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From the blurb: A hopeful and emotional novel about twists of fate, enduring friendships, and life’s never-ending surprises by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart. In the decade since Emma Dean’s husband died, she’s maintained a peaceful and organized life in her hometown of Wyndham Beach—until she finds evidence of her husband’s longtime affair. How, Emma wonders, can a man who’s been gone for ten years still break her heart? Still reeling from the betrayal, Emma must focus on the group of artists she’s invited to take up residence at the art center she founded, one of whom is secretly seeking refuge from her abusive ex. Toss in a charming businessman who’s returned to town with eyes for only Emma, and it’s becoming a most interesting summer. And the biggest surprise of all is about to ring Emma’s doorbell and turn her life completely upside down yet again. As Emma struggles between what was and what is, she discovers that the life she really wants—however unexpected—is just within reach, if she’s willing to fight for it. Publisher: Montlake Publication Date: December 13, 2022 ISBN 9781542039635, 1542039630 Purchase Link Wyndham Beach Series: 1 An Invincible Summer 2 Goodby Again 3 All That We Are  My thoughts: All That We Are is the third book in the Wyndham Beach series which is set in a small town on the Massachusetts coast. If you love reading about complex family dynamics, real life dilemmas, unexpected life events that make you question everything, second chances in love, and, above all, lifelong friendships, this is a series for you. It is better to start with the first book as you would get a much fuller reading experience, but All That We Are can be read as a standalone, if you don't mind getting glimpses of the happily-ever-afters Maggie and Liddy, the protagonists of the previous two books, are living in this one. The focus of this book is on Maggie and Liddy's friend Emma Dean. Emma, who is always impeccably dressed and effortlessly 'appropriate, has her own heartbreak to come to terms with and overcome in this story. Although she's been widowed for a long time, it is only now that she starts looking through her husband's papers and discovers that he had a long term affair with his co-worker. As the evidence keeps mounting, Emma is trying to reassess her life and decide whether she wants her son Chris even know about his father's infidelity. After all, neither of them can confront Harry who's been dead for more than ten years. My heart went to Emma who had the proverbial rug pulled from under her feet not once, but twice in this book, when a stranger rings her doorbell and Emma has to deal with the situation she never thought she would have to face. Luckily, Emma has her wonderful system of support and I don't mean just her life-long friends Maggie and Liddy who keep reminding her who she is and what she genuinely and wholeheartedly believes in. It is the whole Wyndham Beach community with its very special atmosphere. I liked the way different generations with their different perspectives have their stories interwoven as they do in real life. If you've read the previous two books, you might also appreciate the development some characters (e.g. Grace, Maggie's daughter) have gone through in the series. The writing is very engaging and you need this kind of style when the topic can be summarised by one word: Life. Other topics include a relationship parents have with their grown-up children, which can be a reason for anxiety, feeling guilt, or pregrets, but can also be a source of joy, happiness, and support. Emma's age group doesn't get enough representation and it is lovely to read a well-written series giving women in their late fifties-early sixties protagonist roles. I am now a fan of Mariah Stewart and will be looking forward to reading more of her stories in future. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.
About the author:
Mariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!) After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
High Impact
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Confessions of a Fangirl
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: “Why don’t you turn on the TV? I have a movie in for us to watch.” He winks. “I think you’ll enjoy it.” I narrow my gaze. “Is it inappropriate?” Shaun’s eyes widen. “What would give you the impression I would dare cross that line? We’ve only known each other for two weeks.” “True.” “Normally I let crazy out of the bottle after the third date, never before then.” I spin around to face him. “I knew it.” He doubles over the sink laughing. “Just turn on the TV, Jen.” When I turn it on, a familiar song comes through the speakers. I grin like an idiot when I see the familiar logo. “Source of Destiny,” I mutter under my breath. “Good thing you’re a Space Vendetta fan, huh?” He dries his hands and joins me. My face heats. “Actually, I’m a newbie to the whole thing. We watched it the other weekend for movie night. It was the first time I’d ever heard of the series.” “Oh, so you had your SVS cherry popped recently, huh?” Shaun sits on the couch next to me and takes the remote from my hand. “I guess you could say that.” I bite my tongue knowing he doesn’t mean anything by the comment, but it leaves me a bit breathless. “I guess it’s not your typical movie night choice then.” “No. One of the guys in the mailroom suggested it when he heard Lily and me discussing ideas in the break room.” “Lily.” Shaun thinks for a moment. “Oh yes, the