Reviews!

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10 May 2022

Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr Book Tour-A-Palooza and Giveaway! @iReadBookTours @laurenireadbooktours @TheMysteryLadie @acornsireadbooktours

 


 


Join us for this tour from Mar 28 to June 24, 2022!

Book Details:

Book Title: Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 14)

Category:  Adult fiction, 496 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery / Police Procedural / Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  Mar 30, 2022
Content Rating: PG-13. Lauren Carr's mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No F-Bombs!

"Five Stars for Lauren Carr's 14th book of the Mac Faraday Murder Mysteries, Shadow of Murder! In this new release, she has recaptured the fun of cute "creatures" with the fast-moving, suspenseful, and captivating mystery, along with her usual touch of romance." - review by Lu Ann Worley, Rockin' Book Reviews
 
"This newest title in the author's Mac Faraday cozy murder mystery series offers Lauren Carr's most intricate plot to date - full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers up until the wee hours. While still full of the humor, fun critters and touch of romance that are her trademark, the author has also woven in a dark supernatural element that whispers through to the startling ending." - review by Marilyn R. Wilson, bestselling author, freelance writer, editor, and speaker at Olio by Marilyn.

Book Description:

You can't move to the next chapter of your life, without tying up loose ends in the previous.
 
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.
 
Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.
 
With Police Chief David O’Callaghan away on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.
 
Mac isn’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.
 
Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.

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Also Available for Your Mystery Loving Pleasure:

"Lauren's dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever...It's Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr's Mac Faraday mysteries." - review by Connie Gregory, Connie's Reviews
 
 
Book Details:

Book Title: It's Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 23, 2010

Book Description:

What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.

Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.

Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s killer. 

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"As in any good who-done-it, there are red herrings and plot complications in Old Loves Die Hard and fans of mysteries and police procedurals will get a kick out of Lauren Carr's books." - review by David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
 
Book Details:

Book Title: Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 2)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  April 23, 2011
 
 Book Description:
 
In Old Loves Die Hard, Carr picks up where she left off in It’s Murder, My Son. Mac Faraday is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up—and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac’s private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.

The investigation leads to the discovery of cases files for some of Mac’s murder cases in the room of the man responsible for destroying his marriage. Why would his ex-wife’s lover come to Spencer to dig into Mac’s old cases?

With the help of his new friends on Deep Creek Lake, Mac must use all of his detective skills to clear his name and the Spencer Inn’s reputation, before its five-stars—and more bodies—start dropping.

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"Shades of Murder is a fascinating, intricately woven mystery that has a number of engaging characters looking into two cases that would seem to have nothing in common. ...This is a most entertaining entry in this series, made all the more so by the wonderful inclusion of Gnarly and Irving, Mac's dog and Gates's black and white cat, who meet during the course of the story." - review by Mysterious Reviews
 
Book Details:

Book Title: Shades of Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 3)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 232 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  May 7, 2012
 
Book Description:
 
In Shades of Murder, Mac Faraday is once again the heir to an unbelievable fortune. This time the benefactor is a stolen art collector. But this isn’t just any stolen work-of-art–it’s a masterpiece with a murder attached to it.

Ilysa Ramsay was in the midst of taking the art world by storm with her artistic genius. Hours after unveiling her latest masterpiece–she is found dead in her Deep Creek Lake studio–and her painting is nowhere to be found. Almost a decade later, the long-lost Ilysa Ramsay masterpiece has found its way into Mac Faraday’s hands and he can’t resist the urge to delve into the case.

A world away, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; former JAG lawyer Joshua Thornton agrees to do a favor for the last person he would ever expect to do a favor–a convicted serial killer.

The Favor: Solve the one murder wrongly attributed to him.

Joshua finds an unexpected ally in Cameron Gates, a spunky detective who has reason to believe the young woman known to the media only as Jane Doe, Victim Number Four, was the victim of a copycat. Together, Joshua and Cameron (*) set out to light a flame under the cold case only to find that someone behind the scenes wants the case to remain cold, and is willing to kill to keep it that way.

Little do these detectives know that the paths of their respective cases are on a collision course when they follow the clues to bring them together in a showdown with a killer who’s got a talent for murder!
 
