Summer Star NBtM

Blurb:

Loner and history buff Troy Hart gets more than he bargained for when his psychic connection to the past leads him to the mountains of Colorado. The legend of buried treasure is nothing new, but falling in love is—and that’s the last thing Troy wants.

Troy’s visions of the old west are all fun and games, until the ghost of an outlaw forces Troy to fulfill his dying wish. To save his own life, and the life of the woman he loves, Troy must follow the trail of greed, betrayal and revenge on a treasure hunt for lost Civil War gold.

Now the fun is over and the game is survival as Troy battles the elements, a dead man, and his own heart deep in the remote high country.

Excerpt:

As the last light crept out of the sky Troy asked the truck for a little more. It skidded over rocks, jolted over roots. He rammed it through the creek and parked in front of the cabin. The hissing radiator and antifreeze pouring on the ground confirmed it. They’d be hoofing it from here on out.

Troy sprinted to the cabin. He threw his canteen, a few bottles of water, beef jerky, and candy bars into his pack. He added two flashlights, batteries, and Eric’s hardhat. He rushed to the tipi for a denim jacket and the map. The piece of oiled canvas, made to be laced over a sleeping bag in bad weather, caught his eye. He pushed it down on top of everything else.

He shined the light into the trees, hoping beyond hope to see Eric’s tent. It was gone, all that remained was a smooth spot on the ground. Troy put a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Wait here.”

“Screw that. I love her, too.” Dean put his own hand on Troy’s shoulder and squeezed it hard. “Let’s go get her, bro.”

Troy gave Dean the second flashlight and set off at a grueling pace. It wasn’t long before he could no longer hear Dean behind him or see Dean’s light bobbing in the dark timber. His jaw hurt and a stitch nagged in his ribs. His bear-bit hip joined the chorus. He thought of Summer in crazy Charlotte’s jealous clutches and pushed himself harder. Troy Hart ran for her life.

D.J., thanks so much for stopping by. So, tell us a little about yourself.

Thank you for having me. I live in the mountains of Colorado and this rugged landscape is in my blood. It’s also the setting for my stories. My favorite thing is hiking with my husband and our dogs. My hobby is landscape and wildlife photography, so my camera always goes along for the ride.

How did you get started writing?

I dabbled, writing a few articles about cattle that were published. When I was forty, my cousin (who is a wonderful writer) challenged me to take part in NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month. That first book was a mess, but the next one was better. The third one (Courageous Cain) was even better, and was published by Champagne Books in September, 2015. That moment, my first published novel, was a definite highlight of my life.

What was the inspiration for your book?

The inspiration for Summer Star came from the numerous times I’ve come across some old item, such as a broken dish or rusted out tobacco can, while hiking in the back country. I often wonder how it came to be there, who it belonged to, what happened to them. I wish I could touch them and see their past. My main character, Troy Hart, is a direct result of that desire. Troy can do just that and it gets him into a lot of trouble.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I’d like to write a good mystery. The twists and turns, clues, red herrings, and foreshadowing are things I’m working on.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I haven’t written any erotica. I have nothing against it, but for me, some things are better left alluded to.

What are you up to right now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

I am currently editing a paranormal western which I hope to submit to my publisher this year. I’m also a third of the way through the first draft of a romantic suspense.


Alright, now for some totally random, fun questions. Favorite color?

The deep, rich green of pine needles.

Favorite movie?
There are many, but if I have to pick just one it would be The Lord of the Rings trilogy (there, I tried and still couldn’t pick just one!).

Book that inspired you to become an author?
Remember that cousin I mentioned? Her as yet unpublished novel which she graciously let me read. It was wonderful and I remember thinking if she can do it, so can I. She has been there for me every step of the way. Girl, you know who you are and thanks.   

You have one superpower. What is it?
Actually, I kind of do. I have very sensitive hearing. My husband often says, “You hear everything!” Watch what you say if you don’t want me to hear, because I just might.

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?
John Wayne, Jeff Dunham, and Gandalf. Cowboy up, learn to laugh at yourself, and don’t forget there’s magic in this life.

