Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in this blog tour.

Just A Girl

What happens when the right girl and the right guy meet at the wrong time?

One thing that can be said about Quinn Pearson is that she has a knack for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Like, the worst time ever. Take her job for instance. One little slip of the tongue using the mother of all swear words while reporting the news, and suddenly she finds herself with over 18 million views on YouTube and her employment in jeopardy. If that wasn’t bad enough, when she meets the man of her dreams, she nearly chokes to death on a powdered sugar donut.

Thankfully for Quinn, the dashing Brit, Henry, finds her near death experience quite charming. But just when Quinn thinks her luck is going to change, she finds out her timing is all wrong again. Henry is off limits. Or is he? Maybe it’s time for Quinn to quit settling for what life hands her. Perhaps it's time for her to become more than just a girl.

Purchase Links

UK  /  US

My thoughts:

If you are looking for a new chicklit /romcom or just a quick entertaining read, Just a Girl will definitely fit the bill. Even if you are not a big fan of workplace romances (yes, they do tend to backfire in real life) or shy and sexy Brits, there are other classic elements of well-written chick-lit- loyal besties, an evil workmate, an embarrassing mistake that in the spirit of times goes viral, an overbearing mother, a supportive father, and, best of all, a lovely, bubbly, relatable heroine.

Quinn has been working as a newsreader for a TV channel in Central Florida. She also happens to restore antique furniture in her free time (how cool is that?). When she meets lovely Henry, and goes on a date with him, she is a bit reluctant to talk about her real job and I do understand her reasons. She is afraid he'd google her and see the viral video of her biggest ever TV blooper. Henry isn't exactly forthcoming about the work position he is interviewing for. One of the executive producers Quinn worked with leaves the channel and his replacement is...our dashing Brit. The situation is further complicated by Quinn's nemesis Stacey and her intrigues.

Workplace romance is a great trope to read about, and here we get two examples- one with catastrophic consequences (a cautionary tale) and one that blooms into a lovely supportive realtionship. There is also the theme of settling or rather not settling, but working towards and reaching for what we all deserve- love and respect. It was impossible not to root for Quinn and Henry on their journey of working out how they want to live their life.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinion were my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio –

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.

Social Media Links –

Website: www.beckymonson.com
Facebook: AuthorBeckyMonson
Twitter: @bmonsonauthor
Instagram: @bmonsonauthor
Media Kit: www.beckymonson.com/media-kit
 

Thank you for reading the post! Have a great Sunday!

If you would like to know what other bloggers thought of Just a Girl, here is the full blog tour schedule:

Book & Author Details:

Overland
by Ramcy Diek
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller

Synopsis:

Skyla Overland is proud to work for Overland Insurance, the company founded by her grandfather. She enjoys sharing an apartment with her best friend, Pauline, and is in love with Edmond. Besides one nerve-wracking insurance fraud case in the past, her sheltered life is uneventful and just the way she likes it.

Until one day, everything changes…

Skyla and Troy, the manager at Overland Insurance, are the last ones to leave the office. In the empty parking lot, Troy takes her in his arms. Why would he ruin their easy-going friendship by kissing her, especially since he knows she’s dating Edmond?

Left alone, Skyla hurries to her car, puts on her seatbelt, and glances in her rearview mirror.
The face of a stranger grins at her from the backseat. “How nice to see you again,” he hisses close to her ear.

Regaining consciousness, Skyla finds herself on the backseat of her own car, with her hands tied behind her back.
Is she getting kidnapped? Who is he? And where is he taking her?

Goodreads

Purchase
Amazon / B&N

AUTHOR BIO:

A long time ago, I fell in love with the United States while traveling around in an Oldsmobile station-wagon with my husband. We are both born and raised in the Netherlands.
Together, we eventually found our way to the Pacific Northwest, built up a business, and raised our two boys into amazing young adults with their own careers. During this time, I also made a slow transition from reader to writer of many different stories.

My multiple award winning debut novel "Storm at Keizer Manor" sets the bar high for my second novel, Eagles in Flight.
All my books are stand alone novels in different genres. You might be in for a surprise, or a disappointment.

Author links:
https://www.ramcydiek.com/
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ramcy-diek
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/c0f3o0
https://www.facebook.com/RamcyDiek/
https://twitter.com/RamcyDiekAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/ramcydiekauthor/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16967126.Ramcy_Diek

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Book & Author Details:

Worth the Wait
by Charity West
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance


Synopsis:

Gemma Rhodes has her entire life ahead of her. At eighteen, she should be at college, living life to the fullest. Except she doesn’t have her life even the slightest bit figured out. Instead, she’s taken the year off to learn who she is and what she wants – aside from the unattainable Jake Bennet. Her brother’s best friend, her knight in shining armor, and a man who thinks of her as a little sister. She knows she should move on, but how can she when no one could ever compare to Jake?