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"I must say, I truly enjoyed reading this book! I found myself waking up slightly early for work just to finish a couple chapters! Not only was this book captivating, I found myself laughing at Gnarly, the ever so lovable and rambunctious German Shepherd! I look forward to reading the next book by Lauren Carr!" - Review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
 
Book Details:

Book Title: Blast from the Past by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 4)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 301 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 2, 2013
 
Book Description:

A woman is killed when she falls down the stairs. Men die writhing, in a little coffee shop.  Death may not be that unusual these days in Deep Creek Lake, but then someone tries to kill Archie, the woman Mac Faraday loves.

When she tells Mac the reason behind it and her secret is exposed, Mac and the entire police department will go to extremes to keep Archie safe.

That raises rather a lot of questions:

Who exactly are they protecting her from?
Could it be warring crime lords? Hit men?
Why does one particular couple keep showing up around town?
Just how many killers are there, anyway?
Is anyone who they say they are?

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​ 



"So much fun to read!  The castle seemed foreboding. The rumors of the ghost dog, werewolves, and more made more plausible in light of the murders. Is it enough to make even detectives reconsider?  Is it all about the missing book or is the real motive money?" - review by Mystery Suspense Reviews
 
Book Details:

Book Title: The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 5)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 281 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  July 18, 2013
Content Rating: PG-13 - Lauren Carr's mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No F-Bombs!
 
 Book Description:
 

Never tell Mac Faraday not to go someplace.

Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson the hard way when he orders Mac to not go to the south end of Spencer’s mountaintop —even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for Mac to find out what lies on the other side of a stone wall and locked gate with a warning for visitors to keep out.

Topping the list of the ten top haunted places in America, Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century ago—and Mac Faraday owns it!

In spite of David’s warning to keep out, Mac can’t resist unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous master of horror novels.

What was supposed to be a quick tour of a dusty old castle turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the strangest characters he has run into yet—including a wolfman. No, we’re not talking about Gnarly.

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"I recommend this book to all mystery lovers! The Lady Who Cried Murder was another heart-stopping thriller! While the mystery and the road to it's solution was amazing, I truly enjoyed the cast and characters (they feel like family)! Another great hit and I look forward to reading the next installment of Mac Faraday and his gang and what kind of drama they end up in!" - review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
 

Book Details:

Book Title: The Lady Who Cried Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 6)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 286 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 2, 2014
 
 Book Description:
 
Determined to get her pretty face in front of the cameras, Khloe Everest fakes an abduction only to make a grand entrance in the midst of a press conference held by Spencer’s Police Chief David O’Callaghan.

Three years later, after failing to catapult her notoriety into a long-lasting celebrity, Khloe Everest returns to Spencer upon her mother’s sudden death and seemingly finds another weapon to propel her into the spotlight. Unfortunately, someone kills her before she can make this entrance.

In Lauren Carr’s sixth mystery, Mac Faraday and his friends come up against reality stars, politicians, has-beens, and wannabes. Mac also finds himself face-to-face with an old foe from his past who had managed to escape arrest during their last encounter. Now, Mac sees that his adversary has only become more powerful, and dangerous, with the passage of time.

Intent to not let this killer escape again, Mac and his friends need to put all of their talents together to put a stop to a cold-blooded lady killer. 

 
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"Twelve To Murder is a clever blend of comedy, mystery, and sappy love story. Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue.  And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end." - Review by Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
 

Book Details:

Book Title: Twelve to Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 7)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 266 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  February 9, 2014
 
Book Description:

Mac Faraday’s plan to spend a quiet weekend home alone with his lady love, Archie Monday, is shattered by murder.

A middle-aged couple are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. To any other detective, the case would be considered open and shut when it appears as if one of the victims has written her killer’s name in her blood—not so for Mac Faraday, who believes there is more to this case than meets the eye.

In Lauren Carr’s latest Mac Faraday Mystery former child-star and teen-idol Lenny Frost steps into a pub in Deep Creek Lake to see his face on the television over the bar with the announcement that he’s wanted for the murder of his agent and her husband!

How does Lenny Frost react to this sudden comeback into the headlines? He takes everyone hostage and gives Mac Faraday twelve hours to find the real killer or he’s going to kill everyone in the bar.

Will it be a fatal last call at midnight?