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

Josie Shepherd from my novel Courageous Cain. I was a veterinary assistant for many years, have been around shelters, and have seen some of the horrors associated with animal rescue. Josie works in a kennel and befriends a vicious, abused dog named Cain. Josie’s psychic connection with Cain helps her stop a killer, save her friend, and find her true love.


That’s all from me, thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!

Thank you for hosting me. It was a pleasure to be here.

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June 13: Megan Morgan
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June 20: The Reading Addict
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July 25: Sharing Links and Wisdom
July 25: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
August 1: BooksChatter
August 8: Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews - review

Author Bio and Links:

DJ Davis is a Colorado native and the rugged high country sets the scene for her stories. When she's not writing, she can be found hiking with her dogs, photographing the wildlife, or camping with her husband. A Great Dane runs her life.

A portion of each sale of her novel "Courageous Cain" will be donated to Big Bones Canine Rescue in Windsor, Colorado. Help us help big dogs in need.

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R.U.N. on the Folded Edge Review

Destiny comes for twenty-five-year-old Chuck Hendley the day his world is literally turned upside down during an amusement-park accident. There, he meets an extraordinary man, who might very well be Mr. Right. Chuck soon has the opportunity of a lifetime, when fame and fortune reach out to him. But years of disappointment have filled him with self-doubt. Will he find in time the inner strength to embrace love and become the man he's meant to be?

"R.U.N. on the Folded Edge" is a gay erotic novella. 

Amazon Buy Link

My Review:

4 stars

This was definitely an interesting book for me to read. This book is one of those types of stories where you find yourself questioning what the heck is going on while reading it. You know, where the plot jump around, the characters are zany and crazy, and even at the end, you find yourself questioning the ending because while it doesn't seem like an ending, it kind of fits (the movie Detention comes to mind). That was this book for me. And I loved it.

I don't want to give everything away, because this is a book that has to be read with an open mind in order to fully appreciate it. However, I can say that the characters were zany and wonderful. I loved seeing Nick and Chuck interacting, as they were adorable and had some amazing one-liners. The secondary characters were also colorful, yet they were well balanced with Nick and Chuck as well as the plot. They didn't overtake the story, a common problem I've found in story-lines such as this.

As for the plot...I will admit, this story did not go where I thought it would. And I mean that in a good way. Too many times I've found stories that were too predictable, so it was a pleasant change to find one that didn't go where I thought it would, even though that was primarily because I kept asking myself what the heck was going on. I would categorize this as a bit of a fairy tale, because I did need to suspend my disbelief in order to follow along, which frankly just made me want to read the story even more. And the sex scenes...creative and fresh, a pleasant surprise considering I usually skip excessive sex scenes (and probably wouldn't have given this book a read if I had realized it was erotica in advance). As for the ending, I would classify it as a HFN, a riding off into the sunset ending, which works for the story.

I'll admit, this is not going to be for everyone. The author has a unique and odd writing style that will annoy some people (I'm still debating if the comma errors I kept finding were done purposefully or not), yet it works for the story. I know that I liked the book much more than I thought I would, primarily because it defied all my expectations for what I thought this story was going to be based on the tags and the blurb. So if you're in to odd stories and taking chances on more esoteric reads, I highly recommend giving R.U.N. a read.

*Review copy provided via Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.*

Friend of the Devil Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

In 1990 some critics believe that America’s most celebrated chef, Joseph Soderini di Avenzano, sold his soul to the Devil to achieve culinary greatness. Whether he is actually Bocuse or Beelzebub, Avenzano is approaching the 25th anniversary of his glittering Palm Beach restaurant, Chateau de la Mer, patterned after the Michelin-starred palaces of Europe.

Journalist David Fox arrives in Palm Beach to interview the chef for a story on the restaurant’s silver jubilee. He quickly becomes involved with Chateau de la Mer’s hostess, unwittingly transforming himself into a romantic rival of Avenzano. The chef invites Fox to winter in Florida and write his authorized biography. David gradually becomes sucked into the restaurant’s vortex: shipments of cocaine coming up from the Caribbean; the Mafia connections and unexplained murder of the chef’s original partner; the chef’s ravenous ex-wives, swirling in the background like a hidden coven. As his lover plots the demise of the chef, Fox tries to sort out hallucination and reality while Avenzano treats him like a feline’s catnip-stuffed toy.