classic vintage aficionado.” He nods sagely. “She always looks stunning. It’s a great style on her.” “Right?” I push away the twist of jealousy. “I envy her style. She looks so put together.” “You do too.” He grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine. “It’s what I noticed first about you.” There goes the damn rollercoaster again. “Really?” “Yeah.” He squeezes my hand. I turn my head away to hide the flaming blush I know has consumed my face. My gaze rests on the TV and the logo on the screen. “Shall we start the movie?” “Sure.” He presses play and pulls me against him, draping his arm around my shoulder. We’ve both seen the film before, but within moments we’re both drawn into the story on the screen. My body tenses in anticipation. I know what’s coming, and I brace myself for it. Captain Korbin Ransom appears on the screen on queue. An ache settles in my chest. Guiltily, I glance at Shaun, who’s entranced by the film. My gaze drifts back to the movie. This inexplainable gravity draws me into the story. A closeup of the villain’s profile has my heart racing. My fingers dig into Shaun’s thigh. He shifts and pulls me closer. What the hell is wrong with me? My second date and I’m swooning over a man on the screen when I should be all over the warm, solid man beside me. He made me dinner. Made me feel special. Hell, he made me tiramisu! As the movie continues, I hold my breath for the moments Korbin Ransom appears in all his leather-clad wonder. The character’s brooding darkness and sexy swagger have me on the edge of my seat. I’m drawn to this villain in ways I can’t comprehend. I like good men. Honest men. Men who make me dinner and treat me like a queen. But deep in the dark recesses of my mind, my imagination flirts with something I’ve never allowed into the light. I’m aroused and ashamed. I shove these fantasies of a tempting villain aside and focus on enjoying this moment with Shaun, a good man of flesh and blood. When the credits roll, I slowly shift from beneath his arm and stretch. “That movie gets better every time I see it. I mean, it’s like I catch details I missed before.” “Yeah, happens to me too.” He stretches his arm out and grabs my wrist, pulling me back against him. I’m breathless, caught in the haze of his blue eyes. My heart’s racing. “Jen…am I going too fast for you?” There’s hunger in their depths. I swallow. “No.” “If I ever make you uncomfortable, tell me.” A soft smile curves his lips. “I like you.” “I like you too.” My fingers brush his cheek. I lean in and kiss him. His soft lips part beneath mine and he pulls me closer. “You can stay tonight if you want,” he whispers between passionate kisses. “As much as I would love to take you up on that.” I sigh against his lips. “I can’t.” He nods. “I understand. Sleeping together on a second date feels like we’re going at hyperspeed.” I chuckle at the Space Vendetta reference. “Yeah, it does.” “I’ll leave it up to you.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “When you’re ready, let me know.” 
GIVEAWAY! -- #Book Blitz #Pasko Na, My Love: A Holiday Romance Anthology #Holiday Romance @Xpresso Book Tours6/12/2022
Pasko Na, My Love: A Holiday Romance Anthology
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-- Volcanic Love by Elle Cruz Sophie is a thirty-year-old with a wildly successful sex podcast. She has secretly been in love with Travis, her older brother’s best friend, for years. A mistake from the past tears them apart. Sparks fly when they when they see each other five years later during her grandmother’s one-hundredth birthday celebration. Sophie will have to put aside her insecurities to win back Travis’s heart so she can finally have the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of. -- My Only Love by Maan Gabriel He’s on his way to the White House. She’s fighting for women’s rights on the streets of DC. Ten years ago, Drew and Angelica broke off their engagement while in law school. They both attribute their failed relationship to young love and ambition. But when Drew begs Angelica to attend his grandmother’s 100th birthday and pretend for one week that they are back together, sparks fly between them. Is it pretend when the feelings from the past never truly went away? The thing is, Angelica doesn’t want to be Senator Hizon’s number one. Selfish as it may seem, she wants to be his only one – his only love. -- So It’s You by Maida Malby Vida and her maternal grandmother, Naty Moore, share a special bond—the same birthday on Christmas Eve, fifty years apart. This year, Lola Naty will celebrate her 100th birthday, and Vida plans to do everything to make sure her grand party goes off without a hitch. Even if that includes hiding the identity of the man she’s dating. Rafa Balmaseda fell for Vida long before he became her grandmother’s physician. Ten years younger than her, he chafes at being kept a secret. When he pushes for a deeper commitment, will Vida continue to deny his role in her life? Or will she finally admit that they belong together? -- Illicit by Mia Hopkins Event planner Eden Rosales and Catholic priest Nick Salgado reunite at Hacienda Luz and settle a score fourteen years in the making. -- Last Minute by Sarah Smith Twenty-eight-year-old Ruby is in charge of catering the 100th birthday party of her grandmother. As the baby of her family, Ruby has grown up in the shadow of her older, more successful cousins, so she’s determined for her catered dinner to go off without a hitch. But when her head chef calls out with food poisoning the day of the party and sends chef Mason Waller as her replacement, Ruby is pissed. She’s loathed Mason ever since he screwed her over in culinary school five years ago. There’s still plenty of fire between these two … in more ways than one. -- The Deal by Tif Marcelo Prodigal cousin Oliver Moore returns to Hacienda Luz to attend Lola Naty’s hundredth year birthday party only to find out that he’s not on the guest list from divorcée event planner Norah Sha. In catching him as he tries to break in, she feels sorry for him and makes a deal to sneak him in, both discovering Christmas can still bring forgiveness and new love. GIVEAWAY! --
