Release Day! Lookin' for Love by Susen Edwards ~ My Thoughts #LookingForLove

Happy Release Day!

Lookin' for Love by Susen Edwards

Fiction, 408 pages
Published October 22, 2024 by She Writes Press

Based on a compelling and sometimes tragic true story, this novel follows young mother Ava from the go-go bars of the 1970s to the heart of Florida’s drug trade to a Kenyan prison to, ultimately, a place of forgiveness, faith, and love through recovery.

Inspired by a gripping true story, Lookin’ for Love begins in 1963, when Ava, nineteen and pregnant, marries a violent alcoholic and is disowned by her abusive mother. She bears two sons, leaves her husband, and turns to go-go dancing to provide for her children, using alcohol and drugs to numb herself to the degrading work. Then she meets Mike, a charismatic drug dealer who promises to give her “a beautiful life.” They move to Florida and begin working for The Crew, one of the largest drug smuggling organizations in the country. The Crew sends Ava and Mike to Kenya to find farmers to grow marijuana—but while they’re there, their home is raided, they’re charged with international drug smuggling, and Ava is sentenced to serve time in a Kenyan prison.

After her release, Ava struggles with sobriety but soon returns to dancing, alcohol, and drugs. Eventually, she hits bottom and surrenders her will to God. Once sober, she learns the power of forgiveness, faith, and love.

My thoughts about Lookin' for Love ~~

(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 line—"Kukaa, kukaa! Eighty-two women drop their work and sink to the ground. The Swahili word means 'sit' but in our world it means 'squat'."

I was sent this book by the publisher and I didn't know anything about it or the author. It sounded intriguing so I dove in. And then I was hooked. How on earth did this woman, Ava, find herself in this life that she was leading? 

There is so much sadness, intensity, and drama in her life and at times it was hard for me to read but if she could get through it, then so could I. What this woman went through was sometimes unbelievable. But Lookin' for Love is based on a true story so I had to keep remembering that someone's life really was like this. 

It truly is amazing that Ava was able to pull herself out of her tumultuous life and turn it around for the good. This was an amazing story of a woman's resilience through unspeakable odds. I was completely invested in the drama of her life. This was a very sobering and interesting read. Check it out!

I received an ARC of Lookin' for Love and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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

About the author

Joy Jordan-Lake is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of thirteen books, including A Bend of Light; Under a Gilded Moon, a 2023 North Carolina Reads selection; A Tangled Mercy, an Editors’ Choice recipient from the Historical Novel Society; Blue Hole Back Home, winner of the Christy Award for Best First Novel; and three children’s books.

Raised in the foothills of the southern Appalachians, Joy spent many the summer vacation on St. Simons Island, Georgia, a place of heartbreaking and surprising history. She holds two master’s degrees and a PhD in English and has taught literature and writing at several universities. Now living outside Nashville, she is startled to find only the ten-pound rescue pup still living at home full time, the kids launching to college, getting married, and building careers of their own. She and her husband console themselves with hiking to waterfalls and traveling to story-worthy settings.

Joy loves to connect with readers. You can visit her at www.joyjordanlake.com.

Connect with Joy

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | 

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 14, 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! 

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

Well, I leave for TN tomorrow. Hopefully my flights go well. I am so excited to see the kids! I don't know how much I will be online, or how much reading I will get done but family time is more important, right? Especially when I don't see them very often. Wish me luck!

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

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

The Other Mrs.

by Mary Kubica

e-book from my collection for a couple of challenges

Published February 2020

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

by Simone St. James

print from my TBR shelves, because it seemed appropriate for the season

Published March 2012

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

audio-book from my shelves

Published June 2017

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

e-book from my shelves/my slow read

First published July 30, 1860

What I recently finished

A Wish in the Wind

(The Wishing Tree Series Book 17)

by Kay Bratt

eARC from the author for review

Pub date ~ October 17

Girl, Uncoded: A Memoir of Passion, Betrayal, and Eventual Blessings

by Brandi Dredge

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 22

What I am going to read next

Rolling Toward Clear Skies

by Catherine Ryan Hyde

eARC for review

Pub date ~ November 12

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! Echoes of Us by Joy Jordan-Lake ~ My Thoughts #EchoesOfUs @GoSparkPress

Happy Release Day!