Excerpt:

Several years after the opening of Chateau de la Mer, the triumvirate of Avenzano, Walsh, and Ross appeared to be one big happy family, although there were rumors of strains in the relationship.

One night, at the height of the Festival of Champagne, there was an incident. Ross, a notorious womanizer, was sipping Cristal with a redhead at the restaurant’s corner table.

His wife slipped through the front door of the mansion, unannounced. Walking slowly through the dining room, past the Medieval memorabilia and dramatic cast-iron griffins, she strolled up to Ross’s table, took a revolver from her evening bag, and calmly shot him through the heart.

The ensuing chaos did more to establish Joseph Soderini di Avenzano in the American imagination than his designer pasta, his Bedouin stuffed poussin, his recipes transposed from Etruscan or Old Genoese, or his library of ten thousand cookbooks.

This was more than a good meal, after all. This was sex and death in Palm Beach. Even more intriguing was the chef’s refusal to comment on Ross after his death, except for informal and effusive eulogies in his famous baritone.

“Watch that Cristal,” David’s friend Bill Grimaldi told him before he left Manhattan to do an assigned story on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Chateau de la Mer. “It’s a killer.”

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July 11: Straightfrom the Library
July 12: The Certifiable Wenches
July 13: Am Kinda Busy Reading!
July 14: Edgar's Books
July 15: Rogue's Angels
July 20: Deal Sharing Aunt
July 21: The Book Return
July 22: SharingLinks and Wisdom
July 25: The Book Review
July 26: T'sStuff
July 27: The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
July 28: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer
July 29: This and That Book Blog
August 1: Queen of All She Reads
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August 2: Stormy Nights Reviewing and Bloggin'
August 3: Harlie's Books
August 4: Author C.A.Milson
August 5: fundinmental

Author Bio and Links:

Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and was honored by the Academy of Wine Communications for excellence in wine coverage “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group; his running commentary on the world of food, wine and spirits is available at the Global Gourmet blog. He is the holder of the Certificate and Advanced diplomas from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Mark’s work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Men’s Journal, Art & Antiques, the Continental and Ritz-Carlton magazines, Arizona Highways and Newsmax. He is the author of Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press, 2012) and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle (Lyons Press, 2014). His first novel, Friend of the Devil, is published by Black Opal Books.

Website

Buy Links:

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City of Hope and Ruin NBtM

Blurb:

Every night the monsters hunt.

A city that is the whole world: Theosophy and her companions in the City militia do their best to protect the civilians from the monsters, but they keep crawling from the Rift and there’s nowhere to run. Theosophy knows she’ll die fighting. It’s the best kind of death she’s seen, and at least she can save lives in the meantime.

They say the Scarred carve you up while you’re still alive.

A village in the shadow of a forest: Refugees from the border whisper about the oncoming Scarred, but Briony can’t convince her brother to relocate his children to safety. Briony will do anything to protect them. She owes them that much, even if it means turning to forbidden magic.

When Theosophy and Briony accidentally make contact across the boundaries of their worlds, they realize that solutions might finally be within reach. A world beyond the City would give Theosophy’s people an escape, and the City’s warriors could help Briony protect her family from the Scarred. Each woman sees in the other a strength she lacks—and maybe something more.

All they need to do is find a way across the dimensions to each other before their enemies close in.

Excerpt:

Dean Prosody was pacing in her cramped office when Theosophy arrived. Her bayonet and whetstone lay forgotten on her desk.

Theosophy stopped just inside the door. "Sir?"

"He's not in his quarters, and he took his spear," said the dean, not looking at her.

Theosophy reached into her belt pouch and pulled out her double crystal, tuned to her partners. One side had gone dark, of course, but the other pulsed weakly. She could feel the direction of the pull—toward the ruins—but that meant nothing, surely he wouldn't be such a complete...