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"There is actually a mystery within a mystery in Carr's new book. It's a tangled, twisting adventure that adds more dead bodies along the way. Carr's characters are lively, her plots complex, there is always just enough humor to set a lighter tone." - Review by Allene Reynolds, Mystery and Me
 

Book Details:

Book Title: A Wedding and a Killing by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 8)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 275 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  September 13, 2014
 
 
Book Description:
 
Not wanting to wait until their big day to start their life of wedded bliss, Mac Faraday and his lady love, Archie Monday, decide to elope to the little church where his ancestors had all married—along the tranquil shore of Deep Creek Lake. However, before they can say, “I do,” the sanctuary erupts into chaos when Gnarly finds a body in the church office.

In A Wedding and a Killing, Mac and his team discover more questions than answers. What kind of person walks into a church and shoots a man for no apparent reason? How do you solve the murder of a man who has no enemies in the world? Which of the seemingly kind-hearted church members is really a cold-blooded killer?

Then, there is the all-important question, how long do Mac Faraday and his lady love have to wait to get married?

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"I am, bottom line, amazed at the giant step that places Carr comparable to significant authors whose name slips off our tongues like, for instance, Nora Roberts. Watch this author--she's moving quickly to where her goals are headed... Three Days to Forever has to be, in my opinion, the best of her best! Get it!" - review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

Book Details:

Book Title: Three Days to Forever by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 9)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 366 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 19, 2015
 
Book Description:
 

In one of the most critically-acclaimed Mac Faraday Mysteries from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers embark on a roller-coaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the lovebirds to the altar!*

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!
 
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"There's lots of drama, crimes, murder, and laughter that surrounds the Diablo Ball. As usual, Gnarly is in the middle of everything. Hated to have to keep putting this down. I loved reading Open Season for Murder." - review by Rhonda Laney, readalot

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 10)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 1, 2015
 
Book Description:

“Robin, it’s me, Ashton.”

Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer, Maryland.

​This year, the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday’s five-star resort, has the added duty of preparing for the Diablo Ball, an annual benefit event that used to kick off Deep Creek Lake’s summer season. The exclusive gala has drawn in A-listers from across the country—including suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who had disappeared while skinny dipping in Deep Creek Lake five years earlier—days after the last Diablo Ball.

Intrigued by a mysterious phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can’t resist diving head first into the cold case. But he’s not the only one. Someone behind the scenes has gone to a lot of trouble to bring Ashton Piedmont’s friends and enemies to the Diablo Ball—which promises to be a gala event to die for!

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"The story moves at a rapid pace and has a bit of everything - romance, humor, and suspense with several other murders after the body is discovered. A few surprises along with the tension both at home and in New York. Carr does an excellent job of developing her characters and providing backstory while maintaining a quick pace. Well worth the sleep I gave up to get to the end." - review by Christa Nardi, Christa Reads and Writes.


Book Details:

Book Title: Cancelled Vows by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 11)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 320 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 28, 2016
 
 
 Book Description:

Police Chief David O’Callaghan and Chelsea Adams’ wedding day is fast approaching. Unfortunately, at the last minute, David discovers that there is one small problem to be taken care of before he can walk down the aisle—divorce his first wife!

Lauren Carr takes fans of the Mac Faraday mysteries to the Big Apple in this nail-biting adventure. In Cancelled Vows, David, Mac, and Gnarly, too, rush to New York City to dissolve David’s marriage to an old girlfriend—and he’s got five days to get it done. When murder throws up a roadblock, it is up to David’s best man, Mac Faraday, and Gnarly, K9-in-waiting, to sort through the clues to get David to the church in time! 

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"OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy "10"  with her latest, Candidate for Murder!...Don't just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren Carr! I'm telling you right now it's a must-read for daring, adventure, crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination." - reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
 
Book Details:

Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 410 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 16, 2016
 
Book Description: 
 
It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer! 

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front-runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front-runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front-runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army but to throw in a murder for good measure. 

With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

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"With her usual panache, Lauren Carr blends the grittiness of murder(s) with a good deal of humor, the latter revolving largely around Gnarly and David's Belgian shepherd, Storm, who would much rather be couch potato-ing than anything involving exertion." - review by Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books
 


Book Details:

Book Title: Crimes Past by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13)

Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 245 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  October 16, 2018
 
Book Description:

It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to attend the wedding of a late colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double homicide.

The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former friends is the killer.

