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Showing posts with label #contests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #contests. Show all posts

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Book Blitz of Shopping for a Highlander's Elopement by Julia Kent (Contests- Enter to win An Amazon Gift Card)

Shopping for a Highlander’s Elopement
Julia Kent
(Shopping for a Highlander, #3)
Publication date: June 10th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

I didn’t expect to fall for a Scottish footballer so annoyingly sunny you need shades to be around him.

I didn’t expect to say yes to his heart-felt, if loopy, proposal while he lay injured on the pitch, blathering on about banana pudding and sparkly unicorns.

What I definitely didn’t expect?

For our engagement to explode into a paparazzi circus, our mothers to turn into wedding bulldozers, and for our wedding protector’s perfectly reasonable elopement plan to spiral into a road trip escape.

So here we are.

In Love You, Maine, a town that celebrates Valentine’s Day every single day. We’re here to get married. Quietly. No drama. In disguise.

Although good luck hiding a 6’4” ginger Scottish striker wearing a knee brace and a perpetual extrovert smile.

Instead of being subtle and blending in? Our quiet escape is vibrating heart-shaped beds, mirrors on the ceilings, secret identities, interfering mothers, and one suspiciously enthusiastic moose that humps dumpsters.

This was supposed to be a simple wedding. Just me and Hamish. No fuss.

But nothing about us has ever been simple with us.

Still, this is what love is, right? It’s chaos. It’s compromise. It’s crying in a wedding planner’s office, then kissing in a hot spring.

It’s choosing each other again and again, even when everything goes sideways.

No matter what comes next… this is our comeback story, in more ways than one.

And no – that’s not a euphemism. 🙂

Shopping for a Highlander’s Elopement is a romantic comedy that blends the worlds of four bestselling series by New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Julia Kent:

– Shopping for a Billionaire

– Shopping for a Highlander

– Whatever It Takes

– Love You, Maine

If you love sports romance, surprise proposals, grand gestures, chaotic weddings, Scottish footballers, golden retriever/black cat energy, and characters who love too hard, mess up spectacularly, and always find their way back to each other with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments (and lovingly-used scrunchies) along the way, then this is your book.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

Love isn’t a football game.

It’s a feeling.

A feeling that uses instinct as a tool.

I’m smarter than this. When everything felt off, I should have known that it was off for a reason.

“Jody,” I say softly, “I canna do this.”

“Of course you can. You just have the jitters. Amy’s a wonderful woman and–”

“I dinna mean the proposin’ part. That’s fine. I can do that. I mean doin’ it on the pitch.”

His turn to go green.

“You want to cancel the proposal?”

“Aye. Nae. No’ the proposin’. The doin’ it in public part. I love Amy wi’ all ma body and soul.” I frown. “She’d hate to hear me say it that way. Soul and body.” I wink at Jody. “But it’s really the other way around. Ma body knows more than ma mind.”

“I don’t need to hear every thought that pops into your head, Hamish.”

“I only tell ye the important ones.”

“Like not wanting the big spectacle we arranged for you?”

“I’m tellin’ ye now, aren’t I?”

“We have extra cameramen here for this. Your parents and siblings are in the crowd. Declan and Andrew McCormick are here. We doubled the security.”

“Is this about money? I can pay for all that.”

“It’s not–well, yes, some of it is about the money. But it’s more about publicity and planning. A lot of people put forth a huge effort to make today special for you and Amy.”

“And forty thousand of ma closest fans.”

He closes his eyes and sighs through his nose. “A better time to realize this would have been weeks ago. Not a huge US exhibition game.”

“Ma instincts told me then that this was right. Now ma gut says something else. It all feels off.”

“Your gut.”

I pat my flat stomach. “It’s gotten me this far in life. Good gut.”

He’s right. I know how much work all the coaches, teammates, stadium staff and administrators, sponsors–hell, even the car park attendants–have put into helping me today. I don’t have cold feet, and I love Amy to the moon and back, but something feels wrong.

As Amy says, hinky.

I can’t explain it. If I had words for it, I’d use them. It’s a feeling, and those don’t always line up nice and neat in words that make sense.