Jake Bennet might be half a world away in the middle of a war, but the Marine only has one thing on his mind – Gemma. The one woman he can never have. There were some rules a guy just didn’t break, and dating his best friend’s sister was one of them. Riley would break him if he caught Jake looking at Gemma like the lovesick fool he was. When he’s injured and sent home, he knows he should stay away, but sometimes temptation is just too much for a mere mortal to handle.

There’s only one thing Jake needs to know… Can Gemma love a broken Marine? Because she’s had his heart for years, and if he’s learned anything, it’s that some things are worth the wait.

Goodreads

Purchase

Amazon  /  iBooks  /  Kobo

AUTHOR BIO:

Charity West is a young adult/new adult romance author who has always had her head in the clouds. She had her first crush when she was four, and it lasted for six years. Then she quickly fell head over heels for another boy, until she had to move away and leave him behind. Jumping from one boy to another, she finally found a keeper when she was twenty, and she’s been married to him ever since.



By the time Charity was twelve, she was sneaking her mother’s Harlequin romances and reading them in secret when she was supposed to be asleep. Teased throughout middle school and high school for the bodice ripper covers on the books she openly read in class, she knew that one day she wanted to write her own happily-ever-afters.

Author links:
website  /  goodreads  / twitter  / facebook  / instagram

Thank to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this exciting thriller.

Synopsis:

Into the Void

How easy is it for a man to simply disappear?

When rural banker Richard Harper is reported missing, DSS John (Archie) Baldrick and DC Ben Travers are drawn into the tangled details of the man’s life. Would Harper really have chosen to leave his seriously ill wife, and abandon his pregnant girlfriend? Or is there a real threat behind the abusive emails he’d been receiving from desperate clients in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis?

On the home front, Archie’s marriage is rocky and his two teenage daughters are giving him all sorts of trouble. The frail but beautiful Helena Harper and her magnificent house offer an oasis of calm as Archie struggles to discover who is responsible for her husband’s disappearance. Has he really been abducted, tortured or killed? Or is Richard Harper himself behind everything that has happened?

Archie and Travers ultimately face a race against time as the case descends into a bewildering morass of obsession, violence and murder.

Longlisted for the 2019 Michael Gifkins Memorial Prize for an Unpublished Novel
Finalist in the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best First Novel

Purchase Links
US  /  UK
readers can email Christina via her website www.christinaoreilly.com or her Facebook page Christina O’Reilly – Author for a paperback copy.

My thoughts:

Some thrillers start with a bang and get more and more frenetic. Others begin quetly and keep getting better and better with every page. Christina O'Reilly's Into the Void is one of them.

The mystery of a forty-two year old married banker who left his home to go on a business trip to Aukland and vanished into thin air should have been easy to solve. Richard left a wife undergoing chemotherapy treatments (what kind of man would do that) and a pregnant mistress (apparently he was delighted with the news)- perhaps, the stress of leading the double life had got to him and he simply ran away from his troubles? DSS Archie Baldrick and his partner Ben Travers suspect there is more to the case. When Lisa Carpenter, Richard's pregnant girlfriend, is brutally attacked and later murdered, Archie feels guilty for not having taken enough precautions to protect her. He is not a man to give up easily, although the lack of progress is frustrating and it isn't easy to admit it to increasingly more fragile Mrs Harper.

What makes this police procedural stand out is the second storyline: Archie's messy, chaotic family - his super easy-going wife Jenna and his teenage daughters Summer and Alicia. Anybody who's trying to raise a teenager and deal with their growing desire for independence will recognise the familiar parental scenes. All characters, main and secondary (even Mrs Harper's cleaner) are well-written and I can only hope that Into the Void is the beginning of a new series and we'll get to meet them again.

Although the book is quite short, the plot is well-developed and all the loose ends were tied in in the end. Did I guess the criminal mastermind behind the events- yes, I did, but I was also thoroughly entertained and happy to lose myself in this gripping whodunnit. The Devil is always in details, and Christina O'Reilly knows how to paint a picture with a few well-chosen words.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. Don't miss it, it's a good one.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy gifted with no expectation of a favourable review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio 

Christina is an author and proofreader living in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Several of her short stories have been published in anthologies, most recently in Fresh Ink: A Collection of Voices from Aotearoa New Zealand 2019. Into the Void is her first crime novel and was longlisted for the Michael Gifkins Memorial Prize in 2019. It is also a finalist in the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best First Novel.

Social Media
Facebook

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Happy Publication day to the Well of Ice by Andrea Carter!

Synopsis:

A cold—and terrifying—Christmas holiday on the Inishowen Peninsula

December on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal—and solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O'Keeffe is working flat out before the Christmas holidays. While on a trip to Dublin to visit her parents, she runs into Luke Kirby—the man who killed her sister—freshly released from jail. On the surface he appears remorseful, conciliatory even, but his comment as she walks away makes her realize he is as evil as ever.

