Release Day Book Blitz! The Space Between Us by Melanie Summers ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway! #TheSpaceBetweenUs @MJSummersBooks @XpressoTours

 

The Space Between Us by Melanie Summers
(Brainiacs in Love, #1)
Publication date: February 29th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Love just might be the final frontier…

S.E.T.I. researcher, Gwen Fox, is a woman on a mission—to answer the cosmic question of the ages: Are we alone?

Along with her work family, Gwen is perfectly happy spending her days listening for extraterrestrial signals— until the worst happens. They get word that they’re about to be shut down by Ty Sterling, their billionaire backer whose heart is as cold as interstellar space.

About to lose everything, Gwen has no choice but to travel to Peru to change his mind. Armed only with scientific zeal and optimism, Gwen faces off against Ty, who just might be the most stubborn, cynical man in the galaxy.

As the tension between the pair builds, so does the undeniable chemistry that neither of them saw coming. Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Peruvian jungle, the space between enemies and lovers begins to collapse.

Will Gwen and Ty discover that together they form a supernova of passion? Or will their budding relationship crash and burn on impact?

*** The Space Between Us is a swoony, adventure-filled, delightfully funny tale of a woman who will do anything to save her job and the stubborn billionaire who dared to get in her way. It’s a standalone rom-com with a little more spice than a regular Melanie Summers book. ***

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Enemies to lovers
S.T.E.M. romance
Billionaire
Adventure, romantic settings, and a little danger
Forced Proximity/Only one tent
A secret cinnamon roll hero
Loads of banter, awkward moments, and delicious tension

Goodreads | Amazon

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EXCERPT

He wants me. And it’s been so very long since someone wanted me. So long. Like I’m pretty sure I’m revirginated at this point. Let’s face it, I want him right back. I want to feel him against me and inside me and on top of me and under me. I want to taste his kisses and his skin and to feel the way he moves. There’s a silent alarm going off in the back of my mind, trying to tell me this is a terrible idea. It’s saying something about betraying my work family and risking my heart with a man who literally just told me he has no interest in happily ever after with anyone.

And yet…

Here we are, two consenting adults, completely alone and absolutely wanting to do this. I stare up at him, taking in his chiseled jawline, his stubble, his dark eyes that are undressing me right now. My heart pounds in my chest, my body hums with excitement. “A night to remember? That’s a bold prediction,” I say in a breathy voice I don’t even recognize.

“I’m confident I can back it up,” he tells me, lowering his face to mine.

He leaves just the smallest space between our mouths. Enough that I can feel his breath and can almost feel his lips against mine. It’s less than an inch and yet it’s infinitely far away because there’s still time for me to say no. To get up and walk away without allowing anything to happen. We could go back to whatever we were a minute ago. Just two people stuck out here alone together passing the time. That would be the smart thing to do— to get up and walk away because he is the very last man I should want like this.

But he’s also the man I’ve wanted like no other. The desire I have for him is all that matters in this moment. There is nothing, no one else on this planet that means anything to me right now. There’s no future, no past. It’s just the two of us here in this perfect moment.

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About the author

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Release Day Blitz! Ghost Island by Max Seeck #GhostIsland @MaxSeeck

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Max

on the release today of

Ghost Island!

Ghost Island by Max Seeck

(Ghosts of the Past #4)

Occult Horror, Fiction, 380 pages

Published February 27, 2024 by Berkley

On a secluded island, homicide detective Jessica Niemi must investigate a drowning that is tied to a frightening ghostly legend in this riveting new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Hunter.

Jessica Niemi is put on leave after a violent altercation between her and a belligerent man makes headlines. To escape the unwanted scrutiny, Jessica travels to a remote island in the Åland archipelago and rents a room at a small seaside inn. She is hoping to be left alone as she faces the possibility that she is losing what is left of her sanity but three elderly visitors have arrived at the inn for their yearly sojourn. Jessica learns that they are the remaining ‘birds of spring’, former refugees who fled Finland as children during World War II and lived together for a few months in an orphanage on the island.

