Please join me in welcoming author Rachel Brimble. Fans of historical romance are in for a treat with Victoria and Violet as they follow the main characters on their journey of love, secrets, and scandals.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Victoria & Violet
Author: Rachel Brimble
Genre: Historical Romance
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It should be a dream come true to serve the Queen of England…
When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of Kent.
Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.
Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service, their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.
Only Victoria’s court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, and conspiracies…
AUTHOR BIO:
Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 29 novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin). Her latest novel, Victoria & Violet was released 17th October 2022.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Society of Authors and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
Please join me in welcoming authors Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell. Read on for the inspiration behind The Chocolate Martini Sisters cozy mystery series. You’ll enjoy learning how Brenda’s personal birthday tradition at a historic hotel frequented by the Earp brothers piqued her imagination.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Book 1)
Author: Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.
Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.
Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.
Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?
GUEST POST:
The Inspiration, by Brenda Whiteside
My birthday falls at the end of summer, and my sister’s birthday is in the spring. Twice a year, on our birthdays, we have a chocolate martini in the Peacock Room located in the historical hotel, the Hassayampa Inn. The inn is on a busy street in the heart of downtown Prescott, Arizona. If you’re at all familiar with Arizona, you’ll know Prescott is a western-flavored city where the Earp brothers as well as other colorful old west characters hung out. Sitting in the Peacock Room that boasts original everything, I can practically see Wyatt strolling in, plunking his boot on the rail, and asking for a whiskey.
After a few birthdays, my sister and I started calling ourselves, the Chocolate Martini Sisters. As soon as those words were uttered, my writer’s mind took off with an idea. Hadn’t we sat sipping our martinis while imaging all kinds of stories about the patrons and inn employees? The bartender hid his mysterious past behind crystal blue smiling eyes. The dark-skinned cowboy sitting at the end of the bar sipping his beer wasn’t a cowboy at all but a spy working for the owner of the inn. The surly food critic demanding attention might be attracting more than a waiter’s service. I saw mystery brewing on each of our birthday visits.
My ideas took form. I knew a cozy mystery series waited to be written, and I knew I needed the expertise of my friend Joyce Proell to help me weave the mysteries. The stories are written from two sisters’ points of view. I get to write Nic and Joyce creates Em. We’re having a lot of fun with the Chocolate Martini Sisters mysteries. I know our readers will be entertained.
AUTHOR BIO:
Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.
Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.
Please join me in welcoming author L.B. Joyce. I love everything about the idea of her Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories series and am excited to spotlight Book 5, An Unexpected June.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: An Unexpected June, Book 5
Author: L. B. Joyce
Genre: Contemporary/New Adult Romance
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It’s not looking good for Livy Mazzori.
She lost her job. Then, she lost the man she gave six years of her life. So, it’s time to leave New York. Maybe even shake the independent streak she’s been hanging onto. Along with the heavy glasses and shaggy hairstyle she’s been hiding behind since high school.
Yes, she’s almost thirty and running away… but back home this time.
Sam Bridges is a big part of the draw. She met him last November when he was in New York. Since then, he’s been a persistent reminder in her thoughts of how things could be different. Maybe a good different?
Sam is bewildered by his feelings for Livy, that he can’t stop thinking about her. It doesn’t make sense since she led him to believe she isn’t interested… not by a long shot. He hopes to figure it all out when she comes home for her sister Carrie’s wedding.
One little problem? He’s pretty sure she’s back with her boyfriend Zack, or whatever his name is.
So, it’s not looking promising for either of them.
AUTHOR BIO:
L. B. Joyce lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. A freelance artist by day, with designing Christmas ornaments her specialty, she’s also a writer by night. She loves getting lost in a good book, has redecorated almost every room in her house more times than she’d like to admit, loves baking up a storm in her kitchen, hates housework with a passion and will drive just about anywhere because of her fear of flying.
The series, Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories –
A Million Decembers
For the Love of July
February’s Angel
Promise Me November
An Unexpected June
A January to Remember
September’s Moonlight Serenade
Goodbye Heartbreak, Hello May.
Along with the new series, Holidays in White Oaks Valley – A Grand Slam Kind of Christmas.
