushed. Now I felt bad, like I had kicked a puppy.

“So did you …”

“Cisneros.” A deep, smoky voice cut through the night. Both of us jumped and then turned toward the voice. From the shadows, a figure emerged. If I had any nerves left, I might have been a little anxious. The man walking toward us moved like a stalking panther. Smooth, long strides that ate up the space.

He was breathtaking. Not gorgeous or handsome but there was a power about him that drew the eye. He wasn’t exceptionally tall, standing about five eleven, but his shoulders were broad and his hips narrow. Dark hair cut short in a military style, covered his head. His face was attractive in a timeless way. Chiseled and clean-shaven but with just a hint of a five o’clock shadow. He had a small indentation on the right side of his mouth that was trying very hard to be a dimple. It was as if he was willing it not to appear with the strength of his personality alone. He had intense green eyes that swept over me briefly before settling on Keith.

He looked familiar, but I knew we had never met. I would have remembered him. He stopped between us and turned to Keith. “What have we got?”

“Victim identified as Isabel Meeks. Gunshot wound to the chest, close range. She was found about seven fifty p.m. by Ms. Norwood.”

Keith pointed to me, and the man turned his eyes to mine. His gaze swept down my body and back up. He then dismissed me without a second glance before turning back to the rookie. “Has the ME been called?”

Now, I know that I am not the most attractive person in the world. I am what most people would call average. Average height, average weight, average looks, but being dismissed so completely really pissed me off. I was cold, wet, tired, and quite frankly, still a little queasy. And it had been a really bad day.

“Can I leave now?”

Both of them turned toward me. Keith seemed a little surprised that I was still there. The other man just seemed irritated that I had interrupted him.

“You found the body?” he asked and then continued when I nodded, “We will need to ask you some questions.”

Keith had been asking me questions. My nerves were shot and my temper short. I am not usually such a bitch, but I had enough of standing out in the freezing rain. I probably shouldn’t have mouthed off to a police officer, but I figured my day couldn’t get any worse. I summoned up my inner diva, gave him my most haughty look, and asked in a snooty tone. “And you are?”

He stared at me a minute, his eyes hard and unyielding. He raised his eyebrows just a notch, pulled out a badge, and held it toward me. “Chief of Police Alexander Griggs.”


Well, damn, my day just got worse.


B. L. Blair  writes simple and sweet romance and mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started.  She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Holton Romance Series and the Leah Norwood Mysteries. She enjoys reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.


Author Links:  Site   Twitter    Facebook   Goodreads   Blog




B.L. Blair is giving away a $20.00 Amazon GC during her tour.

For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.



Release Day Launch & Giveaway for Dimitri by Kym Grosso

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Dimitri
Publication Date: September 30, 2014
Genres: EroticaParanormalRomance


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Purchase from AmazonPurchase from B&NPurchase from KoboPurchase from iBookstore


An erotic paranormal romance…

Dimitri LeBlanc, sexy and charismatic beta of Acadian Wolves, survives a brutal attack after his wolf succumbs to a dark force, threatening his very existence. Waking up, tied to a bed, his amusement transforms into lust as a beautiful stranger heals his beast. Intrigued by his mysterious savior, the tables quickly turn, when in the heat of a dark desert night, he rescues her from a barbaric Alpha. Dimitri is inexplicably drawn to the alluring woman, and the discovery that she’s his mate rouses his hunger to claim her as his own.

Gillian Michel, a New York City photographer, conceals a secret hybrid past and mystical abilities. An entire lifetime, she’s deliberately avoided wolves, but a seductive encounter with an irresistible beta leaves her craving his touch, his lips on hers. Passion ignites her desire, leaving her yearning to submit to the powerful wolf who tests her sexual limits.