Moon Tamed
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: Sila snickered. “With that comment, you just guaranteed your selection. That is what normal people call testing their luck. Have you worked for the Hunters before?” “No.” With Sila, short and to the point worked the best. If I gave her a single opening, she would talk me to death and force me to regret my decision to be her friend. Sila meant well, however, even when she drove me mad. My friend rubbed her hands together. “They’re pretty nice to work for. While most of them are predatory shifters, they’re respectful of time and energy. It helps they can smell fatigue and frustration, and they understand a happy worker is a better worker. They stop problems before they become problems as a general rule. The male temps get the short straw—they get into pissing contests with the Hunters. Us women? We already know how to avoid the pissing contests. We win when we don’t play the game.” When Sita started spouting sexist nonsense, it often sourced from a bad night with her latest suitor. “Did you have a bad date last night?” “It was horrible. Who knew a Legacy researcher could be so clueless? I educated him, but there won’t be a second date. He was so dry I thought about asking him to do my laundry.” The few times I’d dated a Legacy member, I’d emerged better educated but lacking in the basic relationship department. Members of Legacy lived for the pursuit of old knowledge. Intellectual company appealed, but I also longed for the other facets of a good relationship, including physical affection, sweet nothings, and someone I could be near in safety and comfort. Still, Legacy members could be taught, and I’d met more than a few who were kind to a fault but oblivious. “Maybe you should give him a second try, Sila. You bothered to educate him. Why not benefit from your tutoring. Is he nice?” “He is disturbingly nice,” she complained. Well, some problems had simple solutions. “Teach him to get a little rough with you, then.” “I might. He texted me this morning. I replied that I was getting my work assignment. You think I should try him again?” “He’s nice and can be taught, Sila. Find out if he cooks and cleans. If so, he might be the perfect man.” “You make a good point.” Sila sighed, dug out her phone, and tapped at the screen. “There. I told him that, assignment allowing, I’m free most nights this week if he’d like to get together. This might be for the best. I was about to hit up someone from Moonward.” I winced. Of Moonriver’s factions, Moonward attracted the most ambitious men and women with an interest in magic. Witches made up most of the membership, but they accepted all types. “Dangerous dates are not wise, Sila.” “I’m looking for love. That is dangerous.” No kidding. Before I could reply, our manager rang his little silver bell so he could deliver the news—and reveal who would assist the Hunters. “I’ll keep this as short as possible, as we have a busy day. I already drew the name for the Hunter contract while you gossips talked up a storm.” When Almon Friarin went the route of serious efficiency, we had a higher number of requests than normal. “Today is going to be fun,” Sila predicted. I huffed and refrained from cursing. “Sure. It’s going to be about as fun as a lobotomy.” Before I could further embarrass myself, our boss said, “Line up for your assignment. You’ll just have to accept I won’t be turning our job into a circus today. Maybe tomorrow. The Hunters of Moonriver have asked for discretion.” “Well, this sucks,” Sila muttered. “He lured us all here so nobody would skip out on a crazy day.” “You’re probably right.” My fellow co-workers queued up to receive their assignments, and I joined the line, dragging Sila with me. “Be grateful it’s not a parade. Or worse, a positive reinforcement day.” “Good point. There is only so much public praise I can handle a year. A ten-minute lecture on how good I am at following basic instructions would break me today.” Sila made a show of shuddering. “Last time, one of the clients had sent him a photo of my work along with praise. I almost perished.” I knew of one way to derail my friend before she delved deeper into the dark waters of her self-inflicted stress. “Did you get a raise?” “Ten cents an hour for accomplishing perfection.” Well, that backfired in a painful fashion. “I’ve never gotten a raise for perfection,” I informed her. “I asked for it. Did you?” The next time I got pulled into our boss’s office, I would make a point of asking. “Did the ten cents an hour actually help your budget?” One of the distinct disadvantages of remaining unaffiliated was our pay; the factions made a point of paying their members competitive rates for their work. Migrant workers made up the majority of the unaffiliated, although holdouts like me existed. I accepted lower pay and less say in the governing of Moonriver in exchange for flexibility and freedom. “Every penny counts, except when it doesn’t.” Sila shrugged. 