"What did you say to him?" Dean Prosody demanded.

Theosophy shrugged.

"Nothing about avenging Rhetoric?"

"I should hope not," she said. "I was a little busy fighting for my life. With one partner gone and the other just standing there..."

The dean gave her a look, blue eyes snapping.

"What? I let him mourn after. But he still let the third one get away, and almost got me killed. I had to say something."

The dean sighed.

"There's a reason I'm the longest-serving fighter. And it's not because I'm nice."

"About that, Theosophy...maybe you should consider stepping down."

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"I know you're the reason a lot of these kids are still alive. But you're turning sour. It's not healthy."

Theosophy grimaced. The thing was, staying alive the longest wasn't any kind of mercy. It just meant everyone you used to know was dead.

Siri, thanks so much for stopping by. So how did you get started writing?

I've been telling stories since before I could write them down! My earliest stories were heavy rip-offs or mash-ups of whatever I was reading, and my earliest novels were Star Trek fanfiction, but I eventually graduated to (I hope) more original fare.

What was the inspiration for your book?

First, my co-author Kit Campbell and I got together with the two other authors who make up Turtleduck Press. We had decided to create a shared world that we could all play in, so we came up with some parameters. Kowloon Walled City, pocket universes, Prague, Lovecraft, and steampunk all went into the pot and got stirred around.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?
Lately I've been thinking about cozy mystery – a big departure for me since I'm usually somewhere in the realm of science fiction and fantasy! But I think it would be fun, and also good plotting practice.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I can't handle horror. And I'm not into the thriller/suspense/military/spy genres…I like fun action, but I love character. Beyond that, I'm pretty open!

What are you up to right now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

Right now I'm working on a short story for the next Turtleduck Press release, an anthology that will be out in November. After that I'd like to go back to one of the novel projects I had to put aside while I was working on City of Hope and Ruin.

Alright, now for some totally random, fun questions. Favorite color?

Blue!
Favorite movie?

Hmm…going by sheer number of watches, it would have to be The Sound of Music.

You have one superpower. What is it?
The TARDIS!

Last question: You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

Ursula K. Le Guin, Stephen Hawking, and Spock (in the Kelvin timeline / as played by Leonard Nimoy).

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July 14: Christine Young

July 21: Sharing Links and Wisdom 
July 28: Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! – review
August 4: The Silver Dagger Scriptorium - review only
August 11: Liz Gavin's Blog – review
August 11: The Reading Addict 
August 18: Harmony Kent 
August 25: BooksChatter 
September 1: LouiseLyndon Romance Author Hear Me Roar
September 1: T's Stuff 
September 8: Romance Novel Giveaways 
September 15: Deal Sharing Aunt 
September 22: Long and Short Reviews 
September 29: Up Against a Wall 

Author Bios and Links:

It is a little known fact that Kit was raised in the wild by a marauding gang of octopuses. It wasn't until she was 25 that she was discovered by a traveling National Geographic scientist and brought back to civilization. This is sometimes apparent in the way that she attempts to escape through tubes when startled.

Her transition to normalcy has been slow, but scientists predict that she will have mastered basics such as fork use sometime in the next year. More complex skills, such as proper grocery store etiquette, may be forever outside her reach.

Kit can be found cavorting about the web at her blog or website, on Pinterest, and even occasionally on Twitter.

Siri Paulson writes all over the fantasy and science fiction spectrum, including (so far) secondary-world fantasy, urban fantasy, steampunk, Gothic, historical paranormal, and YA with spaceships. She is also the chief editor at Turtleduck Press. Siri grew up in Alberta, Canada, but now lives in an old house in Toronto. By day, she edits non-fiction for the government. Her other current passion is contra dance, a social/folk dance done to live Celtic and roots music. Her favourite places in the world are the Canadian Rocky Mountains and a little valley in Norway.

Siri's short fiction and the anthologies she has edited can be found on Turtleduck Press. She also blogs and tweets.

