About the BookSeries: London League Genre: Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance Publisher: Phase Publishing Publication date: February 1, 2020 Gone, but not forgotten… Alex Sommerville should have been dead. To the world, he had been dead for almost five years, and with him, the secrets he had carried as Trace, the most elusive member of the London League. When a chance to escape finally comes, Alex finds just enough life left in him to take it, and races off to return to the woman he loves. …Back, but at what cost? The last person Poppy Edgewood ever expected to see suddenly falls into her life again – literally. Alex is a shell of the man he once was, and on the brink of the death she thought him already lost to. What answers will he have for her when he recovers, and can she even bear to hear them? About the AuthorRebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict. SnippetLoneliness is a creeping creature, and its pangs were deep and ravaging. In the evenings, when work was completed and she had so much to tell, there was no one to listen. When she missed her sister or her brothers, her parents, or her life, there was no one to commiserate with. When she cried in the night because Alex was gone and no one cared but her, there was no relief. When she felt more alone than anyone ought to feel, there was no one to take away the darkness. No one to share her burdens with. The only person she had in her life with any sort of regularity was Stanton, and he would not take kindly at all to her sharing such personal and emotional thoughts with him. It would have made him uncomfortable and gruff, and he probably would have told her to focus on her work and the farm and forget everything else. He had once told her emotions were a nuisance, after all, and that the past was only good for lessons. Not for visiting and staying for a time. Poppy was only too prone to spend an extended period of time in her past these days, though she knew it wouldn’t do her any good. The trouble was that it was too easy. She scrubbed at the pot harder, her brow furrowing with the effort, and when she stopped, she looked at her hands. Once these hands had been delicate and soft, protected by gloves more often than not, fair and without blemish but for the occasional pricking of an embroidery needle. Her nails had been clean and manicured, the perfect embodiment of a fine lady. Every now and again, there might be a scratch on the skin from getting into mischief with Alex by climbing a tree or racing across their properties, but her hands had been fairly perfect. Now, they were rough and worn, weathered by hard work and aggressive labor. She had callouses on her palm, on every fingertip, and along the edges of each finger. Her knuckles were often inflamed, and her skin cracked and peeled regularly. Lines and scars and dry patches dotted every surface of her hands, and her nails were almost brutally short, uneven, and usually had something under them, be it dirt or food or feed for the animals. These hands were not those of a young lady. Then again, Poppy could hardly be considered young anymore. Twenty-seven was not particularly old, but in those twenty-seven years, she had lived a lifetime, and she was decades older than anyone of her age. Her life did not even remotely resemble what she had thought out for herself, what she had planned, or anything like it once had. She closed her eyes and set the pot aside, knowing it was far cleaner now than it had ever been with her excessive scrubbing. This was what her life amounted to now. Scrubbing the pots and plates from her own meals, feeding the chickens and pigs, currying the horses, farming with whatever help she could afford to pay, even grinding her own flour to make her own bread, at times. Oh, how far she had fallen. Lonely and cast out, working for every morsel of bread, sweating her days away in the sun, and mourning a man who had never promised her anything. Poppy’s hands curled into fists and hot tears filled her eyes. It was wrong to resent a dead man, she knew, but resent him she did. If he hadn’t have died, if that was what had truly happened, she would not be in this situation. He could have just broken off their impending engagement, and she would have been with her family now. She should have been wiser, not giving her heart so freely without the official connection between them. Never mind that they had been in love since she was fourteen and he sixteen. Never mind that they had been planning to marry for years. Never mind that she was so utterly and completely his that she hadn’t been whole in almost five years. She should have been wiser. And it was his fault she was so destitute, despairing, and dismal. It was his fault she had grown so attached. It was his fault she still felt the ache within her at the thought of him. It was his fault that when she looked out of her kitchen window and could see the shadows of Parkerton Lodge in the distance, she still looked for a light in any window. As she did now. But there were no lights within, and no lights without, and the crumbling estate looked as foreboding and desolate as it had the day the servants had departed it. Poppy exhaled slowly, wiping her hands on dry toweling. She couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t watch for him, wait for him, ache for him. He wasn’t coming back, and this was the life she had chosen for herself. This was her future, and looking back would not make it any brighter. She was done. She