Saturday, December 31, 2022

This OR That #Giveaway № 85 ~ Power Play by Danielle Steel OR Small Town Girl by LaVyrle Spencer #PowerPlay #SmallTownGirl

 

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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Power Play
by Danielle Steel
Mass Market Paperback

Even though Harvard-educated Fiona Carson has proven herself under fire as CEO of National Technology Advancement, a multibillion-dollar high-tech company based in Palo Alto, California, she still has to meet the challenges of her world every day. Devoted single mother, world-class strategist, and tough negotiator, Fiona weighs every move she makes, and reserves any personal time for her children. Isolation and constant pressure are givens for her as a woman in a man’s world.

Miles away in Marin County, Marshall Weston basks in the fruits of his achievements. At his side is his wife, Liz, the perfect corporate spouse, who has gladly sacrificed her own law career to raise their three children and support Marshall at every step. Smooth, shrewd, and irreproachable, Marshall is a model chief executive, and the power he wields only enhances his charisma and is his drug of choice. And to maintain his position, he harbors secrets that could destroy his life at any moment. His world is one of high risks.

Like many women in her position, Fiona has sacrificed her personal life for her career, while Marshall dances dangerously close to the edge and flirts with scandal every day. Both must face their own demons, and fight off those who are jealous of their success. Their lives as CEOs of major companies come at a high price. And just how high a price are they willing to pay? Who are they willing to sacrifice to stay on top? Those they love, or themselves?

Danielle Steel’s gripping, emotionally layered novel explores the seductive and damaging nature of power. Success and greed, trust and deception, love and loss—all come to a head in this compelling drama of family, careers, infidelity, and the sacrifices some people make to hold on to power . . . or to let it go.

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Small Town Girl
by LaVyrle Spencer
Mass Market Paperback

Eighteen years ago, young Tess McPhail left her tiny hometown of Wintergreen, Missouri, population 1,713. She headed for Nashville—and never looked back. Now one of country music’s brightest lights, “Mac” McPhail is a millionaire many times over. Her career is her life. At thirty-five, Mac has no time for marriage, children, or kinfolk—until her sisters insist she come home to help care for their widowed mother…Mac isn’t thrilled about spending a month in Wintergreen. But her visit home turns out to be far from dull. 

After almost two decades of public adoration, she is suddenly a nonperson—insulted by her jealous older sister, enraged by her intractable mother, and ignored by Kenny Kroneck, the next-door neighbor she mercilessly taunted all through high school. Now a handsome divorce who dotes on his teenage daughter, Kenny is widely respected in the community—and refuses to give Mac the time of day. But once she discovers that Kenny’s daughter is a promising country music talent, Mac assumes the role of mentor—and everything changes…

Gradually, the famous Mac McPhail becomes an integral part of life in Wintergreen. The priceless gifts of family and community open her heart to the sweet rewards of caring and commitment. And as the feigned indifference between Mac and Kenny turns to playful bickering, then passion, the complicated life of a superstar is forever changed—by the simple joys of love…

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Friday, December 30, 2022

New Release! One Last Secret by Adele Parks ~ My Thoughts #OneLastSecret


Congrats Adele
on the recent release today of
One Last Secret!

One Last Secret by Adele Parks
Domestic Thriller, 352 pages
Published December 27, 2022 by MIRA

Everyone has secrets, don’t they?

One last client

A week at a beautiful chateau in the south of France—it should be a straightforward final job for Dora. She’s a smart, stunning and discreet escort, and Daniel has paid for her services before. This time, all she has to do is to convince the assembled guests that she is his girlfriend. Dora is used to playing roles and being whatever men want her to be. It’s all about putting on a front.

One last chance

It will be a last, luxurious look at how the other half lives before Dora turns her back on the escort world and all its dangers. She has found someone she loves and trusts. With him, she can escape the life she’s trapped in. But when Dora arrives at the chateau, it quickly becomes obvious that nothing is what it seems…

One last secret

Dora finds herself face-to-face with a man she has never forgotten, the one man who really knows her. And as old secrets surface, it becomes terrifyingly apparent that one last secret could cost Dora her life…

From the Sunday Times number one bestseller Adele Parks comes a blisteringly provocative novel about power, sex, money and revenge.