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

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


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Friday, June 13, 2025

Book Blitz of Dot Slash Magic by Liz Shipton (#contests- Enter to win an Amazon gift Card)

Dot Slash Magic
Liz Shipton
Publication date: August 19th 2025
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

A new, spicy urban fantasy from TikTokker Liz Shipton, perfect for fans of I am Number Four, Wreck it Ralph and ACOTAR.

What if you wrote a magic computer program? What if that magic computer program started summoning monsters?

When twenty-something coder Seven Jones goes back to school at a community college in San Diego, the last thing she wants is to join some stupid club. And the last thing she expects is to walk into an underground magic club. Like, actual wizards and shit.

Seven reluctantly joins the motley crew of magic weirdos and discovers her own power. But she struggles to control it…until she figures out how to channel her magic through an artificially intelligent computer program.

Unfortunately, there is literally nothing Seven’s new friends hate more than AI, and when a student mysteriously turns up dead, blame falls on Seven. Is her “creepy artificial magic” summoning terrifying creatures to hunt students? Or is someone trying to frame her?

With only one person – cute ex-Navy seal Logan – on her side, Seven fights monsters (Dragon? Check. Kraken? Check) while struggling to convince everyone that her AI has nothing to do with them.

But how can she convince her peers when she isn’t totally convinced herself?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo


Author Bio:

Hi! I'm Liz. I'm a freelance writer, indie author, and full-time, off-grid, live-aboard sailor. I’m currently sailing around the world with my boyfriend and my dog, turning my real-life adventures into speculative fiction.

I feel extremely grateful to be able to explore the world as I do, and I love incorporating the experiences, places, and people I encounter on my travels into my work.

I also use my books as a means to explore themes of mental health, addiction, technology, climate change, and the looming collapse of society (but, like...in a fun way.)

When I'm not penning novels about the impending apocalypse, I work as a freelance content writer specializing in articles about code, music theory, and off-grid living. On the rare occasion I'm not writing, you can find me swimming, hiking, telling my dog I love her for the bazillionth time today, or watching Taskmaster.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok


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Book Blitz of Wistful Whispers by Kaylene Winter (#contests- Enter ti win a signed copy of the book and swag)

Wistful Whispers
Kaylene Winter
(Charming Irish, #3)
Publication date: June 9th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Wistful Whispers is an irresistible battle of the wills where surrendering to forbidden temptation could cost them everything.

I never promised forever.
A good time? Absolutely.
Heartbreak? Only if they got too attached.

My reputation as a quiet playboy precedes me—women talk, and my ‘talents ’follow me wherever I go. But I’ve always been upfront. No commitments. No expectations. No complications.

Marcella Delgado is nothing but complications. Brilliant. Fierce. Eight years older. And the attorney trying to take down my boss in a malpractice case. She should hate me on sight—hell, she does. But that doesn’t stop the heat between us from igniting the moment we meet.

She’s heard the stories about me firsthand, right there in the depositions. She knows exactly what I’m good at, and even though she fights it, I can see the temptation in her eyes.

One night. One line crossed.
Now my future’s unraveling—and she might be the only thing I don’t want to let go.

For the first time, I want it all.

And I’ll fight like hell to be the man she can’t leave behind.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks


Author Bio:

When she was only 15, Kaylene Winter wrote her first rocker romance novel starring a fictionalized version of herself, her friends and their gorgeous rocker boyfriends. After living her own rockstar life as a band manager, music promoter and mover and shaker in Seattle during the early 1990’s, Kaylene became a digital media legal strategist helping bring movies, television and music online. Throughout her busy career, Kaylene lost herself in romance novels across all genres inspiring her to realize her life-long dream to be a published author. She lives in Seattle with her amazing husband and dog. She loves to travel, throw lavish dinner parties and support charitable causes supporting arts and animals.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


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Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Spotlight of Red Sun Rising by Allen Lyle (#contests- Enter to win A phone call with the author and other Goodies)


 


Book Details:

Book Title:  Red Sun Rising by Allen Lyle
CategoryAdult Fiction (18 +), 422 pages
GenreFantasy, Sci-fi, Dystopian Fiction
Publisher: Moon Publishing Company 
Publication Date: July, 2025.
Content Rating: This book is rated PG 13 for graphic violence and battle scenes. 