When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his friends is a cold-blooded murderer.

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Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website  ~  facebook  ~  instagram ~ pinterest ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

March 28 - Mystery Review Crew - book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 28 – Cover Lover Book Review – book series spotlight / giveaway
March 29 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
March 29 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
March 30 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 - Olio by Marilyn – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 - Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER / author interview / giveaway
March 31 – My Reading Journeys – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 1 –  Kam's Place – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER 
April 4 –  Kam's Place – book spotlight of IT’S MURDER, MY SON 
April 4 – Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of IT'S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 5 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 6 – Leels Loves Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 7 –  Kam's Place – book spotlight of OLD LOVES DIE HARD, SHADES OF MURDER, BLAST FROM THE PAST 
April 7 – Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 8 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 11 – Kam's Place – book spotlight of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE, THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER, TWELVE TO MURDER 
April 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews - book series spotlight / giveaway
April 13 –Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 14 – My Reading Journeys – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
April 15 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 15 – Kam's Place – book spotlight of A WEDDING AND A KILLING, OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER 
April 19 – Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of BLAST FROM THE PASST / giveaway
April 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 21 – My Reading Journeys – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
April 21 Rockin' Book Reviews - book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 22 –Book Corner News and Reviews - book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
April 26 –Literary Flits – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 27 - Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
April 29 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 3 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 4 - Kam's Place – book spotlight of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER 
May 4 - Literary Flits – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 5 –Kam's Place – book spotlight of CANCELLED VOWS 
May 6 – Kam's Place – book spotlight of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER and CRIMES PAST 
May 9 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 10 – Celticlady's Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
May 11 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
May 12 - Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Hall Ways Blog - audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 17 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 18 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
May 19 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 19 - Library of Clean Reads – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 20 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of BLAST FROM THE PAST / giveaway
May 23 – Rockin' Book Reviews - book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 24 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
May 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 26 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
May 27 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 31 –Jazzy Book Reviews - book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 1 – fundinmental – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 2 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest posts / giveaway
June 3 – Rockin' Book Reviews - audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 6 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of  TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
June 7 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
June 8 – The Page Ladies – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 - Bound 4 Escape – book review of  A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
June 10 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 13 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 14 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of  OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 15 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 16 –Literary Flits – book review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
June 20 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book review of CRIMES PAST / giveaway
 
Enter the Giveaway:

SHADOW OF MURDER (Mac Faraday Mysteries) Tour Giveaway


 

The Beginning of Forever by @a.e. valdezwrites Book Reveal! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #aevaldez #TheBeginningofForever

 

The Beginning of Forever
A.E. Valdez


Publication date: June 17th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Harlow and Acyn are on their way to happily ever after…

Or so they thought.

When their wedding is in jeopardy from outside forces and well-meaning family members, they decide to take matters into their own hands and escape to the Oregon coast.

Follow their journey from there to the Beginning of Forever.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order


A.E. Valdez discovered her passion for writing when she was given a journal by her 5th grade teacher and has been creating poetry, works of fiction, and gaming narratives ever since. As a child, she wanted to read more stories with people that looked like her.

She loves all things romance, from heartbreak to happily ever afters. She pours her own heart and soul into the stories she brings to life. Causing readers to fall in, and sometimes out, of love alongside her characters.

Amanda currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two sons. Most days you can find her sipping on an iced latte while she writes or enjoying time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest


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Refuge for Phaedra by Deanndra Hall Release Blitz!

 

Title: Refuge for Phaedra 

 (Bluegrass Bravery, #13) 

World:Susan Stoker's Badge of Honor 

Author: Deanndra Hall 

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Cover Designer: Buoni Amici Press, LLC 

Release Date: May 10, 2022 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

Danger. Passion. And animal rights.

Their animalistic passion is unstoppable …

Their pain threatens to destroy their passion …

Widow Phaedra Benson will do anything to leave her past behind and start over without the scrutiny of her former in-laws. As an animal activist, she's determined to make a difference in Kentucky and raise awareness.

Conservation Officer Liam Masters has his work cut out for him when he encounters the spitfire determined to make a difference in the environmental issues of his community. Phaedra is feisty and hellbent on changing the world. The only problem: she's wanted for murder and all evidence points to her.

