Play By My Rules by Michelle Karise blitz with giveaway
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Play By My Rules
Michelle Karise
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
All I wanted was a cup of tea, but I got early morning shenanigans.
Stolen beverage order?
Furious confrontation?
Asked out by a thieving, sexy, tall drink of . . .
It wasn’t the best start to my day, but it had to go up from there. Right?
Wrong.
It was my first day at my new job, and I wanted to make the best impression. I arrived at the office with minutes to spare, and who did I bump into again?
The gorgeous thief.
Harrison Cooper was the president of my company and my boss.
It was fine. Really. Resisting the heated flirtations and stormy kisses designed to bring me to my knees would be no problem.
Office romance?
My past exposed?
Shattered world?
Now how do I pick up the pieces?
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EXCERPT:
Harrison ran a knuckle from my nape down my arm. His fingers entwined with mine, he raised my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss. Not wanting to break our connection, I stroked his cheek.
His hand crept along my side. Mine rested over his heart, the beat racing a thousand miles per hour.
Legs pressed against mine and one hand gripping my waist, Harrison used the other hand to push my hair to the side. I sucked in a breath. It was as if I’d been standing at the edge of a bridge with bungee cords binding my legs and my body poised to leap as adrenaline pumped through me, waiting for the feeling of flight. I clutched his shoulders and held on for dear life.
He leaned in, his stubble tickling my jaw before he sucked my flesh into his mouth. featherlight nips on my neck and collarbone turned to sucking and biting. My nipples hardened as I fell over the edge. He chuckled when I let out a soft moan.
“Arianna, I’d better stop.”
A little mewing sound of discontent escaped my lips as he pulled away.
“That was better than I ever imagined,” he whispered, not taking his eyes from mine. His chest rapidly rose and fell.
I nodded and rubbed my fingertips over my mouth. I wasn’t sure what to do. Do I stay? Or do I leave? How will I forget what happened? What does this kiss mean? When can we do it again?
Should I quit my job?
Author Bio:
Michelle Karise is a type-A romance author of stories featuring black female leads and the men who love them. She spends her days organizing, planning, and executing corporate initiatives. When she’s done with her workday, she spends her evenings crafting titillating tales of infatuation, passion, and pleasure. Michelle makes her home in Missouri with her overprotective dog, Rooney.
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Cover Reveal: A Journey to Power by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
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A Journey to Power
Marie-Hélène Lebeault
Publication date: February 27th 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Human, Witch, or Dragon? The Silver Springs will decide!
Join Penelope, Wickham, Kaia, and Herja on their journey of self-discovery and adventure in a magical kingdom where teens are sent to the stream to find out their destiny. These four children, with diverse backgrounds and unique skills, embark on a journey filled with challenges, teamwork, and bravery to rescue the captured witches and dragons. With their combined abilities and quick thinking, they become heroes in their own right, saving the day and leaving a lasting impact on the kingdom. This is just the beginning of their journey as they look forward to starting the academy and becoming powerful protectors of the peace and safety of their beloved kingdom.
Get ready for an exciting adventure filled with magic, friendship, and courage in this coming-of-age tale.
Author Bio:
Marie-Helene Lebeault lives in Quebec, Canada with her young adult children. A retired teacher, she now spends her days writing, translating academic manuals, and lending her voice to corporate training videos. She enjoys reading, hiking, cycling, traveling, and going to the beach.
To date, Marie-Hélène has published two YA Fantasy series, a standalone novel set in the Eastern Townships, a Short Story Anthology, and a series of whimsical Picture Books for children 3 to 7 years old.
Please follow me on Social Media, I’d love to hear from you!
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Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliott #bookreview #thriller #suspense
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Title: Bright and Deadly Things
Author: Lexie Elliott
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 14, 2023
Page Count: 380
My rating: 2 1/2 stars
About the book:
A remote back-to-basics mountaintop retreat in the French Alps turns deadly as an Oxford fellow finds herself in the crosshairs of her late husband’s dangerous secrets.
The Chalet des Anglais should be the ideal locale for recently-widowed Oxford don Emily to begin cutting through the fog of her grief. With no electricity, running water, or access by car, the rustic chalet nestled at the foot of the verdant, snow-topped Alps should afford Emily both time and space to heal. Joining her will be a collection of friends from the university, as well as other fellows, graduates, and undergraduates.