Echoes of Us: A Novel by Joy Jordan-Lake

Historical Fiction, 463 pages
Published October 8, 2024 by Lake Union Publishing

From the bestselling author of Under a Gilded Moon comes the soaring story of an unlikely friendship of three men and one extraordinary woman and the legacy they built—if their own secrets don’t destroy it.

In the midst of World War II, a Tennessee farm boy, a Jewish Cambridge student, and a German POW forge a connection that endures—against all odds.

But now everything that Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler fought for is at risk as their descendants clash for control of the corporation they founded together. In an attempt to remake its tattered corporate image, the firm hires event planner Hadley Jacks and her sister Kitzie to organize a reunion for the families on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the place that changed all three men’s lives forever.

As Hadley and her sister delve into the friends’ past, they uncover the life of the courageous young woman who links them all together…and the old wounds that could tear everything apart.

Told in dual timelines spanning World War II and the present, Echoes of Us follows the ripple effects of war, the bonds that outlast it, and the hope that ultimately carries us forward.

My thoughts about Echoes of Us ~~

(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 line—"April 7, 1942 - Off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia / At twilight, the U-boat rises to just below the surface, its periscope spearing up through the waves."

I love historical fiction stories. I'm especially drawn to stories centered around World War II, I've read quite a few. I loved Echoes of Us for the fact that it gives a little bit of a different spin to the war story. 

This one is basically centered in the southern states of the US and revolves around four people, three men from different countries and backgrounds, and one woman who connects them all. She had such a huge effect on all three men and they remained friends for life. She was the one who bonded them together. 

Told in dual timelines, the past where the main characters meet and form their friendships, and the present, when the whole truth comes out during a party to celebrate them and their accomplishments. I loved getting to know all of the characters and marvel at their strength and determination in the hard times. 

I savored every bit of Echoes of Us and am excited to read more of this author's stories. I highly recommend this one to all lovers of historical fiction!

I received an ARC of Echoes of Us and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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

About the author

Joy Jordan-Lake is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of thirteen books, including A Bend of Light; Under a Gilded Moon, a 2023 North Carolina Reads selection; A Tangled Mercy, an Editors’ Choice recipient from the Historical Novel Society; Blue Hole Back Home, winner of the Christy Award for Best First Novel; and three children’s books.

Raised in the foothills of the southern Appalachians, Joy spent many the summer vacation on St. Simons Island, Georgia, a place of heartbreaking and surprising history. She holds two master’s degrees and a PhD in English and has taught literature and writing at several universities. Now living outside Nashville, she is startled to find only the ten-pound rescue pup still living at home full time, the kids launching to college, getting married, and building careers of their own. She and her husband console themselves with hiking to waterfalls and traveling to story-worthy settings.

Joy loves to connect with readers. You can visit her at www.joyjordanlake.com.

Connect with Joy

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | 

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! Love Is for the Birds by Diane Owens Prettyman ~ My Thoughts #LoveIsForTheBirds @shewritespress @GoSparkPress

Happy Release Day!

Love Is for the Birds by Diane Owens Prettyman

Southern Fiction, 304 pages
Published October 8, 2024 by She Writes Press

For fans of Mary Alice Monroe’s The Beach House comes a heartwarming story from women’s fiction author Diane Owens Prettyman about second chances as two people find a pathway out of their grief—directly in the aftermath of a hurricane.

The Texas beautiful yet unpredictable.

A beach town destroyed. Her mother’s candy store swept away. This is what Teddy Wainsworth faces when she returns to Bird Isle. Meanwhile, Jack Shaughness, owner of a popular barbecue restaurant chain and widower still grieving the death of his wife, receives permission to cross over to the island with a smoker full of brisket to feed hurricane survivors. Soon after arriving, he meets Teddy and immediately finds himself drawn to her—which makes him feel he is betraying his wife. When the two find a lost dog, Jack convinces Teddy to take the dog home while they attempt to find the owner, creating a bond that brings them closer.

In the wake of the hurricane, Bird Isle residents fear the Aransas Wildlife Refuge will not be ready for the whooping cranes’ annual migration south. Seeing that Jack has important connections and a love for the island, they enlist him to help restore the habitat of the endangered cranes before they fly to Padre Island for the winter. With their rescued dog always nearby, Teddy and Jack work side by side to rebuild Bird Isle for the return of the whooping cranes. But Jack is harboring a secret that may ruin everything he and Teddy are creating—and he won’t be able to keep that secret forever.

