#Blog Tour #Book Review of You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Louise Marley @rararesources13/10/2020
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this lovely Christmas story. You Make It Feel Like Christmas The only thing preventing Beth’s perfect family Christmas? Her family! Television presenter Agatha Holly has built her career on telling viewers how to have the perfect Christmas. A Holly Jolly Christmas has been screened every December for twenty years and her entire family are involved, including her daughter Beth—the unwilling star of a thousand memes and gifs. But Beth has finally had enough of public ridicule. All she’s ever wanted is a traditional family Christmas away from the television cameras. If she can’t persuade her family to change, should she consider celebrating Christmas without them? Purchase Links Amazon UK / Amazon US My thoughts: Wow! This was such an enjoyable read! Just what the doctor prescribed on a rainy October day when it is definitely too early for putting up Christmas lights, but you already feel ready for holidays. Beth Holly grew up featured in countless Christmas memes thanks to their Mum's TV show, A Holly Jolly Christmas, and having mischiviously creative and undoubtfully bossy Lucy Holly for an older sister. Now Beth works in publishing and, although she believes in her authors, things might not be perfect on the bookselling front. Could a few quiet days help her reflect on what she is doing professionally and get over her nostalgia for her ex, Aidan Holly? Quiet might be a tall order, if her family is involved, but perhaps she can get away from them this year. Aidan and Nick Hall lost their parents in a car accident on an icy road to their family home Myra Abbey. Aidan took over their father's construction business and has earned millions with his hard work and determination, while Nick has become a fashion model. Now, at twenty-four, Nick still lives in their parents' medioeval home and does everything possible to keep it afloat, including floor repairs and fixing the roof. Do you know how much money these old homes eat away? Aodan does and that is why he would like to sell it to hotel developers making Nick and their staff ( the housekeeper Ophelia and her daughter Chloe) homeless. He is on his way to tell them the big news, notwithstanding the upcoming holidays. Can he get more Scrooge-like? Chloe has a great solution: help him get back together with his lovely ex-girlfriend Beth who is incidentally looking for a hotel to stay in over Christmas. Could they perhaps pass the Abbey for a charming, albeit quirky, five-star-hotel? If you think, you know where it is going, you haven't counted in a few other factors...Such as Lucy and Agatha Holly. Anyway, it is much better to discover the story as you read it. It is a perfect Christmas story where the main characters discover what really makes you feel the holidays have arrived. Is it the decorations, carefully wrapped and kept for generations, the dinner, the film (if you've been reading my latest spree of Christmas reviews, you know in my family It's a Wonderful Life makes its appearance every year), mistletoe...? No, it's people, of course! Heart-warming, sweet, and immensely entertaining, this book should definitely be made into a Hallmark movie. As it is, it totally deserves five-stars for readability and fun factor. If you are into family-oriented Christamas romances, pick it up, I'm sure it won't disappoint you. Thank you to Rachel, the author and the publisher for the gifted copy provided in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. About Louise Marley Louise Marley writes murder mysteries and romantic comedies. She is lucky enough to live in a village where there is a famous library and TWO ruined castles. (Her husband still thinks they moved there by accident). Her first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg's 'Write a Bestseller' competition. She has also written articles for the Irish press and short stories for women's magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Previously, Louise worked as a civilian administrative officer for the police. Louise's books have spent a total of 7 months in the Amazon Top 100 (UK). Three of her books have been #1 bestsellers in Romantic Suspense and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was #1 in Romance. Social Media Links Website / Amazon Author Page (UK) / Amazon Author Page (USA) Twitter / Blog / Facebook / Facebook (author) / Instagram / Goodreads / Pinterest Thank you for stopping by and reading this review! Have a wonderful Tuesday!
