Release Day Blitz! Deep Tide by Laura Griffin ~ Excerpt #DeepTide @Laura_Griff @BerkleyPub @penguinrandom

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Laura

on the release today of

Deep Tide!

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin

(The Texas Murder Files #4)

Romantic Suspense, 352 pages

Published April 25, 2023 by Berkley Romance

An undercover FBI agent and an independent coffee shop owner must team up when a local barista is found dead and danger circles their coastal Texas town in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

With two brothers on the police force, Leyla Breda is well aware of the rising crime in her small beach town, but she never expected it to show up on her doorstep. When Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop, she's deeply shaken, and as a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen.

Sean Moran is on an undercover The seaside community of Lost Beach may look like a picturesque postcard, but his team suspects it's a point of intersection for several crime syndicates that the FBI has been investigating for years. Even so, when the brash and beautiful Leyla Breda starts bossing him around, he's immediately intrigued. He knows her brothers want him to back off, but every time he sees her, he feels more of a spark.

Leyla's connections in the local community and Sean's skills allow them to go deeper into the case together than they would be able to go alone. But when a single crime spirals into something much darker, Sean's carefully planned mission takes a deadly turn.

Excerpt

Sean Moran slipped away from the party. The bride and groom had left under a shower of rice, but people were still milling around beneath swags of white lights, drinking the couple’s booze and enjoying the breeze off the water. Sean would have liked another drink, but he needed to get back to his condo. As he crossed the wooden bridge spanning the sand dunes, he spied a woman on the beach with a champagne flute in hand.

Leyla Breda.

Her formfitting dress looked silver in the moonlight, and it shimmered against her body as she strolled toward the surf. Nearing a piece of driftwood, she dropped her shoes to the sand and sat down. She nestled the flute at her feet, then lifted her arms and twisted her dark hair into a knot at the top of her head.

Sean stopped at the end of the bridge. He had about a hundred things left to do tonight, including contacting his boss.

Instead, he walked over to Leyla.

"How's the champagne?"

She jumped and turned around. Recognition flickered across her face, and her shoulders relaxed.

"It's good." She held up her glass. "You didn't have any?"

"Nope. Can I get you a refill?"

She smiled. "What, are you a waiter now, too?"

He stepped closer. "I'm Sean Moran, by the way." He held out his hand. "We never actually met."

"Leyla Breda." Her handshake was brisk and businesslike, but the warm look in her eyes gave him hope.

"Joel's little sister," he said.

"That's me."

He turned toward the water so he wouldn't be tempted to stare down the front of her dress.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you earlier," she said. "Things got really hectic."

"Looked like you had your hands full."

"So, are you here for Joel or Miranda?"

He looked at her. "Joel."

She tipped her head to the side as she gazed up at him. "And you know him from . . . ?"

"Work."

She frowned. "Here?"

"No. We go way back. We were in the same academy class in Houston, spent some time at HPD together."

"Oh. That was a while ago."

"Yeah."

"So . . . the vice squad, then?"

"Yeah. Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all."

Sean lowered himself onto the other end of the sandy log. He didn't like the direction the conversation had taken so he steered it back to her.

"So, how long have you been a caterer?" he asked.

"Hmm . . . let's see. I guess it's been about three weeks now." She turned and smiled at him, and he felt a hot jolt of attraction. "Why? Can you tell?"

"Not at all."

"Right."

"Well, the timing seemed a little bumpy."

"Just a little." She rolled her eyes. "We had several staffers no-show. It happens a lot in this business. People are flaky. Despite all my planning, you could say we were a bit rushed."

Rushed was right. No woman had ever clapped at him before. He'd discovered it was a turn-on.

Excerpted from Deep Tide by Laura Griffin Copyright © 2023 by Laura Griffin. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

About the author

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five books and novellas. She is a two-time RITA Award winner as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award.

Connect with Laura

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day Book Blitz! Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose ~ Excerpt #ColdBloodedLiar @KarenRoseBooks @penguinrandom

Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose

(San Diego #1)

(Romantic Suspense #27)

Mystery, Thriller, Romantic Suspense
Publication date: February 28, 2023 by Berkley Books

Brace yourself for a scorching new series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose, where San Diego means sun, surf, sand…and serial killers.

Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients—a pathological liar—starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he’s compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentiality land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick.

San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she’s not solving crimes with the SDPD, she’s assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business or playing with her poodle. But there’s nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she’s determined to end the decade-long manhunt.

Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit’s—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in years.

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

EXCERPT:

Longview Park, San Diego, California

Monday, April 4, 5:30 p.m.

Kit pulled the handkerchief across her nose and mouth as she watched the two CSU techs meticulously uncovering what was, indeed, a grave. Based on the odor, the body had been there awhile.

They'd arrived at the mystery caller's coordinates to find that the ground had settled somewhat, creating a slight depression that measured five and a half by two and a half feet.

Ground-penetrating radar had shown a body.

The victim had been small.

Kit slipped her hand into her pocket, finding the little cat-bird figurine. Stroking it with her thumb. Please don't be a child.

"I hope it's not a kid," Baz murmured, echoing her thoughts.

All homicides were difficult. Even drug dealers murdered on the street had been loved by someone. Were missed by someone.

But the child homicides were a completely different level of hell.

She looked away from the grave to where Sergeant Ryland, the CSU leader, was making a plaster cast of the only footprint they'd found in the area. It was a man's shoe, size eleven.

"You got anything for us, Ryland?" she called.

"I just might."

She and Baz walked from the grave site to where someone had stepped off the asphalt path, leaving the single footprint in the strip of ground between the path and the field of grass.

Ryland finished pouring the plaster over the footprint, smoothed it out, then set the timer on his phone. "Thirty minutes for the plaster to set. Come see the photos I took of the print while I wait." He retrieved his camera and beckoned them closer. "There was lettering on the sole of the shoe-likely a brand name. I can't quite make it out in the photo, but I'm hoping to get detail from the plaster cast."

"So it'll be seventy-two hours or so," Baz said and Ryland nodded.

Kit leaned closer to the screen. "Can you zoom in on it?"

Ryland did, handing the camera to Kit. "I can make out what looks like a Y at the end of the brand name, but-"

"Sperry," Kit said. "Sorry to interrupt, Sergeant. I recognize the logo. They're Sperry Top-Siders." She gave him back his camera. "My sister runs a charter fishing business and sometimes I first mate for her on my days off. A lot of her customers wear them."

Ryland studied the photo. "You could be right."

She was, Kit was certain. "Trouble is, that's a popular shoe. I've even got a pair."

"So do I," Baz said. "Tracking those will be nearly impossible."

Kit shrugged. "But when we find the guy who owns these shoes, we can put him at the scene. Any way to get a weight estimate on the wearer?"

Ryland shook his head. "Ground's too hard. Barely enough sinkage to get the plaster cast. I'll let you know when I have something definite."

"Detectives?" one of the techs at the grave called, his tone urgent. "Something over here you need to see."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Kit said, then approached the grave alongside Baz, schooling her expression. If it was a child's grave, she would maintain her professionalism. She'd let herself react later, when she was alone.

"Victim's a postpubescent female," the tech said when they were graveside. "The ME will be able to give you a better age than I can, but I'm guessing somewhere between fourteen and eighteen."

Feeling Baz's eyes on her, Kit reassured him with a quick glance. She was fine.

He always worried about her reaction when the victim was the same age that Wren had been when she'd been murdered, but after four years as a homicide detective, Kit had seen far too many victims who'd been Wren's age. It never got easier.

She hoped that it never would.

Excerpted from Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose Copyright © 2023 by Karen Rose. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. 

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

Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose

“Riveting. Emotional. Karen Rose at her best.”—New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan

“High-wire suspense that keeps you riveted.”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

“A high-octane thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and up far too late at night!”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson

About the author

Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany’s der Spiegel bestseller lists.

Connect with Karen

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

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

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

Release Day Book Blitz! Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin ~ Excerpt #VanishingHour @Laura_Griff @BerkleyPub @penguinrandom

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

Mystery Romance, 334 pages 

Published October 25, 2022 by Berkley Books

When a cold case in Texas leads to a sinister string of disappearances, a newcomer to the small town helps the deputy sheriff piece together the clues in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.

