Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Third Sons a Charm by Shana Galen

Third Sons a Charm
by Shana Galen
☆☆☆☆☆

The beginning of a new series for Shana Galen!
The cover starts everything off beautifully.
Not a fluffy romance but a very romantic story all the same.
Leave it to Shana Galen to write a character like
Lady Lorraine. Lorrie knows no bounds. Mischievous and
determined. A teacher down in her soul.
The moment Lorrie meets Ewan Mastyn, she thinks of him
as the Viking. The people that know him best call him
the Protector. He is hired as bodyguard for
Lady Lorraine. She will try his patience and use every
trick in the book to get her way. 
It's a test of wills. Lady Lorraine, her parents
and Ewan all have their own agendas and ideas about
the right thing. Who will win?

Third Sons a Charm is not a soft sort of romantic story.
There is action, mystery and adventure.
The characters are full of personality.
They are not shallow or predictable at all.
In fact the story is full of twists and surprises

at every turn. The tale will not turn you loose.
It's a story full of emotional fireworks.
Not your typical romance. But it will
send your heart to pitter-patter all the same.
It makes me excited to read the next one
in this series.


I got a copy of this story from the author
in exchange for an honest review
Review by Lisa Hutson




Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Susan's Review of Secret's at Seaside by Addison Cole


Dive into the Newest Sweet with Heat Romance!


SECRETS AT SEASIDE
Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers #5
Addison Cole
Releasing Oct 25, 2017


Tony Black is the hottest surfer on the planet. He travels the world throughout the year and spends his summers on Cape Cod with his friends, at the Seaside cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. He’s got his choice of women, but Amy Maples is the one he wants. Fourteen years ago she was his for an entire summer, until a devastating accident changed everything, and what they had seemed like it had never existed—at least for her.

Amy Maples is as consistent as the day is long. She’s spent summers on Cape Cod forever, she always does the right thing, and she’s spent years trying to reclaim the heart of Tony Black, the only man she’s ever loved. She’s back for a summer of fun with her friends at Seaside, only this year she’s been offered the opportunity of a lifetime thousands of miles away, and she’s decided to try one last time to reconnect with Tony. But having a relationship with Tony means dealing with her past—and dealing with her past may knock her to her knees.

Secrets at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Secrets by Melissa Foster.



Start the series for FREE with 
Read, Write, Love at Seaside



Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.    



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Addison Cole’s Secrets at Seaside is a heartfelt romance filled with secrets and surprises. The second chance theme sets this story apart from the other books in the series and creates a sense of drama from the first page of the novel.

Amy Maples and Tony Black had a sexual relationship when they were teenagers. Their romance was private, special and a secret from their Seaside friends and their families. Their relationship ended abruptly. Neither Amy nor Tony recovered emotionally from the break up. They care deeply for each other however, now their relationship is strictly platonic.

Amy has sat on the sidelines for the past few summers as she has watched her friends: Leanna, Bella, Jenna and Jamie find happiness and love. The Seaside friends attend Jamie and Jessica’s wedding. The wedding is a turning point for Amy; she realizes that she needs to take steps to change her career and love life. Amy accepts a job in Australia. This choice impacts Amy, the Seaside sisters and Tony. Amy realizes that she needs to come to terms with her feelings for Tony before she leaves.

The author does a fabulous job presenting both characters feelings, emotions and reactions by using the third person narrative in the novel. Ms. Foster’s decision enabled me to understand both characters perspectives. Also, this narrative technique added to the depth and intensity of emotions. Amy and Tony had unresolved feelings about their past that needed to be explored and dealt with honestly.

There were several stand out scenes in the book. I loved the scene when Amy comes clean with her relationship with Tony to Leanna, Bella and Jenna. Ms. Foster captures each characters reaction to the news perfectly, the reader can imagine Leanna’s looks of concern and acceptance and hear Bella’s blunt questioning of Amy’s story. I loved the traditional and magical elements that were woven into the last few chapters of the novel.

All of the books in the Seaside Summers series can be read as standalone novels. The second chance at romance, the secrets and the deep personal connection between the characters in Secrets at Seaside appealed to me. Secrets at Seaside is a sweet with heat book—however, Amy and Tony’s journey is very romantic and passionate!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC porvided by Tasty Tours





Amy wanted to believe them and to see what they apparently saw when he looked at her, but she never had. It was the secret memories of being in Tony’s strong arms that long-ago summer, feeling his heart beat against hers, feeling safe and loved, that made her hopeful there would come a day when they’d find themselves there again. But then her mind would travel to the end of those recent nights when she’d had too much to drink and he’d carried her home. When he’d tucked her into bed and gone along his merry way back to his own cottage across the road, quickly dousing her hope for more with cold reality. Whatever they’d had that summer, she’d ruined.

“Exactly, Leanna. That’s why she’s not making a decision about Australia until after this weekend,” Jenna said. “Right, Ames?”

“Yes. That’s my plan. I’m going to talk to Tony, and if he looks me in the eye and says he has no interest in anything more than friendship, then I’m going to take the job. It’s pretty stupid, really, because how many times has he had the opportunity to…you know?” She dropped her eyes to her glass and ran her finger along the rim. Amy was as sweet as Bella was brash, and even thinking about trying to seduce Tony and finding out where his heart really stood had her stomach tied in knots. When her friends had come up with the idea of seducing Tony, she’d fought it, but they’d insisted that once he kissed her, he’d never look back, and she’d grabbed that shred of hope as if it were a brass ring. Now her fingers were slipping a little.