If you would like to know what other bloggers thought of You Make Me Feel Like Christmas, here is the full blog tour schedule: #Blog Tour #Book Review of What If ? by Shari Low @rararesources @Shari Low @Boldwood Books11/10/2020
Shari Low is one of my favourite authors and I know I can always count on her to make me smile however rainy the weather outside is. Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in this blog tour, celebrating twenty years of Shari's writing career. What If? The book that started it all! A classic retro romcom from #1 bestselling author Shari Low.1999. Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I Do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye' to Mr Right. But there is a problem. Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in 1999; an era before Facebook, Google, smartphones, 4G and Broadband, when it was impossible to track people down with a few clicks of a mouse. On a mission to discover if she walked away from her 'happy ever after', Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved. Her Mr Right is out there, but can she find him? And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye? A wonderful classic 20th-anniversary re-release. Purchase Link My thoughts: In case you missed the big celebratory balloon with number 20 on the bright and cheerful cover of What If?, this is a re-release of Shari Low's first book. And if it feels packed with popular culture references that firmly set it on the cusp of two millenums, it is because this is exactly when it was written. Reading it was like having a girls' night out with your best friends and, honestly, there are few better ways of spending your time than having a laugh with people who have known you for ages and will stand by you no matter what. Carly Cooper has a safe job (although selling toilet paper to corporate clients was definitely on her list of what she wanted to do when she grew up) and is quite happy with her life. Now that she is approaching thirty (what is it about the magic three-oh that makes us question our life decisions), she can't help but wonder if should have already been married). Not that Carly is perpetually single, quite the opposite: she has been engaged four times and had two other serious relationships. So what is it that makes her run away and could she have already met her Mr Right and threw away her chance of eternal happiness? I have to admire Carly's confidence and courage in doing what she decides to do next. She hands in notice at work and leaves her flat, and embarks on a life-time journey to re-visit her old flames to see if she had been too hasty. Remember the time when it was still possible to keep your different lives separate and embarrasiing school photos with braces and funny hairdos hidden in your family albums? Carly's journey is an Adventure with a capital A, and I couldn't help but envy all the excitement of re-discovering what made her fall in love with her exes. Especially, since her exes happen to be quite scattered around the globe. Shari Low has a wonderful sense of humour and her first book is no exception - it is full of hilarious laugh-out-loud comments and witty banter. It is also deeply, genuinely romantic. What I liked the most, however, is the celebration of friendship, the kind which comes from sharing giggles, hangovers (okay, this one isn't strictly necessary) and unmitigated silliness, heartbreaks and big momentous news that turn your life upside down. The ending was deeply satisfying (I am all for HEAs and HFNs), but the best thing came in the author's note to the readers: there's going to be a sequel from which we can find out what happened in Carly's and her best mates' lives afterwards. What Now? is scheduled to be released in January 2021 and I for one can't wait to spend a bit more time with these fun characters created by Shari Low. Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion. About Shari: Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 25 novels, including One Day In Summer and My One Month Marriage and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow. Social Media Links Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/ShariLowNewsletter Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sharilowbooks/ Website - http://www.sharilow.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sharilowbooks/ Twitter @ https://twitter.com/sharilow Thank you for stopping by and reading the post. I do hope you pick a copy of What if? as well as the upcoming sequel- they are bound to put a smile on your face!
