Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Sanctuary Vol. 2 Giveaway Winner!

 Hello, friends! It's time to announce the winner of Sanctuary Vol. 2 by Cat Andrews!

First, let me thank Cat for sharing an excerpt with us and offering one of my readers an e-copy of her new book! Thank you, Cat!


Without further ado... the randomly picked winner is:


foreverHis!






Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


Many thanks to all who left comments to enter the giveaway! 

Friday, September 11, 2020

TEMPT ME by Julie Cooper Blog Tour ~ Deleted Scene & Giveaway!

 Hello, my friends! I have a treat for you today! I have a deleted scene from Julie Cooper's new book, Tempt Me! This book looks fantastic! I'm going to have to put it on my October reading list! Yummy! 

Plus, there is a blog wide giveaway going on! Details at the bottom of the page.



TEMPT ME
by Julie Cooper

"He raged inwardly at fate’s gift of the one female he could never, ever have..." 

IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED that a single vampyre must be in want of a wife. Someone biddable, her memories easily expunged to allow for strange, inexplicable deeds and baffling circumstances. A tractable creature, of average intelligence, willing to attend to the business of producing heirs and keep out of all else. A girl easily moulded, incurious, indifferent, and demanding nothing beyond access to his fortune. 

FITZWILLIAM DARCY knows exactly who he needs. He can fix on the hour, the spot, the look, and the words which laid the foundation for an obsession he rejected. But ten years later, at an assembly in an obscure village in Hertfordshire, he finds himself in the middle once more. 

His needs are unalterable. But can he resist the one woman he truly wants?
 
Delete Scene

To her surprise, however, Caroline approached her. “Mrs Darcy, let me persuade you take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude.” 

Though distrustful of the woman’s motives, Elizabeth felt she had no choice but to join her. Fitzwilliam eyed them curiously, but Lydia began begging him to hold a ball at Pemberley to celebrate the wedding, with Kitty taking Dutch courage from her sister. Mrs Bennet added a third voice, and he began to look distinctly beleaguered. With an effort, she pulled her attention away from their embarrassing conduct to the repellent woman by her side. Caroline tucked Elizabeth’s arm in hers and it was all she could do not to tug it away...or break it. 

“My, it is excessively warm in here. Shall we stroll in the gallery?” Caroline asked. 

Elizabeth nodded, walking with her up the stairs and into the long corridor lined with portraits and landscapes, idly wondering if she had allowed herself to be thus directed so that she might have the privacy required to rip the smirk off Caroline’s face. The next moment, she was appalled at the direction of her thoughts, forcefully reminding herself of the need for control. She used the beauty surrounding her in paint and portrait to distract herself from her aversion to Caroline’s presence and new, unlovely instincts far too near the surface. 

“How do you find your new life? I must admit to a certain envy in your accomplishments,” Caroline said coyly. 

“I am adjusting,” Elizabeth answered noncommittally, using the excuse of examining a bronze to pull away from Caroline’s grip.

“Adjusting? I should say so! The riches of immortality at your feet, a handsome and powerful husband by your side? One would say you have everything a woman could ever want.” 

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied in quick agreement.

“Except,” Caroline added, “for a child.”

Elizabeth stiffened in surprise and anger. Do not kill her, do not kill her, do not kill her. She will be Jane’s sister. Killing her would be impolite. “You are very bold, Miss Bingley,” she managed.

“I am very practical, Mrs Darcy. What might sound offensive to you, in your inexperience, is only pragmatism in the world in which I have been raised. How do you think dynasties continue, when offspring are not possible? Mr Darcy will need a mortal womb to bear his child. I have one. I approach you, with all due respect, to offer mine.”

“How very...magnanimous of you,” Elizabeth murmured, imagining her blood spilling across 
the carpeted floor.

“Magnanimity has nothing to do with it, of course,” Caroline replied. “I would expect to gain 
materially in return for the child. And an opportunity to be Turned afterwards.”

Though her own thoughts were admittedly the furthest thing from benign, Elizabeth blinked at the inherent coldness of the offer. As though a baby and motherhood were coin, to be traded. She found her voice at last. “I imagine I would murder any woman who bedded my husband,” she said, in as emotionless a tone as she could manage. “Her death would be neither neat nor quick, I promise. I find I am far from...predictable these days.” 

For the first time Caroline truly looked at Elizabeth, and for once her smile wavered; she backed up an involuntary step. “There would be no reason for... resentment,” she quickly assured. “I have no love for your husband, nor he for me. This is purely an exchange of commodities. Your line will need an heir in order to maintain its strength. I can give it, with no expectations beyond those I’ve named. A practical alliance, and a very common one.” 