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Alpha's Redemption Book Blitz

Blurb:

Tondreau has spent the last four years helping raise Cadajen's terminally ill daughter, Linea. Though not mates, they've carved out a happy life with each other. It all comes crashing down when Linea's health takes a turn for the worst. Together, they must face the hardest decision of their lives. Will it tear them apart? And can Tondreau put aside his fears and be the Alpha Cadajen needs him to be?

Excerpt:

Tondreau faced him, shaking his head. "You love her, and you show her that love every day, every chance you get." He frowned, his brow furrowed. "Do you know how many of us walk through life without love? How many of us would give almost anything for four years of love?"

Cadajen had expected the first half of the statement. But the second half… "You're not without love."

Tondreau's frown deepened and he shrugged. "I didn't mean me, specifically."

"But you're not. You have to know that. Linea and I both love you. You must be able to smell it on us, at least."

The Malorcian shuffled his papers, shoved them into his bag. "Should I bring home something for dinner, or did you have a plan?"

Cadajen couldn't help but sigh and shake his head. "It never fails to amaze me."

"What?"

"You Alphas. You're supposed to be so strong and brave, but the simple things throw you."

"Love isn't simple," Tondreau countered.

"It's the simplest thing in the universe. It's all the mating and linking that complicates it, but that’s on us. We scramble it up. You shouldn't be afraid of love."

"I'm not," he refuted. "The scrambling it up part concerns me, though."

"I don't think we'd scramble it up."

"There are things you don't know about me."

"Nothing that would change how I feel."

Red shimmered faintly at the edges of Tondreau's irises, his Alpha instincts responding to the words.

Cadajen reached out but stopped short, frowning at the material of Tondreau's long sleeved coat. Wasn't that just so metaphorical? There was always a barrier between them, wasn't there? Not physical, like the clothing -- they'd been naked with each other hundreds of times. He knew Tondreau's body as well as he knew his own. But they'd never been bare together, had they? Well, Tondreau hadn't. There was always something. Some deep dark secret Tondreau feared to reveal and it kept him just out of Cadajen's reach.

He looked back up. The red was receding now. Cadajen wanted nothing more than to rip his glove off and press his hand to Tondreau's skin, chase that fleeting emotion, catch it to him and hold it close. Prove himself worthy to Tondreau. Without truly thinking it through, he stepped forward into Tondreau's space. They were close; close enough to feel the warmth of each other's breath, the heat of each other's bodies, and their lips… Cadajen leaned in a tiny bit closer and stopped when Tondreau tensed. He looked up then and his heart shuddered. “Am… am I wrong?”

Seconds ticked between them, the question hung in the air, and just when Cadajen was certain he’d made a mistake, Tondreau sighed softly. “You're not wrong.”

Cadajen reached for him.

Tondreau stepped back. "We can't."

"Why?" Cadajen barely recognized the voice as his own as the word forced its way out his throat. He knew he sounded like a petulant child, but he couldn't help it. His omega instincts screamed at him to make Tondreau understand, to beg if he had to. "You said I wasn't wrong."

"Daj…" Tondreau sighed again, heavy this time, and raked his fingers through his hair. "You're not…"

"Don’t you dare say I'm not worthy." Not that. Anything but that.

Tondreau's eyes widened and the red threatened again. "I'd never say that. That's not… It's me who isn't worthy. You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," he pleaded. "We've known each other for seven years. You've helped me raise my child. We practically live together. I love you. I'm in love with you. Don't tell me you didn't know. And don't tell me you don't feel the same. Don't lie to me like that."

"I'd never lie to you." He opened his mouth to continue, but the alarm on his pager interrupted him. He glanced down at it.

Cadajen recognized the alert as the 'if you don't leave now, you're really, really going to be late' tone. They'd set it up years ago, after Tondreau had lingered too long with Linea a few mornings in a row, and the Academy had slapped his wrists for it. He laid his gloved hand on Tondreau's arm. "Go. It's all right. But we're going to finish this conversation. Promise me. You owe me an explanation."