The orphanage no longer exists but the local legend about one of its inhabitants, a girl named Maija, still haunts the surviving orphans. Every evening Maija would put on her blue coat and stand on the pier, looking out at the dark water until one night, she disappeared and was never seen again. When one of the ‘birds of spring’ is found dead, drowned alongside the same pier, and Jessica learns about two other deaths from the past, also connected to the orphanage, she has no choice but to try and put the pieces of this terrifying mystery together.

Jessica can’t be sure whether she’s facing a killer or—just like the legend says—the ghost of Maija, the girl in the blue coat. Uncertain what is real and what is not, Jessica desperately searches for answers that she hopes will stop the murders and finally silence her own demons once and for all.

      

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About the author

International and New York Times bestselling author Max Seeck writes novels and screenplays full-time. He lives with his wife and children near Helsinki. 

Connect with Max

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter

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Release Day! Falling Through the Night by Gail Marlene Schwartz ~ My Thoughts #FallingThroughTheNight @GSchwartzauthor @booksforwardpr

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Gail

on the release today of

Falling Through the Night!

Falling Through the Night by Gail Marlene Schwartz

Women’s Fiction & LGBTQ+

Published February 26, 2024 by Demeter Press

Teaching Excellence Award recipient, Gail Marlene Schwartz, gracefully navigates difficult topics in her sapphic, Jewish adult novel Falling Through the Night (Demeter Press, Feb. 25th, 2024). Inspired by Schwartz’s personal experiences (immigration, anxiety, and a close friend’s suicide), Falling Through the Night is a romantic, funny coming-of-age story that explores the complicated journey of healing trauma and learning how to love. 

Audrey Meyerwitz, an introverted 30-something adoptee with anxiety, wants nothing more than to fall in love and create a healthy family, but the path to romance isn’t simple. Audrey’s life has been packed with sleepless nights, psychiatrists, and a string of nightmare ex-girlfriends. Determined to ensure that her future is a step in a healthier direction, Audrey lets her best friend Jessica, a recovering alcoholic, sign her up for a queer online dating app. What ensues is Audrey’s scary first step toward her lifelong dream: a strong, loving family. 

When Audrey falls for Denise, a French Canadian from Montreal, she finds herself immigrating to Canada and building a new life in Quebec, where she finds community in a collection of queer friends and, eventually, embarks on her dream of starting a family. But when she unearths a secret about her adoptive mother, she must re-evaluate everything she understood about her place in the world. 

Funny, honest, and profound, Falling Through the Night is a stirring story about cultivating healthy love from profound alienation: accepting both gains and losses, taking off the blinders of fantasy, and embracing the messiness that defines human nature and imperfect families.

      

My thoughts about Falling Through the Night ~~

(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 line.)

First lines—"It's Monday morning, and I'm ready for step one. I'm lying in bed, staring at the water stain on the ceiling, the same one that's been there since I rented my place nine months ago. Squinting at it, I play Rorschach, and a new shape emerges: a sperm."

Falling Through the Night was a heart-warming debut novel by a new-to-me author. While Audrey struggles in her life with anxiety and other mental issues, all she really wants is to have someone to love, a family, and stability. 

The story walks us through Audrey's steps to get where she wants to be. And it wasn't always easy for her but her drama is what kept the story going for me. I enjoyed watching, and being a part of, Audrey's life as she figures it all out. Her life isn't perfect but she works through her problems and forges ahead. 

I enjoyed Falling Through the Night, which gave me a glimpse at a life that is so totally different from my own. I found myself having more understanding and empathy for those who struggle with issues like Audrey and her friends do. This was an eye-opening book for me and one I will be thinking about for awhile. 

I received a copy of Falling Through the Night from Books Forward and this is my honest opinion.