Something feels off, though—heightening Emily’s existing grief-induced anxiety. Before even making it to the airport, she’s unnerved by a break-in at her home. Once at the chalet, tension amongst the guests is palpable. Her friends and colleagues are behaving oddly, and competition for a newly opened position has introduced a streak of meanness into the otherwise relaxing getaway. As hostilities grow, Emily begins to wonder if the chalet’s dark history has cast a shadow over the retreat. In the salon, a curious grandfather clock looms, the only piece of furniture to survive a deadly blaze a century ago. As its discordant bell begins to invade everyone’s dreams, someone very real has been searching through Emily’s things and attempting to hack into her computer.
When a student disappears, Emily realizes that she’d better separate friend from foe, and real from imagined—or the next disappearance may be her own.
Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliott is a slow burn thriller novel. The story in Bright and Deadly Things is sort of a locked room mystery or in this case a remote and atmospheric mountaintop retreat in the French Alps mystery.
Emily Rivers is a recent widow who has been invited to the Chalet des Anglais, a remote retreat in the French Alps. The trip doesn’t begin well for Emily with dealing with an intruder making her arrival to the retreat delayed. Once arriving though Emily quickly finds the tension among the guests and needs to determine who is actually a friend.
For this reviews I must do a play on the title of Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliott with telling my bright side to the story and what for me became deadly as a reader. The bright spot of the story that kept me going was the setting that swept me into the eeriness and kept the pages turning. The deadly side that lowered my rating would be the pacing of this one, it was simply too slow moving for my taste with the pacing even feeling a bit off with some extremely slow times. Those that do enjoy a slow burn should feel much differently so I’d suggest giving this one a try!
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Find this book online:
About the author:
Lexie Elliott has been writing for as long as she can remember, but she began to focus on it more seriously after she lost her banking job in 2009 due to the Global Financial Crisis. After some success in short story competitions, she began planning a novel. With two kids and a (new) job, it took some time for that novel to move from her head to the page, but the result was The French Girl, which was published by Berkley in February 2018 – available on Amazon now! This was followed by The Missing Years in 2019 and How To Kill Your Best Friend in 2021. She is now working on her fourth novel.
When she’s not writing, Lexie can be found running, swimming or cycling whilst thinking about writing. In 2007 she swam the English Channel solo. She won’t be doing that again. In 2015 she ran 100km, raising money for Alzheimer Scotland. She won’t be doing that again either. But the odd triathlon or marathon isn’t out of the question.
The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy blitz with giveaway
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The Dollmaker
Morgan Shamy
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Young Adult, Historical, Mystery
No one is safe. Not when the Dollmaker lurks in the shadows.
When Dawn Hildegard’s best friend Rose is kidnapped by “The Dollmaker,” a crazed serial killer who creates “art” from women’s bodies, she drops everything to find her—including her dream of becoming a doctor. With the help of a handsome new acquaintance and his mysterious brother, they set off to find the killer. Although they quickly become friends, Dawn cannot shake the uneasy feeling that the brothers know more about the murders than they admit.
As more and more victims are found murdered and displayed throughout town, Dawn must use her wits to find Rose before it’s too late. And before she too becomes the Dollmaker’s next victim.
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EXCERPT:
He slowly began to pace in front of her, his shaded head tipped in thought. His legs were long in the dark, though he wasn’t much taller than her. Bits of slanted light streamed in from the floorboards above them, highlighting the divots of his face. She still couldn’t see him clearly.
“I’ve never had anyone find me before,” he said. “And I take pride in the fact that no one does. I lead a quiet life, and uninterrupted life, and now… you’ve interrupted it.”
He paused, facing her head on. He was nothing more than a shadow in front of her. She held still, silent. If he was The Dollmaker, she didn’t want to make him upset. He hadn’t killed her yet, but maybe he liked to toy with his prey before he slaughtered them.
“I won’t tell anyone about you,” she choked out. “Just let me go.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “And why should I believe you?”
“Why are you trying to stay hidden?”
Both of their questions hung in the air.
He started pacing again. Her heart was hammering its way up into her throat, she could barely breathe. She edged back a step. His head snapped up and he sprung forward once
more. He gripped her upper arm and began to drag her into the dark, away from the orchestra pit. She struggled against him, trying to rip out of his embrace, but his hold was concrete. He led her through a dark hallway that slanted upward at an incline, until the hallway stopped at a dead end. A door towered in front of above them. She still couldn’t see his face.
He moved in close, yanking her up against him, until she felt his breath on her cheek. “If you tell anyone about me—anyone at all—I will know. And if you do, there will be consequences greater than you can imagine. Death will follow, I can assure you that.”
Author Bio:
Morgan Shamy is an ex-ballerina turned YA writer. She has been immersed in the arts since the young age of 4, where she performed various roles alongside a professional ballet company for over seven years, and has danced on prestigious stages like soloing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has taught hundreds of girls in her fifteen years of teaching, where some of her students have received full-ride scholarships to schools like School of American Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few.