As Liam and Phaedra grow closer, he realizes she's in more danger than she ever imagined. Someone wants her silenced--for good. If she's not going to spend the rest of her days behind bars, then someone plans to end her life. Now, it's up to Liam to protect her before it's too late. Will his arms be the only refuge Phaedra needs?

 

Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON

Tweet: #ReleaseBlitz Refuge For Phaedra (Bluegrass Bravery, #14) By @DeanndraHall #BuyNow @Amazon https://ctt.ec/ec2ov+ Start the series https://ctt.ec/93eP1+ #BAPpr #RomanticSuspense #ReadingList 2022

“Phaedra! Wait!” She didn’t stop, so he hopped up and caught up with her. When he touched her shoulder, she stopped, and he spun her to face him. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at this. At all. And I don’t know what you want me to say. But I like you. I really do.”

“I like you too. I’d like to get to know you better, but you have to want it too, and I’m not sure you do.” Her eyes flicked almost imperceptibly, checking his, and he hoped she could see something there, something he just couldn’t bring himself to say, that he wanted her to stay, wanted to touch her, wanted to hold her. In the tiny slice of time they’d spent together, he felt connected to her by some invisible thread, something that was inexplicable but existed. It took a split second for him to recognize it.

She was a bird with a broken wing, a fox caught in a trap, a rabbit cornered by a coyote. For as long as he could remember, he’d taken care of things that couldn’t take care of themselves, and for that moment in time, Phaedra was in that position. He wanted to be that person, the one who gave her a leg up, that extra push. “I … I don’t know much about commitment.”

“You know more than you think. Every one of those animals you nursed back to health was a commitment. You had every intention of seeing them through whatever was hurting them to the other side. I’m not asking for forever, Liam. I’m asking for one day at a time until you know, until you’re comfortable, until you decide. That’s all I want. I’m tired of being alone, and there’s something in your eyes that draws me in. I want to find out what it is and hang onto it.”

There was a rush of warmth through his body, almost like a heat wave, and he wanted to stoke it. Liam grabbed her hair, pulled her face to his, and pressed his lips to hers. Her body molded to his and the softness it yielded made him want to melt into her. When she tipped her head to let him deepen the kiss, he forged ahead.



Deanndra Hall is a working author living in the far western end of the beautiful Bluegrass State with her husband of over 35 years and small menagerie of weird little dogs. When she’s not writing, she’s editing. When she’s doing neither of those two things, she’s having dinner with friends, spending time with family, kayaking, eating chocolate, drinking beer or moonshine, or looking for something that she put in the wrong place and can’t seem to find (which is pretty much everything she owns).

Amazon | BookBub

AMAZON

09 May 2022

The Shadow of Memory by Connie Berry Book Review! #TheShadowofMemory #NetGalley

 


In Connie Berry’s fourth Kate Hamilton mystery, American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton uncovers a dark secret buried in Victorian England.


As Kate Hamilton plans her upcoming wedding to Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, she is also assisting her colleague Ivor Tweedy with a project at the Netherfield Sanatorium, which is being converted into luxury townhouses. Kate and Ivor must appraise a fifteenth-century painting and verify that its provenance is the Dutch master Jan Van Eyck. But when retired criminal inspector Will Parker is found dead, Kate learns that the halls of the sanatorium housed much more than priceless art.

Kate is surprised to learn that Will had been the first boyfriend of her friend Vivian Bunn, who hasn’t seen him in fifty-eight years. At a seaside holiday camp over sixty years ago, Will, Vivian, and three other teens broke into an abandoned house where a doctor and his wife had died under bizarre circumstances two years earlier. Now, when a second member of the childhood gang dies unexpectedly—and then a third—it becomes clear that the teens had discovered more in the house than they had realized.

Had Will returned to warn his old love? When Kate makes a shocking connection between a sixty-year-old murder and the long-buried secrets of the sanatorium, she suddenly understands that time is running out for Vivian—and anyone connected to her.
 

