Friday, February 25, 2022

Book Review ~ The Witch of Rathborne Castle by Virgina Barlow ~ @Virgini35142126 @pumpupyourbook


Lady Jane Lenwood is surrounded by treason, lies, and a handsome stranger with a secret but she has one of her own, the ability to see the past or future with one touch…



By Virginia Barlow


THE WITCH OF RATHBORNE CASTLE, Paranormal Romance, The Wild Rose Press, 330 pp.


Lady Jane Lenwood is abandoned and alone in an empty castle in the middle of a dark twisted forest. The locals call her a witch because she has the “sight.”

When a wounded stranger is found within the gates, she is warned he carries secrets and their lives will be intertwined.

Lady Jane walks with a limp following a riding accident the night her mother left her. And had given up on having a normal life. She blames her misfortune on the current Duke of Rathborne.

Max Radley is sent by the king to find a traitor. His search leads him to Rathborne Castle and the beautiful woman living there. He must keep his identity a secret in order to find the traitor.

Lies, deception, and a grand scheme to relieve him of his wealth have the real villians framing him for treason.

Only Jane and her supernatural ability can save him, but in order to find the answer she must face her past and the feeling she has for him.

Praise for The Witch of Rathborne Castle:

The Witch of Rathborne Castle is a riveting historical paranormal romance from start to finish. I hadn’t read more than a few pages before I was hooked. The plot unfolds at a nice easy pace with descriptive narration and a heroine to root for. Lady Jane is a mysterious character and her backstory plucked at my heartstrings. Max is a hero on a mission. Can he root out the traitor? The stakes are high for both Jane and Max which added to the anticipation. I did find the obstacles Jane and Max have to face a little over the top. But with each obstacle, they drew closer as a couple. There’s a wonderful gothic vibe to this story. There are quite a few twists I didn’t see coming, especially near the end. I may have gasped a few times. The ending was so unexpected, I got a little emotional. The Witch of Rathborne Castle is an engrossing historical romance with paranormal elements I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Fans of both historical romance and paranormal romance will love The Witch of Rathborne Castle. Reminiscent of classical historicals romance from the ’90s, The Witch of Rathborne Castle will sweep the reader away. Highly recommend! – N.N.Light’s Book Heaven Five Star Review



Alfred placed the candle back on the wall and reached for a clean blanket. He covered the man. “There is something familiar about him. Did you learn anything?”

“I know how he came to be here, but not who he is,” Jane murmured. “It was the strangest thing, Alfred. When I touched him, I saw what happened. It was not a whisper in my mind.” She gazed at the stranger.

He shall be your lover…

She jerked back as if she were burned. “He cannot stay. He is to leave as soon as he can travel.” Jane rose and turned toward the door, easing her twisted leg before her.

“My lady, I thought you were urged to help him. What changed?”

Your lives are twisted together as your bodies shall…

Jane stopped in her tracks. “We have little enough to eat as it is. We do not need another mouth to feed.” She turned to Alfred. It was a feeble excuse, but it was all she had. She would not reveal the reason for her anxiousness.

My Review:

The Witch of Rathborne Castle is a historical, paranormal romance. The book is fantastic written with wonderful characters. The world building is fantastic and I was able to view the entire book in my mind. I was pulled in the by synopsis of the book but I was hooked by page one. The author created a magical, mystical world and I was enthralled as I read along.

The author does a wonderful job threading subplots throughout the book. Her secondary characters are crucial to the story and each person plays their part perfectly. I never felt like any characters, scenes, or discussions were placed as filler. Each character was relevant, each scene necessary, and dialogue was smooth, conversational, and flowed well.