Book Description:

Red Sun Rising - Book One of the Red Sun Rising Series

Power is not inherited. It is taken—by blood, by fire, by force.

The Empire is rotting from within. Corruption festers in its courts, rebellions simmer at its borders, and old gods whisper in the shadows. Amid the chaos, one family sees opportunity.

House de Bordeaux has long stood on the fringes of power—noble in name, forgotten in legacy. But when a mysterious death fractures the imperial line, a brutal new game begins. As alliances crumble and enemies multiply, the de Bordeaux heirs must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice in their pursuit of the throne—and what darkness they’ll awaken along the way.

From the first clash of voltedge swords to the final echo of betrayal, Red Sun Rising is a gripping tale of ambition, treachery, and the high cost of empire.

The first installment in a sweeping epic fantasy series, perfect for fans of political intrigue, morally complex characters, and dynastic power struggles.
BUY THE BOOK:
(available for pre-order)
Author Website
AMAZON 
add to goodreads

On July 28th, Red Sun Rising will be available on B&N, BAM!, and any place you can buy books

Meet the Author: 
Allen Lyle lives in Athens, Georgia, (GO DAWGS!) where he shares his home with his wife, four cats, a sweet pup, and several hundred books. A lifelong devotee of science fiction and fantasy, he fell under their spell at a young age and never looked back. Allen considers himself a lifelong devotee of science fiction and fantasy, He has always been drawn to the intersection of history and the speculative—asking questions like, “What if the Byzantine Empire had rockets?” or “What if Tolkien’s world had pirates?”

An avid gamer, Allen has spent countless hours orchestrating dynastic dramas in Crusader Kings III, an inspiration for his debut novel. His fascination with history extends beyond pixels and pages—he’s an enthusiastic collector of antiques, a lover of travel, and a devoted fan of minor league baseball. When he’s not writing, Allen can be found painting miniatures or reading. His debut novel takes readers thousands of years into a post-apocalyptic future where the kings and queens of Europe—now called Yuropa—rule once more. It's sure to hit the sweet spot for fantasy, scifi, and history lovers alike...just like Allen.

connect with the author: website goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:
RED SUN RISING Book Tour Giveaway



Sunday, June 8, 2025

Book Blitz of All the Silent Bones by Gregory Funaro(#contests- Enter to win An Amazon Gift Card)

All the Silent Bones
Gregory Funaro
Publication date: June 9th 2025
Genres: Adult, Horror, Psychological Thriller

When they were boys, Ray Dawley, Eddie Sayers, and Matthew Kauffman were the best of friends. Then new kid Bobby “Bones” Bonetti fell through the ice at Blackamore Pond. The other boys saved Bobby from drowning, but something else came out of the water that day, something dangerous that would tear their friendship apart and set one of them on a dark path.

Forty years after the incident on the ice, Ray, a retired college professor, has moved back into his childhood home. Eddie is a retired homicide detective, and Matthew is a successful investment banker. Bobby, who is on disability from his job as a corrections officer at a juvenile detention center, has a secret: the darkness that found him under the ice when he was a kid has made him do terrible things.

Following a reunion at Ray’s house, Matthew is found murdered in his car beside the old pond. The killer includes a chilling message that only the three remaining friends would recognize. Could one of their own be a murderer?

All the Silent Bones, a tense and disturbing thriller told from alternating perspectives of morally complex characters, explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma and its influence on adult relationships.

Goodreads / Barnes & Noble/ Amazon

Only $2.99 pre-order price! Grab yours today!

EXCERPT:

Ronnie Matarese felt a darkness descend upon him, even as he understood that it had always been there, pouring out from those eyes behind the sunglasses and into his apartment. A darkness as indifferent and as cold as the one that had greeted him when he’d returned home. A darkness that feared no light and could not be reasoned with. A darkness that was neither happy nor sad but just was.

Bobby “The Machete” Bonetti had not visited Ronnie to warn him or give him a beating. He had come to kill him. Ronnie suddenly knew this as surely as he was sitting there, and he was both terrified and furious that he hadn’t realized it sooner, when he still might have had a chance to escape. More than anything, though, Ronnie was sad. He wasn’t ready to die—he wasn’t even thirty—but there was no turning back from the elves at the bottom of these stairs. That was what this crazy SOB was trying to tell him.