 

All Deputy Sheriff Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker—with her designer jeans and expensive car—who has no business on a serious team made up of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her discovery on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.

 

Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.

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

Excerpt

Missing children are an emergency. Always. Their little bodies are less able to regulate temperature, so they're especially vulnerable to exposure. And in a place as vast and rugged as Silver Canyon State Park, additional hazards abounded: rattlesnakes, coyotes, hundred-foot cliffs. Even the anemic little creek that Ava had been following was terrifying. A child Noah's size could drown in a bathtub.

Ava glanced up at the relentless sun that sucked moisture out of everything beneath it. She looked ahead at Huck, who trotted back and forth in front of her in his zigzag pattern. He was working the wind, as he'd been trained, tirelessly sniffing the air with his powerful nose, which could pick up anything with human scent on it, from a candy wrapper to a dropped article of clothing.

So far, nothing.

Ava checked her watch. Two long hours since she'd left the trailhead. Sweat stung her eyes, and she wiped her forehead with the back of her arm. She paused beside a boulder and dropped her pack on the dusty ground to retrieve one of her water bottles. Huck needed some, too, but right now he was intent on his work.

She took a lukewarm sip and scanned the scrub brush lining the canyon wall. Young children had a tendency to wander aimlessly until they found a place to curl up for a nap. Some would even hide from search teams, afraid of getting in trouble for being lost. So Ava had been incessantly scanning pockets of brush.

Huck halted in front of her, his nose lifted in the air. Ava froze and watched. But then his head dropped down and he resumed his zigzags. Ava tucked the water bottle away and pushed off the boulder to continue her trek.

She watched Huck, amazed by his energy. Even in this heat, he loved working, and when he had his vest on, he didn't have an off switch. As he bounded around in front of her, she thought of the other teams, especially the canine one. She was surprised they hadn't found something close to camp.

Of course, the parents had been there, which might have been a problem. Frantic parents threw off a lot of scent, which could have overpowered Noah's smell and possibly confused the dog. Also, the temperature rising in the canyon could have wafted the scent up, well above the dog's nose. Yet another challenge here was that young children didn't throw off as much scent as adults. And still bodies-ones that were either asleep or unconscious-threw off less scent, too.

So there were all kinds of factors in play, especially in a park this size.

Ava checked her watch again and sped up her pace, unable to shake the feeling of dread that had been settling in her stomach as the hours ticked by. Scanning the canyon wall, her gaze caught on something beige and triangular.

A tent? No.

A tarp. She climbed onto a boulder for a closer look. About halfway up the slope of the canyon was a sand-colored canvas tarp that had been stretched taut to create a patch of shade. It looked like a primitive fort-just the sort of thing that would attract a kid's attention, and her pulse quickened as she climbed closer. Nearing the tarp, she spied a small yellow tent tucked in the shade beneath it.

She glanced around for Huck, but he was sniffing along at the base of a rockslide.

Grabbing hold of a juniper tree, Ava levered herself onto the ledge. She ducked under the tarp and paused a moment for her eyes to adjust. The little tent was unzipped. Hope ballooned in her chest as she pulled back the flap and poked her head inside.

Her hope disappeared as she scanned the interior. No sleeping child curled up in the dimness. The air was utterly still, and everything was coated with a thin layer of dust, as though no one had been there in weeks, maybe months. A pile of gear in the corner included a cookstove, a hiking boot, and a blue bedroll with a carabiner clipped to it. Attached to the carabiner was a black key fob.

A chill snaked down her spine. Who would leave their car key out here? The fob seemed odd. Ditto for the hiking boot. Where was the other one? And where was its owner?

On impulse, Ava took out her phone and snapped a couple of pictures. As part of her SAR training, she'd learned to document crime scenes. She couldn't pinpoint why, exactly, but that was what this felt like. She ducked out and snapped a shot of the exterior. A faint bark pulled her attention back to the mission. She couldn't afford to get sidetracked, even though this place felt creepy. She put her phone away as she skimmed the surrounding area for the missing boot, or any sign of the boot's owner. She glanced up the canyon, looking for evidence of a fire pit or any other camping equipment.