Advanced praise for Falling Through the Night

“Schwartz writes in muscular prose when documenting the highs and lows of dating and pregnancy… A sometimes-heartbreaking novel about what it means to be a daughter and a mother.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Author Gail Marlene Schwartz paints a picture of complex human relationships, of family found, formed, and chosen, and of the ways that people find strength and meaning in their lives, despite [their] unexpected turns. The first-person perspective at times gives the book the feel of a memoir, while the dialogue keeps the story moving and makes readers feel like they are in the room with the characters. Despite (or perhaps because of) the sometimes-heavy topics, this is an ultimately hopeful tale, as we see flawed, human characters finding their way, just as we might be doing.”–The Mombian Database of LGBTQ Family Books

Falling Through the Night is a breathtaking debut novel. Audrey is thoroughly relatable as a person dealing with mental health issues who is also full of talent, courage, creativity, and love. A page turner, the book engaged me as both a human with my own struggles but also as a therapist who understands the complexities of early childhood trauma and all the pain involved in healing. Audrey's immigration to Quebec was a wonderful opportunity to experience that culture and the particularities of a young queer artist fumbling and learning as she adapts. A wonderful portrayal of a woman doing the personal work we all need to do to grow. Inspiring, engaging, and ultimately incredibly hopeful.”–Glo Harris, therapist and corporate coach

“The winning combination of Schwartz’s beautifully crafted prose and attention to detail allows the reader to journey with Audrey across two countries in her quest for a new family and a better life. Falling Through the Night shines a light on the ups and downs of anxiety disorder, and spins a story where the LGBTQ protagonist learns to recognize and accept herself, but so does everyone else.”–Lori Shwydky, Publisher, Rebel Mountain Press

Falling Through the Night is a moving look at the ways in which anxiety and family issues intersect. The book is one part magical romance and two parts unflinching account of a queer woman’s messy journey. Audrey’s path is to create a healthy family despite and because of a past shaped by lies and haunted by a mother she never knew. The book could be described as a page-turning beach read, as we are privy to the whirlwind, sweet, and romantic lesbian love story at the heart of this book. But [“Falling Through the Night”] is so much more than that—it is also a deep dive into family, friendship, addiction, and mental health, at times leaving the reader breathless with all the complexity and beauty that is life.”–Dr. Jennifer Marlow, author and Professor of English, College of St. Rose

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About the author

Gail Marlene Schwartz is a dual citizen, a relationship artist, and an above-average pianist. She is co-author of the books My Sister’s Girlfriend and The Loudest Bark (Rebel Mountain Press) and co-editor of the forthcoming essay collection, Boyhood Reimagined: Stories of Queer Moms Raising Sons (Motina Books). She is a founding editor of Hotch Potch Literature and Art, a collaborative online magazine, and also a freelance editor, writing coach, and writing instructor at the Community College of Vermont.

Gail lives in Montpelier, Vermont with her partner, Erin; she spends every other weekend in Montreal with her best friend, Lucie, and their teenage son, Alexi. You can read more about her at gailmarleneschwartz.com.

Connect with Gail

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? February 26, 2024 #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

Bye, Baby

by Carola Lovering

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ March 5, 2024

House on Fire

by D. Liebhart

audiobook from my collection

Published April 2023

What I recently finished

Falling Through the Night

by Gail Marlene Schwartz

Print ARC for review

Pub date ~ February 26

Murder Road

by Simone St. James

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ March 5

What I am going to read next

The Trail of Lost Hearts

by Tracey Garvis Graves

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ March 26

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Release Day! A Healing Touch by Melissa A. Hansen ~ My Thoughts #AHealingTouch

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Melissa

on the release today of

A Healing Touch!

A Healing Touch by Melissa A. Hansen

(Riverview Series #3)

New Adult & College Romance, 292 pages

Published February 24, 2024 by mah

A hazy night rips away nineteen year old, Natasha Wakefield’s innocence. Weeks from the end of what had been a great freshman year in college. Natasha no longer feels safe and finds herself withdrawing from her friends and family. Instead of returning home to Riverview for the summer, Natasha lands a dream internship at a local architecture firm. She focuses on work and tries to ignore the pain and bury it, but there’s someone watching her, unwilling to let her forget.

