by Pamela Gibson
Reviews!
To any authors/publishers/ tour companies that are looking for the reviews that I signed up for please know this is very hard to do.
I will be stopping reviews temporarily. My husband passed away February 1st and my new normal is a bit scary right now and I am unable to concentrate on a book to do justice to the book and authors.
I will still do spotlight posts if you wish it is just the reviews at this time. I apologize for this, but it isn't fair to you if I signed up to do a review and haven't been able to because I can't concentrate on any books.
Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. I appreciate all of you.
Kathleen Kelly
April 2nd 2024
18 August 2017
Family is Murder by Carolyn Arnold McKinley Mysteries, Book 5 McKinley Mystery Series by Carolyn Arnold Great Escapes Tour!
Book Title: FAMILY IS MURDER
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Series: McKinley Mysteries, Book 5
Published by: Hibbert & Stiles
Publishing Inc.
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-988064-58-1
ISBN
(paperback 4 x 6): 978-1-988353-29-6
ISBN (paperback 5 x 8): 978-1-988064-47-5
ASIN: B00LLLG28Q
148 pages
If only there were someone to clean up
this mess…
Sean
and Sara McKinley put out an ad for a maid, but they never expected Sara’s
birth mother to apply—or at least that’s who the woman is claiming she is.
While Sean is suspicious of her true identity and motive, Sara opens her heart
to the woman. But when a dead body turns up soon after Sara’s supposed mother
takes off without so much as a good-bye, they both start to question the truth.
Could
they have welcomed a killer into their home and not even known it?
Links & Goodreads:
What to expect from the McKinley Mysteries:
Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder
mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you
can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? How about
a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara
McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to
work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving
murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the
bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.
This is
the perfect book series for fans of Hart to Hart, Castle, Colombo, Monk, Rockford
Files, Psych, and Magnum PI.
Read in
any order or follow the series from the beginning.
Excerpt from chapter 3 of Family
is Murder (McKinley Mysteries)
Hasty Preparations
SEAN KNEW SARA’S HEART WAS jumping in
before she listened to the warnings that would be going off in her head. But
that was his Sara—always taking a leap before assessing the fall. He wasn’t
just going to stand by and watch the woman he loved get hurt, though. The
chances of this being her mother, after all these years, was hard to believe.
Why resurface now if it wasn’t for the money? It seemed easier to accept that
she was a fake, playing a role in staking a
claim in their fortune.
While the DNA tests would confirm or
deny whether she was, in fact, Sara’s biological mother, until then how much drama would
Sara live through? Whether she verbalized it or not, he could tell by the
subtle twist of her lips, the way she looked on this woman, that she wanted to
believe this was her real mom. There was also a mess in Sara’s eyes, a swirl
that, to him, spoke to guilt.
Sara hadn’t stopped moving since
they got back to the house. She was hurrying around tidying up and preparing
the meal.
On her way by this time, he took her
hand to slow her stride, and he drew her in to
him. “You can relax, darling. It will all work out.”
“I just want everything to be perfect.” Her eyes scanned his.
“And it will be.” He led her to a sofa in their sitting room. “Please,
darling, sit and let’s talk.”
Her eyes sparked. “I know what
you’re going to say.”
He tapped the tip of her nose. “You’ve always
been sort of a mind reader, but—”
“You’re going to tell me to keep my head about me, to not rush to accept
this woman as my mother.”
The way she stared into his eyes
made him feel like he was the enemy. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“And I appreciate that.” Her raised shoulders relaxed slightly, and her
tone softened when she continued. “I know that you had a rough life, Sean. You
lost your mother when you were nine, your father when you were a young adult.
But I’ve never known my real parents.” She paused, and there was that flicker
of guilt dancing across her eyes. “Jeannie and Leon are the world to me. They were there for me from the
beginning and will always be Mom and Dad. But, if this woman is who she claims
to be, well, this may sound silly, but I’ll feel I belong in this world.”
He wasn’t prepared for
those words and they attacked him as if a thrown fist, hitting him dead in the
heart.
She put her hand on his leg. “Darling,
please, know that I love you with all my heart and soul.”
He nodded. No words would form.
“And that didn’t come out right. I know I belong because of you, because
of Jeannie and Leon, but this is my chance to know where I came from. I have
never had a blood relative all my life.”
The way her eyes misted as she spoke
chipped away at the gnawing pain in his chest, somehow making his life
experience seem less significant. Still, losing his mother had impacted him as
a boy. He remembered the isolation, the separation from others his age when
there were school outings. Even watching his friends unpack their boxed
lunches, he knew their mothers had taken extra care. His dad had tried, bless
his soul, but he was a man. He didn’t put the little cards in his lunch box telling him
to smile or reminding him that he was
loved. While the boys who received these would blush from embarrassment, Sean
would have traded spots with them in a heartbeat.