Back in Glendara, she finds chaos. The Oak pub has burned down and Carole Kearney, the Oak's barmaid, has gone missing. And then, while walking the dog up Sliabh Sneacht, Ben and her partner, Sergeant Tom Molloy, make a gruesome discovery: a body lying face down in the snow. Another brutal attack in the small town and Ben plunges into full discovery mode.


Who could be behind this vicious attack on Glendara and its residents? And why disturb such a charming town at Christmas? As Ben delves in to find answers, she comes face to face with the reality that all this evil could be swirling around her as her past confronts her present—and future.

Perfect for fans of character driven mysteries with a powerful sense of place.

Published November 10th 2020 by Oceanview Publishing

About Andrea Carter:

Andrea Carter graduated in law from Trinity College, Dublin. She qualified as a solicitor and moved to the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal where she lived and worked for a number of years. In 2005 she transferred to the Bar and moved to Dublin to practise as a barrister. She grew up in Ballyfin, Co. Laois.
 Goodreads

Inishowen Mystery Series

Book & Author Details:



Faerest
by Brianna Bennett
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales, Retelling




Synopsis:

Mystery has surrounded Sydney White for as long as she can remember. Her mother’s death puzzled even the hardiest of investigators, but eventually, they just stopped trying. So, when Syd is presented with the opportunity to finish a degree in faery anthropology that her mother began over twenty years ago, she leaps at the chance to learn the truth. However, truth is often stranger than fiction, especially when the lines between faery and human are eroding each day. Syd will have to navigate unthinkable deals, a prince in peril she swore she would never speak to again, and an organization only known as Coventry.

Goodreads

Purchase:
Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:


Fanfiction was where it all began. It gave me the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and work out crucial lessons in the craft. I spent several years writing for free, which helped me understand the realities of the writing world early on.
​
Once I got to college, I did the one thing that most advisors tell you not to do: I majored in what I was passionate about, not what would be most practical. ​
​
After graduating from college with a degree in Professional Writing, I took a year off and then enrolled in a double Master's program. In the 3 years that followed, I dedicated myself to learning as much as I could about all areas of writing and publishing. 
​
Nowadays, I'm a medical receptionist, soon-to-be self-published author, Medium blogger, writing coach, and podcast host. I live and work in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Links:
website /instagram / twitter / facebook

Synopsis:

St. Petersburg, 1725. Peter the Great lies dying in his magnificent Winter Palace. The weakness and treachery of his only son has driven his father to an appalling act of cruelty and left the empire without an heir. Russia risks falling into chaos. Into the void steps the woman who has been by his side for decades: his second wife, Catherine Alexeyevna, as ambitious, ruthless and passionate as Peter himself.

Born into devastating poverty, Catherine used her extraordinary beauty and shrewd intelligence to ingratiate herself with Peter’s powerful generals, finally seducing the Tsar himself. But even amongst the splendor and opulence of her new life—the lavish feasts, glittering jewels, and candle-lit hours in Peter’s bedchamber—she knows the peril of her position. Peter’s attentions are fickle and his rages powerful; his first wife is condemned to a prison cell, her lover impaled alive in Red Square. And now Catherine faces the ultimate test: can she keep the Tsar’s death a secret as she plays a lethal game to destroy her enemies and take the Crown for herself?

From the sensuous pleasures of a decadent aristocracy, to the incense-filled rites of the Orthodox Church and the terror of Peter’s torture chambers, the intoxicating and dangerous world of Imperial Russia is brought to vivid life. Tsarina is the story of one remarkable woman whose bid for power would transform the Russian Empire."

My thoughts:

Growing up, I heard some stories about Peter the Great, his epic efforts to reform Moscovy into the global player Russia became during his reign, his formidable spirit and thirst for knowledge as well as his volatile character. I also heard about his wife Catherine who came from humble origins and 'clawed' her way to the most elevated position of the Empress of Russia. Although she passed away very soon after her husband's death and reigned just for two short years, Catherine I was undoubtfully a remarkable woman.
I often wondered what it was like to be a life companion of somebody like Henry VIII or Peter the Great. Historically, royal marriages seal geopolitical alliances. Rarely do they have anything to do with romantic feelings or personal happiness. So what kind of ambition or political intelligence does it take to play this game? or perhaps this story is an exception and it is possible to love and care for the real, necessarily flawed person behind the titles and almost limitless power? This is the question Ellen Alpsten sets out to answer in her historical novel Tsarina and I must say I was riveted by the book from the beginning to the end.
Tsarina begins with a bang. Peter the Great has just passed away and Tsarina Catherine knows she cannot permit herself a moment of weakness or grief: her survival depends on outsmarting other possible heirs and political forces. We do get a glimpse of how mixed her feelings are and then we go back to the beginning of her life (when she still went by name of Marta) to see what she has been through up until this moment. Extreme poverty, serfdom, rape (warning: graphic scenes), powerlessness, hard work, wars and men's power games, pregnancies, child births and child loss, scandals and intrigues- all until Catherine's death in 1727. The narrative is extremely detailed and obviously very well-researched. You will live and breath history and find yourself immersed in this dangerous period of time. Chapter after chapter I felt compelled to read on and discover more details of Catherine's dramatic life.
Recommended to all lovers of historical fiction who would like to learn more about life in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Book & Author Details:

It’s Raining Men
by Rich Amooi
Publication date: November 8th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Synopsis:

On a dare, Faith Daniels tosses a coin into the infamous “Fountain of Love” and wishes for the perfect man, laughing it off as the dumbest thing she’s ever done. Like magic, her quiet life turns upside-down when men begin to appear out of nowhere. There’s a doctor, a lawyer, a firefighter, and a swimwear model, for starters. All of them are kind, generous, successful, and drop-dead gorgeous. All of them are interested in Faith. But who is Mr. Right?
A feel-good romance novel about love, friendship, and living life to the fullest!


Goodreads

Purchase

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

Rich Amooi is a Taleflick Discovery Winner, Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Recipient, Holt Medallion Finalist, and the Amazon Bestselling author of 15 romantic comedies, including It's Not PMS, It's You, Dying to Meet You, There's Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually. Over 500,000 downloads from readers around the world.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Author Links:

website / instagram / facebook / bookbub / twitter /  goodreads

GIVEAWAY (ends Nov 19)
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $25 Amazon gift card

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Thank to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery, a clean and wholesome romance.

The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery

Fluttering cherry blossoms, gorgeous kimonos and sweet and sorrowful love.

For cake-loving college girl Hana, Japan was the romantic destination of her dreams. With boyfriend Jin she planned an exciting new life in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. But when she finally arrives after months of planning, Jin isn't there. 

Hana is left broken-hearted on a rainy Tokyo street. Jin left no note. One day he just walked out of classes and disappeared. 

Hana begins her new life alone. Watching cherry blossoms fall into the Tokyo river. Working hard and delivering her lovely home-baked cakes by orange bicycle. Then she meets handsome young farmer Hikaru, and glimpses a new way forward - in an alien place where she doesn't know a soul.

The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery is a sweet romance with a hint of magic realism. It's a perfect book to carry with you and read on holiday or weekends.

Purchase Links
Amazon US here / Amazon UK here



My thoughts:
The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery was such a delightful read, sweet, delicate, a perfect combination of a coming of age story and romance. Food descriptions are such an essential part of this book that any reader who loves carefully choosing and trying out new dessert recipes would feel in heaven.

Hana (I just love her name- 'unique' in Korean and 'Flower' in Japanese, both of which fit perfectly this very special girl) comes to Tokyo to visit her boyfriend Jin who went there to study Business Management. Jin hasn't been in touch with her for two months and, understandably, Hana feels worried. Although she speaks only very basic Japanese and has little money in her savings account, Hana embarks on a journey that will change her life.
Once in Tokyo, she finds out Jin left Japan with no forward mail address or any kind of hint where he might be. Yet, our loyal Hana is determined to wait for him. Perhaps he is in a dire situation and will call her for help. Meanwhile, she finds a school to help her improve her Japanes language skills, a place to live and a part-time job. She also buys a cute orange bicycle with a little basket to put her shopping in.
Slowly, Hana begins to make friends and weave her magic of changing other people's lives for better with her gift of listening, lending a helping hand at the moment of need, showing her gratitude and accepting the others as they are, and, of course, baking her delicious cakes. Hana carries her cakes in her bicycle basket with great attention, after all, they are all made with love and care for her new friends. All chapters have dessert names and you just have to read them to appreciate how much thought went into book.
For me, this is a book that deals with growing into yourself, discovering what your dreams and inclinations are and following them. There is also so much focus on kindness, that might manifest itself in both giving and accepting help and making somebody feel loved and appreciated.
I would recommend this book first and foremost to anyone who loves food and learning about different cultures and also those who enjoy a sweet clean romance in a beautiful setting.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Su Young Lee is a Korean romance author who lived in Tokyo, Japan for 10 years and now lives in London, England with her husband and two lovely cats. 

Su works in academic publishing and loves baking, playing piano and working on her calligraphy.

Check her blog here. 
https://suyoungleesblog.wordpress.com

Thank you for stopping by and reading the post. If you would like to read more reviews or other promotional material for Su Young Lee's book, please, see the full tour schedule:

Happy sunday to everyone!