WEDNESDAY REVIEW - Hot Target Cowboy

HOT TARGET COWBOY is Book 2 in the Dark Horse Cowboys series by June Faver.  If there is one thing June knows, it's cowboys. She is from Texas, after all.

BLURB:

His loyalty is to his family.
But his heart belongs to her.

Eldest son Colt Garrett is the biggest, strongest and steadiest of the Garrett brothers. Colt accepts his responsibilities, knowing his future is tied to the land. Colt has stayed centered-but when he falls in love, he falls hard. He is mesmerized by Misty Dalton, the younger sister of one of his brother's friends.

Misty Dalton has held together a family plagued with problems since her mother passed away. But when the threats to her family turn deadly, Misty turns to Colt. If anybody wants to hurt Misty, they're going to have to go through the toughest of the Garrett boys first.

June Faver is one of my 'favorite' authors. Not only has she been a good friend and mentor for over thirteen years, but the woman can write! Proven through her multi-book contract with Sourcebooks in the Casablanca line as well as through the many workshops she has held at SavvyAuthors.  She is always up on trends in the industry and shares her finds with others so we are right up there with her.

But you're here about the book, HOT TARGET COWBOY.

I have to be honest, when she first told me the title, I was skeptical. I'm still not sure the title fits but once you get beyond that and into the story, you are once again carried away to Texas and the Garret compound. A ranch grown from grief and from love, forming a tight bond between the brothers as well as Big Jim, the father they love and respect. The Garrets are all about family... their own and others who might need a little help.

With that in mind, I was not surprised to see Colt, the oldest of the three Garrets, jump in to rescue Misty Dalton. He began by connecting with her younger brother, Mark. As soon as he made friends with the boy, I knew here was a hero I would want in my corner. He knew from the get-go Misty and Mark were part of a package... one he wanted to cherish. 

Through the twists and turns of the usual murders and suspense found in June's books, I found myself in love with Colt, just like I fell for Tyler in book one. 

Returning characters from Book 1 (Do Or Die Cowboy) include Leah. Leah married Tyler in Book 1 and is still showing her spitfire gumption when she stands up for Misty against Big Jim. You'll find not many stand up to that man without a bit of backfire. 

While you don't have to read the books in order, I recommend picking them both up. While you're at it, follow June Faver on the social media sights listed below so you will know when Book 3 - Full Throttle Cowboy - releases. 

I'm giving this book 5 quills not because June is a dear friend but because I LOVED the book... and I think you will too. 

Please visit/ follow June Faver on the links below

WEBSITE         FB          TWITTER          PINTEREST          GOODREADS          AMAZON

WEDNESDAY REVIEW - The Lady Is A Mayor - Fran Thomas

When Geneva Porter finds herself interim Mayor in the wee hours of the morning, lack of sleep becomes part of pattern. Once incident after the other make for sleepless nights and lots of coffee.
One reason for loss of sleep is her attraction to property developer, Seth Connor. Aside from being drool-worthy, he is also wreaking havoc in her small Florida community of Calusa.  He brings the promise of bringing her precious home town back from the edge of bankruptcy. The promise divides the town between business owners who see the advantages and the garden club ladies wanting to protect an orchid species on the brink of extinction.

Fran Thomas brings the Yankee Hero and the Southern Heroine together early in the story and keeps them working together for common ground both in their business and personal relationship. This novella was a quick, enjoyable read. I look forward to Book 2 in this series.

I'm giving THE LADY IS A MAYOR:

You can purchase your copy of THE LADY IS A MAYOR at: 

AMAZON USA

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Becker Circle

After multiple rounds of Kindle refusing to download my copy, I finally exported the file to word, downloaded to my Duo-Link flash drive and headed off to Applebee's with that and my iPad. 

This story kept me wiping BBQ from my fingers to scroll through page after page as I got caught up in Gillian's life.. and what a busy life she leads.

While I'm not a fan of first person, Addison Brae did give the feeling of being introduced to the large circle of characters from BECKER CIRCLE. I don't think any other point of view would have worked for this story.