Yes, he knew grief, he knew heartache, he knew what it was like to be
left in the world without a blood relative—but the latter not fully. He had his
dad until he was nineteen and, to this day, he had his uncle Ray, although he
lived in North Carolina.
He wanted to warn her to guard her
heart, but seeing the look in her eyes, he couldn’t speak those words. “I’m happy for you.”
She leaned in and kissed him, then
pulled back slowly. “I love you for that.”
He nodded and smiled. She had stolen
his heart two years ago when he’d first met her, and with their spoken vows
that bond had only solidified into concrete.
Sara tapped the couch and went to
get up. “I better get that roast in the oven.”
“Roast?”
One of her brows arched slightly
higher than the other, a smirk on her lips. “Yes, and I am fully capable of cooking it, you know.”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, I never
said that you weren’t.”
“Uh-huh.” She laughed as she pranced back to the kitchen.
Sean stayed on the couch, his heart
wanting to accept Leslie, but his mind warring against the request. He would
try to open up, for Sara’s sake, but there was a little voice inside his head
that cautioned him to stay vigilant.
CAROLYN ARNOLD
is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker,
teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction
series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and
Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre
diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and
thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female
detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement
as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE
PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born
in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the
lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her
overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to
touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and
empower.
She currently
lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime
Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:
Website - http://carolynarnold.net/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
And don’t forget to sign up for her
newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.
17 August 2017
Politics Is Murder by Carolyn Arnold McKinley Mysteries, Book 4 McKinley Mystery Series by Carolyn Arnold Great Escapes Tour!
Book Title: POLITICS IS MURDER
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Series: McKinley Mysteries, Book 4
Published by: Hibbert & Stiles
Publishing Inc.
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-988064-57-4
ISBN
(paperback 4 x 6): 978-1-988353-28-9
ISBN (paperback 5 x 8): 978-1-988064-45-1
ASIN: B00KMWRZV8
134 pages
There's no time for a debate…
Sean
and Sara’s popularity as a murder-solving duo has gained momentum. But it’s not
until it comes time for a local television interview that they meet Reanne
Mable and end up finding themselves involved with a high-profile investigation.
Reanne
is the sister-in-law of Albany’s Mayor Davenport and his daughter, Halie, has
gone missing from her university campus. With a desire to keep the matter out
of the media spotlight, Davenport turns to Sean and Sara to find her. But with
the police already investigating the matter, taking this case would pit them
against their friends from the police department, including their former
sergeant Jimmy Voigt.
As
time moves on, though, the fate of the girl is not up for a vote, and the
McKinleys set out to find out what really happened. With the mayor taking the
heat for a recently passed zoning bylaw, is an enraged small business owner
behind Halie’s disappearance? Or did she simply grow tired of living in her
father’s limelight and run away?
To
get the answers, Sean and Sara will need to use all the resources at their
disposal and may have to call upon their good friend Jimmy for help, after all.
Links & Goodreads:
What to expect from the McKinley Mysteries:
Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder
mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you
can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? How about
a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara
McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to
work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving
murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the
bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.
This is
the perfect book series for fans of Hart to Hart, Castle, Colombo, Monk, Rockford
Files, Psych, and Magnum PI.
Read in
any order or follow the series from the beginning.
WHAT’S UNDER
THE HOOD
THE SHOWROOM WAS ELEGANTLY ARRANGED with cars displayed on circular platforms and
the sitting area consisted of plush, leather couches accented with modern
coffee tables.
Sean’s eyes went
directly to a silver sports model and he
ran his hand along the side.
He admired the sleek body line, and the leather interior. What had
most of his attention were the gullwing doors, which opened up, like the DeLorean
in Back to the Future.
“Excuse me, may I help
you with something?”
Sean pried his attention from the vehicle to meet
the eyes of an inquisitive salesman, no older than twenty-five.
“Good day, I’m Sean.”
He extended his hand.
The salesman shook it
and introduced himself. “Chris.” He took a few well-paced steps and spun to
look at Sean again. “I see you’re interested in the SLS AMG GT. Amazing car. Its good looks and body line are only matched by its superior
handling. Have you ever owned a Mercedes before?”
“This would be my
first one.”
“Well, you’d discover
it would be a lovely treat.”
The salesman’s tone of
voice carried the implication it might be out of Sean’s financial reach. Chris
was saying, and not too subtly, that this model wasn’t for the middle-income
earner, but it was geared to those with a strong financial portfolio.
Sean suppressed
smirking at the thought that the salesman, who seemed to deem himself superior,
didn’t recognize the cut of suit Sean wore. He slipped a hand into a pant
pocket, the jacket lifting over his arm, draping in the fine manner expected of the designer. Beneath his jacket, he wore a matching vest, the fabric, a
navy blue with white pinstripe.