Have a great Sunday! If you would like to check out what other blogger thought of the book, here is the full schedule of the blog tour: #Blog Tour # Book Review of Villain by Caro Savage @rararesources @Boldwood Books @Caro Savage9/10/2020
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this new exciting instalment in the DC Bailey Morgan series of thrillers. Synopsis: Villain To catch a villain sometimes you have to become one. Bailey's Back! From the bestselling author of Jailbird. Detective Constable Bailey Morgan is back doing what she does best – working undercover. This time she has to infiltrate the inner circle of a notorious underworld family. Posing as a fellow villain, she is on a one-woman mission to bring the family to their knees. But things are never that simple. Bailey finds that she is forced to confront shadowy wraiths from her past and will come face-to-face with a set of devastating revelations that will shatter her world and threaten her very existence. With only herself to trust, Bailey is on her own and the stakes are higher than ever. Heart-stopping and gripping. Perfect for the fans of hit TV shows such as Line of Duty and Gangs of London. Purchase Link My thoughts: When the blurb for this new thriller by Caro savage says 'gripping', it doesn't lie. I put on hold everything I did and was glued to the book until small hours - I just had to find out how the new undercover operation DC Bailey Morgan is embarking on in this instament going to turn out. The book begins with a bang - a shockingly visual scene lets us know: we are entering a dangerous world of organised crime and violent, revengeful criminals. Bailey is spending Christmas with her family, when she gets a phone call from Frank, the head of undercover operations, which can only mean one thing- a new assignment. This time her task is to infiltrate a powerful criminal underworld family, the Malloys. The way to earn the criminals' trust is never easy, but this time it goes through making Nancy Malloy, the mother of the current head of the family, believe that Bailey and she are made of the same ruthless cloth. I found all aspects of Bailey's work utterly fascinating- her preparation, the courage she needs to face the task, the creation of her new identity, a little, but potentially deadly mistake she almost makes that could blow her cover. I haven't read ( I will now!) book 1 in the series, but we do get an idea of what Bailey's previous jobs were like and the toll they took on her, both mentally and physically. She is a flawed character, but as the events unfold and you get to know her better, you get a sense that DC Bailey Morgan is the kind of person who has a strong moral compass and her heart is in the right place. I really don't want to give the story away. This was one of those rare cases that I wasn't even tempted to take a peek at the last page, because the writing was so good that I really wanted to savour every scene and every detail. The pace is fast and the time seems to get compressed in these short, action-packed chapters. Highly recommended for all readers who enjoy a well-written thriller with a strong female lead. Thank you to Rachel, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. About the author: Caro Savage knows all about bestselling thrillers having worked as a Waterstones bookseller for 12 years in a previous life. Now taking up the challenge personally and turning to hard-hitting crime thriller writing, Jailbird was published by Boldwood in October 2019. Social Media Links twitter / instagram / newsletter Thank you for stopping by and reading the post. If you would like to see what other bloggers thought of this crime thriller, here is the full blog tour schedule:
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the Publication day celebration of Samantha Tonge's book The Winter We Met. Synopsis: The Winter We Met When charming, mysterious Nik sits next to Jess on a plane home from a Christmas toy trade fair, she never could have imagined the impact he'd have on her life. As they touch down in London, Jess is hesitant to let Nik walk away, and before she knows it, she's invited him to visit. As the two take in the delights of the toy store where she works, Jess gets an upsetting phone call. Willow Court, her grandmother's care home, is to close before Christmas. Jess is determined to find the perfect new home for her Gran – and throw the best Christmas party Willow Court has ever seen! But time is running out with the closure looming and Jess becomes increasingly drawn to enigmatic Nik who joins forces with her and best friend Oliver to realise those plans. Will a chance encounter on an aeroplane bring love to Jess's life or is this Christmas miracle too good to be true? Purchase Link - getbook.at/WinterWeMet My thoughts: This was such a sweet and original story, full of the traditional elements we associate with Christmas, but with an unusual, equally important focus. Jess Jagger, a twenty nine year old toy shop manager, is coming back home from a toy fair in Germany. When she changes seats on plane and ends up meeting charming, easy-to-talk-to Australian Nik Talvi, she has no idea how important this chance