Leaving Boston and an abusive boyfriend behind, Gilliam moves to Dallas for a new start. Despite what her ex tried to make her believe, she is smart and tough. Her smile draws people like moths to a flame, making her night-gig as a bartender at the George & Dragon Pub a perfect way to meet other people residing in the trendy district of Becker Circle. While she becomes friends with most everyone she meets, she only knows Bobby briefly, enough to know he's the connection if you want 'party' supplies. While his drug sales is low-key, anyone who knows Bobby can't believe the man committed suicide when he falls from his condo balcony onto the brick patio of the George & Dragon.

Bartender/ sleuth, Gillian teams up with Jon, a local musician to prove murder. But why? By whom?

She goes undercover to discover the truth, a path that could get her killed. Those guys don't play nice or appreciate nosey people snooping around. 

There are two things Gillian knows she can count on. People she knows have her back, including Jon, Detective Jeff and Pinkie, the owner of a competing bar. The other are the rules she creates for herself at the end of each situation, so she doesn't repeat the same patterns as she builds her new life.

One scene in particular had my attention. Jon takes her to dinner at an Italian eatery, that as I read about the place, I was transported back to my time in Dallas a couple of years ago to a Romantic Times Convention. My friend, Pam, and I visited an Italian restaurant around the corner from The Adolphus Hotel. True Italian dining atmosphere. Great food, treat you like family from the get go. If you're in the downtown Dallas area, I encourage you to pick up a copy of BECKER CIRCLE and go have lunch. I don't remember the name, but someone from the Adolphus can direct you easy enough.

I did find a couple of mechanical issues but they do not detract from the story.. just something an editing eye catches easier than most.

I'm giving BECKER CIRCLE

. 8

You may purchase your copy through one of the following links:

Smashwords    Amazon USA     Amazon UK    Amazon Canada    

REVIEW WEDNESDAY -No Escape From Love

I haven't read a lot of multi-cultural romance so when I had the opportunity to read NO ESCAPE FROM LOVE by Reet Singh, I looked forward to dynamic characters in a romantic setting. Reet delivered at the highest rating.

Set in a fictitious village in Punjab India, NO ESCAPE FROM LOVE is full of secrets from both the heroine, Mohini and the hero, Aalok. But they are not just secrets but the secrets are a part of who they are and the layers that need revealed before love can happen between these two.

Reet Singh says in her letter to readers in the front of the book that "they have been with her for over three years. They had to wait all this time to find their Happily-Ever-After as I allowed life and work to come in between their story and me."   ~ This story is worth the wait, Reet.

You get a glimpse of Mohini's past on the very first page as she rushes head-long into what she believes to be a rescue. In perfect form, the author brings the hero and heroine together in a wary meeting with just enough to have the reader questioning who these people are, why are they behaving the way they do while making you care what the answers will reveal.

Little by little, Reet Singh unveils information, culminating to those answers when it's important to the story... and for us to know. Timing is everything and Reet, a doctor in real life, knows the importance of timing. 

I love the way this story flows. Everything makes sense, though I did question Tina's appearance at first. But be patient, readers. You'll get it, just as I did.

I'm giving NO ESCAPE FROM LOVE:

You may purchase your copy through one of the following links:

AMAZON USA        AMAZON UK       AMAZON CANADA     AMAZON AUSTRALIA

Remember to leave a comment on yesterday's post to win a copy!

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - How To Market A Book...

As most of you probably know, marketing a book in today's publishing world falls on the author's shoulders - for the most part. Sometimes an author gets lucky with some assistance from their publisher but the bulk  of the legwork is solely in the hands of the author... and a team he/she puts in place.

Tierney James has the path to marketing paved with solid steps anyone can take to insure their book has a promising outcome throughout the process. From building your platform before your book even sees the light of day to hitting the book signings.