Chris grinned smugly
at Sean, and while the salesman attempted to establish a level of camaraderie
through eye contact, he failed. Instead of finding offense to the situation,
Sean found amusement.
“Does it get good fuel
mileage?” he asked.
“Comparable, for its
class.”
“Yet it stands on its
own.”
“Yes, as do all Mercedes.”
Chris pointed to
another vehicle nearby. “Now, I’m not sure if you’ve seen our CLA Class, but it boasts Mercedes excellence at
an economical price point.”
“Actually,” Sean
bobbed his head toward the car in front of him. “I would like to take this one
for a test drive. I assume that will not be a problem.”
Sara, who had been
quiet up until now, laced her arm through Sean’s. “You fell in love already?”
“This is the one,
darling, and this fine gentleman is going to hook us up for a test drive.”
Chris straightened his
tie at the knot, lingering there awkwardly. He gestured toward a line of
glass-partitioned offices, directing them to one in the middle. “We’ll need to
complete a financial background first, but then the keys will be in your hands.
I’ll also need to come along, company policy, as I’m sure you can imagine.” He
pressed his lips and took off toward the office.
“Darling, do you think
it’s necessary to take it for a spin? If we don’t like it, we could just pick
up another car, give this one to Jimmy, or use it for running errands.” Sara
nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders.
Chris stopped walking
and spun around. He blinked deliberately and his gaze went from Sean to Sara.
Sean could have lifted
his wife at that moment and spun her
around, for her amazing ability to read people.
Chris cleared his
throat and blinked. “This way.” He was on the move again.
He dropped behind the
desk and Sean sat across from him. Sara stood in the doorway, seemingly
disinterested in the entire process.
Chris pulled out a pad
of forms. “First, we’ll need to complete this. If you would be so kind as to
fill in your information,” he ripped off the top sheet and extended it, with a
pen, toward Sean, “then we’ll go from there.”
Sean played along,
finding it interesting how one was treated when seen as not having enough to
justify setting foot in the dealership. This was the class he was used to being
grouped with, and, now that he had no need to subjugate himself to the
treatment, he actually found it amusing. When the truth came out how wealthy he
was, Chris would wither into the floor.
He started filling in
the form and got as far as his name and a start on their address when a figure outside the glass caught
his attention. It was an older man, dressed in a tailored suit, no doubt a
designer cut. The man stopped beside Sara, taking her in, from the tip of her
Jimmy Choo shoes, past her Louis Vuitton handbag, all the way up to the hat she
wore.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but
are you Sara McKinley?” he asked.
Sara smiled pleasantly.
“I am.”
The man looked at her, into the office at Sean, and then over
to Chris. “I’m Roman Bryant, the owner of this fine
dealership. I trust that you’re getting all the assistance you need, Mr.
McKinley.”
Roman kept his eyes on
his employee as he maneuvered past Sara, into the office. His eyes went to the
form in Sean’s hands, and his face reddened, his brows pulled downward, and
Sean made out a pulse in his cheek.
He addressed the
salesman. “What are you doing here?”
The question, fully
directed at Chris, had the young man reaching for the knot of his tie again.
“Standard policy, sir, they are…” he cleared his throat, “filling out the
financial paperwork for the background.”
“You make all the
customers fill out these forms?” Roman took the sheet from Sean with a pressed
smile that communicated admiration and respect for him, and then he dropped the
uncompleted form in front of Chris. “Do
you have any idea who these people are?” Roman gestured to Sean and Sara with a wide sweep of his arms.
Chris’s face paled as
he looked at Sean to Sara, back to Sean.
“I will take that as a
no. These people get whatever they want, do you understand?” Roman turned
pleasantly toward Sean. “What fine model
garnered your attention?”
“He fell in love with
the SLS AMG GT,” Sara chirped in.
“Let’s get you a set
of keys, then, shall we?”
Chris bolted to his
feet. “But, boss, company pol—”
“Rubbish. This is Sean
and Sara McKinley. It might not hurt for you to listen to the news or read the
papers.” He addressed Sean and Sara. “Please, forgive him for this
misunderstanding.”
Sean glimpsed at
Chris, who wouldn’t satisfy his desire for eye contact.
“McKinley.” The name
slipped from Chris’s lips and then his eyes widened. He covered his mouth and
dropped his hand nearly as quickly as it had made contact. “I am so sorry.”
“As you should be. We
will discuss this matter later,” Roman said.
“You know what? I’ve
changed my mind.” Sean hadn’t used the money to toy with people yet, but he
realized he didn’t altogether hate the power that came with it.
“Changed your mind?”
Panic draped across Roman’s features, followed by a flash of rage directed to
his employee. “If there is anything we can do, please.”
“Well, there is,
actually.” Sean casually placed his hands in his pockets again.