My thoughts about One Last Secret ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"No little girls grows up dreaming of becoming an escort. A sex worker. A whore. Keep that in mind."

So. Many. Secrets. But nothing like that last one, the one last secret. 

Dora, a highly paid, classy escort for very wealthy men, is living the good life—plenty of money, a nice apartment, beautiful clothes, and a best friend. When one of her jobs goes bad, her life has to change and suddenly, her best friend becomes more than that. But then, one last job drops in her lap. That's when things get interesting. 

With plenty of twists and turns, things are not at all what they seem to be and suddenly, Dora's life is in danger. One thing after another, when will it end? It will end when all of the secrets are revealed—all of them.

Prepare yourself for a roller-coaster ride of emotions and suspense as you will be sitting there wondering what more can happen. As with all of Adele Park's books, this is the epitome of a psychological thriller. It will truly mess with your head. I highly recommend One Last Secret!

I received a copy of One Last Secret from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author


Adele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 4 million books and her work has been translated into 30 different languages.

She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers.

Adele has written 19 contemporary novels and 2 historical ones, Spare Brides and If You Go Away, which are set during and after WW1. Her latest novels, Both of You, Just My Luck, Lies Lies Lies, I Invited Her In, The Image of You and The Stranger in My Home are twisty, domestic noirs. Adele likes to scrutinize our concepts of family, our theories on love, parenting and fidelity.

During her career Adele has lived in Italy, Botswana and London. Now she lives happily in Surrey, UK with her husband, son and cat.

If you want to stay in touch you can find Adele on Twitter @AdeleParks, Instagram @Adele_Parks or Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks. You can sign up to her newsletter at eepurl.com/cI0l and there’s lots more info about Adele and her books on www.adeleparks.com. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Adele


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Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Release Day! Love and War by Ashley Farley ~ My Thoughts #LoveAndWar @AshleyWFarley

Happy Release Day!


Congrats Ashley
on the release today of
Love and War!

Love and War by Ashley Farley
Family Saga Fiction, 254 pages
Published December 27, 2022 by AHF Publishing

Casey's hopes are high for a marriage proposal. Luke hints one is coming soon, but he has different plans for their future together. When he finally pops the question, Casey must choose between Luke and her new family and dream career?

The trouble in Hazel’s marriage is not what she thinks. Not even a baby can fix this problem. When the discovery of her husband’s dirty little secret leaves her hurt and confused, she makes a devastating choice that could haunt her for life.

Daniel, who will soon retire as head of the family’s vineyard, sets in motion a campaign to determine his successor. War breaks out amongst the Love siblings as they vie for the position. 


My thoughts about Love and War ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"Hazel is on her way home from work at the flower shop when she passes her husband zipping down the road in the opposite direction."

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series from the very first book. Love and War seemed like it took the reader to a whole new level, in that there was a lot more drama and danger lurking as Daniel pits his children against each other for control of the family vineyard in his desire to step down. There is plenty of good in the family but oh, so much bad as well. 

Over the four books in this series, I have become so completely invested in all of these characters and in typical Ashley Farley manner, she has make each and every one of them feel like they have become my family and friends. I loved my time in Lovely and enjoyed watching each of them go through their own lives. 

I love this whole series and am truly sad to see it end. I love the drama and the love surrounding each of the characters. Even though this is the end of my glimpse into the lives of the Love family, I know that Ashley has another wonderful world that she is creating for me to get lost in. And I am excited for that. 

I highly recommend Love and War. You really need to read this wonderful series.   

I received a copy of Love and War from the author and this is my honest opinion.


