Monday, July 21, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? July 21, 2025 #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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Pretty uneventful week here. Weather has been cool but rainy. The mosquitos are horrible so even if I wanted to sit outside and read, the bugs would eat me up. They have sprayed a couple of times so hopefully that will help and I can get back outside on the patio.

We watched our grandson in the middle of the week which is always a joy, and then we had a nice visit with our son, when he came to pick up his son. I went out to lunch one day with a group of friends from my old job. Most of us are retired so it was a leisurely time. Another group is trying to set up another lunch for sometime this week. It's great to stay in touch with friends, and there's always eating involved, which is a plus. 

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

What I'm currently reading

My Twin in Budapest
by Kim Cano
print from author for review
Published July 8, 2025

The Teacher
by Freida McFadden
e-book from my TBR collection
Published February 2024

Abandoned in Death
(In Death #54)
by J.D. Robb
audio-book from my TBR list
Published February 2022

What I recently finished

Now and Then
by Kay Bratt
eARC for review
Pub date ~ July 25

The Ice Twins
by S.K. Tremayne
print from my TBR shelf for a challenge
Published January 2015

Good for You
by Camille Pagán
audio-book from my TBR list
Published March 2023

What I am going to read next

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure
by Rhys Bowen
print ARC for review
Pub date ~ August 5

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Release Day! Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs ~ My Thoughts #WaywardGirls @susanwiggs @WmMorrowBooks

Happy Release Day!


Congrats Susan
on the release today of
Wayward Girls!

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs
Historical Fiction, 400 pages
Published July 15, 2025 by William Morrow

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption when six girls come together in a Catholic reform school in 1960s Buffalo, NY. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Orphan Train, and The Berry Pickers.

It was a place frozen in time, an ancient fortress haunted by echoes that whispered against the gray stone in a mysterious, heavy rhythm, as though this place was entirely separate from the rest of the world. A sign by the inner door read Our Lady of Charity Refuge and Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Mairin’s breath caught in her throat as comprehension crept over her. This place was the one mentioned in scandalized whispers from the older girls at school. It was the one people gossiped about when a girl suddenly stopped showing up to class. It was the place angry parents—like her own mother—threatened their daughters “I’ll send you to the nuns, just you see if I won’t.”

Amid the turbulence of the Vietnam Era, in the all-American city of Buffalo, New York, teenage girls were condemned to forced labor at the Good Shepherd, a dark and secret institution controlled by the Sisters of Charity nuns.

In 1968 we meet six teens thrust into confinement at the Good Shepherd—merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.

Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants was committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.

Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, was sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.

Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.

Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.

Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, dared to dream of a better life.

Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.

Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.

Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption...and justice.


My thoughts about Wayward Girls ~~

(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—"On November 14, 2019, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation (S3419/A5494) allowing adoptees to receive a copy of their pre-adoption birth certificate when they turn eighteen years old."

Wayward Girls is a heart-breaking story of how 'bad' girls were treated in the 60's. It's hard to believe that the treatment these girls suffered through was an actual thing. But on the other hand, it was also a heart-warming story, full of caring, strong girls who pulled together to protect each other. I came to love and care for each and every one of them. 

Historical fiction is one of my favorites genres. I am in awe of the research that author's put into one of their books. And I love learning about the history of our past. Wayward Girls took me on a journey to my personal past, reliving the late sixties, all while seeing a world I had no knowledge of at the time. I could relate to some of the culture references but had no clue of the hard lives that some girls lived through. 

I loved Wayward Girls and highly recommend it to all historical fiction lovers. I will remember the girls of this story for a long, long time. 

I received an ARC of Wayward Girls and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author


Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.

According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.


Connect with Susan


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Release Day! The Lake Escape by Jamie Day ~ My Thoughts #TheLakeEscape @StMartinsPress

Happy Release Day!


Congrats Jamie
on the release today of
The Lake Escape!

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
Mystery, Thriller, 354 pages
Published July 15, 2025 by St. Martin's Press

The next riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party and One Big Happy Family, Jamie Day.

WILL THIS BE THE BEST WEEK OF THEIR LIVES... OR THE LAST?

Julia, David, and Erika grew up together spending summers at their idyllic Vermont lake homes for as long as they can remember. Now adults— with their own sullen teens, endless mortgages, and low-voltage sex lives— the three friends have amassed secrets over the years.