With her friendly writing style, going through this book is like have a one-on-one conversation with Tiereny James. While her information is fabulous, she doesn't pretend to know it all. Instead, she brings in experts in various fields that have helped her build her brand and market her books, shining the spotlight on others. These experts explain not only what you should have but WHY the method works. You'll learn what you should have on a website, what you need to do ahead of time by creating yourself as a marketable commodity and a time line for what you should be doing when along your path to publication and after.

There is a hard copy of this book in my future. As I read the eBook I found a lot of things that while I knew about them in the back of my mind, being able to highlight them for future reference is a must in my reference library.

Speaking of referencing, I will be using HOW TO MARKET A BOOK Someone Besides Your Mother Will Read during my talk at the Ozark Creative Writers Conference October 11-13, 2018. Tiereny James is planning to attend so come on out and meet her, pick up a few books and loads of tips about making your book marketing a SUCCESS!

I'm giving this book:

You may purchase your copy from AMAZON

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - One Knight Stand

First off, I'm in love with the cover. Though the hero and the cover model have some differences, who wouldn't want that man defending them? Yes, please! Add in one feisty heroine in need of rescuing in more ways than one and you have the perfect elements for a book you won't be able to close til the end - or in my case, til the kindle hits you in the nose. hehe

When archivist Harriet Mortlake lands the job of a lifetime at the historic de Ferrers castle, she gets more than she bargained for. After all, who expects to find a drop-dead hunk of a vampire in the twenty-first century? In a nano second she goes from being the 'ice queen' her ex claimed her to be to molten lava in the hands of Blaxton de Ferrers. 

Blaxton de Ferres had his share of women in his eight hundred years. Over the course he's amassed an obscene amount of money, allowing him the philanthropic opportunities and continue to grow his fortune. One thing that has eluded him is love.. until he goes toe to toe with Harriet. the woman is a spitfire he can't resist.. nor seem to feed on. 

Like all good romance novels, there's always a twist - that one moment of  'will she or won't she?' In this case we get it from both the hero and the heroine's point of view, adding that extra element that makes this a 'must read' for anyone who loves strong characters, hot sex and a happy ever after.

While the writing could have been a bit tighter in spots, I enjoyed this book. I'm giving ONE KNIGHT STAND - 

 . 8 

You may purchase your copy at any of the following links:

Amazon USA       Amazon UK     Amazon Canada     Amazon Australia   

WEDNESDAY REVIEW - The Acqeli

ACQELI is the latest Sci-Fi Romance from Rose Sartin, author of BOUND BY HONOR. Due to release this week, Acqeli is a novella - a collection of three short stories revolving around incidents in the BOUND trilogy. 

Through the collection, Rose Sartin gives us the 'behind the scenes' items that while delving deeper into the trilogy, are not necessary as main parts. ACQELI contains those crystal nuggets of information all authors have in their repertoire that do not always become part of the whole. 

THE BLACK CRYSTAL opens up the secret of the ACQELI and the power it possesses. Through this story we see the incredible mind of a sci-fi writer. I've known Rose Sartin for over twenty years and to read her work is just astounding. Not just the world, but the characters she has created. 

THE CRYSTAL MOON provides details about the ACQELI referenced throughout the book. While some of the details are shared within the trilogy, this short piece gives us a peek behind the historic curtain. Rose Sartin has the uncanny ability to offer up a love scene - bonding - full of all the beauty and sensitivity lovemaking should be. 

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK CRYSTAL introduces us to the main characters in BOUND BY HONOR. Rhyel, Captain of the Novaria, watches from his ship as the planet he calls home is destroyed. There's nothing he can do. Like all good soldiers, with the help of the Elders, he sets a plan in place to rebuild in another part of the galaxy. Rebuilding, means repopulating and quality health care. While they have a competent nurse - an earthling- a doctor is necessary. Another human is in their sights... Dr. Amber Donovan.

If you love a good Sci-Fi Romance you will not want to miss a single word of either the Bond Trilogy over the course of it's release or the eBook Acqeli releasing in the next few days. 

You can catch up with Rose Sartin on Facebook and Twitter

Purchase your copy of BOUND BY HONOR and her upcoming novella, Acqeli, please visit: AMAZON  B & N