My thoughts about Love Is for the Birds ~~

(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 line—""Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.' So said Anonymous, who was obviously not convinced enough of this truth to claim it."

Love is for the Birds took me to the ravaged little beach town of Bird Isle. Buildings and home were destroyed, as well as its people being broken. As these broken people come together to save and rebuild the town, they find ways to heal themselves. 

I loved the characters of Teddy and Jack, both of them being caring and compassionate people who are just treading water, trying to get through the day-to-day lives they are in. They both have issues that make opening their hearts challenging. It was gratifying to watch the two of them try to heal each other. 

I truly enjoyed Love is for the Birds and will definitely be watching for more books by this author. This is a fabulous story by Diane Owens Prettyman. 

I received a copy of Love Is for the Birds for review and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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

“Love, grief, secrets, and finding one’s place in the world are combined in this debut novel. This sweet book is brimming with small-town Texas charm!”—Catherine Drake, author of The Treehouse on Dog River Road

“A charming story as sweet as fudge and as tangy as barbeque about two people struggling to move past loss to find happiness.”—Risa Leigh, author of Surrender at the Border

“The author's effortless prose, gift for characterization, and genuine affection for the Texian littoral will satisfy her faithful fans and win new readers.”—Bill Cotter, author of The Splendid Ticket

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

About the author

Diane Owens Prettyman is the author of the romantic adventure story Thin Places and the twentieth-century historical novel Redesigning Emma. She is also a frequent contributor to the Austin American-Statesman. She stays true to her belief that every story has a happy ending, though perhaps sometimes, maybe even often, one has to wait for the perfect finale. 

Diane lives just a few hours’ drive from the Texas Gulf. She is an avid boogie boarder and spends her summers in the water. Her husband and two black standard poodles provide her room and board in Austin, Texas.

Connect with Diane

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 7, 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! 

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

Well, my trip to Tennessee is still on. I fly into Asheville, which is now possible at this point. The issue we will have is traffic leaving the city. Since most of the highways and bridges are still out, access in and out is limited. I am sure it will take us longer than it normally would, but I am so excited to see all my family!

Where my son lives is doing okay. They finally have water after a week. I am so proud of my son and his family for all of the volunteer work they have been involved with, helping those still in so much need. My DIL has such a compassionate heart and I know hers is breaking hearing the stories of what others are going through. Keep that area in your thoughts and prayers. 

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

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Girl, Uncoded: A Memoir of Passion, Betrayal, and Eventual Blessings

by Brandi Dredge

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 22

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

audio-book from my shelves

Published June 2017

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

e-book from my shelves/my slow read

First published July 30, 1860

What I recently finished

Lookin' for Love

by Susen Edwards

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 15

Echoes of Us

by Joy Jordan-Lake

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 8

Beneath the Carolina Sun

by Ashley Farley

(Sandy Island #2)

eARC from the author for review

Pub date ~ October 22

What I am going to read next

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

by Simone St. James

print from my TBR shelf for a challenge

Published March 2012

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

New Release! Miss Moonchild Starbeam by Joanne DeMaio ~ My Thoughts #MissMoonchildStarbeam @JoanneDeMaio

Congrats Joanne

on the recent release of

Miss Moonchild Starbeam!

Miss Moonchild Starbeam by Joanne DeMaio

Series: The Seaside Saga #22

Women's Saga, 292 pages

Published September 17, 2024 by Joanne DeMaio

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes Miss Moonchild Starbeam, Book 22 of The Seaside Saga.

As turmoil swirls for some in the emotional waters of Stony Point, others take to the skies. Elsa DeLuca, once known as Miss Moonchild Starbeam, is reuniting with a dear friend on a special California trip. But while Elsa has flowers in her hair, her travel companion Celia has an aching in her heart. Which is why Shane's secretly come along, too. 

Can the getaway offer hope and healing? Still, as the wind cries off the beautiful Bay, it whispers sadness.

And The Seaside Saga continues.

The Seaside Saga on Goodreads

The Seaside Saga on Amazon

My thoughts about Miss Moonchild Starbeam ~~

(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 line—"Maris reaches for the whiskey bottle. She slides it closer. Using two hands then, she lifts that bottle."