Praise for The Shadow of Memory:
“Intriguing . . . New and faithful fans alike will appreciate the tying together of present and past, as well as the poignancy in the long effects of unfortunate choices.”
Publishers Weekly
 
“A seamlessly plotted mystery for fans of English puzzles.”
Library Journal, starred review


Connie Berry is the author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an American antiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled in her a passion for history, fine art, and travel. During college she studied at the University of Freiburg in Germany and St. Clare’s College, Oxford, where she fell under the spell of the British Isles. Besides reading and writing mysteries, Connie loves history, foreign travel, cute animals, and all things British. She lives in Ohio with her husband and adorable Shih Tzu, Emmie. 
You can learn more about Connie and her books at her website www.connieberry.com.

My Thoughts

The Shadow of Memory by Connie Berry is the fourth installment in the Kate Hamilton mysteries and my first read by this author. Kate is an American expert on antiquities and is currently employed by Ivor Tweedy, the owner of The Cabinet of Curiosities based in Long Barston, Suffolk, England.

Kate is engaged now to Tom Mallory, a police officer with the Suffolk, England police force. Because he lives in England and Kate has a home and business in America, they need to decide where they will live.

Kate and two other women were walking home after a 'hen' party and she virtually stumbles over a dead body in the cemetery. Come to find out that the dead man was a retired police officer. There is a note next to the body with her friend, Vivian Bunn's name on it. Why would the man have her friend's name? It turns out that the dead man, Will Parker, had been Vivian's first love when she was seventeen.

Doctor Beaufoy and his wife,  had been murdered at the Monkey Puzzle House. Vivian, Will, and three other teenagers decided to conduct their own investigation as to what actually happened in that house on that fateful day. Sixty years later, all of the people died mysteriously except for Vivian. Is she in danger also?

The investigation takes Kate and Ivor to the Netherfield Sanitarium which is being converted into  townhouse and flats. They are hired by the board members of Netherfield to authenticate the fifteenth-century painting and verify that its provenance is the Dutch master Jan Van Eyck. The painting and the murders become intertwined with a past mystery that can threaten, Kate, and Vivian. As the investigation goes deeper into the past, will Kate and Tom discover the truth from all those years ago? 

I could tell that there was a lot of research that went into the telling of this story, plus the continuing love affair between Kate and Tom brought the whole story into perspective. We have the murders, who was killing off the 'original' teenage investigators? The painting and the board members also lend a different twist. Who can be trusted? Who is the killer/s and why? A wide range of characters also populate the pages making this book a real who dunnit.

I don't often read a cozy-type mystery but I did enjoy this one. I give it 4  stars!

I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.




Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery) by Mary Cunningham Book Tour and Giveaway!

Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery) by Mary Cunningham

About Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder

 

Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder (An Andi Anna Jones Mystery)

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Setting – Florida/Cancun/Las Vegas 

Wild Rose Press (April 27, 2022) 

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509241086 

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509241088 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09QXR7WKX

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent and amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father's widow and books a sixtieth birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will include the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby might be the main suspect.

 

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with charming local sheriff, Manual Gonzales. An embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, can't quell her determination to clear the name of her ex-stepmother.

 

While gathering clues and interviewing witnesses, however, she suspects dear old step-mom isn't the only one in jeopardy.

 

About Mary Cunningham

Author, Mary Cunningham, grew up on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad's original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun "yarn."

Through the author's horrifying stint as a travel agent, Andi Anna Jones sprang to life. The adult/mystery series gives extra meaning to the phrase, "Write what you know." Cunningham has several books published, including Cynthia's Attic, a five-book middle-grade fantasy, women’s lifestyle/humor book, WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty, Ebooks, Christmas With Daisy and Ghost Light. A biography of an army brat, turned UConn and WNBA basketball player, will be published in the spring of 2022.

She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Sisters In Crime-Atlanta Chapter, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, Mary enjoys golf, swimming, and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband and adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.

Author Links Purchase Link - Amazon - B&N  

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 5 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 7 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

May 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

May 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

May 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT  

May 9 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 10 – The Mystery Section – GUEST POST

May 10 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 11 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

May 11 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT  

May 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 13 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

May 15 – Drink Coffee and Read Books – REVIEW

May 15 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT  

May 16 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST

May 17 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

May 17 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

May 18 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT   



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No Matter What Happens by @authorkellycollins Book Blitz and Giveaway! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours

 

No Matter What Happens
Kelly Collins


Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Does marrying well mean marrying rich?