Ronnie began to cry, softly at first then harder as Bobby finished his story.

“So my mother, she lets me go, but I just held on to the door- frame and didn’t dare look back. She was still there. I could hear her breathing. And in my mind, I watched her, mouth open and eyes blinking as she looked around like she usually did when she came out of one of her episodes. A minute later, I hear the sofa springs in the parlor. She’d been sleeping in there for weeks because the elves hid under her bed, she sometimes thought. But still, I didn’t move. I just stood there, staring down at the darkness in silence.”

Ronnie searched Bobby Bonetti’s sunglasses but saw only murder in the smudge of his reflection, light and shadows on a face that looked like a skull. This was not the way he was supposed to go out, sniveling on his bed like a pussy and not knowing why. And thatwas the hardest part. Not knowing why. Not knowing what he had done—no, not had done but would do. And just as quickly as the darkness had descended, Ronnie saw a light. It was faint at first but coming fast, like when he was speeding through the cross-harbor tunnel up in Boston.

“You said you were here because of something I would do,” Ron- nie said, making no attempt to hide the desperate, trembling hope in his voice. “Not because of something I did but because of something I would do. That’s what you said, right? What is it? Tell me what you think I’m gonna do, and I swear on the souls of my dead parents that I won’t do it. Please, I’m begging you, Mr. Bonetti. You have my word.”

“I would give anything to have that kind of silence again,” Bobby said. “A silence so precious that, when it’s broken, it stings you like a box of bees.”

Then Bobby shot him.

Author Bio:

Gregory Funaro is the NY Times best selling author of Disney-Hyperion's ALISTAIR GRIM'S ODDITORIUM (an Amazon Best Book of the Month for January, 2015) and ALISTAIR GRIM'S ODD AQUATICUM (2016), which received a Kirkus starred review. WATCH HOLLOW (HarperCollins, 2019) received starred reviews from School Library Journal and ALA Booklist, and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. The exciting sequel, WATCH HOLLOW: THE ALCHEMIST'S SHADOW, was published in February of 2020. He has also written two thrillers, THE SCULPTOR and THE IMPALER, for Kensington/Pinnacle. Gregory is a professor emeritus and lives with his family in Rhode Island, where he is busy working on his next novel. Please visit his official web site at www.gregoryfunaro.com.

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Friday, June 6, 2025

Interview of the Author Joanne Kukanza Easley Author of Higher Love (#adult fiction, #contests- Enter to Win a Signed Copy of the Book.)

 

I want to welcome Joanne K. Easley to Books R Us. The Author has provided an interview just for my readers. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter the contest below.


Book Details:

Book Title:  HIGHER LOVE by Joanne Kukanza Easley
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 360 pages
Genre:  Women's Literary Fiction
Publisher:  Red Boots Press
Release date:   May 2025
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: Adult themes of alcoholism, underage drinking, underage sex
Book Description: 
In 1986 Austin, Texas, sixteen-year-old Stephanie steps into sixty-two-year-old Lauren’s life, her uncanny resemblance cracking open a buried past. Claiming to be the daughter of the child Lauren gave up for adoption forty-five years ago, Stephanie upends Lauren’s life—already complicated by her remarriage to Brett after thirty-three years apart. Stung by her adoptive grandmother’s deception, Stephanie stays, her past of tragedy and self-harm forging a fragile bond with Lauren and Brett. When Stephanie’s trust fund evaporates, crushing her college dreams, Lauren sacrifices all to give her a future—only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything. This heart-wrenching family drama delves into the enduring impact of secrets, the power of unconditional love, and the strength found in facing our pasts.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
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INTERVIEW:

Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired nurse, writes fiction about complex twentieth-century women from her Texas Hill Country home. Her debut, Sweet Jane, won multiple awards. She authored Just One Look and I’ll Be Seeing You, with Higher Love forthcoming on May 12, 2025.

What do you consider the most essential elements of great writing?

Great writing is a craft honed through practice and passion. While proper grammar and punctuation are non-negotiable foundations, the heart of a story lies in its ability to connect with readers. I believe fully realized characters—that readers can root for or relate to—are crucial, as is a gripping plot with high stakes that keep the main character’s journey compelling. Authentic dialogue that mirrors how people actually speak breathes life into the narrative, making the story feel real and immersive.

