Book Blitz of New Beginnings in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann(#Contests- Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card)

New Beginnings in Twinkle Falls
Freda Ann
(A Twinkle Falls Novel)
Publication date: December 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

A sweet, inspirational, small town romance with holiday cheer and a happy ending.

Kylee Croft is a single mom to the sweetest little girl anyone could ask for. Growing up in Paris, the most romantic city in the world, to Kylee it felt like a rite of passage to one day marry the man of her dreams.

Now living in Twinkle Falls, she appreciates the ease of small town life and how people look out for one another, though getting to know the sister and father she never knew existed is the icing on the cake.

Trace Holburg was one happy man after marrying his first love seven years ago. Soon after, his family felt complete with the birth of their twins. But he received a rude awakening when his soon to be ex-wife left him and the boys for a life of alcoholism. After the divorce and getting sole custody of his boys, he swore he’d never marry again.

Kylee has been dating Trace for over a year but worries the man she’s fallen madly in love with is pulling away from her. To complicate things even more her daughter’s biological father shows up in Twinkle Falls.

Can this couple make peace with their past and find a future together, or does their fate lie elsewhere?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

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EXCERPT:

“Man, I suck at this,” I blurt out, while on a jog around the perimeter of the Fall Fair with Jesse. We started hanging out years ago after our sisters became BFFs.

“O-kayyy…” He elongates the word, briefly cutting his eyes in my direction. “Do you care to elaborate?”

“Ugh, at romancing a woman. It’s like I forgot how to do it, since I haven’t dated for years. Before Kylee, Roxanne was the only woman I’d ever loved. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m sure Roxanne put the moves on me first. Which means, I have no game. Dang, I’m doomed.”

“I assume you’re talking about romancing Kylee? Tell me what happened before I give my opinion on the situation.

Shaking my head as we run past a seven-foot scarecrow and two smaller ones along the jogging trail, I try explaining. “It’s bad; really bad,” I huff. “One minute, we were sipping wine and cuddling on the sofa after an amazing French meal she made, and the next, something completely different than what I had planned to say came pouring out of my mouth.”

“Oh, gosh, what’d you say?”

“I said something like… if it’s not clear that I want us to have a future together and to, uh, share a house so we can do more stuff like this—”

“Stop!” We quit running as Jesse steps to the side of the trail. “You’re right, you do suck at this.” He chuckles. “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard a guy say to the woman he loves. What was her response?”

“It wasn’t great. She didn’t say anything at first, so I added, unless it’s not something you want. Finally, she grabbed my hand and said she’d love for us to live in the same house, but then she looked confused after she said it.”

“Man, I can definitely see why. You need to watch some romance movies or something because you’re right, you have zero game with the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with.”

“Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy,” I quip. As we resume running, I’m suddenly feeling worse than I did before.”

Author Bio:

Freda Ann is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit #1 in multiple categories after release.

She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you'll wish you could visit.

After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.

To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / X

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Review of Mistletoe Season(Three Christmas Stories) by S. Roberts, K. Fuller and P. Basham (#romance,#Christmas)

 

This Christmas, three couples find themselves under the mistletoe . . . whether they want to be there or not.

Title: Mistletoe Season

Authors: Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller & Pepper Basham

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

Pages: 320

Genre: Women's Fiction/Romance/Holiday Romance

This Christmas, three couples find themselves under the mistletoe . . . whether they want to be there or not.

Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts—Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild’s kryptonite. Every time she’s kissed someone under the mistletoe it’s led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams) kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn’t a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she’s never forgotten, and now she’s about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller—Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O’Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother’s seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister’s close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay in Mistletoe, and she will never leave?

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham—Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month “punishment” in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn’t recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.

Mistletoe Season is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

My Thoughts:

I enjoy reading sweet, romantic stories with happy endings. Each author's unique writing style is evident in this book. I loved all the stories, but my favorite was "Mistletoe Prince." Prince Arran, a bad boy, was sent by his parents to the US to work with his brother-in-law, hoping it would teach him a lesson. He falls in love with Charlotte (Charlie) and changes his ways. The author's storytelling charmed me, and I loved the ending.

The other two stories in the book were well-written and introduced me to a cast of memorable characters. Each story had a great ending that tied the story together. This compilation of stories is an excellent Christmas gift for romantics at heart. I have never read any of the author's other books, but I will check them out in the future.

Book Excerpt

Mistletoe is my kryptonite.One kiss under it, and I go weak in the head. My last three mistletoe kisses resulted in relation- ship disaster. Which is why I, Hailey Fairchild, am swearing off it.

You’d think after three love fails I’d hate cupid. I don’t. I’m one of his loyal acolytes. I write romance novels. I’m a believer.

If you ask me, everyone should be. We need more love in the world. I need more love, but so far I’m only finding it on the pages of my computer screen.