As a senator’s daughter, Kennedy Blackwell has everything, or so it seems. But on her wedding day, a shocking secret changes everything, and Kennedy’s fortunes turn on a dime. Instead of offering their unconditional support, her parents turn their backs on her, proving once and for all that her father’s goal of becoming president is more important than his own child. Forced to start over, Kennedy relies on a pact she and five friends made to each other back in junior high. She also enlists the help of the “entertainment” from her bachelorette party, a handsome handyman-by-day, exotic dancer-by-night.

Wade Roberts faces his existence one crisis at a time. Everything bad in his life has directly resulted from a poor decision or the actions of a member of the Blackwell family. So, when the senator’s daughter calls asking for help, he’s torn between assisting her or making her “pay.” Soon tangled up in the Blackwell family drama, he finds himself being framed for an unspeakable crime. Wade must step up and prove his innocence and his love for a woman who deserves more than he can offer.

Can two people who start with nothing end up with everything?

Find out in No Matter What Happens…

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

She blinked and focused on her future husband standing at the end of the aisle. He looked as nervous as she felt. There was even a green hue to his complexion, probably a side effect from his bachelor party. Unlike Emily, he could toss the booze back with little effect, but last night they must have really tied one on.

She made her way toward him with knocking knees and trembling hands.

When the minister asked who gave this woman and her father answered, a ball of emotions welled inside her. Who’d thought those words were a good idea? It was like she was being traded for political favors when the only exchange between father and future son-in-law was the promise of box seats for next year’s games.

She took Logan’s hand in front of the officiant, who talked about the sacred vow of marriage and what love meant. They recited traditional promises to love, honor, and cherish until death do they part, but neither met the other’s eyes. Logan looked past or through her to her bridesmaids. She stared at a piece of lint on his shoulder.

“Does anyone here have a reason to object to this marriage?” The minister’s voice boomed, leaving no doubt everyone heard him.

Kennedy ran through an entire list of reasons to object in her head. She still had time to change her mind, but when she looked at Logan and saw the same fear she felt, a small giggle escaped her mouth. They both had wedding jitters. That was normal.

At that moment, he looked at her the way he had when they first met. Despite the anxiety and feelings of doom, she was the luckiest woman in the world.

The congregation sat silently as the minister waited the obligatory several seconds for anyone to object. He cleared his throat. “I now pronounce you—”

“Wait!” Emily said loudly enough for everyone to hear, though her voice cracked. “I can’t let you marry him.”



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International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers' Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon


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08 May 2022

Book 2 in the Cross Security @nancybrownwrites Series! Book Blitz and Giveaway! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #NancyBrown

 

HAWK
Nancy Brown

(Cross Security, #2)
Publication date: May 6th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

As a member of Cross Security, Mason Hawk is a tormented man on a mission…some might say he has a death wish. No case is too difficult. Nothing if off limits. He delivers his own brand of justice. Solitude is his only reward. For fifteen years he has hidden the secrets he ran from at age seventeen. He shut everyone out when he became a Navy SEAL and he honed his skills to become the monster he believes he is. He’s a man with demons that run deep and dark. No one gets in. That is until she walks into his life and brings him to his knees. She’s beautiful, smart, and perfect. Like beauty and the beast, he believes she could never love a man like him.

Kai Wailani has lived the perfect life. She has a loving family, has surfed all over the world and is on top of her game at the U.S. Airforce, but she wants more. When she joins Cross Security, the only man stopping her from achieving her goal is a gorgeous wall of muscle who goes simply by Hawk. He’s dark, dangerous, and yet, he can make her smile with a single glance. He’s a force when he walks into a room and he wants nothing to do with her.

Like fire and ice, the dance begins. They are enemies. They are lovers. There are so many secrets. Can Hawk and Kai trust each other enough to find their happy ending or will their passion end them both?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Okay, here’s the thing… you are the only person on the team who I sense is having a problem with Kai and you know I won’t hire her unless everyone is on board. I want you to take her to lunch. Get to know her better. If you still have reservations after you spend some time with her, I’ll pull the plug. I’m asking because I’m a nice guy, but it’s really not a request. I want to hire her. I’m giving you this opportunity to prove me wrong.”

I groan and toss the phone onto the bed beside me, leaving him hanging for a few minutes while I grit my teeth and rage internally. I hate the politics of business. Shane knows this, so he patiently gives me the time I need. Finally, I hear “Hawk” from beside me so I pick up the phone and answer him.