A soft whimper had her turning around.

Huck sat beside a rock pile, his ears pricked forward and his gaze fixed on hers. Ava's heart skittered. This was his sit alert letting her know he'd found something.

"Show me," she commanded, and he sprang into action, bounding across the creek bed. She climbed down the rocks and jogged after him, frantically searching the clumps of trees. Huck darted around a giant prickly pear cactus and behind a line of mesquite trees. Amid the fluttering green leaves, she caught a flash of red.

"Please, please, please," she murmured.

Huck disappeared beneath the brush and barked. Ava spied a small white sneaker and a pudgy leg.

Huck danced in a circle, drunk on success and eager for his reward.

"Good boy, Huck! Good boy! Good boy!" She filled her voice with praise, even though her heart had lodged in her throat. The little body wasn't moving. Oh God.

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

About the author

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five books and novellas. She is a two-time RITA Award winner, as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award.

Connect with Laura

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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

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

Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard ~ My Thoughts #Housebreaking

Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard 

Women's Fiction, 368 pages

Published April 19, 2022 by Berkley Books

Following a long-standing feud and looking to settle the score, a woman decides to dismantle her home—alone and by hand—and move it across a frozen pond during a harsh New England winter in this mesmerizing debut.

Home is certainly not where Del’s heart is. After a local scandal led to her parents’ divorce and the rest of her family turned their backs on her, Del left her small town and cut off contact.

Now, with both of her parents gone, a chance has arrived for Del to retaliate.

Her uncle wants the one thing Del inherited: the family home.

Instead of handing the place over, and with no other resources at her disposal, Del decides she will tear the place apart herself—piece by piece.

But Del will soon discover, the task stirs up more than just old memories as relatives—each in their own state of unraveling—come knocking on her door.

This spare, strange, magical book is a story not only about the powerlessness and hurt that run through a family but also about the moments when brokenness can offer us the rare chance to start again.

My thoughts about Housebreaking ~~

(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 an unseasonably warm afternoon in late September, Del did something that she could not explain to herself and would not explain to others."

Del is heartbroken and alone now that both of her parents are gone. As her uncle swoops in to take possession of her home, her strong side surfaces and she is not going to give it up easily. So begins her task of taking her home apart—piece by piece, board by board.

I loved Del's conviction and fortitude. I was there with her the whole time, rooting for her to get the better of her uncle. No one was going to take anything away from her! Her strength of character spoke to a lot of the people around her and I was impressed at the way she just kept going, accomplishing what she set out to do. 

Housebreaking was not at all what I expected when I started reading the book but I loved every minute that I was in Del's world. I wasn't able to physically help her break her house apart but she totally had every bit of my support. What an amazing young woman. Loved this story!

I received an ARC of Housebreaking from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

A native of New England, Colleen Hubbard now lives in the UK with her family. She graduated from the University of East Anglia MA program in creative writing, where she earned the Head of School Prize with a distinction. ~ Goodeads

Connect with Colleen

Website | Goodreads

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

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

New Release! Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler ~ My Thoughts #RedThreadOfFate

Congratulations Lyn

 on the recent release of

Red Thread of Fate!

Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler
Contemporary Fiction, 352 pages
Published February 8, 2022 by Berkley Books

In the wake of a tragedy and fueled by guilt from a secret she's kept for years, a woman discovers how delicate the thread that binds family is in this powerful novel by Lyn Liao Butler.

Two days before Tam and Tony Kwan receive their letter of acceptance for the son they are adopting from China, Tony and his estranged cousin Mia are killed unexpectedly in an accident. A shell-shocked Tam learns she is named the guardian to Mia's five-year-old daughter, Angela. With no other family around, Tam has no choice but to agree to take in the girl she hasn't seen since the child was an infant.

Overwhelmed by her life suddenly being upended, Tam must also decide if she will complete the adoption on her own and bring home the son waiting for her in a Chinese orphanage. But when a long-concealed secret comes to light just as she and Angela start to bond, their fragile family is threatened. As Tam begins to unravel the events of Tony and Mia's past in China, she discovers the true meaning of love and the threads that bind her to the family she is fated to have.

