Monday, April 30, 2018

And The Winners Are...

And our Celebration Surprises have come to an end! I just want to say THANK YOU again for being SO amazing! I seriously have the BESTEST followers ever! 

And now.. the moment you've all been waiting for! 


Mystery Box Winner

Brianne P.

Surprise #1

Jackie J. 

Surprise #2

Tori G.

Surprise #3

Julie W.

Surprise #4

Pattie H. 

Congrats ladies! I will be emailing you shortly! 

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons! 

Swoon Worthy Spotlights #16


Welcome to Swoon Worthy Spotlights hosted by KJ's Book NookKatie's Clean Book Collection and Bookworm Nation! Once a month we will feature 1-3 of our favorite books that we have read during the month. We will share the cover(s), our review(s) and a link to each other's post so you can check out which books we have all chosen!

For this month's Swoon Worthy Spotlights I am going to choose...


A Madness Most Discreet by Nichole Van


Payback by Rebecca Deel

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And don't for get to check Katie's post here and Kathy's post here!

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Do you have a blog and want to join us for Swoon Worthy Spotlights? Then grab the picture and post with us! We will be posting on the last day of each month. Make sure you share your link with us so we can check out your favorite authors as well!

Happy reading my fellow bookworms!
Thursday, April 26, 2018

It's Time To Celebrate!


WOW! You guys! I hit 60K pageviews! Wait... What?! Can I just say again how FANTABULOUS my followers are?! Seriously!


As promised, it's time to celebrate! But what celebration would only give away one prize?! None, right?! So... I'm thinking we'll do a grand prize of a Mystery Box and then have 4 other prizes. I'm not too sure what they're going to be yet but I'll do my best to make them awesome!

Now comes the fun part! Enter to win using the below Rafflecopter! Anything that is being shipped is open to US Residents Only!



Again... I just want to say THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my heart! I have loved getting to know and interact with all of you! You guys are AMAZING!

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Love in Bloom – Becky Monson



 

Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace by Becky Monson
Speak Now is the latest hit from the author of the hit Spinster Series, Becky Monson. In this Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner (Bronze Medal) novel, Bridgette Reynolds needs to stop a wedding, but can she do it?

If there’s one thing that Bridgette Reynolds has learned recently, it’s that the perfect shoes, the perfect hair, and the perfect dress do not make for the perfect proposal. In fact, sometimes they make for the not-so-perfect breakup.

Now, Bridgette must do everything in her power to win Adam back. She knows they are meant to be. And nothing will stand in her way—not her friends, not her grandmother, not even the fact that Adam is now engaged to Serene after a whirlwind romance.

Focused on her plan to win Adam back, Bridgette isn’t expecting Ian—her college best friend, her love, her big regret—to come back into her life. They sink back into their comfortable friendship as if no time has passed at all, making Bridgette start to question her feelings for Adam. But Ian has a few secrets of his own . . . secrets that could shatter their friendship once and for all.

Bridgette has to make some major decisions—should she speak now? Or forever hold her peace?

   





 

After some channel surfing, and a vain attempt to catch up with The Young and the Restless (I couldn’t watch the Ian and Heather and Jessica drama—a bit too close to home), I decide to drag myself upstairs to Margie’s place where Gram and the girls are playing bridge. I need something to get my mind off everything. I doubt it will work, but it’s worth a try.
“Is Gram here?” I ask Margie when she answers the door.
“Sure is,” she says, opening the door wide. She ushers me in with a sweep of her hand.
I walk into Margie’s apartment, which is set up a lot like Gram’s. And just as old-fashioned as well. But, like Gram’s place, it has a homey feel to it. I will say that there are doilies. Lots of doilies.
“Look who’s here, ladies,” Margie says as we walk into the living room.
Gram and two other ladies, Evelyn and Barbara, all turn to see who it is. Once they see me they all start talking in unison. Saying hello and asking me question after question. I try to field each query, but they keep talking over each other.
“Well, Bridgette, what brings you here?” Gram asks, after the chatter has settled. She looks slightly concerned. She wasn’t expecting me. Likewise, I was not expecting to come up here, but here I am.
“I thought I would come and see what you ladies are doing.” I knew they were playing cards, so that was kind of a dumb comment. “And also to check up on Gram,” I say, pointing to the wine glass sitting to her left. That was not something I was expecting to find, but I’m glad I did.
She looks down at the glass and then back up at me, a sheepish just-been-caught look on her face.
“Oh, that’s mine,” Evelyn declares, and I roll my eyes. Evelyn isn’t even sitting next to Gram.
“Gram, you’ve got to be kidding. Does she drink every time she’s playing cards with you?” I ask, looking around the room.
“Not all the time,” Barbara pipes in. “Just . . . most of the time.”