“Be that as it may, your plan has a flaw,” Elizabeth said reasonably calmly, considering the evisceration she contemplated. “Perhaps you were not aware. Mr Darcy is bonded to me. He can have no other woman.” 

“Charles mentioned that Mr Darcy had bonded,” Caroline replied, her smirk back in place. “But I have an idea.”

* * *

About the Author

Julie Cooper, a California native, lives with her Mr Darcy
(without the arrogance or the Pemberley) of nearly forty years, two dogs (one intelligent, one goofball), and Kevin the Cat (smarter than all of them.)  They have four children and three grandchildren, all of whom are brilliant and adorable, with the pictures to prove it. She works as an executive at a gift basket company and her tombstone will read, "Have your Christmas gifts delivered at least four days before the 25th."  Her hobbies are reading, giving other people good advice, and wondering why no one follows it.

You can connect with Julie Cooper on Facebook and Instagram.

* * *

Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

Quills & Quartos Publishing is giving away 5 e-copies of Tempt Me to 5 readers who comment on any of the posts on this blog tour! Winners will be picked after the tour is over.



Many thanks to Quills & Quartos Publishing for inviting me on this tour! 



Oh!! A deleted scene with a cliffhanger! No fair! Lol!

Friends, what did you think?! Let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.


Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Monthly Wrap-Up - August 2020

 Hello, my friends! Well, it's been a month since I posted a "What Are You Reading?" post, and I joked the last time that I might as well post a "Monthly Wrap-Up" instead. Haha, so that's what I'm doing! I was in a gigantic reading slump all summer. I think it might be over - fingers crossed! 



Here's what I read in August:


Serious Moonlight*
by Jenn Bennett - I finally finished this after starting back in February. I can't remember why I set it aside then, but I did pick it back up. It was okay, but it just never grabbed me. Maybe I still wasn't in the mood for it. 



Vassa in the Night*
by Sarah Porter - I received this book a couple of years ago in a YA book subscription box and decided to give it a try.  This story is so bizarre and dark. Like Alice going down the rabbit hole, Vassa gets caught in an odd and dangerous convenience store. The story kept drawing me in; I had to find out what happens to Vassa and her magical doll! Although strange, I really enjoyed it! 


The Woman in the Window*
by A.J. Finn - I loved this suspense/thriller! Anna Fox is stuck in her house; she's an agoraphobic who has panic attacks every time she steps out of her home. That in itself is interesting, add in that she sees something she shouldn't, and it's gripping! I liked how you weren't sure what was real and what was Anna's imagination. Did she really see what she thought she did? Also, I loved all the Hitchcock and old movie references! 


Eleven*
by Patricia Reilly Giff - This is a great middle-grade mystery about a boy who finds a newspaper clipping of a missing boy in the attic, and it's him! Now he has to figure out who he is and who are the people he's living with. 






Audiobooks


The Scarlet Letter*
by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I'm glad I listened to this one. It's was a little too wordy for me, I would have never gotten through it otherwise! It's an interesting look into the Puritan life and early America - also how guilt can slowly eat at you.




The Aussie Next Door*
by Stefani London - This was a fun romantic comedy to listen to! The narrator, Summer Morton (no relation, lol), did a fantastic job with the character voices!


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*
by J.K Rowling - Listening to this on a long drive was wonderful! It's my favorite of the Harry Potter books. 







*Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


I took a long road trip to Montana to visit a friend. It was so nice to get away and see another part of the country! We had planned to go hiking in Glacier Park and had reservations at a hotel there, but our plans where canceled due to COVID. Still, we had a good time hanging out at her house. We did a short hike and some kayaking. It was so beautiful! 


 


So, what was your August like? Did you get to venture out? As always, let me know what you are reading! It's a great way to find new books! Thanks! I hope you all are doing well! 

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Sanctuary Vol. 2 by Cat Andrews ~ Excerpt & Giveaway!

 Hello, my friends! Today, Cat Andrews if visiting today with an excerpt from her new book Sanctuary Vol 2, which is set to release tomorrow! Congratulations, Cat!! 

There is also a giveaway going on! Details can be found at the bottom of this page.




Sanctuary Vol. 2
by Cat Andrews

If someone had told him six weeks ago that he would end up here with this incredible woman in his arms, he would have scoffed in disbelief. Yet here he was, falling in love with her, holding her while she slept, and embracing emotions he never imagined he would feel again. 