Fans of Amy Tan, Celeste Ng, Liane Moriarty, and Lyn’s last book The Tiger Mom’s Tale will love this suspenseful and heartwarming tale of family, culture, and forgiveness.

My thoughts about Red Thread of Fate~~

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

First lines—"She was on the phone with her husband when he died."

Oh my gosh! This story had my attention from the very first sentence. After that shocking and intriguing first sentence, the entire story drew me in. I felt deeply for Tam and what she was going through. So many questions, so many secrets. 

I pretty much put my life on hold to inhale this book and I loved every second of it! The storyline was captivating and the characters were loveable. The writing flowed from the pages and I felt very comfortable in Tam's world. I just want to squeeze Angela, she's so precious.

Lyn Liao Butler is a new-to-me author who has now become one of my must-read authors. I love her writing style and absolutely loved this story. I'm now off to get her first book to enjoy and I am looking forward to whatever she writes next. 

Definite 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read for me!

I received a complimentary copy of Red Thread of Fate and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Lyn Liao Butler was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. Before becoming an author, she was a professional ballet and modern dancer, and is still a personal trainer, fitness instructor, and yoga instructor. She is an avid animal lover and fosters dogs as well as volunteers with rescues.

When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), their three stubborn dachshunds, sewing for her Etsy shop, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Lyn

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler #RedThreadOfFate

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Lyn

 on the release today of

Red Thread of Fate!

Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler
Contemporary Fiction, 352 pages
Published February 8, 2022 by Berkley Books

In the wake of a tragedy and fueled by guilt from a secret she's kept for years, a woman discovers how delicate the thread that binds family is in this powerful novel by Lyn Liao Butler.

Two days before Tam and Tony Kwan receive their letter of acceptance for the son they are adopting from China, Tony and his estranged cousin Mia are killed unexpectedly in an accident. A shell-shocked Tam learns she is named the guardian to Mia's five-year-old daughter, Angela. With no other family around, Tam has no choice but to agree to take in the girl she hasn't seen since the child was an infant.

Overwhelmed by her life suddenly being upended, Tam must also decide if she will complete the adoption on her own and bring home the son waiting for her in a Chinese orphanage. But when a long-concealed secret comes to light just as she and Angela start to bond, their fragile family is threatened. As Tam begins to unravel the events of Tony and Mia's past in China, she discovers the true meaning of love and the threads that bind her to the family she is fated to have.

Fans of Amy Tan, Celeste Ng, Liane Moriarty, and Lyn’s last book The Tiger Mom’s Tale will love this suspenseful and heartwarming tale of family, culture, and forgiveness.

Praise for Red Thread of Fate

“A masterful story of sorrow, secrets and unexpected romance, Ms. Butler writes with humor, compassion and honesty. Simply wonderful.” —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Pack Up the Moon

"With a poignant tale and beautiful prose, Butler once again whisks us onto a powerful journey of loss, sorrow, but ultimately a journey of quiet strength." —Jesse Q. Sutanto, critically acclaimed author of Dial A for Aunties

"Red Thread of Fate has everything—family secrets, mystery, identity. The rare blend of suspense and humor that make this story hard to put down.” —Saumya Dave, author of What a Happy Family

“Lyn’s story is raw and complex and hits home to many.” —Asian American Girl Club

"Butler keeps the twists coming, plowing through the story at breakneck speed. She perfectly portrays Tam’s growing sense of ambivalence about the loss of her husband, her responsibility to Angela, and her desire to adopt, and skillfully adds depth to complicated characters such as Mia. Readers will devour this engaging family saga." —Publishers Weekly

"A heartfelt contemplation on the course of our lives—what is fate, what is the result of the choices we make—coupled with a central mystery that will keep you reading late into the night. It seems Lyn Liao Butler's fate is to entertain with absorbing stories and compelling characters that linger long after the final page." —Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guncle

"Red Thread of Fate is a novel about what ties people to one another, and the nature of those bonds, the unintended consequences of choices and the possibility of a fresh start. With contemplative characters, surprising humor and a twisting plot, Butler's thought-provoking story of nontraditional family models will appeal to readers interested in fate and identity.” —Julia Kastner for Shelf Awareness

About the author

Lyn Liao Butler was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. Before becoming an author, she was a professional ballet and modern dancer, and is still a personal trainer, fitness instructor, and yoga instructor. She is an avid animal lover and fosters dogs as well as volunteers with rescues.