This summer, David is eager to show off his newly renovated home—which now blocks his friends’ cherished lake views—and his much-younger girlfriend. He also, unwittingly, brings a nanny with a hidden agenda. What could possibly go wrong?

When David’s girlfriend mysteriously vanishes after a shouting match, Julia and Erika wonder just how well they know their lifelong friend. The lake harbors a harrowing two young women, with no known connection, vanished without a trace thirty years ago. Did the lake take another?

As a search is mounted, an intricate web of lies, deceits, and betrayals spanning generations starts to surface, and everyone finds themselves in danger of becoming the next victim. Of the lake, or something darker.


My thoughts about The Lake Escape ~~

(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—"The lake slowly rouses from its winter slumber. Each gentle wave against the shore is like a tap, tap, encouraging the earth, the forest, to join in its slow revival."

I didn't really know what to expect when I started this book. What drew me in was the cover, and then the author, and then the fact that it was a thriller. I always love me a good thriller!

Well, this book blew me out of the water! Pun intended. LOL. There was all kinds of craziness going on, long time friendships that had changed over the years. Were people even the same anymore? And who were some of these people who joined the close knit group this year? What were their motives and can they even be trusted?

The lore of the lake is every thirty years, a young woman goes missing. It's been thirty years since the last disappearance. When another women vanishes, everyone wonders if the abductor has come back. Seems like everyone is a suspect. 

Lives and storylines are intertwined and twisted and I loved all of it. This one had me guessing until the very end, with me thinking that almost everyone was guilty at some point. If you are a thriller reader with a love for twisted endings, this one's for you. I highly recommend The Lake Escape.

I received an ARC of The Lake Escape and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author

Jamie Day lives in one of those picture-perfect, coastal New England towns you see in the movies. And just like the movies, Jamie has two children and an adorable dog to fawn over. When not writing or reading, Jamie enjoys yoga, the ocean, cooking, and long walks on the beach with the dog, or the kids, or sometimes both.

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Monday, July 14, 2025

Book Blitz! Running Hott by Serena Bell ~ Excerpt and #Giveawy! #RunningHott @serenabellbooks @XpressoTours

 

Running Hott by Serena Bell
(Hott Springs Eternal, #4)
Publication date: July 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A jilted bride. A jaded divorce lawyer. A full tank of gas. What could go wrong?

Rhys: As a cutthroat New York City divorce lawyer, it’s my job to end marriages. Lifetime commitment? It’s for the birds. I do everything in my power to avoid it…until my grandfather’s will says that to save our family’s land, I have to become a wedding planner.

Worse, my first client is Eden Becker. She’s the sunshine-y disaster whose ex-husband I represented a few years ago in their divorce. Eden’s first marriage was a nightmare, so why does she think another one is a good idea?

Turns out, I’m not wrong. Her jerkwad fiancé jilts her, and as her wedding planner, I’m also her getaway vehicle. Now we’re on the road together—and all my complicated feelings about this beautiful, naive optimist are in the car, too. Along with a wild attraction I’ve been fighting since we first faced off across a conference table.

If this road trip goes on too much longer, I’m going to do something I’ll regret forever.

Like fall in love.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, jilted bride, enemies to lovers, standalone road trip romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

iBooks | Kobo

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EXCERPT

I reach for the sound system.

His hand snakes in and blocks mine. “Driver controls the radio.”

“No, dude. Everyone knows the passenger controls the radio. Besides, if you won’t let me drive at all, that’s not fair. I had to listen to ninety-seven minutes of your dirge list and way too much sports ball. We need a mood change.”

I cue up my playlist and set it on shuffle. “What I’ve Been Looking For” from High School Musical comes on. Rhys groans.

“What?” I demand.

“This is from a kid’s movie.”

“Which you must have seen, if you know that.”

“It was one of Hanna’s favorites. We watched it a thousand times. Which was a thousand times too many.”

“What I’ve Been Looking For” is followed by “Surface Pressure” and “All You Wanna Do,” and Rhys says, “Please tell me this isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies.”

“This isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies,” I say as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me” fills the car.

Rhys’s jaw ticks. His eyes roll. His shoulders twitch.

“What’s wrong with this one?” I demand.

He heaves a long-suffering sigh. “He obviously doesn’t belong with her. Let’s look at the facts: She’s clearly not his type. He wants someone who wears short skirts and high heels, and she’s not comfortable in those clothes. If she keeps trying to convince him he belongs with her, they’re both going to end up miserable.”