GIVEAWAY! --
Frozen by Lies
-- EXCERPT: “He is gorgeous!” Hope squeals from behind Noelle. Spinning around sharply, she replies, “He’s okay.” “Okay?” Hope balks. “You were practically drooling over him.” “I was not.” Noelle scoffs, moving toward the sidewalk. “It’s okay. He was doing the same with you,” she giggles. “Now, I know why your family was being odd.” “They’re odd whenever a guy talks to me,” Noelle reminds. Hope takes a sip of her drink and shakes her head. “Not if they know who he is.” Noelle’s brows furrow. “What do you mean?” She looks back in the direction of Nikolaus’ departure. “You’re from a biker community,” Hope scoffs. “How do you not know?” “Know what?” Noelle sips her eggnog, inspecting the cup a second later. “This isn’t too bad. I could probably do a mix with this and my hot chocolate.” “That would be a fun experiment,” Hope agrees. “We can try it tonight if you’d like.” She consumes more of her drink, then adds, “The Sleighers…as in the Sleigh Riders.” Noelle’s becomes slack jaw as her steps come to a halt, staring dumbfoundedly at her friend. She’s heard whispers of the Sleighers from her cousins, but didn’t believe them. She always thought that they were a made-up nemesis to make her cousins and the Blades seem like bigger men. “You okay?” Hope asks when she realizes that Noelle is no longer by her side. “Are you shitting me?” she mutters. “Nope. It was obvious.” “How?” Hope giggles. “You didn’t see the emblem on his jacket?” Noelle tries to remember if he was wearing a jacket just now and the other night. “Of course you didn’t,” Hope muses. “Silly me.” “What?” “You were too busy ogling him to notice,” she declares. “I wasn’t ogling him.” “Yeah…you were. You two were practically making out.” “We didn’t touch,” Noelle reminds. “Didn’t need too,” Hope states. “It was all in both your eyes.” Noelle shakes her head, trying to map out everything that has happened since the other night. “Are you sure?” “You both were smitten.” “No.” Noelle huffs. “I’m talking about him being a Sleigher.” “Yep. Why?” Noelle looks back over her shoulder. “That can’t be.” “Why not?” “He wasn’t on a bike,” Noelle states. “He was driving a truck.” “He said he was heading back to Alyona,” Hope reminds. “Exactly where the Sleighers are from.” Noelle lets out a nervous giggle, shocked and amused by the revelation. “So, what did you two talk about?” Hope pries as they make their way back to the house. “Nothing,” Noelle lies. “That didn’t seem like nothing,” Hope states. “But, then again, you two were ogling each other quiet a bit.” Noelle lets out a heavy breath. “It would be poetic and…ironic,” Hope declares. “What would?” “Ironic…maybe…but, I’m sure there’s a better word for the situation,” Hope says more to herself. “What are you talking about?” “You two meeting and falling in love,” Hope coos. “We aren’t in love,” Noelle counters. “I don’t know the guy.” With a singsongy tone, Hope hums, “Odder things have happened.” “You’re not going to let me live this down, are you?” “Nope,” she says cheerfully. “I’ve never seen you look at a guy like that before.” “How did I look at him?” Hope grins and snips her drink. “Like a woman in love.” “I’m not in love!” “Well…at least some lust,” Hope snickers. “I thought, for a second, you two were going to do more than make out.” Noelle rolls her eyes. “Just don’t ever say anything to anyone in my family.” “Who am I going to tell?” she replies. “I’m serious, Hope.” “So, you are smitten.” “No,” Noelle denies. “I just don’t want the drama. There’s always plenty of that with my family…more so this time of the year.” “It’ll make a great story for the kids and grandkids,” Hope muses. “Fuck,” Noelle huffs. “I’m just messing with you,” Hope claims. Noelle shakes her head. “Do you think he has a cute brother or cousin?” Noelle laughs hard enough that it almost brings a tear to her eye. Hope watches her, perplexed by what was said to make her react in such a way. “What about Josiah?” Hope shrugs. “Maybe a Sleigher is the best way to lure him out and get him to finally ask me out.” “Or, maybe you’ll fall for your own Sleigher,” Noelle goads. Hope considers the option. “I’m open to love wherever it may be. I’m twenty-five and need more in my life.” Noelle snickers. “If you married a Sleighers, and the whispers are true, then we wouldn’t be able to be friends. You know that, right?” “What are you talking about?” she asks. “Blades and Sleighers are rivals.” Hope abruptly stops walking. “That’s not funny.”