Jane and Max were great characters. I loved their interactions and how their romance was developed. Their's was a slowburn romance that flowed nicely and didn't overshadow or pull the focus away from  Jane's character grew in The Witch of Rathborne Castle and I enjoyed watching her. Max's character was just what Lady Jane needed to break her free from the chains of her past. Lovers of paranormal, historical, and romance novels will enjoy this novel.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Review:






Purchase Your Copy:





I love being an author. It’s all about where your characters lead you. I start with a general idea. As the story unfolds, I type as fast as I can in hopes I keep up with my characters. They have had me jotting on napkins, making notes while I’m waiting in a line, and waking me up in the middle of the night. The hard part is always the ending. My characters live with me and when I reach the end of the story, it is hard to say goodbye. Sometimes, I let the story sit for a few days to make sure I’m okay with them leaving home to get published. Kind of like when your kids move out. LOL

I enjoy my grandchildren, and the time I share with them. They make me smile with their antics. I like to quilt, crochet, knit and sew. Cooking and baking are occasional itches I scratch. The rest of the time, they are necessary evils. LOL.

My greatest support comes from my husband. He has been my sounding board for all my stories. My daughters are also a great support to me. I couldn’t do it without my family.

Virginia Barlow’s recent release is the paranormal romance, The Witch of Rathborne Castle.

You can visit Virginia’s website at https://www.virginia-barlow.com or connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.



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Monday, February 14, 2022

#Romance #Novella #Review ~ Mall You Need is Love (At The Mall) by Sarah Robinson

 

Stupid Cupid strikes an arrow through reader’s hearts with this opposites attract standalone Valentine’s Day novella sure to take your breath away.

Jaded-by-love Amara Hart owns a retro-style gaming arcade in the local shopping mall that is bustling full of people who’d rather play Pac-Man than have a candlelit dinner with the charming Casanova store owner next door. Despite her cynicism toward anything roses, Amara finds herself agreeing to help Valentino Rossi when his store is robbed a few days shy of Valentine’s Day—his biggest annual moneymaker.

Valentino believes in endless love and has made it his mission in life to help others express that love through romance and custom-made jewelry. Silly little love songs are what make him get out of bed in the morning, and meeting the anti-Valentine Amara has thrown him for a loop. Determined to prove love me tender is more than a retro ballad, Valentino sets out to give Amara a Valentine’s Day she’ll never forget.

As Amara feels her rough edges begin to soften, she begins to wonder what would happen if she asked the man next door to…be mine, Valentino.



ASIN: ‎ B09NCR5WJ9
Publication Date: ‎ February 11, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 96 pages

My Review:

Mall You Need is Love is a cute Valentine’s Day romance novella. Amara Hart owns the arcade in the local mall. Her store shares a wall with a high-profile jeweler. When the jewelry store is robbed, Amara and the store owner, Valentino Rossi, form a neighborhood watch-type partnership. As opposite as you can get, Amara is not an endless romantic, or even a romantic of any type, and Valentino is as hopeless romantic. As they spend more time together trying to solve the theft in his store, Amara and Valentino being to connect on a personal level. 

The story is cute, and I enjoyed Amara and Valentino’s story. The novella doesn’t have a lot of depth or character development, but the tale is light and fun, despite the theft. The characters are likable in this opposites-attract story, and I enjoyed reading about their budding relationship. Readers looking for a short, sweet, Valentine's Day romance will enjoy Mall You Need is Love.

I was provided a copy of the book to read.


My Rating:

 4 stars

Friday, February 11, 2022

#Thriller #Review ~ The Wrong Woman by Leanne Kale Sparks ~ @LMSparksAuthor @PRbytheBook @crookedlanebks #CrimeFiction


A string of murders threatens to unleash long-buried secrets in this pulse-pounding thriller for fans of Melinda Leigh and T. R. Ragan.



The only survivor of Denver’s notorious “Reaper” serial murders, FBI Special Agent Kendall Beck grapples with the ghosts of her past by seeking justice for victims of abuse. She’s neck deep in a particularly ugly case involving the disappearance of five-year-old Emily Williams—but her investigation is derailed when her best friend and roommate, Gwen Tavich, turns up dead in a nearby lake.

Devastated by the news of Gwen’s death, Kendall teams up with Denver detective Adam Taylor to find the killer. Gwen’s fiancĆ©, Ty Butler, is being evasive about the last time he saw Gwen, and as the evidence mounts against him, he’s arrested for the murder. With every new clue, Kendall questions how well she really knew her friend. And when Gwen’s dark secrets begin spilling out one by one, she begins to understand the devastating magnitude of her murder. The Reaper has returned to Denver—and he’s not stopping.