meeting will be. Nik's family own a toy making business and Jess, ever thoughtful and kind-hearted as she is, invites him to come and see her shop and the little quaint village it is situated in. He does, but during the conversation Jess gets a call from her grandmother Alice who is telling her that her care home has been bought by a redevelopment company and is slated to be closed and turned into a hotel. The current residents and their families will have just 6 weeks to find new places to live, which isn't easy at such short notice. Nik comes along during Jess's next visit to Alice's home and charms everybody straightawy. He offers his help in organising the last Christmas party for the residents. It will be a great chance to celebrate their friendship and all the good times they spent together. Nik is simply wonderful. So why does Oliver, Jess's flatmate and best friend, with whom she has been enjoying a quiet comfortable life, feel suspicious of Nik? Is Nik really way too good to be true? And what about Oliver himself- sweet, solid, dependable Oliver and his place in Jess's life? I absolutely adored the way the book focused on the elderly and their importance in our lives. The residents of Willow Court are all unique and drawn with so much love and care. I really appreciated their concerns about having to face such a big change and how the staff did everything they could to ensure their next home would be a good place. I also loved reading about the toy shop with its unique atmosphere. It gives me hope that people think about designing new toys to teach children about environment and taking care of our planet. A heart-warming and sincere story, easy to read and full of sweet, memorable characters, the Winter We Met is a bit more than just a regular Christmas romance and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you to Rachel, the publisher and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Author Bio Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and studied German and French at university. She has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris, and has travelled widely. When not writing she loves family time, reading and baking. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women's magazines. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014 her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction Best Ebook Award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Award. In 2020 she won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award with her novel Knowing You, from publisher Canelo. Social Media Links – Twitter: @SamTongeWriter Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor/ Title: Christmas Charms Author: Teri Wilson Published by: Hallmark Publishing Publication date: October 6th 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Synopsis: She never dreamed her holiday would include her hometown, a dog, or a firefighter. But a mysterious charm bracelet predicted it all… Ashley’s supposed to be having the Christmas of her dreams. After four years of working at an upscale jewelry store in Manhattan, she’s finally going to get a little velvet box of her own—from her boyfriend Jeremy, who’s taking her on a romantic trip to Paris. What could go wrong? Well, everything. Ashley heads home to Owl Lake instead, falling asleep on the train ride there…and waking up with a beautiful antique charm bracelet on her wrist. Soon, she realizes that each silver charm predicts an event that happens in real life. What does this mean for her and Jeremy…or her and Aidan, her former high school boyfriend, who’s now a local firefighter? Is there still a chance that she could have the perfect Christmas? This small town Christmas romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Spiced Walnut Crust Cookies with Chocolate Ganache and Sea Salt. Goodreads Purchase Amazon / B&N / I-books / Kobo AUTHOR BIO: Teri Wilson is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, whimsical contemporary romance. Three of Teri's books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies by Crown Media, including UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (plus its sequel MARRYING MR. DARCY), THE ART OF US and NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction for her novel THE BACHELOR'S BABY SURPRISE. Teri has a major weakness for cute animals, pretty dresses and Audrey Hepburn films, and she loves following the British royal family. Visit her at www.teriwilson.net or on Twitter @TeriWilsonauthr. twitter / webiste / instagram / facebook / goodreads Book & Author Details: The Magic Ingredient by Lindy Miller (A Bar Harbor Holiday Novel) Publication date: October 13th 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Synopsis: The end of summer is approaching, but even at the height of Bar Harbor’s tourist season, Eve Silver is having a hard time keeping enough dough in the bank to sustain the family bakery. Her only hope of paying past due bills is to win the catering bid for the town’s upcoming Harvest Happening festival. Otherwise, it’ll be lights out for Mount Desserts by Christmas. Widower Jeff Perry is moving with his twelve-year-old daughter, Candy, from