GIVEAWAY! --
MONSTERS OF SAINT MARK’S SERIES
Goodreads / Book One- Damaged Gods / Book Two – Savage Saints / Book Three – Royal Beasts --
GIVEAWAY! Hosted on jahuss.com website HERE: https://wp.me/p2C2YB-3hV PRIZE – Pie’s Apothecary Box of Bookish Fun OPEN INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY STARTS ON DECEMBER 6 AND ENDS OF DECEMBER 13 --
The Unsolved Case of The Secret Christmas Baby
-- EXCERPT: “Now stop whining, Gertie, and just walk slowly down the stairs. Jasper isn’t even 2 stone. You carry heavier sacks of potatoes up the stairs.” “But I carry the teddies up the stairs, Ma’am, not down. The dog is heavier than a three-year-old babber.” A three-year-old baby? Have you ever heard of such an exaggeration? One day soon, that maid’s going to do me in. She shuffles down the stairs so slowly, I’m almost losing my balance, and mind you, these stairs are as narrow as a rabbit hole. “Just hold him steady, will you, or you’ll scare him, and you know what happens then!” But it’s too late. Jasper whimpers once, and the damage is done. “Ma’am, he’s wee-weeing all over me dress.” “Poor darling Jasper, we’ll sort you out downstairs. Don’t squeeze him so tight, Gertie, I told you a dozen times before. It frightens him. And keep moving now. You can change your dress in a minute.” Dear Lord in Heaven, what is it with this maid? I can’t go through this every time with her and the dog. When we finally land in one piece on the mat in the tight hallway near the glass-panelled front door, she puts poor Jasper on all fours. He looks up at me with those large, guilt-ridden eyes, but the stricken soul can’t help this. Enough is enough. “It’s all right, Jasper dear. Gertie, I’ll ask if Neil Fritter wants to earn a little extra pocket money and carry Jasper up and down, all right? We can’t have you change dresses three times a day.” “That’s gurt lush, Ma’am.” “Nice of me? Well, it’s all right, Gertie. Now change and wash that dress. I’ll pop into Donald’s fish shop on my way back and see if Neil is available.” “And I’m sorry for the mess, Ma’am.” Don’t think that I miss the flicker of hope in Gertie’s grey eyes. Yes, Neil Fritter is a bit of a looker, so she won’t mind seeing him upstairs. I’ll make sure he delivers Jasper at my front door and doesn’t come in. I’m not against romancing, but I’ll not encourage it either in un-betrothed people. That’s not my style. 
GIVEAWAY! --
On the Line
-- EXCERPT: “Look…” he said, unsure of how to begin. It had been a very long time since he’d had a conversation like this, and this might be the most important of them all. There had never been so much on the line. If he couldn’t get Lexie to see his side of things and understand that even if they hadn’t officially labeled anything, they were as-good-as in a relationship, he didn’t know what he would do. Because if this conversation didn’t go well, he would likely lose her completely. And that was unacceptable. “I’m just gonna say it. I’m crazy about you. And this,” he gestured between their naked bodies, “isn’t enough for me anymore, and I think you feel the same.” “I don’t,” she said, propping herself on her elbow to turn away from him, but Mitch held fast, wrapping his arm tighter around her. She wasn’t going to get away that easy. “And I don’t believe you.” He sat up and rolled so she was trapped under him. “Lexie, this hasn’t been just sex for us in a long time. It’s been seven months since we met. Why are you still lying to yourself? And me? You’re only hurting us both right now, honey,” he said, tracing his fingers along her cheekbone and jaw. “Because I don’t know how to do this!” She shoved him so abruptly that the sheer surprise of it had Mitch sitting back on his heels, giving her the opening she needed to put some distance between them. “And you think I do?” “I think you’re a lot better at deeply emotional relationships than I am,” she whispered, hanging her head. Hopping off the bed, Mitch moved so he was standing in front of her, struck by how strange it was to have such a serious conversation when they were both completely naked. But if that’s what it took to make this woman his girlfriend, his everything, then so be it. “Lexie, honey,” he said, scooping her hair out of her face and lifting her chin to gaze into the golden depths of her eyes. “We’ve been doing this relationship thing for months without putting the actual label on it. You realize that, don’t you?” 
GIVEAWAY! --
Things I Overshared
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