 


 

“Speak Now grabbed me from the beginning! This is the perfect escape/beach read – light and fun, amusing with some tearful moments.” -Reviewing in Chaos

“By the end of the book I felt like Bridgette was a real life friend of mine and I was actually sad when the book ended.” -Divine Books Blog

“Can I give this book a 10? It was so fantastic!” -Taking Time for Mommy

 


Author Becky Monson 

 By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning* author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last… but it probably won’t.  









 

  Giveaway Details 

 Ends 5/16/18 

 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Swoony Award Shoutout!


Hello my fellow Book Dragons! Guess what time it is?! It's time for another Swoony Award Shoutout! We have been having a great year so far and I am loving it! There are SO many books being released! I'm still hoping this will be out best year ever!

So.. without further adieu.. a quick reminder of what books are eligible for a Swoony Award, how to vote and then of course which books I have read so far!

What books are eligible for a Swoony Award?

-ONLY books PUBLISHED December 1, 2017 – November 30, 2018 are eligible. Please DOUBLE CHECK publication dates before nominating books!
-Books must be published OR have arc reviews before nomination. Since the award is based on readers having actually read and enjoyed the book(s) they are voting for, the book has to have been published or arcs read in order to receive votes.
-Intimacy: No sex, no/low closed door/fade-to-black, no/low innuendo, nothing crude or crass.
-Language: None/mild (No F words or other explicit language) nothing overly crude.
-Violence: Mild/low.
-Page Count: Novellas or Novels only, 100 pages or higher, no short stories this year.
-Age: Only Young Adult, New Adult and Adult, NO children’s or middle grade.
-Religious: No Christian fiction, some *very mild* religious elements may be allowed.

Where do you vote for the Swoony Awards? 

On Goodreads! If you don't have an account it is really easy to sign up for one! And it's an AMAZING place to keep track of which books you have read, which books you want to read and of course see all kinds of reviews on books!

For those of you who are not on Goodreads, we have created a Google form for you to fill out! Click here to go directly to the form!

**PLEASE NOTE** You can vote for up to 5 books at a time. There is NO limit as to how many times you can fill out the form. BUT you can only vote ONCE per book! Double votes WILL be removed!

**PLEASE NOTE** You can ONLY vote ONE way! If you prefer Goodreads, please vote there. If you prefer the form, please vote there. Double votes WILL be removed! 

What books have I read so far this year that are eligible? 

I am SO glad you asked! I would LOVE to share them with you! ;) Hehe. 

The Sidelined Wife by Jennifer Peel
#Starstruck by Sariah Wilson
Jailbird by Taylor Dean
Hothouse Flower by Taylor Dean
Bargaining with the Boss by Jennifer Shirk
Finding Beauty in the Beast by Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee
Lightning Struck  by Nichole Van
Illegally Wedded by Jennifer Griffith
Once Hitched Twice Shy by Kimberly Krey
Lovers and Madmen by Nichole Van
A Madness Most Discreet by Nichole Van
The Cupcake Dilemma by Jennifer Rodewald
Worth the Risk by Heather B. Moore
The Billionaire's Stray Heart by Rachelle J. Christensen
No Regrets by Rebecca Deel

We are SO excited for this year's Swoony Awards! You can click here and go straight to our list! Head on over, check out the list and if there are any books on there that you have read and LOVED then make sure you VOTE! If you have read a book that is eligible but has not been added yet then make sure you VOTE to add it to the list for everyone to see! But make sure you check the entire list before voting. Again, please make sure to DOUBLE check the eligibility before voting! 