The Seaside Saga continues with another installment, Miss Moonchild Starbeam. This wonderful series reads like a soap opera with lots of love, adventure, and drama. This time we are whisked away to California as Elsa reconnects with an old friend and Celia hopes to reunite with someone from her past.

Elsa's trip is full of memories as she and her friend relive their past and have a relaxing time. On the other hand, Celia's trip, while it's enjoyable spending time with her daughter and Shane, is also full of trepidation and worry as she comes face-to-face with her past. What will the outcome be? 

Once again, I was swept up in the worlds of the residents of Stony Point. I love each visit to that interesting community and its people. I'm always excited to go back. And as always, I am left with wanting more when I finish each story. 

I highly recommend this series, I've loved every single one of the stories and getting to know all of the characters of this amazing community. If you have not picked up these books yet, you really should. You will come to love this community and these people as much as I do. 

I received a copy of Miss Moonchild Starbeam from the author and this is my honest opinion.

The Shack, book #23, is scheduled 

to be released on March 3, 2025!

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

If you're new to The Seaside Saga, the reading order is below. Written like an ongoing TV show, it's a revolutionary series following the same tangled group of beach friends from book-to-book.

About the author

Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love and choices, while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea.

Joanne’s books include the New York Times Bestseller Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, the first in her ongoing and groundbreaking Seaside Saga. These eleven (and counting) novels journey with a group of beach friends, much the way a TV series does, continuing with the same cast of characters and their storylines from book-to-book.

Joanne’s winter novels have also received much acclaim. These heartwarming standalones are set in the same snowy New England town. Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes became a USA Today Bestseller, and has been featured in national magazines and Six Flags theme parks.

In addition, Joanne’s debut novel, Whole Latte Life, won first place in a competition at BookExpo America and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics’ Pick. Her other novels have appeared in Redbook, First for Women magazine, Southern Living, USA Today and more. ~ Author's website

Connect with Joanne

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Hannah: The Soldier Diaries by Steve Wallis ~ My Thoughts, an Interview, and Excerpts #TheSoldierDiaries @booksforwardpr

Hannah: The Soldier Diaries by Steve Wallis

Fiction, Musical, Contemporary

Audiobook & Kindle

Published September 1, 2022 by Steve Wallis

Experience the passion of theater through innovative, immersive musical audiobook detailing an emotional story of love and loss.

Close your eyes and immerse yourself in a story of love, separation and uncertainty, experiencing the magic of theater — without ever leaving your home.

Hannah: The Soldier Diaries is an innovative musical audiobook by author Steve Wallis that features narration and vocals by Zoe Wright and a foreword by Ross Kemp. This original musical audiobook, similar in presentation to Jeff Wayne’s “War of the Worlds,” contains 11 narrated chapters with each chapter being complimented by its own song, as well as a special bonus track specifically written for the show by the U.K.’s premier wartime act, the D-Day Darlings.

When the gorgeous Hannah meets Lance Corporal Jack Webb in summer 2012 she is quickly smitten. However, Hannah has to decide quickly whether to embark on a whirlwind affair or walk away, as the couple only has four weeks together before Jack has to return to the army to fight in the Afghan War. Hannah follows her heart and spends the most amazing four weeks of her life with Jack before he has to leave. Then, over two months later, Jack is missing, and Hannah — who is three months’ pregnant — is beside herself with worry. Out of nowhere, a face she knows only too well appears at her door. Are all Hannah's worries over? Or is this the beginning of the end for Hannah and Jack?

“A triumph … A funny, moving, pop tune-filled, uplifting experience that is also a timely reminder of how fragile peace is and how what is happening miles away can be brought to our doorstep.”— Yorkshire Evening Post

My thoughts about Hannah: The Soldier Diaries ~~

(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 line—"Hey there I'm Hannah, it's 8:30 on a gorgeous, toasty Tuesday morning and I'm on my way to work."

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this audiobook. I liked the synopsis and was intrigued by it being described as a 'musical theater audiobook'. I am a huge fan of musicals so—yes please!

I loved everything about this story—the storyline was interesting and kept my attention, the narrator was amazing, and the music was fabulous. As the writer notes in the interview below, the book is 'a narration plus songs in a musical theater style'. I loved that each chapter ended with a song relating to the chapter, just like if I was watching a musical!