How important is a book cover in your view?

A cover is the book’s introduction to readers, and research shows people absolutely judge a book by its appearance. I’ve worked hard to create a signature look for my novels: each cover features an impressionistic portrait of the main character, a cohesive color palette, and a bold, consistent font for my name and title. This unified aesthetic not only catches the eye but also makes my books instantly recognizable, inviting readers into the heartfelt stories I tell.

You’ve written four novels—can you share more about them and their themes?

I set my novels in the twentieth century, in the era before cell phones, when human connections were deeper and more intentional. They center on resilient women who face and overcome profound challenges, tackling heavy themes like alcoholism, suicide, self-harm, miscarriage, divorce, and teenage pregnancy with honesty and hope.

Sweet Jane, my debut, follows Jane as she returns to the troubled hometown she fled at sixteen, seeking to heal old wounds. It’s a story of redemption that won multiple awards and holds a special place in my heart. Just One Look, a standalone set in 1960s and 70s Chicago, traces Dani Marek’s journey through grief after losing her fiancé in the Vietnam War, her descent into destructive choices, and her chance at love again. I’ll Be Seeing You revisits characters from Sweet Jane, chronicling five decades in the turbulent life of Lauren Eaton, Jane’s Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, with unflinching depth.

My latest, Higher Love, set for release on May 12, 2025, is a sequel to I’ll Be Seeing You. It’s my first novel with dual perspectives: sixty-two-year-old Lauren and Stephanie, a teenager who is

the daughter of the child Lauren gave up for adoption. This poignant family drama explores the ripple effects of secrets, the healing power of unconditional love, and the courage to confront the past.

How do you go about developing your plots and characters?

My stories begin with the character, not the plot. I take my time—sometimes weeks or months—getting to know my protagonist, dreaming about her, and uncovering every detail: her appearance, quirks, relationships, and inner world. Only when she feels vivid and real do I craft her journey and the challenges she’ll face. I don’t map out the entire plot beforehand; instead, I let the character lead, allowing surprises to unfold as I write.

Has your upcoming novel, Higher Love, evolved significantly since its first draft?

Absolutely. The first draft was written in third person, but I realized it felt too distant from the raw emotions driving Lauren’s story. Since each of my novels has a unique structure, I reimagined Higher Love with alternating first-person chapters from Lauren and Stephanie’s perspectives. This shift amplified the emotional intensity of the family drama, letting readers feel the weight of their secrets and the depth of their connection. The change was a challenge but made the story far more intimate and powerful.

Thank you for this chance to share my writing journey and the stories that mean so much to me. For those eager to explore my novels further, you can find them at my bookstore: Book Store - Joanne Kukanza Easley

 
Meet the Author:
 
Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies. 

Connect with the author:

website ~ X facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads


Enter the Giveaway:
HIGHER LOVE by Joanne Kukanza Easley Book Tour Giveaway



Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Guest Post by Desiree Moodie -The Real-Life Inspirations Behind The Book The Perfect Mother (#contests- Enter to Win a Book Club in a Box)

 

I want to welcome Desiree Moodie to Books R Us. The author has provided a guest post just for my readers. Thanks for stopping by and please enter the contest below.
 

Book Title THE PERFECT MOTHER by Desiree Moodie
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 
Genre: Thriller
Publisher:  Twisted Thoughts Publishing
Release date:  May 2025
Content RatingPG-13 + M: My book has a few "f" words, one or two religious profanities and a few crude terms. There is no sex, but there is violence. Mature themes include pregnancy loss.


Book Trailer:


Book Description:

The perfect neighborhood. The perfect family. The perfect crime.

When Dawn Harrington moves to the quiet, picturesque town of Meadowbrook, she’s hoping for a fresh start. A place where no one knows her name. Where she can leave behind the whispers, the heartbreak, the gaping hole left by the son who vanished from a park nearly twenty years ago. But secrets have a way of following you.

A few blocks over, Evelyn Harper has spent years crafting the perfect life—an adoring husband, beautiful children, a home straight out of a magazine. But when she sees Dawn standing in her driveway, Evelyn feels the first stirrings of something she hasn’t felt in years.