Morgan discovered writing when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. It was through that experience which instilled the need to share art and magic with children through words on the page.
Morgan is also an accomplished concert pianist. She was the first girl in Utah to receive the 75 pt. Gold Cup in the Utah Federation of Music in piano solo/concerto competition. Morgan currently lives with her X-Games gold-medalist husband and four children in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Exceptionally Unconventional by Victoria Clarke blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Exceptionally Unconventional
Victoria Clarke
Publication date: February 27th 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical, Historical Romance, Romance
The Honorable Miss Lucilla Iverson is an exceptionally unconventional young heiress trying her best to be unexceptionally conventional despite her love of horses and racing curricles. When she attracts the attention of a hardened older bachelor, a duke, no less, it sets the ton afire with anticipation.
Many young bucks seek her approval, including a notorious (and now penniless) gamester who intends to marry Miss Iverson and her money whether or not she agrees. On an inside track for Lucilla’s attention is Oliver, Lord Hartwell, despite a near miss at running her over while driving his phaeton in the company of his cousin, the handsome and mysterious duke. Which of the three will win her heart and hand, to live happily ever after? That is the question!
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EXCERPT:
“Miss Iverson has been quite amicable to every young man that we have presented to her all evening. Is something amiss, Lady Edevane?”
“Sharp as ever, Clementina. The boy has been toadying her for weeks and does not seem to take a hint.”
“I see!” Mrs. Drummond-Burrell replied, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. She did not appreciate being used as means to force a young lady’s hand and made mental note to mention this episode to her fellow patronesses at their next meeting.
In the ballroom, Miss Iverson allowed herself to be led to the floor and begrudgingly took her place. As the music began, Mr. Moore’s arm came about her waist. Her eyes glanced up at his and she fixed a withering glare upon him. He was undaunted, and indeed barely managed to conceal a smirk.
“Why do you look at me so, Lucilla?” he asked mockingly.
“I do not recall giving you leave to use my name, Mr. Moore.”
“Perhaps you did not, but we are such old friends, what is the harm in it?”
“It may not be harmful, but as it is not pleasing to my ear, I will request you not use it, if you please,” she replied witheringly as they whirled about the room.
“Whatever have I done to make you so upset, Miss Iverson?”
“Other than your underhanded effort to force me to accept a waltz with you, Mr. Moore?”
“I should think the effort was rather successful,” was his cheerful reply.
Miss Iverson’s jaw clenched. People were watching, she knew, so for quite some time she performed her steps in silence while he spoke on mundane topics and considered himself to have won the round. No one could overhear them, but anyone could surely guess she was angry at her dancing partner, and so she forced herself to fix a smile on her face as she looked up at him again.
“It is clear to me that in spite of my mother’s efforts to convince me otherwise, you are quite aware that I do not seek to encourage your familiarity.” Her words were deliberately blunt in an attempt to knock him off his perch, and it appeared to succeed, for his brow darkened momentarily. But as suddenly as it appeared, the frown vanished and he plastered a false smile on his face.
“You wound me, Miss Iverson! What have I done to draw such ire? I have surely not offended you.”
“You are well aware that your attentions offend me.”
“I am at a loss to understand why, for I am your humble servant.”
This drew her eyes up in a flash, and she said scornfully, “Indeed!”
“Have I not loved you since childhood?”
“I vividly recall your penchant for tossing spiders at me.”
“Only in my childish efforts to gain your notice, I assure you.”
“Then I suppose you were also in love with my brothers?” she replied with sarcasm ebbing in her voice.
As he paused to consider the right thing to say in reply, she suddenly pulled away from him and he realized the music had ended. She bobbed a quick and shallow curtsy before spinning on her heel and marching away. He felt irritation wash over him at her defiance. Yes, a less troublesome wife would be best. But he might enjoy breaking Miss Iverson of her spirit.
Author Bio:
I am an Australian writer, traveller, and horse rider. I am a lover of all things England and history – with a healthy side of sci-fi and fantasy.
My debut novel ‘Exceptionally Unconventional’ was written during 2020-21 while my late mother was fighting her final battle with breast cancer. I wrote it in a largely light-hearted way in an effort to keep her spirits up during that time – several of the characters were parodied versions of her acquaintances, so I was very happy to have succeeded in that particular endeavour!
She never got to see it published, but just a few weeks after she passed away, I was offered a contract on it from one of the first publishers I submitted it to. You’ll notice the dedication I chose when it finally came time to write one.
I am currently working on my second manuscript.
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