Tondreau nodded. He stepped close quickly, pressed a chaste kiss to Cadajen's cheek, and fled, no doubt grateful for the reprieve.

Torquere Press Buy Link

Meet the Author:

Romance author, sci-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we're talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake-making, football-watching, rubber-duck-collecting, drag-show loving, full-of-fabulous-with-a-capital-F kinda gal. She's also an ordained minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she's not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair watching Star Trek and Supernatural repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er…research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::

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All In Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

In the cutthroat world of Sweden’s financial elite, no one knows that better than corporate raider David Hammar. Ruthless. Notorious. Unstoppable. He’s out to hijack the ultimate prize, Investum. After years of planning, all the players are in place; he needs just one member of the aristocratic owning family on his side—Natalia De la Grip.

Elegant, brilliant, driven to succeed in a man’s world, Natalia is curious about David’s unexpected invitation to lunch. Everyone knows that he is rich, dangerous, unethical; she soon discovers he is also deeply scarred.

The attraction between these two is impossible, but the long Swedish nights unfold an affair that will bring to light shocking secrets, forever alter a family, and force both Natalia and David to confront their innermost fears and desires.

Excerpt:

Michel nodded. After all, this was what Hammar Capital did. Their team of analysts searched for companies that weren’t doing as well as they should be. David and Michel identified the problems—often incompetent leadership—and then vacuumed up shares in order to put together a majority holding

Then they went in, brutally, took over, broke the company into pieces and restructured, sold, and profited. They were better at this than almost anyone else—owning and improving. Sometimes it went smoothly. People cooperated, and Hammar Capital was able to drive its agenda. Sometimes there was a fight.

“I’d still like to get someone from the owning family on our side,” David said as southern Stockholm spread out beneath them. Having one or more of the big shareholders, some of the giant retirement fund managers, for example, on your side was critical for success in a hostile takeover this big. David and Michel had spent a lot of time convincing the managers, attended endless meetings, and run the numbers countless times. But winning over someone from the actual owning family had several advantages. In part, it would be an enormously prestigious symbolic win, especially with this firm, Investum, one of Sweden’s biggest and oldest companies. It would also automatically win over a number of other shareholders who would vote in favor of Hammar Capital if David and Michel could show that they had someone from the inner circle on their side. “It would make the process a lot easier,” he continued.

“But who?”

“There is one person who actually has gone her own way in that family,” said David as Bromma Airport came into view on the horizon.

Michel was quiet for a bit. “You mean the daughter, right?”

“Yes,” David said. “She’s an unknown but considered to be quite the talent. It’s possible that she’s dissatisfied with how the men are treating her.” Investum wasn’t just an old and traditional company. It was patriarchal in a way that would make the 1950s seem modern and enlightened.

“Do you really believe you can win over anyone from that family?” Michel asked hesitantly. “You’re not exactly popular with them.”

David almost laughed at the understatement.

Investum was controlled by the De la Grip family, and the company did billions of kronor worth of business a day. Indirectly Investum, and thus the De la Grip family, controlled close to a tenth of Sweden’s GNP and owned the biggest bank in the country. Family members sat on the board of directors of close to every major Swedish company. The De la Grip family was upper-class, traditional, and wealthy. As close to royalty as you could get without actually being royal. And with significantly bluer blood than any member of the House of Bernadotte, Sweden’s royal family. It would be unlikely for David Hammar, the upstart, to get anyone from the innermost circle— known for their loyalty—to change sides and join him, an infamous venture capitalist and corporate raider.

But he’d done it before, convinced a few family members to join forces with him. That often meant leaving a trail of broken family ties behind him, which he usually regretted, but in this case it would be a welcome bonus.

“I’m going to try,” he said.

“That’s damn near insane,” said Michel. It wasn’t the first time in the last year he’d uttered those words.

David nodded briefly. “I already called to set up a lunch meeting with her.”

“Of course you did,” said Michel as the helicopter started its descent for landing. The flight had taken less than thirty minutes. “And what did she say?”