Fear.

Because Dawn isn’t just any new neighbor. She’s a woman with a past. A past that collides violently with Evelyn’s own. 

At first, Dawn and Evelyn circle each other warily—neighborly smiles masking something far more sinister. But as Dawn starts asking questions and Evelyn begins watching her every move, the game between them becomes something far more treacherous.

As their carefully built lives begin to crumble, one of them will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

The other will stop at nothing to keep it buried.

Because some lies can be forgiven. Others demand blood.

The Perfect Mother is a spellbinding psychological thriller about deception, obsession, and how far a mother will go for the truth. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn, and Shari Lapena, this is one twisted suburban nightmare you won’t soon forget.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
(release date May 16)

GUEST POST:
 

The Real-Life Inspirations Behind The Perfect Mother

When I first started writing The Perfect Mother, I had no idea just how personal this story would become. At its core, it’s a psychological thriller—a tale of secrets, obsession, and the devastating consequences of a single choice. But beneath the suspense, it’s also a story about motherhood in all its messy, complicated, and deeply emotional forms. And in many ways, writing it forced me to confront my own evolving relationship with motherhood.

Dawn: The Mother Who Lost Dawn’s story is, without question, the emotional backbone of this book. The pain of losing a child, of not knowing where they are, if they’re safe, or if you’ll ever see them again, is a nightmare no parent should ever have to face. And while Dawn’s experience is extreme, the themes of loss, guilt, and relentless determination were ones I found myself deeply connected to.

For a long time, I wasn’t sure if motherhood was for me. I spent years convincing myself that I didn’t need it, that I was perfectly happy without it. But deep down, that wasn’t the full truth. My fears of not being enough, of repeating generational cycles, of wanting something I might never have, shaped how I viewed motherhood. And when I finally did become a mother, it shattered me and remade me in ways I never expected.

Dawn’s grief, her rage, and her refusal to let go of her son? Those emotions came from a very real place. I understand what it means to hold onto something so tightly, to fight against forces that feel impossibly big. Because even though my story is different, that need to love, to protect, to find a way forward no matter what, was something I poured into every page of Dawn’s journey.

Evelyn: The Mother Who Took Evelyn was a fascinating character to write because, in her mind, she isn’t a villain; she’s a savior. She truly believes that she did the right thing. That Daniel was meant to be hers. That she gave him the life he deserved.

Her character was inspired by real-life cases of long-term child abductions, particularly those where the kidnapper managed to convince themselves (and sometimes even the child) that they were the true parent. There’s something chilling about that level of self-delusion, about the way a person can rewrite reality to fit their own desires. And yet, Evelyn’s fears of losing control, of being exposed, of having everything she built fall apart… they’re all deeply human.

I also pulled from my own experiences of stepping into motherhood later in life. The fears Evelyn has about being judged, about not being seen as a “real” mother, about the crushing weight of expectation are ones I understand, though in a very different context. Evelyn is an extreme case, but the fear of not measuring up as a mother is something so many of us can relate to.

Daniel: The Child Caught in the Middle Daniel’s story was, in many ways, the hardest to write. The idea of having your entire reality ripped away from you—the people you trust, the history you believe is yours, the truth about who you are—is terrifying. And while I personally haven’t experienced anything like Daniel’s ordeal, I thought a lot about identity while writing him.

What happens when those narratives are disrupted? When everything you thought was true turns out to be a lie? 

That’s the core of Daniel’s journey, and it’s something I think so many of us, in one way or another, can understand.

I love thrillers. I love stories that keep you on edge, that make you second-guess everything. But I also love stories with emotional depth, ones that don’t just entertain but make you feel. With The Perfect Mother, I wanted to craft a page-turner that also explored the deep, raw complexities of motherhood. The love, the fear, the sacrifice, and the desperate, all-consuming need to hold on.

This book may be fiction, but the emotions? The struggles? The questions it raises about what it really means to be a mother?

Those are real.