As the trauma of Kendall’s past comes roaring back, she and Adam have no time to spare before more bodies start piling up. And then Kendall makes a shocking discovery that reveals the horrifying truth behind Emily Williams’ disappearance. Now, Kendall must confront her darkest fears as she and the Reaper face off one more time.

Fiction/Crime/Thriller
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Pub date: February 08, 2022
Pages: 320
Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4
ISBN: 9781643859415

Amazon: https://amzn.to/33nMTmG


The Wrong WomanThe Wrong Woman by Leanne Kale Sparks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Wrong Woman is a psychological thriller with multiple storylines threaded throughout the book. Kendall Beck is an FBI Special Agent specializing in justice for abuse victims. As the only survivor of the Denver serial killer, Reaper, Kendall has made it her mission to take the bad guys down and make them pay for hurting anyone. Somes times that involves searching for missing children, having to ask children questions about abuse and neglect, and having her best friend fished out of the local lake.

Using her FBI connections, Kendall joins forces with detective Adam Taylor to search for Gwen’s killer. There are so many suspects, reasons, means, motives, and secrecy, making it difficult for Gwen and Adam to narrow the playing field. When it appears the Reaper is back, Kendall must now face her past, confront her present, and hope there’s a future.

Crime thrillers aren’t my typical cup-of-tea when it comes to book genre. I was approached by a PR firm to spotlight the book and decided to go ahead and review it, as well. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. Between the story of Emily, Gwen’s death, and the return of the Reaper, Gwen’s sanity is tested around every corner. Her patience runs thin, her critical thinking is skewed, and her actions may destroy any chance she has of solving any of the cases she’s involved in at the present. Most disturbing of all, she’ll have to face the Reaper and hope she survives again.

The Wrong Woman is one of those novels that pulls you in and keeps you engaged from start to finish. You have to be paying attention when you read the book because so many things take place and are intertwined. The book is fast-paced and full of action. As Kendall works the case of Emily’s disappearance, then the death of Gwen, and finally, her confrontation with the Reaper, you are taken on a journey that will shake you to your core.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.   

View all my reviews

#Review ~ Caught by Love by Melissa Foster ~ #ContemporaryRomance @Melissa_Foster


About the Book:

He’s set on pleasure, but she’s all business. Sizzling chemistry and a surprising connection set this sexy love story in motion. But is it enough to last forever?

Archer Steele is one of the leading vintners on the East Coast. He’s arrogant, aggressive, and has never been interested in settling down, which is what makes his hookups with his sister’s beautiful blond best friend, hair and makeup artist Indi Oliver, the perfect escape. But Indi’s toying with moving to the island, and when she ends their no-strings trysts to focus on her business, Archer isn’t ready to let her go…

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3lYVgeI
Nook: https://bit.ly/3m0ZXoG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3m09psh

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Dk6TTE

My Review and Rating:

Caught by Love  (The Steeles at Silver Island, #3)Caught by Love by Melissa Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caught by Love is a fantastic contemporary romance. Archer and Indi had amazing chemistry; hot and steamy but also tender and loving. Neither character is perfect but are perfect for each other. It's just difficult for either of them see it yet. Apart they are terrific, yet broken, characters; together they lit my Kindle on fire. Their interactions are sexually charged but filled with unexpected tenderness.

I was completely engulfed in their love story, their passion for their careers and each other, their kindness, and their grief. I was pulled into their slow-burn romance. I was enthralled by their personalities. Sparks fly, heads deny, and hearts cry out for each other.

The secondary characters were supportive, protective, and a fun group to meet and spend time with throughout the story. Their close-knit relationships, strong family and friendship bonds, and real-life characters make this book exceptional. Melissa Foster wove a realistic, steamy romance in with family strife, characters stuck in the past and unwilling to move forward, and so much emotion. The emotions in this book explode on the pages.

Putting this book down was near impossible. Lovers of anything by Melissa Foster won't be disappointed.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.  

View all my reviews

Meet Melissa Foster:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 novels. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women's fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, always family oriented, and feature fiercely loyal heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and complex relatable issues. Melissa enjoys chatting with readers and book clubs. Send her an email invitation to your next event!

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