I stare at his way-too-good-looking profile in the dimly lit car, agog. “Are you serious?”

“Would you argue with anything I’ve said?”

“It’s a friends-to-lovers song!” I cry. “They’re obviously going to end up together and be super happy. Because she sees him! And understands him. He’s happy when he’s with her, and that isn’t true with the short-skirts-and-high-heels girl.”

“I thought you were swearing off love and marriage.”

“Just because I’m personally swearing off love and marriage doesn’t mean I wish ill on other people who have found their perfect matches.”

This,” he says. “This is why so many marriages end in divorce. Because we hear what we want to hear. And two people can hear the same song and find completely different meaning in it. Imagine if you were with a guy and this was your song, and every time you heard it you thought about how cool it was that he’d finally seen you for the awesome bleachers girl you are, and he thought about his ex-girlfriend and her short skirts and high heels and how he wished you’d get some personal style.”

“Grim!”

“Realistic,” he corrects.

One of his hands leaves the wheel. Settles briefly near his knee. Creeps into my Cool Ranch Doritos bag.

“What are you doing?” I shriek.

“Stress eating,” he says. “Your playlist has driven me to it.”

I do everything in my power not to crack a smile. “You don’t eat junk food,” I point out.

“That was before I realized that despite being divorced by a sociopath and jilted by a personality potato, you still believe in true love.”

I can’t help it; I snort at personality potato. “I’m the one who has the stress. I’m the one who got jilted. And if I’d known I was going to have to share my precious Cool Ranch, I would have gotten a bigger bag.”

I sneak a peek at him. He’s definitely trying not to laugh. And unfortunately, it looks good on him. I let him have the Doritos.

“God, these are disgustingly tasty,” he says.

“Right?”

We’re both quiet for a moment, worshipping at the altar of fake food. He quietly licks Cool Ranch flavor off his fingers, and I absolutely, one hundred percent, do not wonder how his tongue feels licking up the inside of his finger and across the tip of his thumb. How it would feel rasping over my own fingertips, drawn into the heat of his mouth.

Oh, hell.

I’ve tumbled into a sexual fantasy about a man who disassembled me like a kid’s discarded playset.

We make our way through Maroon 5’s “Memories” (“Memories of how I cribbed this entire song from Pachelbel’s Canon,” Rhys says grumpily), past Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals” (“Now this is actually a great song; you’re one for, what, a hundred?”) to “Try Everything.”

“That’s shitty advice,” he says. “‘Try everything.’ I mean, no. There are a lot of things that are straight-up bad ideas. Bull-riding. Free solo climbing. Base jumping. Heli-skiing. Recreational fentanyl.”

“She doesn’t mean literally everything,” I say.

“See?” he says. “And there we have it. Two people, same song, totally different interpretations.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t see how that’s somehow a refutation of marriage. You’re so—”

“Pessimistic? Cynical? Misanthropic?”

“All of the above. You ready to tell me what childhood wound made you this way?” I ask, half-teasing…half…not.

He shrugs.

“Yes, Eden,” I say, pitching my voice low to roughly imitate his. “Since we have another five and a half uninterrupted hours of being stuck in this car together with absolutely nothing else to do, I would love to tell you all about my childhood.”

Rhys is quiet for a moment. Then with a sigh, he says, “What do you want to know?”


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About the author

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Connect with Serena

Website | Goodreads | Facebook Page | Facebook Group

 Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? July 14, 2025 #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

Now and Then
by Kay Bratt
eARC for review
Pub date ~ July 25

The Ice Twins
by S.K. Tremayne
print from my TBR shelf for a challenge
Published January 2015

Good for You
by Camille Pagán
audio-book from my TBR list
Published March 2023

What I recently finished

Moonleapers
(Book 1: Moonleapers)
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
eARC for review
Pub date ~ September 16

The Vacation Rental
by Katie Sise
e-book from my TBR list for a challenge
Published May 2024

The Widow's Basement
by Steena Holmes
A Meri Amber short e-book

What I am going to read next

My Twin in Budapest
by Kim Cano
print from author for review
Published July 8, 2025

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Release Day! Falling for You Again by Kerry Lonsdale ~ My Thoughts @kerrylonsdale #FallingForYouAgain #TheFirstFall

Happy Release Day!


Congrats Kerry
on the release today of
Falling for You Again!