had to be. A knock on her door brought her head around, and she waited for Stanton to enter. When he didn’t, and the knock came again, more firmly, she rolled her eyes as she moved to the door. “Honestly, Stanton,” she moaned loudly. “It’s not so cold that you had to fill your arms to the brim with wood.” She reached for the door handle and pulled the door open, fixing her expression into one of mocking amusement. The man who stood there stared at her with his dark, sunken eyes, leaning both forearms against the doorframe, his chest heaving wildly, and her amusement faded at once. She knew that face. She knew the line of that jaw, the dark eyes that were endless in their depths, the nose with a slight crook in the bridge from where her brother had walloped him with a tree branch ten years ago. He was thinner, terrifyingly so, and his face was hollow and gaunt, sickly in color despite being tanned, and covered with a sheen of perspiration. His dark hair was cut brutally short, but it, and the scruff on the lower half of his face, were as dark as his eyes, if not darker still. All changes aside, she knew that man better than any person on this earth. “Alex…” she breathed, her voice catching on his name. His corded throat worked on a swallow. “Poppy.” Her hand lashed out and struck him hard across the face, a weak yet harsh cry ripping from her throat. He stumbled sideways, surprising her with his unsteadiness, and a tremor ran across his once broad shoulders and down to his legs. Slowly, he looked back at her, pressing his left arm against the doorframe again and almost sagging against the wood. “Please,” he whispered, his voice fading with shocking rapidity as his eyes widened. Then they rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground at her feet. ReviewFall from Trace is the final installment of the London League Spy Series from Rebecca Connolly and it’s everything readers are expecting. Secretly readers have been hoping that Trace will eventually show up and he does at long last in this exciting story. In addition to this being Trace’s story, it is fun for this story to brings together all the London League Spies. An action and adventure filled story with plenty of danger, this story also has the sweet romance between Trace and Poppy with their struggles from the unexpected separation with Trace’s supposed death and then reappearance and falling in love all over again. Readers will not be disappointed with this thrilling and enjoyable story. Series: London League Genre: historical, regency, spy, romance, suspense Publisher: Phase Publishing Publication date: February 1, 2020 Number of pages: 281 Other books in the series: 1-The Lady and the Gent 2-A Rogue About Town 3-A Tip of the Cap 4-By Hook or by Rook Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. Giveaway(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon GC + an ecopy of Falling for Trace. Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Link to full tour schedule below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 10, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 23, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Giveaway open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. Tour Schedule
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Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Looks Like Love by Brandy Bruce, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! About the BookTitle: Looks Like Love Author: Brandy Bruce Genre: Contemporary Romance Re-release Date: November 13, 2019 After a devastating break-up, Kasey Addison needs to rediscover life and love. She starts by taking a whirlwind trip to London to visit her best friend. When she returns, she’s given a new assignment at the advertising firm where she works. The cosmetics company they represent is releasing a special fragrance called Love. Kasey is tasked with finding out exactly what love looks like and how to sell it. About the AuthorBrandy Bruce is a writer, a book editor, a mom, a wife, and someone who really loves dessert! She’s the author of the award-winning novel The Last Summer, Looks Like Love, After the Rain, and The Romano Family Collection. Brandy, her husband, and their children make their home in Virginia. ExcerptI stopped for a second and turned back to look at the huge stones. I silently told myself that I was really in England. I’d flown over the ocean. I was spending time with Amanda. I was standing at Stonehenge, absorbing the mysteries of history. Lincoln’s words from the night before ran through my mind again. And as the cold wind blew over me, I started to believe those words. I believed that God was near to me. And for all the years I’d believed in God and held fast to my faith, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d truly felt close to Him. My eyes watered from the wind, or maybe it was the cold—or maybe from my emotion. Whatever it was, the realization that I’d missed feeling close to God welled up in me. Along with a renewed hope that just maybe there was more in store for my life, too. I had a strong suspicion that I was, at that very minute, having a significant moment in my life. A tiny corner of my heart whispered to me that if Riley hadn’t broken my heart, I wouldn’t have been experiencing any of this. Of course, if I’d had to choose between new life experiences and Riley—I would have chosen Riley. But fate hadn’t given me a choice when it came to Riley. Landing PageVisit the landing post at JustRead Tours!
Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Three Little Things by Patti Stockdale, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! About the BookTitle: Three Little Things Author: Patti Stockdale Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance Release Date: February 4, 2020 Genre: Historical Romance One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three Little Things. Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzes verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind. Arno Kreger can't leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He's eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother's death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He's loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie's pa. One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he's on his way to war across the ocean, and she's still in her father's house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts. About the AuthorPatti Stockdale loves hope, history, and a good happily ever after. She can’t remember numbers, so she married a statistician. Thanks to him, she’s lived all sorts of places and worked all sorts of jobs. While employed by an NFL team, she once answered the phone by the wrong team name. She doesn’t work there anymore. For 11 years, she directed the programming at a nonprofit senior center and hosted an annual talent show, rocking a Dolly Parton wig, Annie Oakley boots, and a sweet—although snug—Batman costume. She no longer works there either. These days, Patti writes books and occasionally educational assessments and magazine articles. ReviewAuthor Patti Stockdale has written a sweet and heartfelt story in her debut. Inspired by from the story of her grandparent’s love letters during WWI, Stockdale has brought to life a time of devastation and heartache, but also a time of faith, inspiration, and everlasting love. The love story in this novel is absolutely wonderful. The two main characters, Arno and Hattie, spend the war writing sweet love letters back and forth, bringing this story to life. Stockdale’s strong and inspiring story has all the feels, bringing raw emotions to life as readers fall in love with it. Genre: historical, WWI Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance Publication date: February 4, 2020 Number of pages: 300 Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. Giveaway(1) winner will receive a prize package including a signed book with a bookmark, a pair of socks with a proverb tucked inside, a $10 Amazon gift card, and a vintage bookmark! Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 3, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 10, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. Tour ScheduleFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
About the BookCan a young widow with no faith in love, hope for a future with the man who broke her heart? Maisey isn’t about to give Rob another chance to reject her love. Why should she believe that the man who left town without a backward glance three years ago cares about her? Life had taught her all about broken dreams, and she didn’t want to hope again. If only her young daughter would stop adopting Rob as a father, ignoring him—and her own emotions--would be a whole lot easier. Thoughts of the woman he’d left behind haunted Rob for three long years. It wouldn’t have been fair to ask Maisey to wait while he mined a gold claim. After making his fortune, he’d returned to his family in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Rob was ready to settle down, and he’d rather do so with Maisey. But after their first encounter, it was clear that he’d lost her forever. Circumstances force Maisey and Rob into one another’s company. They learn, through hardship and loss, that the only way to one another is to surrender first to God’s love. Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, The Forever Sky explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west. About the AuthorJanalyn Voigt's literary education began in childhood when her father read chapters from classic children's books to her as bedtime stories. She grew older, and the bedtime stories stopped, but Janalyn continued to fall asleep to the stories she made up in her head at night. This, combined with her avid consumption of books, gave Janalyn an intuitive grasp of storytelling. Adventure, romance, history, suspense, and fantasy or whimsy appear in every story she writes. Readers who enjoy Janalyn's vivid descriptions, realistic dialogue, and unpredictable plots often follow her across genres. Janalyn Voigt is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. ReviewThe story is a bit slow in the beginning and may take readers up to half way through the story to get into it. Another struggle readers may have is with their being too many points of view, making the story hard to follow. But it gets better as the story goes along if readers will stick with it. Full of the feel of what life is like in the wilds of Montana, this story shows the struggles of the people and their way of life. This story has strong themes of finding the truth and forgiveness, as well as includes some romance to liven up the tale. Although the fourth book in a series, it can be read as a standalone. Readers who have read the previous books in the series will be interested in this one as well.
Series: Montana Gold Genre: historical, romance Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink Publication date: December 1, 2019 Number of pages: 186 Other books in the series: 1-Hills of Nevermore 2-Cheyenne Sunrise 3-Stagecoach to Liberty Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. |
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