Deep in the heart of New Orleans, Dimitri and Gillian seek a cure to the parasite maligning his mighty beast. Still on the run from a malevolent force, they lure their enemy into the bayou. Will Gillian sacrifice her gifts to save the man she loves, destroying her own immortality? And will Dimitri eradicate the evil that has invaded his soul while protecting his mate from an adversary who threatens to kill them both?

Warning: This book contains several erotic love scenes and is intended for adult readers only.



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About Kym Grosso

Kym-Profile-Pic-183x300Kym Grosso is the award-winning author of the bestselling erotic paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New Orleans. The series currently includes Kade’s Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1), Luca’s Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2), Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3), Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4), Léopold’s Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5) and Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6).

In addition to romance, Kym has written and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism advocacy. She writes autism articles on PsychologyToday.com and AutismInRealLife.com. She also is a contributing essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.

Kym lives with her husband, two children, dog and cat. Her hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba, traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans, with its rich culture, history and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Win a $50 Amazon GC: http://tinyurl.com/n2djnh3


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Release Day Launch & Giveaway for Wildcard Volume 3 by Missy Johnson

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Wildcard
Publication Date: September 4, 2014

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Synopsis

She’s hiding something from me and I need to know what it is. I’ve done so many things I never thought I’d do for this woman and it kills me that she’s lying to me. How can I make her see that she can trust me? Do I want to know the truth? Sometimes things are easier when they’re left unsaid…

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About Missy Johnson

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Missy lives in a small town in Central Victoria with her husband, and her confused pets (a dog who think she’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog…you get the picture).

When she’s not writing, she can usually be found looking for something to read.


Monday, September 29, 2014

Virtual Blurb Blitz Tour & Giveaway for Breaking His Rules by Alison Packard


Breaking His Rules Tour Banner photo BreakingHisRulesTourBanner_zpsf965e839.jpg

Welcome to my stop on the book tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Breaking His Rules by Alison Packard.  Please leave a comment or question for Alison to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for a $25 Amazon GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You must comment to enter the giveaway.  You can follow the rest of Alison's tour by clicking on the tour banner above, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.  


Breaking His Rules
by Alison Packard
Feeling the Heat, Book 4

Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: September 8, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 177 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-426898-92-1
ASIN: B00KV5ZKC

Buy Links: KindleNook | Kobo | All Romance eBooks | Carina Press 



About the book: 

Losing fifty pounds is an incredible achievement. But for Melissa Atherton, progress doesn’t come with praise—a scathing comment from an evil cousin at a bridal shower threatens to crush her new self-esteem. Who will she bring to the upcoming wedding? Showing up without a date would be humiliating. It just isn’t an option.

Personal trainer Jake Sawyer was attracted to Melissa before she lost weight, but her progress has him floored. When she admits she plans to hire a male escort—and why—his heart all but breaks. Melissa’s come too far to be knocked down, especially by her own family. He’ll go as her date…and figure out a way to keep his hands to himself.

But when a steamy hotel room encounter takes them both by surprise, Jake balks. He’s sworn never to date one of his clients, not again. And Melissa can’t bear to be just friends with the man who treated her so tenderly, even if it was only for a weekend. Jake’s helped her see she’s strong enough to stand up for herself, but will she find the strength to pursue the only man who’s ever seen the real her?
  


Excerpt


It was after ten when Jake pulled up to the curb in front of her townhouse. The porch light was on and bathed the small garden and walkway near the front door in a warm golden glow. Inside, the house was dark. Paige was either upstairs in her bedroom at the back of the unit, or she’d decided to spend the night with Rob.

“You talked to Gentry, didn’t you?” Melissa asked the question that had been on her mind ever since she’d seen Trey head toward the men’s room not long after Jake had done the same thing.

“We had a brief discussion.” Jake’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “I didn’t lay a hand on him. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

“The only reason I’d worry is because I wouldn’t want you to get into any trouble because of me. Him, I couldn’t care less about.”

“My father taught us to respect women. What Gentry said to you was out of line. I took it upon myself to call him out on his behavior.”