“Valentino.” The
designer cut wasn’t missed by Roman.
“Correct.” Sean
glimpsed at Chris, who had dropped back into his chair.
“Very nice. May I?”
Roman asked, hand extended.
Sean nodded and Roman
touched the sleeve, barely brushing the fabric with his fingertips. He lifted
his head, leveling eyes with Sean.
“The test drive,
please, let me arrange it for you. You can go right now.”
“No, I don’t think I’m
in the mood for that anymore.”
“Please, Mr.
McKinley.”
Sean went to Sara and wrapped his arm around her waist. He waited for the beats of a few seconds and then
said, “We’ll just take it. Actually,” he glanced at Sara, “we’ll take two.”
CAROLYN ARNOLD
is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker,
teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction
series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and
Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre
diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and
thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female
detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement
as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE
PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born
in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the
lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her
overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to
touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and
empower.
She currently
lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime
Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:
Website - http://carolynarnold.net/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
And don’t forget to sign up for her
newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.
@romanzwrter_grl @Barclay_PR Shining Through by Elizabeth Harmon First Look!
SHINING THROUGH by Elizabeth Harmon First Look!
Here is your FIRST LOOK at SHINING THROUGH by Elizabeth Harmon. Dirty Dancing meets Olympic figure skating in this sweet and sexy final book in the Red Hot Russians series
Author: Elizabeth Harmon
Release Date: October 2, 2017
Publisher: Pronoun/Macmillan
Series: Red Hot Russians #5
Genres: Romance
Word Count: 80k
Format: Digital & Print
Synopsis:
The Biggest Season of her Career…
America’s sweetheart Tabitha Turner is on track to win figure-skating gold in the Winter Games. Her family has sacrificed everything for her career, but the pressure is taking its toll. Burned out and living a lie, can Tabitha let off a little steam without melting the ice?
The Last Chance of His…
Russia’s bad boy of skating Daniil Andreev is determined to prove the toughest thing about him is his competitive fight. When Tabitha tempts him to help her take a secret walk on the wild side, he gives her a taste of the freedom she craves, never expecting that one unforgettable night could turn into something more.
Two Hearts on Thin Ice…
Chicago, Vancouver, Paris… the international figure skating season unfolds. Tabitha and Daniil compete and fall in love, but as the pressure mounts in a make-or-break season, can they set aside their painful pasts and spiral into a shining future together… or will their dreams shatter like thin ice?
Add to SHINING THROUGH to your Goodreads Shelf!
Amazon → http://amzn.to/2vHDP9o
iBooks → http://apple.co/2wohUlx
B&N → http://bit.ly/2vgs7QL
Kobo → http://bit.ly/2ujBxh8
Google → http://bit.ly/2vHFhbW
Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a Backlist Title!
Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in advertising, community journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels incredibly blessed to have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining “what if?” and a loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world. Her debut novel, Pairing Off is a 2016 RITA Award Finalist.
An adventurous cook, vintage home enthusiast, occasional actress, and entry-level figure skater, Elizabeth makes her home in the Midwest, where life is good, but the sports teams aren’t. She loves to hang out on her front porch, or at her favorite local establishments, enjoy good food and wine, and talk writing with anyone who will listen.
http://www.barclaypublicity.com/ |
To Win Her Smile by Mackenzie Crowne Book Tour and Giveaway!
TO WIN
HER SMILE
by
Mackenzie Crowne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub
Date: 7/18/2017
Sometimes
love and luck collide . . .
When sultry British
Baroness Piper Darrow falls on desperate times, she needs a
diversion—and cash. As a talented photographer, she jumps at the
chance to travel to the U.S. for a Manhattan Marauders football
event. But she gets more than she bargained for when buff quarterback
Wyatt Hunter’s errant pass lands…in her face. And when it results
in Wyatt’s comeback of a lifetime, the superstitious athlete is
convinced Piper is his good luck charm . . .
With his sights on
the Super Bowl, Wyatt will do anything necessary to keep Piper close.
The fact that she’s a feast for the eyes is a bonus. And as they
get closer, he discovers that beneath her proper English surface is a
sweet, sexy seductress. Soon the notorious playboy finds himself
genuinely smitten, and surprisingly open to love—until his powerful
family uncovers something about Piper that threatens to shatter his
trust. Now he’ll have to decide whether to team up with his fears,
or his heart.
Wife,
mother and really
young grandmother, Mackenzie
Crowne shares
her home with her high school sweetheart husband, a neurotic
Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Arizona home because the
southwest feeds her soul. Her love of the romance genre has been a
lifelong affair, both as a reader and a writer. A bout with breast
cancer sharpened her resolve to see her stories shared with others.
Today, she’s a seven-year survivor, living the dream. Her friends
call her Mac. She hopes you will too.
Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
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