About the author

Ashley Farley

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series has touched the lives of many.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she's lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, a piece of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she still calls home. Through the eyes of her characters, she captures the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kindhearted folk with lazy drawls that make the area so unique. For more information, visit www.ashleyfarley.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Ashley


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Monday, December 26, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 26, 2022 #IMWAYR

     

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 
Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

The Villa
by Rachel Hawkins
Pub date ~ January 3

The Wild Birds
by Emily Strelow

The Rowdy Coyote Rumble
by Ann Charles
Narrated by Lisa Larsen

What I recently finished

Welcome Aboard
Pub date ~ January 1

One Last Secret
by Adele Parks
Pub date ~ December 27

The Last Thing He Told Me
by Laura Dave

What I am going to read next

Hart's Ridge
(Hart's Ridge #1)
by Kay Bratt
Pub date ~ January 10

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Sunday, December 25, 2022

Saturday, December 24, 2022

This OR That #Giveaway № 84 ~ The Hole in the Middle by Kate Hilton OR The Life Before Her Eyes by Laura Kasischke #TheHoleInTheMiddle #TheLifeBeforeHerEyes

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

*****************

The Hole in the Middle
Kate Hilton
Paperback ~ November 2013

Sophie Whelan is the kind of woman who prides herself on doing it all. In a single day, she can host a vegan-friendly and lactose-free dinner for ten, thwart a PTA president intent on forcing her to volunteer, and outwit her hostile ‘assistant’ in order to get her work done on time.

With her fortieth birthday looming, and her carefully coordinated existence beginning to come apart at the seams, Sophie begins feeling like she needs more from her life—and especially from her husband, Jesse.

The last thing Sophie needs is a new complication in her life. But when an opportunity from her past suddenly reappears, Sophie is forced to confront the choices she’s made and decide if her chaotic life is really a dream come true—or the biggest mistake she’s ever made.


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The Life Before Her Eyes
by Laura Kasischke
Paperback ~ Published November 2002

Diana stands before the mirror preening with her best friend, Maureen. Suddenly, a classmate enters holding a gun, and Diana sees her life dance before her eyes. In a moment the future she was just imagining--a doting wife and mother at the age of forty--is sealed by a horrific decision she is forced to make. In prose infused with the dramatically feminine sensuality of spring, we experience seventeen-year-old Diana's uncertain steps into womanhood--her awkward, heated forays into sex; her fresh, fragile construction of an identity. Together with the sights and sounds of renewal, we experience the tasks of Diana's adulthood: protecting her beloved daughter and holding onto her successful husband.

An acclaimed writer and poet, Laura Kasischke has crafted a consciousness that encompasses the truth of a teenager's world and the profound transformation of that world at midlife. Resonant and deeply stirring, The Life Before Her Eyes finds piercing beauty in the midst of a nightmare from long ago that echoes like a dirge beneath each new spring.

Movie Trailer


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Monday, December 19, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 19, 2022 #IMWAYR

    

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

**************************************

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 
Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

One Last Secret
by Adele Parks
Pub date ~ December 27

The Last Thing He Told Me
by Laura Dave

The Rowdy Coyote Rumble
by Ann Charles
Narrated by Lisa Larsen

What I recently finished

Love and War
by Ashley Farley
Pub date ~ December 27

The Maidens
by Alex Michaelides

Vendetta in Death
by J.D. Robb
Narrated by Susan Ericksen

What I am going to read next

Welcome Aboard
Pub date ~ January 1

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Sunday, December 18, 2022

Book Blitz! A Home for Christmas by Katie Eagan Schenck ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway #AHomeForChristmas @faery_whisper @xpressotours

 

A Home for Christmas by Katie Eagan Schenck
Publication date: October 11th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Brad has just one wish this Christmas: to find a real home. Having lost his parents before joining the Marines, he misses that sense of belonging and family. When he meets an introverted flight attendant on his journey to start his civilian life, he wonders if this might be his chance.

After a messy divorce, Shelly has decided the only person allowed within the brittle walls of her broken heart is her daughter, Lilly. At least, until she meets a friendly man who hails from her hometown while working a routine flight. When she learns he needs a place to stay, she offers the apartment over her garage out of the kindness of her heart – and her desperate need for extra cash.