Will Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet have unexpectedly found each other—and a slice of happiness—on a tiny island off the coast of Maine. 

With wonderful friends surrounding them and a passionate new love in full bloom, life is moving forward; they’re planning a future together as a family of three with Will’s son Jack, and the lazy days of summer are looking exceedingly bright. 

But while some relationships are slowly and painstakingly being rebuilt, a long-kept secret, finally revealed, threatens to tear others apart.
 
Sanctuary is a contemporary romance inspired by Jane Austen's  Pride and Prejudice and does contain adult content. 

Introduction to the excerpt:

Volume 1 of Sanctuary mostly focuses on the growing relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Will Darcy. And while they and their romance are still the stars of Volume 2—along with Will’s son Jack—much of Volume 2 also centers on the relationship Will and Elizabeth have with each of their families. There’s a lot of dysfunction between Will and his father, and Will goes through a period in which he tries to figure out whether their relationship is at all salvageable. This excerpt shows Will trying to extend an olive branch of sorts to his father, which doesn’t exactly go as planned. 

Excerpt

Will stood in his office at noon on Monday, cell phone to his ear, staring out the window toward Casco Bay. He paced a little as he waited for his call to be answered, and within moments, he heard his father’s deep voice.

“Fitzwilliam! How are you, son?”

“I’m good, Dad, how are you?” 

“Busy. Always busy. How’s my grandson?”

Will leaned against his desk. “He’s great. He loves school. He’s getting taller, I think he’s going through a growth spurt or something. All of his clothes are suddenly too small.”

“He’ll be tall, like you.”

“I think so.”

Robert cleared his throat. “How’s business?”

Will didn’t miss the hesitancy in the question although he and his father had discussed Will’s new venture at length. They’d argued about it at first; Robert had been angry that his son was going into business for himself.

“Um, business is good so far,” Will answered. “Three clients. Nothing to throw a party over, but I expected to start slow.”

“Three clients in a few weeks isn’t bad. You’re working with a much smaller demographic now, remember that.”

“I know. Listen, um, I was wondering...” He took a deep breath. “How would you feel about visiting Maine?”

“Visiting Maine? Why would I want to do that?”

Will felt a spike of annoyance. “To see Jack.” He cleared his throat. “And me. And to meet Elizabeth.” His clarification was met with silence. “Dad?”

“My calendar is full, Fitzwilliam,” Robert replied brusquely. “I can’t just drop everything and travel to Maine on a whim.”

Will’s spike of annoyance grew to a surge. “I didn’t mean tomorrow, but that’s fine. Forget I asked.” 

He was embarrassed and angry. He’d put it out there, put himself out there, and his father had shot him down without a second thought. An awkward, uncomfortable silence ensued.

“When were you thinking?” Robert asked quietly.

“Never. Forget it,” Will replied curtly, still smarting over his father’s rejection.

“I just didn’t expect the invitation, Fitzwilliam. Stop sulking.”

“I’m not sulking,” Will argued, knowing full well that he was. “What I’m doing is trying, Dad, don’t you see that?”

“But why? Why do you want me to go there and meet Elizabeth?”

Good question. “I want you to meet Elizabeth because I love her and she’s part of my life. And I want you to come here so we can talk. We need to talk.”

“We’re doing that now, aren’t we?” Robert said, a trace of sarcasm seeping into his voice. “Most people would call this a conversation.”

“And we’re doing a piss-poor job of it, as usual.” Will began pacing again, back and forth in front of the windows. “We don’t talk, we make polite conversation. That’s all we’re capable of, and I’m tired of it. Do you want to know why I’m trying? Because of Jack, that’s why.”

“Because of Jack?” 

“Yes.” He refused to admit that he was trying for himself as well. “You are his only living grandparent.” And you are my only father. “I thought I would try to salvage something. But maybe I’m being stupid. God knows you haven’t earned a place in his life, not by a long shot. You’ve barely earned a place in mine.”

Even as the words shot out of his mouth, he felt a knot form in his chest. This is what he’d desperately wanted to avoid. He was tired of saying hurtful things just for the sheer satisfaction of knowing they’d struck their target, but neither of them could seem to help it. 

A knock on the door distracted him, and he glanced away from the window to see Elizabeth poking her head in. She smiled brightly, and he couldn’t have imagined a more welcome sight.

Robert started to speak, but Will cut him off. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Fitzwilliam—”

“I’ll call you, or you can call me. Whatever.” 