Please join me in welcoming author Anne Hamilton Fowler. I’ve always been fascinated by what inspires authors to tell their personal stories. Today Anne is sharing the events that pushed her toward writing her memoir.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: I’ve Worn Many Hats
Author: Anne Hamilton Fowler
Genre: Memoir
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Get ready to experience a roller coaster ride of emotions!
Laughter, sadness, empathy, outrage. Canadian Anne Hamilton Fowler appeared to have it all. However, life is not always as idyllic as it seems and at age twenty a series of events almost destroyed her. Emerging from the wreckage she reinvented herself, started over, and proceeded to live on the edge with a risk-taking lifestyle. Then in 1993, an event experienced during a trip to Central America changed everything.
“I’ve Worn Many Hats” is an inspirational read that demonstrates our human frailties, one’s ability to survive personal adversity, and how we can learn to forgive both ourselves and others. It is a story of redemption.
Anne Fowler is a retired Canadian who divides the year between her Haliburton summer cottage and Central America. This memoir is her first book and all proceeds will go to support Anne’s ongoing humanitarian work in Honduras.
GUEST POST:
Why did I write my story? I did it on a dare from one of my closest friends who was moving to the west coast plus Covid hit and I needed something to occupy my time! People had been encouraging me for years to stop procrastinating and write about my rather unorthodox life. But aside from wanting to entertain I struggled with how my memoir could serve a purpose and demonstrate that one CAN reverse the less than admirable path they’re following! To do that, I wrote the book in two parts; my life before Honduras and the one I now lead. I knew that by writing a completely candid account not only would the book provide entertainment but it would demonstrate the power of self -forgiveness and acceptance. Yes, my story is amusing, informative, enlightening to friends, family and strangers but one result that I’d certainly not anticipated, or seen coming, was it forced me to really look at events and my actions from the past along with the resulting consequences from the fallout. For the first time in my life I truly had closure. I think this note from a reader best sums up the book and the reaction I had hoped for when I wrote it.
“Your candid account spanning decades of a long bumpy life evokes many emotions; laughter, empathy, shock, admiration. As I read the first half, I kept going back, re-reading and thinking, she did what?! In the second half of the book, I discovered what inspired you to make such a drastic change in your life and accomplish “all this.” You are truly an inspiration! The memoir is hard to put down, in fact I read it twice! Bravo!”
AUTHOR BIO:
Born and raised in Toronto I grew up an only child in a traditional middle class Canadian family of the 40’s and 50’s. But my life has been anything but traditional! After finishing school my career included flight attendant with American Airlines, model, travel agent, world traveller, sales and marketing plus almost 30 years in Human Resources as an entrepreneur/ business owner. In 2001 I closed my company Hamilton Enterprises and retired to take up another role, that of humanitarian. As someone once said when they described my various life pursuits during their introduction of me as that night’s speaker, “and she’s only 108 years old.” I now live 6 months of the year in Honduras where I have spent the past 22 years developing a variety of community health and education programs for children. Visit my web page for pictures and details:
Thank you to Wendy Rich Stetson for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Two different men. Two different lifestyles. One impossible choice.
When Tessa’s big-city plans take the A Train to disaster, she lands in her sleepy hometown, smack in the middle of the most unlikely love triangle ever to hit Pennsylvania’s Amish Country.
Hot-shot Dr. Richard Bruce is bound to Green Ridge by loyalty that runs deep. Deeper still is Jonas Rishel’s tie to the land and his family’s Amish community. Behind the wheel of a 1979 camper van, Tessa idles at a fork in the road. Will she cruise the superhighway to the future? Or take a slow trot to the past and a mysterious society she never dreamed she’d glimpse from the inside?
This was my first time reading an Amish romance, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story.
Tess is unemployed and returns to her hometown to house sit for her parents in Pennsylvania. She soon finds herself torn between an ambitious doctor and an Amish farmer. Who doesn’t love a love triangle? This is an emotional, yet heartwarming, page-turner. Readers will easily connect with likable characters and enjoy determining who Tessa should choose.
Jill Piscitello 