One last thing...

Note to Authors:

If you’ve written a book that matches the above criteria fill free to NOMINATE it for a Swoony. Help bring awareness to your nomination. We are doing some promoting, but sometimes a newsletter, Facebook, Twitter or blog post directly from the author is the best way to let your fan base know your book has been nominated and help it get all the votes it can get.

Note to Voters:

This is a great way to let authors know you appreciate all their hard work. On Goodreads you can vote for up to 100 books on the list. On the Google form, there is no limit on how many you can vote for. BUT please refer to the above mentioned requirements on voting! We’ve also learned that the order you rank the books you vote on does affect the overall score of the book. So take a minute and make sure you have your books in the order you want them. Invite your friends to vote! Voting ends December 31, 2018.

So what are you waiting for?! Let's show all these AMAZING authors how much we love them AND their books! Ready?! GO VOTE!

Love in Bloom – Donna Hatch



 

  The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch 

  When her parents and only brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret. Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true. When yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart.

 

As Cole looked down into Alicia Palmer’s face, he knew of a surety she was worth any risk. She touched him in a place he’d thought long dead.

A younger man wearing a saucy grin approached Miss Palmer. “Did you save me a dance, Lissie?”

Cole’s initial irritation for the man’s cheekiness faded to puzzlement. He knew him from somewhere. A vague unease arose.

When the young man’s gaze moved to Cole, he paled visibly. “You!”

Miss Palmer gasped. “Robert Palmer, where are your manners?”

Of course. Robert Palmer. From London. Cold dread trickled across his heart as he considered the ramifications.

Palmer pinned him with a dangerous glare. “Stay away from my cousin.”

“Your cousin?” Cole looked from him to the lovely Miss Palmer and understanding dawned. He cursed under his breath. He hadn’t been aware Armand Palmer had a sister. Not that he’d bothered to find out. The possible ramifications took a more serious turn.

Miss Palmer sent Cole a look of apology and turned to her cousin. “Robert, explain yourself.”

In a cold sweat, Cole waited for her condemning stare.

Palmer trembled in rage. He spoke quietly, but each word shot through Cole like bullets fired at close range. “He’s the scoundrel who shot your twin.”

 


 

  The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch 

Though her heart longs for adventure, Elise strives to be a perfect English lady within the stifling confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret. A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared must complete one last assignment for the Secret Service before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit. She may not survive the revelation of Jared’s past…or still love him when the truth is revealed. 

   

“You are a woman of great courage to face those cutthroats alone.”

His fingers closed around hers as if she were a lifeline. Her late husband’s hands had always been smooth and soft, the hands of a gentleman, so unlike this man’s calluses which bespoke hard work. She marveled at the strength in those hands, not to mention the tingles that traveled up her arm.

A flush crept over her face and she struggled to retain her composure. “I saw a cruel act and felt compelled to intervene. I could do nothing less.”

His eyes darted over her face and he said in a stronger voice, “Those men might have turned on you.”

“I’m an excellent shot.”

“And did you not consider that you may have been in danger from me?”

She suspected many women found him a very great danger, but not for the reason he spoke.

Swallowing against a dry mouth, she lifted her chin. “You hardly looked dangerous at the time. And I daresay you lack the strength to offer any threat now.”

The barest hint of a smile twitched his lips and a wicked light glinted in his sea-green eyes.