Falling for You Again by Kerry Lonsdale
Audiobook narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
Romance, Contemporary, 271 pages
Published July 8, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing

Fate reunites a young woman with her ex-husband in a delightful and inspiring novel about family, old loves, and marriage on a dare by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale.

Furniture artisan Meli Hynes still abides by her uncle’s truism: the only lasting love story is the one between artists and their creations. Having already given marriage a shot—for all of twenty-four hours during a Las Vegas fling—Meli made her choice. The wood-crafting shop that is her family legacy will always come first.

But when her uncle decides to sell to a competitor, Meli’s promised inheritance goes belly-up. She’ll do anything to muddle the deal. Including a marriage of convenience to an unforgettable and very practical old friend—the competitor’s son, Aaron. With a controlling family of his own, and every bit as impulsive as Meli, Aaron is in. After all, this isn’t the first time he and Meli got hitched on a whim.

The rules of the ruse are simple: public displays of affection and live together as happy newlyweds. The hardest rule of all? Never let real feelings get in the way of what they plan to be a purely professional second time around.



My thoughts about Falling for You Again ~~

(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—"'Love is too fickle, Meli, to waste on someone who will leave you,' Uncle Bear once said to me when I'd asked why he wasn't married."

Family estrangement, drama, second chance romance, best gal pals, business deals—Falling for You Again pretty much has it all. And Kerry Lonsdale has done it again. She has created a world and group of characters that I fell in love with. I enjoy her stories so much and immerse myself completely when I start one of her novels.  

Meli runs on the day of her wedding and runs right into an unexpected, impromptu wedding. The newlyweds come up with a list of rules and attributes that they would want in any future relationship. But is it possible to find someone as perfect as they think they need? 

Right after I read the book, I listened to the audiobook. Even though I knew what was coming, it still was a wonderful story and I savored every minute of it. The narrator does an amazing job, her voice was so easy to listen to. 

Falling for You Again is a fun, romantic tale of finding love again, after having it the first time. I love this story so much. I highly recommend Falling for You Again. This is the perfect summer read for everyone!

I received a copy of Falling for You Again from the author and this is my honest opinion.


Get the companion novelette 
The First Fall
FREE
What really happened in Maui?

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About the author


Kerry Lonsdale is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon Charts & #1 Kindle bestselling author of standalone and series-based emotionally charged domestic drama with over twenty-seven foreign language translations. She lives in Northern California with her husband, college-aged kids, and two cats.

Hang out with Kerry inside her private Facebook group, Kerry's Tiki Lounge.

Connect with her in Instagram: @kerrylonsdale

Get her latest books news right in your inbox: Kerry's newsletter

Connect with Kerry



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Monday, July 7, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? July 7, 2025 #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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How can it be July already?? We had a pretty uneventful 4th, a cookout with some of my kiddos, and I didn't have to host. Yay me! Then we had our 11yo grandson for the rest of the weekend. I have to keep reminding myself that he is 11 and not a 'little' kid anymore. He's getting to be so grown-up!

And now.... on to another week!

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

What I'm currently reading

The Vacation Rental
by Katie Sise
e-book from my TBR list for a challenge
Published May 2024

The Ice Twins
by S.K. Tremayne
print from my TBR shelf for a challenge
Published January 2015

Good for You
by Camille Pagán
audio-book from my TBR list
Published March 2023

What I recently finished

Wayward Girls
by Susan Wiggs
print ARC for review
Pub date ~ July 15

The Lake Escape
by Jamie Day
eARC for review
Pub date ~ July 15

Falling for You Again
by Kerry Lonsdale
audiobook from NetGalley for review
Pub date ~ July 8

What I am going to read next

Now and Then
by Kay Bratt
eARC for review
Pub date ~ July 25

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Virtual Book Tour Spotlight! Find My Daughter by Jennifer Chase ~ Book Excerpt #FindMyDaughter @JChaseNovelist @pumpupyourbook


Find My Daughter by Jennifer Chase
Crime Thriller 384 pages
Published February 17, 2025 by Bookouture

She hears footsteps approaching, then the clunk of a heavy lock. Her body is numb in the cold but she stands, determined to fight. A blinding light overpowers her, and the world goes black…

When Detective Katie Scott finds a woman dying in the car garage, blood pooling around her, she reaches her just in time to hear her utter the words: find my daughter.