Manhattan to Maine with one goal: starting over. When sparks fly between Jeff and Eve as the town readies for the annual harvest festival, Candy wishes she had a love potion to help her dad fall in love again. Will Eve be able to save Mount Desserts—and open her heart to Jeff—by the most bewitching night of the year? It’ll take a lot of love, a little bit of luck … and just a pinch of magic. Goodreads / Amazon AUTHOR BIO: Lindy Miller is an author of feel-good love stories that are full of sweet moments and happy endings. She believes the best time to fall in love is during the holidays, preferably over a cup of warm tea or a delicious vegan pastry - two things she can't get enough of. A free spirit, Lindy loves to travel and has a soft spot for Bar Harbor, Maine though she grew up at home in the South. She is married to her childhood sweetheart and bakes as often as she can for her husband, son, and pets - especially her golden retriever, Finn, who has a tendency to show up in her stories (and her Instagram!) Lindy is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity. Member Romantic Novelist Association (RNA). twitter / website / instagram / facebook Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog blitz for this charming collection of Christmas novellas. Tudor Christmas Tidings Make Merry at Court …with three Tudor Christmas stories! In Christmas at Court Sir John Talbot and Lady Alice’s secret betrothal must wait until Henry Tudor claims the throne. Next in Secrets of the Queen's Lady the lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves is unexpectedly reunited with a handsome—younger—diplomat at the palace’s festivities! And in His Mistletoe Lady Catherine seeks help from a mysterious Spaniard to free her father in time for Christmas! Purchase Links Amazon UK / Amazon. com / B&N / Kobo My thoughts: This was a truly delightful collection of Christmas stories written by three very talented and experienced romance authors. All three stories are set in the Tudor times. I loved all of them and would find it difficult to choose a favourite- they all deal with slightly different aspects and challenges a couple deeply in love would have faced in those times. In Christmas at Court seventeen-year-old Lady Alice knows her time to get married has come, but it can only be done in line with her family wishes and the permission of King RichardIII. Her parents married for love and had a wonderful life together. How she would have liked a marriage like this for herself, even though when her mother falls ill and dies, her father's grief is almost unbearable. Lady Alice lives in very uncertain and dangerous times and must keep her wits about her, if she wants to survive. When the Dowager Queen tells her she is to be bethrothed to a young nobleman from the North, a son of one of King Richard's most loyal supporters, Lady Alice wonders what kind of game she is being made a part of. And it is a political game with very high stakes for all involved. By their betrothalSir John and Lady Alice's families promise to support young Henry Tudor in his attempts to take the throne and marry Princess Elizabeth York, the daughter of former King. This way Lancasters and Yorks will be united. It was fascinating to read about the betrothal customs and its significance in those times. Sir John and Lady Alice obey their families wishes, but can they trust each other? and could it be that in this political game where their feelings shouldn't matter at all, they can find true love? Secrets of the Queen's Lady takes us to the times of King Henry VIII and the court of his 'discarded' wife Anne of Cleves. Their marriage was annulled by the King who had alredy met and quite probably fallen in love (or lust) with his next wife Catherine Howard. Despite the very public humiliation of being judged and found too plain for the King's affections, Anne of Cleves might have had a lucky escape- she did outlive all of his wives, after all. Lady Philippa is one of the few English ladies who was the Queen Anne's lady-in-waiting and did not abandon her service after the marrriage was annulled. She is sweet, kind, intelligent, and dutiful. Her family chose her husband for her when she was but a child. Unfortunately, the marriage was very unhappy, something Lady Philippa has been hiding from the world for years. Even after her husband's death, she protects his reputation. When Sir Christopher (Kit) comes to spend Christmas festivities at the palace of Anne of Cleves and reminds her that they met before, Lady Philippa unexpectedly feels attracted to this young and handsome diplomat. Their feelings are mutual, but his family, like hers in the past, would like him to put the family duty first and marry another noble lady. I loved the fact that Lady Pippa was older than Kit. The old saying that love knows no age has never been truer than in this story of the two dutiful soulmates who deserve their own happiness and happily ever after. I didn't know that Christmas trees was a German, not English tradition at the time, so setting the story at the court of Anne of Cleves allowed this much beloved element of Christmas decorations make its appearance. His Mistletoe Lady