 


 

  A Perfect Secret by Donna Hatch 

Desperate to protect her father from trial and death, Genevieve breaks off her engagement with Christian Amesbury and marries a blackmailer. After a year of marriage, she flees her husband’s violent domination only to have fate bring her back to Christian. Just when she thinks she’s started a new life of safety and solitude, her husband tracks her down, stalks her, and threatens everyone she loves.

Still brokenhearted over Genevieve’s betrayal a year ago, Christian can’t believe she’s come back into his life–and worse, that she’s done it on the anniversary of his brother’s death, a death that haunts him. Though tempted to throw her back into the river where he found her, he can’t leave her at the mercy of the terrifying man she married.

When her husband torments Genevieve and puts the Amesbury family in danger, Christian will do anything to protect those he loves…anything except give Genevieve another chance to break his heart.

   

“I’ll be right there with you,” he said huskily into her hair.

She buried her face into his shirtfront. “I know you will. I’m not afraid.”

Heaven help him, he loved this woman so much that it physically hurt. He drew back and held her at arm’s length. “Do you have your gun?”

She nodded. “It’s in my pocket.” She patted the front of her pelisse.

“And the dagger?”

She lifted her skirts to show her riding boots with the hilt peeping out from inside.

“If anything goes wrong, run.”

She nodded.

He gripped her shoulders. “I mean, it, Genevieve; don’t stay and play heroine.”

 


 

  The Suspect's Daughter by Donna Hatch 

Determined to help her father with his political career, Jocelyn sets aside dreams of love. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Grant Amesbury, her dreams of true love reawaken. But his secrets put her family in peril.

Grant goes undercover to capture conspirators avowed to murder the prime minister, but his only suspect is the father of a courageous lady who is growing increasingly hard to ignore. He can’t allow Jocelyn to distract him from the case, nor will he taint her with his war-darkened soul. She seems to see past the barriers surrounding his heart, which makes her all the more dangerous to his vow of remaining forever alone.

Jocelyn will do anything to clear her father’s name, even if that means working with Grant. Time is running out. The future of England hangs in the balance…and so does their love.

   

She smiled, that persistent sunshine returning like a ray spearing the clouds. He’d seen her frightened and sad, but always quickly recovering to a state of joy.

Grant bowed. “Good night, Miss Fairley.”

He turned to go, but she touched his arm, a light touch, no more than the feathering brush of a butterfly. Still, he stiffened at the contact and withdrew. She blinked down at the thwarted contact as if searching for the source of his abruptness.

“Yes?” he prompted.

She faltered but seemed to draw from that endless well of happiness, and managed a sincere smile. “I look forward to seeing you at our house party.”

If Miss Fairley knew her father was his prime suspect, she wouldn’t be treating him with such kindness and familiarity. Her devotion to her father was clear. She’d be devastated when he brought her father to justice for conspiring to murder and treason. That Grant might play a part in dimming that ray of sun felt a tragedy. But better that than allowing a group of radicals commit murder.

 

 

   

“Written with heart and depth, Donna Hatch’s books are absolute must-reads for any fan of swoon-worthy historical romance.” ~ Sarah M. Eden, USA Today best-selling historical romance author

“Donna Hatch is one of the masters of clean romance with electric tension and smokin’ hot kisses.” ~ Reading is My Super Power Reviews

“The intrigue held me spellbound until the very end and it was an unexpected ending. I will definitely be looking for more…”– Night Owl Romance

 




Author Donna Hatch 

 Best-selling author, Donna Hatch, is a hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, the force that drove her to write and publish more than twenty historical romance titles, including the award-winning “Rogue Hearts Series.” She is a multi-award winner, a sought-after workshop presenter, and juggles multiple volunteer positions as well as her six (yes, that is 6) children. Also a music lover, she sings and plays the harp, and loves to ballroom dance. Donna and her family recently transplanted from her native Arizona to the Pacific Northwest where she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.




 

  Giveaway Details 

 Ends 5/12/18 

 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.