Twenty-three year old, Troy DeLuca, is following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, and has been trained since childhood to take over the family architecture practice. The day Natasha is hired as an intern, his well-planned life is beginning to flip upside down. There’s something oddly familiar about the quiet, subdued girl. Painful past memories that he thought he’d buried years before, are now flooding his present.

Will Troy’s touch be enough to heal the angry and raw wounds that Natasha carries? Will she continue to shut herself off and run? Or will she find the strength to take her life back?

A story about stolen innocence and the struggles to forget, forgive, and move forward.

“Some content in this book may be upsetting for some readers. This book contains references to rape and suicide.”

     

My thoughts about A Healing Touch ~~

(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 line.)

First lines—"The party was raging out of control. The two-story house was beyond hot and stuffy."

First off, A Healing Touch is book 3 in Melissa's wonderful Riverview Series. It totally can be read as a standalone but why would you do that? Go ahead and read the first two books so that you can enjoy the depth of the characters. It was wonderful to be immersed in this series again and reconnect with the close group of friends surrounding Natasha. It felt like old times. 

Natasha is off to college and as a way to come out of her shell and meet more people, she attends a party with her roommate. Well, the unthinkable happens and Natasha's world is shattered. Her wonderful network of friends quickly surround her to help her heal. 

I absolutely loved this story—although it did cover some tough topics—which sadly, is all very common among young people today. I had conflicting feelings about some of the characters throughout the book, wondering if they were good or bad influences in Natasha's world. So many emotions! And I had to sit back and process it all when I finished the book. I love when that happens!

A lot of new characters were introduced in this book and I would really love to see what the author might be able to do with some of them. More books in this series would be a wonderful thing!

Like I said, I loved A Healing Touch and I loved the other books in this series, as well. I highly recommend them all! 

I received a copy of A Healing Touch from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Read my thoughts about book 1, A Healing Heart here.

Read my thoughts about book 2, A Healing Spirit here.

 

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About the author

Melissa A. Hanson lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. Growing up in Southern California, inspiration for the city of “Riverview” is based on her hometown, Redlands.

Melissa's journey to writing began with a passion in reading that started in sixth grade. In high school she started writing, but writing took a back seat when she decided to pursue a career in architecture. Almost twenty years later, her first novel was written.

“A Healing Heart” was her first completed novel, and is book 1 of the Riverview Series. It is Bailey and Collin's story.

“A Healing Spirit", is book 2 of the Riverview Series. It is Mia and Dylan's story.

"A Healing Touch" book 3 of the Riverview Series will be released in Feb 2024. It is Natasha and Troy's story

Each book is a stand-alone novel.

While Melissa spends most days designing buildings, she still loves reading and creating stories. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Melissa

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

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Release Day! The Guest by B.A. Paris ~ My Thoughts #TheGuest @baparisauthor @StMartinsPress

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations B.A.

on the release today of

The Guest!

The Guest by B.A. Paris

Thriller, Mystery, 320 pages

Published February 20, 2024 by St. Martin's Press

New York Times bestselling author B. A. Paris captivated psychological thriller readers everywhere with Behind Closed Doors. Now she invites you into another heart-pounding home full of secrets, in The Guest.

Some secrets never leave.

Iris and Gabriel seem to have it all: a beautiful home in the British countryside, a daughter happily working in Greece, and good friends Laure and Pierre from Paris, who they often vacation with. But when a young man has a tragic accident in a nearby quarry, Gabriel is the one to find him and hear his final words, leaving Gabriel with a guilty burden.

As Iris tries to help ease her husband’s trauma, they acquire an unexpected house guest. Laure has seemingly moved in after her husband’s revelation that he has had a child with another woman. Iris and Gabriel insist Laure stay as long as she needs. But Laure keeps wearing Iris’s clothes, following her every move, and asking her about the recent death of the young man.

Their only respite from the increasingly tense atmosphere in their own home comes from a couple new to town and expecting their first child. But with them comes their gardener, who has a checkered past.

With fractured relationships and secrets piling up around them, can Iris and Gabriel’s marriage survive?