On the screen is better than nothing. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Consider this a public service announcement, a warning. Don’t go under the mistletoe. It’s hazardous to your heart. Here’s what it did to me.

 

 

About the Authors

Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under different names and in different genres. She’s seen three of her novels made into movies for the Lifetime, Hallmark and Great American Family channels and has over 3 million copies of her books in print. The story in this anthology makes her eighteenth Christmas story.

Website ➜ https://sheilasplace.com 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/funwithsheila/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/sheilarobertswriter/

 

With over two million books sold, USA Today best-selling author Kathleen Fuller writes amusing stories with quirky characters and happy endings. Her novel, Written in Love, won the 2018 Romantic Times Inspirational Romance of the Year. Many of her books have also hit the CBA and ECPA best-seller lists. A retired Special Education teacher, she and her husband James live in Arkansas and are the parents of four adult children. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and crocheting—usually at the same time. She also enjoys traveling, football, and collecting recipes she’ll never use. 

Website ➜ https://kathleenfuller.com 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/WriterKathleenFuller/ 

Instagram ➜  https://www.instagram.com/kf_booksandhooks/ 

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her dual timeline novel, Hope Between the Pages, was a 2022 finalist for the prestigious Christy awards. Pepper’s newest book, Loyally, Luke, made it on the ECPA bestseller list for May. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.

Website ➜ https://pepperdbasham.com 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/

Instagram ➜  https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/

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Book Blitz of Made To LAst By A.S. Kelly(#contests- Win an Amazon Gift Card)

 

Made To Last

by A.S. Kelly

(Love At Last, #5)

Publication date: December 4th 2024

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Tommy O’Doherty, and I’m madly in love.

Too blunt, you say? Seriously, why lie?

Everyone seems to know about it already. The gossip about my major crush on my best friend’s neighbour has spread like wildfire.

And I have to admit, I didn’t do anything to stop it.

Not everyone is as good at pretending to be a playboy—even if the most they can handle is a PlayStation—like my weird colleagues and messy friends. Not everyone can keep it together when they meet the sweetest, most sensitive, and most wonderful creature on Earth.

Too bad she doesn’t see herself that way. Too bad she doesn’t believe my words, my kisses, my caresses, or my romantic gestures. Too bad she’s not ready to believe that what we have is real and that I’m not just her backup boyfriend, but the man who truly wants to be with her.

Even though I keep telling her that we are made to last, I’m starting to think she will never believe me unless I am willing to show her in a dramatic and obviously questionable way that I’m serious and that there is no better man for her than me.

Each book in the Love At Last Series is standalone:

– Last Call

– About Last Night

– One Last Kiss

– The Last One

– Made To Last

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220913747-made-to-last

Purchase:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/49bEwIM

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/made-to-last-a-s-kelly/1146473991

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/made-to-last/id6445957415

AUTHOR BIO:

A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.

Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.

She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.

Author links:

https://www.authoraskelly.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authoraskelly/

https://www.facebook.com/ASKellyAuthor

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-s-kelly

https://twitter.com/askelly_writes

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21195166.A_S_Kelly

Newsletter: authoraskelly.com

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Book Blitz of Sought By Destiny by Monica Ageno (# Contests- Win a copy of the book)

Sought By Destiny
Monica Ageno
(CHRONICLES OF THE FATES, #2)
Publication date: December 1st 2024
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

A Betrayal
Forced to betray her fated mate—a man she despises as much as she craves—Feylin is thrust into a world where dark magic is used without restraint and her survival depends on her cunning alone. As she struggles to guard her secrets, the new mate bond begins to fracture her resolve, threatening to tear her apart from the inside.

One truth remains: nothing is more dangerous to her than him. Olron, The Dark Mage. The exiled King of Gravindale. He has plans of his own for Feylin, twisted ambitions that go far beyond the bond they are forced to share. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

Olron

She was supposed to be a pawn, she has turned herself into a Queen. An important piece in a dangerous game. A choices that he intends to take full advantage of. After all, he is best known for capitalising on his opportunities.
He has plans for her. Ones that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that their enemies are not prepared for.

Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “Blood and Ash” series, Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses”series. This fantasy romance will captivate readers who crave stories of enemies-to-lovers, fated mates, strong heroines, slow-burn tension, and dangerous, seductive anti-heroes

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Storm stood at the edge of Skyreach, his eyes scanning the charred landscape. The ground, once lush and green, was now a scorched black sea. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt wood. The ruins before him stood as silent witnesses to the battle’s wrath, skeletal remains stark against the early morning sky.

Every crack in the earth, every smouldering ember, was a testament to the destructive power he had wielded. For weeks he had been consumed by a rage so intense it charred him from the inside out, a bitterness that pulsed in his veins like a poison. Never had he felt this hollow in his life. An emptiness so profound it had taken control of his mind.