David thought about the cool voice he’d gotten on the line, not an assistant’s but that of Natalia De la Grip herself. She had sounded surprised but hadn’t said very much, just thanked him for the invitation, and then had her assistant confirm the lunch appointment by e-mail.

“She said she was looking forward to our meeting.”

“She did?”

David laughed, tersely and joylessly. Her voice had been distinctive in that patrician way that almost inevitably triggered his disdain for the upper classes. Natalia De la Grip was one of about a hundred women in Sweden who had been born with the title of countess, the elite of the elite. He hardly had the words to express how little he thought of that kind of person.

“No,” he said. “She didn’t say that.” But then he hadn’t expected her to, either.

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Author Bio and Links:

Simona Ahrnstedt was born in Prague and is a licensed psychologist, a cognitive behavioral therapist, and most importantly, a bestselling author. As her novels have swept bestseller lists in her native Sweden, she has become a spokesperson for books by women, for women, and about women. Her provocative women’s fiction has been sold in multiple languages as well as audio format.  She lives outside of Stockholm, Sweden, with her two teenagers.

Buy Links:

Kensington Books     |     B&N    |     Amazon

Seducing the Chef Review Tour

Blurb:

Allie Blakefield, editor of Good Eatin' wants to do a feature on Five Cuisines a restaurant across the river from NY City. Her father forbids the feature and won't say why. She's not one to sit back and be ruled by someone. She borrows a friend's apartment.

While leaning over the balcony she sees a handsome dark haired man doing a Yoga routine. He looks up and she is struck by the Blakefield curse. Love at first sight.

Excerpt:

Allie tied her sneakers and walked to the sliding doors leading to the apartment’s balcony. She’d arrived in the Hudson River village late last evening and settled in. Before Steve left he’d made her reservations at Five Cuisines for her under the name she used when scouting restaurants. The reservations were for the six PM seatings for five nights in each of the rooms.

She drew a deep breath of air not redolent with city odors. She walked to the railing. A warm early June breeze caressed her skin. Cloud puffs scudded across the blue sky. Several sailboats glided past. She watched until they neared the Tappan Zee Bridge.

A sound caught her attention and she looked down. If this was the neighbor Steve had mentioned he had been right. The man was definitely her type. He wore black work-out silk pants and flowed from one Yoga position to another. His tanned sculpted body was glorious. Her blood stirred.

She sucked in a breath. A man who looked as fabulous surely had been claimed years ago. Her last relationship had died four months ago and no one had appeared. The constant jetting about the country wasn’t conducive to long term relationships.

Face it. None of the men she’d dated in the past had made her want to remain earth-bound.

My Review:

3 stars

This was a fun, short, and sexy read. While there isn’t a whole lot of character development, the story moves quickly, pulling the reader along. There is a lot of sex in this, to the point where I would categorize this as an erotic romance novella, which I wasn’t expecting. There was a plot, but the romance and passion between the two characters were definitely the main focus. Plus, certain elements of the plot had me scratching my head in confusion or needing to suspend belief. In other words: Romeo and Juliet with less drama, more sex, and a happy ending, all with a tad of fairy tale magic thrown in. Oh, and some amazing and delicious sounding dishes.

My only big complaint about the book is that it needs editing. There were quite a few comma mistakes, not to mention other grammatical errors, which kept pulling me out of the story. The grammar errors aside, this makes for a fun quick summer read, and I am interested in seeing what happens with Meg in book 2.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Janet Lane Walters, an award winning author has been published for 46 years. Before graduating to novels, she published short stories and poetry. She writes romance from sweet to spicy. Some are contemporary, some paranormal and some fantasy. She has also written mysteries and suspense and even strayed into non-fiction. Becoming Your Own Critique Partner written with Jane Toombs won an EPIC award.

Janet Lives in the scenic Hudson River valley with her husband of many years. Her psychiatrist husband considers her writing an obsession, but one he refuses to cure. She's the mother of four and the grandmother of seven - four biracial children and three Chinese children. In the past she has composed music and earned enough money casting Horoscopes to fund a trip to Ireland. She tries to live up to her eclectic writer name by living an eclectic life.

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