    

My thoughts about The Guest ~~

(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 line.)

First lines—"Gabriel, his fingers shaking slightly on the stem. handed Iris a glass of champagne, and then gave one to Esme."

Twists and turns. Lies and deceit. Murder and mayhem. Secrets, lots of secrets. Yep, this story has it all! And more. 

I've read all of Ms. Paris's books and have loved them all. This one did not disappoint and rates right up there with all of the rest of her stories. I inhaled it and had no idea how it was going to end. I had the 'disturbed' person wrong over and over. First I thought it had to be this one, and then no, I changed my mind. It had to be this other person. I was kept guessing until the end. And I loved it!

The Guest is a book that you will need to devote some time to because once you start it, you will not want to stop reading. Keep that in mind. I highly recommend this one!

I received a copy of The Guest from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author

B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times Number 1 bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors and her upcoming thriller, The Guest.

Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with a film of The Breakdown, titled Blackwater Lane, in post production.

Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris worked as a bank trader and teacher in France. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England, where she lives with her husband with visits from her five grown-up daughters. She has a newsletter and is on social media @baparisauthor

Connect with B.A.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Release Day! The Trouble with You by Ellen Feldman ~ My Thoughts #TheTroubleWithYou @StMartinsPress

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Ellen

on the release today of

The Trouble with You!

The Trouble with You by Ellen Feldman

Historical Fiction, 356 pages

Published February 20, 2024 by St. Martin's Griffin

In an exuberant post WWII New York City, a young woman is forced to reinvent her life and choose between the safe and the ethical, and the men who represent each.

Set in New York City in the heady aftermath of World War II, when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief, and everyone was having babies, The Trouble with You is the story of Fanny Fabricant, whose rosy future is upended in a single instant. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between her cousin Mimi, who is determined to keep her a “nice girl,” and her aunt Rose, who has a rebellious past of her own.

Forging a new life, she gets a job in radio serials. Then through her friendship with an actress who stars in and a man who writes the series, she comes face-to-face with the blacklist, which is wrecking lives.

Ultimately, Fanny must decide between playing it safe or doing what is right in this vivid evocation of a world that seems at once light-years away and strangely immediate.

    

My thoughts about The Trouble with You ~~

(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 line.)

First lines—"December 25, 1947 ~ She was going to be a flower girl. She was six years old, well five and a half, and had a red velvet dress with a red satin sash because it was a Christmas wedding, and she was going  to walk down the aisle with a basket of rose pedals and drop them on a long silk carpet."

Once again, I found myself totally engrossed in an Ellen Feldman novel about the past. I love her historical fiction stories. 

The Trouble with You takes us into the life of Fanny Fabricant, a single mom just trying to make ends meet. When she takes a job working for a radio serial producer, she is introduced to a whole different world from the sheltered life she had led. 

And once again, Ms. Feldman introduced me to a part of history that I wasn't that familiar with—the blacklisting of the writers and others after the war. Ms. Feldman writes so well and makes each story enjoyable, with her interesting characters and beautifully written prose. Each story is educational, while also entertaining. 

The Trouble with You is the perfect story for all historical fiction lovers. Highly recommend.

I received a copy of The Trouble with You from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author

Ellen Feldman, a 2009 Guggenheim fellow, is the author of Scottsboro, The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank, and Lucy. She writes both fiction and social history, and has published articles on the history of divorce, plastic surgery, Halloween, the Normandie, and many other topics, as well as numerous book reviews. She has also lectured extensively around the country and in Germany and England, and is a sought-after speaker to reading groups both in person and by telephone.

She grew up in northern New Jersey and attended Bryn Mawr College, from which she holds a B.A. and an M.A. in modern history. After further graduate studies in history at Columbia University, she worked for a New York publishing house.

She lives in New York City and East Hampton, New York, with her husband and Cairn terrier named Lucy. 