The betrayal of his mate that had ripped his heart in a million pieces. Ever since he had met Feylin, he had kept her at arm’s length simply to prevent this kind of attachment to her. It would seem that she did not need the mate bond consummated to have control of his heart.

Feylin…

Just the thought of her name had his anger steaming as he recalled the moment he had realized that by some fate-cursed magic, she had discovered a way to break their bond. That was bad enough, but then the same cursed magic had bonded her to Olron, for a reason only she understood.

Storm steeled his heart at the thought of her. It was not merely her betrayal that fuelled the flames within him; it was her choice, even if it was a choice that consumed his mind in scorching fury. She had chosen Olron. His once best friend. Someone who had once been so close they had been like brothers.

“Storm.” Alaric approached cautiously, sensing his state of mind. His friend had been handling him with gloves lately. Storm knew he had been volatile, and Alaric had given him more leeway than he would have any other mage.

“Why are you still out here? It has been a hard-fought victory. You have earned a rest.”

“Victory?” Storm chuckled bitterly. They had won Skyreach back from Olron after weeks of Storm ploughing through enemy troops with his magic unleashed at its fullest potential.

He had been single-minded. Kill, destroy, get to Olron…but the bastard had not been at the battlefield. He had not shown up for weeks. He had left the trolls, dark Fae and the undead to fight his battle. Was he too occupied with his new mate to remember that they were at war? Storm punched a tree in frustration as he began to pace, the red haze starting to rise in his mind. He knew what it was. The mate madness.

This was one of the reasons he had not wanted to consummate his bond with Feylin. He had never wanted to ever be controlled by the whims of the Fates.

His father had suffered the mate madness after his mother had died. Very few resisted it. Even fewer survived it. Olron was the one person in recorded history to have survived it without a tether, but even then, he was barely sane. Those that survived with their minds intact had important tethers, like children or other loved ones. Clearly his feelings for Irina had not been as strong as he had thought if he was being driven to the brink of insanity.

Irina had been his long-time companion, since childhood. He had thought he was in love with her, one of the reasons why he had rejected his mate bond with Feylin. Now he had no choice of what to feel—jealousy was a living flame in his chest.

Last night he had felt her, Feylin, and for the first time in a long while, his soul had calmed.

Storm had been in the middle of battle, and it had woken him up like a jolt of pure lightening straight to his veins. He had no idea how she had so easily broken their bond and in the same manner, restored it.

The madness was slowly receding with every beat of his heart as he felt her warm, fresh presence down the bond. She was pure and clear like dew in the morning. He had missed her anchoring him.

He had never wanted this weakness. Never wanted to be shackled by bonds beyond his control. Yet, here he was. Storm lifted his face to the smoke-stained sky and roared, the sound carrying the potency of his fury.

He had tried to prevent this. Had refused to make her his weakness, but none of it mattered. He now understood what the bond was. The mate bond was not just some magic that linked them together. Rather, she was the other half to his soul, blackened though it was.

“Storm, old friend,” Alaric said calmly. “Steady your heart. We will find her.”

“I will know no rest while my mate lies beside another man,” Storm snapped. He couldn’t dwell too much on that imagery. He had already put Alaric through enough as it was.

It had been this way ever since he had first discovered that Feylin was missing.

Author Bio:

MONICA AGENO is a Melbourne based Author and illustrator.

She has a genuine love for life, and her passion, drive, and wild imagination seep onto every written page. She also paints in her spare time.

She writes both childrens' books under the pen name Ageno H Monica and New Adult romance books under her name Monica Ageno.

She believes in the importance of reading to children from an early age to help build their confidence and her children's books are both imaginative and lesson based.

When it comes to her New Adult books Monica writes with such a ferocity that once you enter her world, you never want to leave.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

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Virtual Book Tour of Even Higher Than Everest by George Almond (#Historical Fiction)

 

The Dramatized Story of the First Flight Over the Himalayas

Title: Even Higher Than Everest

Author: George Almond

Pages: 274

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure Fiction/Biographical Fiction

 

EVEN HIGHER THAN EVEREST is a vastly entertaining, fact-based, yet dramatized story of a London cockney heiress who, in the 1930s, sent a small fleet of double winger biplanes on a daring and remarkably dangerous mission to fly over Mt. Everest and film the world’s highest and most famous mountain peak.