was such a compelling read- I raced through the pages keen to find out how the story of Lady Catherine Greaves, daughter of a Spanish lady-in-waiting at the court of Queen Catherine of Aragorn who married an English nobleman, and Senor Diego de Vasquez, a handsome Spanish widower who cames to the court of Queen Mary and King Phillip and has a secret mission of his own. It was such an interesting mix of the two cultures and how they sometimes blended, sometimes clashed at the court. I truly admire the research and thought that the authors put in in order to let us experience Christmas festivities in Tudor times -with all their feasts, games, music, dances, and sometimes mischief, and let us feel the joy this festive season brought in those uncertain times. And love? Well, love truly knows no age and no borders, but is based on trust and mutual respect, something Blythe Gifford, Jenni Fletcher and Amanda McCabe wonderfully show in this entertaining collection. About the authors: About Jenni Fletcher Jenni Fletcher is from the north coast of Scotland and now lives in Yorkshire where she writes historical romance novels. She studied English at Cambridge University before doing a PhD on Edwardian literature & psychology at Hull. She has been nominated for 4 RoNA awards and won for Short Romantic Fiction in 2020. In her spare time she loves baking and, of course, reading. Social Media Links twitter @JenniAuthor / facebook About Blythe Gifford After many years in public relations, advertising, and marketing, Blythe Gifford started writing seriously after a corporate layoff. Ten years and one layoff later, she became an overnight success when she sold to the Harlequin Historical line. Her books, set in the 14th to 17th centuries, typically incorporate real historical events and characters. The Chicago Tribune has called her work “the perfect balance between history and romance.” Blythe lives and works along Chicago’s lakefront. website / facebook / twitter / pinterest / instagram About Amanda McCabe Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...) She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections. When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook. Amanda also writes as Laurel McKee for Grand Central Publishing, the Elizabethan Mystery Series as Amanda Carmack, and the Manor Cat Mystery Series as Eliza Casey. instagram / pinterest / facebook Book & Author Details: The Lemerons by Valerie Puri (The Secret Archives Trilogy, #2) Publication date: October 1st 2020 Genres: Dystopian, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Synopsis: There is nowhere to hide when danger closes in from all sides. Jennie left the security of her walled community to join Ethan in search of answers about his troubled past. Braving the threats lurking in the forest, their journey to Arborville leads to startling revelations… some that could prove fatal. Back at the Commune, the delicate society Jennie’s people have built is crumbling. The number of flesh-eating lemerons attacking their wall continues to grow, and two factions are vying for control of the tattered hierarchy of the community. With both the Commune and Arborville at risk of destruction, it will take Jennie and all her friends to stand together and protect their communities. Failure will bring a swift and certain death to all the residents hunkered inside. Goodreads Amazon AUTHOR BIO: Valerie Puri is an author of Paranormal, Fantasy, and Young Adult. As an author of both short stories and novels, she enjoys the flexibility of writing tales of any length. Her favorite aspect of writing is the ability to create something out of nothing. She loves building worlds readers can visualize and filling those worlds with complex characters and storylines. Valerie believes that the experiences we have in life are just stories waiting to be written. In 2016, she published her debut novel, The Crimson Tree, a thrilling paranormal tale inspired by true events. The main source of inspiration for this story was a number of experiences her sister encountered in her home. She went on to publish The Dociles, book one of The Secret Archives Trilogy, her young adult dystopian series. Valerie's work can be found in anthologies such as Demonic Anthologies, Thrill of the Hunt, and We Know the Truth, Do You? Readers can look forward to future novels and short stories with paranormal and urban fantasy aspects in the near future, including a trilogy she is co-authoring in the Dark Projects world. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, or listening to audio books. She is a Florida transplant, but part of her will always call the Midwest home. Author links: website / twitter / facebook / bookbub / instagram / goodreads Thank you to Rachel from Rachel' Random resources for my place on the blog tour for this sweet and moving story of second chances both in love, friendship and life. Synopsis: She’s wreaked havoc in everyone’s lives. Can she find forgiveness… even from within? Former drug addict Melinda desperately wants to make amends for years of misguided aggression. Fresh out of rehab and in control of her type of bipolar disorder, she’s grateful to have a secure job and a safe homestead for her long road to recovery. Welcomed by a glorious cliffside sunset and her handsome rancher host, she’s surprised by their instant attraction. Determined to excel at her work, Melinda does her utmost to display kindness and forges a healthy connection with the horses. And when her dedication warms the heart of the steeds’ drop-dead gorgeous owner, she starts to believe in the possibility of unexpected love and a new future. Can Melinda truly conquer the demons of her past to find redemption? Reformed Dreamer is the fourth and final book in the sweet Inspiration in Cologne women’s fiction series. If you like hard-won second chances, surprising romance, and rising above mental health hurdles, then you’ll love Deborah King’s touching story. Purchase Links US Kindle – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JJ8K16G/. UK Kindle - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JJ8K16G/ UK Paperback – https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/1733588841/ US Paperback- https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1733588841/ Reformed Dreamer will be .99 c /p until 4th October. My thoughts: Melinda Moore's story told by Deborah Kinfg in Reformed Dreamer is the fourth book in the Inspiration in Cologne series. The previous ones, Daring Dreamer, Bedazzled Dreamer and Determined Dreamer tell respective stories of Janna, Shelby and Kalie. brave, strong and loyal women. They also happen to be Melinda's friends, people who stand by her no matter what. While it is possible to read Reformed Dreamer as a standalone, if you want to appreciate their complex relationships and character development, it is probably better to read the books in order. We meet Melinda as she comes out of rehab and is about to move back to her home town where everybody remembers her difficult past. Like her late father, she has a form of bi-polar disorder and needs to take regular medication. Melinda is about to start a year of living and working on a ranch with her sponsor Darius. Melinda relies on Darius and her friends to help her recognise if the medication doesn't work and needs to be adjusted. The work with horses is physically demanding and she has to learn a lot in order to do it in the best way possible, but Melinda is a hard worker and finds out she loves taking care of horses. Her biggest challenge is of a daily kind, it is simply living her new life, building new relationships and restoring the ones she damaged before. I love second chance stories. This one is more about life, accepting oneself and the others around you and being kind to each other. Darius was such a great character - strong, caring, unassuming. Even when he realises he has feelings for Melinda, he thinks about her needs first. It takes time to heal after what Melinda has been through and Darius is the kind of person who takes care after people and helps them get to the place where they heal themselves. There are other characters in the book he sponsored before, so Melinda can see successful examples of living the best life possible after the rehab. I really enjoyed reading about Thunder and Spirit, the two horses she connected with the most and the way she interacted with the animals with so much love, trust and care. If you enjoy reading women's fiction and stories about friendships that evolve in complex life circumstances or would like to read a book with a protagonist who learns how to live with her bi-polar disorder, Reformed Dreamer has all this aspects. It is also set in a beautiful place, filled with loyal characters, and has a clean and wholesome romance in it. If you are a fan of all these things, give this interesting and touching series a go. Thank you to the author and Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. About Deborah King: Deborah King is a spirited woman who was inspired to pursue her dreams due to her mother’s death from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. She has the unique ability to read people and tackle life’s hardships. Deborah is an acclaimed, distinctive new voice in romantic women’s fiction. After raising two children, working with a not-for-profit wildlife rescue organization, and reading too many books to count, she retired from her personal training and weight management business to follow her dream of writing. She is extremely grateful for having the opportunity to work with many different people sharing and teaching what inspires her, which you’ll catch glimpses of in her books. Deborah’s lived in several diverse areas in her city as well as three years in a rural setting. She lives in Missouri with her supportive husband, two rescue cats, who believe they’re dogs, her mini fitness store, and her eclectic collection of books. Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/DeborahKingAuthor https://www.facebook.com/groups/Deborah.King.Inside.Scoop/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18846301.Deborah_King https://mobile.twitter.com/dkingnovels https://www.pinterest.com/debbiekingstl/ If you would like to see what other bloggers thought of the story, here is the full blog tour schedule:
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