Connect with Ellen

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

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Book Blitz! Slashed Potatoes and Grave-y by Joann Keder ~ Excerpt and #Giveaway #SlashedPotatoesAndGrave-y @XpressoTours

 

Slashed Potatoes and Grave-y by Joann Keder
(Honeypie Mysteries, #1)
Publication date: February 14th 2024
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

Honeypie Sweetwater’s life is a recipe for disaster—her culinary career in San Francisco is burnt to a crisp, her sterling reputation tossed out like last week’s leftovers, and now her home is slipping through her fingers like fine sand. Just as she’s about to surrender to fate, a ghost from the past delivers a bombshell—her beloved grandmother didn’t die; she was murdered. 

Clutching the deed to a quaint diner on the rugged coast, Honeypie whisks back to the salty sea air of her youth to unravel a mystery that’s been marinating for years. In a town bubbling with secrets, every friend could be a suspect, and every enemy, a clue. As the plot thickens and an enigmatic blast from the past steps out of the shadows, Honeypie must face a bitter truth: the most dangerous ingredients in this simmering scandal are her own buried secrets.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes& Noble | Kobo

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EXCERPT

“Ma’am?”

Honeypie Sweetwater stared out the window of her condo. The rain was coming down in sheets, which was fitting for her current financial situation. Unwillingly, she turned her head to face the stern woman sitting across the table from her.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Steam, I—”

“It’s SIStine, like the chapel? And I’m Ms.” She twitched her nose just like the old television show with the witch. Also fitting.

“This is your copy of the documents for the foreclosure on this property.”

“It’s my home. We’re not talking about a lemonade stand. I raised my son here and started a business—”

“And that failed too, didn’t it?”

Honeypie dug what was left of her fingernails into her palms, doing her level best not to lose her cool. “You just look at the numbers. You don’t have any idea what my life has been like, or what it took just to put food on the table for my kid some months.”

After a brief stare-down that Honeypie felt confident she’d won, the banker leaned back, causing the wobbly wooden chair to creak in protest. She flopped an arm over the back of the chair and stuck her tongue in her cheek before delivering the next blow.

“There is also the matter of your inheritance. The land and property in Washington State will also become our holdings after you sign the paperwork.” She shuffled through her papers containing a collection of colorful stickers. “I hear great things about the museum in Misty Cove.”

“The Chewseum? I didn’t realize that was still open. It’s a food museum. Kinda cheesy, get it?”

Ms. Sistine ignored H.P.’s attempt at humor and shoved the documents in front of her.

“Please sign on the lines I’ve highlighted.”

Her inheritance. Her childhood. Everything that made her the woman she was today.

About the author

USA Today bestselling author, Joann Keder spent most of her years in the Midwest, growing up and raising a family on the Great Plains of Nebraska. She worked for sixteen years as a piano teacher before returning to school to receive a master's degree in creative writing. 

A mid-life move to the Pacific Northwest led her to re-examine her priorities. She now creates stories about life and relationships in small towns while her ever-patient husband encourages her on.

Connect with Joann

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? February 19, 2024 #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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We had a pretty uneventful week. Hubs and I were hoping to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day but we got hit with a snowstorm (school even let out early) and after watching the blowing snow all afternoon out the window, we decided not to venture out in it. We did go out the next night. The nice thing about snow in February is that it probably won't stick around long. 

Other than that snowy adventure, we didn't go anywhere or see any of our kids or grands. We are hoping to be able to get to TN soon to see our son and his family. Not sure if we're going to make it in February though. I really do miss them all! 

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

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Murder Road

by Simone St. James

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ March 5

Falling Through the Night

by Gail Marlene Schwartz

Print ARC for review

Pub date ~ February 26

House on Fire

by D. Liebhart

audiobook from my collection

Published April 2023

What I recently finished

The Healing Train

by Kim Cano

print from author for review

Published January 2024

A Healing Touch

(Riverview #3)

Melissa A. Hanson

eARC from author for review

Pub date ~ March 6

The Trouble with You

 by Ellen Feldman

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ February 20

What I am going to read next

Bye, Baby

by Carola Lovering

eARC from NetGalley

Pub date ~ March 5, 2024

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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