“Talk? That’s not the plan,” Jenna said.

Jessica shook her head. “So, seduction? You’re going to try?”

“If I can muster the courage.” Amy drew in a deep breath, hoping she wouldn’t back out. As much as she wanted closure, the idea of actually hearing Tony tell her that he didn’t see her as anything other than a friend made her almost chicken out. But she didn’t want to chicken out. She had a great job opportunity, and at thirty-two, she was ready to settle down and maybe even start a family. But that thought was even more painful than Tony turning her away.

Tony set a disconcerting stare on Amy as he moved confidently across the floor with the other guys, heading for their table. Her pulse ratcheted up a notch as his eyes went dark and narrow. She broke the connection, grazing over his low-slung jeans and short-sleeve button-down shirt, afraid to try to decipher if it was an angry or an interested look in his eyes. She’d probably see only what she really wanted to see anyway.

Big mistake. Now she was even more nervous.

women in the bar turned and watched the four gorgeous men crossing the floor, but Amy knew they had to be looking at Tony. She was held prisoner by his sun-drenched skin, sandy hair that brushed his devilishly long lashes, and squared-off features that amped up his ruggedness and made her pulse go a little crazy. She reached for a glass of liquid courage, having no idea whose it was, and drained it as Tony slid in beside her. His thigh met hers, and his irresistible scent made her hot all over again. She grabbed another glass and drained it, and another, until the glasses were all empty and the nervous stirrings in her stomach stilled.

“Since when did you become BeyoncĂ©?” Tony grumbled.

BeyoncĂ©? Was that good or bad? Amy couldn’t form an answer. All she could think about was that no matter what the outcome, after tonight her life would never be the same.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Susan's Review of Deck the Halls by Donna Alward



















With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

In the last year, George's life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he's still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.

Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother's death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.

With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?



Deck the Halls embodies the true spirit of the holiday season. Donna Alward flawlessly combines the themes of community, charity and love in this poignant holiday story set in Darling, Vermont. George Reilly is one of my favorite characters in this series. George played a pivotal role in Somebody Like You, and his story intrigued me. I was so excited that he was featured in Deck the Halls!

George is a veteran of the Iraq conflict. His best friend Ian Merck was killed in action. The reality of Ian’s tragic death hit George hard; his survivor’s guilt plagued him and sent him into a downward spiral of loneliness and despair. He disengaged from life and lived on the streets until Laurel and Aiden Gallagher took an interest in him and helped him get a job and an apartment.

Ian’s twin sister, Amy Merck, has travelled to Darling to speak to George. Her family needs closure-any details about their son’s death would ease their minds. Amy and George were attracted to each other and shared a few steamy kisses before George’s last deployment. Will George open up to Amy?

George and Amy are wounded souls. Their wounds are not visible, their scars are on the inside. George blames himself for his friend’s death while Amy’s marriage fell apart when she couldn’t conceive. My favorite scene takes place at a holiday fundraiser when Amy and Willow Gallagher have a heart to heart talk. Amy mentions that George doesn’t see that he is a part of the Darling community Willow uses the words strength and courage when she talks about George. This conversation inspires Amy to show George the true meaning of Christmas. The last few chapters of this book are exquisitely written; the conversations are honest, poignant and witty and the charming characters will steal your heart as the community rallies to show one of their own the true meaning of Christmas.

Deck the Halls made me laugh and cry—and most of all it reminded me to give back to my own community. Thank you Donna Alward for a fabulous read! Can’t wait for the next Darling novel

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the publisher





Holiday Q and A with Donna Alward

When do the holidays official start for you?
December 1 - or the weekend just preceding it. That's when we get out the decorations and go crazy.

What's your favorite thing about the holidays?
THE MOVIES. I love sitting with my kids (who are of the nearly-adult variety) and watching holiday movies with a glass of wine or hot cocoa.

Are there any holiday traditions you do every year without fail?
Tons! There are certain things we bake. We have a whole bunch of Christmas Eve traditions, including a barbecue (steak!), putting presents under the tree, going for a drive to see the lights, and watching The Polar Express. And even at their age, they still ask me to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

What's your favorite holiday movie?
I have too many - my fave depends on my mood. Top contenders: Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks, White Christmas, Love Actually, The Polar Express.

Do you have a favorite holiday book?
Hmmm. I don't tend to re-read holiday themed books, but I'll confess that I have a soft spot for any (all) of the Christmas books in the Chesapeake Shores series. Those O'Briens... :)

What's your all-time favorite holiday song?
Nat King Cole's version of The Christmas Song. Simplicity and nostalgia all rolled into one smooth voice.

What's your favorite activity during fall or winter?
Cozy nights with a glass of wine and a book. LOL! Seriously though, I miss living near the Rockies, because the skiing there spoiled me for anywhere else.

What's your favorite gift you've ever received or given?
One year my sister put together a recipe book with our mom's fave recipes over the years. She added some of her own, too, but if I want something that Mom used to make back in the eighties? It's in that book!

Do you have any items on your wish list this year?
Yes! Yoga socks, books, and a kindle.

Any resolutions or goals for next year?
Do better. :)



Author Bio:
A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters plus the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her romance career began, writing about cowboys and the west. She is the author of Somebody Like You, Somebody's Baby, and Someone to Love.