When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), their three stubborn dachshunds, sewing for her Etsy shop, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Lyn

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

The Perfect Son by Lauren North ~ My Thoughts #ThePerfectSon

The Perfect Son by Lauren North

Psychological Thriller, 359 pages

Published August 13th 2019 by Berkley Books

A disturbing and shocking debut novel of psychological suspense about a recently widowed mother, her young son, and the lengths she'll go to in order to keep him safe.

When Tess Clarke wakes up in the hospital the day after her son Jamie's eighth birthday, she's sure of these things: She's been stabbed, her son is missing, her brother-in-law and her grief counselor are involved. But no one is listening to her.

After her husband, Mark, died suddenly in a terrible accident a few months earlier, the only thing keeping Tess together is Jamie. As they struggle to make sense of their new life without Mark, they find joy in brief moments of normalcy like walking to school and watching television together. Life is hard without Mark, but Tess has Jamie, and that's what matters.

But there in the hospital, confused and surrounded by people who won't listen, Tess’s world falls apart. To save her son, she must piece together what happened between Mark's death and Jamie's birthday, but the truth might just be too much for her to bear. 

My thoughts about The Perfect Son ~~

(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—"There is a snippet of time, oh so short, when the morphine in my system begins to fade, but the pain is still fuzzy."

Okay, this story grabbed me from the very first page, the ending surprised me, and everything in between sucked me in. I couldn't put this book down! I seriously wanted to go back and read it again when I finished, just to see if I could see that ending coming the second time around. 

The Perfect Son is Lauren's debut novel and she did an amazing job! I'm definitely going to be checking out her other books. This book is an exceptional psychological thriller!

I received an ARC of The Perfect Son from Goodreads and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Lauren writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.

Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside. Readers can follow Lauren on Twitter @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor ~ Goodreads

Connect with Lauren

Website |  Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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

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

Release Day! Shutter by Melissa Larsen #Shutter

 Happy Release Day!

Shutter

Shutter by Melissa Larsen

Psychological Thriller, 362 pages

Published June 15, 2021 by Berkley Books

A young woman agrees to star in a filmmaker's latest project, but soon realizes the movie is not what she expected in this chilling debut novel.

In the wake of her father's death, Betty Roux doesn't allow herself to mourn. Instead, she pushes away her mother, breaks up with her boyfriend, and leaves everything behind to move to New York City. She doesn't know what she wants, except to run.

When she's offered the chance to play the leading role in mysterious indie filmmaker Anthony Marino's new project, she jumps at the opportunity. For a month Betty will live in a cabin on a private island off the coast of Maine, with a five-person cast and crew. Her mother warns against it, but Betty is too drawn to the charismatic Anthony to say no.

Anthony gives her a new identity--Lola--and Betty tells herself that this is exactly what she's been looking for. The chance to reinvent herself. That is, until they begin filming and she meets Sammy, the island's caretaker, and Betty realizes just how little she knows about the movie and its director.

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

About the author

Melissa Larsen has an M.F.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She has interned and worked extensively in publishing. She lives in San Francisco, and Shutter is her first novel. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Virginia

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner ~ My Thoughts #Tall Poppy #TheNatureOfFragileThings #NetGalley

  Release Day! 

Congrats Susan
on the release today of 
The Nature of Fragile Things!

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
Historical Fiction, 384 pages

Published February 2nd 2021 by Berkley Books

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

My thoughts about The Nature of Fragile Things ~~

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

First lines—"Interview with Mrs. Sophie Hocking. Conducted by Ambrose Logan, U.S Marshall. Case Number 069308. Official transcript. San Francisco, CA. November 6, 1906."