Hannah is a quick read, or listen I guess, with only 11 chapters, not quite 2 hours listening time and it was very enjoyable. I was left wondering what was going to happen to Hannah and Jack and discovered that the author is releasing book two in December. That thrilled me and I'm excited to continue on with this journey. 

I received a copy of Hannah: The Soldier Diaries for review. This is my honest opinion of the book. 

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

An interview with Steve Wallis

Where did the inspiration to write the audiobook come from?

I had always loved  the way Jeff Wayne had presented “War of the Worlds” (songs and narrative) and wanted to do something similar in terms of presentation to what Wayne had done.

The original inspiration for the story came from my grandparents who both lived through the second World War. I remember my grandmothers telling me what it was like waiting for her husband’s (my grandfather’s) letters to arrive and how she just had to “live her own life” the best she could — never really knowing if he would ever come home. Although “Hannah” is set many years later, in 2012, the themes are still very much the same as they were back in the 1940s.

For a good few years, I wanted to write a collection of songs for an album that followed a narrative — a story from beginning to end — rather than just write a bunch of songs that have no relationship to each other. “Hannah” and my grandparents gave me the opportunity to do just that.

Why did you decide to write the audiobook in the style of a stage musical?

I have tried to offer and create something a little different, so it's not a straightforward album or full-length audiobook or a recording of a stage musical. It's a narration plus songs in a musical theater style. I have always enjoyed stage musicals and produced a good few over the years and felt that this was a format I really enjoyed producing and writing. Writing in this style gives the listener a chance to imagine being in the theater without actually going to the theater. And it offers songs that tell a story with added narration to provide more depth to the story and characters, which a collection of songs I feel on their own would struggle to achieve.

What are some of the benefits in writing the book this way? Are there any drawbacks?

I think if a listener wants a story with songs and doesn't have time to either read a book or listen to a full-length audiobook, it fills a needs gap. This audiobook also offers the listener the ability to enjoy the songs over and over again without buying the actual album.

The songs tell the story in their own way. This format is relatively unique, which could be a positive as it offers something relatively new — but as it is relatively new, that could also be its weakness.

Zoe Wright plays the title role of Hannah; how did the two of you meet and what’s it been like to work with her?

I saw Wright in a production at my local theater in Scarborough and was blown away by her talent. I contacted her agent and asked if we could meet up. Fortunately, Wright agreed and we went to the recording studio together and played through the songs and she loved them.

We subsequently spent a good few months recording all the songs and the narration and we loved every minute. She is a dream to work with, highly professional in every way. And the folks who have heard the audiobook so far love her North Yorkshire accent; they love how its so real and down to earth.

Can you tell us a bit about the bonus track, specifically written for the show, by the D-Day Darlings — the biggest-selling female group to come out of “Britain's Got Talent”?

When I first heard the D-Days sing on “Britain’s Got Talent,”  I absolutely loved them and wanted them to make a guest appearance in “Hannah.” I contacted their management team and they very kindly agreed to join the project. So, I  wrote a song especially for them to sing in the stage musical version of “Hannah” called “Where Are You?”

The song is a little different to the other songs in the stage musical as it is deliberately nostalgic and reminiscent of Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again.” The track does not appear in the audiobook but is available to download as a bonus track on the “Hannah” website. The purchase is price of choice, meaning you can choose whatever price you want to pay — from $0 on up.

What kind of audience do you think the book will resonate the most with?

Listeners who like to listen to (mostly) modern music. Listeners who like music to tell a story. Listeners who don’t have time to either read a novel or listen to an audiobook that is hours long. A wide range of listener groups of all ages as the story is a love story at its core. Listeners who like to invest in characters and the story as this is book one of two (so far).

What can you tell us about the second part in the series, due to release in December 2024?

“Hannah: The Soldier Diaries (Part 2) will be released in December 2024. The second audiobook is a continuation story picking up where the first book ends. The story follows the relationship Hannah has with her boyfriend's brother. The book contains 11 brand new songs each designed to compliment and move the narrative forward as before. This second book will complete the initial Hannah story, but there is definitely more to come …

What’s next for the stage musical?