“Yeah. Fuck. Okay. Tell me when and where and I’ll be there.” He gives me the details and we end the call. I check the time. It’s eight o’clock on a Monday morning. He wants me to meet Kai at one o’clock this afternoon. Cross Security is situated on Wilshire Boulevard between Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. I only live about fifteen minutes away in the small coastal community of Santa Monica. I have a modest house here that overlooks the Pacific. The house is nothing special. It’s a basic two-story beach house that I am slowly fixing up. What is special about it, though, is the view… it’s spectacular and fucking priceless if you ask me. Shane says Kai lives in Venice Beach which is just a short drive away. He knows I have a favorite burger joint there and has wisely chosen that location as a meeting place to help soften the blow.

As I pull my Harley up to Burger Heaven, I spot Kai sitting outside on the beach patio. She looks a lot more relaxed than she did a few days ago. The snug white dress and high heels have been replaced with flip flops, cut-off shorts and a white tank top that covers a hot pink bikini top. Her long ebony hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. She looks so young. It’s hard to believe she is the lethal weapon Shane believes she is. The rest of us look the part, like a bunch of badass motherfuckers. I suppose that is probably another reason why Shane thinks she will be such a good addition to our team. She’s different. No one would ever suspect what’s underneath all of that beautiful packaging.

She notices me as I’m climbing off my bike and gives me a wave and a brilliant smile that could rival the sun. Her brow wrinkles slightly as she takes in my attire. I’m wearing boots, jeans, and a t-shirt. I’m not exactly dressed for sitting in the sun, but the heat doesn’t bother me too much. I grew up in dust bowl Oklahoma; I’m no stranger to the uncomfortableness of the heat. My boots sink into the sand as I approach, and I definitely garner a few curious looks as I move towards the beauty sitting at the picnic table closest to the water.

Her smile turns into more of a smirk as she looks me over. “Jeez, is this is your idea of beach attire? If so, you are definitely going to need my help. I think you are lucky I came along when I did,” she quips when I finally reach her. I shove my hands in my pockets as I block her sun and look down on her grinning face.

“Hello, princess,” I say, hoping it will get a rise out of her. “I do actually own one swimsuit and two pairs of shorts, but they aren’t exactly the safest attire for the bike, so this is what you get. Maybe next time you can come to my neck of the woods, and I’ll dress a little more weather appropriate.”

Her eyebrows shoot into her hairline. “You live in L.A., and you only own two pairs of shorts and one bathing suit? Oh my, you definitely need my help.” She chuckles. “It’s nice to see you again, Mason,” she says as the waitress approaches our table.

Fuck, nobody calls me Mason. It’s Hawk or asshole or whatever the fuck you want, but definitely not Mason. No one has called me by my first name in a very long time and I plan on keeping it that way. I need to make that clear right the fuck now. We order burgers and beers and I politely wait for the waitress to leave before we get down to business.

“The name’s Hawk, I’d prefer if you used it. If you can come up with something else you’d rather use, I’m open to it, but Mason is off the table.” I give her a pointed look and immediately know it won’t be that easy by the look on her face.

“If I recall correctly, Shane introduced you as Mason Hawk. Therefore, it seems logical that most people would call you Mason, just like most people call me Kai. What’s the problem with your given name? You don’t like it? If that’s the case, why don’t you just change it?” She chirps on like a little bird as she stares at me.

My hackles slowly rise. Fuck, what is it with this chick? I don’t want to butt heads with her, but it seems inevitable. “It’s none of your fucking business, is what it is. I am just respectfully asking you not to use the name. Is that so hard?” She looks at me carefully, like she is trying to see beneath the surface. Good fucking luck, princess, I’ve got things locked down tight. Nobody gets in and nothing gets out.


Nancy Carolyn Brown is an author of contemporary romance, fond of writing love stories about hunky badass men endowed with massive hearts, and strong heroines with just the right mix of sweet and sass… flaming hot chemistry and thrilling nail biting suspense is always guaranteed!

She loves cosmos and chocolate and a swoony good book with a strong storyline.

She lives in sunny southern Alberta, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband and naughty Bengal cat. When she isn't writing, she enjoys the simple things in life like spending time with family and friends, reading and running with her favorite playlist blasting in her ears.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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