Even as Brad endears himself to Shelly by saving the town’s Christmas pageant, she attempts to keep her distance to protect the fragile stability she’s built since her divorce. But Brad’s willingness to walk the fine line between what Shelly’s heart wants and what her head allows slowly wears down her resolve. And when Brad receives a job offer near the only family he has left, Shelly must decide whether she’s willing to risk her heart again before he leaves her home, and her life, for good.

Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks

Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Lilly’s phone was still connected to the speaker and “I’ll be Home for Christmas” played. “I love this song, though it’s bittersweet.”

“Because you haven’t had a home for Christmas?”

“Well, yes,” he said, staring at the tree. “However, the lyrics aren’t really promising the singer will be home for Christmas. He mentions at the end how he’ll only be home in his dreams. For me, home isn’t about a specific place, but more about the people who make it a home.” He turned toward her. “My parents are gone and, as I told you before, my sister and I aren’t close. So my home for Christmas is truly in my dreams, because it doesn’t exist anymore.”

Shelly’s eyes softened, and she took his hand. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“It’s not your fault, and I’m not surprised.” He gave her a half smile and patted her hand before letting go. “Leave it to me to turn a lovely Christmas song into something depressing.”

“But you’re right, it is kind of a sad song.”

“Perhaps we can make it happier.” He stood, then performed a slight bow and offered her his hand. “Would you like to dance?”

She raised her eyebrows dubiously, but she accepted his hand and he pulled her to her feet. They faced each other, both unmoving, until Brad brought her closer to him and placed his free hand on her waist. Her hand rested on his shoulder as they swayed together to the beat.

She was soft and warm in his arms and he detected the faint scent of cinnamon and something floral. As they turned in the limited space of the room, he was reminded of earlier that morning when he helped her into her coat. The way his fingers tingled when they touched her skin. He recalled how the look in her eyes made his heart stop. Now, his heart was pounding, and the air seemed to hum with electricity, just like that morning.

He directed her to twirl, then caught her at the waist. This time, she was close enough to rest her head on his chest as they continued to sway. He tightened his arm around her and wished this could last forever. For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, it felt like they had known each other for years, instead of only one day.

The song’s last notes played, and they stopped swaying in the sudden silence. When she gazed up at him, her emerald eyes were sparkling. She was absolutely radiant, the happiest he had seen her since they met. He released her waist, but he held onto her hand.

With a smile, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it in what he hoped was a gentleman-like way.

“Thank you for the dance.”

Shelly averted her gaze. “You’re a wonderful dancer.”

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About the author


Debut author, Katie Eagan Schenck, writes sweet romance that warms the heart and gives all the feels. When she's not writing fiction, she's either working on regulations for the federal government or binging Hallmark movies. She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and their three cats.

Connect with Katie

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Saturday, December 17, 2022

This OR That #Giveaway № 83 ~ Hidden by Catherine McKenzie OR Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes #Hidden #HiddenBodies

 

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

*****************

Hidden
by Catherine McKenzie
Hardcover ~ Published April 2014

While walking home from work one evening, Jeff Manning is struck by a car and killed. Two women fall to pieces at the news: his wife, Claire, and his co-worker Tish. Reeling from her loss, Claire must comfort her grieving son as well as contend with funeral arrangements, well-meaning family members, and the arrival of Jeff’s estranged brother, who was her ex-boyfriend. 

Tish volunteers to attend the funeral on her company’s behalf, but only she knows the true risk of inserting herself into the wreckage of Jeff’s life. Told through the three voices of Jeff, Tish, and Claire, Hidden explores the complexity of relationships, the repercussions of our personal choices, and the responsibilities we have to the ones we love.


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Hidden Bodies
by Caroline Kepnes
Hardcover ~ Published February 2016

In the compulsively readable sequel to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice.

I've been watching this series on Netflix. Wow! 

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