Author George Almond met the Himalayan heroes (Sherpa Tenzing and Lord Hunt), who explained how the first aerial photographs, taken in 1933, assisted their heroic ascent of Everest in 1953. Captivated by this dazzling and little known tale, the book - Even Higher than Everest - is a dramatized recount of the tenacity of the heiress Lucy Houston and her team of prestigious aviators whose five aircraft flew to the world's highest mountains.  A short 1930s film from footage of Houston’s flight, titled Wings Over Everest, won an Oscar in 1936 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Over_Everest 

Commenting on his work, author George Almond says: “Inspired by true events of that first flight over Everest, the novel Even Higher Than Everest follows skilled personnel in finance, diplomacy, media, filming, engineering and aviation, all aiming for a shared objective. How these characters blended successfully, overcoming constant setbacks and challenges, was in itself a major accomplishment. I have followed the truth, tweaking just a few elements, in recounting the event.”

PRAISE:

“Yay, George Almond! You DID it! You delivered a fine story- -and a fun story- -with your Higher Than Everest dramatization. I loved many aspects about this book. You had me on the edge of my seat with the actual flights over the Himalayas. I could SEE the mountains in my mind's eye and could feel the tension and the dangers they faced.” - Amazon (Marla Bray)

Even Higher Than Everest is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Even-Higher-Than-Everest-Dramatised/dp/1782226249.

 

Book Excerpt

As he ducked back into his cockpit, out of the ripping blast of the slipstream, Blacker became aware of another problem. This, he realized, was not the best of times to be feeling drowsy. He quickly ran a check as a cramping sensation registered in his feet and he felt the lightheaded emptiness that implied a reduced flow of oxygen. Hadn’t they given him a foretaste in the bubble at Farnborough? And this felt alarmingly similar. He immediately scribbled a message to Clydesdale about the problem as the Westland fell into a sweeping downdraft. Lucy bucked up, then down, then up again, jumping like a feather in a gale. Blacker was forced to grab the cockpit coaming with each buck as the biplane floundered insanely.

But recovery came as Clydesdale activated the spare oxygen supply.

Blacker felt the revitalizing rush in his lungs before another fist of wind came charging down from the mountains. This blow punched the Westland, pushing her down several hundred feet in a single second while leaving his stomach far above. Blacker looked towards the front cockpit where Clydesdale sat, calm, stoic and fearless, looking out over the trembling wingtips as he surfed Lucy through each wave of the jet stream.

All the time, the turbo-charger lashed the 650 horse power of the Pegasus compelling it to fire on stubbornly, shoveling air over the wings while they closed on their target some ten miles ahead. But was it ten miles or five? It might have been one or two. Blacker found it difficult to estimate the distance because the terrain was so huge and dominant, so unexpectedly different and daunting at close quarters. He searched around for Mac’s Wallace and thought he saw the flash of wings in the distance.

Up here it looked like a fly lost in the atrium of a West End theatre. Blacker seized the Williamson P14 plate camera and began taking shots of Makalu. The mountain was hewn like a switchblade knife thrust into glacier arteries. He exposed several plates at Everest while the Westland rolled and pitched. He checked his belt and the line that kept him hooked within the cockpit. Bloody hell! Blacker grinned inside his oxygen mask.

This was going to be some ride!

Passing over the monstrous haft of Makalu, Blacker’s heart bypassed several beats. The altimeter was still stuck on 28,000 feet. The snow pip on the summit remained high above and they were closing on the most unforgiving surface imaginable at a groundspeed of 50 miles an hour.

Blacker bent down and heaved open the flaps of a trap door in his cabin floor, allowing more air to scythe up towards his mask and goggles. Now he was looking straight down onto the silvered shoulders and buttresses of the great mountain, all moving this way and that while Lucy danced in the air above. He took several photos and then shut the trapdoor to concentrate on the peak action.

Then as suddenly as the downdraft had begun, a reverse action set in. A surging up-draft helped Clydesdale coax Lucy’s nose up and up, pushing her towards the final gradients and cliffs of the dominant landmass.

Blacker repositioned his camera as Clydesdale drove the valiant biplane towards the snow-capped crest.

Seconds later, with the engine still thrusting against the elements, Lucy the Westland passed over the snowy peak of the great mountain with only a few hundred feet to spare. Clydesdale turned and raised his gloved hand.

Blacker waved back in unspoken triumph.

They had done it!

– Excerpted from Even Higher Than Everest by George Almond, Paragon Publishing, 2018. Reprinted with permission.

Watch the Trailer

https://youtu.be/DL0q16QHTnc 

About the Author

George Almond, the grandson of a Wyoming horse rancher, enjoys revisiting great adventures. Born in London and educated in France and Oxford University he has ridden horseback 1500 miles across Europe, worked for Calgary Stampede's Champion Chuck Wagon driver,  sailed two oceans with the world's most experienced square-rig sea captain, taken the Flying Scotsman steam train from Boston to Houston where he was hired by Neiman Marcus. These days Almond makes his home in Europe, working on other books, including one about Jack Rackham and his two lady pirates who formerly sailed the Caribbean, preying upon merchant vessels.

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