The musical will take to the stage once more in summer 2025. Plans are being made to enable “Hannah” to be the summer show in Scarborough, which means it will run two or three times a week for a two-month period, which we are incredibly excited about. Beyond that, we are putting together plans for a 2025 tour around the north of the UK with a follow up tour in 2026 with the aim of hitting the West End in London shortly afterward.

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

Check out the recording of “Hannah - The Soldier Diaries”

Listen to a sample of narration from the audiobook

Listen to a sample song from the audiobook

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

About the author

Steve Wallis is a professional theater writer, producer and audiobook author. He has just produced to critical acclaim the musical stage version of “Hannah: The Soldier Diaries” in both his and "Hannah's" hometown of Scarborough, United Kingdom, where he lives with his wife and two dogs.

Wallis previously worked for the National Health Service but much prefers to be in the recording studio or sitting at his laptop writing the follow up audiobook to “Hannah: The Soldier Diaries,” which is due for completion later this year. 

Stay in touch with him at hannahthesoldierdiaries.co.uk. 

Connect with Steve

Website | Facebook | TikTok

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Book Blitz! Love at First Skate by Ellie Hall ~ Excerpt & #Giveaway! #LoveAtFirstSkate @XpressoTours

 

Love at First Skate by Ellie Hall
(Love on Thin Ice)
Publication date: October 3rd 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

They say love is messy. Turns out friendship is too, especially when you’re stranded in a cabin with your best friend and hearts are on thin ice.

Teddy

I’ve heard that men and women can’t be friends without it becoming something more. Harlow and I put that theory in the penalty box, thank you very much.

She laughs at my jokes, secretly admires my hockey butt, trusts me with her biggest fear (it’s safe with me). In turn, she knows everything about me. Well, almost.

There’s been a recent development. I’m gone for her. Down bad. Solid Crush. She lives rent free in my mind. I’ve caught feelings. This wouldn’t be a problem except, you know, the whole shattering our friendship thing.

Harlow

You know those days you want to erase? It went like this: my boyfriend broke up with me (it was overdue), and then I broke up with my job while at a work conference (it was mind-numbing).

In an ironic twist, I won the raffle for a romantic getaway trip for two. Who else to bring other than my best friend who’ll gladly commiserate with me? He has a hockey event nearby, so it works out perfectly.

Until we’re stranded in the cozy cabin together. There’s a blaze of attraction. A friendship-changing kiss.

What now? Do we hit the reset button? Salvage what we had? Pretend it never happened? These are things I’d talk to my bestie about, but I can’t because I’m head over heels for him.

Love at First Skate is part of the Love on Thin Ice sweet small town hockey romcom series. It’s a best friends to lovers, forced proximity, no third act breakup romantic comedy with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Goodreads | Amazon

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

EXCERPT

Grabbing the throw blanket from the back of the loveseat, I wrap it around her and then roll her up, moving away from the food and avoiding table legs, and hollering, “Blanket burrito.”

It’s something that I used to spontaneously do because it’s hilarious, makes Harlow laugh, and is a good excuse for us to be close. Wrapped in the blanket, I have full access to her neck which is ticklish. With her arms tucked in, she can only wiggle and giggle.

I love it. She does too even though it’s the best kind of agony.

Her lowered brow Grumpy Cat seriousness disappears and her expression contorts all giggly and adorable.

“You are the only human on the planet who could get away with this,” she says through laughter.

“I know.”

She adds, “I hate laughing.”

“You don’t. It’s good for you. I consider myself your laughter doctor. This is your daily dose of laughs for medicinal purposes. Take one and call me in the morning.”

This changes the shape of her laughter slightly because the comment genuinely tickles Harlow’s funny bone, as they say.

Snuggled close to me, I peek at her. Our gazes drift together and something twists in my chest. She presses her lips together, probably holding back more laughter. The moment lengthens and then snaps as we burst into another fit of hilarity as I roll us on the floor like a giant, runaway burrito.

“There better be dessert,” she says at last.

“Churro everything,” I say, my voice a bit deeper than usual as I inhale her cinnamon spice scent at close range.

A daring and dangerous thought enters my mind. This could be the norm—closing the distance, cuddling, kissing . . .

But I know better. It would ruin our just friendship. Right then, I do everything in my power to talk myself out of making a play for Harlow.

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

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

Connect with Ellie

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!