December 2019

December 5, 2019December 11, 2019

Books On Tour (Review): Accidental Secrets

I read a lot, as the few of you who follow this blog already know. So, when I find a story that goes off the beaten path, I get excited. Accidental Secrets falls right into that category.

I thought that set up was interesting. High school sweethearts separated by her mom (very Romeo & Juliet) find each other again years later through little quirks of life choices. Some might even call it fate. But there is a lot of baggage to unpack, and the path to a “happily ever after” is never smooth.

I liked how the characters were fully realized in this book. I got a full sense of who each of them was individually, and they weren’t just characters. I think that the job selections for Rachel and Mike contributed to that. The author gave thought to their jobs instead of just having them be generic business person.

I also enjoyed reading how Reagan worked her way into the story. (No spoilers). I think giving her a voice in the whole matter also made it seem more realistic. She wasn’t just a bratty teen there for atmosphere; she was a catalyst to several plot points.

The author wrote the story in a way that was easy to read. Everything flowed nicely and the shifts between character perspective were smooth. This is the third book in a trilogy, and there are several references to events in the previous books. It can be read as a stand-alone, but you will definitely enjoy the story more if you have read the first two books. Treat yourself to the trilogy for the holidays!

Author Bio

Dana Mason started writing about ten years ago after being overwhelmed by a story that wouldn’t let her sleep until she wrote it down. The story, Dangerous Embrace, was published in 2012 and won Best Mystery/Suspense from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards in 2014. Dangerous Embrace is the first book in her Embrace Series. The second book in the series, Precious Embrace, was Runner-Up for Best Hero from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards that same year. Her third book, Broken Embrace, was awarded Best Indie Book in 2015 in the Romance Category.
Dana loves turning your worst nightmares into happy endings. She lives in Northern California with her husband, children, and her writing companion and mighty protector, Mia the Chihuahua.

**Website:** http://danamasonromance.com/
**Twitter:** https://twitter.com/danamason06
**Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/danamasonromance/

December 5, 2019December 5, 2019

Books On Tour (Review): The Lies We Hide

This book was nothing like what I expected it to be, and everything a book should be. It was a fascinating look at human resilience and the lengths people will go to for family members.

From the opening prologue, there was a sense that although the scene seemed light, there was an undercurrent of something more to come – and boy was that ever the truth.

The author takes an unflinching look at spousal abuse (I suppose that should be a trigger warning for some people) and does an excellent job of analyzing the psychology behind it, including the long-lasting effects on both spouses and children.

Told from different points of view, but mainly in the past, the reader explores Carol’s choices, and the repercussions of those choices felt by her children both then and into the present.

As always, I don’t want to give anything away, because the way the author lays out the perspectives is perfect and saying too much would ruin the point of watching the stories dovetail as the reader gains understanding from the different characters’ experiences.

The author also does an excellent job of dropping hints as to character motivations and then circling back to address them later in the story. It was an effective way to pique interest while keeping the action natural and in context.

Truthfully, this may be a difficult book for some people to read, based on their personal histories, but the message of resilience, hope, faith, and family come across strongly and could be used as guiding principles for many individual journeys. I highly recommend this book.

Author Bio:
Amazon best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’ psychological thrillers VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL and THE WOMEN.

S E Lynes is a writer, tutor and mentor. Formerly a BBC producer, she has lived in France, Spain, Scotland, Italy, and now lives in Greater London with her husband, three kids and her dog, Lola.

Her critically acclaimed debut, VALENTINA, was published by Blackbird Digital Books in July 2016. Her second novel, MOTHER was published by Bookouture in 2017, followed in 2018 by THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL. In August 2018, VALENTINA was published in a new edition by Bookouture and THE WOMEN was released in 2019. Her new novel, the dark and gripping family drama, THE LIES WE HIDE, is published Dec 4th 2019.

**Facebook** S E Lynes Author
**Twitter** @SELynesAuthor

December 3, 2019December 5, 2019

Books On Tour (Review): Out with the Ex, In with the New

I want to make one thing clear right away: I do not believe that I am the target demographic for this book.

I would like to think that I can read (and appreciate) across genres and age groups – I can usually find something relatable or some message that can be appreciated at any age.

I did like the many references to The Great British Bake Off. And I could sort of relate to Gemma’s job, as one of my first freelancing jobs was writing listicles and click articles just like the ones she describes. But I did that as a sideline and could not imagine hoping for that to be my sole earning potential.

And that’s why I don’t think I was the right audience for this book. Someone younger who is into the vlogging scene, who believes in the earning power of social media, and who can appreciate Gemma’s troubles would no doubt highly enjoy this book.

I was able to read it as long as I stayed remote from it (which is why there were a few parts that I enjoyed). But it did not suck me in with relatable characters and situations. That is by no means the fault of the author.

However, I was also greatly turned off by Gemma’s first day at work. I am quite tired of British authors throwing insults at the American President for no reason other than to try to make points. This passage had nothing to do with the plot and was unnecessary for character development. This is also something that a different demographic would probably also enjoy that perspective.

Honestly, as I mentioned at the beginning, I can usually read just about anything. But for some reason, this one just didn’t speak to me. I would recommend it, though, because there was some humor (the weird homeowners), and Gemma does persevere. I just couldn’t relate personally.

Author Bio

Sophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s. As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself. Her second, third and fourth novels followed. Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion, finance and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat.

**Website:** sophieranald.com

**Twitter:** @SophieRanald
https://twitter.com/SophieRanald

**Facebook:** www.facebook.com/SophieRanald

To find out about Sophie’s forthcoming releases and get access to free books and special offers, sign up to her newsletter at sophieranald.com

December 2, 2019December 1, 2019

Books On Tour (Review): Cold Heart Creek

Hands down, this is one of the best mystery suspense thrillers I have ever read. The characters are realistic, the story is tight (and positively thrilling), and although it isn’t exactly fast-paced, it is evenly plotted so that the action keeps moving forward even in seemingly passive scenes.

**Buy Links :**
**Amazon:** https://geni.us/B07XVM2RQHSocial
**Apple Books:** https://apple.co/2kobthe
**Kobo:** http://bit.ly/2lW0agm
**Googleplay:** http://bit.ly/2mgu92R

After reading a bunch of psychological thrillers, I was pleased that this book was a straightforward crime thriller. I felt like I was watching an extended episode of CSI (or a similar show). The way the action moved from point to point and the engaging character interactions made for pleasurable and simple reading.

The author did an excellent job of connecting the dots in the investigation so that seemingly disparate plotlines converged very neatly. I enjoyed the way the investigation proceeded in a very natural manner, allowing the reader to figure out the clues as the detectives uncovered them. There were no red herrings or sudden disclosures that came out of left field.

Josie’s background played a big part in this novel. The opening scene was stunning and drew me in immediately. I appreciated how her history propelled her through this investigation. It made her actions even more real and believable. Her internal struggle was almost as fascinating as the external pressures she faced.

Even though this is book seven in the Detective Josie Quinn series, I never felt lost in the story. There were quite a few references to previous books, but the author did an excellent job of working them naturally into the story so that the main action was not broken. A newcomer to the series (like myself) will have no problem keeping up with the story.

But it might put a dent in the bank account because if you’re like me, you’ll immediately put the first six on your TBR list. Thank goodness it’s the holidays – my list just got a little bit longer!

Author Bio

Lisa Regan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and an Amazon bestselling crime novelist. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com