“I guess he thought I’d be flattered that he found me attractive.”

“His success has gone to his head. He’s got women panting after him all the time and he takes advantage of that situation on a daily basis, according to J.T.”

“Well, he picked the wrong woman tonight. I wish I would have had the nerve to deck him. Paige would have done it in a heartbeat.” She sighed. “Paige thinks I need to stand up for myself more. She says I always turn the other cheek and let people like Shauna and Denise get away with insulting me.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes,” Melissa admitted, with a tentative nod. “I was always heavier than all the other kids. When they made fun of me it was easier to pretend it didn’t matter instead of confronting them.”

“But it did matter, didn’t it?”

“It hurt.” Her heart clenched at the thought of those painful times. “A lot. Luckily, I had Paige. I don’t think I would have gotten through school if she wasn’t there with me. She fought my battles for me. No one would dare say a word to me when she was nearby.”

“You’ve never struck me as the kind of person who wouldn’t stick up for herself.”

“That’s because you don’t really know me.”

“I think I do.” Jake reached up to brush a lock of hair from her cheek, and then quickly lowered his hand. “That strength you think you don’t have is there. Inside you. One day you’ll figure that out.”



AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada where she’s still getting used to the blistering summers and the slot machines in every grocery store.

When not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habits, Alison spends most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.



Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alleyfics




A light hearted contemporary romance dealing with issues of weight, self – image, honor and integrity, Breaking His Rules by Alison Packard caught me by surprise.  Well-developed characters, a sweet and spicy romance and family love are key issues which made me enjoy the book.  While the fourth book in the Feeling the Heat series, this book stands very well on its own and it’s not necessary to have read any of the other books in the series to enjoy it.

A woman who has struggled with weight all of her life, Melissa Atherton turned over a new leaf, joined a gym.  After managing to lose 50 pounds in nine months Melissa is proud of her achievement but she still has to deal with image issues.  Issues which are highlighted when she’s invited to her mean, dangerously thin, cousin’s wedding.  Ms. Packard did a good job developing Melissa’s character; even though she’s managed to lose weight she still has image issues and she’s never stood up for herself when people make disparaging remarks about her weight.  Emphasizing how much our society today places an emphasis on a false image of “perfection”, Ms. Packard reminds us that being healthy should be the goal of every woman – not being a size zero. 

A fitness trailer and the brother of a professional athlete, Jake Sawyer was once an overweight kid.  Knowing the hard work required to lose weight, and become fit and healthy, Jake is impressed by client Melissa Atherton’s personal success.  When he discovers that she still has image issues and needs a date for a snooty cousin’s wedding, Jake finds himself volunteering to help her out.  Something he knows is dangerous since he’s been attracted to her beauty and personality for some time and he has a strict no dating rule with clients.

Ms. Packard also does a good job developing Jake’s character; he’s attractive, fit and devoted to his family and his dog.  Knowing how cruel people can be – and hating the image society has presented as the “ideal woman” – Jake refuses to let his gym become one of those places where real people who need help don’t feel uncomfortable.  A real man, Jake is the perfect hero for Melissa – he’s just afraid of losing a good friendship for a romance he’s not sure about.

The secondary characters are well developed and I really enjoyed getting to know both Jake’s family – especially his brother JT and his wife, who happen to know Melissa and are friends with her too.  I also fell in love with Paige, Melissa’s twin sister and hope we get to see her get her own book.  The snooty cousin was a real pill and was definitely the “villain” of the story – I like how Paige stood up for her sister and how eventually Melissa learned to stand up for herself.

Will Melissa and Jake’s friendship be damaged by their physical attraction?  Will Melissa realize she’s the “perfect’ girl for Jake?  You’ll have to read Breaking His Rules to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Packard’s work.  I know I’ll be reading the previous books in this series to see how those relationships worked out.


My rating:  4 out of 5 Stars






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FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review.  I received no compensation for my review..