“Alright, son. We’ll talk soon.” Robert sounded resigned. “Take care, and say hi to Jack for me, okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Bye, Dad.” Will pressed the button on his phone to end the call. Sighing, he turned from the windows and offered Elizabeth a half-hearted smile. “Hi, you.”

“Hi,” she said, closing the door behind her. “Hungry? I brought some lunch.” She placed the small brown bag she carried on the desk. 

He grunted.

“Is that a yes or a no?” He was staring at the floor, and she lowered her head to catch his eye. “Hello... Up here.”

He lifted his eyes to hers. “I’m really not hungry, sorry. I’m glad you came by, though.” He opened his arms and she walked into them, hugging him tightly.

“I don’t think I need to ask why you don’t have an appetite,” she said before kissing his neck. “I take it your call didn’t go well?”

“Nope. Short and shitty.” He sighed, then buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply. “I had the thought when I was on the phone with him—why am I even bothering? Why waste the energy?”

“Did you even manage to get around to inviting him?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?” 

“He wanted to know why I thought he would want to visit...and then proceeded to tell me how busy he is.” He pulled himself out of her arms and turned to face the window again, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Lost cause.”

She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her cheek against his back. “I’m sorry, Will.”

He shrugged, forcing nonchalance into his voice. “Don’t be. It’s not a big deal. Life goes on, right?”

“Maybe he just needs a little time to get used to the idea.”

“Well, he can take all the time he needs because that was the one and only time he’ll be invited.” He turned to face her and planted a quick kiss on the top of her head. “What did you bring for lunch?” He peeked into the bag. “Soup?”

“And a sandwich for us to share.” 

He removed the containers from the bag and placed everything on his desk, then raised his eyes to hers and attempted a smile, though he was sure it probably looked more like a grimace. 

She frowned. “Will—”

“Can we just eat? I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to beat it to death. It is what it is. I’m fine.”

“Okay,” she relented softly. She pulled a chair closer to his desk and smiled as she pulled napkins and spoons from the bag. “Chicken noodle or lobster bisque?”

* * *

About the Author

Cat Andrews has always been an avid reader, but didn’t discover Jane Austen until her love of a certain British actor led her to the BBC’s 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice, because she just had to know—why all the fuss over this Darcy guy? What followed her viewing of that glorious miniseries was an inhalation of and immediate fixation on all of Austen’s novels, though Pride and Prejudice remains her favorite (and that certain British actor will always be, to her, the quintessential Darcy).

Her discovery of Jane Austen Fan Fiction opened up a whole new world, and thus began her addiction, and months and months of sleep deprivation, as she immersed herself in JAFF. After reading a modern Pride and Prejudice variation that she fell in love with, she was inspired to begin a cautious but earnest foray into the world of writing.

In real life, Cat has spent thirty-plus years working in healthcare. She is a confirmed thalassophile and enjoys life on the shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she grew up, fell in love with her own Mr. Darcy, and raised a family. More often than not, you can find her at the beach with a book in her hand and her toes in the sand.

Sanctuary is her debut novel.

Connect with Cat Andrews


Amazon Links (paid links)

Volume 1 is available now (eBook and paperback). Volume 2 is available for preorder now (eBook), and will be released September 9 (eBook and paperback). Volume 3 is available for preorder now (eBook), and will be released September 23 (eBook and paperback).


FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 



* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time!! Cat Andrews is graciously giving away an Amazon e-copy of Sanctuary Vol. 2 to one of my lucky readers!


  • One person will win an e-copy (U.S. Amazon Kindle only) of Sanctuary Vol 2.
  • One winner will be randomly picked.
  • To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below and include your e-mail with parentheses around (at) and (dot).
  • Open to U.S. Amazon.com customers only.
  • The last day to enter the giveaway is Sept. 15, 2020, by the end of the day.
Good luck!

Many thanks to Cat Andrews for visiting here today! And for offering one of my U.S. readers a chance to win an e-copy of her new book!

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Adventure Awaits Giveaway Winner!

 

Hello, my friends! I hope you are doing well! It's time to announce the winner of Adventure Awaits by Virginia Kohl eBook!

Many thanks to Virginia Kohl for visiting us here and sharing an excerpt with us! Also, a big thanks for offering one of my readers an eBook of Adventure Awaits!


Without further ado... the randomly picked winner is: 


KellsBells 







Buy: Amazon

Add to Goodreads

*FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


Thanks again to all who entered!

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