And I hope that as readers turn the pages, they feel that too

 
Meet the Author:
 
Desiree Moodie has been writing since before she could talk — seriously. As a kid, she spent weekends scribbling on notebook paper and stapling the pages together into makeshift books.
Now, she crafts dark, twisty stories featuring morally complex characters and impossible-to-put-down plots. Her writing is influenced by her travels, old-school noir films, and pro-wrestling (yes, still). She loves difficult women, villains who might just have a point, and snappy dialogue.

When she's not writing, Desiree is watching reruns of Perry Mason, working on her Lauren Bacall impression, or pulling Tarot cards. She’s got a soft spot for readers who love clever, gritty stories with a little bite — so don’t be shy. Drop her a line (just not in all caps).

Keep up with her at desireemoodie.com

connect with the author: Website Twitter-X, Facebook, Goodreads, bookbud, instagram, pinterest,


Enter the Giveaway:
THE PERFECT MOTHER by Desiree Moodie Book Tour Giveaway



Monday, June 2, 2025

Spotlight of Align Your Business with the Real You by Jennifer Musser (#contests- Enter to Win An Amazon Gift Card)

 


ALIGN YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE REAL YOU

Jennifer Musser

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Nonfiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Is the exhilaration of entrepreneurship tainted with exhaustion? Discover more for your business and yourself.


Do you feel like your professional and personal lives are out of sync? Maxed out trying to juggle work and family? Are you unsure where you belong or how to create a roadmap to get there? Global business consultant and passionate creative Jennifer

Musser has spent decades helping high-functioning corporations solve complex puzzles, reduce risk, and increase profit. And now she’s here to show you how to refresh your perspective and fuel the future you want.

Align Your Business with the Real You: Connect with Yourself, Create What Matters Most, and Define Your Success is a groundbreaking paradigm shift for anyone interested in running a company. Well aware of common concerns and struggles faced by every founder, Musser delves into finding your true goals with help from practical exercises, empathetic stories, and easy-to-apply insights. And as you use her ego-free blueprint, you’ll delight in a bounty of unique takeaways that let you stay grounded no matter the situation.

In Align Your Business with the Real You, you’ll discover:

- Strategies for staying honest with yourself that keep you on the right track

- Tips for writing your own definition of success, so your personal and professional life is fulfilling

- Ways to healthily engage with your emotions and feel good about your everyday

- How to remember that you're the boss and permit yourself to funnel time and money toward your ultimate objectives

- Tools that you can instantly put to use, ideas for renewing your commitment, and much, much more!

Align Your Business with the Real You is a fresh and candid guidebook for entrepreneurs. If you like relatable teachers, down-to-earth chats, and heartfelt advice, then you’ll adore Jennifer Musser’s straightforward approach.

Read Align Your Business with the Real You to start getting results right now!

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Excerpt 

“Do you feel connected with yourself? Do you feel in sync with your business and your life?

Your ability to connect with yourself and others is an asset, and the most valuable connection you can make is with yourself. It is never too late to connect with yourself. In Chapter 1, you’ll learn how connecting with yourself allows you to find where you belong in life and business. In Chapter 2, you’ll discover how knowing where you belong positions you to connect with like-minded others and conquer the right opportunities. As worthwhile experiences flow, the clouds begin to part. You feel engaged and at peace.

Let’s connect.”

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AUTHOR BIO:

JENNIFER MUSSER shines a light on the financial operations of businesses where it is needed most to raise profit, solidify
processes, save time, optimize talent, reduce risk, and help business leaders achieve meaningful growth with results they can see—and feel.

Jennifer knows how to lead businesses. She holds over twenty years of experience in global consulting, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship. Jennifer is the founder of JLM & Associates Consulting, LLC, where she applies her big company expertise to steer high-achieving business leaders with financial and operational tools and support for growth with less stress.

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from Villanova University, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, and multiple certifications in business strategy, Jennifer is committed to helping small businesses succeed.

She loves life (and coffee) with her family and two dogs, Penny and Rockie, in New Jersey.

Website: JLMAConsulting.com

Blog: https://jlmaconsulting.com/enlightened-leadership-blog

Instagram: @jlmaconsulting

LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/JenniferLMusser

Email: JenniferMusser@JLMAConsulting. 

Buy The Book:

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yt8ps883

Amazon: https://a.co/d/a9jsCzf

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Giveaway:  

Jennifer Musser will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

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