Honestly, I haven't read a book by this author that I didn't just love. The Nature of Fragile Things was no different. I realize it's early in the year but this one is probably going to one of my favorites of the year. Such a memorable story!

Susan has created a enthralling, believable story centered around an Irish immigrant, a woman who comes to the United States for a chance of a better life. Sophie is thrown into a challenging world but strives for what she knows is important. 

  

I love Susan's writing. She has such an wonderful, flowing writing style. I felt very comfortable with her characters and setting from the start. I have always been fascinated with this time period in San Francisco and what the residents had to go through in that catastrophic earthquake of 1906, so this story captivated me. 

The Nature of Fragile Things is a story that I highly recommend! It's beautiful, heartwarming, and one that you won't soon forget. I know I won't. 

I received an ARC of The Nature of Fragile Things via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Susan Meissner is a USA Today bestselling novelist with more than half a million books in print in fifteen languages. Her critically acclaimed works of historical fiction have been named to numerous lists including Publishers Weekly’s annual roster of 100 best books, Library Reads Top Picks, Real Simple annual tally of best books, Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, Booklist’s Top Ten, and Book of the Month.

She attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper. Susan’s expertise as a storyteller and her thoroughly researched topics make her a favorite author of book clubs everywhere. Her engaging and warm speaking style appeal to all manner of women’s groups, literary organizations, libraries and learning institutions, and service clubs.

When she is not working on a new novel, she enjoys teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, spending time with her family, music, reading great books, and traveling.  ~ Goodreads

Connect with Susan

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

A Little Bit of Grace by Phoebe Fox ~ My Thoughts #ALittleBitOfGrace

A Little Bit of Grace

A Little Bit of Grace by Phoebe Fox
320 pages
Published August 11th 2020 by Berkley Books

A heartfelt story about family, forgiveness, and starting over when the happy ending ends, and handling it all with a little bit of grace.

Family is everything—Grace Adams McHale's mom must have said it to her a thousand times before she died. Before Grace's dad ran off with an aspiring actress half his age. Before only-child Grace found out she was unable to have children of her own. Before Brian--her childhood best friend, business partner, and finally her husband--dropped a "bombshell" on her in the form of her stunning new replacement.

Which means Grace now has...nothing.

Until she receives a letter from a woman claiming to be a relative Grace never knew she had, sending her on a journey from the childhood home she had to move back into, to a Florida island to meet a total stranger who embraces her as family. There, Grace starts to uncover answers about the eccentric woman her family never mentioned: an octogenarian who is the keeper of a secret held for more than fifty years.

My thoughts about A Little Bit of Grace ~~

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

First line—"My mother used to say that when she read me bedtime stories, my favorite time of the evening because I finally had her all to myself, I would stop her midway through and tell her what was going to happen to the characters whose lives she was spinning for me."

A Little Bit of Grace is about the amazingly strong character of Grace, as well as the wonderfully wise, and outrageously fun, Millie. When these two women finally connect, look out! 

Grace knows what she wants and is happy with her life. That is, until it's all taken away from her. And then what is she supposed to do? 

Millie is a warm and caring woman, who swoops Grace up at just the right time and tries to help her turn her life around and let me tell you, they have so much fun along the way. Millie is such a wise and gregarious person—I wish I had someone like her in my life. 

This is a tale full of hilarity, love, compassion, strength, anger and frustration, understanding, forgiveness, family and friends, finding oneself and being happy with that discovery. And there are plenty of memorable characters that I fell in love with. This novel has it all! 

A Little Bit of Grace is a wonderful, heartwarming story written by one of my favorite authors. I loved everything about it and enjoyed my journey of discovery with Grace and Millie. I highly recommend it and I know you're going to love it—and them—just as much as I did!

I received a copy of A Little Bit of Grace from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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

About the author

Phoebe Fox has been a contributor and regular columnist for a number of national, regional, and local publications--currently for the Huffington Post as a relationship writer. She's been a movie, theater, and book reviewer; a screenwriter; and has even been known to help with homework revisions for nieces and nephews. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two excellent dogs.

Connect with Phoebe

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!