Katie doesn’t waste a second gathering her team and pulling the case file for the missing child, Anna Braxton, a teen with sparkling blue-eyes and an even brighter future. Staring at the blank investigation board, Katie won’t rest until she fulfills Anna’s mother’s dying wish.

Searching the Braxton’s impeccable family home, Katie finds Anna’s journal, filled with teenage secrets. Buried among the pages, she thinks she finds a lead—a strange man reached out to Anna, just days before she went missing…

But the case takes a terrifying turn when Anna’s best friend also vanishes. Hours later, a girl’s body is found in the embers of a house fire, her yellow satin dress devastatingly beautiful amongst the ashes. Is it Anna, her best friend, or another girl?

One thing is certain: a monster has the closeknit community of Pine Valley in a chokehold, and Katie must get one step ahead of the killer before any more precious young lives are taken. But at what cost?

Find My Daughter is available at Amazon.

  


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Book Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Darkness shrouded the old cellar, causing a continuous chill to trickle down her spine. The dirt floor felt cold against her bare feet and her hands were dry as she rubbed them together. She could smell the musty remnants of what had been stored there in the past and the earthiness of being underground. The four walls seemed to be old stone or brick and they crumbled beneath her fingernails as she tried to claw her way out—but to no avail. Her exhaustion ultimately took over and she sat still, alone with her overwhelming fears. She had been left isolated and abandoned—in the pitch-black.

She hadn’t heard the man in hours, or maybe it was days—she wasn’t sure. In her bones, she knew this time he wasn’t coming back. The plastic-bottled water and peanut butter sandwiches were almost gone; her mouth was constantly dry. Her memory seemed to play tricks on her. How long had it been since she’d gone to the casting call for young aspiring models? She hadn’t told anyone where she was going, not her mom or even her best friend. She’d wanted to wait until she got the job to tell them the great news. It had been exciting; she dreamed of being a model and actress.

Her hands touched the dress she had been given to model—a yellow silk sheath wrap that made her feel beautiful, grown-up, as if she was finally someone who mattered.

She didn’t know how many times she had crawled up the wooden stairs to the small opening into the cellar, checking to see if he had left it open. But it was always the same—bolted shut. She had memorized each stair, which ones were sturdy, which were creaky and unstable. There were nine steps in total.

As hard as she tried, she couldn’t remember how she got there or what the house looked like. Even if she had a cell phone, she wouldn’t have been able to describe where she was—or even what town she was in. She felt a million miles away from home.

But she wasn’t giving up. Though weakened from lack of proper food, she dropped to her knees once again and crawled slowly toward the stairs. Her knees were bruised and scraped from the dozens of times she had attempted to escape—hoping that each time would be successful and she would be free.

As she paused at the first stair, feeling the familiar outlines in the darkness, she used her hands to steady her ascent; each time a stair ahead. Her knee pressed against the first stair, then the second, and the third. The creaks and groans were a disturbing symphony that reminded her of her situation: she was a prisoner in an empty basement and no one was coming back for her.

She stopped halfway to the top; her breathing quickening; feeling lightheaded. Her stomach grumbled. Her hope dwindled. Each time she’d gathered the strength to go up the stairs, it had turned out to be disheartening. She was never going to be free again. How stupid and selfish she had been, thinking she would become a model. She wondered if any of the other girls ended up like this. Or was she the only one whose fate was sealed?

Looking up toward the opening, she thought she heard footsteps. Yes, she had heard something. They were faint, but steady. He was coming. She froze. Her knees and hands were almost numb—her fingers hurt. Should she go back down or keep going?

What did she have to lose?                                   

The footsteps were getting closer. They sounded like a pair of work boots hitting old hardwood floors. There was a strange echo to the movement, which was now above her. She could hear the creaks of the uneven planks; a mismatched harmony.

The distinct jingle of keys, then the rattle of a heavy lock.

She was going to stand her ground and push past the man to make her escape. It was all she had.

She could barely breathe.

The heavy creak of hinges.

Her body numb. She tried to stand up, ready to fight.

The doorway opened a crack at first, then wider, and finally pushed all the way open.

The blinding light overpowered her. Trying to escape it, she fell backward, flailing her arms in an attempt to catch her balance. She couldn’t focus on anything. She felt every step hit her back and ribs as she tumbled down to the dirt basement. Her head struck the floor. She lost her breath and closed her eyes.

Excerpted from Find My Daughter by Jennifer Chase, Bookouture, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

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About the author


Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  

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